NBA lottery mock draft

Anthony Davis

1. New Orleans- Anthony Davis (Kentucky, PF)
A no brainer.  Davis is unanimously considered the top prospect in the draft.  Davis is a defensive game changer and a tremendous shot blocker who can cover lots of ground.  Offensively he is a work in progress, but possesses excellent hands, runs the floor very well,  and uses his athleticism to finish at the rim.
2. Charlotte Bobcats- Thomas Robinson (Kansas, PF)
If Charlotte keeps the pick they will select Robinson, who will be effective from day one.  Robinson is the most NBA ready player in the draft and will immediately rebound and score in the paint for the Bobcats who are desperate for talent.
3. Washington Wizards- Bradley Beal (Florida, SG)
The Wizards greatest need is for outside shooting, which luckily for them is Beal's forte.  Beal's silky smooth shooting-stroke will alleviate defensive pressure on John Wall, and the two complement each other very well.  Beal is also a tremendous rebounder for a guard, and uses his pump fake to get to the rim.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers- Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Kentucky, SF)
Kidd-Gilchrist is the most relentless player in the draft and plays as hard as anybody.  He is a winner, a defensive stopper, and was the leader of the Kentucky Wildcats national championship team.  His slashing ability will allow reigning rookie of the year Kyrie Irving to flourish.
5. Sacramento Kings- Harrison Barnes (North Carolina, SF)
General Manager Geoff Petrie is trying to trade down in the draft, possibly with the Houston Rockets who covet Andre Drummond.  If the Kings keep the pick, they will select Barnes an ultra athletic scorer with a very high basketball IQ.  Barnes has an excellent mid range game, and is a great shooter.
6. Portland Trailblazers- Damian Lilliard (Weber State, PG)

Andre Drummond

Portland desperately needs a point guard receiving poor play from Raymond Felton who is a free agent.  The Trailblazers have reportedly fallen in love with Lilliard who is a dynamic scorer and unselfish passer.  Lilliard is a tremendous athlete, great shooter and makes excellent decisions in pick and roll situations.
7. Golden State Warriors- Andre Drummond (UConn, C)
Golden State can't pass on Drummond, who has the potential to make multiple all-star appearances, or join Kwame Brown as an NBA bust.  No player in this draft carries the risk and reward of Drummond, whose 7 foot, 280 pound athletic body was made for the game of basketball.  Drummond was very inconsistent in his one year at UConn and many question his desire.
8. Toronto Raptors- Dion Waiters (Syracuse, SG)
With big man Jonas Valanciunus, Toronto's lottery pick last year, joining the team this year, the Raptor's greatest area of need is at shooting guard in order to move Demar Derozan over to his natural position of small forward.  Waiters, Jeremy Lamb and Austin Rivers are all possibilities, however, Waiters strength and ability to drive to the basket and finish will make him the selection.  At Syracuse Waiters served as the Orange's 6th man, providing instant offense which the Raptors hope he is able to do for them at the next level.
9.  Detroit Pistons- John Henson (North Carolina, PF)
General manager Joe Dumars is hoping that Drummond falls to them.  In the likely scenario that he does not, the Pistons will  scoop up Henson who will give the team an athletic shot blocking presence in the paint to pair with Greg Monroe.  Henson needs to add weight to his frame, but has the potential to be an impact defender in the NBA.
10. New Orleans- Austin Rivers (Duke, SG)

Austin Rivers

General Manager Dell Demps and Head Coach Monty Williams were former teammates of Rivers' father Doc, and having known Austin since he was 4.  Rivers is an exceptional offensive talent, is very difficult to defend in isolation and is exceptional at splitting double teams.  Many expect Rivers to clash with his coaches in the NBA because of his supreme confidence in his abilities as a basketball player.
11. Portland Trailblazers- Tyler Zeller (North Carolina, C)
The Trailblazers who will have already drafted Lilliard, will look to pair him with a big man.  Zeller is one of the most NBA ready players in the draft and runs the floor exceptionally well for a 7 footer.  He is ready to come into the league and contribute immediately.
12. Houston Rockets- Jeremy Lamb (UConn, SG)
It is very possible that Houston, which has been busy wheeling and dealing in the hopes of acquiring a franchise big man, will not have this pick when the draft rolls around.  Lamb is one of the most talented scorers in the draft and has an effective jump shot.  Lamb struggled with consistency and failed to assert himself as a leader on a Uconn team that was desperate for one.  Lamb did play a huge role in the team's run to the national championship in 2011.
13. Phoenix Suns- Terrence Ross (Washington, SG)
Phoenix will likely begin a rebuilding process, with the departure of Steve Nash probable.  Ross would be an excellent addition for the Suns who are looking to add scoring power to their team.  Ross has a good outside shot, and plays an effective mid range game.  He could be one of the top wings to emerge from this draft when it is all said and done.
14. Milwaukee Bucks- Meyers Leonard (Illinois, C)
The Bucks need a big man to replace Andrew Bogut, who the team traded to Golden State for Monta Ellis at the trade deadline.  Leonard is not at all NBA ready, but with his excellent size and strength he has the potential to develop into a quality big man.

