2017 NBA All-Star Voting

The NBA All-Star voting is a little different this year, with fan vote only constituting 50% of the total vote to determine the starters, and with good reason.

Kobe Bryant got a lifetime achievement award in starting last year, and the first returns had journeyman center Zaza Pachulia (due to his apparently international popularity in the country of Georgia) amongst the starters in the frontcourt for the Western Conference team.

Anyways, there's only 4 days left to vote and with that in mind, here are my picks for the All-Star starters in 2017. You can make your selections (for anyone except Pachulia) at vote.nba.com or using Twitter or Facebook with the player's name and #NBAVote.

Eastern Conference:
G Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors (22.4 PPG, 7.2 APG, 4.9 RPG) 
Lowry has been the best player on a Raptors team keeping pace with the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference.
G Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets (23.1 PPG, 5.5 APG, 4.2 RPG)
Walker is playing the best basketball of his career, 4th in the league in clutch baskets, keeping Hornets afloat in Eastern Conference.
F LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers (26.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 8.2 APG)
Best player in basketball, let's move on.
F Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls (25.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 4.6 APG)
Solely the man in Chicago now, Butler has responded with career high average in points, in keeping a Bulls team competitive in East.
F Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (23.3 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 5.6 APG)
Probably the most improved player in the game this year, he has improved his jumper while doing a little bit of everything for Milwaukee.

Western Conference
G James Harden, Houston Rockets (28.5 PPG, 11.8 APG, 8.4 RPG)
The Rockets are the biggest surprise in the NBA this year, and Harden leads the league in assists and has 11 triple doubles this year, including a ridiculous 53 pt, 17 reb, 16 ast statline.
G Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors (24.7 PPG, 5.9 APG, 4.4 RPG)
OK, this should probably be Russell Westbrook if you look purely at the stats, but as a Rockets fan, in a close race between Harden and Westbrook, don't want to give Westbrook any free votes.
F Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors (26.0 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 4.6 APG)
The most scrutinized offseason move, Durant has accommodated himself nicely in the Bay, leading the highest scoring team in the league in scoring.
F Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs (24.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.1 APG)
His continual growth as a go-to offensive scorer, in addition to his great defense has the Spurs 2nd in the West.
F Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans (29.1 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 2.2 APG)
He's putting up ridiculous numbers, despite facing double teams night in and night out, on a team that is seriously devoid of much NBA talent.

2016 NBA Finals Preview: Cavaliers vs Warriors

It's an NBA Finals rematch between MVP Stephen Curry and the league best Warriors and LeBron James and championship-starved Cleveland! Here's a match-up by match-up breakdown.

Point Guards: Kyrie Irving vs. Stephen Curry

Irving has returned to his explosive self this postseason (after hurting his knee in Game 1 of the Finals last year), averaging 24.2 ppg against the Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals. At his best, he is one of the most dynamic players in the NBA, with his devastating handles, quickness, and lights out shooting. He also takes a lot of the burden off LeBron James since he consistently beats his man one-on-one, which draws help defenders and opens up shots for teammates. Meanwhile, Curry won his second straight MVP for good reason. Although he battled injuries in the first two rounds of the playoffs against Houston and Portland and has struggled with his shooting rhythm since coming back, the league's most explosive scorer still averaged 27 ppg, 7 rpg, and 6 apg against Russell Westbrook and OKC in helping the Warriors come back from a 3-1 deficit. I expect each team to cross-match, with Curry being guarded by JR Smith and Irving being guarded by Klay Thompson, so they won't be matched up directly on each other, but NBA fans will be treated to a point guard matchup that was cut short in last year's Finals.
Edge: Warriors

Shooting Guards: JR Smith vs. Klay Thompson

JR Smith is the ultimate heat-check, streaky shooter, who has been lights out this postseason (40% for 3 against the Raptors in the ECF). Meanwhile, Klay Thompson is coming off a Western Conference Final in which he shot lights out in Games 6 and 7 to help the Warriors comeback agaimst OKC. He will be critical to the Warriors' success with not only his sharp-shooting but also his perimeter defense on Kyrie and potentially LeBron. 
Edge: Warriors

