2010 NBA Free Agents

With the NBA free agency period beginning in 24 hours, not only is this the greatest free agency class in NBA history sports history period. Never have there been so many franchises attempting to dump salary for the rights to land a LeBron, D-Wade, Stoudamire, Boozer, and many more star quality power. With Paul Pierce opting out of his deal in Boston I will predict where the top 10 free agents will most likely land. I predict Pierce will re-sign with Boston similar to what A-Rod did with the Yankees.

1. LeBron James - Ohio player finally leaves the nest and arrives in Chicago and fills the void to but the young Bulls over to top to Eastern Conference supremacy.
2. Dwyane Wade - South Beach or Homecoming...My prediction is that the 2006 NBA Finals returns home. 
3. Chris Bosh - Not Toronto...Chicago or Miami are the likely destination for the lefty Texan 20-10 power forward. 
4. Dirk Nowitzki - Hard to imagine the 2007 MVP playing elsewhere. He stays with Mark Cuban. 
5. Amar'e Stoudamire - Miami to possibly team with D-Wade assuming he stays otherwise a reunion with Coach D in New York. 
6. Carlos Boozer - Staying in Utah is the best move but teaming with LeBron wherever he lands seems more fitting. Just like 5 years ago, it's all about the highest bidder. 
7. Joe Johnson - Just like Phoenix 5 years ago, the highest bidder will land this dynamic shooting guard.
8. Paul Pierce - A-Rod move...The Truth will get a better payday from the Celtics for less years. 
9. Ray Allen - Pure shooting guard will probably stay with Boston but the Bulls should make a run as Jesus still has game.
10. David Lee - Former Florida Gator has turned into a nice 20-10 guy for the Knicks. Too soon to tell but expect Lee to play for a contender in the Western Conference when the season starts. 

NBA Lottery Mock Draft

Everybody will get the first two picks right but what about the rest of the lottery? Here's where I'll think these players will go based by team's need:

1. Washington Wizards: Need PG: My Selection - John Wall
2. Philiadelphia 76ers: Need Shooting Guard: My Selection - Evan Turner
3. New Jersey Nets: Need PF-SF-SG: My Selection - DeMarcus Cousins
4. Minnesota Timberwolves: Need SF: My Selection Wesley Johnson
5. Sacramento Kings: Need PF-PG: My Selection Derrick Favors
6. Golden State Warriors: Need C: My Selection - Greg Monroe
7. Detroit Pistons: PF-C: My Selection - Kole Aldrich
8. Los Angeles Clippers: SF: My Selection Al Farouqq Aminu
9. Utah Jazz: Need PF: My Selection Ed Davis
10. Indiana Pacers Needs PG: My Selection - Eric Bledsoe
11. New Orleans Hornets: Need SF My Selection - Paul George
12. Memphis Grizzlies: Needs PF: My Selection - Daniel Orton
13. Toronto Raptors: Needs PF My Selection - Patrick Patterson
14. Houston Rockets: Needs SF My Selection - Gordon Hayward

Tune in Thursday to ESPN for the official Draft selection.

2010 NBA Draft

Thursday marks the annual NBA Draft in Madison Square Garden. My prediction for the top three are John Wall, Evan Turner, and DeMarcus Cousins.

It's late but check back tomorrow as I predict the NBA Lottery and where will Sherron Collins & Jerome Randle will end up. 

Game 7 - Lakers Repeat

Yankees-Red Soxs, Ohio State-Michigan, Duke-North Carolina rivalry's have nothing on the Celtics-Lakers rivalry. Winners of the last two NBA titles squared off in an epic game 7 inside the Staples Center which resulted in Phil Jackson ending up with ring #11. In game 5, Phil Jackson mentioned the Boston Celtics are one of the worst 4th quarter team in the League and are terrible at closing games. That came to life as the Celtics were up by 14 with 6:42 left in the third but could not close out and nab title #18.

