Too Much NFL Draft

Mel Kiper: NFL Draft guru

Hello everybody, I want to apologize for the long gap between this post and my last one. With the school year winding down I had quite a bit of homework to do, but now it's bloggin' time once again! Last night ESPN televised the first round of the NFL Draft in primetime and there were quite a few surprises. The NFL and the NBA are two exciting drafts to watch, especially to a die-hard fan. The casual fan can probably make it through two days of the NFL Draft and can probably watch the entire NBA Draft since it is only two rounds. However, the NFL Draft is the most overhyped thing in sports. Seriously, the Super Bowl ended nearly three months ago and ever since the final seconds ticked off ESPN has had Mel Kiper and Todd McShay analyzing the draft. Who cares what they have to say?!?! It's unbelievable how two guys can get a job off of guess work. Again, I think the NFL Draft is fun to watch but I don't need the hype and analysis for three months leading up to the event.

Mock drafts are silly because they are never true. Sure, they are fun to read but does the world really need a new one from ol' King Kiper every single week? Hold on, don't think to hard because I can answer that one for you-- NO. I can handle the analysis the week before the draft and during draft day but the mock drafts every week for three months and the constant Sportscenter segments irk me. Yet, I shouldn't be surprised that's how it is because that's the way ESPN operates these days. The sports juggernaut can't simply report on a story. They must drill it into the viewer's head with every single minute detail they can possible give. They have given a new meaning to the term "maximum coverage" and that's not necessarily a good thing. There was so much coverage on the draft last night that ESPN was scrolling tweets from NFL players at the bottom of the screen. That's the sort of thing where I just want to say stop. We can only handle so much coverage, so much opinion and so much analysis. ESPN throws so much at it's viewers that it becomes irritating and boring. By the time tomorrow rolls around we don't even want to talk about the topic with our friends or the people at the workplace. The subject seems worn out.

LeBron James on ESPN for The Decision

This summer may have been the worst ever for two reasons. The Brett Favre Saga and the Miami Heat Big Three being assembled. ESPN had a field day with both stories and was even generous enough to televise The Decision live with LeBron James and Jim Gray. Gosh, that was great to see LeBron sitting on stage with little kids (who he donated money too) sitting all around him and Jim Gray, the only broadcaster with low enough standards and morals to appear on the show, interviewing him. The event became a complete mockery and the famous line, "I'm going to take my talents to South Beach," will forever be etched into our minds. Just when you thought that was the worst of it, it got worse! ESPN showed highlights of the Heat's big bash to introduce their three superstars and Sportscenter was clogged with stories on Miami. Every single person seemed to have an opinion and ESPN was their platform to speak about the Heat.

Around the same time, Brett Favre was going through his annual dilemma on whether to play football or not. Looking at the calender I would say in about exactly two weeks we could hear from Favre saying that he wants to come back this upcoming season. Last summer was the worst it has ever gotten with teammates going down to Mississippi to basically kidnap Favre and bring him to Minnesota. ESPN was there for that and Ed Werder followed Favre around like a lost puppy, broadcasting his every move to the world. Finally when a decision had finally been made the analysts could come out and start guessing where the Vikings would finish.

It was an unbelievable time for The Worldwide Leader in Sports and one that, for me at least, wrecked public opinion of the company. ESPN has almost become the sports reality network and no small detail slips by them. The Heat's tears, Brett's nude pics and Cam Newton's latest workout are all covered 24/7 for all fans. Again, I love to watch the draft and I love to watch sports but ESPN has gone too far with their coverage. It's one thing to be The Worldwide Leader but stop throwing so much information at fans about one topic. To all my readers: have fun watching the next three days of draft coverage. After that, Mel Kiper will go back into hibernation until next February.

Losing in Cleveland Since 1964

There is no such thing as The World of Wadley jinx and, before I go any further in this post, I want to say that I'm not trying to start one right now. But really, let's give some love to the Cleveland Indians. Check that, I meant the first place Cleveland Indians, but let's not jinx it. You read it right, the Indians sit atop the AL Central Division standings with an 11-4 record, comfortably ahead of the White Sox, Tigers and Twins. Still, saying the words "first place" and "Cleveland" in the same sentence are almost laughable in the sports world and rightfully so. The city, which has three professional sports teams in the Indians, the Browns of the NFL and the Cavaliers of the NBA, has not won a major pro sports championship since 1964 when the Browns won the NFL title and that was before the Super Bowl era. The Cavaliers have failed to win an NBA championship since they joined the league in 1970-71 and the Indians haven't won the World Series since 1948, when Bob Feller was just 29 years old. Cleveland is the most tortured sports town in America, but the thing is, they have come so close on numerous occasions.



