Friday, December 7, 2012

Cleaning Out THE INBOX

It has been a fun week for the Ball So Hard Sports re-launch...thank you to everyone for checking out the blog and for passing it along on Twitter and Facebook. It only gets better from here! While we wait to see if my Heisman pick pans out, there were so many topics that came through on Twitter and via email that I decided to drop some quick hits on them instead of longer posts. I got pretty into this, so I think it will become a weekly segment for BSHS. With that, here we go with the inaugural session of THE INBOX:


Who has your ROY vote as the top rookie QB this season: Luck, RGIII or Wilson?
-Bob, Washington, D.C.

This one seems to be debated everywhere right now. I love what Wilson and Seattle are doing right now and who knows with this year's NFC, but I think the 2012 draft will always be remembered for Luck vs. RGIII. Luck has jumped in and led an inspired team into a playoff position with 4 weeks left. RGIII has electrified fans and proven that NFC East teams are going to hate seeing the Skins on the schedule for years to come. I feel like this answer isn't final until the season is over, but right now, I give the nod to RGIII.

We keep hearing about an NFL team in Los Angeles sooner rather than later. Who do you think is the prime candidate for relocation?
-ZW, Minneapolis

I think the usual suspects are always going to be brought up here: Chargers, Jaguars, Vikings and Raiders. My guess is it will be one of those 4. Nobody else is going to move. I think the new Jax ownership team would have announced it sooner if they intended to go, so let's say they're out. Minnesota having their team ripped away would be worse than Seattle in the NBA, so I say no to them too. I could see Oakland doing it, especially if the Gruden Returns rumor had any legs, but since it doesn't, they're out too. The most logical is San Diego. They can't get a stadium built, for starters. The fact that they're not good enough to crack the BCS this year means everyone is at the beach or the zoo instead and won't even notice when Mr. Spanos gets rid of Norv, AJ and ultimately, San Diego too.

Speaking of relocated teams, how bout those New Orleans Pelicans?
-Tom, Louisiana

I hate it. I get it, but I hate it. Me personally, I'm going with New Orleans Krewe if I'm re-branding the team. There isn't anything cool or intimidating about a pelican. The logical thing to do is give Hornets back to Charlotte, give Jazz back to New Orleans and let's have Utah pick a new name. I'd go with Saints (Salt Lake City is the City of the Saints) and it would bring this whole ridiculous thing full circle back to New Orleans and their football squad.

What's your take on the Jovan Belcher situation in Kansas City?
-John, @johnhorsenunes

I personally feel like this is a tough topic to tackle. Let's focus on the tragedy involved: a 3-month old baby will never know her parents, 2 coaches and a GM watched a man kill himself and couldn't do anything to stop him and a woman lost her life to domestic violence. To me its not a gun issue, a football player issue or any of that. Its a horrible, horrible event. The positive I took from it was listening to Brady Quinn after the game talk about communication. As he said, when you ask someone how they are doing, are you really asking? Are you really listening? When they ask, are you telling them the truth? We all need to get off our phones and out of our constant fogs and interact with people and be real with each other. Period.

Who gets your vote as the best defensive player from the 2011 NFL Draft?
-Mike, @mtaylorj1

This is one similar to the ROY question that I think needs some time to have a definite answer. Had you asked me coming out of high school, I'd have said Da'Quan Bowers. Heading into the draft I'd have said Nick Fairley or Von Miller was going to be your guy. During the first season it was Aldon Smith or Patrick Peterson (but not as much for D as special teams) and this year, its JJ Watt, hands down, although Mr. Miller may fight me on that. The man they call JJ Swat is having a tremendous year and he could be the guy. I really like Von Miller and they are having success and there are worse jobs in the NFL than being LB-mates with Patrick Willis, so Aldon Smith isn't going away quietly. I'm giving the 2012 award to Watt, but my vote for best of 2011 when it is all said & done is Miller.

The Winter Meetings and the moves beforehand have changed the landscape for a lot of teams. What do you think about the moves and the 2013 outlook for the key players?
-Every concerned fan, Boston & New York

I don't think the Sox have done enough. Hamilton won't put them over the top either. It is going to be a long road back, especially with what Toronto has done, Tampa reloading a bit and Baltimore getting a year of experience and confidence. New York is relying on ancient Andy Pettitte, banking on Mo being healthy and no idea what the SS/3B situation is going to look like for a good portion of the season. I personally like the idea of Youk in pinstripes as a half-year fill-in for A-Rod and a 3B/1B/DH/PH option afterwards. Toronto will either be really good or the Canadian version of the Marlins. Until we see where Hamilton and Greinke go and if the Mets deal Dickey, everyone has an incomplete. I'm a little let down there weren't more fireworks out of Nashville.

Kentucky went from preseason title favorite to out of the rankings by December. Thoughts?
-John, Kentucky

First off, we know how hard it is to repeat, especially in the one-and-done world. There's no need to panic in Big Blue Nation yet. I think the drop out of the rankings is an overreaction, possibly a way for voters to stick it to Coach Cal. They will be fine. 24-6 and probably winning the SEC will be enough to get them a top 2 or 3 seed and then we'll see what they have in March. I don't know that they'll be cutting nets down at a regional, let alone the Final Four, but we're not in danger of an NIT berth for the Cats. Its a new squad, high expectations and a typical case of post-title loss of hunger. I'm willing to bet Calipari has instilled it back in his troops.

Who is your pick at this point for NFL MVP?
-Billy L, Woodsboro

Again, I hate predicting a race like this 3/4 through the season but here goes: Matt Ryan had it early and lost it. Peyton has staked his claim to it but may not hold onto it. Brady and Rodgers are coming for it. JJ Watt might have a shot but I don't think a defender gets it. Adrian Peterson should win it, but I think the Vikings have to finish strong for him to do so. Heading into Week 14, I give it to Peterson or Manning, but I think in 4 weeks time it is Brady who dukes it out with Peyton for the nod.

Fine, you hate predicting things that have weeks to go. What about this weekend...who ya got?
-Joe, @joetheshow16

Much better. No spreads this week, just winners. Here we go:
Broncos, Bills, Falcons, Bengals, Browns, Colts, Jags, Bears, Steelers, Bucs, Ravens, 49ers, Seahawks, Packers and I'm pleading the 5th on Texans/Pats right now. I'm torn.


Please discuss Dwight Howard's headband...is it the worst accessory in history?
-Jason, @yayadadude

It is pretty ridiculous. I really don't get it. It definitely isn't helping him or the Lakers (more on them next week...they deserve the full-post treatment). We know why LeBron wears the headband, his hairline demands it. But Dwight? Come on, man! I have to say it is the worst accessory since Britney Spears wore tube socks as gloves at the Super Bowl.


There's gotta be something worse than Dwight's Headband besides Britney's sock gloves, right?
-Jason, again

You're right. LMFAO got a Grammy nomination.

Until next week kids, The Inbox is cleaned out! If you have questions you want answered here, be sure to Tweet them or email us @ ballsohardsportsblog@gmail.com.




Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Giving Restgate A Rest

Who knew that 3 DNP-CD's would set off a week's worth of argument and debate among the NBA players, coaches, owners and analysts. San Antonio Spurs HC Gregg Popovich decided that as part of a 4 game in 5 night road trip and with the Western Conference leading Grizzlies coming to down in 2 days, he would give his Big 3 of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker the night off against the Miami Heat. The trio would fly home a day early and get rest for an early season battle. Those that follow the NBA know that Pop has done this plenty, especially last year in the shortened season. Of course, because it was against the NBA, err, Miami Heat, the Commish didn't like the move and threatened "serious sanctions" against the team. As we learned a day later, the sanctions were a hefty $250k fine and days of debate among sports fans and media alike.

Let me start off by saying you'll never confuse me for a Spurs fan. Having fellow Aztec alum Kawhi Leonard has given them a few points but I am not a fan of Parker/Ginobili and every time I hear the name Tim Duncan, this song seems to stream in the background (yes, Celtics fans are bitter...deal with it!) and I lose any chance of being unbiased.

With that being said, you can't be a hoops fan and not respect the franchise. They've done it the right way for years, won rings and reload year after year. Popovich is in my opinion right there with Phil, Doc and Doug Collins as the guys I'd choose from if I was running a team (listening, Team USA and Mr. Colangelo? More on you another day...) and needed a coach. Pop knows what he's doing, the players respect the hell out of him and he manages those players perfectly to maximize results. He knows when to push, when to rest and you really can't argue with his methods...unless you're David Stern. Or Mark Cuban.

