5/22/10 Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics (Game 3) Predictions

Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics- 8:30 ET ESPN

Was Redick drunk when he decided to call a timeout in the backcourt?

The Orlando Magic’s Game 2 performance can be summed up with mental breakdowns. From Vince Carter not focusing at the free throw line throwing up to bricks in the critical moments to J.J. Redick dazed and confused calling allowing about four seconds to expire before calling a timeout in the backcourt. Simply put, the Magic gave the Celtics not only Game 2, but the entire series.

There’s no doubt the Celtics smell blood and they’ll be going for the kill in Game 3. They understand exactly what opportunity is at hand now that the series has shifted back home to Boston and don’t think the fans won’t be fired up as well. Offensively Paul Pierce will lead the usual charge and nothing could be any sweeter than if Rondo’s able to put up 20+ points. Rondo’s scoring outage is a really important motor to the Celtics success and I expect Rajon to bring his “A-Game” in Game 3.

Van Gundy must unleash Air France

For the Magic it goes without saying that Rashard Lewis has been a complete joke all series long. In Game 2, Lewis played a team-high 41 minutes and only contributed 5 points. Obviously that’s a big problem but the biggest issue in Game 2 was that nobody was able to “cover up” Lewis’s lackluster play. Nelson and Carter both struggled from the field and for some reason I can not understand why Stan Van Gundy didn’t give Pietrus more than 15 minutes of action. Mickael Pietrus is my key to a Magic Game 3 victory, not only is he counted upon to bring some production off the bench, but he also can be the man who steps right in to fill Lewis’s scoring load.

Hey Dwight, ask your "wanna-be" LeBron puppet, if there's a chance the complete Dwight Howard can step up in Game 3

As for Dwight Howard, the team’s catalyst, he’ll need another strong outing especially on the road. What concerns me so far in this series is Howard’s ability to play at both ends of the floor. In Game 1 he was a non-factor on offensively but tallied 12 rebounds and 5 blocks. Then in Game 2, he went off for 30 points but only snagged 8 rebounds and didn’t even record a block! Where in the world did the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year go?

Of course, that question isn’t referring to Dwight Howard’s vacation plans but it soon could be if the Magic can’t win Game 3. Celtics execute their game plan and get overall better team contributions leading them to victory.

Celtics- 97 Magic- 93

The Celtics may be able to close out this series faster than Usain Bolt

5/19/10 Phoenix Suns at LA Lakers (Game 2) Predictions

Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers- 9 ET TNT

Frye must contribute a few treys with or without giving Hill a piggyback

While I believe Game 1 was a true indicator of who will take the series, the Suns won’t go down without giving themselves a worthwhile fight back at home for games 3 and 4. Rest assured, the Suns won’t lose in such an embarrassing fashion again this series and with that being said Game 2 looks promising.

“Live or Die by the Three”- For year’s it’s been the Phoenix Suns’ motto, in Game 1 they died by it and we’re already dead before the fourth quarter started. Outside of Jason Richardson, the Suns were atrocious from downtown as Nash, Frye, Dudley, Dragic, and Barbosa shot an ugly 2-16 from long range. That folks is something that won’t happen in Game 2, expect at three of the five players I just mentioned to at the very least hit two threes tonight (my guess would be Nash/Frye/Dudley).

In the series, continue to watch how Phil Jackson decides to use Andrew Bynum, it seems to that Coach Jackson allows the Lakers the freedom to run up and down with the Suns at home. But then on the road inside the U.S. Airways Center expect Bynum to be more of a factor as the Lakers choose to play a slower paced game.

Nearly Exact Replicas

It’s almost scary to me how similar stat lines Gasol and Stoudemire have when facing each other. While the two may have their athletic differences, when it comes down to overall skill level and talents at the power forward position, they’re nearly identical. Both are very good from the foul line, very good around 15 feet, and both have a great array of post moves on the block.