Jordan hits the shot over Ehlo in '89



1964 was a long time ago if you couldn't figure that one out. That's 47 years since the last major pro sports championship in the city of Cleveland. Think about all that has changed and happened since then. Lyndon Johnson took office in 1963 and Barack Obama is the eighth President of the United States since then. Nikita Khrushchev was in his last year of power in the Soviet Union and man had not yet walked on the moon. Michael Jordan wasn't even two years old yet and Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain dominated the NBA. The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the New York Yankees in seven games for the World Series and we hadn't even been introduced to greats like Mike Schmidt or Reggie Jackson. While Cleveland has suffered for those 47 years, there are other cities that have been living the good life. New York hasn't really had a problem, winning 20 pro sports championships since '64 and Boston has 18 to their credit. Los Angeles has won 12 with 11 of those courtesy of the Lakers and Chicago, despite the Cubs woes, have won nine championships since Cleveland's last. Shoot, even Green Bay, who only has the NFL's Packers, has four Super Bowls in the past 47 years. 

Chicago Cubs fans like to complain that there team hasn't won since 1908 and, yes, that has to be awful but at least they have the pleasure of other city teams bringing home the trophy. The White Sox, Bulls, Bears and Blackhawks have combined for 21 championships since 1908 so, while Cubs fans may cry about their baseball team, they have had plenty to cheer about in all the other sports. Cleveland fans can't say the same. How crazy is it that none of the three pro sports teams have been able to get it done? It doesn't matter what season it is there has been heartbreak and sorrow for Cleveland fans. That has to be tough to deal with because the questions "how?" and "why?" just can't be answered.

Edgar Renteria celebrates his series winning hit
in the 1997 World Series (NY Times)

The Indians won two AL pennants in the 90's yet failed to win the World Series in either of them. In 1995 they fell to the Braves in six games. In 1996 they repeated as divisional champs, but lost in the Division Series. 1997 brought another AL pennant but, again, the Indians lost, this time to the Florida Marlins. They won their third AL Central title in a row and upset the Yankees in the Division Series. All signs pointed to this being the year the drought ended, but it was not meant to be. With the series tied in game seven, the Indians led 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth. However, Jose Mesa blew the save as the Marlins tied the game with two outs. Edgar Renteria would then hit his famous game winning hit in the 11th to give the Marlins the World Series title. The Indians were one out away from the title and blew it, a heartbreak for the city. In 2007 the Indians again won the AL Central crown and featured superstar pitchers Cliff Lee and C.C. Sabathia, but they lost in Game 7 of the ALCS to the Red Sox. Since then they have struggled to win games, never finishing better than .500.

Fans can still see Michael Jordan take the ball the free throw line, rise up and sink the game winning jumper over Craig Ehlo. They can see Jordan jump up in the air, fist-pumping in celebration while Ehlo crumples to the floor in defeat. It was Jordan's game and series winner in 1989 that sealed the Bulls first round upset of the Cavaliers. Five years later Jordan would hit another game/series winner in the second round of the playoffs against Cleveland and the Cavs are considered one of the greatest victims of Michael Jordan. In 2003 the team drafted LeBron James with the first pick in the draft and he was supposed to lead the Cavs to the big one. The King, as they called him, was a hometown kid and lit up the NBA right away. He led Cleveland to the Finals in 2007 but they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs. Perhaps the biggest blow came this past summer when LeBron went on national television to announce that he was signing with the Miami Heat amid free agency. Cleveland fans felt betrayed by their hometown son and proceeded to burn his jerseys in the streets.

Mike Davis' interception on Red Right 88

The city of Cleveland and the Browns have been through a lot together and the Browns have not produced many winning seasons since their return to the NFL in 1999. Art Modell pulled the team out of Cleveland and moved the Browns to Baltimore in 1996, but the NFL replaced them in '99. It got off to a rocky start when the Browns used their first draft pick on quarterback Tim Couch and they have only had one winning season since their ressurection. Of course there are the infamous football plays in Cleveland history such as Red Right 88, The Drive and The Fumble that have haunted Browns fans for forever. The outlook never looks good for the Browns and 2011-12, if there is a season, is no different.

