Many are sleeping on LA to repeat as NBA Champions. But can you really doubt these guys?
Many have frequently said that there is no elite team this year in College Basketball. There are many very good teams, but no simply dominant team. In the NBA, many people are sleeping on the 2 time defending champs. The word on the street is that a new NBA Champion will be crowned this year. Well I hate to say it. None of these statements are true in my eyes.
Ohio State has been my favorite to win the National Championship for some time now. And today added more fuel to the fire. The Buckeyes look like the nation’s elite team without question today in laying a punishing beating on the Wisconsin Badgers on Senior Day in Columbus. This game was just ugly from the start. Ohio State jumped out, and never looked back.
The Bucks shot an astonishing 68.1 percent from the floor. They are 2nd in the country in field goal percentage for a reason I guess. Want to talk about a team that is efficient on the offensive end? I was always under the impression that Wisconsin was the fundamentally sound scrappy bunch that ran a very methodical offense and also played lockdown D. Well I think they left their offensive and defensive game plans in Madison. Now I realize that it is impossible to expect OSU to shoot 14 of 15 from 3 point range every game. But these were good shooters just hitting open looks. In addition, the Buckeyes were bruising in the interior. As I have said before, its pick your poison when going up against Ohio State. You will not be able to stop this offensive unit. Your only hope is to contain them.
Then as is the norm on Sundays, the NBA featured some big time match ups. In Game 1, the Bulls, who continue to look better and better each game, shocked the Heat in Miami. Will Miami ever learn how to win a close game? If they don’t, their record of 5 and 13 against the top 5 teams in the League will only get worse. Here is a solution, let Dwyane Wade have the ball in his hands during crucial possessions at the end of the game. When did Miami go from being Wadeville to Lebronville? I guess Erik Spoelstra did not enlighten the city on this breaking news. But that is a whole other topic for some other day.
The real story was in the Game 2 of ABC’s doubleheader. The Lake Show showed another glimpse of what is to come in the playoffs. I thought the Spurs were the NBA’s best team? I guess not. People have been sleeping on LA since their embarrassing loss at the hands of the now struggling Heat on Christmas. Well guess what, the Lakers have not forgotten what they have to do to bring home a title. They have represented the West the past 3 years in the NBA finals for a reason. They do have a coach that has won 11 titles. A star who has won 5 rings. And an outstanding supporting cast that knows how to win in April, May, and June. Basically, shine the bright lights, and the Lakers know what to do.
Now I realize San Antonio has the best record in the game. But can you really bet against LA? Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, Derek Fisher, and the Zen Master himself, “Mr. Phil Jackson.” Give me a break.
Today was a preview folks. Foreshadowing of things to come. Expect the Buckeyes to be hoisting the National Championship Trophy on April 4th. And you better believe it will be a 3-peat for the Lake Show in June. Let the Kobe versus Jordan discussions begin baby.
It was an “Authoritative Sunday” for my Championship picks at both the College and Professional Basketball ranks.
Stay tuned for the next edition of TheSportsKraze.
-TheSportsKraze
TheSportsKraze 
To me, Ohio State has two personalites – there’s the one you saw yesterday with them handling Wiscy, and there’s the less-often seen one that appeared in the losses to Wiscy and Purdue. That last one won’t rear its ugly head until the Buckeyes run into a team that a) has a ton of forwards/bigs with a billion fouls to give so they can just beat the hell out of Sullinger or b) has a big tha tcan post up Sullinger on their offensive end.
As for the Lakers, as a guy who grew up on the Lakers, they know a reality nobody really wants to accept: The NBA regular season means little. Like it or not, the Lakers can turn it on and off at will, and barring injury, it will be full on come play-off time.