As for Kobe Bryant, Suns fans will be relieved of any 40 point surges. Grant Hill and Jared Dudley have a game under their belt and from here on out, they’ll only to continue to adapt their defensive strategies towards him. Don’t get me wrong though, while there’s no stopping Kobe completely, don’t expect the Black Mamba to go off for anymore than 32 points at most.

If the Suns decide to test out their zone defense on the Lakers in Game 2, you’re guaranteed to see more of Andrew Bynum. I’m not so certain, testing the zone out is the right idea to be quite frank because I think it only attacks the Suns weaknesses down low. The more opportunities you give the Lakers to open up their high-low game with Gasol and Bynum the more foul trouble you may see from Amare Stoudemire. And without Stoudemire on the offensive end, you can kiss goodbye any good looks from the three-point arc with no real threats inside.

Game 2 shall be a good one from start to finish with the Phoenix Suns coming out on top shipping the series back to Phoenix tied 1-1.

Suns- 114 Lakers- 107

I must say being back here in Phoenix while this Suns/Lakers series is going on has been great to follow all the stories and all the hype. I’ve been told by a few Suns fans that this is the Suns fans “pump up” YouTube video before they tune into the game, ALL I CAN SAY IS ENJOY!

5/18/10 Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic (Game 2)

Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic 8:30 ET ESPN

Magic got just what the "Doc" had ordered in Game 1

The Orlando Magic got just what the “Doc” had ordered in preparation of Game 1. It all got started with the tremendous defensive effort throughout the entire 48 minutes of play. The Celtics effectively pressured the Magic on the perimeter forcing them off the three-point line and when the Magic swung the ball, the Celtics rotations were perfected with ease.

Expect to see an entirely different Game 2 tonight, not only will the Magic bounce back, but the Celtics will be fine settling with a spilt series heading back to Boston. Don’t worry Magic fans it’s not time to panic and honestly, I’d probably panic if I were a Boston Celtics fan. Here’s why:

-The Magic shot 5-22 from behind the three-point line

-The Magic had a total of 10 assists for the game

-The Magic turned the ball over 18 times

THE END RESULT= A 4 POINT LOSS!!!

'Shard & Dwight must immediately improve their contributions offensively

Both Vince Carter and Jameer Nelson have been spectacular for the majority of the 2010 NBA Playoffs, but the two Magic players that have yet to remain consistent have been the money makers in Rashard Lewis and Dwight Howard, who combined for a mere 19 points in Game 1.

Down low, Dwight Howard must get tougher and actually begin using the muscles he’s gifted with, no more settling for the “avoid-contact-at-all-cost” hook shots. On top of the moves, Dwight’s got to remain mentally tough, it was clear in Game 1 that he allowed Rasheed Wallace to get the best of him.

Then there’s Rashard Lewis, ugh it gives me a headache every time I think about how much he’s getting paid, Lewis must start knocking down those contested shots from the perimeter. At nearly 7 foot and having a high release point on his follow through, there’s no excuse for him not being able to drill those spilt-second open looks.

Better team play, with the improved play of both Howard and Lewis will lead the Magic to a Game 2 victory tonight.

Magic- 97 Celtics- 91

Professor Wallace Teaches Young Dwight a Lesson During Free Throw Attempts:

5/17/10 Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers (Game 1)

Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers- 9 ET TNT

Why can't the Suns get any love?

On top of all the “you’re wrong” comments sent my way via Suns fans, I’ve recently been hit with a surge of Suns fans wondering why I and the majority of the sports media world don’t give the Suns any love. While I can stand here and think of a variety of different why that is, I think it’s much more significant to inform all Suns fans not to worry: Embrace it! The Phoenix Suns are at their best when there’s no expectations! The moment they’re expected to do something is when they fail….

