Recapping All The Madness That Was The 2018 NBA Draft

Recapping All The Madness That Was The 2018 NBA Draft

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by | Jun 22, 2018 | Featured, NBA

The 2018 NBA Draft started off with the worst kept secret in the basketball world, with the Phoenix Suns selecting Arizona big man, Deandre Ayton with the #1 overall selection. The intrigue about the rest of the night started right after that. There were numerous trades that caught people by surprise, Adrian Wojnarowski stealing the show with his tweets and of course there were plenty of young men who had their lives change in the blink of an eye. Let’s recap the highlights of the night.

The Sacramento Kings selected Marvin Bagley III with the second pick of the draft but right up until the few moments before the draft started, that pick was up in the air. The first trade of the night involved two of the top five picks when the Atlanta Hawks selected Luka Doncic at #3 and agreed to trade him to the Dallas Mavericks for #5 pick, Trae Young. Because of that trade, that allowed Mo Bamba to slide down to the #6 spot for the Orlando Magic, who were more than happy to get their hands on the young and gifted big man from Harlem. That came after the Memphis Grizzlies finally got their man in Jaren Jackson Jr, after it seemed at one point that nobody wanted to be drafted by Memphis. The Cavaliers selected speedy point guard, Colin Sexton, with hopes he can be a piece Lebron James is happy with if he winds up staying in the Land.

The drama continued into the night when the Knicks came up on the board and decided to select Kevin Knox from Kentucky, rather than go with the crowd favorite, Michael Porter Jr, who was still available. Most Knicks fans wanted Porter and were surprised he was even still there at the #9 pick but many other teams passed on Porter as well, leading many people to believe his medical paperwork was raising more red flags than anticipated. Knicks fans as you might expect, were not happy with the pick but that’s mainly because most of them aren’t educated enough about just how good Knox can be. Porter was eventually selected by the Denver Nuggets with the #14 pick and they admitted they plan to take things very slowly with him.

A move that caught fans and media alike off guard was the Sixers trading Mikal Bridges, who they selected with the #10 pick, to the Phoenix Suns for #16 pick, Zhaire Smith. It’s not that Smith won’t be a good fit in Philadelphia, it was more the fact that the Sixers had been focused on Bridges for a while with him being from the area and possibly being available when it was their pick, his mother working for the team and him seemingly being the exact player they wanted.

There were many other notable moves of the first round, such as Donte DiVincenzo going #17 to the Bucks. He used a tremendous Final Four with Villanova, as well as a strong pre draft combine to greatly improve his stock. Back in March he was considered a second round pick at best. The Utah Jazz selected Grayson Allen with the #21 pick, which hilariously didn’t surprise anyone. The Holiday family showed how amazing their genes are when Aaron Holiday was selected by the Pacers at pick #23, which now means the Holiday family has three siblings in the NBA with his older brothers Jrue and Justin. The Lakers made a splash at the #25 spot, selecting Mo Wagner out of Michigan. Check below for the full first round results.

One big piece of news that did not happen last night was the Spurs still holding on to Kawhi Leonard. There were many rumors and reports that he could be on the move during the draft but at least for now, the Spurs still have their franchise player, although it likely won’t be for much longer.

The star of the night wasn’t any of the players. Nope, that title was reserved for Adrian Wojnarowski, who was dropping Woj bombs using very creative lingo as to not upset his ESPN bosses about tweeting out picks early. ESPN, Yahoo and other companies all agreed to have their employees not spoil the draft announcements but as other writers and analyst ignored their bosses wishes, Woj went into thesaurus mode and stole the show.

All in all it was a great night for the league. Sixty young men had their lives changed when they heard their name called and while it’s likely some of the picks won’t work out, nobody is thinking about that on draft night. It was a very fast moving, entertaining event that had everything you could hope for going into it. Credit to the NBA and everyone involved for putting on a good show.

Written by @IamJoeSports

 

Jun 22, 2018 No Comments
2017-2018 NBA Award Predictions

2017-2018 NBA Award Predictions

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by | Jun 12, 2018 | Featured, NBA

Even though the 2017-2018 season is over, basketball fans still have a lot to look forward to. The draft is on June 21st, and all of July is the remarkably interesting free agency period. One of the most exciting events takes place on June 25th, which is the NBA Awards show. It was just announced that rapper Travis Scott will be performing for the audience that night, and the major award winners will all be announced on the TNT-hosted special. Some voters have already leaked their votes, but there’s no definite way to know yet who’ll take home a trophy. With that being said, here are some predictions as to who the winners are of the 2017-2018 NBA awards.

