On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA PLAYOFFS 2022”

NBA Playoffs 2022 (Sweet 16)

With a full 82 Games NBA season now over and the NBA Play-In Tournament effectively completed, we are now officially ready to proceed with the NBA Playoffs 2022.

This year’s shocking “King of The Court” and No. 1 Seed in the entire league are the dominating Phoenix Suns (64-18). Them Boys fell short last year in the NBA Finals but worked their way back into a powerhouse team this year that dominated the entire league with such presence on both sides of the court that, short of reaching and winning the NBA Finals this year, would be a disappointment for this focused squad. With home court advantage secured throughout the Playoffs the path to the Finals should be very interesting.

The No. 2 Seed are the surging Memphis Grizzlies (56-26) who have caused havoc throughout the league with their young core of stallions making a name for themselves by dominating their opposition and making pure highlight reels night in and night out. Lack of experience aside, this squad has the goods to outduel any challenger on any given night. They are undeniably must watch TV.

Coming in as the No. 3 Seed are the Golden State Warriors (53-29). The Warriors have steadily worked their way back into the Playoffs and could surprise quite a few teams who underestimate their squad who are not at full strength as of yet but still possess the experience to overcome tough challenges If a healthy Curry, Klay and Draymond can grace the floor together, their chances of advancing throughout the Playoffs increase dramatically.

The No. 4 Seed are the Dallas Mavericks (52-30). Them Boys have had a slow start but managed to get it together in time to build that confidence needed to raise hell throughout the Playoffs. Their squad is intact and well balanced but absolutely need a healthy Luka Doncic to lead the way to any victory.

The stronghold of the Western Conference has dipped this year but rounding up the remaining playoff spots are at the No. 5 Seed Utah Jazz (49-33). The Jazz have had an up and down type season but still managed a respectful seeding while battling it out to the wire. They could cause a problem throughout the Playoffs on any given night. The No. 6 Seed Denver Nuggets (48-34) have maintained their respectful standing throughout the season by playing hard night in and night out but surviving the Playoff run will be challenging, especially without the services of Jamal Murray still out recovering from a torn ACL but with Nikola Jokic running the show, their odds of success are still good. Making a new entry as the No. 7 Seed are the Minnesota Timberwolves (46-36). Them boys making it to the dance is a positive and good for the experience but other than that, I see a quick exit out. The same can be said about the New Orleans Pelicans (36-46) fresh from the Play-In game against the Clippers, them Boys fought hard to get to the dance but their stay might be short lived.

Representing the Eastern Conference with the No.1 Seed are the Miami Heat (53-29). Grabbing that No. 1 Seed in the Eastern Conference wasn’t easy this year. The Eastern teams have improved dramatically making the conference very competitive all around. Any team from 1 to 5 had a chance at claiming the No. 1 Seed. That said Miami earned it but will still have a hell of time defending it throughout the Playoffs. The No. 2 Seed are the Boston Celtics (51-31). Them Boys literally came from the bottom seed all the way up into the standings giving themselves a legitimate chance at a good run in the Playoffs. Their squad is solid with two very good All-Star players in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown playing at an all-time high-level night in and night out. In the No. 3 Seed are the Defending Champions Milwaukee Bucks (51-31). Them Boys had it rough at times throughout the season with injuries disrupting their line up but with their MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo holding the team down on every level, these Defending Champs will remain a problem to any team trying to derail them from reaching the NBA Finals.

The Philadelphia 76ers hold the No. 4 Seed with their revamped squad balling out. They are hoping to reach the NBA Finals this year with Joel Embiid playing at an MVP level at both ends of the floor and newly acquired point guard James Harden running the show. Over all they have a tight squad that can get the job done but actions speak louder than words and they gotta get it together and not choke this time around. The No. 5 Seed are our Canadian Team the Toronto Raptors (48-34) who worked their way up to a respectable standing considering they were at the bottom riddled with injuries slowing them down throughout the season. Fully healthy now they have an opportunity to give it a good solid run.

The Chicago Bulls hold the No. 6 Seed and at one point held the No. 1 Seed but dealt with some close losses that eventually knocked them down the standings. They have a solid squad that can get it done but will have a hell of a time competing with the Heavy hitters sitting ahead of them but the Bulls shouldn’t be slept on just yet.

The 7 Seed Brooklyn Nets (44-38) and the 8 Seed Atlanta Hawks (43-39) both needed the Play-In Tournament to get in this year’s Playoff run but truth be told, they are also the two teams capable of beating the No. 1 and No. 2 Seed to move on and completely disrupt the Playoffs. Neither team is gun-shy and can rack up the scoring board in very little time. They both possess the playmakers who can individually win games on their own when on fire. Definitely two teams to keep a close eye on during the first round of the Playoffs.

Tune in this Saturday April 16, 2022 for this year’s NBA version of the “Sweet 16” Playoffs run.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The 71st 2022 NBA All-Star Game”

This year, the 71st annual NBA All-Star Game will be hosted in Cleveland, Ohio at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Saturday February 20, 2022.
Once again, the league is maintaining the Draft-Style format and the starters were chosen by the fans while the rest of the squad was selected by the media and their peers. That said the Western and returning leading vote-getter from the fans is Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, and the Eastern returning leading vote-getter from the Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant will once again serve as Captains of their respective Conferences.

Representing the Western Conference “Team LeBron” Starters this year are:

-Lebron James (Los Angeles Lakers) Team Captain
-Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
-Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
-Demar Derozan (Chicago Bulls)
-Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)

Reserves

-Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat)
-Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)
-Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers)
-James Harden (Philadelphia 76ers)
-Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz)
-Chris Paul (Phoenix Suns)
-Fred Vanvleet (Toronto Raptors)

Coach Monty Williams (Phoenix Suns)

Representing the Eastern Conference “Team Durant” Starters this year:

-Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)
-Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies)
-Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)
-Andrew Wiggins (Golden State Warriors)
-Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)

Reserves

-LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets)
-Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)
-Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz)
-Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors)
-Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls)
-Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks)
-Dejounte Murray (San Antonio Spurs)
-Karl Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves)

Coach Erik Spoelstra (Miami Heat)

“King of the Court” will be up for grabs once again come Sunday night February 20, 2022 on NBA TNT. Which Squad will claim “GAME” when the dust settles?

Tune in and enjoy all the festivities of the entire weekend starting February 18 to February 20, 2022.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA-Who’s On Top?”

The NBA-Who’s On Top?

We are officially passed the midpoint mark for the season with 42 plus Games played to date and we have a new contender in the Phoenix Suns (35-9) holding down the No. 1 Spot by a very small margin over the Golden State Warriors (33-13). The Suns have been keeping their steady team play on point and on both ends of the court. A return trip to the NBA Finals is their soul mission and judging by the way they have been balling as of late they have the right nucleus and focus to reach their destination point at hand. However, the Warriors, the dark horse of the Western Conference are slowly but efficiently getting their squad back in order with Stephen Curry balling at an MVP level and Klay Thompson finally gracing the NBA court from his two season-ending injuries back to proving he’s still got “Game”. The Warriors are seriously back into the race but breathing down their necks are the surging Memphis Grizzlies (32-16) who have exceeded their expectation so far by balling extremely hard as a solid squad creating havoc throughout the league. Ja Morant is becoming a legitimate star in the league capable of pushing this team deep into the Playoffs. The Utah Jazz (30-16) has been on a steady  pace amongst the top tier in the league. They have a well-balance proven squad capable of grabbing that No. 1 Spot in the Western Conference, so overlooking them would not be a good idea. Surprisingly the Dallas Mavericks (26-20), the Denver Nuggets (23-21), the Los Angeles Lakers (23-23), the Los Angeles Clippers (23-24) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (22-23) have all fallen short as of late and are all struggling to survive within the Western Conference but, that being said the possibility of any of the bottom teams to move up is not unrealistic at this point in the season.

With the improvement of the Eastern Conference teams this year, holding on to the No. 1 Spot has been challenging with new faces emerging within the standings while familiar faces have been dropping out. As of today, the Brooklyn Nets (29-16) are holding on to the No. 1 Spot with a slight edge over the Chicago Bulls (28-16). Like quite a few teams throughout the season, The Nets have been hit with the Covid-19 protocol but still managed to maintain a respected record during their hardship. When healthy, this team is a serious problem to the entire league. That said the surging Bulls have made a point to not being counted out but taken seriously by all competitors. This squad has a strong nucleus that play both ends of the floor night in and night out. They have the goods to upset quite a few teams this time around come Playoff time. The Miami Heat (29-17) has been fighting through injuries to their key players but have managed to maintain a respectable record while still being competitive night in and night out. Once healthy this will create havoc on their way to the Playoffs. The Defending Champions Milwaukee Bucks (30-19) have looked vulnerable throughout the season so far due to injuries to key players as well but with Giannis Antetokounmpo still balling at an MVP level and with their squad at full capability, the Bucks will find their way back to defending their Championship. The Cleveland Cavaliers (27-19) have taken the league by storm this year with a very impressive record to date. This young core has gelled well and silently created a squad worthy of a Playoff berth if they can keep it up and maintain a hold of their ranking. The Philadelphia 76ers (26-19) are still in the mix but struggling to hold on. With the Ben Simmons situation still unresolved, the team play has visibly struggled at times but with a healthy Joel Embiid and a focussed squad, the 76ers still have enough juice to make some noise come Playoff time. The Charlotte Hornets (26-20) are a work in progress but definitely bubbling and can unquestionably put on a good show when the whole squad is focussed. If the Hornets can keep it together down the stretch, a Playoff spot is on their horizon. As for the Toronto Raptors (22-21), the Washington Wizards (23-23), the Boston Celtics (23-24), the New York Knicks (22-24), their records don’t do them justice. These remaining struggling teams have enough fire power to turn things around in the second half of the season. The question remains which team will dig deep enough to make that reality.

So much uncertainty in both conferences is making it that much more interesting. Keep locked in to see the final stretch to the NBA’S version of the “Sweet 16” aka the Playoffs.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About 2021 NBA FINALS CHAMPIONS”

2021 NBA FINALS CHAMPIONS

Giannis Antetokounmpo has finally reached the mountain top of the 2021 NBA Season by closing out game 6 of the NBA Finals with an exceptional “Greek Freak” like performance scoring 50 points, holding down 14 boards and five amazing blocks to bring the Milwaukee Bucks their second NBA Championship since 1971.

I gotta tip my “B” hat to Giannis. The growth he has displayed in his maturity and his game throughout the last three seasons are what Legends are made of. Giannis has already picked up two NBA Seasons MVP honors and a DPOY award in year 2019/2020 and now a 2021 NBA Finals MVP along with the 2021 NBA Finals Championship. Giannis can no longer be disrespected by his peers. He earned his triumph the hard way. These types of personal accolades will separate you from the norm but align you with the only two other Legends to have walked the same path as Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon, who are the only other players to date to have earned all three awards over their astonishing career.

That being said, Giannis couldn’t have completed this obstacle without the Bucks’ squad stepping up. Them Boys came from a 2-0 deficit in the series to clean out the Suns in a tough 4 game sweep to win the Championship on the home court floor. In this series the Bucks’ squad showed they were battled tested and ready to prove it. They were not going to be denied on their big night.

The Suns may have fell short last night but should still keep their heads up high for reaching the Finals with such an inexperienced team. They balled out all season and took out some great teams throughout the Playoffs. They were on the biggest stage doing their thing and deserved to be on that stage. They just happened to meet a team just as determined and driven as them in the Milwaukee Bucks.

Congratulations to the Milwaukee Bucks for emerging as the New NBA Champions of the NBA Season 2021. You Boys battled through some tough series as well while also dealing with some injuries but came out on top of the world.

Respect earned the hard way. Well done.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About NBA FINALS 2021”

2021 NBA FINALS

With the NBA ‘s version of the Final 4 now officially over, the two remaining teams to represent their respective coasts are the No. 3 Seeded Milwaukee Bucks for the EASTSIDE and No. 2 Seeded Phoenix Suns for the WESTSIDE.

No one predicted this Finals matchup at the beginning of this year’s shortened NBA Season but due to a vigorous up and down NBA Season and multiple injuries to key players throughout the Playoffs from various favorable teams, the balance of power was tipped in a major way to which has now brought us to this intriguing outcome.

I’m not going to take away anything from what these two teams have accomplished on their journey to the Finals. The Bucks are coming into this Finals series with a question mark with the uncertainty of their leader and star player Giannis Antetokounmpo being unavailable due to a knee injury. Milwaukee has come a long way and battled Miami, Brooklyn and dismantled a tough Atlanta team without Giannis for the two close-out games. I would say this team right here is suitably battle tested and ready for whatever the Phoenix Suns has to offer.

That being said, the Suns haven’t graced the Finals since 1993 but this squad right here led by Chris Paul and young star in the making Devin Booker, and Phoenix’s inexperienced young squad has already surpassed all expectations by having completed a successful season and having made it to the Finals by going through the Defending Champions the Los Angeles Lakers, the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Clippers to secure their spot at the Finals table. Not an easy task for an inexperienced young squad but they did it.

