Brackets have been busted and we're only through the first weekend! The first one seed, Pittsburgh, has fallen to an eighth seeded Butler team that was in the National Championship last year. VCU, a team from the play-in round, has upset sixth seeded Georgetown and third seeded Purdue, both by 18 points. The Big East got eleven teams in and has already lost nine of them to the competition or themselves. Ohio State has shown their dominance in two easy match-ups, most recently George Mason. Syracuse, Texas, Kansas State, and Louisville were all popular picks that couldn't make it to a Sweet Sixteen game. Today there are still sixteen teams, but in four days the field will be thinned out to four teams heading to Houston, Texas with the chance to become the 2011 NCAA National Champions. Whose it going to be?
The West Region kicks off in Anaheim, CA tonight with UConn(3) and San Diego St.(2) in the early game and Duke(1) and Arizona(5) right after them. San Diego St. and Arizona will see some extra fans in the crowd against the two East Coast teams. Both teams may be in over their head against the ACC and Big East Champions. My original pick was San Diego over UConn, but it was mostly because I thought UConn would be worn out by now. Showing no real signs of fatigue, the Huskies defeated Bucknell and Cincinnati in the first two rounds and it should continue. Kemba Walker takes over games, and there's no reason that won't happen here. For Duke, I made it clear in the past that a healthy Kyrie Irving means I have the Blue Devils as the team to beat. He played well in his first game back, and the deeper they go the more time he should see on the court. Arizona made a statement beating Texas, that they could play with the top competition. Derrick Williams is an NBA prospect and top college player, but Duke has plenty of those too. While Williams should get his share against the Plumlee brothers, Nolan Smith and Kyrie Irving will take over the game and secure the win for Duke. That leaves Duke and UConn meeting out West in the Elite Eight Saturday. The game would have the top guard play in the country with Nolan Smith, Kyrie Irving, and Kemba Walker all on the court at the same time, creating a dream match-up before the Final Four. Both teams have great coaching and a conference championship this season. With Duke slowly getting back to the team they were early in the season, I am sending UConn home and Duke to Houston out of the West Region.
New Orleans plays host to tonight's other two games starting with Florida(2) and BYU(3), followed by Wisconsin(4) and Butler(8). Butler is the surprise here with two last second wins over Old Dominion and Pitt. How much of a surprise can it really be after being in the National Championship last year? They face a tough task against a defensive Wisconsin team that defeated a preseason favorite, Kansas State. I bet against Butler in their game against Old Dominion. I even went as far as to say if they some how won and faced Pitt that I didn't like their odds in that game. Now I am done and give in to Butler. In the past year they have succeeded further than anyone would have ever predicted. I am taking Butler over Wisconsin. Florida really impressed me in their opening game against an over matched fifteen seed. The game really showcased their versatility with Chandler Parson's ability to act like a 6'10 guard at times. Jimmer Fredette led BYU to an impressive win over Gonzaga to make it to the Sweet Sixteen. Again when you expected them to fail after losing Brandon Davies for the season, Fredette keeps the team moving through. Florida's Boykin is a little dinged up, but he has guarded some of the top guards in the nation this season, so if his ankle can hold up I think he can hold Fredette to under 30 and from running away with the game. The Gators have waited a few years to return to the success they had in back to back national championships, so look for them to move on past Fredette's led Cougars. With such a weak region at this point, the Gators should be able to whether the competition to get themselves to Houston and into the final weekend.
Maybe it is appropriate for Kansas to be playing their next two rounds in the state of Texas, the same place as the final four. They won't have to travel far to Houston after only having to beat Richmond(12) and either VCU(11) or Florida St.(12). You couldn't ask for an easier path through the second weekend. Will they take advantage of it? Each team poses an interesting threat to the Jayhawks. Richmond can hold their own shooting lights out from the 3-point line. Florida St. may be the best defensive team in the tournament and locked down Notre Dame already. VCU is riding the highest wave of momentum in the tournament outside of UConn. Despite who they face, Kansas is more talented than every one of these teams and should be a lock to win. David can always slay Goliath, but there is no logical reason to bet on any one of these teams making it past Kansas and out of the Southwest Region. If I had to pick one, I would pick VCU because they have been the most impressive team not named Ohio State in the tournament so far. But I wouldn't count on it.
Out in the East region UNC(2) will face Marquette(11) followed by the tournament favorite, Ohio State(1), against Kentucky(4). The talent is there with UNC, Kentucky, and Ohio State. All three start at least one freshman with NBA talent. Marquette looks to be the odd man out, and if they defeated UNC it would be a true upset. I like UNC in this game, as they have been the hottest ACC team since mid season by only losing to Duke twice. That means after Ohio State faces Kentucky, and if they win, they would face UNC. I still believe Ohio State has the toughest road to the championship and I don't like their odds for that reason. Kentucky and UNC have the talent, athleticism, but lack the experience of a tournament tested team. I will go out on a limb and stick with my bracket of Kentucky upsetting Ohio State and then losing their next round game from being exhausted emotionally. I like the Tar Heels to move on to face their biggest rival, the Duke Blue Devils.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Championship Makes it Best of Three
On Monday I began to get into my bracket and immediately tried to pencil teams through to the final four that I thought were great teams. I ran into the problem of their being so much parity between the top twenty teams this year. There weren't any amazing teams, but a few great ones at the top, being Kansas and Ohio State. You look past them you'll find Pitt, Notre Dame, Texas, BYU, and San Diego State. The problem is that isn't the end of the list. Cases can be made for Purdue, Syracuse, UNC, UConn, Florida, and Kentucky. There actually was one team that I thought stood out above the rest, but they only played eight games of the season. That team is Duke with Kyrie Irving. There are sixty seven teams in the tournament that are happy they don't have to face that team, or will they? Reports suggest that Irving could come back to play as early as the first round for Duke, but he will be in a limited role off the bench. If Duke could get back to how they played with Irving the first time, I think the tournament is theirs for the taking. I don't see that being the case, so with that being said lets dive into my Final Four: Syracuse, Texas, Kansas, and Florida.