 

Most Valuable Player – James Harden

After finishing in second place for voting in both the 2014-2015 and 2016-2017 seasons, it’s finally his time to hold up the Maurice Podoloff Trophy. He led the Rockets, undeniably with a decent amount of help from Chris Paul, to 65 regular season wins. Harden led the league in scoring at 30.4 ppg, and nearly averaged a double-double with 8.8 ast. He also held the highest PER this year (29.87), and the second highest VA (Value Added) behind LeBron James. The King has also had a historically unreal season, but at this point it’s what’s expected of him. Obviously it doesn’t really mean much in terms of MVP voting, but Harden even brought Houston within 1 game of the Finals. Either way, he’s been the most valuable asset to any team this year.

 

Rookie of the Year – Ben Simmons

The case for ROY is a very close one, with Donovan Mitchell trailing behind closely. The Sixers finished with 52 wins, good enough for the Eastern Conference 3rd seed. Just last year they won only 28 games so clearly something, namely a 6’10 point guard from Australia, had a huge impact. Joel Embiid played All-Star basketball as well but Simmons was the team’s leader, and averaged near triple-double numbers. He posted 11 of them, which only trailed Westbrook and LeBron. Putting up 15.8 ppg, 8.1 reb, 8.2 ast, 1.7 stl, and 0.9 blk is more than enough to win Rookie of the Year. Sure, Mitchell averaged more points, but Simmons beat him in nearly every other category and Utah finished with less wins.

 

Coach of the Year – Dwane Casey

Why Dwane Casey ended up getting fired following the Raptors’ playoff exit is beyond most people, when you consider the fact that they were the 1-seed and won a franchise-high 59 games. Many other coaches can make their case for this award, but Casey was brilliant in his strategies. He wasn’t afraid to use his younger players such as Fred VanVleet, and Toronto’s second-most used lineup was one that consisted of four players less than 25 years old, all with three or less years of NBA experience. DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry’s star roles were utilized perfectly, and less impactful players such as Jonas Valenciunas were given less minutes when necessary. Overall, Casey was outstanding in every facet. If the Raptors didn’t have to face LeBron in the playoffs, then their expectations for next year would be higher than ever. Now that the Pistons have landed Casey, things are looking good in the Motor City.

 

 

 

Most Improved Player – Victor Oladipo

Oladipo is probably the only winner this year who is clear-cut, with no debate. He was an All-Star for the first time of his career, and posted fantastic numbers. The Pacers’ trade with Oklahoma City originally looked like a huge waste of money for Indiana (think Oladipo’s $84m contract), but at this point, it was the best thing for the franchise. They made the playoffs with 48 wins, nearly toppled LeBron in 7 games, and gained another impressive piece in Domantas Sabonis. Oladipo averaged career-highs in every major category (points, steals, rebounds, assists, blocks), and lead the NBA in steals. His scoring jumped up nearly 8 more points per contest than last year, at 23.1. At just 26 years old, his ceiling is through the roof and he is clearly the most improved player.

 

Defensive Player of the Year – Anthony Davis

Many people have put Rudy Gobert above Davis for this award, but Davis has been better statistically. Gobert even missed more than a quarter of the year due to injury, but he obviously had an insane defensive season. Despite all of that, Davis still led the NBA in blocks (2.6 per game, 193 overall), and even averaged more steals than Gobert (1.5 to 0.8). He outrebounded Gobert as well, with 0.4 more per game. Defensively, Davis couldn’t be beaten. The Pelicans relied on him as their anchor, and he stepped up right into that role, especially following Demarcus Cousins’ achilles tear that ended his season in January. Joel Embiid also had a great year on the other side of the ball, but Anthony Davis’ was most impressive.

