The PDBIP kicked off the 2014 season with a thud yesterday. Facing the league's worst team from last season, Washington scored 1st but watched Houston score the game's final 17 points. If I go in paragraph form, I would probably drone on and on forever about the dreck that is my boyhead team, but hopefully bullet form will keep this more brief. Some observations from yesterday...
1. You have to let RG3 be RG3 at least a little bit. I'm all for making Griffin more of a pocket passer and protecting him from big hits, but if you don't let him use his legs at least a smidge then you might as well start Kirk Cousins (or anyone else). I didn't have a problem with RG3 dinking and dunking his way down the field, as some people did. It was working, especially when the Texans' corners were giving DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon a huge cushion almost every play. But the "fake" read-option hand-offs, the boot legs, and other play action fakes aren't nearly as effective when Griffin never tucks the ball and runs ever. And Griffin got pounded from the pocket all day anyway, so you might as well let him get hit while running down the field, ball in hand once in a while too. (Which leads to my next point...)
2. No one could f***ing block JJ Watt. Watt wreaked havoc in the Washington backfield all afternoon. He pressured and hit Griffin, sacked him, tackled Alfred Morris behind the line of scrimmage a few times, recovered a fumble, and even blocked an extra point attempt for Pete's sake. I shouldn't say no one, because I think the Texans kept Watt clear of tackle Trent Williams. But they smartly kept scheming ways to have him work against the Redskins much weaker right side in Tyler Polumbus and Chris Chester. Jay Gruden continously kept dialing up plays where the blocking scheme called for one of them to block Watt 1-on-1, which ensued in Watt wrecking several plays all by himself.
3. How could Washington's special teams be this bad? I admittedly didn't see every play (or even every box score) from every game yesterday...and we've established that Watt is a beast...but did any other team have an extra point blocked yesterday? Or a punt blocked and returned for a touchdown? I'm pretty sure no one else f***ing did. The PDBIP had maybe the worst special teams I'd ever seen last season. Is it possible they will be worse this year?
4. Turnovers were where the game was lost. If you watch enough football coverage, turnovers (and related terms) are mentioned enough to make you numb to the idea. But if you look at win-loss percentages based on who wins the turnover battle over the years, they are pretty staggering. Watching yesterday's game, it actually felt like Washington was dominating. But there were basically 5 game-deciding plays in my humble opinion that all went in favor or Houston: the 2 Washington fumbles inside the red zone, the p***-poor tackling effort by Bacari Rambo on Houston's 2nd touchdown, the blocked punt for a touchdown, and the blocked point after attempt (it could have been game-altering if any of the 4 other plays mentioned didn't happen at least).
5. Washington is completely irrelevant on a national scale. Aside from the issues stemming from the team name, no one cares about the PDBIP. They got what was in effect the last place Fox broadcast team yesterday to cover the game. There was zero mention of anything Washington-related on my hour long drive into work this morning. And there is basically nothing on yesterday's game aside from Clowney's apparent knee injury on ESPN's NFL homepage. What's the one thing worse than being bad? Irrelevant...and Washington has earned a 1st class ticket into sports irrelevancy as of right now.
Monday, September 8, 2014
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Kevin Love To Cleveland; LeBron For Exec Of The Year
Kevin Love is coming to the Cleveland Cavaliers...well, the news can't be made official for another few weeks, but what has been speculated ever since LeBron announced his homecoming looks as if it will become a reality once the 30 day no-trade period of signed draft picks is completed.
With Cleveland seemingly winning the draft lottery every year since James skipped town, you had to start wondering whether the Cavs could ever take advantage of their good fortune. No one would argue that Kyrie Irving isn't great (when healthy), but last year's #1 pick, Anthony Bennett, looks to be a bust so far. Andrew Wiggins is full of promise, but by no means is he a can't-miss prospect of any kind. But with no chance of Love staying in Minnesota, the Wolves at least got something back (they will get Bennett, Wiggins, and Cleveland's 1st round pick next year as well, although they presumably won't be drafting from the lottery for the foreseeable future given the offseason they've put together.)
For my money, I think it would have been cool to see the Cavs hold onto Wiggins, and see how he developed under James' tutelage. James will be 30 this year, and if Wiggins developed he could have been a bridge to the future in the same way the Celtics thought Len Bias would be for them 30 years ago (tragically, that wasn't the case, but still...). Also, Wiggins' cheap rookie deal could have given the Cavs even more flexibility to grab additional talent next summer.
But I get it...when you have a chance to pair 2 guys who were both in the top 3 in the league in Player Efficiency Rating, you do it. Plus, if you thought the James-Wade-Bosh trio in Miami was too perimeter-focused, James-Irving-Wiggins might have given you an aneurysm. Love is the natural fit for the talents of James and Irving. If you're talking about pure talent, I would take the Heat's Big 3 of the last 4 seasons. But if you want to talk about how each player complements each other, on paper Cleveland's new Big 3 takes the cake.
Can you imagine Love grabbing every defensive rebound and doling out sweet outlet passes to LeBron and Irving? And then if they need to slow it down, Love trailing for a pull-up trey on the secondary break? What about the pick-and-roll possibilities? Irving and James, James and Love, Irving and Love...
The rest of the roster fills out pretty nicely as well, especially compared to the role players Miami threw out there in year 1 of the Big 3 era (Mike Bibby, Joel Anthony, etc...yikes). Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson are up to some stuff. Anderson Varejo still does Anderson Varejo things. And Mike Miller can still fill it up off the bench. And all these guys should be more improved/efficient playing alongside better players.
If you're Cleveland, there are 2 things for you to still worry about. 1st, they have nobody that can protect the rim...like, nobody. They could be an outstanding defensive rebounding team, and they will have to be in order to get it done on D. 2nd, Irving and Love are still spring chickens, but you have to worry a little bit about their health. In fact, even though James has played more NBA seasons than Love and Irving combined, they have both missed more regular season games than LeBron has in their respective careers already.
Still, having said all that, this is a formidable group now. And with Paul George's gruesome injury and uncertainty about the Bulls, the Cavs should be the odds-on favorite to advance out of the East without having played a single game together yet. It's only August, but I already can't wait for basketball season.
Much excite!
For my money, I think it would have been cool to see the Cavs hold onto Wiggins, and see how he developed under James' tutelage. James will be 30 this year, and if Wiggins developed he could have been a bridge to the future in the same way the Celtics thought Len Bias would be for them 30 years ago (tragically, that wasn't the case, but still...). Also, Wiggins' cheap rookie deal could have given the Cavs even more flexibility to grab additional talent next summer.
But I get it...when you have a chance to pair 2 guys who were both in the top 3 in the league in Player Efficiency Rating, you do it. Plus, if you thought the James-Wade-Bosh trio in Miami was too perimeter-focused, James-Irving-Wiggins might have given you an aneurysm. Love is the natural fit for the talents of James and Irving. If you're talking about pure talent, I would take the Heat's Big 3 of the last 4 seasons. But if you want to talk about how each player complements each other, on paper Cleveland's new Big 3 takes the cake.
And speaking of cake, LeBron has apparently cut that s*** out this summer...possibly more on that later.
Can you imagine Love grabbing every defensive rebound and doling out sweet outlet passes to LeBron and Irving? And then if they need to slow it down, Love trailing for a pull-up trey on the secondary break? What about the pick-and-roll possibilities? Irving and James, James and Love, Irving and Love...
The rest of the roster fills out pretty nicely as well, especially compared to the role players Miami threw out there in year 1 of the Big 3 era (Mike Bibby, Joel Anthony, etc...yikes). Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson are up to some stuff. Anderson Varejo still does Anderson Varejo things. And Mike Miller can still fill it up off the bench. And all these guys should be more improved/efficient playing alongside better players.
If you're Cleveland, there are 2 things for you to still worry about. 1st, they have nobody that can protect the rim...like, nobody. They could be an outstanding defensive rebounding team, and they will have to be in order to get it done on D. 2nd, Irving and Love are still spring chickens, but you have to worry a little bit about their health. In fact, even though James has played more NBA seasons than Love and Irving combined, they have both missed more regular season games than LeBron has in their respective careers already.
Still, having said all that, this is a formidable group now. And with Paul George's gruesome injury and uncertainty about the Bulls, the Cavs should be the odds-on favorite to advance out of the East without having played a single game together yet. It's only August, but I already can't wait for basketball season.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Fred Durst-ing It
That’s what Matt from “Two Best Friends Play” refers to rolling as…a reference that goes completely over “Super Best Friend” Liam’s head every time. I can’t say exactly how old the “Best Friends” are, but from what I can gather 3 of the 4 members (Matt, Pat, and Woolie) are around my age. Liam is several years younger, and is thus referred to as the baby. Part of the reason that telling someone to just Fred Durst over or around an object in a video game is funny to the 3 elder Friends is the same reason it’s funny to me: because there is an entire generation of Liams (people younger than me, but not that much younger really) that will have no idea what that means.
Aside from Rage Against The Machine and a select few other artists, rap-rock/rap-metal bands worth a listen back in the day were few and far between. Thank God that the era of such groups was mercifully short. However, it’s possible that the genre was at least partially responsible for the death of the alternative rock movement that I grew up listening to. By the mid-90’s, rap and hip-hop weren’t just quantities for urban black kids. DMX and Jay-Z albums were seen in just about every 13 year old white kids’ zipper-up CD case that I knew as well. Unfortunately, it seemed like every band that started up around that time had a lead singer that thought he could rap as well…those bands would probably have become alternative rock or grunge rock groups otherwise.
One of the great things about satellite radio is listening to stations that have a devoted genre and time period. SiriusXM’s “Lithium” gives you the general goodness of Nirvana, Rage, and Sublime, but it also allows you to reminisce. I’ve heard the Bizkit twice in the past week on Lithium…“Nookie” and “Break Stuff.” Not once since I’ve been a satellite radio subscriber have 2 songs brought on such confusing feelings. As a 13 year old, both songs would have incited mosh pits among my friends and I (even before I really understand what a nookie was). Now, the old man emotions of F***, I can’t believe I ever used to listen to this garbage juice surface as well. (I did it all for the nookie, so you can take that cookie, and stick it up your ass…now that’s some quality writing.)
If it’s not obvious already, Limp Bizkit was never meant to stand the test of time. For many years, I even held on to Durst’s collab effort with Method Man, “N2gether Now,” including it on every mix CD or playlist I created. After a while, I would skip through Durst’s verses to get to Method. Before long, I would just hit the skip button and move on to the next song until finally I stopped including the song on my iPhone completely. So, while Limp Bizkit may forever by emblematic of that poser era where white kids got home from school, jumped out of their mom’s minivan, went upstairs to their room, put on a backwards hat, and started blasting Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water through their Walkman, at least they will have a soft spot in my heart for nostalgia’s sake. And life will just keep Fred Durst-ing along.
Rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin'.
Aside from Rage Against The Machine and a select few other artists, rap-rock/rap-metal bands worth a listen back in the day were few and far between. Thank God that the era of such groups was mercifully short. However, it’s possible that the genre was at least partially responsible for the death of the alternative rock movement that I grew up listening to. By the mid-90’s, rap and hip-hop weren’t just quantities for urban black kids. DMX and Jay-Z albums were seen in just about every 13 year old white kids’ zipper-up CD case that I knew as well. Unfortunately, it seemed like every band that started up around that time had a lead singer that thought he could rap as well…those bands would probably have become alternative rock or grunge rock groups otherwise.
Enter Mr. Durst and Limp Bizkit.
One of the great things about satellite radio is listening to stations that have a devoted genre and time period. SiriusXM’s “Lithium” gives you the general goodness of Nirvana, Rage, and Sublime, but it also allows you to reminisce. I’ve heard the Bizkit twice in the past week on Lithium…“Nookie” and “Break Stuff.” Not once since I’ve been a satellite radio subscriber have 2 songs brought on such confusing feelings. As a 13 year old, both songs would have incited mosh pits among my friends and I (even before I really understand what a nookie was). Now, the old man emotions of F***, I can’t believe I ever used to listen to this garbage juice surface as well. (I did it all for the nookie, so you can take that cookie, and stick it up your ass…now that’s some quality writing.)
If it’s not obvious already, Limp Bizkit was never meant to stand the test of time. For many years, I even held on to Durst’s collab effort with Method Man, “N2gether Now,” including it on every mix CD or playlist I created. After a while, I would skip through Durst’s verses to get to Method. Before long, I would just hit the skip button and move on to the next song until finally I stopped including the song on my iPhone completely. So, while Limp Bizkit may forever by emblematic of that poser era where white kids got home from school, jumped out of their mom’s minivan, went upstairs to their room, put on a backwards hat, and started blasting Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water through their Walkman, at least they will have a soft spot in my heart for nostalgia’s sake. And life will just keep Fred Durst-ing along.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
NBA Free Agency's Big 3
With no Internet access at my office, doing this exclusively from my smartphone...how's that for dedication?
