Just Watch John Wall

I rarely write about basketball because it's hard to analyze. The available stats aren't that helpful. What I can gather is that: assists are overrated, rebounds are crucial, field goal percentage is the OBP of basketball and defense, like in baseball, is hard to measure without any doubt. Also, per 48 minute rate stats are more important than regular rate stats, point differential shows dominance and blocked shots are only good if it leads to a turnover.

I am a bigger basketball fan than baseball fan. Make no doubt about it. I watch YouTube mix tapes, high school slam dunk contest (remember David Lee beating James "Flight" White in 2001?), Slamball, DVR all-star weekend watch almost every NCAA tournament game and even watch women's college baskeball. Sorry, I don't watch the WNBA.

I'm only writing this because I want my picks on record (in no order).

East:
Heat
Celtics
Magic
Bulls
Hawks
Knicks
Wizards
Bucks

It was hard to come up with an eighth team, believe me.

West:
Lakers
Thunder
Blazers
Jazz
Suns
Rockets
Spurs
Mavericks

The Celtics play great defense and Rajon Rondo is a legitimate top tier point guard. The Heat have King Wade, Sidekick James, Third Wheel Bosh, Mike Miller and a bunch of stuff. Despite the Game 1 beat down from the Celtics over the Heat, I have the Heat in the finals. They'll play better together as the season goes on. The more I think about it though, James should've went to the Bulls. As good as Wade is, playing with super rebounder/defender Joakim Noah and superstud point guard Derrick Rose and their supporting cast gives him the best chance to not only win this year but for future years. But hey, Miami is an awesome city, amirite?

In the West, it's two teams: the Lakers and the Thunder. It's hard to bet against Kobe Bryant...unless he's playing a team with Kevin Durant. The key to this series is the huge advantage the Thunder have in the point guard spot. Russell Westbrook has an insane advantage over Derek Fisher. I will pick the Thunder over the Lakers.

In the Finals, I have the Thunder over the Heat. The Thunder's "big three" (and by the way, most teams have a "big three") have played well together and longer together than Miami's trio. I respect LeBron's game, Wade's game, but neither are on Durant's level.

And here is a mix tape featuring superstud John Wall:

Vinny Del Negro Still Coaching the Chicago Bulls

On December 28, 2009, ESPN reporter Chris Broussard posted this story on its Web site declaring that the Chicago Bulls have already decided on firing head coach Vinny Del Negro. The announcement was not made because they were waiting on a head coach. Today is January 24, 2010, and Vinny Del Negro is still the head coach of the Chicago Bulls.

Look, I'm not saying that what Broussard reported was false. The problem is, whatever happened (if anything), the writer wrote a story insinuating that Del Negro was gone, and almost a month later, he's still drawing up plays.

This is one of the problems with sports reporting. There is too much reporting on rumors than actual events. This is a huge example, obviously, but it happens all the time. Last year on the trade deadline, ESPN had a big banner speculating that the Phoenix Suns were going to trade Shaquille O'Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers. When I saw that, I emailed my contact with the Suns to see if that was true. She replied back within five minutes saying that there was no truth to it at all. At the end of the day, O'Neal was still in a Suns uniform.

Currently, there are reports that Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner is leaning towards retirement. Is it bad to actually wait until he makes a decision?

So much for that Cavs and Celtics Eastern Conference Rematch

According to espn.com, Kevin Garnett could miss the entire playoffs.

Offensively, this is meaningless. Sure, Garnett is a good scorer and distributor, but Paul Pierce and Ray Allen can carry the team offensively with Leon Powe playing near the basket. Defensively, this is huge. With Kendrick Perkins, the Celtics had two outstanding defenders that complemented each other. With Superman Howard as a second round match-up, can the Celtics stop him? I just don't see it. While I don't see the Celtics stopping the Cavs in the Eastern Conference finals, you have to admit, the match-up does make for a fun seven-game series. Not only that, but with the Lakers wrapping up the Western Conference (sorry), you would have a potential Lakers and Celtics repeat OR a Kobe vs. LeBron death match. The possibility of Superman Howard and the Hedo Turkoglu's going against the Lake Show, even if it is a longshot, doesn't make for a fantastic finals.

Edit: John Hollinger wrote about this, but he used stats to back up his point.