It seems that almost every star player in the NBA has been linked to rumors over the last few seasons with many of them in connection with the Los Angeles Lakers. Recently rumors have surfaced that Rajon Rondo wants out of Boston and his frustration is understandable. Historically the Celtics have been one of the best franchises in the NBA but over the last few years they have plummeted down to the bottom of the standings. Ray Allen is gone, Kevin Garnett is gone, and even Paul Pierce is gone.

So, where does that leave Rondo? Why would Rondo want to stay in a rebuilding situation during the prime of his career while he watches other players team up and try to win championships? He knows what championships are about.

Rajon Rondo should trade in his green and white jersey for a purple and gold one. By Rondo_Dunks.jpg: Eric Kilby derivative work: El cestofilo, via Wikimedia Commons

Historically, the Lakers and Celtics would never make a deal sending a star player to one another but they should make an exception for this. Rondo only has one year left on his contract so he is probably leaving anyway and the Celtics could get something back for him at least. On the Laker side of things, they get a star point guard to team with Kobe plus his one-year contract doesn’t affect their cap flexibility plans for future free agencies. Here is the trade I am suggesting for this trade to happen:

Celtics acquire: Steve Nash, Jordan Hill and the first round pick from the Rockets in the Jeremy Lin deal

Lakers acquire: Rajon Rondo, Brandon Bass

Ed. note – You can go to ESPN’s NBA Trade Machine to see if a trade works under the collective bargaining agreement. Hill is not eligible to be traded right now due to just being signed (I think), but you could substitute Jeremy Lin for Hill. Also, not sure how to include draft picks on the trade machine The Lakers wouldn’t need Lin anyway if they got Rondo, amiright?

The Celtics acquire a $9.7 million expiring contract in Steve Nash which will come off the books at the end of the season, get an upgrade from Bass in Jordan Hill, and another first round pick which the Celtics seem to be loading up on.

The Lakers get an athletic point guard which they have longed for and a big man who is a bit undersized, but can post up and shoot from mid range a little.

Both the Lakers and Celtics should think about doing a deal of some sort because in the long run, trading Rondo for the Celtics and the Lakers acquiring him will help both franchises get back to where they belong, competing for an NBA title against each other.

The 2013 NBA offseason had major implications on the fate of the league in the coming years. This offseason brought fans many unusual moves. Big-name players switched teams, the “bad” teams got better, and some of the most historic teams in history look as they are going to fall off the map for awhile. Clearly, the league is going through some changes both in players and perception.

Can LeBron and the Heat win a third straight NBA title or will another team de-throne them? By Steve Jurvetson (Flickr: LeBron James), via Wikimedia Commons

Josh Smith joined the Pistons, Andre Igoudala joined Golden State (this one happened before Howard), Al Jefferson joined the Bobcats, Chris Kaman and Nick Young went to the Lakers, Metta World Peace joined the Knicks, Paul Millsap went to Atlanta, Brandon Knight and Brandon Jennings were traded for each other, Monta Ellis went to Dallas, Greg Oden and Michael Beasley joined Miami, Chauncey Billups went back to Detroit and Andrew Bynum and his hair move to Cleveland, where (of course) a bank is located.

Within all the madness, there were a few retirements and coaching moves too. Doc Rivers left Boston to become the Clippers coach, and Jason Kidd became the Nets coach. George Karl and Lionel Hollins lost their jobs despite the Nuggets and Grizzlies having great seasons. In addition to Jason Kidd retiring, Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady also decided it was time to hang it up.

For me, one move made me feel sick to my stomach and I’m a Lakers fan. Longtime Celtics Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were dealt to the Nets and for some reason that makes me mad. It has recently come out that LeBron and the Miami Heat are critical of the move since both Pierce and Garnett criticized Ray Allen last season for leaving Boston and joining Miami. Unlike Allen, Pierce and Garnett were traded away, and although Garnett waived his no trade clause he did it because he wanted to keep playing alongside Pierce. The move of Pierce and Garnett means the Celtics (like the Lakers) will probably have less than spectacular seasons ahead.

The NBA looks as it is shaping up to be great in the next ten or so years and I for one, am very excited. There is so much young talent in the league and it will only get better. The 2013-14 season tips off in a couple weeks and I will be glued to my TV all season long.

Who do you think was the biggest NBA move of the summer? Comment below!

