Out Of The Discussion

By going to the Miami Heat LeBron James is 100% out of the greatest player ever discussion. Personally I feel that he was never in it but some basketball fans (97% un-educated basketball fans) felt that he was. LeBron flat out ran away from Cleveland because he was scared that he couldn't create a championship team where he was. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson all made dynasties where they were, they didn't need nor want to leave their teams for greener pastures.

Michael Jordan:

Jordan went to an embarrassingly bad franchise in the Chicago Bulls and after several years of playoff failures he won 2 3peats which were separated by a short sabbatical in minor league baseball with the Burmingham Barons. Jordan had Scottie Pippen in each one of those championship seasons but he didn't run off somewhere to get him. Michael Jordan is the greatest of all time simply because once he started his championship run there was absolutely nothing you could do to stop him.

Larry Bird:

With the Bill Russell era long behind them the Celtics were in a horrible drought before Bird came along and pretty much singlehandedly resurrected the franchise. Yes, he did have Kevin McHale and Robert Parish but I contest that it was Bird who made them who they were.

Magic Johnson:

Magic got lucky and went to an already thriving franchise but Magic's competitive nature would never allow him to give up on his own team. As the Lakers floor general, Magic orchestrated the offense beautifully leading his Lakers to 5 world championships in his career.

The point is that all three of these guys have a competitive fire in them that would make it completely impossible to do what LeBron did. The second free agency opened a mysterious package was left on LeBron's door. Inside were the original Air Jordan sneakers and a short and simple question. The inside cover of the shoebox read, " You're a king but can you live up to a legend? Can you take on the greatest challenge in sports; look history in the eyes every night. And refuse to blink? The fans of Chicago have a question for you. Do you dare to fill these shoes?"

Lebron's decision to go to Miami proves that he can't. If he could he would. If Jordan, Magic, or Bird were given a similar challenge I think they would have been salivating at the opportunity. LeBron ran.

Beyond all of the legacy reasons for why LeBron is no longer a candidate for that discussion there are also statistical reasons. Presumably LeBron's PPG are going to go way down in Miami because he can no longer jack up as many shots as he wants. Now he has Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh who also expect to get their shots. Without the legacy and without ridiculous numbers LeBron simply has no chance. Even if he wins 5-7 championships with the Heat (which he won't). It still wouldn't put him in the conversation because he basically had to sell out to get them. Jordan, Magic, and Bird all had good pieces around them but they had to carry their teams. By relieving himself of that duty and honor LeBron relieves himself of any Jordan comparison he ever could have had.

It's Looking Like James Is Leaving Cleveland

LeBron James has postponed making his free agency decision until after his Nike basketball camp is over. Why does this matter? Because the camp is being held in Ohio. If James was staying then why would he wait until after the camp to announce his decision?

If James said he was leaving on Monday, which he was scheduled to do, then he would have had to face a bunch of heart broken kids for 3 grueling days. So instead he says he's still deciding and his decision won't become clear until the second his camp ends on Wednesday. Then everything will become miraculously clear to him.

Given this last piece of information, I'd say there's at least a 90% he's leaving Cleveland.

It's Finally Here

Free Agency 2o1o has been the topic of many NBA conversations for two full seasons. A free agency period that features LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Joe Johnson, Chris Bosh, Amar'e Stoudemire, David Lee, Carlos Boozer, and Dirk Nowitzki promises to be the biggest splash, or the biggest letdown in free agent history.

For the biggest name of the summer, LeBron James, the winds are blowing towards Chicago. Every move made this offseason is based off where James will end up. The only teams that are rumored to have a legitimate shot at the two time reigning MVP are the Bulls, Knicks (though many doubt that, including me), and the Heat.

