2012 NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference Finals

The Eastern Conference looked to open up for the Miami Heat to breeze into the NBA Finals when Derrick Rose went down with a torn ACL. Then they lost a star of their own, as Chris Bosh was sidelined with a strained ab. Miami was down in their series with Indiana 2-1 at one point. Then LeBron James and Dwayne Wade absolutely went off carried the Heat into their second straight Eastern Conference Finals. This is where they will meet the Boston Celtics. Rose's injury also opened things up for the Celtics a bit. Now the Big 4 get one more chance to chase a title. It will be interesting to see how much is left in their tank after a grinding 7 game series with Philly. Here is how I see it shaking out, with a breakdown of who holds the advantage in some positional matchups.



2 Miami (-225) vs. 4 Boston (+185)

PG - Mario Chalmers vs. Rajon Rondo
SG - Dwayne Wade vs. Ray Allen
SF - LeBron James vs. Paul Pierce
PF - Shane Battier vs. Brandon Bass
C - Ronnie Turiaf vs. Kevin Garnett
Bench - Miami vs. Boston
Coach - Erik Spoelstra vs. Doc Rivers

There were doubts about Miami in the minds of many when Chris Bosh was injured and the Pacers took a 2-1 lead in their Semifinals series. LeBron James and Dwayne Wade each decided to average 33 points a game and dominate the final 3 games of the series. Boston must find a way to limit James and Wade and make someone else beat them. That is much easier said than done. For Boston, they are going to need Kevin Garnett to come up big. Miami's weakness is inside. That means KG needs to be aggressive and play physical down low. I think Boston can beat up Miami, but I don't think they can beat them in a series. Miami will march on to their second straight NBA Finals.

Prediction - Miami over Boston 4-2

2012 Stanley Cup Finals

6 New Jersey (+110) vs. 8 Los Angeles (-130)

How they got here:

New Jersey beat - Florida 4-3, Philadelphia 4-1, NY Rangers 4-2
Los Angeles beat - Vancouver 4-1, St. Louis 4-0, Phoenix 4-1

The puck drops on the Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday night in Jersey. For the second year in a row, the team that I predicted to win it all in the preseason is still standing. I picked the LA Kings to hoist the Cup back in October. They certainly did not take the path I expected, but they ended up where I thought they would when the season began. The Devils have exceeded expectations as well. They earned the 6 seed in the East and rode a physical team and an all-time great goaltender to the Cup Finals. The Kings and Devils have the highest combined seeds to ever play in the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Los Angeles Kings are attempting to win their 1st Stanley Cup in team history. They have only made it this far once and that was when Wayne Gretzky was in uniform. New Jersey had a great run from the mid 90s until the early 2000s, but are playing in their first Cup Finals since 2003.

At the beginning of the season I thought the Kings would take home their first Cup. They barely made the playoffs and looked like anything but the best team in hockey. They have no doubt been the best team in the playoffs though. This should be a stiff test though. New Jersey has been playing very well. They have been the best forechecking team in the postseason and have Matin Brodeur in net. That is not enough reason for me to waiver from my preseason pick. Lord Stanley's Cup will be heading to the City of Angels.

Prediction - Los Angeles over New Jersey 4-2

2012 NBA Playoffs - Western Conference Finals

The Western Conference Playoffs have virtually been all chalk thus far, save the Clippers minor upset of the Grizzlies. The Spurs and Thunder have been simply dominant. San Antonio has not lost a game in nearly 6 weeks and they are a perfect 8-0 in the postseason. Oklahoma City has been nearly as impressive with an 8-1 postseason record in defeating the last 2 Western Conference champions on their way to their 2nd straight Conference Finals appearance. Many think that the winner of this series will go on to win the NBA Finals. Here is how I see it shaking out, with a breakdown of who holds the advantage in some positional matchups.