Predictions in sports can be just as fun as what actually happens and a lot of time many people do it. Every person has their own unique way of predicting outcomes, some go through the purity of stats or some use just the heart and will of a team or player. Either way, predictions can be a way for a fan, analyst or gambler to have and feel like they are involved with the actual games being played. As for me, I have made many predictions throughout my life. Some have come true and some haven’t, and I will be the first one to admit when I am wrong. On that note, here is my prediction for the Eastern Conference when the season comes to an end in April, a small breakdown of each team and some playoff predictions with a little over half the season complete:

1.    Miami Heat:

The reigning NBA champions have looked like the champions…when playing at home. They are 18-3 at home but only 11-11 on the road. Winning on the road is what the playoffs is about and the Heat have yet to prove they can do that. This team improved from last season, but I’m not so sure I trust them.

If Derrick Rose comes back healthy, the Bulls have a real chance to go to the NBA Finals. By Keith Allison from Owings Mills, USA, via Wikimedia Commons

2.    Chicago Bulls:

The Bulls and coach Tom Thibodeau have done an incredible job thus far without former MVP Derrick Rose. Getting him back will only make this team that much better. They are ranked third in the league in points allowed, only allowing 90.9 PPG. Defense is what this team is all about and its something that will help them come playoff time.

3.    New York Knicks:

The Knicks started 6-0 and haven’t slowed down, as they are tied with the Heat for the number one seed at the moment. They have already beaten the Heat twice, once without MVP candidate Carmelo Anthony (in Miami). This team looks like a complete team and coach Mike Woodson has them firing on all cylinders. The oldest team in the league is also one of the best.

4.    Indiana Pacers:

With the emergence of Paul George, the Pacers have continued their winning ways from last season. Despite not having former All-Star Danny Granger, the Pacers seem to be doing just fine. If he can come back into the lineup and fit-in smoothly, this can be a dangerous team. Who doesn’t remember that physical playoff series last year with the Heat? And being the second ranked team in points allowed with only 89.9 a game, the Pacers can do some damage.

5.    Boston Celtics:

Like the Lakers, the Celtics aren’t normally this low in the standings but injuries and poor play have put them here. My pre-season pick for the finals from the Eastern Conference suffered a huge blow last week, losing all-star point guard Rajon Rondo to a season-ending injury and then yesterday lost rookie Jared Sullinger to injury. But they still have hall of famers Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett who, if anything have heart and will — something you can never bet against.

6.    Brooklyn Nets:

After a hot start and then a coaching change, the Nets seem to have finally gotten things together. Big man Brook Lopez and point guard Deron Williams lead the Nets and look to have this team poised for a playoff run. New look, new city, new players — can it all lead to new winning ways for the Nets? Both them and their new Brooklyn fans hope so.

7.    Milwaukee Bucks:

I really like this team and what they have done this season. They have beaten the Celtics three times and the Heat once and they look ready for the playoffs. Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis make a good backcourt duo for the Bucks and give them a tandem that teams don’t like to play against. The Bucks get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2012. Fear the Deer!

8.    Philadelphia 76ers:

In a hard decision, I think the 76ers beat out the Atlanta Hawks for the eighth and final seed. The Sixers have hovered around the eighth seed all year and will be getting back big man Andrew Bynum after the all-star break. Bynum is a game-changer and I believe will really help the Sixers out. Although the Hawks have been very good this season, I think the Sixers will overtake them when it’s all said and done.

Notable Mentions: Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors

PREDICTIONS:

First Round:

1. Miami Heat vs. 8. Philadelphia 76ers: Heat in six

2. Chicago Bulls vs. 7. Milwaukee Bucks: Bulls in six

3. New York Knicks vs. 6. Brooklyn Nets: Knicks win the battle for New York in seven

4. Indiana Pacers vs. 5. Boston Celtics: Celtics in six

Semi Finals:

1. Miami Heat vs. 5. Boston Celtics

In the best series of the playoffs, I have this hard fought, mentally grinding series going to seven games with the Boston Celtics knocking off the reigning champions. Yes I know this is a crazy accusation (especially for a Laker fan), but I believe that the road struggles for the Heat will be the downfall of this years squad. I believe the Celtics can go into American Airlines Arena and still a game or two. This will be very difficult to do without Rondo, but these Celtics have a will to them, that you can’t describe. I may be wrong but Celtics in seven.

