NBA Opening Night Predictions

The season of Basketball is here! The preseason is done and the regular season games start tonight! Later on in the week, I will post my predictions for who will win the East, who will win the West, who will win Rookie of the Year, 6th Man, etc.

But for now, let's get into the games that are going down tomorrow night.

Orlando Magic @ Indiana Pacers - 7:30 p.m. NBA TV

- The outstanding rookie out of Indiana, Victor Oladipo makes his debut for the Magic. His versatile skill set brings a new dynamic to this Magic team that lacked a offensive consistency last season (ranked 25th in total offense) and what he brings is a defensive presence to this team. He's a great defender, can lock up and get physical with players to force turnovers. He's an all around great player on both sides of the ball. He doesn't have an exceptionally strong team around them, but I believe they'll be better than last season.

- But they face a team all about defense. Indiana led the league in rebounds last season and had the best defense against the 3 point shot. They can crash the boards with Hibbert down there, can defend the perimeter very well depending on the matchups they use, and they've shot shooters. They'll be without Granger, but with Hill running the point and West making jumpers from 17 ft, they're a hard team to defend against and play against because their defense is so stifling. And at Home, Orlando is in trouble. I smell a blowout. The Pacers aren't a flashy team. They play at a consistent pace, but they can force turnovers and make transition baskets. The Pacers still remain a threat to Miami. More so than Chicago, in my opinion.

Prediction: Pacers Win



Chicago Bulls @ Miami Heat - 8 p.m. TNT

- The defending Champions, Miami Heat host the Chicago Bulls and the returning Derrick Rose. In the playoffs, the Bulls, riddled with injuries, still stole a game from Miami. The Bulls have Rose back and Noah is 100% so their offense will back at full strength and their defense has gotten better. Jimmy Butler is flying under the radar, in my opinion. He's shown what he can do in the playoffs. He's not a great scorer, but he's mostly an asset because of his defensive ability. Bulls have Noah out there with his energy crashing the boards and getting points in the paint. The Bulls aren't a great defensive unit all around, but there are players on that team that can get physical with the Heat players and generate turnovers.

- But here's why the Heat will win. You've got Lebron, Wade, and Bosh leading the charge. Their bench is extremely deep. Ray Allen coming off along with Battier hitting the corner 3's and The Birdman for his energy and defense around the rim. But the X-Factor is Greg Oden. A HEALTHY Greg Oden is dangerous. He's a big body that can get fight for those boards and brings a great offensive presence to that team. Miami just gets deeper every year. Their achilles heel is that when you get physical with Miami, they tend to turn the ball over. When you press them in a halfcourt set, they struggle to put up consistent points. They rely too much on jumpshots and transition points. They were never exceptionally well at getting to the rim. The Bulls can match up with Miami defensively and contain that offense.

- But at Home, their energy levels go up a few notches. They can execute a trap defense and when they get out in transition, there's no other team better. They can hit those open buckets if they have the space, but their lack of consistency down low is key. If Oden can play like we know he can, then this team gets a boost. At home, on a night where they get their rings, I believe Miami with the Home crowd behind them will be on fire. With Rose back with the Bulls, they are a legitimate threat to Miami in the East, but I don't see them winning THIS game.

Prediction: Heat Wins




Los Angeles Clippers @ Los Angeles Lakers - 10:30 p.m. TNT

- The Clippers debut with Doc Rivers as their Head Coach. It's going to be interesting to see the dynamic he brings to this team. I'll say this, the Clippers can go far if they have some consistency to go with their size. DeAndre Jordan brings a defensive presence, but he can't make free throws, or make great shots. Hollins is 7 feet tall, but how can be consistent? Clippers lack consistency. Chris Paul is the best player on the team, but he needs consistency from his big men, especially Blake Griffin. I love his dunks and what he does, but he needs to work on his defense, his post moves, his jumpshot, and everything else that can make him a more effective big man down low, rather than just a dunker. Hopefully, Doc instilled some defensive discipline within this team.

