The Mets are finally doing what they’re supposed to be doing….beating bad teams.
Injuries? What injuries?? The Yankees STILL don’t know how to lose.
Vince Carter, simply, won’t die.
You have the 1st overall pick in your fantasy football draft (ppr). WHO ARE YOU TAKING?!
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The search is over!!
The New York Knicks officially have another career to ruin. Since parting ways with Jeff Hornacek, on April 12th, the Knicks have conducted the wildest interview process known to man. But Thursday, the madness came to an end.
David Fizdale will be the next head coach of the New York Knicks.
David Fizdale’s coaching career began in 1998 at his alma mater, the University of San Diego. There, he was an assistant coach for four years before moving on to Fresno State. After calling Fresno State home for two years, Fizdale got his shot in the NBA. He worked as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, and Miami Heat (with LeBron). That opportunity catapulted him to his 1st head coaching position, with the Memphis Grizzlies. Fizdale led the Grizzlies to the playoffs in his 1st season (2016) but was bounced in the 1st round. And just 19 games into the 2017 season, Grizzlies’ star, Marc Gasol, followed in the footsteps of the NBAs prima donna’s and had Fizdale fired. He’s been doing broadcast work for ESPN ever since and will be 44 at the start of the upcoming season.
And now, the ultimate challenge lay at his feet; turn the Knicks around. Turn the Knicks around could be the four scariest words in the English language. A concept that has spread fear internationally and has been passed down from generation to generation. It often sends grown men and women running for the hills. You laugh, but if you think I’m overstating the pressure, anxiety, and fear that comes with being the Knicks’ head coach, you’re sorely mistaken.
As you know, the list of coaching candidates was long, but distinguished….(let’s see if my movie buffs figure that one out):
David Fizdale, David Blatt, Mark Jackson, Mike Budenholzer, Mike Brown, Jay Larranaga, James Borrego, Mike Woodson, Jerry Stackhouse, Juwan Howard, and Kenny Smith.
Long, but perhaps not as distinguished as you’d think. The fact that Jerry Stackhouse, Juwan Howard, Mike Woodson, and Kenny Smith were interviewed is absurd. The rest are reasonable candidates, however, Fizdale is the right man for the job.
Fizdale has shown he can relate to players, as evidenced by his work with LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. LeBron and Wade actually endorsed Fizdale when he was in consideration for the Grizzlies job.
The question is: Will James Dolan keep his greedy, stubby, little fingers off Fizdale’s leash, giving him ample time to turn this broken ship around??
Did the Knicks get this right?? Post your thoughts, feelings, and snarky remarks in the comment section below.
You can find me on the Radio as well. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’m on live, every Wednesday from 6:10 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. Each show is also broadcast on Facebook Live via: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports.
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The Knicks made a 4th quarter comeback?!
“We’re on the air right now??….I don’t believe you.”
Is There Any Space Left On Tim Hardaway Jr.’s Back????
The New York Knicks hosted the Utah Jazz Wednesday night. Despite coming off a 51-win season, the Jazz have struggled mightily early on this season. They’re averaging just 98.5 points per game (2nd worst in the Western Conference). Well, that didn’t stop them from jumping out to a 10-point lead at halftime (60-50). Hitting 10 three-pointers in the 1st half didn’t hurt. They finished with 17 three’s and actually shot better from three (48.6%) than from the field (43%). Rodney Hood led all scorers with 30 points, off the bench, including 6 three-pointers.
However, it would be the Knicks, led by Tim Hardaway Jr., who would storm back from a 12-point deficit to claim victory. Hardaway led the way for the Knicks with 26 points, 14 in the 4th quarter.
I like the way this Knicks team plays. They hustle. They give effort. And they PLAY DEFENSE!! That’s why they’re winning games. And so far, Frank Ntilikina has impressed. His defense is extremely sound for a 19-year old rookie. He still has his rookie moments, committing 4 fouls in just 20 minutes. Ntilikina is tied for 2nd in the league with 2 steals per game, despite averaging just 20.5 minutes per game. Did I mention he’s 19??
