Da King has returned

After a Game 4 victory for Washington, LeBron and the Cavs offense were firing on all cylinders in Game 5. Their only problem was, the Wizards were doing the same thing, making for an extremely entertaining game, and probably the second best game of the playoffs so far (following Game 4 in LA/Phoenix), as the Cavs won 121-120 in OT.

King James led the Cavs with 45 on the night to go along with 7 rebounds and 6 assists as well as the game-winner at the end of OT (more on that later). For the Wizards, it was the same old story for them, as they were led by the Big 3 - Arenas scored 44 points, Jamison had 32 points, and Butler had 20 points.

About that last play. What awful defense by the Wizards. I mean, it was a nice play by LeBron and all, but the defense was just terrible. 3.6 seconds left, Cavs down by 1, everyone and their mother knows the Cavs want to get the ball to LeBron. So what do the Wizards do? They don't switch the screen, LeBron gets it fairly easily. Ok, this is still workable. Antawn Jamison is coming, presumably to trap him in the corner and force up a difficult shot. Instead, Jamison pulled a matador (and just waved him through) and didn't cut off the baseline, allowing LeBron to get the sideline and get a relatively easy layup (although Free Darko says it wasn't an easy play, LeBron just made it look so easy. Which could be right). Goodnight, Cavs win.

The unsung hero was Flip Murray, who had 12 points, but most of them came late in the 3rd when LeBron was on the bench with 4 fouls. Cleveland actually increased their lead in that time (I think it was 6:50), and Flip had a lot to do with that. Of course, Washington's [lack of] defense was also a big help, as they gave the Cavs layup after layup.

In the end, a thrilling game and a thrilling ending. Yaysports, for their part, is trying to play it cool, but the fact is, between this series, the Phoenix/LA series, the SA/Sacramento series, and the Miami/Chicago series, the NBA is back. And with all this young talent in the league, it could become better than ever.

Game 6 is Friday night. Expect another dandy.

Oh, so that's why they were the 2 seed

It seems that all the talk lately has been centering around a potential Lakers/Clippers matchup in round 2, but the Suns pulled a Lee Corso, saying "Not so fast!" Down 3-1 in the series, and their backs against the wall, they responded in a big way with a 114-97 victory, finally playing their style of basketball. However, this could be a costly victory, because there's no telling what the status of Raja Bell for next game will be, following a clothesline he gave Kobe Bryant, earning him a flagrant foul and ejection (because he had gotten a technical foul earlier in the game). Some thoughts:

- I hate to just quote Bill Simmons a lot, but he had something in his article that I related with, or at least showed how I feel:

There are so many incredible subplots, so much going on, such a perfect contrast of styles ... honestly, I don't know what to do with myself. It's like watching a bench-clearing brawl in baseball: What do you concentrate on when 50 things are happening at once? For the past few days, I have had more than a few friends and readers contact me just to say that they find themselves strangely captivated by this series, and they're not even really sure why.

Well, I know why. It's a fantastic series, that's why. Consider the following subplots ...

He then goes on to explain a bunch of the subplots in the series, but that's not really the important part. The thing is, this has been one of the most enjoyable series' for me to watch in a long time. Both teams are talented, have very good coaches (D'Antoni might be the best offensive mind in the NBA, Phil Jackson is one of the top coaches in NBA history), and are playing well this series. Both teams are trying to play their style of play. For 3 1/2 games, the Lakers have succeeded (Game 2,3,4, as well as the 2nd and 3rd quarters of Game 1). We've had a lot of dramatics - Kobe hitting the game tying shot and then the game winner in OT, Nash being named the MVP amidst much disagreement, as well as the ongoing subplot of Kobe doing a complete 180 in his game. It's just been an unbelievably enjoyable series throughout.

- Best player on the floor in Game 5? Try Boris Diaw. 25 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists. He was efficient, he has his mid-range game going as well as his post game, he finished very well and very strong at the rim, he rebounded, and he got others involved. He was a lot of fun to watch.

