GOLDEN GABBY AND DAZZLING DOMINIQUE

United States gymnast Gabby Douglas showcases her gold medal from the
individual all-around event. (Photo by Robert Deutsch/USA Today Sports)

At the age of 16, Gabby Douglas realized her dream as an Olympic gold medalist by becoming the first black woman ever to win gold in the individual all-round event in women’s gymnastics.


At a time where many teenage girls are thinking about surviving high school, getting into a good college and hoping to avoid being on MTV’s “16 and Pregnant”, Douglas is busy making history and being a role model.


“It is everything I thought it would be; being the Olympic champion, it definitely is an amazing feeling,” Douglas said after her win in the all-arounds. “And I give all the glory to God. It’s kind of a win-win situation. The glory goes up to Him and the blessings fall down on me.”


Just 16 years ago, when Douglas was just a few months old, another young black gymnast was part of a squad that also warmed the hearts of Americans.

Dominique Dawes was the first black gymnast to receive a medal
from an individual event in the Olympics. (Photo from Corbis)

Dominique Dawes played a huge role on the “Magnificent Seven”—the name given to the U.S. gymnastics team from the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta that won a gold medal as a team. Dawes would also win an individual bronze on the floor routine.


It was with that accomplishment that Dawes became the first black gymnast—male or female—to win an individual medal of any kind.


“There are girls who come up to me and say that it is because of me that they are involved in gymnastics,” Dawes said in an article on ESPN.com in 2008. “I hear that a lot and each time, I am flattered.”


Now, Dawes is a co-chairman (along with New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees) for the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition along with working as a co-host for Yahoo! Weekend News and an writer for FOXSports.com.

Past meets present. The question is...who's next for the future?

But she also felt the emotions of Douglas’ groundbreaking win.


“I am so thrilled for Gabby,” Dawes said in an interview with FOX Sports. “…I’m so thrilled to change my website and take down the fact that I was the only African American with a gold medal.”


With her accomplishments, Douglas joins Dawes and other gymnasts such as Mary Lou Retton and Nadia Comaneci in possibly inspiring a young girl to be the next great gymnast in the future.


“That’s so touching,” Dawes said. “As I was able to help Gabby, now she’s going to help a whole other generation of young girls and boys, African Americans, Hispanics, [and] other minorities to see the sport of gymnastics as an opportunity for them to excel.”

DALLAS MAVERICKS BOUNCE BACK AFTER TOUGH START TO OFFSEASON

After Deron Williams (second left) decided to stay with the Brooklyn
Nets, the Mavs had to go to Plan B. (Photo by Mary Altaffer/AP)

All hope seemed lost for the Dallas Mavericks two weeks ago after losing out on Deron Williams and two key members of the 2011 squad that beat the Miami Heat for the NBA Championship.

However by adding OJ Mayo Monday to a solid gathering of acquisitions, the Mavs have turned a possible disaster to a good offseason in that short span.

The 2011-12 NBA season was a tough one for the Mavericks. They went 36-30, endured drama from Lamar Odom not wanting to be there and got swept in the first round by the eventual Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

They let five good players from the 2011 team walk and join other teams, including Tyson Chandler—possibly the best center Dallas has had in the Dirk Nowitzki era.

The goal for the Mavericks was simple: be players in the 2012 free agency period and get Dwight Howard and either Deron Williams or Chris Paul.

The Paul hopes ended with his trade to the Los Angeles Clippers before the season and Howard decided to opt-in with the Orlando Magic at the trade deadline, but Williams remained.

After help delivering the franchise's first title, Jason Kidd (right) and
Jason Terry left Dallas this offseason. Kidd went to the Knicks, Terry
went to the Celtics. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Well, until this tweet.

That, losing out on Steve Nash to the Los Angeles Lakers and letting their two veteran guards—Jason Terry and Jason Kidd—sign elsewhere, things looked like it would be similar to the previous season, if not worse.

In May, Nowitzki shared his thoughts about a possible rebuild on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM’s “Galloway & Co.”

“If we really come out with nobody this summer then maybe they want to rebuild and, obviously, I’m too old for that,” Nowitzki said. “We’ll just have to wait and see what happens on that front. But I still think I got two, three good years left in me and if we get some players in here we can be right back up there and compete.”

Help came on July 11, when Dallas signed former NBA All-Star Chris Kaman—Nowitzki’s frontcourt mate on the German national basketball team. Later that day, the Mavs received Darren Collison and Dahntay Jones from the Indiana Pacers as a part of a sign-and-trade for Ian Mahinmi.

