Say It Aint So Joe!

"We could care less if [the fans] showed up or not."

Atlanta Hawks Guard-Joe Johnson

Those were the words spoken after a disappointing home loss to the Orlando Magic in Game 3. Superstar guard Joe Johnson struggled mightily during the series vs the Magic shooting 29% and only avg 12 pts a game. He was also booed on Monday night in their season ending game against the Magic. This is my plea to the fans of Atlanta

Dear ATL Fans,

Please swallow your pride and forgive Joe Johnson for his remarks. He is one of the hardest working and most talented players in the league. I know his lack of emotion at times gives off the perception of not trying hard, but everyone is wired differently. Atlanta has the pleasure of being his first choice this summer (unrestricted free agent), but booing the only star player since Dominique Wilkins is not exactly rolling out the red carpet for him to re-sign. Did you see Cleveland booing LeBron when he went 2-11 in a pivotal Game 5 loss? No! Athletes today have the disadvantage of facing the scrutiny of the media immediately after a game. Sometimes players do not express their views in the most politically correct way, but Joe is a good guy. No late night partying, No Arrests, No domestic abuse...all he needs is a fan base that will back him through the good and the bad. The Hawks won 53 games this year, how many do you see them winning with him gone? Winning and losing is a team effort , and although I do understand that the burden usually rests solely on the shoulders of the star, there will be learning curves for every team. Sure the Hawks have been swept out of the semi-finals the last two seasons but they are still a legit center away from being great. Some of the key ingredients may be changed this summer but if the main dish is not served then the entree will not taste right. Think about it.

Peace ,
Agent 34

NBA Playoffs..So Far Part 1.

Guess Who's Back?

As Kanye West said "Hi Haters I'm back off Hiatus." Kanye

Oook, so since I last left you the NBA Playoffs have started and we learned a lot about some teams during that time. Such as the Dallas Mavericks; who spent a lot of money only to lose in the 1st round, no excuses for the Nuggets the Thunder Kids are growing up quicker than expected, and hopefully time will heal all wounds for the Blazers..literally. In the East a young Buck shined bright, while the Bulls took a step back, the Bobcats are still kittens and D-Wade needs help bad.

Here are my Round 2 Predictions:

Suns-Spurs

This series looks like the changing of the guard so far, with Duncan looking like a shell of his former self (before the 29 point game 2) Amare and Nash have a connection that looks to be unstoppable! Jason Richardson is more than a dunker and his hot shooting has helped propel Phoenix to a 3-0 series lead. Now I believe people are starting to understand why Amare and the Suns stayed put at the deadline. This team is dangerous and should handle the aging Spurs in 6 games.









Lakers-Jazz

Laker fans got more than they expected from the youthful Thunder, but it seems to have lit a fire in the Champs. Utah thus far are without supporting stars Okur and Kirelinko (Kobe Stopper?) and are down 0-3 against the Lakers with only 1 more game in Utah. Expect the Jazz to at least get 1 but I don't think they will win any in LA. Bynum and Gasol have dominated the inside, while Kobe and a rejuvenated Artest have been shooting lights out. The Champs are right where they are supposed to be 1 games away from the Western Finals.










Cavs-Celtics

I want to pick the Celtics to beat the Cavs in 6 and this was before the smashing in Game 2. With that being said I almost find it sacrilegious to go against King James. The C's are finally allowing Rondo to shine (the aging big 3 helps) and are reaping the rewards as he has been scorching the Cavs. Ultimately I do believe the Cavs will win the series but it will definitely go 7 games. The NBA wants the Lakers/Cavs in the finals but they forgot to tell Boston. This series will be a close one.








MAGIC-HAWKS

The Magic look like they are on a mission, and getting back to the Eastern Finals will be the easy part. With a 3-0 lead on the Hawks only 1 win separates them from going back to the East Finals. As for the Hawks there is nothing that needs to be said..they are not ready for Prime Time yet. Crawford was a huge pick up but their need for a big man of any kind is holding them back from taking the next step in their team maturation. Hopefully, they will go after a big man this off season to battle Dwight but it may be too little too late.

40 Games..40 Nights Round 2

The first round of the NBA Playoffs are in the books and there was not too many surprises, other than the young Chicago Bulls giving the world champs all they could handle. I went perfect in the 1st round (check earlier post predictions) and I think I have the 2nd round figured out as well. Check out my pics and let me know if you see things differently.

Cleveland -VS- Atlanta

This will either be a competitive homestand for each team or a blowout sweep by the Cavs. The new MVP of the NBA LeBron James, will have his team geared up at home and I don't see the Hawks winning a game in Cleveland. However, the Hawks are in rhythm after beating the Heat and could possibly, possibly catch Cleveland napping in Game 1. But, that's not going to happen. Its hard to ignore how well the Hawks play at home, and I do believe they can win 1 if not 2 in Atlanta. Josh Smith has been huge at home (20ppg) and awful on the road (11.0) so we will see how he adapts to this series. Joe Johnson will be the key to getting the Hawks going out of the gate, and if he gets hot from the 3 point line this could be an interesting series.

Prediction: 4-2 Cavaliers

Boston -VS- Orlando

The NBA's Defensive POY Dwight Howard looks to lead his Magic Men past the champs. Can they do it? Umm, I'm going to say NO! The Magic have a good team, and they have pushed themselves into contention in the East with their record alone. However, the Boston Celtics are on a roll (Ray Allen) and the role players such as Scalabrine and Big Baby are growing up fast. The playoffs are all about match ups and there are two key ones to watch. With Courtney Lee out for the season, JJ Reddick will be the starting 2 guard that will have the task of cooling down Ray Allen. Nuff said. The second match up is Glen "Big Baby" Davis on Rashard Lewis. This could go either way, because Davis has size wight on Lewis, but Rashard likes to step out on the perimeter so Davis will have to adjust his game. Rondo and Skip will be an interesting match up and also Hedo Turkoglu and Paul Pierce is another one to watch. I don't see the Magic beating the Celtics at home, and look for a KG sighting somewhere near the middle of this series..mark my words he will return.

Prediction: 4-3 Celtics

Los Angeles -VS- Houston

Why Ron Why? Why did you say "Brandon Roy is the toughest player I've ever guarded" Hmm Really! Well there is this guy named Kobe Bryant who takes everything to heart, and I'm sure he heard those comments. Not only was that directed at him Ron gave him a challenge by saying "He's the only player to ever score 40 on me." Well guess what, you want it you got it. The Lakers are no longer a 1 man band and should beat the Rockets in 5 games. One big key for the Lakers will be the health of Andrew Bynum whom they will need to help stifle Yao Ming in the paint. Kobe will get his, but how well will reserves Shannon Brown, Lamar Odom, Luke Walton, and Trevor Ariza play? The games will be competitive and sometimes chippy, but it will live up to the hype.

Prediction: 4-1 Lakers

Dallas -VS- Denver

Its time for people to start taking the Nuggets as serious contenders for the title. They play excellent defense and their offense is one of the best in the league. Carmelo Anthony is emerging as a star in the media while leading his team into the semi's of the Western Conference Playoffs. I like the Nuggets (as if you can;t tell) to not only beat the Mavs, but also rival the Lakers in the Conference Finals. J.R Smith is a lights out shooter, meaning he can shoot lights out, or shoot you out. Lol. That will be something Coach George Carl will have to monitor closely, but its a great commodity coming off the bench. Chauncey Billups will be the floor general in this series as everyone seems to relish their role on this team. Denver swept the season series 4-0 and I only have them losing 1 game. Sorry Dallas.

Prediction: 4-1 Nuggets


Peace,
Agent34