Washington is in a great situation to draft John Wall regardless of the Arenas dilemma. If they let Agent Zero walk, then they have the best possible replacement for him in Wall, a true PG with otherworldly athleticism and court smarts, as the new cornerstone for the franchise. If they keep Arenas, they can just move him to the off-guard position alongside Wall, where his itchy trigger-finger would actually be encouraged. Wall’s also big enough to conceivably guard twos, and compensate for Arenas’ lack of strength in that department, though of course, as a rookie, Wall will really have to work hard in that aspect.

2. Philadelphia 76ers                                    6’7 224 lbs             Evan Turner G/F, Ohio State

Philly has a plethora of options on what to do with the second pick, but assuming they keep it, I see them grabbing Evan Turner. Turner is the most NBA-ready prospect in the draft, and though he’s basically an off-guard, less athletic, better shooting version of current Sixers star Andre Iguodala, a combination of him and AI2 on the wings should be nasty.

3. New Jersey Nets                                    6’10 245lbs            Derrick Favors F/C, Georgia Tech

Favors seems to be moving up as high as two, with reports coming in that his measurements are eerily similar to Dwight Howard. New Jersey’s a place where he wouldn’t need to be a center to succeed, because they already have a really good, young one in Brook Lopez. The two compliment each other perfectly.

4. Minnesota Timberwolves                        6’7 206lbs            Wesley Johnson F/G, Syracuse

They really should do everything in their power to move up and grab Evan Turner, who is an A-plus, perfect fit for the team, and will plug in a hole at the wings, while allowing Corey Brewer to slide into his natural SF role. Wesley Johnson, while not the go-to scorer Turner is, Johnson is a long and efficient prospect whose versatility would be a plus next to a frontcourt that demands the ball on each possession. I think the TWolves will go with the Love-Milicic tandem, trade Jefferson, and look for frontcourt help elsewhere.

5. Sacramento Kings                                    6’11 292 lbs            DeMarcus Cousins C/F, Kentucky

They need a SF since Landry is more of an undersized four while Nocioni is better suited off the bench, so they’ll be holding their breath that Wesley Johnson falls to them. In the case that he doesn’t, I’d like them to pick Cousins over another good swingman prospect in Aminu primarily because the former is big, talented, has potential, and also fills a need. Jason Thompson isn’t a center and Spencer Hawes is too soft to play the slot man position full time, so a bulky big like Cousins could be just what the doctor ordered. I think the issues surrounding his attitude are overblown, anyway, a few character red flags didn’t stop the Kings from drafting Tyreke Evans last year, and in hindsight, it’s looked to be an extremely good decision (what an understatement).

6. Golden State Warriors                        6’8 215            Al-Farouq Aminu F, Wake Forest

Aminu is one of those prospects I’m actually not very high on, which is a bit funny because he reminds me so much of Thaddeus Young (who I’m a big fan of). He doesn’t seem to have the “it” factor necessary for him to take the next step into superstardom, and plays like he’s just content doing the role player things during games. Still, you can’t ignore his physical attributes and the fact that he should work pretty fine as a second or third option. He could be the next Danny Granger, he has that kind of potential, and should thrive in Golden State’s open-court system.

7. Detroit Pistons                                    6’11 247             Greg Monroe F/C, Georgetown

I don’t like Greg Monroe for the Pistons even though I like Monroe himself as a prospect. He’s one of my favorite big men in the draft, and has really raised his stock due to his measurements, but the thought of him as the C in a frontcourt consisting of him, Villanueva, and Daye makes me cringe. Monroe’s really a system player, the type of big man who can make key passes and do the necessary, unexpected things (like Lamar Odom, but bigger and less athletic). He’s not really a great defender or even a shotblocker like Cousins, Favors, Aldrich, or even Udoh. If Cousins drops here, expect Detroit to snap him up without question, while Cole Aldrich, though a better fit, might be a reach, especially if you have the chance to draft a game-changer like Monroe. For Detroit, a Monroe selection will be all about drafting the best player available, not necessarily the best fit.

8. LA Clippers                                                6’9 240             Patrick Patterson F, Kentucky

Patterson has really improved his stock over the past few weeks, showing legit size as a PF, looking mature and wise beyond his years during interviews, and just basically doing all the little things that coaches and scouts love.  A steady presence like him could be great backing up Blake Griffin (especially with Griffin coming off an injury). He could be a bigger version of Carl Landry, one of this season’s breakout players.

9. Utah Jazz                                                6’10 237             Ekpe Udoh F/C, Baylor

Since Greg Monroe is off the board, the Jazz will have to “settle” with Udoh, who’s actually a decent player in his own right. Monroe and Udoh seem like Sloan-type players, with the former being a better “system” player because of his wide array of skills (plus, he’s really big), and the latter being a better defender.

10. Indiana Pacers                                    6’9 227lbs             Ed Davis F/C, North Carolina

I doubt the Pacers reach for Bledsoe, and I seriously doubt they’d reach for Hayward. They’ll go with a big man, though to their dismay, perfect fits Monroe and Udoh should be off the board by the time this pick rolls in. I dislike Ed Davis as a prospect, he doesn’t seem to have any real tangible skill that separates him from the rest of the pack, and has not taken over games like he should have. Still, the Pacers should try and strike iron with a player that has a decent enough ceiling. Tyler Hansbrough (another North Carolina man) and Roy Hibbert are very serviceable, but aren’t gonna be franchise-level players. Ed Davis, despite his numerous faults, has the chance to be one.

11. New Orleans Hornets                        7’0 224lbs             Donatas Motiejunas F, Latvia

The Hornets need depth at C and PF, but they also have a hole at SF with big-earners Peja Stojakovic and Morris Peterson getting more and more mediocre with each passing season. Former lottery picks Julian Wright and Hilton Armstrong have also underperformed, leaving a gap in terms of serviceable swingmen. Motiejunas can play both forward positions, and even though he has a lot of question marks (consistency, defense, whether or not he’s even coming), has the skills to make an impact ala Andrea Bargnani. It also helps that Chris Paul’s the type of player who can make anyone look good.

12. Memphis Grizzlies                        6’3 180lbs             Avery Bradley G, Texas

The first “reach” of the draft starts here. Bradley could conceivably be picked later on with Memphis’ late round picks, but I’m sure that Bradley (like Russell Westbrook two season ago) will shoot up to the late lottery as the weeks go by. This guy is quite simply a ball player, many people forget that he was one of the more heralded college freshmen last year, just a slight notch below Wall, Favors, Cousins, etc. Bradley’s a perfect fit for Memphis because of his skillet- he has a great jumper and plays extremely good defense. Though small, he can play off the ball because of his length, shooting, and ability to stop opponents, which should make him a great fit next to OJ Mayo (who plays PG a lot). If nothing else, he’ll help shore up a thin backcourt, because Marcus Williams and Jamaal Tinsley don’t scare anybody.

13. Toronto Raptors                                    6’11 236lbs             Cole Aldrich C, Kansas

The Raptors have an interesting pool of players to choose from at the thirteenth spot, all with different skills. They could go with Xavier Henry, a shooter that could be a good, young complement to the slashing skills of Demar Derozen. Swingmen abound (George, Babbit, Hayward), all who conceivably could replace a disgruntled Hedo Turkoglu. However, with Bosh all but sure of leaving, and Bargnani stepping into the starting PF slot, the position of need turns now to the center slot. Nesterovic and Amir Johnson have been serviceable, but there’s no one there who can just come in and be a banger in the post. The Raptors are too soft under the basket, and a true, rebounding, shotblocking center in Cole Aldrich could be the remedy for that.

14. Houston Rockets                                    6’11 227lbs             Hassan Whiteside C, Marshall

Even with Yao Ming back, the frontline depth of the Rockets is nothing to write home about. Derek Anderson is inconsistent, while Chuck Hayes, though a great hustle player, is too small to play heavy minutes. Also, you can’t really count on Yao just yet, because of his history of injuries. Hassan Whiteside is one of the biggest question marks of the draft, and is one of those who could completely bust given the wrong situation. He offers three things that are key for a team however- size, shotblocking, and offense. Whiteside is extremely raw, but has the talent to be versatile on both ends of the court. His jump shot is extremely nice-looking for a big, and though he played in a small school, did decently against above-average competition. He just needs gain some weight and lose the attitude, because he’s possibly the most volatile pick along with DeMarcus Cousins.

15. Milwaukee Bucks                                    6’6 210lbs             Xavier Henry G/F, Kansas

Henry has a chance to go higher than this, especially because he has good height and an NBA-body, but for now, he goes to Milwaukee to become the Bucks’ shooting guard of the future. Unlike the other non-lottery shooting guards like Anderson and Crawford, he’s also quite well-built and tall, which allows him to move up to the forward position when necessary.

16. Minnesota Timberwolves             6’8 218lbs             Luke Babbitt F, Nevada

Babbitt’s basically a bigger, less-perimeter based version of Adam Morrison, who,  unlike The ‘Stache, will not have colossal expectations placed on him from day one. This should allow him to develop at his own pace, while thrusting him into a position of prominence with the young Timberwolves. Babbitt won’t be a starter, but he should be more effective than Ryan Gomes due to his perimeter game.

17. Chicago Bulls                                    6’5 208lbs     James Anderson G, Oklahoma State

Aside from perhaps Lebron James, the Bulls most glaring area of need is a guard/swingman who can shoot the lights out, which they have missed with the departure of Ben Gordon. Jannero Pargo and Flip Murray are serviceable, but they’re too small and not starter-worthy, while Kirk Hinrich is too inconsistent to be fully utilized as a SG. If Xavier Henry miraculously falls here, expect that the Bulls snatch him up without hesitation, but if not, than Oklahoma’s James Anderson would be a great consolation prized. The Big East POY has been favorably compared to last season’s second-round surprise, Marcus Thornton or New Orleans, and Bulls management could hope that Anderson becomes a suitable backcourt partner for Derrick Rose.

18. Miami Heat                                    6’9 269lbs             Daniel Orton C/F, Kentucky

Miami is sure to take a center here, unless one of the top prospects falls out of the lottery, since J. O’Neal is past his prime and their only other center is Joel Anthony. Anyway, they would have their pick of many “mid-level” centers at 18, and any choice wouldn’t be considered much of a stretch. It would be more realistic to pick a polished prospect like Larry Sanders or even Solomon Alabi, moreso than a young Daniel Orton, especially because of the presence of young Michael Beasley, but I think Heat can afford to take Orton here. Orton didn’t showcase much of his skill, but he’s large and already has the body to compete in the NBA.