For James the appeal of Chicago is obvious. Play in Michael Jordan's city, play in Michael's house, play for one of the most storied franchises in league history, and get his big market team which so many seem to put an emphasis on. It has been widely speculated that James is scared to play in Jordan's shadow in fear that he will be engulfed and lost in the depths of history. However word from LeBron's camp claims that he would be excited to try and create his own legacy. The only possible deal-breaker with the Bulls is that LeBron will not be able to do what he wants or be a player-coach-GM like he is in Cleveland. Let's be honest, Mike Brown was in the suit but LeBron was running that team. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that LeBron made Brown fetch him Gatorade during practice. In Chicago LeBron would be strictly a player and he would be treated as such. That's the best thing for him, it just depends on how big his ego is.

Going to Miami would unite him with the Eastern Conference's other main superstar Dwyane Wade. To me this is more of a fairy tale scenario and the least likely outcome. Is LeBron really willing to share his stardom with another megastar who is arguably better than him in many regards? I highly doubt it. In Chicago he would be playing alongside Derrick Rose who's unselfish nature would help the relationship. In New York LeBron would be nothing short of Jesus Christ Himself, in popularity at least.

Staying in Cleveland would certainly increase my respect for him but I really think Chicago is sitting pretty in the LeBron James sweepstakes.

Once LeBron is off the market all eyes will be on Wade, assuming that LeBron doesn't go to Miami. Wade is also rumored to Chicago. This next piece of evidence is the most interesting. Someone in Air Jordan's shoe division leaked what Wade's next shoe will be, and it bodes well for the Bulls. The shoe's name is "W3lcome Home" and it has Bulls colors. To the surprise of no one, the rumor mill was spinning fast once this information dropped. The other reason to believe Wade-to-Chicago is a possibility is because last summer he sold his house in Miami and bought another one in Chicago. He already has a house for his mother. Why get another one?

Despite the rumors of what his new shoe foreshadows, there is plenty of evidence to support the theory that Wade is headed back to Miami. "Do I want to leave? Nope. Mmm-hmm. I want to be in Miami." That pretty much defines where his heart is. Clearly he's only going to leave Miami if the front office, otherwise known as Pat Riley, disappoints him again. At the end of the day I think Wade is going to stay in Miami.

Chris Bosh, I'm beginning to sound like a broken record, is also heavily rumored to the Bulls. The dream off-season for the Bulls is landing LeBron James through a routine signing, then pulling off a sign and trade for Bosh. That trade would send Luol Deng and his mammoth of a contract to Toronto which clears up the salary cap space to have both Bosh and LeBron. If he doesn't go to the Bulls there are four other locations that Bosh has indicated interest in. They are New York, Los Angeles, Miami, or going back to Toronto which I just can't see happening. After Chicago, I think Miami is calling his name. The opportunity to play with Wade is something that he just can't pass up, if he does then winning is clearly not his top priority. He and Wade would fit well based on their styles of play and I really can't think of any reason why it couldn't work.

Joe Johnson's stock fell drastically this season. He suffers from something I like to call the Ben Gordon syndrome. That is when a player massively overrates his value and rejects an extension only to be forced to sign a worse deal the following offseason. It happens all of the time and Johnson is the latest case of the illness. My guess is that he ends up in New York because that's what happens to the Knicks. They get good players on the decline of their careers, get nothing out of them and go nowhere. Do Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis, or Penny Hardaway ring a bell? Next in that line of disaster stories is Joe Johnson.

Some people were surprised when Dirk Nowitzki decided to opt out of his last year with the Mavs and test the free agency market. This one is easy to predict, there is no way in hell Mark Cuban lets Dirk leave Dallas. He's the best player in franchise history and his number is destined for the rafters. In situations like that the player usually stays with the franchise and sometimes it works out (Paul Pierce).

Carlos Boozer's free agency stock raised big time this season. Everyone knows he can play but the issue was always his durability. Boozer played in 95% of the games this season which means more dollar signs for the 28 year old, double double machine. Like Bosh, Boozer has an equal chance of landing in Miami. Last summer Boozer turned some Utah fans against him when he characterized Miami as his, "paradise." There is little doubt that if he's given the chance he will end up with the Heat. If he does end up in Miami, it's safe to say the Heat missed out on Bosh and Amar'e Stoudemire. Boozer is third in line behind those two.