1 San Antonio (-180) vs. 2 Oklahoma City (+150)

How they got here:

San Antonio beat - Utah 4-0, LA Clippers 4-0
Oklahoma City beat - Dallas 4-0, LA Lakers 4-1

PG - Tony Parker vs. Russell Westbrook
SG - Danny Green vs. Thabo Sefolosha
SF - Kawhi Leonard vs. Kevin Durant
PF - Boris Diaw vs. Serge Ibaka
C - Tim Duncan vs. Kendrick Perkins
Bench - San Antonio vs. Oklahoma City
Coach - Gregg Popovich vs. Scott Brooks

The Spurs have looked unstoppable to this point. They have a perfect blend of youth and experience and have been clicking on all cylinders. They will be squaring off with the up and coming Oklahoma City Thunder. Both teams will have plenty of rest heading into the series, with the way they have dismantled the competition. These teams are built very similarly which should make for a pretty even matchup. The team whose Big 3 plays the best will advance to the NBA Finals. San Antonio has Duncan, Parker, and Ginboli while Oklahoma City counters with Durant, Westbrook, and Harden. It is awfully difficult to pick against the Spurs right now, but I picked the Thunder to come out of the West before the season started and then again before the Playoffs started. I expect Durant, Westbrook, Harden, and company to come up big and lead the Thunder to their first NBA Finals.

Prediction - Oklahoma City over San Antonio 4-3

2012 MLB Season - Quarter Point

We are now a quarter of the way through the 2012 MLB season. At this point only 1 of the 10 teams (Texas) I picked to make the postseason would be in the playoffs. But as we all know, there is plenty of time for things to change. It is unlikely that Baltimore can continue this pace, and teams like Boston, Detroit, and the LA Angels have way too much talent not to turn it around. As well as the Phillies, who I picked to win the World Series. Philly's lineup has been decimated by injuries, but they still have the best starting rotation in baseball. Here is a look at how the season would shake out based on the preseason projections, current pace, and simulations of the remainder of the year.

AL East
NY Yankees 94-68
Tampa Bay 92-70
Boston 88-74
Toronto 84-78
Baltimore 74-88

AL Central
Detroit 93-69
Cleveland 87-75
Chicago Sox 79-83
Kansas City 70-92
Minnesota 65-97

AL West
Texas 95-67
LA Angels 89-73
Oakland 68-94
Seattle 67-95

NL East
Philadelphia 92-70
Atlanta 90-72
Miami 87-75
Washington 83-79
NY Mets 71-91

NL Central
Cincinnati 87-75
St. Louis 86-76
Milwaukee 79-83
Pittsburgh 75-87
Chicago Cubs 68-94
Houston 61-101

NL West
LA Dodgers 89-73
San Francisco 88-74
Arizona 84-78
Colorado 77-85
San Diego 67-95

AL Wild Card
LA Angels over Boston

NL Wild Card
San Francisco over Atlanta

ALDS
LA Angels over Texas
Detroit over NY Yankees

NLDS
Philadelphia over San Francisco
Cincinnati over LA Dodgers

ALCS
LA Angels over Detroit

NLCS
Philadelphia over Cincinnati

World Series
Philadelphia over LA Angels

2012 NBA Playoffs - Western Conference Semifinals

The Western Conference provided us the only Game 7s of the 1st Round. Both teams that call Los Angeles home walked into the Semis with victories. The Spurs and the Thunder both got the maximum amount of rest. San Antonio and Oklahoma City both swept their opening opponents while the Lakers and Clippers were both pushed to the brink of elimination. Will the Western Conference Finals go through the Southwest or the City of Angels? Below are the positional matchups of each series with the person/team with the advantage in bold. Here is how I think things will play out.
Western Conference Semifinals



1 San Antonio (-2500) vs. 5 LA Clippers (+1250)

PG - Tony Parker vs. Chris Paul
SG - Danny Green vs. Randy Foye
SF - Kawhi Leonard vs. Caron Butler
PF - Boris Diaw vs. Blake Griffin
C - Tim Duncan vs. DeAndre Jordan
Bench - San Antonio vs. LA Clippers
Coach - Gregg Popovich vs. Vinny Del Negro

The San Antonio Spurs were dominant in their opening round victory over Utah. They proved that their strong play during the regular season could carry over into the postseason this time around. The Spurs just might be the best team in the NBA. Now they get a matchup with the NBA's feel good story, in the LA Clippers. The Clippers outlasted Memphis in 7 games to advance into the Conference Semifinals for just the third time in franchise history. Chris Paul has been a difference maker since moving to the West Coast, and he proved to be once again in getting the Clippers to a place they have rarely been. Can he also lead them to a place they have never been? Not this year. The Spurs use their mix of youth and experience to advance to a place they are very familiar with.

