2014-15 NBA Season Opening Night Game Schedule

The 2014-15 NBA season officially tips off on Tuesday, October 26th and there’s three marquee matchups on the slate. The NBA schedule will begin at 8 p.m. EST with TNT providing a doubleheader for fans to enjoy. That will feature the reigning NBA champion Spurs as they get their championship rings and then take on the Mavs. Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers will bring showtime to the nightcap game as they host Dwight Howard and the Houston Rockets.

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One other game is not being televised nationally and that features Anthony Davis’ Pelicans as they host the Orlando Magic. Tip off for the game is just after 8 p.m. EST. As of this report, the Spurs are 7 1/2 point favorites to beat the Mavs, the Pelicans are nearly 10-point favorites to defeat the Magic, and the Rockets are 6-point favorites over the Lakers.

2014-15 NBA Opening Night Schedule:

Dallas vs. San Antonio 8:00 p.m. EST (TNT)

Orlando vs. New Orleans 8:00 p.m. EST (FS-Florida)

Houston vs. LA Lakers 10:30 p.m. EST (TNT)

By the way, both opening night TNT games will also be available live online through the TNT Overtime website. This site provides a unique live look at the game with multiple camera feeds. There’s also a player cam which keeps track of one player from each team as voted on by the fans ahead of the game. Dirk Nowitzki leads the way for the Mavs at 38% of the vote while Kawhi Leonard leads the way for the Spurs with 35% of the votes. Tony Parker has 22% of votes for San Antonio as of this post.

Are you ready for NBA basketball to get going? We sure are! Let us know any of your season predictions below!

Christmas Day 2009 NBA Schedule

Christmas day 2009 offers NBA fans a nice selection of basketball games featuring the top teams and superstars in the league. This year Santa delivers us Kobe versus Lebron in an always hot matchup, as well as the Boston Celtics battling the Orlando Magic in a rematch of last year's playoff series. These are the last two teams to make the NBA Finals from the East, and both have added new personnel to compete at that higher level.

Earlier in the day, Dwayne Wade will take his high-flying scoring act into MSG to take on the New York Knicks. No word yet on whether Spike Lee will be watching from the front row on Christmas day.

In the nightcap games we'll get to see several more top superstars in action, as the LA Clippers visit Steve Nash, Amare Stoudamire and the Phoenix Suns at 8PM, while Melo and the Nuggets take on Portland in the late game at 10:30 PM. Unfortunately, the two young superstars in those games are both out of action (Greg Oden, Blazers; #1 draft pick, Blake Griffin, Clippers).

Here's a look at the full NBA schedule for Christmas Day 2009:

Miami Heat at New York Knicks 12PM EST on ESPN
Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic 2:30PM EST on ABC
Cleveland Cavs at LA Lakers 5PM EST on ABC
LA Clippers at Phoenix Suns 8PM EST on ESPN
Denver Nuggets at Portland Trailblazers 10:30PM EST on ESPN

Looking forward to any of these games in particular? Who do you think will win? Feel free to comment below!

Lakers win 15th NBA Title, Bryant MVP

Kobe Bryant has finally done it. An NBA Title achieved in the absence of Shaquille O'Neal, and possibly he's gotten those nasty critics off his back that it couldn't be done. On Sunday night, a week before Father's day, Kobe held up his two daughters after the game as his wife Vanessa came onto the court to congratulate her hubby. The Lakers won it 99-83, and despite playing the Magic at home, managed to make big statements in the first and last games of the series.

The Lakers pieced together the key components of this team starting last season with the acquisition of Pau Gasol. However, they ran into the Celtics green featuring the Big 3, and KG, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce won their first championship rings. This season was a different story, and while it looked like LA would be clashing with Cleveland, D-Howard and the Magic made it a different story. Howard tied a playoff record for double doubles with Duncan and Charles Barkley, an impressive feat in and of itself, but the big man was unable to will his team to win with the likes of Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom playing down low. Meanwhile Kobe shot and scored at will, as he usually does, and Derek Fisher continued hitting big shots.

The Lakers outscored the Magic in the middle two quarters, with a 30-18 performance in the 2nd quarter. Interestingly enough, the Lakers didn't dominate the paint, or outdo the Magic in overall fast break points. While the Magic were worthy opponents keeping the games close throughout the series, they were no match for the superior team and a man destined to win title #4. Kobe Bryant you may now take your MVP award for this NBA Finals victory....now both he and Shaq have 4 titles. More Game info at NBA.com.

