I have always been a huge fan of this show but have been in the middle when it comes to the Celebrity editions. This season though has had 2 really good ones in my opinion. The first one was the episode when Dennis Rodman was fired and the second was this recent episode when Melissa Rivers went crazy after being dispatched from the boardroom.

I personally like seeing people argue on TV because it’s quite funny. But it’s even better seeing celebrities with their big ego’s do it. And in this case, the turmoil that’s been brewing for 3 episodes now, between Annie Duke and the mother-daughter Rivers team, has finally exploded. Personally, I’m shocked and disappointed at how Joan and Melissa Rivers reacted, after all, it is a game. But with all celebrities, ego really does play a HUGE part. And as annoying as Annie Duke really is, saying “I did this and I did that” every time she possibly can, then shrivels when her team loses, is actually pretty spine-less.

The problem is, Melissa Rivers just could NOT take losing to Annie Duke. And as soon as Donald Trump fired her, she ran out and went crazy asking that her things be brought down immediately and saying she is NOT giving anyone an interview. It was the sorriest way to go out in a competition like Celebrity Apprentice and it made her look like a total sore loser. To make things worse, she goes in to the room where the other celebrities were to incite her mom Joan to be more irritated than she already was. And the poison that came out of Joan Rivers’ mouth was a shocker!

After you watch this episode, you will see Joan Rivers and Melissa Rivers in a totally different light. And sadly, it’s going to be a huge disappointment if you were ever fans of both. I personally liked them in the show and thought they’d be the final two. That would have been great to see, as the top 3 contenders for this show for me was Annie Duke and the mother-daughter team. But after what just happened, it seems like Joan Rivers won’t even come back for the next one. But who knows. The war of words, though shocking, are still so worth watching. So I can’t wait for the next episode to come out! But you need to watch this if you’re a fan of Celebrity Apprentice. It’s definitely one you have to watch to believe.

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The Apprentice Season 8 Episode 9 (701MB)

The very competitive Western Conference starts off in a few hours and practically all the series match-ups will be strongly contested. The only exception may be the series between the Lakers and the Jazz, but every other series is really a toss-up. The favorite to come out of the West is definitely Kobe’s Lakers as even Vegas did not come out with odds for that series while every other series had its own except for their 1st seed counterparts in Lebron’s Cavs in the East.

Here are my series picks for the First Round in the WESTERN Conference. I think the Nuggets are the darkhorse here and really do have a big chance of making a lot of noise while the always-reliable Spurs might be booted out right off the bat by the Mavs as Manu is out for the playoffs. Who are your picks?

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs (8) Utah Jazz

Just like the Cavs, the Lakers are being considered shoo-ins to breeze past their 1st Round opponents. And as expected, Kobe and the gang are looking to bring home the trophy that eluded them last year. And looking at their chemistry this year, it seems very likely that Kobe will be holding up another trophy.

Why am I discounting the Jazz? Well, first off, they’ve struggled closing out the regular season. And second, Okur is sidelined and may not even play the first game and it might be even more. The Jazz are a very savvy bunch but without Mehmet, Booze and Deron are just not enough to topple the would-be champs. AK47 will need to step up and look to score more especially with Okur out, but the keys here will be how Brewer plays Kobe, as well as how Millsap can help compensate for his Okur’s absence.

Are the Lakers as good as they were last year? In my opinion, they are in a 7-man perspective especially with Bynum coming back at the right time and Ariza playing unbelievable basketball at both ends of the court. But looking at their bench, I think they’re a tad bit weaker than last year as Farmar has been totally useless since coming back from his injury. And if the Lakers want to seriously win a title this year, their bench better be ready to step up unless that solid 7-man rotation is going to hold up until the Finals.

The edge is definitely still with the Lakers but they can’t be overconfident against this feisty Jazz team. I think Utah takes one home game, and might have a slight chance for another, but that’s about it.

PICK: Lakers in 5.

(2) Denver Nuggets vs (7) New Orleans Hornets

I never thought Denver would end up being the 2nd seed in the West especially when Nene and Kenyon were in and out of the season with injuries. That speaks volumes of how talented and deep this Denver team is and they are definitely the darkhorse in the West. The Hornets quietly squeaked in the playoffs this year and look to make a little noise, but seem rather mismatched against a larger Nuggets team.

Thanks to the trade that brought in Chauncey Billups, the Nuggets are poised to make a ton of noise in the competitive West. With the departure of Allen Iverson, the Nuggets turned from a pure offensive squad that shot the lights out every night, to a squad that finally had control and a real legit point guard who could lead. Maybe that’s what they were lacking from the start and now that they’ve got it, that might be all they really need. They are 8-man deep and have 2 players that come off the bench that can make a huge impact on the game. JR Smith can shoot the lights out as evidenced by his 11 threes in that one game and Birdman can block 8 shots in a game. This match-up will be a test, but I’m pretty high on them moving to the next round.