- The Lakers.....where do I begin. No offense to Kobe, but he ran Dwight Howard out of town. I'm calling it the way I see it. I knew their personalities were going to clash. Now, Kobe just has Nash around him. They did add some pieces to their bench. They brought Farmer back, they've got Jordan Hill. Blake is on there, along with Nick Young and Jodie Meeks. I personally hope to see Meeks get some playing time because he's a good shooter. Kaman brings size, which is about it. Kaman isn't even a decent scorer and defender. His main job will be to pull those boards down. Gasol is just soft down low, scared to take to the hoop, flops a lot, and focuses on getting his jumpshot better. The Lakers all around the board are not a good team. Sure they'll be able to score, but they'll lack a defensive consistency and the Clippers offense is the type of team to take advantage of that.

- The Clippers can expose some matchups and score some easy buckets. CP3 vs Nash will be fun to watch, Kobe will have something to prove coming out being ranked 25th and all. But the Clippers are just a better squad than Lakers. They were last season. Lakers are a mess of an organization. The Clippers got better in the offseason. I expect a good showing from them.

Prediction: Clippers Win




Enjoy The Games! I'll be back tomorrow with my predictions of who will win the East and the West and everything else throughout the week.


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By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

NBA Playoffs: Round 2 Predictions

Round 1 is over and Round 2 has begun! It was a pretty good first round too. Before I get to Round 2, I'll just make some quick notes about the games I got wrong and what surprised me.

- I didn't expect Denver to get handled like they did by Golden State. Golden State played Denver's style of basketball and beat them at it. Denver couldn't stop them, couldn't slow them down, and couldn't even out score them. I'm sure Denver will be back next season fully healthy and ready to go.

- The Clippers lack of size and offensive efficiency came back to bite them. DeAndre Jordan proved to be a liability on offense and on defense. Last season, Reggie Evans and Kenyon Martin had the size to go up against Gasol and Randolph. 1 year later, both those guys are gone and Gasol and Randolph dominate the paint. Clippers threw everything and still couldn't stop them. They have a lot to look at in the offseason.

- I wasn't too surprised Boston and Miami went 6 games. I knew Boston was gonna get it together, but I never thought they would ultimately win the series. If they had Rondo, it'd be a different story, but it showed that without Rondo, the offense doesn't flow very well. 

- Heat and Spurs advance easily. Called those two.

- I wasn't surprised the Nets lost, but I was surprised at how good this series was. 7 games and a great 3 OT game. Playoff basketball at its best.

- OKC will miss Westbrook. They were lucky to beat Houston. I was worried about them once Houston beat them in OKC in Game 5. I'll explain more about Westbook in the OKC/Memphis breakdown.

Onto my Round 2 Predictions!

(1) Miami Heat vs (5) Chicago Bulls

I hate to say this, but I feel sorry for The Bulls. An injured Bulls squad goes 7 games against a young team like Brooklyn and only get 1 day off before starting their second round series against The Miami Heat. Derrick Rose is still not playing, and now Luol Deng is out. This Bulls team cannot catch a break. I don't think they stand much of chance against Miami.

I don't know if rust will play a factor, but I think Miami will still come out and play at a high level, no doubt about that. That team is extremely lethal on both sides of the ball. A lot of people have complained about how easy the Heat have it. First the Bucks, now an injured Bulls team, but you can't control what happens in the playoffs. We already know how good Miami is. Their offense is very energetic and streaky, and powerful. Their defense is underrated cause fans know Miami for their offense. Their defense isn't that bad. #7 during the season and #2 in the playoffs right now. 

