Lockout Shmockout

Well now that that's over!

The NBA owners and players have finally come to a tentative agreement to end the lockout, that would see the 2011-12 season tip off on Christmas Day once the deal is ratified. Due to needing a certain amount of games against your own division, conference and other conference teams, the schedule needs to be completely revised. This schedule is set to have 66 games, which makes for 33 home and 33 away containing at least one set of back-to-back-to-back games. Each team will play 48 conference games and 18 non-conference games, and thus would not have the opportunity to play every team in the league. There will also be two preseason games for each team,one at home and one away versus an opponent in the best geographical location.

There has been lots of speculation who this will benefit the most from this new schedule. Will it be the older veterans who have experienced a shortened season before? Maybe it will be the younger guys whose bodies will be able to better handle playing more games in a shorter period of time?

While we eagerly count down the days until we can finally watch NBA games again for the first time in almost 5 months, here are a few early season prediction as well as the predictions for those games on opening night.

Here We Go!!

Christmas Day game Predictions: 

Boston Celtics @ NY Knicks:

Ryan: So the first game of the 2011-12 NBA season pits the old folks of the Celtics against the Knicks duo of Melo and Amare and their supporting cast. Which may end up being Melo, CP3, and Amare if Paul is traded to the Knicks before the season starts. Either way the Knicks defense would probably still be as bad as it's been over that last few years, so expect the Celtics to get a win here.

Chris: For this game I'm going to have to go against Ryan and take the Knicks. The biggest reason why? Unrest in Boston. There has been on going talk about the Celtics potentially trading Rajon Rondo, and that can have an effect on a guy. Plus the Knicks will be playing at home in front of a loud and dedicated crowd at MSG who has been dying to start the season. I'm taking the Knicks by 3.

Miami Heat @ Dallas Mavericks:

RR: After losing to the Mavs in the finals the Heat would have to sit back and watch as the Mavs championship banner is revealed and raised to the rafters. If that isn't enough motivation to go out and get a win, then I don't know what is. Unlike the finals the Mavs could be without Tyson candler and J.J Barea who are now free agents. Those guys played a huge role in that championship season last season and if they choose to go on the greener pastures then the entire dynamic of this Mavs team could change. The Heat will pick up the victory in a close game, unless Lebron disappears in the 4th quarter again, which he won't.

CA: Typically, I would take the Mavs, but this time I have to take my predictions to South beach. The Heat are going to be coming out looking to get off to a hot start (no pun intended) to the season, and what better way than to defeat the team that stopped them from winning a championship. There's been a lot of talk about Chris Bosh bulking up in the summer, and I feel he will play a crucial roll this season if they want to avenge their finals loss. You can expect Lebron, and Wade and Bosh to come out fired up (pun intended that time) and ready to get things underway.

Chicago Bulls @ LA Lakers:

RR: After a pretty lackluster showing in the playoffs last season the Lakers are looking to bounce back this season and an opening match-up against D-Rose and his Bulls. With rumors circulating that the Lakers are actively pursuing both Dwight Howard and Chris Paul the team that is in uniform then could be totally different than their current roster, but at least they'll still have Kobe, whose knee is supposedly 100% healed, and Metta World Peace. After last seasons disappointment the Lakers would be looking to prove something this season so expect them to be victorious when the final buzzer sounds on Christmas day.

CA: Now this is a match up I am really looking forward to. How will the young MVP, Derrick Rose fair against one of the best players all time after a delayed start to the season? Well, Rose's talent is undeniable, but so is Kobe's experience and his drive to improve off of things last season. I completely expect Kobe to take over and lead his Lakers to the victory.

Orlando Magic @ OKC Thunder:

RR: This one is pretty much up in that air depending on whether Dwight is dealt or not. KD will be on track for having an MVP type season so, his Thunder will get the win here, even if Dwight is still with the Magic.

CA: I gotta take the Thunder here, why? James Harden. Harden absolutely came alive in last years playoffs and the combination of him, Westbrook and KD, is just too good not to win here.

LA Clippers @ GS Warriors:

RR: The most important question here is why exactly are the Warriors playing on Christmas Day? Couldn't the NBA have found a better opponent to take on Blake Griffin and the Clippers. With the Warriors offense this could end up being the highest scoring game of the night, filled with a few thunderous Blake dunks (not including a KIA) as well, but in the end the Clippers would be the one's starting their season with a 1-0 record.

CA: I have to agree with Ryan here, but for a different reason. Why would either of these teams be playing Christmas day? Yes, the Clippers have a fan favorite in Blake Griffin, and yes, the Warriors have a young team led by Ellis and Curry. Still though, this isn't that interesting! The Clippers improved last season, but not to a point where I feel they can stand up and defeat a team like the Warriors. I have to take Golden State by 7 here.

Which team shall win the Eastern Conference?

