Even though the NBA is in a lockout mode that shows no signs of ending, there is still news out there about the Erie BayHawks’ sole NBA affiliate, the New York Knicks.

1. Phil Jackson transitions into retirement as New York Knicks questions persist (Sporting News)

2. NBA or bust: John Starks was determined to make it (NewsOK.com)

3. Josh Harrellson stops drunk driver (ESPN)

4. Magic’s Howard, Knicks legend Monroe take in action at West 4th (New York Post)

5. NY Knicks Captain Turns Children’s Author (Publishers Weekly)

6. Time Running Out for Chauncey Billups (SLAM)

7. Brewer wanted to stay with Knicks (ESPN New York)

8. Former Knicks president Walsh regrets not hiring Mullin (Yahoo! Sports)

He's in a new uniform, but same foe awaits LeBron James in the NBA playoffs - the Boston Celtics./Photo by AP.

Goodbye Shield. Welcome back logo.

With the NFL Draft ending today, let’s talk NBA Playoffs.

The first round was good. Correction. It was great.

The Memphis Grizzlies stunned everyone except Charles Barkley in beating the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in six games, the Boston Celtics posted the only sweep in a first-round series and Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Kevin Durant has been the best player in the playoffs so far.

Now the conference semifinals are here. We’ve got the match up everyone wants (Miami Heat vs. the Celtics), the one we didn’t expect (Grizzlies vs. Thunder), the one that will end quickly (Atlanta Hawks vs. the Bulls) and the one that will last longer than it should (Los Angeles Lakers vs. the Dallas Mavericks).

Let’s do this:

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If Kobe Bryant wins a sixth NBA championship next season, can he then be on share the same stage with Michael Jordan?

The Los Angeles Lakers did it again.

Having been out of town and off work since Thursday’s Game 7 the Lakers won to win back-to-back NBA titles, I just got back at it today.

Very interesting Game 7, but the better team won the game and the series.

The Lakers have the best player in Kobe Bryant, the best coach in Phil Jackson and had home-court advantage.

Got a little help when Pau Gasol traveled on that inside bucket late in the game, but if Ron Artest can hit a 3-pointer in the clutch after building  town homes with all those bricks he was hoisting from behind the arc in this series, the Lakers were destined to win the game anyway.

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Kobe Bryant has lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the last three NBA Finals and become more of a leader during this stretch of success. He has a chance to win a fifth NBA championship ring this year.

Let’s get it on.

The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are going to do it again. I know everyone wanted to see two-time NBA MVP LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers (for now) and Kobe Bryant go at it, but hey, seeing two teams renew their rivalry is the NBA Finals isn’t too shabby.

In 2008, the Celtics took the Lakers out in six games and in the series-clinching Game 6, they just ran them out the building with a 131-92 victory.

Two years later, the Lakers and Celtics meet again, but this time, Los Angeles comes in as the defending champs and unlike 2008, it has the home-court advantage this time.

The two teams are essentially the same from when they faced each other in 2008. You’ve got the Big 3 for Boston and Kobe Bryant is still the best player between the two teams.

 Here are the differences.

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Kobe Bryant is ready to repeat, but are his teammates up that tremendous challenge?

(1) L.A. Lakers (57-25) v. (8) Oklahoma City Thunder (50-32)

Series schedule: Game 1 – Today at Los Angeles 3 p.m. ET (ABC); Game 2 – Tuesday at Los Angeles 10:30 p.m. ET (TNT); Game 3 – Thursday at Oklahoma City 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT); Game 4 – Saturday at Oklahoma City 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN); Game 5 – Tuesday 4/27 *at Los Angeles TBD; Game 6 – Friday 4/30 *at Oklahoma City TBD; Game 7 – Sunday 5/2 TBD. *If necessary.

Series keys: For Los Angeles: 1. Wake up Ron (Artest has got to pick it up slack on both ends). 2. Set the tone (Win Game 1 convincingly). 3. Contain the rest (Kevin Durant is going to get his, but slow down the rest, particularly PG Russell Westbrook). For Oklahoma City: 1. Embrace the moment (The young Thunder should rise to this challenge). 2. Stick to principles (Ranked 5th in NBA in field goal percentage defense, Oklahoma City must remain defensive oriented). 3. Show and prove (Durant is dubbed as superstar. Play like one in the playoffs).

Series outcome: Lakers have the better team, so they will win the series in six games, but the longer it goes, the better chance Oklahoma City has to pull off the upset.

Series stories:

1. Kobe’s shooting through the pain – ESPN
2. Is this Phil Jackson’s last shot – The Los Angeles Times
3. Durant, OKC out to end Purple reign – New York Post

Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas may wind up back in Cleveland in 30 days, but other teams are eyeing the 7-footer.

Phil Jackson and Doc Rivers may coach on opposite ends of the best NBA rivalry, but they can agree on the following: Zydrunas Ilguaksas shouldn’t end up back in Cleveland after the Cavaliers traded him to the Washington Wizards for Antawn Jamison.

Before last night’s Lakers-Celtics game in Los Angeles, the two coaches spoke against a player being made available to join the team that traded him if the receiving team buys his contract out and waives him.

The Cavaliers are hoping the Washington Wizards buy out Z’s contract and waive him. Then after 30 days, Z can rejoin the Cavaliers – if he wants to.

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Kobe Bryant's 31 points were not enough to lead the Lakers past the Cavaliers.

After his Los Angeles Lakers lost 93-87 at Cleveland to the Cavaliers, Kobe Bryant didn’t pull any punches when talking about his team after the game.

Were they more physical?
“Yeah. Their bigs were very active. Very physical. Wore us down.”

Disappointed to lose twice to them now?
Yeah. It was a test for us. We got another test here later on on this trip. See how we respond to it. Got another physical team in Boston. So it’s going to be interesting to see how we respond.”
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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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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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Kendrick Perkins and the Boston Celtics tugged at Superman's cape, but Dwight Howard had a 20-20 (points and rebounds) to lead Orlando to a Game 6 home win Thursday.

The Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets forced one.

On Friday night, Orlando did so by squeaking  past the Boston Celtics, 83-75, in Game 6 while the Rockets beat up on the Los Angeles Lakers again, 95-80.

The question is who will win Game 7 Sunday between the Magic and Celtics in Boston and the Lakers and Rockets in Los Angeles.

I say both home teams will pull it out.

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