Stern and Cuban didn't approve of the unscheduled mass day off for the Spurs, citing the TV deals the league has and it being a national TV game and the only trip the team makes to Miami, robbing local Spurs fans of seeing their team. I get that. TV money is what makes the league run. Plus, if I made the 2-hour trip to Orlando to see the C's and Pierce, Rondo and KG were DNP-CD's I'd be bent. But I'd also trade a November win for fresh legs in May and June. Again, I trust Pop just like I'd trust Doc.

Here's my list of questions...would anyone care as much if this was late April and the Spurs were locked into a playoff position? What about if the trip was in reverse order and the night off was against the Wizards? Did everyone miss Pop doing this twice last year when it cost his team 11-game win streaks? The answer to all: NO.

Stern didn't like a light schedule night getting even lighter on the national stage. Ironically, the game was great and the Spurs hung till the very end (would the fine have come if they won? add that to my list) before falling short. Cuban took an opportunity to jab an in-state rival. Typical.

My take: 

Relax. It was a night off. There are 82 games. These guys are not young. Missing 20 games to have legs for the playoffs is important. I'm surprised more teams don't do it. Could Pop rest 1 guy a night over 3 games, sure. But why put yourself in a vulnerable spot nightly when you just take your lumps once every few weeks? I personally like the move. I get the TV deals and the respect the teams need to have, but if the ownership didn't bark at Pop, maybe Stern should have backed down, especially seeing there were no warnings in the past. My guess is it will happen again and you'll see more teams doing it. Who knows...maybe its what leads to a shorter schedule with more rest, something that isn't the worst idea in the world. Regardless, it is time to give Restgate a rest and focus on who is playing, not sitting!

The Heisman Goes To...

History will be made on Saturday when the Heisman Trophy is presented. We will either see the first freshman, first Kansas State player or 2nd defensive player take home the hardware. Three finalists were named yesterday and while I think they should always bring five just so the kids have the experience and honor of being named a finalist, they actually invited one too many this year.

Your 2012 finalists are Kansas State QB Collin Klein, Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel and Notre Dame LB Manti Te'o. With all respect to Mr. Klein, this is a two-horse race between Manziel and Te'o. While K-State had a great year and Klein was in the driver's seat for weeks, he has faded just like the Wildcats's title hopes.

What this race comes down to is as pure as the game itself: offense vs. defense. Now sure, we are going to deal with the voter bias of not wanting a freshman to win the award, but in reality, Johnny Football is the best offensive player we had this year. Te'o is the best defensive player we had this year. So, who is the choice? I'll get to mine in minute. First, the case for both.

Why Manziel will win:

Johnny Football. This kid captured the attention of the nation as he led the Aggies to a highly successful first season in the SEC, with a new head coach and offense on top of it. His numbers are there: 4,600 total yards (more than Cam Newton), including 1,181 on the ground (more than Tebow) and 43 total touchdowns including 19 on the ground (more than RGIII). He has the signature victory, leading A&M to a huge win over then #1 Alabama and you can argue that A&M is one of the country's hottest teams right now, only missing a BCS Bowl because of their putrid rules (another blog for another day).

Why Manziel won't win:

Freshman bias. A freshman has never won the award and there are those in the voting process who feel that they should never win it. He also has 2 losses, more than Te'o or Klein's teams. While the losses were to top ten teams, they were at home and Johnny Football was just a frosh QB in both games.


Why Te'o will win:

He is the anchor of the nation's top scoring defense. We routinely see the "QB of the best team in the nation" argument, so why not the LB who is the glue on the best team in the nation? He has a signature victory as well: beating Michigan State with 12 tackles, 1 for a loss and a fumble recovery...oh, and by the way, this was 3 days after losing his Grandmother AND Girlfriend in a span of less than 24 hours. He owns South Bend: did you ever think you'd see 80,000 strong at Catholic U wearing leis in honor of a MORMON kid?! There should be an award just for this.

Why Te'o won't win:

He's a defender. Yes, technically a defender has won the award once, but I think Charles Woodson won it as much for special teams as he did for defense. A pure defender? Unheard of. His numbers are good, but are they great? His 7 picks as a linebacker are impressive, but there are those that will say he has nowhere near enough sacks to warrant the Heisman. Te'o will also face the bias of the media who also still won't give the Irish their due this season and believe their #1 ranking and BCS title spot are a fluke. Makes you wonder if he was at an SEC school if he'd have this wrapped up already.

