F**** the TV Schedule; Curry Plays Media Hold 'Em

Let me start off by saying I am absolutely LIVID with how the NBA scheduled these games tonight. How were the Spurs and Mavericks relegated to NBATV tonight? Look, I realize times are tough and Davey Stern needs to sell more jerseys, but if you look at all three match-ups tonight, you can't TELL me that the Spurs/Mavs game isn't the most intriguing. Yes, the Celtics are reeling and somehow knotted up with the Bulls at one, but I expect that game to be over by half-time despite what Bill Simmons says. Yes, the Jazz are one of the NBA's best home teams, but I still see the Lakers winning... and even if they don't they'll effectively end the series in Game Four. The Spurs and Mavs are much closer talent-wise, and with Erick Dampier's comments (no fine) creating even more animosity between the two squads... nevermind. I'm officially boycotting watching any games tonight... save for possibly the last four minutes of the Utah/L.A. game if it's close.

But, in terms of Game 3, I'm interested to see how the Mavs come out after Tony Parker's lay-up drill on Monday. I had to work late Monday and when I got home it was all about getting Cadence ready for bed. The few precious minutes I did see were not good. All I know is that if they duplicate that effort, this time they'll get run out of their own building.

Fortunately for them, the Mavericks will be in their own building, where they lost only nine times all year, a remarkable number considering they started the year 0-4 in their home confines. I've never been to a game before, but everytime I see them on TV that crowd is jacked up, and the Mavs definitely feed off of that. I still think that the Mavs collectively are much more capable of creating offense in one-on-one situations, even though the Spurs possess the series' best one-on-one player. Sigh... call it a homer pick, but I'm going with the Mavs by eight or more.

___________________________________________________________________

Minutes before I walked into my sports journalism class, news broke that Stephen Curry is going pro. The story seems ho-hum on the surface, but the whole story about him going pro is pretty amazing considering today's journalistic climate. In a time where there are more leaks than a run-down apartment in Baltimore (still better than living at home at 26), Curry and camp played it extremely close to the chest. Usually when a player decides to turn pro, there's a report like two days before that player holds a press conference. But, there was no indication one way or the other which way he was leaning throughout the entire process. Steph didn't even tell his dad (allegedly) what he was going to do. His coach Bob McKillop probably thought he was coming back, prompting him to clear all of his plans from March to April. But, the kid really didn't give anything up to anybody. Curry might as well have been sitting at a poker table riffling chips with a pair of shades on; the ballin' version of Phil Ivey. As for how he projects at the next level, I'm going to reserve judgement until I see where he gets drafted. He's never going to be the savior, but if he gets on a team where all he has to do is spot up (i.e Lakers, Magic, Rockets), he could be a missing piece.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is my 100th post, and only this year does it seem like I've gained any sort of consistency. After all, this is my third year of blogging and only my 100th post. I expect to hit 200 way sooner, probably around the time the Blake Griffin posts his first double-double as a member of the Clippers.

It's been a fun ride. Hopefully it goes on for years and years.

Playoff Preview

I'm not going to lie... studying for accounting has taken its toll. Ugh, I just can't do it anymore.

So, at least for the next 15 to 20 minutes, it's back to what I know. Or at least what I think I know. Somewhat.

What we finally do know is that the NBA Playoffs are set. If you've been following me at all the past week and a half, you know that I'm an absolute genius... at least in terms of who would get the sixth spot in the West. And, for the Dallas Mavericks' reward? They get to play the Manu Ginobili-less San Antonio Spurs in what may be the best series of the first round. I'll get to that in a minute.

With a weekend of all work and no play coming up, here are my first round predictions:

Eastern Conference

(1)Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8)Detroit Pistons

Once upon a time, in a galaxy seemingly far, far away, the Detroit Pistons were the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. Then, this snotty-nosed brat named LeBron James came along and single-handedly demolished them in Game Five of the 2007 playoffs. Despite a competitive return to the conference finals last year, I still think the Pistons are emotionally hungover from that game. And they will not snap out of it in this series, doesn't even matter if Allen Iverson is on the playoff roster. Heck, Iverson could be completely healthy, travel back in time and have a 25-year-old version of himself take his place and it wouldn't even matter. The Cavs are way too good, and if the Pistons win a game at the Quicken Loans' Arena, I go jog down Phelps Street in nothing but a pink Isiah Thomas jersey... for free.

Prediction: Cavs in four.

(2)Boston Celtics vs. (7) Chicago Bulls

It will be the first question posed on just about every playoff preview you read: how healthy is Kevin Garnett? This is just a gut reaction, but something tells me the guy just isn't right. As intense as he's been throughout his career, KG isn't the type to miss 21 of 25 games without something being seriously wrong. That being said, 100% or not, I don't think the Celts need him in this series. I don't know who it was, but I heard someone on ESPN say that the Celts don't match-up well with the Bulls. Okay, but they won the season series 2-1, with the two wins being one-sided. Let's kill that noise. Rajon Rondo cancels out Derrick Rose, and Ray Allen does the same to Ben Gordon. Paul Pierce is light-years better than John Salmons. So are the Celtics role players. Coaching? Vinny Del Negro has done an admirable job this year, but Rivers has been the Loctite glue (too much Lowe's) that has held this team together without Garnett. Da Bulls may win one on adrenaline alone, but that's it.

