NBA Rumors

The NBA Finals are over, and now we can fully devote all of our attention to the NBA Draft, upcoming free agency, and the many trades that could possibly take place sometime this summer. Here are a few of the latest rumors.

Gilbert Arenas has accepted the fact that he is no longer the main man in Washington now that the Wizards are guaranteed to pick John Wall with the first pick in Thursday's draft. However, he is not ready to give up completely on the franchise, especially after his dreadful past season that involved bringing a gun into the Wizards' locker room. Arenas has been training with a purpose this offseason. He is making it known that he has something left, and that he can still contribute to an NBA team. Look for him to be moved to shooting guard this year, which will make for a formidable back court once he and Wall are a duo. Arenas should have a fairly good year, and he is more than capable of averaging 17-20 points in a Wizard's offense that will likely run through him and Wall.

There has been speculation about both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics since the finale of the NBA Finals. The Lakers are looking to retain unrestricted free agents Derek Fisher and Shannon Brown as well as head coach Phil Jackson. I expect all three to return to Los Angeles next year. Boston is a different story, however. Doc Rivers will likely leave the organization in order to be closer to his family and spend more time with his children. Rasheed Wallace may retire. Paul Pierce has a player option to terminate his contract and pursue free agency, but he had previously stated that he wished to be a Celtic for life. Expect him to remain in Boston. Ray Allen is another question mark, and he could possibly be lured from the Celtics if a team is willing to give him a big enough contract.

The Minnesota Timberwolves could be one of the most interesting teams this offseason. Although they will probably not land any top tier free agents, there have been rumors that Rudy Gay is interested in joining the team. He is listed as a small forward but could possibly play the shooting guard position if needed. If the Wolves believe that they have a legitimate shot at landing Gay after the July 1 opening, they could look to address the shooting guard position in the draft. Otherwise, I expect them to take Wesley Johnson, the small forward from Syracuse. The Timberwolves are a confusing team, though. Think of this potential starting line-up: Jonny Flynn, Corey Brewer, Wesley Johnson/Rudy Gay, Kevin Love, Al Jefferson. Pretty good right? Apparently, the Wolves believe that Love and Jefferson cannot co-exist on the floor, though. I've addressed this issue in the past, but it has come up again. Some Minnesota executives have even hinted at the fact that either Love or Jefferson could be traded before the draft even though both are better than the alternative at center, Darko Milicic.

Lastly, the roster of the Dallas Mavericks could be undergoing major changes in the offseason. Erick Dampier could be on his way out, and Jason Kidd could come off the bench next year. Obviously all efforts are being made to keep Dirk Nowitzki, and Mark Cuban has even talked about trying to work out a sign and trade option for LeBron James. That could be another formidable lineup next year: Jason Kidd/Roddy Beaubois, Caron Butler, LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, Brendan Haywood. That team could easily contend with the reigning champion Lakers for the Western Conference crown. Concerning Dampier, I'd expect him to be moved, but that he will sign with another team.

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Lakers Repeat as Champions, Bryant Named MVP

In yet another chapter of the most historic rivalry in the NBA between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, defense and physical play dominated throughout. The Lakers ended up squeaking out the win beating the Celtics 83-79 after trailing for much of the second quarter and all of the third quarter.

However, the length of the Lakers eventually took a toll on the Celtics' post players. Pau Gasol had another huge game for Los Angeles having 19 points and 18 rebounds. On a night when Finals MVP Kobe Bryant (23 points, 15 rebounds) struggled for most of the game by shooting 6-24, Ron Artest helped Gasol by scoring 20 points, hauling in 5 rebounds, and swiping 5 steals. Artest and Gasol were easily the most effective players for the Lakers tonight. Even though the Lakers bench only scored 9 points (seven by Lamar Odom), defense was the game changer, especially down the stretch. Derek Fisher added 10 points for the 2010 Champion Los Angeles Lakers. Phil Jackson won his 11th championship, and received a $2 million dollar bonus because of the victory. This win was Bryant's and Fisher's fifth championship each.

Boston came out hot early, but couldn't contend with the Lakers rebounding and length on the offensive and defensive ends of the court. Rasheed Wallace had an exceptional game filling in for the injured Kendrick Perkins. Wallace had 11 points and 8 rebounds, but ended up fouling out in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Glen Davis also had the task of helping on defense down in the post. He grabbed 9 rebounds and had 6 points. No other Celtics bench player scored in Game Seven. However, the rest of the Celtics' starters all scored in double figures which helped the Celtics to have a chance to win the game at LA down to the final minute. Paul Pierce had 18 points, Kevin Garnett had 17, Rajon Rondo had 14, and Ray Allen had 13.

Amidst coaching rumors concerning next season, Phil Jackson stated in a postgame interview with ESPN's Stuart Scott that he would most likely decide on his future within the next week.

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NBA Finals Game Four Preview

The biggest rivalry in the NBA has once again reached its culmination in the NBA Finals, and there's no turning back or attempting to play down the series. Los Angles fans hate Boston. Boston fans hate Los Angeles. End of story.There's no way to sugar-coat it.