RR: The Miami Heat. After a season filled with ups and downs, a ton of media criticism, and a few bad quotes the Heat were able to make it all the way to the finals in the Big 3's first year together. Last season they got off to a really disappointing 9-8 start and went though a five game losing streak after the all-star break. This season those things aren't likely to happen as the Big 3 are now comfortable playing with each other and will know what to do to avoid the same things they went through a year ago and at the end of April shall have secured the 1st seed in the playoffs.

CA: Basically what Ryan said, lol. As much as we laugh and joke about the Heat sometimes, you can't deny their talent. Lebron may be the best player in basketball, and D-Wade isn't far behind. Bosh showed a passion last year that many people joked about, but I find respectable. I expect the Heat to do some big things this year right out the get-go. My sleeper is the Nets, especially if they can snatch up Superman (Dwight Howard).

Which team will win the Western Conference?

RR: OKC. Depending on what happens with the Mavs and Lakers this young Thunder team will be able to put up with this condensed schedule and win enough games to secure the top seed in the tough Western conference.

CA: Apparently me and Ryan are on the same page with this NBA stuff, because I agree. They're a young team but they are an extremely talented team and with this condensed schedule they have a clear upper hand. If you want a sleeper though I'm gonna have to say Denver. After that Melo trade they acquired a lot of young players that also seemed to mesh together. Keep an eye on them.

Which team will win it all this season?

RR: Miami. They made it to the finals in their first year, with 3 main players surrounded by a few solid guys and a bunch of guys in their 30's and they'll most likely have the same team this year so who says they can't do it all again. They'll probably also be utilizing Dexter Pittman more as well as Norris Cole who they drafted this year, so that two more young guys to play alongside Wade, Bosh and Lebron. If they truly do make it to the finals again, don't be expecting Lebron to become passive again in the 4th quarter, plus he's the one who promised the Heat would win 6 championships, so it's about time he starts backing that up.

CA: The NBA championship trophy, and rings and banner will be taking it's glory to South beach in 2012. The Heat got that first season out of the way and have learned from their mistakes. As me and Ryan have been preaching this whole blog, keep an eye on them. In a 66 game season I wouldn't be surprised with a 50-16 record. I'm calling it now.

MLB Playoff Preview

After one of the most wild (and possibly best) nights of regular season baseball ever, it's time for the playoffs to start. Though still feeling a high from the night that was Wednesday, teams will have to put all of that behind them and start fresh. The playoffs, in any sport, proves somewhat of a brand new season feeling. It doesn't matter if you were the best team in your division for the 162 game schedule, that is behind us. What matters now is that these teams are at the top of their game for what could potentially be their next 19 games.

A new world champion will be crowned this year, with last year's World Series winning Giants missing out on the playoffs. There are many interesting teams with different strengths and weakness'. You have the pitching strong teams, and the hitting strong teams. You also have the teams who are right in the middle, even when it comes to both offense and defense.

This blog will also be featuring @JReyzor who also contributed to our NHL Finals Preview.

Just for reference, here is the bracket for this years postseason:

1

New York Yankees

3

Detroit Tigers

Detroit Tigers

American League

Texas Rangers

2

Texas Rangers

4

Tampa Bay Rays

AL

Texas Rangers

NL

St. Louis Cardinals

1

Philadelphia Phillies

4

St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis Cardinals

National League

Milwaukee Brewers

2

Milwaukee Brewers

3

Arizona Diamondbacks

Here We Go:

Chris:

We'll start off in the AL -

Yankees vs. Tigers:

This is undoubtedly going to be an amazing series.  You'll have the Tigers pitching, lead by ace and soon to be Cy Young winner Justin Verlander, vs. a hard hitting Yankees squad, lead by MVP candidate Curtis Granderson. Both teams obviously have very good pitching and offense, but I think the biggest key to the series will be the Yankees pitching. Their pitching can be unpredictable at times, but if they can get their pitching working, along with their hitting, this should be their series to win or lose.

Prediction: Yankees in 5

Rays vs. Rangers:

The Rays are coming into this series at full steam after their win over the Yankees on Wednesday. After coming back from being down 7-0 in the 8th inning to eventually winning in extras, it's hard not to cheer for this team. On the other hand the Rangers are an extremely well-rounded baseball club. They have a lot of great hitting and pitching and played in the world series last year. The first match up of the series is a battle of the lefties. It will feature rookie Matt Moore, who absolutely dominated the Yankees in his first career start, vs. CJ Wilson, who is coming off of his second solid season in a row as a starter. In last years ALDS these teams had a hard fought 5 game series, and I expect no less this year.

Prediction: Rays in 5

On to the NL -

Phillies vs. Cardinals:

Just like the Rays vs. Rangers series, this series will feature a team who made an unbelievable run in the final month of the season to snatch up the wildcard. Obviously, the Phillies strength lies within their pitching, with some good hitting. Where as the Cardinals have good pitching, accompanied by very solid hitting. The first matchup of the series will feature Kyle Lohse vs. Roy Halladay. As much as I enjoy watching the Cardinals (especially Pujols play) I don't see them going very far. The fact they have to face Roy Halladay, followed by Cliff Lee the next day is just lethal.

