Celtics Looking Up: Who Will Stay?

Danny Ainge can feel good about his draft picks over the last couple years. Besides giving up on Fab Melo, Jared Sullinger (21st overall draft in 2012) and Kelly Olynyk (13th overall draft in 2013) looked impressive this season and have a promising career in the NBA, God forbid any terrible injuries.

The Celtics need a shot blocker in the paint and will likely be drafting a center this year. Vitor Faverani and Joel Anthony are at best backup centers. The question becomes: who will stay and who will go? With four solid power forwards on the roaster, one can assume Brandon Bass and/or Kris Humphries will be traded to give more playing time to Sullinger and Olynyk.

At the moment the Celtics seem to have it covered at point guard with cunning distributor Rajon Rondo, impressive rookie Phil Pressey, smothering defender Avery Bradley and explosive scorer Jarryd Bayless. Jeff Green is the go to small forward, but could his inconsistencies get him traded? Chris Johnson played well this season filling in for Gerald Wallace after his season ending injury but is still adjusting to the NBA.

Ideally Danny would love to get rid of heavy contracts with G. Wallace and the veteran power forwards. In reality who knows what will happen. Other teams will want good assets that Celtics are willing to get rid of and that could mean anyone from Avery Bradley to Jeff Green and even Jared Sullinger.

Big changes are coming up! Will the Boston Celtics make trades similar to 2008 or continue the slow development with their young talent?

Stanley Cup - 2012 NHL Playoffs Predictions

The playoffs are here in full effect. Its that time of the year when hockey players forget how to shave.
With round 1 almost over, we're starting to see which team wants to win the Stanley Cup more than others.
My original pick for round 4 series was  the Pittsburgh Penguins vs Vancouver Canucks. The best player in the league (Evgeni Malkin) and the best to ever play the game (Sidney Crosby) versus the infamous Swedish twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin. We all know how these teams perfomed in the 1st round so...

Eastern Conference Winner:

In this year's playoffs, goal tending has been crucial to wining games. Tim Thomas is getting old but he's still got and the Boston Bruins have a good backup goalie. Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Ranger played well in the regular season but doesn't have  a solid track record in the playoffs. Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils is just too old to cary a team to the Stanley Cup Finals. For teams such as the Philadelphia Flyers, Ottawa Senators, Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers goal tending can be questionable and the team will have to outscore their oponents to make it out of the east.

My pick for the Eastern Conference: 2011 Stanley Cup winners, The Boston Bruins.

Western Conference Winner:

This conference had a wild regular season finish but the action didn't stop there. The last minute qualified playoff  teams from the Pacific division are still making a push. With Jonathan Quick in the net for the Los Angeles Kings how could they go wrong? St Louis Bues have it good with two solid goal tenders, one is injured and their scoring consistency is questionable. Nashville Predators' Pekka Rinne is looking sharp as always, and the team has been re-inforced with the Russian net finder Alexander Radulov. Mike Smith is holding up Phoenix Coyotes, but Chicago Black Hawks and San Jose Sharks seem to have questionable net protection.

My pick for the Western Conference: Carrie Underwood would like this, The Nashville Predators.
Now let's see what happens in real life!

NBA Eastern Conference Finals

After watching the 2011 NBA regular season, it is time for the bold and bodacious to make predictions. That's right, it's is playoff prediction time and my call for the Eastern conference Finals; yes you guessed it right, the top two teams will be going head to head for a conference title.

The Return of the Boston Celtics:
Of course I would like to touch on the green team. After an excrutiating defeat in Game 7 of the NBA Finals vs their arch-rivals (a team who's name I dare not write on this blog) the Cs are trying to retain their lead as all time NBA title holders. KG the bully, Rondo the quaterback, Ray Ray the Snipper The Truth and the Grand Pa Shaq have a proven playoff track record and have been to the last 2 of 3 conference finals (which they did win) when they were healthy. So they are 'Healthy' and very old but healthy and can make it to the Conference Finals "if" they remain healthy throught the post season. They will definitely have many obstacles which brings me to the other contender.

The Raging Chicago Bulls:
Derick Rose. Is there more to say? Derick Rose! Ok I guess the Bulls are stacked, but I can't help trying to imagine what they would have been like had LeBron James joined their squad. Luol Deng is on FAIYA this season (Sudanese converted to French player) and the heart of the team Noah (with Cameroonian roots, I just thought I'd throw that out there) made it through some injuries, the new addition Boozer the paint dominator. The Bulls have dept and I would be stupid to leave out the most important piece: Tom Thibodeau was the assistant defenssive coach with Doc Rivers of the Boston Celtics last year.

Each of these teams may face some tough competition from Florida. The Orlando Magic are proven playoff contenders and they look even better this season with Dwight Howrad still putting up sickening numbers and crushing the rim. The Turkish prince returned from Phoenix with some 3-point shooting talents partners that spread the court. Expect the unexpected from the Miami heat. Lebron James, Dwane Wade and Chris Bosh is all I need to mention because they account for 75% of Miami's points and get no help from their bench. Make your calls and lets enjoy the show.