2. Chicago Bulls vs. 3. New York Knicks

Finally the Knicks get out of the first round, but its short served. I have the Bulls taking out the Knicks in six games. But it’s a promising sign for the Knicks to even win a playoff series. The Bulls head back to the Eastern Conference finals where they have a date with the green machine.

Conference Finals:

2. Chicago Bulls vs. 5. Boston Celtics

After the hard-fought series against the Heat, the Celtics finally run out of gas against a younger Bulls team, so I’m picking the Bulls in six. Kudos to the Celtics for making it this far without Rondo but the Bulls make it back to the finals for the first time since the Jordan era.

2013 Eastern Conference Champions: 2. Chicago Bulls

In my prediction, the Bulls make it back to the NBA Finals where they will meet up with the Los Angeles Lakers. Their defense, the return of Derrick Rose and the help of the Celtics knocking off the Heat, are what propel the Bulls back to the championship series. As I said for the Lakers, I’m not saying the Bulls will win the NBA title but they will be one of the last two teams standing.

With the Super Bowl right around the corner, the time of year has returned once again. This particular pocket on the calendar serves as the preparation point that will give way to the onslaught of sport for the year to come.

As we speak, New Orleans is being blitzed and invaded by 49ers fans and Ravens fans alike, not to mention the straight-up football fans and “party fans” that are piling in. It is Bourbon Street, after all.

Even the First Super Bowl Party gets a little loose! By White House (Pete Souza) / Maison Blanche (Pete Souza) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

We know the pageantry and performance of the big game won’t disappoint. The annual pinnacle of American sport never lets us down, and even if the scoreboard is lopsided, one of your friends at the party seems to always end up that way as well, making the whole Super Bowl party experience a let-down-free zone.

Pushing all the rif-raf to the peanut gallery, the 49ers open, and will most likely remain, favorites – and with good reason. Colin Kaepernick is a dynamic force that is currently surfing the wave that most young phenoms always seem to – “they don’t even know where they are right now.”

The combination of Colin Kaepernick riding the whitewash of momentum, coupled with his elite, dual-threat ability coming of age right before our eyes, makes the 49ers an extremely dangerous favorite. The 49ers could win by a slim margin or a big margin. This is something you can’t necessarily say about the Ravens.

If the Ravens get over, it will be a ‘Rice, Rice, Flacco to Boldin or Pitta 3rd down conversion’ type of game. The deep bomb to Torrey Smith is something I don’t really see the defense of the 49ers allowing, given the prowlace their two all-pro safeties.  At the same time, I would also be foolish if I didn’t consider the magic a retiring Ray Lewis and his defense seem to have going.  Underdogs can still overachieve.

Analysis of the game aside, the unbridled fun of the Super Bowl also serves as a recognizable signaling of the year to come in all other arenas of sport.

The NBA all-star game is on the horizon, and unfortunately for most fans, the taste of purple and gold is impossible to remove from the palate of NBA water-cooler talk everywhere.

Dwight Howard throw-downs have been few and far between so far this season. By Fido (Flickr: Bucks @ Lakers) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

I know everyone is exhausted with the revolving Laker discussion, but the reason the Lakers continue to hoard the headlines is a reason you rarely equate with this franchise – their ineptitude.

Give me an “A” or give me an “F,” right?  Unfortunately, “F” sells in a huge way, and sadly, sells even more than “A” does – but you can’t blame the Lakers for all the attention they are recieving.  Another main reason the Lakers are hogging print and air waves is because nothing around the rest of the NBA is making waves.

The Heat are dominating in their defense of the title. The Celtics, Knicks and Rose-less Bulls are still nipping at their heels in the East.  Great.

In the West, the Thunder are still running, the Spurs are still lurking, and the Clippers and Grizzlies are still up-and-coming. Great.

Yawn.  Alright!  I’m awake!

Moving on — what or who else looms near this time of year? You got it – everyone’s favorite worst guy ever, the infamous “bracket guy.”

Unrightfully so, no one pays an emphatic amount of attention to the national NCAA basketball scene until March rolls around, but when it does, get ready to throw down your bracket and your bucks.

Cinderellas will be the overlying theme as they always are, and golden chariots will turn back into pumpkins in the end like they always do – but the overall saga of March never comes up short.  One.  Shining.  Moment.  I’m welling up just thinking about it.  No I’m not.