Syracuse started their season out at 18-0 being the last of the Big East teams to take its first loss. Jim Boeheim's squad is led by senior Rick Jackson inside crashing the boards and junior Scoop Jardine running the team from the point guard position. The Orange run Boeheim's 2-3 zone on defense that is tough to adjust to if you haven't played against it before, which fits perfectly for a tournament with less time for preparation. They rely on Jackson to block shots as they lead the league in that category, but scoring is spread among four players in double digits. The seven foot freshman, Fab Melo, could show up at anytime and exists as the real wild card on this team. He seems to be a project, but has a lot of potential due to his size and could provide some key rebounds down the stretch. After a hot start Syracuse went cold, but they got their groove back by the end of the season playing their best games yet.
Once Texas made their case to be in the top ten they never left it. Of their seven losses, only one was by more than eight points. They have young stars in Jordan Hamilton and Tristan Thompson, who are among three players grabbing more than seven rebounds a game. The Longhorns play defense well in every position and are rarely mismatched. Matching them athlete for athlete is rare, giving them a leg up in transition. Texas has beaten Kansas and UNC and proven they are championship worthy, but with a rocky end to the season, they need to a solid early win to gain confidence.
With only two losses to date, Kansas rolls into the tournament hot off a Big 12 Championship win over rival and fellow Final Four contestant, Texas. They rank fifth in points per game and first in field goal percentage nationally. The team is near impossible to beat when the Morris twins are on their game in the paint. There is both balance and depth to Kansas, but if they lose either Morris to foul trouble, then they may be in trouble themselves. Kansas has no real blemishes on their record proving they are consistent and confident as the last one seed in the bracket.
Florida is a bit of a wild card to make it this far, since they probably were seeded too high and received a weak region. In their biggest game early in the season they faced Jared Sullinger and the Buckeyes but lost convincingly. They did manage to match the Buckeyes shooting and out rebound them but turned the ball over way too much. The Gators put together a solid SEC regular season resume, splitting games with Kentucky, before losing to the Wildcats in the SEC Tournament championship game. Chandler Parson's was the SEC Player of the Year and the Gator's all around play maker. Florida does have two questionable losses against UCF and Jacksonville State that prompt you to wonder if they have what it takes at this level.
The Big East got eleven teams into the tournament despite beating each other up all season long, but they don't have one team in my championship. The Big 12 is ruling this year's big game in Houston where I have Kansas meeting Texas in their home state. Kansas just had too much talent for Florida, and I think Texas will have enough time to prepare for Syracuse's zone defense going into the third weekend. Texas will also essentially have a home game against Syracuse in the final four. The game will act as the best of three match-up between Texas and Kansas as they split the first two. Texas will definitely be out for vengeance after losing the conference championship game just before the tournament kicked off. I think that game was a sign of how the Jayhawks will play Texas this time around, and I like the Rock Chalk Jayhawks to pull through for a national title. Can the Morris twins share the MVP?
Championship Game Pick: Kansas over Texas 78-72
Syracuse started their season out at 18-0 being the last of the Big East teams to take its first loss. Jim Boeheim's squad is led by senior Rick Jackson inside crashing the boards and junior Scoop Jardine running the team from the point guard position. The Orange run Boeheim's 2-3 zone on defense that is tough to adjust to if you haven't played against it before, which fits perfectly for a tournament with less time for preparation. They rely on Jackson to block shots as they lead the league in that category, but scoring is spread among four players in double digits. The seven foot freshman, Fab Melo, could show up at anytime and exists as the real wild card on this team. He seems to be a project, but has a lot of potential due to his size and could provide some key rebounds down the stretch. After a hot start Syracuse went cold, but they got their groove back by the end of the season playing their best games yet.
Once Texas made their case to be in the top ten they never left it. Of their seven losses, only one was by more than eight points. They have young stars in Jordan Hamilton and Tristan Thompson, who are among three players grabbing more than seven rebounds a game. The Longhorns play defense well in every position and are rarely mismatched. Matching them athlete for athlete is rare, giving them a leg up in transition. Texas has beaten Kansas and UNC and proven they are championship worthy, but with a rocky end to the season, they need to a solid early win to gain confidence.
With only two losses to date, Kansas rolls into the tournament hot off a Big 12 Championship win over rival and fellow Final Four contestant, Texas. They rank fifth in points per game and first in field goal percentage nationally. The team is near impossible to beat when the Morris twins are on their game in the paint. There is both balance and depth to Kansas, but if they lose either Morris to foul trouble, then they may be in trouble themselves. Kansas has no real blemishes on their record proving they are consistent and confident as the last one seed in the bracket.
Florida is a bit of a wild card to make it this far, since they probably were seeded too high and received a weak region. In their biggest game early in the season they faced Jared Sullinger and the Buckeyes but lost convincingly. They did manage to match the Buckeyes shooting and out rebound them but turned the ball over way too much. The Gators put together a solid SEC regular season resume, splitting games with Kentucky, before losing to the Wildcats in the SEC Tournament championship game. Chandler Parson's was the SEC Player of the Year and the Gator's all around play maker. Florida does have two questionable losses against UCF and Jacksonville State that prompt you to wonder if they have what it takes at this level.
The Big East got eleven teams into the tournament despite beating each other up all season long, but they don't have one team in my championship. The Big 12 is ruling this year's big game in Houston where I have Kansas meeting Texas in their home state. Kansas just had too much talent for Florida, and I think Texas will have enough time to prepare for Syracuse's zone defense going into the third weekend. Texas will also essentially have a home game against Syracuse in the final four. The game will act as the best of three match-up between Texas and Kansas as they split the first two. Texas will definitely be out for vengeance after losing the conference championship game just before the tournament kicked off. I think that game was a sign of how the Jayhawks will play Texas this time around, and I like the Rock Chalk Jayhawks to pull through for a national title. Can the Morris twins share the MVP?
Championship Game Pick: Kansas over Texas 78-72
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| March Madness Championship Prediction |
The Southeast is Anyone's Game
Of all four regions the Southeast has to be the weakest at the top. None of the top four seeds won their conference championship, and each team may be over-seeded. Pitt held out as the one seed despite an early exit in the Big East Tournament, while Florida was expected to be lower than a two seed. Even BYU, who got a three seed, lost a star player towards the end of the season and isn't the same team that deserved their three seed. Rounding out the top four is Wisconsin who just lost a game in the 30's to Penn State. This is the region if a lesser team is going to rise to the top.
