The NBA Finals are in June, not January.

Last night the Celtics came into the Staples Center and defeated L.A. 109-96. Despite Kobe Bryant's best efforts the Celtics played excellent team basketball as they pulled away in the 4th quarter. You would swear that it was a title clinching victory the way Celtics fans were celebrating and talking shit. I got calls, Facebook messages, and texts from obnoxious New Englanders. It's 1 game out of an 82 game season, who gives a fuck? This is a generic status buy a casual Celtics fan after a big regular season win "Celtics baby! gonna win it all this year." No, you cannot know that in January. All you can do is guess.


Trust me, I am not writing this because I am a Lakers fan. I have nothing against the Celtics. I was happy they won in 2008. I have a Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett jersey. One of my favorite sports movies is He Got Game. This is not a case of angry fan hating on their favorite team's arch-rival. I will admit it. As of right now, the Boston Celtics are the best team in basketball. There are still 35 games left. A lot can happen in 35 games, Celtics fans. Who is to say old age wont catch up to your team in the spring? They have still yet to face the improved, more cohesive Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls are a far younger, more athletic and almost equally as talented team as The C's. So you should probably worry about getting out of the East before you start talking about winning the Finals.


As for the L.A. the ongoing mantra for the 2011 season is "Now is not the time to start panicking." I'm certainly not panicking, so the Lakers will enter the play-offs without the 1 seed for the first time since acquiring Pau, b.f.d! The only team that is going to have homecourt over them in the West is San Antonio and as history shows the Lakers own the Spurs. They still have the deepest, tallest and most talented front court, the best player since M.J., and the greatest coach of all time. With all of that not having homecourt advantage throughout is pretty manageable. 

When Joakim Noah Ruled the World

Joakim Noah on draft day

After winning two National Championship at Florida and taking the program to heights it may never see again Joakim Noah entered the draft. The 6-11 Center was taken 9th overall by the Chicago Bulls and I can say that I truly thought he would be a bust.

Coming into the league their was question marks about Noah's maturity, his offensive abilities and if he could ever develop into a serviceable Center and carry a team. Now mid way through his fourth NBA season Noah has elevated his game to the point where he is the second best Center in the NBA.

Its safe to say that Noah's first two seasons in the league were pedestrian at best. In his rookie season he averaged 7 points and 6 rebounds and in year two he averaged 7 points 8 rebounds. Year three is where we saw his scoring  rise from 7 points to 11. I understand 11 points is far from great but improvement had been made. This year however is the year Joakim Coming Out Party. In his JCOP, he is averaging 14 points and 12 rebounds while also blocking 2 shots a game.

Noah's 11.7 rebounds have him tied for second with Andrew Bogut for rebounds by a center. So its understandable why all 6 of Andrew Bogut's fans think he is as good as Noah, after all the mighty aussy averages just as many boards as Noah and this is JCOP.

I totally forgot Andrew Bogut is greater than Joakim Noah in every facet of the game...NOT!!! Just because Bougt has the same amount of rebounds does not mean he could hold Noah's tennis racket. Bogut is a solid center, slightly above average due to the fact that there is a lack of good centers in today's NBA. So lets dive deeper in the debate of the Center. And fyi we have already agreed that Dwight Howard is the best, this is just for who can hold his jock when he needs a breather.

Record: The teams record is very important when debating these two. The Bulls are currently in second place in the East with a record of 33-14, while the Bucks are 9th with a record of 19-26. Now yes Noah has only played in 24 games due to an injury, but in those 24 games the Bulls were 17-7. Also in those 24 games with Noah the Bulls held their opponents to under 93 points 12 times.

Cast: There is no question that Noah has the better supporting cast. Rose is walking away with the MVP at this point and Carlos Boozer is a 20-10 guy. So figuring that into the equation i would expect Bogut to be scoring more than Noah due to the fact that the Bucks have no real weapons besides Brandon Jennings, who has been hurt all year. But wait NOPE, Bogut averages 13.3 points to Noah's 14. Yea I know that's basically identical but nonetheless Noah is averaging .7 more on a team with more weapons. Rebounds, yea what about them? They both average 11.7, so how can I say that Noah is better? Well look at who Bogut has to contend with for rebounds, Drew Gooden (6.5), Ersan Illyasova (5.9) and thats it. It's real EASY grabbing 12 rebounds a game when no one else on your team is doing much. I mean Bougt is basically playing with post-mortum Heath Ledger's for christ sake.

At the end of the day I understand that the numbers between Noah and Bogut are similar. But when you watch Noah play he brings a fire to the Bulls that Bougt doesn't bring to the Bucks. The intangibles certainly do make a difference when statistics are similar. In this case I say turn on a Bulls game and then turn on a Bucks game and you tell me who is the better player.

Matt Duchene Likes Vodka

Only The Finest From TNT

Saturday's Picks

Syracuse +2 vs Marquette: Both of these teams come into today's tilt needing a win. Syracuse has lost three in a row after starting the season 18-0. As for Marquette, they come in losers of three of four, their lone victory was by 30 points over DePaul. Marquette has been solid against the spread lately going 7-2, while Syracuse is just 4-5. Syracuse will need better shooting from their backcourt going 8-32 in their blowout loss to Seton Hall. This is the second time in a row that Marquette is a home favorite against a top 10 ten, they failed to cover against Uconn in their last outing. Teams have been shooting Syracuse out of their zone lately and Marquette has shooter. Darius Johnson-Odem can shoot and will have to have a big game if Marquette is going to get going again. Don't expect Syracuse to shoot that poorly again and look for them to tighten that 2-3 zone up today.
Pick: Syracuse

BYU -2 vs New Mexico: Jimmer Alert! Jimmer Alert!!! The 20-1 Cougars powered by Jimmer Fredette will take to the road to play New Mexico. BYU is coming off a 13 point victory over No.4 San Diego State on Wednesday. In that game Jimmer Fredette exploded for 43 points on one of the best defensive teams in the country. New Mexico (14-7) on the other hand has struggled of late, just 1-3 in their last four games. The Lobos have also struggled in covering spreads of late, going 2-7 in their last 9. New Mexico is not as good a defensive team as San Diego State and Jimmer dropped 43 on them, expect Jimmer to go have another big game today.
Pick: BYU

Season: 11-8-1

I hate fan voting.

I know the NBA wants to make sure the fans are happy, but this is a little ridiculous. Yao Ming!? I cannot believe this. I think Dirk should have gotten the spot over Melo as well, but that's not a big deal. I cannot even fathom the collective lunacy of people to vote in a player who hasn't been relevant in two seasons. Why the hell is he on the ballot anyway? He 's out for the season, which is good, because that means he wont occupy a spot of the roster for a more deserving player. Popovich probably give that starting job to Pau. I believe the coaches should select the entire roster, not just the reserves. That is the only way to ensure that it can be the best game possible. It's not going to happen though, so we'll just have to suffer through the has beens each President's Day weekend.

Where the stars sit

Crazy Ronaldinho Goal!!!

Thursday's Picks

You should be afraid of Dwayne Wade

Miami -3.5 vs Knicks: The last time LeBron and the Heat went into the Garden James dropped a triple double on the Knicks, going for 32 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a 113-91 rout. The Heat are 2-0 this year against the Knicks and 1-1 ATS versus them. Even though they are without the services of Chris Bosh I still love them. Why? Because Amare had to open his mouth saying no one is afraid of the Heat. LeBron was going to play well either way, because it's MSG and that's what he does, he puts on shows in the garden. But Wade may take this a bit more personal. Wade through two games is averaging 33 points against the Knicks. Amare will have a big game with no Bosh but Wade and LeBron get the last laugh.
Pick: Heat

Celtics -4.5 vs Portland: Despite all the injuries the Trail Blazers are four games over .500 and are playing well of late going 5-1 in their last 6. Since Brandon Roy has went LaMarcus Aldridge has taken over as the Blazer's main go to guy. The problem is Aldridge will have KG on him and the Celtics despite their age are still an excellent defensive team. The celtics are 6-1 in their last 7 but have not been great against the spread, just 3-3-1. The celtics also are coming off a day's rest and rested their started in their last game because it was against the lowly Cavs. Expect a fresh Celtics team.
Pick: Boston

Season: 10-7-1

Freaky Play

NBA Fact Sheet: Point Guards

It started in 2005 with the drafting of Derron Williams and Chris Paul, in the midst of Steve Nash's back-to-back MVP campaign. Over the last 5 years we have seen a surge of exceptional floor generals enter the league. With point guards winning the Rookie of the Year 3 of the last 5 seasons (Chris Paul, Tyreke Evans, and Derrick Rose) John Wall likely to finish second in the 2011 ROY race and Rose on pace to win the MVP it is clear that the point guard position has the greatest abundance of talent of any other position in the league.

Rajon Rondo is not a franchise player.

I was arguing with a couple of my friends about who is the best point guard in the league. They thought that Rajon Rondo was top 2, mostly because they are overzealous Celtics fans. I think Rajon Rondo is immensely overrated, that could be because I live in the greater Boston/Providence area and every time he does that overused, often unnecessary halfway around the back move people have put on their Facebook statuses how great he is. Seriously, it's so obnoxious when everyone blows up their Facebook whenever the Celtics win or make a good play. We get it, you watch Celtics games it doesn't make you cool, but I digress. Rondo couldn't hold Derron Williams, Chris Paul and Derrick Rose's jock strap, and on top of that I'm not even sure of Rondo would be an all-star if he wasn't playing with 3 other hall of famers. Seriously,  it's pretty easy to dish out assists when you have the second best shooter of all time in Ray Allen, one of the best scorers in Celtic history in Paul Pierce, and an NBA legend like Garnett. Don't get me wrong he is a great athlete, passer and defender. However he is a horrendous shooter, I'm not so sure if the league has ever seen a guard with such a poor jump shot. His skill set is not equal to the aforementioned point guards and those players, unlike Rondo are the definitive team leaders who have the responsibility of being the primary scorer, distributor and defender. We'll see how well Rondo does when Pierce, Allen and Garnett retire. I guarantee he won't be leading the league in assists.