Seamheads are beyond hyped this time of year as well. Everyone is a potential pennant winner in spring training, and pitchers and catchers report in less than a month.

With the Giants coming off another World Series Championship and the Dodgers having huge expectations, the rivalry only looks to get juicier. By andyrusch (http://www.flickr.com/photos/asrusch/5748267516/) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Money, money and more money has morphed a perpetual big-market underachiever into the new West coast version of the New York Yankees. Trading for the gigantic contracts of super stars has given way to monumental stadium renovations for the Dodgers, which will create more revenue, and eventually give way to taking on even more gigantic contracts of super stars.

Moneyball may get you to the dance, but big money allows you to go home with the prom queen in the end. The Dodgers have officially taken on the new face of baseball’s dark side, and will become even more of a polarizing team than they were before.

Spoiler alert: yes, the rebels eventually win in Star Wars, but in baseball the empire always eventually wins in bulk. Blue thinkers finally realizing gold once again could be right around the corner.

From progression to regression – congratulations on almost killing your sport one more time, Gary Bettman. Hockey is back, but now the few casual fans that existed before care even less.

Kings captain Dustin Brown hoists the cup, a trophy of a dying sport. By Eric Chan from Hollywood, United States (DSC00815 Uploaded by JoeJohnson2) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

On a positive note, the Kings raising the banner was beyond due.  It was an awesome run last season and a championship that was well deserved for Kingdom loyalists — but the realistic future of hockey has essentially become a dimming light, one that now can barely even be seen by a telescope in the night sky of the American sporting realm.

It wouldn’t be an all discussion without mentioning eagles and earplugs, two associations about to start the longest campaigns of any professional leagues in the United States. 10 months?  Forget campaigns, try marathons.

There are niches in our sports melting pot that absolutely live for the PGA and Nascar circuits. And strangely enough, they couldn’t be more polar opposites.  Its the quietest sport and the loudest sport.  Its the high-class perception and the low-class perception.  And given the differences, it’s kind of ironic how the hardcore fans of both circuits would probably never get along, yet the 19th hole and the 5th wheel effectively serve the same purpose.  I guess that’s one thing everyone can agree on – booze.

So there it is and here it comes – the great American sporting landscape.  And with all of the anticipation and excitement on the horizon, there’s honestly nothing I can see that could put damper on the cornucopia of sport all of us fans are in line for, could there be?

April 15th. Yea, the smartass went and did it.

You might think this premise is faulty. If so, you might be correct. Three total games have been played so far in the entire league. But I don’t think you have to watch a team for very long to get a “read” on them. Looking at the big-picture, Tuesday night’s games gave us all the information we have thus far. For three teams, that information is not good. How they take that information and improve will decide their respective seasons.

Cleveland 94 , Wahington 84

Let’s start off with the worst two teams that played on Tuesday night. While Kyrie Iring looks like a star in the making, John Wall didn’t play for the Wizards (out for about a month with a knee injury). The Wizards have made some really head-scratching moves in the offseason, leaving Wall as really their only reliable player. Irving scored 29 for the Cavs and nobody scored more than 11 for the Wiz.

Looking at the Cavs nucleus, including Irving, rookie Dion Waiters, and second-year forward Tristan Thompson, they are actually poised to be a lot beter this year than last. Veterans C.J. Miles and Daniel Gibson anchor a young bench that could help the Cavs to at least 10 more wins than the 21 they managed last season.

The Wizards, well…. it’s going to be a while before they see the 30 win mark again. Any loss for Washington is no surprise, but realizing that you are definitely not as good as Cleveland has to be a real downer for Wiz fans on Day one of the season.

Miami 120, Boston 107 

Miami has come into their own. They look like a team that could win “not one, not two. not three, etc…” rings. LeBron James played under 30 minutes and still managed a double-double (26 points, 10 rebounds) in a blowout win over the team that is tabbed to be the Heat’s biggest Eastern Conference rival this year.

It will be important for Miami to limit James’ and Dwayne Wade’s minutes as much as possible on the heels of a very short offseason, but if Tuesday night’s game is any indication, that shouldn’t be an issue. The loss is potentially crushing for Boston and their fans. There will be other chances to beat Miami, but the Heat, on a night they received their championship rings, sent a message to the Celtics and the rest of the league: The title still goes through Miami.

