...thoughts on Orlando v. Cleveland...

I am not going to claim to break any new ground here, and to be honest I watched parts of all the games this weekend, but not the entirety of any game. I was "witness" to Lebron's 3 pointer live, as I watched the entire 4th quarter of game 2 completely riveted...

Game 3 I was playing a game and didn't see it all, but I saw enough, and the fact that lebron missed so many FT's and that Dwight hit so many is such a huge key. I also believe wholeheartedly that Lebron's cast, who was helping him in games 1-8 in these playoffs is now hurting him, which is disappointing.

There is a big focus for me right now on Delonte West, and what he can bring to the team. Mo is bringing an offensive game and real threat, and even if he has an off shooting night, someone needs to cover him at all times. But there is going to be a point where Delonte loses all confidence in himself, and I think, I'm not sure, but I think we'll see a completely crumbled Delonte in game 4.

That is purely a speculative opinion, based in nothing more than a feeling, but I don't trust him, and the pressure is on him now. Lebron is performing, and overperforming, and I am not entirely convinced he can't think back to the Detroit series in the spring of '07, and find that kind of dominance.

Lebron has been leaning on his guys, but his guys aren't prepared to lean back at this point. Lebron took over against a very talented Detroit team in '07, and was beyond remarkable, I can't even begin to describe his dominance, but he had it all, and he has since tried to become more of the team guy, and his guys responded, but its over in game 4, I think.

The bottom line, everyone is already writing off Cleveland, and this notion that NBA or Basketball experts have to be in the business of predicting the future really is getting to me. All sports experts, actually, feel they have to predict the future to be successful in their particular field, and nothing could be further from the truth.

Writing off Cleveland, in hopes Orlando wins and you can say you were right, is really immature - the mature thing to do as a reporter, or as an expert, is to mix your predictions with a healthy dose of "why's" and "how's"...

We all like to predict, it's fun, but writing off Cleveland is very very dumb, the Cavs are clearly capable of winning 3 in a row, nevermind 3 out of the next 4, 2 of which would be at home. Who is going to win this series? I don't know. Who do I think is going to win? Cleveland. Who should win at this point, Orlando. Good, was that exercise fun for anyone? no.