Derrick Byars Watch: Day 2

Vanderbilt alum Derrick Byars is looking to earn a roster spot with a NBA squad after spending the past season overseas.

The 2007 SEC Player of the Year was drafted by Portland in the second round (No. 42 overall) and was immediately traded to Philadelphia before being waived in late October. He ended up playing overseas in Germany and then in France for defending French League champion Chorale-Roanne.

Now, he's playing with the Magic in the Orlando Pro Summer League. After scoring 15 points on 6-for-13 shooting, including 3-for-7 from downtown, in yesterday's opener, Byars scored seven points on 3-for-5 shooting to go along with 4 rebounds in 20 minutes today.

Western Kentucky's Courtney Lee went off for 27, but the Magic still lost 100-77 as Oklahoma City featured Kevin Durant (22 points), rookie Russell Westbrook (19 points) and Vanderbilt fan-favorite Jeff Green (28 points).

The Magic have five unrestricted free agents -- Carlos Arroyo, Keyon Dooling, Maurice Evans, Adonal Foyle and Pat Garrity -- and one restricted free agent in James Augustine, which means they currently have 10 players signed for next season.

However, they are expected to sign former Golden State shooting guard Mickael Pietrus to a 4-year, $24 million deal. The Magic are also looking to re-sign guard Keyon Dooling, although ownership does not want to pay the luxury tax, which is actually good news for Byars.

There is a chance that Orlando will simply look to sign a few free agents for the league minimum to fill out its roster. Hopefully DB makes enough noise the rest of the week to warrant consideration.

Photo [USA Today]

Eastern Conference Playoff Preview

Well, the Eastern Conference is not nearly as exciting as the West because I think that the Celtics are clearly the best team, but there are still reasons to watch these games...

1) Boston Celtics vs. 8) Atlanta Hawks
First game: Sunday 7:30 p.m. CT(TNT)

From worst to first..., the Celtics needed to revive their franchise and did when they acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen over the off-season. Their three stars: KG, Allen, and Pierce have played very well together as all of them are in search of that elusive NBA title. Rajon Rondo has been a great surprise this year and shown flashes of brilliance while complimenting the trio. The Celts also have some veteran leadership with Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown not that they need it since they have KG, the best leader in the league. Meanwhile, the Hawks are back in the playoffs, breaking the longest active playoff drought of any team in the NBA . The Hawks have a lot of really good young talent in Horford, Marvin Williams, and Josh Smith combined with Joe Johnson and Mike Bibby. Unfortunately, the Celts are very experienced and very very good. I see the Celtics sweeping the Hawks.

2) Detroit Pistons vs. 7) Philadelphia 76ers
First game: Sunday 5:00 p.m. CT (TNT)

When I look at this matchup, I ask myself "How are the 76ers even in the playoffs?". They have a decent team with Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala is sick, but after that they don't have much of anything. Meanwhile, the Pistons are always a threat to get to the NBA finals. They have a great core with Billups, Hamilton, Wallace, and Prince and their bench isn't too shabby either. This should be a boring series unless Rasheed Wallace gets into a fight with a Philly fan.
Detroit sweeps the 76ers.

3) Orlando Magic vs. 6) Toronto Raptors
First game: Sunday 11:30 a.m. CT (TNT)

I think this will be the most entertaining series in the East. You have two of the best young big men in the league going up against each other in Dwight Howard vs. Chris Bosh. Dwight Howard has a little more help with Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu, but the Raptors have T.J. Ford back along with Jose Calderon. I think this series will be determined by which teams star plays better, and I like Dwight Howard because although Bosh is a beast too, Bosh has been injured off and on this season, and I question whether he will be 100%. Not to mention everyone knows that Toronto is a hockey town. I have the Magic in 6.

4) Cleveland Cavs vs. 5) Washington Wizards
First game: Saturday 11:30 a.m. CT (ESPN)

Two words... Lebron James. You shouldn't need any more reason to watch than that, but this should also be a close, entertaining series. The Wizards finally have Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler back after Arenas was injured most of the season, and Butler was injured for about a month. Antawn Jamison has carried the team while Arenas and Butler have been out, but other players like DeShawn Stevenson and Antonio Daniels have also played well and gained experience and confidence. The Cavs made a pretty big trade to acquire Ben Wallace, Wally Szczerbiak, and Delonte West, but Wallace isn't the player he used to be and the other two are just role players. Big Zydrunas will be a handful for the Wizards because the Wizards don't have great size, but i think that the trio of Arenas, Jamison, and Butler will be better than basically Lebron by himself, and the Wizards will win in 6.

I'm off to Rites...

(Photo courtesy of GettyImages)

The NBA playoffs: Western Conference Preview

While I realize that most people prefer the passion and heart displayed in college basketball over the lack of defense played in the NBA, the NBA playoffs start Saturday and could shape up to be the best in a long time. Plus, everyone knows NBA teams actually start playing when the playoffs come around.

While I prefer college basketball as well now that I am in college, throughout my last two years of high-school I had season tickets to the Memphis Grizzlies, my hometown team, so I still have a soft spot for the NBA. My Grizz are lottery bound in hopes of landing either Michael Beasley or better yet the local kid Derrick Rose, but I will still follow the NBA playoffs this season because of the parity in the league especially in the Western conference and the excitement that is sure to accompany it. Today, I will preview the West. Tomorrow the East...

The Western Conference games will probably be more exciting than the East for the simple fact that there is more parity in the West. The seedings were not determined until last night because of how close the teams were. Plus, when the defending champion Spurs are the three seed you know it has to be competitive. Also of note, the Denver Nuggets, the 8th place team in the West, were only seven games back of the L.A. Lakers, the first place team in the West, compared to the 29 games back that the Atlanta Hawks, the 8th team in the East, were behind the first place Boston Celtics.

Round one match-ups:

1) L.A. Lakers vs. 8) Denver Nuggets
First game: Sunday 2 p.m. CT (ABC)

While the Lakers have been on fire of late thanks to the acquisition of Pau Gasol from the Grizz for almost nothing (you're welcome Laker fans. In case you are wondering I am not bitter or anything...), this series will shape up to be a good one. Kobe, who should win his first MVP ever this year, Lamar Odom, and Pau will go up against the big three of the Nuggets: Marcus Camby, Allen Iverson, and Carmelo Anthony, who will hopefully be sober since this past Monday he was arrested on a DUI charge. This series could be the most exciting because of the star power both teams have. Melo vs. Kobe will be solid if Melo decides to play some defense. Pau vs. Camby could present problems for the Lakers, and A.I. should run around whoever is guarding him and put up huge numbers. However, I don't see a repeat of last year when the eighth seeded Warriors beat the one seed Mavericks. My prediction is that the Lakers win in seven.

2) New Orleans Hornets vs. 7) Dallas Mavericks
First game: Saturday 6 p.m. CT (ESPN)

These two teams played just last night in Dallas with the Dallas Mavericks winning 111-98, and Jason Kidd recording his 100th triple double with 27 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds. However, the New Oreleans Hornets have been the surprise of the league this season with MVP candidate Chris Paul leading the way. Paul averaged 21 points per game, almost 12 assists per game, four rebounds, and almost three steals on 49% shooting from the field and 37% from three this season. Those are unbelievable numbers from a third year player. The Hornets also have sharp shooter Peja Stojakovic, David West, who may be the best player in the league that you haven't heard of, and Tyson Chandler. The Mavericks have a lot more depth and experience with Jason Terry, Jerry Stackhouse, Josh Howard, Dirk, Kidd, and Eddie Jones. Kidd and Terry vs. Paul will be an intriguing match-up although I am not sure I wouldn't put Josh Howard on Paul and let the former Demon Deacons go after it. In the end, this series will come down to game seven, and the Hornets will win because of the home crowd and Chris Paul, one of the top five players in the league in my opinion.

3) San Antonio Spurs vs. 6) Phoenix Suns
First game: Saturday 2 p.m. CT (ABC)

This is a re-match of last year's second round meeting between these two teams. The main reason everyone should want to watch this series is the fact that the Suns traded away a younger, better overall talent in Shawn Marion to get Shaq for the very purpose of beating these Spurs. The strategy seemed to work on April ninth as the Suns demolished the Spurs 96-79 in San Antonio although the game was close going into the fourth quarter. Duncan vs. Shaq will be a good match-up, but Amare Stoudemire will prove to be the difference as the Spurs won't be able to guard both he and Shaq. Maybe if Eva Longoria, Tony Parker's wife and star of Desperate Housewives, can distract the Suns by sitting next to their bench naked at all the games, the Spurs could win the series, but Eva is too classy for that. The Suns will win in six games as the defending champs are bounced from the playoffs in the first round.

4) Utah Jazz vs. 5) Houston Rockets
First game: Saturday 8:30 p.m. CT (ESPN)

For me this is the most boring series in the West, and it is the 4-5 game which should be the most competitive in theory. The Jazz are good, but don't have the big stars like the other teams in the West. Boozer and Deron Williams are great players. They just don't have the awe of the Kobe's, Lebron's, KG's, etc. The Rockets will be playing without Yao, who is out for the season, yet that didn't stop the Rockets from going on a 22 game winning streak. Luis Scola has really stepped up, and Shane Battier is a lock-down defender on the perimeter, but when Bobby Jackson is starting for you at shooting guard and Mutombo is starting at center, I don't like that team's chances against a formidable foe. Tracy McGrady has still not won a playoff series, and unfortunately, i don't see his team beating the Jazz. Perhaps, the Rockets will pull out some of that winning streak magic and beat the Jazz, but I see the Jazz as having an easy time of it and winning the series in five games.

(Photo courtesy of GettyImages and ESPN.com)