Can NBA veteran Chauncey Billups hit big shots in the Big Apple? The New York Knicks sure hope so. /AP Photo

The New York Knicks are getting more than just NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony in this three-team, multi-player trade that went down today.

They’re getting Mr. Big Shot – NBA vet point guard Chauncey Billups – from the Denver Nuggets.

The Knicks gave up some good players, but everyone on their team other than Amare Stoudemire was fair game.

What the Knicks are besides one of the game’s best in Anthony is a guy who can hit big shots in Billups. In the playoffs, the game slows down to execution in the half court and that’s more up Billups’ alley. He’s not the complete pick-and-roll player for Stoudemire like Steve Nash was, but Billups can play off the pick-and-roll, catch a pass on the wing and nail the deep jump shot.

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LeBron James and the Miami Heat head to Los Angeles for a Christmas Day showdown with the Lakers.

The NBA has five games scheduled for Christmas Day with the big one being the Miami Heat taking on the L.A. Lakers in Los Angeles.

You’ve got Miami’s Big 3 going up against the two-time NBA champions with all the celebrities sitting courtside.

By the time that game comes on, I’m might be snoozing after eating my mom’s turkey and dressing, but as long as I wake up by the fourth quarter, I’m good to go.

Anyway, the other four games aren’t too shabby either, but is each one worth missing out on a meal or gift giving? Will you fall asleep on them or fight fatigue to tune in? Here’s how I see the appeal of the five games on a scale from 1-10.

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Dwight Howard and the Magic the only team to sweep a first round series this season.

With only one more first round series remaining (Atlanta Hawks vs. Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference ) a conference semifinal series beginning tonight (Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference) , let’s look at see how I fared in my opening round NBA playoff predictions.

Eastern Conference

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) Chicago Bulls
Series result: Cavaliers win series, 4-1
Rankin prediction: Cavaliers, 4-1
Final word: Bulls just didn’t have enough to overtake LeBron James and the top-seeded Cavs.

(2) Orlando Magic vs. (7) Charlotte Bobcats
Series result: Magic win series, 4-0
Rankin prediction: Magic, 4-2
Final word: Even with Dwight Howard a non factor offensively, Orlando was good enough to sweep the Bobcats.

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“I’m trying to do everything I can in my power to beat the Jazz. But, at the end of the day, I need some help. I’m not sitting here pointing fingers or nothing. But as a unit, we’ve got to do this together. I can’t do this by myself.” – Carmelo Anthony after Sunday’s Game 4 loss in Utah.

When Carmelo Anthony scored 40 points including the game winner to beat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers back in February, the Denver Nuggets were title contenders.

He should be frustrated.

There was a time when the Denver Nuggets were a clear-cut championship contender. After their win in Cleveland, 118-116, this season in February to end a 13-game win streak for the Cavaliers, I was convinced the Nuggets were good enough to win a title.

Now they’re down 3-1 to the Utah Jazz in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs and Carmelo Anthony is looking for answers.

Correction. He’s looking for help.

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The Denver Nuggets will only go as far as Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony take them.

(4) Denver Nuggets (53-29) vs. (5) Utah Jazz (53-29)

Series schedule: Game 1 – Today at Denver 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN); Game 2 – Monday 4/19 at Denver 10:30 p.m. ET (TNT); Game 3 – Friday 4/23  at Utah 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2); Game 4 – Sunday 4/25 at Utah 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT); Game 5 – Wednesday 4/28 * at Denver TBD; Game 6 – Friday 4/30 * at Utah TBD; Game 7 – Sunday 5/2 *  at Denver TBD. – *If necessary.

Series keys: For Denver: 1. Rediscover its swag (Nuggets have lost it since their head coach, George Karl, left team for cancer treatments). 2. Nene can’t settle (Denver big man must score big to keep Carlos Boozer honest). 3. Play a little defense (Nuggets allowed 102.3 points this season. For Utah: 1. Keep Denver off the line (Nuggets have made 1,924 free throws and attempted 2,487). 2. Bench must produce (With Boozer’s strained oblique and Andrei Kirilenko’s strained left calf, Jazz bench must step up). 3. Attack Denver’s heart (Carmelo Anthony is their star, but Chauncey Billups makes the Nuggets go. Deron Williams must get him in foul trouble).

Series outcome: Nuggets will win the series in six games, but somebody other than Billups – hint to Carmelo – must take over the leadership role.

