The In-Decision

Three years ago when he was impersonating Stan Van Gundy and winning Defensive Player of the Year Awards annually, Dwight Howard looked like the ultimate big man.  Free-throw shooting aside, Dwight put up the type of numbers you'd expect from the new Superman.  While he was never going to be Shaq, perhaps Dwight could cast the role of Dean Cain and at least fill some of the shadow of Christopher Reeve.

Fast forward to today, when Dwight Howard no longer seems fun and youthful.  Instead, he is now simply immature.  The months of indecision by Howard have eclipsed the lapse of judgement exhibited by LeBron James two years ago.  Perhaps if Howard had more success, he would warrant being universally hated as LeBron has experienced.  Hatred is reserved for those with greater accomplishments than Howard. 

"Superman" appears incredibly mortal in recent seasons.  With a back injury that kept him out of the playoffs and Olympic competition, and clearly the man of steel lacks iron resolve and dedication.  The latest on Howard?  The Nets have pulled out of trade talks and the Rockets and Lakers appear to be the most likely suitors.  The issue, Howard hasn't flip-flopped into wanting to join those teams just yet.  Give it another week and we can have "Breaking News: Dwight Howard considers Team X," and further perpetuate this ridiculous situation.

I am now to the point where discussion of Howard has surpassed even the loathing I held for Brett Favre and his annual self-hostage negotiation he seemed to have with Ed Werder each summer.

Dream Debate: 1992 vs 2012

Make no mistake about it, this is not going to have a Mason Dixon versus a resurgent Rocky Balboa type of ending.  The debate to the 1992 Dream Team versus the 2012 US Olympic Team will have to be settled in the media and on paper.  You can hold off on the training montage music.  Charles Barkley will not be chasing chickens, unless they are boneless, skinless chicken breasts that net less than 8 Weight Watchers points.  Michael Jordan is too busy smoking cigars and playing golf to run up the steps to a heroic fist pump.  Larry Bird will not build pure blunt force trauma and suddenly take out Kevin Durrant.  Sparring is definitely out.

What we have instead, is a generational debate that those voting for the current 2012 team do not seem to understand.  The modern assumption that whatever is done today is automatically the first, best, strongest, sexiest and fastest thing ever, does not hold true with this argument.  While the current Olympians certainly are fast, the argument ends there (I'm not commenting on the sex appeal of Anthony "Unibrow" Davis).

The word being used to describe this year's Olympic team is "versatile."  Coach K, commentators and players alike have fallen in love with this word as if by sheer volume of use it will convince spectators it is the most important factor of a basketball team.  It's great that LeBron and Kevin Love can slide into the center position if needed.  It's great versatility, but neither matches up with true, all-time great centers like Robinson and Ewing.

The 2012 team has a tremendous stable of point guards including Deron Williams, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook.  The problem, that they all play the same position, and are the 2nd, 3rd and 4th best players at their position in the current Association, with injured Derrick Rose sitting out with injury.  Well, that, and the issue that they all play the same position, and not nearly at the level of Magic Johnson. 

I have a better word, one that describes the 1992 Dream Team - Legendary.  Eleven Hall-of-Famers on the 1992 squad, including the best ever leading the way.  Line up the teams top to bottom, and from my estimation, the 1992 team wins at all eleven roster spots.  Jordan > Kobe, Magic > LeBron all the way to Drexler > Iguodala and Mullin > Harden.

The last word in this debate - Blowout.  This game will never be played, but that does not hinder my confidence.  Dream Team -14.5.

Bulls Collapse, Heat Advance

It's only a matter of time until #epicfail starts trending on Twitter. The Bulls absolutely collapsed and gave away Game 5 tonight in Chicago. Holding a 13-point fourth quarter lead, the Bulls ended the game by allowing the Heat to rip off a 16-3 run that included clutch shots by Dewayne Wade and LeBron James. Wade completed a 4-point play while LeBron hit a three to tie the game at 79 and then another basket to put the Heat up 81-79.

While LeBron and D-Wade stepped up with clutch plays down the end, league MVP, Derrick Rose, wilted. In the last 90 seconds of the game, Rose committed a costly turn over, missed a potential game-tying free throw, and ultimately failed to create an open look for himself or a teammate on the final possession of the game, leading to him being blocked as time expired.

Credit where credit is due, Miami did everything they needed to do to win the game late, but Chicago choked tonight's game away much more than Miami won it. Entering the series I was a believer in Chicago and thought the Heat would suffer a hangover from their excessive celebration over Boston. While the Heat were hung over in Game 1, that didn't last and Chicago failed to close out another game where they had control late.

Even Russell Westbrook thinks the Bulls looked inexperienced tonight.

Game 4 a "Must Win" for Chicago

The Bulls now find themselves in a 1-2 hole and facing game 4 on the road Tuesday. ESPN continues to trump on its overused statistic of 86% of teams winning game 3 in a 1-1 series go on to win the series. The 2004 Boston Redsox couldn't care less about statistics than the Bulls do right now. This has nothing to do with history and everything to do with the Miami Heat team that Coach Erik Spoelstra brings on to the court every night.

Despite coming out of the gates strong to start the game and reclaiming the lead late, the Chicago Bulls did not give the impression that they were going to steal their first road game of the Eastern Conference Finals. Miami controlled tempo throughout the second half and any time the Bulls got something going, it was quickly answered by a contested basket by Chris Bosh or LeBron James creating space for himself or another Heat player to knock down a shot.

While James, Wade and Bosh will have quiet games and the unlikely event of at least two of the "big three" struggling could certainly lead to a Bulls win, but the unpopular truth in Chicago is that the Heat at their best is likely better than the Bulls at their best. Game 3 helped to rectify Chris Bosh's credibility and he now has two 30+ point performances in the series.

Look for Chicago to come out with a strong focus on interior defense in game 4 and attempt to keep Lebron and D-Wade out of the painted area. While it ended badly in game 3, the Bulls would still rather have Chris Bosh beat them on a night than give easy interior baskets from the Heats perimeter players.

James, Haslem the Difference as Heat Draw Even

Taj Gibson had the dunk(s) of the season in Game 1 against Miami and provided the spark the Bulls needed to pull away over a sluggish Miami team, still reeling from its celebration over defeating Boston. While the Heat thought they won their first of seven NBA Championships in round two, the Bulls were closing out the Hawks and focusing on winning Game 1 of the East Finals. Gibson, Boozer and the rest of the supporting cast contributed to lifting the Bulls to an early 1-0 series lead.

Game 2 is in the books and despite a gritty comeback to tie the game at 73-73 after trailing by 11 in the 3rd quarter, Chicago could not get over the hump. Each time Derrick Rose got his hands on the basketball, particularly late in the game, he was met by help defense and blocked lanes to the hoop. That didn't stop Rose, the only Bulls' player able to create his own shot, from making a lot of overly aggressive moves to the basket and forcing shots late in the shot clock.

While Rose was never able to get the support he needed on the offensive end, LeBron James and Dewayne Wade certainly got the help they needed from recently returned Udonis Haslem. As LeBron faced a resurgence of Bulls defense and Wade and Bosh spent time on the bench, Haslem grabbed offensive rebounds and knocked down open looks to give Miami a big boost in the second half. However, in the end it was James who closed out Chicago, hitting a clutch three-pointer as the shot clock expired to break the 73-all tie and start the 12-2 run that closed out the game.

Tonight's game taught us many things. First, Chicago can stay competitive even without a stellar game from Rose who was 7-23 from the field. Second, Miami has more mental toughness than they showed during the regular season. The Heat would have folded in February when the Bulls tied things up in the fourth quarter, but James was able to lead his team with big shots and close out the game. Third, it will be the role players that make the difference. While Gibson and Deng played big in game one, it was Haslem in game two.