Small Forwards: LeBron James vs. Harrison Barnes

LeBron has carried Cleveland back to the NBA Finals for the second straight year, his seventh straight overall. He has increased his point total each round, and will need to be the best player on the court this series, scoring efficiently and getting his teammates going in order for Cleveland to lift the trophy. A year ago in the finals, James struggled against the physical Andre Iguodala in Games 4-6, as Iguodala won the MVP of the series. He can't do the same this year. Barnes is a streaky shooter who can provide timely shots for Golden State. If Curry or Thompson are struggling, Barnes needs to step up and be ready to shoot.
Significant Edge: Cavaliers

Power Forwards: Kevin Love vs. Draymond Green

Love missed the Finals last year and needs to have an impact this year for the Cavaliers. HE can stretch the floor and shoot three's, but more importantly, he has to grab rebounds and provide some low-post presence for the perimeter heavy Cavaliers. Meanwhile, Green, when not kicking people, is the heart and soul of the Warriors as he rebounds, runs the floor, passes, and shoots threes. Most importantly, however, he anchors a great defensive team. He should match-up with LeBron for a good chunk of the games and he needs to keep LeBron in front of him and force him into long jumpers.
Edge: Warriors

Centers: Tristan Thompson vs. Andrew Bogut

Both teams employ a lot of small-ball, so there are times this series when neither of these two will be in the game.Thompson signed a big contract last offseason and needs to make an impact on this series by grabbing rebounds and playing good interior defense against the cutters of the Warriors. When he gets switched out on the Golden State guards, he has to stay in front and contest jumpers under control. Meanwhile, Bogut's interior defense around the basket area, rebounding, and (illegal) screen setting is key to a lot of the Warriors success. He needs to stay out of foul trouble and stay available for Steve Kerr in this series.
Edge: Warriors

Bench: Iman Shumpert/Channing Frye/Richard Jefferson/Matthew Dellavedova vs. Andre Iguodala/Shaun Livingston/Leandro Barbosa/Marreese Speights
Shumpert's minutes have dropped this year, but he still provides good perimeter defense and decent three-point shooting. Dellavedova is a pest but helps the Cavs get into their sets and set up shots from LeBron and Love. Channing Frye, a midseason acquisition, has been a revelation shooting threes in the playoffs, but he needs to contribute on the defensive end as well. Finally, old man Richard Jefferson has gotten playoff minutes because of his ability to stretch the floor and play decent defense.

Golden State's bench is deep again this year. Andre Iguodala, the MVP of last year's Finals, will no doubt play heavy minutes this series against LeBron. Livingston and Barbosa are instant offense  and energy when they get in the game and are good shooters. Mo Buckets Speights adds toughness and has extended his range beyond the three-point line this season.

Edge: Warriors

My prediction:

The Cavaliers are deeper with Irving and Love, but their bench is not, and I think their defense is not athletic or good enough to hang with the Warriors. Heroball, as the Cavaliers often tend to play, only benefits the Warriors' athletic defense.

In 7.

2016 NBA Playoffs: My Conference Finals Preview

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Golden State Warriors

The Thunder surprised much of the basketball world by upsetting the Spurs in 6 games to set up this doozy of a series between these two Western Conference powers. The point guard matchup will be fun to watch, with MVP Stephen Curry, who returned after dealing with knee and ankle injuries in the first two rounds, to help Golden State finish off the Blazers in Games 4 and 5, against Russell Westbrook, who is coming off a series in which he averaged 25.2 ppg and 10.5 apg. Westbrook needs to continue to play smart in this series and not try to match Curry shot for shot, because he will lose if that happens. I think Kevin Durant will have his hands full this series as well, as the Warriors will likely throw Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes, as well as Andre Iguodala (all good defenders) at him. So to win, OKC has to get the ball inside and dominate the boards with Steven Adams, Enes Kanter, and Serge Ibaka like they did against the Spurs. In the end, I think the Thunder have a real shot, but Warriors advance to the Finals.

Warriors in 6

Toronto Raptors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron and the Cavs three’d the Hawks to death in a sweep, while the Raptors won their second straight 7 game series in beating the injury-riddled Heat. I foresee another short series for Cleveland here, especially if Toronto can’t get center Jonas Valanciunas back 100%. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan both had strong series against the Heat and will have to continue scoring efficiently for the Raptors to keep up with all the three-point shooters the Cavaliers have (JR Smith, Channing Frye, Matthew Dellavedova, Richard Jefferson) around LeBron, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love. Inside, the Raptors’ Bismack Biyombo has been playing well, but the Cavs just have too many bigs in Tristan Thompson, Timofey Mozgov, and Love, that I think Toronto will struggle on the glass as well.

Cavaliers in 5

NBA All-Star Voting

Voting for 2016 NBA All-Star ends tomorrow. Vote at vote.nba.com or tweet/FB using hashtag #NBAVote. The players I voted for are below.

Merry Christmas 2015!

Merry Christmas to all my readers! Hope you guys enjoy your day with friends and family. After you're done celebrating, dig in with a NBA Christmas Day Quintuple header.

Pelicans @ Heat 12 PM ET on ESPN
Start off the day with emerging superstar Anthony Davis in South Beach to take on D-Wade and the Heat.

Bulls @ Thunder 2:30 PM ET on ABC
Next game features Jimmy Butler, Derrick Rose, and the Bulls facing Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, and the Thunder in OKC.

Cavaliers @ Warriors 5 PM ET on ABC
Must-watch game of the day, as it's a Finals rematch between LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and the East leading Cavs and Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and the West leading (and 27-1!!!) Warriors. No excuse to not catch this.
Spurs @ Rockets 8 PM ET on ESPN
It's a Texas showdown in H-Town, with Kawhi Leonard and the scorching hot Spurs (25-5) taking on James Harden and the disappointing Rockets.
Clippers @ Lakers 10:30 PM ET on ESPN
Kobe's farewell tour concludes the night, with the Lakers taking on Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and the Clippers in the The Battle for LA.

2015 NBA Finals Preview: Cavaliers vs. Warriors

It's a marquee NBA Finals between MVP Stephen Curry and the league best Warriors and LeBron James and championship-starved Cleveland! Here's a match-up by match-up breakdown.

Point Guards: Kyrie Irving vs. Stephen Curry

Irving has been banged up much of this postseason, with a hurt left knee and right foot, which has limited his explosive effectiveness. At his best, he is one of the most dynamic players in the NBA, with his devastating handles, quickness, and lights out shooting. He also takes a lot of the burden off LeBron James since he consistently beats his man one-on-one, which draws help defenders and opens up shots for teammates. Meanwhile, Curry won the MVP for good reason. The leading scorer and assist man on the league's best team, his play-making ability and lights-out shooting (the best shooting PG in NBA history) has led Golden State to its first Finals appearance since 1975. He has been nearly unstoppable this postseason, averaging 29.6 ppg, 6.4 asg and shooting 44% from three-point range.
Edge: Warriors

Shooting Guards: Iman Shumpert vs. Klay Thompson

Shumpert was a midseason acquisition from the Knicks who brings good perimeter defense and three-point shooting to help Cleveland spread the floor. He has averaged 10.1 ppg this postseason, while also grabbing 5.4 rpg, and shooting 38% from three-point range. Meanwhile, Klay Thompson, assuming he is over the concussion-like symptoms he suffered from Game 5's clinching win over the Rockets, is critical to the Warriors' success with this sharp-shooting and perimeter defense, as he has averaged 20 ppg and shot 43% from three-point range, while also having to guard players like Tyreke Evans and James Harden this postseason. With both teams likely employing cross-matches, Thompson's defense on Irving, as well as Shumpert's defense on Curry will be a big key in this series.
Edge: Warriors

Small Forwards: LeBron James vs. Harrison Barnes

LeBron's outside shooting may be putrid this postseason (17.6% from three-point range?!?), but he has done everything else for the Cavaliers without Kevin Love and a healthy Irving. Averaging 27.6 ppg, 10.6 rpg, and 8.3 rpg, he has carried Cleveland back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2007 and given the city a legitimate chance at a championship in his first year back after four years in Miami. How effective he is against the top defensive team in the NBA in the Warriors will obviously big storyline in this series, as he should see a bevy of different defenders, from Harrison Barnes to Klay Thompson to NBA Defensive Player of the Year runner-up Draymond Green and even Andre Iguodala off the bench.  Speaking of Barnes, he's had a solid postseason, shining in Game 5's clincher over the Rockets with 24 points, while playing shutdown defense on James Harden. His impact on this series will be to stretch the floor by knocking down open jumpers, rebounding, and playing good defense on the best basketball player on the planet.
Significant Edge: Cavaliers

