2009 NBA Finals Preview

When the season began in October, there were 30 teams with different stories and the same goal of bringing a championship to their respective franchises. After six months of battles during the regular season, only 16 teams remain to compete in the First Round of the 2009 NBA Playoffs. But in the Second Round, only 8 teams remain. Then in the Conference Finals, 4 teams were still alive. And after all was over, there were two teams. One representing the West, the other representing the East.

And it all goes down to one final showdown..

2009 NBA FINALS

In this year's NBA Finals, the Western Conference Champion Los Angeles Lakers will face off against the Eastern Conference Champions Orlando Magic, in this best-of-7 series. For more about this matchup, here's the:

TALE OF THE TAPE
DWIGHT HOWARD
2009 Defensive Player of the Year
vs
KOBE BRYANT
2008 Most Valuable Player

WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSLOS ANGELES LAKERS
Championships: 14 (5 in Minneapolis)
Finals Apperance: 30th
Regular Season Record: 65-17 (0.793)
Overall Rank: 2nd
West Rank: 1st
Division Rank: 1st
First Round: def. (8) Jazz (4-1)
Second Round: def. (5) Rockets (4-3)
West Finals: def. (2) Nuggets (4-2)
Coach: Phil Jackson
Key Players: Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom
X-Factors: Trevor Ariza, Shannon Brown, Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmar
Key Injuries: None

EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS

ORLANDO MAGIC
Championships: 0
Finals Apperance: 2nd
Regular Season Record: 59-23 (0.720)
Overall Rank: 4th
East Rank: 3rd
Division Rank: 1st
First Round: def. (6) 76ers (4-2)
Second Round: def. (2) Celtics (4-3)
East Finals: def. (1) Cavaliers (4-2)
Coach: Stan Van Gundy
Key Players: Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu
X-Factors: Mickael Pietrus, Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee, Marcin Gortat
Key Injuries: Jameer Nelson

SEASON SERIES:
1st Game: LAL 103-106 ORL
2nd Game: ORL 109-103 LAL
ORL wins series 2-0

This is going to be a good NBA Finals between the Lakers who are looking for redemption after last year's defeat in the NBA Finals against the Celtics, and the Magic who are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1995 and are looking to bring Orlando it's first NBA Championship in their return in the NBA Finals.

As for my pick, I want the Magic to win in this Finals, because the Lakers already had 14 championships in the rafters, the Magic have yet to enjoy the moments of being NBA Champions. The Lakers are a good team especially a guy named Kobe Bryant who has 3 championship in his name (with Shaq), but I'm going for the "underdog" in this series.

Once again, the big question is:
WHERE WILL AMAZING HAPPEN THIS YEAR?
WHO WILL BE CROWNED THE 2009 NBA CHAMPION?

Once again, I disabled replies on this blog. Haha.. so out of blog comments will never be heard..

THEREwillBEaNEWchampionFORsure.
LET'S GO MAGIC!
-kArLc-

WWE is moving to LA (from Denver), just because the Nuggets are still in the Playoffs

VS

WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT
vs
DENVER NUGGETS

What is the WWE thinking right now?? WWE was supposed to have Monday Night Raw in the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. But since the Denver Nuggets host Game 4 vs the Los Angeles Lakers on the same day and time as the WWE Raw event in Denver. The WWE announced they would move their programming for the week (Raw, SmackDown!, and ECW) to the Staples Center in Los Angeles (Home of the Lakers). As the WWE were literally "booted out" of Pepsi Center by the orders of Denver Nuggets' owner Mr. Kronke. For the Nuggets, they won Game 4 vs the Lakers 120-101 as J.R. Smith and Chauncey Billups scored 24 points each, as the Western Conference Finals is tied at 2-2. For the WWE, they moved RAW to L.A., and in one TV skit, they did a spoof of David Stern, Jerry Buss (Lakers owner), and Mr. Kronke (Nuggets owner) literally showing support for the Lakers.