Pertinent Statistics

Rajon Rondo ranks 389th in the league in FT% with .471

Unless Deron Williams wins a title, he will never surpass John Stockton

Derron Williams is one of the top 3 point guards in the league and this isn't necessarily a slight against him, but people tend to compare him to John Stockton and well that just isn't fair. John Stockton is one of the 5 greatest point guards of all time. Even though he left the NBA with bare fingers, he's been pardoned by many as a victim of Michael Jordan's dominance. Derron Williams has hall of fame potential but he won't even come close to the records set by Stockton. The only plausible way for D-Will to be considered the best guard in Jazz history is to win a title or multiple titles.

Pertinent Statistics

John Stockton's records and achievements: 10 time all-star, one of three players to dish out 1,000 asissts in a season, doing it 7 times, career 10.5apg (second all-time), highest single season apg average 14.54, all time leader in steals, all time leader in assists

Mike D'Antoni can maximize a point guard's potential.

Years down the road, when Steve Nash is being enshrined in Springfield, the first person he should thank is his former coach, Mike D'Antoni. It is proven that D'Antoni's offense in conjunction with Amare Stoudemire can bring out the best in any point guard. Before his return to Phoenix, Nash was a two time all-star, who put up some pretty good numbers but nothing even close for HOF consideration. Since pairing up with D'Anonti in 2005 Nash has  averaged over 10apg every season with the exception of 2009 (9.7) leading the league for 4 seasons, is a 3x All-NBA 1st teamer and just the second point guard to win multiple MVPs. Although D'Antoni has left Phoenix, Nash is playing under Alvin Gentry who was D'Anoni's assistant for five seasons. Now, Raymond Felton is reaping the benefits of D'Antoni's high octane offense in New York. Before this season Felton was a middle of the pack player who had never really met the expectations of a top 5 draft pick. Now, Felton is just outside the top 5 in assist per game (8.9) and getting serious all-star consideration for the first time in his career.
Pertinent Statistics

                               Before D'Antoni        After D'Antoni                        

Steve Nash:          12.5ppg 6apg             17.1ppg 9.1apg                 

Raymond Felton: 13.3ppg 6.4apg         17.5ppg  8.9apg

Jason Kidd is the best point guard of the post-Jordan era, not Steve Nash.

I think we are going beyond post-Jordan and entering a new era in the NBA. I just haven't found a name for it yet. But when it comes down to the best point guard of the post-Jordan NBA it comes down to Jason Kidd and Steve Nash. Steve Nash has a solid argument with his back-to-back MVP awards and outstanding play in the twilight of his career but Jason Kidd will go down as the better point guard and when you look at the stats, it isn't even close. Don't get me wrong, I am a big Nash fan, I love watching him play. He has lead the league in assists four times and is probably the most creative passer in the league. The way he can play like this in his late 30s is astounding. He is one of the greatest shooters of all time too and while Jason Kidd's jump shot isn't nearly as accurate, Kidd is better at everything else. Kidd lead the league in assists 5 times, and has finished top 5 in assists every season since '96 and top 10 every season of his career. Kidd's career 9.2apg is second among active players and sixth all time. He also ranks second all-time in total assists. Nash fails to be effective on the defensive side of the ball and Kidd is one of the greatest defensive point guards to ever play. He is a 9x all defensive team selection averages of 6.5rpg, 2spg and is 4th all time in total steals. His all around game has helped him record over 100 triple-doubles. In his prime, he was the closest thing to Oscar Robertson since.. well, Oscar Robertson.

Pertinent Statistics

Steve Nash

Stats: 14.6ppg, 8.4apg, 3rpg, .8spg

Accolades: 2x MVP, 7x All-Star, 7x All-NBA, 8,843 assists (eighth all-time)

Jason Kidd

Stats: 13.4ppg, 9.2apg, 6.5rpg 2spg

Accolades: 10x All-Star, 6x All NBA, 9x All Defensive Team, Co-Rookie of the Year, 2 Finals appearances, 2,419 steals (fourth all-time) 106 triple-doubles (third all-time), 11290 assists (second all-time)

John Wall is going to be a top 5 point guard in years to come.

John Wall is a special talent. He is currently averaging 15.1ppg 9.3apg (fifth in the league) 4rpg and 1.8spg (eighth in the league). He is still raw, and needs to work on his turnovers with a league leading 3.9 per game but he's getting better every game.
Pertinent Statistics

In just his first season as an NBA player, John Wall is already the all-time leader in dougies.

There is Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, Derron Williams and the rest of them.