Power Forwards: Tristan Thompson vs. Draymond Green

Thompson has been a beast on the boards, averaging 9.9 rpg this postseason and 10.4 ppg, mostly off putbacks and hustle plays around the rim. If he can be as effective on the glass as he was against the Hawks and get more possessions for the Cavs against the NBA's top defensive team, then Cleveland has a great shot. Meanwhile, Green does it all for the Warriors, as he rebounds, runs the floor, and short threes. Most importantly, however, he anchors a great defensive team. He should match-up with LeBron for a good chunk of the games and he needs to keep LeBron in front of him and force him into long jumpers.
Edge: Warriors

Centers: Timofey Mozgov vs. Andrew Bogut

Both teams employ a lot of small-ball, so there are times this series when neither of these two will be in the game. Mozgov was acquired midseason to replace the injured Anderson Varajao and has fit in nicely, finishing around the rim, rebounding, and being the team's top shot blocker. Meanwhile, Bogut is the leading rebounder and shot blocker on the Warriors. His defense around the basket area against James' drives could be a key thing to watch for in this series. 
Edge: Warriors

Bench: JR Smith/Matthew Dellavedova/James Jones vs. Andre Iguodala/Festus Ezeli/Shaun Livingston/Leandro Barbosa
Cleveland has had to dig deep into its reserves, with Kyrie ailing and Kevin Love out for the season. JR Smith is the ultimate heat-check, streaky shooter, who has been lights out this postseason (40% for 3). Dellavedova has quickly made his name into a pesky (dirty?) player who defends at a high level and can knock down open jump shots, and can run the offense when Irving goes to the bench. Finally, James Jones (who is in his 5th-straight Finals riding LeBron's coattails) is a sharp shooter from three-point range as well. 
Meanwhile, Golden State's bench has been one of the best in the league this year and has continued to be in the playoffs. Andre Iguodala's jump shot has been awful, but his playmaking ability and perimeter defense has lifted the second unit. Ezeli has been more than capable as a backup center in limited minutes this postseason, with his rebounding and shot blocking. Finally, Livingston and Barbosa, playing limited backup minutes for Curry and Thompson, have provided sparks off the bench with their slashing and quick scoring ability.
Edge: Warriors

My prediction:
LeBron looks like a man on a mission to end Cleveland's championship drought and it would seem unwise to pick against him. However, I think the Cavs took advantage of weak Eastern Conference opponents and he will struggle against a Warriors team that will throw multiple defenders and multiple looks at him. I just don't think Kyrie Irving is healthy enough and Golden State's bench has been more consistent all-year long than the Cavaliers'. Give me the MVP of the league (this year) and the league's most complete team.

In 6.

Last round’s record: 2-0
Playoff record: 11-3

2015 NBA Playoffs: My Conference Finals Preview

Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors

My hometown Rockets became the 9th team in NBA history to come back from a 3-1 series deficit and win the series, getting a triple double from James Harden in Game 5, a historic comeback fueled by Corey Brewer and Josh Smith in Game 6, and a dominant defensive performance in Game 7. This will be their first conference finals appearance since 1995. Meanwhile, Golden State survived a brief scare from the tough defense of the Grizzlies before advancing with three straight wins behind clinical offensive execution. 

This series should be fun to watch, as both teams are extremely explosive offensively, led by the MVP Stephen Curry and the runner-up for MVP James Harden. Around them, Golden State has a significant backcourt depth advantage, with fellow Splash Brother Klay Thompson, and Shaun Livingston and Leandro Barbosa off the bench. The Rockets have not played a backcourt as good as this one in the playoffs and could have trouble defensively. Both Klay and Steph thrive on moving without the basketball and running off screens and the Rockets do not have quick guards that defend shooters well (i.e. Jason Terry struggled with JJ Reddick for the first half of the Clippers series).

Down low, Josh Smith is the ultimate X-factor, as his play in the first two rounds elevated the Rockets to series wins. All in all, Smith, Dwight Howard, and Terence Jones have to outplay Draymond Green, Andrew Bogut, and David Lee in order for the Rockets to keep pace with the high flying Warriors.