Despite all this, Cleveland fans remain true to their teams. The Cavaliers boasted the highest attendence in the NBA this season and the Indians hold the record for consecutive sellouts. The Dawg Pound is a fixture at Browns games no matter what the team's record is. With the Indians in first place, at what point do the Cleveland fans start believing? Surely they can't hold this lead on the division too much longer with other heavyweights in the AL Central but, no matter where you live, you have to sympathize with the Cleveland fans. They have been through more than any other city and have suffered more than any other American sports city but they don't call it "Believeland" for nothing.

NBA Keeps the Madness Coming

By: Nate Wadley

Everybody loves college basketball and this year’s NCAA tournament was arguably one of the best. Upsets came early and often with Cinderellas, VCU and Butler, playing in Houston for the Final Four. Butler defeated the Rams and would proceed to face the Huskies of Connecticut in the championship. UConn won, Butler lost, and March Madness came to an end. Or so we all thought. With the first weekend of the NBA Playoffs coming to a close, upsets have been abundant and the lower seeds aren’t playing around.

For starters, the eight seeds in both conferences now have a right to assume that they can advance to the second round. In the East, the Indiana Pacers had the Chicago Bulls with their backs to walls for nearly the entire game until Kyle Korver’s clutch three gave the Bulls their first lead of the game with just under a minute to play. However, despite the heartbreaking loss, the Pacers revealed that this seven game series won’t be a walk in the park for the league’s best team.

Moving to the eight vs. one matchup in the West, the Memphis Grizzlies recorded their first playoff win in history against the Manu Ginobli-less San Antonio Spurs. Yet that can’t be the excuse for the Spurs. The Grizzlies failed to give in to one of, if not the, most dominant team in the past decade. With Zach Randolph leading the charge with twenty-five points and fourteen rebounds, the Grizzlies shocked the Spurs in a 101-98 win in San Antonio.

The two vs. seven game followed the same story line. The Los Angeles Lakers lost by nearly double-digits to the New Orleans Hornets.  Behind Chris Paul’s thirty-three points, fourteen assists, and seven rebounds, the Hornets took down the defending champs and quieted the Staples Center, racking up an impressive 109-100 win. Many had debated if the Lakers would turn it on now that the playoffs are upon us, and they played fairly well. But there comes a time where reputation and history doesn’t matter anymore. The teams that show up to play will win, and the fact that the Lakers are defending champs gives New Orleans that much drive to win this first round series.

And yet the Lakers weren’t the only two seed that struggled in their first game. The 76ers jumped out to an early 31-19 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Miami Heat, surely anxious because the world has both high expectations and unbelievable hatred for them, settled down and allowed the “Big 3” to carry them to a 97-89 win over Philly.

Yes, it is a seven game series. However, teams that can make their presence felt early and show that they will not be intimidated stand a good chance against the powerhouses. The lower seeds have now let the league know that despite being a sub-.500 team, they can hang with the NBA’s best. With top seeds falling already, it’ll be interesting to see just how many games each series will need for a team to advance.

Nate Wadley is the brother of Zach Wadley and is a contributor to the World of Wadley site. He is a junior in high school.

Better Late Than Never: Bulls Take Lead Late to Clip Pacers in Game 1

It took 47 minutes and 12 seconds, but Kyle Korver's clutch three pointer with 48 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter gave the Chicago Bulls their first lead of the game against the pesky Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of their first round matchup. Derrick Rose played like the MVP he will soon be, scoring 39 points, grabbing six boards and dishing out six assists while Luol Deng sparked the team and the United Center crowd on his way to a double-double. The Bulls' defense was not its normal stingy self but, when it mattered most, Chicago got the stops they needed and took Game 1, 104-99. The Pacers shot lights out from the field and finished the game 10-18 from behind the arc, good for 55%. Danny Granger and Tyler Hansbrough propelled a Pacers attack that caught many Chicago fans by surprise and Indiana had four players finish the game in double figures.