In a look ahead to game three, expect perimeter shooting to be a bigger part of the Bulls offense and Miami to continue to try and lock down the lane from Derrick Rose, much as they did in game two. I stand by the prediction of Bulls in six.

Larry Bird Sighting in Dallas

Larry Bird has aged tremendously well. Growing an extra three inches and suiting up in No. 41 instead of his standard green and white 33 was enough to confuse the Oklahoma City Thunder.

For years I've considered Dirk Nowitzki the toughest player to guard in the NBA. Each year we fall in love with a new dominant point guard (see the evolution from Chris Paul to Deron Williams to Derrick Rose with John Wall on the horizon), but truly there is not a player in the NBA that can match up with Dirk. At 7' tall, Nowitzki is a matchup nightmare and that mismatch proved the reason why Dallas knocked off LA to the tune of a 4-0 sweep. Lamar Odom is one of the few players who athletically can match up with Nowitzki, and neither he nor Pau Gasol wanted anything to do with guarding him.

At 12/15 from the field and 24/24 from the free throw line for 48 points, Nowitzki's performance to open the Western Conference Finals is easily the best so far in these playoffs.

The series is still young and Kevin Durant will continue to get his (10/18 and 18/19 on free throws himself for 40 points), but as long as the German Larry Bird continues to find his shot and force his way to the line, OKC is in for an uphill battle.

Heat, Bulls Square off in East

With 11.1 million viewers to open the Eastern Conference Finals, the Bulls and Heat combined to become the most watched sporting event ever on TNT. Quite simply, fans want to see stars and in a player-first league, there are no bigger names than the 2.5 stars in Miami and league-MVP Derrick Rose.

Stopping Dewayne Wade and LeBron James for an entire series simply will not happen. While the Bulls had the second best scoring defense during the regular season (second only to a Boston team that Miami destroyed en route to this series), prolific scorers such as Wade and James can not be shut down for an entire series. One important area for Chicago will be in avoiding dips in offensive production and long runs by Miami. With passable three-point threats along side Wade and James, Miami has the ability to score in waves and the Bulls have shown that with Derrick Rose on the bench, the team is prone to droughts on the offensive end.

The key to this series rests squarely in the Bulls front court. No one will be surprised when Derrick Rose scores 30+ in a game, but Carlos Boozer's ability to outplay Chris "Glass Chin" Bosh will be important. If out rebounding the Heat on the offensive glass 19-6 (leading to a 31-8 edge in second chance points) in game 1 is any indication, the Bulls will out hustle and out physical Miami all series long.

Expect Carlos Boozer to shed the tag of 'consolation prize' from this past summer's free agent sweepstakes and LeBron's premature celebration after closing out Boston to come back and bite him. Bulls in six.

Conference Finals

After a combined 5-0 start for the Lakers and Celtics it was looking as though the NBA Conference Finals were nothing more than a formality in reuniting the 2007-08 Finals that went to the Celtics. The Suns' inability to stop the Lakers was matched only by Orlando's ineptitude on the offensive end against a stifling Boston defense. Now with the series at 2-2 in the West and 3-2 Boston in the East, it's looking like a whole new series.

Orlando has taken the last two from Boston and in the process of dominating Game 5, took some key Celtics' players out of the game. With a pair of technical fouls Kendrick Perkins was ejected from Game 5 and would have faced suspension in Game 6, but after one was rescinded today by the league, he is eligible to suit up. While we know Perkins will be in the lineup when the series resumes this weekend, the same can't be said for Glen "Big Baby" Davis and Marquis Daniels just yet. Both suffered concussions during Game 5 and along with Rasheed Wallace (back), could be limited in Game 6.

For the Suns tonight's game in Los Angeles will be the story of the series. The Lakers are 18-0 all time in Game 5s at home when tied 2-2 and coach Phil Jackson knows just how important this game will be. Kobe Bryant wasn't shy in calling out his teammates after a disappointing loss in Game 4 where the Lakers inexplicably forgot how to defend.