19. Boston Celtics                                    6’8 214             Paul George F/G, Fresno State

Paul George is one of those prospects in the draft who has seen his stock rise because of the draft combine. He’s one of the taller and longer swingmen, whose terrific shooting percentages bode well for such a perimeter-oriented player. Teams aren’t too hesitant anymore about drafting players from non-mainstream schools, so the fact that George played in little-known Fresno State should have almost no bearing. Boston is in the middle of a title run, having beaten Orlando to advance into the NBA finals, but there is no denying that they need some fresh legs backing up Ray Allen and even Paul Pierce. George should be better than Tony Allen and even former Celtic Bill Walker, who is not strutting his wares for the Knicks.

20. San Antonio Spurs                        6’1 192 lbs             Eric Bledsoe G, Kentucky

The Bledsoe “semi”-slide ends here, at twenty where he actually realistically projects as a prospect (which is also where ironically, his best case scenario Rajon Rondo was drafted a few years ago). He’ll form a potent young backcourt partner with MIP candidate George Hill, and could eventually be a franchise cornerstone by the time Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker are out of time. The Spurs can also draft one of the centers that are sure to fall here, like Orton, Sanders, Alabi, or even Whiteside.

21. Oklahoma City Thunder                        6’7 227lbs             Damion James F, Texas

Oklahoma should shore up their forward depth with this pick. James is a grizzled college veteran who can conceivably play both forward positions, and though not someone with the ceiling of even an all-star player, will be very serviceable off the bench. The Thunder could also go with Sanders or Alabi, as they need a long shotblocker to complement the scoring and slashing of the wing players, but with the emergence of Serge Ibaka, that isn’t as much of a priority as it was last season.

22. Portland Trailblazers                        6’8 211lbs             Gordon Hayward F, Butler

The feel-good story of the year takes his rightful place as a first rounder, though a late one. Hayward’s versatility and scoring punch could complement Portland’s host of young swingmen, each with different skills (Batum’s defense and athleticism, Webster’s shooting, Fernandez’ savvy and threes). He won’t be a star, but he’ll be an excellent role player just as long as team tempers their expectations of him.

23. Minnesota Timberwolves            7’1 237lbs             Solomon Alabi C, Florida State

When I said in my previous Minny entry that they should look for frontcourt help elsewhere, I was thinking of their late first round, with Alabi and Sanders probably still available. I like Sanders more as a prospect, but Alabi has the edge in height and length, which will be more important next to bulky bigs like Kevin Love and Al Jefferson (if he stays). Alabi is a bigger project than Whiteside, Orton, and Sanders, but he won’t have to force himself early on into the flow with a host of young big men ahead of him. His length could also offshoot the YWolves’ earlier drafting of Luke Babbitt.

24. Atlanta Hawks                                    6’10 222lbs             Larry Sanders C/F, VCU

Zaza Pachulia has been great for them, but Sanders injects the Hawks with a young shotblocker that will conjure up images of a neophyte Theo Ratliff. He will also allow Al Horford to play his natural PF position at times. I see the Hawks taking Paul George or James Anderson if they drop though, to prepare for the impending departure of Joe Johnson.

25. Memphis Grizzlies                        6’8 208lbs             Devin Ebanks F, West Virginia

Speaking of impending departures, the Grizz also have to use this draft to take a possible replacement for star swingman Rudy Gay. Sam Young has no perimeter game and is best suited for a power forward position. As they reached for Avery Bradley in the latter end of the lottery, I see them picking safe with college veteran Devin Ebanks, whose versatility and reputation as a great leader and solid college performer could be key for a team with question marks in both forward positions.

26. Oklahoma City Thunder                        6’4 208             Willie Warren G, Oklahoma

The biggest drop in terms of reputation, from last year to this one, though I believe he’ll be an excellent late round steal. It’ll help that he’ll go to his alma matter state in Oklahoma, and won’t be tasked to really do too much, except come in, score, and play point at times. With Westbrook, Harden, Maynor, and now Warren, Oklahoma now has a bevy of college studs in their backcourt.

27. New Jersey Nets                                    6’5 227lbs             Lance Stephenson G, Cincinatti

Stephenson has been projected to go as high as 17th, and as low as the early 40s, but I see the Nets picking the semi-home town hero here quite handily, especially if they picked Favors or Cousins with their lottery pick. He would be a better prospect than Chris Douglas-Roberts, and could end up to be a steal here this late, if he manages to put it all together.

28. Memphis Grizzlies                        6’7 213lbs             Stanley Robinson F, UConn

I really like Stanley Robinson, who could turn out to be a poor man’s version of Gerald Wallace, just counting on his athleticism alone. Memphis looks to be prepared for Gay’s departure through the shoring up of their small forward spot, and Robinson could help in replacing some of Gay’s athleticism and intangibles.

29. Orlando Magic                                    6’4 198lbs             Jordan Crawford G, Xavier

Orlando has the best depth in the entire league, but they don’t have that crazy scoring guard off the bench. Crawford may be undersized, but that won’t be too much of an issue because of the presence of long swingmen like Barnes and Pietrus. Carter’s aging fast, so depth as off guard could be a necessity sooner than later.

30. Washington Wizards                        6’9 233lbs             Gani Lawal F, Georgia Tech

I liked Grieves Vasquez here (Maryland product plus I like him as a player), but he could be grabbed quite easily in the second round, and the Wizards picking him this early could waste their chance to grab a prospect with considerable upside. The Wizards could also grab Memphis product Elliot Williams to form a tough rookie backcourt with the first pick Wall, but I like Gani Lawal for them to back up Blanche. Lawal is more of a physical player who could be great for such a young team.

I wasn’t too bothered about the loss (after all, Ateneo always loses to La Salle during the preseason, but turns around and whacks them during the UAAP tournament, when it matters the most), and I left satisfied with an idea on how the revamped squads would look like come tourney time. Here are my thoughts on several of the players who caught my attention (for good or for bad), and how they performed as prospects for the new Blue and Green teams.

LA SALLE SIDE

Mediocre:

Nico Elorde, rookie PG

Lost out in the numbers game along with buddy Joel Tolentino, which probabaly would have been the case even if Vosotros, Atkins, and dela Paz didn’t play as well as they did this game. Like Tolentino, Elorde just doesn’t seem to have any tangible skill that separates him from the other (numerous) guards vying for a good rotation spot. The spot of versatile, 10-5-5 point guard is already taken by the infinitely-more experienced Atkins, Vosotros is the superior defender, and dela Paz’ savvy and excellent mid-range game will be more important than anything Elorde can bring at the moment. One of my targets to eventually move down to Team B, or transfer, which is a shame because this guy was a really decent team player back in HS. Blame the insane guard depth.

Joel Tolentino, PG

See Nico Elorde, who similarly finds himself as the fourth/fifth option at PG. Tolentino’s demotion is more sympathetic however, because Joel was last year’s best option at PG (next to an apathetic Atkins and Ateneo Sixth Man Bader Malabes), and now, he’s fighting with Elorde for a 15th man spot. Tolentino has the leg up on his young pal though, he seems to have a better basketball body, and of course, has one year under his belt, having played significant minutes, no less.

Maui Villanueva, F

I was always a fan of Maui, primarily because he seems like the low-key, coachable player that everyone loves. He did decently during his first two years as a solid option and fringe starter, with his hustle and ability to hit the open jumper. Fast-forward to the present however, and it’s disappointing to see his glaring weaknesses brought out into the open, overshadowing whatever good he brings to the table. He plays without a position (too short and skinny to play 4/5, too slow for the 3), and hasn’t transitioned into the SF role that I thought would have saved his career. He still has an annoying hitch and a low release point in his jump shot, which is apparent even when he shoots his free throws. This severely stunts his development as a wing, while leaving him as a post-oriented player, where he gets outmuscled and outplayed by the stretch fours who can block his shot attempts easily. It’s a shame because he has the heart to play in the post, and if it wasn’t obvious before, the post is a glaring area of need for the Archers. Think Tyler Hansbrough without the bulk, no perimeter game, fit to be a bench player in the NBA.

Decent:

Sam Marata, G/F

Marata’s a guy who has always caught my eye. I mean, he was a center in high school, the high school student famous for winning the MVP award…while not being in that year’s Mythical Five team (I’m still boggled with how that happened). Seeing his seamless transition into a guard/forward hybrid, really made me take notice of him not only as a key collegiate player, but also as one who has a legitimate chance to do well in the PBA. He’s a legit 6’2 with good shooting mechanics who has worked on his dribble-drive game in order to be a mismatch at off-guard. He could follow in the footsteps of another sharpshooting dynamo, James Yap (along with UP’s Michael Silungan, who I predict will take the scoring title this year). It’s good that Sam’s still young, because he still has a ways to go before he becomes franchise player-level. He’s still a tad bit slow and inconsistent with his offense, as seen when he forced it a couple of times. Marata didn’t explode as I thought he would, but he showed some defensive promise, at times guarding Kirk or Salamat, where his length was instrumental in bothering their shots.

Yutien Andrada, C/PF

Still as skinny as ever, Andrada looks like the type of guy who will never be bulky no matter how much he hits the weights room (his arms are quite defined, which means he does his gym work, so to still be that thin is a pessimistic sign). He showed some new post moves and pump fakes, which should scare the tar out of his opponents as they now have to watch him on offense instead of dismissing him entirely. Blocked a couple of shots too, which shouldn’t surprise anyone.

Gab Banal, G/F

Clearly a crowd favorite; one only needs to look at the eight or so La Salle patrons clad in “Free Gab Banal” shirts to see that Banal is clearly the La Salle greens version of Boston Celtics’ fave, Brian Scalabrine. Banal looked tentative and confused at times, but stuck to his defensive assignment (a bigger Ryan Buenafe) to the best of his abilities, and even hit a three near the end of the first quarter.

Jarelan Tampus, rookie G/F

I love this guy. He may be a ballhog (understatement of the year, this guy literally took every shot in High School, or at least, in the games I watched of him), but you can’t take away the fact that he can really put the ball in the rim. If I would compare Ryan Buenafe to Lebron James (in terms of physically dominating with his body alone), then Tampus is Tyreke Evans (AKA, Guard-LBJ). I told my friend during the game that Tampus is like the keg of dynamite you throw in just to cause some damage during the quiet moments, and hope it doesn’t hit too much of your own men. He’s too selfish a player to really be a superstar, or a forty-minute kind of a player, but he’ll be most effective fielded in during the last three minutes of the first, second, and third quarters, where he can go crazy and just score, score, and score. At the very least, he’ll be a great source of entertainment to the opposing crowd, because honestly, this guy does not pass!

Joshua Webb, F

He impressed me the previous season for becoming such a dynamic presence, and though he didn’t score in bunches this time, he remained steady and efficient. You also have to give him props for stepping up as the lead man in the press, guarding the ball handler. It didn’t always work, because the Blue Eagles were prepared for the full-court trap, but this play could work out really well during the regular season, against the mid-major teams.