Prediction - San Antonio over LA Clippers 4-2



2 Oklahoma City (-450) vs. 3 LA Lakers (+350)

PG - Russell Westbrook vs. Ramon Sessions
SG - Thabo Sefolosha vs. Kobe Bryant
SF - Kevin Durant vs. Metta World Peace
PF - Serge Ibaka vs. Pau Gasol
C - Kendrick Perkins vs. Andrew Bynum
Bench - Oklahoma City vs. LA Lakers
Coach - Scott Brooks vs. Mike Brown

Everyone has deemed the Thunder the team to beat in the West for most of the season. The Lakers are out to prove that their window has not closed yet. Oklahoma City made huge strides with their trip to the Western Conference Finals last season. They are looking to get one step further in 2012. The Lakers have been contenders since the franchise was founded. This year is no different. Though, the Lakers are a bit more under the radar this year. They nearly lost to the Nuggets last round, but Kobe and the Twin Towers of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum came through to extend their season. This series could go either way. I expect to see OKC prove to be the new kids on the block and advance to their second consecutive Conference Finals.

Prediction - Oklahoma City over LA Lakers 4-3

2012 NHL Playoffs - Conference Finals Preview

The Conference Finals are all set in the race for the Cup, and the Stanley Cup Finals are just weeks away. There will be a battle across the Hudson River in the East as the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils face off. The West is a bit more surprising as two teams that hail from cities with palm trees and desert battle on the ice. The Pacific Division was viewed to be the weakest in hockey all season, and here we are, assured that there will be a Pacific Division representative in the Stanley Cup Finals. Let the puck drop on the Conference Finals.

Eastern Conference Finals



1 NY Rangers (-170) vs. 6 New Jersey (+150)

The New Jersey Devils lost Game 1 to Philadelphia in the East Semis, then rallied to win 4 straight and advanve to their first Conference Finals since 2003 when they won the Stanley Cup. Martin Brodeur once again proved that he is everlasting, as the 40-year old played great in the crease. Now they are on the brink of returning to the Stanley Cup for the first time in 9 years. The Rangers have had to take the toughest path possible to get to this point - win two Game 7s. They have battled through grueling series with Ottawa and Washington. Do they have enough in the tank to outlast their cross town rivals? I think the Rangers will advance to their first Cup in 18 years.

Prediction - NY Rangers over New Jersey 4-2

Western Conference Finals



3 Phoenix (+150) vs. 8 Los Angeles (-170)

The goaltenders for both of these squads have been special, and that is the primary reason that each team has been able to pull off 2 upsets already. One of these cities will get a taste of the Stanley Cup Finals. Not many kids play ice hockey in the desert or on the beach. The Kings have gone from an 8-seed that barely made the playoffs to the current Cup favorite. Neither of these teams have ever won a Stanley Cup. The Coyotes have never reached that point while the Kings lost in the Stanley Cup Finals back in 1993. One of these teams will get the chance to win their first Cup. I took the Kings in the preseason, and they are finally playing up to that potential.