Prediction: Celtics in five.

(3) Orlando Magic vs. (6) Philadelphia 76ers

Andy Udvardy, if you're reading this, Shanta and I prefer Italian. With dinner obligations (see 76ers preview for the inside joke) out of the way, let's talk basketball. Everybody thought the Magic were doomed when they lost Jameer Nelson, a fine point guard in this league, but let's be realistic: Rafer Alston might be a half-tier below Nelson in the hierarchy of point guards. Outside of this past week and a half, they've been outstanding with him at the point. It helps to have a nice collection of weapons like Hedo Turkoglu, Rashard Lewis and... oh yeah... DWIGHT HOWARD to get the ball to. The Sixers are similar to the Magic in that they "put-putted" into the playoffs, but the difference is that the Magic just let their foot off the gas pedal while Philly has been in neutral all year (clever analogy given their 41-41 record, I know, I know). Unless the Sixers get Angry Whopper hot, Orlando should have no trouble disposing of them quickly.

Prediction: Magic in five.

(4) Atlanta Hawks vs. (5) Miami Heat

Too close to call, and that's a testament to how good Dwyane Wade (2009 LFTN MVP) is. It basically boils down to the Hawks' balance, with six players averaging double figures, against Wade's, um, unstoppability(?). I just think in the end the Hawks have the athleticism to deter a one-trick pony. Unless Wade averages 40 a game for the series with adequate help from Michael Beasely and Jermaine O'Neal plus a coming-out party from Mario Chalmers against Mike Bibby, I just can't see the Heat moving on. If I'm wrong somehow, then the NBA hype-machine will go absolutely nuts with a Wade/'Bron match-up.

Prediction: Hawks in six.

Western Conference

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Utah Jazz

When the season started, this was billed as a Western Conference finals match-up, especially since the Jazz played the Lakers as tough as any team not wearing a green uniform during last season's playoffs. Boy, what a difference a season makes. That being said, if the Jazz do somehow muster up the energy to win this series, it wouldn't be the craziest thing ever. Given the talent the Jazz have and the fact that everybody on the squad is finally healthy, this would be more like a three beating a six. I know what you're thinking... drug test me. But, as good as the Lakers have been, the Jazz have balance that can disrupt the Lakers. I can name six players off the top of my head that they can use to guard Kobe Bryant. Los Angeles is also vulnerable at the point guard position defensively. Boozer and Millsap bang hard enough to annoy a traditonally fragile Pau Gasol. Will Andrew Bynum be ready to step out on Okur? If this were the NCAA tournament, one-and-done deal, I would pick Utah. But, conventional wisdom Justin has returned and realizes that the Lakers have far too much talent on the offensive end for the Jazz to handle in the long-run.

Prediction: Lakers in six. Again.

(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (7) New Orleans Hornets

Carmelo Anthony better be careful, or he's going to become T-Mac II. He's in his sixth year and he's still trying to get his team out of the first round for the first time. What makes it worse is that none of those series were even remotely competitive; T-Mac at least blew 3-1 and 3-2 series' leads. I think this will be the year, however, that he gets his team out of the first round with the help of his teammates. Chauncey Billups coming over to Denver was the most beneficial acquisition of the year, and his mere presence has inspired the Nuggets to--gasp!!!--play defense. The Hornets won't be an easy out, not with the uber-competitive Chris Paul treating every possession on both sides of the ball like they're the last he'll ever play. But, as I said during my season preview, everyone from last year's team played way over their heads, and it's become apparent during their late-season slide that this has been an over-achieving team masquerading as a contender. Maybe they can bend the rules and get a new passport for Jannero Pargo under the new name, "Bowen, Ryan."

Prediction: Nuggets in five.

(3) San Antonio Spurs vs. (6) Dallas Mavericks

(Breathe..."objective, objective...")

In beating the Hornets tonight, the Spurs pretty much showed why they'll never go away without a fight. But, let's get down to the nitty gritty: can they make a run to the finals without Manu Ginobili? Greg Popovich is a master motivator, and I'm sure he'll try to use a combination of Roger Mason, Michael Finley and Bruce Bowen to keep them going without missing a beat. But, the truth is that age is finally beginning to keep up with this team. Ginobili has already fallen victim to wear and tear. Tim Duncan isn't feeling so spry nowadays. I think Finley uses Just For Men on his facial hair. One of the downfalls of the Dallas Mavericks is that while they're skilled offensively, they lack collective athleticism (except for when they let Gerald Green out of his cage once in a blue moon). I predict that Tony Parker will average somewhere in the 30s in this series. However, the Mavs have superior athleticism at every other position. Athleticism helps create easier scoring opportunities. Can Matt Bonner legitimately guard Dirk Nowitzki? Can Mason, Jr. really stay in front of Jason Terry? While I anticipate this to be a really good series, I will pick the Mavs in a mild upset.