- For a while late in the 3rd and early in the 4th, we saw Kobe trying to be, well, Kobe of old (and my old I mean the regular season). The Suns built up a big lead, and Kobe started to look for his shot a lot more. Then, he got clotheslined by Raja Bell, and I thought this was where we would see him really take over, now that he had a little extra motivation. And indeed, immediately he drained a 3 to cut the lead to 10 points. But then the Suns just didn't miss. They hit back-to-back 3s, and that was that.

- I don't know if this needs to be said or not, but Jim Jackson is done. He can't play defense anymore, and he lost whatever shot he once had. He played 7 minutes tonight, had 1 assist, 1 personal foul, and 1 turnover. He was absolutely worthless out there, and it's really been like that all series.

- Phoenix needs to continue to get scoring out of Leandro Barbosa if they're going to win the series. He scored 15 in game 1, took a mini vacation, and decided to play again today, scoring 11 points and hitting a big 3 late. This is especially important if Raja Bell does get suspended, because then Barbosa may be forced to start, and might even have to guard Kobe, further increasing his importance.

- Game 6: Thursday night, 9:30 Central Time. Clear your calendar, it should be very entertaining.

Two teams advance to the next round

We are now down to 14 teams remaining in the NBA Playoffs, as Dalls finished off a sweep of Memphis tonight with a 102-76 beatdown, while the Clippers finished off the listless Nuggets 101-83 in game 5. All and all, the two most boring series, which is not what I expected.

I knew the Clippers were a good team, but I didn't know they were quite that good and that the Nuggets were quite that bad. I'll go over this when I look back at my first round predictions when the round is over, but I mean, the Nuggets forgot to show up here. And the Clippers just absolutely pounded them. And this was even with the Nuggets like Reggie Evans doing any and everything they could to get an edge.

On the Grizz side, they are still in search of their first ever playoff win, as they have been swept in their 3 playoff appearances. Somebody forgot to tell the Grizzlies (or at least those ones not named Pau Gasol) that they had some basketball games to play. Average margin of victory for the Mavs was 14 points. They'll take on the winner of the Spurs/Kings series, which is tied at 2, in what should be the most entertaining round 2 matchup if they play the Spurs.

Actually, both Western matchups could be great. Imagine Dallas/San Antonio in one semifinal, and then Lakers/Clippers in the other one. [Paul Maguire] You don't think that would draw fans? Look at these potential matchups, look at them, BAM![/Paul Maguire]


One additional note that's kinda cool, I was contacted by BabyBoomerTrips.com about an affiliate sponsorship thingamabobber. From about.com:

We just heard about a new Internet gateway dedicated to helping baby boomers find travel deals, BabyBoomerTrips.com is owned and operated by ConventionZoo, Inc, which also operates the world's first all-in-one convention portal for attendees and planners. Boomers can now compare prices on flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages as well as information through a comprehensive resource guide. They can also interact with other baby boomers through online message boards. But what I like best is their VW Van logo. Cool, Man!

So anyway, I added a link to them, and check it out if you're doing any traveling (not the NBA kind)!

Twins Update: Not going according to plan

Well, the Twins just finished up a 3-game set at Detroit, and they got swept in an embarrasing manner, losing the games by a combined score of 33-1. 33-1. It's hard to fathom. I realize the Tigers are a lot better this year than in year's past, but this shouldn't happen. The Twins now stand at 9-15, 8 games out of first. When you are 3-12 on the road, this is what generally tends to happen.

It's easy to point at the pitching (especially Brad Radke, Carlos Silva, and Kyle Lohse) as the source of these problems. After all, the Twins 6.23 team ERA is by far the worst in the MLB at this point (I never thought I'd be saying that at the start of the year). Among qualifying pitchers, Radke and Silva are last in the AL in ERA. But if you only look at pitching you don't know that they are only scoring a shade over 4 runs a game. The .694 OPS they have as a team is second worst in the AL above only (sic) Kansas City. All around, things are very depressing right now.