With the Bucks looking to win their first NBA Title since 1971 and the Suns looking to secure their first NBA Title in history, the stakes are extremely high making this Year’s NBA Finals must see TV. So, tune in this Tuesday night July 6, 2021 and witness this high played chess match style of the NBA Finals live on ABC.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About 2021 NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS”

2021 NBA Eastern Conference Finals

Not too many people predicted this outcome for the Eastern Conference Finals. Real Talk! The No. 3 Seeded Milwaukee Bucks and the No. 5 Seeded Atlanta Hawks both survived a tight game 7 to secure a spot to compete for the right to represent the Eastside in the NBA Finals. I gotta tip my “B” hat to the Atlanta Hawks for the way they’ve been balling as of late. I knew them Boys could shake up the Playoffs run but the Conference Finals I didn’t see that coming. They have beaten some very good teams and upset the No. 1 Seeded Philadelphia 76ers on their way up. Atlanta is not playing and them Boys mean business.

Standing in their way are the Milwaukee Bucks who grinded their way to the Conference Finals with their heads up high. They didn’t have an easy route and struggled at times but definitely showed a much better battle-tested Playoff squad, ready to rumble with the best of them. The Bucks have failed to advance to the Finals the last two seasons, so the pressure to succeed will be heavily weighing on their minds. That being said, the challenge awaiting them is here now and their time is now.

Who will emerge victorious in the Eastern Conference Finals and earn the right of passage to the NBA Finals? Tune in for Game 1 this Wednesday, June 23, 2021. This is going to be an intriguing series. Check Ball!

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About 2021 NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS”

2021 NBA Western Conference Finals

The NBA’s version of the Final 4 is set to start this Sunday night June 20, 2021 in the Western Conference, with two new contenders in the No. 2 Seeded Phoenix Suns and the 4th Seeded Los Angeles Clippers. Both teams have dealt with adversaries on their way to the Conference Finals. Exceptional team play, good coaching and the rise of their star players stepping it up, have all contributed to them reaching this pivotal point on the road to the NBA Finals. That being said, injuries have played a big part in this year’s Playoff run and neither team were exempted.

With Phoenix having been well rested for a week, the Suns will have the edge come game time, unlike the Clippers who had to battle through a tight game 5 and 6 without one of their star players in Kawhi Leonard due to a sprained knee. With the uncertainty of Kawhi’s availability, the battle tested Clippers will have to enter their first Western Conference Finals with a tough challenge ahead of them. Like the saying goes, “the next man up” will have to hold it down and step up to the plate if they plan on defeating this hot and blazing Phoenix Suns team who may have just the right amount of fire power to cool the Clippers off, especially if they are coming in one all-star player short.

Tune in this Sunday night June 20, 2021 and witness the Western Conference shootout under the hot blazing lights!

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA-Who’s On Top?”

The NBA-Who’s on Top?

We are officially at the Quarter mark of this year’s shortened NBA Season and although we are still going through a Worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, the players from both the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference have all managed to keep their morals up and  stay upbeat while entertaining us with some thrilling games.

The struggles of the unexpected circumstances have affected every team somehow in some ways but throughout the challenges, some teams have risen to the occasion while some unexpected teams have faltered trying to keep up.

The Philadelphia 76ers are taking claim of the No. 1 Spot on the Eastside for the time being with a modest start of 17-7 record. Under the guidance of new head coach Doc Rivers, the 76ers seem to have found the right leader to help elevate this team to Championship calibre. The Milwaukee Bucks have had some tough losses to date but still maintain a respected 15-8 record. The Boston Celtics have actually had to postpone a few games due to Covid-19 protocol but still managed a reasonable 12-9 record. With the latest acquisition of James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets who stand at 14-11 record, the fire power has just dramatically increased but only time will tell how well this version of the “Big 3” Kyrie, Kevin and James actually gel together. While the Indiana Pacers 12-11 record, the Atlanta Hawks 11-12 record, and the New York Knicks 11-13 are playing musical chairs between themselves, it has been the poor start of our Canadian team the Toronto Raptors 10-13 record and the Miami Heat 8-14 record that has been the most surprising to me so far.

The Utah Jazz lead by Donovan Mitchell is marginally taking claim of the No. 1 Spot on the Westside with their own impressive start of 18-5 record. Them boys have shown some serious growth and maturity in their steady play so far at both ends of the court. The defending Champions the Los Angeles Lakers 18-6 record and the Los Angeles Clippers 17-7 both have picked up where they left off last year and could easily steal that No. 1 Spot on any given day. That being said the Phoenix Suns 12-9 record have kept things very interesting. With Chris Paul now running the point this squad has upped their competitiveness to 100% at both ends of the floor. As for the San Antonio Spurs 12-10 record, the Denver Nuggets 12-10 record, the Portland Trail Blazers 12-10 record and the Golden State Warriors 12-11, it’s a toss-up from this point on. The Western Conference teams are all capable of putting up some serious win streaks together that could set the whole Western standings into a roller-coaster game by game. Real Talk!