Prediction: Mavs in six.

(4) Portland Trailblazers vs. (5) Houston Rockets

Nobody wants to give the young Trailblazers credit. Here they are, winners of 54 NBA games, one game better than their counterpart... and they will be labeled underdogs by just about anybody with a pen or a laptop. Getting home-court advantage was huge, especially with the fourth best home record in the NBA. Ask the Lakers, who got blown out by a million (or 17, I was close) the last time they went there: the Rose Garden is a tough place to play. If the Rockets can somehow steal one on their floor, I think Houston wins the series, but young teams thrive at home. Besides, Portland is probably the only team in the league that can throw two legit defensive stoppers at Yao Ming. It'll be interesting to see how Brandon Roy handles a healthy dose of Ron Artest and Shane Battier, but my guess is that he'll be fine... not transcendent, but fine. That'll be enough for the Blazers.

Prediction: Blazers in six.

Let the hype begin...

Bill Simmons

In true Hubie Brown mode, we know that the Los Angeles Lakers will be the West's No. 1 seed. We also know that the Utah Jazz will be in the eight spot after losing to the Lakers last night. The question is, where does everybody else fit?

Isn't it crazy that after 81 grueling, gut-wrenching games, two games will pretty much settle everything?

Two games with playoff implications for all four teams involved.

The Dallas Mavericks have the Houston Rockets coming to town. The Mavs need a win and a New Orleans Hornets' loss against the San Antonio Spurs to sneak into the sixth seed. If the above scenario ends up playing out with the Mavs winning and the Hornets losing, the Spurs end up as the Southwest Division champions, knocking the Rockets down to a four seed.

I hear Gnarls Barkley in the background.

So, despite an accounting test tomorrow, I plan on either using the day hours to study or doing the late-night thing, because there's no way I'm missing the action tonight.


MVP conversation is envogue this time of year, especially when sportswriters' ballots are due tomorrow. Obviously, it's going to come down to four players at the most: Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, and LeBron James. ESPN.com writer Bill Simmons picked them exactly that way in ascending order.

In an attempt to solidify that decision, or come up with my own, I'm going to answer the four questions he has in the article's sidebar:

1)Ten years from now, who will be the first player from this regular season that pops into my head?

They've all had really good years, but I actually think it's Wade. He has been a Sportscenter staple for the last two months, elevating his play to staggering heights. It's cliche to say that he's put the Miami Heat on his back, but as Simmons pointed out, not only will he lead the league in scoring but he'll also be in the top 15 in assists, steals and blocks... yes, blocks, as a 6'4" guard. Back spasms.

James has had a ridiculous year, but believe it or not he was better last year statistically. Yes, his defense has improved immensely but it was more about the rest of his guys stepping up. The Mo Williams trade continues to look like the best move of the off-season, and the rest of the role players compliment LeBron perfectly. Paul has had a better season statistically than last year, but, through no fault of his own, the Hornets have struggled this year with injuries and inconsistency. As Simmons says, Pau Gasol knocks Kobe out of the top four with his stellar play, undermining overall Bryant's value to a degree.

Wade, James, Paul, Bryant.

2)In a giant pickup game with every NBA player waiting to play, and two fans forced to pick sides with their lives depending on the outcome of the game (I think this is how the annual Rucker League tournament works, by the way), who would be the first player picked based on the way everyone played that season?

A ridiculously funny question, but man... if you think about it, if the two fans' lives depended on the outcome of a pick-up game, as well as James has played, and as traditionally cold-blooded as Bryant has been over the years, the key to the question is how they performed this year. I'd go with Wade again, who just seems to come up with a basket whenever the Heat needs one. I've seen games where Wade gets triple-teamed, and yet still finds a way to the basket.

Wade, Bryant, James, Paul.


3)If you replaced each MVP candidate with a decent player at his position for the entire season, what would be the effect on the team's record?

Another tough question, and for this question I'm going to use the Charlotte Bobcats as a test subject, since they have the most "decent" players in the league without any legit superstars.

Take Raja Bell off the team and put Bryant and Wade on there. I think Bryant would be more effective because the Bobcats kind of resemble a poor man's Lakers with a much better point guard (Raymond Felton). As much as I like Wade on the Heat, I'm not sure how well he'd mesh with this team. Wade thrives the most in a system where he has knock-down shooters around him. This isn't neccesarily the case in Charlotte. I think Bryant can make it work better.

Take Felton off the Bobcats and bring in Chris Paul. Truthfully, if that actually happened I think the 'Cats would be better than the Hornets. More weapons for CP3, plus a better team defensively at their individual positions.

James replaces Gerald Wallace, and if he plays the same kind of defense that he did in Cleveland this year, the 'Cats would definitely be in the top three in the watered-down Eastern Conference.

The answer to this question? Surprisingly I think it goes Paul, James, Bryant, Wade.

4) If you're explaining your MVP pick to someone who has a favorite player in the race -- a player who you didn't pick -- will they at least say something like, "Yeah, I don't like it, but I can see how you arrived at that choice."

