NBA Playoffs Conference Semifinals Predictions

Bulls over Hawks in 7
Heat over Celtics in 7
Thunder over Grizzlies in 5
Lakers over Mavericks in 7

Knicks-Celtics Game 3 Quick Reaction

Celtics 113, Knicks 96
Celtics lead series 3-0 

They overwhelmed us from the opening tip. Swallowed us whole. This is what I was worried about from the beginning of the series. The Knicks looked they were trying too hard. They were slow to adjust and rotate on D. Pierce and Allen were hitting their shots. The Celtics were getting every call and bounce but the Knicks didn't do anything to change that. They didn't handle the pressure of hosting their first playoff game in seven years very well. It's disappointing because I was hoping they would come out and crack some heads, but everyone looked tight. The ball was being forced to Amar'e early on and he was pressing a little too much, but he must be hurting. Nobody handled the situation well. Nobody stepped up and took charge. Maybe not having a veteran like Chauncey out there hurt. The only excuse I can offer is that the officiating was poor but that's not a good excuse. I'm not giving up hope on the series. The Knicks have to play with pride on Sunday and match their intensity of the first two games. If they keep the open shots to a minimum, get to every loose ball, and catch a few breaks, they should have a chance...with or without Chauncey and Amar'e.

Knicks-Celtics Game 2 Quick Reaction

Celtics 96, Knicks 93
Celtics lead series 2-0

That was another heartbreaker. It hurts more than the first game because they really shouldn't have been hanging around without Big Shot and Amar'e. Jeffries didn't make the best move ever on the final play but what do you expect from him? If anything, my big criticism is why is Roger Mason in the game? He did make a big 3 but Landry Fields was playing OK and isn't afraid to put the ball on the floor out there. The Knicks played valiantly. Carmelo was awesome, not only scoring but rebounding, playing D, and getting his teammates involved. Rondo created some problems and the big guys need to help out better although that does leave some of the perimeter guys open. Besides that, the defense has been really good. The guys are shifting and contesting every shot. If the team was healthy, I'd predict a big Game 3 but I'm afraid especially with Amar'e hurt. I liked the way Toney ran the team. It was quick and upbeat but he needs to stay out of foul trouble. Still, you miss Big Shot's experience. The crowd is going to need to come up huge for Game 3.

10 Most Memorable Knicks Games

An enterprising and no doubt well-endowed young man put together a fantastic list of the 10 most memorable Knicks games of the season over at Bleacher Report. Check it out.

Knicks-Celtics Game 1 Quick Reaction

The Knicks probably should have won that game. Overall, I thought they played really well. They were composed. Everyone contributed. Heck, even Ronny Turiaf made a couple of baskets. It's all for naught, though. They couldn't execute in the last few minutes. Chauncey Big Shot's injury was a killer. Hopefully, he'll be back for Game 2, but not having him out there for the last play was tough. The team looked lost out there. Obviously, the offensive foul call against Carmelo was horrendous but there's nothing you could do about it. Coach D used up all his timeouts again and it really hurt on the last possession. The final shot wasn't great but Melo is the guy that's going to take it. He should have taken it earlier to make it easier for a putback. I have no problem with a 3 instead of a 2 because you might as well go for the win instead of having to go for a win in OT on the road. Amar'e played great and was fearless taking the ball to the hole. He made KG look bad. The defense was really solid. Everyone was quick to move around. Turiaf was great especially. He's really underrated. I would love it if he could give 30 minutes a game.

The jitters should be out of everyone's system now and it's clear that these two teams are pretty evenly matched. Today was a tough loss but nobody should hang their head.

Not Afraid

There's a lot to be scared about. The Celtics are a good team. They know how to win. They're tough. They'll cut your heart out if you let them. But the Knicks can beat them. They couldn't do it during the regular season but they can do it now. This season has been all about overcoming fear. Not the fear of losing, but the fear of winning. It's easy to lose. There are 29 teams that are going to lose. Everything that has happened so far this year culminates tonight. The pressure of climbing the mountain is enormous, especially in New York. Amar'e and Carmelo can do it, but they need to do it together. And their guys and the fans need to be there every step of the way. Big Shot needs to stay in front of Rondo. Turiaf needs to get control the paint. Toney needs to hit his open shots. Landry needs to not play like a rookie. Everyone needs to rebound. Everyone needs to defend. There can't be any doubts or complacency. The Celtics are old but they will find a way to win. If they sense even an ounce of fear, they will take advantage of it. When the Celtics look into our eyes tonight, what will they see?

NBA Playoffs Conference Quarterfinals Predictions

This is what we've all been waiting for. Sixteen wins to get basketball's ultimate prize. Sixteen wins to become immortal. But you can't reach the top without starting somewhere. Rory, Dat Roro Kid, and myself picked the winners of the eight opening-round series. Some might seem like a forgone conclusion, but then again, anything is possible. Again, due to my extreme, extreme bias, I won't be picking the Knicks series.