Simon Atkins, PG

Atkins was not completely mediocre like he has been for the past three years, which alone speaks volumes about his newfound commitment and improvement. He still played in a low-key manner, but this was all the more effective as he proved to be the composed model that the young guns of La Salle obviously took after. He also showed a nifty midrange jumper that hit nothing but the bottom of the net. Atkins’ play was overshadowed by Vosotros, but at the end of it all, he did his part as the calm veteran, the leader that La Salle so desperately needs.

Impressive:

Almond Vosotros rookie PG

I was really excited to see this guy play, and I was not disappointed in the least. Vosotros for me was the underrated piece to the San Sebastian Staglets’ mini-dynasty, the heady quarterback who stood in the shadows as his more-visible teammates (Salamat/Raffy Reyes/Buenafe/Bringas/Andrada) were recruited highly by collegiate powerhouses. He reminds me of USC star Daniel Hackett, a vital cog for USC on both the offensive and the defensive end, but was underrated despite being the team captain because he stood next to future NBA lottery pick OJ Mayo, and NBA players Taj Gibson and Davon Jefferson. Sure, you may ask yourself, “Who in the world is Daniel Hackett?”, but I’d bet you were asking yourself the same about Almond Vosotros.

Good build, athletic, a defensive pest, with the ability to drive into the paint. Vosotros forced it a couple of times, but for a rookie, that confidence is actually a plus. He was all over Monfort and Juami Tiongson when he was at the head of the press, and as mentioned, was relentless driving into the lane, drawing fouls when he wasn’t scoring. Vosotros not only showed why he had a niche in this guard-flavored Taft team, he also erased the stigma of losing LA Revilla, while separating himself from Tolentino, Elorde, and maybe even Atkins in the process. Shame Ateneo couldn’t keep this guy, at least in Team B. Here’s to hoping he doesn’t do an Arvie Bringas (for La Salle, I mean).

Luis dela Paz, rookie G

I must admit, I thought that dela Paz was a reach to make the final roster. He was a small wingman in a roster full of guards and small forwards, and was not a pure enough playmaker to play PG full-time. The only thing going for him was his accurate midrange game, and his steady basketball IQ. As things turned out, it looked like those two were enough. In a team full of neophytes and unpredictable “veteran” players (Webb, Atkins, and Ferdinand), to see such maturity and level-headedness from someone like dela Paz was probably refreshing to the coaching staff, and the La Salle faithful. Dela Paz played excellently at both guard positions, slowing down the pace appropriately, deferring to his hot-shooting teammates, and taking the initiative during offensive sequences. When they played him at the off-guard, he showed the Rip Hamilton-ish talent of weaving through screens and popping up for jumpers. On one-on-one situations, he was too tall for Monfort and too shifty with his ball fakes for the inexperienced Tiongson (which says a lot about dela Paz). All in all, Luigi was perhaps my biggest surprise of the night, and proved why he deserved to start and handle big minutes.

Ferdinand, C/PF

Even as a true-blue Ateneo student, I pride myself on being objective when it counts, appreciating players from other schools (even rival DLSU). Ferdinand was always a favorite of mine, because I thought he had the body to become an intimidating force akin to former bruiser Carlo Sharma. Both were big, muscular, dominant, and, unlike the other bigs of La Salle, were not undersized. La Salle after all, in recent times, has been known as guard-oriented all the way down to their coach and Team B players. I was looking for Ferdinand to become that center the school needed, a true slot man who wouldn’t take jumpers and would instead play with his back to the basket. He disappointed all these years though, always given the chances yet never performing up to even a substandard. It got so bad to the point that rumors mentioned a possible demotion to Team B, which was actually requested by Ferdinand himself (according to the rumors). His confidence seemed at an all-time low.

Fast-forward to the present, and Ferdinand looks to have a new sense of belonging that empowers his game. Now one of the veterans of the team, and a much-needed “true” center, the arena was able to witness a startling contrast to the meek big man that had been his reputation for the past three years. He didn’t explode with 30 points or anything like that, but for the first time, he showed an apparent willingness to get down and dirty, hustling for rebounds (I think he had three straight offensive pulldowns in a single possession), blocking shots, and throwing up baby hooks like they were in style (they didn’t all go in, but hey, any show of offensive aggressive from Ferdinand is a good show). The dunk on Salva was just gravy, and though my Atenean nerves were bristling, that roar straight after was bone-chilling. I don’t see him doing this every game, since he’ll still be maddeningly-inconsistent in my book unless he proves otherwise, but I’ve got to say, La Salle must be thanking their stars he decided to come back.

Didn’t play much/didn’t notice:

Papot Paredes, Louie Vigil (shame, because this guy to me is the crown jewel of this year’s recruiting class. He could be Edwin Asoro with basketball IQ, or a defensive Larry Fonacier without the shooting), Martin Reyes, Jopet Mendoza (actually, I think he played, and played decently).

ATENEO SIDE

Mediocre:

Frank Golla, F/C

I’m not one to question Norman Black’s moves (especially in regards to the big men of Ateneo), but playing an overmatched Frank Golla extended minutes was quite the head-scratcher. To be fair to Golla, he was the only real option off the bench aside from Burke, with Erram and Chua saddled by different injuries and other concerns. Golla’s value is as a tweener who can stretch the defense with his jump shot and his quickness from the perimeter, which are traits not usually associated with slot men. He’s still extremely soft in the shaded lane however, and was unable to properly box out even La Salle guard Jarelan Tampus, let alone Ferdinand and Joshua Webb. I would have liked to see Art dela Cruz get some of the minutes given to Golla, dela Cruz may not be as bulky, but this rookie from San Beda high is supremely skilled and versatile, and in my opinion, could be as effective as Nico Salva in a few years. He has to, because I don’t think Golla has the right makeup at this point to become a key big off the bench.

Eric Salamat, G

I could hear a few hecklers from the crowd calling out Salamat for looking out of shape, together with Ryan Buenafe, but to Eric’s credit, he didn’t look as pudgy or fatigued. You could quickly see that the new King Eagle has taken upon himself the reigns of being the go-to guy, and to be fair to him, he has the tools for it. He’ll always be a slight notch below UE guard Paul Lee and even FEU’s RR Garcia on terms of being a pure offensive machine, but that will never bother the Ateneo fans. After all, it’s Eric’s defense that put him upfront as one of the best guards in the amateur ranks. It was a shame then that his defense was also off, probably because he was tuckered out trying to score more than he did in his previous four seasons. I would chalk his sub-par performance more to rust than with any pressure associated with being Ateneo’s prime go-to-guy, as Salamat has never seemed to be a player who buckled under expectations. Anway, Eric wasn’t completely mediocre or anything like that. After all, he still was worthy of all the defensive attention, and was smart enough to start utilizing a passing game when his shots weren’t falling, but for someone of his caliber, the standards are set just a bit higher. I have every bit of confidence that he’ll step up his game when the season rolls in, and pretty soon we’ll have the “Man of Steal” up there with the other candidates for the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award.

Chris de Chavez, G/F

He was dead weight when his shot wasn’t falling. I heard he had been a great contributor so far in the preseason, but he sure didn’t show it today. I also thought de Chavez would get some minutes at PF, given the lack of depth due to big man injuries and his bulky upper body, but Coach Norman seems inclined to use him solely at the wings, ala Chris Sumalinog.

Decent:

Vince Burke, F/C

Put in mainly for his defense (something I wasn’t aware he had), and to play more than three minutes (something I wasn’t aware he was capable of), Burke nevertheless did more in those limited minutes than some of the more established contributors. He still looked extremely tentative on offense (didn’t know what to do with the ball on a number of occasions), but he was a pleasant surprise for a team hurting for big man production.

Ryan Buenafe, G/F

Buenafe would have easily been in the “impressive” side due to being one of the only Eagles who starred offensively, if not for his obvious fitness problems. His bulk and apparent lack of conditioning cannot be understated, and this clearly affects his ability to play at a high level for successive minutes. There were about two times wherein he could have blown past his guard, but was not able to do so because he ran out of wind, and got fatigued halfway. It’s a bit frustrating because it’s difficult to read this guy’s body language at times. Does he want it, or not? The mere fact that he’s been a champion all the years he’s been here should be enough to assuage all doubt, but I still can’t help but feel that he’s just going through the motions. There are moments when he’s laughing and toying around with the opposition, others when he’s standing surly at the side, lost in his own thoughts. Nevertheless, conditioning issues notwithstanding, he singlehandedly led the charge during the first half, when Ateneo was struggling to find an offensive flow that did not consist of a few lucky outside shots. Even though he disappeared a bit in the second half, those flashes of dominance make me optimistic that I’ll be seeing more of them come tourney-time.

Nico Salva, G/F/C

Coming into this game, Eman Monfort and Nico Salva were the leading scorers for the Blue Eagles. Monfort being up there was surprising (even for an Eman fan like me), but for Nico Salva, to be the Eagles’ scoring leader was expected. With Rabeh a fresh graduate, it is Salva who has the most tools offensively to consistently score 15+ every game. He can conceivably play any position except for the one because of his height, length, shooting, and post ability. He really reminds me of a JC Intal in terms of his growth through the years, though JC was a hell of a better athlete, while Salva’s a better shooter, less rugged and explosive, but more crafty around the rim. Nico STILL has to work on his defense though, he now only falls for pump fakes only two times a game instead of last year’s four. He was also quite checked in the game, probably because he was trying to avoid contact through the use of finesse moves, instead of going straight up and fishing for the foul. It was a shame that I wasn’t able to see either him or Monfort go on an offensive rampage, but for Salva, this game was surely just an asterisk.

Juami Tiongson, PG

He was decent for the sole fact that he didn’t seem to be pressured by the sudden influx of minutes, looking aggressive while breaking the press. The problem was, he was too aggressive, looking more to shoot than to pass the ball. As someone who plays the point myself, this could be more because La Salle was giving him the open lane more than with the other Ateneo players, so he could simply have been taking advantage of that. It would have worked if he actually made those shots, though. Also was a victim of over-dribbling, but he did pretty well for a sophomore guard suddenly thrust into a prominent spot in the rotation.

Eman Monfort, PG

My favorite player definitely looked a little like Jai Reyes out there. I don’t mean the clutch shooting (which was absent), or the floaters (which he didn’t try), but more with the moxie and presence of mind that Jainamite was known for. Though small, Jai always looked like he was never rattled and always in control, and this helped calm down his teammates. There was a reason that Coach Norman Black always needed to have either him or Rabeh Al-Husseini on court at any given time, and that was having a player in who he could count on to make the perfect play. Monfort has made great strides from a zinger with a quick trigger-finger, to a true court general who sets up the other scorers first before looking for his own shot. This will serve him well, especially when he has bad scoring days (like this one). He’s still too small to really make a dent on defense and offense, but the Ateneo faithful can breath a little easier knowing that at the very least, he’ll be a solid starter for the Blue Eagles at the point.