I think it's a foregone conclusion that James will win the MVP. Anyone who leads a team to such a remarkable increase in wins should be honored. But, if I had a vote, I would go with Wade. Another question that should get asked when evaluating the process: if you take the candidate off of their team completely, what happens?

Take James away from Cleveland and I think they're fighting for the seven or eight spot. They'd still be a playoff team. Take Bryant away from the Lakers and they'd probably be low lottery. Take Paul away from New Orleans and they'd be pretty bad.

Take Wade away from the Heat? You could make the case that the Heat would be, to quote Stephen A. Smith, "an abject disaster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Michael Beasely might average in the mid- 20's, but beyond that who else is going to score? Jermaine O'Neal? Without Wade, how does a player like Mario Chalmers get free for jumpers? The Heat would have, max, 15 wins.

So, there it is, D-Wade for MVP. There's at least one person outside of Miami who would give it to you.

Isiah???

When I first heard the Sportscenter update on the way to class, I thought someone had screwed up... either that or it was an extremely late April Fools' joke.

Nope, it's true: Isiah Thomas is the new head basketball coach at Florida International. So far this morning, Colin Cowherd has had the best line:

"I now have a better job than Isiah Thomas."

Apparently FIU's athletic department has been living under a rock for the past decade. Either that or I guess they're okay with a guy who has destroyed everything he touches.

The CBA. The Toronto Raptors. The Indiana Pacers. THE NEW YORK KNICKS!!! You name them, he butchered them. And yet here is, albeit at a no-name school but still a D-1 program, with somebody giving him another chance.

When it comes to the best point guards of all-time, Thomas is without a doubt very high on the list. When it comes to running an organization, he may be, scratch that, IS the bottom. He might be below the bottom, where I hear it gets quite hot.

I'm rooting for him, though. Maybe he can start to repair his tarnished image by coaching kids who may be too young to remember the mini on-court virtuoso who could shred through defenses with his ball-handling ability. Maybe he can turn this fledgling basketball program around.

But, more than likely, he'll be back in the unemployment line three years from now, leaving behind more destruction.

Down to the Wire

Too close to call right now in the race not to play the Los Angeles Lakers.

With one game left, the Dallas Mavericks might be in the most precarious position. Yes, they're tied right now for the sixth spot with the New Orleans Hornets and one game up on the Utah Jazz, but they lose tie-breakers with both teams. Luckily for them, they get to play the Houston Rockets at home on Wednesday, but that's nowhere near a "gimme" game. The Rockets have won five straight and will be playing for a division crown.

Although the Mavs lose tiebreaker scenarios against their competition, the Jazz and the Hornets also have tough tasks at hand. Phil Jackson insists that he's not resting his players against the Jazz when they come to LA, and the Hornets have to go into San Antonio, never an easy place to win.

So how will it all play out? Hard to say, but I predict that when the dust settles the Mavs will own the six spot. They're just a different team at home. The Jazz haven't beaten anybody good all year on the road, and I just don't see them breaking out of that funk against the Lakers. The Hornets are an okay road team, but they've pretty much limped down the stretch, and I just don't know if they're capable of beating the Spurs right now even if they don't have Manu Ginobili.

I guess we'll have it all settled by Wednesday.

And I'll know what day over the weekend I will suddenly come down with stomach virus by then, too.

Dyno-mite

Humungous win for the Dallas Mavericks last night against the Utah Jazz. Clinching a playoff spot last night is secondary to moving up in the standings, and with back-to-back games against the New Orleans Hornets coming over the weekend they will have a first-hand chance to do so.

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about how the Mavs needed to draft a point guard in June, and while I still feel like that's a position they need to address, J.J. Barea deserves the chance to at least be considered for stepping into a starter's role if Jason Kidd decides not to come back.

At his worst, Barea seems like a rich man's Travis Best, but he could end up being a quicker, shot- first version of Steve Nash. He's been up and down during the season, but in those games when he realizes that nobody on the court can stay in front of him, he's looked ridiculous.

If he can continue to give the Mavs consistent production off the bench during the postseason, Dallas will be a tough team to contend with, regardless of what seed they come up with.

Spurs "Odd" Bid in Trouble

Before I get to the headline, let's put the college basketball season to rest. Hopefully you guys caught my diary last night which may have cost me cool points with my girlfriend but was fun nonetheless. Here's the box score from last night, and like I said during the game the most eye-popping number was the turnovers. 21 for Michigan State, just about a turnover every two minutes. Can't win games, especially big games against a superior team, with numbers like that. The shooting was pretty bad, too, but thanks to a better-played second half those numbers, poor as they were, became inflated. The Spartans had to rally to get to 40%.

Anyway, Carolina fan or not, you have to feel good for Tyler Hansborough. Until this game, he had one of the most decorated careers in college basketball history without a championship. So much for that.


