39 Guatemalan Caps to his name) attempted a ba

MIAMI -- Before the season started, a poll suggested that the Miami Heat were the overwhelming favourite to win the NBA title, collecting a whopping 76 per cent of ballots cast. The voters werent some know-nothings, either. No, this was a polling of NBA general managers. Things seem quite a bit different now. The Heat dont seem like locks for a third straight title anymore. San Antonio and Indiana are top seeds. Brooklyn, Chicago, the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City, Golden State, Houston, Portland and the Heat all figure to have a legitimate chance at being the club to hoist the Larry OBrien Trophy in a couple of months. Usually, the NBA playoffs arent so wide open. Things might change over the next couple of months. "There are 16 teams that have a chance to win it," said Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks, whose team is seeded No. 2 in the West. "If youre in the playoffs, you have a chance. There are some good teams. Any team can beat each other. The West is deep. There are two teams that are really good that didnt make it and had great years. Its definitely open. Theres a lot of good basketball teams that are fighting for the championship." For as good as San Antonio and Indiana were all year -- well, for most of the year in Indianas case, before the Pacers faltered down the stretch -- its never a certainty that the No. 1 seeds reach the NBA Finals. Its happened that way only 11 times in the last 35 years. Then again, the last time that there wasnt either a No. 1 or a No. 2 in the title series was 1978. So while upsets can happen, its not all that common to see bracket craziness -- akin to a No. 7 and No. 8 seeds Connecticut and Kentucky playing for the NCAA title earlier this month -- happening in the same NBA playoff season. "It is going to be tremendous from a fans standpoint, watching," Golden State coach Mark Jackson said. "It going to be a lot of fun." Brooklyns Jason Kidd has plenty of post-season experience as a player. He believes the NBA championship is up for grabs, but also probably knows history doesnt favour his sixth-seeded club. Since 1979, only five teams seeded No. 4 or lower in their conference have reached the finals. But Kidd sees reason for hope. "Its always wide open," said Kidd, the first-year coach of the Nets -- a veteran-laden team put together to win a title this season. "You guys sometimes limit it to just two teams but guys that are playing on a daily basis in the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference feel like theyve got a chance." This year, that doesnt just seem like coach speak. Take the East. On paper, the biggest mismatch is No. 1 Indiana against No. 8 Atlanta, especially because the Hawks are the only sub-.500 team in the playoffs. And just a couple weeks ago, the Hawks went to Indianapolis and absolutely embarrassed the Pacers, running out to a 32-point halftime lead in one of the more stunning games of the entire NBA season. "Theres some good teams out there," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "Every team in the playoffs have given us some problems. Weve been able to win against them as well. But its certainly shaped out to be a good conference." No. 5 Washington won the season series over No. 4 Chicago. Out West, the third-seeded Clippers and sixth-seeded Golden State split four meetings. Memphis ousted Oklahoma City a year ago and those clubs meet in the first round. And San Antonios quest to avenge last years loss in the NBA Finals starts against Dallas -- the last team to beat Miami in a seven-game series, winning the title in 2011. So there are some good stories, and theres intrigue with every first-round series. That doesnt mean everyone in the league thinks itll be a year laden with surprises. Philadelphia coach Brett Brown put it simply -- to him, the game changes in the playoffs, period. "The regular season and the playoffs are like two different sports," Brown said. "If you put me in a bubble and you drag me out in May, I can say this is different than the game Im seeing in November. Its just entirely different." Thats why Brown, a former Spurs assistant, thinks theres a very small number of teams capable of winning it all. "To be the last man standing is so ridiculously hard," Brown said. "People have no idea what its like to play in June." Discount NBA Jerseys . With nothing tangible at stake, the Raptors turned in their most impressive outing of the fall in their seventh and second to last exhibition tilt against their stiffest competition yet, but they lost a couple starters in the process. Cheap Nike NBA Jerseys . If Vettel wins at Suzuka on Sunday, and his nearest rival Fernando Alonso finishes worse than eighth, the German driver will join his compatriot Michael Schumacher and Argentine Juan-Manuel Fangio as the only men to win four consecutive titles. http://www.cheapjerseysnba.com/. Canada was placed in one of the easiest groups during Saturdays live televised draw in Montreal. NBA Jerseys Outlet . Interestingly, the culprits were not rookies, but well paid, experienced pros. The first gaffe came in the 24th minute of arguably the biggest early season MLS game in history between Seattle and Toronto. Sounder newcomer Marco Pappa, (with over 100 MLS games, and 39 Guatemalan Caps to his name) attempted a back pass to one of his central defenders. NBA Jerseys China . Patton told The Baltimore Sun that he took an Adderall pill four days before the season finished, trying to improve his short-term focus. "I took one because I was stupid," Patton told The Sun.Ian Holloway thinks it is only a matter of time before Steve Bruce gets considered for the top managerial jobs after winning promotion again with Hull. The 1-0 Championship play-off final victory over Sheffield Wednesday means Bruce has now won promotion to the Premier League a record four times - twice with Hull and twice with Birmingham.Its an absolutely exceptional record, said Sky Sports Football League pundit and former Blackpool boss Holloway. Hull City supporters pay tribute to boss Steve Bruce ahead of the Championship play-off final I know they were talking about Manchester United and who was going to get it, and I know Jose Mourinho did, but seriously, why doesnt someone like Bruce get considered?Its only a matter of time before people like Steve get appreciated at the top level of this game and just given a chance. Watch highlights of the play-off final at Wembley Mo Diame scored the only goal of the game in the 72nd minute at Wembley as Hull booked their place in the Premier League next season along with Burnley and Middlesbrough.Burnley boss Sean Dyche was part of the Sky Sports punditry team at Wembley and was full of admiration for Bruce.Hes certainly appreciated in the game, said Dyche. Somme managers work the press in different ways, but hes very honest in my opinion, he calls it as it is and he is very respectful.dddddddddddd Bruce gives his reaction to the play-off final victory You saw at the end, one of the first things he did other than celebrate was to go over to the Sheffield Wednesday players and staff. Hes experienced a lot in his life and in football.The key thing for me is that he is so humble, for a man who has done what he has done, hes a very humble man, very generous with his words and very generous with his thoughts. Hes got so much respect within the game.Bruce celebrated victory along with his son Alex, who was an unused substitute for Hull. Steve Bruce with his son Alex Its a huge achievement for him and for everybody involved in the club, said Alex Bruce. Hes done it four times now and Im very proud of him.It was a tense game. I thought Sheffield Wednesday did very well and they had magnificent support. I feel for them but there has to be a winner and a loser and Im glad were the winning team.There will be a big celebration tonight. Also See: Hull 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday As it happened ' ' '