While the Warriors have the better guards and the Rockets better low-post players, the wings may ultimately decide the series, with Harrison Barnes and Trevor Ariza's shooting and slashing ability, as well as the energy off the bench with Andre Iguodala and Corey Brewer.

I will be rooting for my Rockets to make it to the Finals for the first time since 1995, but I think Golden State's home court proves to the difference in the end.
Warriors in 7

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Atlanta HawksThe Cavaliers won a thrilling series with Bulls, their first without Kevin Love and with a hobbled Kyrie Irving, while the Hawks survived several Paul Pierce daggers and took advantage of the Wizards not having John Wall for Games 2-4 to reach their first ever Eastern Conference Finals. 

Atlanta has not been impressive this postseason, as they have struggled mightily to score at times. But given the Cavaliers' injury problems, they might not be a big problem. 

Match-up wise, PG should be fun to watch, with the starters Kyrie Irving (assuming he is healthy) and Jeff Teague, and the backups, in Matthew Dellavedova and Dennis Shroeder. At SG, Atlanta hopes to get Kyle Korver back on track, while Cleveland has depth in JR Smith and Iman Shumpert. Inside, Al Horford and Paul Millsap's offensive skills against the defense of Timofey Mosgov and Tristan Thompson should be fun to watch. 

At the wings, stopping LeBron James will be a huge key for the Hawks. DeMarre Carroll is playing the best basketball of his career at the moment and he and possibly Paul Millsap (when Cleveland downsizes) will have his hands full with James, who is carrying the Cavaliers like it's 2009 again. 

Speaking of downsizing, I expect to see a lot of that in this series. The Hawks love to finish games with Shroeder in the game with Jeff Teague, while Cleveland can always put LeBron at PF and Tristan Thompson at center and lose nothing defensively.

In the end, I think Cleveland has more experience, more depth, and the best player on the floor. I'll be pulling for you, Atlanta, but your magical season ends here. 

Cavaliers in 6

Rockets Comeback for the Ages forces Game 7

Simply stunning. The most amazing Houston Rockets game I've watched in my lifetime, as my team fell behind by 19 points midway through the third quarter, but outscored the Clippers 40-15 in the 4th quarter to force a Game 7 in this Western Conference semifinal series. And they did it all with MVP-runner-up James Harden on the bench, as head coach Kevin McHale went with a lineup of Jason Terry, Corey Brewer, Trevor Ariza, Josh Smith, and Dwight Howard down the stretch. The lineup stymied the Clippers offense, which became extremely stagnant, and also had good ball movement and clutch shot making from the likes of Smith and Brewer, who had really had awful series.

For a team that last Game 1 even though the Clippers were tired and were without Chris Paul, and were humiliated in Games 3 and 4 due to a horrific lack of effort, this series is somehow tied after a gritty win at home in Game 5 and last night's stunning comeback in LA. They'll be replaying this game for years to come in Houston, but let's finish the job on Sunday first. #Game7 #Pursuit

Al Horford Gives Hawks 3-2 Lead over Wizards

Moments after Paul Pierce hit a three-pointer from the corner that seemingly gave Washington the win, Al Horford grabs an offensive rebound off a Dennis Shroeder miss and gets the putback to give the Hawks an 82-81 win and a 3-2 series lead over the Wizards. The Hawks had come back from 11 down in the fourth, as the Wizards, with John Wall playing, seemed to have control of the series. But it was not to be. Game 6 is Friday in DC.

LeBron James Hits Buzzer Beater for Cavs to Tie Series with Bulls

The string buzzer beaters continues as LeBron James hits a jumper to the Eastern Conference semifinal between the Cavaliers and Bulls at 2 games apiece. Game 5 is Tuseday back in Cleveland.

Paul Pierce Banks in Winner for 2-1 Lead over Hawks

Incredible ending in Washington as the Wizards blow a 21-point fourth quarter lead but still win on a miraculous step-back bank shot by Paul Pierce at the buzzer, to beat the Hawks 103-101 and take a 2-1 lead in the series. This comes one day after Derrick Rose banked in a three at the buzzer for the Bulls to beat the Cavs to take a 2-1 lead. Game 4 of the series is Monday night at the Verizon Center.