The Pacers looked like an experienced playoff team for much of the game and it took it right at the number one seeded Bulls. Granger came out and said before the playoffs that he would rather face Chicago than Miami or Boston and that made headlines leading up to today's game. After a slow start, he turned it on and knocked down four threes while shooting 50% from the field. Hansbrough played phenomenal and consistently knocked down 15-foot jumpers over Carlos Boozer. Despite his hot shooting, Boozer refused to crawl up into Hansbrough's space and Psycho T hit ten shots, finishing with 22 points. For a moment it appeared Hansbrough was going to be lost for the game after he was unintentionally elbowed in the side of the head by the Bulls' Kurt Thomas while battling for a rebound. Hansbrough laid on the court for some time and then had to be helped into a chair in the tunnel because he could not keep his balance. However, he returned with 5:33 left in the game and scored seven more points.

Chicago struggled for much of the game and seemed very passive on defense. The United Center crowd was quiet because the Bulls were trailing but Luol Deng and Joakim Noah did their best to fire everybody up. After a hard foul from Hansbrough on Rose, Deng and Noah both got in Hansbrough's face and Deng was whistled for a technical foul for delivering a shove. The Pacers' Darren Collison missed the technical free throw and Rose sank his shots. Deng stood near halfcourt and urged the fans to get rowdy. Yet, the Pacers answered with another run and made it a ten point game again. The Bulls trailed by six with 2:31 remaining and Derrick Rose grabbed a defensive rebound, threaded the needle to Joakim Noah who slammed it home and sent the Madhouse on Madison into a frenzy. After Noah's dunk, Indiana scored only one point off of a Roy Hibbert free throw and the Bulls put the finishing touches on their remarkable comeback. Rose would score seven points after that dunk and assisted Korver's go-ahead three with 48 seconds left. It was truly a team effort down the stretch.

Every time Rose stepped to the free throw line there were deafening MVP chants that probably shook the building and he played like an MVP. While the rest of the Bulls stumbled out of the gates, Rose showed up to play and it was evident by his relentless drives to the hoop that were unstoppable for the Pacers defense. On one particular sequence, he blocked a layup on the defensive end and then dribbled into the lane, spun through three Pacers and made a layup while falling away. The only blemish on Rose's performance was his 0-9 shooting from behind the arc, something he will have to fix if the Bulls are to make a run deep into the playoffs. He finished the game 10-23 from the field and hit 19 free throws. His 39 points are a playoff career high for him and he showed why he is one of the best closers in the game of basketball.

Many will want to throw all the glory on Rose, and he is deserving of most of it, but the Bulls have to be happy with the contributions of Kyle Korver and and Kurt Thomas. Korver was brought in to do one thing: hit shots from deep. He did that, going 4-4 and hitting the biggest shot of the game. Thomas was steady off the bench while Boozer sat with foul trouble and played solid defense in his 24 minutes. Ronnie Brewer wasn't as effective, and that could be because of his sprained thumb, but if the Bulls bench plays well then there is a realistic chance for them to advance to the Finals. It may not have been the way the Bulls wanted to win Game 1 of the series but in the playoffs a win is a win and now Chicago holds a 1-0 lead with Game 2 Monday at 9:30 ET.

(Photos by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Too Up Close and Personal?

By: Nate Wadley

Athletic events that are nationally televised nowadays feature a camera angle from virtually every corner of the court, field, or track. Referees as well as fans around the world find the different perspectives as a great advantage for use of replay as well as receiving a better perspective. And yet, one camera angle has recently gotten the best player in the NBA a hefty $100,000 fine.

Kobe Bryant was caught on camera voicing his frustration with an official which resulted in Bryant yelling a homophobic slur. With the clip of Bryant sitting on the bench and screaming at the referee being shown all over SportsCenter, Bryant has been criticized for speaking out harshly against the gay community. Should Bryant have used the word he said? No. Should the camera have been zoomed in right on his face for the whole world to see his rant? No. It is precisely the “up close and personal” approach that camera men are using that caused Bryant’s language to be leaked to the world. I do realize that people have to know every little thing that athletes say and do because, well, they are professional athletes and we look up to them. Yet the cameras have begun to do more damage than good.

Bryant yelled out the slur in the heat of the moment and with his team struggling as of late, tensions were high and his emotions got the better of him. It is not right that the public now sees him as a man against the gay community because, once again, he spoke out in anger, not in true feeling. Athletes must be granted at least a little more privacy than the media gives them today.