The next two wins in Boston are must wins if they have any hope of winning this series. I refuse to believe that if Boston heads back to Los Angeles trailing 3-2 that they will be able to win it all. Not a chance. The New Jersey Nets have a better shot at winning all 82 games next year. Phil Jackson would never be that out-coached and Kobe Bryant would never be that out-played on their home court. Therefore, I see the Celtics coming out of the tunnel tomorrow night with fire in their eyes. They all will have one goal: to even the series. They can't afford to fall 3-1. Otherwise, Paul Pierce might be correct in his prediction that the series won't even head back to LA.

Doc Rivers attempted to fix some officiating blunders that he felt were committed in Game Three by sending a video tape to the league office. He expressed his feelings about how Derek Fisher grabbed, jabbed, and held Ray Allen throughout the game, which could have affected his shooting. I think that overall this was a smart move by Rivers. People always ask me why do players and coaches argue a foul call or turnover after it has already been committed? The answer is so that the next call goes in your favor. Sending a video tape into the league office could be just what the Celtics need in order to put a stop to some of the more physical defense the Lakers have been executing thus far.

A bright spot for the Lakers is that Andrew Bynum will be able to play in Game Four tomorrow night. The Lakers have used their size and length to their advantage thus far, and I don't see that changing. Pau Gasol took advantage of the smaller Glen Davis, and Bynum has had his way with both Kendrick Perkins and Rasheed Wallace. Lamar Odom is a difficult defensive matchup for Glen Davis as well. Therefore, I expect the Lakers to work the ball inside often in Game Four and possibly create some early foul trouble for the Celtics' big men.

My prediction for the game is that the Celtics will win by seven points. This game will be very physical because Boston will be defending their home court, and the Lakers will be attempting to go into the weekend up 3-1. However, I think that Rivers will be able to motivate his players enough to come back from their dismal performance on Tuesday. Ray Allen will not go without a field goal again - look for Rajon Rondo to distribute the ball to both him and Paul Pierce early so that the two can establish a rhythm for the rest of the game.

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Lakers Take Finals Lead 1-0

While I was watching Game One of the NBA Finals, I received a text message from one of my friends who can't stand Kobe. That could be an understatement; he absolutely despises, loathes, and finds fault with every trip down the court that Kobe is a part of during a game. It read, "LeBron has one more year to prove his dominance...if not then it's Kobe". I couldn't help but chuckle to myself and responded with "To hell with next year, turn your TV on. If it's on, watch closer." LeBron has had seven years to prove his self-proclaimed "King" status. He's failed. Kobe is in the final games of the best playoff performance of his already prolific career. Analysts are saying he could be considered the greatest Laker ever if he wins this title. Nothing changed Thursday night in Game One with the Lakers beating the Celtics 102-89.

Bryant continued his domination finishing with 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. The Lakers big men used their length to their advantage once again. Pau Gasol had 23 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 blocks, and Andrew Bynum finished with 10 points and 6 rebounds. Gasol and Bynum also stepped up to Phil Jackson's comments earlier this week proclaiming that the Lakers' big men must play more physically. Toughness was questioned, and the Lakers wouldn't stand for it. Defensive specialist Ron Artest (15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals) did an excellent job with his primary job of the series: limit Paul Pierce's (24 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists) effectiveness. After nine points in the first quarter, Pierce was held to just two more in the second and third quarters combined.

The Celtics remained close throughout the game, but they were "outworked" according to head coach Doc Rivers. Watching ABC's broadcast of the game, Rivers was often "wired" and said that the Celtics were never playing completely together as a team, and he was right. The Celtics did not bring the same intensity that they had throughout the playoffs, and the team never really looked like they trusted each other tonight. Ray Allen (12 points) was in foul trouble with five personals by the end of the third quarter. Rajon Rondo finished with 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists and was easily the most effective Celtic tonight. The Celtic bench that has been so clutch throughout the playoffs? Well, they played like a typical bench and were almost non-existant. The most inspiring Celtic stat tonight? Center Kendrick Perkins remained with six technical fouls (one away from an automatic suspension after the seventh). Rasheed Wallace did pick up his fifth "T" tonight, however.

Looking forward to Game Two, what can we expect? With another game at LA, my prediction is another Lakers win and a commanding 2-0 lead. The Lakers are too good at Staples Center and will not drop a game at home this postseason.

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Lakers Remain Unbeaten at Home in Postseason

The Los Angeles Lakers successfully defended their home court against the Phoenix Suns earlier tonight. This will force a decisive Game Six which will be held in Phoenix on Saturday. Kobe Bryant was one assist away from a triple-double with 30 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists, and 4 blocks. Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher, and Lamar Odom all scored in double figures for the Lakers. The key for the Lakers tonight was limiting Amare Stoudemire's impact on the game. After Stoudemire erupted in Games Three and Four, he scored only 19 points and had 4 rebounds in Game Five.