Former No. 3 pick O.J. Mayo averaged 12.6 points per game last year with the Memphis
Grizzlies coming off of the bench. (Photo by Brad Towsend/Dallas Morning News)

Dallas continued to make moves by amnestying Brendan Haywood, claiming Elton Brand off waivers from the Philadelphia 76ers and signing O.J. Mayo to add a scorer to take some pressure off of Nowitzki.

Mayo’s tweet certainly made Dallas fans enjoyed, as his signing completed the turnaround from disaster by not making the big move to satisfaction by improving the team with solid pieces to add youth and depth.

“We think we’ve positioned ourselves so that we have a young nucleus,” Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said. We can keep these guys, let them jell and play together, build around Dirk and have room for hopefully someone to come or to trade or whatever happens.”

With Dallas signing all three of their rookies—Jared Cunningham, Bernard James and Jae Crowder—and bringing back Delonte West, who became a fan favorite in Dallas with his gritty play, the team certainly has repositioned itself to be a tough out in the Western Conference.

While Jared Cunningham (second right) was held out of Summer
League play due to injury, Jae Crowder and Bernard James showed a glimpse
of the future with good play. (Photo by Stephen Chavera/Dallas Mavericks)

While the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers appear to be favorites in the conference, expect the Mavs to compete division crown with the San Antonio Spurs and the Memphis Grizzlies being the main competition, with the rising New Orleans Hornets and retooled Houston Rockets expecting to also make it tough in the always challenging Southwest.

As for the rest, it all depends on how well this team jells.

A KING'S CORONATION: LEBRON JAMES IS FINALLY A CHAMPION

Miami Heat forward LeBron James (center) celebrates winning his first NBA title after a
4-1 series win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Photo by Steve Mitchell/US Presswire)

Finally, the king can take his rightful throne.

LeBron James waited nine seasons to call himself a champion, but those dreams became reality after the Miami Heat’s series-clinching win in Game 5 of the 2012 NBA Finals Thursday.

“It’s about damn time,” a relieved James said after winning Finals MVP honors shortly after the game.

In James’ two previous trips to the NBA Finals, he came away with losses to the San Antonio Spurs in 2007 and the Dallas Mavericks last year.

While facing added scrutiny after losing to the Mavs and how he handled going to Miami, James stated that the setbacks taught him a valuable lesson.

In James' first year in Miami, the Heat overcame struggles to reach the 2011 NBA Finals.
Yet, they lost to the Dallas Mavericks in six games. (Photo by Robert Duyo/MCT)

“It took me to go all the way to the top and then hit rock bottom, basically, to realize what I needed to do as a professional athlete and as a person,” James said. “The best thing that happened to me last year was us losing in the Finals.”

Heading into this year, James worked on his post play with Hall of Fame center and two-time NBA champion Hakeem Olajuwon. The results paid huge dividends.

He averaged 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists en route to his third MVP award and leading the Heat to a 46-20 record.

“He really took being the best player in the league to another level,” Dwyane Wade said. “And he did it all season, man.”

However, LeBron and the Heat still faced their problems in the postseason.

The Indiana Pacers took a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals thanks to Chris Bosh’s abdominal injury in Game 1 and Wade’s struggles in Game 3.

The Heat would win the next three games to take the series in six.

James won his third NBA MVP during the 2011-12 season, becoming
just the eighth player to do so. (Photo by Wilfredo Lee/AP Photo)

The Boston Celtics jumped out to a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals and James’ performance in the clutch was once again placed in the spotlight.

He would put up an absolute gem in Game 6 of 45 points, 15 rebounds and five assists to spark Miami and take the series in seven games.

It was clear that James took over the reigns as the leader of this team with his play. In the postseason, he averaged 30.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game en route to his first title. The adversity that he faced in each of the last nine years in the NBA and his high school years had finally paid off.

“It was a journey,” James said. “Everything that went along with along with me being a high school prodigy when I was 16 and on the cover of Sports Illustrated to being drafted and having to be the face of a franchise and everything that came along with it. I had to deal with it and I had to learn through it. No one had gone through that journey and I had to learn on my own. I can finally say that I’m a champion.”

With James just reaching his prime at just 27 years old, it is safe to say that he will be in the conversation of winning more titles for quite some time while becoming even better player (scary, right?) than what he already is.