Two teams with plenty of experience drew each other in the first round in Old Dominion(9) and Butler(8). Butler lost in the title game last season and returned the majority of its players, but their star Gordon Hayward moved on to the NBA after one season. Old Dominion is one of the strongest defensive teams in the nation and the top rebounding team in the nation. Their only true weakness is at the 3-point line, where they don't shoot it or defend it particularly well. With that being said, I like Old Dominion to pull the minor upset over Butler with their ability to lock down the scorers of Butler and crash the boards hard.
One of the most common upset picks this season is picking Belmont(13) to advance past their first round match-up with Wisconsin(4). Belmont has some statistics that prove they are very capable "giant killers", and Wisconsin had a horrible showing in the Big Ten Tournament. However, Belmont probably didn't get the draw most people expected them to in Wisconsin, and I think they will be over-matched by their opponent. Wisconsin is a strong defensive team that doesn't turn the ball over and has the presence in the paint with Jon Leuer. Stay away from the trendy pick!
Behind the experience and talent that Michigan State(10) has on their team, I have them topping UCLA(7) in the first round as a classic 10-7 upset. The Spartans have one of the best coaches in college basketball and given time to prepare, Tom Izzo will have his team ready for this first game.
First Round Picks: Pittsburgh, ODU, Kansas State, Wisconsin, St. Johns, BYU, Michigan State, Florida
At this point were down to the best eight teams in the region and for this region anyone of them could pull the upsets. Pittsburgh and Old Dominion will be an intriguing game of defensive teams. ODU should take over the paint on Pitt, while the Panthers shoot from the 3-point line, which they are only second to Notre Dame at in the Big East. I read a synopsis of Pitt going into the tournament that said, Pitt will lose when Robinson is a non factor. Robinson is 6'5 but plays bigger than he is, so I think ODU could take him out of the game with their physical inside ability. I will go out on a limb and take ODU to win the game, but if some how Butler advances to this point I wouldn't pick the same against Pitt.
In the other match-ups, I like Kansas State to live up to their potential and take Wisconsin behind a strong effort from Jacob Pullen. Florida should continue their successful season holding off Michigan State. As BYU faces off with St. John's, two big time scorers will be on the floor as Jimmer Fredette goes head to head with Dwight Hardy. I can't pick against Jimmer this early with all the success he has had and his ability to take over a game, so I will put BYU through to face Florida.
Second Round Picks: ODU, Kansas State, BYU, Florida
Kansas State will throw an up tempo offense at ODU that won't let them set their defense fully. ODU will have trouble matching up with Jacob Pullen while he leads the Wildcats to victory. Kansas State was a top five team to start the season, and after falling off the wagon, they are again a team no one wants to face. In the other Sweet Sixteen game Florida meets BYU. If the Cougars still had Brandon Davies, who was suspended near the end of the season, I would have them moving on, but they are not able to fill the void he left. The Gators are heading to the Elite Eight.
Sweet Sixteen Picks: Kansas State, Florida
My Elite Eight game is between Kansas State and Florida, but I really do believe this region is wide open and you could see anyone here from BYU, Pitt, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and St. Johns. The Gators and Wildcats faced off once before during the season where Florida won and held Kansas State to 44 points beginning their downfall. Kansas State is prone to losing focus and I think Florida could repeat this victory if they can manage Jacob Pullen and Chandler Parson's can live up to his SEC player of the year award.
Elite Eight Pick: Florida
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| March Madness Southeast Bracket Predictions |
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
The Southwest Expects Raining 3's
Down in the Southwest region of the bracket all of the top four seeds come from the best three conferences. Kansas represents the Big 12, Purdue is from the Big Ten, and Louisville and Notre Dame come out of the Big East. Kansas is considered by some the best team in the nation with brothers Markieff and Marcus Morris taking over the paint. While Purdue misses Robbie Hummel due to a knee injury in October, they put together a quality season with one of the only two wins over top seeded Ohio State. Rounding out the top, Louisville and Notre Dame survived the impressive Big East this season by shooting the 3-ball well and heavily relying on it.
The Southwest will see some play-in game action as USC faces off with VCU for the rights to play Georgetown in the first round. Despite USC's up and down season with wins over Texas, Tennessee, and Arizona and losses to Bradley, TCU, and Oregon State, they should have enough to take out VCU. Many don't believe that VCU deserved to even be in the tournament, and with their inability to rebound I don't like their odds. USC is not capable of scoring runs and doesn't shoot from long range well, so I don't see them going far.
Starting out the true first round of the tournament, I like two upsets in the region. Richmond(12) has strong senior leadership and shoots and defends the 3 as well as anyone. With plenty of options to hit the big shots, Richmond will take down a Vanderbilt(5) team that has shaky defense at times. While Vanderbilt did lead the SEC in 3-point defense, I don't think they can keep up with Richmond. I like Richmond to be a match-up problem for each top seed they face. In the bottom half, Texas A&M(7) takes on Florida State(10) in a highly defensive battle. From what FSU supposedly told the committee on Sunday, Chris Singleton should be back for this game. With that assumption in mind, I see Florida State's toughness and defense routing Texas A&M.
First Round Picks: Kansas, UNLV, Richmond, Louisville, Georgetown, Purdue, Florida State, Notre Dame
The most exciting game in the second round will be Richmond(12) and Louisville(4) facing off in a battle from the 3-point line. Both teams shoot the 3 well and often, but when Louisville lost Rakeem Buckles they lost one of their few rebounders. I think Richmond fits the perfect mold of a Cinderella to march into the Sweet Sixteen with their great shooting and leadership.
I see both Kansas and Notre Dame moving on easily to the Sweet Sixteen by knocking out UNLV and Florida State respectively. Kansas is too talented, while Notre Dame shoots too well for FSU to keep up and defend.
In the 3-6 match-up in this round, Georgetown(6) meets a handful when they face Purdue(3). The game should be interesting if Chris Wright is indeed back and healthy for Georgetown. Ultimately, I don't think he will be the same with a recently broken hand, and I like E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson of Purdue to put up big numbers and keep moving through the tournament with the team playing solid defense.
Second Round Picks: Kansas, Richmond, Purdue, Notre Dame
Narrowing down the Southwest bracket, the Cinderella run should end when Richmond attempts to knock off Kansas. Kansas is a well rounded team with plenty of talent, and they are not susceptible to "Giant Killers". When Purdue meets Notre Dame, there will be plenty of big names on the floor, but none bigger than Ben Hansbrough. The Big East player of the year will have to come out firing from the 3-point line if him and teammate, Tim Abromaitis, want to move on to the Elite Eight. Purdue doesn't have the size to match up with Notre Dame, so they should have trouble on the boards and stopping the Irish from raining 3's. I like Notre Dame to take this game and move on to Kansas in the next round.