With 3.5 seconds remaining, the game was tied 101-101. Phil Jackson and the rest of Laker nation had just witnessed Ron Artest put up an ill-advised three point jump shot just 51 seconds ago when he could have opted to run out the clock. This allowed the Suns to tie the game with a Jason Richardson three pointer. On the inbound pass to Bryant, he quickly turned and fired strongly contested three pointer. It didn't touch the rim, but Ron Artest grabbed the offensive rebound and shot a lay-up to win the game at the buzzer.

Now the series heads back to Phoenix where anything could happen. The Suns have played their best basketball at home this postseason, and I don't see anything changing for Game Six. I think that if the Lakers are looking to end this series in six games, they must take the Suns fans out of the game early. Squash any hope of winning the game and take every last ounce of life out of the Suns. However, this will be difficult to do, and my gut tells me that this series will need the full seven games to be completed.

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Panic in Los Angeles?

The Los Angeles Lakers looked invincible after the first two games of the Western Conference Finals. However, now they look vulnerable thanks to the way that they have played in the last two games. But should Lakers fans be worried? Let's examine both sides of this argument.

Yes, be afraid!

1. Pau Gasol cannot successfully defend Amare Stoudemire. Period. Stoudemire is much too quick for Gasol which all but negates Gasol's height advantage. Gasol has been labeled as a passive post player in the past, and his five rebounds in Game Four resurfaced these discussions.

2. Andrew Bynum is hurt. Even though he insists that his knee is ok any one that watches him play can tell he's not 100%. After a couple trips up and down the court, he looks like he isn't comfortable, and Phil Jackson will normally take him out after 5-7 minutes of work.

3. The Suns bench, although non-existent in Games One and Two, have been resurrected by their home crowd. Channing Frye hit his first shots in what seemed like an eternity last night. Goran Dragic has been looking good, and his speed has been a problem for the Lakers.

4. The Lakers haven't been hitting open shots. When the team was down in both Games Three and Four, they opted for the three pointer to help them climb back. Not a bad plan, but none of the shots were falling even though there was minimal defense by the Suns.

No, just stay calm!

1. The Lakers are returning home where they have been undefeated this postseason. I think the home crowd is just what Los Angeles needs to get a decisive win in Game Five and put the pressure on Phoenix. Also, in order to win the series, Los Angeles only needs to win at home because of home court advantage.

2. There is a height advantage for the Lakers at nearly every position. Gasol, Bynum, and Odom can all rebound and score, but they must stay aggressive on the boards throughout the game. Look for the Lakers to better utilize this height advantage through the rest of this series.

3. Kobe Bryant will be the best player on the court for every remaining playoff game he plays in this year. Lakers fans know this. Everyone in the world knows this. He's going to be effective no matter what kind of defensive schemes are thrown at him. Just watch him play.

4. Phil Jackson is the best coach in the league. He knows how to motivate his team when it matters most. The fact that he's undefeated when his team goes up 2-0 (like they did against Phoenix) doesn't hurt either.

So after looking at these two perspectives should the Lakers be worried? Not at all. They will return home where they will continue to remain undefeated in the playoffs. I'm going to give them a 99% chance to win the series based on home court advantage alone. That one percent is not because I'm not confident in my prediction, but because the Cavaliers lost with home court advantage this playoffs so I won't rule out anything yet.

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Phil Jackson in the Midst of Coaching Rumors

Although Phil Jackson insists that he will retire at the end of the season, his girlfriend has told reporters otherwise. Two teams who have apparently indirectly reached out to Jackson to fill coaching vacancies are the Chicago Bulls and New Jersey Nets. Jackson began his coaching career in New Jersey where he served as a player/assistant for the last two years of his career. Chicago could be a tempting option for Jackson considering he won six championships with the Bulls in the nineties. However, Jackson has been quoted as saying that if he coaches anywhere next year, he is ninety percent sure that it will be with the Los Angeles Lakers, his current team. A fourth team that Jackson's name has been associated with is the Cleveland Cavaliers due to the recent firing of Mike Brown. Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert has shown that he will be willing to spend any amount of money to keep LeBron James in Cleveland. If I had to assign percentages to the various coaching possibilities they would look like this:

Chicago Bulls: 10% The ONLY reason that I could see Jackson coaching again in Chicago is if LeBron James decides to play for the Bulls next season. Jackson has done a marvelous job with superstars (6 championships with Michael Jordan and 4 championships with Kobe Bryant), and LeBron could be his next big player.

Cleveland Cavaliers: 5% This possibility is based on LeBron staying in Cleveland. Why is it lower than Chicago if it is based on the same player? Jackson has never coached in Cleveland, and he had a large amount of success in Chicago.

Los Angeles Lakers: 85% Jackson is loved in Los Angeles. Although he would have to take a pay cut of nearly seven million dollars next year, he has a great relationship with Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher, and the other players for the Lakers. Also, the Lakers will be championship contenders for the next five years, and Jackson wouldn't leave that situation.

New Jersey Nets: 0% Jackson is a proven winner. New Jersey is not. This combination would not work because at this point in his career Jackson would not accept a coaching job that would not give him an immediate chance to win.

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