Past Examples:

2004-2005 Suns Starters: Nash/Johnson/Richardson/Marion/Stoudemire= best Suns team since the 2000's

When were expected to dominate the NBA Playoffs as they did the 2004-2005 regular season= fail

When Shawn Marion is expected to be happy and remain a Suns player for his entire career= fail

When Shaquille O’Neal was expected to be the missing link to a championship caliber team= fail

Present Examples:

When Steve Nash is expected to play a little defense= fail

When Jared Dudley and the Suns bench are expected to provide a huge boost= fail

When the Suns have a early 15 to 20 point lead and expect to maintain it= fail

Suns may still regret not doing this

Future Examples in Question:

When Jared Dudley & Grant Hill are expected to slow down Kobe: _______ ?

When Amare Stoudemire is expected to resign in Phoenix this offseason: _______?

When Goran Dragic is expected to be the Suns everyday starting point guard: _______?

Goran Dragic might possibly be the best example that comes to mind when talking about the Suns and expectations. While there’s no doubt that Goran Dragic’s Game 3 performance in San Antonio was outstanding to say the very least, it was THAT outstanding because you didn’t expect it. The moment Suns fans come to expect Goran Dragic to do something (like me) you’ll find yourselves disappointed in the final product. Same applies to the Suns organization. Don’t have any expectations heading into the Western Conference Finals Suns fans, I’m looking out in the best interest of you all. Continue to enjoy the ride without worrying about what Bill Plaschke, Phil Jackson, and hell even what Ross Geiger says. The moment the sports world outside of Phoenix begins to believe in this Suns team is when it collapses.

The Lakers' Big Three

Now with all that being said, I got good news for the Phoenix Suns, I like the majority of the sports world have the Lakers in Game 1. It’s going to be interesting to watch the Suns try to stop the Lakers strong inside presence of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. The most important key of all is not allowing Amare Stoudemire to fall into early foul trouble. If at any point in this series, Amare sees foul trouble early into ball games, the Suns stand no chance unless they’re just hitting everything from the perimeter. Balanced scoring: inside and out, is something both teams need to solidify their success. The Suns must not count heavily on knocking down the perimeter threes against the Lakers, rather must attack the basket and try to draw some fouls down low on Bynum. If the Suns can get Bynum into some foul trouble, the game is pretty much an even battle.

How the Lakers decide upon approaching who defends Steve Nash is also something to watch for. We all know Derek Fisher will clearly start from tipoff, but I see Phil Jackson calling upon Shannon Brown to play that Jerryd Bayless/George Hill-type role against Nash. Jordan Farmar is another guy to watch out for. Any matchup that puts Steve Nash on his heels on defense is something I see Phil Jackson trying his best to exploit. Especially now after Steve Nash retaliated back by saying that Gregg Popovich is the best head coach in the NBA, I see Coach Jackson taking to Nash every and often.

A Lakers win will result in keeping Bynum out of foul trouble, solid play from Gasol at least matches the stat line of Stoudemire, and the no show productivity from the Phoenix Suns bench. Lakers take Game 1 at home.

Lakers- 107 Suns- 99

I Don’t See Channing Frye or Jared Dudley Being Able to Deliver Clutch Knockdowns Like This One, That Goes Down in My Book as the My Favorite Suns Shot of All-Time over Rex Chapman’s Prayer:

5/16/10 Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic (Game 1)

Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic- 3:30 ET ABC

The Boston Three Party (the one last title shot)

Though the Celtics-Cavs series didn’t go the expected 7 games, the Magic should be well rested yet again for their third and final matchup in the Eastern Conference. Only the Boston Celtics them back from returning to the NBA Finals for the second straight year with an improved, experienced roster. The Celtics having taken a year off from a Finals appearance look to get there for what could be their last chance at winning a title, at least with The Boston Three Party.

The Celtics aging stars don’t have much left in the tank for being “go-to” players and soon will all transform into Rasheed Wallace type guys where a once all-star turns role player happens. Ray Allen is a free agent at the end of the season and there’s a very good chance he won’t return to Boston, after all, he was being shopped by Danny Ainge throughout the course of this season.

