NBA World Champions

So it is... I was wrong... Twice... Last night, the world witnessed Kobe Bryant win his fourth championship. And this time, without Shaquille O'Neal. Also, for the first time, Kobe took home a Finals MVP trophy. Pau Gasol would bring the trophy back to Spain, Derek Fisher, a member of the 2000-2002 Lakers dynasty team, won his fourth ring as well, and finally, L.A. Lakers Head Coach Phil Jackson passed Red Auerbach as the most successful coach in basketball history by winning his 10th title. Kobe Bryant led the team with 30 points, 4 blocks, 6 rebounds, and 5 dimes, Trevor Ariza had 11 points in the Second Quarter alone, Pau Gasol picked up 14 points and 15 boards, and Lamar Odom had 3 crucial three-pointers. The Black Mamba proved us wrong by winning a title without Shaq. But one question still remains unanswered: can he do it again?

Most Valuable Puppets

This is great! Good job, Nike:

Kobe Bryant vs. Lebron James: The Heated Debate

Ok, so I've been hearing all about this big rivalry between the Black Mamba and King James, the Chosen One. So who is really better? Well, I can tell you that Lebron James and Kobe Bryant are the top two players in the league - their versatility, scoring, power, and passion for the game of B-Ball is astounding. Lebron James is a more well-rounded player, with 28.4 points per game, 7.6 boards a game, and 7.2 dimes per matchup during the 2008-2009 regular season. This season, Kobe Bryant racked up 26.8 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game, and 4.9 assists per game. Lebron James also racked up more steals, blocks, and had a higher FG% than number 24.

It seems as if Lebron James has surpassed Kobe Bryant, but not so fast: the Playoffs and the Finals are where reputations are made, and so far, Kobe Bryant has 3 rings, and he's about to win another one, this time without Shaq. LBJ has only made it to the Finals once, where he and his Cleveland Cavaliers were swept by Tony Parker and the San Antonio Spurs. And, this year, when everyone was almost certain the Akron-born superstar was going to win the NBA World Championship title, he lost to the underdog Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic.

So is James still better than Kobe? You decide.

Ambivalence is My Middle Name

I change my mind. Simple as that. Lakers in six.

The NBA Finals

With the Conference Finals out the window, two teams have emerged as the best in their respective conferences: the Orlando Magic, the suprise murderers of the Cleveland Cavaliers (and a silent, dissapointed Lebron), and the L.A. Lakers, led by Kobe Bryant, who is hungry for a fourth title after being defeated last year by the Big Three and the Boston Celtics. "We're determined to try to come up with a better result," Bryant said. "The last few times we've been there, it's been the short end of the stick. Hopefully this time around will be better." But KB24 isn't the only one hungry for a diamond-embezzled ring reading "NBA World Champions 2008-2009." Dwight Howard said on Wednesday that "We want to come out and play. This is the chance of a lifetime to be playing for the championship and this is the furthest that a lot of us have ever gotten in our career. Our motivation is greatness. We want to be a great team. We want to be considered as a great basketball team. This is a great opportunity for us." Tonight is Game 1 (9 p.m. ET on ABC). Who do I think will win the series? Well, I think the Lakers will steal a game or two at Orlando, but the Magic will come out to win in seven.

Keys to the Game:

• John Schuhmann, NBA.com: "So far in this postseason, every team that has won the regular season series has also won the playoff series (11 out of 11 -- three series were between teams that split in the regular season). The Magic beat the Lakers both times they played this season, but both of those meetings were a long time ago, before Jameer Nelson got hurt and before the Lakers acquired Shannon Brown."


• John Schuhmann, NBA.com: If the Magic can shoot as well as they did against the Cavs, they can win this series, but that will be tough because the Lakers don't plan on double-teaming Dwight Howard. They won't be able to stop him with single coverage, but Howard also can't beat them by himself. The Sixers and Celtics both gave the Magic some trouble by single-covering Howard and staying at home on Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis, but neither Philly nor Boston had enough offensively to beat the Magic four times.