Washington Wizards Draft Preview

The Washington Wizards were rewarded with the 3rd overall pick in this year's NBA draft following yet another terrible season in which they finished with the 2nd worst record in the league.  The Wizards  have made two major trades dating back to last season's trading deadline.  In the first trade the team, eager to no longer be the laughingstock of the league, dealt young knuckleheads Nick Young and Javale Mcgee and received a borderline all-star big man in Nene.  The Wizards were much improved following the trade, which brought the team a much needed veteran presence, and ended the season on a 6 game winning streak.  A few days ago the Wizards further reinvented the team's identity when they shipped out Rashard Lewis and his massive expiring contract for Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza.  Okafor is a very intelligent, high character player who, along with Ariza, will provide the Wizards with the defensive ability that the team has sorely lacked.

These trades signal that the Wizards have decided that after spending several years acquiring young talent and attempting to build through the draft, the team needed veteran leadership and is now ready to make a playoff push.  With that in mind, the Wizards pick in this draft will in all likelihood be the team's last high lottery pick in a while, making it crucial that the team draft a quality contributor.

Bradley Beal

The Wizards' most dire need is at shooting guard, which is why most NBA analysts believe that the Wizards should draft Bradley Beal the freshman out of Florida.  Beal is an excellent three point shooter,  making him a prime candidate to fill one of the Wizards' greatest weaknesses which is outside shooting.   Beal's shooting ability would provide point guard John Wall with help offensively and spread the floor for him.  Wall, who the Wizards selected first overall in 2010, possesses elite quickness, is a terror in transition and can get to the basket as well as anyone, however his perimeter shooting is subpar.  Beal would complement Wall extremely well and alleviate the constant defensive pressure that the point guard has been under throughout his tenure in Washington.  In addition to being a lights out shooter, Beal is extremely effective at using a pump fake to get to the rim, where he can finish thanks to his athleticism.  Beal rebounds at an elite level for a guard, and is very solid defensively.  Beal is an all around contributor and is universally considered a humble, high character kid who fits in with the team's newfound identity.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

There are rumors circulating that the Charlotte Bobcats, who have the 2nd pick in the draft, may trade their pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers who hope to acquire Beal and pair him with Kyrie Irving, the reigning rookie of the year.  If this scenario were to unfold, the Wizards would be left with several options to choose from.  The Wizards could draft Michael Kidd-Gilchrist the freshman small forward from Kentucky, where he won the national championship.  Kidd-Gilchrist is the most relentless player in the draft, plays harder than anyone, is a true leader and most importantly a winner.  His intangibles are off the chart, as is his athletic ability.  Kidd-Gilchrist is as good a defender as anyone in the draft, and can use his length and tenacity to cover any position from point guard to power forward.  In transition he and Wall would make a fearsome duo, as good as any in the league.  Kidd-Gilchrist's biggest weakness is his outside shooting, which is coincidentally the Wizards' greatest area of need.  Kidd-Gilchrist has an awkward hitch in his shot caused by holding the ball for too long, however, with his unparalleled work ethic, he should be able to improve it substantially in the next few years.

Harrison Barnes

Another option for the Wizards is Harrison Barnes, the sophomore small forward out of North Carolina.  Barnes is one of the most athletic players in the draft, and his greatest strength is his shooting ability.  Barnes has an excellent mid-range game and could help spread the floor for the Wizards.  If drafted by the Wizards, the team would likely try to convert Barnes to shooting guard, something that Barnes, a natural small forward, has described as "an adjustment".  Barnes came into UNC as one of the most hyped collegiate players of all time, and while he had a very good college career, not living up to the immense expectations has caused the public's perception of Barnes to sour.

Thomas Robinson

Thomas Robinson out of Kansas is yet another option for the Wizards.  A native of D.C., Robinson is a player capable of stepping in immediately and providing the Wizards with rebounding, interior scoring and athleticism.  Robinson, who tragically lost his mother and grandparents in a car accident, is one of the feel good stories of the draft and very easy to root for.  The Wizards' trades make Robinson unlikely to be drafted by the team, however, he is considered one of the top prospects in the draft and therefore a possibility.

All four players are widely considered high character players with excellent work ethics, and will likely be key contributors to the team if drafted.

Heat win championship with game 5 blowout

The Miami Heat claimed their 2nd championship in franchise history following a game 5 blowout of the Oklahoma City Thunder.  Miami won the game 121-106 and at one point had a 27 point lead.  The Heat opened the game with a barrage of three-pointers set up by Lebron James, one of the best passing forwards in the history of the NBA.  The Thunder repeatedly threw double teams in James' direction in hopes of slowing him down, however James made the correct play time after time, setting up spot up shooters with open looks.  Mike Miller was one of the primary beneficiaries of Lebron's exploitation of the Thunder's defensive scheme and knocked down 7 of his 8 three-point shot attempts.
James, who was awarded the NBA Finals MVP award, concluded his historic postseason with a triple double finishing the game with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists despite being hobbled by the cramps that forced him to leave game 4 early.  James averaged 30, 9 and 5 for this postseason, in which he showed off the post game that he had worked so hard to develop last summer.  Particularly in the Finals series, James attacked the basket with a ferocity that had been missing from his game in the Finals a year ago.  Rather than settling for jump shots, James took the ball into the paint play after play, either resulting in a high percentage shot for himself, a trip to the foul line where he is much improved, or an open look for a teammate when help defenders rotated his way.