After the all star break Amar'e Stoudemire played better than any big man in the league and guaranteed himself a pretty nice contract this summer. I don't think he'll get a max deal unless he goes to the Knicks because no good team is going to pay that type of money for that many years on a guy they can't depend on. Stoudemire is yet another big man rumored to Miami. It seems that no matter what happens the Heat are going to be getting a great big man.

David Lee is by far the most uninteresting and least talented major free agent this summer. It's not a knock on him, it just speaks to how strong this free agent class is. My guess is that he's going to stay in New York. Lee is a talented big man but he's nowhere near good enough to make any demands at this stage in his career. If he's smart he will try to go somewhere with a future, namely anywhere other than New York or New Jersey.

Finally, this is how I see the probabilities of each player.

LeBron James: Chicago Bulls 45%, Cleveland Cavaliers 25%, Miami Heat 15%, New York Knicks 15%

Dwyane Wade: Miami Heat 85%, Chicago Bulls 15%

Chris Bosh: Chicago Bulls 37%, Miami Heat 36%, New York Knicks 14%, Toronto Raptors 13%

Joe Johnson: New York Knicks 30%, Atlanta Hawks 24%, Chicago Bulls 23%, Miami Heat 23%

Carlos Boozer: Miami Heat 50%, Utah Jazz 25%, Chicago Bulls 20%, New York Knicks 5%

Dirk Nowitzki: Dallas Mavericks 100%

Amar'e Stoudemire: Phoenix Suns 47% , Miami Heat 33%, Chicago Bulls 20%

David Lee: New York Knicks 80%, Dallas Mavericks 12% , Chicago Bulls 8%

Does He Want The Big Numbers Or The Big Diamonds?

Right now it looks as if the Bulls are the frontrunners to sign the biggest free agent of the summer, LeBron James. In Cleveland James gets to do whatever he wants, he can decide who the front office goes after, he can dance during the games, and he can basically say that he owns the team regardless of who signs the checks. Well it's become very clear to him that he won't have such freedom in Chicago.

Longtime tyrant owner Jerry Reinsdorf has already laid down rules for James. The Bulls have notified James' agent that he must sign on July 7th, 8th, or 9th. If he doesn't then the Bulls aren't going to spend anymore time going after him in fear that they would miss out on all the other free agents. Also, GM Gar Forman said that no player will decide who fills the Bulls current coaching vacancy. Not even LeBron.

If James does sign in Chicago he will be treated this way for the duration of his tenure. Michael Jordan, the greatest player to ever step on the floor was treated the same as every other player. Jordan tried to get Jerry Krause (former Bulls GM) fired for years but Reinsdorf would never do it. If Jordan can't get his way then LeBron doesn't have a prayer. As great of a player as LeBron is, he's still not even in the same universe as Jordan.

This is good for James. Going to Chicago would give him the best teammates he's ever had and more likely than not he will be getting another premier free agent to go with him. Having Derrick Rose at the helm is a wonderful gift as long as the team plays unselfishly. Mark my words, LeBron will never win a championship until he changes his style of play. I don't mean passing more because he does that already. I mean that he would have to let Rose run the team and James would just play SF. In Cleveland, Mo Williams would bring the ball up the floor, give it to James, and the rest of the team would wait at the three point line. If he plays with someone like Rose that simply can't happen.

The fact that the Bulls are already putting the hammer down on him (compared to Cleveland) is a good sign. It's never a good idea to give any one player too much influence in the front office. Just like I said that LeBron won't win a championship if he plays like he has been, let me also say this. If LeBron goes to Chicago and just plays like a regular SF and lets Rose run the team, he will get his ring next season. If Bosh goes with him then we're going to see the NBA's next great dynasty.

