A Quick look into the Bulls-Celtics Match Up

The Bulls-Celtics series is shaping into classic (it must go 7 games before we can call it a classic). The Rondo-Rose match up has been fantastic to watch and in two to three years these two point guards may pass up Deron Williams and Chris Paul as the top lead guards in the NBA. In my opinion (which means a lot), if Rajon Rondo had a reliable jump shot, he would already be the best point guard in the NBA. He's as good a passer as Paul, a better defender, and a better rebounder, but his suspect jump shot allows the defense to sag off of him and help onto Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. Nevertheless, he sees to be a smaller, quicker version of Jason Kidd.

Also, you can't overlook the Gordon-Allen match up. One thing that seems to be overlooked in this match up though is the lack of help Ray Allen is getting from Paul Pierce, this is forcing Allen to be more efficent because the Celtics are getting a limited contribution from Pierce (he's scoring, but his shot attempts haven't decreased) and he's having to carry the Celtics offense in addition to chasing Ben Gordon around on the defensive end. This series has really helped both Allen's and Gordon's legacies (well Gordon doesn't really have one, but I digress). This series has led many to wonder (by many I mean me and Bill Simmons) if Ray Allen is indeed the best shooter of all time over Reggie Miller. As for Gordon, he's in a contract year and can now be considered a top 20 scorer in the NBA, when he's hot he almost unguardable, also, he's only about 6-2 which makes his scoring ability even more impressive.

In the end, I think the Celtics experience coupled with a Doc Rivers continuing to outcoach Vinny Del Negro will allow the Celtics to win in 7 games.

One last thing: Garbage Time now has a Fan Page on Facebook!! Become a Fan and write on the wall or start a discussion...That's all for now, more later this week!

The Annual Garbage Time Invitational Results

This year was the first year of the Garbage Time Invitational Bracket Pool, here are the Final Standings:

1. Kufere Laing
2. Nina Laing
3. Rachel Marcus
4. Eric Yde
5. Kufere Laing (2nd Bracket)
6. Casey Doyle
7. Alex Laing
8. Pete Kolios
9. Anna Bezner
10. Will Law

Thanks to everyone who accepted the invite, hopefully next year we will have more who join.

Long Time, No See

By: Kufere Laing

Ok, I slipped up a bit, its been about two weeks since the last post, but I've got good news...I'M BACK!

First, my thoughts from the NCAA Tourney:
1) How on earth did Michigan State beat Louisville and UConn to get to the Final Four? In the title game against UNC, Michigan State looked like they had no business whatsoever being in that game. They were smaller than UNC at every position (excluding Goran Suton) and weren't nearly as athletic. When you look at the match ups, both UConn and Louisville match up better with UNC because of their height and athleticism.
2) The Big East may not have had a team in the title game, but they without a doubt the Big East was the best conference this year. They had four teams in the Elite Eight and were half of the Final Four. For a good portion of the tournament, UConn looked unbeatable and Villanova was equally as impressive before facing UNC in one of their predraft workouts.
3) UNC was flat out dominate. While Travis Walton is a bit crazy (and hopefully trying to console himself) for saying UNC could beat a bad NBA team (its blasphemy for him to even think that) no one could touch them. They're loaded at every position, they have great height, and they're extremely athletic.
4) Michigan State could've been the Team of Destiny. Do I really need to say more? I think I do, they hadn't won a title in 30 years, they were playing the game in Hell, I mean Detroit (nothing against the valued readers in Detroit, if there are any), they were underdogs against UConn and Louisville, and had no buisness winning those games and somehow they did. They had us all beliving that they would be the true Team of Destiny and not the Upstart Rays.
5)Last observation...the tourney really lacked the excitement that it has had in past years. Attendance seemed to be down until the Final Four and there were no big upsets or exciting games. Sure Nova-Pitt was a classic and Siena-Ohio State was a great game, but were there any others?

Now that the tourney is put to bed, a quick NBA post before the playoffs start.
The Witnesses really remind of last years Lakers. A surprise team (no one thought Cleveland would have the best record in the NBA), but not good enough to win the title. They're a great home team and great defensively, but against Boston, Orlando, and LA they're 2-7. They don't have a low post presence and if LeBron is off, the Witnesses really struggle. Either way, I see a Witness-Lakers Finals with the Witnesses losing in six games.

Lastly, let's get a little baseball in this post. Yesterday the Yankees broke my heart by losing thus destroying my hopes of them going 162-0 (there are waaayyy to many games in baseball season), still 161-1 isn't out of question.
Here are my predictions:

AL East Champ- Yankees
AL Central Champ- Kansas City Royals
AL West Champ- Anaheim Angels
AL Wild Card- Upstart Rays (like I was going to put the Red Sox in the playoffs, and if there are readers in Boston, yes I hope I offended you, kidding...sorta...ok not at all)

NL East Champ-Mets
NL Central Champ- Chicago Cubs
NL West Champ- Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wildcard- Philadelphia Phillies

World Series- Yankees over the Phillies