Funny enough, immediately following the win, The Real Shaq was going Twitter crazy:

# Congrats in spanish pau gasol, muchas gracias pappacito10 minutes ago from TwitterBerry

# Congrats to u to d fish, big shots the other day. Enjoy my man enjoy10 minutes ago from TwitterBerry

Congrats to you to phil jackson. When the general doesn't panic the troops don't panic. You are the greatest now.13 minutes ago from TwitterBerry

and probably the funniest Tweet of the night went out to #24:

Congratualtions kobe, u deserve it. You played great . Enjoy it my man enjoy it. And I know what yur sayin rt now "Shaq how my ass taste "15 minutes ago from TwitterBerry

All's well in Twitter and Tinseltown, and this concludes our broadcast of the 2008-09 NBA season. Stay tuned for the 2009 NBA Draft, coming soon....

Lebron & Kobe's MVPuppets ads by Nike

They didn't have the dream 2009 NBA finals that everyone expected this postseason, largely due to Dwight Howard and the Magic knocking the Cleveland Cavs out of this year's Playoffs. However, Nike still has some downright clever and hilarious ads featuring muppet or puppet versions of Lebron & Kobe. The Nike commercials are called "MVP's" Most Valuable Puppets featuring Lebron, Kobe & a few others. In the latest one you may have seen, the 2 superstar NBA friends & foes are asked to watch Mrs. Lewis' kid "Lil' Dez" from downstairs. Dez is one inuqiring mind when it comes to Kobe & lebron....Check it out below as well as links to several other of these ads, including Lebron's Chalk and the Car Jump...



Kobe & Lebron Nike Chalk ad

Kobe & Lebron Nike 3 Championship Rings ad

Kobe & Lebron Unstoppable Nike ad

Kobe & Lebron in Nike Car Jump ad

Kobe Lebron Nike Mrs Lewis puppet ad

Lebron's 3 at Buzzer beats Magic

This is the stuff NBA legends and MVP's are made of. On Friday night, the Orlando Magic seemed to have the Cavs down against the ropes, facing a possible 0-2 deficit in their Eastern Conference Finals series. However, where there's a second left, there's a Lebron, and King James delivered in Game 2 with a last second 3 pointer. Moments beforehand, the Magic's Hedo Turkoglu hit a runner in the lane to give the Magic a 95-93 lead. Things seemed somewhat gloomy for Cleveland, but never in their building when you've got the MVP and premiere superstar in the league. Mo Williams waited it out on the inbounds and eventually found Lebron James up at the top of the 3 point line. Lebron caught and released in a fluid movement, hitting an amazing 3 pointer over Hedo Turkoglu in his grill. In Game 1 it was Rashard Lewis hitting a game winner, and now Lebron has matched it. Lebrons finished the game up with a game-leading 35 points. Fans were silent with a second left, but after the shot was official, the placed went wild. Fans were still celebrating in the streets outside the Q. Lebron saved the day and the series as they now will head to the Magic Kingdom to duke it out in the next 2 games, which promise to be just as compelling as the first 2.

We now have two very even pace starts to both the East and West series. In Game 2 out West, Denver was able to steal a 3 point win against the LA Lakers evening that series up. Orlando and Cleveland are also knotted up at 1-1. Stay tuned as this weekend will offer some very intriguing and hopefully equally as thrilling Game 3's!

Magic oust Celtics in Game 7

Don't call it a comeback, or a repeat Finals...The Orlando Magic put that notion to rest on Sunday with a victory over the Boston Celtics 101-82. According to reports after the game, the Celtics were never quite in it. The Celtics led the game just once and for only 37 seconds, after a Rajon Rondo jumpshot early in the first quarter. The Celtics will fail in their quest to repeat as NBA Champions, and a new champ will be crowned among the Final 4 of the Lakers, Nuggets, Cavs or Magic.

During the Game 7, the Magic built their lead up as high as 14 points before the Celtics rallied to cut it to 7 by halftime. Unfortunately, the Celtics just couldn't find the proper spell to counter the offense of the Magic. The Celtics' Big 3 was obviously hurt by the absence of the biggest of the 3, Mr. Kevin Garnett who was out due to injury for the entire playoffs. The other 2/3 of the tres amigos had a combined 39 points for the Celtics as Ray Allen led the team with 23 and Paul Pierce added 16.

Hedo Turkoglu was the lead scorer for Orlando with 25, while big man Dwight Howard notched another double-double of 12 points and 16 rebounds. Rashard Lewis also added 19 points in the win. Next up for Orlando will be the patiently waiting Cleveland Cavaliers. It'll be especially interesting to see what sort of inside game Lebron has when Dwight Howard is manning the paint. The Cavs are currently 8-0 in these playoffs, but expect the Magic to take at least 1 game in a very compelling Eastern Conference Finals. The Eastern series gets started Wednesday night.