Now I can finally return my attention to the NBA, where the Dallas Mavericks have a chance to move up to as high as sixth in the West after spending the majority of the season in the eight spot. They've got the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, followed by a home and home with New Orleans that will ultimately decide their fate. My prediction? 2-1 in those three games gets them at least the seventh spot. Anywhere but eight. As much Mavs' fans want to remain optimistic, even I, Mavs' fan extraordinaire, have to admit that they're probably not beating the Los Angeles Lakers in a seven-game series. They'd be underdogs against Houston, Denver or San Antonio, but it wouldn't be out of the question to win a series against any one of those teams.

But, my buried lead is this: as a fan I'm rooting for the Mavs to get to that sixth spot, because news broke today that Manu Ginobili, an integral part of the Spurs' championship runs in odd years, is done for the year after re-aggravating a right ankle injury. No playoffs for Ginobili, in my opinion, means no chance at a title for the Spurs. It's that simple.

Poor Manu. First he misses 44 games at the start of the season after hurting his left ankle during the Olympics. That healed, and then he had a stress reaction in his right distal fibula (I'll have to ask my athletic trainer/physical therapist/girl feeler-upper friend Hakeem about that one, but I assume it has to do with his right ankle). And now, back since Mar. 25, he's suffered another setback.

Rudy Tomjanovich once said, "Never underestimate the heart of a champion." But, whoever gets that sixth seed will not show any sympathy for the wounded San Antonio Spurs.

Dear Diary

7:36- ESPN.com's Andy Katz is reporting that the Spartans are encouraging a "white out" tonight with their fans. In response, Tyler Hansborough has been sequestered to his hotel room until tip.

7:43- 98-63 the first time these two teams played. Says Spartans coach Tom Izzo, if they had been completely healthy, they "would have maybe lost by 20."

Needless to say, the Spartans are a much better team now than they were back then. But, so are the Heels. Biggest difference with them? UNC has started to defend.

7:52- I have undiagnosed ADD, so I'm switching to Family Guy. Got me thinking... how am I going to handle not seeing 24 tonight???

8:36- I am undoubtedly going to be relegated to TV No.2. My mom is a big 24 fan and she is NOT giving up the tube, reason No. 202,841 why Justin needs to move out. At least it'll be high def.

8:55- I had to wrestle the Sidekick out of Cadence's hands. She's barely three but she loves playing games on this thing.

9:00- As much as I miss Billy Packer, Clark Kellogg does give the telecast a little bit of flavor. And, off subject, everytime I see this Buffalo Wild Wings "send it into overtime" commercial, I think of Tim Donaghy.

9:23- Tip time is two minutes behind schedule! Already having some technical difficulties, just accidentally deleted like five minutes worth of writing. Live and learn.

9:25-Deon Thompson scores the first basket. Game over... J/K Rawlings.

9:27- UNC three for three with three different scorers. 8-3 Heels.

9:28-Hansborough is a good free throw shooter... just not on TV.

9:32- First TV time-out. Random but true thought: due to work I haven't seen a ton of basketball during the tourney, but I think in all the action I've seen I can count the number of times I've seen Wayne Ellington miss on one hand, and I wouldn't even need the whole hand to count it.

9:35-Oscar Robertson, Christian Laettner... Tyler Hansborough??? He's had an amazing career, just moving into the top five scorers all-time in tourney history.

9:37- "Spurtability" cannot be a word, but if it was, Carolina's picture would be under the definition. Here I am, helping Cadence put stickers on her new purse (daddy stuff), and I look up and it's 22-8. Sick.

9:40- Everyone knows that UNC can score in bunches, but they've come so far defensively over the course of the season. They kind of remind me of the '06-'07 Indianapolis Colts, whose defense turned it on late after being much-maligned during the year, helping them win a title.

9:47- Nobody talks about Thompson. He's athletic with a good array of post moves inside. It's because of him that this game is turning into a joke. 31-11 and we're not even halfway through the first half.

9:50- Mr. Kellogg... what is a "lower body root canal?"

9:52- MSU's Chris Allen has awful shot selection... not just tonight but throughout the weekend. He's been like the polar opposite of Ellington.

9:55- Kalin Lucas steps to the line for the first time with 8:20ish left in the half, and I know it's early but he's playing even worse than he did in the first game.

9:56- TV time-out. If the game stays like this, we'll really get a feel for Kellogg's chops. Packer and Nantz were always pretty good at filler, like a couple that had been together forever. Let's hope for no awkward silences.

20-4 Carolina points in the paint thus far. Unless you're playing NBA Live, you can't give that up and hope to win.

10:00- Maaaaan... of all the places for Morgan to get hit... he seems okay but talk about bad luck.

10:02- If Kevin Harlan was calling this game, Wayne Ellington would make his head explode. "ELLINGTON JUST CREATES TIME-OUTS!!!"

43-20 UNC.

10:05- I don't think the Spartans can play any worse than they have this half. The opposite is true for Carolina.

10:11- With this game getting out of hand... can anyone give me a 100 word or less synopsis of what went down on 24?

10:12- Holy crap... Ellington missed a shot.

10:13-Maybe Korie Lucious can "J.R. Smith" the Spartans back into it. 48-30 with 2:30 left in the half.