With the first one—and possibly the hardest one—finally out of the way, who knows?

2012 NBA FINALS

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Miami Heat

SEASON SERIES: series tied 1-1 (home team won both times)
ANALYSIS: After a 23-59 record in their first year in Oklahoma City, the Thunder’s gradual progression from a lottery team to one of the NBA’s elite took another big step with a 4-2 win over the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. Things did not come easily as the Thunder became just the 15^th NBA squad to win a best-of-seven while facing an 0-2 hole and going against a Spurs team that won 20 games in a row. A win in these Finals could be the start of a new dynasty in the NBA.

Down 3-2 to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat faced speculation of possible changes if they lost. However, behind LeBron James’ strong performances in Games 6 and 7, Miami won the East for the second year in a row and seek redemption. Things are not out of the woods yet, because those speculations will still loom unless they win here.

POSITION SHOWDOWNS

PG: Russell Westbrook vs. Mario Chalmers
ADVANTAGE: Russell Westbrook
-Chalmers will have his second tough matchup as he adjusts from Rajon Rondo to a more offensively aggressive point guard in Westbrook. Westbrook is averaging 21.7 points per game this postseason, but his 7.3 assists in the West Finals showcased his abilities to be a combo guard. Chalmers can score when needed though—already notching two 20-point games in the playoffs and his ability to knock down threes—but stopping Westbrook will be a tall task.

SG: Thabo Sefolosha vs. Dwyane Wade
ADVANTAGE: Dwyane Wade
-Sefolosha will have two players to try to stop in this series—LeBron James and his primary opposition in Wade. Wade has this matchup on paper, but has struggled with his shot much recently in the playoffs. In the East Finals, he shot just 44.4 percent from the field—nearly four percentage points off of his career postseason mark of 48.0 percent. Sefolosha kept Kobe Bryant and Tony Parker in check in the last two rounds and if he can force Wade’s struggles to linger, that will put more pressure on James.

SF: Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James
ADVANTAGE: Push
-This is the dream matchup most NBA fans have waited for since the lockout was resolved in November. Two of the NBA’s very best square off for the right to win the first title in what could be many for either player. On one hand, James is on a mission to quiet doubters on whether or not if he can get it done in the game’s biggest moments. None where bigger than in Game 6 when James scored 45 points, grabbed 15 boards and dished five assists to force a Game 7 against the Celtics. On the other hand, the 23-year old Durant is already an accomplished scoring champ—having won the last three titles. His 34 points and 14 rebounds to close out the Spurs in Game 6 was marvelous in getting the Thunder to their first Finals appearance since the move to Oklahoma City. Fans will not be disappointed in this series.

PF: Serge Ibaka vs. Battier/Bosh
ADVANTAGE: Bosh (if he starts), Ibaka (if Battier starts)
-While the status on whether Bosh starts or continues to come off of the bench is uncertain, the Thunder will have Ibaka at the 4 position ready to redirect Miami’s shots. In all but one playoff game, Ibaka has blocked multiple shots, but his offense is also taking notice. In Game 4 against San Antonio, Ibaka was lights out from the field, hitting all 11 of his shots for a 26-point performance. Battier will mostly be in charge of guarding Durant and to shoot spot-up threes, while Bosh could ease back into his starting role or provide a more reliable scoring option from the bench.

C: Kendrick Perkins vs. Udonis Haslem
ADVANTAGE: Kendrick Perkins
-For the last few games, Haslem started at center for the Heat against Kevin Garnett, but the size advantage against Perkins might be a tough one for Haslem. Perkins will continue to provide defense inside the paint, but his 15 points against the Spurs in Game 4 shows that he can chip in offensively when needed. Haslem had his best game in Game 4 against Boston with 12 points and 17 rebounds, despite a loss. Those two will battle for rebounds all series long.

BENCH: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Miami Heat
ADVANTAGE: Oklahoma City
-With or without Bosh coming off of the bench, the Thunder will have the advantage here with the Sixth Man of Year winner—James Harden—on their side. In the West Finals, Harden was unconscious from long range, hitting 60.9 percent of his 3-pointers en route to averaging 18.5 points per game. Derek Fisher can still knock down big shots and Nick Collision will provide tough defense in the post. Since coming back from an abdominal strain, Bosh is averaging 11.7 points and 7.0 rebounds from the bench. Mike Miller will assist Bosh in bench scoring, but one more of the Heat’s other reserves—James Jones, Joel Anthony or Norris Cole—must step up.