Best Individual Performance In Nearly A Decade
Trust the process they say. Well, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons have my trust. I’ll tell you that right now. Simmons, as a rookie, is averaging nearly a triple-double. But last night, wasn’t about Simmons. It was about Joel Embiid. HOLY CRAP!! This was the best individual performance the NBA has seen since Kevin Love dropped 31 points and 31 rebounds on the world in 2009.
Joel Embiid’s Evening: 46 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, and 7 blocks (in just 34 minutes)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If Embiid had played another 10 minutes, he might have joined the exclusive quadruple double club. There have been just 4 men, since blocks and steals became statistics, to record a quadruple double.
Oh yeah, the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Los Angeles Lakers 115-109.
Something Stinks….
There are good teams in the NBA. And there are some REALLY bad teams in the NBA. The latter was on full display last night. Of the 22 teams in action, 10 failed to reach triple-digits, and 3 didn’t crack 90 points.
The Chicago Bulls have won just 2 games this season, and last night wasn’t one of them. They had just 3 players in double digits, scoring a putrid 79 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder. They should probably trade Jimmy Butler away….
The Sacramento Kings aren’t much better. They have 3 wins on the season, and dropped just 80 points against another bad team, the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks put 126 POINTS on the Kings last night. The Kings had just 2 players in double figures, and only scored over 20 points in 1 quarter. Yikes!!
Which NBA game did you watch Wednesday night?? Tell me about it in the comment section below.
You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:10 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports .
Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!
They are incompetent. The New York Knicks truly have no idea how to run their franchise. Maybe it’s because they have an identity crisis. Or maybe it’s because they have an incompetent owner. And as you know, s*** runs downhill, not up. The main problem with the Knicks has been, and remains to be, James Dolan (Knicks owner). And without a General Manager who knows what they’re doing, the Knicks are stuck in quicksand feverishly trying to dig their way out of mediocrity. Last time I checked, that doesn’t work.
The Knicks latest blunder comes in the form of their 1st attempt in free agency. No..Ron Baker does not count. The Knicks are trying to sign Tim Hardaway Jr. to a 4 year, 71 million dollar contract. Let me repeat that so it sinks in. I want this sentence to sink in to the point that it makes you sick to your stomach. The Knicks have offered Tim Hardaway Jr. a 4 year, 71 million dollar contract. AM I MISSING SOMETHING HERE?!?! Just when I think the Knicks, under Steve Mills, are doing the right thing and actually rebuilding (aka Tanking), they go and do something like this.
“Ya know Lloyd, just when I think you couldn’t possibly get any DUMBER, you go and do something like this, and TOTALLY REDEEM YOURSELF!! Still wanna go to Aspen??”
Now I, along with the other Knicks fans who are equipped with a brain, must rely on the Atlanta Hawks to save us from ourselves. See, Tim Hardaway Jr. is a Restricted Free Agent. This means that even though he has signed the offer sheet for the above contract with the Knicks, the Atlanta Hawks have the ability to match this offer. If they match this offer, they will retain the rights to Hardaway Jr. They have 2 days to make a decision. Today and tomorrow, I implore you to contact Travis Schlenk and beg him to match the Knicks offer sheet. Schlenk is the new General Manager for the Hawks.
Tim Hardaway Jr. would be a fine addition on a 2 year, 20 million dollar contract. He’s 25 years old. He’s 6’6″. And he can give you 13 points off the bench. But, he plays ZERO defense. This is not a player who deserves nearly 18 million dollars per year. Plus..the Knicks already have a Tim Hardaway Jr. His name is Courtney Lee (Lee has 3 years and 36 million left on his deal). The Knicks, in Tank-Mode, should be continuing to throw their hands up in free agency in an attempt to maximize salary cap space for next year and beyond. NEWSFLASH: signing an average bench player who plays no defense shouldn’t be part of the rebuilding process.
Oh to be a Knicks fan. It rivals voluntarily sticking your head in an alligator’s mouth. It’s not the best idea in the world, and it usually ends in excruciating pain. But hey, at least I can put loyal on my tombstone.
What do you think of signing Tim Hardaway Jr.?? Like it, love it, or hate it?? Spill out your emotions in the comment section below. I won’t judge you I promise.