Lebron James

Dwyane Wade, the 2006 Finals MVP won the second championship of his career, and scored 20 points in the title clinching game.  Chris Bosh, the final member of the Heat's big 3 scored 24 points in winning the first championship of his career.  James, Bosh and Wade, all members of the NBA draft class of 2003, signed contracts with the Heat in the summer of 2010 in the hopes of establishing the NBA's next dynasty.  After last summer's devastating loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the Finals, the Heat's players rediscovered their love of basketball, blocked out all distractions and focused only on redeeming themselves and achieving their mission of winning a title.  During the trophy presentation ceremony James was asked about winning his first NBA championship.  He responded with the words "It's about damn time," capturing the thoughts of basketball fans everywhere, who had long been wondering when the world's best player would finally be coronated as a champion.
With the loss, the Thunder completed a remarkable season in which the team became among the elite organizations in the league.  The Thunder will return next season with the team's core intact and another season of experience to prepare the team to start its own dynasty.

Despite legendary performance by Westbrook, Heat take 3-1 series lead

Russell Westbrook provided the Oklahoma City Thunder with one of the greatest performances in NBA Finals history and scored an electrifying 43 points, however, it was not enough for the Thunder who fell to the Miami Heat 104-98.  The Heat took a 3-1 series lead over OKC with the game 4 victory and move to within a game of the first championship in the big 3 era.  Miami's big 3 of Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh played extremely well yet again, with Wade scoring 25 points and James leading the Heat with 26 and falling one rebound shy of a triple double.

Chalmers and Bosh

The key to the game for the Heat was the production it received from Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole at the point guard position, a position of relative weakness for Miami.  The Thunder took an early 17 point lead in the first quarter, but the Heat were able to march back and tie the game within minutes thanks in part to the tremendous energy off the bench by Cole who scored 8 points in only 8 minutes of gameplay.  Chalmers who had struggled early in the game appeared to be motivated by Cole's performance and was sensational for the Heat, scoring 25 points including 12 in the 4th quarter and the final 5 points for Miami to seal the victory.  

Russell Westbrook

The Thunder wasted a legendary performance by Westbrook who almost singlehandedly kept the Thunder in the game in the 4th quarter by scoring 13 straight points for the team over a 4 minute stretch.  Westbrook had a very efficient performance converting on 20 of his 32 field goal attempts which included several athletic drives to the basket, pull-up jumpers in semi-transition, midrange shots off crossovers or pick and rolls, and an incredible outback dunk off a missed layup by Thabo Sefolosha.  The Thunder received a relatively quiet 28 points from Kevin Durant and very little offensive production from anyone else.  In order to extend the series the Thunder have to get James Harden going offensively.  Harden had only 8 points in yet another disappointing game this series and must provide the Thunder with a 3rd scoring option.

Lebron James suffered muscle cramps which forced him to leave the game with 2 minutes remaining in the game, but was able to make the go ahead three-pointer that put the Heat ahead for good just before he left the game.

LaDainian Tomlinson retiring as a Charger

LaDainian Tomlinson, one of the greatest running backs of all time, spent the first 9 years of his illustrious career with the San Diego Chargers.  On June 17th he will be signed to a ceremonial contract with the team in order to retire a Charger.  Tomlinson's accomplishments on the field make him among the most prolific players in Chargers' history.  Tomlinson retires 2nd in NFL history in career rushing touchdowns, 3rd in total career touchdowns and 5th in career rushing yards. Tomlinson's performance in the 2006 NFL season, the first of his two rushing titles, was arguably the greatest ever by a running back and earned him the titles of NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year .  In 2006 Tomlinson had a single season NFL record 31 touchdowns, an NFL record 28 rushing touchdowns and 1815 rushing yards in helping lead the Chargers to an NFL best 14-2 record.  In addition to his proficiency running the ball, Tomlinson was one of the best receiving running backs of all time, highlighted by his 100 receptions in 2003, only the second time a running back had ever caught 100 passes in a single season.

From the moment he was drafted 5th overall by the Chargers in the 2001 NFL draft, Tomlinson had become the face of the franchise and one of the most popular players in the league.  During his tenure with the team, the Chargers won the AFC West division 4 consecutive times from 2006-09 and made the AFC championship game in 2007.  Following his final season with the Chargers in 2009, Tomlinson signed with the New York Jets.  Tomlinson helped the Jets reach the AFC championship game in 2010 before struggling through injuries and succumbing to age in 2011, the worst season of his career by all measures.
Because Tomlinson has meant so much to the Chargers in the 21st century it was only natural that he retire as a member of the team, in order to be honored as one of the franchises' all time greats.