PREDICTION: Thunder in 7

2012 NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics


SEASON SERIES: Celtics won 3-1
ANALYSIS: The Miami Heat withstood everything that the Indiana Pacers could throw at them, but turned up the pressure in the last three games to win in six. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were able to take over in the last three games averaging 65.7 points to offset the loss of Chris Bosh. Having Bosh back would certainly help the Heat, but for the meanwhile, James and Wade will need scoring help.


It took a tough seven game series, but the Boston Celtics defeated an up-and-coming Philadelphia 76ers squad who could be special down the road. Making it to its third East Final in five years, this could be the last hurrah for Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce together as teammates, but they are ready for one last run at a title. Avery Bradley’s defense will be missed, but Rajon Rondo will look to get timely steals and incorporate everyone on offense.


POSITION SHOWDOWNS
PG: Mario Chalmers vs. Rajon Rondo 
ADVANTAGE: Rajon Rondo (Celtics)
-Rondo is continuing his strong play this season in the playoffs, leading all players in playoff steals (32) and assists per game (12.3). His triple-double against the Sixers (18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists) in Game 7 was his third this postseason and he will look to get everyone involved. Chalmers had his best game in Game 3 against Indiana with 25 points and five assists but Rondo will have the better advantage.


SG: Dwyane Wade vs. Ray Allen 
ADVANTAGE: Dwyane Wade (Heat)
-Both players have had their struggles in the playoffs this year, but Wade is on fire thanks to his recent streak of games. After scoring just five points in Game 3 against Indiana, Wade closed out the last three games with an average of 33.0 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 40-for-65 from the field. Allen is battling through injuries and a rough shooting stretch, but he showed that he can still be reliable with two 3-pointers in Game 7 against Philadelphia in the fourth quarter.


SF: LeBron James vs. Paul Pierce 
ADVANTAGE: LeBron James (Heat)
-In what should be the best position battle in this series, James will take an edge here in the showdown of future hall-of-famers. Defensively, both James and Pierce performed well this postseason, but how they stop each other will tell everything. The 2011-12 MVP comes into this series averaging 29.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game, while Pierce is averaging 19.3 points and 6.9 rebounds.


PF: Bosh/Battier vs. Brandon Bass 
ADVANTAGE: Bosh (if he plays), Bass (if Bosh does not play)
-With Bosh’s status still up in the air for this series, it looks as if Battier will start against Bass at power forward until Bosh returns. Bass has shown that he can step up when needed in the playoffs, thanks to his 11.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. However, his 27 points and six rebounds sparked Boston in Game 5 against the 76ers. The Heat were able to get by the Pacers without Bosh, but they still missed his post presence. Battier only shot 21.2 percent from the field against Indiana, but he is mostly used for his defense and a needed 3-pointer.


C: Ronny Turiaf vs. Kevin Garnett 
ADVANTAGE: Kevin Garnett (Celtics)
-Sitting at 15-17 at the All-Star break, Doc Rivers made the move to start Garnett at center instead of his normal power forward position. As a result, Garnett and the Celtics finished the season strong and he currently averages 19.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per game this postseason. Turiaf would get the start and Joel Anthony gets more minutes, but I do not think either can slow down KG.


BENCH: Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics
ADVANTAGE: Miami Heat
-Let me preface this by saying that the bench battle in this series may not be pretty, but Miami should have the advantage here especially when Chris Bosh is able to come back and reclaim his starting role. Avery Bradley’s season-ending injury hurts Boston’s bench because there is no scoring punch since Ray Allen starts in place of Bradley. Mickael Pietrus leads the Celtic bench with 3.7 points per game this postseason—a stat that must improve.


PREDICTION: Heat in 6.

2012 NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

SEASON SERIES: Spurs won 2-1

ANALYSIS: The San Antonio Spurs have rolled right along the 2012 NBA Playoffs with sweeps of the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers, all while maintaining an 18-game winning streak since losing to the Los Angeles Lakers on Apr. 11. The Spurs have had solid contributions from their three key players—Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker—while still being able to manage each of their minutes thanks to a deep bench and other role players.

Making it to consecutive West Finals for the first time since 1978-1980, the Oklahoma City Thunder are hoping that last season’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks enables them to grow even more and possibly make the Finals. Oklahoma City only lost one game against the last two teams to put them out of the playoffs en route to this stage. First All-NBA selection Kevin Durant continues to improve his standing as one of the NBA’s elite players, while Russell Westbrook and 2011-12 Sixth Man of the Year James Harden are both great players that make this trio as terrific as they are.