Despite a resurgence by both Orlando and Phoenix, I would be surprised if we don't see a rematch of the '08 finals. Look for Kobe and the Lakers to come out and make a statement in Game 5 tonight and Boston to buckle down and close things out in The Garden this weekend.

It's a Sad Day to be a Pistons Fan

This column was written by guest columnist Matt Hawkins, formerly of The Bowling Green News

It’s a sad day to be a Pistons fan right now. Pistons President Joe Dumars has some difficult changes to make this off season but the easiest one of all is to get rid of Rasheed Wallace. For all the good he has done for Detroit, I can’t stand to watch another one of his outbursts or costly mistakes in a crucial playoff game for the Pistons.

Last night’s 89-81 loss to the Boston Celtics in game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals might mark the end of an era for these current Pistons, at least the end of Sheed in a Pistons uniform
After losing to the Spurs in the 2005 NBA Finals, the Pistons have lost three straight conference finals appearances and the majority of the blame should be placed on Rasheed Wallace.

Let’s flashback to the year 2005, Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Wallace left Robert Horry open for the game winning three pointer which gave the Spurs a 3-2 series lead. Even though the Pistons lost in game 7, it was this play that cost them the title.

Then there was last year against the Cavs in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Wallace fouled out with 7:44 left in the fourth quarter. Instead of heading to the bench, Sheed continued to argue with the ref, picking up two technical fouls in a major meltdown that cost them any chance at a comeback.

Of course this year was no different. Wallace got a costly technical foul in game 5 against the Celtics which gave him seven for the playoffs (one more and he would be suspended for the next game). He shot 2 for 12 from the field in game 6 which was the most important game of the year for the Pistons. His horrible shooting and turnovers down the stretch hurt the Pistons momentum as they lost a 10 point fourth quarter lead and were eliminated for the third straight year in the conference finals, all game 6 losses. I can’t believe he continues to get a pass as his defenders always say “it’s just Sheed being Sheed.”

I’m sorry but enough is enough. Pack your bags Sheed your time is up.

Doug Collins Gets Golden Opportunity

Talk about coming back for the right situation. Retired NBA Head Coach and TNT analyst Doug Collins is returning to the sidelines to coach the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls are coming off a 33-49 season where the team clearly did not live up to preseason expectations.

For Collins there will be the opportunity to work with a very talented and young lineup of players, have a hand in selecting the No. 1 overall pick, and coach in a major market.

The Windy City experience will be part two for his career as he coached a young Michael Jordan and led the Chicago Bulls to an Eastern Conference Finals in 1989 before being replaced by then-assistant Phil Jackson. Collins went on to Detroit in the 90's with minimal success before becoming an analyst.

While I don't look at Doug Collins as the type of elite head coach that a town like Chicago really deserves, he will be a stabilizing factor for the team and give the type of insight and leadership that will ensure a playoff berth a year from now.

The Chicago Bulls will be a step behind the Celtics and Pistons entering next season, but should be able to live up to the hype that the team failed so miserably to achieve this year. Look for Michael Beasley to join the team in the off season as the No. 1 overall pick and further solidify the deep and talented Bulls lineup.

Celtics Win Pivotal Game 5

While the story of the night in Boston may be Kevin Garnett's 33 points and 7 rebounds or Kendrick Perkins stepping up again, this time to the tune of 18 points and 16 rebounds. Maybe it's Ray Allen finally finding his touch and going for 29 points on 9-15 shooting, including 5-6 on three pointers.

While each of those story lines make for a great reason why the Celtics won Game 5, it was Doc Rivers having his team prepared for the Pistons that really did it. The Pistons through a lot of punches and came back from a 17-point deficit late in the game but Rivers' Celtics held it together, including playing things the right way in the final two minutes. The Celtics used the clock well, got the ball in the hands of their best free throw shooter, Ray Allen. Not only that, but Boston and fouled Detroit to avoid a "Mr. Big Shot" moment in those closing seconds.