Heat win game 3, take 2-1 lead in NBA Finals

The Miami Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 91-85 to take a 2-1 series lead in the NBA Finals.  It was an ugly, sloppy yet hard-fought game in which neither team shot over 43% from the field.  Miami's big 3 of Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh had another tremendous game.   James lead the way with 29 points and 14 rebounds, Wade attacked early and often en route to finishing with 25 points, 7 boards and 7 assists, and Bosh played excellent defense and was crucial in helping the Heat shut down the Thunder's driving lanes to the basket.
The Heat dominated the paint early in the first half with 10 of the team's first 11 made shots coming from within the paint.   Despite the Heat's interior domination in the opening half, the Thunder were kept in the game by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook who each had 13 points in the half, including a three-pointer by Westbrook with 2 seconds left in the half that cut the Heat lead to 1.  Westbrook responded to the widespread criticism of his performance in game 2 by playing efficiently and successfully blending aggression with control.
The Thunder opened the second half with scorching offensive production, taking a 10 point lead when Derek Fisher converted a 4 point play.  With 5 minutes left in the 3rd quarter and the Thunder seemingly poised to blow away the Heat, Durant picked up his 4th foul and was sent to the bench for the remainder of the quarter along with Westbrook.  By the end of the quarter the Heat had regained the lead, and swung the momentum of the game in its favor.
Neither team played particularly well offensively in the 4th with Miami committing 9 turnovers and the Thunder missing free throw after free throw.  Despite being the best free throw shooting team in both the regular season and the playoffs, OKC has struggled to convert on its free throws in the Finals making only 15 of 24 in game 3.  Miami in comparison made 31 of 35 free throws, a remarkable shooting performance for the Heat which swung the game.  James played excellent defense on Durant in the 4th quarter, limiting him to only 4 points after he torched the Heat for a combined 33 4th quarter points in the first two games of the series.  To win the next game, OKC has to get more production from James Harden who struggled shooting the ball and finished with only 9 points in the game.

Wade, James and Bosh silence their critics as Heat win game 2 to tie NBA Finals

Coming off the Miami Heat's game 1 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder the team's numerous haters claimed that Dwyane Wade was old and washed up, Lebron James wilted in big moments and lacked the ability to make plays in the 4th quarter and knock down his free throws, and that Chris Bosh was a soft, perimeter oriented player.  The Heat's 100-96 victory in game 2 of the NBA Finals silenced the critics, for one night at least.  James had an NBA Finals career high 32 points and repeatedly worked the ball into the paint, and used his unique combination of size, strength and athleticism to finish around the rim.  James also made all 12 of his free throw attempts, including two with 7 seconds remaining to give the Heat a 4 point lead.  Wade delivered an inspired performance finishing with 24 points, 6 boards and 5 assists, and proving that declarations about his demise were greatly exaggerated.  Bosh played a physical game and had points and 15 rebounds, including 7 crucial offensive rebounds that gave the Heat several opportunities for second chance points.  Shane Battier provided the Heat's big 3 with plenty of help finishing with 17 points and 5 three-pointers that helped spread the floor.  As a team the Heat absolutely dominated the Thunder inside, outscoring the Thunder 48-32 in the paint, a stark contrast to game 1.  The Heat also did a much better job preventing the youthful and athletic Thunder from getting easy points in transition, limiting OKC to 11 fast break points, less than half as many as the team had in game 1.
The Heat got off to an excellent start, beginning the game with an 18-2 lead before James Harden went on a tear scoring 10 of his 21 points in the last four and a half minutes of the first quarter.  The Heat had a 12 point halftime lead, but Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook scored a combined 44 second half points, including 16 in the 4th quarter by Durant, to lead a furious comeback by the Thunder.  The Heat had a 13 point lead with 9 minutes remaining in the game.  With under a minute let in the game and the Thunder trailing by 7, Durant, who had 32 points in the game, made a layup and on the following possession drained a three-pointer in semi transition off a difficult assist from Westbrook, who had 27 points, 8 boards and 7 assists, to cut the Heat lead down to 2.  After a missed three-pointer by Lebron, the Thunder called a timeout and inbounded the ball to Durant with 12 seconds left in the game.  Durant caught the ball on the baseline, guarded by James, took 1 dribble and missed a fadeaway shot.  James appeared to make plenty of contact with Durant, however, the officials did not call a foul.  After the Heat rebounded the missed shot, James was sent to the free throw line where he knocked down both attempts to ice the game.

Kevin Durant and the Thunder win game 1 of the NBA Finals

Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder proved that despite their youth and inexperience they were prepared to play on basketball's biggest, and defeated the Miami Heat 105-94 in game 1 of the NBA Finals.  Durant was once again sensational, leading all scorers with 36 points on 60% field goal shooting, including a remarkable 17 points in the decisive 4th quarter.
The Heat raced out to a 13 point lead in the 2nd quarter behind 5 first quarter three-pointers by Mario Chalmers and Shane Battier, who did an excellent job spreading the floor for Miami in the first half.  Miami entered halftime with a 7 point lead on very efficient shooting.
In the second half the Thunder played much more aggressive and tenacious defense, refusing to give Miami the same open looks it had in the first half.  By the end of the 3rd quarter the Thunder took its first lead of the game, which the team never relinquished.  After being guarded by Durant for the majority of the first three quarters, Lebron James, who had an NBA Finals career high 30 points, made only two 4th quarter field goals while being guarded by Thabo Sefolosha, one of the NBA's top perimeter defenders.  Durant and Russell Westbrook alone amazingly combined to outscore the Heat in the 2nd half 41-40.  Westbrook fell 2 rebounds shy of a triple-double, finishing with 27 points and 11 assists.
The Thunder were able to limit themselves to only 10 turnovers in the game, which proved crucial in limiting Miami's unstoppable transition offense, and allowed OKC to outscore the Heat 24-4 on the fast break.  In the 2nd half James received little help from his teammates.  In order to compensate for OKC's advantage in talent and depth, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have to play better in the next few games and be more aggressive offensively.  Game 2 will be played in Oklahoma City on Thursday night.

