Tiger Wins. Fed Wins. Lakers Win. Damn Right It Was A Good Day

Waldini:

- TMF kills two birds with one stone (or racket LOL) in winning the French Open yesterday. He ties Sampras' record for Grand Slams and joins Agassi as the only men in the open Era to win the career Slam. You know you got clout when your opponents are rooting for you to win (see Nadal) and the all time greats are saying you are the greatest of all time (see Sampras)

- Tiger wins his tune-up before the US Open with some wicked (I'm channeling my inner white boy with that slang) shots. Did you see the Eagle on 14?? From a sandtrap??? With one hand?? 2 years ago, it was on one leg. This year it's with one hand. Unless my last name was Mickelson, I seriously would consider retiring if I was on the tour with him. Not fair...at all

- Lakers go up 2-0 in a gritty, gutty...ok more like ugly display of basketball between two teams. Too many turnovers, bad execution from both sides, and one coach completely losing faith in all 4 PGs on his team (and I'm not talking Phil Jackson).

Indeed Sunday, June 7 was a GOOD DAY...And my wife did cook our dinner with some hog (pork ribs)

Da Realist:

missed tiger, but saw federer and the game last night.

federer's great but i reserve judgement for GOAT. he HAS to find a way to solve the Nadal riddle before i'm comfortable saying it.

ugly game last night, but that happens. orlando is a better team with jameer nelson out there. i don't care how many shots he miss, you never EVER want hedo turkoglu being the defacto point guard. i couldn't believe my eyes!

and reddick? is this what it has come down to? i know he hit a big shot but c'mon. van gundy needs to stop worrying about what people think and coach. his gut told him nelson was the best option in game 1, he should have continued to follow his gut instead of following the advice of journalism majors. and alston just needs to man up. this ain't the time.

Waldini:

YOU WATCHED THE GAME?!?!?! Add that to the List..."Realist watched a FINALS game :-)

Da Realist:

well...i've been in france for the last 3 weeks and umm... (sniff...sniff) i'm back (sniff).

Waldini:

Yea, I know that was a nice trip. And now you are back with us stoopid Americans ;-)

Da Realist:

don't laugh. there is a SIGNIFICANT adjustment period. i've probably lost a couple of pounds since i returned because my tastebuds have changed and i've realized just how fatty my diet used to be. it's like i just realized i was living in the matrix. Read more!

The Finals Baby! Get Hype!!!

Waldini:

Lakers have the homecourt advantage. Magic had the best road record in the league this year. Going into the playoffs, the matchups that I feared the most for LA were Portland and Orlando. The boys never played the former and the latter handled their business twice against da 'Show. One reason was Dwight Howard went bananas on Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. The other was Jameer Nelson was the kryptonite PG that kills LA. Quick, strong, and can make good decisions (check Jameer's stats against LA). He's trying to pull a Daniel Larusso and fig -er I mean play but honestly he will be very rusty. Looking at matchups, this series can go either way. LA's been horrible at defending the 3, which Orlando is exceptional at making. LA doesn't have a real answer for Rashard either. If those things go right the entire series, Orlando can win. BUT...

Orlando hasn't faced an offense like this in the playoffs yet. If LA plays like they did in Game 6 of the WCF, the series will be over in no more than 5 games. I think LA has grown with each series and it feels eerily like what Boston did last year (struggled the first 2 rounds, then just lit those a$$es up in the final 2 rounds). Orlando's a tough matchup for LA but the boys are playing much better right now. Give me LA in 6.

Gangsta D:

I have nothing to add. Except that Kobe is going to 4close on the NBA in about a week and a half. Read more!

I Need A Basketball In My Hands!

Waldini:

Waldini's conf finals predictions below

- CAVS-MAGIC - The Magic actually match up pretty well with Cleveland. No one on Cleveland can guard Superman Returns and no one on Orlando can guard King James. I'm interested to see what happens if Orlando wins a game they shouldn't and how Cleveland responds. The Cavs haven't been tested yet and they finally get a decent squad. The only thing that worries me about Orlando is the coaching. Orlando should have won the Boston series in 5 but choked away 2 games. Put up or shut up time. Cavs in 6

- LAKERS-NUGGETS - Btwn the Lakers should be embarrassed for allowing the Rockets to push them 7 games (without 40% of their salary cap as one person kept telling me) to the Nuggets have been the most consistent team in the playoffs comments, I'm tempted to drink the Foolish-berry Aid. I watched a few of the Nuggets games, they still play less than average defense. I was laughing when Jon Barry said the Rockets are a weaker version of the Nuggets. Are we watching the same team? Nuggets are better yes, but better than Lakers in a 7 game. no. Lakers in 6

That means more Nike commercials featuring Lebron (Keenan THompson) and Kobe (David Alan Grier). WHOOO #23! Playoffs BABY PLAYOFFS!!