Celtics & Lakers prepare for Game 7's

The two teams in last year's finals both find themselves on the ropes this Sunday as Boston and Los Angeles have both been taken to their limit. Houston & Orlando have both managed to stretch the series to the fullest, and now we will see two enjoyable Game 7 matchups.

Orlando's Dwight Howard has guaranteed his team will beat Boston, and he just may be right. Boston's glaring weakness is the lack of KG's inside presence, while Orlando's strength is Dwight Howard. Howard had a monster Game 6 in Orlando with over 20 points and over 20 rebounds. Meanwhile, Ray Allen struggled to find his sharpshooting touch from the 3 point line. If Boston wants to win, it's going to need Paul Pierce to step it up once again in Game7 and be the hero. Regardless of who wins this one, Lebron James and the Cavs are sitting back, relaxing and awaiting the winner. Game 7 between Boston and Orlando will start at 8PM EST on TNT.

Meanwhile, Houston and Los Angeles have had some tense moments, including a game that featured over 5 players getting technical fouls. Artest seems to be doing his best to jaw with Kobe Bryant and get under his skin, but Kobe's a tough act to stop. Expect the Lakers to bounce back under the leadership skills of Phil Jackson, en route to the next round matchup with the Denver Nuggets. The Rockets try to bounce Kobe and the Lakers from the playoffs at 3:30PM EST on ABC.

When all's said and done it should be a Lakers-Cavs finals, and seeing Kobe vs. Lebron for a potential 7 game series may be many fans' dream. Any of the final teams matched up would be great, including Carmelo vs Lebron with the Nuggets taking on Cleveland. Play on!

2009 NBA Playoffs - Top Teams hurt by Injuries?

For the most part the teams with the higher seeds were on the winning end this past weekend, with the exception of two Eastern Conference squads. First off, the Boston Celtics lost a tough opening game in Boston to the Chicago Bulls in Overtime. Derrick Rose was considered the big hero, as he lead the team in scoring, and Ben Gordon also added some firepower. The Bulls have been a team full of talent which hadn't truly materialized. This could be their chance to get some playoff experience and maybe be the team to eventually test the Cleveland Cavs, who won their opener over Detroit easily.

The other high seed to get shocked at home was the Orlando Magic. They were in control of the Philadelphia 76ers by double digits heading into the 4th, but Philly stayed strong and battled back to overcome an 18 point deficit. With the game tied, it was an Andre Iguaduola jumper that gave the Sixers the edge, and put the Magic into a 0-1 situation, taking away home court advantage. I'll be the first to admit, I didn't give the Sixers much chance to win, and quite possibly they enjoyed being in that situation, as the Davids who rise to the challenge and overcome the Goliath. Andre Iguoduola is increasing his star presence that much more with each winning shot he delivers.

You can never make excuses in sports, but understand that both the Celtics and Magic are currently without two stars from their rotation. The Celtics are very hurt without the services of one Kevin Garnett, who was an inspirational and motivational floor leader who does just about everything. The Magic are missing point guard Jameer Nelson, who was an All-star this past season like KG, but was unable to participate in the game. Again, both these teams have plenty of other stars, but you could make a case that their absences played a part in helping to motivate the opposing teams to victory. It's still early in the playoffs, and both the Magic and Celtics are quite capable of stealing victories on the road, so let's not jump to foregone conclusions that either team is going to fold. Both teams lost very closely contested games, and these are the playoffs. You adapt, re-adjust and reload for the next game.

One thing the playoffs always tend to bring is the unsung heroes, as players who seem lost in the shuffle, too young to be known, or over-the-hill are elevated in status or reborn and rejuvenated. Some cases in point include the Sixers' Donyell Marshall who nailed plenty of key threes against Orlando, helping the Sixers to come back and win, and the Rockets' Dikembe Mutombo, the oldest guy in the league who showed against Portland you still don't want to bring shots into the House of Mutombo. Let's hope for more great surprises as these 2009 Playoffs continue!

Askmen Predicts NBA Finals Rematch

Popular online men's magazine, Askmen.com, has a recent article up entitled "Top 10: Reasons Why It Will Be a Lakers-Celtics Final". Included in their reasoning for this rematch are things such as the fact that the Houston Rockets are injury-prone and the Hornet's haven't improved since last season. Also a valid point made may be, that no other teams' offseason moves will make a big enough difference in terms of pushing a team into title contention. So far, it's seemed to be only a handful of teams mentioned in 2009 title talks, with the Celtics and Lakers always considered hot, and the Cavs and Magic capable of catching serious fire in the playoffs...