NBA Finals 2012 Preview

On Tuesday night the Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Miami Heat in game 1 of the NBA Finals.  The highly anticipated matchup between the two teams will feature several of the NBA's brightest stars, including up to 6 potential members of this summer's US olympic basketball roster.  Both squads were widely considered the preseason favorites to reach the Finals, and the series between the two should be a memorable one.  In order to decide what team has the edge heading into the Finals, I decided to examine a position by position comparison between the two teams.

Point Guard:

• OKC:  Russell Westbrook is arguably the most athletic point guard of all time, and among the best at the position in today's NBA.  The UCLA product has an unguardable midrange game, and can create a shot for himself whenever he chooses.  If Westbrook is knocking down his jump shots, driving lanes to the basket will open up for him, and he will become impossible to stop offensively.  This past season the 23 year old Westbrook, who was named an all-star for the second time in his young career, averaged over 23 points per game, 5 assists per game and nearly 5 rebounds per game.  Westbrook is a terror in transition, using his incredible quickness and anticipation to take away passing lanes defensively and force turnovers leading to easy fast break points for the youthful Thunder.  Westbrook's oft-maligned decision making has improved a great deal this season, although he can be a bit careless with the ball.  Against the Heat, the only team in the league that can match the Thunder in transition, Westbrook and the Thunder have to limit their turnovers.  After leading the league in turnovers in the regular season, the Thunder has been among the best teams at taking care of the ball in the playoffs.
• Miami: Mario Chalmers has big game experience, having started at point guard for the Heat last season in the team's Finals appearance, and having won a national championship at the University of Kansas in 2008.  Chalmers is most well known for draining a three pointer with 2.1 seconds left in regulation to send the national championship game to overtime, where his team prevailed.  Chalmers has an inconsistent jump shot, and prone to making questionable plays.  If he is able to space the floor by knocking down open three point shots it will be crucial for a Heat team which lacks many viable three point shooters.  Chalmers plays hard defensively and is good at forcing turnovers, which may prove to be the deciding factor in the series.
• The Verdict: The Thunder clearly have a huge advantage at point guard, as Westbrook is one of the NBA's top players.

Shooting Guard:

• OKC:  Thabo Sefolosha, a native of Switzerland, has carved out a niche for himself on the Thunder as a role player who understands his duty and fulfills it exceedingly well.   Sefolosha is an elite perimeter defender, who used his massive wingspan and lateral quickness to slow down Tony Parker in the Western Conference Finals.   Sefolosha also brings to the table excellent three point shooting, having made almost 44% of his three point field goal attempts this past season.  Sefolosha will be tasked with stopping Dwyane Wade in the Finals, likely his most difficult assignment to date.

• Miami:  Dwyane Wade is a future hall of famer with credentials that can be matched by only a handful of players in the world.  Wade, an 8-time all-star, all-star mvp, former scoring champion, and Olympic gold medalist, was the NBA Finals MVP in 2006, when he put together one of the greatest Finals performances of all time in leading the Heat to the franchise's first NBA title.  Wade is excellent penetrating to the basket, and his ability to finish near the rim and absorb contact are among his greatest skills.  He has a great midrange game and court vision.  In transition Wade combines with Lebron James to form arguably the most feared fast break duo in NBA history.  Wade's brilliance is not limited to the offensive half of the court, as he is also one of the league's top perimeter defenders, and unquestionably one of the greatest shot blockers of all time at the guard position.
• The Verdict: Few Shooting Guards in NBA history would have an advantage over Wade.  Heat win in a cakewalk.

Small Forward:

• OKC: Kevin Durant has matured into one of the top two players in the NBA.  The three time defending scoring champion's ability to put the ball in the rim is unrivaled.  Durant uses his beautiful shooting stroke, limitless range, innate ability to put up a shot at any time, athleticism and soft touch around the basket to score in every way possible.  Durant is widely considered to be the consummate teammate, an unselfish leader who truly cares about his teammates and is concerned with only winning.  Durant's development of a complete game in the past two seasons has elevated his team to one of the league's top title contenders.  Durant led his team in rebounding this past season, averaged a career high 3.5 assists per game and greatly improved his ability to create easy shots for his teammates and was one of only 13 players to average over 1 steal and 1 block per game in the regular season.  Additionally, Durant made significant strides as a defender, using his length to contest shots, and improving his defense on pick and rolls.  This season Durant has showed off his killer instinct by knocking down several clutch shots late in games.  In a December game against Dallas Durant knocked down a buzzer beating three pointer to win the game.  He made a game winner with 4 seconds left in game 1 of OKC's first round series against Dallas, followed that up with a game winning 3 with 15 seconds left in game 4 of the semifinals against the Lakers, and finally scored 18 points in the 4th quarter of game 4 of the conference finals against the Spurs.  Durant is cementing his reputation as one of the league's most clutch players, and at only 23 years old it is remarkable that he has already led his team to the NBA's biggest stage.