POSITION SHOWDOWNS

PG: Tony Parker vs. Russell Westbrook

ADVANTAGE: Push

-The fellow 2011-12 All-NBA Second Teamers square off in this round with a contrast in styles. Parker likes to get his teammates involved more, while Westbrook is a bit more aggressive with his offensive game. The key in this one will be how one performs defensively and limits the other. Parker torched Oklahoma City for 42 points and nine assists on Feb. 4, but both players played well in their Mar. 16 tilt—a Spurs win.

SG: Danny Green vs. Thabo Sefolosha

ADVANTAGE: Danny Green (Spurs)

-Although these two may have a small impact in this series, it may be one to hardly ignore. Green did not become a starter until Feb. 8, but he has provided 3-point shooting and good defense for San Antonio since then. Sefolosha’s stats are not that impressive, but what does not make the stat sheet—his perimeter defense—is something that helps out the Thunder.

SF: Kawhi Leonard vs. Kevin Durant

ADVANTAGE: Kevin Durant (Thunder)

-Like Green, Leonard is another good defender that San Antonio has. However, this could be his biggest test in this year’s playoffs as he will likely guard Durant. The runner-up to this year’s MVP award is averaging 26.7 points and 8.1 rebounds this postseason while not scoring less than 22 in that stretch. Leonard does one stat going for him, Durant only averaged 22.7 points against San Antonio this season—more than five points below his regular season average.

PF: Tim Duncan vs. Serge Ibaka

ADVANTAGE: Tim Duncan (Spurs)

-Ibaka has been a great shot blocking machine this season, turning away a league-high 241 shots and recording the 10-block plateau three times this season. But what happens when he plays against a rejuvenated Duncan? Duncan looks as if he has really turned back the clock in the playoffs. With the Spurs’ deep bench, rarely being in a closely contested game and the two sweeps, it is beneficial to Duncan, who only averaged 32.0 minutes this postseason but has his lowest defensive rating since 2003.

C: Boris Diaw vs. Kendrick Perkins

ADVANTAGE: Kendrick Perkins (Thunder)

-Diaw has seen it all this year. He started the season with the Charlotte Bobcats, but he signed with the Spurs two days after being waived from Charlotte on Mar. 21. However, I think Perkins’ championship experience wins out here. Mainly a defensive center, Perkins has come through with 14 blocks of his own and 5.9 rebounds per game this postseason.

BENCH: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

ADVANTAGE: San Antonio Spurs

-While Manu Ginobili and James Harden are two of the top sixth men in the NBA right now, the Spurs deep bench might be one of the best in the NBA. Ginobili leads the group with 11.3 points per game this postseason, while players like Stephen Jackson and Gary Neal can provide good scoring off of the bench. Oklahoma City does have Harden averaging 17.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in the playoffs. Derek Fisher’s veteran leadership and Nick Collison’s hard-nosed defense will help the Thunder. Whichever team’s bench performs better, it has a good job of winning the game. 

PREDICTION: Spurs in 6.

2012 NBA PLAYOFFS: WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Clippers
SEASON SERIES: Spurs won 2-1
PREDICTION: Spurs in 5

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers
SEASON SERIES: Thunder won 2-1.
ANALYSIS: In a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder wasted no time in making quick work of the defending champion Dallas Mavericks with a sweep. 2011-12 MVP runner-up Kevin Durant was instrumental in the series as he set the tone with his Game 1 game-winner. Durant averaged 26.5 points and 7.5 rebounds against the Lakers, while James Harden’s 29 points in the series finale allowed the Thunder to get revenge from last postseason.

The Los Angeles Lakers battled through a tough seven-game series with the Denver Nuggets, where they were tested by an athletic, tough team. Kobe Bryant was again has normal self, averaging 29.1 points in the series, while Andrew Bynum had a great time staying out of foul trouble. Bynum tied a playoff high with 10 blocks in Game 1 en route to a triple-double. However, the Lakers showed that they missed Metta World Peace and he rewarded them with 15 points and four steals in Game 7.
PREDICTION: Thunder in 6.

2012 NBA PLAYOFFS: EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers

SEASON SERIES: Heat won 3-1.