Sweet Sixteen Picks: Kansas, Notre Dame
Playing for a trip to Houston, Kansas has the size to match up with Notre Dame and the Morris Twin's should still dominate leading Kansas's offense from the inside against a weaker Notre Dame defense. If Notre Dame was having a hot streak shooting I could see them pulling the upset, but I am going to take Kansas's success this season as a sign that they will be in the Final Four.
Elite Eight Pick: Kansas
The Southwest will see some play-in game action as USC faces off with VCU for the rights to play Georgetown in the first round. Despite USC's up and down season with wins over Texas, Tennessee, and Arizona and losses to Bradley, TCU, and Oregon State, they should have enough to take out VCU. Many don't believe that VCU deserved to even be in the tournament, and with their inability to rebound I don't like their odds. USC is not capable of scoring runs and doesn't shoot from long range well, so I don't see them going far.
Starting out the true first round of the tournament, I like two upsets in the region. Richmond(12) has strong senior leadership and shoots and defends the 3 as well as anyone. With plenty of options to hit the big shots, Richmond will take down a Vanderbilt(5) team that has shaky defense at times. While Vanderbilt did lead the SEC in 3-point defense, I don't think they can keep up with Richmond. I like Richmond to be a match-up problem for each top seed they face. In the bottom half, Texas A&M(7) takes on Florida State(10) in a highly defensive battle. From what FSU supposedly told the committee on Sunday, Chris Singleton should be back for this game. With that assumption in mind, I see Florida State's toughness and defense routing Texas A&M.
First Round Picks: Kansas, UNLV, Richmond, Louisville, Georgetown, Purdue, Florida State, Notre Dame
The most exciting game in the second round will be Richmond(12) and Louisville(4) facing off in a battle from the 3-point line. Both teams shoot the 3 well and often, but when Louisville lost Rakeem Buckles they lost one of their few rebounders. I think Richmond fits the perfect mold of a Cinderella to march into the Sweet Sixteen with their great shooting and leadership.
I see both Kansas and Notre Dame moving on easily to the Sweet Sixteen by knocking out UNLV and Florida State respectively. Kansas is too talented, while Notre Dame shoots too well for FSU to keep up and defend.
In the 3-6 match-up in this round, Georgetown(6) meets a handful when they face Purdue(3). The game should be interesting if Chris Wright is indeed back and healthy for Georgetown. Ultimately, I don't think he will be the same with a recently broken hand, and I like E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson of Purdue to put up big numbers and keep moving through the tournament with the team playing solid defense.
Second Round Picks: Kansas, Richmond, Purdue, Notre Dame
Narrowing down the Southwest bracket, the Cinderella run should end when Richmond attempts to knock off Kansas. Kansas is a well rounded team with plenty of talent, and they are not susceptible to "Giant Killers". When Purdue meets Notre Dame, there will be plenty of big names on the floor, but none bigger than Ben Hansbrough. The Big East player of the year will have to come out firing from the 3-point line if him and teammate, Tim Abromaitis, want to move on to the Elite Eight. Purdue doesn't have the size to match up with Notre Dame, so they should have trouble on the boards and stopping the Irish from raining 3's. I like Notre Dame to take this game and move on to Kansas in the next round.
Sweet Sixteen Picks: Kansas, Notre Dame
Playing for a trip to Houston, Kansas has the size to match up with Notre Dame and the Morris Twin's should still dominate leading Kansas's offense from the inside against a weaker Notre Dame defense. If Notre Dame was having a hot streak shooting I could see them pulling the upset, but I am going to take Kansas's success this season as a sign that they will be in the Final Four.
Elite Eight Pick: Kansas
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| March Madness Southwest Bracket Predictions |
Abundance of Champs Out West
Out in the West region three of the top four seeds won their conference's championship game and all four played in their respective title games. Duke recieved the top bid, followed by San Diego State, UConn, and Texas. San Diego State lost two of three against BYU and won the rest of the games on their schedule putting themselves on the national radar. Perhaps the hottest team in the country, UConn, went undefeated out of conference with a big win over Kentucky only to lose nine games to tournament Big East teams, but they did win five straight in the Big East Tournament to take the title. Texas was a top team the entire season before losing three of five to close out the regular season and probably deserved a better seeding from the committee.
The West region escaped the initial play-in games, so they are all on the same playing field. For the first round in the West I like the Michigan(8) and Tenneessee(9) match-up. Michigan is one of the youngest teams in the nation and did well in a strong Big Ten conference. Tennessee comes in as a highly talented team that doesn't always show up. With their coach, Bruce Pearl, forced to sit out a few games, the Volunteers struggled down the stretch. Tennessee could easily go on a run if they could become a disciplined team, but I like Michigan's talent and youth, as well as, a 1-3-1 defense they play that's tough for teams that aren't use to it.
My upset for the round is Penn State(10) over Temple(7). The Nittany Lions have a star player in Taylor Battle, who can take over a game and got them to the Big Ten championship. The team has senior leadership in Battle, Jackson, Brooks, and Jones that can help them get through the first round in their first tournament experience together. Temple does have a quality program that plays like a team, but I think following the momentum Penn State is riding from the Big Ten tournament, they will pull off a first round win.
First Round Picks: Duke, Michigan, Arizona, Texas, Cincinnati, UConn, Penn State, San Diego State
Assuming Michigan beats Tennessee, I don't think Michigan has a chance to stop Duke in the second round. Tennessee's talent would pose more of a threat if they were to make it. Texas will face Arizona and will need to shut down Arizona's big man Derrick Williams, which is no easy task. The Longhorn's size should allow them to minimize the damages caused by Williams and will help them hang on for a win. With eleven Big East teams in the tournament, two are bound to play each other eventually and UConn should see Cincinnati in the second round. Cincinnati should keep the game close with good defense, but UConn has star power with Kemba Walker and won't lose to a lesser team. San Diego State rounds out the second round with an easy win over an over matched Penn State team. They both have veteran leadership, but San Diego State will out rebound Penn State and has a lot more talent.
