SCOTT JACOBS

Tracy McGrady is done for the year.  So are the Rockets.  And today, I have never ben more convinced that it is possible that T-Mac may never get out of the first round.  It seems insane for a talent of his magnitude to fail to elevate his team to at least a first round victory in a best of seven series, but now that T-Mac is heading for Grant Hill status: great player, can’t stay healthy, the Rockets look like they’re on the verge of crashing and burning.

After a promising offseason in which they seemingly stole Ron Artest for a trial run the Rockets appeared to have the pieces in place to play with the big boys.  But like we always say in sports: paper champions have never won any titles.  You have to go out on the court to claim your ring.  And once again, the familiar ring of ‘what if’ will continue to haunt the Rockets and their fans well into this offseason.

The latest foil to the Rockets hope is McGrady’s left knee, which is bothering him to the point that he’ll have microfracture surgery.

And it may only get worse from here.  McGrady, who is limping into his 30’s, has struggled this year to a tune of a career low 15.6 points per game.  His 39 percent shooting from the field is also a career worst.   The 6′8″, 11 year veteran who entered the league straight out of high school has never led his team out of the first round.

Found a great article on USA Today on Orlando’s now infamous 3 games to 1 collapse against the Pistons back in 2003.  This article was written after McGrady and the Magic beat Detroit 100-92 in game four, leaving Orlando on the verge of a stunning upset of the number one seeded Pistons.

With the sellout crowd throbbing with raw emotion, Orlando Magic forward Tracy McGrady palmed the basketball in one hand and gleefully raised the index finger on his right hand high in the air. “One more! One more!” McGrady screamed, even though he knew few could hear his words considering all the noise.

But that one final win never came.  The Pistons roared back to sweep the series’ final three games, and sent McGrady to a defeat he would never truly overcome.  Almost six years later McGrady is still looking for that elusive first playoff series victory.

SCOTT JACOBS

Detroit is mining for one last title run, and today, they traded for a golden Nugget, acquiring prolific scorer Allen Iverson from Denver.  The move is not official yet, but it should be done soon.  So the question becomes why?

Not why the Nuggets would do this trade, but why would the Pistons make this deal?

Okay, so AI’s contract comes off of the books at the end of the year, but again, I ask, why make this deal?  Okay, so the Pistons are looking to get younger and sort of re-make what has been the East’s model franchise in the 2000’s, but again why make this trade?

Why trade Mr. Big Shot, ChaChaChauncceeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyy BBBBBBBBBubububilllluuuuuuppppssss and McDyess away for a past his prime, ball hog, me first scorer who is rapidly declining each season?  Why break up a team that has been the anti-me first team in the NBA for years now, for a guy who always wants to shoot?  Why break up a core that once again made the Eastern Conference Finals last season?  Why, take all that for granted, and push your chips to the center of the table for a one year trial?

Why?

I understand the Pistons were looking to remake their team.  That was no secret.  But early rumors a few months ago said they might try to pry away Carmelo from Denver.  Why they would want AI is kind of beyond me.  Is there like a garage sale on NBA.com that says trade in your good, clutch players that help your team tick, for a used up, past his prime mega-star?  First Shaq, then Kidd, then this?  Don’t teams get it?  Remaking your team around over the hill stars just doesn’t work once the season starts.

Billups was the engine that helped Detroit go.  McDyess was the consistent center who did the dirty work.  AI is the guy who has led one team to a championship appearance.  Billups helped fuel the Pistons to a title, and nearly a second. He’s under contract until 2011.

Detroit is basically playing the Milwaukee Brewers card here: we’ll pick up a guy for the rest of the season and then figure things out after that.  I don’t like the move.  You may not agree.  I just feel like teamwork and chemistry, trumps statistics.  What Billups does doesn’t always show up in the box-score.  Billups is a special player, an unselfish player, a good ball handlerwho is also a very good foul shooter.  AI is a very good shooter as well, but he’s a big personality.  How will he coexist with a team as unselfish as there is?  Does he fit right in?  No one knows.

Meanwhile for Denver, it’s the end of a fun, but ultimately very disappointing era.  Iverson was supposed to be the guy who got Denver over the hump.  Instead, they never got past the first round.  You could argue they will be a better team with Billups, and McDyess, who will be making his THIRD stint with the Nuggs.

I would simply argue that when we look back on this trade, it will be one the Pistons will regret.

SCOTT JACOBS

“The buzzer couldn’t come any sooner,” said an elated Paul Pierce. “We finally made it.”

“We’re in the Finals!” he screamed, smiling like a 10 year old.

Go ahead Paul. Scream and holler all you want. What seemed unthinkable just a mere year ago is now reality. The Boston Celtics, Eastern Conference Champions? Last May that would have came across as a cruel joke, on par with Billy Buckner chants, but now, well let’s just say it’s the truth.

Celtics players huddled around the East finals trophy, chanting, “beat LA.”

It must be something in the water in Boston. All Bostonian teams do, make it to championships!

The Celtics are just the latest Beantown staple to join the ridiculous title tea party, schmoozing next to the Patriots and the Red Sox.

Celtics-Lakers and no, it’s not 1987. It’s 2008, and you’re not going to wake up and see San Antonio and Detroit vie for the snoozer championship.

“We don’t want the silver ball, we want the gold ball,” said Celts coach Doc Rivers.

In 2007 the Celtics walked off the court in their final regular season game, with the worst record in the East, and the second worst in the league. They were among the top two… in uh losing accomplishments. Now, they’re going to the Finals.

“It’s going to be a spectacular series,” said Jeff Van Gundy.

The Lakers have been there 29 times, the Celtics 20. The Lakers have won it 14 times, the Celtics 16.

Prepare to add another chapter to the history book, and leave space on the Nielsen ratings for some out of this world TV ratings.

Like em or hate em, you’ll be watching.

And you can’t use the excuse that this series lacks star power. This series is loaded with so much star power, it’s blinding.

It’s an incredible turnaround for both teams. Kobe wanted to be traded last off-season. Paul Pierce thought he would get dealt. Now, a year later, the two superstars will face off for an expensive diamond encrusted ring they can fit on their finger.

How?

Um, like the bumper sticker says, “Garnett happens.”

The NBA where “how the F*** did that happen” happens.

Who would have thunk it?

Nostradamus you there?