Recently in Kevin Garnett Category

Whether you're getting ready to watch the NBA Finals tonight or still lamenting that Cleveland or Denver should really be there...Kevin Garnett is far ahead of this year's Finals and talking about next season. It's one thing to be confident. To be as good as KG has been, you have to be confident, arrogant even.

But when a big man comes off a huge knee surgery successfully, I don't know how good of an idea it is to go ahead and guarantee the 'ship for the Boston Celtics next season. And the next season. That's some definite confidence. Maybe I'm being too critical, maybe I'm not....but, really? Did he he see his team in the Playoffs this year? Yes, there was good. But oh boy, was there bad.

I think KG may need to slow his role, or maybe even just look at his team and what's going on in the Eastern Conference.

Goodness, it feels like the playoffs have been going on for months. Thirteen days to be exact. But wow, some of these series just kept going. In a perfect world, every series would have been a best-of-five, but the Bulls-Celtics series would be a best-of-seventeen. And I think we'd still be going into over-time every night.

The first round is ALMOST done, but we've already seen some things that have opened some eyes. The Rockets finally won a series! the 76ers have some kick to them. The Hornets are a disgrace to basketball, and quit on a good man. Byron Scott will be fired this summer because nobody on that team listens to him. Lebron is a beast. The Detroit Pistons are desolate (at least they have hockey). Tim Duncan lost his first ever first round series. Jerry Sloan might finally say goodbye to the NBA. Jason Kidd in Dallas worked out after-all. The Nuggets are scary. Brandon Roy is a top five guard in the NBA. Dwayne Wade is a G. So is Ray Allen. Oh, and Rondo was the first player to drop 19 assists and no turnovers since Norm Nixon...and they still lost. And the list goes on.

But let's take a look at some pretty interesting themes revolving the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

There are 30 teams in the NBA, but every year, there are only a number of teams that are considered playoff teams, and of those 16-18 playoff teams, there are only a few teams that are considered contenders. And in all honesty, it seems like that number is too small. I don't care how die-hard of a Detroit, Philadelphia, Chicago or Dallas fan you are...your team is not going to make the NBA Finals. If you're lucky, these teams might make a little bit of noise, but that's about it.

For teams in building mode like Charlotte, Oklahoma City, Memphis and Minnesota, they understand they aren't at that level yet, and only aspire to reach that level. Minnesota, you may remember was at that level for about a year and a half.

An avid watcher of the NBA for over a decade, I have seen amazing teams come and go, dynasties built and dismantled and through it all, all these teams go through a window... and typically, it's not very big. And with the season officially over, and playoffs starting this weekend...allow me to explain.

Yesterday, I broke down the Western Conference, and the possibility of teams breaking through and getting past the two best in the West - the Lakers and Spurs. Today, it's the same story, only in the Eastern Conference. Can anyone actually beat Lebron and his Cavs or the defending Champions?

For the longest time, Orlando was right there, and many said they had the right pieces to be playing side by side with Cleveland and Boston. But Jameer Nelson's injury has put them in limbo. True, Rafer Alston was a great replacement, but Jameer Nelson was built to run this Orlando team. Like the West, the East too has dealt with huge injuries to players (Jameer Nelson, Ben Wallace, Kevin Garnett, Josh Smith, Elton Brand, Michael Redd, Allen Iverson, Devin Harris). But it's a long season, and teams have worked their way up to this point. Thus far, we've had a unanimous three teams at the top.

After that, we have four teams fighting for the 4rd seed through 7th seed, and arguable six teams fighting for the final 8th seed. But all that aside, is any one better or able to beat the Cavaliers or Celtics?

Let's break it down.

ESPN is reporting that Stephen Marbury and the New York Knicks have finally reached a buy-out. The Players' Association wanted to push for a buy-out so Stephon before the end of this month so Marbury could sign with another team and be eligible for the playoffs.

The deal-breaker for the Knicks was Marbury finally agreeing to put $2 million back on the table for the Knicks to keep of his $20.8 million that is owed to him this year. He hasn't played a game since January 11 of last season.

There are reports that Marbury is looking to go to Boston and team up with Kevin Garnett again, but a lot of people are saying that Marbury could also end up in Greece. Starting guard, Rajon Rondo has recently emerged as a top point guard since the All-Star break for the Celtics, and it's unclear if the Celtics will want to take a risk, though minimal on Marbury so late in the season. However, last week, the elusive Stephen A. Smith told ESPN that several players on the Celtics had contacted Marbury, asking him to reach a deal so he could sign with the Celtics.

Yet another interesting turn this season has taken...

Round 1 was last June. Round 1 was murder. No, it was worse than murder, it was utter annihilation. No worse, it was a precise and chiseled model destruction.

Round 2 started Christmas Day, with a little bit of revenge; I suppose you could say. But on June 17, 2008, in Boston, Massachusetts, the Boston Celtics beat the Lakers by approximately 18,663 points. (39 points victory + 1 point for every fan in attendance of that game - I simply don't think 39 points can describe the amount of beating the Celtics put on the Lakers the whole series.)

And here we are... back in Boston. Without Andrew Bynum, and the Lakers definitely hoping that Kevin Garnett decides to play with the flu come Thursday evening (Can somebody tell me why KG refused to take his flu shot during training camp?).

While it is only a regular season game in Boston tonight, this game might be the most watched game this season. And for only one real reason.