tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50805505294233174592024-03-08T02:11:26.026-08:00Basketball UnlimitedAJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-30108184655904045822012-05-07T06:40:00.000-07:002012-05-07T06:40:31.643-07:00My Basketball Blog has MovedHey everyone. I've moved my NBA basketball blog to a new site. Here's the URL: http://basketballunlimited.wordpress.com/AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-57992947133368124352012-05-05T19:19:00.001-07:002012-05-05T19:19:25.230-07:002012 NBA Playoff Thoughts #4I am shocked by the Bulls' latest injury to Joakim Noah. Hopefully this injury won't scare Chicago, because they've played so well with many injuries in the regular season. Anyway, the Bulls lost Game 3. They still have another chance to do well. I'm not totally surprised by Boston's win in Game 3. I am frankly shocked that the small and talented Denver Nuggets ran over the bigger and giant L.A. Lakers.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-50523930143094613582012-05-04T18:39:00.001-07:002012-05-04T18:39:58.539-07:00More Playoff PredictionsThe Bulls will win Game 3 against Philadelphia. Boston will win Game 3 and Rajon Rondo returns in his suspension from Game 1. The L.A. Lakers will take Game 3 in Denver. There is no match for Denver to physically contain and guard Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-60514532107958868252012-05-04T06:47:00.001-07:002012-05-04T06:47:07.678-07:002012 NBA Playoffs Thoughts #3I am not surprised to see the Miami Heat up 3-0 on the New York Knicks. I was hoping that the Knicks would steal a game or two. I am frankly surprised to see the defending champion Dallas Mavericks down 3-0 to the young Oklahoma City Thunder. However, the series isn't over yet and there is still plenty of NBA basketball to be played. Dallas can still win Game 4. I am not surprised either by the San Antonio Spurs' 2-0 lead over Utah. I don't think Utah has a chance against the veteran and more experienced Spurs. Indiana is up 2 games to 1 against the Orlando Magic, and I think Indiana has a better chance of advancing, because the Pacers are more talented and have a better bench than Orlando has. I still like the Spurs' chances of winning 16 playoff games, including the NBA Finals.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-13430790045890336102012-05-03T13:27:00.002-07:002012-05-03T13:27:46.353-07:00Playoff PredictionsThe Knicks will win Game 3 in some way. The Dallas Mavericks bounce back and beat the OKC Thunder.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-35397628337347090812012-05-02T11:46:00.001-07:002012-05-02T11:46:09.690-07:00NBA Playoff Predictions TodaySan Antonio wins Game 2 against the Utah Jazz. Orlando takes Game 3 in Orlando against the Indiana Pacers. The L.A. Clippers will win Game 2 against the Memphis Grizzlies.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-49299472648977150042012-05-01T15:23:00.001-07:002012-05-01T15:23:10.538-07:002012 NBA Playoff Thoughts #2I think the New York Knicks will be without Amare Stoudemire, because of what he did to his left hand. What a shame. If anything, the Knicks will miss Stoudemire's shooting ability and they will rely more on Carmelo Anthony's offense more than ever. Today's games, I expect the Sixers to make a furious rally after a Game 1 loss to the Bulls. I see Chicago pulling out a win in Game 2. I see the Celtics making a run in Game 2 against the Atlanta Hawks and Boston winning this crucial game. I want to see the L.A. Lakers pound the Denver Nuggets again on the boards in Game 2. I think the Lakers will take Game 2.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-89063838283848499742012-04-30T07:15:00.001-07:002012-04-30T07:15:38.848-07:002012 NBA Playoffs Thoughts #1I am not surprised by how the Chicago Bulls have played the Philadelphia Sixers. They blew them out of their building. However, Derrick Rose is again sidelined with a torn ACL. This is a huge blow for Chicago's NBA title hopes. If Chicago must win a title without Rose, they can, they must rely on their depth of their bench more than ever. C.J. Watson and John Lucas, as well as Mike James will learn how to score points and run transition for the Bulls as the point guards of the team. If I were Tom Thibodeau, I would give the ball more to Luol Deng when the game is on the line. I like Deng's ability to get to the rim and make a layup. I like how the Miami Heat handled the New York Knicks. Lebron James did not let up and played his best game possible. James had 32 points. I am also not surprised by the Orlando Magic series opener against the Indiana Pacers. The Magic won and they were victorious, because even though they did not have Dwight Howard, they are still a dangerous three-point shooting team. After the Magic won, they talked trash, smug and glad. To tell you the truth seriously, the Celtics are a title contender, but inside their minds, I think Boston is