The Bulls need a lot of help to pull this one off. If Derrick Rose was actually playing, I give them a shot, but I think The Bulls drew a bad match here. Joakim Noah has emerged as one of my favorite players in these playoffs. Playing with an injured foot, his energy is amazing, and his playmaking ability keeps rising. I always liked Noah, but these playoffs made me like him even more. He's going to be key against The Heat. Nate Robinson has to have some big shooting nights too. I think he can outplay Mario Chalmers and attack the basket better. Boozer is hot and cold. He'll have nights where he plays great on both sides of the ball and then there's nights where you forget he's on the court. Like I said in their series against Brooklyn, they have consistent playmakers, but it comes down to which Bulls team shows up. 

If The Bulls play as hard as they did in the Brooklyn series, they can make this a 6 game series, but The Heat are a much different breed. Their offense is better, their bench is better, and they play better defense. I'm not gonna count the Bulls out, but Miami is just too good and The Bulls are too hurt.

Showstopper Prediction: Miami Heat in 5 games

(2) New York Knicks vs (3) Indiana Pacers

I realize I'm a little late on this, but I'm here now. We saw in the first round that the Knicks had nights where they struggled on offense and just couldn't buy a bucket. And Boston's defense wasn't even that great. They just couldn't make consistent shots. But now, they're playing a whole different beast. Despite that first round 6 game series against The Hawks, the Pacers are still a solid team from top to bottom. The Knicks live and die by the 3 point shot and unfortunately for them, The Pacers have the best overall defense and best defense against the 3 point shot. You saw it yesterday. The Pacers took advantage of their matchups, got easy baskets in the paint, killed the Knicks on the boards, and made more three pointers than the Knicks themselves. 

I just think it's a bad matchup for New York, but they can adjust. Chandler hasn't done much and Hibbert crashed the boards. Hibbert isn't a great offensive presence, but he and Chandler will be fighting down low for those boards. It'll be up to Chandler to rise to the occasion and actually show up. The Knicks have a slight advantage in the backcourt. I think George Hill is a better shooter than Felton, but Felton is quicker and streaky. It's gonna be good seeing them go at it more. Paul George is going to have to show up against Melo cause when he gets hot, he won't miss. David West is going to be key as well. His size and getting good looks will be pivotal for the Pacers. 

The Knicks defense is average, but the only they can beat teams is to outscore them. The Pacers have a habit of being hot and cold. Take the Hawks series for example, they have shown that they have nights where they can't knock down consistent shots and struggle on defense as well. The Knicks will have to adjust and learn from what Indiana did to them in Game 1. The Knicks need to get better offensively. They can't solely depend on the 3 point shot. They need to get more points in the paint and need to attack the basket more. Also, their bench needs to produce too. I think it'll be a LONG series for New York. Pacers already lead 1-0. The Knicks need to steal 1 game in Indiana because the Pacers are very good at home.

Showstopper Prediction: Indiana Pacers in 6 games

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs (4) Memphis Grizzlies

Let me start off by saying that the loss of Russell Westbrook is so HUGE. What people don't understand is that yea Kevin Durant is the best player on the team, but Westbrook creates the offense. He's a playmaker and brings stability and energy to that OKC offense. He's the second superstar and the second scoring option. That's a really big hit to this team. That being said, while they're still trying to adjust to not having Westbrook, I think this is a bad matchup for them. It showed in Game 1 when OKC struggled to knock down consistent shots. It had more to do with the Memphis defense, but still. 

Reggie Jackson has come on and has produced, but he's no Westbrook. Kevin Durant is going to have to carry a bulk of the work in this series. He's gonna need some help. This is where a guy like Kevin Martin shows why he was given all that money and replaced James Harden. He's going to have to come up big in this series if OKC wants to advance. It's gonna be tough for Perkins and Ibaka to not only score, but defend the tag team of Gasol and Randolph. Randolph can shoot and can dominate and get easy points in the paint. Gasol is just an overall great athlete. The Grizzlies front court is just too damn good. OKC is going to have to figure out a way to stop guys Conley and Pondexter and the other Memphis shooters. Maybe move Thabo over and cover Conley. He's a good defender and can cause problems for Conley. Either way, OKC will have to be efficient on offense. Reggie Jackson will have to make plays, Kevin Martin has to show up, and Durant need to be Durant. 

