On The Watch “It’s All About 2019 NBA CONFERENCE FINALS”

2019 NBA CONFENCE FINALS

It’s about that time: the NBA’s version of the Final 4 is set to start tonight in Oakland in the Western Conference, when the Defending Champions, the No. 1 seeded Golden State Warriors will be looking to reach the finals by going ball for ball against the 3rd seeded Portland Trail Blazers. Both teams are coming in wounded but driven to reach the Finals by any means necessary. I’m anticipating a serious shootout between them two teams and for the guard play to be a major factor considering both team’s backcourt is their most noticeable strength. The Warriors have been looking vulnerable during this year’s Playoff run but are still considered the favourite to come out of the West. That being said, you can’t count the Blazers out, them boys have been on a mission to silence all the doubters. The Blazers have been balling out of their minds and their swag is on 100 right now. The Blazers have been battle tested during this Playoff run. Now it’s time for them to keep that momentum going long enough to reach the NBA Finals. Tune in this Tuesday night May 14, 2019 and witness the Western Conference shootout under the bright lights!

The No. 1 seeded Milwaukee Bucks have been dominating all year and haven’t lost a step during their Playoff run to date. Them Boys only lost one game during the first two series of the Playoffs. The Bucks have arrived and are determined to complete their “Cinderella” year by reaching the NBA Finals and seizing that Larry O’Brien NBA Championship trophy. That being said, our very own No. 2 seeded Canadian team The Toronto Raptors, have their own dreams and aspirations of them also reaching the NBA Finals and seizing that Larry O’Brien NBA Championship trophy for themselves. This Eastern Conference Finals will be must watch TV at its best. Real Talk! While Milwaukee cruised their way to the Conference Finals, the Raptors needed a heroic game 7 in their second round to secure their seat at the table. Although both teams match up pretty well, I think the deciding factors will fall on the respective play of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard. Them two have been playing on some next level. We’ve seen Kawhi’s clutch play at this level. He’s been here before now its for the rest of the team to follow his lead. As for Giannis “The Greek Freak”, this is his first time going deep into the Playoffs, but you wouldn’t be able to tell the way he’s been “Ballin”. Giannis has looked unstoppable as of late making this match up that much more intriguing. So, tune in Wednesday night May 15, 2019 and see who will be repping the East come Finals time.

Blaze

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

The NBA-Who’s On Top?

We are officially well passed the midpoint mark for the season with 57 plus Games played to date and lo and behold we have a new contender in the Milwaukee Bucks (43-14) holding down the No.1 Spot by a very small margin over our own Canadian team the Toronto Raptors (43-16). Giannis and The Bucks have been looking like legit contenders as of late. Real Talk! The Bucks as a Team are looking to secure their bid for the NBA Finals by balling hard every night with their MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way with his do it all, no holds barred playmaking. Giannis is balling on another level right now and the Bucks are definitely benefiting from it. That being said, the Raptors still have a very good chance of claiming the No. 1 Spot in the Eastern Conference as do the Indiana Pacers (38-20), the Boston Celtics (37-21) and Philadelphia 76ers (37-21). They are all battling to secure a better seeding come Playoff time.

Holding down the Western Conference once again is the Defending Champs Golden State Warriors (41-16) but, surprisingly, behind them is the standout play of the Denver Nuggets (39-18). The Nuggets are the wild card in the Western Conference that can undeniably disrupt the seedings and possibly take the No.1 Spot if the Warriors are caught slipping. Real Talk! That being said, the Western Conference is still a tight and competitive race with Oklahoma City Thunder (37-20) balling hard while holding on to the third spot but could perhaps shuffle up or down with the Portland Trail Blazers (34-23) and the Houston Rockets (33-24) breathing down each other’s necks. The Los Angeles Lakers (28-29) have fallen off as of late but do have “King James” on the squad that could still flip a switch and turn things around and get back into contention.

The landscape is changing fast for both conferences and making it that much more interesting. Keep tuned 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 The NBA-Who’s On Top?”

The NBA Who’s on Top?

We are at the Quarter mark of this year’s NBA Season and sitting at the top above all for the moment is our own Canadian team The Toronto Raptors with a 18-4 record. I didn’t anticipate this great start from the Raptors considering the dramatic changes that were made over the summer but “DAMN”, the addition of Kawhi Leonard has them Boyz swagged up in a different way. Real Talk. It’s still early in the season but as of right now this team is looking on point on offence and defence. The Milwaukee Bucks are surprisingly tearing it up with some much-improve play cause them Boys have been “Ballin outrageous” with a respectable 15-6 record to date. The hunger and the talent are there now it’s just about keeping a steady healthy momentum throughout the season and these Boyz can certainly be a threat to any team. The Philadelphia 76ers have had an up and down start but managed a 15-8 record to date. With the latest addition of Jimmy Butler to the squad the 76ers will now have a solid set of 3 all-stars in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Expectation will be high for them three to gel quickly and turn things around. Peeps keep talking about the Eastern Conference being weak but Real Talk, the Division is still competitive. The Pacers’ 13-8 record, The Pistons’ 11-7 record and The Hornets’ 11-10 record are all keeping it real interesting. Now what I’m most surprised by is the play of The Boston Celtics with their record of 11-10. Unbelievable! Now I know it’s still early in the Season, but them Boyz need to get it together asap and start ballin. There’s way too much talent on that team to be sitting at the borderline like that. Real Talk!

