Ok folks the marathon is over. Another regular season in the books, the 82 game grind which started back in October has ended and led us to where we are now. After last night's season finale where playoff seeding was finalized and Chicago grabbed the last playoff spot, the playoffs are here, and I as a basketball fanatic could not be more excited.
16 teams are left and this weekend will begin a journey to win the Larry O'Brien trophy and become NBA champions. This looks to be a great postseason, along with the usual suspects and favorites we have new blood in the playoffs with teams like Milwaukee, Charlotte, and Oklahoma City. Who will rise? Who will fall? 16 wins and you are a champion, the playoffs boil down to a simple, yet sweet mantra: Win or Go Home.
With that said, here's my playoff preview I will break down each matchup round by round and predict the winners of each round and name who I think will win the NBA title.
Eastern Conference First Round
1-Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 8-Chicago Bulls
The Cavaliers enter their first round matchup against Chicago well rested. Soon to be MVP Lebron James sat the final four games of the Cavs' season with them having clinched the best record in the league. Despite some flak about him not playing, the Cavaliers come into the playoffs ready to silence the demons from last year's playoff defeat at the hands of the Magic in the Conference Finals.
Chicago enters this series battle tested already. The final week of the regular season was in essence an early start to the Playoffs, with them having the battle the Toronto Raptors down to the final day of the season to get the 8th seed in the East. Second year point guard Derrick Rose has been simply amazing the final week of the season, he averaged 28.2 points over their final 5 games with Chicago going 4-1 and earning this matchup against Cleveland.
On paper this looks to be a blowout by Cleveland, with many expecting them to sweep Chicago and advance early. However, I think this series will be more competitive than people think. Chicago split the season series at 2 games with the Cavs, and Chicago has been in this situation before after being in that epic 7 game first round series against Boston last year. Chicago has the edge in the backcourt with Rose and Kirk Hinrich over Cleveland's backcourt and Joakim Noah has become one of the best young big men in the game. But in the end Cleveland is just too strong and Lebron will do enough to ensure that his team moves on, so no I don't think Cleveland will be upset but they will have a fight on their hands.
Prediction: Cleveland in 5
2-Orlando Magic vs 7-Charlotte Bobcats
Orlando comes into the playoffs the defending Eastern Conference champs and have won 59 games in the regular season. They are led by future Defensive Player Of The Year in Dwight Howard and he's supported by an abundance of perimeter talent with Jameer Nelson, Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, etc. The Magic went home disappointed in the Finals last season and many of them felt they let one slip away, Orlando comes into the playoffs not only looking to get to the Finals but win the whole thing.
The Charlotte Bobcats won 44 games on the season and after 6 years in the league have earned their first playoff berth. Coach Larry Brown has done a great job with this bunch turning them into a tough and scrappy bunch. Charlotte turned around after the in-season acquisition of Stephen Jackson, and in a repeat of his first season in Golden State after being traded he has helped lead his team to the playoffs. Charlotte's heart and soul is Gerald Wallace, their do everything wing player has become one of the NBA's most improved players and is a threat on both ends of the floor.
For my money if any first round matchup has a chance for an upset it's this one. This is a series that could become eerily similar to the 2007 matchup between Golden State and Dallas. Stephen Jackson will be a big factor for Charlotte, he's fearless, a great scorer and knows the big stage, he will have to lead his team as many on this team are playoff first timers. Orlando has to play hard every game and take advantage of their advantage with Howard in the post especially if Tyson Chandler isn't healthy, Dwight should look to have a big series for the Magic. What I will be watching is the perimeter battles between Lewis, Carter, and Nelson against Wallace, Jackson, and Raymond Felton. This should really be a great and exciting series with Charlotte being in each game, but the Magic will prevail.
Prediction: Magic in 6
3-Atlanta Hawks vs. 6-Milwaukee Bucks
Atlanta comes into this series having won 53 games and recording their best season since 1997-98. The addition of sixth man Jamal Crawford was a real great move, his scoring off the bench provided another threat for the Hawks. The Hawks are loaded with talent Joe Johnson, Mike Bibby, Josh Smith, and Al Horford and have two years playoff experience under their belts and this year are looking to make a power move in the East. They won their first round matchup last year, but this year they have title aspirations.