It all depends on what's more important to him. Does he want the big numbers or does he want the big diamonds?

Unconfirmed Report: Delonte West Has Sexual Affair With LeBron James' Mother, No I'm Not Joking

This story is without question the funniest thing that's happened in sports in a very long time. I would pay 500,000 dollars to have been there when LeBron James first heard the news, the look on his face must have been priceless. According to unidentified sources the news was given to James shortly before his sub-par performance in game 4 against the Celtics. In that game James went an uncharacteristic 3 for 14 in what would turn out to be the worst playoff loss in Cavaliers history.

In all seriousness, if this story does come out true, Delonte West is without a doubt the worst teammate ever. It appears to me that the story will be confirmed at some point because it had been circulating the internet for four days before James' lawyers had it taken off. If they knew it was completely false it would have been taken off within the hour.

It would be very interesting to go back and watch games 4 and 5 again to see if James and West interacted any differently. One thing is certain, assuming this is true, either James or West won't be in a Cavaliers uniform next season.

There are already tons of rumors sending LeBron James to the Bulls. There has even been a confirmed report that James spoke to Bulls' All-Star PG Derrick Rose over the phone, presumably about going to Chicago next season. While this situation won't by itself make LeBron leave, it certainly won't help influence him to stay with the Cavs.

Just think about it, how can LeBron ever look West in the eye again? With your teammates MOTHER?! That's just unbelievable. Imagine LeBron going home for Sunday dinner and West opening the door wearing nothing but a bath-robe. I wonder if West is going to make LeBron call him daddy? The list of jokes goes on and on for miles.

Don't You Dare Complain About That Elbow

LeBron James (especially recently) is often compared to the great Michael Jordan. In game 5 of the Cavs' first round playoff series against the Chicago Bulls LeBron's elbow injury became public. It's important to note that his injury was diagnosed not as a tear or even a sprain, but as only a mild strain.

Great players play better when faced with these types of challenges. This is where we're going to find out if LeBron deserves to be in that elite class with Magic, Jordan and Bird.

In game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals Jordan battled a vicious flu to torch the Jazz in their own building. "I felt partially paralyzed," Jordan would later say. This guy played through partial paralyzation and LeBron has to deal with the discomfort of a strain. There's a big difference between not being able to see straight (Jordan) and having no physical limitations whatsoever (LeBron).

"The way he looked, there's no way I thought he could even put on his uniform, I'd never seen him like that. He looked bad -- I mean really bad." Those are the words of teammate and friend Scottie Pippen after the game.

With the flu Jordan scored 38 points, had 5 assists and grabbed 7 rebounds. LeBron on the other hand, with a strained elbow, had 24 points, 4 assists, and 7 rebounds. Jordan's handicap was much more serious than LeBron's is and he still put up big numbers on the game's biggest stage.

LeBron is a great player and the scary thing is that he probably hasn't even hit his ceiling yet. My guess is that when it's all said in done LeBron will have numbers that will make our heads spin. But to compare these two players right now is borderline insulting. Jordan was barely able to breath when LeBron felt slight discomfort and Jordan still played much better. That right there is the distinction between being an All-Time Great and being a Basketball Immortal.

If James complains about his elbow after this game, in my mind at least, he's admitting that he's not tough enough or good enough to not make excuses and play. It would also show me that he's scared of the Celtics having lost home court advantage.

I don't know, maybe if LeBron was in the same circumstance as Jordan he would have played just as well. But what I do know is that I saw LeBron grabbing his elbow a ton in his last three playoff games. He's not just grabbing it for a second either, he's craddling it like it has serious damage done to it, basically saying, "Look at me, I'm playing through an injury aren't I special".

No doubt, a strained elbow is extremely uncomfortable and it makes sense that it would effect him to a certain extent. But it's surely not debilitating enough to be considered legitimate excuse for when he shoots poorly.