"Note: If the Rockets faced the Nuggets, the Raw event would not disrupt the Western Conference Finals since Game 4 would be in Houston."

MOST OF THIS BLOG IS SCRIPTED. DON'T TAKE IT TOO SERIOUSLY LOL!

WWEmeetsNBA
-kArLc-

Everyone thought it would be over, but it will go the DISTANCE.

SERIES WILL GO THE DISTANCE
ROCKETS WIN GAME 6!
FORCE GAME 7 vs LAKERS

Prior to Game 6, most NBA fans thought the series between the Lakers and Rockets would end with the Lakers winning Game 6 against the injury depleted Rockets and advancing to the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets.

Once again, the Rockets showed the resiliency that we have seen during this playoff run against the Lakers, as they won Game 6 with the score 95-80. The Rockets force a Game 7 against the Lakers in Los Angeles. Aaron Brooks led the Rockets with 26 points and 4 assists, after scoring only 14 points in Game 5 where they lost by 40 points (78-118). Luis Scola added 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Carl Landry added 15 points and 7 rebounds on 6-6 from the field. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 32 points, but was held to 11-27 from the field (1-5 from downtown). Both the Lakers and Rockets will be in a "WIN or GO HOME" situation as the winner of Game 7 would advance to the Western Conference Finals against the Nuggets, while the losing team ends their playoff run.

This series will go the distance. Now I believe that they can make a deeper playoff run, even without Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. The playoff experience the Rockets are getting right now are useful for future playoff runs. Just like in Game 4 they showed a lot of resiliency, I just hope they can steal Game 7 in Los Angeles so that they would send a huge shockwave across the NBA. Most people (especially sportscasters) would think the Lakers would win on Monday (Sunday in the USA), but despite the odds stacked against the Rockets. I believe that they would defy the odds and shock the basketball world once again.

LET'S GO ROCKETS!
BEAT L.A.!
WIN GAME 7!
-kArLc®-

No Yao, T-Mac and Deke, STILL ROCKETS WIN!!

NO T-MAC....... NO DEKE.... NO YAO....
NO PROBLEM!
ROCKETS WIN GAME 4!
EQUALIZE SERIES vs LAKERS

After everyone heard the news yesterday that Yao Ming would be out of the Playoffs with a knee injury. Once again (like in other injuries the Rockets endured), many people now think that the Rockets amazing playoff run would come to an end against the "less-injured" Lakers (in 5 games).

But like the previous injuries that the Rockets have endured in recent years. The Rockets showed a lot of RESILIENCE AND HEART as the Rockets tied their series against the Lakers with a 99-87 victory in Game 4 of the best of 7 Western Conference Semi-finals. The Rockets force a Game 6 back in Houston.

Ron Artest played in Game 4, but he only manage to score 8 points, despite struggling offensively, he pulled of 10 rebounds. The heroes of the game were Aaron Brooks and Shane Battier, Brooks scored 34 points, while shooting 12-20 from the field (4-9 from downtown). Battier, meanwhile scored 23 points, while shooting 5-10 from downtown (6-12 from the field). Luis Scola and Chuck Hayes combined for 23 rebounds.

Kobe Bryant in Game 4, was held to only 15 points on 7-17 shooting. As the defense of Artest, Battier and Chuck Hayes prevented Kobe from taking over in Game 4, and the Lakers struggled offensively as they only shot 44.7% from the field while scoring 87 points which is their lowest point output in the 2009 NBA Playoffs.

I can say right now is that the Houston Rockets are the most resilient team that you will ever see. Even though they may never win the championship, or win this series. No other team responds to a lot of adversity better than this team. Congratulations on the win, and I hope that your playoff run continues in the future.

I am proud to be a Rockets fan, in this country where people who watch the NBA support strong teams like the Lakers, Celtics, or Cavaliers. I will be a Houston Rockets fan no matter what happens.