Young athletes and even little kids have their role models which tend to be these highly-paid and respected athletes. If cameras continue to show these athletes swearing and yelling at the referees then what do the young athletes begin to do? Follow the example set by their idols.

Today, everybody believes that professional sports are full of thugs and idiots. Now do not get me wrong, the NBA, MLB, and NFL have their fair share of colorful characters. But the biggest problem is the behind the scenes access that we are granted. People are able to see every little thing an athlete does and the minute he or she messes up, we know about it via television or newspaper. Athletes deserve their privacy and if the media continues to shove their cameras where or when their cameras do not belong, athletes’ reputations will steadily go down.

Photo courtesy of eurweb.com

Nate Wadley is the brother of Zach Wadley and a contributor to the World of Wadley site. He is a junior in high school.

NBA Western Conference Playoff Preview

It's been wild out in the West but the playoffs are finally set and there are several great matchups. Much like the East, the first round could be very unpredictable and the best teams may not be in the Finals. The fifth seeded Denver Nuggets have looked outstanding since the Carmelo trade, yet they must play the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round. The Thunder are the young, exciting team that most people think are ready for a breakout year after taking the Lakers six games last year in the first round. Los Angeles is the second seed and is hoping for another three-peat, but they are limping into the playoffs, losing five of their last seven. Dallas has never fared well in the postseason and nobody is giving them much of a shot and then there are the San Antonio Spurs, sitting atop the bracket with the number one seed. Like always, it seems the Spurs are the forgotten team for some reason despite posting the best record in the West. Their age may be a factor, as could Manu Ginobli's elbow injury, but Greg Popovich has won four titles and don't count San Antonio out just yet. Other young teams like the Blazers and Grizzlies will try to pull off upsets in the first round and leave their mark on the 2011 postseason. Now, let's get to the picks.

1. San Antonio Spurs vs. 8. Memphis Grizzlies

If Rudy Gay had not suffered a season ending shoulder injury then the Griz could have a realistic chance in this series. Without him they can't win four games against the Spurs but they should be able to take one or two. Memphis has Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, a double-double machine, and their post presence will be very valuable against the Spurs inside duo of Tim Duncan and DeJuan Blair. When it comes to post play it is about even, however, if Ginobli is able to play then the Spurs can dominate the perimeter. Everybody knows what they are going to get from Ginobli and Tony Parker, but the key perimeter players for the Spurs are the young guys, George Hill and Gary Neal. Both are deep ball threats and run the new, fast-paced Spurs offensive attack well. In a rough playoff series, they will be counted on a little bit more to give Parker and Ginobli some rest time. If the Grizzlies are to win then they need everybody to be clicking on all cylinders every game and hopefully steal one the road. They may win a game or two at home but this upset would be more surprising than the Warriors beating the Mavericks a few years back. Prediction: Spurs in 5

4. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 5. Denver Nuggets

Make sure to tune in to every single game of this series because it is the best first round matchup the playoffs have to offer. The Thunder are a team that has constantly been on the rise since drafting Kevin Durant and the Nuggets are a team many thought were left for dead when they traded away but Carmelo, but instead they played phenomenal, reaching the 50 win mark. Give a shoutout to George Karl that coaching masterpiece. He can also thank his backcourt of Ty Lawson and Raymond Felton, both former Tar Heels. Together they average 27 points and 13 assists for a team without a superstar. No matter though, they have more than enough firepower to defeat the favored Thunder. Give some love to Thunder point guard, Russell Westbrook, a man who has been overshadowed at his position by Derrick Rose and even on his own team by Kevin Durant. Durant and Westbrook are the best duo in the NBA. Now they have Kendrick Perkins in the middle and that has made them a true championship contender. Perkins knows how to win and he is the bully the sometimes soft Thunder needed. This series will be the best and should go the full seven. Prediction: Thunder in 7