Mike Brown is installing a new offensive system for the Lakers this year. The question is whether Lakers fans or Mitch Kupchak have the patience to wait the season to see if it works. By Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA derivative work: Chris! my talk (Mike Brown NBA.jpg) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

OK, so there isn’t really a question. Nationally, this was the biggest disappointment. The headline on Yaho0! Sports called it a “flop.” After scoring 29 points in the first quarter, the Lakers managed only 37 points in the next two combined. Mavs coach Rick Carlisle made the adjustments a championship coach makes and Dallas was able to largely shut-down new Lakers additions Steve Nash and Dwight Howard.

Howard had 19 points and 10 rebounds, but shot his free throws worse than Shaq, making only 3 of 14 free-throws in the 8-point loss. I wonder how his back has impacted his ability to shoot free throws in the offseason… Howard missed his first dunk too. It was pretty much uncontested. I wonder how often a healthy Howard has had that happen too.

For a team whose fans are expecting the world this season, it was an inauspicious debut. This year’s Lake-Show is winless in the preseason and regular season – ’bout nine games, and counting. If you are going to win 55 games, as “experts” have predicted for the Lakers, then losing to a Dirk-less Mavs team at home is probably not going to get you there. With four stars on a particular roster, expectations are through the roof. One has to wonder what the threshold for is for Mike Brown’s seat to start warming-up.

Dallas, a team that many experts tabbed to finish with a win total in the mid-30’s, showed that their roster isn’t THAT bad, even without the injured Dirk Nowitzki. With eclectic additions of Elton Brand, OJ Mayo, and Darren Collison, the Mavs have guys who know how to play the game and who will buy-in to the established system of their championship coach. The underrated Collison, who learned under Chris Paul in New Orleans and was a big part of Indiana’s success last season, is a flat-out winner. Dallas is better than people think this season. They’ll be over .500 and in the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Lakers are still struggling to find their identity. They better hurry-up. Lakers fans are not a patient bunch.

Last night a friend of mine asserted “coffee is for closers, and LeBron doesn’t ingest caffeine,” after the dichotomous superstar missed a fall away jumper in regulation that would of sent home the Boston Celtics, and given the Heat a 2-0 series lead.

The Heat won anyway. LeBron finished with 30 points, 9 rebounds, 8assists and 2 blocked shots, controlling the game through his facilitation. Yet according to Spin Doctors & Fools, this doesn’t matter.

“Dwayne Wade is a closer,” said my friend. And later, “Kobe never would have missed those two free throws. No killer instinct.”

While many people see the fallen King as a quitter, incomplete, an athletically infertile in closing situations, others see a facilitator, unselfish, methodical, cerebral, complete and utterly unstoppable player. His numbers are surreal this post-season, posting 30 points per game on 50% shooting, while leading the team in rebounding, assists, steals and blocked shots. So I wonder, are we watching the same game? Or is the world a game room of mirrors, where we seek our most flattering reflection?

Oscar Robertson said James “was in a world of his own,” regarding his athletic comparisons to Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant and Dwayne Wade. The Big O finished, “legacy conversations are for men long after their careers are over.” Robertson who won just one title in his fourteen year career with an average Buck franchise, empathizes with James. And despite the assertion that a great player must win multiple titles, the Big O’s legacy – aside from titles – topples the simpleton argument and re – questions what truly makes a player great.

Dwayne Wade agrees. Wade last year insisted,”nobody’s won a title on their own.” And in reality, nobody has won a title alone. Every great star won with other stars. Robertson’s coming alongside a young dynamic Kareem Abdul–Jabbar in 1971, Wade’s with the dominant Shaquille O’neal in 2006.

The dividing line for many fans, it seems, is whether or not stars organically grew into a franchise or inorganically put themselves there. This is, in no way, a fair assessment; blaming LeBron James for signing alongside Wade in Miami is like blaming a CEO for quitting his job with a lucrative private company in order to sign a deal with a publically traded powerhouse. Every person should have the right to “go up” in the world, and that, according to multiple sociological – science based research institutes (read here) is especially true of generations X, Y and Z. When X, Y, or Z feel “stagnate in their current job, they’ll usually move on elsewhere.” This is a tricky component to the hiring process for many job creators who hail from an era in American business when employees financially wed their bosses with an undying commitment to their working relationship.