 

Sixth Man of the Year – Lou Williams

 

 

Williams put an entire team on his back for an extended period of team, and without him, the Clippers would have had a dreadful season. He led the entire league in total points in January, and if (when) he wins Sixth Man of the Year, his 22.6 ppg will be the second most points averaged ever for a player to take home this trophy. The man single-handedly beat the Warriors back in January, when he also dropped a career-high 50 points. Eric Gordon is a close second, but nobody has been more offensively dominant off the bench then Lou Williams. He won the award back in 2015, and it’ll be no surprise if it’s handed to him again this year.

Jun 12, 2018 No Comments
Where Does Lebron Go From Here?

Where Does Lebron Go From Here?

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by | Jun 9, 2018 | NBA

The NBA season hasn’t even been over for 24 hours yet but it’s already time to talk about what happens next. Since the Finals were mostly a dud from an entertainment standpoint, most fans are looking towards free agency for their excitement and rightfully so. This summer promises to be full of intrigue with some big names likely on the move, with none being bigger than Lebron James.

There hasn’t been this much uncertainty surrounding Lebron in a while. There was the summer of 2014 when he was a free agent but it was pretty well known he was only either going to stay in Miami or go back to Cleveland after winning two championships with the Heat. However, the summer of 2014 pailed in comparison to the summer of 2010, when he was basically on tour taking meetings with teams before turning the league upside down by joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The upcoming offseason feels more like 2010 with all the possibilities of what may happen. Lebron, for his part doesn’t agree with that. When asked if he anticipates this summer being the toughest as far as deciding what the right path will be for him, he very matter of factly responded “Nah I felt like 2010 was the toughest”.

Perhaps he already has a very strong idea of where he wants to live and play next season in a way that he didn’t back in 2010 but there is no denying the similarities between the two offseasons. Whatever his decision will be in 2018, it will have some of the same impacts that his decision in 2010 did. His legacy will be impacted with the potential to win more rings or to never win another, the league will also be impacted once he chooses a team and they are instantly a serious title contender and other players and teams scramble to adjust. Even after his 15th season, he still holds more weight than anyone else in the league and where he chooses to go (or stay) will be felt over the next three or four years. He made it clear his decision will be based on more than just basketball. He will prioritize his family life as well as the possibility of championships.

“I mean, I have no idea at this point,” said James after game four when asked about his future. “The one thing that I’ve always done is considered, obviously, my family. Understanding especially where my boys are at this point in their age. They were a lot younger the last time I made a decision like this four years ago. I’ve got a teenage boy, a pre-teen and a little girl that wasn’t around as well. So sitting down and considering everything, my family is a huge part of whatever I’ll decide to do in my career, and it will continue to be that. So I don’t have an answer for you right now as far as that.”

Even before the Finals were over, some players around the league had already jokingly started recruiting Lebron to their respective teams.

So where are the realistic landing spots? According to Hoops Hype, there may be as many as nine potential destinations for Lebron next season but a few those teams are quite a reach. The odds of him ever signing with teams like the Clippers, Heat or Warriors, which have all been mentioned at one time or another, are slim to none at best. Even if the Clippers or Heat made the money work, he would wind up doing all the heavy lifting again for teams that once again have no chance of beating the best teams. Signing with the Warriors could technically work money wise but they would have to likely find a way to move Klay Thompson or Draymond Green to do so and there is no point for a team that has won three of the last four championships to mess with their chemistry. Also, it is extremely hard to see Lebron wanting to go there after two consecutive Finals loses to them. There are very quiet whispers that Kevin Durant could possibly leave the Warriors and team up with Lebron elsewhere but again, those odds are slim to none if they even exist at all.

That leaves a handful of teams that could find themselves with a real chance at Lebron. The Sixers, Spurs, Rockets, Lakers, Celtics and of course the Cavs.

For the Sixers, the move would make sense. They have three young players in Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Dario Saric, who look like they can be great for years to come. It wouldn’t be hard for them to find the money to sign Lebron to a max deal either. Lebron and Simmons are both represented by the same agent and they have a personal relationship away from the court. There are questions about how Lebron and Simmons would play together since their games have similarities but Lebron has already mentioned he would like to play off the ball for the rest of his career, which should allow Simmons to remain unaffected if the move was to happen.

The Spurs are in contention for the services of Lebron simply because of their coach and the way they do things. Greg Popovich is tremendously respected by Lebron, as well as all players around the league. The Spurs always find ways to be relevant even when their roster would make you think otherwise. As far as players, sharing the court with Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge and young players like Dejounte Murray, Lebron on the Spurs would be a serious title contender to come after the Warriors. To make it work, the Spurs would have to renounce rights to some players and try and trade other contracts away but the team that would be left would still be serious.

The Rockets seemed like a big threat to get Lebron this summer but the more people pay attention, the less likely it will actually happen. James Harden, Chris Paul and Lebron together on paper seem great but the moves it would take for it to happen would leave the Rockets with a gutted team. They would likely have to let go of Trevor Ariza, Clint Capela and Eric Gordon, who were all instrumental in how good the Rockets were this past season. They would possibly even have to try and trade P.J. Tucker, who was one of their tougher all around players. The roster that would be left behind would be ashes and after all that they still likely wouldn’t be able to beat the Warriors.

Being in Los Angeles with the Lakers is an intriguing possibility. They have more than enough money for Lebron and another elite level free agent, maybe someone like Paul George, or even Kawhi Leonard if his personal situation with the Spurs gets any worse and they look to trade him. The Lakers would be able to add two stars to their promising young core of Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart. Lebron already owns homes in California so the move is not far fetched but he would really have to sit and think if that team would be capable of championship level play.

The Celtics are really only an option because they can be. They have a great young coach and a roster that seems poised to be a threat for the next few years at least. They also could make the money work rather easily by looking for ways to move Al Horford or Gordon Hayward, as well as move on from guys like Marcus Smart and Marcus Morris. The remaining team would be more than capable of winning a championship but Kyrie Irving would probably be sick if he left Cleveland just to wind up being under Lebron’s shadow again.

Last but not least we will discuss the Cavs. It looks like a dire situation for them to retain Lebron but it’s not impossible. The Cavs have the money to afford him but there is no other money for any marquee free agents. The Cavs would have to get to work looking for some trade partners to bring another star to help him, while dumping some salary in the process. His love of Ohio is a benefit for the Cavs because it gives them hope that if they improve their team even slightly that he could be convinced to stay.

Lebron emphasized after the game four loss that he is still very much looking to win championships and feels capable of doing so. “I mean, for me, I still have so much to give to the game. Like I said, when you have a goal and you’re able to accomplish that goal, it actually — for me personally, it made me even more hungry to continue to try to win championships, and I still want to be in championship mode. I think I’ve shown this year why I will still continue to be in championship mode.”

He will face many questions within himself that he will have to answer over the next few weeks but there is no doubt that Lebron, one of the smartest players ever, will make the right move for himself, his legacy and his family.

Written by @IamJoeSports

 

 

 

Jun 9, 2018 No Comments
Kevin Durant Is Your Back To Back NBA Finals MVP

Kevin Durant Is Your Back To Back NBA Finals MVP

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by | Jun 9, 2018 | Featured, NBA

Love him or hate him, Kevin Durant has proven his decision to leave Oklahoma City for Golden State was the right one. He’s been the butt of jokes, the focus of hate and has constantly heard he “ruined the NBA” but everything he has done on the court shows none of that matters. Durant is now a two time champion with the potential for more in the future being very strong and he is now also a two time NBA Finals MVP. He joins Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Lebron James and Hakeen Olajuwon as the only players with back to back MVP’s and there is a strong likelihood that he isn’t done winning this award.

During the four game sweep, Durant averaged 28.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game, all while shooting 53% from the floor and taking over when it mattered most. Game one was somewhat shaky for his standards, as he finished with 26 points on 8-22 shooting. In game two however, as Steph Curry loudly went off in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach, it was Durant with a quiet 26 points on 10-14 shooting that kept the Warriors in the game until that fourth quarter. Then in game three he single-handedly carried the Warriors to victory with a historic 43 point game with 13 rebounds and 7 assists and taking away the life of whoever tried to stop him. In the series clinching game four, he ended with a triple double of 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, while making great decisions with the ball throughout the night.

Durant credited the environment with the Warriors for helping him become a better player. “It’s just about the journey, all season,” Durant said. “Getting up every day, going to work with these guys, it’s amazing. The environment is incredible. It’s good for you to be around guys like this. It helps you become a better basketball player and a better man.”

Nike dropped this great commercial in honor of Durant soon as the series ended.

There were some people out there who believed Steph Curry should have won the MVP award this time around but nothing pointed to him being the better player or having the bigger impact this series. The final vote tally for the award was 7-4 in favor of Durant over Curry but it probably shouldn’t have even been that close. All the traditional stats, as well as advanced stats pointed to Durant being better and his performance in game three was completely series changing and soul crushing for the Cavs. Durant shut down any potential controversy or hurt ego’s over who won the award during his post game presser.

Steph, to his credit, said Durant was more than deserving of the award. “KD’s been amazing these last two years, especially in the Finals and so deserving of back to back Finals MVP’s and I’m going to be his biggest fan in there with what he’s able to do.”

At this point now with a 2-1 career record in the Finals with a total of 14 games played in those three Finals, it’s time to talk about Kevin Durant as being one of the best players ever when the stage is the biggest. In five games during the Finals last season, when the Warriors dispatched the Cavs in five games, Durant averaged 35.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists, while scorching the nets with a 56% shooting percentage. If we factor in the 2012 Finals where Durant lost as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, his career average in the Finals is 32 points per game and doing it hitting 55% from the floor, including 43% from three.

Despite the big night, Durant took a moment to reflect on everything the game of basketball has done for him, via Ben Golliver of Sports Illustrated “I feel indebted to the game. It saved my life, changed my life. I thought I would live in Maryland my whole life… I’m just forever grateful. Championships and stuff means a lot, but picking up a basketball changed my family’s life. This is the cherry on top.”

Durant is currently 29 years old and his resume already makes a case to be talked among the top 10 players ever and the second best small forward ever behind Lebron but he still has probably 5-6 years of prime basketball left which means he has plenty of time to make even more history, which is scary news for the rest of the league.

Written by @IamJoeSports

Jun 9, 2018 No Comments
Golden State Warriors Dominate The Cleveland Cavaliers To Win Third NBA Title In Four Years

Golden State Warriors Dominate The Cleveland Cavaliers To Win Third NBA Title In Four Years

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by | Jun 9, 2018 | Featured, NBA

The talk of the Golden State Warriors being a dynasty can no longer be ignored after they won their third championship in the past four years with a dominating performance over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Warriors clinched the four game sweep with a 108-85 win that was led by Kevin Durant and Steph Curry but they got contributions from everyone. The game was very anticlimatic as it was clear early in the evening that the ending was never really in doubt but that just speaks to the greatness of the Warriors.

Durant finished the game with a triple double of 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assist, which was more than enough to put the stamp on his second NBA Finals MVP award. Curry had 37 points while hitting 7-15 from downtown, although a good portion of his shots and points came in the second half when the game was already in hand. Andre Iguodala, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and even Javale McGee all came through when their number was called to help seal the deal.

The Cavs never had a chance despite the greatness of Lebron James. The outcome of the Finals was essentially decided before the games even started and the only thing left was to put them out of their misery. They had their chances in game one and game three to make things interesting but the all time gaffe by J.R. Smith at the end of game one and the insane game Durant had in game three killed those chances. Lebron once again had an all time performance in the Finals, finishing with averages of 34-9-10, while reportedly playing the final three games of the series with an injured hand after punching a blackboard in Golden State when the Cavs lost game one.

There are many folks out there who hate the Warriors. They hate the way they came together, even though most of the key players were their own draft picks. They hate that Durant wound up going there but they wouldn’t hate it if Durant came to their team instead. They hate the arrogance that they sometimes show but all the folks spending their time hating are missing out. This collection of players is very much arguably one of the best teams ever, if not the best team ever. Sure it’s hard to compare eras like the 1990’s Bulls, or the early 2000’s Lakers, or even the Lakers & Celtics teams of the 1980’s but there is no doubt that a core of Durant, Curry, Thompson and Green could handle themselves against any of the other dynasties and be confident doing so. Sometimes you just have to stop and put bias to the side and appreciate the greatness we are seeing with this team. The bad news for fans of other teams is the Warriors look more than capable of keeping this team together for many years to come.

Written by @IamJoeSports

Jun 9, 2018 No Comments