Bleacher Report - Articles by Alex Idle

How the Second Round of the NBA Playoffs Will Get a Little More Interesting

Alex Idle — Sun, 03 May 2009 00:58:23 -0400

Let me start off by saying that the first round of the NBA playoffs was everything I had hoped for.

Granted, they are not officially over yet, (Bulls vs. Celtics is on my TV as I write this, and Miami vs. Atlanta is tomorrow) the playoffs have been something that any NBA fan should enjoy.

LeBron went off on Detroit, Kobe was too much for Utah, and Flash has been pretty tough against Atlanta so far.

This article is all my thoughts for what the second round will hold for basketball fans. Before I start, I will say that I think that Boston is going to beat Chicago and that Atlanta will beat Miami.

Now, lets get this prediction party going.

Easten Conference:

Cleveland vs. Atlanta/Miami:

LeBron James is further proving to the sports nation that he is one of the best athletes to ever pick up a ball, and he is 24 years old. In this series, I don't think anybody can stop him once again.

Josh Smith is one of my favorite players in the NBA, and there are many reasons why. One of which is that I believe Smith is capable of guarding LBJ.

There is such a thing as shutting down LeBron. It is possible. Michael Jordan was shut down by Dan Dakich. LeBron James can be shut down by Josh Smith.

I do not expect Smith to hold LeBron down every game, but I do think he can slow him down a little bit. Still, the King will prevail. He is dominant and he is uncontrollable.

From the standpoint of Miami, nobody can control LeBron. D-Wade isn't big enough in my mind. So the question is who could take him?

No matter who Cleveland plays, Atlanta or Miami, LeBron James will be the one that is the key factor. You might be reading this and say, "Well no crap, Alex." And you have every right to do so. It is that obvious to me. This series will ride or die on LeBron and he will be the deciding factor.

My Pick: Cleveland in 6

Orlando vs. Boston/Chicago

For the second year in a row, the Boston Celtics took their sweet time in the first round in order to move on to the second. In my opinion, Boston will beat Chicago and face Orlando. But, this year will be different than last year.

Dwight Howard has nobody to hold him down. Samuel Dalembert did a solid job against Howard. So much so that he even got Howard to not play in Game 6.

Kendrick Perkins is muscle, Glen Davis is weight, Mikki Moore is height, and Brian Scalabrine is Brian Scalabrine. Kevin Garnett is a solid matchup for Howard, but the Kid isn't able to step out there.

So who is going to guard Howard? The Celtics matchup well everywhere else. Rajon Rondo can take Rafer Alston, Paul Pierce can take Rashard Lewis if need be, and Ray Allen can beat Hedo Turkoglu.

The bad news for the Celtics is that Alston, Lewis, nor Turkoglu is the best man out on the court. Howard is. Even if Boston tries to double team Howard, Lewis and Turkoglu can hit a jumper like its a layup.

If Courtney Lee does make it back like he is predicted to, Boston is in trouble. The same goes for Chicago. As I have said in prior articles, C-Lee is the X-factor in these playoffs for Orlando. He proved my point in the Philadelphia series. He is a tough matchup for any team in the league.

My pick: Orlando in 7

Los Angeles vs. Houston

Houston was very impressive against a solid Portland team in round 1. They played smart, they played tough, and they played with the desire to win the game.

Los Angeles played as the better team against Utah. Nobody on that Utah team is a bad player in my mind. Not by any means. Yet the team as a whole just could not match with the talented and stacked Laker ball club.

In this series, I look at Trevor Ariza being the key factor. Ariza is so athletic that Ron Artest really may not be able to control him. I understand that Artest is arguably the best defender in the playoffs, but Ariza is younger than him, and more athletic than him.

I like Houston a lot, but it will be awfully tough to stop Kobe, Ariza, Gasol, Bynum, and Odom. Shane Battier and Yao Ming cannot do it all. They'll need help and they'll need it a lot.

My pick: Los Angeles in 5

Denver vs. Dallas

This is the most intriguing second-round matchup to me. Two teams with one superstar (Carmelo Anthony and Dirk Nowitzki) surrounded by solid mini-stars and role players.

Carmelo is thriving off of Chauncey Billups. He isn't used to a point guard getting him the ball like this. This was easily one of the best trades in the past 10 years of the NBA by the Nuggets.

I look for Carmelo and Josh Howard to both have big series. Howard is a guy who is capable of putting up 30 points a night if he really wanted to. His athleticism and ability are what makes him such a serious threat to Denver.