Here's Askmen.com's 10 reasons we'll see Lakers-Celtics this June:

No.10 - None of the off-season moves had noticeable impacts
No. 9 - The Denver Nuggets are a paper tiger
No.8 - The Houston Rockets are injury-prone
No.7 - The New Orleans Hornets haven't improved
No.6 - The Dallas Mavericks & the Phoenix Suns have regressed
No.5 - The Detroit Pistons have fallen off
No.4 - The San Antonio Spurs lack proven depth
No.3 - The Cleveland Cavaliers & the Orlando Magic are a step behind
No.2 - The Los Angeles Lakers' depth can't be matched
No.1 - The Boston Celtics are a year older

Number 1 reason makes plenty of sense, as the Big 3 are a year older and wiser with their first title under wraps. But as you can see from the above, several teams were basically dissed by the online men's mag, especially the Cavs and Magic who have been amongst the top 4 teams most of this season. Lebron James showed 2 years ago he's got the skill, poise and raw talent to lead a squad to the promised land (although not the title per se). Dwight Howard has taken on the role of the new-age Shaq, providing the Orlando Magic with the most dominant big man in the game today. Don't count either out just yet...

Several analysts have recently picked what could be a more realistic Finals matchup, with the Lakers in the West meeting the Cavaliers from the East. It would make for another NBA dream matchup, which would feature the two best players the NBA has to offer going head to head for the title. Kobe vs. Lebron, center stage...

Read full article - Top 10: Reasons Why It Will Be a Lakers-Celtics Final at Askmen.com

The East is in the House 08'

As of 12/24/08 the Boston Celtics were riding higher than any other team and Santa Claus as they held a 19 game consecutive win streak. Christmas day arrives and Kobe Bryant's Lakers put a prompt end to that with a 9 point victory in Los Angeles. That loss may have been acceptable and expected by many, but then the Celtics lost 2 straight after Friday night's loss to a hungry Golden State Warriors squad.

So from a 19 game win streak to their first 2 game losing streak all season? It's indeed a curious case like Benjamin Button, but quite possibly the 2nd game came as a result of the first loss. Possibly the "oomph" was taken out from under them. The team was suddenly beatable and all other NBA teams took notice that it was possible to defeat the Celtics. After all the Pacers were one of the teams to do it, a team not many expect to be much of a challenger in the Eastern Conference. Stephen Jackson came up big for his Golden State Warriors to help bury the Celtics, possibly sensing a wounded squad after the Lakers loss. The Celtics are still the best there is in the league, but definitely have showed they are far from those 72-10 invinci-Bulls of yesteryear.

While the Celtics managed to gain a win on Sunday night, two other teams in the East are red hot right now. The Magic have won 7 straight games thanks to the inside-outside attack of Dwight Howard & Rashard Lewis. Add in sharpshooter Hedo Turkoglu and floor leader Jameer Nelson and this squad is one of the top 4 record-wise in the league, defeating the likes of New Orleans. The Cavs are on a 6 game win streak, behind the always-inspired King James & company.

Eastern Conference Top 8 (with Games Back):

1. * Boston --
2. * Cleveland 1.0
3. * Orlando 3.0
4. Atlanta 7.5
5. Detroit 9.0
6. Miami 10.5
7. New Jersey 12.0
8. Milwaukee 13.5

* Leads division

That said the Celtics (28-4), Cavs (26-4) and Magic (24-6) would be in the Top 4 in the West right now in terms of records along with the Lakers. Two other teams, the Pistons and Hawks look to be dangerous competitors come playoff time. It's great to see what looks like some sort of a power-shift to the East side after so many years of razzing that "the West is best". Then again the Celtics & Magic both sport former West coast stars in Rashard Lewis, Ray Allen & Kevin Garnett...

2 Games & 2 Coaches

Saturday featured two Eastern Conference playoff games with Orlando hosting Detroit and Cleveland returning home to host the Boston Celtics. It wasn't pretty for Boston or Hedo Turkoglu though.

In the Detroit-Orlando game it came down to 8.9 seconds to go with the Pistons up by 1. For some reason the winning play was drawn up for Hedo Turkoglu. Not that he can't score or hasn't won games before, but you'd have to wonder why Dwight Howard can't be "the Man" when it comes to final shots down low. True, there is a "Hack a Howard" going on, due to the fact he can't hit free throws. But he is capable of putting the ball in the hoop when he's down low. Either way, Turkoglu's drive resulted in a botched layup which bounced off the backboard/rim area and gave Detroit a slim victory. Detroit now commands with a 3-1 series lead which they can close out next week.