While fouling with the lead in the closing seconds is an incredibly basic strategy, practiced from AAU to the NBA, it is incredibly underutilized. I have to commend Rivers for having his team prepared and making all the right decisions during crunch time. I'm not ready to give the man the coach of the year award Byron Scott deservedly won; afterall, the Celtics almost lost to the Hawks and Cavs, but Boston really looked solid Wednesday night against Detroit.

Game 5 is the pivitol game of any 2-2 series and Boston is definitely in command, needing only one win to advance to face the Lakers, err, play in the NBA Finals.

John Calipari is the only person that can't understand the intelligence of fouling with the lead in an important game.

Pistons Even Things Up

The Detroit Pistons have tied things up with the Boston Celtics again and will be sending the series back to Bean Town. Detroit took control of the game early, putting together a 14-point lead in the first half. The Pistons led throughout and never gave up the lead. Boston made it interesting at 78-73 but could never get it down to a single possession in the closing minutes, eventually falling to the Pistons 94-75.

While Detroit had the air of control the entire night, the team saved its best basketball for the closing minutes. The Pistons were poised and hit their free throws down the stretch while Ray Allen clanked a couple hard off the iron. Most importantly of all, Chauncey Billups stepped into the action tonight. While Billups struggled from the field with 3 for 12 shooting and only 10 points, he did hit a clutch three down the stretch and looked much more comfortable on his sore hamstring.

The big contributor in tonight's matchup was Antonio McDyess. For the many Pistons fans that miss Ben Wallace's interior presence (and trust me, Chicago and Cleveland would be happy to give him back, especially at his salary) Antonio McDyess has filled the void very nicely. 'Dyess has stepped into the position as another role player on the team full of veterans and is really looking good, sticking close to his regular season numbers even against tougher players that have demanded more from him on the defensive end.

Now with the series headed back to Boston at 2-2 it's now a best of three with two games at home for the Celtics. Boston is still an impressive 9-1 at home but Detroit did etch that 1 into the otherwise perfect record at home and does not fear playing in the Garden. In Game 5 expect a close contest and expect to see the Pistons come out on top, 93-89.

Memo to Joakim Noah: You are not in college any more.

Good thinking. Smoking weed has done great things for so many other professional athletes' careers

While compiling this article, I was going to list the athletes who have been arrested for marijuana possession in the past year but I had hand cramps before I was done with the Cincinnati Bengals lineup. Welcome to the club Joakim. Ricky Williams wants to know if he can braid your hair.

Despite being "the man" in Gainsville during his college career at the University of Florida and winning the 2006 NCAA Championship, Joakim Noah is taking his college fame a bit too far.

The bushy-haired rookie of the Chicago Bulls was busted early Sunday morning when he was stopped in Gainsville for drinking in public. When he was searched by police they discovered a bag of marijuana in his pocket.

While it may have been cool to hang around Gainsville as a student, you have to know when to walk away. Noah was certainly a popular figure on campus; he's identifiable, famous and a big personality. There's even the status of smoking in college and being involved in parties, but at some point that pressure has to go away and be replaced by the maturity of someone playing professional sports.

While Joakim Noah is hardly a star for the Chicago Bulls, he was a solid contributor as a rookie and showed signs of being a strong rebounding and scoring boost, along with his emotional spark he gives when in the lineup. According to ESPN.com's article, the Bulls' only comment was one from General Manager John Paxton who expressed his disappointment.

Just disappointment? Really? Are the Bulls really going to call it quits with disappointment? After an under performing season where the team entered the season as one of the Eastern Conference favorites, Chicago failed to make the playoffs despite being there a year ago and looking improved from '06-'07. This is a chance to make a statement as a franchise. Two years from now Chicago does not want to be in the same spot as the New York Knicks are right now, with troubled players and more personality than teamwork.