On the other hand, the Magic are on the complete opposite side of the spectrum. While Vince Carter play resemble that of Celtics star, the rest of the Orlando key players are blossoming as we speak. One that’s been shining more than ever is point guard Jameer Nelson who’s arguably been the team’s catalyst during this 2010 playoff run. Nelson has been spectacular in the first, two rounds of play torching both the Charlotte Bobcats and the Atlanta Hawks.

"The" Matchup that will decide the verdict of the series

In Game 1, I’m immediately pointing towards the key matchup of Jameer Nelson and Rajon Rondo. Both point guards have been the catalysts on their respected teams and are key reasons why they’ve been as successful as they have been so far. Whomever tallies the better of the two overall stat lines will help win the game for their team. To me that right there is the key to each and every game we’ll see in this Eastern Conference Finals series. Rondo plays better than Nelson= Celtics win; Nelson plays better than Rondo= Magic win. The Magic may be 8-0 in the playoffs, but today look for Rondo and the Celtics to have other plans in Game 1. Celtics shock the Magic on the road.

Celtics- 108 Magic- 103

This Series Could & Should Get Pretty Interesting

5/11/10 NBA Playoff Prediction

Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers- 8 ET TNT

Unbelievable in Game 4, down right nasty stat line....

To me, each team’s success in this series isn’t rocket science. For the Celtics to win they must get a big scoring contribution from point guard Rajon Rondo. For the Cavaliers, on the other hand, well it’s clearly got to be the play of LeBron James. After Game 3, I was at a loss of words, you’re meaning to tell me it’s possible for a point guard to drop 29 points, snatch down 18 rebounds, and drop 13 assists? Numbers like that even make Jason Kidd lose his breath, Rajon Rondo was an absolute beast to say the very least! (rhyme intended)

"It's on the the next one" for LeBron & the Cavs after dropping Game 4

Now I’m not a huge fan of Rajon Rondo but it’s hard not liking what he did in Game 3, the Celtics won’t lose a single game if Rondo can play like that on a consistent basis, not to mention go down in the record books. But now the story shifts, as LeBron’s buddy-ole- pal sings, “On to the Next One”. King James is back in his throne at home for Game 5 and his team has a bad taste in their mouths after losing Game 4.

For the Cavs it’s step up time for Mo Williams, he’s been very disappointing to say the least and if you can’t score, please save yourself from getting embarrassed. I don’t care how good a point guard with the size of Rondo is, he shouldn’t be able to do what he did in Game 4. The Cavs need a big win in Game 5 to keep control of the series, but just like tonight’s opening tipoff, the series is up for grabs. I’ll take LeBron James in Game 5.

Cavaliers- 104 Celtics- 96

Three Keys to another Celtics Win

1) Hit Varejao in the Balls

2) Don’t Acknowledge Brian Scalabrine

3) And Clearly, Don’t Score for the Other Team!

5/10/10 NBA Playoff Predictions

Orlando Magic at Atlanta Hawks- 8 ET TNT

It's time to unleash Mario West & let him try his best to stomp on the Magic

It’s only Monday but T.G.I.F. thank goodness it’s finished! At least as far as this series is concerned, it’s been a complete joke, and there’s no sense wasting anymore of my time or your time doing a write-up on a series that was over even before it started. This has to go down as one of the worst second round series of all time, I mean seriously, each final score looks as if it’s a preseason game matchup. Speaking of preseason, the Hawks should prepare for this one as if it is next season and play their youth. The Atlanta Hawks “so-called” rowdy fans have already thrown in the towel, why shouldn’t the team follow suit? Magic win again.

Magic- 113 Hawks- 93

First Dwight Howard stole the nickname “Superman” from Shaq & Now Take This From King James?!?! haha

Los Angeles Lakers at Utah Jazz- 10:30 ET TNT

Nearly a Game 3 Hero

I wished you all could’ve heard the roar of exasperation that traveled throughout the dorm room on the campus of Marquette University as the final buzzer sounded at the end of Game 3 on Saturday. Our very own, Wesley Matthews fell just short of being a Game 3 hero with a last second tip in at the buzzer, but the ball just didn’t bounce his way.