Who Gets My Vote?

I've gone back and forth on these two for a few days. Even as I write this, I can see myself writing both names in the next sentence, its that close. But, for me, I'm giving the 2012 Heisman Trophy to Manti Te'o. There are plenty of reasons, several that I listed earlier, but the one that sealed the deal was reading the Heisman Trust Mission Statement:

The Heisman Memorial Trophy annually recognizes the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard work. The Heisman Trophy Trust ensures the continuation and integrity of this award. The Trust, furthermore, has a charitable mission to support amateur athletics and to provide greater opportunities to the youth of our country. Our goal through these charitable endeavors is for the Heisman Trophy to symbolize the fostering of a sense of community responsibility and service to our youth, especially those disadvantaged or afflicted. All assets of the Trust beyond the expense of maintaining the annual presentation of the Heisman Memorial Trophy are reserved for such charitable causes. The Trustees, who all serve pro bono, are guided by a devotion to college football and are committed to community service and the valued tradition which the Trophy represents.

When I read that statement, it screams Manti Te'o. No knock on Johnny Football, but I can picture Te'o staying true to this honor well past his NFL days through the charitable endeavors mentioned here. I also think that the perseverance this kid showed in the wake of tragedy this season was truly impressive. Every big game, Manti showed up. I can't say that about Manziel. Plus, Te'o has helped lead his team to the National Championship. They aren't playing on January 7th without him.

Regardless of who wins, they will be a deserving member of the Heisman club. I think it will be the closest vote in years, maybe ever. But for what its worth, Manti Te'o is my pick. Don't agree? Let's hear your case below.


Monday, December 3, 2012

Expanding Our Horizons

Watching Pulp Fiction for the 813th time this morning, the final scene gave me a little motivation. Jules, having witness his miracle, thinks about getting out of the game, walking the earth, becoming, as Vincent says, "a bum". Not the normal thought process one would have over a cup of coffee and a muffin, but we're not talking about a run-of-the-mill type of cat here, either. When asked about the timing of the decision, Jules says that he had, "as alcoholics call it, a Moment of Clarity". Hmmm, so its not just a Jay-Z song off the Black Album after all.

This scene got me thinking. I love this Ball So Hard Hoops blog. I really need to spend more time on it. To that point: why stop at Celtics basketball, or the NBA in general? Sure, there are some great topics right now: Restgate, the Rondo/Mr. Kardashian scuffle, early season surprises and disappointments, and the horror show in LA and trust me, I'm going to get to them. But as I get rolling on Twitter and realize I'm starting or chiming in on a ton of topics, I realized, something like our man Jules, that its time for something more.

Here it is: Ball So Hard Hoops is gone. Welcome to Ball So Hard Sports. No limits. Any sport, any topic. I know there are a couple of you ready to goad me into some topics and I'm more than ready. Debating sports is America's true pastime. Let's get it going here. You may love what I have to say, you may hate it. To each their own...but until you put fingers to keyboard, you're stuck with mine!

I'm going to give my opinions on the hottest topics, some long, some short, but we'll catch it all here. I'll do my best to stay unbiased, but as you see from the background of this page, there are a few teams that the rose-colored (or green, or blue, etc.) glasses will stay on, even a little, but it will be fun.

I don't have some prophetic Ezekiel 25:17 stuff to lay down on you before I exit, but trust me, we're going to have some fun here, kids. I guess we owe it to Tarantino and Samuel L., plus a few good friends and Twitter followers for the final nudge.

Stay tuned...

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

And The Winner Is...

Yesterday I gave you my outlook for all 30 Teams Twitter style. Now, with less than 7 hours before the 2012-2013 NBA Season kicks off, I give you my predictions for the big awards this season and some other things I think will happen before the Celtics raise Banner 18 this June.

NBA MVP: LeBron James. Feels like a given. Don't discount CP3, Rondo and Durant here if James falters.

Coach Of The Year: George Karl. A WCF trip will do the trick. Of course I like Doc here too and if Monty Williams is a year or two early with the Hornets, he'll be there as well.

6th Man Of The Year: Jason Terry. Ray who? The Jet will soar in Boston. Andre Miller and Marshon Brooks have a shot as well thanks to Harden starting in Houston.

Rookie Of The Year: Anthony Davis. I really want to pick Kidd-Gilchrist here but AD is the real deal. Lillard could make noise here as well.