While there is not always a direct correlation between off the court issues and a team's success, there certainly isn't evidence to show it benefits a franchise. Chicago should come down hard on Joakim Noah. As for Noah, he needs to figure out if he still wants to be the big man in Gainsville or make a name for himself in the NBA.

"And down goes Fraizer"

The Boston Celtics were perfect for the first two rounds at home. 8-0. In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals the Celtics moved that mark to 9-0 and asserted their home dominance over the Pistons. In Game 2, it was a different story.

The Detroit Pistons came out and looked prepared to play and made the adjustments needed to contain Kevin Garnett. Most importantly, the Pistons were able to quiet the crowd when the Celtics made their push. Every time Boston hit a couple big shots, Detroit was poised with a 3-pointer from the quarter or a slashing layup, something the San Antonio Spurs couldn't do last night in Los Angeles.

While I didn't appreciate the "Rodney Stucky is like Dwayne Wade" comment coming from the sidelines, the kid did look good coming off the bench with 13 points and a needed spark. Rasheed Wallace looked much more comfortable and finally hit a 3-pointer.

Detroit looked like a team with desire, instead of a lethargic former champion as they did in the first game of the series. The energy level in The Palace is going to be huge this weekend and Boston will have the 0-6 road record staring them square in the face until the ball tips for Game 3.

Lakes Pull out Game 1

Watching the Spurs/Lakers game tonight it felt like watching the big brother play against his little brother. The Spurs showed their dominance and looked to squash the Lakers early, leading 65-45 at one point. However, the Lakers proved they wouldn't be bullied around by turning things around and showing they can hang with the big kids now.

While Tim Duncan's stat line of 30 points & 18 rebounds looks sensational, almost all of his production came in the first 2 1/2 quarters of the game. As the game progressed, Kobe Bryant looked like the MVP (something that's hard for me to admit) and completely took the game over. During a 14-0 run, Kobe had his hands in every play. When Bryant wasn't hitting the shot, he was drawing the extra defender and finding his open teammate. Thankfully for Bryant, Gasol and Odom both stepped up and hit the shots they needed, and Bruce Bowen was off the court.

Watching the last two minutes of tonight's game, it was very clear that the referees had no control over what was happening on the court. I completely understand that an official doesn't want to make the call that ruins the game for one team and I'm as big a fan of the "let them play" mentality as anyone else, but let's also not forget about consistency. There were loose balls where the scene resembled a mosh pit and not a professional basketball game. The horrible call with 1:07 left to give the Lakers possession and the awful makeup call (or lack of call) when Ginobili clearly fouled Gasol was amateur.

The Spurs came into Game 1 tired from a long series and a ridiculous travel schedule, but they played the Lakers tough. A weaker team with a lesser coach would let that be defeating, to lose such a big lead, but Gregg Popovich will use it as a tool to improve for Game 2. Despite the loss, I'm still behind my pick of the Spurs in 6.

Anyone else happy to see some fire coming from Tim Duncan?

Bulls get No. 1 Pick

There are few things that more consistently keep sports insomniacs up late at night than a good mock draft. For fantasy fans you can now log on to CBS Sportsline and jump into an NFL mock draft or join up a late start fantasy baseball league. A few weeks ago, NFL analysts and casual fans alike spent hours with the lights down in front of a monitor, studying their team's strengths and weaknesses and evaluating it against the draft class.

Now NBA followers get their chance to break down the class with the lottery in place. Below are the lottery selections.

1. Chicago Bulls
2. Miami Heat
3. Minnesota Timberwolves
4. Seattle/New Orleans SuperSonics
5. Memphis Grizzlies
6. New York Knicks
7. Los Angeles Clippers
8. Milwaukee Bucks
9. Charlotte Bobcats
10. New Jersey Nets
11. Indiana Pacers
12. Sacramento Kings
13. Portland Trailblazers
14. Golden State Warriors

Well Chicago, which is going to be? Do you go Michael Beasley, the dominant big man from Kansas State, or Memphis star Derrick Rose who stepped up big in the tournament. As I explained during the NCAA Tournament, I really didn't get caught up in the super hype of Derrick Rose, and while he is clearly one of the top 10-15 college players of the year, I still look at O.J. Mayo, Eric Gordon and D.J. Augustin as better players, among others (see previous article).