Not so, for X, Y and Z. According to Kelly Services Business Model , the emergent generations crave a “team – sports atmosphere, [where they] feel they are being given a chance on the field from a younger age,” where as the older generation enjoyed working hard, long and fast on their own.  Generation X ( 1960 – 1980) is to blame for this shift, but it is LeBron James generation that has followed it through to it’s full fruition. This is the greatest pearl of wisdom describing the free agent era in American sports ( “given a chance…”) and the latest  super – team trend in the NBA.  Today’s players are not like their predecessors, who until traded, tended to play for one team and one team only.

Looking at James last three years in Cleveland, one can argue, the organization had become stagnant. While James continued to grow his game by improving his jump shot, perimeter defense and free throw shooting, Dan Gilbert continued to collect cheap wayfarers to build around the star. A 35 – year old Antawn Jamison or Shaq in his waning years, do not count. Both are moves to pretend away the reality, that Gilbert just didn’t want to spend the money to make the Cavaliers a true title contender.

Therefore, James did like any Gen Y kid, and moved on. He linked with a “team sports atmosphere,” in order to “give himself a chance from a younger age.” Entering his prime, James felt it necessary to seek a new employer that’d offer him a chance at sports – business superiority. And while it hasn’t been a perfectly smooth road in Miami ( no employer ever is ) it has been fruitful and productively assembled in the right direction.

50’s-era Modernists preach black, white, straight lines and edges. But to a man like James, who quietly promotes himself as a father, post-modern minority — American and NBA superstar, that old time thinking just does not add up. He is, after all, 100% like any other gen’ y or z American, where life’s lines are blurred and the world takes on a more artistic tapestry.  His move away from Cleveland was a move in a positive direction. He sought clarity of consistency from his employer and is now beginning to reap the fruit (whether bad or good) of making that difficult life – decision.

A deal involving Russell Westbrook and Kendrick Perkins for Rondo and Jeff Green was ultimately declined by OKC’s front office.

Though Westbrook is a young point guard with tremendous upside, his erratic shot selection in last year’s playoffs proved his unwillingness to play in Scott Brook’s system.

While he huffed and puffed on the sidelines, further icing out teammates, team chemistry was shot. The result was a five-game ousting in the Western Conference Finals.

Not only does his personality clash with franchise face and superstar Kevin Durant, but Westbrook’s disregard for professionalism at league negotiations was paralyzing. His red sweatshirt attire was a childish miscalculation that ultimately defined the direction the young star is choosing to take.

Call it an act of youth or a competitor’s fire, I’ll call it a bad case of the me-first-gimme-gimmes and something that ultimately will result in the disbanding of a young core in OKC.

This was a prime opportunity for Thunder management to land a 25-year-old champion point guard with a pedigree for greatness. Rondo’s league-leading 11.2 assists and 2.3 steals per game were a perfect fit in Brook’s defensive-minded system.

The move would maximize team chemistry by adding a real point guard. It allows Durant to be the tell-all go-to guy late in games and balances the floor with a fluid mix of personalities.

Re-inserting Jeff Green counters loss in offensive production without Westbrook, while further balancing the team with an unselfish approach on offense.

This misstep will be a point of memory in the coming years. If Westbrook cannot correct his indifference with team play, Thunder management will look back on this trade and lament.

As for Rondo, his luck of the Irish is officially dead.

Ratings thus far into the playoffs already confirm that more people are paying attention to the evoking moments. They are up 26% from this point last year. These numbers and the overall viewership speaks to how competitive these playoffs truly are.

Eight-seeded Memphis beat top-seeded San Antonio in the first round and are giving the fourth-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder a run for their money, taking a 2-1 series lead into game 4 of the semis last night. The Thunder fought back by outlasting Memphis in a triple-overtime thriller to even the series at two.

Dallas has to be the favorite remaining in the West. This is due the week or more of rest they will benefit from given the Oklahoma City and Memphis series continuing for at least two more games. Their advantage may be even more tangible because of the big-game experience edge they will hold over whoever they will end up facing off with in the Western Conference Finals – the Thunder or the Grizzlies.