ANALYSIS: The Miami Heat had little to no problem in dispatching the New York Knicks in five games in the first round. 2011-12 NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James continued his strong season by averaging 27.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.6 assists against the Knicks, while also collecting 11 steals. Not to be outdone, Dwyane Wade had 14 steals and six blocks, while adding 21.0 points per game this postseason.

The Indiana Pacers took the next step in growing after defeating the Dwight Howard-less Orlando Magic in five games. Roy Hibbert was able to take advantage of the Magic’s hole at center by averaging 11.0 points and 10.8 rebounds per game in the series. Most importantly, it was Hibbert’s nine-block performance in Game 1 that set the tone to him having 19 blocks against Orlando. Danny Granger provided the offense that Indiana needed in the series by averaging 21.4 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.

PREDICTION: Heat in 5.

Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers
SEASON SERIES: 76ers won 2-1.
ANALYSIS: The Boston Celtics once again made it past the first round for the fifth year in a row after defeating the Atlanta Hawks in six games behind the efforts of their four key players—Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo. Garnett turned back the clock to his Minnesota Timberwolves days by averaging 18.7 points and 10.5 assists per game against the Hawks—including an impressive stat line of 28 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks in Game 6. Rondo may have snapped a 28-game streak of double-digit assists in Game 6, but his 11.8 assists per game this postseason was tops in the first round. However, the most impressive thing was his 17 steals in the series—also the most in the first round.


The Philadelphia 76ers became the fifth No. 8 seed to beat a No. 1 after their six-game series win against the Chicago Bulls—their first since 2003. The Sixers gave up 103 and 92 points in Games 1 and 2, respectively, but went back to their early-season defensive roots and allowed 77.8 points per game in the final four games. Jrue Holiday averaged 18.2 points and 5.2 rebounds to give Philadelphia just enough of a scoring punch against the Bulls and Elton Brand provided the defense with 15 blocks.
PREDICTION: Celtics in 6.

2012 NBA PLAYOFFS: WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS

San Antonio Spurs vs. Utah Jazz
SEASON SERIES: Spurs won 3-1
ANALYSIS: The San Antonio Spurs are once again the West’s top seed, but they are vowing not to be on the wrong side of another monumental 1/8 upset like last season. Gregg Popovich continued to manage Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker’s minutes, while giving younger players much valuable playing time. Despite only averaging 32.1 minutes, Parker scored 18.3 points per game and average 7.7 assists.


The Utah Jazz make it back to the playoffs after a one-year absence after making an effective playoff push. Utah finished No. 4 in scoring with 99.7 points per game and part of that is due to their ability to score inside. Al Jefferson scored 19.2 points and had 9.6 rebounds per game this season and Paul Millsap added 16.6 PPG and 8.8 RPG. What could hurt the Jazz is their defense as they allow 99.0 points per game—No. 23 in the NBA. 
PREDICTION: Spurs in 5


Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks
SEASON SERIES: Thunder won 3-1
ANALYSIS: The Oklahoma City Thunder might be the No. 2 seed in the West, but they are the arguably the conference’s favorites to make it to the NBA Finals. In two bonafide superstars in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, the Thunder are one of the more exciting teams in the NBA. Durant won his third straight scoring title with 28.0 points per game and is considered to be in the MVP race.


The Dallas Mavericks looked like a shell of their former selves this season, but as they showed last year that when they get it together, they can win. The defending champions overcame rest, injuries and controversy to sneak into the playoffs as a dangerous No. 7 seed. Dirk Nowitzki put together another good season with 21.6 PPG and 6.8 REB. 
PREDICTION: Mavericks in 6.


Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets
SEASON SERIES: Lakers won 3-1
ANALYSIS: The Los Angeles Lakers started slow of the gate, but bounced back to take the Pacific Division crown over their city rivals, the Clippers. While Kobe Bryant continues to show why he is one of the best players in the NBA, the play of Andrew Bynum—for the most part—has been impressive. Bynum averaged 18.7 points and 11.7 rebounds for the Lakers this year and showed that he can be a good center in the NBA.


The Denver Nuggets are a deep and an explosive team as shown by their ability to score. Denver was tops in scoring average with 104.1 points per game and seven different players averaged at least 10 PPG, including midseason acquisition JaVale McGee. Rookie Kenneth Faried had a great showing in his first year, averaging 11.1 points and 8.3 rebounds after taking the starting power forward position for good on Feb. 19.
PREDICTION: Lakers in 7.