With NBA free agents now officially allowed to sign with teams, we all know that LeBron James is this year's big kahuna. But much like the summer of 2010, there is a Big 3 of star free agents that could be moving on to new locations, and none of them may end up in the places we would have placed our bets on a few weeks ago.
LeBron James - As LeBron pretty much holds the entire league hostage until he signs somewhere, you could argue that free agency's Big 3 is really a Big 1, as the dominoes will begin to fall once James decides on a destination.
Where he should go - If he's all about contending for a title right now, the Clippers, Bulls, and Rockets are the best choices outside of Miami, but those teams appear to not even be in the running anymore according to what we hear coming out of James' camp. James would still make the Heat the runaway favorite in the the sorry East even with D-Wade's sorry knees, so Miami is probably where he should stay.
Where he will go - When James 1st opted out of his contract with Miami, I listed Cleveland as a longshot, but it seems like they might actually be the front-runner now. LeBron was under immense pressure to win right now after 2010. After 2 titles and 4 Finals appearances in 4 years with the Heat, that pressure doesn't exist anymore. And James doesn't seem to care what people think about him anymore either. Now, it seems he can just follow his heart (if it wasn't for that pressure, he probably never would've left the Cavs in the 1st place), think long-term about his career (Cleveland's other young talent and cap-flexibility make this a no-brainer), and doing what's right by his family (and as someone who has personally had to weigh career decisions against familial desires, I can attest to this).
Carmelo Anthony - Melo isn't the player and, as Jeff Jarrett used to say, doesn't have the stroke that James has, having no rings and not even much postseason success period. Despite Anthony's unparalleled talents as a scorer, I'm still convinced that he needs to be a team's 2nd banana for that team to be championship-level. But it appears several teams are still convinced otherwise.
Where He Should Go - The Knicks can offer him the most money, but they are probably going to be mediocre-to-bad for a year or 2 before they can get their s*** together. The Lakers are an option for Anthony because they can pay him and have the cap flexibility to bring on a couple more pieces right away, but that still probably isn't enough to contend in the loaded West. Even if D-Rose isn't healthy, Chicago seems like the obvious choice for Melo if titles are his number one goal though.
Where He Will Go - By all accounts though, Anthony loves his money, and despite what everyone preaches about winning, it's hard to fault anyone for that. New York can outbid everyone else, and Anthony's wife loves The Big Apple to boot (that darn family thing again). And rather than bashing Melo for taking the money over the possibility of rings, maybe we could praise him a little for being patient and staying the course.
Chris Bosh - Definitely, the most under appreciated of Miami's Big 3, you forget how good Bosh is sometimes...and that out of he, James, and Wade no one had to sacrifice more of and change more of his game to make the Heat work. LeBron's good enough that he makes whatever team he goes to a title contender (or at least a contender for the conference title) on his own. Melo is a dynamic talent and a star, but I think that only certain teams will succeed with him (depending on the roster construction). Bosh's skillset is the missing piece to a lot of puzzles though.
Where He Should Go - Bosh's case might be the most difficult of the 3 in some ways. He reportedly loves Miami, and if LeBron stays put you would think South Beach would be where CB belongs also. But that Houston offer is very very enticing. And that potential Big 3 would be nothing to sneeze at either.
Where He Will Go - Early on in this process, it looked like this was all a bunch of smoke and mirrors, and Miami's Big 3 would all re-up there and recruit some fresh supporting characters to boot. But with each day that passes, the Big Breakup looks more and more likely. And if you're Bosh, you have to like what Houston has to offer: more money, going back to your home state, and playing in a role that better fits your true skillset. I'm not saying Houston's Big 3 could touch Miami's, and Bosh might still be the 3rd wheel between he, James Harden, and Dwight Howard, but at least he could play his traditional role on offense and defense. The pick-and-pop possibilities with Harden are scary. He could also play high-low with Howard while still spacing the floor with his shooting for Dwight to work in the paint. And Bosh would no longer have to bang down low with centers on the defensive end as he's asked to so often in Miami. In a day and age where top flight big men no longer exist, a Howard-Bosh paint duo would be the best combination at the 4 and the 5 in the league.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Too Many Chefs In The Kitchen: Evaluating Bryce Harper's Return
When I was just a little B-Court All-Star Junior, as a shy introverted kid I often preferred getting lost in my own imagination to playing with others. I was also an athlete and obsessed with numbers and statistics. It wasn't enough to pretend I was on an NBA team taking the game-winning shot...all of my sports fantasies had to be tracked. I actually had a notebook that logged everything from my fictitious basketball career's points per game to the card for each Pay Per View wrestling event for my GI Joe action figures.
Summertime was when I got the most bored and had the least other sports to follow, so baseball became a key cog in this fantasy world (even though I never played organized baseball as a kid). I imagined an entire lineup and batting order, complete with game-by-game box scores. When my made-up franchise made a mid-season trade for an All-Star infielder in exchange for a minor league prospect, it was impossible to choose which star putting up video game numbers to bench...instead, I simply rotated 10 guys through the 9 positions (my fantasy team had a DH, and several players were versatile enough to play multiple positions, of course).
However, as the Nationals are figuring out now, things just aren't as simplistic in real life baseball as they were when I used to play make-believe. This past offseason, Washington took a gamble that they could make it through 1 more season with Ryan Zimmerman at 3rd base. But his shoulder and throwing mechanics are so f***ed that routine throws to 1st are adventures now. With young stud Anthony Rendon primed to take over at 3rd and Adam LaRoche penciled in at 1st base, Zimmerman's only real move is to the outfield. But with Bryce Harper returning to the lineup from a thumb injury, Nats' Manager Matt Williams now has a real dilemma.
When healthy, the Nats could very well be the best team in baseball on paper. Their starting rotation may be the best in baseball 1-5. And their lineup is already solid from top to bottom, but even at 21 Harper is probably their most feared and dynamic hitter. His return should provide a jolt and boost up everyone else as well.
But its Williams' job to juggle playing time, positions, batting orders, and egos here. He has already clashed with Harper once, and maybe unnecessarily, this year. (Harper was benched and publicly called out by Williams for failing to run out a ground ball...Harper happened to be nursing a quad injury and was reportedly under the weather at the time.) Now, not even 1 day after being back in the bigs, Harper is chirping about what the lineup should look like and where he should hit.
As it stands, Williams and the Nats have no easy solution. Harper's got to play...that much is easy. Right field belongs to Jason Werth though. Put Harper in left and that puts Zimmerman back at 3rd, Anthony Rendon at 2nd, and Danny Espinosa on the pine. Espinosa always strikes out a ton and is hitting a miserable .217 right now, but that would hurt Washington's defensive infield significantly. Zimmerman's struggles at 3rd are well-documented, and while Rendon can play 2nd, 3rd is his more natural position. LaRoche has arguably been the Nats best hitter this year. He also is one of the best defensive 1st basemen in the league, so moving Zimmerman there seems unlikely at this point.
The Nats could put Harper in center field, a position he has played well and has publicly voiced that he prefers, but that would drop Denard Span out of the lineup. No one is going to argue that Span can out-hit Harper, but that move could hurt in a couple of ways. 1st, Harper plays center adequately, but Span is one of the better defensive center fielders in the league. Also, Span is the 1 player in the Nats' lineup that is truly a leadoff hitter. Others, like Jason Werth, have filled that role in prior seasons, but no one else is a natural fit for that spot like Span is.
If only the Nats could magically move to the American League at the All-Star break, then they could play everyone and rotate guys into that DH spot to give a player a rest while keeping their bats in the lineup. Alas, that seems about as likely as the Wizards not overpaying to keep Trevor Ariza and Marcin Gortat (oops). So, to solve this the Nationals either need to make a trade or simply just play out the messy situation of rotating guys in and out of the lineup based on matchups, who might need a night off, etc. Having too many good players is not the worst problem to have. The odds in any sport are that someone will go down with an injury again sooner than later, and Williams will adjust the lineup accordingly. Until one of those things happen though, the Nationals are faced with a sticky situation as they try for another playoff push.
For the record, Snake Eyes was my all-time leader in World Heavyweight Championship reigns.
Summertime was when I got the most bored and had the least other sports to follow, so baseball became a key cog in this fantasy world (even though I never played organized baseball as a kid). I imagined an entire lineup and batting order, complete with game-by-game box scores. When my made-up franchise made a mid-season trade for an All-Star infielder in exchange for a minor league prospect, it was impossible to choose which star putting up video game numbers to bench...instead, I simply rotated 10 guys through the 9 positions (my fantasy team had a DH, and several players were versatile enough to play multiple positions, of course).
However, as the Nationals are figuring out now, things just aren't as simplistic in real life baseball as they were when I used to play make-believe. This past offseason, Washington took a gamble that they could make it through 1 more season with Ryan Zimmerman at 3rd base. But his shoulder and throwing mechanics are so f***ed that routine throws to 1st are adventures now. With young stud Anthony Rendon primed to take over at 3rd and Adam LaRoche penciled in at 1st base, Zimmerman's only real move is to the outfield. But with Bryce Harper returning to the lineup from a thumb injury, Nats' Manager Matt Williams now has a real dilemma.
Not a clown question, bro.
When healthy, the Nats could very well be the best team in baseball on paper. Their starting rotation may be the best in baseball 1-5. And their lineup is already solid from top to bottom, but even at 21 Harper is probably their most feared and dynamic hitter. His return should provide a jolt and boost up everyone else as well.
But its Williams' job to juggle playing time, positions, batting orders, and egos here. He has already clashed with Harper once, and maybe unnecessarily, this year. (Harper was benched and publicly called out by Williams for failing to run out a ground ball...Harper happened to be nursing a quad injury and was reportedly under the weather at the time.) Now, not even 1 day after being back in the bigs, Harper is chirping about what the lineup should look like and where he should hit.
As it stands, Williams and the Nats have no easy solution. Harper's got to play...that much is easy. Right field belongs to Jason Werth though. Put Harper in left and that puts Zimmerman back at 3rd, Anthony Rendon at 2nd, and Danny Espinosa on the pine. Espinosa always strikes out a ton and is hitting a miserable .217 right now, but that would hurt Washington's defensive infield significantly. Zimmerman's struggles at 3rd are well-documented, and while Rendon can play 2nd, 3rd is his more natural position. LaRoche has arguably been the Nats best hitter this year. He also is one of the best defensive 1st basemen in the league, so moving Zimmerman there seems unlikely at this point.
The Nats could put Harper in center field, a position he has played well and has publicly voiced that he prefers, but that would drop Denard Span out of the lineup. No one is going to argue that Span can out-hit Harper, but that move could hurt in a couple of ways. 1st, Harper plays center adequately, but Span is one of the better defensive center fielders in the league. Also, Span is the 1 player in the Nats' lineup that is truly a leadoff hitter. Others, like Jason Werth, have filled that role in prior seasons, but no one else is a natural fit for that spot like Span is.
Good luck!
If only the Nats could magically move to the American League at the All-Star break, then they could play everyone and rotate guys into that DH spot to give a player a rest while keeping their bats in the lineup. Alas, that seems about as likely as the Wizards not overpaying to keep Trevor Ariza and Marcin Gortat (oops). So, to solve this the Nationals either need to make a trade or simply just play out the messy situation of rotating guys in and out of the lineup based on matchups, who might need a night off, etc. Having too many good players is not the worst problem to have. The odds in any sport are that someone will go down with an injury again sooner than later, and Williams will adjust the lineup accordingly. Until one of those things happen though, the Nationals are faced with a sticky situation as they try for another playoff push.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
James Opts Out...29 Other NBA Franchies Are All-In
Sometimes, you want to write, but have nothing in particular to write about. Today, I contemplated writing a general news & notes post about the happenings of the NBA offseason or focusing on the Miami Heat's potential moves. But when LeBron James officially opts out of his contract thus becoming an unrestricted free agent, it's hard to pass up writing about that.
The last time James was on the market, the league and media frenzy was unimaginable. It all culminated with the oh-so-regrettable The Decision on ESPN. 4 years later, LeBron is in a very different position. He's no longer chasing rings (he has 2). Prior to coming to Miami, James' clutchness/greatness/legitimacy as a great player/mental toughness was often criticized (those things are no longer in question).
Basically, in every aspect of the LeBron James package that was viewed as a weakness in the summer of 2010, James is now coming from a position of strength. To paraphrase ESPN's Brian Windhorst, James needed Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and everything the Miami Heat had to offer 4 summers ago; now, they need him.
