NBA Roundup Time!

So it's about that time. Football has wrapped up, spring training is under way, and that means the most important time of the year is coming up... NO. Not March Madness. Although that is pretty sweet. IT IS NBA AND NHL PLAYOFF TIME!!! Almost... Kinda... Lets start with basketball.

I'm talking about my Celtics starting to make some noise in the NBA fighting for a playoff spot as a low 7/8 seed. Now, my expectations are not high. My expectations have not been high since a game seven in Los Angeles when former Celtics Kendrick Perkins was out with a knee injury, cough, directly resulting in a Laker championship. In fact, since I have left Mass, my average number of games watched for my beloved Celts has gone from as close to a guaranteed 82 in the regular season as it gets to an average of single digits since the move to North Carolina/Virginia. It's just not the same with out CSNE, and everybody would agree that the Celtics have sucked in recent years and it just haven't been worth the watch, but then again can't that be said about basketball in general nowadays? Too many threes, not enough transition game, that's what I say. BUT, I love the NBA, so lets do a wrap up of what's happening without me harping too hard on my Celtics, even though I definitely will.

Dammit PERK!!! GET UP!!! GEEEEETTT UUUUPPPP!!!!! Alrighty then I'm done.

Starting with the bottom of both conferences, well, it's safe to say we won't see the Lakers, Timberwolves, or the Knicks in the playoffs. They've already all been eliminated, if you can believe it. What's really surprising is the 76er's still have not officially been eliminated, remember earlier in the year when they went on that crazy long losing streak and everyone was screaming they were tanking for the number one overall pick? Well, that is no longer working out for anyone because they don't even have the worst record in their conference with the Knicks pulling off a tanking of epic proportions shutting down Carmelo Anthony. And that's all the attention anyone out of playoff contention will get from me, I just love seeing the Lakers (Kobe), and 76er's struggle, I just plain feel bad for Minnesota for obvious basketball reasoning.



Phil Jackson has his work cut out for him in NY, that's for sure.

WEST

In the west it's pretty simple as far as I see it, it's Golden State's conference to lose 6.0 games up at this point with the Splash Bros absolutely lighting it up, and I don't see anybody catching them. David Lee, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, they have too much. Add in new coach Steve Kurr, man, what a squad. Nobody has really contended with them all year, and the one team I thought had a chance at stealing, yes stealing, the conference from them by the time the playoffs rolled around was the Clippers, and with Blake Griffin out with shoulder surgery I don't see that happening. Plus, not to sound like all the Brady haters from this past year, but Chris Paul hasn't looked like his old self, and that is why they sit at the six seed currently, tied and in between San Antonio at five and Dallas at seven.


Curry would have my vote for MVP, Golden State would be nowhere without his 23.6 points, 7.8 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game. Not to mention his late game heroics.

San Antonio is San Antonio. What I mean by that is, as a Pats fan, yes this relates, is that the Spurs can beat anybody anytime. They are the "dark horse" if they can possibly be one. They sit at five, but with that core of Duncan, Parker, Leonard, and Ginobili, they will always tough to beat. Oh, and don't forget Greg "Pop" Popovic is still the coach down there so they got a pretty good set up as always... Houston is an interesting team in the sense that I see them slipping. James Harden is a beast, we know (26.9 points per game), but Dwight Howard is an absolute shell of his former self (16.3 pts, 11 rebounds per game in only 32 games) so I don't see them doing much. It takes defense and rebounding in the playoffs, and as I love to argue the most important statistic in basketball, turnovers per game, which Houston is roughly at 17 per game, a stat that does not fare well for them the way I look at things combined with their rebounding.

The big thing in the west is, who will be the 8 seed? New Orleans? OKC? Well, I'm predicting NO, and here's why. While Russell Westbrook has looked like an MVP without Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City is still his team. There is a definite amount of friction with that squad, and I foresee "The Brow" Anthony Davis taking the Pelicans to a new level. I think this team beats out OKC for that last playoff spot (only back by one game behind OKC), and really pushing Golden State in the first round.

