Basketball Boner

I got super excited about basketball this season. I jumped into two fantasy basketball leagues, and am actively watching the Wizards play the Cavaliers. I get a full week of NBA League Pass and fully plan to take advantage of it to the fullest. It also makes me pissed off about the absence of hockey this season. Things are clearly fucked when Donald Fehr and Gary Bettman square off and shit all over hockey. Players got a bum deal after the strike last time, which shouldn't surprise anyone. They want some power back, some salary restrictions loosened, which seems to make sense. Bettman made his only push when he put a 50/50 revenue split in place that I expected would get things done, but it didn't. Now talks have stalled and two hard-headed fucks are leading the movement. This should be a great time in sports where football is still around, the NBA & the NHL get started and NASCAR is in the "Sprint", which I couldn't care less about, but a lot of people do. Playoff hockey, and people who have never watched it should keep their fucking mouths shut, is amazing. The quality of play elevates perhaps even more than in the NBA, which I know seems almost impossible to believe. The NHL really bridged the gap in hatred this last season, pushed new faces and more games for the casual fan, and is currently figure out ways to get more shit on all these good feelings. I'm amazed the NHLPA hired Donald Fehr to head negotiations for the players Union (NHLPA). It's also alarming how quickly star players have run across the pond to get paychecks the only way they know how. It's fucking ridiculous to think they can have another strike, but it's clearly looking like that's how the chips are falling on this one and I fucking hate everyone involved. Back to basketball... Before the Harden trade I was REALLY looking forward to this season because the West should've been a war-zone that's a little softer at the top now. You have the re-tooled Lakers who pulled another coup in getting Steve Nash & Dwight Howard to make a few more runs with Kobe (Rapist Fuckface) Bryant. There's not way of knowing how that's going to shake out, but Nash can make a bunch of 6 year-olds look like they run a great offense, so I'm thinking that part is set and with Howard and Gasol on the interior things are looking up on defense as well. OKC was the solid favorite with Harden, but now they are trying to patch his spot up with Kevin Martin, who isn't the same player, especially on defense as Harden. That team is still very impressive, but now how far they go is based solely upon the growth of Durant, Ibaka, and Westbrook because they've gotten weaker than last year now. I doubt Jeremy Lamb is going to be contributing anything and they shipped sharpshooter Daquan Cook, though seldom used, served A purpose on that team. The Nuggets added Igoudala, who is supremely underrated, but they are still just a bunch of REALLY good players sans a true Superstar. I don't think anyone else can compete, but I wouldn't like to play the Clippers, Spurs or Grizzlies in a playoff series. By the way I'm not saying the Nuggets are better than the other teams I listed, I'm just interested in a healthy team that's legitimately 10 deep, I hope George Karl presses all fucking game. The East is really the Heat and the JV squads. I really doubt the Celtics can make a run at them, or anyone else for that matter. Maybe the Pacers can push again? Seriously, if Danny Granger shows up on offense that series could've been REALLY interesting for the Heat. I like the new Nets, maybe the Hawks can make some waves by finding a balanced offense like the circa 1977 Blazers with Walton? Horford can play and certainly pass for a big, Josh Smith is insanely talented (but lost), Korver can shoot (that's it) Jeff Teague, Devin Harris, and Lou Williams provide scoring and defensive question marks, but you never know. The Bulls are an outside shot as well depending on how Rose heals up. Needless to say I'm going to be watching this shit. NBA TV generally has a game a night on at least, TNT & ESPN provide another per night, & OL' FSN will have the Bucks on for our entertainment/ horror. Prediction: OKC vs. Heat, Heat in 5. I'm feeling the Lakers show their age and fall off, plus Westbrook and Durant will again prove simply unstoppable for the defensively poor Lakers. The Heat won't be challenged, making the road much easier than the Thunder. Bold Predictions: Nets win a playoff series, Bucks MAKE the playoffs after trading Monte Ellis, someone besides the Lakers will push OKC to seven, The Heat will never have to play more than 5 games in a series. I will place in fantasy B-ball. Chauncey Billups will be named Player/coach of the Clippers at some point. No playoffs for the Chicago Bulls (that's just knee-jerk and dumb, but whatever) Awards: ROY will be Damian Lillard, not El Unibrow. MVP- Lebron (not bold, but I'm not dumb), Sixth Man- Lou Williams (not a clue on this one) NBA Defensive POY- Serge Ibaka, basically a walk-over if he's healthy.