The Grizzlies have a chance to beat this team. They have the defense to stop OKC. Without Westbrook, it should be easier to stop them now. Gasol and Randolph will have their way getting points in the paint. They still have one of the best defenses in the league and are great at perimeter defense and playing the ball. The only problem I see with Memphis is that they aren't very efficient on offense. They rely so much on their defense that sometimes they struggle to score consistent points. If Memphis can steal Game 2, they have a chance to win the series, because these guys are a very different team at home. Their energy level is off the charts and they just flat out play a better style of basketball at home. Simply put, they're very good at home.

This is a series that can go 7 games. OKC was lucky to escape with that win in Game 1 with Durant's clutch shot. OKC will have to adjust because I guarantee Memphis won't blow that kind of lead again. OKC's playmakers are going to have to show up and try to score on Memphis' stingy defense. This is gonna be a good series. Memphis has a shot to win this in 6 games. But if it comes down to a Game 7 in OKC, I don't think Memphis can pull it off.

Showstopper Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder in 7 games

(2) San Antonio Spurs vs (6) Golden State Warriors 

A lot of people are saying that this is gonna be an interesting series, but I don't know. I have a newfound respect for The Warriors after eliminating The Nuggets by playing their style of basketball. And I can admit that I underestimated them. The Nuggets had no defense to stop them, couldn't hit consistent shots and were just outplayed by Golden State. So, kudos to them, but I think the buck stops here.

David Lee will play, but it'll only be for a couple minutes. Who knows how healthy that hip is. Stephen Curry will have his hands full with Tony Parker, but I believe he'll get his. Thompson will struggle, but he'll get his points too. Jarrett Jack will need some efficiency off the bench. The bigs will have a tough time down low as well. The Warriors need to run and gun and force the Spurs to play their game and more importantly, they need to get HOT from down town. The best 3 point shooting team in the league will have one or two of those hot shooting nights. If The Spurs try to play Warriors basketball, it's gonna turn out too well. The Spurs have had some games where they get out and run too, but the Warriors are more efficient at that style of basketball. 

I believe The Spurs frontcourt can outplay The Warriors frontcourt. Andrew Bogut has always been a stud, but it's gonna be a big change going from a gimpy Kenneth Faried and Javale McGee to a seasoned veteran like Tim Duncan. I think The Spurs will have success with points in the paint with their bigs. The Spurs aren't the best defensive team, but they still play good defensive basketball when they have to. They're just so efficient playing half court basketball. They make great passes and always find somebody open downtown, whether it's Ginobli, Danny Green, Matt Bonner, Kawhi Leonard, or even Gary Neal. They have a talent of making that extra pass to get the shot off. Tiago Splitter has been known to have good offensive nights and is an average defender. Needless to say, The Spurs are one of the deepest teams left in the playoffs. 

What I like about The Spurs is that they force you to play their style of basketball. Like last year against The Clippers. No high flying, lob city stuff. They slowed that down and forced the Clippers to beat them in half court basketball and they couldn't do it. Hence why they got swept. The Spurs are extremely efficient in the half court set, and I don't think The Warriors are better at half court basketball than The Spurs are. That's what it'll come down to. I wouldn't be surprised if Golden State wins the series because the Spurs have been so hot and cold, but The Spurs are too good.

Showstopper Prediction: San Antonio Spurs in 6 games

There you have it! My Round 2 Predictions. Should see a lot of good basketball. I'll be back once Round 2 is over and break down the Eastern and Western Conference Finals!

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By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

Which team can stop The Miami Heat?

The Miami Heat are the favorite to win the NBA Championship for the second consecutive year. They dominated the season locking up the best seed and winning 27 straight games. They started the playoffs as everybody expected and swept the Bucks quite easily.

Simple question: Who can stop The Miami Heat?