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The NBA offseason is more entertaining than the ACTUAL NBA season. The NBA Finals ended 9 days ago, and I ‘ve already had more fun discussing possible trades and the upcoming draft than I did watching the Golden State Warriors embarrass the league. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers kicked off the fun Monday with their trade of picks, but that was just the snowball at the top of the mountain. Tuesday had us wondering if that snowball would turn into an avalanche.
Tuesday afternoon, the Los Angeles Lakers traded D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov to the Brooklyn Nets for Brook Lopez and the 27th pick in Thursday’s draft. This trade makes sense for both teams, however, the Lakers got the better end of the deal. Yes, they lose Russell, who was the 2nd overall pick just 2 short years ago, but his time in L.A. has been rocky to say the least. More importantly, the Lakers rid themselves of an atrocious Mozgov contract. His original 4-year, $64 million contract has 3 years left, so the Nets will eat the remaining $48 million. The Lakers receive the expiring contract of Brook Lopez, which will create oodles of cap-space come this time next year (aka the push for Lebron James). And they receive a draft pick. It’s always good to receive draft picks rather than give them (ahem, Brooklyn, ahem New York, ahem). Lastly, this leads to the assumption that the Lakers will select the walking distraction, Lonzo Ball, with the 2nd overall pick on Thursday.
In their own version of a salary dump, the Atlanta Hawks sent the albatross contract (3 years, $70.5 million) of Dwight Howard and the 31st pick to the Charlotte Bobcats for Miles Plumlee, Marco Belinelli, and the 41st pick in the draft. There’s not much of a story here, as Dwight Howard is a shell of himself. Charlotte shouldn’t expect Howard to bring any Defensive Player of the Year trophies to Charlotte anytime soon.
And then there’s the New York Knicks. My beloved Knicks. Just when you think they’ve hit rock-bottom, they whip out the sledgehammer and drill through the floor. How is it possible that Phil Jackson is shopping Kristaps Porzingis?!
Kristaps Porzingis should be virtually untradeable.
The Knicks are in total rebuild mode. I’m sorry, let me try that again. The Knicks SHOULD be in total rebuild mode. It’s hard to rebuild when you don’t (or can’t) trade Carmelo Anthony. And it would be impossible if you trade the 21-year old, building block that is Kristaps Porzingis. IF, Phil Jackson wants to entertain trade offers for Porzingis, his price should be so obnoxiously high it causes rival general managers to throw up in their mouths. I’m serious.
For example, if Celtics’ General Manager Danny Ainge calls, Phil Jackson should ask for the 3rd pick in this draft, next year’s 1st round pick, and Jaylen Brown. Oh and they’d have to take on Joakim Noah’s contract (quite possibly the worst contract in NBA history). I know exactly what you’re thinking, “that’s crazy, that’s way too much!!” EXACTLY!! Because you SHOULDN’T trade Porzingis!!
Here’s a point I haven’t heard anyone suggest. We all know Phil Jackson is doing a horrible job as the President of the Knicks. All I keep hearing is, “when Phil Jackson is gone, and in 2 years when we aren’t being force fed the Triangle.” Yeah, well why do we assume James Dolan won’t extend Phil Jackson’s contract???? Maybe Dolan thinks Phil is doing a great job. You and I, and anyone who knows anything about sports, would think that’s insane, but our opinion doesn’t matter.
James Dolan’s opinion is the only one that matters.
SOOOOOOOO, imagine a world where James Dolan extends Phil Jackson’s contract 3 more years. That may cause fans to jump ship and root for a new team………..
What would it take for you to trade Kristaps Porzingis?? Who got the better deal in the Lakers/Nets trade?? Tell me all about it in the comment section below.
Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!