2015 NBA Playoffs- Conference Semifinal Predictions

Western Conference

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Golden State Warriors
Golden State swept the Pelicans and Memphis took out Portland easily, setting up this conference semifinal between teams with completely different styles. The Warriors attempt a ton of three pointers with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, while the Grizzlies will want to pound it down low with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. The status of Memphis PG Mike Conley, who is day-to-day with facial fractures will determine how long this series lasts, but ultimately Golden State is too talented for Memphis.
Warriors in 5

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Houston Rockets

The Clippers eliminated the defending champion Spurs in a spectacular 7-game series and will face my hometown Rockets, who disposed of Dallas in 5 games, in the 2nd round. As much as I want James Harden and Dwight Howard to lead my Rockets to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1995, I think Chris Paul (assuming he's not bothered by the strained hamstring he suffered in Game 7 against the Spurs on Saturday) will be too much for the us to handle, as without PG Pat Beverley, we don't have a player that can stay in front of him. (JJ Barea torched us in last round, and CP3 >> Barea)
Clippers in 6

Eastern Conference

Washington Wizards vs. Atlanta Hawks
The Wizards used a small-ball lineup to sweep away the horrid offense of the Raptors, while Atlanta survived a scare from the 38-win Nets, needing 6 games to put them away. John Wall vs. Jeff Teague is the key matchup in this series at the PG position, but I think Atlanta will be ready for the small-ball of the Wizards and their team-oriented offense will pose a much greater challenge to Washington than Toronto's isoball.
Hawks in 7

Chicago Bulls vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Bulls played around with the Bucks for 6 games, while Cavs swept Boston in round 1, but not without a price, as Cleveland lost Kevin Love for the rest of the playoffs with torn ligaments in his shoulder. How Chicago defends Kyrie Irving will determine whether or not they advance. Derrick Rose still looks rusty, and with Jimmy Butler having his hands full guarding LeBron, the Bulls need their front line of Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, and Taj Gibson to dominate the boards and control the pace. In the end, too much LeBron and Kyrie.
Cavaliers in 7

My First Round Record: 6-2

2015 NBA Playoffs- First Round Predictions

It's the most wonderful time of the year! NBA Playoff basketball begins today, and here are my first round predictions.

Western Conference
Warriors in 5 over Pelicans: Anthony Davis led New Orleans to the playoffs for the first time since 2011, but they are running into a juggernaut in the league's best team.

Grizzlies in 6 over Blazers: Both teams are banged up, but I think Marc Gasol and Memphis survives the war of attrition.

Spurs in 7 over Clippers: San Antonio shockingly fell from 2 to 6 after their loss to New Orleans Saturday, but they are still one of the hottest team's in the NBA. Kawhi Leonard's play carries the defending champs over Blake Griffin and CP3 in Game 7 in LA.
Rockets in 7 over Mavericks: Offensive firepower aplenty on both sides with the MVP James Harden against Dirk, Monta, and the Mavs. There's also the juicy plot of Jason Terry and Corey Brewer, as well as Chandler Parsons facing their former teams in the playoffs. Give me the Beard and the defense of Trevor Ariza and a healthy Dwight Howard and Josh Smith.

Eastern Conference
Hawks in 5 over Nets: There is no way a 38-win team should make the playoffs, but alas, this is the Eastern Conference we're talking about. Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson may get the Nets one game, but Coach Budenholzer's top-seed Hawks advance easily. 
Raptors in 7 over Nets: Great backcourt matchup between Toronto's Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan and Washington's John Wall and Bradley Beal. I think Toronto has learned from last year's 7 game series against the Nets about how to win close games in the playoffs and advance to play Atlanta.
Bulls in 5 over Bucks: Jason Kidd has done an amazing job leading the Greek Freak and the Bucks back to the postseason, but their great season ends at the hands of Jimmy Butler, Pau Gasol and the well-coached veteran Bulls.
Cavaliers in 4 over Celtics:  Brad Stevens has similarly done a great job with a young Boston roster in flux (they traded Rajon Rondo mid-year). But LeBron and the Cavs have too much talent and veteran experience to play around with the Celtics.

NBA All-Star Voting

NBA All-Star voting ends on Monday. So if you haven't voted yet, be sure to vote at NBA.com. The players I voted for are below.

Merry Christmas 2014!

