Halftime Hype

A great adaptation of enthusiasm of the game's greatest

This isn't the first time we've been faced with a Game 7 this postseason. As we all remember, Beantown's Celtics and Obamaville's Bulls got into an exciting seven game series that didn't fare out well for the underdogs. Now, in the Conference semifinals, we have two seven games series. It's no longer a question of who is the more dominant team; both teams have proved that they are talented. The winner will only advance to the next round by overcoming nervousness and all other emotions in a forum of adversity. But at the end of the day, "there can only be one."

With Orlando and Boston, we've seen the intensity of East Coast warriors. With the ferocious former-T-Wolf in KG absent, the Boston Three Party has turned to their dynamic duo and the bench as their source of inspiration to strive forward. Orlando is still getting acclimated to the heat of the series against the defending champs. I wouldn't call the Magic deers in headlights, but they aren't what I would refer to as "experienced." Coming in as virgins to the fame and success of the playoffs, they have done a phenomenal job holding their own - with the exception of allowing a buzzer beater by Big Baby. They have elevated their skilled players, who got bits of attention here and there, to postseason competitors, who are the subject of praise. The C's will be looking to get a victory on their home floor, but ever since #21 sat out so have the fans. Boston is no longer the most-feared place to play. Not that the waving green towels and roaring fans aren't intimidating; they are no longer a threat to the performance of the opposition. However, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce have the ability to pile up the points in the clutch - crunch time still an issue for the Magic who barely won Game 6 after missing plenty of easy free throws. I'm not going to make any predictions on who will be victorious, but Game 7 of this series should be much closer than the Bulls vs. Celtics Game 7.

Magic's keys to victory:

• Dwight Howard needs to continue what he's doing - except for publicly criticizing his coach and missing free throws.
• The X-factors, Courtney Lee and Rafer Alston, must be involved. Lee's jumpshot and Rafer Alston's teardrops and long-distance shooting must be in check.
• Hedo needs to shoot better and take agressive drives. Despite going 3-13 in Game 6, he scored when it mattered most. The goal will be to finish with a good shooting percentage, though.

The Cetlics keys to victory:

• Ray Allen and Paul Pierce should be ready for clutch performances, as they were Chicago. Allen's three point accuracy combined with Pierce's mid-range game will likely make-or-break this epic battle.
• Rondo needs to put defensive pressure on the opposing PG.
• Perkins and Big Baby need to stay out of foul trouble. As we saw in the 3OT thriller last series, the Celtics desperately need their big men under the six fouls.

Coined on an Urban Outfitters tee near you. Just Kidding.

The other seven game series will be the Lakers facing off against the Rockets. The Rockets came in as the underdogs and may actually get much farther than they thought. They stole the first game of the series in Los Angeles, and have reached the playoffs without their star, Tracy McGrady. As if that weren't enough, their center, Yao Ming, the tallest in the NBA, went down in the middle of the series. One would think that would drastically hurt their chances of advancing. Not at all. In fact, you could make a case they've played better without him, going 2-1. However, the Lakers, specifically Kobe, have been cool with shrugging off losses and criticism by winning the following game. Although the Lakers have come out too lackadaisical in this series, they still have a chance to prove naysayers wrong with a Game 7 victory. And some are forgetting the meager bit of adversity the Lakers are playing through. Coming into the series Luke Walton was injured, then we discovered that Fisher was too old to keep up with Brooks, and recently, Lamar Odom, one of the most versatile players the game has, hurt his back. Oh, and I forgot to mention that their superstar-in-training, Andrew Bynum, has only had one decent performance in the series. But at the end of the day, it's difficult to bet against Kobe and his playoff experience, and the Lakers should be able to grind out a victory at home against the Rockets. If this series seems more complicated, it's cause it is.

Rockets' Keys to Victory:

• Landry needs to duplicate his Game 6 efforts in order to make it close. His 15 points, many of them in the closing quarter, provided the Rockets' with a crucial lift.
• Scola must exploit Odom and Gasol. When defended by Odom, he has to make sure to take his shots in the paint and aggrivate his back injury. If he's matching up with Gasol, he needs to use the strength he showed in Game 6 to create space with the "softy."
• Aaron Brooks has to use his speed the entire game - especially when Fisher is on the floor. For the most part, he's run circles around the entire Lakers team.
• Artest needs to keep his emotions and body in check. An ejection would definitely hurt the outcome of the game for the Rockets. And don't forget, Ron Ron has earned some flagrant points from his ejection. He has one or two more chances before those points result in a suspension.

Lakers' Keys to Victory:

• Come out with a strong start. They can't afford to let Houston go on a huge run to open the game. As we saw in Game 6, if the deficit in the first quarter wasn't so large they may have had a better chance of winning the game.
• Farmar needs to play tight D on Brooks. He'll probably have an edge in minutes over Fisher and can't be fatigued.
• It's crucial that Bynum scores and rebounds. His starting position is in jeopardy and he's not showing any passion on the court.
• Turn the 6'6" Landry into a liability. His height makes it much easier to match up with him, but you can't let him draw fouls.
• Gasol can't be weak defensively. His "defense" on Scola was unacceptable. He should also look to lighten the load on Kobe, at least in the first half, so #24 has plenty of stamina in the second half.
• I'm not worried about Kobe at all. These are the moments he relishes. Another chance to prove himself and his clutch reputation. But he needs time on the floor to do so, and when Jackson rested him at the top of the fourth in Game 6, he really decreased any chances of a Lakers victory.

The hype for these games is immense. Lebron James is probably having goosebumps right now about his next opponent. But he gets one more game in a reclining chair before it's time to play. As for the Nuggets, who have recently been chosen as favorites to beat the Lakers or the Rockets, they'll be anxious for their next battle. But for now, we wait until the result of Game 7.

Dope Jam of the Day

Champagne Red Lights (Remix) - O'Neal McKnight feat. Ron Brownz and Busta Rhymes -In this song, Busta Rhymes, one of the pioneers of New Age rap, spits out our motto, "something like a phenomenon" several times. But that's not what makes the song unique. The chorus has O'Neal McKnight, in a voice resembling an announcer, descriptively reciting the club setting. To compliment the grandness of the chorus, Busta Rhymes literally busts some realistic rhymes. He mentions his amazing presence when he steps in and then its back to the baratone narration of McKnight. And to add a playful sound to the song is auto-tune professor, Ron Brownz. His outgoing personality meshes well with Busta Rhymes' serious nature. In terms of production, the beat is very consistent and has just enough variety to coincide well with the singers. Strongly suggest you listen to this new club anthem.