Kobe Goes From Leaving L.A To Back To The Finals?
#1 L.A Lakers vs #8 Denver
Overview: Denver was life and death to make the playoffs and with 50 wins got in. The reward? Kobe and the new look lake show. No Andrew Bynum yet but Gasol will be there. Denver is the place of Kobe’s worst moments as he was on trail for rape here and is not that popular in Denver. Carmelo Anthony meanwhile is charged with a DUI and that is not exactly good when preparing for playoffs. This series has a lot of hollywood gossip feel to it. Allen Iverson has out grown such things and is only concerned about winning which will be tough.
Key player For Both Teams
Denver: Carmelo Anthony has a lot to prove. he has had off court issues and has played his best basketball in a team U.S.A jersey not a Nugget jersey. Allen Iverson can help Anthony a lot he has been in the eye of the storm of legal trouble and will keep his young partner in crime on the court focused on the task at hand.
L.A: Lamar Odom can be a huge x-factor in this series. If A.I and Anthony can counter Kobe and Camby can limit Gasol then Lamar may need to be big for his team minus Andrew Bynum who’s time table to return is not known. But even if he retrurns it will take time to get back to full speed.
Dino Blogger say… E.Smith’s Lakers will take this in 6
#2 New Orleans vs #7 Dallas
Overview: Mark Cuban took a huge risk going and getting Jason Kidd. He did it for this point in the season. If you looked at this series thinking that Jason Kidd could play like the guy Raptor fans saw close up last year and Dirk played like the M.V.P he was last regular season this might be an easy upset of the lacking experience Hornets. But Dirk is still hurt and Kidd seems a step slow this year. Add in this year’s M.V.P may be C.P.3 and he has a good post player and fellow all star in David West you understand the Hornets can do this.
Dallas:Dirk came back much earlier then expected. Is he honest healthy enough to play as good as he will have to play. He lost a ton of public respect last season as his Mavs were upset by Golden State and his M.V.P win was questioned loudly by many after the quick exit. This is a crossroads moment in the NBA Career of Dirk.
New Orleans: David West Is the steak to Chris Paul’s sizzle. I think the Mavs don’t have anyone that can guard him and he has a chance to show everyone just why he had the chance to play in the all star game in his professional hometown. Raptor Fans got to see just how good this guy is in his 2 games vs. Toronto.
Dino Blogger Says… Before there were Raptors I loved Hornets They Take it in 5
#3 Spurs vs # 6 Suns
Overview: Have you every found out about a Christmas gift before Christmas Day? This series is that early found gift. It will be great but it would have been better in the West Final. Suns are not the same Suns that got jobbed along the way to the Spurs Title run. Enter the Big Cactus. Shaq said he was angry and when he gets that way he wins Championships. What better way to prove it then knock out the champ. Speaking of those Champions they have one knock on them and that is No Back to Back titles. Tim Duncan is not nearly has fun as Shaq and Tony Parker has a Hot wife and a tough task guarding Steve Nash. Who wins? FANS
Key Players For Both Teams
SPURS: Tony Parker is the guy I look to as the key part to what makes the Spurs great. He needs to play like that in this series. That will be far from easy. But he can get it done and he like Ducan often is over looked when people talk about best point guards in this league he deserves to be in that conversation. Taking it to Steve Nash couldn’t hurt.
SUNS: Amare Stoudamire must take a lot of comfort in know he has the Big Cactus to play with. The impact on his career could be felt for years after the Big Cactus is planted in a rocking chair. He could tear apart the Spurs without Shaq what will he do with him. Steve Nash will try his best to find a way to make it all work.
Dino Blogger Says…. Blame CANADA as Spurs won’t Repeat, Suns in 7
#4 Houston vs #5 Utah
Overview: I am not much of a baseball fan but they have lots of cool wacky curses. The latest example was the Jersey of David Ortiz being in cased in cement of the New Yankee Stadium. Well Basketball has a curse too and he may have been cast by Raptor Fans. T-Mac has never got out of round 1. The Curse should hae ended this year you would have figured. But down goes Yao and now Rafer Alston also an Ex-Raptor is out as well. The good news if anyone like T-Mac out there is Utah sucks on the Road. But they are the best at home. They went through these Rockets last year on an unexpected march to the West Final. Williams is a Challenge for starting point guards what will he do to a back up point guard. Boozer is a beast as well.
KEY PLAYERS FOR BOTH TEAMS
HOUSTON: T-MAC is the focus of all the attention and it only makes sense that he is the key to anything the Rockets do in this series. Can he do it and break the curse of the Raptor. I think the bad karma has added up against it. But I also never saw a 22 game win streak with Yao Ming going out for the season during it. So I may not have a good read on the Rockets. Or Maybe I can’t get passed my Raptor Bias against T-Mac.
UTAH: Deron Williams will have a huge advantage early with no Rafer Alston and I think he gets hot based on that. Once that happens how will you be able to cool him off. I don’t have to answer that Houston does. Will they come up with anything and will it be in time?
Dino Blogger Says…. Curse Of Raptor Continues Utah in 6
I honestly am doing my best to figure these series all out but If you reversed all of these picks minus the Lakers pick I think you could build a case for it. I did my best though we will all see how I do. I am doing a blog later today. Here is a little mini preview of what will be talked about:
- Steven A Smith loses another viewer in CB4
- Thomas is Out In N.Y
- Some Raptor/ Magic Thoughts as Game time gets closer
So Check back sometime this afternoon. Should be good on just those 3 topics alone.
Tags: Kobe, Nash, Shaq, Stoudamire, Jason Kidd, Dirk, Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Tony Parker, Tim Ducan, Carmelo Antony, Allen Iverson, Lamar Odom, Yao Ming, Rafer Alston, Andrew Bynum, West Playoffs
