FIVE QUICK NBA THOUGHTS: 1. Steve Young Super Bowl Jersey . NBA FINALS PREDICTION - Spurs in 7: A major percentage of folks are rooting for the Spurs - so am I - yet, I feel that when its all said and done, both of these teams are pretty even when you compare/contrast their strengths and weaknesses. I do think the Spurs have a preparation edge, having had to play the tougher competition all season on a more nightly basis in both the regular season and playoffs in the Western Conference, and it helps that theyve gone through the fire on a more consistent basis. The Heat have the better "Big 3" from a talent perspective and the best player on the planet in LeBron James. Tony Parkers health status concerns me for San Antonio. So many variables that you can toss around and argue over, which Ive done, but Im just going to go with my gut here and take the Spurs.  Last years series was terrific and I hope and think that this one will be even better. Enjoy! 2. RANDY WITTMAN (Wizards): A job well done in getting his team to the second round and figuring out how to win which led to a well deserved contract extension. This team was always a bit of a tease the past few years, yet Wittman pushed them to the next level and got nice buy in from them on how the game should be played. Now, they have to try and keep Marcin Gortat and Trevor Ariza who are both free agents. Regardless, I think the future is bright and on solid ground due to the leadership of Wittman. 3. CHANDLER PARSONS (Rockets): Houston has apparently declined to pick up the option on his contract. I love this guys game and hes still really improving. Parsons shoots it and plays with great energy and awareness. Hell be a restricted free agent and it will be interesting if they can make a run at another big free agent to team with Dwight Howard and James Harden and then try to match Parsonss offer sheet that hell surely get in the open market. Hes a guy that I consider a glue guy who you can win with and has lots of value because he backs it up with production as well. Its going to be a delicate situation to navigate for GM Daryl Morey and coach Kevin McHale with an important piece of the puzzle. Im quite curious to see how it unfolds. 4. JEFF BOWER (Pistons): Stan Van Gundy hired him as his GM and I really like this hire. Ive known Jeff for over 25 years and hes a good basketball man. Hes paid his dues as a NCAA Div. 1 assistant and head coach and has spent a great deal of time in the NBA with the Charlotte Hornets, as well as their move to New Orleans, as their assistant and head coach, scout, assistant GM and finally GM. He knows all the ins and outs of the business and is someone that Van Gundy can trust to handle the front office responsibilities for him. Van Gundy will have final say on all basketball matters, but you need someone to look after lots of details while youre busy coaching. This really makes sense to me. 5. LaMARCUS ALDRIDGE (Blazers): Aldridge was named to All-NBA Third Team today, but I really feel he should be on Second Team ahead of Kevin Love at the power forward spot. I strongly believe that winning should and does matter. You could argue that Aldridge has a little better supporting cast in Portland, yet when I give the eye test, I see Aldridge perform consistently at a high level against all competition and I see Love as a guy who gets nice numbers within the structure of the game, but Im still just a bit skeptical about what he brings to the table in terms of competitive production in the major moments of the game. I think Aldridge is a Second teamer and Love is a Third. Just my opinion, but winning has to mean something.  Jimmie Ward Super Bowl Jersey . Ibrahimovic put PSG ahead when he got in front of his marker to neatly flick in Lucass cross in the 59th minute. New signing Yohan Cabaye came on as a second-half substitute and headed Ezequiel Lavezzis cross against the post in the 87th. Moments later, Lucas set up another goal from the right when fellow countryman Alex turned in his corner with a strikers finish. C. J. Beathard Super Bowl Jersey . Particularly when speaking in the stadium of Tuesdays opponent: Manchester City. "Maybe they dont fear us as before," Pique said on Monday, "because in the last two years we didnt win the Champions League.SALT LAKE CITY -- Big Turk lived up to his nickname. After two games in which he was nearly invisible, Enes Kanter loomed large in the middle and scored 24 points to lift the Utah Jazz past the Washington Wizards 104-101 Saturday night. "The big man played big tonight," said Gordon Hayward, who hit two free throws with 2.6 seconds left to seal the