These three players have set themselves apart from the rest.  After several years of being shunned, Deron Williams finally made his first all-star appearance in 2010 and exploded in last seasons play-offs averaging 24.7ppg and 10.3apg before bowing out to L.A. in the second round. If the NBA had a Comeback Player of the Year Award, Paul would be the leading candidate. He played just 45 games last season but has come back strong averaging 16 points, 9.6 assists,4 rebounds and is leading the league in steals for the third season. Derrick Rose is having a breakout third season, he the only player who is top 10 in points (24.7ppg) and assists (8.0apg) and is the front-runner for the MVP. While there is a plethora of talent at the point guard position with players like Rajon Rondo and Russell Westbrook leading the second tier, the battle for best floor general comes down CP3, D-Rose and D-Will.

Pertinent Statistics

Highest Player Efficiency Rating among point guards
1. Chris Paul, 25.7
2. Derrick Rose, 22.9
3. Deron Williams, 22.8


This is my revised ranking of the top point guards. There have been some major changes since my preseason rankings.


20. Rodney Stuckey, Detroit Pistons

19. Andre Miller, Portland Trail Blazers

18. Jameer Nelson, Orlando Magic

17. Jose Calderon, Toronto Raptors

16. Chauncey Billups, Denver Nuggets

15. Devin Harris, New Jersey Nets

14. Mo Williams, Cleveland Caviliers 
13. Brandon Jennings, Milwaukee Bucks

12. Tyreke Evans, Sacramento Kings

11. Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors

10. Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs

9. Jason Kidd, Dallas Mavericks

8. John Wall, Washington Wizards

7. Raymond Felton, New York Knicks

6. Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns

5. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

4. Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics

3. Deron Williams, Utah Jaz

2. Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls

1. Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets

Islanders Nabokov Exclusive

This once proud franchise (won 4 straight Stanley Cups from 1979 - 1983) has now become an absolute joke. 

Chicago Car Salesman FIRED For Packers Tie!

Not going to bust out the Vince McMahon you're fired video for this (the thought did cross my mind) since this is absolutely absurd. I'm pretty sure the United States is a free country and you are allowed to wear whatever kind of tie (within reason of course) you want to work. It is very common for people to move away from the city they were born and raised as well as root for a team that may be a rival to the local squad. This man had every right to wear his Green Bay Packers tie and should actually file a wrongful termination lawsuit. I guarantee you every lawyer out there would love to get their hands on this case, even lawyers who root for the Bears.

"I didn't know you could get fired for wearing a tie," said Stone, 34, of Chicago's Roseland neighborhood. "I'm supposed to dress up. I'm a car salesman."

The Actual Letter A Uconn Donor Sent The AD

Tuesday's Picks

Uconn +4 vs. Marquette: The 5th ranked Huskies enter tonight's matchup winner's of five in a row and going 4-1 ATS during that mark. Marquette is 13-7 overall, but 11-1 at home this season. Marquette has also been winning better's a lot of money of late going 7-1 ATS. Huskies's star Kemba Walker is coming off a season low 16 points and will look to get back to his high scoring ways. Marquette will need a big game from Darius Johnson-Odem, who is coming off a 25 point performance if they want to upset Uconn.
Pick: Uconn

Denver -5 vs Washington: Denver has been a terrible road team this year going just 5-13, but that is no where near as bad as Washington's 0-21 road record. Washington has lost 3 of 4 coming into tonight's game and is 2-7 ATS in their last 9. Denver on the other hand is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games. Denver does not play much defense which could be a problem when their facing a team who has four players who can all score.
Picks: Denver

Season: 8-7-1

The Nabokov Saga Continues! (Claimed & MIA)

"I haven't put much though into it, but the Islanders are terrible so I'm not sure why they did that" - Chris Osgood commenting on the Islanders claiming Evgeni Nabokov.

While it seemed unrealistic Nabby would fall all the way to Detroit, after signing with the Red Wings and going through the waiver process, literally no one (well except the Islanders brass) thought New York would snatch him up. The Islanders are no where near the race and have no outside shot of even getting in the playoffs. If they wanted to bring in the veteran, as he pursues 300 career wins (currently at 293), it would have made more sense to have signed him as a free agent over the summer. Although, they may have had to pay him more, at least it would have actually paid off somewhat to bring in fans and maybe create a buzz. I could have maybe understood this, if it was a Detroit rival looking to keep him from Hockeytown, any other reason for a team not in the hunt is just absurd. As of now, New York is left with an aging goalie, and an unhappy KHL runaway refusing to report. Well done Mr. Snow, you really thought this one out....