Most Improved Player: Jeff Teague. No Joe Johnson means he has to shine with the Hawks for them to be successful. Look for other's taking the mantle from lost stars here: Dragic in Phoenix and Big Baby in Orlando.

Breakout Star: Kawhi Leonard. The Spurs will need him to take the torch from the old guard, especially with Manu already hurting. Ty Lawson is a guy to watch here as well and Kyrie Irving will cement himself as a superstar this season.

Biggest Star Letdown: Ray Allen. For all the hype of his free-agency departure, his aging legs will betray him in South Beach. At lease he'll already be in Florida when he has to retire. Danny Granger is a guy I put here too if he's not healthy, Indiana won't reach their potential.

Breakout Team: Denver Nuggets. We saw Indiana and Philly make their moves last season. Now its time for Denver to make their claim as part of the West's elite. Deep and athletic, they have sort of a Detroit Pistons feel when they knocked off the favored Lakers (sound familiar) on the way to a title. Don't sleep on the Hornets here either, or a Brooklyn team with something to prove in their new digs.

Biggest Team Letdown: New York Knicks. Already having lost Amare for 6 weeks, as well as headlines to their Brooklyn counterparts, this could be an ugly season for the Knickerbockers. Indiana looked ready to be among the East's best last year, but a step backwards could be in the cards in 2013. The end of runs in Dallas and Memphis feel right too, but that's probably just a letdown in those cities, reality to the rest of us.

Defensive Player Of The Year: Serge Ibaka. Everyone will pick Howard, but the early bumps I see for the Lakers may give the OKC swatter the opportunity to swipe this one away from Dwight.

There you have it. Only a few hours to go and all the predictions and chatter falls to the wayside. Then the players do the talking. Enjoy the season!

Monday, October 29, 2012

30 Teams in 30 Tweets

With Opening Night (finally) upon us, every player, coach, GM and fan base is optimistic about what the 2012-2013 season has in store for them. Unfortunately, about 80% of them shouldn't be. We know who the teams with a shot are and the rest are playing to be the last team David Stern puts on the clock to start an NBA Draft. Truthfully, I think we're all just happy to know there are 82 games on the schedule and we're back to a real season!

You can go just about anywhere and find a league preview, team-by-team previews and more. It is a great time of year for a basketball fan if you want to find a few good reads. Sheridan Hoops, Pro Basketball Talk and of course the big guys like ESPN and Yahoo! will give you everything you can possibly imagine to pour over for the upcoming season.

However, if you're like most of us and have evolved into having the attention span of a gnat, anything longer than Twitter's 140 characters (or about 40 and a pic if you're J.R. Smith) has lost you by the second page. So with that, here are 30 Teams in 30 Tweets. A quick, under 140 preview for every team in the NBA, followed by my 8 playoff teams for each conference, Conference Finals and Finals picks.

Enjoy. Debate. Criticize. Agree. It's your world, squirrels...comments below are always welcome!

2012-2013 NBA Previews:


Atlanta Hawks:  Perennial 5-8 seed. Not getting over the hump. Not now. Not ever. Poor Josh Smith.

Boston Celtics: #IAmACeltic and there is no shot of being unbiased here. Deep squad. Rondo's time. Health is key. Banner 18 goes up in June.

Brooklyn Nets: Everything is new again. City, arena, logo, colors, backcourt...Where's Brooklyn at? Sneaking in or a year away...falls on D-Will and Joe.

Charlotte Bobcats: Not sure Jordan in his prime could help them. Definitely can't from the front office. Only reason to watch this year is future star MKG.

Chicago Bulls: Everything hinges on how they do w/o D-Rose. Then seeing if he's all the way back. Gotta root for the kid, one of the few humble stars left.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Breakout year...Irving, yes. Cavs, not so much. But, a chance to set up for a key FA this summer. They'll want to play with him.

Dallas Mavericks: Is Mayo the answer in Big D? Doubtful. Feels like the window closed on this bunch. Expect a Cuban blockbuster for new blood at some point.

Denver Nuggets: Best front office going. Turning AAA & Harrington into Iggy amazing. Paired with the Melo haul, Nuggets primed to sneak past the favorites.

Detroit Pistons:  The only hope for the Pistons this year is for the NHL lockout to end and the Red Wings to get on the ice, burying them from the back page.