If James likes to be compared to the greatest player ever he better shut up and play. That's what the great ones do, and if he wants to go down in history as one of the best ever then he has no choice but to win a championship this year with that aggravated elbow.

Where Will Amar'e Stoudemire End Up Going?

It has been a well known fact that in the last few years the Phoenix Suns were open to trading star PF Amar'e Stoudemire. Rumors have surfaced that Stoudemire could be going to the Cavs in exchange for J.J. Hickson, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and a first round pick. Adding Stoudemire to the Cavs would be downright scary. The league's best record currently resides in Cleveland and adding yet another force down low would only help.

After the story broke about the Cavs and Suns closing in on an agreement, other teams have sweetened their offer. According to Ric Bucher of ESPN the Chicago Bulls have also made an offer for Stoudemire which he believes the Suns will take. The Bulls are offering Kirk Hinrich, Tyrus Thomas, and a first round pick. This would be a blessing for the Bulls for two main reasons. The first is because they can finally get the low post scorer they've been craving for over a decade. The second reason is because Stoudemire's 16 million dollar contract would be coming off the books in the summer of the biggest free agent market in recent history. Basically the Bulls would be renting him for half a season. If he works out, they resign him. If he doesn't they let him walk. Getting Stoudemire is win win situation for Chicago.

The Bulls already have the funds to go after one premier free agent. With this money, the Bulls could offer a maximum contract to two free agents.

My guess is that they would make big offers to both Joe Johnson and Chris Bosh. Joe Johnson has been rumored to be interested in going to the Windy City and at the all star festivities he did little to disprove that theory.

When asked if he was interested in playing alongside fellow All Star Derrick Rose he made the following statement, "He's a great point guard, I think any guy would love to play with him."

Let me tell you what he's really saying: Yes I want to go to Chicago but I can't say that until after the season.

Going after Chris Bosh makes sense because he can run with Rose and he would provide a steady scorer to demand the attention of defenses. If you put Rose, Johnson, and Bosh together with players like Luol Deng and Joakim Noah you're ready to seriously contend for a title.

It's believed that if Stoudemire does in fact move, he's almost definitely going to either Cleveland or Chicago. If I had to guess I would say he's going to Cleveland only because reports are surfacing all over the place that this is almost a done deal. However it makes more sense to accept the Bulls' offer. You get a tough, unselfish, defensive minded PG in Kirk Hinrich. And a big man who fits perfectly in the Suns' running game with Tyrus Thomas. That makes more sense than the Cavs' offer because Ilgauskas sure as hell can't run like he would need to in the Suns' system and JJ Hickson is massively overrated. He's very good, but right now he's getting way more credit than he deserves.

Where he's going is up in the air, but what is certain is that whoever gets Stoudemire is going to be getting a major increase in the odds for a championship....Unless the Nets get him.

Are You Serious?

LeBron James' dance performance against the Bulls last night was flat out embarrassing. The Cleveland Cavaliers are known to be a very loose team and have clearly exemplified that with their pre game skits. But this was just unacceptable. Throughout the Cavs' game deciding run in the second half James could be found on the sideline dancing. Not from his seat, he actually got up and started dancing for all to see.

Bulls' center Joakim Noah took exception to James' clown-like activities and let him know from the bench as James was at the free throw line. After the first free throw was taken James made his way to the Bulls' bench where Noah stood up as words fired back and forth.

"It's nothing against the Bulls and it's nothing against Joakim or none of those guys, it's nothing about showboating on a team. I've seen it happen all last year. I think he was more frustrated about the way he played as an individual. He didn't help his team win."

This is James' slick way of saying, "Noah sucked and should have kept his mouth shut".

This shows James' immaturity, especially considering Noah's comments: "When you're losing the way you're losing and guys are rubbing it in your face, dancing and all that, I have a lot of respect for LeBron. It's just a frustrating situation."