Facing a 3-0 deficit the Jazz are toast, but I think they’re a team with too much pride and heart to get swept and finished off on their home floor. Deron Williams will be given his time to shine much like Dwayne Wade did in Round 1, down 3-0 against the Boston Celtics. The Jazz will ultimately help the Phoenix Suns get another few days rest and give them a chance to sit down to study the Lakers live. The Jazz are much more similar to the Suns than they’d probably like to admit. While their effort on the defensive end is much different, their size and style with their postmen is very similar. Jazz take Game 4 and avoid the sweep.

Jazz- 108 Lakers- 101

Jazz Rookie Wesley Matthews & Kosta Koufos have a Dance-Off

5/9/10 NBA Playoff Predictions

Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics- 3:30 ET ABC

For the Celtics, Game 3 was embarrassing to say the least and it ended up being the historic franchise’s worst playoff loss ever. Game 4 isn’t just a matter of winning or losing it’s more about stepping up to the challenge that comes with playing against LeBron James.

Stop Simply Glancing at the Scoreboard & Make Some Adjustments!

Head Coach Doc Rivers and his handful of well-seasoned NBA greats never once even made an effort to make an adjustment in Game 3 on LeBron. They didn’t show any pride, allowing their team in their city to get absolutely embarrassed in their first home game in Round 2. There are no excuses for not even trying to make adjustments! None! Zip zero!

Now granted LeBron hit his fair share of “nothing-else-you-can-do” shots on Celtics defenders but at some point in the game, you to pick your poison, and force those around LeBron to beat you. Everyone knows there’s a lot of pressure on the Cavaliers to win a championship this year with LeBron heading into a free agency campaign. Despite where you stand on whether LeBron will leave Cleveland or not, the pressure is clearly there. The Cavs organization has done it’s best to surround LeBron will the very best unit that can help him become an NBA champion, make those guys (Mo Williams, Antawn Jamison, and heck even Shaquille O’Neal) prove that!

Make Him Beat You

All season long the Celtics have been a team that either show up and play or just aren’t all quite there, a sad but true statement about a group of notable, experienced players. Game 4, I expect the Cavaliers to prevail yet again. If the Celtics are to stand a chance they’ll have to get a big boost scoring wise from Rajon Rondo. But I see LeBron and the Cavs heading home just one win away from the Eastern Conference Finals.

Cavaliers- 107 Celtics- 93

Someone Please Inform LeBron That Tomorrow is in fact Mother’s Day & He Shouldn’t Tell His Mother to “Sit Her Ass Down”….

Coincidentally this happen in a playoff series against the Celtics!

Phoenix Suns at San Antonio Spurs- 8 ET TNT

That Goal Was To Make My Predictions Look Foolish- Mission Accomplished

I’ll be first to admit it, I’ve been horribly wrong with my expectations for the Suns in this year’s NBA playoffs. Maybe it was just my lack of interest in the team, even better, it might just be the fact that in the past two years the only games televised here in Milwaukee are on TNT, or maybe I got it all twisted. Maybe it’s not my expectations for the Suns that are terribly off, instead it’s my expectations for the San Antonio Spurs. After all, I did kind of forget that they’re the 7^th seed.

But 7^th seed or 1^st seed bottom line is both of these teams are very similar. Both have their big names stars ending their prime in Nash and Duncan. Both have their scoring machine shooting guards in Richardson and Ginobili. And probably most importantly both have plenty of concerns to deal with at the end of their seasons.

But hey, I’m not here to bash either team in fact I’ve been very impressed with the Suns demeanor and if they keep this momentum up, I might even give them a slight chance of beating the Los Angeles Lakers in a 7 game series.