In the late night game it was the Boston Celtics against the Cleveland Cavs. Cleveland came out extremely hot at home, and was up by over 20 at some points. The Celtics seemed lackluster and two of their former roster, Delonte West and Wally Sczerbiak put a hurting on them. The Cavs ended up with a rout of the best team in the East, who oddly enough can't win playoff games on the road. I'd be quick to say this would hurt their title chances, but they have the best record in the NBA, giving them that homecourt advantage throughout.

Two coaches have also been assigned to new teams. Rick Carlisle will be at the helm in Dallas, while Mike D'Antoni will look to resurrect the New York Knicks. Good luck to both!

Billups Down, Kobe Up

Game 3 in Orlando featured Rashard Lewis scoring a career-playoff high of 33 points, while the Pistons suffered the loss of their PG leader, Chauncey Billups for most of the game. Billups went down with a strained right hamstring after stepping on Jameer Nelson's foot in the 1st quarter. An MRI will be done on Thursday, and Detroit coach Flip Saunders said they are shooting for Billups to return Saturday for Game 4. Orlando stayed in control throughout most of Wednesday's game, up 12 at the half. Detroit started to come back in the third, closing the gap to just 4. But the Magic started off with an 11-0 run in the 4th. Dwight Howard finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 6 blocks. Orlando wins 111-86 to get back into the series.

In the 2nd game of TNT"s slate, the Lakers hosted Utah for Game 2. Kobe Bryant held the MVP award high above his head prior to the contest, then hit an incredible shot which banked high off the backboard during the game. Kobe scored 34 tonight after receiving his award, with Derek Fisher adding 22. The Lakers took this game despite the Jazz trying to get back into it several times. Los Angeles has yet to lose during the playoffs which goes to show just how good a team they are this season.

It seems like a Celtics vs. Lakers Finals may be inevitable as both teams push forward through the competition.

The NBA's Clock Error

During Game 2 of the Pistons versus Magic series, there was about 5 seconds left on the clock, quarter 3. The ball was inbounded, went up the full court, and eventually a 3 pointer was hit by Mr. Big Shot, Chauncey Billups, to give the Pistons a 2 point advantage. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy and crew weren't pleased with the refs' decision to let the shot count, but the refs had no choice. Pistons win 100-93, Magic go down 2 games to none. The NBA just a few days later admits it, there was a screwup, and Billups' 3 should have been no good.

Let's face it, first off the Pistons are the better of the two teams, and playing some of the best basketball in the playoffs right now. It's a 7 game series, which gives Dwight and the Magic plenty of opportunity to recover. But the stuck clock issue is the sort of thing that can make or break a team in a game, as it gave the Pistons the lead and momentum which they continued with into the 4th. A whistle should have blown immediately to stop play, but for some reason the refs just let it go. Excuses can't be made for the Magic loss, the rules are the rules...but hopefully the NBA will look into changing this one as it could hurt a team during important contests.

Related story: Pistons & Hornets Up 2-0.

Pistons & Hornets Up 2-0

Deja vu yet again on Monday night as the Pistons defeated the Magic to take a 2-0 lead, and the Hornets are now up with an impressive 2-0 lead on the defending champion San Antonio Spurs.

The Pistons-Magic game was not without controversy. Chauncey Billups hit a 3 point shot with 5.8 on the clock near the end of a quarter. The shot gave Detroit a 2 point lead. The problem was the clock never started when the ball was thrown inbounds. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy protested that the shot shouldn't have counted. For some reason the refs decided it was legit. Pistons end up winning in a game that definitely may have deflated Orlando. That's not to say the Magic won't even the series in Orlando, but the Pistons are definitely playing in cruise control right now, with impressive wins.

The Hornets have impressed me most in the playoffs so far. I hadn't seen them play much during the regular season, and couldn't believe they were on top of the West. They now can say they have the champs down 2-0, with a 104-92 win over San Antonio Monday. Chris Paul churned out yet another great stat line of 30 points along with 12 assists to lead his troops. Hugo the Hornet and the Ring of Fire didn't factor into this game, but TNT still used it for jokes. After the game Tony Parker remarked that the Spurs don't feel their backs are against the walls. This is true, they are the world champs and are capable of overcoming a 2-0 deficit.

Tuesday night offers just one game and it should be a good one. The Cleveland Cavaliers travel into Boston to face what could be a worn down Celtics team for Game 1 of their series.

Don't forget there will be 23 cent large pizzas in Cleveland Thursday, regardless of a Cavs win or loss!