Memphis Grizzlies vs. Los Angeles Clippers
SEASON SERIES: Clippers won 2-1
ANALYSIS: After a strong playoff showing last year, the Memphis Grizzlies are back and better than ever this season by securing the No. 4 seed and homecourt advantage for at least one round in this year’s playoffs. Unable to play in last year’s run, Rudy Gay is back as he led the team with 19.0 points per game. The Grizzlies’ strong inside with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol will make for a tough out in the playoffs.


The Los Angeles Clippers are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2006 after the best season in franchise history. Having Chris Paul gave the Clippers excitement, hope and leadership. With his 19.8 points and 9.1 assists per game, he made everyone around him better. Blake Griffin was a good beneficiary to Paul joining the Clippers by scoring 20.7 points and having 10.7 rebounds per game along with many thunderous dunks.
PREDICTION: Grizzlies in 7.

2012 NBA PLAYOFFS: EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS

Chicago Bulls vs. Philadelphia 76ers
SEASON SERIES: Bulls won 2-1
ANALYSIS: The Chicago Bulls won the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed for the second year in a row despite nagging injuries to reigning Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose. Limited to 39 games, Rose only averaged 21.8 points and 7.9 assists per game but never missed a beat thanks to their stifling defense. The Bulls gave up 88.2 points per game and had a defensive rating—points per 100 possessions—of 98.3, both lower than last season.


The Philadelphia 76ers looked as if they would take a huge leap forward after leading the Atlantic Division for most of the year, but they faded all the way down to the No. 8 seed following a 20-9 start to the season. They started so hot thanks to their defense as it allowed 89.4 points per game and 99.2 per 100 possessions—both good for third in the NBA. However, their 15-24 finish was a cause of not having enough offense. Lou Williams led Philadelphia with 14.9 points per game and Andre Iguodala continued to be a good, all-around player.
PREDICTION: Bulls in 5.


Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks
SEASON SERIES: Heat won 3-0
ANALYSIS: The Miami Heat is a team on a mission after losing in the NBA Finals last year. Miami is again the No. 2 seed in the East, but they are still a juggernaut on both sides of the ball. Leading that charge is LeBron James, who could be the favorite to this year’s MVP award. James averaged 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.9 steals this year as he, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh seek the elusive title that slipped away last year.


The New York Knicks had a crazy season, but then again, what else would you expect from the Big Apple? A coaching change, the rise of an unknown player, two stars still trying to mesh, you name it! But the Knicks have played well as of late—going 18-6 and playing better defense under Mike Woodson. Carmelo Anthony’s 22.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game is good, but he has turned his game up this April by averaging 29.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.  
PREDICTION: Heat in 6.


Indiana Pacers vs. Orlando Magic
SEASON SERIES: Magic won 3-1
ANALYSIS: Since taking over midway during the 2010-11 season, Frank Vogel has coached up the Indiana Pacers to a very good young team with much potential. This season, they jumped all the way up to the No. 3 seed in the East, thanks to a solid core of players who stayed healthy for most of the season. Danny Granger had 18.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, while All-Star Roy Hibbert improved his offensive rebounding and swatted away 128 shots.


The Orlando Magic finished with the No. 6 seed in the East, but they had to suffer through a “Dwightmare” to get to it. While Dwight Howard was a bit of a distraction off of the court, he played well on the court. However, he will miss the playoffs due to his back. However, Ryan Anderson will pick up the slack left behind by Howard. Anderson improved his game this season by averaging 16.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, while being a great 3-point shooter in the process.
PREDICTION: Pacers in 5.


Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks
SEASON SERIES: Celtics won 2-1
ANALYSIS: Nearly left for dead at the All-Star break, the Boston Celtics staved off a rebuilding phase at the trading deadline to win their fifth consecutive Atlantic Division title. Boston continues to have the experience in its terrific trio of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, but it is Rajon Rondo who continues to progress as one of the NBA’s elite point guards. During his current 23-game streak with at least 10 assists, Rondo is averaging 13.8 dimes, 9.8 points and 1.9 steals per game.


The Atlanta Hawks are back yet again in the playoffs and they will have home-court advantage in this series. The Hawks allowed the sixth fewest points this season (93.2 PPG) and will be looking to advance into the second round for the fourth straight year. To do so, Atlanta will look to the complete game of Josh Smith, who averaged 18.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.
PREDICTION: Celtics in 6.