• Miami: Lebron James is considered by many to be the best basketball player in the world.  His elite skills in almost every facet of the game, and ability to affect the game in so many different ways is what sets him apart from every one else on the planet.  The three time league MVP is a former scoring champion and one of the league's top scorers.  His combination of strength, size and quickness is unparalleled and makes him unstoppable in transition and when he attacks the basket.  James' court vision and passing ability for a player of his height is matched by only Magic Johnson in NBA history.  James' athleticism makes him one of the best rebounding small forwards in the league.  Finally, Lebron is arguably the best defender in the league as demonstrated by his 4 consecutive inclusions on the NBA's All-Defensive First Team.  James is a shutdown perimeter defender, great help defender, high basketball IQ, and a breathtaking penchant for performing chase down blocks.  James' one flaw is his sometimes exaggerated shrinking from big moments.  He has been chastised by the public for playing uncharacteristically poorly in the NBA Finals last year, and for often passing up shots late in games.  James made the first step towards improving his reputation in big moments by scoring 45 points in a must win game 6 in the Conference Finals against the Celtics.  No player has more at stake in these finals than James, who desperately wants to win a title to cement his legacy as an all-time great.
• Verdict: Evenly matched.  This matchup features the top 2 players in the world both of whom are eager to win a first championship.

Power Forward:

• OKC: Serge Ibaka is an athletic specimen who possesses a game altering defensive presence.  Ibaka led the league in blocks by a wide margin, averaging 3.6 per game.  If the opposition has a big who can stretch the floor with his shooting, Ibaka is often forced out to the perimeter negating his ability to block shots. Ibaka is one of the Thunder's top mid range shooters, as demonstrated by his 11-11 shooting performance in game 4 of the Conference Finals against the Spurs.  Ibaka's size and athleticism makes him very difficult to slow down when he rolls to the basket off pick and rolls with Westbrook or James Harden.  
• Miami: Chris Bosh is one of the league's top shooting big men, making him extremely effective in pick and pop situations.  Bosh is the type of big man who can spread the floor and force Ibaka to drift to the perimeter on defense, opening up driving lanes for Wade and Lebron.  Bosh is a 7-time all-star, however his health going into the series is in question.  Bosh suffered an abdominal strain early in the Heat's conference seminal series against Indiana, and was able to play in the Heat's final three games of their series against Boston.  If Bosh is able to start for the Heat it will provide them with a huge boost and prove crucial in matching up with Ibaka.
• Verdict: When healthy Bosh is the superior player.

Center:

• OKC: Kendrick Perkins is an intimidating low post presence and not shy away from contact with James and Wade when they slash toward the basket.  At 27 years old, Perkins is the oldest player in the Thunder's starting lineup and has championship experience from his days in Boston.  If Perkins is stationed near the basket he will make life difficult for the Heat, however, if the Heat are able to draw him further from the basket in pick and roll situations he will struggle.  Low post scoring is not one of his strengths, too put it kindly.
• Miami: Udonis Haslem is often called the heart and soul of the Miami Heat.  He plays with intensity, defends hard and inspires his teammates.  Haslem is a good spot up shooter from midrange, and is able to score on post ups, although Perkins will likely be able to limit his interior scoring opportunities.  Haslem's ability to shoot may force Perkins to try to guard pick and rolls, which he struggled to do in the conference finals.
• Verdict: Perkins defensive presence gives the Thunder a slight edge.

Bench:

• OKC: Few teams can match OKC's depth and star power off the bench. James Harden is the NBA's reigning 6th man of the year and is an all-star caliber player.  Harden is a very good three point shooter and excels at penetrating to the basket and finishing at the rim.  Harden is a great playmaker and often serves as the Thunder's primary ball handler late in games.  His unselfishness and willingness to serve as the leader of the Thunder's second unit provides the team with a huge advantage.  Nick Collison is another big man who plays solid defense and can finish at the rim.  He and Durant are the only players remaining from the Thunder's days in Seattle as the Supersonics.  Derek Fisher provides the Thunder with veteran leadership, experience and fearlessness late in games.  Daequan Cook is a three point shooting specialist who can score in spurts and energize the Thunder.
• Miami: The Heat bring Shane Battier off the bench to provide them with quality defense and the potential to spread the floor by converting on three point shots, although he is no longer the player he once was.  Mike Miller is a top tier three point shooter and a good rebounder, although he struggles to stay healthy.  Joel Anthony provides the Heat with a physical interior presence defensively, but struggles to do anything offensively.
• Verdict: James Harden provides OKC with a huge advantage off the bench and the Thunder clearly has superior depth.

Heat defeat Celtics in game 7 to move on to the NBA Finals

The Miami Heat defeated the Boston Celtics 101-88 in game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals to advance to the NBA Finals, where the team will face the Oklahoma City Thunder.  The Heat's big 3 of Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh combined for 73 points, with James leading the way with 31.  Miami knew going into the game that if it were to lose, there would likely be many changes made to the team, from a possible firing of head coach Erik Spoelstra to a breaking up of the big 3.  James, who has faced far more scrutiny than any other player in this postseason had a brilliant series averaging over 33 points and 11 rebounds per game, and willing the Heat back from a 3-2 series deficit with a game 6 performance for the ages.
The Celtics' Rajon Rondo had yet another playoff triple-double, finishing the game with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists.  Boston received no help from its bench, as its starters scored all but 2 of the team's points.  The Celtics may have played their last game of the big 4 era, with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen both free agents at the end of the season.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals begins on Tuesday at 9:00 as Miami  plays the Thunder in Oklahoma City.