falling apart. Rajon Rondo lost his cool and was upset about a foul call and complained to the ref. After much frustration, Rondo was ejected because he bumped into the referee. I am impressed by Kevin Durant's late-game heroics. His foul-line jumper with 1.5 seconds helped OKC win against the Dallas Mavericks by one point. The L.A. Lakers dominated in their series against the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets stated that they wanted to run an up-tempo game against the mid-tempo game the Lakers like to play. However, they ran into Andrew Bynum and his ten blocked shots. My pick to win between the Memphis Grizzlies and the L.A. Clippers are the Clips. I believe the Clips have the personnel and the players to win a playoff series. The Memphis Grizzlies don't look so hot, because they can play well if they want to, but they don't do it consistently. The Clippers have the talent to win, because of point guard Chris Paul. I am not surprised by the Clippers' comeback victory in Game 1. They came back from 27 points down to win. The Utah Jazz are no match for the San Antonio Spurs' whose driven purpose is to win the 2012 NBA title. I like the Spurs' chances of winning the NBA title this year. They are deep and they have a great lineup mixing of youth and experience. AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-33900261803872760552012-04-25T11:10:00.000-07:002012-04-25T11:10:28.138-07:00Phil Jackson coaching Knicks next season?On Hoopshype.com, I read that the New York Knicks may be offering former Lakers coach Phil Jackson a 4-year 50 million dollar contract. That's insane. Here's the link: http://hoopshype.com/rumors.htmAJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-54963502265009197132012-04-23T20:47:00.001-07:002012-04-23T20:47:15.606-07:00Experience is Best Teacher of AllWatch out, feared NBA playoff teams! Beware of more experienced NBA teams, especially the San Antonio Spurs. I think the Spurs are more equipped this year and have a deep roster to challenge any NBA team this playoffs. They could beat up my favorite team of all time, the Chicago Bulls. Both the Bulls and the Spurs have well-balanced rosters, however the Spurs are more experienced than Chicago is. I believe San Antonio has the tools this playoff season to overcome any obstacles through and through. San Antonio has their Big Three to run their offense through. They run the ball through Tony Parker's speed and penetration, Manu Ginobli's competitive fire and slashing to the basket, and Tim Duncan's steady 20-and-10 a night. Though Duncan has decreased in performance and age, he may be producing 12-and-10 now. They have young starters in shooting guard Danny Green and small forward Kahwi Leonard. They are able to produce points and play perimeter defense if needed to be. They have a reliable backup in Gary Neal, who can shoot three pointers. Stephen Jackson, Patty Mills, and Boris Diaw are relied on for their veteran leadership, whose abilities will be able to score points and play some outstanding defense, which I know they are capable of doing. DeJuan Blair, Matt Bonner, and Tiago Splitter will spend time sharing minutes at center and also spelling Tim Duncan at times. This is a deep and experienced Spurs roster. Gregg Popovich is still at the helm of this San Antonio squad. I expect Gregg Popovich to offer words of wisdom when his squad is in trouble of losing basketball games. He knows how to coach a winning team and I know a winning basketball squad when I see one.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-90791504332633911292012-04-23T06:39:00.000-07:002012-04-23T06:39:26.762-07:00Ron Artest's Antics AgainMetta World Peace or Ron Artest? You decide what to call him. No matter what he does, like the inadvertent elbow to James Harden during the L.A. Lakers' double overtime win against Oklahoma City, he'll always create havoc. He claims that his elbow to James Harden's side of his face was an accident. That we'll believe. What do I believe about Ron Artest? He's still the same guy who charged into the Detroit stands in the brawl of 2008. I believe the NBA will punish Ron Artest, because of who he is, not because of what he's done.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-72183255527804918062012-04-20T13:10:00.000-07:002012-04-20T13:10:21.072-07:00Bulls vs. Heat SummaryLast night's game of Chicago vs. Miami in Miami was a stunner for the Bulls. Not only did the Bulls lose, but they are a game ahead of the Miami Heat for the number one seed and home court advantage throughout the NBA playoffs. What becomes of it? This is a boost for Miami's confidence. This loss shouldn't shock the Bulls, because the only number one seed to clinch home court advantage throughout the playoffs and won the NBA Title were the Boston Celtics in 2008. So if I were Chicago, I wouldn't worry so much about clinching home court throughout the playoffs. No Derrick Rose for Chicago, there was no problem. However, Chicago lacked scoring production and a competitive rebounding edge. John Lucas, the Bulls' third string backup point guard had 16 points and was the only shining Bull in the game. The Heat won by a score of 83-72.