Bacon Austria, G/F

Something I noticed about Bacon was that, though his skills and body of work stayed largely the same, his role, and along with it, his confidence, continued to increase exponentially with each passing season. This game saw him as one of the first players off the bench, and he was instrumental in breaking the press with his ball handling ability and his ability to guard either guards or forwards. I’m still not sure he’ll be able be much of a threat on offense, but his attitude and veteran smarts will be invaluable off the bench. Here’s to hoping he regains that shooting touch that he was able to showcase more during grade school and high school (where he ironically played solely in the post).

Tonino Gonzaga, G/F

Bacon’s batchmate has always been in the same boat as Austria, coming from being a PF/C in high school, to switching to the perimeter. While Bacon became a sort of point forward with three-point range, Gonzaga was the hustle man who was thrown in with the sole purpose of pestering another team’s star scorer. With his bulk and foot speed, he did well in a role reminiscent of old Blue jersey sparkplug Badjie del Rosario, though Gonzaga has more tools to become more than a mere utility man. His lack of height will always be a deterrent though, as he really cannot play in the post at this level.

Impressed:

Kirk Long, G/F

The key word here for Kirk is “Confidence”. Ever since an extremely shaky sophomore season, he has been building on his attitude towards the game with each tournament. From being too trigger-happy in HS, to shying away from an offensive role in his first years, he now has a good idea when and where to take high percentage shots. His production is not dictated whether or not he starts or comes off the bench, and whether or not he plays guard or forward. Kirk always had the skillset to be a contributor. Though he isn’t bulky, he’s tall and long enough to cause some mismatches at the guard position, while having the ability to conceivably play forward (where he has the advantage due to his quickness and ballhandling). His shot is a lot better, with a better release and follow-through, and unlike recent years in which he was noticeably disturbed whenever he missed a shot, he now seems to understand that it’s part of the game. This makes him more confident, and helps with the clutchness he’s been known for since his rookie year.

Long probably played fewer minutes than I thought he did, but that’s just a testament to how productive he was on the court. His shooting looked controlled and he took shots with confidence. Even though he was guarded by a bigger Joshua Webb, he didn’t seemed disturbed in the slightest. His growth has impressed me the most out of all the current Eagles, and will definitely take his place as King Eagle next season.

Jumbo Escueta, rookie C

This year’s biggest (pun unintended) newcomer did not come from the High School. Instead he came from a two-year stint in Team B, in order to fulfill the two-year requirement for foreign players. Jason “Jumbo” Escueta came in to ease the slow transition Ateneo would need after five or so years with a dominant big man (Doug Kramer, Ford Arao, and of course, former and Finals MVP Rabeh-Al Husseini). Along with the long JP Erram, Escueta was tasked to fill in the void left by the departure of not only Al-Husseini, but also of Nonoy Baclao as well. Expectations were tempered however, because the two were newcomers. It was Justin Chua who got the lion’s share of pressure, especially because Coach Norman Black was well renowned as a big man coach. Many couldn’t wait to see which one of the three Coach Norman would work his “Black magic” on. Well, Escueta seems to have emerged as the most stable option so far in the preseason. He’s not overwhelmingly-great during the game, but anyone who expected him to be someone like Rabeh, or even Ford in his last year needs to curb their expectations immediately. Jumbo was big, made few mistakes, knocked down his free throws, and just took up space, and honestly, that’s what Ateneo needs at the moment. He fouled out, but I have to say, I’m impressed with his ability to switch between playing with finesse and playing rough depending on the situation. All he has to do is be an anchor in the paint, and our perceived weakness this season (a man in the middle), will not look as bad after all.

Didn’t play much/didn’t notice:

Art dela Cruz, JP Erram, Justin Chua (limited minutes?)

Kentucky's DeMarcus Cousins (15), and consensus number one, John Wall (11)

1. Washington Wizards: John Wall G, Kentucky //     NBA comparison: Derrick Rose

2. Philadelphia 76ers: Evan Turner G/F, Ohio State //    NBA comparison: Brandon Roy (less scoring, more of a playmaker)

3. New Jersey Nets: DeMarcus Cousins C, Kentucky   // NBA comparison: Bigger, more post-oriented Derrick Coleman

4. Minnesota Timberwolves: Wesley Johnson F/G, Syracuse // NBA comparison: New age athetic version of Alex English

5. Sacramento Kings: Al-Farouq Aminu F, Wake Forest // NBA comparison:Thaddeus Young

6. Golden State Warriors: Derrick Favors F, Georgia Tech // NBA comparison: tweener Amare Stoudemire

7. Detroit Pistons: Cole Aldrich C, Kansas, // NBA comparison:Joel Pryzbilla

8. LA Clippers: Ed Davis F/C, North Carolina, // NBA comparison:Brandan Wright

9. Utah Jazz : Greg Monroe F/C, Georgetown , // NBA comparison: Bigger Lamar Odom

10. Indiana Pacers: Ekpe Udoh F/C, Baylor, // NBA comparison:Tyrus Thomas meets Boris Diaw

11. New Orleans Hornets: Donatas Motiejunas F, Lituania // NBA comparison:Andrea Bargnani

12. Memphis Grizzlies: Avery Bradley G, Texas // NBA comparison:Monta Ellis with outstanding defense instead of offense

13. Toronto Rockets: Hassan Whiteside, C, Marshall // NBA comparison: Tyson Chandler with a jumpshot

14. Houston Rockets: Patrick Patterson, F, Kentucky // NBA comparison:Carl Landry

15. Milwaukee Bucks: Xavier Henry, G, Kansas

16. Minnesota Timberwolves: Luke Babbitt, F, Nevada

17. Chicago Bulls: James Anderson, G, Oklahoma State

18. Miami Heat: Daniel Orton, F/C, Kentucky

19. Boston Celtics: Gordon Hayward, G/F, Butler

20. San Antonio Spurs: Eric Bledsoe, G, Kentucky

21. Oklahoma City Thunder: Damion James, F, Texas

22. Portland Trailblazers: Paul George, G, Fresno State

23. Minnesota Timberwolves: Solomon Alabi, C, Florida State

24. Atlanta Hawks: Larry Sanders, C, VCU

25. Memphis Grizzlies: Devin Ebanks, F, West Virginia

26. Oklahoma City Thunder: Elliot Williams, G, Memphis

27. New Jersey Nets : Willie Warren, G, Oklahoma

28. Memphis Grizzlies: Stanley Robinson, F, UConn

29. Orlando Magic: Lance Stephenson, G/F, Cincinatti

30. Washington Wizards: Greives Vasquez, G, Maryland

runner up: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic

Cleveland's Lebron James

Easiest award to give, and I’d put Dwight and Dirk over Durant in terms of wins and yes, even statistics. Lebron has cemented himself as the best player in the NBA without question, and as the primary option on the best team in the league, there’s no way he doesn’t get the award. Durant’s going to be the runner-up because of his magnificent season and because he’s a “sexy” pick, but one cannot downplay the fact that the Thunder still finished eight in the West, with Durant one of the reasons for the tail-end meltdown. He deserves props for getting such a young team in there, however, though not enough to catapult past Dwight and Nowitzki.

Dwight had a “quiet” season, often deferring on offense to his teammates, but his defensive presence on a gutsy championship-contending Magic team was instrumental all throughout the season. Not a lot of people know this, but Dwight is now the only player in the history of the NBA to lead the league in both blocks and rebounding for more than one season, as well as the only player to lead the league in three categories, field goal percentage, and rebounds/blocks. Not shabby at all for the 24-year old.

Most Improved Player: Aaron Brooks, Houston Rockets

runner up: Carl Landry, Sacramento Kings

Houston's Aaron Brooks

I believe giving the award to Durant is a waste because everyone knew that he would explode this season. Letting him win MIP would have been the equivalent of handing the  award to Dwyane Wade and Ama’re Stoudemire back when they had great, yet expected coming-out parties (which thankfully didn’t happen). Aaron Brooks has been one of the many cornerstones of a rejuvenated Rockets squad that had a decent season despite the loss of Yao, the trade of a lost McGrady, and the integration of swingman Trevor Ariza. They almost snuck into the playoffs with a 6’6 center for crying out loud. Brooks was a big part of that, and the point guard of the future for the Rockets. Who’d have known he would be such a gunner?

My second choice is Carl Landry, whose game, ironically, blossomed alongside Brooks in Houston. His offensive repertoire has been both surprising and steady, and his overall efficiency has allowed him to be a factor despite being undersized in the post. Now the starting power forward of the Sacramento Kings (they extended him), look for him to improve on his defense and serve as a glue-guy for the up-and-coming Kings.

Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic

runner up: Gerald Wallace, Charlotte Bobcats

Orlando's Dwight Howard

G-Force is my personal favorite pick, but as mentioned in an aforementioned paragraph, what Dwight has done on the defensive end has been unreal, even better than his previous season. You have to hand it to Gerald Wallace, though. Being the only swingman to lead the league in rebounding (at least for the early part of the season, shame his rebounding tapered off a bit), as well as recording a ton of clutch blocks and steals, the first-time all star finally gets a spot in the All-Defensive team, especially because he’s been on the bubble for quite a number of years now. He can thank his (generally) healthy season for that.

Sixth Man of the Year: Jamal Crawford, Atlanta Hawks

runner up: Anderson Varejao, Cleveland Cavaliers

Atlanta's Jamal Crawford

The easiest award to give, even moreso than the MVP. Crawford has been insanely clutch the entire year, has been surprisingly efficient with his shot-selection, and is now reaping the reward of experiencing his first playoff berth. If there was one thing he did wrong this season, it was to make Mike Bibby look like..Mike OLD-dy. (hahahahahahaha, yeah)

You would expect that someone who had just signed a long, cash-filled extension, would pack it up and coast. Not Anderson “Sideshow Bob” Varejao, however, who has actually had a career year despite the doubts on his contract length and the money they gave him, a mere roleplayer. He has been a fantastic defensive stalwart for Cleveland, hustling and banging bodies as if THIS year was his contract year. Aside from some extremely boneheaded plays over the course of the season (which is more of a criticism of Mike Brown, the coach. Who in the world would give the ball to Varejao during the waning seconds, with your team down by two? AV’s a lot of things, but captain clutch ain’t one of them), he has been a rock in terms of steadiness. You know what to expect every time he steps on the court, and in a league where inconsistency has been..consistent, someone like that has key value.

Rooke of the Year: Tyreke Evans, Sacramento Kings

runner up: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

Sacramento's Tyreke Evans

Brandon Jennings did his thing in the early part of the season, and was the only one to make the playoffs. Stephen Curry became an absolutely brutal player in the latter part, after being just an average guard at the start. It’s only Tyreke Evans though who has been consistent from day one, dominating even before the season started, in the summer leagues. The man they call “Too Easy”, and “Reke Havoc” has been Lebron-lite for the young Sacramento squad, and while he has the green light to score and score every trip down, has showcased an all-around game that led to a lot of near-triple doubles.

