Freeform Five - No More Conversations (Mylo Remix) (YouTube vid)

08ama. It’s in the name.

I should never be allowed to contribute ideas to a political campaign.

This will do.

There’s a little story I sometimes tell. It’s a story about my life in Bosnia. More specifically, it’s about my high school classmates.

In that story I didn’t leave Bosnia on best terms.

In that story I never felt like I fit in, anywhere. In high school in Bosnia I thought I could belong, but I eventually realized I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to be like them, I didn’t want to hang out with them. I was glad I was different, and I was glad I was now elsewhere.

I can’t exactly recall when I started telling this story. All I know is that it started at some point after I moved here. I imagine it was my subconscious self-defense mechanism that had to cope with the uprooting of my life and everything I built over there. In any case, only the first line of the story is true - I really did leave Bosnia on crappy terms.

Sadly.

I miss that place. I miss the streets on which I grew up. The bloody knees, the countless free throws, the hours of walking around… I miss the people, too. When I’m reminded even of those I never liked, usually via pictures on Facebook, I still kind of feel like it’d be nice to walk by them on the street and just nod. I miss playing basketball in P.E. and cramming for quizzes during those 5-min breaks. I even miss the lack of central heating, though not too much. I miss the cliques, the drama, the gossip, and the teasing.

I miss walking pretty much anywhere and seeing at least one familiar face on the way. I miss knowing every corner, alley, and questionable shortcut. I miss feeling like I have a home. I even miss complaining about the damn place.

I miss it all, at least a little.

However, Prijedor is no longer my home, and I’m afraid to feel even this bit of nostalgia. Here I am, writing this in English, as if hoping nobody from there will understand it…

And if you do…well, sorry it didn’t work out too well. I suppose life sometimes follows Newton’s first law.

So, does that mean that most of us are smart?

If you need a quiz…

I like being busy since, as most people, I dislike boredom.

However, I don’t like being busy weeks ahead of time. It gets in the way of having a life.

Spontaneity is a nice thing. Why is it so hard to find time for it?

(Translation: I’m really busy these days, but I’m still alive…I think.)

I’ll see you there.

I think I’ve reached a whole new level of tired.

I’m completely drained - physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I can barely move, think, and feel.

This is not that worn-out post-allnighter exhaustion. This is not how you feel after a long workout. This is not what a nasty cold might do to you.

This is a result of several (I think at least three) weeks of not getting more than six hours of sleep per night - not once. In that time period I’ve worked hard at work and in the gym, thought way too much for a sane person, and gone through quite a few emotional ups and downs.

This is…strange.

(Note: The playoffs have already started, but I wrote this article before the first games were played and am posting it as such.)

It hit me I haven’t posted my analysis of this year’s NBA Playoffs, so here goes the first round.

(It might be worth mentioning that I’ve been a die-hard Laker fan effectively all my life, so take all this with a grain of salt.)

***

First let’s start with the wild West:

The Lakers started the season with more questions than one could ever hope to answer, yet they managed to pull it together with two major post forces: Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. While Bynum’s participation in this year’s Playoffs is unlikely (read: not gonna’ happen), acquiring Gasol has nicely made up for that, as his overall ability has turned them into one of the most formidable forces in the league. Kobe Bryant is favored to win the MVP title this year, and with the help of Gasol, Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher, and a plethora of excellent backup options seems headed for the Finals. Their offense is well-executed, they move the ball as well as any other team, and their defense has reached a level at which they can rely on it even against offensively-minded teams.

The high-flying Nuggets (pun intended), on the other hand, are often referred to as the most talented team that can’t play together. With the league’s #3 and #4 scorers often playing together, ball sharing has proven to be somewhat of a challenge, as Both Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony need the ball an awful lot to have impact. Adding to their troubles, their defense is effectively summarized by one name: Marcus Camby.

Prediction: Lakers in 4.
Notes: A misfortunate matchup for the Nuggets, who would have likely been much better off with just about any other West team.

***

The Jazz earned their #4 seed largely thanks to NBA’s recent switch to three divisions per conference and would have been #6 based on their regular season record alone. This, however, takes nothing away from the fact that they are a solid team with one of the most underrated point guards in Derron Williams and impact players Andrei Kirilenko and Carlos Boozer. No flash, no glitz - the Jazz are a team focused on business and always bring their best to the table in the Playoffs.

The Rockets made history this season with their 22-game winning streak, which became the second-longest winning streak in the NBA, ever. They won the last ten of those games without their All-Star center Yao Ming, largely because fellow All-Star Tracy McGrady picked up the slack. The Rockets also have an underrated point guard in Rafer Alston who has been facilitating their offense and providing intensity on defense all season long.

Prediction: Rockets in 7.
Notes: McGrady has yet to make it past the first round of the Playoffs, and he seems poised to do it this year. With Yao in the mix, the Rockets would be at a great advantage, but still have the power to pull off what would only technically be an upset. This should be one of the more exciting first-round series this year.