10:16- Draymond Green called for a charge, to which Nantz responded, "Nothing coming up Green for the Spartans." Come on, man.

10:18- Random thought that my teacher John Eisenberg pointed out to me on Tuesday: Maryland beat two of the four Final Four teams this year. That assertion turned out to actually be the final two teams in the tourney.

Go figure.

55-34, largest half-time lead in title game history.

10:33- Magic Johnson just summed tonight's game perfectly. UNC has significantly more talent than MSU, but when you turn it over as much as they have, that just compounds things even more. I'm waiting for a points off turnovers stat, because I'm sure it has to be off the meter.

Meanwhile, on top of limiting TOs, they have to, for Pete's sake, recognize that #22 in blue is the best shooter in college basketball right now, and that you can't help off him. You can't even give him an inch.

Oh, and on top of all the effort stuff, they have to hope that UNC gets uncharacteristically cold.

To sum it up, my future brother-in-law Rav called to prematurely congratulate me on my first pool win in six years. There's still 20 minutes left... but right about now Tyler Hansborough is probably saying to a CBS publicist, "My hat size is a 7 3/8" as he's getting sized for a championship hat.

10:50- Yes, Michigan State is playing harder, having shaved three points off the lead, but it's like I said... Carolina needs to get cold, and I just don't see it happening.

On another note, Ed Davis just got an and one. He's projected as a lottery pick in the 2010 draft after coming off the bench as a freshman. Not comparing them (even though they're both lefties), but pundits said the same thing about Duke's Josh McRoberts after his freshman year. It'll be interesting to see if he can step into the leading scorer role after being a complementary guy.

10:55- Praise or a diss? Depends on who you ask. Jim Nantz just said that Izzo compared Ty Lawson to Mateen Cleaves. NBA scouts have taken notes and his stock is dropping.

10:59- Darrell "Human Facial" Summers hits a lay-up to the margin to 16. 62-46, still plenty of time left. As a Maryland Terrapin fan you learn to never stop watching a basketball game.

11:28- 78-64 with 4:46 left. Sorry I've been in and out of the seoncd half partially because of these Easter cards my mom insists that I make and partially because my girlfriend thinks I'm a nerd for blogging from my phone. Either way, State has looked better this half, but their poor start pretty much doomed them.

Here's an interesting debate to spark as the minutes begin to dwindle: how good will the Carolina kids be at the next level? While there's no denying that they're a great college team collectively, individually scouts aren't so high on the Heels' big three. As great as he's been in college, people see Hansborough as no more than a better version of Mark Madsen. Lawson is seen as a point guard who lacks the size to stick in the NBA. Ellington might have the most upside of the three, but he will be below the average height of a starting NBA two. What do I think? Personally, I believe there is room for a guy like Hansborough. I bet he'll end up being much better than people think at the next level. Lawson has the height going against him, and it'll be interesting to see if he can get his perimeter shot off or get to the rim as easily at the next level. Of the three, he probably has the highest "bust" risk. After watching Ellington play these past couple of months, I think he has the chance to be the best of the three because he has proven that he can get his shot off. At his worst, I think he'll be better than Rashad McCants.

11:44- During my tangent Danny Green fouled out. Forgot about him. He played 145 games, more than any other player in UNC history. He could end up as a more offensive-minded Bruce Bowen eventually.

11:45- In 154 of 240 possible minutes during the tourney, UNC held a double digit lead. Talk about domination. One of the more dominant runs I've seen in a tourney.

The crowd was hyped, but Carolina just came out and took the air out of the building. 21-7 before I could blink. The Spartans couldn't do anything right. The Heels couldn't do anything wrong. I wish I could write something more profound, but that's how the first half played out. Credit State for trying to make a game of it, and credit the crowd for trying to will their team back into it, but 2009 belongs to the North Carolina Tar Heels.

I WON A POOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for tuning in.

Tonight's the Night

In my sports journalism class we constantly speak of the ever-evolving industry and convergence. If you asked the average ten-year-old what a newspaper was, they'd probably respond, "We use it when the toilet paper runs out."

When I took Dr. Lieb's Writing for New Media class for the first time (long story), he emphasized how big of a role blogging would eventually end up playing with the media.

That was three years ago, and it gave me an outlet to voice my opinions on my own terms. While I haven't been super consistent over the last three years (I haven't even hit my 100th post yet), I think just writing about basketball in general has made me feel closer to the game. But, metaphorically at least, I'm still in the nosebleeds, waiting for that consistent press pass, hence the blog title.

Anyway, long story short, how we report as citizen journalists has evolved quite a bit, and as indication of how far technology has come, I'm going to attempt a running diary of the title game tonight between the Tar Heels and Spartans from my new phone.

Yes, my phone.

Uncle Sam treated me fairly well on my tax return, which I guess happens when you can claim a child and some tuition (warning kids: do NOT try that at home). So, after paying off some of my bills, I decided to get a Sidekick from T-Mobile. Although I originally wanted their G-1, my main requirement was a QWERTY keyboard so that I could 1) text easier , 2) e-mail easier, and 3) blog easier. So far, so easy. Now, if only I had the fingers of a G.I. Joe action figure...

But, back to the game. Despite the fact that 92% of participators in ESPN's Streak for the Cash contest feel that North Carolina will emerge victorious, I happen to think that this will be a competitive game for two reasons. First, despite his relative ineffectiveness in the win against Connecticut Saturday, the Spartans are a much better team with Goran Suton, who missed the last meeting with UNC due to injury. He's a big guy who can stroke it from the perimeter and bang inside on the glass. Second, like Saturday's games, tonight's contest will be played at Ford Field, and if you think that's an irrelevant variable, then you obviously didn't watch the game over the weekend. Over 72,000 fans, a record for a Final Four game, witnessed the MSU/UConn game, and I'd be willing to bet 50,000 of them were cheering for the Spartans.

Despite taking those two factors into consideration, Carolina has looked unstoppable throughout the tournament. Their big three--Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington--have proven to be impossible to guard, especially Ellington, who might as well have still been in shootaround with all the easy looks he was getting against a hard-nosed Villanova team. Add to that the fact that Danny Green has found his game after taking the last two weeks of the ACC regular season off, and the Tar Heels will just be too much for Michigan State. I see UNC winning this game by ten or more, just like they have throughout the tournament.

See you guys in about an hour and a half.

Predictions!

Growing up I used to love Fridays: the start of the weekend, a little bit of Urkel, nothing to do but sleep in the next day. Thanks to a child and a retail job, Friday has become pretty much like every other day of the week. The only reason I mention this is because this is the first Friday I've had off in more than a year, and I forgot how liberating it is!

Today's Friday, which means tomorrow's Saturday, which means... wait for it... the Final Four! Nice electic mix we've got--the diminutive but tough Villanova Wildcats; the scrappy Michigan State Spartans; the high-flying North Carolina Tar Heels, and the extremely balanced Connecticut Huskies. Good Final Four.

Anyway, I don't want to be bogged down behind a computer all day, so here we go...


Villanova/North Carolina: The average person probably looks at this game and assumes that the Tar Heels are going to drop the hammer early, leaving the announcers with nothing to do but exchange anecdotes about the old days. To be honest, the average person might be right. Yes, Villanova does create some match-up problems on the perimeter since there are so many guys-- Scottie Reynolds, Reggie Redding, Corey Fisher, even Dante Cunningham--that can break defenders down off the dribble, and UNC has never been accused of being a great team on the defensive end. And, yes, I saw part of the UCLA/'Nova game, the part where everytime someone went to the rim they got hammered like frat boys. All that being said, it's not happening. Ty Lawson is... let me see... I have to channel my inner Kevin Harlan but in an original way... a human guerilla... okay that didn't come out too well... Ty Lawson is playing better basketball than any other point guard not in the NBA right now, especially considering that his turf toe is only about 80%. Tyler Hansbrough has been solid in the tournament, and I think the fact that he hasn't won a title yet in his otherwise stellar career will continue to drive him. If you don't buy that, then defensively who is there to stop him on the other end? Overlooked is Wayne Ellington, who outside of last game against Oklahoma has been putting up ridiculous shooting numbers the past month of the season. Carolina has too much firepower for 'Nova, and I think it'll be over by the first TV time-out of the first half. Heels by 10 plus.

Michigan State/Connecticut: I have to admit that I've seen Michigan State play precisely three times this season, and in two of those games they looked ridiculously out-classed. They got destroyed by Maryland (!!!) on Thanksgiving (albeit without Goran Suton) and shelacked against Carolina at Ford Field in which I recall Kalin Lucas looking like the fifth best point guard on the floor. Of course, the third time was in the regional semi-finals where they had to overcome a large deficit to unseat the reigning national champion Kansas Jayhawks. They're probably a team more reflective of the latter game, but the Huskies, at this moment, have probably looked the best and most consistent throughout the season. If you were building a team, ideally you'd want a big man who can alter shots and score down low (Hasheem Thabeet); a point guard who can manage the game and keep defenders honest at the same time (A.J. Price); solid glue guys who do the dirty work to protect their stars (Jeff Adrien, Stanley Robinson), and a wild card off the bench who can shake things up (Kemba Walker). Throw in a Twittering alumnus (Charlie Villanueva) and you've got a team that has to be the odds on favorite to win it. However, stranger things have happened, and it'll be interesting to see how Thabeet matches up with Suton. If Suton can draw Hash away from the rim with the threat of his perimeter jumper, things can get interesting, and even if he can't, it's not like the Spartans can't bang on the boards, too. The Spartans led the nation in rebounding margin, outrebounding their opponents by almost 10 a game. I just think, similar to the UNC/'Nova game, UConn has too much for Michigan State, even if the stands are packed with more green than Bank of America safety deposit boxes. I guess I won't be winning this pool. Huskies by eight or more.

Let the madness continue...