Prediction - Los Angeles over Phoenix 4-2

2012 NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference Semfinals

The Quarterfinals are not quite over yet, but the Conference Semifinals will tip off tomorrow with Boston and Philadelphia. Boston is making what could be their final run for a title, while the upstart 76ers are appearing in this round of the Playoffs for the first time since 2003. The favorite to win it all - Miami - and the surprising Indiana Pacers round out the remaining field in the East. The West still has two spots to be claimed, while the Spurs and Thunder continue to rest after their Quarterfinals sweeps. Below are the positional matchups of each series with the person/team with the advantage in bold. Here is how I think things will play out.
Eastern Conference Semifinals



4 Boston (-225) vs. 8 Philadelphia (+185)

PG - Rajon Rondo vs. Jrue Holiday
SG - Avery Bradley vs. Evan Turner
SF - Paul Pierce vs. Andre Iguodala
PF - Brandon Bass vs. Elton Brand
C - Kevin Garnett vs. Spencer Hawes
Bench - Boston vs. Philadelphia
Coach - Doc Rivers vs. Doug Collins

Boston's opening round with Atlanta was no walk in the park. The Celtics blew the Hawks out once, but Atlanta made them work hard for every other victory. They escaped Rondo's suspension and appear to be primed for another title push. The 76ers had luck on their side, as they defeated a depleted Bulls roster to advance in the postseason for the first time since 2003. Andre Iguodala, Spencer Hawes, Jrue Holiday, and Evan Turner all played outstanding against the Bulls. They will need to do so again if they want a chance in this series. I don't think Philly has what it takes to pull this series out, but once again they will make Boston work for every victory.

Prediction - Boston over Philadelphia 4-2



2 Miami (-900) vs. 3 Indiana (+600)

PG - Mario Chalmers vs. George Hill
SG - Dwayne Wade vs. Paul George
SF - LeBron James vs. Danny Granger
PF - Chris Bosh vs. David West
C - Udonis Haslem vs. Roy Hibbert
Bench - Miami vs. Indiana
Coach - Erik Spoelstra vs. Frank Vogel

The path to the Finals got a lot easier for the Heat once Derrick Rose went down with a torn ACL. Miami was impressive against the Knicks, but certainly did not look unstoppable. They get to take on the Pacers, who exceeded all expectations during the regular season. These teams are definitely made up much differently. There are 3 players on the Heat who are probably better than any single player on the Pacers roster. The Pacers are made up of an entire cast of good players, but none that are superstars. Ultimately, I don;t see there being any way that Miami loses this series. The Heat seems primed to play in the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight year.

Prediction - Miami over Indiana 4-1

2012 NBA Mock Draft

1. Charlotte - Anthony Davis  PF/Kentucky
2. Washington - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist  SF/Kentucky
3. Cleveland - Bradley Beal  SG/Florida
4. New Orleans - Thomas Robinson  PF/Kansas
5. Sacramento - Harrison Barnes  SF/North Carolina
6. Portland (from NJ) - Andre Drummond  C/UConn
7. Golden State - Perry Jones  PF/Baylor
8. Toronto - Tyler Zeller  C/North Carolina
9. Detroit - Terrence Jones  PF/Kentucky
10. New Orleans (from Minn) - Damian Lillard  PG/Weber St.
11. Portland - Austin Rivers  SG/Duke
12. Milwaukee - Jared Sullinger  PF/Ohio St.
13. Phoenix - Tony Wroten Jr.  PG/Washington
14. Houston - Arnett Moultrie  C/Mississippi St.
15. Philadelphia - John Henson  PF/North Carolina
16. Houston (from NY) - Moe Harkless  SF/St. John's
17. Dallas - Kendall Marshall  PG/North Carolina
18. Minnesota (from Utah) - Jeremy Lamb  SG/UConn
19. Orlando - Terrence Ross  SF/Washington
20. Denver - Marquis Teague  PG/Kentucky
21. Boston - Fab Melo  C/Syracuse
22. Boston (from LAC) - Quincy Miller  SF/Baylor
23. Atlanta - Meyers Leonard  C/Illinois
24. Cleveland (from LAL) - Festus Ezeli  C/Vanderbilt
25. Memphis - Will Barton  SG/Memphis
26. Indiana - Royce White  PF/Iowa St.
27. Miami - Jefferey Taylor  SF/Vanderbilt
28. Oklahoma City - John Jenkins  SG/Vanderbilt
29. Chicago - Dion Waiters  SG/Syracuse
30. Golden State (from SA) - Draymond Green  PF/Michigan St.