Prediction: Phillies in 4

Brewers vs. Diamondbacks:

This is personally my favorite division series match up. You have two very even teams in terms of both pitching and offense. I think a key to the series will be how the Brewers play as a whole team, not just 2 or 3 individuals on offense. I honestly believe this is going to be a series for the ages, and I really don't care who wins. Being a Blue Jays fan they both feature former Blue Jays (mainly the Diamondbacks) so this is a win - win. The Brewers have more offensive power, but the Diamondbacks have the ability to get it done with small ball, which can have it's advantages and disadvantages. This is extremely tough to predict, as it really could go either way. We could see a 5 game series, or a straight sweep, but I don't believe we will see anything in between. Part of me is saying Diamondbacks, and part of me is saying Brewers.

(Painful) Prediction: Brewers in 5

Skip ahead to the world series - here are my predictions. The Yankees will beat the Rays in 6 in the ALCS, the Phillies will beat the Brewers in 5 games in the NLCS. These are just my predictions, and to be completely honest, I really don't care who wins. I would rather see a team other than the Yankees or Phillies win, but really..I just want to see good baseball.

Final Prediction: Yankees win the World Series in 6 games over the Phillies.


@JReyzor

New York Yankees VS Detroit Tigers:

This series is going to be very interesting. A rematch from 2006 when the Yankees were eliminated in the ALCS 3-1 by the Tigers both division leaders are on a collision course. The Tigers come armed with their possible MVP and Cy Young candidate Justin Verlander who is looking to continue his dominating run into the playoffs and bring a World Series back to Detroit. Of course the Yankees have their own ace in CC Sabathia who is coming off another solid season and looks to continue his run into the playoffs. The key to this series is the closers as who will withstand the pressure better. Many would say Mariano Rivera due to his experience and success but Jose Valverde of the Tigers converted on all 49 of his save opportunities which gives him the confidence coming into the playoffs. You can pretty much do a coin flip between the two offenses of the teams so as for who goes through I’m going to have to say Tigers in 4.

Texas Rangers VS Tampa Bay Rays:

Fresh off their dramatic walk off home run thanks to Evan Longoria the Rays are seeking revenge on the team that eliminated them from last year’s playoffs. Texas comes in with the same offensive firepower that won them that almost brought them a World Series championship last year. From Michael Young, Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre the Rays pitching has quite a challenge ahead. But the pitching of the Rays mainly James Shields and David Price will prove to be a challenge one year later after their last playoff appearance. Not to mention they have quality batting from Ben Zobrist, solid rookie Desmond Jennings and the aforementioned Evan Longoria. This series could go back and forth and really both have a solid core of about everything so I will say Rays in 5.

Philadelphia Phillies VS St Louis Cardinals:

In a way the Cardinals making the playoffs was a blessing and a curse. The blessing was the Braves (who were fighting for the Wild Card spot) were eliminated by the Phillies (who is the curse because the Cards have to face them). 1 team is desperate the other is determined in this matchup. The Phillies (the determined team) loaded up prior to the start of the season with the acquiring of Cliff Lee and practically steam rolled their way to yet another division title. The Cardinals (the desperate team) needed the last day of the season to punch their ticket and are desperate for this title in order to possibly keep their prized possession Albert Pujols. The Cardinals though do have the firepower to fight back against the Phillies in the aforementioned Pujols, Matt Holliday and a reloaded Lance Berkman. However the Cards are without one of their best pitchers in Adam Wainwright who was lost before the season began (Tommy John Surgery) so the pitching with Chris Carpenter at the helm will have to hold the fort against the consistent and solid batting of the Phillies like Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and the newest addition Hunter Pence.

The key to this series is quite simple can the solid batting of the Cardinals deflect the buzzsaw that is the Phillies pitching of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt. In the end I feel as though the buzzsaw will cut through the desperate Cardinals. Phillies in 4.

Milwaukee Brewers VS Arizona Diamondbacks:

While one team is determined to win the other is pretty much looking the underdog team on the playoffs. Much like the Phillies the Brewers loaded up for this season in acquiring former Blue Jay Shaun Marcum and former Royals ace Zach Grienke giving up a lot of their future for immediate results. Those gambles paid off thus far in a division win and home field advantage. One can say Milwaukee might be the team to beat based on their whole team in general from their dangerous hitting of Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun, Rickie Weeks, Corey Hart to name a few and the aforementioned pitching and their lights out closer John Axford. As for the Diamondbacks they don`t have the marquee name on their team just solid players like Justin Upton and Cy Young candidate Ian Kennedy. But their team overall has been a thorn to many teams all year and will continue to do it in the playoffs. However for this matchup the Brewers are intent on making it all the way and will defeat the Diamondbacks in 5 games because I believe the Diamondbacks are so tenacious and will fight back.

As for who my World Series prediction is I have two scenarios either a Phillies and Rays rematch or a Brewers vs Tigers match. I cannot declare a winner because it`s hard to tell but we shall see!