The heated Western Conference is an early roller coaster ride with some teams playing musical chairs in the standings so far. Still premature into the Season, The Los Angeles Clippers are surprisingly holding on to the No. 1 Spot with a 14-6 record. These Boyz are ballin with a chip on their shoulders trying to prove the naysayers not to take them lightly with their revamped roster. The Defending Champs Golden State Warriors have taken an early set back with Steph Curry and Dramond Green who’ve been out of the line up for a few games. They’ve been able to sustain themselves for now with a 15-7 record, but truth be told they need Curry and Green back asap if they want another crack at the gold again. I know Its still early into the season, but the West is too strong of a Division to be hobbling around. The Denver Nuggets have dramatically improved on both side of the court and are breathing down all opponents’ necks with their record of 14-7 to date. They have a good thing going on over there and only time will tell if they’re for real with it. The Oklahoma City Thunder’s 13-7 record, Portland Trail Blazers’ 13-8 record, Memphis Grizzlies’ 12-8 record and The Los Angeles Lakers’ 11-9 record, are all bubbling teams that can intertwine and change position amongst the standings at any given time. That’s how tight this Division is. Surprisingly, The Houston Rockets are on the outside looking in with their disappointing start of 9-11 record. They were hit early with games missed by James Harden and Chris Paul as of late. I’m not counting these Boyz out just yet, but they absolutely need to get it together and play catch up Basketball sooner rather then later. The Western Conference is an endless race that can leave you behind in no time, good or bad.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About 2018 NBA FINALS CHAMPIONS”

BACK 2 BACK

It was written. The Golden State Warriors, in a blowout road win, completely annihilate The Cleveland Cavaliers by finishing them off in a sweep (4-0) to claim their first Back-To-Back Championship!! With this win Golden State join the Bulls, the Lakers the Celtics as the only NBA franchise to win three or more Championships in a four-year period.

Them Warriors came out with a game plan and executed it to a “T”. Real Talk! The “Hampton’s 5” and company were focus, ready and loaded to hand the Cavs their last game of the 2018 NBA Finals. I gotta tip my “B” hat to Cleveland, “King James” and his Cavaliers gave it a good run throughout the NBA Playoffs and the Finals but this Warriors squad was just too much for any team to handle. Real Talk!

The Warriors came into the Playoffs vulnerable but finished the series and the Finals strong and confident like the Champions they knew they were. There are levels to this sh*t and The Warriors are living proof of that.

Bron Bron put up some crazy MVP numbers over the four games with an average of 34 points, 10, assists and 8.5 rebounds but the 2018 Finals MVP was awarded to Kevin Durant for his Back-to-Back Bill Russell Trophy with an average of 28,8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 7.5 assists. He was unquestionably the most consistent player for his team this series.

Personal accolades aside, it takes a serious squad to win an NBA Finals Championship and The Golden State Warriors were just that a cohesive squad with exceptional group of players with one common goal in mind. A Dynasty in the making.

Congratulation Golden State on becoming this Year’s 2018 NBA Champions!! Once again the Larry O’Bryan Trophy will rest in the West.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About 2018 NBA CONFERENCE FINALS”

2018 NBA Conference Finals

It’s time; the NBA’s version of the Final 4 is now set to start this Sunday May 13, 2018. In the Eastern Conference, since our Canadian team the Toronto Raptors loss focus and got swept 4 zips to the Cleveland Cavaliers’, we now get to enjoy a rematch of last year’s Conference Finals. Boston the No. 2 seed will be looking to avenge their last year showing and attempt to slow down LeBron and his 4th seeded Cavaliers from reaching their 8th Finals appearance. I gotta tip my ”B” hat to both teams. Real talk! The Celtics have stayed alive and legit even without Kyrie Irving and Gordon Haywood in the line-ups in the Playoffs. Reaching the Eastern Conference Finals without your two main stars should be evidence enough on just how serious of a team the Celtics are when faced with adversity. They are a well-coached team with some highly motivated players who are willing and able to ball on a next level if need be. As for the Cavs, losing Kyrie Irving and revamping the team up mid-season, had the Cavs looking shaky in the second half of the season, but when you have LeBron still healthy and determined to prove the skeptics wrong, reaching the Eastern Conference has a way of silencing all the haters. Unbelievable!! It’s hard to count LeBron out when he’s running the show. Real Talk! That being said stay tuned in to see who will be representing the Eastern Conference when it’s all said and done.

This Western Conference may be one of the best shootouts to date. The best of the best. The No. 1 seeded team in the Houston Rockets vs the 2nd seeded Golden State Warriors. A lot has been said about this year Houston Rockets. This team finished the season with a 65-17 record, primed and loaded to challenge the Warriors for that Finals spot. Houston dominated the season all year to have the chance to dethrone the Defending Champs in Golden State Warriors. This series will be a chess match. The Warriors have shooters on deck and so do the Rockets but the Warriors are the more experienced team of the two when it comes to the Western Conference Finals hands down. They both match up well but personally I think a healthy Curry might be the “ace” the Warriors need to take the Rockets out but then again; the addition of Chris Paul and a consistent play of James Harden might be the key to upsetting the Golden State Warriors. With so much scoring and talent on both teams this series will feel like the NBA Finals so tune in to see which team will reign supreme on the Westside!!

Blaze