3. Dallas Mavericks vs. 6. Portland Trail Blazers

It's always hard to pick the Mavs to win a playoff series because they have such a terrible reputation in the postseason. Sure, they have one of the best players in the game with Dirk Nowitzki but he is a one-man show and that doesn't work in the playoffs. The Blazers, on the other hand, are an intriguing young squad that has seems to always be plagued by injuries but with a healthy lineup they have the potential to win this series. Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge are a poor man's Durant and Westbrook, but they are two players to keep an eye on in the postseason. Aldridge has had a career year, averaging 21 points and nearly 9 boards and many think he was the biggest all-star snub. Throw in Gerald Wallace and the Blazers have a solid core of players. The Mavs have had a great year but that's the norm for them. It's also the norm to then choke in the playoffs; call them the Kansas Jayhawks of the NBA. Here's their chance to change that image. Prediction: Trail Blazers in 6

2. Los Angeles Lakers vs. 7. New Orleans Hornets

Much like the Grizzlies, if the Hornets had David West then they could make some noise but that's not going to happen against the defending champs. There's only one name people need to know right here: Kobe Bryant. Kobe is on a mission to get that sixth ring and it will be hard to stop him. The Lakers dynasty could be coming to an end with Phil Jackson mulling retirement and the core group of players getting older, but they have enough in the tank to parade the streets of LA one more time. If Andrew Bynum is healthy then there is no stopping the Lakers in the West. Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Kobe and Bynum is just too much for Chris Paul and his band of Hornets. Expect a sweep in this series. Prediction: Lakers in 4

If the predictions hold true then I would go with the Thunder of the Spurs and the Lakers over the Blazers. LA would then advance to the Finals where they would defeat the Bulls for their second three-peat since the millenium hit. The West is typically the stronger conference but there seems to have been a power shift to the East. Despite that, expect the West to pull off one more championship before the East wins the next few. The Lakers are too determined and too experienced for the Thunder to beat them just yet but Oklahoma City's time is near. Playoff action starts Saturday at 1 p.m. ET with the Chicago Bulls facing the Indiana Pacers.

NBA Eastern Conference Playoff Preview

Well, it appeared the Boston Celtics threw in the white towel last night and gave the Big 4 the night off and the subs promptly lost in overtime to the lowly Washington Wizards. With that loss, and Miami's win over the Atlanta Hawks, the playoffs are now set in the Eastern Conference. Like I said yesterday, this year's playoffs are going to very hyped up and rightfully so. There are four or five contenders in the East and many questions that will be answered in the coming weeks. The Chicago Bulls have won 60 games to date and are the top seed while the Heat are second and Boston is third. Many would say one of those three teams will represent the East in the Finals but watch out for the Orlando Magic and maybe even the New York Knicks. I've broken down each first round matchup and predicted the winners starting with the Bulls vs. Pacers so let's take a look...

1. Chicago Bulls vs. 8. Indiana Pacers

Could this be the start of another Chicago Bulls dynasty? It very well could be with the defense the Bulls have under rookie head coach, Tom Thibodeau. There's also that fella named Derrick Rose who has become one of the game's best players and should receive the MVP honors this year. Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah are a great tandem in the post with Boozer providing the scoring and Noah grabbing boards and bringing energy. Luol Deng is not talked about much but he has had a great season and will be counted on this postseason to take the pressure off Rose. The Bulls bench has also been very effective this season and they will need to be ready in the first round because the Pacers are always putting fresh bodies out on the floor. As many as 12 players see good time game in-game out for Indiana but they need Darren Collison and Roy Hibbert to come up huge if they hope for a first round upset. Locking down Rose is impossible but slowing him up would be huge for this young Pacers bunch. Don't expect an upset but don't be surprised if the Pacers steal one from the Bulls in Indianapolis. Prediction: Bulls in 5

4. Orlando Magic vs. 5. Atlanta Hawks

If big, bad Dwight Howard can keep himself from getting suspended because of technical fouls then the Magic should win this series for the second year in a row. However, the Hawks did win three out of four in the regular season so maybe there is some substance to that. Atlanta has five players who average double figures with Joe Johnson leading the way at 18.5 per game. What the Hawks need is for Al Horford to play great and Zaza Pachulia to be the irritant he is and get inside Howard's head. Jameer Nelson is always steady at point guard and Atlanta's Jeff Teague is faced with the task of stopping him. Teague has started a handful of games since Mike Bibby's departure and the playoffs could be a something of a coming out party for him. Kirk Hinrich has playoff experience with the Bulls and is reliable. This series is hard to predict but I'm going to guess that Dwight Howard can go seven games without being a cry baby and take the Magic to the second round. Prediction: Magic in 7