Series stories:

1. Carlos Boozer to be a game-time decision for Utah playoff opener at Denver – The Canadian Press
2. Nuggets championship clock ticking – Denver Post
3. Doctor: Karl could be back for second round – ESPN

“I’ve said all along we all know how the vote is going to go. LeBron will win the MVP every year until he retires.” – Stan Van Gundy.

Stan Van Gundy has been a strong advocate for Magic center Dwight Howard winning the league MVP honor this season.

He speaks his mind. Don’t we love that?

Nod your head. You do. I know I do.

Even if Stan Van Gundy’s voice can sound a tad bit on the whiny side, you’re going to get an honest answer out of the guy.

 So when talking to the media before today’s game at Cleveland against the Cavaliers, the Orlando head coach had a few words to say about Magic center Dwight Howard’s deservement of the NBA MVP award and LeBron James being a clear cut favorite to win it for a second straight season.

On being an advocate of Dwight Howard being the NBA MVP and if he’d disappointed if LeBron James won the award unanimously: “I would never diasappointed on anything that happens on a vote type of thing. As I’ve said, look, I’ve also made very clear you can’t argue (with James getting the MVP). It’s not I’m saying somebody else doesn’t deserve it. I haven’t come out and tried to say that LeBron doesn’t deserve it. I think you can make a case for him. I think you can make a hell of a case for Dwight. I think you can make a hell of a case for Kevin Durant and what he’s done for that team. I think there are six or seven guys you can make very good cases for, but no, I wouldn’t be disappointed with anyone in the vote. I know good Dwight has been and I know how important he is to us. We know his value like Cleveland knows LeBron’s value.”  

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Kobe Bryant scored 30 points in leading the L.A. Lakers to a Game 5 victory.

After losing Game 4 Thursday night to fall down 3-1 in the NBA Finals, the Orlando Magic were leaking and the Los Angeles Lakers smelled blood.

So when the L.A. Lakers went on a torrid 16-0 run in the second quarter of Game 5 Sunday, the end result was inevitable.

The Los Angeles Lakers are NBA world champions after beating the Magic, 99-86, in Orlando.

Few expected the Magic to upset the Lakers even though they had upset top-seeded Cleveland to make to the NBA Finals. When the Magic look back at this series against the Lakers, they let Game 2 and Game 4 slip away as they lost both in overtime.

It’s hard to win a  best-of-7 series when you give two games away.

As for the Lakers, this is the 10th NBA title for their Hall of Fame coach, Phil Jackson. It’s the first time Kobe Bryant has won a title without Shaquille O’Neal.

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The NBA Finals is here.

So to help preview the 7-game series (2-3-2 format) between the Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic beginning tonight at 9 p.m. on ABC in Los Angeles, I talked with Erie BayHawks coach Ben McDonald about it. Check it McDonald’s series prediction and more. It was fun.

Kobe Bryant is ready to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a world title.

1-for-2

That’s how I fared in predicting the Eastern Conference and Western Conference finals.

Darn Cleveland.

Like most people, I figured NBA MVP LeBron James and the Cavaliers would face the Los Angeles Lakers in the finals, but Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic defeated Cleveland in six games to come out of the East.

Denver gave the Lakers a tough series, but L.A. has too much talent, skill and Kobe Bryant is just too good to let his team fall to the Nuggets.

So here we are.

Lakers vs. Magic. Superman vs. the Black Mamba.

Not Kobe vs. LeBron, but it’s not chump change either.

Orlando has versatile big men Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu that can shoot the 3 while L.A. has a Hall of Fame coach in Phil Jackson and the best closer in Bryant.

In the end, Kobe will finally win a title without Shaquille O’Neal against the franchise that drafted O’Neal when he came out of college in 1992.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are in.

Kobe Bryant has now lead the Los Angeles Lakers to consecutive trips to the NBA Finals.

With Kobe Bryant leading the way with 35 points and 10 assists, the Lakers advanced to the NBA Finals after winning the Western Conference finals against the Denver Nuggets in six games. Los Angeles won Game 6 tonight, 119-92, in impressive fashion.

The Nuggets were game, but at the end of the day, they don’t have the overall experience to handle the pressure of this moment.

Now next season, the Nuggets will come into the year with high expectations. How they handle that will determine if they take the next and final step.

In looking forward, the Lakers will play either Cleveland or Orlando in the NBA Finals.

If Orlando wins Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals at home Saturday, L.A. will have home-court advantage in the finals against the Magic.

If Cleveland wins Game 6 at Orlando and Game 7 at home, the Cavaliers will have home-court advantage against Los Angeles. During the regular season, the Lakers were 2-0 against Cleveland, 0-2 vs. Orlando.

The NBA Finals begins Thursday, June 4.