Of course, I would say that the odds-on favorite to land LeBron is still Miami. Teams will again look to move heaven and earth just for the chance to sign him, but the grass isn't always greener. And if Wade and Bosh also decide to opt out of their contracts, and the Big 3 collectively decide to re-up with the Heat at a discount rate allowing them the chance to add a better supporting cast, then it would be tough to envision a better chance for James to collect more rings than right where he is.
The point is that LeBron seems more at peace with himself now more than ever though. His got his titles. He's married. He seems to have finally grown comfortable in his own skin. Maybe 4 years ago, James was too worried about pleasing other people when he took his talents to South Beach. Now, his demeanor seems much more relaxed. It seems he is going to make the best decision for him, and damn what everyone else thinks about it.
If the Heatles have a gentleman's agreement to take a little bit less money, then I think James' choice is pretty easy. If Pat Riley and the Miami brass can successfully have some kind of come to Jesus meeting with Wade and convince him to sign on for closer to what he would truly be worth on the open market ($12 million a year? $10 million? $8 million?), then I think this is a slam dunk. If a very proud D-Wade still thinks he's a $20 million a year player (which he's due next season), then Miami may have problems.
The possibilities (even the ridiculous ones) then become magically delicious. James to Chicago to team up with Joakim Noah, Derrick Rose, Taj Gibson, and Jimmy Butler. James to Houston with Dwight Howard and James Harden. James back to Cleveland with Kyrie Irving, this year's number 1 overall pick in the draft, and a roster of young talent. James bringing Carmelo Anthony along with him to the Lakers to team up with an aging Kobe Bryant...eh, I'm not sure how great that sounds actually. Or my personal favorite, James to LA (but to the Clippers) to play with his buddy Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and being coached by a guy he truly respects in Doc Rivers.
If James is about winning championships, the Cavs and Lakers seem the least likely fits. The idea of going back home to Cleveland is intriguing, but Irving has not been durable or consistent enough to make him championship-ready, and draft picks are too uncertain even in this year's talent-rich field. Melo's scoring ability as a compliment to the defensive attention James attracts and his willingness to pass is a deadly formula in any uniform, but I can't envision Kobe being anything but a shell of his former self, and we are talking about 3 guys who basically play the same position (if in different ways).
The other 3 choices put James on teams that are contenders already without him. And unlike when James 1st got to Miami and it wasn't clear how 2 guys who played basically the same position would mesh, the Bulls, Clips, and Rockets could slot LeBron right into his natural position on the floor. The Bulls and Rockets also have the ability to clear the requisite cap space to make a deal with James work. And the Clippers just had a guy agree to pay $2 billion for the franchise, so I don't think the luxury tax would stop them.
Other teams will likely pop into the conversation in the upcoming week, as everyone will attempt to trade away their entire roster just to clear up enough cap space for the possibility of signing James, and the teams I just mentioned are each intriguing, but at the end of the day Miami still looks like the destination to me. They have history. They have the Miami mafia. They have James' trust. What do I see happening? Wade and Bosh also opting out and resigning with Miami along with James, and all leaving a few dollars on the table so the Heat can bring in more shooters, a point guard, and another big guy who can protect the rim. After all, the Big 3 aren't dumb...it's likely they realize their best chance of winning is staying together too.
The last time James was on the market, the league and media frenzy was unimaginable. It all culminated with the oh-so-regrettable The Decision on ESPN. 4 years later, LeBron is in a very different position. He's no longer chasing rings (he has 2). Prior to coming to Miami, James' clutchness/greatness/legitimacy as a great player/mental toughness was often criticized (those things are no longer in question).
Basically, in every aspect of the LeBron James package that was viewed as a weakness in the summer of 2010, James is now coming from a position of strength. To paraphrase ESPN's Brian Windhorst, James needed Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and everything the Miami Heat had to offer 4 summers ago; now, they need him.
Of course, I would say that the odds-on favorite to land LeBron is still Miami. Teams will again look to move heaven and earth just for the chance to sign him, but the grass isn't always greener. And if Wade and Bosh also decide to opt out of their contracts, and the Big 3 collectively decide to re-up with the Heat at a discount rate allowing them the chance to add a better supporting cast, then it would be tough to envision a better chance for James to collect more rings than right where he is.
The point is that LeBron seems more at peace with himself now more than ever though. His got his titles. He's married. He seems to have finally grown comfortable in his own skin. Maybe 4 years ago, James was too worried about pleasing other people when he took his talents to South Beach. Now, his demeanor seems much more relaxed. It seems he is going to make the best decision for him, and damn what everyone else thinks about it.
James appears to be in a much better place than 2010.
If the Heatles have a gentleman's agreement to take a little bit less money, then I think James' choice is pretty easy. If Pat Riley and the Miami brass can successfully have some kind of come to Jesus meeting with Wade and convince him to sign on for closer to what he would truly be worth on the open market ($12 million a year? $10 million? $8 million?), then I think this is a slam dunk. If a very proud D-Wade still thinks he's a $20 million a year player (which he's due next season), then Miami may have problems.
The possibilities (even the ridiculous ones) then become magically delicious. James to Chicago to team up with Joakim Noah, Derrick Rose, Taj Gibson, and Jimmy Butler. James to Houston with Dwight Howard and James Harden. James back to Cleveland with Kyrie Irving, this year's number 1 overall pick in the draft, and a roster of young talent. James bringing Carmelo Anthony along with him to the Lakers to team up with an aging Kobe Bryant...eh, I'm not sure how great that sounds actually. Or my personal favorite, James to LA (but to the Clippers) to play with his buddy Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and being coached by a guy he truly respects in Doc Rivers.
Oh, what a tangled web we weave.
If James is about winning championships, the Cavs and Lakers seem the least likely fits. The idea of going back home to Cleveland is intriguing, but Irving has not been durable or consistent enough to make him championship-ready, and draft picks are too uncertain even in this year's talent-rich field. Melo's scoring ability as a compliment to the defensive attention James attracts and his willingness to pass is a deadly formula in any uniform, but I can't envision Kobe being anything but a shell of his former self, and we are talking about 3 guys who basically play the same position (if in different ways).
The other 3 choices put James on teams that are contenders already without him. And unlike when James 1st got to Miami and it wasn't clear how 2 guys who played basically the same position would mesh, the Bulls, Clips, and Rockets could slot LeBron right into his natural position on the floor. The Bulls and Rockets also have the ability to clear the requisite cap space to make a deal with James work. And the Clippers just had a guy agree to pay $2 billion for the franchise, so I don't think the luxury tax would stop them.
Other teams will likely pop into the conversation in the upcoming week, as everyone will attempt to trade away their entire roster just to clear up enough cap space for the possibility of signing James, and the teams I just mentioned are each intriguing, but at the end of the day Miami still looks like the destination to me. They have history. They have the Miami mafia. They have James' trust. What do I see happening? Wade and Bosh also opting out and resigning with Miami along with James, and all leaving a few dollars on the table so the Heat can bring in more shooters, a point guard, and another big guy who can protect the rim. After all, the Big 3 aren't dumb...it's likely they realize their best chance of winning is staying together too.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Elevating Expectations: The Evolution of Louie
Watching the season 4 finale of Louie last night left me with a mixed bag of thoughts and emotions. Part of Louis CK's genius is that he doesn't give a s*** what anyone else wants. His network, FX, legendarily never sees so much of a snippet of the show before it's aired. He sells his hour long standup routines on his website for $5 a pop because he doesn't want the middlemen of Ticket Master and the like in his or his audience's pockets. Louis CK could care less what I or anybody else thinks about him. It's part of his charm and what makes him super-rad.
You have to know there's a but coming, right? But season 4 of Louie left me wanting more in so many ways. Part of this was simply the format of the show. Playing back-to-back episodes on a single night is great in an instant gratification sort of way, but because of that the season basically spanned a month and a half from beginning to end...an especially short period of time considering CK took off a year from the show last year. Now, I have to wait 11 more months for more?!? And what the f*** happened to the song in the opening sequence?
Louie's biggest problem in 2014 is that it lacked the one thing that CK is known for delivering: laughs. Sure, the show still had it's moments, like the opening scene of the season's premiere episode with the comically invasive garbage men, and the season finale where Pam asks a question regarding his ex-wife's race that Louie audiences have been collectively asking for years. But other than those scenes and some of the scenes from the hurricane episode, there aren't many of those absurd moments that made Louie great early on.
Instead of those ROTFLMFAO moments, CK opts for more nuance and better storytelling this time around. It's more clever than hysterically funny. You find yourself thinking wow, what he did there was really smart much more often than busting a gut. In that way, season 4 is undoubtedly the best season of Louie. Seasons 1-3 each had a few minor storylines (like the Letterman angle from season 3), but each episode mostly followed CK's stream of consciousness, where one episode might contain 3 completely separate and unrelated scenes, stories, or ideas. The majority of season 4 revolved around Louie's love life. We still got to see Louie in all his clumsy, self-loathing glory, but this angle showed him in a different light as well, which was nice (however, 6 episodes of the "Elevator" storyline was probably too much). On a side note, one particular story arc, "In The Woods," while not particularly funny might have been one of the best anythings I've watched on television in a long time.
Season 4 of Louie is interesting, thought-provoking, and beautifully written. The season finale was Monday night, and I honestly haven't read any reviews yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if CK's work on the show was up for another Emmy. Louie is still one of my favorite shows on TV, and I will continue to watch however many seasons CK is willing to give us. We should just continue to expect the unexpected though...because if there's one other thing it's clear Louis CK doesn't give a s*** about, it's our expectations. And we love him all the more for it.
Yes, I'm using super-rad as an adjective...deal with it.
You have to know there's a but coming, right? But season 4 of Louie left me wanting more in so many ways. Part of this was simply the format of the show. Playing back-to-back episodes on a single night is great in an instant gratification sort of way, but because of that the season basically spanned a month and a half from beginning to end...an especially short period of time considering CK took off a year from the show last year. Now, I have to wait 11 more months for more?!? And what the f*** happened to the song in the opening sequence?
Louie's biggest problem in 2014 is that it lacked the one thing that CK is known for delivering: laughs. Sure, the show still had it's moments, like the opening scene of the season's premiere episode with the comically invasive garbage men, and the season finale where Pam asks a question regarding his ex-wife's race that Louie audiences have been collectively asking for years. But other than those scenes and some of the scenes from the hurricane episode, there aren't many of those absurd moments that made Louie great early on.
Instead of those ROTFLMFAO moments, CK opts for more nuance and better storytelling this time around. It's more clever than hysterically funny. You find yourself thinking wow, what he did there was really smart much more often than busting a gut. In that way, season 4 is undoubtedly the best season of Louie. Seasons 1-3 each had a few minor storylines (like the Letterman angle from season 3), but each episode mostly followed CK's stream of consciousness, where one episode might contain 3 completely separate and unrelated scenes, stories, or ideas. The majority of season 4 revolved around Louie's love life. We still got to see Louie in all his clumsy, self-loathing glory, but this angle showed him in a different light as well, which was nice (however, 6 episodes of the "Elevator" storyline was probably too much). On a side note, one particular story arc, "In The Woods," while not particularly funny might have been one of the best anythings I've watched on television in a long time.
...and also, romantic, naked, candlelit bubble baths.
Season 4 of Louie is interesting, thought-provoking, and beautifully written. The season finale was Monday night, and I honestly haven't read any reviews yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if CK's work on the show was up for another Emmy. Louie is still one of my favorite shows on TV, and I will continue to watch however many seasons CK is willing to give us. We should just continue to expect the unexpected though...because if there's one other thing it's clear Louis CK doesn't give a s*** about, it's our expectations. And we love him all the more for it.
Monday, June 16, 2014
Spurs K-I-L-T Heat...Nuff Said
Before I say a word about last night's outcome and the outcome of this year's NBA Finals, I'm just going to bring up point number 5 from my Finals preview a week and a half ago. What kinds of lineups are we going to see? To me, the answer to this question ended up being the deciding factor in the series.
Going into the series, seasoned basketball fans universally acknowledged that this season's incarnation of the Heat was slightly worse than the version of Miami that eked out a Game 7 win against San Antonio last year, while this season's Spurs were better and deeper. However, we also wondered aloud if Miami's possession of the best player on the planet and the ability to rise to the occasion would trump that. Games 1 and 2 of this year's series didn't do much to change those thoughts, as Heat-apologists could argue that Miami was a LeBron James full body cramp away from going back home with a 2-0 series lead.