Noah could have and probably should have called James a moron for his antics but he refrained, he admitted that he was acting out of frustration and in his own way apologized. James seemingly refuses to acknowledge how out of line his actions were which shows that he's the most egotistical person on the planet, he even beats out Kanye West.

The NBA front office is always talking about the league's public image. Whenever a fight breaks out during a game heavy fines and suspensions are delivered as a penalty for setting a bad example.

This was just as bad as a fight if not worse.

Basketball is an emotional game, while fighting is certainly not condoned it is understandable. Dancing though, definitely isn't. Luckily for James, commissioner David Stern is in love with him and won't punish him. He is very lucky that I'm not the commissioner because if I was James would receive a 1,000,000 dollar fine as well as a 20 game suspension. Think about how many people idolize James, then think about how many of those people are kids under age 15. When he does this it sets a worse example than any fight could.


James is getting away with this because he's a superstar, but look at the other major superstars in the past few decades. Jordan, Bird, or Magic wouldn't be caught dead doing something as idiotic as this.

If James thinks he's a big enough star to justify his actions he's out of his mind. He's nowhere near the top tier of NBA greats nor do I think he ever will be. He's not even the best player in the league, maybe not even one of the best two. Kobe Bryant is definitely better and one could make a strong case for Dwyane Wade as well. When you really think about it, what has James done in his career to justify calling him King James? He has an MVP award, one scoring title, and a rookie of the year award. That's it. Is that enough to call someone an incredibly arrogant nickname? Absolutely not. Without a championship ring Prince James is more appropriate.

Until James wins at least three championships it is ridiculous to even mention him in the same breath as Bird, Magic, and Jordan. Whether or not James will win a championship is a mystery, but if he keeps up his absurd behavior Red Auerbach is going to haunt his dreams, that much is for sure.

LeBron James to Honor Jordan by Giving Up #23, as Well as a Quick Look at Next Summer's Possibilities

Immediately following Thursday's win in Miami, LeBron James made the announcement that he was changing his number from 23 to 6 in honor of Michael Jordan.

“Jordan can’t get the logo, and if he can’t, something has to be done. I feel like no NBA player should wear 23. I’m starting a petition, and I’ve got to get everyone in the NBA to sign it. Now, if I’m not going to wear number 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it.”

Why though? Why change it this late in his career?

It's because James has realized that no matter what he does, 23 will always be Jordan's number. This is an attempt to try to break out of the Jordan shadow and make his own legacy with no ties to anyone else's. If LeBron wants to give up 23 then that's fine but to say that there should be a league wide ban on it is taking it too far. As far as I know the only number in sports which is completely off limits is number 42 in Major League Baseball. When someone breaks down racial barriers, universally retiring their number is justified, but just being the greatest player isn't enough.

In a way, I think LeBron is just creating a diversion from all of the free agent talk that he has been going through in the early weeks of the season. It makes sense, having to hear your best player rumored to every organization under the sun can't be good for team chemistry.

What LeBron doesn't realize is that by saying he's changing from 23 the, "LeBron to Chicago", whispers are going amplify themselves. People are going use their faulted logic and think that he's only changing from 23 because he knows he can't have it in Chicago. This will cause a bigger distraction because Chicago is actually a very possible destination for James (rather than the Knicks, Nets, or Heat). The Bulls have a lot of money to spend, a big market, and with James a team that will seriously contend for a title.

All of these rumors about James to Miami or New York are pipe dreams. If LeBron goes to the Knicks then it should be very obvious to everyone that he wants nothing but money and winning is not a top priority for him which I highly doubt.

As for the Heat, in theory putting James and Wade together sounds like a good idea but on the floor it will be a different story. Both of their styles demand having the ball for the majority of the game and as far as I know only one person can have the ball at a time. A combination of Wade and James would be the biggest disappointment since Steve Francis.

