[Izulde]

It's nice to have home court advantage, especially since, as I said, we tend to struggle on the road.

Point Guard
John Wall vs. Andre Miller
We'll give this to Wall: He's a warrior. The second year player is insisting on playing despite back spasms, taking a cortisone injection to stay in the game. That's the kind of toughness that draws the love of a fanbase. He averaged 15.6 points, 7.3 assists, and 1.1 steals between Washington and the Clippers and is one of the best young point guards in the game.

Miller is the complete opposite end of the age spectrum. 10.5 points and 6.3 assists during the regular season. Unlike Wall, he's just a respectable fifth starter, although his defense will be key to trying to contain the Clippers' hot up and coming star.

Advantage: Clippers

Shooting Guard
Eutor Taffarel vs. Brandon Roy
The 15th overall pick is a tall glass of water at SG at 6'7, 211 but he needs to improve his shot selection (38.3%). On the other hand, he shows signs of becoming a quality 3 point shooter (34.3% from long range) and the rookie's shown the occasional scoring burst. Also a defensive sieve. Averaged 9.5 points

Roy is a big SG himself, averaging 25 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in the regular season, shooting 51.3%. He's a two time All-Star and was a 2nd Team All-NBA selection last year. He's salivating over the prospect of facing Taffarel's matador fee.

Advantage: Trailblazers

Small Forward
Timofey Mozgov/Nicolas Batum vs. Al-Farouq Aminu
We're really hoping to see Batum and Aminu face off in this series after being traded for each other in GM Jestor's first trade. But for right now Jeff Van Gundy sees fit to put the 7'1, 250 lb Russian Mozgov at SF Either way, Aminu is going to have to fight off a massive opponent, or an extremely skilled defender in Batum. Batum also was third in scoring at 10.2 points, despite the split-time duty, and frequently had 20 point games off the bench.

6.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals for Aminu reveal what the second year forward's role is turning into, that of a rebounding wing and defender, although not on Batum's level. Still, he's disciplined and knows his role.

Advantage: Clippers

Power Forward
Tiago Splitter vs. LaMarcus Aldridge
Splitter led the Clippers in scoring at 17.8 points a game. He also pulled in 7.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks a game. An excellent defender with superlative intangibles, last season's Rookie of the Year is growing into the role of a #1 option on a quality team and, along with Wall, is a cornerstone of the Clippers' future.

Aldridge has developed into a quality second option, putting up 16.2 points and 7.4 rebounds in the regular season. He offers better rebounding than Splitter, but the Clippers' Brazilian is a more accurate shooter, so it all balances out.

Advantage: Draw

Center
Brad Jones vs Al Horford
9.7 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.2 blocks for the UNLV Runnin' Rebel in his rookie season. Although many considered him overdrafted at the 6th overall pick, he's fit quite well into the Clippers' lineup since coming over in the deadline deal with Wall. He won't score a ton, but he'll be accurate when he does shoot.

Portland's trade for Horford looks fantastic right about now. After Greg Oden went down with a broken elbow, the 24 year old stepped up and concluded the regular season with 12.9 points, 11.3 rebounds and a block per game. He's simply better and more developed than the rookie.

Advantage: Blazers

Bench
Either Batum or Mozgov is a good starting point for the Clippers' bench. Eric Bledsoe's 9.6 points and steal per game have impressed and while Jose Calderon's 9.5 points and 6 assists have been largely as a starter, his 7.2 A/TO ratio has been nothing short of breathtaking. Ryan Gomes also provides scoring pop at 7.2 points a game. But Mozgov in the lineup means a weak post bench situation.

Nevada-Reno rival alum Luke Babbitt serves as the Blazers' answer to Batum and Mario Chalmers' 6.4 points and 4.1 assists is less impressive than his deadly defense, a theme of Portland's reserves. But there's no bench bigs worth mentioning here, either.

Advantage: Clippers

Overall Thoughts
A 4 vs 5 seed is always a close matchup. The Clippers do have home field advantage, but Wall is hurt and that means one of their key weapons is going to be hampered. Portland should be able to control the paint and they actually have veterans, unlike the young L.A. team. Blazers for the win.
Prediction: Portland in 6

We'll see about that.

Game One
An amped up crowd here in the Staples Center for the early game, the Lakers getting higher billing of course. Brandon Roy comes out firing for 26 points, Al Horford just ridiculous with 13 points, 25 rebounds, and 3 blocks, and Al-Farouq Aminu is inspired to double for 10 points, 11 rebounds. Tiago Splitter responds with one of the most all-around great games ever - 23 points, 8 rebounds, 7 blocks and 3 steals. Nicolas Batum chimes in with 13 bench points and we hold Portland to 30.9% shooting for a surprisingly easy win.
Final - Blazers 74 Clippers 88

Game Two
Getting that Game 1 win is a huge confidence boost for our young team. Eutor Taffarel scores 22 points, Tiago Splitter does it again with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 blocks, and Jose Calderon scores 10 bench points. But Brandon Roy got pissed off after the opening loss and scores 39, Al Horford continues to dominate our rookie with 18 points, 16 rebounds, and 5 assists, LaMarcus Aldridge gets 12 points and 11 rebounds, and, in the final insult, that asshole Wolfpack Luke Babbitt scores 11 bench points. Bye-bye to home court advantage.
Final - Blazers 108 Clippers 90