And then we all witnessed the Spurs layeth the smacketh down on the Heat for 3 straight games. So, what the hell happened? Coach Popovich finally figured out how to utilize his roster's advantages and pick apart the Heat's lack of depth. In Game 3, Popovich inserted Boris Diaw into the starting lineup over Tiago Splitter. Splitter's plodding style is mostly rendered ineffective against Miami's small ball heavy lineups. Diaw's versatility and ability to move the ball was a much better fit. Splitter's minutes decreased every game (23, 19, 16, 15, and 11), while Diaw's minutes increased from 32.5 mpg in the 1st 2 games to 37 mpg in the last 3. With Manu Ginobili rolling and Miami's point guards completely overmatched, Popovich also ditched Marco Belinelli (20 mpg in 1st 2 games and just over 6 mpg in the last 3 games) for the ultra-quick Patty Mills (13.5 mpg 1st 2 games/over 16 mpg last 3 games).
Meanwhile, Heat Coach Eric Spoelstra had no where left to search for offensive production. Bosh had a solid but unspectacular series. Wade looked like he's on his last legs more than ever. But the 2013-2014 Heat had no Mike Miller to turn to. The Mario Chalmers/Norris Cole point guard platoon fell flat on its face. Ray Allen is more 1-dimensional now than ever before. Birdman Anderson didn't look quite as spry as he had in years past. And Udonis Haslem and Shane Battier appear to be done as impact players (literally done for Battier). While I wondered all postseason if Michael Beasley was worth giving a few minutes a game, it's obvious that Spoelstra for whatever reason didn't trust B-EZ and Greg Oden given the stage. What I thought would be offseason steals for Miami wound up being huge whiffs in retooling that bench mob.
Rashard Lewis played admirably when pressed into starting duty and important minutes for the 1st time in his 2 years in Miami, but that was all Miami's role players had to offer. The Chalmers/Coles situation got so bad that Allen started Game 5, and Mar-orris Cham-oles played only 24 minutes. But as Coach Spoelstra searched for a combination that worked, this tweak only made Miami's already weak bench situation even uglier. With Allen starting, the Heat's 2nd unit had no scoring punch whatsoever. So, after the Heat raced out to a 22-6 start, there was no where for them to go but down.
All this while the best player in the world had a great series individually: 28 ppg, 8 rpg, and 4 apg on a hyper-efficient 57% from the floor. How do you beat the Heat while James still plays at an all-world level? Make sure you K-I-L-T everyone else, that's how.
Going into the series, seasoned basketball fans universally acknowledged that this season's incarnation of the Heat was slightly worse than the version of Miami that eked out a Game 7 win against San Antonio last year, while this season's Spurs were better and deeper. However, we also wondered aloud if Miami's possession of the best player on the planet and the ability to rise to the occasion would trump that. Games 1 and 2 of this year's series didn't do much to change those thoughts, as Heat-apologists could argue that Miami was a LeBron James full body cramp away from going back home with a 2-0 series lead.
And then we all witnessed the Spurs layeth the smacketh down on the Heat for 3 straight games. So, what the hell happened? Coach Popovich finally figured out how to utilize his roster's advantages and pick apart the Heat's lack of depth. In Game 3, Popovich inserted Boris Diaw into the starting lineup over Tiago Splitter. Splitter's plodding style is mostly rendered ineffective against Miami's small ball heavy lineups. Diaw's versatility and ability to move the ball was a much better fit. Splitter's minutes decreased every game (23, 19, 16, 15, and 11), while Diaw's minutes increased from 32.5 mpg in the 1st 2 games to 37 mpg in the last 3. With Manu Ginobili rolling and Miami's point guards completely overmatched, Popovich also ditched Marco Belinelli (20 mpg in 1st 2 games and just over 6 mpg in the last 3 games) for the ultra-quick Patty Mills (13.5 mpg 1st 2 games/over 16 mpg last 3 games).
The Spurs' depth and ability to make rotation adjustments on the fly proved to be the difference.
Meanwhile, Heat Coach Eric Spoelstra had no where left to search for offensive production. Bosh had a solid but unspectacular series. Wade looked like he's on his last legs more than ever. But the 2013-2014 Heat had no Mike Miller to turn to. The Mario Chalmers/Norris Cole point guard platoon fell flat on its face. Ray Allen is more 1-dimensional now than ever before. Birdman Anderson didn't look quite as spry as he had in years past. And Udonis Haslem and Shane Battier appear to be done as impact players (literally done for Battier). While I wondered all postseason if Michael Beasley was worth giving a few minutes a game, it's obvious that Spoelstra for whatever reason didn't trust B-EZ and Greg Oden given the stage. What I thought would be offseason steals for Miami wound up being huge whiffs in retooling that bench mob.
Rashard Lewis played admirably when pressed into starting duty and important minutes for the 1st time in his 2 years in Miami, but that was all Miami's role players had to offer. The Chalmers/Coles situation got so bad that Allen started Game 5, and Mar-orris Cham-oles played only 24 minutes. But as Coach Spoelstra searched for a combination that worked, this tweak only made Miami's already weak bench situation even uglier. With Allen starting, the Heat's 2nd unit had no scoring punch whatsoever. So, after the Heat raced out to a 22-6 start, there was no where for them to go but down.
All this while the best player in the world had a great series individually: 28 ppg, 8 rpg, and 4 apg on a hyper-efficient 57% from the floor. How do you beat the Heat while James still plays at an all-world level? Make sure you K-I-L-T everyone else, that's how.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Can't Wait For Round 2: Wrapping Up Season 1 Of The 100
So, to get away from the constant stream of NBA posts, how about a little TV? Post-apocalyptic settings are all the rage these days in TV land, from zombies to alien invasions to nuclear fallouts. There are so many that not all are bound to make it, such as NBC's Revolution (which Krissy and I enjoyed, for the record).
Another such show is the CW's The 100, which just wrapped up it's debut season last night. In recent years, the CW (then WB) has kind of moved away from the smarmy night time teen soaps like Dawson's Creek and One Tree Hill. If the failed reboot of 90201 isn't evidence of this, then I don't know what is. They are still targeting that same age range, but over the years they at least have shown the good sense to infuse these basic premises with more and more backdrops like superheroes (Smallville and Arrow), sci-fy (Roswell and Supernatural), and, of course, vampires (The Vampire Diaries).
The 100 fits mostly in that sci-fy category. I was intrigued at the concept because it looked kind of like Lost meets Lord of the Flies. It started out a little slow I think, and the writing could be a little better. For example, when the 100 land on planet Earth, you would expect there to be some extracurricular activities for a gang of teenagers living for the 1st time without parental supervision. But they seem to have a 3 day bone-fest before ever finding anything to eat or drink...and then are we to accept the idea that 1 mountain lion is able to feed 100 ravenous kids? So, you have to suspend your disbelief at times.
But The 100 started gaining steam about midway through Season 1 when the group captured a "grounder." Of course, one of the coeds couldn't help falling for his rugged good looks, caveman tats, and heart of gold, which pretty much spurned on the rest of the action. As is custom these days, The 100 couldn't help but leave us with a complete cliffhanger at Season 1's end, but there are a lot of ways Season 2 could go. This is especially true with the introduction of more groups on post-nuclear-war Earth. The 100 and the grounders we knew about already, but now we have terrifyingly cannibalistic "reapers," the surviving adults from the Ark, and the "mountain men," who were not what I was expecting at all compared to what they were revealed as! (I envisioned basically grounders on plutonium-enriched steroids with lumberjack beards, not special forces agents sporting futuristic military tech). And where will Octavio and Lincoln wind up? What the f*** happened to Finn after he was locked out of the ship?
Regardless, I think The 100 has some legs. Can't wait to see where the go with it this fall.
Another such show is the CW's The 100, which just wrapped up it's debut season last night. In recent years, the CW (then WB) has kind of moved away from the smarmy night time teen soaps like Dawson's Creek and One Tree Hill. If the failed reboot of 90201 isn't evidence of this, then I don't know what is. They are still targeting that same age range, but over the years they at least have shown the good sense to infuse these basic premises with more and more backdrops like superheroes (Smallville and Arrow), sci-fy (Roswell and Supernatural), and, of course, vampires (The Vampire Diaries).
The 100 fits mostly in that sci-fy category. I was intrigued at the concept because it looked kind of like Lost meets Lord of the Flies. It started out a little slow I think, and the writing could be a little better. For example, when the 100 land on planet Earth, you would expect there to be some extracurricular activities for a gang of teenagers living for the 1st time without parental supervision. But they seem to have a 3 day bone-fest before ever finding anything to eat or drink...and then are we to accept the idea that 1 mountain lion is able to feed 100 ravenous kids? So, you have to suspend your disbelief at times.
At least wait a couple weeks to start touching each other's naughty parts like these 2.
But The 100 started gaining steam about midway through Season 1 when the group captured a "grounder." Of course, one of the coeds couldn't help falling for his rugged good looks, caveman tats, and heart of gold, which pretty much spurned on the rest of the action. As is custom these days, The 100 couldn't help but leave us with a complete cliffhanger at Season 1's end, but there are a lot of ways Season 2 could go. This is especially true with the introduction of more groups on post-nuclear-war Earth. The 100 and the grounders we knew about already, but now we have terrifyingly cannibalistic "reapers," the surviving adults from the Ark, and the "mountain men," who were not what I was expecting at all compared to what they were revealed as! (I envisioned basically grounders on plutonium-enriched steroids with lumberjack beards, not special forces agents sporting futuristic military tech). And where will Octavio and Lincoln wind up? What the f*** happened to Finn after he was locked out of the ship?
Time to make beautiful Ark-grounder babies, I guess.
Regardless, I think The 100 has some legs. Can't wait to see where the go with it this fall.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Spurs-Heat, Game 3: San Antonio Spits Hot Fire
As I watched, I could hardly believe what I was seeing. The numbers were incredible. The Miami Heat shot 56% from the floor in the 1st half, scored 50 points...and trailed by 21 heading into the break!
The Spurs broke out probably the greatest shooting display I've ever seen in my 29-plus years on planet Earth: 71 1st half points, making 19 of their 1st 21 attempts from the floor, shooting 76% from the field after 2 quarters. After Game 2, I broke out a bullet list of 5 my main thoughts from the game...no such list necessary today.
Any other analysis other than the Spurs shot the lights out is completely unnecessary and absurd. Maybe the 1 other point you could make is that Miami was too careless with the ball. They coughed it up 20 times on the night (LeBron James had 7 and Dwyane Wade had 5), which only served to pile on in San Antonio's offensive fireworks display. Miami also had a couple defensive lapses early on that led to Spurs' layups, but on this night even when they played solid D the Spurs shot-making rendered it irrelevant.
But stop with everything else, please. People trying to make a story out of Kawhi Leonard outplaying James are silly. For the record, LeBron scored 22 points on only 14 shots, grabbed 5 boards, dished out 7 assists, and was the only thing even keeping the Heat within shouting distance of the Spurs early on. How badly Tony Parker and Patty Mills have outplayed Miami's point guards may be consequential in the grand scheme of things of this series, but it's merely a footnote for this particular game.
All you need to know are the offensive numbers from 2 paragraphs ago. As the saying goes though, in the NBA, everybody makes a run, and Miami predictably scrapped back into the game in the 2nd half. Several times, they trimmed the deficit to single digits, but the Spurs always seemed to push the lead back out to a comfortable 14 points or so. The fact is that unless Miami matched San Antonio's historic 1st half output in half number 2 or the Spurs simply stopped scoring the ball completely, the Heat had no chance. As another NBA cliche goes, it's a make or miss league. And the Spurs didn't miss very often.
Here's the most basic fact of all: if the Spurs shoot anything close to that again, there's nothing the Heat can do about it, and this series will be short and sweet...end of story.
Actually, it looked like the Heat couldn't believe it either.
The Spurs broke out probably the greatest shooting display I've ever seen in my 29-plus years on planet Earth: 71 1st half points, making 19 of their 1st 21 attempts from the floor, shooting 76% from the field after 2 quarters. After Game 2, I broke out a bullet list of 5 my main thoughts from the game...no such list necessary today.
Any other analysis other than the Spurs shot the lights out is completely unnecessary and absurd. Maybe the 1 other point you could make is that Miami was too careless with the ball. They coughed it up 20 times on the night (LeBron James had 7 and Dwyane Wade had 5), which only served to pile on in San Antonio's offensive fireworks display. Miami also had a couple defensive lapses early on that led to Spurs' layups, but on this night even when they played solid D the Spurs shot-making rendered it irrelevant.
But stop with everything else, please. People trying to make a story out of Kawhi Leonard outplaying James are silly. For the record, LeBron scored 22 points on only 14 shots, grabbed 5 boards, dished out 7 assists, and was the only thing even keeping the Heat within shouting distance of the Spurs early on. How badly Tony Parker and Patty Mills have outplayed Miami's point guards may be consequential in the grand scheme of things of this series, but it's merely a footnote for this particular game.