As this season drags on, James' free agent rumors are going to start taking a toll on the Cavs. Don't be surprised to see a schism in the Cavaliers' locker room. If I were LeBron, I would be as silent as humanly possible with the media in the coming weeks.

Stephen Jackson Requests Trade

Warriors' SF Stephen Jackson told Dime Magazine that he has requested a trade from the Golden State Warriors. Jackson wants to be traded the Cavs, or any of the three Texas teams (Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs).

"At this point, I'm 31 years old. I have four or five years left. I want to be in a situation where I can continually be in the playoffs and get another ring. So that's where my mind is at now."

Jackson's 20.7 PPG would be very attractive if not for his past disciplinary issues. I'm sure one of those teams would be more than happy to take Jackson, despite his problem image.

Hawks sign Veteran Joe Smith to one year deal

The 14 year vet, Joe Smith will offer the upstart Atlanta Hawks consistent mid-range shooting and playoff experience. Last season Smith played very limited minutes on the Eastern Conference runner-up Cleveland Cavaliers.

Cavs Sign Powe

The Cleveland Cavaliers have inked former Celtics PF Leon Powe to a two-year, 1.7 million dollar deal. Powe, in my mind, is one of the most underrated players in the NBA. The reason why the Cavs were able to obtain Powe for so cheap was because of his nagging knee injury. He is scheduled to miss at least the first half of the season and apparently the Celtics didn't want to wait it out and see what happened. 

Biggest Rivalries Heading into the 2009-2010 Season

Here are the biggest rivalries with bad blood between them heading into next season.

 

1. Bulls vs. Celtics

After the classic seven game series in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs the Bulls and Celtics are undoubtedly the two teams with the most bad blood between them. Rajon Rondo will be booed for the rest of his career in the United Center and likewise for Kirk Hinrich in the TD Banknorth Garden. By game 5 during their epic series a flagrant foul had become a normality, that's when you know that these two teams are hot for each other. There are emotional players on each side, KG for the Celtics and Joakim Noah for the Bulls. And don't think that Brad Miller has forgotten about Rondo's bitch slap in game 5. Don't be surprised to see Rajon hitting the floor hard at the hands of Brad Miller.

 

2. Celtics vs. Lakers

The Celtics and Lakers have been bitter rivals going all the way back to the Russell\Chamberlain era. The players have changed but the rivalry has remained the same. It is my personal opinion along with many others that if the Celtics didn't lose KG to injury they would have repeated as NBA champions. Going into the season the Celtics are going to be eager to show that they are still the powerhouse of the Eastern Conference. And God knows they have re-loaded themselves with talent, adding Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels to go along with their already star studded lineup. Assuming that there are no injuries to major players on either teams it is my prediction that they will meet in the championship again and once again the Celtics will come out victorious. A major reason for this is because right now KG is like a land mine ready to explode, he had to watch his team get knocked out in the second round of the playoffs while he could do nothing. Expect Kevin to enter this season hungrier than ever and hitting his head even harder off the Basket support before games. 

 

3. Nuggets vs. Hornets

After the New Orleans Hornets got trounced by 58 points on their home floor I expect them to come into this season eager to show that they are a contender. Once Denver makes their first trip to New Orleans I expect a very physical and emotional game on the Hornets part. If they don't have any different attitude towards Denver then they have no soul and don't deserve to even take the floor. 

 

4. Detroit vs. Cleveland

This rivalry won't attract as much attention as the others but I still believe that there is a strong motivation in the Pistons' mind to disassemble the Cavs this season. Detroit has added the very dangerous and streaky scorer Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. For the whole decade the Pistons have been at the top of the Eastern Conference and for 8 seasons in a row they were in the Conference Finals. Detroit is going to be looking to enter into the Eastern Conference hierarchy, which consists of the Celtics, Magic, and Cavs. 

 

I love bad blood between teams, it makes for a more interesting and emotional game. And at the same time, the level of competition is unquestionably raised. I look forward to seeing these rivalries develop this season.