Number 1 Pick is Anthony Bennett?

The whole basketball world is still shocked that the Cavaliers selected Anthony Bennett with the Number 1 pick. Bennett averaged 16.1 ppg, 8.1 rpg, and 1.0 apg. At 6'8'' and 240 pds, Bennett is definitely a tweener. So what are his strengths and weaknesses? What can he do in the NBA?

First off, many people believe that Bennet will play small forward for the Cavaliers. Personally, I disagree. I don't think Bennett is quick enough laterally to defend small forwards. I think that Bennett can actually be a very effective stretch power forward in the league. Watch the following video to get a better idea of Bennett as a player:

Bennett is super versatile, and he can operate as a post-up player, three-point shooter, and elbow-driver. He has great form on his jump shot, and it seems likely that he can become a pretty good shooter in the NBA (at least). Bennett is also pretty explosive, and can blow by defenders and dunk on them with ease. His post moves are weak, but with a little work, he can become a solid post-up player. He can drive effectively from the elbow and short-corner area. His biggest strength is his finishing ability, as he converted a ridiculous 74% of his attempts at the rim during his freshman year.

Why can't he be a small forward?
Well, although Bennett is athletic, he doesn't possess the fluidity that you would want from your small forward. Bennett is quick, but he's not smooth. On his drives to the rim, he gets by his defenders because of a combination of his tremendous strength and quickness. However, he looks very rigid, and often relies on straight-line drives to get to the hoop. In the NBA, defenders will be much stronger and quicker. If Bennett wants to convert to a wing, he will have to improve his movement ability and ball-handling skills. While Bennett is fast and athletic, he's not "small-forward" fast and athletic.
At power forward, Bennett can be an absolute nightmare. Think Charles Barkley (who stands at like 6'4'' to 6'6''). The league has gotten much smaller, and at the 4 position, Bennett can overwhelm opponents with his speed and strength. His outside shooting will make him a match-up nightmare. If he develops a solid fadeaway jumper and right hand jump hook, he will be very hard to guard. Bennett's strength and long arms will allow him to pull down many rebounds (despite his lack of height). His defensive effort at UNLV was also lacking. In the NBA, Bennett can become a great defender if he puts his mind to it.
Overall, Bennett is a great pick. There are many people who think that the Cavs should have taken Nerlens, but the more and more I look at it, Bennett seems like the right pick. He fits in with what the team needs. Additionally, he will actually improve the Cavs offense. With Nerlens, the Cavs would have little offensive improvement. Bennett clearly wants to be a full-time wing, but he would be better suited to use his athleticism at the 4 position, where he would actually be a mis-match. When looking at Bennett, a former player by the name of Derrick Williams comes to mind. Williams has not lived up to his high draft pick, and a lot of that reason hinders on his position change to small forward. Bennett is a stronger (physically and skill-wise) prospect than Williams, but he should be wary of the dangers that come with such a dramatic position change.

Hernandez...

Okay, everyone has to be following the Hernandez story. Well, it's even worse than expected. He seems pretty guilty if you just consider the evidence. Read the following article to get the most information:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57591312/aaron-hernandez-due-back-in-court-for-odin-lloyd-murder-case/

Yeah, the evidence seems pretty overwhelming. I just cannot believe how much evidence was left behind. Some people believe that this was a planned hit. I simply disagree. Real hit men would have never left that amount of staggering evidence. Some reports indicate that Hernandez wanted to scare Lloyd. Well, he really must have lost his mind during the drive back to North Attleboro to change his mind and decide to execute someone in cold blood. Absolute savage. If he's truly guilty, he deserves to be in jail for the rest of his life.

Hernandez Arrested

Yep. We all expected this. Aaron Hernandez was just arrested this morning. Now apparently he was arrested pretty forcibly, as he didn't even get to put his shirt on. Damn, that sucks. But in all seriousness, the cops weren't going to treat him well. It was evident that throughout this process, Hernandez was uncooperative. He definitely pissed off the authorities, so it's safe to assume that the authorities won't treat Hernandez too well.

Cases like these can take a long time. Thankfully for Hernandez, he has a ton of money to fight the case. However, it's pretty likely that this case will drag on for at least 3-4 months. Actually, I honestly have no idea how long it'll take.

Derrick Rose Quote About Lebron

As I mentioned in my previous post, Lebron can guard the quickest pg's in the league. Here is the lost Derrick Rose quote back in the 2011 playoffs:

"It's hard where a guy, he's running at top speed, he can easily catch up with you," Rose said. "It's extremely hard where a 6-8 guy can easily defend you."

Source: ESPN http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/page/dime-110525/daily-dime

Scary stuff. If he can stick with Rose, he can stick with anyone.

Top 5 Perimeter Defenders in the League?

Stars on both sides of the ball have emerged during these NBA playoffs. So, I've compiled my list of the top 5 perimeter defenders in the league. Feel free to disagree and comment.

1. Lebron James

The man can cover anyone. Anyone. Any position. In the past month, he's guarded Tim Duncan, David West, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, etc. Lebron can literally defend all five positions. He's guarded centers in the league and fronted them effectively. He's blocked big men all over the court. When you need Lebron to guard a pg, he can do that too. He guarded Parker in the second half of both game 6 & 7. In the second half of last night's game, Parker was scoreless! I'm not surprised that Lebron could stick with Parker. In 2011, he locked down Derrick Rose when he needed to. In the press conferences that followed, Rose admitted that Lebron "covered him pretty easily". When one of the most explosive guards in the league admits to being "covered easily", then that defender is a pretty bad man.

2. Kawhi Leonard

Leonard did a great job on Lebron James. He's 6'7'' 225. He's athletic, long (7'1'' wingspan), and smart. He locked down Lebron at times. Leonard is also one of those players that can cover many positions. He defended Lebron much better than Paul George did. He's also stronger and tougher than George. That's why in my opinion, Leonard gets the nod over George.

3. Tony Allen

Man he's often the forgotten wing defender. Tony Allen can "D" up. He's a little undersized at only 6'4'', but he does a great job shutting down perimeter players. He doesn't get the publicity that he deserves, but he definitely is a great defender.

4. Paul George

Paul George is around 6'8'' to 6'10'' with a 6'11'' wingspan. He is built to defend. The man is quick as a cat, and he can jump out of the roof.

George did an okay job against James. However, he looked like a little boy when trying to defend James in the post. George is definitely a premier defender, but he can get out-muscled at times. The other three defenders ahead of him on this list NEVER get out-muscled.

5. Jimmy Butler

The forgotten Chicago man. He's 6'7'' and long. He has great defensive fundamentals, mainly of his tutelage under Marquette head coach Buzz Williams. If you haven't checked out Marquette's off season practices yet, go look it up on YouTube. Buzz Williams does not mess around. Jimmy Butler did a solid job on Lebron James during the Conference Semi-finals. He has a great attitude and has the physical tools to be a great defender. Like George, he can still stand to improve his upper-body strength.

Danny Green Congratulates Lebron at Nightclub

I'm not going to lie, I really disliked Danny Green during this series. I respected him and still do, but I just hated how he was draining three-pointer after three-pointer. Man, Danny Green was giving me high blood pressure. But after losing to the Heat, Green showed up to the nightclub Story to congratulate Lebron. Apparently they were friends from their Cleveland days. Green was on the Cavs briefly before getting cut.

Classy guy man. I gained a lot more respect for Danny Green. It's tough to be grateful in defeat, but Green showed a ton of class. The Spurs are classy even in defeat. I guess I don't hate them as much now. Still, if your favorite team ever loses a series to the Spurs, you will hate the Spurs. Honestly, there is no worse feeling (basketball wise) than having your favorite team lose to the Spurs. When the Spurs beat you, it feels easy. Inevitable. They don't show any change in facial expressions. They beat you on easy, cleanly executed plays. They box out and play great team defense. They move the ball and get open shots. They are unselfish. When your team is losing to the Spurs, it makes you feel as though your team has no chance. It's as if the Spurs were merely toying with you. I still shiver when thinking about the 2007 Finals. Damn....

Still, props to Danny Green. On a side note, look at Drake right behind Lebron? Drake is trying to get in that NBA spotlight and act like Bron's best friend. Stay away from him Bron, he's a pretty cheesy guy. Am I jealous of Drake right now? Hell yeah.

JaMarcus Russell Has Put in Work!!!

Okay, a couple of weeks ago, I wrote a short blog about JaMarcus Russell working out for the Bears. Well, while we still don't know if Russell will put in the film work to become a legitimate NFL QB. Hell, he's still unsigned. But man oh man has he lost some weight. Here is what he looks like now:

Good job JaMarcus. Seriously, keep working hard. I hope that you turn your fortunes around and improve yourself as a person and athlete. He still has that fat contract from the Raiders to fall back on, if he hasn't spent it all.

The Beginning of the End for Aaron Hernandez

An arrest warrant is being prepared for Aaron Hernandez. Basically he's screwed. Man, my heart goes out to the victim's family. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that Hernandez, a young superstar tight end, is probably going to jail. And here I thought Gronk was the one that we needed to be worried about.

San Antonio Spurs: Offseason

Man the Spurs are tough. I hate the Spurs, but I still respect the hell out of them. Personally, I don't think the Spurs are done. I think they will be championship contenders again next year. I would love to say that the Heat pretty much closed the coffin door on the Spurs' dynasty run. It would be awesome to believe that James not only got his revenge, he also buried the Spurs (as we know it). But, let's be honest: the Spurs will be back.

Tim Duncan looks great. He's 37 years old, but is still one of the premier big men in the league. Duncan's game is predicated on skill, not athleticism. That is why he can always be effective. Duncan can still average 15 and 10 for the next 3-4 seasons (barring major injury). As evidenced this season, Duncan can step up for huge performances in the playoffs. He'll be very effective next year.

Tony Parker was in MVP discussion up until his injury in February. Parker is still fast as hell and can use floaters, tear drops, and trick shots to score effectively in the paint. Parker will be back, and he will probably have a much-improved jumper.

Manu Ginobili wasn't as bad as advertised. Seriously. I watched every game, and Ginobili did indeed turn the ball over many times. He's 36 years old. On a side note, Ginobili's 36 years of age equates to a 40 year old playing in the NBA. Ginobili spent his early years playing pro-basketball and racking up many miles. Therefore, Ginobili's mileage is ridiculously high. Still, with that being said, Ginobili can still ball. He's always a threat from the three-point line. He can still drive in and hit tough lay-ups. Ginobili is going to be the scapegoat this series. But he doesn't deserve the blame. Although Kawhi Leonard, Gary Neal, and Danny Green were instrumental in this playoff run, they still cannot create offense on their own. Ginobili, Parker, and Duncan can create offense. So when Duncan and Parker are on the bench, Ginobili has all the pressure on him to create and initiate plays. Miami absolutely swarmed him. I'm confident that many players would also turn the ball over as well. Just look at James Harden last year. Same role as Ginobili. Harden was also destroyed by the Heat defense. Ginobili may retire, but if he stays, he can still be effective.

Kawhi Leonard is a young star in the making. He defended, rebounded, and scored. Leonard is a proven shut-down defender. He wreaks havoc in the passing lanes with his huge hands and long arms. His strength, size, and quickness will allow him to guard positions 1-4. He also gave Mike Miller a nice facial.

Leonard still struggles to create his own offense, but he's only 21. He will ease into the role of being the superstar in San Antonio. He'll come back with a much bigger offensive role next season.

Danny Green was shut down during the last 2 games. He looked lost. However, we still cannot forget his superhuman performances in the first 5 games. He broke Ray Allen's record for threes in the finals. Green has proven himself as one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA. In games 6 & 7, the Heat showed why Danny Green is a role player. He was annihilated by Wade. On offense, Green couldn't even dribble without having to pick up the ball and wrap his arms around it. Green did show some promise as a defender during the series. He'll be back and improved.

Gary Neal is a shooter. He will continue to be that trigger for the Spurs.

Tiago Splitter is pretty terrible. However, there is no way he can get worse. He'll probably get much stronger in the offseason, and should come back as an improved finisher and rebounder. Splitter is still very young, and has a lot of time to improve. Unlike others, I'm not a Splitter hater. I think he's a decent big man. However, this series highlighted his many weaknesses.

Conclusion: The Spurs always have great drafts. They will find a player who will contribute in some way for them. I think San Antonio will have a tough offseason (heartbroken Finals loss), but will bounce back. They will compete in the Western Conference next year.

Is Chris Bosh Going to Be Traded?

Last night's NBA Finals game was awesome. But now that the season is officially over, there are some questions that need to be raised.

Dwyane Wade
What does Wade need to do this offseason? Well, obviously he needs to heal and recover. If the man has to go to Germany to get some crazy new surgeries on his knee, then do it. He's got to do whatever it takes so that his knees rest and recover. Also, it would be good to see D-Wade work on his jumper a little bit more. During the season, Wade will probably play much less minutes. That's okay, because the man is a superstar, future HOF, and great player. As long as he recovers correctly and further improves his jumper, he will lengthen his career. Remember, we all thought Kobe (well at least I did) was done during the past three years. Kobe went to Germany, got some weird blood treatment, and now looks great (ignoring the Achilles right now). I don't think that Wade is done. If he continues to hone his jumper (which is all hard word), he can really adapt his game, similar to a way MJ did once he got older.

Lebron James
Rest. Lebron needs to rest. He's only gotten a combined 2 weeks of rest over the past 2 years. Lebron needs to take an extended rest (1-2 months) and really recover. His legs must be spent. Also, he lost a lot of weight during the playoffs, and he should look to get that weight back. Otherwise, Lebron should continue to work on his jumper. It looked lethal last night.

Chris Bosh
There are people saying that Bosh will be traded. Bosh had an okay series. He didn't score too well, but he did make some crucial plays to help the Heat win the series. Bosh didn't score last night, but his energy and rebounding was still important. Bosh should look to put on some more weight during the offseason. I know that Bosh will never be a "banger", but it wouldn't hurt to put on an extra 5-10 pounds of muscle to help with his defense and rebounding. Also, Bosh has always had a good jumper, but he can be a very streaky shooter. His jumper could still get a lot more consistent. However, he might be traded, so I will address that later.

Role Players
*Disclaimer: I haven't looked into any of the contract situations, so I'm not sure who is a free agent. Anyways, Micky Arison is a great owner who will take a loss in order to win. I'm not too worry about any contract issues with role players.

Mario Chalmers had a solid series. He played well last night (save for a few dumb early turnovers) and was a big factor in the championship run. A lot of people forget about his buzzer-beating backboard three at the end of the third quarter. Absolutely huge.

Mike Miller might be back. If he wants to be back, he will be. Obviously, at a cheap price. Still, he's a great shooter and was a huge spark during the past two weeks. Last night he missed his shots, but his impact will not be forgotten.

Shane Battier had a funny reference to Mark Twain in the post game press conference. He said something about his "premature demise". Anyways, look it up. Battier was hilarious and sounded like a goon. Battier has had a terrible playoffs, but played out of his mind last night. The Heat would love to have him back.

Norris Cole should continue to get stronger. Intense defender and solid jump shooter. However, Parker abused him by throwing his body against Cole. Cole is very quick, but he can definitely stand to get stronger to avoid being posted up and backed down by bigger guards. In fact, Parker isn't even that big. He's only 6'2'' 180. Still, he's bigger than Cole.

Udonis Haslem will be back. Heart and soul of the team. Didn't play much this series due to match-ups. However, he was huge in the Indiana series and is vital to the team.

Chris "Birdman" Andersen was so important to the Heat's championship run. Without him, the Heat don't win the trophy. He should be back.

Ray Allen was "Jesus Shuttlesworth". Collectively, Heat fans want him back. He will be back. Enough said.

Offseason?
Is Bosh going to be traded? Many people think so, but those around Pat Riley say that he is incredibly loyal. If that's so, Riley will not trade Bosh. Also, Bosh's value throughout the past couple of years has definitely declined. He's getting paid $20+ million during the next two years. Even if the Heat were willing to trade him, it would be tough to find a team willing to take on that contract.

Greg Oden rumors? The Heat pulled themselves out of the Greg Oden talks in mid-February, but you would have to think that maybe the Heat re-engage in those talks? Why wouldn't Oden want to play with the Heat? He'll probably start, and instead of playing heavy minutes and risking further knee injuries, he would get to ease his way back into the league. Oden can still run and jump. Paired with Birdman, Oden could help form a formidable defensive front-line to better help the Miami Heat combat teams like Indiana and Chicago. Hell, if Birdman and Oden are both on the Heat and playing "big", then game over. The Heat will be unstoppable. Literally they will have no weaknesses.

Conclusion: We will see where the offseason goes. Moves will definitely be made.

All Hail the King!

Man, last night's game was incredible. Whether you are a Spurs fan, Heat hater, or Heat fan, you have to appreciate the great basketball shown last night; actually, throughout the whole series. The whole game was close as hell, and in the fourth quarter, whenever it looked like the Heat were going to break away, the Spurs would answer. There was the Kawhi Leonard reverse layup and-one. There was the Duncan hook shot and-one (although that was a phantom call). There was the Leonard three-pointer. Both teams just answered the opposition with big shots. Ultimately, the game came down to a uncharacteristic miss by Duncan (easy lay-up and put-back) that led to the Lebron James dagger (just go on NBA.com if you want to see the Lebron jump shot. YouTube still doesn't have it yet).

*Above is the Duncan miss.

Lebron was awesome during the whole game. He finished with 37 pts, 12 rebs, 4 ass, and 2 stls. Easily the Finals MVP with series averages of 25.3 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 7.0 apg, 2.3 spg, and 0.9 bpg. Lebron was huge in last night's game, hitting 5 of 10 three-pointers. The Spurs played the whole series daring him to shoot, and Lebron made them pay by hitting threes and mid-range jumpers. Ultimately, the work in the summer time paid off. Lebron even admitted in the press conference that after "watching the first 2 and a half games on film", he realized that the Spurs were going to give him the shot at all times. Lebron said "I told myself to trust what I've been doing all season [shooting jumpers] and not to abandon what worked for me. I looked at the percentages and realized that I was a top-five mid-range jump shooter in the league last season". Once again, I'm not quoting directly but it's pretty much what he said. Don't believe me? Go look at last night's press conference. Anyways, the King now holds 4 MVPs, 2 Finals MVPs, and 2 NBA Championships. Not bad for only age 28.

What was the biggest change in Lebron's game? While many people will say "he decided to shoot more", it was a little bit more complicated than that. Lebron still tried to play a Magic-type game. Even in Game 7, he would spend the first 18 seconds of the clock looking for easy shots for his teammates. At that point, there was no change in strategy in Lebron's game. So, what did change? Well, if Lebron didn't manage to find a great shot for his teammates in the first 18 seconds, he wasted no time pulling up for his own jump shot. Instead of dribbling around aimlessly and trying to find a path to the rim (which is what he did in previous games), James simply took a few rhythm dribbles, squared up, and shot. So basically, instead of using the last few seconds on the clock to try and bully his way into the rim (and end up settling for a tough shot over several Spurs defenders), James just calmly shot easy jumpers. In this manner, James was still able to get his teammates good shots while looking for his own offense. James probably played one of the most unselfish 37 point games in the Finals. It never looked like he was hogging the ball. Many of his shots came late in the clock.

Is Tebow Our New Tight End?

I was in the gym today, and I heard some older guys talking about a possible conspiracy theory. Here goes...

Man #1: Hey "insert name here", did you here about the Hernandez thing?

Man#2: Yeah dude, sh** crazy.

Man #1: Belichick, you know, he might have something up his sleeve with the Tebow thing.

Man #2: (laughs, then nods). I know. Maybe he knew about the Hernandez situation way before hand?

Man #1: Exactly. Then he signs Tebow a few weeks before this whole situation breaks out, just to get a potential new tight end.

Man #2: Hey man, "in Bill we trust".

I might have paraphrased a little bit, but this was basically the jist of the conversation. It sounds a little far-fetched, but then again, you never know...

On a side note, could Tebow actually play tight end? We know that he is big and fast, but can he run routes and catch the ball? Tebow ran a 4.7 at the combine, so I definitely think that he is athletic enough. He's also a well built QB at 6'3'' and 236 pds. Physically speaking, I think he could play well at the tight end position.
But a bigger question revolves around his football IQ and hands. Can he catch the ball consistently? Is he smart enough to run the complex routes in the New England system? For the "hands" question, I believe Tebow can become a solid receiver. He's an athlete and football player. There is no reason to believe that he can't develop solid hands if he practices. In terms of football IQ, there are some conflicting reports. While some people suggest that Tebow is a very smart player, others claim that he was a bonehead and didn't know many plays while he was with the Jets. I tend to believe that Tebow is a very smart player and will easily master the routes. Besides, if Gronk can do it, anyone can.

It's Looking Real Bad for Hernandez

It's looking more and more likely that Aaron Hernandez won't be a member of the New England Patriots this season. In fact, he'll most likely be in jail. The story regarding the dead body found near his North Attleboro home is looking worse and worse. According to news reports, the body is identified as 27 year old Olin Lloyd. There is evidence suggesting that Hernandez and three other men, including Olin Lloyd, were all in the rented car heading to Hernandez's home. However, only three of them returned. Damn, it really looks like Hernandez is screwed. The death is also being ruled as a homicide. Even if Hernandez didn't physically kill the man, it seems like he is definitely involved. Oh, and it gets much worse. Hernandez is also being accused in a separate shooting. See the link below:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/man-files-lawsuit-claiming-aaron-hernandez-shot-him-195522866.html

All I can say is this: Really? Aaron what are you thinking? You are a young millionaire with a great life. You play on a great team and are considered one of the elite tight ends in the game. Even if all of these accusations are false and you aren't actually guilty of anything, which is unlikely seeing as there is plenty of evidence suggesting otherwise, why would you surround yourself with the wrong people? They have nothing to lose but you do. Even if all of this court stuff blows over, I don't see Belichick ignoring this whole "situation". I really hope you are innocent Aaron.

Hernandez You Thug!

I love Aaron Hernandez. I love his attitude, swagger, and touchdown celebrations.

But my goodness I hope that Hernandez has nothing to do with this murder (check the story if you haven't heard it yet http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/9400650/aaron-hernandez-new-england-patriots-questioned-homicide-probe-report). But in all honesty, I think it's pretty likely that Hernandez is connected. The rental car and proximity of the body to his home are ominous signs. Man, if Hernandez is guilty in any way, the Patriots may be screwed majorly this season.

Don't Hide Chris Bosh!

Everyone is buzzing about Chris Bosh's great play in the closing minutes of the game. He had a game-changing offensive rebound which led to Allen hitting the three. Bosh also blocked both Tony Parker and Danny Green. Yes, Bosh balled out during the closing minutes. Those plays were absolutely vital to the Heat's victory.

BUT......

Let's not forget Bosh's performance during the first 3 3/4 quarters of the game. He was terrible. Duncan dropped 25 pts on Bosh during the first half! Some of the plays were just great plays by Duncan. However, on many of the plays, Duncan simply out-hustled or out-muscled Bosh to score. Many times, Bosh lost track of Duncan, leading to easy put backs for Duncan. On other plays, Bosh played too damn soft on the block. On one particular play, he was crossed up terribly by Duncan. Bosh has got to play better defense on Duncan in game 7. The Heat cannot afford to let Duncan go off for 25 pts again!

Ray Allen Balls Out

Man I'm not going to lie, I've been pretty outspoken about my disappointment with Ray Allen (at least during the series against Indiana). He was abysmal during that series on both defense and offense. But during the finals, Ray Allen has been lethal. The man has had his finals record for three-pointers broken by Danny Green, who by the way is arguably the best 3-point shooter in the league right now. Allen has averaged 12.3 ppg during the finals. Last night, he was simply incredible. The big three pointer to tie the game was HUGE. Ray Allen has impressed me with his performance this finals. Hopefully he erupts for a great game 7.

Lebron James "2-time" Champion Sneakers?

So it slipped today that Nike has already created a pair of Lebron James sneakers with the emblem "2-time champion". Many fans are already saying that "the fix is in" or "David Stern sealed the deal to Nike". Listen, that's complete BS! Is it in the NBA's interests to "give" Lebron the championship? Actually, no.

Theoretically, the NBA would want Lebron to win the championship. Lebron would further validate his status as the best player on the planet, and as a result, sales of his jerseys, shoes, and apparel would skyrocket. The NBA wants to create another MJ-like superstar in order to attract higher ratings, more spectators, and grow an-already large fan base.

But here's the kicker: many current fans are already wary of potential schemes and fixes. Just take a look at message boards. They are absolutely flooded with talk about David Stern fixing games in favor of the Miami Heat. If the Heat happen to win the next 2 games in biased fashion, don't you think that there will be an outrage throughout the NBA world (specifically fans)? The NBA would further relegate itself to corrupt status and potentially lose many fans. It would be against the NBA's overall agenda. The talk about corruption has obviously reached David Stern's ears. There is no way he would risk further tainting the NBA's image by having a blatant fix put in place. This is no longer 2002 (ahem Lakers). This is 2013, and much more people are talking. I honestly think that the next 2 games will be refereed fairly. As a Heat fan, it would be in my interest to have the refs fix the game for the Heat. But after 2011, I really don't believe in this conspiracy crap anymore. The only theory that I (partially) believe is that the NBA wants series to be extended. Therefore, if teams are fairly equal, expect series to go to 6 & 7 games regardless of how either team plays.

Celts and Clips Fail to Make Trade

Well this is awkward as hell. The proposed deal between the Celts and the Clips has fallen apart. The Clips don't want to pay Doc Rivers the proposed money (5 yr $35 million) and give up 2 first round picks plus DeAndre Jordan. Remember, Clips' owner Donald Sterling is a cheap man (understatement). Well, now Doc has no landing places for the time being. Ainge wants him to return, but if he does, it will be pretty awkward considering he was almost traded. Doc clearly has lost his passion for coaching the Celtics. The fan base seems pissed at Doc. This doesn't make a good combination. Next year looks like a disaster for the Celts.

Megatrade Between C's and Clips?

So recently Doc Rivers has expressed his feelings of leaving Boston to coach for a competitor. Although I;m not 100% sure (I'm only basing this off of other articles that I'm reading), Boston is talking about moving Doc Rivers (obviously), KG, and either Jason Terry or Courtney Lee in exchange for a 1st round draft pick and DeAndre Jordan. Okay, I might have botched the specifics, but that's how the deal is generally being structured. Apparently over the weekend, the C's have also demanded Eric Bledsoe in return. The Clips aren't took keen on giving up their young athletic PG. So, who wins in this trade?

Answer: Both.

The Clips will most likely keep Chris Paul if both KG and Doc come over. They would have veteran leadership and great coaching pedigree. They could compete for a championship immediately. On the flip side, the C's save a ton of money by trading away heavy contracts for expiring contracts. They also get young, talented, and athletic players in Jordan and Bledsoe (potentially). Great all-around trade.

Nate Robinson is Pretty Much the Man!

Check out this video for Nate Robinson. Dude seems like a great father! Much respect!

Who is the Best WR?

Feel free to comment and chip in your thoughts and opinions. Today, I'm going to ask a very basic question: who is the best WR in the NFL right now? I'll give my answer and also outline a top 5 listing.

1. Calvin Johnson

Megatron had a monster year in 2012, breaking the single-season yardage record with 1,964 yds. He also had 122 catches and 5 tds, despite being hurt all season. Can't argue with Megatron as the number 1 pick.

2. A.J. Green

Green has phenomenal hands. For some odd reason, he dropped 10 passes in 2012. Despite the drops, Green had 11 tds, 1,350 yds, and 97 rec in 2012. Great numbers. But with Green, it's not just about the numbers. Like Megatron, Green can draw double-teams and stretch the defense. His impact goes beyond the stats.

3. Dez Bryant

Yes, I firmly believe that Dez Bryant is not only in the top 5, he may potentially become the best wr in the NFL soon. For starters, let me address Bryant's mental issues. He hits his mom, which is a no-no. He drops the ball frequently, which is surprising because he has great hands (mainly due to concentration issues). He also forgets plays and causes interceptions because of mis-communication. With all the being said, Dez still had a great year in 2012, finishing with 92 recs, 1,382 yds, and 12 tds. Incredible. Bryant is 6'2'' 225, and boy can he move! He is a match-up nightmare and can leap over DB's for jump-balls. Similar to Johnson and Green, Bryant is also a physical specimen who commands double-teams. None of the 3 wr's I've mentioned so far have great QB talent. Yet they are still producing well. In 2013, I expect a more mature and focused Bryant. The NFL could be in trouble.

4. Wes Welker

I'm as pissed as anyone that the man left New England. Okay, I was actually a little bit happy at the time, because Welker pissed me off with all of his key drops. Still, you can't argue his importance in the offense. In Denver, Welker should continue to put up monster numbers. His 2012 stats looked like this: 118 recs, 1,354 yds, and 6 tds. Welker is an incredibly intelligent player who will always keep the offense moving. He's a nightmare to cover in the slot, mainly due to his exceptional quickness and high football IQ.

5. Brandon Marshall

Marshall had a great year reuniting with Cutler, finishing the season with 118 recs, 1,508 yds, and 11 tds. Simply put, Marshall was damn good during the 2012 season. The Bears offense was anemic at times, due to the lack of weapons. Other than Matt Forte or Marshall, nobody on the Bears' offense could consistently be a play-making threat. I expect Marshall to have another monster year in 2013.

Notable cuts: Julio Jones, Andre Johnson, Michael Crabtree, Larry Fitzgerald, Percy Harvin, and Roddy White.

Back Surgery For Gronk

Alright so Rob Gronkowski is scheduled for back surgery on Tuesday. Gronk's back has been bothering him, and the surgery is required to fix a disc and prevent further damage. But the surgery could potentially reveal much more serious damage, which would then hinder Gronk's recovery and physical ability.

My reactions? Dammit Gronk! Okay, I can't get mad at the guy for having a bum back. But it seems like every year, he gets injured. This is going to be his fifth surgery! For the past two postseasons, the Patriots haven't had a healthy and productive Gronk. Just think about what would have happened if they had a healthy Gronk in the Superbowl? There is nothing good about this news. Hopefully the surgeons find minor damage, and Gronk can return either in time for the start of the regular season or before the mid-season mark.

Silver lining? With the way Gronk plays, it's inevitable that he will get injured at some point in the season. For the past 2 seasons, Gronk has always been injured throughout the playoffs. As a result, a Pats offense that relies heavily on Gronk always seems out-of-sync (at least against great defenses). If Gronk does have to miss the majority of the season, it would allow the Pats offense to develop in a different way and get used to not having Gronk. That way, if Gronk does get re-injured, the Pats offense won't miss a beat.

Welcome Back Flash!

Flash finally decided to rejoin the Justice League and reunite with Superman. Simply put, Dwyane Wade was phenomenal last night. He deserves the game ball. During the 4th quarter, there was a 4-5 minute stretch where the Heat were nursing a ten point lead. The Spurs kept trying to cut into the lead, and Wade would always respond with a big shot to keep the cushion. I think last night marked just the 3rd time Wade has gone for 20+ points in the playoffs. Wade finished the game with 32 pts, 6 rebs, 4 ass, 6 stls, 1 blk. Crazy stats.

Wade showed a quickness that was absent throughout most of the latter part of the season. He was a swarming defender who was able to disrupt the Spurs' offense by stealing many swing passes. If Wade wasn't this active in the passing lanes, the Spurs' would have been able to get open threes for their red-hot three point shooters. Additionally, many of these swing passes would have forced the Heat to rotate, which would allow a great ball movement team like the Spurs to dominate.

On offense, Wade looked quick and aggressive. Instead of dribbling the air out of the ball, Wade made quick decisions. He looked strong when attacking the rim. When given a cushion, Wade didn't hesitate to shoot easy mid-range jumpers.

Overall, a performance like this shows that Wade can still play at a high level. Although he may be hurt, he isn't INJURED. He's on the court suiting up, and as a result, needs to stop complaining and whining about his knee. This is the Finals. There are only a handful of games left, and they are all on the biggest stage in the NBA. Pop some zannies, perks, Advil, or whatever you need D-wade. I expect another great performance in game 5.

Butterflies for the Game Tonight

Game 4 starts at 9:00 p.m. Am I nervous? Nah, not really...

Alright I'm pretty damn nervous. If the Heat drop this one, the series is pretty much over. I'll still believe that they can win, but the odds will be so freakin slim. In tonight's game, Lebron has to be more selfish. He's going to need to shoot many open, mid-range jumpers. If Jordan or Kobe knew that a team's defensive game plan would allow them to shoot wide-open mid-range shots, their faces would be like this:

If Lebron doesn't show up and change his mentality, the Heat will probably lose again in blowout fashion. Wade has been an absolute baby this series. His numbers aren't terrible efficiency wise, but he's doing little to nothing on the defensive end. Additionally, he always whines after missing layups instead of getting back on defense. When he shoots, he doesn't even come close to his target. I won't even waste more than one sentence of Chris Bosh (that was my one sentence).

Regardless of what happens tonight, I'm going to be calm as hell while watching the game. My violent reactions just aren't good for my heart.

McGahee Released

The Broncos released Willi McGahee today. He's 31 and led the Broncos in rushing last season. The shelf life of an NFL RB is super short. However, you cannot count out McGahee. As an OSU fan, I remember the terrifying hit Will Allen put on him. I won't link the video because I'm eating lunch and don't want to puke. Anyways, McGahee can help a team in need of a bruising, complementary back. He's a great locker room guy and will definitely be a mentor to young backs. Besides, he's come back from countless injuries and has had a great career. He'll be picked up soon no doubt.

Absolute Destruction

Absolute destruction. There is nothing else to be said. The Miami Heat were dominated today!. Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, and Gary Neal just, they just...you know what? There are no words to describe what happened. I'll use an analogy. Flashback to your early birthday parties. Think 8, 9 yrs old. Remember when everyone would get psyched when the pinata came out? And then every kid would take turns beating the hell out of the pinata? Remember what the pinata looked like?

Warning: Graphic Image

   

Yeah, see when we were kids, that seemed perfectly normal. But now, doesn't it seem downright barbaric? Like, the kids are laughing and having fun all while acting like savages. Some straight Lord of the Flies shit. Well anyways, that's pretty much what the Spurs did to Miami. They continued to beat on Miami until there was no candy left. As a Lebron fan, it was just savagery. Pure savagery. I was pretty mad at first, but then I just accepted it. There are so many things to say about the Heat (mainly Lebron's terrible performance), but hopefully my partner BrothaJerome gives you guys updates while I try to sit in my office at work and push the images out of my mind. I won't even be able to peek at Yahoo! sports during my lunch break, or listen to sports pod casts. Maybe later on in the day, I'll give some in depth analysis of the beat down. But to be totally honest, there is really no point. All you have to do to understand what happened in Game 3 is look at the following video:

God dammit. But hey, I'm still always an optimist, so for those few Heat fans out there, I'll give you a small tidbit of hope. You ready?

Okay, so I've always over analyzed things. Screw it, it's what I do. So I'll present some insane correlations that suggest that the Heat will win the series in 6.

Flashback to 2011. The Heat lost to the Mavs in 6. The Mavs were beaten by D-wade in 2006, so the Mavs got revenge. Another interesting tidbit? The Mavs lost game 3 to go down 2-1 in the series. Although it wasn't in blowout fashion, it was a loss by a pretty strong margin. The Heat felt so confident that they even joked around before the next game (LBJ and Wade mocked Dirk). The loser of game 3 in the finals loses 92% of the time. Apparently in 2011, that wasn't the case.

Present day 2013. The Heat are down 2-1 to the Spurs. The Spurs beat Lebron in 2007, so perhaps Lebron gets revenge this year. Once again, in both 2011 and 2013, revenge-like story lines are present. I believe that the side that was wronged before will get revenge. Oh, another interesting tidbit? In both 2011 and 2013, the Bruins were in the Stanley Cup. So, I guess when the B's are in the Cup, the loser of game 3 wins the series.

Yes I was being ridiculous, but to be honest, the series is far from over. Both teams have stunk it up at least once. Lebron needs to wake up. But tonight's ass beating should definitely wake up the Heat. If Lebron and the Heat don't play with more intelligence, they won't deserve to win this series. I'm not one of those people who thinks that the losing team played with less "heart" or "grit". To me, that's a bunch of bull. The Heat still played hard, but they didn't play smart. San Antonio had a boatload of energy and momentum and it showed. The Heat didn't rotate intelligently and Lebron needs to play the right way. I'll elaborate on that tomorrow during my lunch break. Or maybe I'll be too depressed too. Whatever.

Oh yeah, this is also a Spurs team that went up 2-0 against the Thunder last year in dominant fashion, only to choke and lose the series. Sure they got better. But still...

RG3 - Just What He Needs To Be

There's been talk about the way the RG3 handles himself.  Accusations from a certain Donavan McNabb were quick to point to him being perhaps too open with the media, creating a distraction for his team in a time where he should be focusing on rehabbing.

With everything that's happened so far, I'm unbelievably impressed.  And I don't understand how you can't be.  This guy, after his rookie season, became the face of a franchise, the savior the diehard Washington fans have been looking for for well over a decade.  Add all this to the heavily publicized and talked about knee injury that ended his season.  What has RG3 done?  He's handled it with poise and grace.  

Today's press conference displayed how mature of a guy this young quarterback is.  Well beyond his years, he was able to answer all the questions the reporters threw at him in a light manner.  In doing so, he did not say anything that put himself into jeopardy or the Redskins organization, and he also provided a little bit of insight into his personal life that only made a likeable guy more likeable.  He talked about the kind of guys you want in the quarterback room, praising his teammates while poking a little fun--something you see only veterans doing.  He quoted Lebron James in reiterating what kind of a fearless competitor he is.  He acknowledged the adversity he was facing, while making sure to establish that he was continuing to work hard to overcome it.  And he also touched on the fact that there IS life outside of football, which I'm sure gained him respect for every-day citizens who are football fans.  He even let us know that his wedding was his wife's day, not his, which said something about his character as gentleman--something Pacman Jones could learn from.  And best of all, he looks comfortable doing all this.  The guy's a natural.

All in all, RG3 is simply an extremely smart, articulate leader of a franchise that needs him.  And he's given them everything, and will continue to give them as much as he is capable of.  

The Patriot Way

Amusing.  Fitting.  Hilarious.  All words to describe Bill Belichick's press conference earlier in reference to signing Tim Tebow.  We all expected Bill to be Bill, and the Patriot Way of no distractions to be upheld, yet it seems the manner in which Belichick goes about things never ceases to make you chuckle--even when it's not supposed to.  

But I think this is the best for the team and for Tim Tebow, as the hooded man made clear today.  There will be no distractions, as Tom Brady is the number 1 quarterback without question, and there will be no media distractions either.  This gives Tebow a unique chance to learn from a great mentor such as Tom Brady, work behind him with no expectations, and work in a system that has guys like Josh McDaniels who believed in him at least once before.  And we know he's going to work hard.  With guys around the league getting into off-the-field trouble, we know Tim will do the opposite--providing work-ethic and another great teammate to an already sound Patriot locker room.  Bill Belichick knows the tight ship he runs, and he knew he could take a chance on Tim Tebow without any distractions.  And he's doing just that.  After all, it is the Patriot Way.

Ochocinco in Jail? Again?

So Chad Johnson/Ochocinco is in jail again. But this time, I really don't think it was warranted. So Johnson (I'm just going to call him Johnson) was in court begging the judge for a plea deal to avoid jail time. The judge actually agreed. The judge then said something along the lines of "Do you realize how good your lawyer is? You should thank him". Johnson agreed that his lawyer was awesome, and he reached over to slap his lawyer's butt as a joke. The court room erupted in laughter, and the judge was absolutely pissed. As a result, the judge sentenced Johnson to 30 days in jail. Quick reaction: WTF???? Really? It's a freakin' joke! I cannot believe that the judge reacted like that. People in places of authority can seriously piss me off. I understand that these people need to be respected, but there are times when they allow the power to go to their heads. Sentencing the guy to 30 days in jail because he slapped his lawyer on the butt? He probably jokes with his lawyer all the time! Anyways, this is ridiculous, but there is nothing Johnson can do. Well, good luck in jail man. I'll miss reading your ridiculous tweets for the time being.

Jason Kidd

Jason Kidd, becoming a head coach the season after he retires?  Absolutely unheard of.  With that being said, I think its a great call.  This past year, Jason Kidd was acting much like a player-coach for the New York Knicks.  It was an effective roll for him, putting to use his 19 seasons of experience as he greatly helped a young and talented Knicks team to their best season in recent memory.

Former Net's coach Lawrence Frank, speaking of Kidd, stated,

"I think Jason could become a great coach," Frank said on NBC's "Mike'd Up" on Sunday night. "Think about his training: 19 years of playing, an NBA championship, two Olympic gold medals. ... [He's] one of the smartest players to ever play the game, a great leader who has a great presence. I think Jason could be a great head coach."

Part of the deal to hire Kidd is having at least one coach with head-coaching experience on the bench to assist Kidd in his first year, and I think that is a fine way to "play it safe".  But I don't think that Kidd necessarily needs this help at all.  What's necessary of a head coach is for his players to respect him.  And how can you not respect a guy who's played 19 years, has an NBA Championship ring, and two Olympic gold medals.  Who knows the game better than a guy who was playing only a year ago?  If Jason Kidd's as smart as everyone makes him out to be, he'll successfully be able to translate his playing experience into impressive coaching prowess.  All he needs is the chance.  Give it to him.

TEBOW TIME

Breaking news:

TIM TEBOW SIGNS WITH THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Tebow Time baby!!!  As a New England fan, I couldn't be happier about this.  He's probably the worst player in the NFL right now, and I couldn't be happier to have him on our squad.  If there's one team who I think could resurrect a guy like Tebow, its Bill Belicheck.  And nobody really knows what he's here for.  In Belicheck's system, he could find a roll anywhere--from QB, to FB, to linebacker or special teams just to name a few.  And there's also a chance that he gets cut within the next couple of days.  The future for Tebow isn't any less in question than it was a couple hours ago before he signed, but for now, he has a job.  The guy's a winner.  We'll just have to wait to see what the future holds, and I'm excited to say the least.

Who wants a jersey?  Lemme know soon, cuz I'm probably putting in a bulk order before the sun sets.


In Bill we trust.

Thoughts from Game 2

First and foremost I want to apologize for my absence.  In a time of such great commentary/blogging opportunity that the NBA Finals presents, such an absence is inexcusable.  That chicken salad may have been a bit too old last night... With that being said, I'd like to catch up on a few thoughts from Game 2 that I was unable to talk about.  I would also like to apologize beforehand for all the Lebron James talk that may be seen as biased towards him.  But hey, my blog, my opinions.  So shut the hell up.

1. There was no way in hell the Heat were going to lose that game.
- Let's get this straight.  The score reflected a blowout, yet, the game was far from a blowout.  The score merely reflected the blowout of a run in which the Heat went on 35-9 run.  Up to that point, the game could have gone either way, and, the Heat, knowing that they couldn't go down in the series 2-0, "flipped the switch" as many call it.  And its about time.  Everyone knew it was coming at one point or another.  It was the same kind of basketball that the Heat displayed throughout their record-setting win streak this season, and the reason why this team of talented individuals was put together.  And Lebron James wasn't even the one scoring the buckets, which leads me to my next point

2. In a game full of struggles offensively for Lebron, he did what all great players do: he determined the outcome of the game in other ways.  He found a way.
- If you were watching the game, it was undeniable that Lebron James was being stifled offensively.  The spurs with their lengthy defenders and help defense were completely shutting Lebron down offensively.  We were all thinking the same thing; "here we go again--Lebron James the choke-artist".  But this is why Lebron has grown up.  Even when he's not on his game scoring the ball like we're accustomed to, he's affecting the game through defense, passing, and orchestrating a dominating run where he barely scored the ball.  He finished with a modest 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, but, like the score, it wasn't at all reflective of the game he had.  Even though he wasn't scoring, he was creating opportunities for high percentage shots.  He was setting screens, which allowed him to catch the ball in attacking areas such as the middle of the defense.  When you can get Lebron into scoring areas before he teven takes a dribble, it forced the entire defense to collapse on him.  And with vision and strength like Lebron, good things will happen (hence the 35-9 run).  The monstrous block on Tiago Splitter was simply a play that gave us a lasting image on the kind of performance this man had.  Doesn't matter if you're a fan of Lebron or not.  This performance was one to be respected.

3.  In the midst of all the Lebron praise, let's not forget about the great play of the Heat role players, and the miserable play of the Spurs' stars.
- The whole talk about this posteaseason for the Heat was how Lebron James needs help.  He can't do it on his own, even if he is Lebron.  And in Game 2, the role players for the heat gave him exactly what he needed.  I needn't speak much about the great play Mario Chalmers and company provided (as Chenny already talked about that- see below) but I would like to emphasize just how bad the Spurs played down the stretch--something we almost never see with a team of such poise and veteran leadership/experience.  Pop runs a very tight ship that is the Spurs offense, but it just looked as if none of those guys (excluding Danny Green) showed up to play.  Perhaps it was the emotional come down, after such an exciting win in Game 1, perhaps these guys are just getting old.  Manu looked like my grandpa out there, he's Chinese!  But you gotta give credit to the Heat defense as well.  They play tenacious defense, and are really working together to get stops on every possession.  They may not be the most disciplined defensive team, but when you have Lebron James anchoring the defense playing safety in the middle, you're a solid team defensively (even with dinosaurs Gay-Allen and hunch-back Mike Miller guarding the perimeter)--solid enough stop the Spurs well-executed offense.  Don't be fooled though, the Spurs can only be held for so long.

 

Better Block? Lebron on Splitter vs. Hibbert on Melo

Which block was better? In last night's NBA Finals game, Lebron James had a nasty block on a Tiago Splitter dunk attempt. The play can be seen below:

Parker threads the needle on a screen and roll. When I was watching the game, I immediately thought "tomahawk" when Splitter caught the ball. But out of nowhere, Lebron jumps up off of a standstill and slaps Splitter's stuff away. Just absolutely nasty. Splitter is a big guy and is pretty strong. The contact in the air generated so much force that Lebron actually spun around in the air.

But is the block better than Roy Hibbert's block on Carmelo Anthony? Let's take a look at Hibbert's impressive rejection.

Melo spins by the defender and tries to tomahawk on Hibbert. Hibbert, who was busy watching Tyson Chandler, reacts quickly and essentially jumps off of a standstill (just like Lebron) and rejects Melo's dunk attempt.

So which one is more impressive?

In my opinion, and clearly I'm a little biased because I'm a Lebron supporter, I believe that Lebron's block was the better block. Sure, Hibbert's block came at a more pivotal moment in the game. After the block, Indiana went on a run and put away the Knicks. But I tend to examine the larger picture. At that point, Indiana was still up 3-2 in the series. Also, the block occurred only in the conference semi-finals.
On the other hand, Lebron's block came when the Heat were already up 19. But in the larger overall sense, the block came at a bigger moment. The stage was the NBA Finals, the greatest stage in the NBA. The Heat were down 1-0 in the series. Sure, this wasn't a game-changing play. However, let's envision what would have happened if Lebron got dunked on. At that point, Lebron was in an offensive slump. The block helped electrify James and turn his terrible offensive performance into a decent one. If Lebron were to get dunked on, things might have gotten worse (despite the Heat probably still winning).

Additionally, let's take a physics approach towards examining this block. Hibbert is 7'2'' and Melo is 6'8'' (or 6'9'' whatever). Hibbert has potentially 6 inches on Melo! Melo is also not known to be a high flyer at all. Also, Melo still had to deal with some contact on the drive. Even though Melo beats his man, the beaten defender still puts his hand on Melo and slows him down. Splitter, however, had a clear path to the lane. No defender was slowing him down. Splitter is 6'11 and James is 6'8''. So James is actually blocking a man 3 inches taller than him! Sure, Lebron is more athletic, but we cannot just ignore his athleticism and take it for granted. It was a great play. Lastly, Splitter had way more force coming into the dunk. Splitter was already in the motion of throwing the ball down. Melo wasn't throwing the ball down yet. Melo's force was still going horizontal. That's why in my opinion, Bron's block was much better.

NBA Finals: Where Were the Stars?

Last night's game was filled with role players making plays. The stars on both teams didn't dominate the scoring. For the Heat, Lebron had 17 pts, while Wade and Bosh combined for 22 pts. The Heat trio stilled played an effective game, and both Wade and Bosh helped keep the team afloat when Lebron struggled. On the flip side, San Antonio's stars did nothing. Ginobili couldn't even dribble without falling down and finished the game with 5 pts. Parker turned the ball over 5 times, and he could only muster 13 pts on 5-14 shooting. Duncan looked anemic, as he shot 3-13 for 9 pts.

Lucky for both teams, the role players stepped up big time. Mario Chalmers led all scorers with 19 pts. Both Ray Allen and Mike Miller shot effectively from 3, finishing with 13 pts and 9 pts respectively. For the Spurs, Danny Green had an outrageous night by finishing with a perfect 6-6 from the field with 17 pts. Leonard was also effective, finishing with 9 pts. Off the bench, Gary Neal helped chip in 10 pts. If it weren't for Green's early hot streak, the Spurs might have been blown out a lot earlier.

NBA Finals: How Did the Heat Guard Screen and Rolls? Can San Antonio Counter?

Throughout the playoffs, the Heat have guarded screen and rolls in one manner: aggressively double team and push out the ball handler. The Heat bet that their defensive rotations and speed will outclass your passing. Against Indiana, this strategy was exploited, as George Hill and D.J. Augustin passed the ball quickly to slipping big men. In game 1 against San Antonio, Tony Parker also shredded the defense through pinpoint passes.

Notice how against Indiana, the Heat are doubling the ball handler. This strategy isn't a bad one. If the trappers are aggressive and active, they can close the gap and push the ball handler way out. They can also cause simple turnovers off of bad passes. However, if the ball handler is able to get the ball out to the slipping big man quickly, then the Heat are in trouble. The Heat bank on the fact that their speed and defensive rotations will still disrupt the offense. Against Indiana, the double team guys weren't active or aggressive, thus allowing the ball handlers to throw quick easy passes to a slipping Hibbert or West. Additionally, the Heat didn't rotate quick enough after the slip pass was thrown.

Last night, however, the Heat employed a different strategy. While they still double-teamed the ball handler most of the time, they also switched on several screen and rolls, usually late in the shot clock. This strategy confused Ginobili and Parker, and caused the Spurs' guards to over think. When the Heat did decide to trap, they were super aggressive and active. They cause Parker to commit 5 turnovers, and overall forced 17 Spurs turnovers. The difference in their double-teaming strategy? Active hands and feet. The Heat closed the gap on the ball handler, preventing any chance of splitting the double team. The double-team guys also showed very active hands and great anticipation, deflecting or intercepting several bounce passes.

How can San Antonio counter? Well, they do happen to have the best PG in the game right now. Also, Ginobili is still a good passer, regardless of how terrible he has looked in the playoffs so far. The Spurs' guards need to throw better passes out of the double teams. Instead of only having the slip man be the outlet option, another Spurs' player should step out and provide another safety outlet for the ball handler. Additionally, when the Heat do decide to switch, the Spurs' guards need to attack the mismatch.

NBA Finals: Lebron James Was Mediocre

Most of the attention from last night's game has centered around Lebron James. Lebron, who is easily the most, if not one of the most polarizing athletes today, will always have attention on him regardless of his play. If the Heat lost last night's game, everyone would be talking about how Lebron choked. Because they won, all of the pundits are now talking about how Lebron sparked a huge run and made an impact despite his poor offensive performance. For those of you that know me, it's obvious that I am a huge Lebron fan boy. But even as a Lebron rider, I have to admit that he was simply mediocre last night. There are many examples to point to his less-than-desirable performance:

Defense
While everyone will be talking about Lebron's amazing block, they are all forgetting about his overall lackluster defensive play. Lebron is required to shoulder most of the offensive load, either through play-making or scoring. Therefore, he won't be able to put forth full effort on defense every single play. However, he can still raise his defensive effort level. Last night, the game started with Lebron James checking Danny Green. Green ran off a baseline screen and made Lebron pay by hitting a huge 3 pointer to start the game.

On the first 3, Lebron was responsible for Green. He didn't get through the screen fast enough, and as a result, Green was able to shoot a high percentage 3 that got him going. Additionally, Lebron's defensive rebounding was pretty abysmal. While the final box score may indicate that Bron did a solid job on the boards (8 rebs), he could have had way more rebounds had he simply boxed out Kawhi Leonard. Leonard finished the game with 14 rebs, 8 of which were offensive. He simply out hustled James to grab boards. Leonard was able to both score points off of easy put backs and keep the Spurs' offense alive. If Lebron simply boxed out more, then the game may have been out-of-reach after the first half.

Offense
Lebron actually made the right decisions on offense. In the early going, he deferred to D-Wade and Bosh. This allowed both of the stars to get going offensively. The Spurs' defense is obviously geared towards stopping Lebron. On a side note, I really wish I had access to game film to better show this. Anyways, the basic one-on-one principle employed by Kawhi Leonard is to give Lebron a slight cushion. If Lebron decides to drive, 2 help defenders will quickly slide over and shadow Lebron. Although the defenders aren't all out doubling or tripling Lebron, they are showing their presence to deter him from driving into the rim. As a result, Lebron must pass off to open shooters on the wing or in the corners. In the post, the Spurs aren't sending all-out double teams. Instead, they trust Leonard enough to allow him to guard Lebron by himself. Leonard's primary task is to force Lebron to the baseline for a tough hook shot. If Lebron does make a move towards the middle, a help defender quickly comes over to trap. Overall, Lebron has made the right decisions and plays, throwing pinpoint passes to shooters. Last night's subpar offensive performance mostly came from Lebron missing shots. Ignoring the missed fast break layups (which Lebron doesn't typically miss), Bron also missed some close hook shots near the rim. Part of that stems from Leonard's outstanding defense. However, James can still be more accurate. These shots are good shots. Away from the paint, Lebron is taking a lot of long twos. Instead of shooting low-percentage shots, he should continue to attack. If the double comes, he can kick out to Ray Allen, Chalmers, Bosh, Haslem, or Miller (Wade cannot shoot). Even if the Spurs are merely showing help and not really doubling, Lebron needs to man up and attack the front line. Even if he misses many tough shots at the rim, he will eventually draw fouls.

Conclusion:
The Spurs are employing a similar defensive strategy to the 2011 Mavs. They are forcing Lebron to take a split second and think before he makes a move. Give credit to Popvich and the highly intelligent Spurs players for making Lebron's life difficult.

Kawhi Leonard Can DEFEND!!!

I followed Kawhi Leonard during that one impressive season at SDSU. Throughout the pre-draft process, scouts were raving about his athleticism, size, and physical tools. One of the main thoughts was that Leonard had shut-down defensive potential in the NBA. Well, throughout these finals, it's pretty obvious that the scouts were right. Leonard is a rebounding and defensive BEAST.

Let's take a quick look at his measurements:

Wingspan: 7'3''
Height w/o shoes: 6'6''
Standing reach: 8'10''
Weight: 227

Here is a quick excerpt from a scouting report. All data is taken from draftexpress.com.

With a wingspan some 9 inches longer than he is tall at 6-6, Leonard has one of the most unique physical profiles in this class. His hands, as expected, are absolutely gigantic, ranking him amongst 7'0 foot centers in terms of hand width and length. His 7-3 wingspan is amongst the largest ever for a player 6-6 or under. Leonard's 227-pound frame actually weights in heavier than many of the power forwards in this class, which only adds to sentiments that he'll be able to guard the power forward position for stretches at the next level. 

Throughout the first two games, Leonard has been able to frustrate Lebron in the post. Unlike Paul George,  Leonard hasn't allowed Lebron to score a flurry of paint points. Additionally, his offensive and defensive rebounding has been incredible. In tonight's game, Leonard had 14 rebs, 8 of which were offensive. Although he isn't the scorer that Paul George is, Leonard is stronger and more active on the glass. On the boards, he has given Lebron fits. Leonard's energy level and defensive prowess ensure that Lebron will need to earn all of his points.

Mario Chalmers???

I'm one of the few people who actually like Mario Chalmers' game. I think that he's a tenacious defender, a great shooter, and a fearless competitor. At times, he can be super erratic and foul-prone. But still, during big moments, he doesn't even flinch.

Tonight was his night. Chalmers was a freakin hero. While Wade and Bosh played well, Lebron was a straight bum in the first 2 3/4 quarters of the game. Chalmers solely kept the game alive. Although the final score indicated a blowout, San Antonio was very much in control throughout 3/4 of the game. Chalmers was absolutely aggressive and finished his night with 19 pts on 6-12 shooting. He was 2-4 from the 3 pt line and was effective at getting into the paint and finishing. The Lebron-Chalmers pick-and-roll was lethal. All in all, Chalmers deserves the game ball. If he can continue being aggressive at the right times, the Heat will have a much improved offense in this series.

NBA Finals: Quick Recap

Okay, exciting game and there are a number of things to blog about. I'm going to blog a ton about this game throughout tomorrow. But right now, I got to go to sleep for work. So with that being said, I'll blog a little tonight and do much more heavy lifting tomorrow.

College Athletes Have to be Smarter

Rising junior P.J. Hairston, basketball player at UNC, got caught with weed on Wednesday night. During a traffic stop, Hairston was driving a vehicle that contained about a half-ounce of marijuana. But wait, there is more!

After searching the area around the traffic stop, officers found a gun outside the traffic stop area, suggesting that the gun was thrown out the window moments before the stop. The gun is currently being examined to see if it can be traced to the vehicle. Oh, by the way, Hairston did have a passenger in the car.

This brings me to the point of the stupidity that was displayed in this situation. If your Hairston, you have to be smarter. You are a college athlete who gets a free education at one of the best schools in the country. You get to play under the bright lights. You receive so many perks and benefits (including attention from the opposite sex). You have a chance to make the NBA and make millions of dollars playing a freakin sport. How can you let this happen? If its your gun and weed, then you have some serious problems (the gun concerns me the most). If it was your friend's, then you still are at fault .You have to be smarter about who you let around you. With this screw-up, Hairston can't just worry about his scholarship and NBA prospects, he has to worry about potential jail time. When will they learn?

Roddy White vs. Richard Sherman

Okay, so for everyone following the little feud between Roddy White and Richard Sherman, you already know about the events leading up to this little discourse. It all started last season, when the two were jawing at each other before the Falcons v. Seahawks playoff game. In the game, White burned Sherman for a 76 yd touchdown. To be fair, Sherman was expecting safety help and didn't get it. Overall, Sherman did a pretty good job on White, holding him to only 76 yards.

So recently, they were both selected on the NFL's Top 100 Players of 2012 list. White was higher than Sherman. When interviewed, Sherman said that White didn't belong on the list and that Julio Jones was a bigger factor. In response, White, although acknowledging that Sherman belonged, called Sherman a "talker" who needs to step his game up. Good shit.I love it.

While I absolutely despise Sherman, I still believe that he's the best corner in the league right now. Until Revis shows up healthy and plays well, Sherman is number 1. White, posted a solid season last year, may be on the decline. At age 31, he's going to have a hard time keeping his speed and explosiveness. Sherman, on the other hand, is young and plays on a young team loaded with talent. White still plays on a great team, but I  don' t think he can consistently win against Richard Sherman. I hate to admit it, but even on the 76 yd touchdown, it looked as if it was the safety's fault more than Sherman's fault. As a Pats fan, I would love to see Sherman fail. But dammit, he isn't.

Durant & Jay-Z?

According to recent news reports, Kevin Durant has decided to join Jay-Z's new agency Roc Nation. Apparently, Durant wants to market his brand more. Now, a lot of people online have criticized this move. Some are suggesting that Durant will be contaminated by Jay-Z. There are even people who believe that Jay-Z's influence will cause Durant to leave OKC for a larger market. Others believe that Jay-Z won't be taken seriously by owners or business people alike. I think that they are all DEAD WRONG.

First of all, Kevin Durant is a down-to-earth dude. I know that Jay-Z comes across as a arrogant asshole (and I actually like his music too). In fact, let's just call him an arrogant asshole. Still, Durant is a man who discreetly donated $1 million to Oklahoma victims. I trust that Durant, who has a great mother and good head on his shoulders, will be able to ignore the distractions.

Additionally, Durant merely wants to market his brand more. He never suggested leaving OKC. It's perfectly possible for a star to become a huge brand even in a small market. Remember, Lebron was still in Cleveland for 7 seasons and he turned into a worldwide force. In my opinion, Jay-Z is a great person to market a brand. Just look at what he did with Rocawear (flipped it for $270 mill in 2007 or something like that) and Island Def Jam. Jay-Z has many endorsements and is a proven brand himself. There is no reason to believe that Jay-Z won't successfully market Durant. Hell, all he has to do is name-drop Durant in his songs.

Lastly, for those people who believe that Jay-Z won't be respected in negotiations, you are WRONG. Jay-Z is one of the most astute businessmen out there. Look at his past deals, and you will see that he is ruthless when it comes to business. Go ahead. Google that shit. Read his books. Watch interviews with people who have been screwed over by him (ahem cough Damon Dash). It'll be evident that Jay-Z doesn't mess around in the business world. Durant is going to have his brand taken to new heights.

Case Study 1: Ace of Spades

Yes I'm presenting case studies. Trust me, this one is interesting.

Okay, so remember when rappers used to always name-drop "Cristal" in their songs and show it in videos? Well, a little while ago, the owner (CEO, Pres., or whatever) was asked about this phenomenon. Well, he was pretty blunt about his distaste for the rappers. Jay-Z was pissed. He started a boycott of Cristal. However, he also used it as an opportunity to make money. At the time, Ace of Spades was known as a shitty champagne brand. According to sources, it would only sell for about $50-60 per bottle. All the wine connoisseurs said that the champagne was bad. Well, Jay-Z started featuring the brand in his songs. Effectively, he was trying to replace the flagship champagne brand of Cristal with the lesser-known Ace of Spades. You know what? It worked. Cristal's sales dropped heavily. Ace of Spades saw a rise in sales. After Jay-Z's involvement, a bottle of Spades cost about $300 (it probably costs a lot more now). So in short, Jay-Z's influence was paramount. Now, no one can assure whether Jay-Z had a deal with Ace of Spades, but it seems likely that he did.

Check out this song:

Iginla's a retard. Picked the wrong team, and he spells his name wrong.

So I know this is supposed to be a blog focusing on basketball and football, but as a Boston sports fan, gotta give the Bruins a shoutout when its due.  And I'm no hockey expert by any means, but hell, I respect the shit out of it.  The B's completed the sweep of Sydney Crosby's Penguins tonight, and my main takeaway from this entire series is simple: the Penguins are a bunch of puss dogs.  As the clear favorite going in, the Bruins, coming off an epic comeback vs the Rangers (yeah screw NY too) simply dismantled the Penguins in games 1 and 2 on their home ice, and then grinded out the final two games to complete the sweep.  Guys like Bergeron, Lucic, Marchand, Chara, and even broken-leg Campbell are the ones who make you either glad to be a Bruins fan, or simply just proud to be from Boston.  I just wanna know why little shits like Crosby are trying to pick fights with dudes like Chara who are twice his size.  Even I know that that's not his game.  He should know that Chara could rebreak his jaw at any given moment, especially with none if his ridiculous headgear to protect him anymore.  Maybe if he tried putting up points for his team through finess and stick-work and played to his own strengths like any human being with a mind would, the puck might end up in the back of the net.  Tuukka's good, but they made him look a little too good.  Crosby was off his game, and the rest of his squad followed suit.  As the number one seed with that much talent, the only plausible explanation is that they weren't mentally ready.  In my book, if you want to win, you want to win.  The Bruins wanted to win.  And even if the Penguins were, perhaps, putting in the effort, they weren't playing with any of the mojo that they should have been playing with as the number one seed in this series.  That's why they got swept.  That's why they're going home.  That's why they're gonna have a new coach next year, and that's why they warrant the classification as "a bunch of freakin pussies"in my book.

NBA Draft: Which Prospects Have the Highest Vertical Leaps?

I like to use a car analogy to describe the vertical leap. On a side not, because I've been looking int buying a used car lately, the car analogy is fresh in my mind. Okay, so let's say you have a solid sedan. In our case, we'll use the BMW 3-series because it's just so damn awesome. So, you could get the base package, which would essentially offer all of the necessary components that you need. Except when you arrive at the dealership, you see the upgraded packages. The more expensive versions have cooler toys, such as more horsepower and torque. But you don't really need those things. Unless you go to the track often, you don't need the extra 300 hp or absurd torque. But still, the possibilities make you think. The vertical leap is like the extra components of the upgraded version. It's cool to have, and if offered (for free), you'd clearly take it. However, it's not necessary. So when examining out NBA prospects, we have to realize that a high vertical leap isn't necessary. Sure, you'll get your shot blocked less often and finish at a higher percentage if you possess an overwhelming vertical. But you can easily get by without it. Just look at players like Tony Parker, Nash, Stephen Curry, Ginobili, etc. Actually, look at freakin Kevin Love too. Despite the fact that you don't need an absurd vertical leap, that element still always appeals to the scouts. It's true that some teams are in need of an athlete that can attack the rim. Those teams are similar to the "car enthusiasts" who actually take their cars to the track. They actually need a player who can jump. But for the most part, the vertical leap shouldn't be in high demand by most teams.

Ok I've talked too much. Let's examine some of the highest vertical leaps in this year's potential draft class. I'll rank them through my own categories:

Freakish: Top 5
I call this the 40+ league. Except this is a league you'd actually be proud of being a part of. Thanks to the folks at www.draftexpress.com. All of this data is from there.

Shane Larkin - 44 in. (yes I'm surprised as hell)
Victor Oladipo - 42 in. (no surprise there)
Ben McLemore - 42 in.
Peyton Siva - 41.5 in.
Michael Carter-Williams - 41 in.
C.J. Leslie - 40.5 in.
Isaiah Canaan - 40.5 in.
Adonis Thomas - 40.5 in.
Ray McCallum - 40 in.

Simply crazy, terrifying measurements. Cannot believe that there are so many 40+ verticals recorded. These guys need to go the Olympics or something. Apparently Larkin's vertical is higher than Nate Robinson's. Funny thing is, Larking doesn't play like that during games.

Chip Kelly is Kinda Crazy

Ok, so it's Friday morning and I'm feeling a lot better about last night's game. Screw it. Time to move on. Now I just read a feature on Chip Kelly's practices. The stuff is pretty crazy. Apparently he has every single drill in practice filmed (yes that includes position warm-ups). He also has defensive assistants wear shoulder pads with huge wings attached. Apparently, the wings simulate the exact height on a 6'4'' d-lineman and makes it harder for the QB to pass. Throughout practices, loud music blares to simulate the noisiness of a real game. And for cafeteria food, Kelly has replaced unhealthy, fatty foods with clean, healthy foods. The smoothies and shakes are now a staple in the Eagles cafeteria.

All of this stuff paints Chip Kelly as an eccentric man. Wings on pads? Music? But when you actually think about it, these ideas are genius. Well, let me clarify. It's not like Kelly's ideas are literally "genius". It's just that he's one of the first coaches (maybe the first) to actually implement all these crazy things into practice. And to be honest, it makes me wonder why more coaches don't do this kind of stuff. Logically-speaking, practice is meant to help the players prepare for games. So during practice, you should simulate game-like conditions right? It seems as if Kelly's ideas aren't only smart, they should be the NORM. Sure, the loud music may be too much for some coaches. Many coaches would prefer to have a quiet setting while they explain difficult plays to new players. The music may be a distraction. But the other ideas all seem fairly logical. Why not have huge "flyswatters" obstruct the QB's vision? In real games, Vick isn't going to have an open throwing lane, especially considering he's barely 6'1'' (if that). Also, why wouldn't NFL teams start replacing their unhealthy foods with healthy foods? I understand that these guys need to maintain weight, but there are healthy ways to do that. By cutting out the fatty stuff, the players may be in better shape and have higher energy levels during games. In my opinion, Chip Kelly is mostly doing stuff that should have been done a long time ago. While we can't deem him a good coach until the season actually starts, it is evident that he is confident in his ways.

Unfazed

Guess what?  Big deal.  Spurs got the win and they deserved it.  In a game pretty even throughout its entirety, the vets simply tightened the screws at the end while the Heat didn't really show me anything to warrant a win in a game of this magnitude.  The spurs did about as good of a job as you could do to "contain" Lebron, holding him to 18 points.  His 18 rebounds and 10 assists were nice, but even putting up triple double numbers wasn't enough when Tony Parker's busy doing his thing.  I know Chenny Britt is devastated by this one, but hey, keep ya head up homie.  It's only game 1.  We saw today how complete a team the Spurs are, and what kind of superman performance Lebron is gonna need to come up with next game, and for the rest of the series.  But outside of Smallville, Lebron's as close as you're gonna get, so stick with em.  Btw just bought that Lebron lion hat I was talking about from last post on ebay, and I don't make bad investments, which, by transitive property means Lebron's gonna come through--just as predicted.

Brotha out.

P.S.
Heat fans piss me off more than anything.  I'm not a Heat fan, let's clarify.  Just a Lebron fan.  If I'm at Game 1 of the NBA Finals, I'm not gonna be strolling in 5 minutes after the 3rd quarter starts because the hot-dog line was too long.  Bunch of undeserving yuppies.  Up here in Boston, we don't need to hold a special day to teach season ticket-holders how to be fans.

FUCK!!!

Yup. That was a heart breaker. My palm might be broken from me open-fisting the wall. Whatever. Now, first off, let me say that yes, I am indeed a Lebron James fan. If that also makes me a Heat fan, then so be it. However, I'm not ignorant enough not to acknowledge another team's prowess. San Antonio played well tonight. They had huge contributions from Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, and Gary Neal. Parker was splendid and Duncan was effective. Great team and great coach. Gutsy shot by Parker. Overall, I felt like San Antonio played a very good game overall. They shot the ball well and moved it quickly. They didn't make some of their finishes, but that's to be expected as they aren't exactly an explosive attacking team.

On the other hand, while Miami was effective in some areas, such as shooting the 3, they played very stagnant in the 2nd half. Lebron, while registering a triple-double, needs to attack more. It doesn't matter if he misses tough finishes; he simply has to attack and put pressure on Leonard. I'm a huge Lebron fan, and I still realize that despite the triple-double, Lebron's game wasn't too great tonight. He seemed too passive, probably because he was trying very hard to get Wade and Bosh involved. It's a good strategy, but he still needs to realize when Bosh and Wade are ineffective, and start attacking during those moments. I expect a much more aggressive Lebron from here on out. He also had some key turnovers. Overall, Miami's offense seemed too passive in the 2nd half. No longer was the ball flowing crisply. Sure, the Spurs' defense tightened up. But still, watching the game, it looked as if Miami passed up a lot of open looks and potential drives to the hoop to try and find the best shot. Ball movement against the Spurs is vital. Over-thinking, however, is not. In the 2nd half, Miami was over thinking instead of playing ball.

Well, exciting game. I really wish I didn't watch it at my friend's house and get distracted by all the idiots who didn't care, but so be it. My parents were asleep and I couldn't slam on tables during the game and wake them up. I look forward to game 2. Should be a great and exciting series. Got work tomorrow, and to be honest, I'll be in a bad mood for a little bit.

Lebron in 7

This is gonna be one of the great series of all time, and I’m not gonna front and say I’m the first one to come up with this conclusion.  But let’s take a moment to recognize some of these names that are competing tonight—Timmy Duncan (a scientist on the glass), Gay Allen, Manu, Tony pahhker, Lebron James… oh yeah… LBJ.  What validates a series as one of the greatest of all time is having the two best teams, evenly matched, put it all on the line as we get to witness (dare I say it) the greatest player of our era.  Steven A. Smith earlier today called Lebron “the greatest player on planet earth”, and you would have to be both naive and and jackass to even argue with this.  I guess you could be a pussy too, but that’s about it.  Firstly, Steven A. Smith is simply is the most articulate, most entertaining, and most accurate sportscaster today.  Secondly, Lebron is simply a machine—something the league has never seen before.  We like to hate him because he seems almost non-human, and he’s immature.  But he’s all grown up.  And to all the Kobe guys out there, I feel you.  I’m a big KB24 fan myself (was bigger before I went to LA and had to listen to those ignorant “sports fans”), but Lebron’s strength, size, work ethic, and overall prowess on both offense and defense always have been undeniable.  He’s a great teammate (which can’t be said of Kobe or MJ).  This basketball IQ is off the charts—he orchestrates all facets of the game.  And now a grown up Lebron has that Mamba mentality—that Mamba blood.  Same blood, different beast, fellas.  And when you have the greatest player in our era playing in the NBA Finals?  Come on.  Timmy Duncan, Pop, and the Tony will push Lebron to the limit, even further than the Pacers pushed him.  But in the end, the King will reign.  He is the King, after all.  I got $30 on this series, and mark my words—after this series is done, Lebron’s performance will solidify him as the greatest of our time, and seriously throw him in the conversation with the one and maybe-not-so-only Michael Jordan.  “Jordan’s iconic game 6 winner in 98”?  How do you like the sound of “Lebron’s momentous game 7 winner in 2013”?

Bold statements, I know, but it’s my first post so what he heck.  Hurry and jump on the bandwagon of Lebron gear now before it catches on.  That lion hat he wears in the commercial is top-notch; I’d go for that one.  Yup… you’re welcome.  You can thank me later.