3. Boston Celtics vs. 6. New York Knicks

This so called "rivalry" has supposedly heated up this year but until now that was a lie. Now that the two teams are meeting in the playoffs things probably will heat up and we should be treated to a great series. If the Celtics hadn't made the idiotic move of trading Kendrick Perkins then I would say Boston would win easy but that's not the case anymore. If you're looking for an upset special this could be it. The Knicks can score in bunches and the Celtics seem very vulnerable right now. They haven't been the same team since the trade and they seem to have lost their edge. By no means am I saying the Knicks are a great team, but they are capable of winning this series. Carmelo Anthony is the best closer in the game right now and that means better than Kobe for all you Laker fans. He and Amare came to New York for a reason and, while they are a few years away from the ultimate destination, they can take the first step this season. For the Celtics it's championship or bust. Prediction: Knicks in 7

2. Miami Heat vs. 7. Philadelphia 76ers

We all remember that little pow-wow the Heat had at the beginning of the season when LeBron made the claim that they would win something like 11 NBA championships together. It seemed silly then and it seems silly now. Miami won't win more than four championships and they won't win this season. That said, they won't have a problem in the first round against the 76ers. With LeBron and Dwyane Wade, the Heat have two of the best finishers in the game and that's what a team needs to advance in the playoffs. Message to Erik Spoelstra: give Wade the ball for the last shot if it's needed!!! LeBron has been awful and lost his chance!! Okay, back on topic, Chris Bosh needs to play like an All-Star in the postseason for the Heat to advance far. For the Sixers, they are a young team with a veteran coach and they have a nice story this year but they don't have a chance to beat the Heat. Kudos to Doug Collins and staff but Miami will be moving on easily in this series. Prediction: Heat in 4

If those predictions hold true I would then pick the Bulls and the Heat to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals and the Bulls would win to advance to the Finals. With a potential lockout looming, make sure to watch as much playoff basketball as possible because who knows when we will see it again. The East has made a comeback and now has several solid teams and is filled with superstars. That's a change from the past and these playoffs are where the conference can really showcase that. Four of the top candidates for MVP will be playing in the East and should all advance to the second round. Stay tuned in the coming days for the Western Conference preview once that bracket is set.

Melo's Clutch Jumper Tops Pacers, Playoffs Looming for Both Teams

On Sunday night I had the chance to attend the New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers game at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis and, wow, was it a treat. The two teams went back and forth all game long, with no team able to extend their lead much past seven, and with four seconds to go, Carmelo Anthony drilled the go-ahead basket that proved to be the game winner. The Knicks won 110-109 for their seventh win in a row and moved up into the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference. Anthony finished with 34 points despite sitting a prolonged period of time in the second half due to foul trouble. New York was without Amare Stoudamire but Anthony and Chauncey Billups stepped up in his absence. For Indiana, it was a disappointing defeat after playing well for the majority of the game, but failing to find consistent offense down the stretch in the fourth quarter. Danny Granger scored 17 points in the first half but was held to three in the second half and his potential game-winning jumper was blocked by Anthony.

After watching Indiana play it is clear they aren't going to be a breeze for the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. Do I think the Bulls will lose the series or that it will go seven games? No, not a chance, but the Pacers are a young, scrappy bunch and they should play the Bulls to a few tough games and, perhaps, steal one from them. They are the only Central Division team that beat Chicago this year and they match up well with the Bulls lineup. The Pacers play 11-12 guys and are a deep team, but the one thing they are lacking is that superstar and closer. Danny Granger can be that guy but last night he wasn't. A superstar can't score only three points in the second half and disappear in the final five minutes of the game. That's one thing the Bulls have going for them. Derrick Rose has been phenomenal this season and the MVP trophy is all his, no arguments. He is averaging 25 points, 4 rebounds and nearly 8 assists per game and has perfected that closer role for the Bulls this year. The Pacers use three point guards in Darren Collison, A.J. Price and T.J. Ford with Collison getting most of the minutes. There may not be a faster player in the league than him and how well he matches up with Rose will surely dictate how the series will go for Indiana. In the post the Pacers have Tyler Hansbrough and Roy Hibbert to go up against Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah. Granger and Luol Deng will be a nice matchup to watch and then Paul George will guard Keith Bogans/Ronnie Brewer. The Pacers are on the way back to success but with such a young, inexperienced team don't expect an upset over Chicago.

New York is the mystery team in the East. They can be really good, like this seven game win streak, or they can be just plain awful like their six game losing streak at the end of March. With Anthony, Billups and Stoudamire in the lineup, the Knicks can score at will but the one thing hindering them is their defense. It is their style to score 100+ points and give up the same amount and that's not good come playoff time. Sure, they can guard somebody but they don't. They will face either the Celtics or the Heat and both teams can match the Knicks point-for-point while playing solid defense. If the Knicks play the Heat they won't win. They could push the series to six or seven games but, just like Mike D'Antoni's Phoenix teams, the lack of defense will hurt them. However, if the Knicks play the Celtics then they have a realistic shot at beating them. Without Kendrick Perkins or Shaquille O'Neal in the paint, the C's have lost their identity and they no longer seem like the big, bad bully on the block. Both the Bulls and the Heat have thumped Boston in the past week and New York may be able to pull of the upset.

The Eastern Conference playoffs should be very exciting to watch. Are the Heat good enough to make it to the Finals? Are the Celtics still the same, old Celtics we have come to expect? Are the Bulls really as good as their record indicates? There are questions all around the conference as the playoffs get ready to start and it should be a wild few weeks. It's fun to see teams getting into playoff mode and games getting chippy (take a look at Jermaine O'Neal's foul on LeBron James from Sunday) and who will emerge to take on the Lakers, Thunder or Spurs out West? They say the NBA is where amazing happens and we should be treated to some amazing basketball starting in just a few days.

Photo courtesy of Darron Cummings (AP Photo)

Sox Score A Lot, Give Up A Lot

After their 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday afternoon, the Chicago White Sox pushed their record to 5-3. There are still plenty of questions about this year's White Sox team but one thing is for sure: they can score runs. As of now they are leading the MLB in runs scored and are third in batting average but the troubling thing is that they have given up plenty of runs as well. On Opening Day the Sox looked magnificent at the plate, jumping out to a 14-0 lead over the Cleveland Indians. Mark Buehrle cruised through five innings of shutout ball but then gave up four runs in the 6th inning. When all was said and done, the White Sox came out a winner, 15-10. That's not exactly the ideal way to win. Yet, that's the way Ozzie Guillen and his Sox are going to get the job done this year for the most part and fans are hoping it can carry them all the way to the Fall Classic.

In their eight games Chicago has scored 56 runs which is first in the MLB and they rank in the top five in team batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. They are a complete team because they have players who will get on base at the top of the order, such as Juan Pierre and Gordon Beckham, and they have the power hitters to knock them in. Last year Adam Dunn, Paul Konerko and Carlos Quentin hit a combined 103 home runs. This season, after eight games, they have four home runs which puts them on pace to hit 81. Surely that number will rise and the Sox will need it to because the pitching staff and bullpen can be questionable.

If Jake Peavy can ever get healthy and pitch a significant amount of games for the White Sox they will greatly benefit from it but, for the time being, they are without the former Cy Young award winner and that means there is a drop off at the fifth spot in the rotation. With Peavy in the rotation, the Sox can have Buehrle, Peavy, John Danks, Gavin Floyd and Edwin Jackson as their five and that is pretty solid. However, Floyd has been known to struggle early in the year and after one outing his ERA is above five. Buehrle is the complete opposite because he usually starts out excellent but breaks down in the second half. They will need both pitchers to be on top of their game for the entire season if they are to win the Central and make a run in the postseason. I say all that to say this: the starters will get the job done for the White Sox a lot of the time. They will pitch a solid 5-7 innings but after that, what Ozzie needs more than anything, is his bullpen to step up and do the job. Matt Thornton's performance has already been questionable but much of that is due to the defense behind him. Keep an eye on Chris Sale because the young closer could be to the Sox what Adam Wainwright was for the Cardinals in their '06 World Series title.

Chicago has not won a Central Division title since 2008 but things look bright in 2011. They have one of the most powerful lineups in all of baseball, a pitching staff that, if healthy, can be one of the most effective in the league and they have two relievers capable of being all-stars. Will they be able to put it all together? Who knows, but early indications show that the offense is clicking and the starting pitching is there. If the bullpen can become more effective then watch out. We may see another Fall Classic on the Southside of Chicago.