The Pacers have the defense to slow Miami down, but the Hawks are giving them a fight and might be in danger of losing in the first round. Pacers are either a poor road team, or The Hawks are actually that good. They've been shooting on this Pacers defense and getting good baskets down low. I still have Indiana winning, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Hawks beat them. The #6 seeds in these playoffs are not going down without a fight. Indiana was beat 3 times during Miami's winning streak.

The Hawks wouldn't stand a chance. I'll get that out of the way now. The Hawks aren't offensively disciplined enough to take down an efficient offense like Miami.

The Knicks could give Miami a run for their money, but it'll be an offensive explosion. The Knicks don't have the defense to stop Miami. Their best bet would be to try and out score them and I don't even know if they can do that even with the leading scorer on their team. Miami doesn't play around and can pour on the points as well. It'll be about which defense can lock down in crunch time.

The Spurs have a golden ticket through the remainder of the playoffs. If Golden State can take care of business against Denver, I think this will be The Spurs biggest test. The Warriors are streaky, can shoot the hell of the ball, and have a terrific home court. But if they can get past them, nobody else can stop them. The Thunder can't beat them without Westbrook. Whether people want to believe it or not, Westbrook is the catalyst that provides stability to this team and gives them some energy and passion on the court. Durant may be the best shooter on this team, but Westbrook makes this team go. The Spurs have the playmakers and the discipline to contend with Miami.

What about Golden State? If they can handle Denver, they can give The Spurs a run for their money. If The Warriors somehow reach the Finals and face Miami, they can play them well too. They're the best 3 point shooting team in the league and their front court could give Miami some problems. They also have Stephen Curry.

The Miami offense can break through the Memphis defense. They've put the clamps on Lob City so far. They wouldn't do it against Miami. The Clippers are in the same boat as The Knicks. They would have to outscore Miami and make bigger plays. Miami would win that one every time.

Provided the Bulls can get past Brooklyn, I think they're the only team in the East that may have a shot at taking Miami. The Bulls like to play them tough, get physical with their players, and get out and shoot the basketball. The Heat will have a hell of a time defending the Bulls perimeter shooters and defending Joakim Noah down low. Even injured, he's a great presence down low. The Bulls can really match up well with the Heat better than people think. It would be a good series, but the Bulls are very inconsistent. You never know which team you'll get.

So, in The East, The Bulls can match up well, play defense, get physical and force turnovers. The Knicks will have to out score Miami to beat them because they won't beat them with their defense.

In the West, if the Spurs get past the second round, they could beat Miami. The Thunder without Westbrook can't, Memphis can't, and The Clippers (no matter what people say) wouldn't be able to either.

Either way, this list of teams that stand in the way of Miami repeating is very short. We'll just have to see how the rest of these playoffs turns out.



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By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

More impressive streak? Miami Heat or Chicago Blackhawks?

This has been the talk around sports for some time now. There's been constant debate around which team has had the better streak of wins. The defending champions Miami Heat have won 16 games in a row are 45-14 and clearly the best team in the NBA. The Chicago Blackhawks have won 24 games in a row in the NHL giving them a 20-0-3 record and best record in hockey.

I'll say this right now and get it out of the way. For those that know me, I'm not a hockey fan. I barely watch the sport, but after hearing about these 24 games in a row, I actually took the time out to look through some of the Blackhawks games so I can provide an unbiased opinion on the subject.

24 games in a row is an impressive streak without question. Especially in a lockout shortened season when it was beginning to look like there would be no hockey at all. I'm sure most of the die hard fans out there didn't expect Chicago to have an unprecedented streak of this magnitude. Their offense can get up and down the ice and they have the best goalie tandem in Corey Crawford and Roy Emery. Crawford is actually allowing a league low 1.41 goals per game. This team is a well put together athletic unit. They've beaten damn near every good team, but how long can it really last? This streak has become so historic, and the pressure is on, so it'll be interesting to see if they can keep it up. But, here is one HUGE factor people are overlooking. The Blackhawks technically LOST 3 games in overtime to Anaheim, Minnesota, and Vancouver. This streak should've ended before it got started. This is one of many flaws of the NHL. I want to see Wins and Losses. There should be no points awarded for losing in Overtime. Their system needs fixing. A loss should be a loss.