Second Round Picks: Duke, Texas, UConn, San Diego State
Going into the second weekend of the tournament, I see Texas and Duke facing off in the Sweet Sixteen. As one of the best rebounding teams in the nation, Texas should pose problems for Duke. If they can get out to the perimeter and defend the three, I think Texas can take down a one seed. Again, only a few weeks ago Texas was the number one team in the nation and the team to beat, but they had a few losses at the end of the season. Their ranking doesn't show their true potential. Between UConn and San Diego State, I think the streak is broken. UConn had a great run, but how long can Kemba Walker knock down game winning shots? San Diego State may be the top seed, but in most people's mind this would be an upset. San Diego State out rebounds UConn and D.J. Gay slows down Kemba Walker as the Aztecs roll into the Elite Eight.
Sweet Sixteen Picks: Texas, San Diego State
Texas and San Diego State have been ranked in the top ten since mid season, and the match-up is David vs. Goliath in name only. The Longhorns can match the Aztecs size and take the boards the way that UConn wasn't able to achieve. Both teams excel with athleticism in transition, but Texas will be too much and overwhelm the Aztecs with their talent and defense. It was a good run for San Diego State with no tournament experience.
Elite Eight Pick: Texas
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| March Madness West Bracket Predictions |
Monday, March 14, 2011
Beasts of the East
Ohio State got a tough draw as the number one seed overall in this year's NCAA Tournament. The East bracket has the best set of the two, three, and four seeded teams with some big names. University of North Carolina comes in as the two seed after a tough loss in the ACC Championship, but they had a good run the second half of the season. The number three seed, Syracuse, was a top ten team until entering the heart of Big East play. They still finished strong at the end of the season and had a tough loss to eventual Big East champ, UConn. Kentucky rounds out the top seeds as a four seed that could have been higher. The Wildcats went through the Southeastern Conference Tournament and came away champions after knocking off top seeded Florida. They could have been a three seed themselves. All the one seeds rarely make it through to the final four, and with this being such a strong region, I don't see the Buckeyes cutting down the nets in Houston.
Elite Eight Pick: Syracuse
The region features two of the play-in games with University of Texas-San Antonio playing Alabama State and University of Alabama-Birmingham taking on Clemson. While many didn't see UAB making the tournament, they are a good team and no one would be shocked if they beat Clemson. As for the two others , they will be battling it out to meet their demise at the hands of Ohio State.
The most intriguing match-ups of the first round are between George Mason(8) and Villanova(9), Xavier(6) and Marquette(11), and Washington(7) and Georgia(10). Mason and Villanova had polar opposite second halves of the season with Mason ending on a long winning streak before their conference tournament. Villanova struggled down the stretch and lost one big man in the Big East Tournament. I think Mason should continue their hot streak and take down a struggling Villanova team, especially if they are short handed in the paint. Xavier is a perennial tournament team at this point and looks to continue past success behind standout guard Tu Holloway and seven footer Kenny Frease. Holloway's 20 points per game will be necessary to take out Marquette, a team that ran the gauntlet of the Big East to make the tournament. With Xavier relying heavily on their strong guard play they should take out Marquette. Finally, in the 7-10 matchup Georgia will face Washington, the Pac-10 Tournament champs. Washington is a high scoring team that Georgia won't be able to catch if the Huskies get a large lead, but I think Georgia is more physical and has the point guards to run with Isiah Thomas, which will ultimately secure the victory in a close game.
First Round Picks: Ohio St, George Mason, West Va, Kentucky, Xavier, Syracuse, Georgia, UNC
The top teams in this region seem too good to fall to one of the lower seeds in the second round. George Mason doesn't present a great match-up against Ohio State, but they have a variety of scorers that could get hot and pose a problem to the Buckeyes. I want to pull for George Mason to make another deep tournament run, but I just don't see how it could happen.
Second Round Picks: Ohio St, Kentucky, Syracuse, UNC
Heading into the Sweet Sixteen I like the power and offensive rebounding from Josh Harrellson of Kentucky to rival Jared Sullinger of Ohio State. Kentucky is a young team with talent that shoots the three well and has plenty of upside. While Ohio State is the favorite to win it all, I think Kentucky can steal it away if they can stay out of foul trouble with their lack of depth. On the bottom of the East region I am taking the Syracuse Orange to knock off UNC. Syracuse is a veteran team that showed back up at the end of the season to finish strong. Their zone defense is tough for teams that haven't seen it during league play. If the guards of the Orange can keep their shooting up, I see them moving on to the end of the second weekend.
Sweet Sixteen Picks: Kentucky, Syracuse
I like Syracuse to punch their ticket to Houston by taking on Kentucky's young stars with their strong defense and veteran leadership. I wouldn't be surprised if Fab Melo shows up in a game or two for the Orange to be a key player in the paint. Theres plenty of talent in the region and an abundance of top-tier coaches, but I like experience to pull through with the Syracuse Orange being the top beast of the east.
Sweet Sixteen Picks: Kentucky, Syracuse
I like Syracuse to punch their ticket to Houston by taking on Kentucky's young stars with their strong defense and veteran leadership. I wouldn't be surprised if Fab Melo shows up in a game or two for the Orange to be a key player in the paint. Theres plenty of talent in the region and an abundance of top-tier coaches, but I like experience to pull through with the Syracuse Orange being the top beast of the east.
Elite Eight Pick: Syracuse
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| March Madness East Region Predictions |
Where to Draw the Line
Every year on Selection Sunday there are the short videos of teams celebrating once their name is announced in a section of the NCAA Tournament bracket. As the program changes over to analysis the focus quickly shifts to those on the outside looking into the bracket. However, I have never seen the analysts as animated as they were last night, not necessarily for who didn't make it but for the ones that got the final slots.
The Conference USA regular season champion, UAB, couldn't win their own conference tournament and didn't have a single signature victory this season. In the past I have always heard the selection committee talk about three signature wins as a large part of a team's resume. I can't even find a starting place for finding three key wins let alone one. For VCU I can at least locate some key wins over George Mason, ODU, and UCLA. The Rams of VCU seemed on the bubble before stumbling down the stretch by going 3-5 in their last eight games. Somehow they didn't play their way out of the tournament. One of the biggest losers of the tournament will be USC. The Trojans had fourteen losses on the year while playing in a weak Pac-10 conference. With strong wins in and out of conference over Texas, Tennessee, and Arizona, I can see where they have flexed their muscles for the committee. But again with so many losses in such a weak conference, I can't see how the Trojans made the cut.