Game Three
And so up north we fly to Portland. Unfortunately, there's just no stopping Brandon Roy, who scores 29. Or Al Horford, who gets 16 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 blocks and holds Brad Jones to 0 points. Mario Chalmers pounds us some more with 19 bench points. Hard to get excited about Tiago Splitter's 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 steals or Eric Bledsoe and Nicolas Batu's 12 and 11 bench points.
Final - Clippers 95 Blazers 108

Game Four
We need to be able to steal this one to have a hope of winning this series. That's not going to have when all five Portland starters score 10+ points, LaMarcus Aldridge's 32 points, 15 rebounds and Al Horford's 10 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocks the leaders. Nicolas Batum is our only noteworthy player with 11 bench points. Now down 3-1 and we're pretty much done.
Final - Clippers 79 Blazers 98

Game Five
Just don't let us lose the series at home. That's all I ask. John Wall wakes up and scores 25 and Tiago Splitter adds 23 points. But Al Horford power his way to 23 points, 23 rebounds, and 5 assists, Brandon Roy fires off 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists, and fucking Luke Babbitt scores 10 bench points.
Final - Blazers 104 Clippers 94

Needless to say, we are going to have big changes this offseason. Really big changes. Only John Wall and Tiago Splitter are safe.

I'm so annoyed I can't even feel glee over Chicago's sweep of Miami. Lakers win in 5, Mavericks pull off the upset in 5. Hawks win in 6, and Orlando, Boston, and Utah all win in 7.

Lakers and Mavericks make it to the West Finals where Dallas wins in 6 and it's Chicago and Orlando in the East, where Da Bulls sweep the Magic. Chicago goes on to win the championship for the first time since the Jordan years, beating Dirk's Mavs in six games.

Lottery
14. Oklahoma City Thunder
13. New Jersey Nets
12. Denver Nuggets
11. New York Knicks
10. Golden State Warriors
9. Sacramento Kings
8. Cleveland Cavaliers
7. Detroit Pistons
6. Toronto Raptors (-1)
5. Phoenix Suns (-1)
4. Indiana Pacers (-2)
3. Memphis Grizzlies (+3)
2. Charlotte Bobcats (+1)
1. Minnesota Timberwolves

2011 NBA Awards
MVP
Chris Paul - New Orleans Hornets - 23.7 PPG 10.3 APG 4.4 RPG 2.0 SPG
Defensive Player of the Year
Dwight Howard - Orlando Magic - 23.5 PPG 13.9 RPG 3.4 BPG
6th Man of the Year
Samuel Dalembert - Boston Celtics - 7.6 PPG 7.3 RPG 1.8 BPG
Rookie of the Year
Brad Jones - Los Angeles Clippers - 9.7 PPG 9.1 RPG 2.2 BPG
Coach of the Year
Monty Williams - New Orleans Hornets

Cool to see my fellow Runnin' Rebel win Rookie of the Year, but I don't think he really deserved it.

All-NBA 1st Team
PG Chris Paul - New Orleans Hornets
SG Kobe Bryant - Los Angeles Lakers
SF Lebron James - Miami Heat
PF Pau Gasol - Los Angeles Lakers
C Dwight Howard - Orlando Magic

All-NBA 2nd Team
PG Deron Williams - Utah Jazz
SG Brandon Roy - Portland Trailblazers
SF Kevin Durant - Oklahoma City Thunder
PF Carlos Boozer - Chicago Bulls
C Andrew Bogut - Milwaukee Bucks

All-NBA 3rd Team
PG Stephen Curry - San Antonio Spurs
SG Joe Johnson - Atlanta Hawks
SF Carmelo Anthony - Denver Nuggets
PF Dirk Nowitzki - Dallas Mavericks
C Yao Ming - Houston Rockets

Watch me not care that Curry made an All-NBA team. Notice there's no Marc Gasol here. No Clippers, either, but there was no one worthy.

All-Defense 1st Team
PG Chris Paul - New Orleans Hornets
SG Kobe Bryant - Los Angeles Lakers
SF Lebron James - Miami Heat
PF Josh Smith - Atlanta Hawks
C Dwight Howard - Orlando Magic

All-Defense 2nd Team
PG Rajon Rondo - Boston Celtics
SG Monta Ellis - Golden State Warriors
SF Gerald Wallace - Charlotte Bobcats
PF Pau Gasol - Los Angeles Lakers
C Andrew Bogut - Milwaukee Bucks

All-Rookie 1st Team
PG Mills Jolly - Memphis Grizzlies
SG Andrew Kirtz - Milwaukee Bucks
SF Eutor Taffarel - Los Angeles Clippers
PF Clay Minahan - Charlotte Bobcats
C Brad Jones - Los Angeles Clippers

Shocking to see Taffarel on the 1st Team. I'd have given Rookie of the Year to either Kirtz or Jolly.

All-Rookie 2nd Team
PG Ricky Rubio - Minnesota Timberwolves
SG Derrick Cockle - Oklahoma City Thunder
SF Da'Sean Butler - Charlotte Bobcats
PF Germayne Postell - Toronto Raptors
C Paulo Prestes - Memphis Grizzlies

Postell got robbed. He should have been 1st Team.