Merry Christmas to all my readers! Hope you guys enjoy your day with friends and family. After you're done celebrating, dig in with a NBA Christmas Day Quintuple header.

Wizards @ Knicks 12 PM ET on ESPN
John Wall, Bradley Beal, and co. visit Carmelo at MSG to kickoff the day.
Thunder @ Spurs 2:30 PM ET on ABC
Unfortunately, Kevin Durant will be out, but it's still a Western Conference Finals rematch between Russell Westbrook and the Thunder and the defending champion Spurs.
Cavaliers @ Heat 5 PM ET on ABC
LeBron makes his return to South Beach for the first time since he left the Heat to return home to the Cavs over the summer.
Lakers @ Bulls 8 PM ET on TNT
The 17th straight year Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are featured on Christmas Day, as they visit Derrick Rose and the Bulls in Chicago.
Warriors @ Clippers 10:30 PM ET on TNT
Best matchup of the day between Lob City and the Splash Brothers in Hollywood, featuring a marquee PG duel between MVP candidate Stephen Curry and Chris Paul.

2014-15 NBA Preview

After a crazy off-season which saw LeBron return to Cleveland, here are my projections for the upcoming season.

Western Conference

1. San Antonio Spurs- The defending champs resigned Boris Diaw and are working on re-signing Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, who wants a max deal. Assuming Leonard's contract doesn't become a distraction, expect another run at the title by Popovich's team, barring a significant injury.

2. Los Angeles Clippers- Vinny del Negro is gone, Doc Rivers is in, and the Clips resigned MVP-candidate Chris Paul, while also adding perimeter shooting and defense in the form of J.J. Redick, Jared Dudley, and backup PG Darren Collison. Plus, my NBA preview wouldn't be complete without picking an LA team to win the West. (We all know how that turned out last year)

3. Oklahoma City Thunder- Kevin Durant's foot injury only reason I drop OKC down to 3rd. Adding more shooting in Anthony Morrow, added growth from Jeremy Lamb and Andre Roberson, in addition to a healthy Russell Westbrook should keep the Thunder in contention.

4. Portland Trailblazers- Damian Lillard, Wesley Mathews, Nicolas Batum, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Robin Lopez form the best starting lineup in basketball. In order for Blazers to take the next step, though, they'll need Steve Blake, Dorell Wright, and Chris Kaman to produce off the bench.

5. Dallas Mavericks- The Mavericks made a litany of offseason moves, as they signed Chandler Parsons from the Rockets, reacquired Tyson Chandler from the Knicks, and added Jameer Nelson to a Dirk Nowitzki and a team that won 50 games a year ago. Rick Carlisle will make sure everyone fits and the Mavs should contend for homecourt advantage.

6. Golden State Warriors- Steve Kerr's new offense is already drawing rave reviews, and could make the Splash Brothers (in addition to continued growth from Harrison Barnes) even more lethal.

7. Houston Rockets- My hometown team lost out on both Chris Bosh and resigning Chandler Parsons, so had a rather disappointing offseason. Instead GM Daryl Morey will hope that SF Trevor Ariza can upgrade the perimeter defense, while adequately replacing Parsons' offense. Bench depth is a big question mark, however, as Houston will be depending on veterans coming off bad seasons (Jason Terry) or unproven NBA players (Kostas Papanikolaou, Troy Daniels, Nick Johnson, Isaiah Canaan). 

8. Phoenix Suns- Phoenix was biggest surprise in NBA last season, and adding dynamic PG Isaiah Thomas to pair with Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe gives the Suns a great backcourt. Lack of depth in the front court will hold Phoenix back, though.

9. Memphis Grizzlies- Adding an aging Vince Carter to a team that barely snuck into the playoffs last year doesn't inspire much excitement in me. Still not enough perimeter shooting outside Mike Conley (have only been saying that for the past 5 offseasons)

10. Denver Nuggets- A team decimated by injuries a year ago, Brian Shaw hopes in his second year that a core of Ty Lawson, Aron Afflalo, Nate Robinson, Danilo Galinari, and Kenneth Faried can lead the Nuggets back to the playoffs. 

11. New Orleans Pelicans- Anthony Davis is about to breakout as a superstar, and pairing him with Omer Asik in the front court gives New Orleans a top-10 duo there. Need a bounceback season from Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans, and Jrue Holiday, though for the Pelicans to make a run at the postseason.

12. Sacramento Kings- Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins may both average 20+, but Sac-town made a mistake in letting Isaiah Thomas go, in my opinion. Instead, they will have to depend on Darren Collison/Ramon Sessions at PG. Also need either Ben McLemore or Nik Stauskas (their last team lottery picks) to develop into a quality NBA starting SG.

13. Los Angeles Lakers- Kobe is back, but his supporting cast is still pretty mediocre. Jeremy Lin and Carlos Boozer are solid veterans who will add offense but are turnstiles defensively, not good for a team that is in transition.

14. Utah Jazz- Gordon Hayward was resigned to a big deal, and he will have to lead a young team that needs big leaps forward from young players like Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, Alec Burks, and Trey Burke.

15. Minnesota Timberwolves- Traded Kevin Love to Cleveland to start over with a young core of Andrew Wiggins, Thad Young, and Ricky Rubio. Will be a long season with a lot of growing pains in the Twin Cities.

Eastern Conference

1. Chicago Bulls- Derrick Rose is back (again?) and so are Chicago's championship hopes. MVP-candidate Joakim Noah and Jimmy Butler somehow led Chicago to 4th seed a year ago, and adding a returning Rose, PF Pau Gasol and draft pick Doug McDermott should only elevate Tom Thibodeau's team to the top spot in the depleted East.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers- LeBron is back, and so are the Cavs, who will help that their new nucleus of LBJ, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving can mesh together and develop enough chemistry to make a title run in year 1.

3. Toronto Raptors- Another big surprise from a year ago, Toronto is a young, talented team with two all-star players in DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry (snubbed) in the backcourt. Growth from Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas will determine how high Toronto lands.

4. Washington Wizards- A surprising playoff team a year ago, DC fans finally can have optimism that John Wall and Bradley Beal continue to grow into the best backcourt in basketball. Getting solid contributions from veterans Paul Pierce, Nene, and Marcin Gortat will also determine how far the Wiz go.

5. Miami Heat- LBJ is gone, as are the championship aspirations in South Beach. But Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, Luol Deng, Danny Granger, and Josh McRoberts will still be enough for Miami to contend for homecourt in the East.

6. Charlotte Hornets- The rebranded ex-Bobcats should improve on last year's record, with the addition of Lance Stephenson, continued growth from Kemba Walker and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and a solid anchor down low at center in Al Jefferson. 

7. Atlanta Hawks- Al Horford is back and the Hawks should have enough with all-star Paul Millsap and PG Jeff Teague to improve on their record a year ago.

8. Brooklyn Nets- Money doesn't buy happiness, especially when that money is spent on washed up veterans and a disgruntled coach, who failed in his power grab (good riddance, Jason Kidd). Brooklyn will make the playoffs with Brook Lopez, Deron Williams, and Joe Johnson on the team, but that's their ceiling, and nothing more.

9. New York Knicks- Is Amar'e off the books yet? Capped out NY resigned Carmelo Anthony but still couldn't do much to improve the team other than sign Derek Fisher to teach them how to flop better.

10. Detroit Pistons- Stan Van Gundy brings instant credibility to an organization that has been in disarray. If/when they trade Josh Smith, the Pistons will able to build around a decent nucleus in Andre Drummond, Greg Monroe, and Brandon Jennings.

11. Indiana Pacers- Absolutely collapsed last year after getting to an amazing start, falling meekly to Miami in the conference finals. Roy Hibbert looked like he has forgotten how to play basketball, and then Paul George goes down with a horrific leg injury while playing for team USA during the summer. Going to be a long season in Indy.

12. Milwaukee Bucks- Assuming veterans OJ Mayo and Larry Sanders return to form, and new coach Jason Kidd can nurture rookie Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee will be much improved this year.

13. Boston Celtics- Rajon Rondo wants out and Boston may have his replacement in Marcus Smart. Otherwise, another growing year Brad Stevens and a team that won 25 games a year ago.

14. Orlando Magic- They signed center Nicolas Vucevic to an long-term extension and they'll hope he, Elfrid Payton and Victor Oladipo can be form the core for the future.

15. Philadelphia 76ers- Tank City continues, with maybe Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel (yet to play an NBA game) the only NBA-quality players on the roster.