I was right about the reunion.
The Celtics beat the Pistons to win the Eastern Conference Finals 4-2 and to advance onto the Finals for the first time since- well a long time. The final score was 89-81. Paul Pierce had 27 points and 8 rebounds, Ray Allen had 17, and Kevin Garnett added 16. The Celtics haven't been to the Finals for 20 years.
The Pistons were led by Chauncey Billups' 29 and Richard Hamilton's 21. More on the Finals in a couple of days.
Ok, I said I was going in alphabetical order for my offseason thoughts, but I don't want to do the Wizards last.... so here are some more thoughts and predictions.
Washington Wizards
Gilbert Arenas should be back to his old shooting star self next season, he was just a little tired from coming back from his injury. Many people say Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison can do it on their own, but they need Gilbert, too.
What the Wiz need help with is their Center spot. Brendan Haywood and Etan Thomas are great players, but I think they should be their role players. They need someone like Ben Wallace, Marcus Camby, or at least Antonio McDyess. I would take McDyess for Haywood and backup point guard Antonio Daniels any day. Sure, McDyess is like 6-9 or something but if he started on a team like my Wizards, he would bring back memories of some of his younger NBA years. I mean more scoring, rebounding, and blocking! ! That's all that Washington needs! Well, maybe take another s! hooting guard on the roster like Maurice Evans or Fred Jones to backup DeShawn Stevenson and they would be great!
Oh yeah, and we need a Tyrus Thomas or someone like that. Go Wizards!
Grade: B+
Utah Jazz
I dislike the Jazz, but they are a great team. But Andrei Kirilenko isn't as good as he used to be, Carlos Boozer stunk in the playoffs, and Ronnie Brewer should be replaced with Ronnie Price! Price is amazing! If they gave him more playing time, he would be awesome. But, they keep him as like an 11th man or something like that.
Lots of people are saying the Jazz need a dominant center {unlike Okur}, so I say trade Boozer to the Hornets for Ty Chandler and Bonzi Wells and then put Mehmet Okur at Po! wer Forward. And then get rid of Kirilenko {and Jason Hart} and grab Corey Maggette. The Jazz would have: Chandler, Okur, Maggette, Bonzi, Deron Williams. And they would still have Korver, Brewer, Millsap, and Harpring. They would be alot better than last year....
Grade: A-
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors have two great point guards, TJ Ford and Jose Caledron, and one of them has to go. Then they could get a good SF or Center. So I say they keep Caledron and trade Ford. I don't know where. Maybe Sacramento for Brad Miller?
Well, Andrea Bargnani could be back from his sophomore slump and Jamario Moon could be a new Vince Carter, so maybe they should keep them starting. But they need to do something about the point guards.
The Raptors said they might make a blockbuster trade in the ! offseaso n, and I think either Ford or Caledron {probably Ford} will be a major piece in that trade.
Grade: B-