The Milwaukee Bucks have been one of the great stories this year in the NBA. Coach Scott Skiles has done a wonderful job with this team, Milwaukee was picked by many pundits to finish at the bottom of their division and be one of the worst in the East. Milwaukee it seems had a different agenda, led by big man Andrew Bogut and spurred by the drafting of rookie point guard Brandon Jennings the Bucks have fought their way to much deserved playoff spot. The Bucks however really took off when they added John Salmons in a midseason trade, and been one of the surprises of the season.
This should be one of the most fun matchups in the Playoffs with two young teams going at it. But Milwaukee suffered a huge blow when their best player Andrew Bogut injured his elbow in a nasty fall a week earlier, and he will be sorely missed. But even without Bogut the Bucks have played great basketball and the Hawks better bring it. The Hawks are for the first time in a long while, the favorite coming into a playoff series. Mike Woodson has to keep his team focused, they want to prove their are one of the league's elite so they will come out with something to prove. Josh Smith and Al Horford will look to attack the paint with Bogut out and use their advantage in athleticism, on the Bucks side they want to get up shots and cut down on turnovers so Atlanta cant run. This will be a great series, that Atlanta will win.
Prediction: Atlanta in 6
4-Boston vs. 5-Miami
The Celtics are limping into this series fighting age and the whispers that their window is now closed. Kevin Garnett seems to be a shell of his former self on the court, the Rasheed Wallace signing has not worked at all, and they look to be on their last legs. However Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, and Ray Allen have held it down for the C's and they pushed their way to a 50 win season and the East 4th seed. They have to try to see if they can get that chemistry back and get some juice into those old legs, if not they may be in for trouble this postseason.
The Heat come into this series on a roll having won 12 of their last 13 and leap frogging Charlotte and Milwaukee for the East's 5th seed. Dwyane Wade has been well Dwyane Wade the second half of the season and is playing like the superstar he is. The Heat will look to see if their run will extend into the playoffs and get them a series win in which they are the underdogs against the seasoned Celtics. The Heat pushed Atlanta to 7 games last year in a 4-5 matchup before losing, this year they hope to pull out the win.
This series here is my upset pick. I honestly think they Celtics are done, I know a team that's dead when I see it and the Celtics are done. Dwyane Wade has shown that he can carry a team to wins by himself, and alone win a postseason series as he did in the 2006 NBA Finals. The Celtics have the homecourt and the veteran advantage so they will look to use that towards their benefit. The X-factor for this series will be Michael Beasley, the second year player will have to step up and play well. He complained about being called a "Tito Jackson" by Charles Barkley, well this is a great time as any for him to step up and show that he's no Tito.
Prediction: Heat in 7
Western Conference First Round
1-Los Angeles Lakers vs 8-Oklahoma City Thunder
The Lakers enter the playoffs after a bumpy end to the regular season, a few losses and some injuries have rocked the boat, but they look to right the ship in the postseason. However the Lakers say their ready to go, and have a matchup that they favor. Rumor has it the Lakers tanked their Sunday afternoon game against Portland in order to draw OKC in the first round. How true that is I dont know but either way, the Lakers will be favored against the young Thunder.
The precocious Oklahoma City Thunder enter the big stage and big lights of the NBA Playoffs. They have been a great story led by their 21-year old MVP canidate Kevin Durant and his supporting cast of young guns, the Thunder have been a pleasant surprise this year winning 50 games under Coach Of The Year favorite Scott Brooks. But the Thunder could be over their heads or they could be ready to shock the world. Will they just be happy to be here? Or will they go in not minding the circumstances and look to pull the upset? The Thunder will have a lot to show and prove.
This will be one of the more fun matchups in the first round. We get a legit battle between two superstars and MVP-esque players in Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant. OKC will definitely test the Lakers, Russell Westbrook will dominate Derek Fisher and Thabo Sefalosha will play solid defense on Kobe as will the whole OKC team. The Thunder will depend on their perimeter trio of Durant, Westbrook and Jeff Green heavily this series, but they lack so much in the post and that will haunt them. In the end, I think LA's offensive talent, size, and expierence will be too much for the young Thunder. OKC's time will come, but it's not now.