J.R. Smith is the same as Howard. He put up 45 in a game recently. Smith is a slash-and-dash guy who is tough to keep up with. This will cause a serious threat to the Dallas D.

Chauncey Billups is furthermore proving he is one of the best by taking down CP3 in Round 1. I think Jason Kidd is a solid point guard, but I don't think he can keep up with Billups. I look for Billups to win their matchup.

I also like Nene Hilario. Nene is a man's man down in the middle and Erick Dampier is going to have a tough time dealing with him and Kenyon Martin in the paint. Again, Denver wins the matchup.

Altogether, Denver is the better team with the better future in the playoffs.

My pick: Denver in 5

Well, you heard my picks. So give me some comments and feedback on what you think will happen. As always, God bless.

The Ten Best Picks of the First Round: Good and Bad

Alex Idle — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 16:04:21 -0400

The 1st round of the 2009 NFL Draft was filled with many trades (ie: Browns and Pats) and many surprises to fans and even teams. Some of the picks made were predictable and some of the picks made were rather shocking. I spent the whole day watching the draft. I never left my seat one time. I analyzed every pick that I could and that is what I am here for today. Today I will share with you my ten favorite picks of the 1st round. Some were very good and some, well some were very interesting.

Begin Slideshow

Leaving the Legacy: Are Rhodes and Dibiase the Ones Turning on Orton?

Alex Idle — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 01:55:05 -0400

I was reading an article earlier today written by Jev. Jev brought up some great points in this article.

His focus is on the fact that there is a legit chance that Shane Mcmahon or Batista could turn heel on Triple H during the match and costing him his belt. Randy Orton would then get the championship that many feel he deserves and all is well in the WWE; except for Triple H. But is there a way to make Triple H look good and for Orton to begin to get that spotlight that he deserves too? In my mind, yes, there is.

It is likely that Shane Mcmahon or Batista will get angry and in the process screw over HHH.

I have read theories such as Batista and Orton going at it one on one for the title, Batista, Orton, and HHH in a triple threat for the title, and my personal favorite, Shane-O-Mac betraying his brother in law and joining the Legacy. Still, I think everybody is overlooking one thing and that is Priceless.

Ted Dibiase and Cody Rhodes are two young studs of the WWE. Both have immense talent and both are bringing pride back into the Tag Team division of the company. Each has grown up in wrestling and have been striving for the chance to wrestle their whole lives.

They have the talent and the desire and they also had a good leader to get their feet wet in the company. Orton is a force to be reckoned with. He is scary talented in the ring and on the mic and he has taught these two guys alot. The question is, are they themselves ready to move on without Orton?

When people think of Legacy, they think of mainly Orton. Sure, Rhodes and Dibiase get thought of, but not as much as their main man. I think its possible that this is the kind of match where Rhodes and Dibiase will ge their boost in the company and they will start a feud with their leader, Randy Orton.

Imagine Orton in the ring with Triple H. Towards the end of the match, both men are exhausted. Suddenly Orton breaks out a RKO and HHH is knocked out. Slowly he begins to get up and Orton spots the kill with the punt to the head.

He goes back to his corner where Rhodes and Dibiase are at and he eyes HHH slowly getting to his knees, only to get his head knocked off. Suddenly, Rhodes and Dibiase attack Orton.

Rhodes pulls his signature Crossrhodes move on Orton. Dibiase does a power slam on him straight to the mat. They do a few leg drops on Orton's face and the camera shows Triple H with a smug approval on his face. Priceless picks up Orton, throws him to HHH, who pedigrees and pins Orton to retain his title.

Again, Orton is embarrassed. The next night on Raw, Orton stands in the middle of the ring giving a speech again and during the middle of it, Priceless walks out. Dibiase and Orton have a war of words and now we have a feud between the mentor and his students.

Is it possible that Shane-O-Mac or Batista will turn on Triple H? Absolutely. But is it possible that Priceless will turn on their master? In my mind, yes it is. I think it should happen. Triple H keeps his title, the HHH and Orton feud ends, and Orton moves on to focusing on beating the guys he taught.

Let me hear your thoughts, and God bless.

Surprise of the NBA Playoffs: The Orlando Magic?

Alex Idle — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:26:02 -0400

The NBA Playoffs have officially begun.

I love the postseason, because this is when the teams really try their hardest to prove they're the best. Each team in this "second season" has multiple studs and not just one superstar.

Let's face it: LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade are arguably the best three players in the league. I absolutely agree that these are the tguys that will be up for the MVP of the league, but I'm not solid on the construction of their respective teams.