Golden State Warriors: This team is less stable than Steph Curry's ankles. Huge rookie class, deep bench but are they for real or was their last 10 of '12 a sign?

Houston Rockets: Lin & the Beard. Sounds like a bad reality show. Love Harden, but is he ready to start and carry the load? Houston, you may have a problem.

Indiana Pacers: The chic sleeper pic. Young, athletic, showed promise vs. Heat. Are they ready for the leap or are they the next Atlanta? We'll know soon.

Los Angeles Clippers: Still LA's "other" team. Even with big moves, they still get overshadowed by Lake Show. Bottom half playoff team is best bet for CP3's crew.

Los Angeles Lakers: Adding Nash & Superman: 2011 Heat or NBA's real "Dream Team"? There will be bumps in the road, but if smooth by April, tough to bet against.

Memphis Grizzlies: Starting to feel like Hawks West in Memphis. Always around, occasionally make some noise, but never beating the big boys come summer.

Miami Heat: Are they the '92 Bulls or '94 Rockets? LBJ wants MJ's dynasty. Haters hope it was a lockout-shortened asterisk. Tough to see less than ECF.

Milwaukee Bucks: Jennings/Ellis will be on SportsCenter's Top 10 more than the win column. Will be a fun team to watch if you don't care if they win or not.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Would have been a big sleeper if Rubio was healthy. Feels like a bridge year. Best case is sneaking into the lottery for 1 more piece.

New Orleans Hornets: Big rookie haul. Nice to keep Gordon too. Have to like everything about where this team is going. Sneaky 8 seed? Maybe. Probably 2 yrs. out.

New York Knicks:  Big city expectations on Melo & Amare. They aren't better than the East's best. Means a lot of witty headlines bashing them in NY this year.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Trading Harden could be a disaster. Chemistry is key. Ask the C's about Perk. Still a safe bet for WCF. Title if pieces gel with KD & RW.

Orlando Magic: The only thing this team should hope to win this year is the lottery. Somehow I bet they'll mess that up too.

Philadelphia 76ers: Swooping in on Bynum huge, if healthy. They were already set to make the leap, this could be what does it. Collins has them believing.

Phoenix Suns: No Nash, no trade rumors, no real reason to follow this team. Hey, at least you're not the Bobcats!

Portland Trailblazers: Lillard will be a star. Aldridge is solid. Batum got overpaid. Looks like back to the lottery for this group. Which may not be a bad thing.

Sacramento Kings: Cousins busts out this year. Only highlight besides announcing the move to Seattle, where they'll instantly care more than Kings fans do.

San Antonio Spurs: Always there. Will be the same this year. Big season for Kawhi Leonard as he takes the torch from the Spurs big three on this playoff run.

Toronto Raptors: Probably the first team out in the East playoff picture. A lot of good 2-way players. DeRozan in a contract year will be a guy to watch.

Utah Jazz: Utah is BIG. But, Coach Corbin says its Mo Williams' team. Wait, what? If he's conducting, this is a Jazz tune that isn't worth a listen.

Washington Wizards: Is Beal a star or a bust? I'm going with bust. Wall injury to start is a killer. Long season ahead in DC. They can defend, but not enough.

Playoff Predictions:

Eastern Conference Playoff Teams: Atlanta, Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, Indiana, Miami, New York, Philadelphia. I thought about Cleveland, Milwaukee and Toronto here, but I can't see them supplanting NY, Brooklyn and Atlanta this season.

Western Conference Playoff Teams: Dallas, Denver, Houston, LA Clippers, LA Lakers, Memphis, Oklahoma City, San Antonio. I really want to put New Orleans and Minnesota here over Memphis and Dallas, but I think it is a year early.

Eastern Conference Finals: Celtics over Heat. Bradley alone puts them over last season. Jet, Lee and Bradley will be more than Wade and Ray's worn out bodies can handle in June.

Western Conference Finals: Thunder over Nuggets. Upsetting the Lakers will be where Denver's dream season ends. Unless a huge chemistry problem develops, KD and Westbrook are just too good not to return to the Finals.

NBA Finals: Celtics over Thunder. Yes, I'm a homer. Yes, I'm taking age and experience over youth and talent. Don't like it...start your own blog!

There you have it: 30 Teams in 30 Tweets. Best of luck to your team and most importantly to an NBA season for the ages!