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-78281307963060054472012-04-19T17:46:00.002-07:002012-04-19T17:46:23.273-07:00Bulls vs. HeatTonight's game is on TNT. The Chicago Bulls play in Miami against the Miami Heat. Exciting game! If the Bulls win, they clinch home court advantage throughout the NBA playoffs. If Miami wins, they're one game closer to clinching home court advantage and the number one seed. Stay tuned!!!AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-73835273315498580672012-04-11T14:46:00.003-07:002012-04-11T14:46:50.178-07:00Who Do I Think Will Win the 2012 NBA Title?I think it will be tough, but I think the San Antonio Spurs will get it. I really thought about it for a long time, but I actually did think the Chicago Bulls were going to win it all. Eventually, that's what I thought. Derrick Rose is a fabulous basketball player, but there's something missing from this current Bulls squad that he's playing on. The coveted basketball player the Bulls wanted to accompany Rose in the backcourt at shooting guard may or may not be Richard Hamilton. If anything, Chicago should have tried to acquire a big man like Pau Gasol from the Lakers at the trade deadline in February. I like the way the Bulls have played as of late, but they have lost three of four games recently. Teams like the Bulls and the Oklahoma City Thunder have great talent, but they are short on experience. I think a playoff-tested and more experienced team like the veteran San Antonio Spurs with Gregg Popovich coaching will probably take the NBA crown this year. The Spurs' Manu Ginobli and Tony Parker drive the Spurs to victories in their backcourt while Tim Duncan anchors the frontcourt.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-16703355852566092142012-04-10T17:44:00.003-07:002012-04-10T17:44:39.676-07:00San Antonio Spurs NBA Finals PreviewGregg Popovich's Spurs are quietly at the top of the NBA standings, because of Popovich's veteran playoff experiences. They might not have the most talented basketball team or have a squad lacking size and defense. Popovich makes up for it with his tandem of Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter who are not premier defenders, but they are tall enough to defend the hoop when their contributions on the defensive end count. The Spurs' offense is good enough that they can rely on Duncan, Manu Ginobli, and Tony Parker and have a supporting cast and role players who have a good game on playing in the Spurs offense. Gary Neal and Matt Bonner can be relied on for their three-point shooting touch. Danny Green has played well for a third-and-fourth year player and can contribute to all areas of the Spurs' offense and defense. DeJuan Blair makes a good, reliable plodding center. Newly acquired players like Stephen Jackson, Patty Mills, and Boris Diaw will find their ways in the Spurs offense and then learn some defense as members on San Antonio's defensive end. The Spurs may not have the stars to accommodate the fans' appreciation of the game, and that is fine with Popovich. San Antonio wins basketball games, because Popovich wants his players to play the right way.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-67657235146945048272012-04-10T13:54:00.001-07:002012-04-10T13:54:03.962-07:00Great Games to Watch TonightOn ESPN at 7 PM Eastern time, watch for the Boston Celtics vs. the Miami Heat in Miami. It should be a great game. The Heat are catching the Chicago Bulls for the number one seed. They are two games back. At 9:30 Eastern time, the New York Knicks are coming to Chicago to play the Bulls. Don't go away, folks, there's plenty of playoff-intense basketball to be played here before the night's over.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-68358179029780325342012-04-04T07:43:00.000-07:002012-04-04T07:43:37.137-07:00Philadelphia Sixers Playoff PreviewDoug Collins has his Sixers squad rolling and going. They're a team built on character development under Collins' tutelage. With a Philly team that is led by solid floor leader and point guard in Jrue Holiday and rookie Evan Turner at 2-guard and has Elton Brand at power forward and Andre Iguodala, there is little the Philadelphia Sixers can do wrong because of Doug Collins. Collins' coaching lets Iguodala, Brand, and Holiday run the floor and command the presence of the opposing teams. When you have Louis Williams and Thaddeus Young off the bench to contribute to your offense, you have a potent bench that is ready to contribute anytime. This is a team that gives my favorite NBA basketball team, the Chicago Bulls fits. I can't concede the fact that the Sixers are the better team, but they play like the better team. Their overall play and character development progress is high than any other basketball team I've witnessed.