AGRI Biz

Now the old legs of the Boston Celtics head west. The “Big Three” will take tired bodies across country to meet the Los Angeles Lakers in a two game showdown. Yes, the Celtics threesome of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett will be worse for the wear come Tuesday night at Staples Center. Yes, the “Black Mamba” will return to his lair, fighting to hold claim to what's his. But none of ...

Boston's population claims some of the world's most intelligent people as its citizens while being home to many of the world's most renowned universities. I believe physicists at MIT might be involved in head coach Doc Rivers' strategy meetings. Using a Harvard word to describe the Boston Celtics, I choose "entropy." Using a non-Harvard vocabulary, entropy means things start to degrade, until you can't tell the difference between the individual pieces ...

Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith believes his team needs only an “eighth of an inch” improvement to be an NBA champion. He told fans finding ball handlers, and adding one or two pieces to the “puzzle” would be the priority. Orlando's lack of cap space, and multiple high-dollar contracts limit what can be accomplished via free-agency. The Magic do have a trade-exception and mid-level exception, giving them some slack. That figures to ...

The Orlando Magic stayed alive in the NBA Playoffs, with a gutty win in Game Four against the Boston Celtics at Boston's TD Garden.   Like the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz , the Magic found their heart. Just like the Tin Man, they realized their heart always existed, they simply never used it.   Unlike The Wizard of OZ , the Wizard—head coach Stan Van Gundy—is real. For that reason, Van ...

Think about Tony Allen and how he fits into the Boston Celtics' playoff run.   He put up eight points and grabbed three rebounds per night against the Cavaliers—not huge numbers.   Yet, with his play, providing Boston with an X-Factor doing what needs to be done off the bench, Boston minimized what most thought was their biggest weakness—a lack of bench talent to rest the “Big Three”.   During the NBA Playoffs, the best teams ...

When you talk NBA Playoffs with basketball ‘gurus,’ the issue of matchups will soon dominate the conversation. Yes, matchups on the court play a major role in postseason success. Unlike the regular season—where better talent will be reflected in a team’s record over the course of 82 games—the NBA Playoffs require more from players and coaches. Coaches, a matchup in every game of the playoffs that matters, but people rarely talk ...