Curry has been the most surprising rookie, by far. Even though he plays in Golden State, and actually has CONSISTENT MINUTES (the equivalent of fantasy gold), no one expected him to handle the point position like he was a veteran of ten years, especially because he was such a heralded shooter coming out of college, and was in the backcourt with the ball-dominant Monta Ellis. His triple doubles were superb, and he has shown that surprisingly, he’s springy enough to collar a bunch of rebounds per game. Co-Rookie of the Year wouldn’t be a stretch at all, but if it came down to only one, I’d choose Tyreke. I mean, which one would you want to start a franchise with?

Coach of The Year: Alvin Gentry, Phoenix Suns

runner up: Scott Brooks, Oklahoma City Thunder

Alvin Gentry, coach of the Phoenix Suns (with Steve Nash)

Both coaches of surprising teams (along with Scott Skiles of the Milwaukee Bucks) , but I have to give the edge to Alvin Gentry, for infusing a brand of defense while keeping the spirit of the run-and-gun style that has electrified the Suns fans in the past. He’s got Nash playing like an All-NBA First Team-er, Ama’re beasting despite distractions of his impending free agency, and getting the most out of role players like Frye, Dragic, and Jared Dudley. Don’t look now, but the Suns are looking to make some noise in the playoffs, thanks in no small part to their coach.

All-NBA First Team

G Kobe Bryant

G Steve Nash

F Kevin Durant

F Lebron James

C Dwight Howard

Kobe Bryant makes it despite the lackluster year because the Lakers are the best in the West. I’d give the nod over Nash over Deron Williams and Wade because of team record (yes, I know that Phoenix and Utah’s records are similar, but Nash has been more consistent). I wanted to put Dirk in (my perfect five would be Dwight-Dirk-Lebron-Durant-Kobe), but somehow, I don’t think the voters would be as willing as I am to slot in Durant as a guard.

All-NBA Second Team

G Deron Williams

G Dwyane Wade

F Dirk Nowitzki

F Carmelo Anthony

C Pau Gasol

All self-explanatory. Deron, Dwyane, and Dirk (All Ds! haha) each have a shot to make the first team, Melo has been superb, if not overshadowed this season by Durantula and King James, and Pau Gasol, when not injured, has been the Lakers’ best player. Yes, I said it.

All-NBA Third Team

G Rajon Rondo

G Joe Johnson

F Gerald Wallace (or Chris Bosh)

F Tim Duncan

C Ama’re Stoudemire

The Boston “Big Three” has now officially become the “Big One and a bunch of old guys”, with the “One” being Rondo. I’ll give the slight edge to Joe Johnson over Josh Smith because the former is a guard and therefore, easier to place. Also, I recall seeing JJ’s frowning mug on the yahoo! best performers list for Hawks’ games more than J-Smoove’s, though the latter has really come into his own this season, and was arguably the biggest all star snub. Chris Bosh has been in talks for the best power forward in the game, but Gerald Wallace is in the playoffsand has put together a superb season himself. Duncan refuses to die and still has his PF slot, while Ama’re has been the manchild (Like Chris) despite a bevy of annoying distractions.

notable misses: Stephen Jackson (Charlotte), Josh Smith (Atlanta), Derrick Rose (Chicago), Andrew Bogut (Milwaukee), Paul Pierce (Boston) – hey, two guards, two forwards, and a center! Anyone smell a fourth team?

All-Defensive First Team

G Rajon Rondo

G Dwyane Wade

F Gerald Wallace

F Josh Smith

C Dwight Howard

Another self-explanatory roster selection. The frontcourt should be a lock, unless they do something irritatingly-stupid like put Lebron over G-Force. Rondo should be another lock, as a point guard who finally deserves to be put there not only for Steals. Wade has been better than any other option at SG, or even guard, in general.

All-Defensive Second Team

G Russell Westbrook

G/F Andre Iguodala

F Lebron James

F Tim Duncan / Marcus Camby

C Andrew Bogut

This is where it gets tricky. The only locks for me are Lebron James and Andrew Bogut. I’d say Westbrook is in because of his penchant for getting rebounds, as well as his mastery of intercepting the passing lanes. He really is Rondo-lite. Tim Duncan will get in for name recognition, but I’d prefer Marcus Camby, who has been a defensive dynamo the entire season, no matter which team he played for. I also picked Andre Iguodala over Laker duo Ron Artest and Kobe Bryant for being more consistent and well-rounded defensively, but I can really see the league giving a spot to Artest. (as long as it’s not Kobe, PLEASE NBA. Now’s the time to stop giving spots based on name-recognition alone!).

notable misses: Brendan Haywood (Washington), Anderson Varejao (Cleveland), Joakim Noah (Chicago, would have been a contender if not for injuries), Jason Kidd (Dallas), Caron Butler (Dallas), Chuck Hayes (Houston, you have got to give this guy credit…as the center for the Yao-less Rockets, he takes on the toughest big men day in and day out despite standing only 6’6. Doesn’t hurt that he led the league in STEALS for the first month, if I’m not mistaken.)

All-Rookie First Team

G Tyreke Evans

G Stephen Curry

G Brandon Jennings

G Darren Collison

F/C Taj Gibson

Coolest first team ever…look at all the guards! Evans/Curry/Jennings/Collison are all mortal locks, and I like Taj Gibson over Blair and Flynn.

All-Rookie Second Team

F/C DeJuan Blair

G Jonny Flynn

F Jonas Jerebko

F Omri Casspi / James Harden

G Marcus Thornton

The first three are also locks. Casspi was looking like a ROY contender, but sucked total ass during the mid and latter part of the season. The league may give a slot to James Harden of the Thunder, who has been consistent if not unspectacular. On the other hand, Marcus Thornton really picked up steam after the all star break, and has cemented himself as the SG of the future for the Hornets.

notable misses: Ty Lawson (Denver), Chase Budinger (Houston)

WESTERN CONFERENCE PREDICTIONS

Series 1: LA Lakers (1) vs Oklahoma (8)

Prediction: Lakers in 6.

This is not the Lakers’ year in my opinion, it’s definitely a far cry from the previous one in which the Lakers seemed destined to win the title from the very start. A strong combination of injuries and lack of consistent playmaking will be some of the many reasons that I don’t see them going further than the Western Conference Finals, but the main one for me is that they no longer seem as hungry as they were, for understandable reason. The Lakers at this point seem content to hide behind the many excuses they can offer up, and to their credit, they are excuses that have some merit. After all, all-world guard Kobe Bryant has been injured and has forced it a lot this entire season. Many have said that he’s has lost his role as Los Angeles’ best player with his season play; the new Lakers MVP according to them is now Pau Gasol. It isn’t really a case of the “ship has sailed” for them, like the state of their rivals, Boston. They still have the next years to contend for the title again, as their core isn’t as old and hobbled as the Celts, so Laker fans shouldn’t press the panic button yet. They are the reigning champions, but I don’t see them as starving for the trophy as they were the previous season, and their late-season play showed a glimpse of their overall attitude.

Los Angeles' Lamar Odom

Pau Gasol has been splendid for them, and as mentioned, has arguably been LA’s most valuable player for this season. His all-around play at either PF or Center has enabled the Lakers to have pull through with wins despite bad shooting nights from their perimeter players.  Bynum is injured, which is a shame because he would have formed a three-pronged attack with Gasol and Odom to totally obliterate the thin froncourt of the Thunder. I see Odom doing a lot of damage because he is bigger than Oklahoma’s Jeff Green, and faster than Nenad Krystic or Nick Collison. He’s going to become an unstoppable bowling ball-like figure for the Lakers, I see him having a field day against the Thunder, probably with some 20-20 games thrown into the mix.

The guards of the Lakers will be the question mark the entire playoffs. They might as well have frozen Fisher until the playoffs, because he was a complete dud throughout the regular season. When his shooting is off (which was the case), he brings absolutely nothing to the Lakers aside from “leadership”, and a big body at point guard. I don’t see him doing anything substantial in the series, in the playoffs and possibly, until he retires. Here’s to hoping he still has some shooting and clutchness left in his playoff reserves. Farmar was touted as his replacement, but he has struggled badly with inconsistency. He seems too complacent with his role as backup, instead of seizing the starting the reins from the veteran Fisher. Shannon Brown was a revelation in the playoffs last season, and has stepped up his game this year (except in the Dunk Contest), but he’s still too (once again) inconsistent, and lacks the shooting and smarts necessary for the triangle offense. Unless Farmar, who combines the good traits of both Fisher and Brown (shooting, smarts, and underrated athleticism) steps up, than PG will stay the weakest link of the Lakers.

That won’t really matter however, if Kobe Bryant returns to prime form. I’m not a complete fan of Kobe, but I can’t deny that absolutely no one in the NBA has a better work ethic and drive to win than The Black Mamba. He has been sub-par this season because of injuries, and his shooting and overall ability has dipped a bit because of that. Still, I would be foolish to discount Kobe’s motivation because the man IS motivated-he’s been motivated since Day One. At this point, it’s clear that Lebron has surpassed him, but knowing Kobe, he’ll do everything in his power to grab that championship from him, and reclaim his crown. It makes matters more interesting that Kobe has to go through yet another talented youngster by the name of Kevin Durant, in the first round, to prove all that.

Kevin Durant, the face of the Oklahoma City Thunder, took the league by storm in his second year, becoming the youngest

Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook

ever-scoring champion while looking to be a top-3 MVP candidate this year. The former Rookie of the Year has evolved from being a talented yet inconsistent scorer, to an unstoppable one who contributes in rebounding and defense. At almost 6’10 with long arms and a deadly outside shot to complement his driving abilities, Durant has scored his way to prominence as the star player of a young team. Even then, I see him struggling against Ron Artest of the Lakers, who will put the clamps on him and force him into taking contested jumpers, not allowing Durant to drive past him. Durant’s not that seasoned of a player yet to recognize that he must pass the ball when his shots aren’t falling, and this will be critical because Artest takes his matchup seriously, almost to a science. It doesn’t matter if Artest has been spotty offensively since he became a Laker, because he was brought in for one reason only, and that is to put the clamps on superstars. You heard it here first: Kevin Durant will really struggle.

With Kevin Durant struggling, who will pick up for the cudgels for the young Thunder? The answer will be Russell Westbrook, one of my favorite young players who I believe will be a Rondo-type player, but with a more consistent jumpshot. This guy is a pure athlete who can do a lot of things on the court, and like Rose and Jennings (two other guards I know will explode in the first round), the only thing stopping him from scoring thirty a night will be himself and his problem of turnovers. The prospect of Fisher guarding him is extremely laughable, and he’ll run circles around the Lakers defense. Maynor is steady, Sefolosha will have the tough task of guarding Kobe, and Harden might relieve some of the scoring pressure off Durant and Westbrook with some key buckets of his own.