There isn't a team hurting more from these decisions than Colorado. The Buffaloes had the big wins needed for a tournament birth in wins over Kansas State(three times), Missouri, and Texas. They finished the season strong at 5-2 in their last seven games. Their only negative draw would be their lack of a quality non conference schedule. But at the time that matters, when most teams play themselves out, Colorado played their way into the big dance and got the biggest snub of all.
Compelling arguments could be made for both Virginia Tech, with their big win over Duke, or Alabama, who tore through the SEC after struggling in their non conference schedule. But at the end of Selection Sunday, the bubble isn't what matters and doesn't produce champions. When the play-in games start Tuesday night the only people still talking about the bubble will be those that could have, should have, but did not make it. In fact, the tournament changed to 68 teams this year, so not one team thats being talked about in these discussions would be in the tournament in the past. As we go forward and talks rise about adding more teams to the tournament, there will always be the same arguments over the last few in and out, while the top teams will still take home the hardware at the end of the March Madness.
The Conference USA regular season champion, UAB, couldn't win their own conference tournament and didn't have a single signature victory this season. In the past I have always heard the selection committee talk about three signature wins as a large part of a team's resume. I can't even find a starting place for finding three key wins let alone one. For VCU I can at least locate some key wins over George Mason, ODU, and UCLA. The Rams of VCU seemed on the bubble before stumbling down the stretch by going 3-5 in their last eight games. Somehow they didn't play their way out of the tournament. One of the biggest losers of the tournament will be USC. The Trojans had fourteen losses on the year while playing in a weak Pac-10 conference. With strong wins in and out of conference over Texas, Tennessee, and Arizona, I can see where they have flexed their muscles for the committee. But again with so many losses in such a weak conference, I can't see how the Trojans made the cut.
There isn't a team hurting more from these decisions than Colorado. The Buffaloes had the big wins needed for a tournament birth in wins over Kansas State(three times), Missouri, and Texas. They finished the season strong at 5-2 in their last seven games. Their only negative draw would be their lack of a quality non conference schedule. But at the time that matters, when most teams play themselves out, Colorado played their way into the big dance and got the biggest snub of all.
Compelling arguments could be made for both Virginia Tech, with their big win over Duke, or Alabama, who tore through the SEC after struggling in their non conference schedule. But at the end of Selection Sunday, the bubble isn't what matters and doesn't produce champions. When the play-in games start Tuesday night the only people still talking about the bubble will be those that could have, should have, but did not make it. In fact, the tournament changed to 68 teams this year, so not one team thats being talked about in these discussions would be in the tournament in the past. As we go forward and talks rise about adding more teams to the tournament, there will always be the same arguments over the last few in and out, while the top teams will still take home the hardware at the end of the March Madness.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Can Cam Beat the Spread
Every year around this time, there is massive speculation about an amazing athletic specimen and whether they will succeed as a quarterback in the National Football League. This year's Heisman Trophy winner, Cam Newton, is the next in line. After his one breakout junior season, Cam Newton is leaving the college ranks to join the NFL in hopes of developing into a star. I just don't see it.
The league has seen Michael Vick take over a game, JaMarcus Russell play his way out of the league, and Tim Tebow create hype nationwide. What makes these players so special is the rare physical abilities that they bring to the quarterback position. Vick took the spotlight every time he stepped on the field early in his career and with his return this season he showed maturity as he put up MVP numbers. Eventually the league did seem to figure Vick out towards the end of the season, but this was his eight season and first showing real maturity balancing his athletic abilities. Russell should just be chalked up as a bust all over, but he was drafted based on his ideal size and arm strength. He never lived up to potential and was released by the Oakland Raiders after three disappointing seasons. If anything he is a good example of why size and athletic ability can get you through college, but the NFL is the real deal.
A unique comparison to Newton lies with Tim Tebow. Both players came out of the top conference in college football, the SEC, winning National Championships and Heisman Trophies. Newton and Tebow were both strong rushing quarterbacks leading a spread offense. Neither possesses elite accuracy, but both were extremely successful carrying their teams to greatness.
Where Newton and Tebow differ is their character. Tim Tebow made a name for himself at the University of Florida by willing his team to win, both on the field and in the locker room. He delivered a speech to his team after a tough one point loss to Mississippi mid-season in 2008 that became famous after the team won out for the rest of the season and took home the NCAA National Championship. Tebow's dominance over college football for three years, as potentially the greatest college football player to ever play the game, could not secure him as a first round draft pick. Instead, his intangibles are what got him into the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Scouts were amazed at his leadership skills and character, and when the Bronco's picked him 25th overall, I believe they put their future trust in Tebow willing them to win as he did with Florida.
Cam Newton began his collegiate career backing up Tim Tebow at the University of Florida. In his sophomore season, after taking a medical redshirt, Newton was found with a student's stolen laptop and got off easy with a court-approved pretrial diversion program. He followed that up with being accused of three accounts of academic cheating. Newton later left Florida in fear of being suspended, but he wasn't done with his collegiate drama. Halfway through his breakout season with Auburn, news broke that Newton's father had solicited his son to Mississippi State for money in addition to a scholarship. The NCAA decided that Newton and Auburn University did not know about what had taken place, so Newton was still eligible to play. Scandal has followed Newton and shows his character is need of rebuilding.
Newton is nothing more than a physical specimen like JaMarcus Russell. He lacks accuracy, only started one season in college, and was developed in the same college system as Tim Tebow that adds years to a quarterback's development. Cam Newton's career has a basement of being JaMarcus Russell success and a ceiling of being the next Michael Vick, but we won't know for years because he is a project. Today, Newton is Tim Tebow without the intangibles that gave him the status of a first round draft pick.
The league has seen Michael Vick take over a game, JaMarcus Russell play his way out of the league, and Tim Tebow create hype nationwide. What makes these players so special is the rare physical abilities that they bring to the quarterback position. Vick took the spotlight every time he stepped on the field early in his career and with his return this season he showed maturity as he put up MVP numbers. Eventually the league did seem to figure Vick out towards the end of the season, but this was his eight season and first showing real maturity balancing his athletic abilities. Russell should just be chalked up as a bust all over, but he was drafted based on his ideal size and arm strength. He never lived up to potential and was released by the Oakland Raiders after three disappointing seasons. If anything he is a good example of why size and athletic ability can get you through college, but the NFL is the real deal.