Prediction: LA in 6
2-Dallas Mavericks vs 7-San Antonio Spurs
Bolstered by a midseason trade with the Washington Wizards, the Dallas Mavericks have been playing great basketball since then. The additions of Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and Deshawn Stevenson have worked wonders for the Mavs. The Mavs have an abundance of talent on their team along with their trade additions they have Shawn Marion, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, and their leader and superstar Dirk Nowitzki. The Mavs beat the Spurs in the first round last year, and look to repeat that this year.
It has been an up and down season for the Spurs to say the least. After an off-season trade with the Bucks to add swingman Richard Jefferson, the Spurs became a trendy pick to win the title. However that has not come to fruition as Jefferson has struggled all year and his confidence has went straight to the toilet as a result. The Spurs have battled injuries, inconsistency, lineup shuffling, etc. However they still managed to win 50 games and in the last two months played some of their best basketball of the year. Manu Ginobili, George Hill, and Tim Duncan have been great lately for San Antonio, the Spurs have been here before and they look to give it one last shot.
This for my money will be the best and most competitive first round series out of all of them. These two in-state rivals have met before and know each other well. The Mavericks will be favored here, but I think the Spurs have a legit shot at winning this series. Despite his struggles, Richard Jefferson has improved of late and he will be the x-factor for San Antonio, he has to step up. The Mavs have a lot of firepower and will look to outscore and outshoot the Spurs, so the Spurs have to step it up on the defensive end where they have been inconsistent. The Spurs hope to get George Hill back as he is a vital part for them. This is gonna be a great one, and even though the Mavs are favored, I think the Spurs have one last good run in them this one will go 7 easily however.
Prediction: Spurs in 7
3-Phoenix Suns vs 6-Portland Trail Blazers
The most important move of the Phoenix season was the move they didn't make. Despite all the rumors that he was gone, the Suns decided to keep Amare Stoudemire and it paid dividends. Amare has been on a second half tear and the Suns have taken off, Steve Nash is playing like the best point guard in the league despite his age and is running this team as best as ever. The Suns are getting solid contributions from Grant Hill, Jason Richardson, Jared Dudley, Channing Frye, Goran Dragic, etc. The Suns missed the playoffs last year, but this year have come back on fire and look to make a title run.
Can the Trail Blazers catch a break? They broke up the "Jail Blazers", put together a team of good guys, stocked young talent, have a great coach, a star two-guard, and have done it the right way. But for seem reason, they have the worst luck. After losing Greg Oden and Joel Pryzbilla, the Blazers traded for Marcus Camby and seemed to get back on track. The offseason of Andre Miller was a great move, and the Blazers look confidently towards the playoffs. But in a Sunday game against L.A., Brandon Roy suffered a knee injury and the Blazers playoff hopes went down with him.
I really don't see how Phoenix loses this series. I hate to be this way and say this but for Portland it's simply no Roy, no chance. But the Blazers are competitors and they wont lay down, Andre Miller and Lamarcus Aldridge will have to be great for Portland, Lamarcus should be able to take advantage of Amare's still suspect D in the paint. But the Suns will use their superior depth to weaken and put Portland into submission. It's unfortunate for Portland and while they will be competitive, I just dont see them pulling this one out.
Prediction: Suns in 6
4-Denver Nuggets vs. 5-Utah Jazz
Denver comes into the postseason with a few questions and lingering thoughts. Is Kenyon Martin fully back? Can they stay focused? When will George Karl be back? Despite those, the Nuggets are still as talented as any team in the playoffs. An all-star PG in Chauncey Billups along with a superstar wing player in Carmelo Anthony, and plenty of talented supporting players and the Nuggets look to get one step further then where they got last year, when they fell to L.A. in the Conference Finals. If they can overcome not having Karl on the sideline they should be fine.
Utah has had another solid season, the twosome of Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer has been their usual all-star selves and led Utah to a 53 win season. Mehmet Okur, Andrei Kirelinko, Paul Millsap, CJ Miles and Wesley Matthews have given the Jazz a solid supporting cast and have made them a solid playoff team as they always are. They have been deep into the playoffs before and are experienced and will give whoever they catch in the postseason a dogfight and a long series. Jerry Sloan will have his team ready to go as always and they will be ready to play when the ball is rolled out.
After the SAS-Dallas series, this to me will be the second most competitive series in the playoffs. These two division rivals battled each other all year for the division crown and they both finished with identical 53-29 records on the season. The key is Utah's health, both Boozer and Williams are both nicked up but both will be playing but Kirelinko will not be playing this series and that will be a tough loss for the Jazz. These teams are so even that every area is almost a push, the Nuggets have more firepower and are more explosive, and the duo matchup of Billups-Anthony vs Boozer-Williams will be a great matchup to keep an eye on. This is the toughest one to pick out of them all because of how even the teams are, but this one will come down to coaching and I think Sloan will outcoach Adrian Dantley in this series and give Utah the edge.
Prediction: Jazz in 7
Ok folks, that's my first round preview of this postseason. Remember the playoffs kick off tomorrow on ABC at 2 Eastern and 3 Central. Hopefully your favorite team is in the playoffs and you will be watching and if your favorite team isn't in the playoffs. Well enjoy the lottery and still tune in and watch what should be an exciting first round.
I will be doing round by round previews for each series, so my semi-final preview will be coming at the end of the first round so be on the lookout for that.
So until next time, i'm out.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Paul Bearer's 2010 March Madness Preview
Well, people here we are. The best sporting time of the year, no disrespect to Super Bowl Weekend, the World Series, NBA Finals, World Cup, Stanley Cup, etc.But the NCAA Men's Basketball Tourney is always the crème de la crème of sporting events.
The conference tournaments are over and a great two weeks they were, the automatic bids were handed out with the SEC, Big Ten, A-10, and ACC crowning their champions. After the tournaments ended today on Selection Sunday the brackets and the field of 65 were announced. Everybody all over the country, get your brackets ready and prepare for three great weeks of basketball.
Kansas was the number 1 overall seed and will be in the Midwest Region, with Kentucky in the East, Syracuse out in the West Region and Duke in the South region. The play-in game starts the tourney off on Sunday and it gets into full swing on Thursday.
Region Breakdown
Midwest:
Kansas is the number 1 overall seed, led by their great Senior point guard Sherron Collins. Kansas finished the season 32-2, with a Big 12 title and was the number 1 team for most of the year. Kansas won the title two years ago, and Bill Self has another great squad with freshman phenom Xavier Henry, big man Cole Aldrich, Tyshawn Taylor, Brady Morningstar, Markeef and Marcus Morris. Kansas is a tourney favorite and rightfully so, this is a great team that knows how to win and has the talent to go all the way
But they should not expect a cakewalk in a strong Midwest region. This region is stacked with individual talent all around.
Ohio State grabbed a number 2 seed and is led by the likely player of the year in Evan Turner, Turner who suffered a devastating back injury early on has came back strong with a great all-around season to match his great game. He led his team to the Big 10 title, which included his halfcourt game winner against Michigan in the Big 10 semis, watch out for Turner and the Buckeyes.
After Turner, there is the 3rd seed Georgetown Hoyas, led by a great threesome in Greg Monroe, Austin Freeman and Chris Wright. The Hoyas fell short in the Big East final to West Virginia but a tough team, they combine great perimeter play from Freeman and Wright with a talented big man on the inside in Monroe. The Hoyas will give a tough battle to any one in the tournament, it's all a matter of consistency.
For my money outside of Turner the other individual to watch in this region is Greivis Vasquez, the fiery, emotional and talented leader of the 4th seed Maryland Terrapins. Vasquez who averaged 19 ppg, 6 assists, and 4 boards has the talent to single handedly win a game by himself. We've seen tournaments in the past where one guy goes on a roll and cant be stopped and carries his team (2003 Dwyane Wade, 1989 Glen Rice). Vazquez has the tools to do it, watch out for him and the Terps.
Then you have the consistent as night and day, Tom Izzo led Michigan State Spartans who grabbed the 5th seed. MSU is one of the more experienced teams, coming off a national title game appearance last year, led by point guard Kalin Lucas and forward Raymar Morgan. Sparty will be a force to be reckoned with, do not expect this team to go down easy.