AAAAANNNNNNDDD NOOOWWWWW... The Portland Trailblazers. Wow, what to say about the current (but possibly not for long) four seed. They are one of my favorite teams in the west, but one with the most question marks. Can they stay healthy? Can they win a playoff series in under seven games without a buzzer beater? Will LaMarcus Aldridge be the man come crunch time? My gut says probably not. I think Portland is the big one and done in the first round this year, although it kills me to say it. They just have too many concerns going down the stretch, and unless Aldridge puts up those ridiculous numbers he did last year in the playoffs (26/10 while shooting 45% from the floor), I don't see them standing too much of a chance. Sorry Portland, but just like every single NBA Draft, this just isn't your year.

EAST

Looking into the east now, I mean damn. Who the hell could have seen the Atlanta Hawks coming? Honestly, after the whole GM or whoever racist phone call thing (I don't know too much about what it was but it was right after the Donald Sterling incident), I thought the Hawks would be lucky to just have a season. But for them to be 10 games up (not a typo) with a record of 52-14, it's truly unbelievable that they will be the east's one seed, no question. And they deserve it. Kyle Korver, a guy that we did nothing but make fun of for Ashton Kutcher comparisons for years, is shooting 50 % from three point land and the dude puts up more threes than I can put down tacos in one sitting. He's unreal. They have five guys averaging double digits in points, and two guys (Horford and Milsap) over 7 rebounds per game, and both of those guys are stealing boards from each other, as animals on the glass often do. As a team, they only average 14 turnovers per game, and with that, they are without question the most efficient team in the east. The only way I see Atlanta losing in the playoffs is if the Cavs get something going if they meet up, but for now, Atlanta is just way too effective against everybody.

Moving to the bottom of the conference, where it gets really interesting especially for me, the Celtics and the Heat are both tied 0.5 game back of Charlotte for the last playoff spot in the east. The Celtics have made every move they could make to at least make the playoffs this year (LOVE the Isiah Thomas trade... LOVE it). The Heat, well, have been what we expected without Lebron, Wade is Wade here and there, sometimes, and Bosh sucks. Yeah there's my analysis. He's weak in the paint, and plays with little to no fire or passion. So, yeah, there's my Miami breakdown, look for them to miss the playoffs.

I think Jordan and his Charlotte Hornets (Bobcats, Terriers, whatever they're called nowadays) have been doing a solid job building a team. However, for the first time in a long time I'll say this, I think that Danny Ainge and the Celtics have done a better job for THIS season. Evan Turner hasn't been what I or any Celtics fan would have liked, but Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, Brandon Bass, and Kelly Olynyk have been better than I would have guessed. Then the move to get Thomas from Phoenix and FINALLY dumping that whining baby Rajon Rondo has really sent this team to a higher level. My concern for them, youth, playoff inexperience, and the Sullinger injury. With Sullinger out, this team is much weaker on the boards, and has less tenacity. Sullinger, an undersized power forward, plays a lot bigger than he is, and unfortunately that may have caused his injury and missing the rest of the season. However, the Thomas trade has sparked this team, look for them to slide into that eight spot as the playoffs approach.

I would argue that the decision for Celtics' GM Danny Ainge to dump Rondo (and his contract) to Dallas allowing Isiah Thomas to come in was the best move possible for Boston, and the worst possible move for Dallas. Rondo, a known complainer and whiner, will have to do more than help score points for the currently seeded seventh place Mavericks to make something happen out west.

As I see it, none of the under .500 teams have a chance to make it out of the conference, so that's Indiana, Charlotte, Miami, and Boston, with Miami and Boston on the outside looking in, basically out in my book. I'd even count Milwaulkee in that group, even though they're above .500 by two games because of their injuries and inexperience.

I'd love to take Chicago, but without the Derek Rose of Christmas' Past I don't think they stand a chance to compete against a Washington, Cleveland or Atlanta in a seven game series. I'd also say Washington is a team I just don't trust, they only average about 15 turnovers per game this season, which is on their side, but John Wall at the point is just not something I'm ready to commit to in the playoffs. Hell, I said it about Rondo the entire time he was in Boston and he was a better facilitator than Wall. At least, he was, anyway...

