Second Half Predictions

I predict that the Miami Heat will lose four more games for the remainder of the regular season.  The defense that they are currently playing is shut-down, eyes closed, goodnight defense on the entire league.  Teams fear playing the Heat, and that’s exactly how it should be.  The team is finally playing up to their potential, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year has to offer.  I am greatly anticipating a matchup between the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, and I no longer fear the Bulls.  Chris Bosh is playing great basketball right now, and he’s really embracing his role.  He isn’t taking a back seat to LeBron and Wade like he did last year, and I think he will light up the weak power forward position that the Bulls’ Carlos Boozer plays.  If he doesn’t scorch them for 30 points per game, then he will at least contribute 20-25.  I also predict that LeBron James will be the regular season league MVP.  He is almost averaging a triple double, and he is leading the league’s best team.  If he develops into a clutch player, then he will definitely win the award because he will have silenced the critics.  And finally, my pick for NBA Champion will be…..the Miami Heat.  If the Oklahoma City Thunder make it to the NBA Finals, then Kevin Durant will be hard to stop, but LeBron will gladly take the task of stopping Durant upon himself.  We’re in for an exciting NBA season, so everyone stay tuned!

Unfair Criticism

The NBA All-Star game is an exhibition game at this point, and it will be until the players have some reason to play hard.  With this being said, LeBron James is now being criticized for the last play of the All-Star game where he turned the ball over instead of taking a shot.  LeBron is the only reason the Eastern Conference was even in this game.  He single handedly flipped a switch and brought the East back within striking distance at the end.  He set a record for three point field goals made in an All-Star Game, and all anyone can talk about is how he didn’t take the last shot.  Can this man do anything without criticism?  People criticize the way he wears his headband for goodness sake.  Criticizing LeBron for not taking the last shot is not fair.  During the season, week in and week out, we hear the media criticize LeBron for taking the last shot and missing it.  We hear how the Miami Heat are Dwayne Wade’s team, and he should be the one with the ball in his hands in late game situations.  Now, LeBron is criticized for not taking the last shot, and it doesn’t make any sense.  If he was being criticized for turning the ball over and making a bad decision, then I would have no problem with what is happening.  However, this isn’t the situation.  It was an All-Star game after all.  The game is played for nothing except fan enjoyment, and LeBron definitely gave the fans a performance to enjoy.

5 Changes to All-Star Weekend

1. Improve the dunk contest

The dunk contest is still the marquee event of NBA All-Star weekend, but it needs a huge renovation.  It needs star power, and everyone knows it.  Calling it the “Rising Stars” dunk contest was a nice way to avoid conflict for a few years, but without stars, the dunk contest is boring.  Imagine a dunk contest with LeBron James, Blake Griffin, Derrick Rose, and Dwight Howard.  That would be incredible, and it would bring excitement back to All-Star Weekend.  

2.  Make the All-Star game worth something


I’ve blogged about this previously, but the game needs to be the deciding factor for home court advantage in the NBA Finals.  I get more excited about a game that is close throughout the entire 48 minutes.  The alley-oops and breakaway dunks should be saved for the dunk contest.  There are more aspects of the game that need to be showcased when all the best players are on the floor together.

3.  More Inside the NBA commentary

 These guys are hilarious.  Ernie, Kenny, Charles, and Shaq are the reason that I can tolerate All-Star Weekend at times.  Even if, at times, their insights aren’t basketball observations whatsoever, they provide great comic relief.  I can’t imagine the NBA without these guys.  Frankly, we need more of them.

4.  Let the players wear their regular season jerseys

I’m not sure why everyone has to wear the same jersey.  It may be just another way to sell more merchandise to the fans, but the league could still produce some sort of variant to the regular season jersey as an All-Star jersey.  I just think it would be nice to see each player be able to represent his team with their jersey.  Not only does this represent the team, but it represents the city, as well.

5. If you can’t have fun in warm-ups, you’re not allowed 

Did anyone else see Tom Thibodeau and Derrick Rose during the Eastern Conference lineups?  These guys were coming straight out of a Civil War era photograph.  If I didn’t know better, it looked like they both didn’t want to be there.  At least Luol Deng hinted at a little smile while he held out his Africa shirt.  If all you can do is awkwardly sway back and forth with your hands behind your back during the introductions, then stay at home.