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-68184216592995926202012-03-21T18:47:00.001-07:002012-03-21T18:47:15.233-07:00Jeremy Lin #3Linsanity has died down a bit. He is still producing points and assists, but the hype has gone down. I like hearing what people are saying about Jeremy Lin, however this is my perspective. Just like what Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra says, "Praise Lin for his play, not because he is Chinese." We should not judge basketball players' play, because they are from a certain culture or race, but because they are good people and good basketball players. I expect to hear a lot of negative comments about Jeremy Lin, because they aren't too many basketball players like him coming out to the NBA, not too many Asian-Americans playing NBA basketball. I also expect to hear a lot of racist comments too about Jeremy Lin. Be prepared for more comments on Jeremy Lin if the New York Knicks advance to the second round of the playoffs. I highly doubt it. The New York Knicks do not play like a cohesive unit. But although they have banded together closely under new interim coach Mike Woodson, they seem to be playing better now. I expect to hear more about this.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-734925127464011942012-03-20T17:13:00.002-07:002012-03-20T17:13:16.375-07:00The New York Knicks and their Playoff ChancesSince Mike d'Antoni resigned from coaching the New York Knicks, I have seen a big change in the way the Knicks are playing under new interim coach Mike Woodson, the former coach of the Atlanta Hawks. I think it was time for a change in management. Carmelo Anthony had grown tired of playing for Mike d'Antoni and it showed in his performance and attitude towards him and winning basketball games. Now that d'Antoni is out of the way, the Knicks are playing loose and free basketball under Woodson. What caused it? d'Antoni wanted his Knicks squad to play up-tempo basketball with more offense and less defense. Woodson wants this Knicks squad to play more defense and less offense. That's the difference between d'Antoni's Knicks and Woodson's Knicks. I think the Knicks have a good chance in holding down the eighth seed of the East playoffs.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-48969466876022836242012-03-14T21:42:00.000-07:002012-03-14T21:42:54.798-07:00Chicago Bulls NBA Finals PreviewI may be biased here, but I actually think the Chicago Bulls have an actual chance at competing against one of the best NBA teams in the world. I also think tonight's game against the Miami Heat showed they can win without their superstar point guard, Derrick Rose. Today, they beat the Miami Heat 106-102 without Derrick Rose. That says something. The Bulls' third string point guard, John Lucas II stepped up today and hit big shots. He had 24 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist. The Bulls have a mentality that the availability of players on the floor and bench will benefit them because the depth of the bench really says something about how a team should be run. Just like the coach's saying, you have twelve players, you play eight or nine, you win with five. Today, I liked Ronnie Brewer's splendid defense on Dwyane Wade and Luol Deng's perimeter defense on Lebron James. They made it tough on Miami's superstars to score. As for the Bulls rumors on getting Pau Gasol, I actually do think they can get a good shot at this because they would benefit from Pau Gasol's solid ball play. With a bench that has Kyle Korver, John Lucas, Taj Gibson, Omer Asik, and Jimmy Butler, you can't go wrong with a Bulls team that has sharpshooters, penetrators, people who rebound and make hustle plays and athletic plays. I also like glue guy Brian Scalabrine's energy when he does play for Chicago. His energy and contagious enthusiasm helps Chicago get ready for the fireworks. C.J. Watson filled in for Derrick Rose in his absence. He does a good job playing point guard and does his job, distributing the ball amongst his teammates. If the Bulls do acquire Pau Gasol in a trade with the L.A. Lakers, this will be huge for Chicago. Gasol will be playing alongside a star point guard in Derrick Rose and never mind the injuries. The player the Bulls coveted in the off-season to acquire Richard Hamilton, he may or may not come back with his injuries. If they don't, Chicago will still win without Hamilton.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-73109224763983345752012-03-01T15:33:00.000-08:002012-03-01T15:33:01.016-08:00Jeremy Lin #2Jeremy Lin had a good game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 26, 2012. He had 19 points, 13 assists, and 5 rebounds. This is the kind of game I would expect to hear from Jeremy Lin and this is the kind of game I expect Lin to have. I don't expect to hear good defenses adjusting to Lin's play and making Jeremy Lin suffer for his lack of scoring and suffocating defense on him. It is up to Jeremy Lin to decide whether it was his basketball skills that got the best of him or whether it was the opponent's defense on him. I don't really want to hear anything about the Miami Heat or any basketball team that is interested in stopping Jeremy Lin. The only player who should truly care in stopping Jeremy Lin is Jeremy Lin. In the next few weeks before the NBA playoffs, I expect Jeremy Lin to be unstoppable. His scoring should be up and so should his assists.