So, surprise surprise, it looks like I like Cleveland or Atlanta in the east. But wait, what? I didn't talk about Toronto at all? Maybe that's because they're Toronto. I can name one guy on the team, and I'm not even positive DeMar DeRozan still plays for them (he does, I checked. So does Tyler Hansbrough... hmmm). Well, despite all my intuition saying don't pick them, Drake likes them, and they haven't made noise since Vince Carter was Vinsanity, I will say this is the definitive dark horse of the east. They are extremely efficient offensively and defensively, only giving up about 13 turnovers per game. The offense is striking though, very streaky, and can get hot in a flash. I don't like saying it, but I think this is the team that can "dethrone" the Cavs or Hawks for the East crown, that hasn't even been handed out.

So that's it, my first NBA wrap up before the postseason starts. Next time here on North Sports and More Down South, we'll hit up NFL Free Agency, as I still can't get excited about the Bruins (yet), or the Mayweather/Pacquiao fight.


MJ

Embrace the Hate, Patriots Nation

Having grown up in Massachusetts and watching three Super Bowl victories for my Pats, it was easy. Life was easy, life was different. Down here in Virginia, it's like being the lone wolf in a way. For two weeks all I heard was jokes about balls. Improperly inflated balls, to be exact.

First reports came out that I heard were the Monday after the AFC championship game, that the Patriots played the Indianapolis Colts and won 45-7 with 11 of 12 game balls underinflated. The idea was that middle linebacker DeQwell Jackson, after intercepting Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, brought the football to the Colts sideline claiming it felt light.

Normally, if this were the actual situation, any other team would just move on and go on with a normal two weeks prior to the Super Bowl. However, because of Spygate in 2007, where the Patriots were caught using an improper camera filming defensive signals on the Jets sideline, the cheating talks began.

I first heard about it and thought, who cares. It doesn't matter, they're going to the Super Bowl. Some people on ESPN such as Michael Wilbon claimed if found guilty they should be vacated from the big game. But the non stop coverage ensued.

What bothered me about it was all of the actual demonstrations and coverage people to just say their piece. And you know why this is? The Patriots are the Yankees of football. The Steelers of the 70's, the Cowboys of the 90's, whatever you want to say. People want to find a reason to doubt the success.

To the credit of Eric Mangini, the former Jets and prior to that Patriots coach who reportedly told NFL officials about the illegal filming, the Patriots were caught doing something illegal. It was also found during a season that happened in 2007/08... a season that I don't remember... something about the Giants and a helmet catch. Whatever if I don't remember it didn't happen.

There IS at least something there that was caught, proven, and punished (Patriots lost a 1st round draft pick). However, if the above, original report of Deflategate even had been true, there could never be any real proof outside of video of Tom Brady or Bill Belichick deflating some footballs in a dark ally somewhere in the depths of Patriots Place. Not found by the way. Number one thought I had, temperature drop, there's leather inside of footballs, boom. It's like the wheels on your car. Just no buzzer when it happens.

While that may not account for 1 psi of a difference, it seemed like a rational thought that nobody talked about. After what I can only imagine was the most extensive and rigorous of investigations, only one football was deflated. The reason it was deflated you ask? An NFL official, who has been fired, had a ball boy put it into the game because he was selling footballs that were supposed to be saved for a charity event. Yeah, great investigating, and more importantly to me, great journalism. Both sarcasm.

As someone who grew up a Drew Bledsoe fan, like my Dad, it's been a rocky road so to speak even with the three Super Bowl wins. My father and I always had a little bitterness when it comes to Brady. We remember that Bledsoe saved the Patriots franchise, when there was all the talk about moving from Foxboro, before Robert Kraft. What we really remember about him though, was the AFC Championship game in 2002. Brady goes down with an ankle injury, in Pittsburgh against a defense that was ranked #1 overall in that regular season in yards allowed per game (258.6). They were also third in points allowed per game (13.2).

Bledsoe, who had been replaced by Brady after the second game of the year due to a collapsed lung, from a ridiculous hit by Mo Lewis. Here check that out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNzd9Xd0who

I digress, Bledsoe came back in that AFC Championship game and went 10-21 for 102 yards and a spectacular touchdown to David Patten at the end of the first half, leading the Brady-less Patriots to a 24-17 win. To be fair, before Brady went down late in the second quarter, he had gone 12-18 with 115 yards, but we're talking about a Bledsoe that hadn't played since week 2 and this was for a chance to play in, at the time, their third Super Bowl (0-2, at the time).