win. Kanter made 11 of 13 shots and the Jazz overcame a 13-point deficit to take control in the fourth quarter and keep the Wizards from moving above the .500 mark for the first time in more than four years. Kanter also took the pressure off of Derrick Favours, who is dealing with a sore hip. "Enes was doing the scoring, so I just tried to go out there and play defence and get rebounds," said Favours, who had 11 points and 14 rebounds. Hayward finished with 16 points and Alec Burks added 15 as the Jazz swept the two games with the Wizards for the second straight season. Trevor Ariza led Washington with 23 points, including a 3-pointer with 52 seconds left that drew the Wizards within 101-98. John Wall banked in a 3-pointer to get within 102-101 with 3.6 seconds left, but Hayward made two free throws and Wall missed at the buzzer. Kanter scored a total of eight points in two blowout losses to Minnesota and drew his coachs ire for often being in the wrong spots. But in this one, Kanter consistently found himself in the right place at the right time -- picking up loose balls, making timely passes and changing the Wizards shots in the paint. "I personally was really bad two games against Minnesota, but tonight I wanted to come out with lots of energy," Kanter said. The muscular centre from Turkey displayed a deft shooting touch on jumpers and power moves to the basket. When Arizas 3-pointer cut the lead to 92-90, Kanter hit a jump shot. With 57 seconds left, he made two free throws to give Utah a 101-95 cushion after a nifty reverse-pivot down the lane that drew a foul. Utahs schedule has allowed for practices in the past few weeks and the young Jazz players have benefited from the extra work. "My coaches have given me a lot of confidence and weve been practicing really hard," Kanter said. "The things I have been trying to do and now showing in the games." Burks and Hayward drove through the Wizards defence for layups as the Jazz scored on four straight possessions to open the fourth quarter and take an 85-77 lead. "We did a good job of attacking them after playing inside-out. We attacked them in transitiion, attacked them in the half court," said Trey Burke, who had 12 points and eight assists. Kentavius Street Super Bowl Jersey. The Jazz seemed a step quicker to loose balls as the game wore on, but the Wizards made it interesting in the final minute before yet again failing to move above .500. "We were running in mud half the game, in my opinion," Washington coach Randy Wittman said. "We wouldnt commit ourselves to our pace." Ten times over the past five seasons, the Wizards have had a chance to surpass .500. Theyve lost every time. "I feel like we had this game won. We just didnt do a good job in stopping them and they just kept making good plays," Wall said. Wizards last won a game to go above .500 on Oct. 31, 2009, when they beat the New Jersey Nets to improve to 2-1. They lost to Cleveland on Nov. 3 and havent had a winning record since. The Wizards, who led most of the game, have lost this season at 0-0, 9-9, 14-14, 19-19, 20-20 and 21-21. No one on the current Wizards roster was on the team when it was last above .500. Though Utah is at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, the Jazz are competitive when healthy. The starting lineup of Burke, Hayward, Marvin Williams, Richard Jefferson and Favours is 12-8 this season. Favours was a game-time decision but felt his right hip strain had healed enough to give it a go and the Jazz needed his defence and rebounding prowess. When Favors needed a rest, Kanter made his presence known, especially with his 10 points in the fourth quarter. After stumbling through a subpar January, Ariza has found his groove. He scored 23 points in a win over Phoenix Friday and made 6 of 10 3-pointers against Utah. But his fellow perimeter players couldnt find their range. Beal was 5 of 16 and Wall made just 4 of 14 attempts from the field. "I thought Trey and the guys playing Wall made him work for everything he got," Utah coach Tyrone Corbin said. Nene had 19 points, including a handful of emphatic dunks, and Marcin Gortat had 14 points and 11 rebounds, but they couldnt stop Kanter when it mattered most. NOTES: The Jazz claimed third-year forward Malcolm Thomas off waivers on Saturday. He has appeared in 16 career NBA games over three seasons with San Antonio (this season), Golden State and Chicago, averaging 1.1 points and 1.8 rebounds in 5.4 minutes. . The teams combined to miss their first seven shots. . The Jazz reserves outscored their Washington counterparts 52-18 but all five Wizard starters scored in double figures. ' ' '