LET'S GO ROCKETS!!
BEAT L.A.!!
WIN GAME 5!!
-kArLc®-

ROCKETS ADVANCE!, BRING ON THE LAKERS!

FINALLY! ROCKETS ADVANCE!
WIN SERIES VS PORTLAND 4-2!
BRING ON KOBE & THE LAKERS!

The Houston Rockets are going to the second round for the first time since 1997 after they defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 6 92-76 to win the series 4-2. Ron Artest lead the Rockets in Game 6 scoring 27 points, while Yao Ming scored 17 points, 10 rebounds. The Trail Blazers were led by LaMarcus Aldrige who scored 26 points, Brandon Roy scored 22 points as the Blazers came into the playoffs as the youngest team to play in this year's playoffs and their inexperience showed during the series where they lost Game 1 at home, then lose all 3 games in Houston. The Rockets will go on to face the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round.

Right now, I am 100% happy that the Rockets advance to the next round and end their streak of first round exits. But still there is a long way to go if they would become NBA Champions. Thank the Portland Trail Blazers for a thrilling series and we hope to see them again in the playoffs next season.

Now the chants of BEAT LA! and KOBE SUCKS! are in my head and I will do "smashmouth" on my friends who are Laker fans. As the playoff run continues for our beloved Rockets. Can they pull a huge surprise against the top seed in the West? Despite the odds stacked against the much favored-Lakers, I believe they can give them a run for their money.

GAME 1
Rockets @ Lakers
May 5, 2009

HOW SWEET IT IS!
WINNINGisSWEET
-kArLc-

Championship Pick: I want a "new" NBA Champion...

Well, We know it's been a tough race midway through the NBA Regular Season right now, as the Celtics, Cavaliers, and Magic are fighting for the best in the East, while the Lakers are dominating the West... Here's who I want to be champions:

If I were to pick who I don't want to be champions this year, I'd picked teams like the Lakers, Celtics, and Spurs, they already had championships the past decade... No offense to fans of these teams out there.. but it's my choice and you've got to respect that... I know Laker fans are trying to redeem their loss to their Celtic rivals last year... and for Spurs fans who are wishing for another odd year championship (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009?).. give other teams a chance to win the GOLD!

Who I want to be champions?!?

I still want my first choice team Rockets to win the championship, I want Yao, T-Mac and Ron to taste GOLD, but if we were to lose again in the Playoffs, As my friends who like the Lakers, Celtics, and Spurs want to happen to my team again... Here are my other picks just in case the Rockets are knocked out of the Playoffs:
East: Cavaliers - Give LeBron a championship, Magic - Superman needs a championship or Hawks - A sleeping dark horse of the East
West: Hornets - CP3 can win the Gold!, Nuggets - Melo and Mr. Big Shot can do it or Trail Blazers - Roy, I know you beat my team at the buzzer, but you can be champions.

Remember this is my picks to win, please respect my choice.. If you don't like what I'm saying.. just don't read it... I'm hoping in the 2nd half of the season the Rockets can recover

I STILL BELIEVE IN THE HOUSTON ROCKETS!
-kArLc-

RIVALRY REBORN! CELTICS-LAKERS NBA FINALS 2008

The biggest rivalry in NBA history has been reborn.

They had before faced 10 times in the NBA Finals.

CELTICS won the first 8, LAKERS won the last 2.

Now they will face for the 11th time.

IT'S PURPLE AND GREEN ALL OVER AGAIN.
KOBE and the LAKE-SHOW vs THE BIG THREE and the C's

WELL, I JUST LIKE TO SEE THE RIVALRY REBORN.
ALTHOUGH NA ROCKETS FAN AKO. BABANTAYIN KO ITONG SHOWDOWN.

KANINO TEAM KAYO? LAKERS o CELTICS
BANNER 15 for LAKERS o BANNER 17 FOR CELTICS

kArLc