By: Steven Rawnsley

If you listened to the telecast of the Celtics/Knicks game in Boston really closely, you could hear the TD Bank arena playing the swan song in the background. The Celtics, will try to become the first team in history to come back from a 3-0 deficit, but this series was probably over in late January when Rondo went down with a torn ACL.

Rondo has been the best player on that team for a few years now, and its not even close. You see it in the first round.

The Celtics are not just getting beat, but they are getting killed. The benches have been cleared at the end of the first three games. They are averaging 75 points per game in the first three games.

Pierce has done a magnificent job of fighting age, but that battle is unwinnable. He cannot create shots for himself anymore.

Kevin Garnett is not any different. He is 7^th all-time in regular season minutes. He is losing the same battle. KG cannot create for himself either. He gets most of his points now on pick and pops with Rondo. You can probably count on one hand the number of times he has gotten that shot in the series. He needs Rondo to set him up.

Now, torn ACL’s are not career ending injuries anymore, but they still alter a lot of careers. Who knows if Rondo will ever be the same. An optimistic prediction is being ready for the season opener with minute restrictions.

What is the best hope for the Celtics next year? Even with Rondo, could they beat New York right now? Let alone the Heat? Then you add another year of age to a very old core, next year, and what? They challenge in the first round, and maybe, just maybe get past the first round if the ball bounces their way, next year.

Their cap situation is very bleak next year either. This current roster makes 73.8 million next year, and the tax threshold is 70.3 million. (The tax threshold goes up about one million per year on average.) The tax penalties get much more severe starting next year. Even if they want to add somebody, for teams paying the taxes the CBA laid out, the most they can offer anybody is 3 million in his first year. You are not adding a great player for that much, unless a player takes a discount from a title contender, like Ray Allen did with the Heat. However, I don’t think players are going to be flocking to Boston after a possible first round exit.

Pierce has a non-guaranteed contract next year. They could wave him and get about 10 million of the 15 million he is owed back. So that can help but, if you waive/trade him, though you go into full rebuild mode.

KG has said he wants to retire as a Celtic. The Celtics could very easily decide to go into full blown rebuild mode. KG is so loyal possibly even to a fault. The Celtics could force him to make a decision. Does he stay with them while they rebuild or end his career somewhere else, or retire?

People are already talking about the 2014 draft, and saying it could be one of the best of all time. If this is true, wouldn’t it be the perfect time for them to have a terrible season to get a great pick? (Maybe, they get lucky in the lottery next year. They deserve it after the Spurs jumped ahead of them in the Tim Duncan lottery.)

The Celtics were hammered in the first three games, but there was some life in game four as they fought off elimination. But, can they win three more in row? The core is on the wrong side of their careers. The new CBA will make it very hard for them to add an impact player. The CBA also makes it much more expensive to pay taxes.

Let’s remember, when they traded to form their big three six years ago, they had a very small window of time, and they have tried to keep it cracked open past few seasons. However, age, and injuries have forced that window to slam shut, and getting destroyed by not even the best team in the east shows it.

The post The Fat Lady is Singing the Celtic’s Swan Song appeared first on The World Champion Crank Up The HEAT.

By: Steven Rawnsley

This is not the end of Kobe Bryant’s career.  Nobody since Jordan has the same drive or resolve to defeat everything in their way, that Kobe has. He will come back.  He has done too much, and put too much into the game not to leave the game on his terms.  Did you see his facebook rant?

“If you see me in a fight with a bear, pray for the bear.”  He will defeat the bear, or injury in this instance.  The only question I have now, how wounded will the bear leave him.

There are three NBA players that have somewhat recently torn their Achilles, and if you use them as sample cases, the conclusion is not good.  Elton Brand’s injury happened in the 2007 offseason while working out.  He was a 20/10 guy so far in his career.  After the injury he is still a solid pro, but nowhere near what he used to be. His recovery from this injury might be the best recovery the NBA has seen. It is important to realize though he tore his when he was 27.

Mehmet Okur tore his in the first round against Denver in the 2010 playoffs.  He tried to come back the next season, but only played 13 games before shutting it down.  He was traded to the Nets where they wanted to take a chance on him, and he only played 17 games before calling it quits.  Okur’s injury happened at age 30.

Chauncey Billups tore his Achilles February 8^th last year.  He has tried to play this year, multiple times.  He has missed 60 games this season. He might not ever make a huge comeback.  The jury is still out on him.  Billups was 35 when it happened.

Another point guard, and a Hall of Famer, Isiah Thomas tore his Achilles at age 32, and never played another game.

Now, medical technology has come a long way in 20 years, so he is not a great example to go by, but something we need to keep in mind.

Kobe at age 33 will try to come back, but he might as well be in his late 30’s in basketball years.  Remember, he came out of high school.  He has played just over 45,000 regular season minutes, which is fourteenth all-time.  By comparison Kevin Garnett, ranks seventh on this list, and has played just under 48,000 regular season minutes. However, if you add the playoff minutes Kobe has played with all of his deep playoff runs, he has more minutes than Garnett.  That is not even counting playing in the Olympics three separate times. In basketball years, he will be the oldest player to ever try to come back from a torn Achilles.  Everything is stacked against him, but isn’t that when he is at his peak?

