Monday, December 1, 2008

Philadelphia 76ers Tickets For Sale

Buy Philadelphia 76ers tickets here. The fate of the 2006/07 76ers team may not depend on their two superstars, but on their two to three young role players. There is no question that Allen Iverson and Chris Webber are good offensive scorers, but both are aging and need more support from the rest of their team to continue winning games. Head coach Maurice Cheeks will look to improve upon last seasons disappointing finish which left the team out of the playoffs and full of holes.

Allen Iverson has been nothing but consistent in his scoring for his career and last season was no different. His 33 points per game were second in the league only to Kobe Bryant and he came close to almost single-handedly taking the 76ers into the playoffs. Unfortunately for the rest of the team, Iverson usually gets these numbers by taking an excessive amount of shots. His 25.3 shots per game were three times as much as his guard counterpart Andre Iguodala. If he can cut that down to near 20 and increase his assists numbers, the team will benefit.

In the inside is another veteran scorer in Chris Webber. Webber also takes an excess in shots with 19 a game. He, however, is not as effective in scoring as his points average was just over 20.2. To be successful, the 76ers really have to emphasize to Chris that they need more passes and less shots. They need to be less of a two man show and more of a team.

Around the two main figures of the 76ers are talented young men like Andre Iguodala, Kyle Korver and Samuel Dalembert. Iguodala is a great defender who is still expanding his offensive game. If he gets more looks this season for Iverson and Webber, expect an increase in production. Samuel is a solid center with a big contract who has to stay healthy. He could easily be a double-double threat in the future. And finally Korver is a deep threat who cannot do much else. Aside from these five players, the 76ers really do not have any big threats for contributions off the bench.

Because of their lack of depth and the ball-hogging tendencies of their two leaders, it is difficult to see the 76ers do much better than their 38 win season from last year. It is possible for them to make the playoffs, just as likely as it is for them to miss it. As said before, their final fate will depend on how well their support players start the season. Click here for 2008-2009 Philadelphia 76ers tickets.



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About the Author
The author is a sports betting editor at Sports Betting Basketball. Visit ASB to learn about basketball betting.

Toronto Raptors tickets for sale

Buy Toronto Raptors tickets here. Toronto Raptors tickets are suddenly becoming a very hot item for NBA fans, and that’s something that’s rarely been said in the past, as until recently, the Raptors have ranged in success levels from up-and-coming playoff team to total disaster. The current Raptors are attempting to put their checkered past in the past for good, however, and there are several reasons for this rapid transition into legitimate contender. We’ll examine a few of these reasons below.

Chris Bosh

There have been several new developments within the Raptors’ organization, but one of the few mainstays has been Bosh. He’s an All-Star, he’s represented his country and is continuing to blossom before everyone’s eyes. Bosh is a force down low, and that reality was driven home with a recent 41-point effort against Dwight Howard and the Magic. Bosh is a star who can drive up the sales of Toronto Raptors tickets all by himself, and he’s locked up in Toronto for years to come.

Management

For many years, the Raptors seemed to lack any sort of direction from the top. That all changed recently with the hiring of Bryan Colangelo in February of 2006. Colangelo brought the experience of helping build the dynamic roster of the Phoenix Suns, and his direction and clear ideas in regards to acquiring talent have given the organization a clear direction for perhaps the first time. His personnel moves have been shrewd both from the standpoint of immediate results and long-term development. Basically, the Raptors are now in good hands at the top, and that’s a dividend that never stops paying off.

Point Guard Play

One of the first moves Colangelo made during the past off-season was to trade young PF Charlie Villanueva to the Milwaukee Bucks for PG T.J. Ford. The move was widely panned, as it went against the NBA norm of never trading “big for small.” However, Ford has come aboard and given stability and dynamic energy to the PG position, and his up-tempo style is a perfect fit with the talent around him on the floor. To date, Ford has averaged 14 points, 4 rebounds and nearly 8 assists per game, and his desire to constantly push the tempo only makes players like Bosh better.

Where They Stand

As of this writing, the Raptors sit with a 27-23 record, and in the weak Eastern Conference, that’s good enough for first place in the Atlantic Division. Barring a totally unforeseen collapse, the Raptors will make the playoffs, and their style will be tough to deal with once the games really begin to count.