Then you have the 6th seed Tennessee Volunteers from the SEC, this is a resilient and talented team. They bounced back after the suspension of Tyler Smith to finish 24-8 on the year, this team will come to play. They are one of only two teams to have beaten Kentucky on the season. They have talent with Wayne Chism, J.P. Prince and Scotty Hopson. Bruce Pearl will have this bunch ready.
The rest of the top 10 seeds round out with 7th seed Oklahoma State who has a dynamic player in James Anderson, watch out for that guy. The 8th seed UNLV Runnin Rebels, 9th Seed Northern Iowa, 10th seed Georgia Tech who lost to Duke in the ACC final today, they have a great, talented freshman in Derrick Favors, who could easily have a breakout tourney performance.
PB's Region Champ: Kansas
PB's Region's Best Player: Evan Turner
East
In the East, the SEC champ Kentucky Wildcats locked down the number 1 seed today due to their SEC title win and a 32-2 season record. Coached by John Calipari, this ridiculously talented squad is my personal favorite for the 'chip. They run three freshman in their starting five, led by freshman superstar John Wall, big man Demarcus Cousins, and Wall's first-year backcourt mate Eric Bledsoe. Combine those three with the forgotten man of the bunch talented junior forward Patrick Patterson, UK has the horses to get their first championship since Jeff Sheppard and the '97 'Cats.
But in what is a solid East region, Kentucky who is still a young team will have some good teams to deal with.
Big East champ West Virginia grabbed the 2 seed led by their star forward Da'Sean Butler. Butler really stepped onto the national stage during the Big East tourney, hitting two game-winners in 3 nights. Led by legendary coach Bob Huggins, WVU possesses a great and tough squad including players like Devin Ebanks and Kevin Jones. They will pose a great matchup to Kentucky if they meet up.
The 3rd seeded New Mexico Lobos, quietly had a great season finishing 29-4 coming from the Mountain West. A talented all-around team when they get on the floor, knows how to win and is coached well. They are inexperienced in the tourney, but won 15 in a row late in the season.
Then the East has talented teams like Texas who is the 8th seed, 4th seeded Wisconsin, 5th seeded Temple, 6th seeded Marquette, and 7th seeded Clemson. However all of those teams are very inconsistent and you never really know what you are going to get. A team like Clemson and Texas can pull off a big win in this region but then have a disappointing and bad loss. Which is why to me Kentucky's only obstacle in this region is West Virginia
PB's Region Champ: Kentucky
PB's Region's Best Player: John Wall
West
In the West region, Syracuse is the number 1 seed and rightfully so finishing up with a 28-4 record. But they come into the tournament with two straight losses and an injury issue with big man Arinze Onuaku. But I think if he's ok, 'Cuse will be ok this is a great team. Jim Boeheim will have his guys ready to go, led by Wesley Johnson and supported by guys like Andy Rautins, Scoop Jardine, Rick Jackson and Onuaku. Syracuse has a legit shot to win it all, this is an athletic, talented squad.
But in the West to me, Syracuse has some good competition and if they dont make it out I will not be shocked. It is gonna be a dogfight, because there are some good teams here among the first 5 seeds. Including one who I think will be a surprise to a lot of people
The Kansas State Wildcats boast the number 2 seed, and this team is good, I mean really good. Coached by the intense Frank Martin, the Wildcats had a great year from the Big 12 finishing 26-7. KSU has one of the best backcourts, if not the best in the nation with Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente. They were in contention for a number 1 seed, so this team is no joke. Seeing Pullen and Clemente on the big stage will be a fun sight to see, KSU will be a burden for a lot of teams.
The Pittsburgh Panthers grabbed the 3rd seed, a great season for Pitt especially after losing DeJuan Blair, Sam Young, and Levance Fields from last year. As with any Pitt team this is a gritty, tough, scrappy bunch. Ashton Gibbs is a name to remember, he is a great shooter and scorer and has a good number 2 guy alongside him in Brad Wanamaker.
Vanderbilt grabbed the 4th seed from the SEC, they are led by a good guard-big man combo in Jermaine Beal and AJ Ogilvy. Beal is another one of those guys that can go on a great run in this tourney, and Ogilvy is a talented big. Jeffery Taylor has been another good player for the Commodores who have some great wins on the year.