With Kobe Bryant not having his best performance, his teammates stepped up then Bryant closed out the game. Derrick Fisher and Ron Artest made clutch 3's along with Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom out playing the Celtics big men.

Black Mamba notched his second NBA Finals MVP and celebrated Jordan style by standing on the table with his world champion hat on counting to 5 toward the rest of the Laker fans. When Michael Jordan won his 5th title, he did the exact same thing at the United Center. Will the Lakers 3-peat? Probably so because I do believe they'll re-sign Phil Jackson and Derrick Fisher. The rest of the team is locked up for years.

Thank You Ron Artest for one of the funniest post-game interviews of all-time:

• Part 1
• Part 2

Celtics 1 away from 2010 Title

Last night in Boston the Celtics now lead the series 3-2 heading back to the Staples Center for game 6 Tuesday. Kobe had a monster 3rd quarter as well as a monster game with 38 points but he's the only Laker that's scoring. Andrew Bynum has been useless this entire series due to his bad knee. The Celtics bench of Allen, Wallace, Robinson, and Davis has been the key to this series. Unless the Lakers can get another scorer other than Bryant, expect a repeat of the 2008 Finals. Overall I still predict the this series will go seven games which will end up Phil Jackson landing ring #11.

Congratulation to Avery Johnson (Nets), Larry Drew (Hawks), and Monty Williams (Hornets) on becoming the new head coaches for those organizations. Coach Johnson has NBA Finals experience and was the 2006 Coach of the Year. Coach Drew & Williams have been assistants for the Hawks & Trailblazers for years and this is their first year coaching. Someone should still give Mark Jackson a head coaching gig as I know he would make and outstanding coach someday.

NBA Finals Tied 1-1...Coaching Moves

The Boston Celtics get their wish which was a split in the Staples Center. Ray Allen set an NBA Finals record  with 8 3-point buckets made and Rondo is turning into a regular Jason Kidd by getting triple doubles every other night. The Laker front-court of Gasol & Bynum have played great thus far but without another scorer to backup Kobe (meaning step up Larmar Odom) this series might not return to Los Angeles. At this point, Rondo is the MVP of the Finals so far.

Congrats to Monty Williams on landing the New Orleans Hornets coaching gig. I remember watching Monty Williams at Notre Dame plus he was also a solid pro. For the past 5 season, Coach Williams was the assistant coach for the Portland Trailblazers...good luck in the Big Easy.

My Chicago Bulls finally land a new head coach which is defensive minded guru Tom Thibodeau. He's been the mand behind the Celtics defense but I hope he can coach offense as well and is not a Jeff Van Gundy clone.

Reports are Tom Izzo will be the next coach of the Cavs but his is all speculation and if I were Izzo, I'm not leaving Michigan State whose teams is good enough to compete for the 2011 Final 4 with Kalin Lucas returning. Unless LeBron stays in Clevaland, Coach Izzo should stay in East Lansing.

NBA Finals - Celtics & Lakers

The NBA Finals finally begin tomorrow at the Staple Center between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics which is a rematch from the 2008 NBA Finals. This is the third straight Finals appearance for the Lake Show and the second out of three years for Boston. This also marks the finals between the last two NBA Champions.

Phil Jackson's squad knows that in order to compete, Kobe Bryant needs another teammate to also score otherwise this series will be similar to the 2008 one. Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom are capable of scoring 20 or more and occasionally Ron Artest but he's primarily here for defense. Doc Rivers's crew know that Rondo is now the engine of the Big 3 and everything starts and ends with him. Once again Laker point guards have their hands full with another speedy point guard.

Who should make an impact to this series:

• Rondo - Garnett, Pierce, Allen can have an average game but if Rondo doesn't step up, the Celtics become runner-ups.
• Pau Gasol - He must prove that he's not scared of Boston's bigs...primarily Kevin Garnett
• Ron Artest - Any extra scoring is helpful
• Andrew Bynum - Minimum 10 points 10 rebounds is expected
• Shannon Brown - The only other Laker guard that is not afraid to attack the basket

My prediction: Lakers in seven