Lebron scores 45 as Heat force game 7

With the Miami Heat on the brink of elimination, down 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals to the aging Boston Celtics and facing a firestorm of scrutiny, Lebron James played one of the greatest games of his career as the Heat demolished the Celtics 98-79 to force a game 7.  Lebron had a playoff record tying 30 of his 45 points before halftime along with 15 rebounds and 5 assists in a breathtaking display of athletic dominance.
Since leaving Cleveland for Miami James has faced constant criticism from the media and the public.  From "The Decision," James' announcement on live television that he would leave Cleveland to "take my talents to south beach", to his statements that the Heat would win "not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven" championships, every comment that James has made over the past two years has been dissected and only added to the pressure on the Heat to win immediately.  Had Miami lost, head coach Erik Spoelstra may have been fired, and the big 3 of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh may have been broken up.  Thanks to James' brilliance the questions about the Heat's future can be turned aside, at least until game 7 is played.  Miami's victory sets up a huge game Saturday night, with the winner advancing to the NBA finals to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Thunder clinch NBA finals berth with game 6 win

The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the San Antonio Spurs Wednesday night 107-99 to clinch the franchise's first NBA finals appearance since moving to Oklahoma City from Seattle.  Kevin Durant played all 48 minutes of the game and had another sensational performance, scoring 34 points with 14 rebounds and 5 assists and even drawing his first charge of the season on Manu Ginobili.  Russell Westbrook gave Durant plenty of help, finishing with 25 points, 8 boards and 5 assists.
Tony Parker had 17 points and 5 assists in the first quarter as San Antonio took an 18 point lead.  Durant provided the Thunder with a momentum swinging jolt by knocking down a buzzer beating, contested 3-pointer at the end of the half to cut the Spurs' lead to 18.  The Thunder dominated the second half, outscoring the Spurs 59-36 and playing frenetic defense.  OKC refused to back down or accept that it would have to return to San Antonio for a game 7.
With the win the Thunder moved one step closer to completing the journey from NBA doormat to champion.  General manager Sam Presti deserves much credit for building a team that has become the envy of most of the league.  After drafting Durant 2nd overall in the 2007 NBA draft, and selecting Westbrook 4th overall in 2008, the Thunder began the 2008-09 season, the franchise's first  in Oklahoma City, with a 3-29 record.  From that point on the team has rapidly progressed into a title contender and one of the league's most respected organizations.  The Thunder made the playoffs the following year before bowing out to the Lakers in the first round, reached the Conference Finals last season where the team was defeated by the Mavericks, and now has earned the right to play on basketball's biggest stage, the NBA finals.
Kevin Durant's selflessness and unique nature for a superstar has allowed the Thunder to blossom into an NBA title contender well ahead of schedule, despite being such a young team.  Durant and Westbrook are only 23 years old and James Harden and Serge Ibaka are each 22, yet the team plays with maturity and a singleminded pursuit of victory.  Because Durant values winning much more highly than individual accolades and statistics, his teammates love and respect him, and have adopted his team first mindset. Oklahoma City has put together a special group of elite young talents who play together unselfishly, and has finally broken through to what the organization hopes will be the first of many trips to the NBA finals.

Celtics win game 5, one win away from NBA finals berth

The Boston Celtics defeated the Miami Heat 94-90 to take a 3-2 series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.  In Winning their third consecutive game, Boston moved to within a win of returning to the NBA finals for the third time in the past five seasons.  Kevin Garnett continued his phenomenal postseason by posting another dominant performance and finishing with 26 points and 11 rebounds.  Garnett has turned back the clock this postseason, playing as well as he has since joining the Celtics five years ago.  Paul Pierce scored 19 points for the Celtics, and despite struggling with his shot all evening, drained a huge 3-pointer over Lebron James with under a minute left in the game to put the Celtics up by 4.
The Heat received 30 points from James and 27 from Dwyane Wade, including 14 in the 4th quarter, but the supporting cast did not show up ready to play.  Throughout the series Boston has repeatedly had role players like Mickael Pietrus, who had two crucial 3-pointers in the waning minutes of the game, step up and contribute, while Miami has relied on solely Wade and James.  Chris Bosh made his return to the Heat's lineup, playing for the first time since game 1 of the Conference Semifinals, and was effective scoring 9 points in only 14 minutes of playing time.  He will have to be able to play for longer stretches of game 6 for the Heat to have a chance to extend the series.
Throughout the game the Heat looked lost in their half-court offense, failed to get back on defense to stop the Celtics' fast breaks and struggled to make the correct defensive rotations.  Much credit has to be given to Boston head coach Doc Rivers for outcoaching his Miami counterpart Erik Spoelstra, and for electing to confound the Heat by switching between zone and man-to-man defenses in the 4th quarter.
At the All-Star break Boston had a 15-17 record and was considering trading away key components of the team's core.  Since then the team has a 35-17 record and is proving that it is not too old to compete for a championship.