Although, The Heat's record isn't even in the best in the NBA this season, they've actually outright won all their games blowing out the weak teams, and more importantly the good teams like the Knicks, Clippers, Memphis, and OKC. Lebron is the best player in the NBA right now, they have a solid bench, support players in his partners D-Wade, Bosh, Haslem, and Chalmers, and great role players like Ray Allen, Shane Battier, and now Birdman. Basketball is a team sport, regardless of what people seem to think. The argument people have come up with is that Miami has superstars and they were expected to be this good. That is not a fair argument to make. Multiple teams in the NBA have superstars on their team. Only the Heat have learned what works for them and propelled that into a 16 game winning streak and best record in Basketball. They're the most complete finesse team that can get up and down the court. They may not get physical on defense, but they can lock down some players when they get the chance.

In the end, there is no right, or wrong answer. But I am going with the Miami Heat for a few reasons. For starters, the Blackhawks lost those three games. That's argument enough. However, I'm looking at this long term. How will these streaks benefit both teams when they get to the playoffs? It's pretty much a foregone conclusion that Miami will get back to the NBA Finals with Indiana as the only team in the Eastern Conference physical enough to stop them. The Blackhawks streak is impressive but there's no guarantee they'll make the Stanley Cup. Hell, it's not even certain that they'll even win their first round playoff match. What the Miami Heat are doing now will carry over to the playoffs, the  Chicago Blackhawks streak becomes irrelevant come playoff time.

I think the NBA is better than the NHL, but I'll admit that it is harder to win in the NHL than the NBA. When playoff time comes around, these streaks will be forgotten and playoff performance will be front and center. If Chicago loses in the first round, this streak will be their only season highlight. What the Miami Heat are doing now will carry over to the playoffs. I can't say the same for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Get back to me in late June.

Both teams play again on Friday looking to extend their streaks. The Heat host the Sixers, and the Blackhawks go on the road to face struggling Colorado. I'll be keeping an eye on this one.


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By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

NBA Trades and Signings

A lot has happened in the world of Basketball. Probably more than we ever thought would happen. It's been a wild offseason with a ton of signings and other transactions that left us with our jaws dropped.

I feel like a refresher is in order. Time to remind the people just what's been going on and how it affects the NBA when it starts back up in the Fall.

Steve Nash signs with The Lakers


This was probably THE move that turned a lot of heads and left people stunned. It was a common knowledge that Nash would find his way out of Phoenix and try to win that ring that has eluded him for so long. Teams like New York, and even Miami were a possibility. But Nash has gone to The Lakers. The team with Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum leading the charge. This spells trouble for the NBA. The Lakers now have a Big 3 of their own: Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, and Andrew Bynum. A case could be made for Ron Artest, but I don't think it's necessary. But The Lakers now have the potential to cause some serious damage in the NBA. They have the second best big man in Bynum, Kobe is getting old, but still playing at a superstar level and now one of, if not, the best point guard in the league in Steve Nash. It's going to be interesting seeing how Nash meshes with Kobe and Co.



Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis sign with The Miami Heat


Ray Allen: The man who made had a career best and made 45% of his three pointers this past season has taken his talents to South Beach. This move had to have been influenced by James, Wade, and Bosh. It's sad to see Ray Allen leave Boston so easily because they offered him tons and tons of money and the chance for another ring. That goes to show loyalty really doesn't mean much these days. Nonetheless, Miami just got even better on the offensive side of the ball. Ray Allen is one of the best three point shooters in the league and a solid defender at that. He's going to give Miami that extra boost of scoring when they really need it which can come in extremely handy.

