1) Do the Boston Celtics need Shaquille O’Neal to reach the NBA finals?

I do not believe Shaquille O’Neal is a difference maker this year for the Celtics to make it to the finals.

He could be a difference, but I would like to see him actually suit up first and run around on his injured right calf, which has led him to miss the first two games of the playoff series so far.

It seems unlikely that he will be ready for the rest of the first series against the New York Knicks but he may be of some value if they have to face the Miami Heat in the next round.

2) Was Lamar Odom the right choice for sixth man of the year?

I believe that Lakers’ Power Forward Lamar Odom was a great choice for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award.

He is a true example of what a sixth man on an NBA team should be and has been for a few years now.

Odom can be a starter for just about any of the other 29 teams but finds a key role on the Lakers’ roster coming off the bench.

Odom can fit right in the starting lineup for the Lakers if someone like Pau Gasol or Andrew Bynum get hurt and need to be out for a significant amount of time.

He can also work at a high level coming off the bench and still be a huge contributor to the Lakers.

Odom played in all 82 games this season and played an average of 32 minutes per game.

Odom also averaged 14 points and 8 rebounds per game during the 2011 regular season.

3) Are the Lakers too old like some NBA analysts claim?

The Lakers are among one of the older teams in the league but then again they are also a veteran team with a lot of high level experience.

The Lakers have won the title for the last two consecutive years and are looking to stay at the top of the NBA by finishing this season strong and pick up another title.

The Lakers’ age will not have a huge effect on the 2011 seasons outcome.

I do believe it is something to look out for heading into next year as the team gets another long season out of the way this year.
4) Should the McCourt’s sell the Dodgers?

I believe it may be the smart thing to do for both MLB and the fans of the team.

The MLB’s commissioner decided that the league will assume control of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team on Wednesday.

MLB commissioner Bud Selig had told Dodgers owner Frank McCourt on Wednesday that he plans to appoint a trustee to oversee all of the business aspects and day-to-day operations of the Dodgers.

I find this to be a safe move by the MLB after the Dodgers have been in the news for more things off the baseball diamond than they have for what they have actually done during a game.

The Dodgers seem to have had a cloud over their heads recently with the recent incident involving a San Francisco Giants’ fan being attacked by Dodgers’ fans that had left one man in coma, and also the huge divorce court battle between Frank and Jamie McCourt

(SportsMinded’s (James Williams) article published in the Downey Patriot)