Cherish This Suns Fans

There’s really not much to comment on heading into Game 4. The series is clearly over and the Suns would be foolish not to give it their all to finish their business tomorrow night. But if I were still a Suns fan, I’d actually wish upon a Suns loss. If you’re a diehard Suns fan it’d be priceless to be at Game 5 and being able to talk trash and boot the Spurs out of the playoffs in Phoenix, something the Suns fans can’t say they’ve done in years. I can already see the crowd of Suns fans outside the Suns player parking garage anxiously awaiting the departure of the Spurs team bus headed to Sky Harbor that night.

One final note before I call it quits on this post, how can I not at least give some recognition to Goran Dragic. While I’m far from impressed of his potential, I’d be ignorant to say what he did in Game 3 wasn’t very impressive. Congrats Goran, you’ve only continued to help Suns fans maintain some hope that you are the future point guard. Your shot has drastically improved, there’s no doubt about it, but as far as being a leader goes, you got a long ways to go. Keep making steady improvements and maybe I’ll decide to budge a little, but having the tendency to pick up your dribble for no purpose and turning over the ball in the backcourt when faced with backcourt on the ball pressure doesn’t help your case. Oh and by the way, my name is spelled Ross, not Rosse so next time someone decides to try to play a joke on me and ask you to personally make an autograph out to me, drop the “e” my friend. (True Story).  But nonetheless good job in Game 3, you stepped up in a big position and got the job done, something I’m not used to seeing you do in games I’ve been able to watch. So with all this I apologize to any offended Suns fans, maybe it’s just the games I’m able to see that misguide my judgments, as do many of you when it comes to your opinion on my Milwaukee Bucks. But hey, at the end of the day, congrats to the Phoenix Suns, you’ve done it, you’ve finally beat the Spurs and did s in an impressive and very commanding fashion. You’re headed to the Western Conference Finals.

Suns- 111 Spurs- 103

While I could remember this….

I’ll Choose to Remember This….

5/8/10 NBA Playoff Predictions

Orlando Magic at Atlanta Hawks- 5 ET ESPN

Horford showing off the difference of height between he and Dwight

If Atlanta is going to win a game in the series, it’s going to have to come tonight. Facing a 2-0 deficit, they return home where they hope to slow down the Orlando Magic’s winning streak that currently stands at 6 games. In order to make that happen, they’d have to find a solution for slowing down Dwight Howard, something that seems to be very improbable after watching the first two games of the series.

Even with impressive Game 2 performance from Al Horford who went for 24 points and 10 rebounds on 9-13 shooting and was a perfect 6-6 from the line, Horford having offensive outbreaks isn’t a solution. The Hawks would be better off if Horford only scored 12 points and 6 rebounds, if he could contain Dwight Howard. Whether or not Horford is capable of that has yet to be seen and it’s definitely not something I’d count on happening anytime soon.

Expect nothing but the best from VC when he's got fresh legs

For the Magic in Game 2, talk about balanced scoring, the starting lineup pretty much defined it with 4 of their 5 starters scoring 20 or more points. To make matters worse for the Hawks is that they all did it on great shooting percentages. Even being the longtime, die-hard Vince Carter fan that I am, I’m a little bit surprised at how well he’s been shooting the basketball so far in the playoffs. The aging Vince Carter of the past couple years has been better known for his up and down play but now it seems as though we’re back to seeing the old Vince outside of 15 feet. I think the time off, he was given between series paid big dividends for him and for the team to maintain fresh legs. Look for the Magic to stay on track and focused on getting through the Hawks as quick as possible. Magic take Game 3 in Atlanta.

Magic- 108 Hawks- 95

With A Head Coach Like This, There’s No Doubt the Magic Will Be Ready For Tip-Off Tonight

Los Angeles Lakers at Utah Jazz- 8 ET ABC

In Game 2, nearly all the Jazz players played well, except for the most important piece to their puzzle in Deron Williams. D-Will struggled mightily from the field shooting 4-16 for 15 points. While it maybe unfair to except nearly 30 a night out of the star point guard, that’s exactly what the need on a consistent basis in order to beat a team like the Lakers.