Rounding out the the rest of the West, you have the 5th seeded Horizon League champs Butler. Butler is a tough squad, they should make the Sweet 16 with no problem. Watch out for them
Then you have 7th seed Xavier, 8th seed Gonzaga, 9th seed Florida State and 10th seeded Florida. Outside of the top 5 seeds here, the rest are all good but to me not enough to make a lot of noise or threaten Syracuse. But Syracuse will have to meet up with Kansas State and play them in a game that will not be easy and ripe for an upset. Either way it's gonna be a good one.
PB's Region Champ: Syracuse
PB's Region's Best Player: Wesley Johnson
East
Duke grabbed the number 1 seed in a light East region this year, that to me only has two great teams. Duke has really underachieved in the tournament the past few years, but they are legit title contender. They have three great players on the perimeter in Nolan Smith, Kyle Singler, and Jon Scheyer and a great set of big men. But will they put it all together or fall short again? We will see.
In my opinion Duke's only real challenge will be the 2 seed Villanova Wildcats. The Wildcats led by Scottie Reynolds from the Big East are coming off a Final Four berth last year. That experience coupled with the great play of Reynolds and his backcourt partner Corey Fisher gives them a shot to come out of this region. But their horrid finish were they lost 5 out of 7 works against them. But I will give 'Nova the benefit of the doubt due to their talent and experience coming out of that rugged Big East though.
The Baylor Bears are the 3 seed out East and quietly had a really good season out of the Big 12. They have two dynamic guards in LaceDarius Dunn and Tweety Carter and are a solid Sweet 16 team. If they had better big man play they might could go further but being that they are such a perimeter driven team I dont know how far they can go. They will come to play though.
Purdue grabbed the 4 seed and I would have been confident in picking them for a deep tourney run, but then Robbie Hummel got hurt and their chances got hurt. They still have a good duo in E'Twaun Moore and Jajuan Johnson, so they will be a good Sweet 16 pick but I dont see them going further.
After the 4 seeds it gets a little light among the rest of the region but there are still some good teams with 5 seed Texas A&M and 6th seeded Notre Dame. A&M and Notre Dame both used great finishes to get off the bubble and into the tourney.
Next you have 7th seeded Richmond, and 8th seeded California and their dynamic little man Jerome Randle who you should really be watching for, next up is 9th seeded Louisville who scored a big win over Syracuse late in the year and 10th seeded Saint Mary's and their talented big man Omar Samhan.
To me it's a two horse race in Duke and 'Nova, and they will decide who comes out of this region.
PB's Region Champ: Villanova
PB's Region's Best Player: Scottie Reynolds
Well there you go a region by region breakdown and preview of the 2010 NCAA tournament. I will be back after the second round for a Sweet 16 preview and followed up by writings on the rounds after that. I hope you enjoy the tournament and got your brackets ready, enjoy the tournament and come through and read my writeup and give me your feedback.
Until next time, Peace
The conference tournaments are over and a great two weeks they were, the automatic bids were handed out with the SEC, Big Ten, A-10, and ACC crowning their champions. After the tournaments ended today on Selection Sunday the brackets and the field of 65 were announced. Everybody all over the country, get your brackets ready and prepare for three great weeks of basketball.
Kansas was the number 1 overall seed and will be in the Midwest Region, with Kentucky in the East, Syracuse out in the West Region and Duke in the South region. The play-in game starts the tourney off on Sunday and it gets into full swing on Thursday.
Region Breakdown
Midwest:
Kansas is the number 1 overall seed, led by their great Senior point guard Sherron Collins. Kansas finished the season 32-2, with a Big 12 title and was the number 1 team for most of the year. Kansas won the title two years ago, and Bill Self has another great squad with freshman phenom Xavier Henry, big man Cole Aldrich, Tyshawn Taylor, Brady Morningstar, Markeef and Marcus Morris. Kansas is a tourney favorite and rightfully so, this is a great team that knows how to win and has the talent to go all the way
But they should not expect a cakewalk in a strong Midwest region. This region is stacked with individual talent all around.
Ohio State grabbed a number 2 seed and is led by the likely player of the year in Evan Turner, Turner who suffered a devastating back injury early on has came back strong with a great all-around season to match his great game. He led his team to the Big 10 title, which included his halfcourt game winner against Michigan in the Big 10 semis, watch out for Turner and the Buckeyes.