Stay locked in and appreciate this attention-grabbing and unpredictable NBA Season.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA Season 2020/2021”

The NBA Season 2020/2021

The NBA Season is set to start this upcoming Tuesday December 22, 2020 but with 10 games shorter than the previous seasons due to the Covid-19 pandemic still looming over the World.

So many things are going to be different and unpredictable for this upcoming season but one thing is for sure, the Los Angeles Lakers will be looking to repeat as Champions regardless of the obstacles ahead. The Lakers’ squad is still well-intact and well-built for the long haul. As for the Los Angeles Clippers, they may have fallen short in the Playoffs last season but redemption will be their motivation throughout this season. The Houston Rockets are an uncertainty right now considering they have done some major changes starting with their front office and the coaching staff and their star player, James Harden, looking for a way out of the city. Assuming Harden’s indecision to still run with the team, only time will tell how they will look as the season progresses. The Western Conference will still be competitive as usual with the strong play coming from the Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers, the Oklahoma City Thunder and let’s not forget The Golden State Warriors who may still have a say in the Western standings, – they are not done yet in my eyes.

The Eastern Conference is steadily improving with major players changing conferences to help balance the forces. The Milwaukee Bucks fell short once again at reaching the Finals but have managed to secure their MPV player Giannis Antetokounmpo to an extended contract giving them another opportunity at the task at hand, an NBA Title. With a few added pieces to the team, things could be looking up for them. The Miami Heat shocked the league last season when they worked their way to the NBA Finals. They showed they belong and plan on getting it going right back where they left off. The Brooklyn Nets will be looking for a “Takeover” type season with a healthy Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving leading the pack along with a new coaching staff to draw up the winning format. Our own Canadian team the Toronto Raptors are still in the running and still have the ability to stay competitive with any team from any conferences. The Philadelphia 76ers have done some revamping with their team and the coaching staff in the hope of changing their future outcome. Let’s see how everything unfolds throughout the season. The Boston Celtics is still a major player with a proven squad that can definitely upset the apple tree once they get going. They are a proven squad that can definitely disrupt the standings in the Eastern Conference. As for the Indiana Pacers, the Washington Wizards, the Charlotte Hornets, the Detroit Pistons, the New York Knicks and the Orlando Magic, the jury is still out on what they can bring to the table.

We are entering the unknown with this year NBA Season. There is no script on how things will evolve and for that alone we should all tune in this Tuesday night December 22, 2020 and be part of another roller-coaster type NBA Season 2020/2021.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About 2020 NBA FINALS CHAMPIONS”

2020 NBA FINALS CHAMPIONS

The NBA “Bubble” experience is now over. “King James” got to rock the Crown once again and win his 4th NBA Finals MVP award, while leading the Los Angeles Lakers to their 17th NBA Title in franchise history, tying the Boston Celtics for the most in league history.

I gotta tip my “B” hat to “King James”. The man walked it like he talked it. LeBron stayed true to himself and the Lakers organization and put the franchise back in the position where it belongs: at the top of the food chain as the NBA Champions of the year 2020.

We can’t front on Miami. Although the Heat squad fell short last night on the biggest stage, the road to the Finals was educational enough to keep their hunger going for next year. Real Talk! Them Heat Boys balled hard, injured or not, they did their thing inside that “Bubble” and should keep their heads up high. They competed and deserved to be there – they just happened to meet up with a King and his squad that came out early in the game and shut the whole operation down by half time. The Lakers had physically and emotionally destroyed the Miami Heat spirit.

No one man can win an NBA Championship on his own, you need a serious squad to accomplish that from top to bottom and the Lakers crew are proof of that. That said, we can’t ignore LeBron James’ greatness on the biggest stage last night. LeBron finished the night with 28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists and an additional MVP award with three Finals separate teams. Another historical moment to be added to his yet to be completed historical career.

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Lakers for conquering the challenges “The Bubble” experience presented. With Kobe Bryant’s death and that of his daughter Gigi last January, Social Injustice to COVID-19 still looming all over the world, this Championship run for the Lakers will forever be remembered as the most memorable one of this organization.

Respect earned to the Baddest Squad.

Blaze