Bledsoe threw a touchdown on his first play of the game, a 15-yard strike to David Patten in the corner of the end zone.

Since then, it's been all Brady. Bledsoe went to the Bills, amongst other teams later on, and Brady won three out of four Super Bowls.

Don't get me wrong, I fully understand how good Brady has been (with Belichick, who I say has been an even bigger component to the success in New England), but until this Super Bowl victory, there was always a little bitterness and a slight thought he wasn't as good as he used to be, especially decision making wise with the football. And I generally think his long ball sucks. But, the dude wins. And that's where this blog is going.

Until this win, in the face of all the (false) Deflategate allegations, it was almost frustrating to be a Pats fan. Last champions in 2005, had the winning in the big game stopped? 0-2 following the Dynasty. Free agents and draft picks just not working. Lawrence Maroney, Bethel Johnson, Roosevelt Colvin (not his fault it didn't work to it's potential, he got hurt, but he goes on here because he was paid pretty well for production that didn't match the pay), Chad Jackson, Brandon Merriweather (who I was personally not a fan of), just a host of poor decisions on players. I mean, literally, Reche Caldwell led the Pats in receiving one year. Troy Brown, a Patriots Hall of Fame wide receiver played cornerback for a few series throughout some games! He did great, but that wasn't even his first position! Some of the decisions this franchise made were looking rough. And then, the talk of the downfall of Brady began. Quick link to my man Trent Dilfer after the Patriots lost to Kansas City, several weeks prior to the 2015 Super Bowl.

Brady hit by Tamba Hali during the Patriots' 41-14 loss to Kansas City on Monday Night Football.

But, as it was, the Patriots went on to finish 12-4 in the regular season (10-2 after those comments) and win the Super Bowl. And yeah, those balls were properly inflated.

Now everyone wants to talk about the decision to throw the football from the 1 yard line or whatever it was on Seattle's part. Well, Pete Carroll was supposed to deliver New England a championship in the 90's, and he finally did. Thanks Pete.

And it's not like Brady didn't throw for 328 yards and four touchdowns or anything. Edelman only had 9 catches for 109 yards and a touchdown, and Gronk only had 6 for 68 and a touch. Amendola was everything Pats fans have been WISHING he could be, and Brandon LaFell was also spectacular. Jamie Collins and Rob Ninkovich spied Russell Wilson to perfection, first and second on the team in tackles respectively with 8 and 6 (total tackles). In the end, football is a game of inches. And whether anyone wants to say all they had to do was run it with "Beast Mode" Marshawn Lynch (who, cough, probably would have scored) Seattle would be champions again. But, as it turns out, they didn't get those last 36 inches.

And it doesn't matter, I watched a helmet catch. Wow, I can't believe I remembered that I don't remember anything else from that game... anyway, I remember a drop on such an easy catch, my grandmother could have caught it even with her walker. Damn it Wes, and they even play the Eye of the Tiger in the video. C'mon, man.

I mean, how. Just, HOW! AND THERE WAS HOLDING ON THE PLAY! JFKDSJFSDLFJDSL!!

Now, it's everyone else's turn to once again watch the Patriots at the top of their game. And with that, and all the talks of cheating, it's so nice to watch my team on top. Winning is the best remedy, and since Belichick has joined New England, nobody has done it more. I watched the game with my parents, and no Patriots-haters. And there was no other way I would have rather watched a win. It's the second I've witnessed with my dad (he was actually at the first two Super Bowl wins in New Orleans and Houston), and now all of us in Patriots Nation can just embrace the hate. And for the people who still call them cheaters, just think, Alex Rodriguez is at spring training right now. Yeah. How's that sitting?

Gronk like football. Gronk catch ball. Gronk run far. Gronk spike ball. Gronk champion.

Coming up, expect something on the current state of the Bruins, and at some point, I'll share my opinions on the Pacquiao/Mayweather fight that will surely disappoint to a level of epic proportion. Just saying.

Biased as always, MJ