Russell Westbrook Shirts and Lensless Glasses

Russell Westbrook is one of the top point guards in the NBA, but recently he has been making headlines for his fashion choices as much as for his on court dominance.  Here are some pictures of the outfits Westbrook has worn to his post-game interviews this postseason:

 

Thunder win game 5 to take 3-2 series lead

The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the San Antonio Spurs 108-103 in game 5 of the Western Conference Finals to take a 3-2 series lead, heading home with a chance to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals with a victory in game 6.  The Thunder were lead by Kevin Durant who, following an unusually quiet first half, scored 22 of his 27 points in the second half.  The Thunder also scored 28 points off of 21 San Antonio turnovers, providing the team with a chance to show off its athleticism in transition.  Despite OKC's youth, the team played with great poise, confidence and intelligence, and appears to be maturing on the big stage in front of a national audience.
The Thunder overcame early adversity when the team was called for three fouls in the first minute of the game, including two on Serge Ibaka the team's starting power forward.  Despite the team's early foul trouble the Thunder weathered the storm and was able to take a 14 point lead in the 2nd quarter.
Manu Ginobili, who Spurs' head coach Gregg Popovich elected to start, played an absolutely breathtaking game, leading all scorers with 34 points, including 5 three pointers, and almost singlehandedly keeping the Spurs in the game.  After multiple big plays down the stretch from Durant, Russell Westbrook who had 23 points and 12 assists, and James Harden who scored 20 points off the bench, the Thunder built a commanding 13 point lead with under 5 minutes remaining in the game.  The Spurs then went on an 11-0 run to cut the Thunder lead down to two, setting up a fantastic finish to the game.
With the Thunder nursing a 2 point lead with under 30 seconds remaining in the game, Harden knocked down a contested step back three pointer to put the Thunder up 5.  Ginobili then missed a three with 4 seconds left that could have tied the game, sealing the Thunder's victory.

Boston wins game 4 in OT to even series at 2-2

The Boston Celtics defeated the Miami Heat 93-91 in overtime to tie the Eastern Conference Finals at 2-2.  
The Celtics raced out to a 61-47 halftime lead and made 6 of their first 8 3-pointers, paced by Paul Pierce who had 18 of his 23 points in the first half and Rajon Rondo who had 10 of his 15 dazzling assists in the opening half.  During a half-time interview with Doris Burke, Rondo fired a shot at the Heat, claiming that what allowed Boston to achieve the commanding half-time lead was the Heat "complaining and crying to the referees in transition."
In the second half the Heat, playing the same small lineup that allowed them to almost come back from a 24 point deficit in game 3, furiously chipped away at the Celtics' lead, eventually tying the game in the 4th quarter.  With a chance to win the game Lebron James, who finished with 29 points and had just made a 3-pointer to tie the game at 89, drove into the teeth of the swarming Celtics' defense and was forced to throw an errant pass to Udonis Haslem who threw up an off balance shot that fell well short of the rim.
Both Pierce and James fouled out early in the overtime period.  Rondo scored the Celtics' last 3 points in the period to give the team a 2 point lead.  In the final possession of the game the Heat ran an isolation play for Dwyane Wade, who shot poorly throughout the game yet finished with 20 points.  Wade pump faked beyond the 3-point line, causing Marquis Daniels to leap into the air, but instead of jumping into Daniels to draw a foul and a trip to the free throw line with a chance to win the game, Wade regained his balance and took a 3-pointer that rattled off the rim.
Six Celtics had double digit points in the game, including Keyon Dooling whose infectious energy off the bench has been a huge factor all series long.

Thunder tie series win Spurs behind monster 4th quarter by Durant

The Thunder defeated the Spurs 109-103 Saturday night to tie the Western Conference Finals at 2-2.  Coming off a 20 point demolition of the Spurs on Thursday, the Thunder once again took care of business at home, surprising most pundits who considered the team all but eliminated after the Spurs raced out to a 2-0 series lead.  Kevin Durant continued to establish himself as the greatest closer in the NBA, scoring 18 of his 36 points in the final 7 minutes of the decisive 4th quarter.  Durant scored 16 straight points for the Thunder and showed off his full arsenal of moves, including a floater, 3-pointer, turnaround shot off a post up, a dunk off an alley-oop from James Harden and several midrange jumpers off the dribble on which he demonstrated his beautiful shooting stroke.  Durant played well in all facets of the game, finishing with 8 assists, 6 rebounds and excellent defense with the help of his 7'5" wingspan.  Durant received plenty of help from his front court teammates Serge Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins and Nick Collison who finished with a combined 49 points on 22-25 shooting, including 26 for Ibaka on perfect 11-11 shooting from the field.

Celtics win game 3 and cut series deficit to 2-1

The Boston Celtics cut the Miami Heat's series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals to 2-1 with a crucial 101-91 victory in game 3, despite coming off an exhausting and heartbreaking overtime loss to the Heat in game 2.  Boston withstood a first quarter offensive onslaught by Lebron James who had 16 points in the opening quarter and finished the game 34 points on 16-26 shooting.  After allowing the Heat to score several easy baskets in transition off of made field goals by the Celtics, Boston clamped down defensively, allowing the Heat to score only 35 points in the two subsequent quarters and building a 22 point lead.  Kevin Garnett scored 24 points and added 11 rebounds and helped the Celtics impose their will on the Heat in the paint.  Garnett showed off his legendary intensity in the second quarter after a hard foul in which he painfully landed on his back, by doing pushups on his knuckles.

Boston out rebounded Miami 44-32 despite being the worst rebounding team in the NBA in the regular season.  Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo set the tone for the Celtics offensively scoring 23 and 21 points respectively.  Rondo, who added 10 assists, did a tremendous job dictating the pace of the game, setting up teammates like Marquis Daniels who gave the Celtics a boost off the bench, and craftily making shots, including a beautiful layup off of his signature fake-behind the back pass.
The Heat made a comeback in the 4th quarter, cutting a 24 point deficit down to 8, while playing a small lineup featuring Lebron James at center.  Ultimately the Celtics were able to close out the game, boosting their confidence and setting up highly anticipated game 4 Sunday night.