When You Gotta Go

In his second return to Cleveland since taking his talents to South Beach, Queen James didn't want to stick around and get booed during starting lineups again so he had an interesting solution. The Queen went to the "bathroom" while his teammates were being introduced. I know the importance of finding a toilet more than anyone, but what a bitch move. You made your bed, now lie in it. Queen James sold out his hometown for fun in the sun. That was his right, but ducking out of player intros? Man up! Everything LeBron does is the exact opposite of a stone-cold killer and that's what you need to be to win in the NBA. To make matters worse, the Heat went out and lost the game by double-digits. Jordan, Magic, and Bird must be shaking their heads. Jordan would have pissed on the other team if he really had to go.

Trivia Time: 3/28/11 Edition

It's almost time for the NBA Playoffs, which is my favorite event of the year, especially now that the Knicks are back in it. What better way to celebrate than a trivia question? Answer is after the jump.

Which NBA franchise has gone the longest without winning the NBA Championship?

Los Trail Blazers?

I was at the gym last night and I looked up at the TV to notice that El Heat were playing Los Spurs, at least according to what the players were wearing. As part of its Noche Latina celebration, the NBA has 12 games scheduled this month with Latin festivities and jerseys. I've complained about uniforms before, but come on, El Heat? That's just ridiculous. According to Altavista, in Spanish, Spurs translates to Estímulos. I'm fine with that. So let's do it the full way or no way. Just remember, in any language Clipper translates to loser.

Six Degrees of Scalabrine

 ?

The brainiacs over at Harvard finally developed something useful for a change: a database featuring every NBA and ABA player for the past 60 years that can connect any two through the teammates they've had over the years. I thought it was too good to be true. You have to try it out. How else would you know that Brian Scalabrine and Mark Madsen were both teammates with the immortal......

Knicks Beat That Heat

The Knicks may be less talented than the Heat but last night proved that they have the guys that are willing to step up and make big plays. Wade and Bosh disappeared, Melo accepted the responsibility of guarding Queen James, and Mr. Big Shot lived up to his name and made some great defensive plays. Finally, it was Amar'e who shoved the ball back in the Queen's face in the final seconds. The Heat were scared to fail; the Knicks weren't. Simple as that.

Chair Throwing Madman Traded To Celtics

Today is the NBA trade deadline. It's like the Super Bowl for nerdy basketball fans. Apparently, Celtics President Danny Ainge didn't think his team had enough maniacs and gave away Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic. You may remember Krstic as the balding Serbian freak who was arrested after throwing a chair during an international game.

He's no Mick Foley. You know the second KG goes insane on Krstic during practice, he's getting a trash can lid or ladder in the back of the head. No word yet on whether Paul Pierce's wheelchair was included in the trade.

ESPN

Marv Albert Has Bieber Fever: The Biggest Moments of NBA All-Star Weekend

All-Star Weekend is the best. It's an fun showcase of athleticism, dunks, and awkward celebrity encounters. Let's take a look at the weekend's biggest moments, shall we:

#567: OMG! Justin Bieber named Celebrity Game MVP
Despite scoring only 8 points in a losing effort, Bieber beat out Scottie Pippen, Chris Mullin, and Michael Rappaport for the game's MVP (in text message voting determined by the fans, obviously). Bieber proved to be a decent shooter with an unorthodox sideshot and even crossed up Common. Craig Sager later interviewed Bieber during the All-Star Game. It was awkward.

A King's Defence

We can all acknowledge The Decision was a colossal failure.

The idea - from genesis to fruition - was fraught with unmitigated ego and PR missteps from a ragtag group of yes-men that couldn't objectively advise their human paycheck. LeBron had allowed his friends to orchestrate his business dealings as he installed inexperienced buddies to handle his business affairs. These were guys with no prior understanding of the intricacies of properly presenting him to a public that was hungry for a hero in the wake of Jordan’s retirement; a globally-recognizable, likeable hero. Small town dude makes good and brings a championship to a maligned city. It's a nice story but it didn't happen (and not for lack of trying). And when the time came for LeBron to move on, everyone wanted in. He chose Miami, in an effort to model his career less after some kind of Jordan cult of personality/Machiavellian reign and more like the fun atmosphere he relished from his St. V.-St. M days.

Isn't It Fashion Week?

I'm no clotheshorse. Actually, I'm kind of a slob. I wear the same outfits over and over. Most of my shirts are wrinkled and I haven't washed my jeans in months. There's only one kind of clothing that I care about: jerseys. Maybe I'm old school, but pretty much in any game I've ever seen before in any sport, one team wears white (excluding the Lakers --- freaks). However, in several recent NBA games this hasn't been so. One team has been wearing white since the Harding Administration. Why mess with a good thing? It's unnatural, dagnabbit!

In yesterday's Knicks-Hawks game, it was Blue vs. Red and I didn't like it. It's harder to tell the teams apart, although I guess it's better than the 50's when both teams were all-white. I kid because I love. I know teams are always wearing third jerseys and retro jerseys to make more money, but don't screw with the history of the league to make a few bucks. Aren't teams supposed to coordinate with each other beforehand anyway? Why couldn't the Hawks have worn white? I love the throwbacks the Knicks wore last night. I wish that was their regular jersey. The white throwback is just as good. It's what they wore when they won their first Title. It actually would have been even more of a throwback. I think Bill Bradley shed a tear last night. Don't even get me started about the Hornets having yellow home jerseys.