After Turner, there is the 3rd seed Georgetown Hoyas, led by a great threesome in Greg Monroe, Austin Freeman and Chris Wright. The Hoyas fell short in the Big East final to West Virginia but a tough team, they combine great perimeter play from Freeman and Wright with a talented big man on the inside in Monroe. The Hoyas will give a tough battle to any one in the tournament, it's all a matter of consistency.
For my money outside of Turner the other individual to watch in this region is Greivis Vasquez, the fiery, emotional and talented leader of the 4th seed Maryland Terrapins. Vasquez who averaged 19 ppg, 6 assists, and 4 boards has the talent to single handedly win a game by himself. We've seen tournaments in the past where one guy goes on a roll and cant be stopped and carries his team (2003 Dwyane Wade, 1989 Glen Rice). Vazquez has the tools to do it, watch out for him and the Terps.
Then you have the consistent as night and day, Tom Izzo led Michigan State Spartans who grabbed the 5th seed. MSU is one of the more experienced teams, coming off a national title game appearance last year, led by point guard Kalin Lucas and forward Raymar Morgan. Sparty will be a force to be reckoned with, do not expect this team to go down easy.
Then you have the 6th seed Tennessee Volunteers from the SEC, this is a resilient and talented team. They bounced back after the suspension of Tyler Smith to finish 24-8 on the year, this team will come to play. They are one of only two teams to have beaten Kentucky on the season. They have talent with Wayne Chism, J.P. Prince and Scotty Hopson. Bruce Pearl will have this bunch ready.
The rest of the top 10 seeds round out with 7th seed Oklahoma State who has a dynamic player in James Anderson, watch out for that guy. The 8th seed UNLV Runnin Rebels, 9th Seed Northern Iowa, 10th seed Georgia Tech who lost to Duke in the ACC final today, they have a great, talented freshman in Derrick Favors, who could easily have a breakout tourney performance.
PB's Region Champ: Kansas
PB's Region's Best Player: Evan Turner
East
In the East, the SEC champ Kentucky Wildcats locked down the number 1 seed today due to their SEC title win and a 32-2 season record. Coached by John Calipari, this ridiculously talented squad is my personal favorite for the 'chip. They run three freshman in their starting five, led by freshman superstar John Wall, big man Demarcus Cousins, and Wall's first-year backcourt mate Eric Bledsoe. Combine those three with the forgotten man of the bunch talented junior forward Patrick Patterson, UK has the horses to get their first championship since Jeff Sheppard and the '97 'Cats.
But in what is a solid East region, Kentucky who is still a young team will have some good teams to deal with.
Big East champ West Virginia grabbed the 2 seed led by their star forward Da'Sean Butler. Butler really stepped onto the national stage during the Big East tourney, hitting two game-winners in 3 nights. Led by legendary coach Bob Huggins, WVU possesses a great and tough squad including players like Devin Ebanks and Kevin Jones. They will pose a great matchup to Kentucky if they meet up.
The 3rd seeded New Mexico Lobos, quietly had a great season finishing 29-4 coming from the Mountain West. A talented all-around team when they get on the floor, knows how to win and is coached well. They are inexperienced in the tourney, but won 15 in a row late in the season.
Then the East has talented teams like Texas who is the 8th seed, 4th seeded Wisconsin, 5th seeded Temple, 6th seeded Marquette, and 7th seeded Clemson. However all of those teams are very inconsistent and you never really know what you are going to get. A team like Clemson and Texas can pull off a big win in this region but then have a disappointing and bad loss. Which is why to me Kentucky's only obstacle in this region is West Virginia
PB's Region Champ: Kentucky
PB's Region's Best Player: John Wall
West
In the West region, Syracuse is the number 1 seed and rightfully so finishing up with a 28-4 record. But they come into the tournament with two straight losses and an injury issue with big man Arinze Onuaku. But I think if he's ok, 'Cuse will be ok this is a great team. Jim Boeheim will have his guys ready to go, led by Wesley Johnson and supported by guys like Andy Rautins, Scoop Jardine, Rick Jackson and Onuaku. Syracuse has a legit shot to win it all, this is an athletic, talented squad.