I'm not even bothering to respond to the masses about the Rockets' fans b/c why hear the excuses. You know my response realist. Winners win, losers lose :-)

Gangsta D:

Mike Brown isn't a coaching giant, but he runs circles around Van Panic. The Magic have enough talent to beat the Cavs. Bron will get his, but if the Magic get hot from outside, they will score points. It's all semantics, because the Cavs are going to the Finals. Cavs in 6.

The Houston series did more good than harm, I believe. Instead of totally coasting to the Finals, the Lakers had to work hard for an extra couple of games. I think this carries over. The Nuggs are athletic, but George Karl is the coach and they depend on a tatted up, used to be coked up, "Birdman" for defensive intensity. Of course I can't forget the studio gangster, "Mr. Lips" either. The Lakers have too much talent and will work hard for 75% of the series. If it were 100% of the series, it would be over in 5. But I got them in 6.

Waldini:

Funny, I remember last week Tight Tight saying something about both Orlando and Los Angeles having no heart but yet they are in the conf finals. Pretty hard to win in the NBA and get that deep in the playoffs if your team is soft.

Like Van Panic lol

Da Realist:

Who is Tight Tight?

Cavs vs Magic. Lebron is not going to lose that series, though the Magic will make them work for it. The Magic are clear underdogs here and I think it suits them better. They play their best when they don't have any expectations on them. Look at Game 6 and 7 of the ECSF. Everyone expects the Cavs to march to the Finals so the Magic get to play without any pressure. But at some point, reality will set in and the Cavs will win. In 6.

Lakers vs Nuggets. I honestly don't know. I hadn't seen the Nuggets that much this year including the playoffs. George Karl loves playing the underdog role and he's good at it. Man, if he had those Seattle teams he'd kick y'all asses. MAN the Lakers are soft frontrunners. Somebody's going to make them pay. I don't know if it will be the Nuggets or not, but I will be surprised if the Lakers win the title. Has there ever been a team this soft win the title? I don't think so. No prediction on this one cause I've literally never seen the Nuggets play this year. lol

Gangsta D:

I hope a French poodle pisses on your shoe! lol [Note: Realist is currently traipsing around France] Read more!

Who Ya Got?: NBA Playoffs Edition (Eastern Conference)

Boston vs Atlanta

Gangsta D: If Josh Smith...if Joe Johnson...if Mike Bibby...play out of their collective minds, they might force Game 5. Otherwise it's pretty much a wrap, and this series could turn BRUTAL real quick. C's sweep.

Waldini: I'm mad you gave this a paragraph :-). Celtics in 4

Da Realist: [Both teams suck]*


Detrois vs Philly

Gangsta D: Very intriguing matchup. Philly came out of nowhere to become a decent team, while the Pistons did their usual regular season coasting. The difference now, is that they actually have a decent bench. Whether Flip uses them is a different story. I think the Pistons sleepwalk through this one, and let the 6'ers hang around a little. Detrois in 6.

Waldini: The Sixers have quietly been doing their thing for the past 3 months. I still don't think the new Philly AI is a max franchise player but he is fun to watch in the open court. They played Detroit tough in the regular season. But this is the postseason and I hope for the first time since the '04 playoffs, the Pistons actually beatdown lesser opponents like they are supposed to. Pistons in 5

Da Realist: [Neither team is worth a squirt of piss in a bucket]


Orlando vs Toronto

Gangsta D: I don't know much about either team, other than the Magic LOVE to shoot 3's and no one in the Canadian Army[do they have one?] can stop Dwight Howard. The Raps have faded down the stretch, so momentum is not on their side. Magic in 6.

Waldini: Two young stars in Howard and Bosh, very little or no playoff experience for both teams, one team has better guard play (Toronto), the other has better frontcourt play (Orlando). I would give you an X factor player but I can't name more than 6 players total on both teams. Magic in 6

Da Realist: [I'd rather clean gutters than watch these two teams]


Cavs vs Wiz

Gangsta D: Gil appears to be healthy. Bron is probably not. DeShawn has been talking smack. Bron doesn't really have to. But he will have to carry this team on his spasmodic back, which will be difficult. The Wiz have revenge in their eyes, and not a trace of fear in their hearts. The Cavs have looked horrible at times since The Trade, and will rely on Bron getting 35/10/10 to advance. He can do it, but it still may not be enough. This should be the most entertaining EC series, by far. Wiz in 7.

Waldini: Aw, the Eastern Conference 1st round series I want to see. Agent Zero and DeShawn have indeed been stirring the hornets' nest in Cle. You're right, that trade was horrible when it was announced and the past few weeks didn't change that. Sasha's their best perimeter defender and he's out until further notice. Bron's ailing back isn't helping either and he's gotta go da eff in EVERY game for Cle to win. He could prove me wrong. Wizards in 6

Da Realist: [I don't have a bag big enough to contain the amount of suck inherent in this series]

*Realist feels the NBA...lacks quality this season.

Read more!