OKAY--OKAY, BLUE JAYS- BLUE JAYS, LET'S PLAY BALL

The boys of the summer are back and hopefully they can make a good run for the pin this year.

Pix from game against their 7-1 win Kansas City on May 23 above.

come let us all gather together...

to throw salt on Kobe's game.

I said it would come down to these 4 teams but now it looks like it will be an historic match-up between the Lakers and Celtics.

I have to say that I would prefer to watch them than the boring Spurs but we'll see!

At the end of the day there can only be one.

Other News:
Chicago gets first pick in draft
Miami gets second

Lucky TO

did anyone see the piston's bench beat us the other day (sunday April 13, 2008)?

i mean seriously, what would we have done if we had to face them first round? forfeit?

thank goodness we moved up to 6th seed and now only have to face orlando (it's better but probably not that much).

Wouldn't it be sweet...

Wouldn't it just rock if the Celts some how won it all thus giving 3 great vets the ring they deserve? This prevents Garnett, Pierce and Allen from having to team hop to chase a ring like Malone, Mourning and Payton did.

I dunno if it'll happen but it would be sweet.

IT'S OFFICIAL

go to nba.com to see the match-ups for the first round of the play-offs.

at the start of the season i predicted it to come down to phoenix and san antonio in the west and the nets and boston in the east. neither matchup is possible (spurs face suns in the first round and the nets didn't make the play-offs).

however that doesn't mean that who i predicted to take it all won't do it. The spurs are 3rd seed in the west and have the most recent post season experience. and i can see them facing detroit who has been on the top half of the eastern conference for some years now.

do i want the spurs to win? heck no. i would prefer it if the suns magically found themselves in the finals. i mean shaq can cover duncan (kind of) and amare is healthy. we'll see if they can pull of an upset of last year's champs.

looking at the 1st round match-ups i would say that the spurs will be facing the lakers in the west and boston will be facing detroit.

can't wait...let the play-offs begin!

p.s. good luck to TO

NBA Playoffs: Where Amazing Happens

Just like recent former years, the big teams are in the West, making teams like Golden State at .595 not able to make it into the top eight.

Holding on strong at the top is New Orleans. The dynamic and young team lead by No. 3, Chris Paul has recovered nicely since Hurricane Katrina caused them to have to play in Oklahoma. Now they are a force in the West with a record of 55-24 and being carried by Paul, David West, Peja Stojakovic and Tyson Chandler.

In the East Boston is at the top, as has been the case for the majority of the season. The teams leader is veteran Kevin Garnett. While making it to the second round of the play-offs seems like a given, none of the stars on the team have much experience at higher levels of competition. Garnett has only made it past the second round once in his almost 13 year career. His lack of experience in that environment may cause him and his team to choke thus allowing second seeded Detroit to cruise to a Eastern championship.

The Raptors though, currently at 7th seed, may have the horrible deed of trying to knock off Detroit to advance to the second round. If they go up to 6th seed they can try their luck with Orlando.

Meanwhile look out for the Spurs to fight to win back to back rings. Will they begin a dynasty like the Lakers did in 2000-2002? Too soon to tell but with their play-off experience it is expected that they will go far and will probably win it all again.

Honorable mentions go to Houston for a fantastic 22-0 run and to the Lakers who have pull themselves back to a respectable standing in the West. Also to Orlando and Philly for pulling themselves to the top half of the Eastern Division standings.

March Madness Wrap-up

North Carolina was a favourite to win the championship. The former school of NBA stars like Jordan and Vince Carter was poised to capture the title but was clipped short and didn't make it past the final four.

Instead Kansas faced Memphis in the finals and won 75-68. They were trailing in the second half but shot a tie making goal, sending the game into overtime and eventually winning the game.

The 3-point shot that sent the game into overtime came from Kansas’s Mario Chalmers (above). Chalmers is expected to be a high draft pick in this years NBA draft while Michael Beasley from Kansas State is projected to be the number one pick. Kansas State finished their season 20-11 and lost in the sweet sixteen.