Prediction: the Magic runs out

This is the face we're gonna be looking at deep in the 4th tonight:



With the C's team D cranked up to 11 and D-Ho drawing dumb touch fouls, the Magic are gonna wind up settling for jumpers. Then I see them bricking a few...the loud-ass Boston home crowd gettin in their heads...and that'll be that.

This team is soft, and their leader is a dope. Not a team built for the playoffs. They're lucky as shit they had their first two rounds against dogshit opponents.

Bye-bye, Dwight. You can ask Jesus why all the way back to Orlando.

G.

The Future

Is it me or did this moribund franchise just get its prayers answered? I've been wishing, hoping of the #2 spot. Hoping for #1 would have been greedy. #2 was a stretch but within comprehension. And look what happened...

I can't even process this right now, but just a couple quick thoughts:

1. We're back in the hunt for attracting the best coach available.
2. We can now jettison Elton's terrible contract if we chose to trade the pick (not saying we should, just sayin' we could)
3. We've got the rights to the best shooting guard in the draft, and perhaps the best in the last few drafts.
4. If he's a leader, Evan Turner could be our franchise player for the next decade. If he's a leader, and a potent scorer, we just got a lot better with the roster we already have.
5. I'm getting tickets to the opener.

A Few Questions From the Playoffs thusfar

1. How bout Stevie Vittles displaying his warrior spirit? Good sh!t from the old man. I love the from-out-of-nowhere feel of this team. They were ready to blow it up at the deadline. Now, they're one series away from playing for a chip. I love Stevie getting another shot. With Robin Lopez in the mix, who knows what could happen?

2. Who else is scared/excited for the next decade of the Durantula? Also, who has a better nickname for him? Simmons got on his bandwagon mad early. Dude was right. Durant's got the eye of the tiger. He's a top five player right now. If you were starting your franchise today, he's on the very, very short list of guys you'd take first. Who besides LeBron do you take before him? Deron? Rose? Not me.

3. Speaking of LeBron, what have we actually witnessed? I'm not a LeBron hater. However, the fact remains that tales of his greatness have been greatly exaggerated (at least so far). The unfortunate fact is that LeBron has served better the marketing needs of the NBA than he has his own legacy on the court. I think he's working with a so-so supporting cast. I think he's got the potential to be the greatest player of his era. But LeBron's got to do something on the court (namely, win a ring or three) before he will have earned his nickname. People been callin' him the King for three years. Still ain't won sh!t. And, I don't think he's going to this year either.

4. Speaking of winning things, will Kobe win his fifth ring and cement his place in the top 10 All-time? I don't know. If I had to bet, I think I might say no. There's something about this Orlando team that scares the crap out of me. They are loaded (like 2003 Trailblazers loaded). They been there already. And (and this is gone sound crazy), they got Vince............. Yeah, I said it.

As the curtain closes…

As the curtain begins to close on Round 1, some thoughts/questions on the playoffs so far:

> Is Dwight Howard out his f**king mind?



> Good to see Timmy Fundamentals emerge from his coma last night. An inspired performance. Now, two questions:

1. Can Pop get enough consistent performance from old-ass TD, too-young George Hill, not-quite-100% Parker and can’t-quite-breath-right Ginobilli, to beat the Suns? The way Grant Hill and J-Rich have been playing, I think no.

2a. Just how devastated is Dirk? Might he really opt out of his contract this summer? Let’s say yes. That begs another question: Do you want him for your team? The guy has been the best player on a loaded team that’s managed to get come up short for, what, ten years? At what point does a guy start to get the stink of poison on him?

2b. In defense of Dirk, I have to call out Rick Carlisle. When Beaubois is streaking for 16+ points, why on earth do you sit him to get ice-cold Jason Terry back on the floor? Some nights a player just doesn’t have it, coach. Always go with the hot hand. That’s textbook shit, Rick.

> I’m making this deal right now with God: If somehow, some way, the Erz should draw the #1 pick, Flash should decide to sign with us, and Jeff Van Gundy should come out of retirement to coach us, I will TOTALLY start believing in you again. I’ll even go back to church on Sundays and shit.

> Now, since there is no God, a question for the real world: How many titles do Bulls win if Flash goes to Chicago this summer? Another one: Will Avery be fired as Erz head coach after one season or two? or three?

> The Lakers probably close it out tonight. But what if OKC wins? Do you bet against them in a Game 7? Either way, what kind of shot does the winner of this series have against the red-hot Jazz? Speaking of…

> Is George Karl really a much better coach than I ever thought? How did Denver fall apart like this?

FINALS PREDICTION:

Cavs / Suns

And honestly? I’m not sure who wins that series.

John Wall

Why the Erz need to go 18-64 this season...

S.O.S. (as in, “Save Our Sixers”)

(Alternate title of this post: “How to trade Dalembert and his cap-killing contract”)

All right, a couple of quick trade ideas:

IDEA #1:
T-Mac
for
Dalembert and Iggy

Word on the street is Houston wants McGrady gone. They have a great young scrappy/hustle team, which has earned itself an 18-13 record in the super-competitive West. And that’s without Yao Ming.

This trade gives Houston a much-needed center to protect the rim, and a go-to guy in Iggy (who does a little of everything, and can score in the clutch). The team improves enough with this trade to go deep in the playoffs. Plus, they would get another year after this with Sammy, which provides insurance for Yao — who’s about as durable as an egg (an expiring contract they could trade next year if Sammy turns out to be superfluous.)

IDEA #2:
Steve Blake, Travis Outlaw, Juwan Howard (all expiring)
for
Dalembert, Speights, and $5M cash

Portland has a seriously good team that could make a real run. But both of their centers are done for the season. Basically, we’d be giving them Dalembert and cash for the expiring contracts of expendable players. But...

They’ll be stuck with Sammy and his $12M pay check NEXT YEAR when Oden and Przybilla are back. That’s why we’d need to give up Speights. It makes the trade worth doing for them.



Yeah, all things being equal, I’d rather keep Iggy (despite his too-big contract). And I’d absolutely hate to give up Speights (young stud who we have on the super-cheap). But either of these trades would put us far enough under the cap that a small additional trade or two would put us in the LeBron/Wade sweepstakes. So you have to do it if you can.

You feeling me, Ed?

Coolest. Man. Who. Ever. Lived.

1983 is starting to feel like a loooong time ago. Great to have A.I. back, but I can't even imagine a Sixers team that might someday threaten a "Fo, fo, fo" again in the playoffs/finals.

Anyway, this is from the All-Star Game that year -- the late, great Marvin. I'm not big on hyperbole, but...f**k it, I'm saying this: Marvin's National Anthem will never be topped.