That peak seemingly keeps going up because of his will to win.   How else do you explain him only sitting 17 minutes last seven games?  He missed the last three minutes of the last game because of the injury.  He would have gone all 48 minutes if he could have.  Then you throw in he sat seven minutes in one of those games.  He has played 47 or 48 minutes in four of the last seven games, just to will his team to the playoffs.  This will to win, and never back down, is exactly why people should not give up on him.

According to Greek mythology, Achilles was a hero in the Trojan War.  Legend has it nobody could defeat him, until he was shot in what we call the Achilles Heel, hence how it got its name.  With all of the minutes played, and everything he has done this year, he seemed just as indestructible.  Now, we will find out if he shares the same fate as the legendary Achilles.

The post Kobe Bryant Injury Isn’t The End of a Historic Career appeared first on The World Champion Crank Up The HEAT.

1.  Miami

27 straight wins and counting.  Or as Matt Blue pointed out, that is more wins than 10 NBA teams.

 2.  Spurs

If the Spurs Rockets game was a preview of the first round, then we could be in for one heck of a series between the TX teams.

 3.  Denver

The Heat’s winning streak overshadowed a very impressive 15 game winning streak for the Nuggets that was snapped Monday.

4.  OKC

Their starters have only missed a total of four games this year.  Very underrated part of their uprising, and success.

5.  Clippers

CP3 is playing through knee problems.  However, might be the right decision considering they are only 1 1/2 games back from losing home court.

6.  Memphis

The Grizzlies have been rolling since the Rudy Gay trade.  Why?  Gay was very inefficient. Now Gasol and Randolph are getting more possessions.

7. New York

Kurt Thomas, Marcus Camby, and Kenyon Martin are your bigs off the bench?  Is this 2004, or 2013?

8.  Indiana

It really is sad how a team battling for the 2nd seed can have the 5th worst attendance.  They need a deep playoff run to get the city back.

9.  Brooklyn

Can we safely say that the re signings of Humphries and Wallace are busts?  How does Billy King still have a job?

10.  Houston

There seems to be a good shot first round pick Royce White never gets in a Rockets game.  This story has been very weird.

11.  Boston

I can’t help but think about how the slow decline of the Celtics now is similar to the decline of the Bird McHale Parrish Celtics.

12.  Golden State

Andrew Bogut is the only Warrior starter that has played a playoff game.  Can’t help but feel happy for David Lee.

13.  Lakers

Mike D’Antoni might be laughing at them, but whoever they play in the first round if they make it, is not laughing at them.

14.  Atlanta

If Al Horford is not worth a max contract, then neither is Josh Smith.  Flashier than Horford, but Horford is just better.

15.  Chicago

Luol Deng and Joakim Noah are in the top 10 in MPG.  Will they have any gas left for the playoffs?

16.  Dallas

Darren Collison has lost his starting gig for a 2nd strait season.  This year to Mike James?  Ouch.

17.  Milwaukee

I can’t help but wonder why people consider Jennings and Ellis good when they are so inefficient offensively.

18.  Portland

Eric Maynor is giving them a much needed punch off the bench.  A change of scenery might have been the best thing for him.

19.  Washington

IF they resign John Wall, this could be a playoff team.  Wall and Beal could be one of the best backcourts here soon.

20.  Utah

With eight current players probably entering free agency after the season, you have to wonder if that is weighing on their minds.

21.  New Orleans

They snapped Denver’s 15 game winning streak Monday.  If the Heat beat the Bulls, the Hornets will have a chance to break the Heat’s streak Friday.

22.  Philadelphia

Not only did they lose Iggy in the trade for Bynum, but lost Vucevic who averages the 4th most rebounds per game.

23.  Cleveland

With Dion Waiters complaining of knee pain, you have to wonder if he will be shut down here soon.

24.  Toronto

This team is bad, with no cap room, and very little young talent.  They have one of the league’s darkest outlooks.

25.  Phoenix

Their medical staff somehow keeps players healthy.  Could they be in play for Bynum, or Eric Gordon in the offseason?

26.  Detroit

Have they quit on Lawrence Frank?  They only have one win in March.

27.  Sacramento

It is starting to look more and more likely that the Kings will stay in Sacramento.

28.  Minnesota

All good things must come to an end.  Rick Adelman might be the most underrated coach of the 80′s,  90′s and 2000′s.

29.  Charlotte

They took MKG from UK last year in the draft.  Could they take Noel from UK this year in the draft?

30.  Orlando

As careful as we are now with concussions, it will be interesting to see if Vucevic plays another game this season.

The post The RAWNS NBA Power Rankings appeared first on The World Champion Crank Up The HEAT.

By: Pedro Heizer

It’s been a while, but here are the latest rankings. There is a new player up top!

Biggest Rise: Dwyane Wade

Biggest Drop: Carmelo Anthony

The post Race To MVP appeared first on The World Champion Crank Up The HEAT.