The NBA season just tipped off, and I can already tell you who the REAL contenders for the title are.  Despite what some people say, The Rockets, Clippers, Bulls, Timberwolves, and Nets are NOT in the mix.  The way I see it, there is only 5 teams that have a legit shot at winning the Championship this season.  

1.) Miami Heat- We haven't seen a team make it to 4 consecutive NBA Finals since the Los Angeles Lakers in 81'-84' but these Miami Heat teams the last 3 years have been nothing short of amazing, and while they are aging a little, I can't take them off the # 1 spot until someone dethrones them.




2.) Indiana Pacers-  I think this is the most talented team in the NBA.  Paul George is budding into a Super Star right in front of us.  Roy Hibbert is a stud down low on the defensive end, causing teams to stay away from the paint.  Lance Stephenson is a great perimeter defender and can hit shots that when Paul George commands a double team.  The only problem I see with the Pacers is the PG position with George Hill being their only legit option to run the offense.  



3.) San Antonio- I have no idea when they are going to realize that they are old! But until they do, they will continue to be my pick in the West because of experience and having the BEST coach in the NBA.





4.) Golden State- The Warriors are so good and young it is scary.  This team is set up to be dominant for the next several years.  1-5 they are the best composed team in the West.  The only problem is depth at the big positions.  If Bogut gets hurt (which he will) and David Lee gets in foul trouble, you are playing a game with Jermaine O'Neal and Mo Speights at the 4 and 5.  But they have Steph Curry and Klay Thompson who can both go off for 40 points any given night and I wouldn't be surprised if we see a game that they both score 40!




5.) Oklahoma City- Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are the best 1-2 punch in the NBA.  Better than LBJ and D-Wade, better than Paul George and David West, better than Curry and Thompson.  Russell Westbrook looks like he is starting to understand how to run an offense and Durant is very capeable of carrying this team on his own if Westbrook has to miss anymore time.  This team should finish in 2nd or 3rd in the West and I can see them knocking off either SA or GS in the West Finals.  


                                       



                                                      




  THE NOT SO GOOD

Houston Rockets-  Please quit telling me how great this Rockets team is going to be.  Dwight Howard and Asik down low is the most awkward thing I have seen on a basketball court since that 50 year old tried to play a pick up game with us at the gym while wearing blue jean shorts and hiking shoe/boots. Dwight Howard has been in the league 9 years now, and I still don't know what he is exactly.  He says he wants to be a go to guy, but his offensive game is so limited.  He doesn't demand the ball in the paint, he stands around too much, and you can't give him the ball in the final minutes because his free throw shooting is horrendous! Jeremy Lin is not a PG and neither is Patrick Beverly. At least on a contender anyways.  Chandler Parsons and James Harden are 2 great pieces, but are both very streaky.  The Rockets half court offense looks like it's all James Harden Isolation and against teams with a good perimeter defender, they are going to take that away and then they are going to be lost.  I would look to trade Asik for a young PG that can lead an offense.  Jose Calderon would have been perfect in Houston, but luckily he landed in Dallas instead!

Los Angeles Clippers-  HAHAAHAHAHAHA this team is awful in the the half court game.  If a team forces the ball out of Chris Pauls hands, this team is done.  You don't have to double team Blake Griffin or DeAndre Jordan so teams can clog the paint and cut off lanes for CP3.  Against a good defensive team in the playoffs this team could be done in 5 games.



Chicago Bulls-  Not enough offense on this team.  Derrick Rose can't do it all himself. If they give up 88 points you can jot them down for the Loss.








Brooklyn Nets-  No way this team should have ever got the love they did.  Paul Pierce and KG are way too old, Joe Johnson hasn't been the same since Atlanta paid him 4 times what he is worth.  He is a good spot up 3 point shooter that is it.  Brooke Lopez, he will be hurt in no time.  Derron Williams is a great PG and could be a great Robin, but he can't be a Batman. 



Minnesota Timberwolves-  I'm glad Minnesota is getting better. Kevin Love is probably my 2nd favorite player in the league now.  He has proven he can be the go to guy on a team.  He is a double double machine and will get the occasional triple double.  Big Pec down low is a beast and if he gets position, nobody can stop him.  With Love and Pec down low they will out rebound every team every night.  Ricky Rubio is the one I am not sold on, it's obvious he has a lot of talent, but 8points and 8 assists a game is nothing more than average.  





                                                       
                                                         Dallas Mavericks Start

The Dallas Mavericks have proven to me the first 6 games, that they are who I thought they were.  They are a good team who is just a little short of something special.  Their defense is attrocious and that is going to be their downfall until something changes.  Jose Calderon is a great floor leader, Monta Ellis can score on anyone in the league, Shawn Marion is a shell of what he used to be.  Like I said about Rubio, Marion is nothing more than average on the offensive end and his defense is not what it used to be.  He can't guard guys like Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Paul George.  Heck even OJ Mayo is having his way with him right now as I am watching the game.  Dirk is Dirk.  I think he still has a few 20ppg seasons left, but that's about it. And Samuel Dalenbert is a good center that does all I want our center to do, clog the lane, defend the rim, and grab rebounds.


The Future of the Mavericks is bright though.  Gal Mekel looks like a solid back up PG and will get a great starting PG one day.  Jae Crowder looks very solid and is shooting the ball much better than I thought he would.  I say the Mavericks end up in 4th or 5th in the West this year, and advance to the second round (possibly WCF depending on the match up in the 2nd round) 





                                                                  




                                                                      Oregon Lost!

I was getting really tired of listening to people say that Oregon vs Alabama would be a great National Championship.  I was so relived when Oregon lost to Stanford Thursday night, because is gave Florida State the opportunity to control their own destiny.  The Seminoles are to me the best team in the Country.  Yes even better than Alabama, and if Alabama runs the table, we will get a chance to see that I am right when those 2 teams square off in the National Championship.  But to be honest, I don't even know if I think Alabama is the 2nd best team in the country.  There is a team that I won't say their name, but their mascot is a stupid Nut that hasn't lost in almost 2 years.  I hate to say it, but I think they would be able to beat Alabama.  

We have been brainwashed into thinking that the SEC is the greatest conference in the world for the last 6 or 7 years, but I don't buy it.  Yeah it's easy to say a conference is great when they keep getting opportunities.  2 years ago when LSU played ALabama in the Title game was a JOKE! Somehow after Alabama lost to LSU in the most boring game I have ever seen, the NCAA thought it would be nice to see that game again in the Championship.  Which turned out to be the worst National Championship I have ever seen. 

Look at the last 2 seasons.  People have said that the Big12 is horrible, but 2 teams have come from the Big 12 and have destroyed SEC teams in Mizzu and Texas A&M.  Neither team has every done anything in the Big12, but they go to the all mighty SEC and are expected to get trounced and they have huge success the first 2 years and turn out a Heisman Winner the 1st year.   The SEC is in now way shape or form light years better than other conferences.  There are good teams and bad teams in each conference.  That's just the way it is.





                                                       Time For Bob Stoops to go?

Are there any more arrogant College football fans than those of the University of Texas or OU fans?  Both fan bases think that they have had some sort of dynasty going for the last 40 years and have won numerous National Championships, when in fact the number of National Championships those 2 teams have combined to win in the 20 years is the same amount that Alabama has won the last 2 seasons.... 2!  Just think about that... Texas is starting to realize that Mack Brown needs to be gone, I am just wondering when OU will do the same with Bob.