The Thunder are good, but as playoff first-timers, they won’t be winning against such an experience Lakers squad. It doesn’t help that their frontline is so unbelievably overmatched (save Durant) that it isn’t even funny. Gasol will kill Ibaka and the two white stiffs. No, this series is all about seeing what kind of squad the Lakers have to show in this year’s playoffs. If they struggle against the Thunder, then they truly have their work cut out for them, leaving the Mavericks to trample in and win the Western Conference championship.

Stud for the Lakers: Lamar Odom -He’s a tweener forward like Jeff Green, but he’s bigger, stronger, and more experienced than the third-year player. He’ll more than pick up the slack for the injured Bynum, and provide valuable playmaking.

Dud for the Lakers: Derek Fisher -This is going to be the most amusing matchup in the playoffs, as he won’t be able to contain Westbrook in any which way. They’ll have to put Kobe on Russ, or the latter will flirt with triple doubles every game.

Stud for the Thunder: Russell Westbrook -He’s already an immensely talented player, his only flaws are inconsistency and turnovers , which he will be able to monitor while being defended by the mediocre Laker guards.

Dud for the Thunder: Serge Ibaka -Durant will disappoint in this series, but at least he’ll get his points (with terrible percentages). Ibaka will be picked apart by the more experienced bigs of Los Angeles, and with his style of play, will find himself at the end of the bench in foul trouble for the majority of the series.

Series 2: Dallas (2) vs San Antonio (7)

Prediction: Dallas in 5

San Antonio's Tony Parker

I’m rooting for Dallas in the West, and I absolutely hate the Spurs, but even with all my bias aside, I don’t see how the Spurs will pull through against an immensely-talented, incredibly-deep, and hungry Mavericks team. The two former bastions of San Antonio, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan, have seen their games dip a tad bit, Parker’s even coming off the bench now because of a long layoff from injury. It’s actually a blessing that Manu Ginobili has experienced a big resurgence in his game after the All-Star break, otherwise the Spurs would be easy pickings. Richard Jefferson and Roger Mason haven’t been their usual competent selves on offense, and Mcdyess has not been the answer to the Center spot, which is a shame because he is a class act who deserves a championship run. San Antonio has had to rely on milking their aging superstar Duncan for production, as well as on neophytes like George Hill and DeJuan Blair (who have each done a good job of infusing youth and energy in an otherwise stagnant environment) to get into the playoffs, while riding Ginobili’s masterful late-season run. This however, only led them to face the Mavs for the second straight year, with the latter knowing that this is the best chance for them to win that championship.

Dallas' Jason Terry

The Mavs won’t be pussyfooting around with the Spurs, and with their roster of top-notch athletes who all are starving to erase the ghosts of choker’s past, they can’t afford to. It all starts with possibly the greatest international player of all time, Dirk Nowitzki. The former MVP has been a class act and an unstoppable scorer who has been one of the most efficient long-range specialists, sort of like the Forward version of Steve Nash in terms of the Big Three of percentages (field goals, free throws, and three points). To label him as a specialist however, would be a big injustice to arguably the best PF in the game right now. He may not be as defensively renowned as generation mates Duncan or Garnett, but his ability to take over games offensively puts him at the head of the forward class. Dirk has seen too many close calls in terms of his team winning it all, and would like nothing more than to seize this year and win it all. His partner in crime is playoff phenom Jason “The Jet” Terry. He has battled injury and shared time with the Mavs’ many undersized scoring guards, but come playoffs, there’s nobody more cold-blooded than The Jet. In my opinion, he’s already in that league with other postseason heroes like Kobe and Billups, and scoring buckets en route to the championship will only solidify that image.

I’ve always been a fan of “Tough Juice”, Caron Butler. He’s one of the few forwards who brings it at both ends of the court. He’s a gifted scorer, with the versatility to excel as either the first, second, or even third scoring option, which will be a plus because he can take over when either Dirk or Terry has a bad night. He brings toughness and hard-nosed defense, without being a trash-talking punk that everyone loves to hate (see Artest, Bowen, Doug Christie, etc). He has struggled fitting into the Mavs scheme early on, but he should find his niche quickly enough to be an able contributor. Credit Mark Cuban for having the balls to spend and spend in order to get his team the best possible shot for the trophy, year after year. Not only did he get Butler this season, but he also nabbed Brendan Haywood, who has been a force down low and defensively in a career year. With contract year-level Erick Dampier interchanging with him at the slot position, a position of worry in the past has become a strength for the Mavs. Marion, Barea, and Rodrigue Bou-I-can’t-spell-his-last-name-right-bois are all quick, athletic, and more importantly, know their role. And of course, it helps that another future HOF-er in Jason Kidd is here to run the offense, and *gasp* shoot and MAKE his threes. With Carlisle at the helm, pushing his defensive schemes, there’ll be no better team to represent the West in the finals.

Stud for the Mavs: Jason Terry -He is one of those killer guards who seems to light it up every other game in the playoffs, and can singlehandedly win games with his quickness and clutch shooting. He’ll have the occasional off-night, but this time, he has teammates aside from Dirk to pick up the scoring slack.

Dud for the Mavs: Shawn Marion -The Matrix of old has disappeared, and while Marion is still a contributor who will get his minutes, no longer will he be one of the key factors of the team, especially when the Mavs elect to go with a perimeter trio of Kidd-Butler-Terry. Still, he is an able defender, and a defensive combination of Marion and Butler at the wings is probably the most hellish one for opponents to face, next to perhaps Orlando’s Barnes and Pietrus.

Stud for the Spurs: Tony Parker -Dallas always struggles with quick guards, especially now when Kidd has lost a step defensively, and the other Dallas playmakers are small and not great defenders themselves. Parker should cream them, provided he’s healthy. If he’s not, than I see George Hill making the rounds as Dallas-kryptonite.

Dud for the Spurs: Tim Duncan -A playoff Duncan is a deadly thing, but I think this is the year he finally regresses and hobbles along in the playoffs. It won’t help that he’ll be battered by continuous double-teams and even single-coverage looks from Haywood, Dampier, and Marion, with all three focused on that singular goal. Without much help, Duncan will go down, and when Timmy D goes down, so do the Spurs. He’s not one of my favorite players, but he’s proven me wrong so many times in the past. Every time I think he’ll lose a step and can the season, he suddenly steps up and delivers, my fantasy team experiences are proofs of this. Here’s to hoping that this time, he finally drops down and stays there.

Series 3: Phoenix (3) vs Portland (6)

Prediction: Phoenix in 4.

My only sweep of the first round. Originally, I had Phoenix winning in 6, but when I heard that Brandon Roy elected to get surgery and miss the playoffs completely, I went with my gut feeling and said that the Blazers will not win a single game against the hottest (pun intended) team in the NBA going into the playoffs, the Phoenix Suns. The Suns are clicking on all cylinders after a mediocre midseason stretch, PG Steve Nash and big man Ama’re Stoudemire are All-NBAers, their defense is much-improved, and of course, they score the most points in the entire league. Going up against an unlucky Blazers team riddled with injuries to a number of key guys, with homecourt advantage on the Suns side, will be murder.

Phoenix' Channing Frye

Steve Nash gets his best possible matchup in Andre Miller. I really admire Andre Miller for becoming such a skilled lead guard despite his lack of tangible abilities, but his lack of lateral quickness and defense will not help the Blazers’ cause when Nash runs him to the ground. It doesn’t help either that he’s not really an offensive-type of a player (His career night at Dallas was a fluke, IMHO, though spectacular. I mean, he scored 50+ without a lot of threes!), so that won’t hurt Phoenix despite Nash’ biggest weakness- his inability to play defense. The role players of Portland will be forced to step up in the absence of Roy, and most of them will struggle. Batum, Webster, and Fernandez have all made a living playing off their star shooting guard’s versatility on the offensive end, but now, they’ll have to create for themselves, which will lead to bad shot selection at crucial times.

Roy’s absence could have been alleviated by the presence of Oden and Pryzbilla in the post, but the two are out for the season as well. At least the Blazers were able to pick up Marcus Camby, who, prior to exploding for thirty in a late-season win, was known league-wide as one of the best defensive bigs, as well as one of the most offensively0inept ones. The former DPoTY provides much needed interior ability that will be instrumental against Stoudemire and the hustling of Amundson and Robin Lopez. Shame that he’s not really a scorer, as a low-post big man would wreak havoc on the lack of defense on Phoenix’ front line. It’s also up to Bayless, ironically a University of Arizona graduate, to pick up the scoring slack for Roy. The undersized combo guard showed flashes of ability when he was given minutes, but will hard-pressed to really fill in for Brandon. Still, the guards of the Phoenix Suns are as defensively-inept as the frontline save for some like Jared Dudley, so don’t be surprised if Bayless goes on a scoring tear against them. LaMarcus Aldridge is too soft inside to provide an interior presence, though he’ll get his points on the mere premise that he’s now the best scorer on the Suns.

The role players of Phoenix are a sharp contrast to the role players of the Suns, who will flourish being exactly that, role players.

Portland's Marcus Camby

Nash and Ama’re are givens, and the pair’s overall talent and ability will be so overpowering that the opposing team will have no choice at all but to focus on them, freeing the others. The Suns at present are a homage to the run-and-gun Phoenix players of the past, thanks in big part to the number one passer in the NBA, Steve Nash. Now however, Phoenix has a bunch of gritty players that are more than dedicated to defense in Jared Dudley, and the White Brothers, Amundson and Robin Lopez (who might still be injured, I’m not sure). Channing Frye, Grant Hill, and Jason Richardson, while all inconsistent, are capable of having big nights, while young guns Barbosa and Goran Dragic have been keepers, especially the latter. Phoenix finally has depth, and while this and their style of play may not be enough to beat the bigger powerhouses in the West such as Dallas and LA, they are more than enough to take care of an injury-riddled Portland team. Without Roy and consistent scoring from the other guards, I seriously doubt the Blazers will have any chance to pull out a win. Unless Bayless or even Andre Miller suddenly explode, than this will be the one series where the dreaded sweep will be assured. It’s a shame that I have Dallas beating San Antonio in the opening round, as I really wanted Phoenix to face the Spurs next, and beat them in revenge for the previous years and the numerous failed chances.

Stud for the Suns: Channing Frye -Frye will be eager to go up against his former team and prove them wrong for letting him go, despite the fact that he wouldn’t have flourished like he’s doing now for the Suns, in Portland’s close-knit system. He’ll draw out the slower bigs of the Blazers out in the perimeter, complimenting Ama’re’s strong post play, while providing help-side blocks and long rebounding.