After 2 mediocre games, Leonard was a stud last night.
All you need to know are the offensive numbers from 2 paragraphs ago. As the saying goes though, in the NBA, everybody makes a run, and Miami predictably scrapped back into the game in the 2nd half. Several times, they trimmed the deficit to single digits, but the Spurs always seemed to push the lead back out to a comfortable 14 points or so. The fact is that unless Miami matched San Antonio's historic 1st half output in half number 2 or the Spurs simply stopped scoring the ball completely, the Heat had no chance. As another NBA cliche goes, it's a make or miss league. And the Spurs didn't miss very often.
Here's the most basic fact of all: if the Spurs shoot anything close to that again, there's nothing the Heat can do about it, and this series will be short and sweet...end of story.
Monday, June 9, 2014
Spurs-Heat, Game 2: We've Got A Match
5 thoughts about last night's Miami victory pulling the NBA Finals even at a game apiece...
1. Resilient is LeBron and Miami's middle name. Last night, James' 3rd quarter reminded me of like a mini-version of his Game 6 in Boston a few years ago. His bounce-back games following a career playoff worst 7 points against Indy and Cramp-Gate in Game 1 and the fact that the Heat never lose back-to-back playoff games are both pretty remarkable.
2. That was impressive. James seemed to compartmentalize each part of his offensive game last night. He lived in the paint in the 1st half, worked exclusively on deep jumpers in the 3rd quarter, and found Bosh for the go-ahead 3-pointer on a pretty drive-and-kick late in the 4th. Aside from a couple missed bunnies in the 1st quarter, he pretty much did what he wanted.
3. ...and that was ugly. It's tough to pinpoint any 1 play as the deciding factor in a 2 point game where the lead seemed to change a zillion times in the 2nd half, but it's hard to forget this 2nd half sequence: Tony Parker goes down after catching a Mario Chalmers elbow, Parker misses 2 free throws, Tim Duncan misses 2 free throws, and LeBron cans a 3 at the other end. San Antonio shot just 12 for 20 on freebies for the game.
4. How about Chris Bosh? Can we stop calling Bosh the most maligned member of The Big 3 already? Ok...out of him, Wade, and James, he is the obvious 3rd option, but out of the 3 no one has had to change or sacrifice more from his game. So he's not the greatest defender in the world, but how about his 2 and 1 throwdowns and the knock-down corner 3 to put the Heat up for good? Leave Chris Bosh alone, everybody.
5. San Antonio should feel worried. Now, as I say that, there's not going to be any panic in their locker room. But if not for LeBron's cramping in Game 1, the Spurs could be looking at being down 0-2 heading to Miami. Maybe even more alarming, if you watched the 1st 2 games and paid no attention to the scoreboard, it just seemed like the Spurs were up comfortably in both games (maybe aside from LeBron's Game 2 3rd quarter flurry). And it doesn't feel like the Heat have played particularly well. And yet Miami has been right there with the Spurs in Games 1 and 2.
1. Resilient is LeBron and Miami's middle name. Last night, James' 3rd quarter reminded me of like a mini-version of his Game 6 in Boston a few years ago. His bounce-back games following a career playoff worst 7 points against Indy and Cramp-Gate in Game 1 and the fact that the Heat never lose back-to-back playoff games are both pretty remarkable.
For 1 night at least, James silenced the haters.
2. That was impressive. James seemed to compartmentalize each part of his offensive game last night. He lived in the paint in the 1st half, worked exclusively on deep jumpers in the 3rd quarter, and found Bosh for the go-ahead 3-pointer on a pretty drive-and-kick late in the 4th. Aside from a couple missed bunnies in the 1st quarter, he pretty much did what he wanted.
3. ...and that was ugly. It's tough to pinpoint any 1 play as the deciding factor in a 2 point game where the lead seemed to change a zillion times in the 2nd half, but it's hard to forget this 2nd half sequence: Tony Parker goes down after catching a Mario Chalmers elbow, Parker misses 2 free throws, Tim Duncan misses 2 free throws, and LeBron cans a 3 at the other end. San Antonio shot just 12 for 20 on freebies for the game.
4. How about Chris Bosh? Can we stop calling Bosh the most maligned member of The Big 3 already? Ok...out of him, Wade, and James, he is the obvious 3rd option, but out of the 3 no one has had to change or sacrifice more from his game. So he's not the greatest defender in the world, but how about his 2 and 1 throwdowns and the knock-down corner 3 to put the Heat up for good? Leave Chris Bosh alone, everybody.
Posters! Get your posters here!
5. San Antonio should feel worried. Now, as I say that, there's not going to be any panic in their locker room. But if not for LeBron's cramping in Game 1, the Spurs could be looking at being down 0-2 heading to Miami. Maybe even more alarming, if you watched the 1st 2 games and paid no attention to the scoreboard, it just seemed like the Spurs were up comfortably in both games (maybe aside from LeBron's Game 2 3rd quarter flurry). And it doesn't feel like the Heat have played particularly well. And yet Miami has been right there with the Spurs in Games 1 and 2.
Now, it's time for Tony Parker and the Spurs to show some resilience of their own.
Friday, June 6, 2014
Spurs-Heat, Game 1
I usually put some kind of tagline with post titles like this, but all the cliches have already been written at this point. I dozed off on my couch as the 3rd quarter of last night's game started. By some odd coincidence, I actually woke up at the exact moment when LeBron limped/had to be carried off the court in the 4th quarter because of severe leg cramping. I watched the next minute or so until Danny Green buried another 3, causing a Miami timeout. At that point, I sensed garbage time was upon us, powered down, and climbed into bed.
Predictably, from that moment on the story wasn't the outcome of the game; it was the world's best player watching the last 4 minutes of a Finals game whose outcome was still very much in doubt. Also predictably, it served as an opportunity for any and all LeBron-haters to come out of the woodwork. Listening to "Mike & Mike" on the way in to work this morning, it's amazing how wide the chasm is between said haters and the hate-nots.
The players and coaches, including those of the Heat, mostly played it close to the vest: that the conditions were not ideal, but that both teams were subject to them, and that the Heat still could have found a way to pull this one out sans James. As Michael Wilbon often says on "PTI" though, more than one thing can be true. Both teams did play in the same heat. Miami still had 3 future Hall of Famers on the court to try to take care of business even after LeBron took to the bench. And yet, there are these simple facts: everyone's body reacts differently to different situations; the best player in the world wasn't on the court for the last 4 minutes of what was a 2 point game where his team lost; and San Antonio blew the doors off Miami once James left the game for good.
People (and even Gatorade) can troll James and point to athletes overcoming much tougher conditions than last night's blown arena AC if they want. I can speak from personal experience that cramps can be as debilitating as just about any other injury in that moment if they are severe enough. I've played different sports with sprains to knees, ankles, wrists, shoulders...I've played with broken bones before. A bad cramp can cause your body to literally seize up to the point where you can't move. LeBron is a once in a billion athlete, but there's something in his physiology where this has given him problems in the past from time to time. So, those that would suggest James is no MJ or Kobe because he didn't force himself out there are buffoons.
So, do I think James' leg cramps were the reason San Antonio won Game 1? No. Do I think it was the reason Miami lost any chance of winning that game? Yes. Either way, just one more factor that makes this series fantastic theater if nothing else.
Predictably, from that moment on the story wasn't the outcome of the game; it was the world's best player watching the last 4 minutes of a Finals game whose outcome was still very much in doubt. Also predictably, it served as an opportunity for any and all LeBron-haters to come out of the woodwork. Listening to "Mike & Mike" on the way in to work this morning, it's amazing how wide the chasm is between said haters and the hate-nots.
The players and coaches, including those of the Heat, mostly played it close to the vest: that the conditions were not ideal, but that both teams were subject to them, and that the Heat still could have found a way to pull this one out sans James. As Michael Wilbon often says on "PTI" though, more than one thing can be true. Both teams did play in the same heat. Miami still had 3 future Hall of Famers on the court to try to take care of business even after LeBron took to the bench. And yet, there are these simple facts: everyone's body reacts differently to different situations; the best player in the world wasn't on the court for the last 4 minutes of what was a 2 point game where his team lost; and San Antonio blew the doors off Miami once James left the game for good.
Also, while James was the only player that the 90+ degree temps took out of the game from either team, you couldn't pick out another player that exerts more energy and has more responsibilities on the court than LeBron.
People (and even Gatorade) can troll James and point to athletes overcoming much tougher conditions than last night's blown arena AC if they want. I can speak from personal experience that cramps can be as debilitating as just about any other injury in that moment if they are severe enough. I've played different sports with sprains to knees, ankles, wrists, shoulders...I've played with broken bones before. A bad cramp can cause your body to literally seize up to the point where you can't move. LeBron is a once in a billion athlete, but there's something in his physiology where this has given him problems in the past from time to time. So, those that would suggest James is no MJ or Kobe because he didn't force himself out there are buffoons.
So, do I think James' leg cramps were the reason San Antonio won Game 1? No. Do I think it was the reason Miami lost any chance of winning that game? Yes. Either way, just one more factor that makes this series fantastic theater if nothing else.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
2014 B-Court All-Star NBA Finals Preview
So, it's been 2 weeks since my last post, where I gave San Antonio and Miami the best odds of winning the NBA Finals, and where are we? Heading into tonight's Game 1 we have the Spurs hosting the Heat in a rematch of last year's epic Finals series. This might be the most hyped I have been for a Finals matchup since MJ's Bulls faced the Payton-Kemp Supersonics back in 1996. With almost a week off since the last Conference Finals game, the juiciest storylines have already all been dissected, but here's what I will be watching for.
1. Will LeBron shoot the ball? Last year, it took James about 4.5 games to finally adjust to the Spurs defensive strategy when he had the ball...which was basically to play a million feet off of him. LeBron has been a much improved shooter over the last few seasons, but San Antonio knows he really wants to get into the paint, bend the defense, and pick out a wide open 3-point shooter to pass to. You could tell that James often felt the awkwardness of being too open last year, which made him hesitate and miss shots he normally is automatic on. Will Gregg Popovich employ that same strategy? And will the smartest player in the league figure it out more quickly this time around?
2. Is Tony Parker healthy? He came into last year's Finals with a gimpy hammy, but he seemed to be full-go most of the time. Now, it's an ankle. The Spurs' bench is better this season, but they don't stand a chance if Parker isn't himself.
3. Does a better Dwyane Wade make up for a worse Miami supporting cast overall? I'm hearing a lot of this line of thinking over the past week: the Spurs are better than they were last season, and Miami is worse than last season, so the Spurs should win, right? But D-Wade was basically a shell of himself the entire 2013 postseason. To me, Miami's best lineups last year were with Wade on the bench (I think if you could track down the plus-minus stats, they would support that). Wade is still a shell of his former self athletically, but his reinvented mid-range, post-up, random cut, floater game is ridiculously good. Out of the 7 Finals games last season, I remember Wade having 1 good game in San Antonio, and other than that I think he was pretty lousy. This time around, I don't think that will be the case. Does it make up for the fact that Rashard Lewis will basically be taking over the roles of Mike Miller, Shane Battier, and Udonis Haslem combined though? Yikes.
4. How motivated are the Spurs? I know, I know...what more possible motivation do you need when you have a chance to win a ring against the team that brutally took it from you the year before? But we've all watched these Spurs for a long time. They are fundamental, a machine, surgical even...but you just never think of Tim Duncan and company as cold blooded killers. I'm not saying you have to have the LeBron in Boston deathstare to win, but I think Game 1 will tell us a lot about San Antonio's mindset.
5. What kind of lineups are we going to see? This is something that always fascinates me, especially when teams play against Miami. LeBron is the ultimate Swiss army knife, and his versatility usually makes opposing coaches adjust their traditional lineups and rotations. But like Indy, San Antonio doesn't normally like to go away from playing 2 bigs at once. Then again, when Miami played James at the 4 last year, they killed the Spurs, so matching up might be wise (especially because Tiago Splitter and Boris Diaw aren't exactly the types of big guys who can punish a team for going small). Then again, we saw the Heat put James on Parker in crunch time at times last year. In those cases, if Miami is small and San Antonio stays big, that probably puts Ray Allen or Wade on the Spurs' big not named Duncan. We are likely to see some crazy lineups and matchups yet again.
6. How much will this series impact the way these 2 teams' rosters look next season? It's possible (and even likely) that both rosters will be extremely reshaped this summer anyway, but there's speculation that a Spurs win might send Duncan and Popovich riding off into the sunset, retiring with the belt. A Heat win could convince Miami's core to come back to try it again. To me, the 1st scenario is more applicable. A 5th title would be great send-off to a top 10 all-time great who's approaching 40 years old. And how long is our favorite sideline curmudgeon going to keep doing this for anyway? However, unless something drastic happens like Chris Bosh putting up a couple Roy Hibbert-esque bagels, my prediction is the Heatles stay put one way or the other. The fact is this: there's no where else better for any of the big 3 to go than where they are right now. South Beach is awesome. They play in the easier of the 2 conferences. There's no situation that would make it easier for them to win again than staying put. I think win or lose, all 3 opt out of the last years of their contracts, take a smidge less money, and let Pat Riley re-tool the role players around them once again. And who wouldn't want to come to Florida to play alongside James, Wade, and Bosh? Sounds like a good deal to me.
Oh, by the way...Miami in 6.
1. Will LeBron shoot the ball? Last year, it took James about 4.5 games to finally adjust to the Spurs defensive strategy when he had the ball...which was basically to play a million feet off of him. LeBron has been a much improved shooter over the last few seasons, but San Antonio knows he really wants to get into the paint, bend the defense, and pick out a wide open 3-point shooter to pass to. You could tell that James often felt the awkwardness of being too open last year, which made him hesitate and miss shots he normally is automatic on. Will Gregg Popovich employ that same strategy? And will the smartest player in the league figure it out more quickly this time around?
2. Is Tony Parker healthy? He came into last year's Finals with a gimpy hammy, but he seemed to be full-go most of the time. Now, it's an ankle. The Spurs' bench is better this season, but they don't stand a chance if Parker isn't himself.
3. Does a better Dwyane Wade make up for a worse Miami supporting cast overall? I'm hearing a lot of this line of thinking over the past week: the Spurs are better than they were last season, and Miami is worse than last season, so the Spurs should win, right? But D-Wade was basically a shell of himself the entire 2013 postseason. To me, Miami's best lineups last year were with Wade on the bench (I think if you could track down the plus-minus stats, they would support that). Wade is still a shell of his former self athletically, but his reinvented mid-range, post-up, random cut, floater game is ridiculously good. Out of the 7 Finals games last season, I remember Wade having 1 good game in San Antonio, and other than that I think he was pretty lousy. This time around, I don't think that will be the case. Does it make up for the fact that Rashard Lewis will basically be taking over the roles of Mike Miller, Shane Battier, and Udonis Haslem combined though? Yikes.
4. How motivated are the Spurs? I know, I know...what more possible motivation do you need when you have a chance to win a ring against the team that brutally took it from you the year before? But we've all watched these Spurs for a long time. They are fundamental, a machine, surgical even...but you just never think of Tim Duncan and company as cold blooded killers. I'm not saying you have to have the LeBron in Boston deathstare to win, but I think Game 1 will tell us a lot about San Antonio's mindset.
5. What kind of lineups are we going to see? This is something that always fascinates me, especially when teams play against Miami. LeBron is the ultimate Swiss army knife, and his versatility usually makes opposing coaches adjust their traditional lineups and rotations. But like Indy, San Antonio doesn't normally like to go away from playing 2 bigs at once. Then again, when Miami played James at the 4 last year, they killed the Spurs, so matching up might be wise (especially because Tiago Splitter and Boris Diaw aren't exactly the types of big guys who can punish a team for going small). Then again, we saw the Heat put James on Parker in crunch time at times last year. In those cases, if Miami is small and San Antonio stays big, that probably puts Ray Allen or Wade on the Spurs' big not named Duncan. We are likely to see some crazy lineups and matchups yet again.
6. How much will this series impact the way these 2 teams' rosters look next season? It's possible (and even likely) that both rosters will be extremely reshaped this summer anyway, but there's speculation that a Spurs win might send Duncan and Popovich riding off into the sunset, retiring with the belt. A Heat win could convince Miami's core to come back to try it again. To me, the 1st scenario is more applicable. A 5th title would be great send-off to a top 10 all-time great who's approaching 40 years old. And how long is our favorite sideline curmudgeon going to keep doing this for anyway? However, unless something drastic happens like Chris Bosh putting up a couple Roy Hibbert-esque bagels, my prediction is the Heatles stay put one way or the other. The fact is this: there's no where else better for any of the big 3 to go than where they are right now. South Beach is awesome. They play in the easier of the 2 conferences. There's no situation that would make it easier for them to win again than staying put. I think win or lose, all 3 opt out of the last years of their contracts, take a smidge less money, and let Pat Riley re-tool the role players around them once again. And who wouldn't want to come to Florida to play alongside James, Wade, and Bosh? Sounds like a good deal to me.
Oh, by the way...Miami in 6.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
2014 NBA Power Rankings, Playoff Edition (Volume 5): Final
Consider this my last Power Ranking of this year's playoffs. Unlike the regular season, when my Power Rankings kind of reflect who I think in that moment is the best team in the league, the playoff version is written as not only that but as my own way of handicapping who I think has the best chance to win the Title at that time. Matchups and potential matchups down the road have to be considered. Well, with only 4 teams left, that seems like a pretty silly exercise to continue as each Conference Finals series moves along. How much can the Rankings swing 1 way or the other, anyway? In a perfect world, I would have liked to get this out prior to the 1st game of each Conference Finals series, but I digress.
1. San Antonio Spurs (PR=2)...The Spurs finally move past Miami back into the top spot for a number or reasons. They are playing great. Their matchup with OKC is a lot more favorable with Ibaka out. And they matchup well with the Heat and Pacers as well. As long as Tony Parker's hammies hold up, I think they have to be considered the favorite to win it all now.
2. Miami Heat (PR=2)...For me, they hold the slimmest of advantages over Indy. And most of that has to do with experience and LeBron. Let's face it: this team is not as good as either of the championship teams of the last 2 seasons. Those teams had a younger D-Wade. Role players like Shane Battier, Mike Miller, and Udonis Haslem all played well. The free agent gambles they took last summer (B-EZ and Greg Odom) that worked in years past (Ray Allen, Chris Anderson, etc.) didn't pan out at all this time around. They are playing James Jones regular rotation minutes for Pete's sake! This postseason, it seems to be all on LeBron, as so aptly pointed out by a Bill Simmons piece this week. They still get those championship brownie points, but, honestly, it doesn't look great.
3. Indiana Pacers (PR=3)...Their spot in each of the 5 Playoff Power Rankings thus far? 4th, 12th, 6th, 3rd, and 3rd. If that doesn't sum up how maddening the Pacers have been, I don't know what does. Look, their late season and early playoff round freefall was not over-exaggerated. But they've survived. And they are built to beat Miami. And other big time teams like Miami (especially Miami) seem to get their full attention. I think the underdog, nobody-believes-in-us role fits them much better than the big bad wolf playing against the sub-0.500, quirky, 3-point chucking Hawks or the upstart Wizards. It wouldn't shock me at all to see Indy beat the Heat without even going the full 7 games.
4. Oklahoma City Thunder (PR=4)...Arguably, Serge Ibaka's injury hurts them almost as much as Russell Westbrook's injury did a year ago (maybe equally considering the other teams remaining). They have absolutely no rim protection at all now. And Ibaka was crucial to not only OKC's ability to go small (because of his shot-blocking) but still spread the floor at the 4 with more conventional lineups as well. Now, they have no one to contend with Tim Duncan in the post or deter Tony Parker's drives to the rim. And similar to Game 1 against the Spurs, Miami or Indy would live in the paint against them as well should Durant and Westbrook somehow carry them into the Finals anyway. Aside from KD getting hurt, this might have been the worst possible scenario for the Thunder.
Doneski
Charlotte Bobcats
Chicago Bulls
Houston Rockets
Atlanta Hawks
Memphis Grizzlies
Golden State Warriors
Toronto Raptors
Dallas Mavericks
Brooklyn Nets
Portland Trailblazers
Washington Wizards
Los Angeles Clippers
1. San Antonio Spurs (PR=2)...The Spurs finally move past Miami back into the top spot for a number or reasons. They are playing great. Their matchup with OKC is a lot more favorable with Ibaka out. And they matchup well with the Heat and Pacers as well. As long as Tony Parker's hammies hold up, I think they have to be considered the favorite to win it all now.
TD may have his way with OKC.
2. Miami Heat (PR=2)...For me, they hold the slimmest of advantages over Indy. And most of that has to do with experience and LeBron. Let's face it: this team is not as good as either of the championship teams of the last 2 seasons. Those teams had a younger D-Wade. Role players like Shane Battier, Mike Miller, and Udonis Haslem all played well. The free agent gambles they took last summer (B-EZ and Greg Odom) that worked in years past (Ray Allen, Chris Anderson, etc.) didn't pan out at all this time around. They are playing James Jones regular rotation minutes for Pete's sake! This postseason, it seems to be all on LeBron, as so aptly pointed out by a Bill Simmons piece this week. They still get those championship brownie points, but, honestly, it doesn't look great.
LeBron might have to be Hon Solo for Miami to advance.
3. Indiana Pacers (PR=3)...Their spot in each of the 5 Playoff Power Rankings thus far? 4th, 12th, 6th, 3rd, and 3rd. If that doesn't sum up how maddening the Pacers have been, I don't know what does. Look, their late season and early playoff round freefall was not over-exaggerated. But they've survived. And they are built to beat Miami. And other big time teams like Miami (especially Miami) seem to get their full attention. I think the underdog, nobody-believes-in-us role fits them much better than the big bad wolf playing against the sub-0.500, quirky, 3-point chucking Hawks or the upstart Wizards. It wouldn't shock me at all to see Indy beat the Heat without even going the full 7 games.
David West and the Pacers provide matchup problems for Miami all over the court.
4. Oklahoma City Thunder (PR=4)...Arguably, Serge Ibaka's injury hurts them almost as much as Russell Westbrook's injury did a year ago (maybe equally considering the other teams remaining). They have absolutely no rim protection at all now. And Ibaka was crucial to not only OKC's ability to go small (because of his shot-blocking) but still spread the floor at the 4 with more conventional lineups as well. Now, they have no one to contend with Tim Duncan in the post or deter Tony Parker's drives to the rim. And similar to Game 1 against the Spurs, Miami or Indy would live in the paint against them as well should Durant and Westbrook somehow carry them into the Finals anyway. Aside from KD getting hurt, this might have been the worst possible scenario for the Thunder.
No Ibaka is a big problem for the Thunder.
Doneski
Charlotte Bobcats
Chicago Bulls
Houston Rockets
Atlanta Hawks
Memphis Grizzlies
Golden State Warriors
Toronto Raptors
Dallas Mavericks
Brooklyn Nets
Portland Trailblazers
Washington Wizards
Los Angeles Clippers
Monday, May 19, 2014
The Real Beast Mode
My wife is a beast. This is probably a term that most women wouldn’t take to very kindly…especially my wife, who admittedly battled weight problems through high school (and endured the very nickname the beast from her brothers in a not-so-nice meaning) before becoming her presently very fit self. But now she is a beast in the very best sense of the word.
A little context here: the name of this blog is kind of a self-deprecating look at my own athletic prowess. If you came to watch me play on a basketball court or football field of Average Joes, I might come across as the best player out there on that particular day. But that’s with “Average Joes.” If you did this with Krissy and replaced Joes with Josephines, she would not might come across as the best player…she would be the best player by light years. If she were the author of this blog, “B-Court All-Star” wouldn’t be an apt title; “A-Court Superstar” would be much more on point.
When healthy, I am a good all-around athlete. Good is the operative word. Relative to other girls, my wife is in the top 0.01%...I don’t really know the odds; she might be better than that even. I am admittedly totally biased, but it’s not just hyperbole. She was a 3 sport varsity athlete in high school (having never played before, she just picked up tennis because she didn’t have anything to play in the spring…picked up). She was a junior college All-American softball player in high school, and a Division I Team MVP in her senior season in the same sport. She passed on an opportunity to play professionally overseas after her college career ended.
To say she is a natural athlete would be the understatement of the century. I’m a terrible ice skater, but Krissy had never been ice skating before. We went a few years ago for her 1st time with my sister and my dad (a seasoned skater who grew up playing pick-up ice hockey on his backyard pond). She fell once within her 1st 5 minutes on the ice…after that she was skating around the rink 90 mph backwards right on my old man’s heals.
Since crossing over from the collegiate ranks to the B-Court with me, she definitely has distinguished herself. Wherever I have played pickup basketball over the years, she has always played along with me. And she doesn’t simply play…she is one of the best players on the court, and that is as the only girl playing with a bunch of dudes.
In our coed touch football league, she started out as one of the all-around best girls in the league. For the past 4 seasons, she’s operated as our full-time quarterback. She’s the only girl that I know of who has done that even for 1 season…did I mention that she was pregnant for 2 of those seasons? Not just like conceived-halfway-through-the-season pregnant…like, super-pregnant…like played-our-last-game-in-November-and-gave-birth-in-January (or May-and-due-in-September) pregnant. Did I mention we’ve made the playoffs in 3 of those 4 seasons – 2 of them the pregnant variety – as well?
So, this Saturday when we lost our playoff game, Krissy was super-pissed the entire car ride home. But all I could think of was how improbably it is to do what she has done. I mean, she should have an article written about her in the paper or something…but since The Baltimore Sun hasn’t come calling, this is probably the best I can do. To my wife, Krissy: the beauty and the beast.
A little context here: the name of this blog is kind of a self-deprecating look at my own athletic prowess. If you came to watch me play on a basketball court or football field of Average Joes, I might come across as the best player out there on that particular day. But that’s with “Average Joes.” If you did this with Krissy and replaced Joes with Josephines, she would not might come across as the best player…she would be the best player by light years. If she were the author of this blog, “B-Court All-Star” wouldn’t be an apt title; “A-Court Superstar” would be much more on point.
When healthy, I am a good all-around athlete. Good is the operative word. Relative to other girls, my wife is in the top 0.01%...I don’t really know the odds; she might be better than that even. I am admittedly totally biased, but it’s not just hyperbole. She was a 3 sport varsity athlete in high school (having never played before, she just picked up tennis because she didn’t have anything to play in the spring…picked up). She was a junior college All-American softball player in high school, and a Division I Team MVP in her senior season in the same sport. She passed on an opportunity to play professionally overseas after her college career ended.
To say she is a natural athlete would be the understatement of the century. I’m a terrible ice skater, but Krissy had never been ice skating before. We went a few years ago for her 1st time with my sister and my dad (a seasoned skater who grew up playing pick-up ice hockey on his backyard pond). She fell once within her 1st 5 minutes on the ice…after that she was skating around the rink 90 mph backwards right on my old man’s heals.
Since crossing over from the collegiate ranks to the B-Court with me, she definitely has distinguished herself. Wherever I have played pickup basketball over the years, she has always played along with me. And she doesn’t simply play…she is one of the best players on the court, and that is as the only girl playing with a bunch of dudes.
In our coed touch football league, she started out as one of the all-around best girls in the league. For the past 4 seasons, she’s operated as our full-time quarterback. She’s the only girl that I know of who has done that even for 1 season…did I mention that she was pregnant for 2 of those seasons? Not just like conceived-halfway-through-the-season pregnant…like, super-pregnant…like played-our-last-game-in-November-and-gave-birth-in-January (or May-and-due-in-September) pregnant. Did I mention we’ve made the playoffs in 3 of those 4 seasons – 2 of them the pregnant variety – as well?
So, this Saturday when we lost our playoff game, Krissy was super-pissed the entire car ride home. But all I could think of was how improbably it is to do what she has done. I mean, she should have an article written about her in the paper or something…but since The Baltimore Sun hasn’t come calling, this is probably the best I can do. To my wife, Krissy: the beauty and the beast.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
2014 NBA Power Rankings, Playoff Edition (Volume 4): Timberrrr
It's bad enough that no-talent hack Pitbull was on the NBA's playoff theme song last year , but this year's theme is just too much.
Now I have to see his mug 30 times a night with this garbage. Not only is the actual song 1,000 times worse, but Pitbull's stupid midget face is stamped across the screen the whole time. Just...what exactly was ABC/ESPN thinking? Playoffs...playoffs...playoffs...get the f*** outta here, you wannabe piece of s***!
1. Miami Heat (PR=1)...The Spurs actually had a chance to knock Miami off of the top spot last night, but they couldn't complete the sweep. LeBron's 49 and 4th quarter passing pretty much shows why the Heat should still be the favorites despite their obvious shortcomings.
2. San Antonio Spurs (PR=2)...Do you see me worried? Spurs in 5, you guys. Ho, hum, big whoop.
3. Indiana Pacers (PR=6)...Definitely the biggest fluctuator (word or not a word?) in this list. Here's their high point thus far. Inconsistencies, disappearing big men, and fist fights aside, they have won 5 of their last 6 games now. Suddenly, a knock down, drag out Conference Finals with Miami seems within the realm of possibilities again.
4. Oklahoma City Thunder (PR=5)...Hard to differentiate much between them and the Clippers, but I'll give them the nod based on getting home court advantage back (and looking like the better team for most of 3 straight games)...most.
5. Los Angeles Clippers (PR=4)...I would love to see them advance, but they need someone to make a basket once in a while besides CP3 and Griffin. They're still only the West's 3rd best though.
6. Portland Trailblazers (PR=3)...They win the best spot of the 3 losing teams only because they won last night. (See San Antonio Spurs bullet though.)
7. Brooklyn Nets (PR=8)...KG and Pierce are warriors, but it's time for the very loud, very old, very expensive Nets to go away for the summer. Please don't forget to take your parting gifts on the way out. (Spoiler: there are no parting gifts.)
8. Washington Wizards (PR=7)...If losing 2 home playoff games in the manner that they did doesn't spell not ready for this stage yet, I don't know what does. Hopefully, they will be better next year for having this experience.
Doneski
Charlotte Bobcats
Chicago Bulls
Houston Rockets
Atlanta Hawks
Memphis Grizzlies
Golden State Warriors
Toronto Raptors
Dallas Mavericks
Now I have to see his mug 30 times a night with this garbage. Not only is the actual song 1,000 times worse, but Pitbull's stupid midget face is stamped across the screen the whole time. Just...what exactly was ABC/ESPN thinking? Playoffs...playoffs...playoffs...get the f*** outta here, you wannabe piece of s***!
1. Miami Heat (PR=1)...The Spurs actually had a chance to knock Miami off of the top spot last night, but they couldn't complete the sweep. LeBron's 49 and 4th quarter passing pretty much shows why the Heat should still be the favorites despite their obvious shortcomings.
2. San Antonio Spurs (PR=2)...Do you see me worried? Spurs in 5, you guys. Ho, hum, big whoop.
3. Indiana Pacers (PR=6)...Definitely the biggest fluctuator (word or not a word?) in this list. Here's their high point thus far. Inconsistencies, disappearing big men, and fist fights aside, they have won 5 of their last 6 games now. Suddenly, a knock down, drag out Conference Finals with Miami seems within the realm of possibilities again.
4. Oklahoma City Thunder (PR=5)...Hard to differentiate much between them and the Clippers, but I'll give them the nod based on getting home court advantage back (and looking like the better team for most of 3 straight games)...most.
5. Los Angeles Clippers (PR=4)...I would love to see them advance, but they need someone to make a basket once in a while besides CP3 and Griffin. They're still only the West's 3rd best though.
6. Portland Trailblazers (PR=3)...They win the best spot of the 3 losing teams only because they won last night. (See San Antonio Spurs bullet though.)
7. Brooklyn Nets (PR=8)...KG and Pierce are warriors, but it's time for the very loud, very old, very expensive Nets to go away for the summer. Please don't forget to take your parting gifts on the way out. (Spoiler: there are no parting gifts.)
8. Washington Wizards (PR=7)...If losing 2 home playoff games in the manner that they did doesn't spell not ready for this stage yet, I don't know what does. Hopefully, they will be better next year for having this experience.
Doneski
Charlotte Bobcats
Chicago Bulls
Houston Rockets
Atlanta Hawks
Memphis Grizzlies
Golden State Warriors
Toronto Raptors
Dallas Mavericks
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Ad Nausem: "I Don't Always Find Kevin Hart To Be Funny..."
...but when I do, I prefer him in this Inside the NBA commercial. His imitations of all the guys on set are pretty on point. Even I could laugh at this one. He got me...he really got me.
Oh, and the real reason behind Roy Hibbert's 28 point explosion last night? It's because Roy is an avid reader of B-Court All-Star of course. Didn't you know? I guess with that being said, I should leave the prognosticating to the real Shaq, Ernie, Kenny, and Chuck (well, maybe not Shaq).
And yet, I got the Heat tonight in a much closer contest than Game 1 and the Spurs in another route...sorry, Portland. That's all I got for today. Barbecue chicken...right, Shaq? Right!
Oh, and the real reason behind Roy Hibbert's 28 point explosion last night? It's because Roy is an avid reader of B-Court All-Star of course. Didn't you know? I guess with that being said, I should leave the prognosticating to the real Shaq, Ernie, Kenny, and Chuck (well, maybe not Shaq).
And yet, I got the Heat tonight in a much closer contest than Game 1 and the Spurs in another route...sorry, Portland. That's all I got for today. Barbecue chicken...right, Shaq? Right!
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
The 'Real' Roy Hibbert
Poor Roy Hibbert...I know the man has put up donuts in multiple categories in this year's playoffs, but has it really come to this? It's one thing for Samuel L. Jackson to rag on Hibbert on Twitter, but Gilbert Arenas? The man who single-handedly killed the Wizards franchise for about, I dunno, 5 seasons? The player who's greatest accolades are doing number 2 in a teammate's shoe and nearly setting off a fire-fight in a locker room? Or Tracy McGrady? The superstar who never even got out of Round 1 of the playoffs until he rode San Antonio's bench to the Finals last year? (I actually like and feel for T-Mac, but still.)
The truth is that Hibbert's demise has been of epic proportions. Name another All-Star center who had multiple 0 point, 0 rebound postseason games. You can't, because it's never happened before. Everyone is postulating as to why this is. Was it simply a match-up issue against Atlanta, who uses big guys that hover around the 3-point line and shoot 8,000 triples a game? But the Wizards, who Hibbert also vanished against in Game 1 of this series, play 2 traditional bigs in Nene and Gortat. And Hibbert gave Miami, who plays more of a small-ball lineup, fits last year. So, maybe it's partially that, but there are counterarguments to be sure.
Is it purely psychological? Personally, Hibbert doesn't strike me as having a killer's demeanor. This is a guy who was basically a nothing-player until his last season of college ball, and he was a late bloomer on the NBA level as well. Could he be a little bit fragile? You bet your a** he could be. But then again, this doesn't seem like Chuck Knoblauch not being able to throw to 1st base either.
Is there so much turmoil on the Pacers right now, that Hibbert can't function? Now, I'm not a beat reporter, but the troubles within the Pacers' organization are well documented. Larry Bird isn't sold on Coach Frank Vogul. Lance Stephenson is a ticking timebomb ready to go off at any moment, and he apparently has gotten into it with teammates at times this year...at least he did with Evan Turner. Others we aren't so sure about yet. We all know Indy traded away veteran locker room presence (and apparently very well liked and well respected dude) Danny Granger to bring on Turner and malcontent Andrew Bynum. The point is that this is a team with a lot of strong personalities. When things have gone well for them in the past, the ball moves on offense, and that usually starts with pounding the ball inside to Hibbert. Lately, even when Hibbert's in the game, it doesn't seem like he's getting many touches. The ball seems to stick to Paul George, Stephenson, or David West's hands, and the possession usually seems to end with some version of iso-hero-ball. As dominant as big men can be, they still rely on guards to get them the ball, and that doesn't seem to be happening right now. But even that doesn't excuse Hibbert for not grabbing a rebound or blocking a shot.
I think all of these things play a roll, but truthfully I just don't think Roy Hibbert is that good. In basketball terms, this age should be known as The Death of the Center. Look at the best centers over the last 10 years or so. A fat old Shaq, Dwight Howard, Yao Ming, and Tim Duncan (sorry, he's not a power forward). Duncan is truly great, but if this were the 70's, 80's, or 90's, I think Yao Ming would've projected to a slightly better Rik Smits. Maybe that is sacrelidge for me to say, but that's how I feel. And in those eras, I'm not sure Howard would have ever even made an All-Star game. Sure, he's a freakish athlete, but I think guys like Patrick Ewing, young Shaq, Hakeem Olajuwon, and David Robinson would have eaten him alive. And who is on that next level of recent centers? Joakim Noah, Bynum, Marc Gasol, and Hibbert maybe?
So, I guess my point is this: lay off of Roy Hibbert a little bit. He's a 2 time All-Star, but even in his best statistical season (2011-2012), he only averaged 12 points and 8 rebounds a game...those are pretty pedestrian numbers if you ask me. I think the fact that he matches up well with Miami and got hot against them in last year's playoffs put the spot light on him too much. I watched this guy play at Georgetown; Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo, and Alonzo Mouring he is not. When he was a freshman in college, he ran in such a way that made you wonder if he could even get up and down the court and back. When you think about the improvements he made to actually be an NBA-level player, it's amazing. I'm not giving him a complete pass either. I think he can do better than a line of 0, 0, and 0. But he's not what we've made him out to be either.