Expect improved play from D-Will back on his home court

On the bright side the series heads back to Utah where the Jazz have a great opportunity to get even with their opponents. Not only will Deron Williams benefit from being able to bounce back on his home court but the key role players around him should prosper as well.

For the Lakers, they must take better care of the ball in Game 3. They were fortunate to have come away with a win in Game 2 as they committed twice as many turnovers (20) than the Jazz (10). Any game you commit that many turnovers you don’t give yourself a great chance to win, especially not on the road. Though the Lakers should take much better care of the ball in Game 3, the Jazz will pull out an important Game 3 win to remain close in the series.

Jazz- 106 Lakers-102

This Is What I Call Home Court Advantage!

5/7/10 NBA Playoff Predictions

Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics- 7 ET ESPN

The Garden will be painted green tonight!

The only second round series that heads into a Game 3 with both teams tied with one win a piece, this game serves as the game of the night. With the Celtics able to pull out a key victory on the road, the pressure is now on LeBron James and the Cavaliers to steal one in Boston, easier said then done.

Tonight is a must win for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Before you call that statement a stretch, hear me out. A Celtics win in Game 3, enables them to continue to roll off the momentum gained in Game 2. From there, the Celtics would head into Game 4 very well knowing that they could pretty much put the nail in the coffin with a win, which would give them a commanding 3-1 series lead going back to Cleveland for Game 5. Bottom line is the Boston Celtics must win all of their home games in order to win this series. I’d be very surprised to see them pull off any more wins inside the Quicken Loans Arena in the series. So in other words, if the Cavs can just earn one win on the road in Boston, they win the series.

No stopping 'Bron 'Bron tonight...Expect him to put up 40+

As always the Cavaliers will be led behind the play of LeBron James. Coming off a disappointing Game 2 loss, I see the Cavaliers  prevailing in Game 3 over the Boston Celtics despite the Celtics having momentum. Tonight, expect LeBron to go off for 40 points at the very least. King James knows what’s at stake with a loss in Game 3 and he’ll refuse to let it happen, even if he has to do so far, far away from his castle. Cavs win behind a spectacular night from LeBron James.

Cavaliers- 104 Celtics- 99

Can Mo Williams once again leave Coach Mike Brown speechless at the podium?

Phoenix Suns at San Antonio Spurs- 9:30 ET ESPN

Ahh the good ole days of being a Suns fan

The Phoenix Suns have been very impressive to say the least, can they continue to prove me wrong again in Game 3? I can tell you they’ll have their chance. While I fully realize this isn’t the same Spurs team of the past, I definitely feel the Spurs still have what it takes to stretch the series a at least 6 games. But I have to admit, the Suns have been playing so well, I’ve been forced to question my predictions to the joy of the countless Suns fans that read the blog.

Here’s my revised prediction on how I see the rest of the series filling out. Back at home the Spurs taking Games 3 and 4, but after taking both home games, the Spurs will be out of gas. With that, I have Suns winning Game 5 back in Phoenix and stealing one in San Antonio to close out the series in 6 games.

The Spurs need more from Manu in Game 3

But tonight, expect a Suns loss. The Spurs will be able to at least make this a respectable series and will avoid embarrassment. If the Suns yet again prove me wrong with a win in Game 3, expect a Suns sweep. But until that final buzzer rings out with the Suns coming out on top in the points column, shocking me once again, I’ll take the Suns winning the series in 6 games. Expectations for tonight’s matchup includes better play from Manu Ginobili and George Hill back at home and less bench production from Channing Frye and Jared Dudley on the road. Spurs win tonight.

Spurs- 113 Suns-109

As Suns fans very well know anything can happen for the Spurs at home in San Antonio