2010-11 NBA Predictions

Yes, 3 games are in the books, but I still am going to release my 2010-2011 NBA Predictions. Proof that I came up with this list prior to last night, I have the Heat winning the East. Here are the playoff teams and winner of each conference, a finals winner, MVP, 6th Man, Rookie of the Year, D-Player, Most Improved, All-NBA 1st-3rd teams, and All-Rookie 1st and 2nd teams.

Eastern Conference Finish:

1. Miami Heat
2. Orlando Magic
3. Boston Celtics
4. Chicago Bulls
5. Atlanta Hawks
6. Milwaukee Bucks
7. Charlotte Bobcats
8. Indiana Pacers

Heat over Celtics

Western Conference Finish:

1. Los Angeles Lakers
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
3. Utah Jazz
4. Dallas Mavericks
5. Portland Trail Blazers
6. San Antonio Spurs
7. Houston Rockets
8. Los Angeles Clippers

Thunder over Lakers

Finals: Thunder over Heat

Individual Awards:

MVP: Kevin Durant, Thunder

6th Man: Jason Terry, Mavericks

D-Player: Dwight Howard, Magic

Most Improved: Jrue Holiday, 76ers

Rookie: Blake Griffin, Clippers

All-Rookie 1st Team:
Blake Griffin, Clippers
John Wall, Wizards
DeMarcus Cousins, Kings
Landry Fields, Knicks
Jordan Crawford, Hawks

All-Rookie 2nd Team:
Evan Turner, 76ers
Wes Johnson, T-Wolves
Derrick Caracter, Lakers
Xavier Henry, Grizzlies
Greg Monroe, Pistons

All-NBA 1st Team:
Kobe Bryant, Lakers
Deron Williams, Jazz
Kevin Durant, Thunder
LeBron James, Heat
Dwight Howard, Magic

All-NBA 2nd Team:
Rajon Rondo, Celtics
Dwyane Wade, Heat
Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks
Paul Pierce, Celtics
Pau Gasol, Lakers

All-NBA 3rd Team:
Derrick Rose, Bulls
Russell Westbrook, Thunder
Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets
Tim Duncan, Spurs
Al Jefferson, Jazz

Enjoy what should be a great NBA season.

-Keefe

Podcast: Celtics vs. Heat

The 2010-2011 NBA season tips off tonight in Boston between the Celtics and new look Miami Heat. Brian Robb from CelticsHub.com and Rich Keefe break down the game and what to expect from both teams throughout the season. Just click below to listen.

CelticsHub.com Celtics-Heat Season Opener Preview by BRobb7

13 Scariest Movies of All-Time

You won't find Friday the 13th on this list, but what you will find is the 13 scariest horror movies ever made. (That I have seen). One week left until Halloween, why not break out this list of horror classics. We here at The Sports Brief are no strangers to horror movie lists, just search "horror" in the upper left and check out our achieves dedicated to scary stuff. Enjoy the list. Boo.

13. Psycho (1960)


12. Rosemary's Baby (1968)

11. Saw (2004)

10. Candyman (1992)


9. Scream (1996)

8. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)


7. The Others (2001)



6. It (1990)


5. Halloween (1978)


4. Silence of the Lambs (1991)

3. The Exorcist (1973)

2. The Ring (2002)

1. The Shining (1980)

Happy Halloween!

-Keefe

Why the Celtics Can Win the 2011 NBA Title

When the Celtics finished 50-32 and in 4^th place in the Eastern Conference last year, no one thought they would be just minutes away from winning their 2^nd championship in 3 years. They’re too old. They won’t be able to compete with LeBron’s Cavs, Dwight’s Magic, or certainly Kobe’s Lakers. Well they broke up Cleveland, took down Orlando, and nearly beat the defending champs from LA. Here’s why they can go all the way this year.

Depth. This team, since 2007-2008 has always had the best or second best starting lineup in the NBA. Rondo-Ray-Pierce-KG-Perk have never lost a playoff series when starting together, as Doc likes to point out. But they’re second unit has never been confused with the league’s best bench mob.

Sure they have gotten great contributions from the likes of James Posey, P.J. Brown, Glen Davis, Eddie House, Rasheed Wallace, and Nate Robinson since the Big 3 has been here, but consistent great play from the subs has been elusive.

The loss of Kendrick Perkins for perhaps half the season, was an obvious concern for this team. How would they fill the void? Danny Ainge and the front office not only made sure they replaced Perk, but also the retiring Rasheed Wallace, making the decision to bring in extra pieces and not merely wait for Perk to return from knee surgery and rehab.