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-14447293051268129092012-02-27T17:51:00.001-08:002012-02-27T17:51:30.671-08:00NBA All-Star 2012 WeekendThis was a fun weekend that ended on Sunday, February 26. I enjoyed the All-Star game between the West All-Stars and the East All-Stars. In the end, Kevin Durant was the game MVP because he had the most points, 36 in total. He also had 8 rebounds. Kobe Bryant surpassed Michael Jordan as the second-leading NBA All-star in scoring. I think Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is first. I'm not sure. Nothing much stood out about the Slam Dunk contest. It was a dud. I think the Slam Dunk contest is dead. Kyrie Irving ruled the Rookie Challenge, with his 8-for-8 three-pointers from long range. Kevin Love beat out Kevin Durant for the Three-Point Shooting Contest. That was pretty close. I thought Durant was going to get it. Looking forward to the winding down of the NBA season now. Hoping to see if the Miami Heat really do have a chance to get better and win the NBA title, after last year's chance failed at the hands of the eventual NBA champs, Dallas Mavericks. I hope to like to see the Oklahoma City Thunder get a chance to compete in the NBA Finals. That would be a treat for Durant and Russell Westbrook to learn. It will be a valuable learning experience for them.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-59302477148646186142012-02-24T07:29:00.002-08:002012-02-24T07:29:17.819-08:00Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City ThunderThis season, Kevin Durant looks unbeatable. Led by OKC coach Scott Brooks, I think the Oklahoma City Thunder will challenge the Dallas Mavericks for the 2012 NBA title. Their win-or-die mentality has led them to beating the L.A. Lakers 100-85 last night. They have injuries too to Nick Collison, Thabo Sefolosha and Eric Maynor. Look, have no worries. Daequan Cook, the Thunder's backup shooting guard and small forward has stepped in and made some good contributions to the team. Don't worry too much about Cole Aldrich and Reggie Jackson either. They have stepped in also and made some good contributions also. They may not get much playing time, but they have stepped up when their number is called and they put in the time to make help for their team. If anything, I think Russell Westbrook is determined to have his team face the Dallas Mavericks and dethrone them for the 2012 NBA crown. Be prepared, Dallas. Your number is called and the Oklahoma City Thunder want what is yours and they'll make it theirs.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-32691359886453477132012-02-22T10:50:00.000-08:002012-02-22T10:50:54.600-08:00Miami Heat: Will the Heat win this year's NBA Title?The Heat look really good this season. They have added Shane Battier in the off-season. Getting a caliber like Shane Battier makes Miami a wonderful team to compete with. They have combo-guard Norris Cole off the bench as well as veteran Udonis Haslem. The Heat also have swingmen and shooters in James Jones and Mike Miller, providing some needed offense and defense. Their bench this year is a lot better than last year's bench. They had Erick Dampier last year. They had one of the worst benches in the NBA last year. Adding Mike Bibby in the acquisition-trade last mid-season was one of the worst pick-ups ever. Bibby did nothing to help Miami try to contend with Dallas for the 2011 NBA title. I like seeing Miami getting a better chance at getting the NBA title this year. It all depends on the health of Dwyane Wade and Lebron James and Chris Bosh. The road to the NBA title goes through Dallas. The road to the NBA title will eventually go through Wade, James, and Bosh.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5080550529423317459.post-44570529734146470722012-02-15T17:57:00.000-08:002012-02-15T17:57:21.869-08:00Jeremy LinThis guy I have never heard of plays in the NBA and for the New York Knicks continues to astound me. I have heard of lots of former NBA players who play like Jeremy Lin, a la Anthony Mason and John Starks and Shawn Kemp, to name a few. This is one of those moments that basketball fans like to cheer for, because Lin is one of those basketball players who will live for the moment, because his time is now. It won't come later, but will arrive at a time when people will start to notice who Jeremy Lin is.AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11185765157129012436noreply@blogger.com0