Do the Hornets stand a chance? Maybe, but they have 1 legit big man in Chandler and err, Hilton and Wright, and throw in Melvin Ely, as backups, if you want to in the mix, against the solid front court of the Nuggets. Man, that’s a really tough match-up every night for those guys. I learned never to count Chris Paul out though, but he has to be playing the game of his life and have David West in sync, but most importantly have Peja healthy and in shape enough to hit those open threes. If one of those 3 players have an off-night, it’s going to be lights out for the Hornets.

PICK: Nuggets in 6.

(3) San Antonio Spurs vs (6) Dallas Mavericks

This series looks pretty interesting as both these teams have developed a little rivalry over the past 3 years. There’s one big difference though this year, and that’s the fact that the Spurs don’t have Manu Ginobili to save them anymore. The Mavs, on the other hand, have lost the quickness of Devin Harris, who’s one of the few players who can keep in step with Tony Parker.

It’s quite a surprise to see the Spurs end up as the 3rd seed because Manu really hasn’t been playing practically half the season but that’s testament to their core and veteran savvy. Tony Parker has been absolutely amazing this year and he’s developed great range now and is almost unstoppable if he has it turned on. Duncan is still been one of the best and most reliable big men around and hurt you in so many ways. But that’s about it. Outside of those 2 players, there’s really not much else but role players. Finley has aged, Mason is still raw, and everyone else is a backup player. Is this team strong enough to beat the Mavs?

Dallas finished the season strong and got Josh Howard back “healthy” in time for the playoffs. Dirk will still be the Spurs biggest thorn as there really is NO player that can match-up with him on the perimeter and in the post. You add Howard to the mix and the Spurs have huge problems as Finley or Bonner can’t guard jack. The only problem the Mavs have is how to slow down Parker as Jason Kidd is going to be a liability in defense. The key to the Mavs winning this series is actually Barea. If JJ can slow Parker down, the offensive threesome of Dirk, Howard, and Terry, will easily be able to sail the Mavs to the 2nd round.

PICK: Mavs in 6.

(4) Portland Trailblazers vs (5) Houston Rockets

Just like how it is in the East, the match-up between the middle seeds seem to be the most exciting series to watch. Pitting the youth of the Blazers against the Rockets veterans, it’s either going to be a classic, or a sorry sleeper. If the Blazers youth succumb to the Rockets toughness, this series might be real short. But seeing how good the Blazers have been in the regular season against perennial contenders, it seems these young guns are ready to make some noise in the playoffs.

Brandon Roy has been a joy to watch this year and the young studs of the Blazers have stepped up when needed and that’s why they have home-court advantage in the playoffs in the 1st Round. The Blazers have a solid 9-man rotation with youth booming off the bench. The real question here lies on whether the playoffs will be too much pressure for these Blazers as this is definitely far from what the regular season is. My biggest concern here is how well Lamarcus Aldridge plays. If he manages to play his game and shake off those nerves, they are going to be a handful for the Rockets. But that’s still a big question mark and is definitely the key to the Blazers moving on to the 2nd round.

Everyone was counting the Rockets out since the day T-Mac called it quits. No one gave them the light of day as the question of Artest being able to co-exist with Yao and the gang was a huge mystery. But look where they are now? Sure, they’re the 5th seed in the West, but they really can make a lot of noise. Yao is pretty much money and Scola has been amazingly consistent lately. Artest has been a warrior but can shoot you in and out of a game in a heartbeat. Brooks though has been the revelation and he is the KEY to the Rockets advancing. If he starts off well and gets the confidence he needs to play his style of basketball, then the Blazers are in big trouble. This is a real tough one, but I’ll go out on a limb and pick the veterans to squeeze it out in Game 7.

PICK: Rockets in 7.

Related Links:
East First Round Matchups

One day to go before the NBA Playoffs for 2009 begins! This season is one of the most intriguing in terms of match-ups in both conferences even if the top seeds seem to have it pretty easy. So just like last year, I’m writing this before reading any opinions or predictions by the popular ESPN guys as well as any other source for that matter.

So here are my picks for the First Round in the EASTERN Conference! I’ll follow with the WESTERN Conference match-ups later on. Who are your picks?

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs (8) Detroit Pistons

I’m quite certain that 90% of analysts have picked the Cavs to come out of the EAST and destroy all the teams that come their way. Sure, the Pistons really don’t stand a chance especially with that horrid trade that sent Chauncey to the Nuggets for a very pissed off AI, but that’s how it is. If the Pistons couldn’t handle the Cavs last year with Billups in a Pistons jersey, there really is no chance for the them to pull off any kind of an upset this round.

Why does everyone say no chance? Well, this is Lebron’s MVP year and he really is unstoppable. The addition of Mo Williams gives the Cavs a legit point guard with firepower, something they never had when Lebron got his rest last year. The emergence of Varejao and Delonte and the consistency and range of Z make the Cavs a very difficult team to beat. They would have ended up with ONE loss all year at home if it wasn’t for that last game give-away where LBJ didn’t play. That speaks volumes of how good this team really is this year.

The Pistons? Well… they’re old now and they’re pretty messed up in terms of team chemistry. Curry is a terrible coach and had Rip coming off the bench at a certain point post-mid-season. Injury or no injury, that was just pure idiocy. The AI trade blew up in their faces and totally eliminated any kind of leadership this team solidly had when Chauncey was running the show. So it’s really Stuckey’s show to run now (Stuckey who?) with 3 core players (Sheed, Tayshaun, and Rip) who seem like they are inches away from imploding.