With the draft a ways away, the mock drafts are beginning, and questions on who the top player of 2008 will be is going to be debated for weeks. Not trying to ruin the suspense for everyone, but Beasley is the best pick for Chicago and the best player in the class.

For some good reading, check out Chad Ford's mock draft, one of the ten best columnists in the country.

8-0, 0-6. Celtics to face Pistons

Paul Pierce looked good on Sunday. As someone who has given Pierce a lot of grief for taking difficult shots instead of looking toward teammates with more open looks, I must say he was dominant in Game 7 against the Cavs. The only person on the court was LeBron James who demonstrated he can almost carry a team on his back as he was a missed layup near the end of the 4th quarter away from getting Cleveland within one possession and a potential upset.

On 13-23 shooting and 11-12 from the line, Pierce had the hot hand all night. However, his biggest play was the dive for the loose ball coming off the jump ball that Cleveland should have controlled. Pierce showed his emotion and proved he can still play with the best in the league and while he has taken a back seat to Garnett and Ray Allen to a certain extent, he looked like the star of Boston for 48 minutes.

While Pierce surprised me on Sunday, I wasn't shocked to see the Celtics beat out the Cavaliers to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. After all, Boston has been undefeated at home all postseason. The problem is, they are still winless on the road. While I know Boston has home court advantage through the playoffs, I'm not foolish enough to think they'll go 16-0 en route to an NBA Title. Detroit proved during the regular season that they can hang with Boston and will almost certainly win a game in Boston.

The Detroit Pistons are going to create problems for the Celtics. The Pistons are a hard nose team that has played in the last five Eastern Finals and has proven they can win on the road. Boston, has not. KG has never played in a Conference Finals. Paul Pierce stepped up big tonight, so I'll give him an exemption from any comparisons. Ray Allen already disappeared from the face of the earth once the playoffs hit, so again, I'll pass on saying much there.

While I'm far from a Pistons fan, they have been my favorite from the start of the season to come out of the East and Boston's inability to play on the road hasn't changed that prediction. Look out Boston, Detroit is coming to town!

What happens when LeBron gets hot?

I don't know if I should be surprised by the Celtics 0-5 road record in the playoffs with how this team is playing. Boston is playing sloppy, the team can't shoot outside of Massachusetts, and despite a 31-10 road record in the regular season, Boston can't do anything right in the post season.

While Boston is struggling, Cleveland isn't exactly shooting the lights out. LeBron exited game 4 with the worst playoff shooting percentage of his career for a series at 26% on 20-78 shooting. While LeBron still made his presence felt with 13 assists and a hard fought 21 points, he failed to get himself going or hit his regular season form.

The series will return to Boston Wednesday where the Celtics hope to protect their undefeated home playoff record, but I can't help but worry for the Boston Three Party and company as they are incredibly vulnerable. LeBron James is far too talented to struggle for the entire series. With the physical nature of game 4 and his ability to make the open three and a massive statement dunk over Kevin Garnett in the fourth quarter, LeBron looks ready to awake from his shooting slumber.

Game 5 is going to go to the Cavaliers unless Ray Allen scores 20 points, something he has failed to do in ANY of the four games against Cleveland.

Look out KG, you may be the defensive player of the year, but LeBron posterized you tonight and is ready to do it on your home court in game 5.

Paul Can't Do it All, Spurs Win Again

Chris Paul would have gotten my vote for NBA MVP. As a disservice to everyone around the world, I do not receive an MVP vote however and Kobe Bryant was allowed to pull it from Paul's grasp. That said, he is not a team unto himself as was proven tonight in the matchup against the San Antonio Spurs.

