Varsity Blues

"It's not how you start...it's how you finish..."

The playoffs are right around the corner and with some recent erratic play, a few Eastern Conference teams seem ill prepared for the championship hunt.

Green with Envy

The Celtics and Cavaliers played earlier, and while they didn't match up against one another...they both lost their respective contests. If the playoffs started today, the Eastern Conference favorites range from Boston, Cleveland, Atlanta, and Orlando...however only one can win.

LeBron James has emerged to repeat as the league's MVP, but I am sure he would much rather have a championship trophy. With or without the Cavs' trade, it's in my opinion that they are a very tough club, and once the regular season is over...they will be a team that no one wants to play.

Boston on the other hand appeared to be a clear cut contender at the start, as they added Rasheed Wallace to an already proven winning roster, however I'm not sure that defensively they can hang with the likes of their post season nemesis Atlanta, not too mention the Chicago Bulls.

Atlanta has several weapons in Joe Johnson, Mike Bibby, Al Horford, Josh Smith, and Jamal Crawford off the bench. What is tricky about playing the Hawks is that they are youthful enough to run you out the building, and now they have enough experience to close out a series.

As for my sister's team...the Magic had what it takes last year...obviously as they won the east and played in their first NBA Finals. They did it with dominance from Dwight Howard in the front court, and finesse from Hedo Turkoglu at point forward, and Rashad Lewis on the perimeter. Their inability to resign Turkoglu may prove costly in the long run, but basketball is a business, and they must adapt to newcomers Vince Carter, Matt Barnes, and Jason Williams.

In the Western Conference I believe the last two teams standing will be the Nuggets and Lakers...and I don't want to go any further than that, but I do know that if and when these teams play, it's going to be nothing less than spectacular.

The questions will soon play into answers and then the focus will switch to the free agency class of 2010, and World Championship Games.

I love this game!

Photo: Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

Twenty-10

Sky high

"I'll throw it down your throat like Barkley..."

Chuck-D - Rebel Without a Pause

The NBA Sprite Rising Stars Dunk Contest hasn't been the same since the best of the best dunkers, don't participate anymore...and while Dwight Howard is very deserving to vie for the trophy, things would be a lot more interesting if Vince Carter came out of retirement to challenge him.

Change

I always believe in the adage that the more things change the more they stay the same. First things first, Allen Iverson finally cut his braids off, and he now has a regular low-styled haircut like the rest of us over 25 crowd.

In other news out of Phoenix, last night during All-Star Saturday night TNT analyst Kenny "The Jet" Smith reported that LeBron James would enter the dunk contest next year, and if that wasn't good enough, fellow analyst Reggie Miller just about begged for Andre Iguodala to join him in what would be an epic battle of great high flyers.

Smith and Miller mentioned how the NBA greats have not only played a part in the dunk contest, but they have also won, so for King James to preliminarily put his name into the ring, he could very well walk the path that Dr. J, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant have done before him.

2010, is going to be one of the most watched and interesting NBA seasons since MJ retired.

Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images