But in the West to me, Syracuse has some good competition and if they dont make it out I will not be shocked. It is gonna be a dogfight, because there are some good teams here among the first 5 seeds. Including one who I think will be a surprise to a lot of people
The Kansas State Wildcats boast the number 2 seed, and this team is good, I mean really good. Coached by the intense Frank Martin, the Wildcats had a great year from the Big 12 finishing 26-7. KSU has one of the best backcourts, if not the best in the nation with Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente. They were in contention for a number 1 seed, so this team is no joke. Seeing Pullen and Clemente on the big stage will be a fun sight to see, KSU will be a burden for a lot of teams.
The Pittsburgh Panthers grabbed the 3rd seed, a great season for Pitt especially after losing DeJuan Blair, Sam Young, and Levance Fields from last year. As with any Pitt team this is a gritty, tough, scrappy bunch. Ashton Gibbs is a name to remember, he is a great shooter and scorer and has a good number 2 guy alongside him in Brad Wanamaker.
Vanderbilt grabbed the 4th seed from the SEC, they are led by a good guard-big man combo in Jermaine Beal and AJ Ogilvy. Beal is another one of those guys that can go on a great run in this tourney, and Ogilvy is a talented big. Jeffery Taylor has been another good player for the Commodores who have some great wins on the year.
Rounding out the the rest of the West, you have the 5th seeded Horizon League champs Butler. Butler is a tough squad, they should make the Sweet 16 with no problem. Watch out for them
Then you have 7th seed Xavier, 8th seed Gonzaga, 9th seed Florida State and 10th seeded Florida. Outside of the top 5 seeds here, the rest are all good but to me not enough to make a lot of noise or threaten Syracuse. But Syracuse will have to meet up with Kansas State and play them in a game that will not be easy and ripe for an upset. Either way it's gonna be a good one.
PB's Region Champ: Syracuse
PB's Region's Best Player: Wesley Johnson
East
Duke grabbed the number 1 seed in a light East region this year, that to me only has two great teams. Duke has really underachieved in the tournament the past few years, but they are legit title contender. They have three great players on the perimeter in Nolan Smith, Kyle Singler, and Jon Scheyer and a great set of big men. But will they put it all together or fall short again? We will see.
In my opinion Duke's only real challenge will be the 2 seed Villanova Wildcats. The Wildcats led by Scottie Reynolds from the Big East are coming off a Final Four berth last year. That experience coupled with the great play of Reynolds and his backcourt partner Corey Fisher gives them a shot to come out of this region. But their horrid finish were they lost 5 out of 7 works against them. But I will give 'Nova the benefit of the doubt due to their talent and experience coming out of that rugged Big East though.
The Baylor Bears are the 3 seed out East and quietly had a really good season out of the Big 12. They have two dynamic guards in LaceDarius Dunn and Tweety Carter and are a solid Sweet 16 team. If they had better big man play they might could go further but being that they are such a perimeter driven team I dont know how far they can go. They will come to play though.
Purdue grabbed the 4 seed and I would have been confident in picking them for a deep tourney run, but then Robbie Hummel got hurt and their chances got hurt. They still have a good duo in E'Twaun Moore and Jajuan Johnson, so they will be a good Sweet 16 pick but I dont see them going further.
After the 4 seeds it gets a little light among the rest of the region but there are still some good teams with 5 seed Texas A&M and 6th seeded Notre Dame. A&M and Notre Dame both used great finishes to get off the bubble and into the tourney.
Next you have 7th seeded Richmond, and 8th seeded California and their dynamic little man Jerome Randle who you should really be watching for, next up is 9th seeded Louisville who scored a big win over Syracuse late in the year and 10th seeded Saint Mary's and their talented big man Omar Samhan.
To me it's a two horse race in Duke and 'Nova, and they will decide who comes out of this region.
PB's Region Champ: Villanova
PB's Region's Best Player: Scottie Reynolds
Well there you go a region by region breakdown and preview of the 2010 NCAA tournament. I will be back after the second round for a Sweet 16 preview and followed up by writings on the rounds after that. I hope you enjoy the tournament and got your brackets ready, enjoy the tournament and come through and read my writeup and give me your feedback.
Until next time, Peace
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