NBA Playoffs Ring of Fire

The Hornets with a hot Round 2 performance

Two of the Round 2 series got started with the Orlando Magic traveling to Detroit to take on the Pistons, and the Hornets and Spurs facing off. These games featured two dominant NBA big men, in Tim Duncan and new kid on the block Dwight Howard. Also featured were two of the best backcourts in the NBA: The Pistons' Billups/Hamilton and the Spurs' Ginobli/Parker. And let's not forget one of the top MVP candidates, the New Orleans Hornets impressive guard, Chris Paul.

It's very obvious the Pistons and Spurs are two of the more balanced and fundamental teams in the playoffs, which is also why they are among the most recent champions competing. For the Detroit - Orlando series, "Hack-a-Howard" or "Injure Howard" seems to be an effective strategy. The big man is a powerful force down low, but if the Pistons have him shooting free throws rather than dunking, Orlando tends to be in trouble. Howard was dismal at the free throw line, and his teammates made costly turnovers in the second half of the game. It had been just a 1 point game at halftime, but Detroit exposed Orlando's mistakes in the 2nd half to jump out to a large double digit lead. Detroit just has that killer instinct along with sharphooters and great D. Dwight Howard might not be enough to overcome the Pistons in the series as he was icing his hurt hand down in the 4th, while Detroit ran away with the game 91-72. Rip had 17 and Chauncey had 19 to lead the way.

Earlier in the night, TNT analyst Kenny Smith agreed with Charles Barkley that San Antonio has the best backcourt in the NBA with Parker & Ginobli. The Spurs, like the Pistons, play some of the best fundamental basketball around. They knock down shots, defend, rebound and do what it takes to get wins. However, the Hornets' young star guard got the best of them. In their opening game against the Hornets, the "Ring of Fire" caused a delay of the 2nd quarter. The Ring is used for the Hornet mascot Hugo to jump through and dunk, however the fire on it wouldn't go out as normal, so it had to be extinguished. The floor had to be attended to in order to clean up the slippery hardwood, which may have cooled the hot Spurs down as both teams waited. When it was over, New Orleans took a sweet 1-0 lead over the world champs with a 101-82 victory. The Hornets were lead by Chris Paul with 17 points and 13 assists. There were a few scuffles and skirmishes indicating that this series might become heated as it goes on, even if the "Ring of Fire" won't be used by Hugo the Hornet anytime soon..

NBA Winners & Riley Resigns

On Monday, Hedo Turkoglu won the NBA's Most Improved Player Award for his 2007-08 season with the Orlando Magic. To help celebrate the award, Hedo's Magic team and he defeated the Toronto Raptors 102-92 and made them the 1st team eliminated from the playoffs. Dwight Howard had a monstrous stat line of 21 points along with a matching 21 rebounds. Turkoglu had 12 points, 8 boards and 9 assists. This is the first time Orlando has advanced to Round 2 in 12 years. Chris Bosh had 16 points and 9 rebounds for Toronto who has never won a best of 7 series.

Elsewhere, Atlanta impressed yet again with a 2nd consecutive win over the NBA "heavyweight" Boston Celtics. That series is now tied at 2-2 and raising questions about just how much of a powerhouse this Boston team really is. Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce all found themselves in foul trouble early on. Joe Johnson scored 20 points in the 4th quarter and the Hawks pulled it out 97-92. Ray Allen had 20 and KG 21 points in the losing effort. Read more about the game at Associated Press.

Kobe Bryant recorded 31 points in a Game 4 victory to sweep the Denver Nuggets out of the playoffs. The Nuggets may be the most disappointing of first rounders, as they are the only team to be swept and seemed to not even show up. A 107-101 loss booted them from contention. Anthony and Iverson each had over 20 points in the losing effort.

In coaching news, Pat Riley has resigned as coach of the Miami Heat after this year's extremely disappointing season. The Heat failed to make the NBA playoffs despite continued attempts by Riley to call out his team in the media. Riley will remain as team president for Miami. On the flipside, New Orleans Hornets coach Byron Scott is rumored to be the winner of this year's NBA Coach of the Year award. It may make more sense than Doc Rivers winning it, since Doc had a lot more All-star talent to work with. If Scott wins Coach of the Year, his young point guard Chris Paul may soon follow it up with the NBA MVP award.

Home Sweet Home!?

It pays to play at home in the NBA playoffs. The only teams to have successfully taken away some of the "home court advantage" factor in the playoffs have been Philadelphia and Utah. Utah of course owns a 2-0 lead over the slightly higher seeded Rockets, as they won both games in Houston. Philadelphia stunned the NBA nation by going into Detroit and pulling off a game 1 win. That series is tied at a game a piece now.