Kim at a Nets game

Does This Look Like The NFL's Toughest QB

Monday's Picks

OKC +4 vs. Hornets: The Hornets enter tonights game red hot, winners of 8 straight and are 6-2 ATS. During that stretch they defeated the Hawks by 41 and Spurs by 24. New Orleans is also 18-5 at home this season. So why pick against a team that is on an 8 game win streak and has held opponents under 100 points in 6 of those games? Simply because the Thunder are a better team. OKC is 2-0 against the Hornets this season, already beating New Orleans once in their own building. The Thunder are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games as underdogs and are coming off a three point victory over the Knicks. The Thunder have struggled on defense this season, but the Hornets do not have an answer for Kevin Durant. New Orleans may very well once again hold their opponent under 100 points, but they will not cover.
Pick: Okc

Houston-2.5 vs Minnesota: Houston has struggled against the spread of late, going 4-10-2 ATS, but luckily for them they get to play the lowly Timberwolves. Minnesota is 1-7 in their last 8 games, and lost by 9 points or more in all but two of those games. Kevin Love continues his dominance and showcasing why he is an all-star, but nonetheless Minnesota still plays no defense. The rockets come in to tonights game on a 2 game losing streak but are only five games under .500. The rockets have the talent to make a second half run and sneak into the playoffs, its a stretch but they have talent.
Pick: Houston

Season: 6-7-1

Saturday's Picks

Dallas -4.5 vs Nets: Dallas is struggling of late, losing 7 of 8. The Nets are currently on a 2 game winning streak after they themselves struggled, losing 6 in a row. The Mavs have been awful ATS as well going 1-6 in their last 7 games. So why still pick them after saying how bad they have been? Because its the Nets, the 12-31 Nets. Yes they have went 4-1 ATS in their last five, but nonetheless Dirk is finding his groove again and the Mavs are a flat out better team than New Jersey.
Pick: Dallas

Atlanta +3 vs Charlotte: The hawks are coming off a 100-59 loss against the Hornets, so its safe to say they  should come out with something to prove tonight. When you lose by 41, while only scoring 59 your most likely going to have a chip on your shoulder. Atlanta is a good team, the 5th best team in the east. Charlotte is not so good, but have been playing hard for interim coach Paul Silas. The Bobcats are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games while the hawks are 5-5 ATS. The fact that the Hawks are coming off such a bad loss is the reason you have to take them. They are professional athletes, they do have some pride.
Pick: Hawks

Season: 5-6-1

Conference Championship Weekend: Will it be an All Green Super Bowl?

So let's be honest here, nobody really thought the New York Jets were going to make it this far. Not even me. Even when I had them winning the AFC East in my preseason picks, I thought for sure they'd be out by the divisional round. After the 38-34 loss to Chicago in Week 16 I was trying to figure out if this was another case of Jay Cutler dominating the New York Jets defense or if it was a case of the defenses age finally coming to light.

Well based on the last three weeks it certainly doesn't look like this defense is old. They're playing with fire. They're playing with animosity. They're playing every snap like there is no tomorrow. The opening quarter against Indianapolis showed that the Jets were serious about playing tight coverage. They were serious about releasing a safety to play short swings and screens that have plagued the Jets all season. They have dared teams to go over the top in the playoffs, and that's been the most effective way to beat the Jets defense--over the top. But that's a gamble playing that way. The Jets front seven may be a makeshift front seven with a lot of age, but they've got high motor players. Mike DeVito, Sione Pouha, Shaun Ellis, Calvin Pace, David Harris, Bart Scott, and Bryan Thomas. None of them have ever played in a Super Bowl. Neither has Jason Taylor. He's just as hungry as any of them, and Taylor hasn't been good for much this year, but he's actually played better as the season went on--getting more consistent pressure on the quarterback.

But can they beat the Pittsburgh Steelers? Twice in one season? Both times in Pittsburgh? The Jets had never beaten Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh before the 22-17 win a month ago. Could the Jets really beat the Colts, Patriots, and Steelers on the road in three straight weeks? Beating three Super Bowl winning quarterbacks and likely future Hall of Famers? Admittedly the Colts were very watered down this year. The Patriots displayed youth they hadn't shown us since October in their 28-21 loss. What's Pittsburgh's weakness? Well, if Roethlisberger didn't bounce of defenders like a pin ball that would be a weakness for Pittsburgh. Big Ben loves to push the ball downfield and is great escaping rushers in the pocket. The Jets defenders are going to have to do what they did to Brady and hold their lanes. If they don't, expect a ton of big plays from Big Ben, but just as many sacks and many more "how the hell did he get out of that like Eli Manning against New England" moments.

Then there's Pittsburgh's vaunted run defense, which finished statistically as the second best run defense in NFL history. The Jets didn't do a bad job of moving the ball against Pittsburgh the last time they played. Greene and Tomlinson combined for 99 yards on 23 carries and provided an acceptable amount of run support for Mark Sanchez. Sanchez didn't have a pretty game against Pittsburgh stat-wise, but it was gritty and he led a couple of superb drives--showing outstanding command.

But Sanchez can't come out with the same early-game adrenaline he's had if he expects the Jets to win this week. He's been airmailing passes in the first quarter of every game this post-season. He can't do that against Pittsburgh. Not with Troy Polamalu in the line-up this time around.