Overall, it’ll be anyone’s title to grab in the Eastern Conference playoffs, and those who use Toronto Raptors tickets may be seeing a team moving towards its first NBA Finals appearance. Click here for Toronto Raptors tickets.


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About the Author
Written by Jay Nault, sponsored by http://www.stubhub.com/ . StubHub sells Toronto Raptors tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and more to just about any event in the world.

New York Knicks tickets for sale

Buy New York Knicks tickets here.The New York Knicks, short for “Knickerbockers”, play in New York City’s famous Madison Square Garden. The Knicks were members of the now-defunct Basketball Association of America, which merged with the National Basketball League to form the National Basketball Association in 1949. In the NBA’s first ten years, the Knicks played in three straight NBA Finals games, from 1951-1953. They are one of only two teams from the original NBA that are still located in the same city. The Knicks won their first game against the Toronto Huskies, 68-66. The Knicks continued to field respectable teams in the 1950s, but witnessed a marked decline in the 1960s.

From 1960-1966, the Knicks finished in last place in their division each year. Two of the worst losses in Knicks history happened during this time: a 162-100 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, and Wilt Chamberlain’s famous 100 point game was against the Knicks on March 3, 1962. Over the next few years, the Knicks drafted some quality players: Willis Reed, the future NBA Rookie of the Year, Bill Bradley, and Dave Stallworth. After showing promise in 1967, the Knicks General Manager hired Red Holzman to be their head coach; the Knicks made the playoffs again that year. In 1969, the Knicks made it to the finals but lost to the Boston Celtics.

The Knicks won an impressive 18 games in a row during the 1969-1970 season; they finished that year with a 60-22 record—the best in the team’s history. The Knicks would meet the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Championship in 1970. They won in dramatic fashion in game seven, when an injured Willis Reed walked on the court and shot two baskets—this incident was later voted one of the greatest moments in Madison Square Garden history. The entire starting five from the 1970 Knicks team has had their jersey numbers retired.

The team failed to return to the NBA Championships in 1971. They played in the NBA Championship again in 1972, but this time the Knicks lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. The following year, the Knicks turned the tables on the Lakers and defeated them in five games to win their second NBA Championship in three years. 1973-1974 was another impressive year for the Knicks; they reached the Eastern Conference finals where they were defeated by the Celtics in five games. Willis Reed retired after this season, placing the Knicks’ future in jeopardy.

The rest of the 1970s were pretty unremarkable for the New York Knicks, except to mention that a young bench player and defensive specialist named Phil Jackson was a member of those teams; Jackson went on to coach the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers to a total of nine championships; tied with professional basketball coaching legend Red Auerbach.

After a disappointing 1984-1985 season, the Knicks won the first pick in the first-ever NBA Draft Lottery; they chose center Patrick Ewing from Georgetown University. Ewing won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 1986; however, the team did not fare as well that year. The Knicks went on to win four division titles with Ewing, as well as two Conference titles.

Today, it seems that the Knicks are in another one of their multi-year declines. If history is any indication, some new blood will shake up the organization again and put the Knicks on the road to winning another NBA Championship.Click here for New York Knicks Tickets


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About the Author
Johnny Moon contributes to the NYC Travel Guide Blog

New Jersey Nets Tickets For Sale

Buy New Jersey Nets tickets here. New Jersey Nets tickets have been a popular choice among local sports fans in recent seasons, as the Nets have somewhat-quietly put together a highly-successful run after years of being a complete afterthought on the NBA landscape. Their team is as athletic and entertaining as any in the league, and they’re always a threat to contend for the Eastern Conference title. The Nets are once again an interesting team as we enter the 2006-7 NBA season, and below are some details regarding their prospects for the upcoming season.

Additions

The Nets were relatively quiet during the offseason, but they did make a series of small moves to address their offensive struggles from last season. They signed G Eddie House, who is known for his instant offense off the bench. He’s also been known as a defensive liability, but he’s the perfect cure for any team that needs a spark during a game.

The only other move of even minor significance was drafting PG Marcus Williams from Connecticut. Starting PG Jason Kidd is 33, and he started to tire down the stretch last season after logging huge minutes. If Williams can provide some consistency off the bench, he’ll not only keep the Nets rolling on offense but will also give Kidd the opportunity to rest more during the season and remain fresh as the playoffs come around.

Strong Suit

The Nets’ strength is clear, and that’s perimeter scoring. Their “Big Three” of Kidd, Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter are deadly when they’re shooting the ball well, and if they are hitting their jumpers, all three can create big-time problems for opponents with their ability to drive the lane and either finish or dish to an open shooter.

When they are clicking, New Jersey Nets tickets are worth the effort to obtain, as they can provide a highly-entertaining display of basketball. Not to mention, Carter is in his contract year, and although he’s gained a bit of a reputation for being soft and not always playing hard, you can bet he’ll be motivated to cash in on one more huge contract during his career. A motivated Carter should be a scary thought for the rest of the NBA.

Outlook

Like many other NBA teams, there are a lot of “ifs” regarding the Nets. IF Kidd, Carter and Jefferson, along with talented C Nenad Krstic can stay healthy, the Nets will be a high-scoring team. IF they continue to play decent defense as they did last season, the Nets will be able to overcome those nights when the ball isn’t going in the basket. IF the Nets’ divisional rivals remain a weak group, as only the Celtics look like they’ll be legitimate playoff contenders this season, then the Nets will win their division and get into the playoffs.

However, it doesn’t look like, even if all of these “ifs” work in the Nets’ favor, that they’ll be able to compete with the likes of Miami, Detroit, Cleveland and even Chicago in the Eastern Conference. That proclamation should come with a caveat, however - Carter is as talented as any player on the planet, and if he’s as motivated as most think he will be, he’s good enough to win games almost by himself.

Regardless, New Jersey Nets tickets will definitely allow fans to see one of the most interesting and entertaining teams in the NBA this season.click here for New Jersey Nets Tickets

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About the Author
Written by Jay Nault, sponsored by http://www.stubhub.com/ . StubHub sells New Jersey Nets tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and more to just about any event in the world.

Boston Celtics Tickets For Sale

Buy Boston Celtics tickets here. For decades, Boston Celtics tickets were “the” hot tickets to get in New England. The region’s other teams - the Patriots, Bruins and Red Sox, all had their share of struggles, but the Celtics were the gold standard by which all other sports teams were measured. Their dynasties spanned several generations, and they were the pride of the Boston sports fan.

However, in recent years, the sporting landscape in Boston has changed. The Bruins continue to struggle, but the Patriots and the Red Sox have brought titles and pride to the area, all while the Celtics have sunk to new lows. The team is currently mired in one of its worst in recent memory, but all hope is not lost. The following are steps that could happen that would restore the team to its rightful place among the NBA’s elite.

Get Paul Pierce Back

Paul Pierce is the Celtics, and he moves Boston Celtics tickets all by himself. He’s one of those do-everything players who can handle the ball, shoot, score, drop dimes, rebound and even defend when he’s into it. There probably isn’t a more indispensable player to his team in the NBA, and that’s been proven by the Celtics 2-20 record since he left the lineup.

With Pierce in the lineup, everyone else on the team instantly becomes better. He’s known for his intensity, and he’s one of those intimidating forces that has to be defended at all costs, which completely opens the floor for everyone else. His mere presence on the floor will add to the victory column.

Let the Young Guys Develop

The Celtics have been quietly building a nucleus of young and talented players, and they include Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Tony Allen and Sebastian Telfair. These players may have skill, but they lack one thing - experience. The team needs to let them grow into full-fledged NBA players and avoid all the trade talks that have been swirling as a result of the team’s current swoon.

Not to mention, the Celtics, barring an unbelievable turnaround, are headed for the lottery this summer, and most fans think that Greg Oden would look pretty good in Celtic green. If the team can add another young star to this nucleus, their fortunes could be reversed quickly in the mediocre Eastern Conference.

Patience

The Celtics need to look no further than their local football counterparts to see how to proceed. There’s no need to break the bank on big-name free agents or to constantly tinker with the main cogs on their roster. They need to maintain their nucleus, add a complimentary piece or two and allow the whole “recipe” to come together.

If all of these things happen, it won’t be long before Boston Celtics tickets are once again impossible to find. Click here for Boston Celtics Tickets


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About the Author
Written by Jay Nault, sponsored by http://www.stubhub.com/ . StubHub sells Boston Celtics tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and more to just about any event in the world.