On Thursday night, several teams took advantage of being back home so they could get themselves back into their playoff series. Washington had quite an impressive win over Cleveland, blowing them out 108-72 for the Wizards' biggest playoff win ever. DeShawn Stevenson and Caron Butler figured big in the game, with Stevenson leading the way and using a "you cant see me" hand gesture after several big baskets. The crowd was on Lebron all night, chanting "over-rated" which as we and they all know is untrue. Kevin Duarant, Clinton Portis, Soulja Boy & Colin Powell were amongst the celebrity spectators for the game in DC.

Toronto was also back home Thursday night, hosting the Orlando Magic. Toronto stayed ahead in this one and won 108-94 behind 21 points from point guard TJ Ford. Jose Calderon wasn't too shabby either. The Raptors are now back into the series, down just 2 games to 1. I still don't see the Raptors taking this one, but the NBA is where amazing happens.

Houston traveled to unfriendly Utah for their Game 3. The Rockets had guard Raefer Alston back from injury which was good news. As mentioned before, the Rockets were down 0-2 to Utah, and it could become yet another first round loss for Tracy McGrady. We finally got an exciting, down to the wire contest here, amongst all the recent playoff blowouts (Celtics, Pistons, Cavs, Wizards, Hornets, etc). Houston ended it by pulling off a 94-92 win in Utah, which they really had to do. Houston had their backs against the wall as T-Mac said afterwards. T-Mac had 27 points and 7 assists. The returning Raefer added 20 points as well. Carl Landry had a huge block on Deron Williams to protect the Rockets lead and win. Unfortunately, Landry also took a shot during the game and lost some of his teeth...

(Note: If you're a member of the website "Twitter", you can now follow Love and Basketball!)

2008 NBA Playoffs Day 2

On Sunday, the 4 remaining series started up for the NBA Playoffs. In action were the top teams from each Conference with the Celtics and Lakers' series opening. The Pistons, Sixers, Magic and Raptors also got things started, and there was a surprise upset win by a lower seed.

Toronto Raptors vs. Orlando Magic

The Toronto Raptors traveled into Orlando for the first game of their matchup. It featured two of the premier big men in the game in Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh. Earlier in the season, D-Howard was amongst those discussed for NBA MVP, due to his dominance in terms of scoring, rebounding and defense. In this game Orlando prevailed, winning it 114-100 . Dwight Howard had not only 5 blocks but also 25 points and over 20 rebounds. Jameer Nelson helped lead the way with 24 points in this one and Hedo Turkoglu added 21. The battle of the big men Bosh vs. Howard looks to continue its intensity in this opening series. Game 2 will go down on Tuesday night in Orlando.

Magic's scorching 3-point shooting early burns Raptors

Denver Nuggets vs. LA Lakers

Another Game 1 saw Los Angeles win over Denver 128-114 behind Kobe's 32 and Pau Gasol's impressive near triple double including 36 points. This season Los Angeles had a 22-5 record with Pau Gasol. The playoff game was close through the 2nd quarter, but the Lakers blew it open in the third and fourth, up by about as much as 20 points. Pau Gasol had an impressive Lakers debut with a near triple double. Kleiza also played well for Denver in the loss. Allen Iverson picked up 2 quick technicals towards the end of the game and was tossed. In the playoffs, after a player's 7th Tech, they are suspended for 1 game. It may not matter if the Lakers dominate this series.

Lakers beat Nuggets behind Gasol

Philadelphia 76er's vs. Detroit Pistons

Detroit is the most recent amongst Eastern playoff teams to capture the NBA title. They played host to the Philadelphia 76ers, who not many analysts expected to be here right now. In Game 1, the Sixers shocked the Pistons winning it 90-86. Andre Miller had 20 points while Andre Iguodola added 16points, 9 boards and 8 assists. Rasheed Wallace led the way for Detroit with 24 points and 9 rebounds. Chauncey Billups added a mere 14 points. After the game, Rasheed Wallace accepted the blame for the loss.

Fourth quarter surge helps Philly take Game 1

Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics made headlines this season with the greatest turnaround in NBA history. After spending last year at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, they made serious moves to bring in KG, Ray Allen and several key bench players. The talented squad hosted the Hawks in Boston on Sunday night, the first playoff appearance for Boston since 1999. Boston handled business by defeating Atlanta 104-81. Ray Allen had 18, KG had 16 and Pierce added 16. It may be a very quick but painful exit for the Atlanta Hawks this postseason.