A lot of talk has been about Maurkice Pouncey. The Pro Bowl rookie, who struggled at times with bigger nose tackles, was called out by fellow Pro Bowler Shaun Ellis. The Jets defensive end said Pouncey won't understand the Jets complex blitz scheme. One thing I will say, is that Pittsburgh's offensive line is at critical mass right now. It's a serious red alert with the amount of injuries and ailments plaguing them. Do the Steelers risk only dressing six offensive linemen again? One injury and back-up center Doug Legursky will be entering the line-up somewhere and the entire line will have to mish-mash.

But that's how it has been all season long. The Steelers are mixing and matching offensive linemen and to this point have been able to stay alive. Flozell Adams also may not be much of a pass blocker anymore, but the Steelers will badly need him if they expect to run on the formidable Jets rushing defense. It's going to be a game of inches, where turnovers could decide the entire thing. It'll be Baltimore-Pittsburgh without quite as much rivalry hatred, but definitely the level of intensity.

I am not going to pick the New York Jets. Really. It's outrageous to pick them to win twice in one season in Heinz Field.

But I really really really want to. Should I? This is incredibly difficult. Should I be a superstitious fan or should I say what I believe? Because I've been telling people all week that the Steelers are going to win. But I don't believe that. I don't think the Jets are out of gas. Not yet.

New York 15, Pittsburgh 14

Nick Folk in the playoffs? It's just crazy enough to really happen.

And that moves us over to Green Bay and Chicago. They've played twice this season already and split the series. Chicago knows that all the pundits are talking about is how they're old and they had an easy road here (well if they're not talking about it they should be). They should also be talking about the fact that the last time these two teams played in Soldier Field it took 18 Packer penalties and a late fumble for Chicago to win on a field goal as time expired.

If I'm Chicago I'm motivated in this game. The last time when they won...they didn't really win. They were handed the game.

Because if they're not as motivated as Green Bay, they won't win. Mike McCarthey always gets the Packers up and ready to play. And one thing I can assure you? The Packers may be frustratingly inconsistent, but they're not going to fail to show up after the performance they put up the last time they were in Soldier Field. If the Bears aren't motivated by pundit talk, the Packers are going to be motivated by what they left on the field last time.

This game is a rivalry game. The chances of seeing a blowout are slim. What we saw last week was a motivated Green Bay team against a young Atlanta team. Atlanta, much like Kansas City, made those terrible mistakes that young teams tend to make. Atlanta's mistakes weren't as egregious as Kansas City's, but the result was the same.

Chicago is old. But that's not a bad thing in the playoffs. Now that they're in, they're in. They've got the experience. Age is something to fear at the start of the regular season. Get ready for a blood bath though. Chicago has figured out that they don't have the weapons to throw it or the ability to protect Cutler so they protect him by running with Matt Forte and Chester Taylor. The Packers have struggled to stop the run this year, but I won't be shocked at all if we see Cutler throw a few balls right into the hands of the Packers secondary--and unlike Seattle they're not going to drop it.

Chicago's defense is old. There is no denying it. I've been saying it all year and it's pretty incredible what they're front seven has been able to do. They are able to manufacture a pass rush, where as Green Bay's scheme and the incredible motor of Clay Matthews provides their rush.

So let's put it this way--Chicago does it ugly. Green Bay does it sexy. They both do it. There's one difference--nobody is playing better than Aaron Rodgers right now. He's locked in. And it doesn't look like that's going to change anytime soon.

Green Bay 27, Chicago 20

It's going to be an All-Green Super Bowl.

Friday's Picks

Lakers-1 vs Denver: In La's last five game's they are just 1-4 ATS and are giving up 100 ppg during that stretch. Denver on the other hand comes into the game 4-1 ATS in their last 5. Carmelo Anthony exploded in his last game scoring 35 points and adding 7 rebounds, now that the trade talks have died down melo may be more focused. The problem for me is that Denver doesn't play any defense, giving up 100 points in 6 of their last 10 games. With the line being only 1 its a safe bet to take Kobe and the Lakers to beat Melo and the Nuggets.
Pick: Lakers

Knicks +9 vs Spurs: The last time these two teams met up the spurs got blown out by 13 while also giving up 128 points. Don't expect that same type of defensive performance this time around by San Antonio. The Spurs are 23-2 at home this season and are 4-1 ATS in their last 5. The Knicks on the other hand come in losers of 4 in a row and 5 of their last 6. The Spurs will be looking to avenge that early season beating they received and the fact that they are coming off of a days rest makes this pick a little easier.
Pick: Spurs

Season: 4-6

NFL Draft: N2N

You don't have to like Mark Herzlich but you have to respect him. After three season's of football at Boston College and what was sure to be a first round pick Herzlich's life changed dramatically. Diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer after his junior season, Herzlich not only beat cancer he returned to Boston College and played football again and played it well. Herzlich is no longer a first round pick but you have to admire his courage and heart to not only beat cancer but come back and have a successful senior season.

Stats: Herzlich unlike are other two players profiled was not a top 10 recruit or profiled by USA Today. Herzlich however was a Honorable Mention on the Freshmen All-American list. His Junior season he was ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a 1st team All-American according to Rivals.

Freshmen yr: 42 tackles, 1 sack, 1 int
Sophomore yr: 97 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
Junior yr: 110 tackles, 6 int's, 2 forced fumbles
Senior yr: 65 tackles, 4 int's 2 forced fumbles

Analysis:
Run defense: Has good quickness towards the line of scrimmage against the run. Slices through gaps, showing good burst, lateral agility and instincts to consistently meet the ballcarrier near the line of scrimmage. Good balance, agility and vision to flow through the trash and the line of scrimmage, as well as laterally to string plays wide. Has an explosive pop to disengage quickly from blockers. Has the prototypical long arms, good upper-body strength and good balance required for breaking free quickly. Herzlich goes all out, all the time but what else would you expect from a guy who beat cancer.



Pass defense: Is very balanced for his size and can drop back quickly and bat down balls and has solid footwork. Has good, but not great, overall agility and speed for sticking with his receiver or tight end assignment, and will stay with his man and or between them and the ball. Overall has good ball skills and does a good job watching the quarterbacks eyes as he drops back.


Tackling: Just by looking at his stats you can tell that Herzlich is a very good tacklers. Has very good form and can wrap up and bring down smaller more athletic players. Overall a excellent tackler who can make the tackle in between the lines and also in space.


Overall: Excellent tacklers and shows good hands with the 12 career interceptions. The drop in production is understandable, after all he battled cancer. Has all the intangibles a GM would look for in a player. Can not state enough that he beat cancer and came back to have a successful senior season. 


Projection: 2nd round

Basketball Without Backboards

Thursday's Picks

Clippers +3.5 vs Portland: The Trail blazers have beaten the Clippers 8 out of the last 9 times these two teams have met up and already beat them by 9 earlier this year. What has changed is the emergence of Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon. The Clippers enter tonights matchup winners of 3 in a row and 6 of their last 7, they are also 6-1 ATS in that stretch. The Clippers are not just beating up on bad teams either, during  that stretch they have wins against the lakers, heat and nuggets. Portland also has a 3 game win streak and has one of the hottest players in the league right now in LaMarcus Aldridge. The Clippers are not a great road, just 3-12 away from Staples, but Griffin and Gordon should keep them in this throughout.
Pick: Clippers

Va Tech +5 vs Maryland: Remember when Juan Dixon was leading Maryland to a national championship? Those glory days seem so long ago. Maryland once again has a star to build around in Jordan Williams, the problem is that he is a power forward who does not touch the ball enough. Maryland is a terrible shooting team, once of the worst in the country in fact shooting just 32% from three. That is a major problem seeing as how Va Tech will play a 2-3 zone. Malcolm Delaney is a big time scorer for the hokies averaging 18 ppg. Expect the zone of Va Tech to trouble Maryland all night.
Pick: Va Tech

Season: 3-5

Like A Bosh

LeBron's Own TV Show

NBA Mid-Season Report

At this point every team in the NBA has played 41 or more games, which means its time for mid-season awards and honors. These are not necessarily players I am predicting to win these honors at seasons end. These are the players who are deserving the halfway point, it is subject to change.

Executive of the Year 

Pat Riley, Miami Heat- After one of the most successful coaching careers in NBA history, Riley is making his mark as an executive. He not only kept Dwayne Wade, he managed to accommodate him by stealing two other franchise players. One of those players is the reigning back-to-back MVP. Enough said.

Other Candidates: Otis Smith (Orlando Magic), Donnie Walsh (New York Knicks)

Most Improved Player

Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwovles- The biggest surprise of this season, by far. He's on pace to be the first player to average 20-15 since Moses Malone in 1983. Minnesota seems to do pretty well with big-men named Kevin.

Other Candidates: Eric Gordon (Los Angeles Clippers), Raymond Felton (New York Knicks), Michael Beasley (Minnesota Timberwolves)

Sixth Man of the Year

Jamal Crawford, Atlanta Hawks- The reigning Sixth Man of the Year is the leading candidate for the award at the half. He's the teams third leading scorer with 16 points per contest and is the league's best back-up floor general.

Other Candidates: Jason Terry (Dals Mavericks), Glenn Davis (Boston Celtics), Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Lakers)

Coach of the Year

Greg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs- After two seasons finishing with a bottom 3 play-off seed, Popovich has the Spurs feeling like it's the early 2000's again. Despite their aging nucleus, San Antonio currently holds the best record in basketball and are looking for their fifth title in 11 years.

Other Candidates: Tom Thibodeau (Chicago Bulls), Jerry Sloan (Utah Jazz), Monty Williams (New Orleans Hornets),

Rookie of the Year

Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers- As I said in my previous post, Blake Griffin will likely be the first deserving Rookie All-Star since Duncan (I don't consider Yao Ming to be deserving). In his first 41 games in the NBA Griffin is putting up 20-12 and going toe-to-toe with elite big men like Amare Stoudemire and Pau Gasol.

Other Candidates: John Wall (Washingtong Wizards), Landry Fields (New York Knicks), DeMarcus Cousins (Sacromento Kings)

Defensive Player of the Year

Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic- While Kevin Love leads all rebounders, Dwight Howard still rules the glass. He is the only player that ranks top 5 in rebounding (13.2) and blocks (2.2). On top of that he still manages 1.2 steals per game . He's a lock for a record third consecutive DPOY and I'm not sure if there is any other player that will contend with him in the foreseeable future. 

Other Candidates: Josh Smith (Atlanta Hawks), Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets), Tyson Chandler (Dallas Mavericks)

Most Valuable Player

Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls- Rose is averaging 24ppg and 8apg (top 10 in both categories) while leading the Bulls to impressive victories over Boston, Miami and Los Angeles. The explosive floor-general has not only reinvented himself, but has reinvented his team. Rose has brought the Chicago from mediocrity to excellence and could be the youngest player to win the MVP.

Other Candidates: Amare Stoudemire (New York Knicks), LeBron James (Miami Heat), Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic)

All NBA Mid-Season Team

1st                                                                                                                       

G: Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls                            

G: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers        

C: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic           

F:  Dirk Nowizki, Dallas Mavericks           

F: LeBron James, Miami Heat                  

2nd   

G: Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets 

G: Dwayne Wade, Miami Heat

C: Amare Stoudemire, New York Knicks

F: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder

F: Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers

3rd

G: Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics

G: Derron Williams, Utah Jazz

C: Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs

F: Chris Bosh, Miami Heat

F: Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers

Power Rankings

1. San Antonio Spurs

2. Miami Heat

3. Boston Celtics

4. Los Angeles Lakers

5. Chicago Bulls

6. Dallas Mavericks

7. Orlando Magic

8. Utah Jazz

9. Atlanta Hawks

10. Oklahoma City Thunder

Dwight Howard!!!

NFL Draft: N2N

Notre Dame has fallen on hard times in the past few years but with Brian Kelley now the head coach things look to be on the upside. Unfortunately for Kelley he will be without his tight end Kyle Rudolph who entered the draft. When healthy, the 6-6 tight end can be a game changer.

Stats: Coming out of high school Rudolph was rated as the nations best tight end and a USA Today All-American. Rudolph was the first tight end in Notre Dame history to start every game as a freshmen.

Freshmen yr: 29 rec, 340 yards, 2 td's
Sophomore yr: 33 rec, 364 yards, 3 td's
Junior yr: 28 rec, 328 yards, 3 td's

Rudolph only played in 6 games this past season but made his presence felt in those games. In only 2 games did Rudolph register less than 5 catches. His best game came in week two against Michigan when he exploded for 8 catches for 164 yards and a touchdown. The question with Rudolph is durability, in 2009 he missed three games with a shoulder injury and this past season he missed 7 games with an evulsion in his hamstring(basically a tear).

Analysis:
Hands: Rudolph is a reliable receiver who will move-the-chains and make plays down the field. He does a good job of keeping his hands in front of his body when he goes up for balls. Able to reach the ball forward with one hand for scores or first downs. Has the ability to make the circus catch in traffic and he adjusts much better to high passes than those thrown low or behind him. The downside is he is known to drop some easy passes.


Route running: When you watch Kyle Rudolph you will notice that he runs like a receiver, stretching the field vertically and pressing safeties. He will also line up with his hand down, in the slot and in the backfield. Often used on short outs to move the chains. Gets his head around quickly to see the ball. Sells jerk routes with head fake to move safety inside or outside, though his movements are not sudden. Tough matchup down the seam because of his height and ability to grab passes above his head. Runs a lot of rounded and straight-line routes.



After the catch: A bullish runner, who gives good effort to get yards after the catch. He is not in the Vernon Davis category in terms of athleticism, but he does show flashes of ability to make the first man miss with a stiff arm or quick stop. Churns his legs to keep moving forward after contact; does not break as many tackles as you would expect and his height makes him lose the leverage battle.



Blocking: Has the size to be an effective in-line blocker at the next level. Capable of firing off the ball to seal defensive ends. Widens his base on the edge, uses long arms to hold off college defenders. Needs a lot of technique work as an open-field blocker. Gives some effort when engaged, but does not sustain or win battles as often as he should given his size. Stays too upright when approaching defenders and seems uncertain of his target, misses the inside man too often.


Projection: Early-mid second round pick. Think of Rob Gronkowski in terms of skill set. Matchup nightmare in the pass game but needs a lot of work in the blocking department if he is to become a complete tight end.