Dud for the Suns: Leandro Barbosa -Phoenix will want to go big as many times as possible in order to exploit Portland’s lack of toughness, meaning Hill and Richardson will be seeing tons of minutes at the 2 and the 3. It doesn’t help that injuries have derailed the Brazilian Blur’s season and made his two big skills- speed and shooting, spotty and inconsistent.

Stud for the Blazers: Marcus Camby -With no one else to man the paint aside from an aging Juwan Howard and lanky rooks Jeff Pendergraph and Dante Cunningham (two of my picks for coolest names of the league), Camby will have a field day rebounding and blocking his way to prominence. The lack of real interior defense on the part of Phoenix will also allow him to have some good(?) offensive nights.

Dud for the Blazers: Nicolas Batum -He’ll get his minutes because he’s the most versatile of the swingman trio of Portland (him, Rudy Fernandez, and Martell Webster), but his skills will be wasted because he’ll be asked to do too much. He’ll be the one to miss Roy the most, and his defensive skills will be tested because of the penchant of the Suns to have different players explode in terms of offense.

Series 4: Denver (4) vs Utah (5)

Prediction: Denver in 5.

Denver's Carmelo Anthony

Much like the in the case of Portland, Utah’s playoff chances diminished due to the news that one of their key components, forward Andrei Kirilenko will be out for at least the first round due to a lingering injury which affected his season after the all-star break. AK47 isn’t the franchise star Brandon Roy is, but his loss hurts his team arguably as much because of the role he was supposed to have assumed, which was to guard Denver’s own franchise player, Carmelo Anthony. This season, Melo was lost in the shuffle of star small forwards with Lebron’s masterful season and the emergence of Kevin Durant, but don’t be deceived, this could be Melo’s finest season yet. Perhaps the single most gifted scorer in the league, it was a shame that he too struggled with injuries and wasn’t able to duplicate his early-season dominance that had people whispering that he could be a potential MVP candidate. Now, he just has to settle with being a surefire member of an All-NBA team, as well as having a pass to the second round. He’s too big and experienced for Utah stopper Wesley Matthews and scoring wingman CJ Miles, and will have a scoring field day without the long and lanky Kirilenko shadowing him.

On the opposite side of the spectrum is Deron Williams, who, because of Paul’s injury-plagued season, has entered the scene as the NBA’s best PG. Despite Nash, and Rondo’s emergence this year, Deron still stands at the top because of his lack of weakness and overall skills. No PG combines shooting, dribbling, passing, and bulk as well as he does, and he has been instrumental in Utah’s drive to the playoffs, despite some rough patches. Thankfully, his Malone-ish counterpart in Carlos Boozer has staved away distractions about his impending departure to put together a monster season, and quiet his numerous naysayers somewhat. The interesting thing is that Boozer’s handling of the PF spot has not really cut into Paul Millsap’s game either. The undersized forward is a favorite of coach Jerry Sloan’s for his hard work and tenacity under the basket, and has shown some versatility by being slotted in at SF at times for the missing Kirilenko. Even with Okur having a sub-par season (though he picked it up during its tail end), Utah’s frontcourt seems ready against Denver’s own crazy-talented big men. Here’s to hoping Kosta Koufos miraculously does something, anything, as the heir apparent to Memo’s throne. “Ashton” Korver and some D-League talents round out the decent, but overmatched Utah backcourt. Maybe they should have held on to Ronnie Brewer, who could have shadowed Carmelo.

It is a shame though, that Utah’s strengths are all countered by the strengths of Denver, which are big men, playmaking, and

Utah's Paul Millsap

defense. Nene has been unbelievably solid ever since the departure of Marcus Camby two years ago, and has finally looked like he deserves that massive contract of his. He is big and steady, and never forces the issue like a lot of young big men do. His partner in crime, Kenyon Martin has experienced his most efficient season yet since his New Jersey all-star campaign, and has been the defensive stalwart that Denver needs at the post. If he’s past his injury, than there’s no better man to contain Carlos Boozer. Johan Petro has evolved to total scrub to at least serviceable, and no one’s discounting the Birdman Chris Andersen, who will provide key rebounds, blocks, and insane dunks.

Melo is a given. Chauncey Billups, one of the most lethal playoff performers ever, is a given. The advantage Denver has on the wings will be with Arron Afflalo and JR Smith, two players with differing styles of play, who nonetheless are able contributors who will be key for Denver. The mercurial JR Smith has always been a great talent limited only by his being a head case at times, and will demand the defensive attentions of Utah, which will be problematic for the Jazz because they’ll already be worrying about Anthony. Arron Afflalo will be tasked to put the clamps on Deron Williams, and with his length and defensive tenacity, will do an underrated job. It doesn’t hurt that he’s developed a reliable three that is a boost on the side of the offense, making him a Bruce Bowen-type defender (without the shenanigans). Jetbug rook Ty Lawson and veteran Anthony Carter add to a potent backcourt rotation, though both may not see major minutes because of the fact that Billups will be on the court as much as possible.

If Utah fully utilizes the best pick-and-roll combination in the league in their Deron-Boozer tandem to a masterful level, than Utah may end up taking one, two, or even three games. Still, the only conceivable advantage they have aside from that is from a coaching perspective, but Denver is tougher and has a more prepped-up roster from end to end. Utah also lost its valuable homecourt advantage, which could have given them at least one more win. Ironically, that loss came from the fact that Deron had a stinker of a game, and with so many defenders to throw at him in this series, I can see him having one or two more.

Stud for the Nuggets: Carmelo Anthony -No one can guard him, if he doesn’t average 35+ in the playoffs, I’ll be really surprised.

Dud for the Nuggets: Kenyon Martin -He’s still recuperating from that injury, and will not be a prime condition, especially against a motivated Carlos Boozer, who has so much to prove.

Stud for the Jazz: Paul Millsap -Millsap has shown that he can thrive in the starting lineup and off the bench, and with AK out, will get his minutes in either forward position. He could be that underrated part of the Jazz that will surprise Denver.

Dud for the Jazz: Mehmet Okur -Banging bodies has never been Okur’s specialty, and he’ll be hard-pressed to suddenly morph into a beast down low when flanked by Denver’s high-flying athletes. The only thing he’ll do is bring out his defender to the perimeter, which won’t really hurt the Nuggets as they have several other bigs to keep the paint occupied.

*all images taken from Google search.

Series 1: Cleveland (1) vs Chicago (8)

Prediction: Cleveland in 6.

Cleveland's Delonte West

Interestingly enough, I believe that this will be the toughest opponent Cleveland will face in the East. Chicago is full of holes and has the most questions attached to them out of all the East teams, but they’re the type of team who can pull of an upset win or keep things close because of their unorthodox playing style. It’s a shame that Joakim Noah has some lingering injuries because the big man has really improved this season to become a force for the Bulls, a team with no inside scoring presence. Noah isn’t a scorer, but his ability to relentlessly crash the boards, play defense, and even handle the ball in fastbreak situations has proved to be invaluable for Chicago this past season. Let’s not forget the swagger and moxie he brings to such a young team; who could ever forget that altercation awhile back between him and Lebron, wherein the former chided The King for some zany dance moves in a win. There will undoubtedly be some tension between the two teams, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a fight or two will mar the series. (Anyone else see Shaq versus Brad Miller version 2? I know I do.)

Chicago's Derrick Rose

With a few weeks left to go in the regular season, Chicago’s star sophomore point guard Derrick Rose guaranteed a playoff appearance for his team. Many were surprised more by the candidness of the soft-spoken Rose than by his strong words, but fast forward to the present, and one can see that he really did deliver on the promise. And deliver he did! Rose singlehandedly place the hobbled Bulls on his back and had some career nights on the last days of the regular season, while winning the Eastern Conference Player of the Month award. Nobody could stop him as he charged into the lane with reckless abandon, showcasing a startling array of dribble-drives and penetration that left his defenders stunned. Rose really burst out into the playoff scene last year, and nobody could forget his epic playoff duel with Boston’s Rajon Rondo. This year, he should take more of an offensive role, and will be the Bulls’ leading scorer by a fair margin. The turnovers will still be there because he’ll try too much, but you can’t really blame the guy at this point.  Hinrich will provide veteran leadership, solid defense (which is good because the Cavs have combo guards in the 2-spot), Deng’s return for injury will give the Bulls that second scorer they desperately need, and Chicago has a glut of guards and tweeners to throw at Lebron and the other scorers. The different looks will keep the games close, closer than what Lebron and company would like.

With that said, there’s no way the Cavs lose this one. This is Lebron’s year, and with the deepest team in the league next to Dallas and Orlando, the best starting five next to Dallas, and the de facto MVP of the world, nothing’s going to stop them. The fact remains that Chicago does not have the personnel to have a chance of even containing Lebron, and I see them trying something desperate like putting Noah on Lebron. Lebron, Lebron, Lebron. I could mention All-Star Jamison, Shaq, Ilgauskas, Mo Williams, Hickson, Delonte, Boobie, etc, but the only thing you need to know is that nothing on earth can stop Lebron. Teams will be able to contain him, but Chicago is not one of them. It won’t be a sweep like many believe, but I don’t see this going more than six games. If it does, I completely feel sorry for whoever team Lebron will face in the next round, because he’s going to be PISSED.

Stud for the Cavs: Delonte West -Aside from Lebron, of course. When Delonte’s focused, he’s a terrific combo guard who can hurt you in so many ways. Anthony Parker will start for his defense, but be prepared to see Big Red finishing the game and making his presence felt on both ends of the court.

Dud for the Cavs: Shaquille O’Neal -There won’t be any vintage Shaq performances this season, or any other season for that matter. He’s just about done.

Stud for the Bulls: Derrick Rose -I don’t care of he doesn’t have a jumper, no one’s going to stop him on the drive unless they double-team him with Lebron and Parker. He’ll go for 40 at least once in the series. They’ll still lose however, because Lebron will score 50 as revenge in the next game.

Dud for the Bulls: Taj Gibson -He’s been a pleasant surprise for the Bulls this past season, and a solid contributor and post presence that the Bulls needed, but he’s not the answer in the paint. Guarding the mobile Jamison and even an improved Hickson will wear him down and make him a nonfactor.

Series 2: Orlando (2) vs Charlotte (7)

Prediction: Orlando in 6.

Ah, depth. When the matchup is fair and not one-sided, it all comes down to the team itself and what they can contribute in terms of competent, clutch individuals.

I really want the Bobcats to pull through. I’ve been supporting them since they were an expansion team picking Okafor over Howard (I actually endorsed that move, btw), and now, they have a team with players who are all tremendous fits. There’s not a team right now who doesn’t function as well in terms of interchangeability with each other than the Bobcats (aside from Phoenix, but Nash is like 90% of the reason for their chemistry). Last season’s acquisition of Boris Diaw gave Charlotte that combo forward who can make plays and is big enough to be slotted in the PF spot, while allowing other combo forward and All-Star Gerald Wallace to bang in the paint, though undersized.