A unique comparison to Newton lies with Tim Tebow. Both players came out of the top conference in college football, the SEC, winning National Championships and Heisman Trophies. Newton and Tebow were both strong rushing quarterbacks leading a spread offense. Neither possesses elite accuracy, but both were extremely successful carrying their teams to greatness.
Where Newton and Tebow differ is their character. Tim Tebow made a name for himself at the University of Florida by willing his team to win, both on the field and in the locker room. He delivered a speech to his team after a tough one point loss to Mississippi mid-season in 2008 that became famous after the team won out for the rest of the season and took home the NCAA National Championship. Tebow's dominance over college football for three years, as potentially the greatest college football player to ever play the game, could not secure him as a first round draft pick. Instead, his intangibles are what got him into the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Scouts were amazed at his leadership skills and character, and when the Bronco's picked him 25th overall, I believe they put their future trust in Tebow willing them to win as he did with Florida.
Cam Newton began his collegiate career backing up Tim Tebow at the University of Florida. In his sophomore season, after taking a medical redshirt, Newton was found with a student's stolen laptop and got off easy with a court-approved pretrial diversion program. He followed that up with being accused of three accounts of academic cheating. Newton later left Florida in fear of being suspended, but he wasn't done with his collegiate drama. Halfway through his breakout season with Auburn, news broke that Newton's father had solicited his son to Mississippi State for money in addition to a scholarship. The NCAA decided that Newton and Auburn University did not know about what had taken place, so Newton was still eligible to play. Scandal has followed Newton and shows his character is need of rebuilding.
Newton is nothing more than a physical specimen like JaMarcus Russell. He lacks accuracy, only started one season in college, and was developed in the same college system as Tim Tebow that adds years to a quarterback's development. Cam Newton's career has a basement of being JaMarcus Russell success and a ceiling of being the next Michael Vick, but we won't know for years because he is a project. Today, Newton is Tim Tebow without the intangibles that gave him the status of a first round draft pick.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Malcolm X-Factor
As the majority of the conference tournaments are underway, the ACC teams have yet to clash. The conference plays host to as many bubble teams as any other conference in Virginia Tech, Clemson, and Boston College. Will all three teams make the big dance? Nope.
Virginia Tech has faced adversity all year with injuries to many of its role players, including senior guard Dorenzo Hudson. However, Erick Green has filled in nicely for Hudson and is a budding star for the Hokies. They been led through the season with senior play from Malcolm Delaney and Jeff Allen, who are both capable of taking over a game. On February 26th the Hokies knocked off Duke the number one team in the nation and many quickly assumed the Hokies were a lock for the NCAA tournament. Then they quickly played themselves on to the bubble by losing to the two waivering ACC contenders, Boston College and Clemson. Virginia Tech faces a must win game in the first round against Georgia Tech, a team they split the series with during the season. After that game a tight loss to the Florida State Seminoles could still allow the Hokies an NCAA birth, but a win against the Seminoles would likely secure their spot.
The other half of the bracket poses an interesting potential match-up. Assuming the Boston College Eagles defeat the conference worst, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, look for a second round match-up between Boston College and the Clemson Tigers. Could this be an NCAA tournament elimination game for the two teams? After this game, the only way I see them both getting in would be if Boston College won a close game and Virginia Tech doesn't show up in the tournament. Clemson won the only game between the two this season despite a strong showing from the Eagle's star Reggie Jackson.
Stars shine the brightest in the spotlight, and I like Reggie Jackson and Boston College to take down Clemson and send them home for the season. Virginia Tech will have to rely on their stars the most to prove to the committee that they are worth a spot among the 68 tournament teams. With strong guard play Virginia Tech will take down Georgia Tech, followed by Florida State, punching their ticket to March Madness. Then Duke will have it's shot at redemption against the Hokies, and with the way Nolan Smith shut down Delaney last game, the Hokies will have their hands full. Duke should win the ACC tournament, but I like the Hokies as the wildcard with their x-factor, Malcolm Delaney.
Virginia Tech has faced adversity all year with injuries to many of its role players, including senior guard Dorenzo Hudson. However, Erick Green has filled in nicely for Hudson and is a budding star for the Hokies. They been led through the season with senior play from Malcolm Delaney and Jeff Allen, who are both capable of taking over a game. On February 26th the Hokies knocked off Duke the number one team in the nation and many quickly assumed the Hokies were a lock for the NCAA tournament. Then they quickly played themselves on to the bubble by losing to the two waivering ACC contenders, Boston College and Clemson. Virginia Tech faces a must win game in the first round against Georgia Tech, a team they split the series with during the season. After that game a tight loss to the Florida State Seminoles could still allow the Hokies an NCAA birth, but a win against the Seminoles would likely secure their spot.
The other half of the bracket poses an interesting potential match-up. Assuming the Boston College Eagles defeat the conference worst, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, look for a second round match-up between Boston College and the Clemson Tigers. Could this be an NCAA tournament elimination game for the two teams? After this game, the only way I see them both getting in would be if Boston College won a close game and Virginia Tech doesn't show up in the tournament. Clemson won the only game between the two this season despite a strong showing from the Eagle's star Reggie Jackson.
Stars shine the brightest in the spotlight, and I like Reggie Jackson and Boston College to take down Clemson and send them home for the season. Virginia Tech will have to rely on their stars the most to prove to the committee that they are worth a spot among the 68 tournament teams. With strong guard play Virginia Tech will take down Georgia Tech, followed by Florida State, punching their ticket to March Madness. Then Duke will have it's shot at redemption against the Hokies, and with the way Nolan Smith shut down Delaney last game, the Hokies will have their hands full. Duke should win the ACC tournament, but I like the Hokies as the wildcard with their x-factor, Malcolm Delaney.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Crowning the Irish King
The Big East tournament kicks off today in just under ten minutes. The conference has stood out as the cream of the crop this season having up to nine teams in the AP Top 25 at one time. Despite beating each other up throughout the season they are looking to get up to eleven teams into the NCAA tournament. Each team has had the whole season to prove their worth to the committee, but who needs to shine this week before the dance?
Marquette is currently sketched in as a ten seed for March Madness. The Golden Eagles had big wins over Syracuse, Notre Dame, and Connecticut this season, but they fell hard at the end of the season to Cincinnati and bottom feeder Seton Hall. Stumbling into the tournament doesn't secure your place or your chances of winning once you get in the door. Marquette gets a favorable first round match-up against Providence with a rematch against West Virginia looming in the next round. They already topped the Mountaineers on New Year's Day and could use the big win if they beat them again. Should they get past West Virginia, the Golden Eagles would find a short handed Louisville team waiting, which could prove to be favorable.
There is not a team colder than Villanova right now. Nova started the season 16-1 before stumbling through the heart of their Big East schedule only to finish on a four game losing streak against top 25 competition. If the Wildcats don't get their footing in the Big East tournament they could be looking for an early exit in the NCAA tournament. Over a few weeks their seeding has dropped tremendously and currently looks like a seven. They should have an easy win over South Florida to build their confidence and will have to battle through Cincinnati to get to a big game against Notre Dame. Beating the Irish could put Villanova back on the map from pretender to contender.
Then there is the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. You ask why do they need to shine? The Irish are ranked fourth in the nation in both the AP polls and the Coaches poll and are just a win away from being a one seed. If Notre Dame can fare better than Pittsburgh and potentially win the Big East tournament, look for them to be a lock as the top Big East team as a one seed heading into the NCAA tournament. Notre Dame's path to the finals on Saturday at Madison Square Garden is more favorable than the road Pittsburgh or Syracuse must travel. I like the Fighting Irish to not only win their half of the bracket but to solidify their strong second half of the season with a Big East title.
Marquette is currently sketched in as a ten seed for March Madness. The Golden Eagles had big wins over Syracuse, Notre Dame, and Connecticut this season, but they fell hard at the end of the season to Cincinnati and bottom feeder Seton Hall. Stumbling into the tournament doesn't secure your place or your chances of winning once you get in the door. Marquette gets a favorable first round match-up against Providence with a rematch against West Virginia looming in the next round. They already topped the Mountaineers on New Year's Day and could use the big win if they beat them again. Should they get past West Virginia, the Golden Eagles would find a short handed Louisville team waiting, which could prove to be favorable.
There is not a team colder than Villanova right now. Nova started the season 16-1 before stumbling through the heart of their Big East schedule only to finish on a four game losing streak against top 25 competition. If the Wildcats don't get their footing in the Big East tournament they could be looking for an early exit in the NCAA tournament. Over a few weeks their seeding has dropped tremendously and currently looks like a seven. They should have an easy win over South Florida to build their confidence and will have to battle through Cincinnati to get to a big game against Notre Dame. Beating the Irish could put Villanova back on the map from pretender to contender.
Then there is the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. You ask why do they need to shine? The Irish are ranked fourth in the nation in both the AP polls and the Coaches poll and are just a win away from being a one seed. If Notre Dame can fare better than Pittsburgh and potentially win the Big East tournament, look for them to be a lock as the top Big East team as a one seed heading into the NCAA tournament. Notre Dame's path to the finals on Saturday at Madison Square Garden is more favorable than the road Pittsburgh or Syracuse must travel. I like the Fighting Irish to not only win their half of the bracket but to solidify their strong second half of the season with a Big East title.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Know Your Role Miami
Having the sixth best record in the NBA should make you feel safe, but the Miami Heat have to be worried. They have dropped five of their last six games, all to playoff teams. Everyone knew it would take time for Dwayne Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh to gel, but March is the time to fine tune your team to be ready for a deep playoff run beginning in April. Before its too late Miami needs to look to their top competition for a solution, the original "big three".
Since acquiring Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, Boston has been incredibly successful. The success is not from those additions alone, but from the role players on the team. While Paul Peirce and Ray Allen have ball skills and can create their own shot, they still allow Rondo to run the offense. Their offense is fluid and seems natural to me, rather than James and Wade forcing their way into the offense from other positions. From day one people questioned whether James and Wade could coexist together because of their need to have the ball in their hands. I understand that when the game is on the line one of them will want it, but for the other 47 minutes of the game Miami needs a true point guard. They don't need a player as effective as Rondo, but someone they trust with the ball that can set up James and Wade for more efficient scoring opportunities. Mario Chalmers had a shot at being that guy, but with the addition of Mike Bibby they should have an experienced point guard heading into the playoffs. They have one month to build that trust and chemistry with Bibby.
Rebounding is another service that Boston's "big three" outsourced. Over the past few seasons Kendrick Perkins, Rasheed Wallace, James Posey, and Glen Davis have all lent a hand at crashing the boards. Miami is lacking those extra role players with Udonis Haslem out. His hopeful late March return could provide a needed spark. Without him, Miami has all its hope in two aging thirty-five year old centers with Ilgauskas and Dampier. Losing out on a Troy Murphy signing after he was bought out of his contract was unfortunate as well. Haslem's health going forward will be the key to their success in the playoffs, in what looks to be an exciting eastern conference.
Last July James, Wade, and Bosh began on their journey together, and eight months later it appears to be just that, their journey not a team's. The Heat need to define their role players moving forward to have a real shot at success deep in the playoffs.
Since acquiring Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, Boston has been incredibly successful. The success is not from those additions alone, but from the role players on the team. While Paul Peirce and Ray Allen have ball skills and can create their own shot, they still allow Rondo to run the offense. Their offense is fluid and seems natural to me, rather than James and Wade forcing their way into the offense from other positions. From day one people questioned whether James and Wade could coexist together because of their need to have the ball in their hands. I understand that when the game is on the line one of them will want it, but for the other 47 minutes of the game Miami needs a true point guard. They don't need a player as effective as Rondo, but someone they trust with the ball that can set up James and Wade for more efficient scoring opportunities. Mario Chalmers had a shot at being that guy, but with the addition of Mike Bibby they should have an experienced point guard heading into the playoffs. They have one month to build that trust and chemistry with Bibby.
Rebounding is another service that Boston's "big three" outsourced. Over the past few seasons Kendrick Perkins, Rasheed Wallace, James Posey, and Glen Davis have all lent a hand at crashing the boards. Miami is lacking those extra role players with Udonis Haslem out. His hopeful late March return could provide a needed spark. Without him, Miami has all its hope in two aging thirty-five year old centers with Ilgauskas and Dampier. Losing out on a Troy Murphy signing after he was bought out of his contract was unfortunate as well. Haslem's health going forward will be the key to their success in the playoffs, in what looks to be an exciting eastern conference.
Last July James, Wade, and Bosh began on their journey together, and eight months later it appears to be just that, their journey not a team's. The Heat need to define their role players moving forward to have a real shot at success deep in the playoffs.
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