I don’t know where to start. I spent all of last night trying not to break things in my house. And this morning, I am still not sure what to do. Let’s start with the New York Knicks 1st round pick. His name is Kristaps Porzingis. Yes you heard that right; PORZINGIS. He was selected with the #4 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. He is 19 years old, and he hails from Latvia. He is listed at 7’1″, and his weight remains a mystery, but he is approximately 210 pounds. I don’t know him outside of what I’ve heard on television, radio, and the internet, but I have spent some time watching his film. I am here to tell you that it is not his fault. It is not his fault that he’s going to be a bust. Enter brainwashed “optimistic” Knicks fan: “But you don’t know he’ll be a bust!” Oh yes I do!! Listen, nothing would make me happier than to say I was wrong about this kid. If he turns into the next Dirk Nowitzki in 5 years that would be the best thing that ever happened to the Knicks franchise. However, I am going to stick with the statistics that tell me this kid won’t make it in the NBA.
A very small percentage of international players drafted in the NBA become good players. The last international player drafted in the lottery to become an all-star is Yao Ming (Ming was drafted 1st overall in the 2002 NBA Draft). There is only 1 Dirk Nowitzki for a reason. On the other hand, there are too many busts to list here, but in the past 40 years, less than 10% of international players drafted were still on an NBA roster after only 5 years. So, the media and knowledgeable basketball personnel can tell me how much potential Porzingis has until they’re blue in the face. I don’t care. The odds tell me he will not pan out, especially in today’s instant gratification generation. Notable NBA General Managers have said Porzingis has tremendous upside, however, he may need 3 or 4 years to develop because he is a project. Do you honestly believe in this day and age a player will be given 4 years to develop? 2015 is not 1975. Hell it’s not even 2005. No one has patience anymore. I want my championship, and I want it now!! The other problem with Porzingis is he needs to gain 40 or 50 pounds to even think about banging with the big boys down in the post. Until he does that, big power forwards and centers will have their way with him around the basket. The reason Porzingis has been successful playing internationally is because the level of physicality is nowhere near the same as the NBA. Stretch 4’s grow on trees in international basketball (there is also only 1 Marc Gasol for a reason). Oh, Porzingis, it is not your fault you’re going to be the next Darko Milicic, but by all means, prove me wrong.
As for the rest of the Knicks draft, I actually like the first trade Phil Jackson made. Jackson traded Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Hawks for Jerian Grant. Grant is an athletic point guard who played at Notre Dame, and by all accounts seems NBA ready. Hardaway Jr. is a decent young player, but he only knows how to do one thing; score. Last time I checked the Knicks already have someone who does that. Grant could become the smart, gritty point guard the Knicks have been looking for. The Knicks apparently made another small splash later in the draft. They traded 2 future 2nd-round picks to the Philadelphia 76ers for a center out of Spain named Guillermo Hernangomez. Hernangomez and Porzingis were actually teammates overseas, which can’t hurt. Swinging on 2 international centers and missing can hurt though. With all that being said, we should stay positive and hope for a bright future right? Let’s Go Kni…….ah whatever.
What are your thoughts on the New York Knicks 2015 NBA Draft? Are you as upset as I am, or do you have faith in Phil Jackson?
Post your thoughts in the comment section below.
Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!
So far, the 2014 NBA Playoffs have been nothing short of spectacular. There have been 8 overtime games (including 4 in a row in the Memphis Grizzlies/Oklahoma City Thunder Series), and we still haven’t gotten out of the 1st round. More importantly, The Los Angeles Clippers and their fans showed up for Game 5 last night in L.A. and showed their support for the team. The Clippers held off the Golden State Warriors, winning the game 113-103 and now have a 3 games to 2 lead in this best of 7 series. As I mentioned earlier, The Grizzlies and Thunder did what they do, and played a 4th consecutive overtime game. The Grizzlies eked out a 100-99 victory over The Thunder to take a 3 games to 2 lead in that series as well. Another series concluded last night with The Washington Wizards defeating The Chicago Bulls and advancing to their first 2nd round appearance since 2005. Behind the youth of John Wall and Bradley Beal and the leadership of Nene, the Wizards will look to continue their run through the playoffs against the winner of the Atlanta Hawks/Indiana Pacers series. Side note: Roy Hibbert, why are you terrible at basketball? Anyway, outside of the Wizards series and the Miami Heat/Charlotte Bobcats series (that has been over for some time now), every other series has been ultra competitive and every game has been fun to watch. The biggest surprise of the 1st round has to be The Dallas Mavericks hanging in there with the battled tested San Antonio Spurs. And even though there have been 8 overtime games, I personally believe the best game so far has come from that series as well. Vince Carter’s buzzer-beater in Game 3 on Saturday was just the icing on the cake of an exhilarating final minutes of a great basketball game. In the final Minute and forty-six seconds The Mavericks and Spurs went a combined 7 for 8 from the field. Monta Ellis put forth an outstanding effort (scoring 29 points on 12-22 shooting), singlehandedly keeping his team in the game. And despite Manu Ginobli and Boris Diaw’s best efforts, Vince Carter put the nail in the coffin of Game 3 with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from the corner. This series is now tied 2-2, and Game 5 will be played tonight in San Antonio.
