- OCD Hoops -

Sure, most of the current NBA focus is on the NBA's conference finals currently going on.  But after tonight, it appears I am looking smart as the Heat  went up 3 games to 1 on the Pacers, while the Spurs should be in the NBA Finals like I predicted, OKC does have Ibaka back and finally won a game to make that series 2-1 in favor of the Spurs. Predicting the OKC/SAS Western Final and the IND/MIA Eastern Final matchup makes me proud too, though I did think for an article or so the Wizards would take out the Pacers....  The Indiana Pacers are definitely a top 5 NBA team, maybe better, maybe worse.  Roy Hibbert's inconsistencies have really caused them issues, while they also are lacking with George Hill as their starting Point Guard.  He's a nice all around player combo guard, but in my opinion is best served as the 6th man role, like he was on the Spurs.  But the Pacers are built strong with depth and great defense (well, in the regular season), and they have a legi

Shaun Livingston isn't a household name by any stretch of the imagination.  Some NBA fans may of never heard of him until this season, or better yet till this Nets and Heat series that has Shaun in the Nets starting line-up.  He's truly resurrected his career with the Nets, being able to play PG, SG, and SF with his 6'7'' wiry frame, and an ability to create for himself or others. If you are newer to the NBA as a whole you might not know what or who he really is. If you are a big-time fan for me I think it's time we start to give this guy a ton of credit and respect. For those that stumbled upon this, it's simply a feel good story of great work ethic and not letting rejection or failure stand in your way. Shaun Livingston has been a man determined since he was born. Man of Steel, I think that's his new nickname... or Sneaky Shaun Shakin.... hah.... In the playoffs the Nets beat the Heat in Game 3 of the series, giving them a real fighters chance to

I'm not sure any mother of any player in the NBA feels as appreciated as Kevin Durant's, after he basically broke down crying dedicating his NBA MVP Award and trophy to his mother during the ceremony and speech.  Yes, she was crying as well.  What a humble, great kid Durant is, a true role model in the NBA who is the exact opposite of almost everything Mr. Lebron James stands for ("I want to be the first billionaire basketball player") . Kevin Durant seems like he almost took away attention from himself in this years playoffs so far by deferring to his mom in the speech.  He's easily been the best NBA player in the playoffs as well, being up 2-1 to the Clippers in round 2 of the playoffs.  He's been putting up great numbers and is shooting the ball like the stud he is, yet there hasn't been enough media and discussion about it.  Maybe it's because he does have a very humble, shy personality, one in which will never "test" Lebron James a

There are 8 NBA teams and 4 semi-final playoff series at this point.  With so many series going 7 games in the opening round (*record setting amount of first round game 7's), there was little to no rest for every single team (Heat had a week off, Wizards too). The NBA Playoffs can be so exciting yet quite interesting too... often giving us insight into the future's of each team, good or bad.  Look at the difference between the imploding number 1 seed Pacers barely beating a mediocre Atlanta team in 7 games and the under-appreciated Wizards healthy with Nene grooving and dominating the Bulls.  It's pretty telling of what's to come in their series. Anyway, let's take a look at each matchup and see what's likely to happen.... EASTERN CONFERENCE: #2 Miami Heat vs #5 Brooklyn Nets While the Miami Heat had a nice week off and easy 4 game series, the rest of the NBA teams in the playoffs were battling it out every other day, including the New Jersey Nets. Thi

History has been made quite a bit in this years NBA playoffs. A playoff's so competitive that a contender for the Finals in the West could be kicked in Round 1 as a result of matchup problems... take Houston for example (their weakest position PF and then PG are the Blazer's two All-Star studs Lillard and Aldridge), resulting in a Blazer win in 6 games. I think people forgot how dominant the Blazers were to start this season, though they dropped a little bit as the season went on, they were also developing youth and rotations.  Aldridge was also hurt for a bit, which can hurt overall records (look at Memphis 29-30 game record without Marc Gasol this season). Clippers and Warriors round 1 has been really competitive, and even Dallas is giving the Spurs a run for their money. But the East seemed like Indy and Miami had it locked up, until about 3 weeks left in the season when Indy imploded.  Atlanta, the only sub .500 team in the playoffs and 8 seed in the East surprised

(I wrote this really quick, so excuse the grammar... it's a tad non-existent.  But I want to get my point across, because Live 15 has a chance to really be legit. "I really like where NBA Live 14 is headed with the gameplay, the engine, the new patch and colllison detection, 2k sim like game controls, lots of cool user modes and everything, plus it's servers work!  So if Live 15 utilizes everything it's learned from this year and adjusting things and adding modes and gameplay styles... EA you guys are doing it RIGHT. And I have played NBA2k since 2k10, though i did own Live 10 (I enjoyed both game styles though Live 10 was too arcadelike online was stupid playing 5 on 5 because a guy could just ballhog with anyone decent, let alone legit, and use cheeser moves.  But a big part of that was the inability to play defense, which NBA Live 14 has really taken over lately with the last patch.  I feel like the defense is maybe even better and more fluid and as realistic