Out of the trio, I believe that the best one is the Black Mamba (Bryant). He is the best pure basketball player in the world, in my opinion. Still, he isn't my favorite dude in the Playoffs; that title belongs to a man named Dwight Howard.

The thing about Howard is that he fits in with his squad, and the unit as a whole just clicks. I think the Orlando Magic have a great chance of shocking the league and winning the Eastern Conference and maybe even the NBA title.

The Magic took a hit when Jameer Nelson went out for the season; that is something every basketball fan knows. Still, Stan Van Gundy and company made up for it by picking up Rafer Alston. He may be 32 years old, but "Skip To My Lou" can still run with the best point guards in the league (especially in the East).

When you look at a rotation that includes Alston, Howard, Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, Michael Pietrus, Courtney Lee, and even J.J. Redick, can you seriously not give them at least a chance at the 'chip?

The Celtics are already off and to a slow start against the Bulls, and KG is out for the remainder. The Cavs have no big man to run with Howard (I will not buy it that Big Z or Anderson Varejao can handle him), nor do they have anyone who, in my opinion, would be able to handle Courtney Lee.

Think about it: LBJ will have his hands full with Lewis, Mo Williams will be chasing Alston, and Wally Szczberiak is too slow.

Delonte West? That's possible, but I think Lee could run past West even.

So after Boston and Cleveland, is there anybody else in the East that could challenge the Orlando?

I understand this is a stretch of a prediction, but when you think about it, it isn't too far-fetched. The Lakers could handle them out of the West, maybe even the Spurs, but out of the East, I like the boys in blue.

Let me know what you think, basketball fans. I am no NBA genius, and maybe you could teach me a lesson or two.

Or maybe you'll see that I'm on to something here.

God Bless, Alex Idle

The Climb Back Up: What St Louis Needs To Do To Get Back To Being a Top NL Team

Alex Idle — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 23:09:25 -0400

The St. Louis Cardinals were simply disappointing last year. The only bright spot was probably Albert Pujols.

He was a force last year and he is a force this year. He represents baseball well because he is clean and he represents the St. Louis Cardinals well, my favorite Card since Bob Gibson. Still, Pujols alone cannot win a World Series.

This is a brand new season Cardinal fans. The old has gone and the new has come and this year the Cards will begin the season with 0-0 record, with no worries on their minds. As the season gets underway, the Cardinals have a few particular factors that need to produce.

Obviously, Pujols needs to get off to a fast start. The way he starts is the way the team will start because this team runs around him. Here a few players that fans need to be looking at to lead the team in the season's start.

Rick Ankiel: Ankiel was arguably the best story in baseball last year other than his steroid issue. Every "true" sports fan wanted to see him succeed and he did. Ankiel will be HUGE this season. Not big, HUGE. He is the only legitimate left-handed power hitter in the Cardinal lineup. With Pujols behind him he will get some looks at the plate but a .264 average wont cut it. He needs to make something happen.
Ryan Ludwick: Was Ludwick just a one-hit wonder? Let's hope not. Ludwick was a stud last season for the Cards and he was rewarded for it during the off-season. He needs to be consistent again this year. He cannot be a spurt hitter, he needs to be someone that pitchers fear to face. A two-three-four lineup of Ankiel, Pujols, and Ludwick should frighten NL pitchers, not excite them.
Khalil Greene: Arguably the Cardinals biggest move this offseason was picking up Greene. Now, is it worth it? Greene cannot be just a slap hitter who plays solid defense. He needs to be .300 hitter who plays great defense. The Cardinals are not a power team and if they try to live by that then they will not succeed. That means Greene needs to step up.
Chris Carpenter: I know he's been hurt, but for a guy who won a Cy Young just a few years ago, he hasn't been a factor since. The Cardinals don't need Carpenter to be Cy Young again this year, but they also don't need him to be Hideki Irabu. He needs to step up this year and in order to get off to a good start he needs to pitch well. He doesn't have a Cub-esque offense to back him up, so he needs to make his pitching speak for itself.

These are four players that I think Cardinal fans should watch for. These four are huge factors to this team. Cardinal fans don't need to be looking at Home Run totals and basing their judgment of the team by that, they need to look at hit totals and average.

The Cardinals are in a tough division. The Cubs are fantastic, the Brewers still have a great line up, and the Reds are an up and coming club who may make some noise this summer.

The Cardinals need to stop worrying about power, and start worrying about persistence. If they do that, then maybe some joy will come back to the "Show Me State."