***

The Spurs, possibly the most consistent West team in the past decade or so, are still exactly who they have been all that time: an offensive and defensive machine that always has potential to earn a ring. The usual suspects are Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili, just like in the past few seasons. The West is tougher than ever, though, and they will need all of their talent and experience to get anywhere past the first round.

The Suns traded Shawn Marion for Shaquille O’Neal and have been as widely criticized as they have been praised for that, but there is no doubt that the trade dramatically changed their style. They now have a more powerful post presence, but have lost quite a bit of their speed. Whether Amare Stoudamire, Steve Nash, and the rest of the team can adjust to a half-court system will determine whether they can build on what they have.

Prediction: Spurs in 7.
Notes: Now back in the West, O’Neal will have to duke it out with Duncan, much like in his Laker days. If Duncan can capitalize on O’Neal’s age, that could prove to be the key factor for the Spurs. This series is probably the most anticipated first-round series this year, if not even in the past few years.

***

The Hornets have been as big of a surprise this season as the Lakers, if not even bigger. Led by their MVP candidate Chris Paul and forward David West, they have surprised pretty much everyone with a very high level of play in the never-tougher West and have been #1 on several occasions during the regular season. Though not a popular pick for the West Finals, the Hornets are most certainly a sleeper contender.

The Playoff-cursed Mavericks are here yet again, this time coming in at #7. Having acquired Jason Kidd this season, they are now officially considered stacked, as he joined All-Stars Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard. Sadly for the Mavericks, the transition hasn’t exactly been smooth, and they are mostly a potential force for the future.

Prediction: Hornets in 6.
Notes: While Nowitzki has publicly expressed his relief at having to deal with the Hornets instead of the Lakers, the Mavericks need some time to piece their game together with the current roster. Look out for them next season.

***

Now let’s look at the East:

The Celtics have gathered so much media attention this year that they may have even surpassed the Lakers in that department. Solely responsible for starting a season of blockbuster trades, the Celtics’ trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen have kept them at the top of virtually every poll since the day the trade was announced. The Celtics finished the regular season with a very impressive 66-16 record and aspirations for nothing short of a championship.

The Hawks ended up in the Playoffs this year largely because someone had to take #8 seed in the East. Their acquisition of Mike Bibby showed no more than recognition that they needed a hefty do-over. Leading scorer Joe Johnson is a bit lonely on a team of unrealized prospects, but someone has to score for every team.

Prediction: Celtics in 4.
Notes: Easily the most slam-dunk series in a long time. Then again, The Celtics were destined for the Finals literally since they made the big trade last year.

***

The Cavaliers, led by the league’s leading scorer LeBron James, are East’s defending champions. Having been routed in the Finals by the Spurs last year, they were hoping for a step-up season, but have instead had the pleasure of watching the Celtics dominate the conference (and the league) while they themselves sunk in the standings. The addition of Ben Wallace provides them with some extra defense - possibly enough to stir up some trouble in the East.

The Wizards found themselves in fifth place in the East even though Gilbert Arenas only got to play a total of 13 games due to injury. They have managed to pull off a 43-39 regular season record largely on the shoulders of Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler, and Brendan Haywood, but past that they begin to look rather thin.

Prediction: Cavaliers in 6.
Notes: With Arenas back in the lineup, even if in a limited role, the Wizards can give the Cavaliers enough trouble to push the series to 6 games. Any more than that is unlikely.

***

The Magic were swept by the Pistons in the first round of last season’s Playoffs, and have returned in style this season. They grabbed #3 seed in the East, courtesy of Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkoglu, and Rashard Lewis, and are one of the three East teams that look like the real deal. How far they can push is the big question.

The Raptors grabbed #6 seed in the East with a 41-41 regular season record, which would have kept them out of the Playoffs by two spots in the West. With the young, high-flying Chris Bosh and almost as young, assist-master Jose Calderon, they are a team built for the future and are in the Playoffs mostly as a courtesy of the weak East.

Prediction: Magic in 5.
Notes: The Magic shouldn’t have too much trouble with the Raptors while winning the series, but the games themselves are unlikely to be too easy. Next year things might be a bit different.

***

The Pistons, East’s most consistent franchise in the past few years, secured themselves #2 seed long before the regular season was over, playing well-spread offense in addition to their trademark rock-solid defense. While scoring leaders Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups have played consistently, the key factor for them is Rasheed Wallace’s composure: if he remembers to play even when he’s angry, the Pistons are tough to beat. With one of NBA’s best home records, having home court advantage against everyone but the Celtics will be helpful.

The 76ers ended the regular season with a 4-game losing streak, giving fans little to hope for in the Playoffs. Much of the team’s success is due to the balanced scoring of their starters, but the bench will have to contribute for them to do any more than earn a right to first-round exit. Leading the team in points and assists are Andre Iguodala and Andre Miller, who are desperately in need of some help.

Prediction: Pistons in 4.
Notes: The Pistons outmatch the 76ers by almost as much as the Celtics outmatch the Hawks. The 76ers are in desperate need of proper rebuilding, but that won’t happen in the Playoffs.

***

There you have it. Now go grab the popcorn, it’s the NBA Playoffs time!