I-verson

When the Chauncey Billups/Allen Iverson trade went down, I was silly enough to think it was a push, with Billups adding organization to chaos to Denver and Iverson adding scoring punch to a team that had trouble scoring on a consistent basis.

Boy, was I wrong... well, half wrong at least.

While Billups has moved the Nuggs into the upper half of a tough Western Conference, Ivo has been instrumental in the Pistons demise to the bottom of a top-heavy but otherwise weak Eastern Conference. Any doubt about that was completely erased today, when the story came out that Iverson would rather retire than come off the bench.

There's no doubt in my mind that Iverson is a first ballot hall of famer. Few put their body on the line day in and day out more than the ex-Hoya does. However, he's refusing to do something that in the long run would better his team. Selfish doesn't even begin to describe his comments.

In his defense, I don't think there's a basketball player alive that wouldn't rather be starting. Hell, I came off the bench in high school and absolutely hated it. But, I understood that it was better for the team (incidently, so did Coach Jim Albert). Iverson is a guy who can score in bunches, a guy who can score at absolute will. At this stage in his career he's the perfect player to have coming off the bench, not a guy like Rip Hamilton, someone who needs plays run for him to be effective.

It's one thing to think something. It's another thing to say it out loud. And by doing so, Iverson has tarnished his legacy to a degree.

The Notebook: Coach Cal, Mickey D's Meat Market, Mateen Cleaves?

No, this is not a critical analysis of that movie with Ryan Gosling.

This is my new way of doing things. Whenever I want to touch on three or more topics, I'm labeling the post as "The Notebook" so that readers don't think I'm going off on asinine tangents.

Off we go...

• Kentucky, despite what John Calipari says about being a regular guy who does not "walk on water", your savior has arrived. It took an eight year deal just shy of 32 million, but you got him. Yes, there are probably at least ten better coaches in terms of X's and O's out there, but I don't think there's a better salesperson in college basketball than Calipari. He'll do what Tubby Smith and Billy Gillespie couldn't do before him and get the best talent college basketball has to offer. It might start as early as this year, since Xavier Henry and DeMarcus Cousins have the right to void their letters of intent and join Cal. Even if those two follow JC with Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson returning, Wildcat nation shouldn't expect a one year turnaround, but I'll take the under on a Final Four appearance within the next three years. Anybody want action? Completely unrelated, if you keep watching the clip under the link above, check out Bow Wow on First Take. While I was typing this, I heard someone's voice talking about Cal's hiring and I said to myself, "This guy knows what he's talking about." Turned out it was Bow Wizzle. Weird... sounds more meaningful on set than he does in a recording booth.

• The McDonald's All-American game is tonight. In the pros, all-star games are utter dunk fests and highlight-reel templates. The Mickey D's game isn't really that different, but pundits jump to far too many conclusions of a player's talent/future based upon a glorified pick-up game. Maybe it's not so much the case anymore since players can't jump to the pros after the prom anymore, but over-judgement still lingers. If unsigned hype Lance Stephenson goes for 40 tonight, he'll instantly shoot to the No.1 pick in NBADraft.net's 2010 Mock Draft. If Xavier Henry shoots 3-20, people will say he struggles with his shot selection. I don't know, this game which in reality means so little will help writers formulate opinions that stick far too easily. I'm guilty of this, too: two years ago when I watched O.J. Mayo struggle to hit a jumper in this game, I automatically assumed he'd be Dajuan Wagner '09, a stereotype that I've had a hard time letting go despite strong evidence to the contrary (don't worry, there's still time). My point is this: enjoy the game, enjoy the advertising, but avoid rash generalizations.

• He's alive! Mateen Cleaves escaped from obscurity today and I actually heard him on two separate ESPN interviews: once on First Take and the other on Colin Cowherd's show. There were definitely better point guards in his day, maybe even on his own team (Charlie Bell has turned out to be a decent NBA player). But, that Cleaves fella could lead a team. I remember watching the Florida/MSU national title game in 2000 (incidently the first pool I ever won), and the Spartans were giving it to the Gators. All of the sudden, #12 in green got hurt, limped to the sideline in great pain. Mike Miller and Co. went on a little run, and I thought that, "Yes! The most improbable pick in tourney history is about to manifest itself!" Then, that little annoying Spartan came limping back on the court, and all of the sudden he's jumping up and down like nothing ever happened. To this day I believe his injury was an Izzo-induced ploy, but nonetheless it's a ploy that worked to the tune of a national championship. I knew Cleaves would never pan out as an NBA starter or even a good player off the bench, but it's good to still see him as an ambassador of Michigan State Spartan basketball.

Finally, a cruel April Fool's joke played by my cell phone: I scheduled an advising appointment for today, and when I got there there was a sign saying, "Knock when you arrive for your appointment." I knocked. No answer. I figured she hadn't arrived yet, so I pulled out my phone with the intention of playing poker until she arrived. Guess what? My phone, which I am POSITIVE was turned on ALL MORNING, was off. First message: "Dr.________ has cancelled all of her appointments for today." Did I mention Towson is a full half hour's drive away?

Happy April Fool's Day!