In the contest, Paul scored 23 points on 10-16 shooting while also leading the team in rebounding (6), assists (5) and steals (3). In games 1 and 2 Paul was able to rely on David West and Tyson Chandler to step up and help him keep the tempo up and drop in buckets for the New Orleans Hornets. Instead Paul scores 23 points compared to 25 scored by the other 4 starters for the Hornets.

David West struggled with 4-15 shooting while Chandler did not attempt a field goal and Peja Stojakovic who is often counted on to hit the open shot, was just 3-9.

On the other side of the ball, Tim Duncan stepped up just as I had hoped after his quiet start to the series. Duncan led the Spurs in scoring with 22 points on 10-13 shooting and also grabbed 15 rebounds. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili still did their part with 21 and 15 points respectively, but it was Duncan who led the charge, getting his points while passing out of double teams quickly and effectively.

The most impressive thing in game 4 was that the Spurs put away the Hornets early. In game 3 the Hornets were allowed to linger longer than they should have, and had the opportunity to capture momentum and win the game late. After the first quarter the Spurs turned up the intensity, led by 8 points to start the second quarter, and never let New Orleans get back into things.

Spurs return to Championship form

I'm not sure which is the bigger story from tonight's matchup between San Antonio and New Orleans in the Western Conference Semifinal. First is the Spurs resurgence in game 3. Tim Duncan and company looked like they were pressing in the first half and had their backs against the wall. In the second half it was a different story as they came out like caged animals and really took it to New Orleans as they built up their lead, capped by Bruce Bowen's 3-pointer from the corner leading to a Hornets time out.

As I watched the second half of tonight's game I saw San Antonio convince itself it was still the reigning champs and the team regained its typical calm induced by the best coach in basketball, Gregg Popovich. Where things stand for the Spurs right now I still feel like they're reeling a bit and I am still struggling to see them move on to face Los Angeles in the Conference Finals.

The reason for that feeling, Chris Paul (I'm not a fan of the CP3 abbreviation, so you will never read it on the site aside from this reference. Nicknames should be inspiring or intimidating like "The Big Hurt" or "Air Jordan." Even "Lefty" or "Hefty" for Phil Mickelson is better than Paul's handle.)

Chris Paul looked absolutely incredible at times tonight. There were points in the game where Paul looked as dominant as any player has looked this playoffs, short of Duncan's game 1 performance against Phoenix. David West was solid in the first half and disappeared as the game wore on, and some miscues on offense as the Spurs pulled away ultimately led to the defeat. However, Paul and company are dangerous and San Antonio is living on the 3-ball right now. As Paul continues to drive the lane and create, his impact can really only be minimized by strong shooting from the Spurs and Tony Parker creating plays.

Tim Duncan looked better tonight than in the first two games of the series. However, there still isn't a fire in his eyes like there was against Phoenix, and I'm simply not buying the illness holding on this long. Duncan even said before tonight's game that he was feeling 100% better, but to me he still looked like he had no emotion. I know Duncan's lack of emotion is as expected as Joey Chestnut or Takeru Kobayashi's lack of appetite on July 5, but in Phoenix he was the leader of his team, and so far against New Orleans he has been a role playing with little fire.

For the Spurs to win the series, even with some momentum from tonight's win, they're going to have to keep hitting big threes. Right now New Orleans is giving them the open looks as they double up Duncan, but quicker rotations in game 4 could be all the Hornets need to slow the Spurs offense. The Spurs remind me of this year's Duke Blue Devils team where eventually the threes won't go in and the team will crumble. Maybe Ginobili, Parker and Finley will keep connecting, but without a strong interior presence, they don't have the luxury of many off nights.

Watching Chris Paul and Tony Parker go toe-to-toe tonight (Paul 35 pts, 9 assists; Parker 31 pts, 11 assists) was truly exciting to watch and gave me renewed hope in the NBA and reminded me how special this year's playoffs are to watch.

Even Kobe Bryant can't deny that Chris Paul looked like the MVP tonight