After Miami took game 4 from the Celtics in Boston in a overtime victory on Monday evening, the favorite in the East has to be the Heat. What amazes me even more than the Heat being able to find their glue so quickly in these playoffs, is the fact that no one is calling out Dwayne Wade for his malicious, wrestling-style, arm-hook take down of Rajon Rondo in game 3, causing him to dislocate his elbow. I believe this cheap play by Wade ranks up there right underneath Odom and Bynum’s flagrant displays. While Wade’s maneuver was not entirely as blatant, it was indeed obviously just as calculated as far as the ‘heat’ of the moment was concerned.

The Atlanta Hawks are working over the Chicago Bulls and are pushing the series in complete over-achievement. The Hawks taking game 4 in Atlanta to tie the series at two was somewhat unexpected. However, if Joe Johnson and Josh Smith can continue exploiting their mismatches, anything can happen, as I see this series going to the edge of a tightly-contested game 7. This series lasting the length that it could bodes well for the Heat, the same as it does the Mavericks out West, and is the key reason why I believe Miami is the favorite out of the East.

* * *

From this point forward anything can happen, and this is why people are watching these NBA playoffs more than they have been in recent years due to the dominance of one supreme team. I hope this evokes much more Fansmanship within the NBA, as a recent Sports Illustrated fan poll ranked the NBA as the average fan’s 5th favorite sport, behind: NFL Football, College Football, Major League Baseball and Nascar.

My NBA Finals pick: Dallas over Miami in 6. It may be wishful thinking, and picking with my heart and not my brain, as the Heat look close to unbeatable thus far – but I’m sticking with it and going down with the Western Conference ship if it happens to take on too much water come June.

Stay tuned.

Prior to the 2002 Super Bowl, the Rams were 14-point favorites. Everyone talked about how the Rams’ offense was unstoppable. The Patriots set a precedent for team unity by following the Rams individual player introductions by being introduced as a team. They proceeded to grit out a 3-point win for the first of their multiple Super Bowls during the decade. It’s hard to imagine the Patriots as an underdog, but prior to the 2002 Super Bowl they were. And the pundits were wrong.

Also in 2002, the second round of the NBA Playoffs provided a match-up that the pundits and even Las Vegas were drooling over. The two most high-powered and entertaining offenses in the NBA that year were matched-up in what was sure to be a high-scoring series. Because they hoped to see a long series between two fun-to-watch teams, pundits predicted a close matchup.

Side note: While in Las Vegas for my 21st birthday, I put 20 bucks on the “under” in Game 1 of the series. Everyone thought the series would be really high-scoring, and it ended up being so. Game 1, however, was not. My 20 bucks on the under was one of the only sports bets I’ve ever made. Betting against the prevailing wisdom is good to do sometimes.

This morning, ESPN’s NBA experts were talking about how great the upcoming series between Memphis and Oklahoma City would be. They said that the Grizzlies have a great chance to win the series and hyped the series more than any second round series during the past few years.

This is another case of the pundits being wrong. I am picking the Thunder in 5 games. Much like the Mavs-Blazers first-round series, the games will be fun to watch, but the series will never be really in question.

Other predictions:

Lakers over Mavs in Six games.

Heat over Celtics in Six games.

Bulls over Hawks in Five games.

In the Western Conference, the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies went into the Alamo and took it to the top-seeded Spurs something fearsome in game one of their series. The Spurs were fortunate enough to even the series in game two, but Memphis came out with reckless abandonment in game three, to take a 2-1 series lead, headed by Zach Randolph’s 25 points, which included a clutch 3-pointer as time was expiring. Randolph had made a total of 8 3-pointers out of 43 attempts all season. Game four last night saw a virtual repeat of game three, as the underdog Grizzlies rode a second-half wave to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. Back to San Antonio the squads go, but the conclusion may already be foretold. Hold the ball and cry to the gods, Dikembe, we might very well be in for an epic upset once again.

The seventh-seeded New Orleans Hornets have more than surprised the second-seeded Los Angeles Lakers, They have hung in the series quite effectively, tying it at 2 games-apiece with game 5 back in Los Angeles tonight. The Lakers need a remedy to combat the virus that is the pick-and-roll penetration of Chris Paul. Look for Los Angeles to employ some sort of quasi-zone defense to affront this issue, and end up getting over, not only tonight, but back in Nola for game six, and eventually wrapping up the series and advancing. Kobe’s ankle issues could run the series to seven, but Bryant has always played through injuries such as this, and even given his advancing age, I see the Lakers lighting a fire and burning this series out in anticipation of the Dallas/Portland winner.

The third-seeded Dallas Mavericks melted down during game four on Saturday, blowing a 23-point, second-half lead en-route to allowing the Blazers to execute one of the greatest comebacks in NBA playoff history. Amidst a Brandon Roy 24-point performance, one in which he scored 18 points in the fourth quarter alone, Dallas wilted under the feverish pressure the Rose Garden puts on its visiting opponents. Game five back in Dallas saw the Mavericks man-up, behind the veteran Dirk Nowitzki’s 25 points and 8 rebounds, as the Mavs took a 3-2 series lead.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, who have been tabbed as the team that nobody wants to encounter in this year’s Western Conference playoff scene, have all but dominated the fifth-seeded Denver Nuggets in the first three games of the series. The three-headed monster of point-scorer Russell Westbrook, MVP-canidate Kevin Durant and defensive stalwart Kendrick Perkins have proven to be too much for Denver. The question here is not regarding this matchup, but rather whether or not Oklahoma City will prove as too much to any potential opponent for the remainder of the Western Conference tournament. Denver showed a glimmer of hope last night in a game four win, albeit with their collective backs against the wall, as Ty Lawson poured in 27 in a desperate effort, but expect the Thunder to close this mismatch out in five back home.

Top-seed Chicago is a popular pick in the Eastern Conference. However, a lot of “nay-sayers,” such as myself, believe that the greatness that is the Bulls relies entirely too much on one player. MVP-to-be Derrick Rose has shown an amount of vulnerability in the Bulls’ first round series versus the Indiana Pacers. Hired thugs such as Jeff Foster and Tyler Hansborough have beaten up the head of the snake, which has reaped some benefits for the Pacers, while not in victory, in the first three games. During game four, in which this tactic was imposed, the strategy proved positive. Now holding a 3-1 series lead, Chicago heads back home with a game five victory in their sights. While Indiana has a limited chance to last in this series, they have given future oppenents of the Bulls a gameplan on how to slow down the on-going trend of Rose. Look for Orlando or Atlanta in the next round, or Miami or Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals to employ the same schemes that Indiana has shown to help them strike an upset over the top seed.

The second-seeded star power of the Miami Heat have come out on fire versus the seventh-seeded Philadelphia 76ers. The Doug Collins-aimed Sixers came into the series with visions of upset dancing in their heads. These dreams quickly turned into a nightmare. There seemed to be more Wade to LeBron alley-oops than there were solid possessions by Philly. That being said, the Sixers didn’t lay down after a three games to none deficit, as they exuded their pride in a game four win, in which they finished the game on a 10-0 run resulting in victory. The series shifts back to Miami for game five Wednesday. While Miami will eventually advance, the lack of their ability to hit a shot in the clutch could prove as a vital hitch in future rounds.

Things were being said about the Celtics coming into the playoffs, most notably referring to how they could be over the hill, or that New York could cause them some issues. I don’t know why. Yes, Chauncey Billups was absent from this series, if you want to call it that, and Amare Stoudamire gave a half-hearted effort due to nagging injuries, but how closely the Knicks played Boston in the first three games should have reaped them at least one victory. Turns out it didn’t. Even Carmelo’s 42 in game two couldn’t salvage a “W.” The chowds ended up sweeping the Knicks on Sunday afternoon, but the Knicks are still, without a doubt, a work in process. The dominance of the Celtics shouldn’t be garnered as a true measuring stick because of this fact. Boston easily advanced to the next round, but New York will be a force to be reckoned with in years to come, given Carmelo, Amare, and their big-market money.

Pundits swore up and down that Orlando was the the squad to take out the supposed, over-hyped Chicago Bulls in the second round, but this foregone conclusion has absorbed a wrench in the works. The Hawks managed to steal one in Orlando, and have held court for both games back in Atlanta, to take a 3-1 series lead heading back to Disneyworld for game five. It seems upon the eventual, first-round defeat, the “Stan Van Jeremy, master-of-panic” regime should be reevaluated. Top-seed Chicago will have a much easier time with Atlanta than they will with Orlando and the threat that Dwight Howard presents. The Bulls may have just dodged a bullet if Atlanta wins out. Game five tips-off early today.

Enjoy, and check back in, because these NBA playoffs have shown us all that “seeds” mean little and desire reigns ultimate.