Another important news story that has been completely overshadowed thanks to Donald Sterling, is the passing of Dr. Jack Ramsay. It’s a shame that a story as pathetic as Donald Sterling’s can overshadow the remembrance of one of the greatest NBA coaches of all-time. But, let’s see if we can pay the proper respects to a man who was so vital to the progress of the NBA. Dr. Jack Ramsay coached in the NBA for 20 years, and is currently 13th on the all-time wins list. He won an NBA Championship in 1967 as the General Manager of the Philadelphia 76ers and also won a Championship in 1977 as the Coach of the Portland Trail Blazers. After retiring from coaching in 1988, Ramsay got into Broadcasting where he did play-by-play for The Philadelphia 76ers and The Miami Heat for 9 years. Ramsay was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992 capping off a truly memorable career.
If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!
Thank you for reading and leave a comment in the section below.
Ready or not here come the NBA Playoffs. They will start today Saturday, April 20th at 3:00 p.m. when the Boston Celtics travel to New York to take on the Knicks. This is a very interesting series that carries many subplots on and off the court. As you all know, the city of Boston has gone through a heart wrenching week. While all are relieved that the persons responsible for the tragic bombings in Boston are dead or in custody, the city is still emotional right now. They also have a great sense of pride right now (as they should). The Boston Celtics would love to show their support to their great city and give it’s people something positive to cheer for. Beating the New York Knicks in the scheme of life means next to nothing, but it would even further unite the great people of their city. I personally feel for Boston. I think it is a great city filled with great people, and no one should have to experience what they have experienced over the past week. Again, sports are what they are, they are just games, but at times can mean so much more. New Yorkers know a little something about that. I feel that the Celtics team will give it their all and will take the Knicks to the limit in this playoff series. Now let’s talk about basketball for a minute. From a skill standpoint the Knicks are the better team with better players. However, if the Celtics are healthy and the Knicks are not, Melo and his boys might be in some trouble. The Celtics are a veteran squad who have playoff tested warriors. They know exactly what it takes to win. With all that being said, I still believe that Melo and the Knicks will be too much to handle for the Celtics. I believe this will be a hard fought series that will go the full 7 games. The home teams will stay undefeated throughout this series, and the Knicks will pull out a win at home in game 7. As for the rest of the playoffs, let me run down the schedule of games with each matchup and who I think will prevail:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
MIAMI HEAT (1) VS. MILWAUKEE BUCKS (8)
Game 1 @Miami: Sunday, 7 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2 @Miami: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Game 3 @Milwaukee: April 25, 7 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 4 @Milwaukee: April 28, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
*Game 5 @Miami: April 30
*Game 6 @Milwaukee: May 2
*Game 7 @Miami: May 4
NEW YORK KNICKS (2) VS. BOSTON CELTICS (7)
Game 1 @New York: Saturday, 3 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 2 @New York: Tuesday, 8 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 @Boston: April 26, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4 @Boston: April 28, 1 p.m. ET, ABC
*Game 5 @New York: May 1
*Game 6 @Boston: May 3
*Game 7 @New York: May 5
INDIANA PACERS (3) VS. ATLANTA HAWKS (6)
Game 1 @Indiana: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2 @Indiana: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Game 3 @Atlanta: April 27, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4 @Atlanta: April 29
*Game 5 @Indiana: May 1
*Game 6 @Atlanta: May 3
*Game 7 @Indiana: May 5
BROOKLYN NETS (4) VS. CHICAGO BULLS (5)
Game 1 @Brooklyn: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2 @Brooklyn: Monday, 8 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 @Chicago: April 25, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Game 4 @Chicago: April 27, 2 p.m., TNT