This season saw two major acquisitions that were made without the Bobcats sacrificing any key players to get them. Stephen

Charlotte's Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton

Jackson arrived to give the Bobcats vocal leadership, height at the off-guard spot, and shooting. His playmaking skills also allow shooter Raymond Felton to play off the ball at times, to utilize his dead shot abilities. The later acquisition in Tyrus Thomas gave the edgy youngster the perfect team for him; he can come off the bench with no pressure, and provide athleticism and shotblocking. And yes, he can play either forward position. So basically, you have a lineup of eight full of two-way players- Combo forwards in S-Jax, G-Force, TT, Combo guards in Cap’n Jack, Felton, and DJ Agustin (a favorite of mine), and the defensive centers Chandler and Ratliff. For a newcomer team, they have admirable depth, their coach is a winner, and as mentioned, they’ll have a ton of different lineups to throw out, which will work when the occasion calls for it.

Orlando, though the Bobcats match up well with them, is way too deep for them, or for any other team for that matter. I have never seen a team this deep all the way down to the twelfth man. Their worst ten-twelfth man player is Ryan Anderson, for crying out loud. He’s good enough to start on the New Jersey Nets (Which isn’t actually such an accomplishment. Chris Tiu could start on the Nets).  It’s truly a case of unfair surplus, their second five of Williams-Redick-Pietrus-Bass-Gortat could probably win twenty-five games. Orlando truly has it all, shooters, height, playmakers, enforcers, and the best Center in the game (plus the surefire DPoTY) in Dwight ‘Yes, he is Superman” Howard. An underrated facet of this team is their perimeter defense. A Barnes-Pietrus defensive combo in the wings is nothing to scoff at, you have to struggle to get past them only to have your shot blocked at the opposite end. Yikes.

Orlando's Dwight Howard

The only question mark, in my opinion, is the offense. If Dwight demands the ball constantly (and if SVG gives it to him), and learns to recognize the double team quickly and surely, than screw Cleveland and a hungry Lebron, Orlando is winning the championship. He really has to, because Vince Carter has been extremely inconsistent, and I have no idea how he’ll do in the playoffs. He’ll either become the Magic’s savior, or become a lethargic chucker. Rashard Lewis is also coming off a down year (probably misses Hedo), and is another question mark at the wings. I actually think Jameer Nelson will do better than either, but all Orlando needs is one of them to hit his stride, in order to enter the Eastern Conference Finals. Charlotte is rangy and has a lot of weapons, but they’re going up against the team with the most weapons in the Magic. Still, this is one of those series that can stretch to seven games, primarily because the Magic has yet to find that consistent go-to guy and closer that Cleveland has in Lebron James.

Stud for the Magic: Dwight Howard -Dwight needs this series to get going, as the teams after (save Miami), will have tougher frontlines that will challenge him more. Still, he always feasts on Charlotte, so I see him doing better than Lewis or Carter.

Dud for the Magic: Rashard Lewis -It came down to either him of Vinsanity, because I believe one of them will suck donkey ass in the early going. Rashard has been spotty all year, and going up against Gerald Wallace and Tyrus Thomas will be a headache for him.

Stud for the Bobcats: Raymond Felton -Cap’n Jack will command much of the defensive attention, freeing up Felton for some long-range bombs. He also seems to have a Steals field day whenever he plays the Magic.

Dud for the Bobcats: Tyson Chandler -Way too fragile and out of shape to guard Dwight. I bet Nazr or Ratliff starts, then they send Tyson in, Dwight pulverizes him and he gets three quick fouls and has to sit the rest of the way. Sorry Tyson.

Series 3: Atlanta (3) vs Milwaukee (6)

Prediction: Atlanta in 5.

Damn you injuries!! Case example number one of two (the other being Portland) of the teams whose postseason chances crumbled to negative zero because of an injury to a key player.  What could have been a dogfight became a series where the word “sweep” will be echoed in each and every one of the (four to five games). Losing Bogut was absolutely critical for the Bucks’ playoff run. He was their best player, best post presence, best defender, and a leader with swagger. He perfectly complemented the scoring backcourt and wingmen of the Bucks- Salmons, Delfino, Jennings, Paolo Magno Stackhouse, and Ilyasova. His presence allowed looseness and creativity with the shooting, because he was always there for the offensive rebound, and as someone they could dump the ball to with the clock running down. Now, Milwaukee will be totting out a defensive frontcourt in Kurt Thomas and Mbah a Moute, which has no chance of scoring against the tough and athletic frontcourt of Atlanta. Heck, they won’t be able to stop Zaza Pachulia. Bogut in would have made this easily a 6-7 game series, now, it won’t be surprising if it’s a sweep.

Atlanta's Jamal Crawford

I picked the Hawks to win in five, however, because I’m not a big fan of them. They look like the type of team that is killer on paper, but will not perform as well as everyone expects them to do. Call me crazy, but I believe that their regular season mastery was their last hurrah. Even with a vastly improved Al Horford, a Josh Smith who seemed to have a new sense of basketball IQ, Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford (Man, the awards were easy to place this year), and their franchise player Joe Johnson (who, incidently, has a 90% chance of leaving the franchise after this year), Atlanta will not win against experienced vets Cleveland and Orlando. Still, you got to give credit where credit is due, and the physical and mental improvement of their players is very admirable.

Salmons will struggle. He may be a good second-half-of-the-season player,

Milwaukee's rookie guard Brandon Jennings

but they’ll cover him too well for him to do much damage. I predict that this will free up Brandon “Young Money” Jennings to unleash some serious havoc in the Hawks. Jennings is a terrific talent when his shots are falling, and with Old Man Bibby guarding him, as well as pressure put on backcourt mate Salmons, he’ll be able to get to his comfort spots and score at will. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him have a high scoring game that will shock the Hawks, this is probably the only scenario I see this series not becoming a sweep, unless Stack goes for fifty, or Ridnour gets that triple double (which will obviously, never happen).  Skiles is a great motivator and defensive coach, but his defensive pressure system will be useless without Bogut to anchor it.

Stud for the Hawks: Jamal Crawford -It’s his first playoff appearance so you can be sure that he’ll do everything in his power to pull through and not allow the upset. Crawford has matured as a player and has become more efficient instead of the glorified chucker he once was. Now, he’s a smart chucker, with an insane clutch rating. No one will be able to guard him off the bench.

Dud for the Hawks: Marvin Williams -At least Bogut showed this season that he was at least an acceptable pick in the draft, before Chris Paul and Deron Williams. Marvin hasn’t proven jack squat, and has really regressed this year even though he showed signs of promise last year. With the Bucks’ lack of size, I won’t be surprised if they go for a small-ball lineup of Horford-J Smoove-JJ-Crawford-Bibby for large stretches, leaving MW as the odd man out.

Stud for the Bucks: Young Money! -He’ll probably be the only bright point of the Bucks. Jennings will revert back to his November and December all-his-shots-magically-go-in days, and he’ll be one of the stories of the first round. Unlike Rose and Westbrook (two other guards who’ll kill in the first round), he’ll be doing it in losses, however.

Dud for the Bucks: John Salmons -Poor John Salmons. He is now the focal point of the Bucks offense, and will be pressured left and right by the taller and more athletic swingmen of Atlanta. Salmons was always a crafty player, but his style of play was perfectly suited as the second or third option in the offense. He was great last year because Rose was commanding so much attention, but unless Jennings does something similar, he won’t be doing anything special this year.

Series 4: Boston (4) vs Miami (5)

Prediction: Boston in 7.

Boston's Rajon Rondo

I initially picked Miami to be the only lower-seeded team to beat their opponents in the opening round. The Celtics are falling apart, showing their age, and have to contend with a playoff-ready Dwayne Wade who seems to be seething at the chance to pick the Celtics apart. When I thought about it longer, however, I realized that though the Celtics have all these holes in their personnel and leaders, they’re still the superior team because of yes, their depth. Even though many of their key acquisitions underwhelmed this season (Rasheed, Marquis Daniels) , the depth is still better than whatever Miami has. Speaking of which, the Miami Wades will rely on, yes, Wade to deliver killer performances to keep the series close. And yes, the series will be close.

Don’t count out the contributions of both Rasheed Wallace and Nate Robinson, either.

Miami's Dwyane Wade

Rasheed has sucked the whole season, but this Miami series could be just what the doctor ordered to jumpstart his game. His inside-outside game could kill Miami, because Beasley is a soft defender, and J. O’Neal is just about as done as the other O’Neal in Ohio. Haslem is undersized and needs to be in the paint to collar the rebounds, and Joel Anthony is Joel freaking Anthony. Look for Krypto-Nate to score relentlessly and efficiently (!) during key stretches and limited time. I foresee Doc Rivers, in a game where the Celtics are down twenty in the third, just turn to Nate, put the ball in his hands, and tell him to do his thing. And Nate will bring the lead back to Boston.

Stud for the Celtics: Rajon Rondo -I wanted to pick Paul Pierce because I think he’ll be the only one of the (formerly) Big Three who’ll not show his age and totally suck, and also because he has too much pride (and skills) to have a mediocre series, but then I realized that Rondo, not only is the best Celtic player now and will be on an All-NBA and All-Defensive team, but also will have absolutely no defender that can stop him, unless Mario Chalmers magically becomes the defensive stopper he was back in Kansas. Rondo will explode for near triple-doubles every game, and single-handedly cause the biggest headache in bean town. The only way to contain him will be to put Wade on him for long stretches, but Rondo is such a good passer that this will not be a problem at all. Chalk another great series for the current King Celt.

Dud for the Celtics: Kevin Garnett -He’s old and injured. The passion might still be there, but his prime has indeed come and gone. He’ll be struggling to catch his breath chasing Beasley out on the perimeter, or banging with Haslem down low. He may prove me wrong, and deliver magnificently, but I’m quite sure this dog has reached the point where his bark is worse than his bite.

Stud for the Heat: Dwyane Wade -the most obvious choice, but seriously, he’ll be Jordanesque-against the hobbled Celtics. He’s also one of those tried and tested playoff performers who excells on the big stage.

Dud for the Heat: Michael Beasley -I really like Beasley, but I’m one of the few who believes he’ll actually slip a notch instead of picking up his game. He has been too inconsistent to merit consideration this year, and he sits too often at the end of games for him to be really effective as a contributer. Still, Miami needs that second scorer to take the pressure off Wade, and Beasley fits the bill. I’m still not sure about his defense though, and his lack of focus could result in Rasheed Wallace having a (much-needed) field day against Miami. Sophomores Rose and Wesbrook will have legendary playoff series of their own, but I don’t see Beasley joining that elite crew.

West first-round predictions tomorrow! Here’s a summary of how I see things going, all up to the championship: