As the lone member of the NRF media, I feel that it would be wrong of me to not make some predictions before tonight. As All-Star festivities officially kicked off last night for the Uptown and Downtown Conferences, tonight's three-point and skills competitions are going to be just as enjoyable.

Three-Point Contest

Here's the field: Paul Rivera, Chris Dowling, Nick Blatchford, Juan Reyes, Bobbito Garcia, Reggie Dance, Smiley, Gabe Urist, Tony Chan, Scott Hurwitz, Billy Dodson, Terance Takyi, Lou Miguel, Derrin Woodhouse, Justin Leonard, Josh Gotthelf, Brain Saul, Mike Tumberello, Jomo Davis, J.J McGowan

At first glance, the favorite has to be Nick Blatchford. Averaging 2.7 threes per game, the rookie can fill it up from deep. But don't count out cagey veterans Bobbito Garcia and Lou Miguel, who met in the finals last year. Miguel came out on top, and since that day, Garcia ...

Back from a HUGE layover, the Uptown and Downtown Conference will finally go at it to see who will hold it down for the NRF this year. Last year, the Uptown Conference came out victorious behind MVP Jason Burke's 27 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks. This year will a little different with Burke being traded mid-season to powerhouse Air Force 1, who plays their games in the Downtown Conference.

The last game before the All-Star Game is a Week 1 rematch between Generation and Hyperflight. In that game, a balanced Hyperflight attack got the 63-55 victory over a Joe Branch/Rafael DaSilva tandem. Always one to stir the pot, DaSilva has gone on the record stating, "Joe is going to f---ing kill Niko [Klansek], and don't even get me started on what I'm going to do to Chad Gittens."

Key Matchup: Joe Branch vs. Niko Klansek

In their first matchup, Branch finished with 19 points and six rebounds, while Klansek finished with 18 points, 10 boards and seven assists. While DaSilva thinks that the tables will turn this time around, we'll have to see what happens on the court.

Of all the teams that Delta Force would want to face after the break, Huarache is probably the last one. There's no team hotter right now than Huarache, and Delta Force is still struggling to figure out how to win. Both of these teams are extremely physical, so the refs will have to dictate the tempo early.

Key Matchup: Lenny Dixon vs. Darius Broadwater

These two used to hold down the front line for Delta Force, but now will face each other for the first time this year. Both of them play hard in the post and gobble up rebounds, so the battle will be happening on both ends. Whomever can box out the other and take him out of the game, should help his team to victory.

While Steve Halo considers himself one of the best managers in the game, he has yet to reach the level of Terrence Chin. After winning the title last season, Uptempo is right back in the thick of it, currently boasting a 6-2 record and tied for first place in the league. For an up-and-coming GM like Halo, this would be a huge win to notch. But you know Uptempo has other plans.

Key Matchup: Mike Won vs. Bobbito Garcia

As two of the veteran point guards in the NRF, Won and Garcia are integral to their team's success. Both of these guys are more scoring PGs than distributors, but they still know how to find the open man. This week, it'll be interesting to see if they can lock each other, or rather shoot each other's faces off.

The break has been long. Let's see if it's been kind. The last time Shox played, they lost to Foamposite (for their lone win of the season) back on Jan. 27. Now exactly four weeks later, they'll take on an Air Force 1 squad who looked very good against that same Foamposite team. The huge storyline here though is the aftermath of the trade that took place over a month ago. This game has been circled on everyone's calendar ever since that day.

Key Matchup: Jason Burke vs. Christian Grant-Fields

Known for their talking both on and off the court, things only intensified after Burke and Grant-Fields were traded for one another. This game will no doubt be physical, so whomever can maintain the mental edge will come out the victor. It will be interesting to see who strikes first.

After their disappointing loss last week, the last team that Delta Force wanted to see on their schedule was the defending champs. They'll have to have the stars align and hope that a few of the Uptempo guys decide to skip the late game to get this one. All Uptempo has to do is show up, play their game and they can tack on another W.

Key Matchup: Danny Millan vs. David Jacoby

This game will definitely be sentimental for Jacoby, as he's facing his former team for the first time this year. After leaving him for the wolves, Jacoby went No. 1 to Delta Force and is going to do everything he can to show his worth for his new squad. He'll be matched up with Millan - potentially sporting the Rip Hamilton mask - in what should be a physical battle.

This just might be the Game of the Night. Huarache had a convincing win against Hyperflight last week, and looks primed to be an unstoppable force the rest of the season. As for Generation, they're coming off a bye week after they beat Dunk. Both teams are very physical and have the ability to play and inside-out game. We'll see who comes to play in Week 9.

Key Matchup: Terance Takyi vs. Rafael DaSilva

If you didn't watch Takyi's post-game interview last week, DaSilva decided to give the rookie some chalkboard fodder heading into this week's game. These two will have their hands fill guarding one another, as both will be gunning for the W. While there will be defense played, it will be their offense that sets the pace.

Let's be frank. It's basically a do or die week for Air Force 1. Kind of like the Orlando Magic when they signed Grant Hill to a max deal, it's time to forget about Paul Rivera. And after trading for Jason Burke (shall we call him Tracy McGrady), if Air Force 1 can't win with the pieces they have, then it's nobody's fault but their own. After digging out their first victory of the season last week, you know Foamposite will be looking for another. If Air Force 1 isn't careful, coming off a bye week no less, they could win two in a row.

Key Matchup: Mike Tumbarello vs. Brandon Smith

In their win last week, Tumbarello led the way with 16 points and 2-of-2 from three. Smith is normally a titan from the land of plenty, and will need to be ...

What's going on with Hyperflight? After starting the season 3-0, they've lost three straight to land at .500. The talent is there, but they don't seem to get the urgency until their down in the second half. Playing a team as strong as Terminator, Hyperflight is going to have to come out the game strong and maintain their presence. And you know after a tough loss to Uptempo last week, you know Terminator is going to want to prove that they remain along the NRF's elite.

Key Matchup: Chad Gittens vs. Omar Grant

If you check the latest NRF poll - Right Now, Who Is You Vote For Rookie Of The Year? - both Grant and Gittens are the top vote getters, respectively. And as two of the League's most explosive point guards, this matchup should have people leaving work early to come watch. While Gittens hasn ...