*Game 5 @Brooklyn: April 29
*Game 6 @Chicago: May 2
*Game 7 @Brooklyn: May 4
WESTERN CONFERENCE
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (1) VS. HOUSTON ROCKETS (8)
Game 1 @Oklahoma City: Sunday, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2 @Oklahoma City: Wednesday, 7 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 @Houston: April 27, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4 @Houston: April 29
*Game 5 @Oklahoma City: May 1
*Game 6 @Houston: May 3
*Game 7 @Oklahoma City: May 5
SAN ANTONIO SPURS (2) VS. LOS ANGELES LAKERS (7)
Game 1 @San Antonio: Sunday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 2 @San Antonio: Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 @Los Angeles: April 26, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4 @Los Angeles: April 28, 7 p.m. ET, TNT
*Game 5 @San Antonio: April 30,
*Game 6 @Los Angeles: May 2
*Game 7 @San Antonio: May 4
DENVER NUGGETS (3) VS. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (6)
Game 1 @Denver: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2 @Denver: Tuesday, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 @Golden State: April 26, 10:30 p.m. ESPN2
Game 4 @Golden State: April 28, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
*Game 5 @Denver: April 30
*Game 6 @Golden State: May 2
*Game 7 @Denver: May 4
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (4) VS. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (5)
Game 1 @Los Angeles: Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2 @Los Angeles: Monday, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 @Memphis: April 25, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 4 @Memphis: April 27, 4:30 p.m. ET, TNT
*Game 5 @Los Angeles: April 30
*Game 6 @Memphis: May 3
*Game 7 @Los Angeles: May 5
“*” = if necessary
I will start with the Eastern Conference, as I think this it is the easier conference to predict. The Heat will sweep the Bucks. If they don’t it means something went horribly wrong. As I stated earlier I believe the Knicks will beat the Celtics in 7 games. The Pacers will take out the Atlanta Hawks in 5 low scoring affairs. Now, the Nets vs the Bulls will certainly be a fun series to watch. You have the tough physical defense of Chicago going up against the tough physical offense of Brooklyn. While I like Chicago’s style of play, I think they are too banged up and Brooklyn’s roster will prove to be too much. I like the Nets in 7 grueling games.
Let’s move on to the Western Conference and see what’s going to happen. James harden had a great season. He will also have the privilege of facing his former team in the 1st round of the playoffs. Sorry James, you are going to get swept. If you go off for 45 at home in game 3 or 4 you may have the pleasure of losing in 5 games. Otherwise you’ll get a souvenir broom to bring home with you. Everyone is telling me how good of a matchup this is for the Lakers. To that I say HAHAHA. The Spurs will handle Dwight Howard and the Lakers without much of an issue. Yes, Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol will play well, and two 7 footers are a lot to handle, but the Spurs are too good for the lakers. Period. I have the Spurs moving on in 5 games. The series that will be the most fun to watch is the Nuggets vs the Warriors. These are too fast paced high powered offenses that should try to outs ore each other. If you haven’t seen Stephen Curry play basketball yet, I have one word for you. Enjoy. However, Curry and David Lee can’t beat the Nuggets by themselves. Plus the Nuggets don’t exactly lose at home. I like the Nuggets in 6 games. Lastly, you have the best team in Los Angeles (the Clippers) taking on the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies are big and physical and they play defense, but they can’t beat the Clippers in a 7 game series. Sorry Memphis, but you will be going home in 6 games. Better luck next year.
Check back next year when the 1st round is finally over and I’ll give you my predictions for the 2nd round. Cut down the number of teams in the playoffs and you’ll solve a lot of problems. You may take money out of someone’s pocket, but it would be the right thing to do for the sake of the game. Enjoy the games everybody, and for objectivity’s sake: Let’s Go Knicks!!!!
If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!
Dave Talks Sports 