In addition to the now Big 4 of Rondo-Ray-Pierce-KG, the C’s have added Shaquille O’Neal, Jermaine O’Neal, and 2008 2^nd round pick, Turkish center Semih Erden to grab rebounds, bang bodies, and do the ugly stuff.

The team re-signed Glen Davis, Nate Robinson, and Marques Daniels, brought back Delonte West, brought in Von Wafer and drafted Avery Bradley and Luke Harongody. It was a busy off season for the Celtics, not one where they were just happy to win the East and play the Lakers close.

Obviously just having depth is not enough to win an NBA title. The C’s still have their star-power as well. Paul Pierce, and maybe I am a little biased here, is a Top 10 player in the league. Ray Allen is a Top 5 shooter, and Kevin Garnett can still anchor a defense and score on the majority of bigs in the league.

As for Rajon Rondo? After getting cut from the World Championship team… I mean leaving because of a sick relative… he is out to prove a point. He has always played well against the biggest name PGs in the league, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Tony Parker, Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, etc., but now you have to add all the players who won Gold instead of him, Russell Westbrook, Chauncey Billups, Stephen Curry, and most notably Bulls PG Derrick Rose.

I expect a monster season from Rondo to go along with more of the same from the rest of the starting lineup and a much improved bench, which of course should allow KG to not have to play crazy minutes in the regular season.

The Celtics also do not possess any major weaknesses that other clubs, specifically the Heat, Magic, Thunder, and Lakers can exploit. Rebounding was an issue last season, (25^th in rebounding differential), but the additions they have made should help solve that problem.

The C’s have the depth, star-power, and experience to win the NBA title this season. They also know, despite whatever there contracts say, this might be the last chance.



-Keefe

Straight Cash Homey

The Pats have moved on from the 2nd best WR in the history of football. Randy Moss is in the final year of his 3yr/$27 million deal, and the trade between New England and Minnesota is all but complete. The Patriots will receive a 3rd round pick in 2011.

Career Touchdowns:

Moss: 151

Welker, Tate, Edelman, Hernandez, Gronkowski, Slater combined: 22

What? Great.

This is similar, but different, to when the Red Sox dealt Manny Ramirez. Sure the locker room might be better (I'm not convinced Moss was a huge disruption), but your on-field talent is comically weaken.

I had the Pats winning the AFC East with Moss. Now? They will be lucky to win the Wild Card. The defense sucks and the offense is now barely above average.

Celtics and Bruins coming right up!

-Keefe

Leeroy Jenkins!

I know this has been out for awhile, but I had not seen it. Just fantastic.




-Keefe

Keefe's Jersey Collection

I went home to my parents' house for Week 1 of the NFL Season to watch the Patriots and every other team in the league as they have DirecTV and a free Sunday Ticket preview. I couldn't find my Randy Moss jersey at my place, so I must have left it at my parents'. It was there alright, along with the rest of my ridiculous (in a good way) collection that I must have started in the 1st grade. Here are the jerseys I owned/own.

Basketball:

Dee Brown, Celtics

Michael Jordan, 1992 Olympics

Dan Majerle, 1994 World Championships

Nick Van Exel, Lakers

Jalen Rose, Nuggets

Chris Mullin, Warriors

Latrell Sprewell, Warriors

Marcus Camby, UMass

Charlie Ward, Florida State

Jason Kapono, UCLA

Paul Pierce, Kansas

Paul Pierce, Celtics

Mike Bibby, Arizona

Ray Allen, Bucks

Stephon Marbury, Georgia Tech

Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets

Football:

Dave Meggett, Patriots

David Givens, Patriots

Randy Moss, Patriots

Barry Sanders, Lions

Warrick Dunn, Florida State

Eric Metcalf, Falcons

Randall Cunningham, Eagles

Ricky Watters, Eagles

Greg Lloyd, Steelers

Tim Biakabutuka, Panthers

Terrell Owens, 49ers

Chad Johnson, Bengals

You can really tell a lot about a person from the jerseys they've owned from the ages of 8-20+. I think psychiatrists should start out asking, "What jerseys did you wear when you were younger." If the kid had Jordan, Bulls and Aikman, Cowboys he was a front runner spoiled loser. If he was wearing a Bernard King or Andre Rison he was probably a bonafide badass. Pretty simple stuff.

-Keefe