Allen, KG spark Celtics to 104-81 rout

NBA Player Wives: Tamia

Name: Tamia

Full name: Tamia Marylin Washington
Birthdate: May 9, 1975
Birthplace: Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Occupation: Singer

Tamia Washington is the wife of NBA superstar and former Duke basketball player, Grant Hill. Hill has spent several seasons in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns. His beautiful wife is an award-winning R&B star since 1995. The couple first met in Detroit, Michigan after being introduced to each other by singer Anita Baker. The two were officially married on July 24, 1999. Their first child Myla Grace was born months later on January 23, 2000. Tamia gave birth to their second child on August 9, 2007, named Lael Rose Hill.

Musically, Tamia has recorded several successful albums such as Tamia (1997), A Nu Day (2000), and More (2004). Her hit songs have included "So Into You" which later became the sampled hook for a rap song by Fabolous. Her biggest hit, "Stranger in My House" got up as high as #3 on the Billboard pop charts, #3 on the R&B charts and #1 on Dance charts. It also featured Tamia starring in a risque music video along with it. Tamia has done songs with Brandy, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, Babyface, Fabolous, 213 and Eric Benet.

In 2005, Tamia and Grant Hill announced on Extra that she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, but later reported it seems to be in remission and she experiences symptoms from time to time. Tamia and Grant Hill currently reside in Phoenix, Arizona, where Grant is a member of the Phoenix Suns NBA team as of 2007.

Tamia music at Amazon.com

Stranger in My House video at YouTube

Tamia World Website - with tour and appearance info

>Tamia Wikipedia entry

See more wives of NBA Ballers at NBA Wives!

NBA Wives: Aléka Kamilá

NBA Wives: Eva Longoria-Parker

NBA Wives: Vanessa Laine Bryant

Four Breakout NBA Stars

NBA Inside Access with Ahmad Rashad took a look at 4 NBA players who've been having breakout seasons this year. David West, Louis Williams, Al Jefferson and Hedo Turkoglu.

David West of the New Orleans Hornets has had one of the best breakout seasons in the NBA, as he achieved All-Star status this season. It's his first selection and probably not his last. The forward was described by his coach Byron Scott as shy and quiet, but forceful when it comes to his play on the court. His teammate Chris Paul, fellow All-star, says West isn't concerned with being an All-star as much as just playing the game. West himself said he doesn't mind if people don't know who he is when he's out and about, because basketball is a game and entertainment. David West continues to play great the forward spot for New Orleans as they are one of the top teams in the NBA's West.

Hedo Turkoglu isn't really an unknown star, as he's shown his brilliance previously for the Sacramento Kings. This season he's been making Magic in Orlando, as they are one of the Top 4 teams of the Eastern Conference. Hedo was groomed early in his career by teammates in Sacramento, Peja Stoyakovic and Vlade Divac. Hedo's currently enjoying the coaching style and system of Stan Van Gundy, which gives him more opportunities to excel. Now a confident Turkoglu is scoring 20 ppg, and hitting game winners and helping the Magic to be one of the top teams in the East. Although Hedo didn't make the All-star team this season, he may be a lead candidate for the Most Improved Player award.

Al Jefferson is considered the man filling the shoes of KG in Minnesota, the new face of the TWolves. Jefferson was taken by the Celtics in the 2004 draft, after he played basketball growing up since age 5. Jefferson admitted in his second season he just didn't prepare like he should have, then he injured his leg and ankle twice. After a serious commitment to rehab, Jefferson was back to take over for the Celtics, emerging as a top star. Big Al said the trade from Boston to Minnesota for KG was more of a sign of respect to him. Now Al learns from an all-time great forward in Kevin McHale of Minnesota. Al says if he takes care of his game, "his game will take care of him" and his goal is to be remembered in this league. Al Jefferson is currently a 20/10 man with points and rebounds.

Louis Williams of the Philadelphia Sixers is not only a baller, but a radio DJ. The guard has been a part of this season's resurgence in Philly, as the Sixers are part of the playoff chase again. His weekly radio show for 100.3 the Beat features R&B and Hip Hop. Williams wants to broaden his horizons, and is definitely giving basketball and music his all. He's averaging a career high 11 points as a reserve to help spark the Sixers. Teammate Andre Iguodola says Louis has a "street mentality" from music to the hardwood courts. Early in his career he received rookie lessons and pranks courtesy of Allen Iverson. Louis may be a bench player for the Sixers but he gets plenty of play time when it comes to DJing. One guests he'd like to have on his show is rapper Lil' Wayne.

Note: ABC will be featuring a doubleheader starting at 12:30 PM on Sunday. New Orleans heads to Detroit, with the second game featuring the 20 game win-streak Rockets against the Lakers.