Rashard Lewis, on the other hand, is a different breed as well. The man is a lean 230 pounder that also the uncanny ability to shoot lights out. He was one of the integral parts of the Magic's trip to the NBA Finals in 2009. Rashard is one of those players than can provide the mismatch for opposing teams, can post up when he wants, but won't shy away from shooting a perimeter shot. He's a well-rounded ball player on both sides of the ball, and with his strength, Miami got a tad bit better on the defensive side of things.



Jason Kidd signs with The New York Knicks


New York Knicks fans all around the world were beyond happy with this pick. Not only do they get to keep stars like Novak and JR Smith, but they've added a seasoned veteran in Jason Kidd who just helped Dallas capture their first ring last season. Up until Jeremy Lin got injured, there never really was a true point guard on The Knicks. The Knicks were better when they all shared the ball and Carmelo didn't take 40-50 shots a game. Jason Kidd is going to bring stability to this team and restore a balance that was missing within The Knicks towards the end of the season and into the playoffs. For the sake of Knicks fans, Kidd hopefully is the last piece to help get this team a ring........as soon as he gets cleared of his DWI charges.



Joe Johnson signs with The Brooklyn Nets


The Brooklyn Nets are playing no games this offseason. They've resigned Deron Williams, kept Humphries and Lopez, but now they've reeled in a pretty big fish: Joe Johnson. The man who was arguably the best player The Atlanta Hawks had on their team has signed with Jay-Z's Brooklyn Nets. This move was a warning to the NBA that this team is ready to no longer be the team that people deem as an easy win. The Nets have been bad for far too long. They've got more than enough firepower to be at least considered a contender heading into this season, or at least have a shot at making the playoffs. Joe Johnson has just reassured that fact if it wasn't already clear.




Jeremy Lin signs with The Houston Rockets


The Linsanity Era is over in New York and the craze will now make its way to Houston. I always thought Linsanity was a tad bit overrated and would die out eventually. Sure, Jeremy Lin had a pretty good stretch of games and made The Knicks look like a force in the process, but when he ran into The Miami Heat, things never were the same. I'm sure The Knicks felt the same way and had no intention of bringing him back despite what other stories reported. They felt like Lin was a one-hit wonder. Well, I'll give Lin this: he did make The Knicks good for a stretch. There was the emergence of Steve Novak and everybody on the team got a piece of the ball and had their moment in the sun. Lin was no ballhog to make a long story short. I'm a bit nervous about his move to Houston. Is Houston really sold on Lin being the answer after just having one really good stretch of games, or does Houston see something else that nobody else does?




OJ Mayo signs with The Dallas Mavericks


Last season, The Dallas Mavericks were on top of the world. They had just won the franchise's first NBA Championship and spoiled the first year of the Miami Heat Big 3. Fast forward a year later, they were swept out of the first round by Oklahoma City and now almost all the players that helped capture Dallas' ring is gone. Jason Kidd is gone, Jason Terry is gone, Tyson Chandler is gone, and JJ Barea is gone. Only person left is Dirk. But now Dallas has salvaged something from all this wreckage and managed to steal one of Memphis' best players from them. I don't know how Memphis fans feel about this move, or even if they care at all. Dallas is pretty much starting over with Dirk and OJ Mayo is the first step. Dallas has not handled their situation very well. But this was a wise first step.


Other Notable Transactions


Eric Gordon signs with The New Orleans Hornets
Lamar Odom and Grant Hill signed with The Los Angeles Clippers
Kurt Thomas and Raymond Felton signed with The New York Knicks
Houston Rockets signed Marcus Camby
Brooklyn Nets signed Jerry Stackhouse
Boston Celtics signed Jason Terry




For more information on NBA Trades and Signings along with notable free agents, go to the links below. And of course, you can count on Sports Monarchy to bring you the latest in NBA Offseason news!

http://www.nba.com/news/transactions/2012_13/


http://www.nba.com/freeagents/2012/


Oh and before I forget, Dwight Howard is STILL with The Orlando Magic. So much for that trade he's been complaining and wanting so badly. And people get on Lebron James' case.



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By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete