Early Playoff Look

As of now, the NBA playoff race in the Western Conference is very tight. With a record of 34-22, the Golden State Warriors are currently the eight seed, only 1/2 game ahead of the Denver Nuggets. The Eastern Conference isn't quite as impressive. The Philadelphia 76ers are sitting in the eight spot with a record of 26-32 three games ahead of Atlanta.

The last three playoff teams in the East have a record below .500, while only five teams in the entire Western Conference have a sub .500 record.

With the additions of Jason Kidd and Shaquille O'neal, the west has become a force to be reckoned with. It seems as years go by, the west just keeps getting stronger and stronger. When you look at the contenders in the Western Conference, you come up with names like LA, San Antonio, Dallas, Pheonix, Utah, and New Orleans. In the East, there is Detriot, Boston, uhhh...well there is umm....and theres....Clevel....maybe????

The point is, besides for the proven team in Detriot, the JV league of the Eastern Conference have only possible contenders. Boston you would have to assume is a contender, but they are not time tested.

Personally, besides for Detriot I think that the west has a lock on the finals for the next three to four years.

As for my predictions, I think that Boston and Detriot will meet in the Eastern Conference finals, with Detriot advancing to the finals. In the west, it will be Los Angelas and San Antonio, with San Antonio moving on to face the Pistons.

In the finals, it will be another clash of the two best teams in the league (in my opinion). The Spurs (while they may on the way out because of age) will reign supreme again in the NBA this season. They will have secured their 5th championship in the last nine years, making them a dynasty the league will never forget. This would also mark the 7th championship by the west in the last nine years.

next jordan???

My friend Justin and I constantly have the debate of whether Lebron James will be better than Michael Jordan. I say no, he says yes. I realize that it is early in Lebron's career, but I look at what Jordan has already done and find it hard to believe that another play can come along so quick and dethrone Jordan and the best.

Over the course of his career, Jordan was an all-star 14 times, winning the MVP three times. He won six championships, the rookie of the year award, and 10 NBA All-first teams. Not to mention his nine-time all-NBA defensive first team and the defensive player of the year in 1988.

Jordan averaged 30.1 points, 5.3 assists, and 6.2 rebounds per game over his career.

Granted, if you look at what Lebron has done already, it is very possible to infer that his number may indeed be better than Jordan's. Lebron has already won 2 all-star MVP awards, including this years. I think that if James wants to be considered in the same sentence as Jordan, he must leave cleveland. Even with the new addition of Ben Wallace, six championships are not in Lebron's future with Cleveland.

Furthermore, I think that even if Lebron surpasses Jordan's numbers, he will have to do more to be known as the best of all time. Jordan dominated the game for so many years. I think that since the game has changed, and there are more dominating players now a days, James is going to have to make a huge statement to swing the opinion of most NBA fans.

There is no doubt in my mind that James will end his career as one of the greatest of all time. Yet while it is still early and impossible to predict the future, I think Lebron will have to greatly go above and beyond Jordan's achievements if he wants to be considered the best to have ever played the game.

ANY MORE FUEL IN THE DIESELS TANK??

When the news of Shaquille O'Neal going to the Pheonix Suns came into my ears yesterday mourning, I initially reacted by laughing in the face of Steve Kerr, the Suns GM. The Suns gave up an all-star quality player in Shawn Marion for a 35-year-old Center, at the seemingly last stop of his diesel career. Shaq's PPG has dropped to a career low 14.2, and he is playing an all time low 28.5 minutes per game.

After I was done laughing, I asked myself why had Kerr been so foolish. After I thought about it more I could only come to the conclusion that Kerr believes that O'Neal can still play hard-nosed post defense against the likes of Pau Gasol, Tim Duncan, and Carlos Boozer, who are a load to defend. The size of O'Neal must have been a more attractive Kerr more than the recent play of the injury-plagued center.

I think if the Suns are to utilize O'Neal to his fullest, he cannot start. Whether they like it or not, with O'Neal's body the worn the way it shows, he couldn't possibly be able to withstand 35 minutes against a Duncan or a Boozer.

Therefore I give Steve Kerr a hand for coming up with this alternate view of how the Miami police officer can be used effectively. The big question is if the diesel can coast to another ring or will he stall out just short of his destination?