So this is definitely going to be Cavs all the way. I’ll give the Pistons a little respect though and say they MIGHT pull off a tight one at home before all hell breaks loose this off-season and many changes are hopefully made (starting with their coach). But a sweep is definitely in the horizon.

PICK: Cavs in 4. Have Mercy.

(2) Boston Celtics vs (7) Chicago Bulls

With the news of a possible KG shutdown at least for the First Round, the Celtics will be hard-pressed to repeat again this year. Sure, they still are the favorites to win this match-up with the Bulls, but having a gimpy KG is not going to do them any good as his D was vital to their success last year. Don’t count the Bulls out though as this seems like a very intriguing match-up and will be a joy to watch.

How good are the Celtics this year? Well, they’re still pretty good, but they have quite a few problems this time around. KG is hurt, but the 3 core players are all-star-solid. Rondo is having an amazing career-year, Allen is still deadly as hell, and Pierce can still be relied on every single night. Big Baby and Leon Powe have been unbelievable in KG’s absence and look like very good fill-ins and Perk is a force in the middle for D. The problem is, with KG sidelined, their defensive anchor is gone and they lose a consistent mid-range pop-out shooter (unless you want to count Big Baby’s nifty outside jumpers). The bigger problem is their bench. Posey is gone as well as PJ Brown and the replacements ARE… (drumroll…), the very reliable Starbury, Tony Allen, Mikki Moore and Eddie House.

Any chance of an upset? My answer is YES. This young Bulls team is very hungry and more importantly confident and I would not count them out just yet. The trade that brought in Brad Miller and John Salmons made the Bulls a very dangerous deep team and they really are 8 players solid, and it would have been 9 if Deng wasn’t dinged up. They are also a very good defensive team and their players know their roles. Salmons is key here and if he plays the kind of ball he is capable of, the Celtics are in quite a bit of trouble. If Deng was still in the lineup, this series would be even as he plays great D on Pierce. If you shut Pierce down with KG gone, the Celtics are in for a long series and even a possible First Round goner. BUT, champions are champions and I think if the Celtics get in troubled waters, KG will suck it up and play, but that’s just me.

PICK: Celtics in 7.

(3) Orlando Magic vs (6) Philadelphia 76ers

I’ve been hearing everyone say that the Magic are going to sweep the 76ers but I seriously doubt they can. The last 3 games these 2 teams have played were pretty close and Jameer wasn’t even in the last two. The key here is the status of Dalembert as he is day-to-day as of the moment. Without that inside defensive presence in front of Dwight, the Magic will definitely sweep, but with Sam in the lineup, the 76ers will be able to win at least a game at home.

Dwight Howard leads the league in rebounding and blocks while being surrounded by FOUR solid three-point shooters. He’s having a career-year and he’s looking to bring the Magic as far as he possibly can without the help of his backcourt mate Jameer Nelson. Alston has been a very effective replacement BUT I think the loss of Nelson will show more in the playoffs especially in the clutch. Turkoglu and Rashard are key though as they are coming off injuries. If they come back healthy, there should be no way the 76ers can pull off an upset here.

Everyone is counting the 76ers out but they know they can beat the Magic. All their games have been close and having that in mind, I’m pretty sure the new AI and Andre Miller have optimistic goals of reaching the 2nd Round. The keys to their success will be how good Dalembert plays Howard in the post and how well the 76ers can defend the raining threes from Hedo and Rashard. But they need solid big games from Thaddeus Young and Lou Williams to have any chance in this series as well as very strong play from Willie Green. That’s quite a lot of if’s, but it’s a possibility at least.

PICK: Magic in 5.

(4) Atlanta Hawks vs (5) Miami Heat

This is definitely the best match-up in the East in the First Round. Dwyane Wade is having a MONSTER season (on both offensive and defensive ends (ranks 16th in blocks for a PG!) and as much as everyone is talking about Lebron being a shoo-in to win MVP, Wade should seriously be considered as well. For me it’s just a two-man race, Kobe and Dwight aren’t even close to the level these two have consistently played in all year long.

The Hawks are a very good young team and their starting five is rock pretty good. With Marvin Williams coming off an injury, the Hawks are better off with him playing 100% as he really is the key to them winning this series. Josh Smith has been playing well, Bibby and Joe have been consistent all year and Horford is a strong presence in the middle. Their bench is pretty thin though with Flip Murray, Mo Evans, and Zaza spelling the starters. Those aren’t really players you can count on even if Flip has been playing well lately.

I’m very high on the Heat’s chances in this series and I’m picking them to come out of the First Round against the Hawks. They aren’t really a one-man team as everyone says they are. The last 3 games saw the emergence and the amazing potential of Beasley and he is perfect coming off the bench but he is also great starting. There is no doubt in my mind that the Heat can and will pull this one off IF Wade doesn’t get injured and if Beasley plays to his potential.

PICK: Heat in 6.

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West First Round Matchups