The NBA's Final Four

We're getting closer. Today I'm going to rank the last four teams remaining in the NBA Playoffs based on the best chance to win it all.

1. Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are playing inspired basketball since the Game 4 blowout in OKC. I did predict that Kobe would go off in the Jazz series, but what I really get a kick out of is how every blog and media outlet is now proclaiming that Kobe is back to his old form. Well, I disagree (somewhat). Kobe obviously played better against the Jazz than against the Thunder, but a large part of that was the game plan and the opposing player guarding him. Thabo Sefalosha is one of the best defensive wing players in the NBA. Wesley Matthews is not. That is the main reason Kobe went off in the Jazz series. It's not because he's all of a sudden "back".

But I digress. The Lakers are operating on all cylinders, and a nice tune-up against a poor defensive team like the Utah Jazz combined with a one-week break to rest Bynum's knee and Kobe's finger/ankle/knee should prove to be invaluable to this team. Add to that the motivation to exorcise Phoenix demons and we should see Los Angeles advance to its third NBA Finals in as many years. They are the favorite to win it all.

1a. Orlando Magic

Of course, the Orlando Magic are absolutely crushing it this postseason. They are 8-0 and have been sitting at home watching the LeBron embarassment (hey LeBron - great players win championships) for nearly a week. Best team defense in the league, best defensive player in the league, a marquee point guard and a shooting guard who can pour it in when he's motivated enough to do so. The Magic are primed and ready to advance to their second NBA Finals in as many years. I just hope nobody sleeps on this team next year like they did this year. The only reason the Magic are #1a and not #1 is because beating Charlotte and Atlanta is not that impressive. They were clearly two of the weakest teams in the weaker conference's playoffs.

3. Boston Celtics

With their dismantling of the Cavaliers, the Celtics showed the world why you can never dismiss a championship team in future playoffs. This team is tough. This team is talented. And this team does not give up. Rondo is having a coming out party and their team defense is doing what it's so good at doing - shutting the other team down completely. Meanwhile, it looks like Paul Pierce is struggling. It will be hard for the Celtics to get past the Magic in the East Finals, but if Pierce can find his groove, it is entirely possible for the Celtics to advance.

4. Los Suns de Phoenix

The chemistry team. Steve Kerr was on the Dan Patrick show this morning and said that he could tell in training camp that this team just likes each other. That's a far cry from the usual distractions and prima donna personalities that the Suns have become known for over the past few years (hello, Amar'e Stoudemire). The resurgence of Grant Hill, the solid play of the Phoenix big men, the scoring of Jason Richardson and the masterful orchestration of the offense by Steve Nash have all combined to get the Suns to the West Finals. Unfortunately they (like almost everyone else) don't have the size to match up with the Lakers. But they do have the personnel to dictate the pace of the game, and they run the pick-and-roll as well as anyone in the league (which is the Lakers' main defensive weakness). If they can get past the Lakers, I could see them matching up well with the Magic and the Celtics. But they have to get there first.

Both of these series are going to be outstanding. I'll take Celtics in 7 and Lakers in 6 for a rematch of the 2008 NBA Finals.

Phoenix to wear 'Los Suns' Jerseys in Game 2, on Cinco de Mayo

From Good Blog:

The Phoenix Suns will wear "Los Suns" on their jerseys in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals on Wednesday night, owner Robert Sarver said, "to honor our Latino community and the diversity of our league, the state of Arizona, and our nation."

The decision to wear the jerseys on the Cinco de Mayo holiday stems from a law passed by the Arizona Legislature and signed by Gov. Jan Brewer that has drawn widespread criticism from Latino organizations and civil rights groups that say it could lead to racial profiling of Hispanics.

The "Los Suns" jerseys were designed and made as part of the NBA's "Noche Latina" promotional night, a recognition that 15% of the league's fan base is of Latino heritage, as are 18 of its players. Other participating teams are Los Lakers, Nueva York, and El Heat. 'Los Spurs' did not participate in Noche Latina, and thus will not be wearing the Latino-themed jerseys, despite Gregg Popovich's envy.

Spurs vs. Suns - A Preview

I love this matchup. I loved it in the past, with all the referee controversy, and I am very excited for it this year. Hard-nosed defense and laser-precise execution (the Spurs) versus free-wheeling offense and big-time playmaking (the Suns).

The Spurs are possibly the best 7-seed I can remember. Duncan is playing well, Ginobili is Ginobili (with or without a giant breathe-right strip on his broken nose), and Tony Parker is as good as ever. George Hill's first round home games were a revelation, and Richard Jefferson wasn't completely useless. DeJuan Blair is a big boy who can rebound and play in the low post with the best of them.

On the other side of the ball, Steve Nash is still one of the most dangerous players in the Association, but he's limited by his sore back. Luckily, Dragic has been able to step in and be effective when Nash is resting. Jason Richardson was hitting threes "with no regard for human life!!" against the Blazers in the first round. And Grant Hill has played like a 26-year-old with no injury history (that is, amazingly). Leandro Barbosa doesn't seem as effective as I remember him, though, and Amar'e Stoudemire still can't play defense at all (neither can Nash, for that matter). The Suns go about 10 deep, though, which helps maintain the run-and-gun style throughout the game.

Ultimately, as it has been the last few years, Spurs vs. Suns is about grinding it out versus running until you can't run no more. But, as we all know, defense wins championships. The Suns can't compete on that front, and the Spurs should simply continue to get better as this series goes on.

Spurs in 6.

Because Steve Nash Makes Good Use of His Free Time

Steve Nash's YouTube Channel is awfully ridiculous. There's his now famous Avatar spoof starring teammate Leandro Barbosa. There are his Vitamin Water commercials.
There is this, titled "Balls Talk"


And, perhaps best of all, his "conquer Europe" mission: