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The NBA Playoffs are here and Im excited about that! A quick thought before my
NBA Playoff predictions, on  Dwane Caseys contract. Ryan Mathews Womens Jersey . I think the
Raptors do the right and smart thing by picking up the option on his contract. 
It was well earned and well deserved.  I truly believe that Casey is a keeper
and an impact coach. While were on the topic, Id like to see MLSE pick up Bryan
Colangelos contract option as well.   Stability and long-term vision are crucial
in the coming months for both a Coach and your lead executive. Picking up the
option will eliminate the potential for opposing teams to negatively recruit
against the Raptors with agents/players  and/or sabotage trade talks.   MLSE
needs to be proactive and control what what they can
control.                      Playoff Predictions: Overall, Im not feeling a
whole lot of upsets in the first round.  The elite teams just seem to have a
decided edge this time around.  I hope Im wrong, as I always love the upsets,
but its not looking too promising. Western Conference:  8. Utah Jazz vs. 1. San
Antonio Spurs: Spurs in five. Tony Parker will be too much for Jazz to deal
with. I believe the experience and depth of the Spurs  will win out here.  There
will be no first round flame out this year for the San Antonio.       7. Dallas
Mavericks vs 2. Oklahoma City Thunder: Thunder in six. Even though the Thunder
slipped a bit down the stretch, I think from start to finish this year they
proved themselves to be an elite team.   James Hardens condition is a bit of a
concern but I like them over the NBA champs this time around.   The Mavs just go
through too many minutes of spotty play to win the series. 6. Denver Nuggets vs.
3. Los Angeles Lakers:  Lakers in six. Denver will run up and down and score
points but the Lakers still have what it takes to get by the Nuggets.  Their
front line is too good in with Pau Gasol  and Andrew Bynum.  We also cant leave
out Kobe Bryant who still has it.  The fact that the Lakers will also get a few
whistles from the referees, as is their custom, will help too.    5. Los
Angeles  Clippers  vs. 4. Memphis Grizzlies: Grizzlies in seven.  This could be
the best series of the eight First round matchups, and Im very excited about
this one. Yes, the Clippers will thrill you with Blake Griffin and Chris Paul
but the Grizzlies have an excellent all around team and defend well at all
positions.  Memphis had success last year in playoffs and that will help them. A
healthy Rudy Gay makes a huge difference this spring as well.      Eastern
Conference 8. Philadelphia 76ers vs. 1. Chicago Bulls: Bulls in five. The 76ers
have been the least impressive team to watch of the 16 playoff teams in the past
month. The Bulls are improving offensively and Derrick Rose will gradually round
in to from in the coming days. Chicago will limit Phillys fast break and grind
them down.      7. New York Knicks vs. 2. Miami Heat: Heat in six. New York has
enough scoring and depth to hang with Heat as well as an improved point guard
spot.  This will be a fun series.   While the Knicks are playing with house
money, its a different story for the Heat, where its 16 wins or bust.    They
are under immense pressure to get it done this time around and the spotlight
will grow brighter with each game.  If Chris Bosh plays with consistency, I see
the Heat getting past the dangerous Knicks.       6. Orlando Magic vs. 3.
Indianapolis Pacers: Pacers in five.  Im being generous here.  My gut tells me
Indy will sweep but somehow I think Orlando will likely steal one at home. The
Pacers have lots of fire power, depth and energy going into the post season,
while the Magic are a beaten down mess.   Its time the Indy fans get out and
support their team. Their attendance this season has been a joke in what used to
be a wonderful basketball town.  I hope they get it back. 4. Boston Celtics vs.
5. Atlanta Hawks: Celtics in seven.  If Al Horford was going to play for the
Hawks I would have gone with them.  As talented as Atlanta is, theyre a bit of a
tease to me.  The coaching edge and experience overall go to the Celtics. Having
homecourt will help for the Hawks but as we all know, Atlanta is hit and miss
supporting the Hawks. Rajon Rondo is the key guy in this series. You can talk
all the Big Three and Joe Johnson-Josh Smith you want but Rondo is the single
biggest difference maker in the series and a wonderful competitor. I think he
gets them over the hump in a fascinating series. Ryan Mathews Jersey . The 34-year-old Mengual
has called a news conference in Barcelona, and is expected to forego the chance
to compete at the London Olympics this summer. Philip Rivers Womens Jersey . The
surprisingly one-sided victory ended Djokovics 10-match winning streak that
included the Australian Open title and his bid for a fourth successive Dubai
title. In the final, Murray will meet Roger Federer, who edged Juan Martin del
Potro 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6). http://www.chargersteamstore.com/eric-weddle-jersey
.75 million contract with 41-year-old right-hander Takashi Saito. The former
all-star went 4-2 with a 2. Antonio Gates Womens Jersey . —C.J. Sapong
scored two goals, and Sporting Kansas City beat the Dayton Dutch Lions 3-0 on
Tuesday night in the quarterfinals of the U. Malcom Floyd Jersey . The Giants made the
move before opening an interleague series in Seattle on Friday. They also
purchased the contract of Justin Christian from Triple-A Fresno and put him in
the starting lineup at designated hitter against the Mariners. TORONTO —The
NHL lockout is only a few days old but its effects are already being felt around
the league. With a number of big-name players continuing to head for Europe, NHL
employees were informed Wednesday that their salaries are scheduled to be cut 20
per cent across the board. That will come into effect on Oct. 1, when full-time
staff are reduced to a four-day work week. The news was delivered by
commissioner Gary Bettman during a Wednesday morning staff meeting. The NHL also
announced the cancellation of pre-season games through Sept. 30, as well as the
postponement of the Kraft Hockeyville pre-season game scheduled for Oct. 3 in
Belleville, Ont., to the 2013-14 season. Unlike in September 2004, when more
than 50 per cent of NHL employees were laid off just days into the lockout, the
league is trying to avoid cutting staff. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The
Canadian Press over the weekend that there were no immediate plans for layoffs,
although multiple sources who attended Wednesdays meeting said employees were
warned that further cuts could be coming in the future. A number of teams,
including the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers, announced layoffs earlier
this week. The Senators also placed their remaining staff on a reduced work
schedule. “Every full-time, every part-time employee is affected by a work
stoppage,” team president Cyril Leeder said Monday. Bettman and Daly both
decided to forgo their salary during the lockout, according to sources. Donald
Fehr, the executive director of the NHL Players Association, hasnt been paid
since the beginning of July. As the lockout moved into its fourth day, there
were still no formal bargaining sessions scheduled between the league and NHLPA.
The sides last sat down together on Sept. 12. With it becoming clear NHL
training camps wont open as schheduled on Friday, players continued to seek work
overseas. Philip Rivers Jersey. On Wednesday,
Jason Spezza signed a deal with Rapperswil-Jona in Switzerland, Anze Kopitar
agreed to join brother Gasper with Mora in Sweden and Russian stars
Alex Ovechkin (Moscow Dynamo) and Pavel Datsyuk (CSKA Moscow) each returned home
to play in the KHL. Rick Nash also arrived in Switzerland, where hell again play
alongside Joe Thornton with HC Davos, and said that he believes the lockout
could last the entire season—just as it did in 2004-05. “It doesnt look
positive,” Nash told newspaper Sudostschweiz. “It could be a season-long break.”
Even though that remains a long way off, frustration is clearly mounting.
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Jhonas Enroth became the latest player to take to
Twitter and blame Bettman for another NHL work stoppage, the fourth in two
decades. “So sick of this lockout. Playing in the NHL (has) been a life long
dream and now we cant bc GB (wants) more money from us? .imlosingtime,” Enroth
wrote Wednesday. Meanwhile, Montreal owner Geoff Molson said he remains
confident a settlement can be reached quickly. “It is our priority and we hope
that an agreement will be concluded soon so that fans can enjoy our new team,”
Molson told reporters Wednesday at the Canadiens charity golf tournement. Molson
added that he has unwavering support in Gary Bettman and that the leagues owners
are firmly behind him. NHL owners are subject to a $1-million fine for speaking
out of line about the lockout. “For the league to be healthy, for the economic
system to be good for all teams, there must be adjustments, as Gary mentioned,”
Molson said. “The 30 owners are standing together and are united and they
support Garys approach.” ’ ’ ’