NBA Season Tip Off. Its Fantastic!

Steve O Speak

A Guest Blog By Fanspeak Contributing Writer John Manuel

I am taking my NBA Season opening thoughts to South Beach, I mean fanspeak.  The NBA tips off this week with its most anticipated season in a long time.  All eyes will be the new Big Three of Martell Webster, Michael Beasley and Kosta Koufas in Minnesota.  Just kidding…Martell Webster starts the season injured.  How many games will the Miami Heat win?  I was in Vegas two weeks ago and the win over/under was 63.5.  I thought that was a pretty good number.  I passed and gambled all my money on that the Sasha Vujacic and Maria Sharapova engagement rumor was a joke.  I lost. We all lost on that one.

Speaking of the Lakers most analyst I have listened to the past week feel they are still the favorites to repeat.  I have never been a fan of the Lakers but I may find myself rooting for them now based on two moves.  One is obvious.  Lebron and Bosh joining the Heat to load up a team of superstars.  But I am sick of hearing about Lebron and the Heat.  More important was when the Lakers added my fellow Maryland grad Steve Blake.  It would be great to see Blake hit a huge shot in the finals against Miami.  Slim chance of that with Kobe and the returning Derek Fisher.

Opening night with TNTs coverage is always great.  Charles Barkley’s reactions to the bench players, trainers and other no names receiving championship rings is priceless.  I do feel sorry for Sir Charles and I am guessing lost 50k on that Vujacic bet also.  Barkley would probably cut off one of Adam Morrison’s ring fingers Jack Bauer style if he had the chance.

My team is the Wizards or the team that doesn’t know a good practical joke.  Or just Gilbert Arenas doesn’t.  I wonder if Gilbert wishes he would have used this practical joke on Javaris Crittenden instead of the locker room gun fiasco. RIP Manute Bol.  John Wall is going to make the team fun to watch this season at the least. Hopefully with a team full of 7’s like Josh Howard and Al Thornton they can possibly contend for the 8th spot in the East.

If I lived in Oklahoma City and couldn’t afford the cost of Oklahoma City Thunder season tickets I would probably be in the Oklahoma state pen right now for a failed bank robbery to pay for tickets.  Kevin Durant is sick and I applaud him for signing his extension and seeing where this talented bunch can go the next few seasons.  I would love to see him come back home to DC at some point but they could have something special.  Last seasons Lakers-Thunder series was great to watch.  A few seasons ago the Heat had a nucleus of Wade, Caron Butler and Lamar Odom that reminded me of the Thunder but they decided to break it up and trade for Shaq.  It got them a title, but I hope that the Thunder keeps guys like Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green together with Durant.

The whole season outlook can change if either Carmelo Anthony or Chris Paul change teams during the season.  Chris Paul in Orlando could make them the favorites.  Melo with the Knicks or Nets would probably move one of those teams at least into the playoffs.  Melo is probably my favorite player so I hope he doesn’t goto the Knicks.  Can’t his wife just host her Vh1 show reunions from Denver?  And why can’t a NBA player marry Katie from MTV Road Rules/Real World challenges, she is nuts but highly entertaining.  I may be willing to pay for the wedding of Katie and Kenyon “Necklips Tattoo” Martin.

The Lakers, Heat, Celtics and Magic are getting the most hype so far.  But look out for teams like the Thunder or my surprise selection the Utah Jazz.  Not to win but possibly finally upset the Lakers in the Western conference playoffs.  Portland has been waiting to take that step up and Dallas’ addition of Tyson Chandler will be big.  If I have to make a call I am going Lakers over Heat.  Sorry, I just have that feeling and you know how whacky the officiating gets in the playoffs.  Any Sacramento Kings fans of the C-Webb-Vlade era  just smashed their monitors so they won’t be able to hear me tell them Tyreke Evans is sick so hang in there.


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