Looking ahead, the Twins have a 2 game set (at home) with the Mariners today and tomorrow, a 2 game set (at home) with the Royals after that, and then 3 games at home against the Tigers. They better think about going 4-3 or 5-2, especially because these games are at home, or they may dig themselves a hole too big to crawl out of.

Bold Predictions from the NFL Draft

Just some lists and other stuff featuring my bold (and not so bold predictions)

QBs - Best Career
1. Jay Cutler
2. Matt Leinart
3. Kellen Clemens
4. Vince Young
5. Tarvaris Jackson

RB - Best Rookie Year
1. Reggie Bush
2. Joseph Addai
3. Laurence Maroney
4. LenDale White
5. DeAngelo Williams

Return Specialists - Best Career
1. Jeremy Bloom
2. Devin Hester
3. Willie Reid

Defense - Most Sacks as a Rookie
1. Kamerion Wimbley
2. Mario Williams
3. Ernie Sims
4. Manny Lawson

Most Receptions as a Rookie
1. Vernon Davis
2. Santonio Holmes
3. Chad Jackson
4. Greg Jennings

ESPN Personalities Most Likely to have their Head Explode
1. Mel Kiper Jr.
2. Michael Irvin
3. Merril Hoge
4. Chris Mortenson/Tom Jackson (sitting at a table with Irvin, Kiper, and Berman)

Guy who watched too much of the draft
1. Me

NFL Draft Day 1 Recap

It was a long grueling day, spent with a lot more NFL Draft watching than was necessary. It was up and down as a Vikings fan... thought there might have been a chance Cutler fell, then it looked like LenDale White would have a shot at falling in round 2, etc. Anyway, here's my best and worsts from the day presented with some seemingly random titles.

Vikings Draft Grade - B-. In the first round, I was hoping for Cutler, Sims, or Greenway. Cutler and Sims were gone, and the Vikings took Greenway, so I'm happy there. In round 2, when White started to slip, I was hoping the Vikings would move up to take him, but they didn't. I was sure they would take Kellen Clemens from Oregon at #48, which I was totally on board with. He's got a good arm, he's mobile, he's accurate, and I was getting legitimately excited about him. They passed on him to take Cedric Griffin, a guy they probably could have had at #51. Then Clemens was picked #49. At pick 51, I kinda didn't know what I was hoping for anymore, but I knew that it wasn't a Center from New Mexico who most were projecting as a 5th rounder, but that's what they got. I've since become more optimistic about it, since Cook can probably play G or T, but still, it was disappointing. Then they traded both of their 3rd rounders to move up and get Tavaris Jackson from Alabama St. I don't know a lot about him, but I like what I hear. He's got a big arm, his accuracy has been improving, and he's atheletic. Ron Jaworski (more on him later) was raving about him. Phil Simms had this to say:

But there was one quarterback I saw, albeit very briefly, who really caught my eye. I saw two throws made by Alabama State quarterback Tavaris Jackson, and I was really impressed. Then I saw a few more throws from him on NFL Network from his workout at the combine, and to say I was intrigued is an understatement. Wow!

It looked big-time. Not just okay or good. What little I saw looked big-time. Then I found out a little bit about him. He started out at Arkansas and transferred to Alabama State because he was going to sit behind Matt Jones and Arkansas wanted him to switch positions. So he was good enough to be recruited by a Division I-A school and he must be a good athlete if they were willing to move him to another position.

Jackson has good size, he's muscular, and has a fluid throwing motion, very fluid. He looked natural. We'll see what happens.

All in all, about worthy of a B-.

ESPN Guy I like the most - Ron Jaworski. I think he really knows his stuff, at least on the offensive players. He seems like he watches a lot of tape, knows the ins and outs of playing QB, and is easy to listen to. Of all the ESPN football experts, he's my favorite.

ESPN Guy I like the least - Merril Hoge. I swear, there is not one prospect Hoge likes. Listening to Hoge talk about Vince Young, I'm actually surprised the guy won any games in college. And that pink shirt, well, not so much Merril.

Team Whose Decisions I liked the least - Houston Texans. It's not that they didn't get good players, because they did. But I thought they could have done so much better. I already wrote my thoughts about passing on Bush. Then, in round 2, with a terrible OL that has basically been a sieve since the team came into existence, Winston Justice, considered by many the 2nd best OL in the draft, falls into their lap... and they pass on him to take Demeco Ryans. They partly rectified that with a nice pick of Eric Winston in round 3, but I'd take Bush and Justice over Williams and Ryan.

Best Day 1 - I think Philly, New England, and the Jets had the best day 1. Philly got Brodrick Bunkley, very possibly the best DT in the draft at pick 14, and then traded up to get Winston Justice, who they were considering in round 1, with the 39th pick. New England got Maroney, my #3 back, but a very talented back that should fit them well in round 1, and then traded up to get Chad Jackson, either the best or 2nd best WR in the draft. Very solid picks there. The Jets solidified their line by not succumbing to the more popular pick of Matt Leinart and going with D'Brickashaw Ferguson, the best sure thing in the draft, and then taking C Eric Mangold with their 2nd pick in round 1. In round 2, they traded up to get the 4th best QB in the draft in Kellen Clemens. In round 3 they got a LB Anthony Schelegel from Ohio St. that is another very solid football player. Got to like what Eric Mangini and Co. did with their first draft.

Best Trades - Denver moving up to get Jay Cutler and Pittsburgh moving up to get Santonio Holmes. I really like Cutler, and I think he's the 2nd best QB in this draft, with maybe the potential to be the best. Great pickup for the Broncos. As for the Steel Curtain, they moved up to get their man at WR to replace Randle El. I like Jackson a little more than Holmes, but Holmes should be a very good WR.

Biggest 1st Round Steal - RB Joseph Addai, Indy at #30. I really like Addai, he's quick, he has good vision, and he can catch the ball out of the backfield. I think Indy will be able to plug him in right away and he'll be able to replace most of what they lost from The Edge.

Biggest 1st Round Bust - QB Vince Young, Tennessee #3. Given time (read: a couple of years to sit on the bench) I think he'll be good. But I don't think he'll be given enough time, and he is nowhere near ready right now. He has bad mechanics, he has no experience in a pro-style offense, etc. The tools are there, he has a strong arm and he's super athletic, but I really didn't like this pick for the Titans. I thought they'd be much better off reuniting Norm Chow with Matt Leinart.

Note: I wanted to take John McCargo who was picked by the Bills, but that seemed a little too easy.

Biggest 2nd Round Steal - RB LenDale White, Tennessee #45. I really don't know how he fell this far. Did teams not watch him play? He's had some bad workouts, and his attitude may not be great, but he's still an extremely productive football player. I think he'll be a very good RB for the Titans, which is why I was really hoping the Vikings would trade up for him. Honorable mention goes to Kellen Clemens, who I think will be very good in this league.

Biggest 2nd Round Bust - CB Davin Hester, Chicago Bears #57. I know he's very explosive and can be a great return man, but he doesn't really have a position, and he wasn't good enough to start on his college team last year. He's elusive as anyone in the draft, but I don't think he'll ever be anymore than a return man, and I think they could have gotten something more in round 2.

Biggest 3rd Round Steal - WR Maurice Stovall, Tampa Bay Bucs #90. He's had some trouble with his hands, but he's very tall, has decent speed, and really has improved. He feel further than I thought he would, and I think eventually he'll be a productive #2 WR in the NFL. Nice value pick here.

Biggest 3rd Round Bust - QB Brodie Croyle, Kansas City Chiefs #85. Hard to call a 3rd round pick a bust, but I can't see Croyle developing into a starter in the NFL. He's small, he's a little inconsistent, and he's a little fragile. I was very glad the Vikings bypassed him, because I'm really not high on him at all. We'll see.

NBA Recap

What a night of basketball! This was college basketball style... we had two games going on at one time, what a novel concept! But the best thing was that all the games were tight and came to the wire... let's jump right in.

- The Cavs bounced back from their loss with a 97-96 win, although they had a little help, namely in the refs deciding to let LeBron take as many steps as he needed for the final play. But hey, I'm not complaining. It was still a great shot for "The King, which followed Arenas' hoop and the harm that put the Wiz up 1. On the ensuing possession, Arenas got a great look that just rimmed out. LeBron finished with 41 points, 5 boards, and 3 assists (although the assists were low because no one on Cleveland could make a shot). Arenas led Washington with 34, as Arenas and LeBron combined to score 31 of the 51 4th quarter points. A great game to watch.

We were also treated to an unbelievable pass from LeBron... got his man up in the air, stepped through, and then through a bullet to Zydrunas who finished with a layup.

The one other thing about this game, and it doesn't really relate to the game per se, is how solid Mike Tirico is in the booth along with "Snapper" Jones. Just really enjoyable to listen to. I really think Tirico will be excellent next year as the PBP for Monday Night Football.

One intriguing subplot here was how much Eddie Jordan resembled my depiction of a vampire. All black, hair slicked back, it was very creepy.

- In game 2, the Kings officially made it a series with a buzzer-beating win against San Antonio, 94-93. Ron Artest scored 22 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, hit big shots down the stretch, and held Manu Ginobili to 8 points and 7 turnovers. Uh yeah, good to have you back Ron. Tim Duncan was superb for the Spurs, with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 blocks.

Play of the night goes to Kevin Martin, who's acrobatic finish over Tim Duncan as time expired kept this thing from going to 3-0. After the game, Jim Gray asked him how this game felt as compared to Game 2. That's journalism at its finest.

- The nightcap featured the balanced Lakers against the Suns, and the Lakers really controlled tempo throughout, although the Suns kept it close until the end. Lakers pulled it out 99-92. I'm really liking my Lakers pick more and more, although now I'm even starting to wonder if the Suns can extend it 7. Over the past two games, the Lakers have been the better defensive team, more efficient offensive team, and they look more composed and balanced out there then Phoenix. Lamar Odom (15 points, 17 rebounds) is playing like a man possessed, and they are getting great balance. All 5 starters scored in double figures, and Kobe was actually the last of them to reach it.

The Suns are just having lots of trouble stopping the big men down low, and as a result they are not able to get into their fast break that often, and as they are showing, they are not that good in the half-court game. Shawn Marion has just not been effective this series, and if Phoenix is going to win, he needs to play a lot better.

As a final side note, please ESPN, don't have Bill Walton commentate Luke Walton's games. I beg of you.

Texans reach agreement with Mario Williams

It appears that the Texans have reached a deal with 'Super Mario' (has that nickname jumped the shark already?) making him the #1 pick in the NFL Draft. This of course, means that Reggie Bush is still out there.

You can quote me on this: Houston is making a big mistake. Don't get me wrong, Williams is a heck of a player, and most years, he's worthy of the #1 pick. But not in a draft with Reggie Bush. I think Bush is too explosive to pass... he's great running, catching, or in special teams. Len Pasquerelli, who I like, agrees, calling it a "Texans Sized Mistake."

When you are as a team as bad as the Texans have been, you need to make solid football decisions, and eschewing a playmaker such as Bush, who will have an immediate impact on the league, in favor of a guy still in his gestation period is a dubious call at best.

I understand that the Texans want to build a great defense, but I just can't reason passing up Bush. Michael Irvin gets a lot of flack, but I thought he said something that made good sense. One way you can make a defense better is to keep them off the field. If you can build a great offense (with the Texans would have the making of with Carr-Bush-Johnson) it can force the other team to be 1-dimensional, or keep them off the field for longer periods of time.

Anyway, we'll see how this plays out obviously in the years to come. For now, count me in the crowd that thinks Houston is making a big mistake.

2006 NFL Mock Draft

Sure, everyone and their mother has made a mock draft at this point. I've even seen another blogger do an NBA Mock Draft already (which was cool). But, well, I'm a sucker for conformity, and I've been writing a lot about the NBA lately, so it's time to mix it up. Feel free to make fun of me when somehow all of my picks are wrong.

1. Houstan Texas - RB Reggue Bush (USC)
Players like Mario Williams or D'Brickashaw Ferguson are probably better fits for their needs, but I don't see how they can pass on Reggie Bush. In my opinion, he's the best RB in the draft, the best pass-catcher in the draft, and the best punt returner in the draft. With a talent like this, there's no way the Texas can or should pass on Reggie Bush.

2. New Orleans Saints - DE Mario Williams (NC State)
After they signed Drew Brees, they don't really have a need for a QB, although Matt Leinart is still an option. I see them going with Mario Williams here, a guy that has been compared to the late, great Reggie White. While that's a bit lofty, he is extremely athletic and should be very good.

3. Tennessee Titans - QB Matt Leinart (USC)
There's been rumors that the Titans favor Vince Young, who is more in the mold of Steve "Air" McNair, but I think they'll reunite Norm Chow and Leinart. In my opinion, Leinart is the best and most polished QB prospect in the draft, and I think this should be a relatively easy decision for the Titans. We'll see.

4. New York Jets - OL D'Brickashaw Ferguson (Virginia)
Vince Young would obviously be a tempting pick here, but with the Jets already with Chad Pennington and Patrick Ramsey, D'Brickashaw is the safe pick. Their Line was not good at all this year, and by all accounts Ferguson is a beast of a man, and that's pretty good, I think.

5. Green Bay Packers - LB A.J. Hawk (Ohio St.)
The best LB in the draft, and really just a stud at that position. If Ferguson and Williams are already off the board (and it seems they will be), this should be a very easy pick for the Pack. He can make an immediate impact for Green Bay, and should be a very good player for a long time.

6. San Fransisco 49ers - TE Vernon Davis (Maryland)
They could go defense and go with Michael Huff, but they need some offensive weapons for young QB Alex Smith. While they do have Eric Johnson, a solid TE, Vernon Davis is a WR/TE hybrid, in the mold of a guy like Antonio Gates. Think better than Kellen Winslow, only without all the baggage (and presumably the bad driving habits)

7. Oakland Raiders - QB Vince Young (Texas)
Young is not a QB that fits Davis' normal preference for QBs, but I don't think Davis will pass him up. While last year's 3rd round pick Andrew Walter seemed to be the QB of the future, I think Davis will jump at the chance to get someone of Young's physical abilities, even if he's a little raw.

8. Buffalo Bills - DT Brodrick Bunkley (FSU)
It seems likely that if the Bills stay in this spot, they'll take a DT, and Bunkley, along with Haloti Ngata, is one of the top 2 DT on the board. While I've heard that Marv Levy likes Ngata better, I think we'll see Bunkley here, because he fits better in Buffalo's scheme than Ngata does.

(9. Detroit Lions - WR Chad Jackson (Florida)
No, I'm just kidding.)

9. Detroit Lions - DB Michael Huff (Texas)
Matt Millen is prone to do anything in these drafts, and while I'm in favor of him drafting a WR just to see the reaction of the people at ESPN, I think we'll see Michael Huff here. Cutler would be tempting, but I think McCown can be a viable long-term answer there with Martz as the Coordinator. I think logic will prevail here, and Huff will be the choice.

10. Arizona Cardinals - QB Jay Cutler (Vanderbilt)
While a LB like Ernie Sims or Chad Greenway, or an OL like Winston Justice would help them out more now, I think they'll look long-term and select Jay Cutler. After letting Josh McCown go, they've got Kurt Warner alone there, and while he can play when he has time to throw and has good WR (and he does), the chances are probably good that he won't be a long-term answer. Which is why I see Cutler as the pick here.

11. St. Louis Rams - LB Chad Greenway (Iowa)
This is where the draft gets a little tricky, because there are more options for the Rams. They could go for a LB like Greenway or Ernie Sims, or they could opt for help in the secondary with Clemson CB Tye Hill. In the end, I think they'll go with Greenway.

12. Cleveland Browns - DE/OLB Kamerion Wimbley (FSU)
The Browns are improved, but they could still use some help on the defensive side of the ball. Ngata would be an intriguing choice here for the Browns, but I think they'll go with the speed rusher in Wimbley.

13. Baltimore Ravens - DT Haloti Ngata (Oregon)
Ravens would be ecstatic if Ngata falls to them. He's a big DT in the mold of Sam Adams or Ted Washington, which is a good fit to take on bodies and allow Ray Lewis to do what he does best, which is roam around and find the ballcarriers. Ngata is the logical choice for the Ravens.

14. Philadelphia Eagles - OT Winston Justice (USC)
The second OL off the board after Ferguson. With Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan at the tackles, they could use a little youth, and Justice is very talented. Chad Jackson is also a possibility for the Eagles, but I think that if Justice is still on the board, he'll be in Eagle Green next year.

15. Denver Broncos - WR Chad Jackson (Florida)
With Rod Smith getting old and Ashley Lelie underachieving, it makes sense for the Broncos to look for a WR here, especially with none of them taken so far. Chad Jackson and Santonio Holmes are the top two WR, and I think the Broncos will go for the former Gator, who seems to me like the best WR in the draft.

16. Miami Dolphins - WR Santonio Holmes (Ohio St.)
With Daunte Culpepper, Ronnie Brown, Chris Chambers, & Co. already on board, they have the makings of a good offense. Adding another quality WR, which Holmes is, would go a long way to help continue to improve that offense even more.

17. Minnesota - LB Ernie Sims
If by some chance Cutler falls here I'll jump for joy, but I don't think that will happen. The more likely scenario is that either Chad Greenway or Ernie Sims falls here, and the Vikings take whoever is left. I think that will be Sims.

18. Dallas Cowboys - S Donte Whitner (Ohio St.)
The Cowboys could use a safety to play opposite of hard-hitting Roy Williams, so Whitner makes sense here. He's quick and can make plays. The Cowboys might also look at Manny Lawson or a CB here, but I think they'll go with Whitner.

19. San Diego Chargers - CB Tye Hill (Clemson)
With the Chargers looking for a CB, and the best one still up on the board, this should be an easy choice for the Bolts. He's a little small, but he's quick, athletic, and a good tackler. He should fit in quite nicely as the nickel back.

20. Kansas City Chiefs - CB Jimmy Williams (Virginia Tech)
He has fallen off a lot since the end of the year, as he was once considered a top 10 pick. He has the talent, but the questions about his attitude have made him drop this far. However, he has the most potential of any CB in this draft, and that's too enticing to pass up at #20.

21. New England Patriots - RB DeAngelo Williams (Memphis)
This pick shows just how deep this draft is. Williams is the 2nd best RB in the draft, and in a lot of years would be a top 10 pick. I think he'll be a fine RB for a long time, and if the Patriots grab him at 21, I think this could wind up being one of the best picks of the first round.

22. San Fransisco 49ers - CB Johnathan Joseph (South Carolina)
The 49ers went offense in their first pick with Vernon Davis, so I think they'll look to upgrade the defense now. Joseph is the best CB left on the board, and should push for playing time immediately. Manny Lawson is another possibilty here.

23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - CB Antonio Cromartie (FSU)
An intruiging prospect because he was hurt all of last year, he's a big talent who's stock seems to be going up. The Bucs could opt for an OL in this spot, but if Cromartie is still available, I think they'll take him here.

24. Cincinnati Bengals - TE Mercedes Lewis (UCLA)
The Bengals could use help defensively, but after the run on DB before them, I think they'll opt for TE, and the best one left on the board is Mercedes Lewis from UCLA. He has good hands and decent speed, and should be a solid player in the NFL.

25. New York Giants - LB Bobby Carpenter (Ohio St.)
Carpenter is coming off an injury late in his college career, and the Giants did sign Lavar Arrington, but I still like Carpenter here. He's a smart player, who is still pretty athletic, and while he doesn't have the potential of a lot of the earlier LB, he is a safe pick here.

26. Chicago Bears - DB Jason Allen (Tennessee)
With Mike Green gone, and the top 2 TE off the board, I think the Bears will look for secondary help here, and Allen is a nice prospect. He could wind up playing either S or CB, but I think he'll wind up as a solid safety for da Bears. Ashton Youbody is another possibility.

27. Carolina Panthers - LB DeMeco Ryans - Alabama
With the best safeties off the board, the Panthers could look at a RB, but I think they already have some depth there. I think they'll go for a young LB, and Ryans is the best one of those left.

28. Jacksonville Jaguars - DE/OLB Manny Lawson (NC State)
The Jags get a break as Lawson falls all the way down to 28. A tweener, he's a good pass rusher and should immediately provide depth and push for playing time in a solid Jacksonville defense.

29. New York Jets - RB LenDale White (USC)
White seems to be falling all over the place, but he is still a quality RB. He's been hampered by injuries which has caused him to have some bad workouts, but with the Jets needing help for aging Curtis Martin, RB looks like the pick here, and LenDale White fits them best.

30. Indianapolis Colts - RB Laurence Maroney (Minnesota)
Now that Edgerrin James is in the desert, the Colts need a RB. Maroney is extremely talented - he's fast, can find the holes, and has decent hands. The Colts should be able to just plug him in and not really miss a beat offensively.

31. Seattle Seahawks - CB Ashton Youboty (Ohio St.)
One more Buckeye off the board. The defending NFC Champs are still a little thin in the secondary, and Youboty makes sense here. He has decent size, and has the skills to compete for a starting spot right away.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers - WR Sinorice Moss (Miami)
If LenDale White is still on the board, I think they'll go with him here. Nick Mangold from Ohio St. is another possibility. However, I think if White is gone they'll go with the undersized by playmaking WR Sinorice Moss to replace Antwaan Randle El. Moss is explosive after the catch, and can help replace Randle El's production as a punt returner. He could be a nice complement to Hines Ward in time, and for now, he can settle in as the slot receiver and special teams player.

Reason #42 why you're not an NBA Coach/Phil Jackson is really good

After game 1, lots and lots of people were in a huff about the Lakers seemingly changing their gameplan from the regular season, from having Kobe carry the load to spreading the ball out and having a more balanced attack. ESPN even asked their experts 8 questions that were basically different ways of asking if they agreed with the Lakers Game 1 gameplan. The answers were like a Seinfeld episode: "Why would they do that? They can't change the gameplan in the playoffs? What are they thinking?" They even asked whether Kobe was just trying to prove a point or if he was actually trying to win the game. As if Kobe will just throw the game to prove a point.

One game later, all of that seems to be erased. Kobe still wasn't his usual gunning self in Game 2, but he played an excellent game, and once again the Lakers had a great gameplan, as they defeated the Suns 99-93.

Early on, they pounded the ball inside and then got back and played defense. Kwame Brown only had 12 points, but he was very effective in the first quarter. Lamar Odom was big again, scoring 21. Devean George was solid off the bench. The Lakers did a great job at contesting the 3-ball, and it showed in the boxscore. The Lakers were 9/16 from beyond the stripe, the Suns were 9-27.

The biggest thing I think through 2 games is how much Lamar Odom has really dominated Shawn Marion. In game 2, Odom scored 21 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and had 5 assists. Marion scored 13 points and had 9 rebounds, but he had no assists and he shot 5/15 from the field. This was huge.

I think LA would be wise to let Nash do his thing scoring wise and try to keep everyone else out of it. Nash had 29 last night, but because the other guys weren't getting a lot of looks, they didn't have good balance. The highest scoring team in the NBA had 42 at the half, and only 93 at the end of the game. As Free Darko said, it's times to realize that these Lakers aren't just a one-trick pony, but they're really solid all around. And I think a lot of credit for this has to go to the Zen Master, who is using his magic once again.