• John Schuhmann, NBA.com: With a 6-foot-10 point forward in Hedo Turkoglu, a 6-foot-10 power forward that's quick and deadly from deep in Rashard Lewis, and Superman II at center, it isn't easy for any team to guard the Magic's frontline. But with two 7-footers up front, Kobe Bryant in the backcourt and a versatile big man like Lamar Odom coming off the bench, the Lakers aren't exactly easy to match up with either.

Mike Fratello shares his thoughts on the NBA Finals below:

King James Crowned with MVP Title

In the biggest surprise of the year (cough, cough), Lebron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers was named Most Valuable Player of the NBA this afternoon. He chose the announcement to be made at the gym of St. Vincent-St. Mary high school in Akron, Ohio, where he first started his ball skills. James is the first Cav to ever win the honor and the second youngest as well, behind Wes Unseld in 1969. Throughout this season, he averaged a whopping 28.4 points per game, 7.2 rebounds a game, and 7.6 assists. And, at the ceremony, KIA representatives will present him with a perfect gift - a new car.

Conference Semifinals - Who's Going to Go Home Crying

With a memorable First Round complete, I am ecstatic about some of the upcoming matchups. Between the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers, I am looking forward to a physical series, with KB24 and his posse emerging as the winners in a close series. Between Dallas and Denver, I am expecting Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony to move on, defeating Dirk Nowtizki and the Mavs easily. The Boston-Orlando matchup will be one to watch, with Dwight Howard hungry to make stand in the Playoffs and the KG-less Celtics determined to win. Finally, I expect Lebron James, Mo Williams, and their Cleveland Cavs to soundly defeat the injured Atlanta Hawks, despite the talent of Joe Johnson and Josh Smith (and by the way, the Miami-Atlanta series was probably the most boring seven-game series in a long time). But my Atlanta Hawks will definitely put up a fight, with their high-percentage outside shooting and athleticism from young players. Watch the analysis of the series I am hoping to be an upset below:

Air Jordan!

These days, everyone is on YouTube, frolicking about the millions of videos on the web. As I was doing such, I came across an excellent video of Michael Jordan's best dunks. After watching that video, you can truly know why he's called Air Jordan. He looked like he was flying in those dunks, making complete posters out of his opponents. Watch the spectacular Michael Jordan below...

The Best Series Ever?

Everyone's talking about the First Round action between the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls. With a record number of overtime games, does it really qualify as the best series ever? Well, with KG gone and a new, versatile Bulls team led by Derrick Rose surprising everyone by taking the World Champions to Game 7, why doesn't it? Did anyone see the sick dunk by Joakim Noah? That is one special dunk (watch it again below). Also, how about that 51-point Game 6 for Ray Allen? This has to be the most entertaining and blood-pumping series I've watched in a long time - anyone else agree?

The NBA Playoffs - Where Amazing Happens

With the NBA playoffs finally starting, intense rivalries are heating up and the action is getting underway at last. Between the Lakers and the Jazz, Los Angeles is leading the series 2-1. The Denver Nuggets are on the verge of sweeping the New Orleans Hornets, currently leading 2-0. The Dallas Mavericks currently lead the Ginobli-less San Antonio Spurs 2-1, and, concluding the Western Conference, the Houston Rockets and Yao Ming are tied 1-1 with Brandon Roy and the Portland Trail Blazers. As for the tighter Eastern Conference, King James and his Cleveland Cavaliers are continuing their near-perfect home record with a 2-0 lead over the Detroit Pistons, who are continuing to decline in their Eastern Conference legacy. The Garnett-less Boston Celtics are winning 2-1 versus the Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose and his Chicago Bulls, and the Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard's Orlando Magic are tied 1-1 with the Philadelphia 76ers. Finally, the Atlanta Hawks are tied 1-1 with the Miami Heat. In the Eastern Conference, there is no doubt that the Cleveland Cavaliers will come out, and, as for the Western Conference, Kobe's Lakers are bound to face them in the NBA Finals. Now, the battle of these two superpowers, possibly the series for the MVP, is THE one to expect - this battle will be a epic duel between to of the greatest players in the history of the NBA - watch for it...