No, this is too much.
The truth is that Hibbert's demise has been of epic proportions. Name another All-Star center who had multiple 0 point, 0 rebound postseason games. You can't, because it's never happened before. Everyone is postulating as to why this is. Was it simply a match-up issue against Atlanta, who uses big guys that hover around the 3-point line and shoot 8,000 triples a game? But the Wizards, who Hibbert also vanished against in Game 1 of this series, play 2 traditional bigs in Nene and Gortat. And Hibbert gave Miami, who plays more of a small-ball lineup, fits last year. So, maybe it's partially that, but there are counterarguments to be sure.
Is it purely psychological? Personally, Hibbert doesn't strike me as having a killer's demeanor. This is a guy who was basically a nothing-player until his last season of college ball, and he was a late bloomer on the NBA level as well. Could he be a little bit fragile? You bet your a** he could be. But then again, this doesn't seem like Chuck Knoblauch not being able to throw to 1st base either.
Is there so much turmoil on the Pacers right now, that Hibbert can't function? Now, I'm not a beat reporter, but the troubles within the Pacers' organization are well documented. Larry Bird isn't sold on Coach Frank Vogul. Lance Stephenson is a ticking timebomb ready to go off at any moment, and he apparently has gotten into it with teammates at times this year...at least he did with Evan Turner. Others we aren't so sure about yet. We all know Indy traded away veteran locker room presence (and apparently very well liked and well respected dude) Danny Granger to bring on Turner and malcontent Andrew Bynum. The point is that this is a team with a lot of strong personalities. When things have gone well for them in the past, the ball moves on offense, and that usually starts with pounding the ball inside to Hibbert. Lately, even when Hibbert's in the game, it doesn't seem like he's getting many touches. The ball seems to stick to Paul George, Stephenson, or David West's hands, and the possession usually seems to end with some version of iso-hero-ball. As dominant as big men can be, they still rely on guards to get them the ball, and that doesn't seem to be happening right now. But even that doesn't excuse Hibbert for not grabbing a rebound or blocking a shot.
I think all of these things play a roll, but truthfully I just don't think Roy Hibbert is that good. In basketball terms, this age should be known as The Death of the Center. Look at the best centers over the last 10 years or so. A fat old Shaq, Dwight Howard, Yao Ming, and Tim Duncan (sorry, he's not a power forward). Duncan is truly great, but if this were the 70's, 80's, or 90's, I think Yao Ming would've projected to a slightly better Rik Smits. Maybe that is sacrelidge for me to say, but that's how I feel. And in those eras, I'm not sure Howard would have ever even made an All-Star game. Sure, he's a freakish athlete, but I think guys like Patrick Ewing, young Shaq, Hakeem Olajuwon, and David Robinson would have eaten him alive. And who is on that next level of recent centers? Joakim Noah, Bynum, Marc Gasol, and Hibbert maybe?
Honestly, it's tough to come up with names for that list.
So, I guess my point is this: lay off of Roy Hibbert a little bit. He's a 2 time All-Star, but even in his best statistical season (2011-2012), he only averaged 12 points and 8 rebounds a game...those are pretty pedestrian numbers if you ask me. I think the fact that he matches up well with Miami and got hot against them in last year's playoffs put the spot light on him too much. I watched this guy play at Georgetown; Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo, and Alonzo Mouring he is not. When he was a freshman in college, he ran in such a way that made you wonder if he could even get up and down the court and back. When you think about the improvements he made to actually be an NBA-level player, it's amazing. I'm not giving him a complete pass either. I think he can do better than a line of 0, 0, and 0. But he's not what we've made him out to be either.
Monday, May 5, 2014
2014 NBA Power Rankings, Playoff Edition (Volume 3): Round 2!
Phew, what a whirlwind of a day...and what whirlwind of a Round 1! Listen, I will still argue to the day I die that Round 1 should go back to a best of 5 format, but if you ever wanted to argue in favor of the current best of 7 format, 2014 would be Exhibit A...so good that now my last 3 posts have been NBA Power Rankings posts.
1. Miami Heat (PR=1)...I mean, they are the only remaining team to not even play a game since the last edition of the Rankings, so this top spot is pretty elementary.
2. San Antonio Spurs (PR=2)...I know the Mavs pushed them to 7 games, but I never even got the sense that the Spurs played poorly; the Mavs were just good!
3. Portland Trailblazers (PR=3)...Boring...a repeat of last week's top 3, but it's tough to put anyone else ahead of Portland right now.
4. Los Angeles Clippers (PR=4)...I can't f***ing wait for this Clips-Thunder series. Slight edge goes to LA because OKC's style of play plays right into the Clips' hands, but KD may average 45 a night too.
5. Oklahoma City Thunder (PR=4)...I'm not sure if they can stop CP3 or Griffin though, and as evidenced by the last series, Russell Westbrook is due for at least 2 games this series where he goes 10 for 28 with 6 TOs while Durant gets less than 20 shots.
6. Indiana Pacers (PR=12)...Oh yeah, almost forgot about the Eastern Conference! Although I think the Pacers will regain a little bit of footing in this series playing against a much better team that they also match up a little better against.
7. Washington Wizards (PR=8)...Dropping below Indy on gut feeling alone this week. Although I'd love to see them get to the Conference Finals.
8. Brooklyn Nets (PR=9)...If not for them having a couple old Celtics who still hate Miami and them beating Miami 4 straight this year, I'd have no interest in this series at all...but I'm saying there's a chance.
Doneski
Charlotte Bobcats
Chicago Bulls
Houston Rockets
Atlanta Hawks
Memphis Grizzlies
Golden State Warriors
Toronto Raptors
Dallas Mavericks
1. Miami Heat (PR=1)...I mean, they are the only remaining team to not even play a game since the last edition of the Rankings, so this top spot is pretty elementary.
2. San Antonio Spurs (PR=2)...I know the Mavs pushed them to 7 games, but I never even got the sense that the Spurs played poorly; the Mavs were just good!
3. Portland Trailblazers (PR=3)...Boring...a repeat of last week's top 3, but it's tough to put anyone else ahead of Portland right now.
4. Los Angeles Clippers (PR=4)...I can't f***ing wait for this Clips-Thunder series. Slight edge goes to LA because OKC's style of play plays right into the Clips' hands, but KD may average 45 a night too.
5. Oklahoma City Thunder (PR=4)...I'm not sure if they can stop CP3 or Griffin though, and as evidenced by the last series, Russell Westbrook is due for at least 2 games this series where he goes 10 for 28 with 6 TOs while Durant gets less than 20 shots.
6. Indiana Pacers (PR=12)...Oh yeah, almost forgot about the Eastern Conference! Although I think the Pacers will regain a little bit of footing in this series playing against a much better team that they also match up a little better against.
7. Washington Wizards (PR=8)...Dropping below Indy on gut feeling alone this week. Although I'd love to see them get to the Conference Finals.
8. Brooklyn Nets (PR=9)...If not for them having a couple old Celtics who still hate Miami and them beating Miami 4 straight this year, I'd have no interest in this series at all...but I'm saying there's a chance.
Doneski
Charlotte Bobcats
Chicago Bulls
Houston Rockets
Atlanta Hawks
Memphis Grizzlies
Golden State Warriors
Toronto Raptors
Dallas Mavericks
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
2014 NBA Power Rankings, Playoff Edition (Volume 2): FUBAR
Don't know what that last word means? Look it up! Because that's what this year's NBA Playoffs are for what was thought to be some of the league's top teams. Holy hell...let's dive right into it, shall we?
1. Miami Heat (PR=2)...They got brownie points 12 days ago just for being the 2 time defending champ, but now it looks like ranking them that high was the way to go. They didn't exactly look like world-beaters in any of their games against Charlotte, but the Heat are the only - I repeat, only - team to take care of business and sweep into Round 2.
2. San Antonio Spurs (PR=1)...They are only this high because of a similar brownie point philosophy used for Miami, and they got home court advantage back against the Mavs with last night's win, but Dallas is making them work.
3. Portland Trailblazers (PR=9)...They jump this high basically by default, as every other Western Conference series is tied 2-2. Still, LaMarcus Aldridge is a beast.
4. [Tie] Oklahoma City Thunder, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers, and Golden State Warriors (PR=what?)...In their 2 respective series, these 4 teams all have 2 wins apiece, and it's probably a coin flip either way for all of them. OKC is still figuring out how to reintegrate Russell Westbrook, Memphis is a bad matchup for the Thunder, no one knows where the Clippers' heads are at the moment, and the Warriors can shoot their way past anyone. So, you get this: a 4 way Western Conference cuddle-puddle.
8. Washington Wizards (PR=14)...With Indy crumbling, Brooklyn and Toronto capturing the hearts of no one, and Washington beating up on the Bulls, the Wizards officially look like the East's 2nd best team today. If Nene didn't temporarily lose his mind and try out some Greco-Roman wrestling holds on Jimmy Butler, this thing might already have been over.
9. [Tie] Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors (PR=8 and 11, respectively)...Let's be honest here; if Raps GM Masai Ujiri didn't go all Samuel L. Jackson at a Toronto pep rally, no one would even know this series was going on.
11. Houston Rockets (PR=6)...Daryl Morey is kind of right. With 3 OT games in the 1st 4, this series has sort of been a coin flip so far. Except it hasn't, because Houston's 2 best players are the not-so-clutch Dwight Howard and James Harden. Now, down 3-1? See ya. If you have 10 minutes to kill though, this lowlight video of Harden's, umm, defensive prowess is worth it.
12. Indiana Pacers (PR=4)...I mean, I can't say that I saw this coming. I thought Indy would at least get it together to the point that they could scrap their way to the Round 2. But damn...
13. Atlanta Hawks (PR=16)...Hawks fans would probably be p***ed if they saw Atlanta ranked lower than the team they are ahead of in their own series...if Hawks' fans actually read this...if anyone actually read this!
14. Chicago Bulls (PR=12)...I think they will take Game 5 at home, but at this point it's clear that the Wizards are just better. If I had to bet on either the Bulls or Rockets coming back from 3-1 though, I'd take my chances with Chicago.
15. Dallas Mavericks (PR=13)...Have played the Spurs much tougher than anyone thought, but I think they had to have last night's Game 4 in Dallas. Now, I think the Spurs will finish this in 6.
Doneski
Charlotte Bobcats
1. Miami Heat (PR=2)...They got brownie points 12 days ago just for being the 2 time defending champ, but now it looks like ranking them that high was the way to go. They didn't exactly look like world-beaters in any of their games against Charlotte, but the Heat are the only - I repeat, only - team to take care of business and sweep into Round 2.
2. San Antonio Spurs (PR=1)...They are only this high because of a similar brownie point philosophy used for Miami, and they got home court advantage back against the Mavs with last night's win, but Dallas is making them work.
3. Portland Trailblazers (PR=9)...They jump this high basically by default, as every other Western Conference series is tied 2-2. Still, LaMarcus Aldridge is a beast.
A beast!
4. [Tie] Oklahoma City Thunder, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers, and Golden State Warriors (PR=what?)...In their 2 respective series, these 4 teams all have 2 wins apiece, and it's probably a coin flip either way for all of them. OKC is still figuring out how to reintegrate Russell Westbrook, Memphis is a bad matchup for the Thunder, no one knows where the Clippers' heads are at the moment, and the Warriors can shoot their way past anyone. So, you get this: a 4 way Western Conference cuddle-puddle.
Pretty much your Western Conference Playoffs in a nutshell.
8. Washington Wizards (PR=14)...With Indy crumbling, Brooklyn and Toronto capturing the hearts of no one, and Washington beating up on the Bulls, the Wizards officially look like the East's 2nd best team today. If Nene didn't temporarily lose his mind and try out some Greco-Roman wrestling holds on Jimmy Butler, this thing might already have been over.
9. [Tie] Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors (PR=8 and 11, respectively)...Let's be honest here; if Raps GM Masai Ujiri didn't go all Samuel L. Jackson at a Toronto pep rally, no one would even know this series was going on.
11. Houston Rockets (PR=6)...Daryl Morey is kind of right. With 3 OT games in the 1st 4, this series has sort of been a coin flip so far. Except it hasn't, because Houston's 2 best players are the not-so-clutch Dwight Howard and James Harden. Now, down 3-1? See ya. If you have 10 minutes to kill though, this lowlight video of Harden's, umm, defensive prowess is worth it.
12. Indiana Pacers (PR=4)...I mean, I can't say that I saw this coming. I thought Indy would at least get it together to the point that they could scrap their way to the Round 2. But damn...
Oh my...
13. Atlanta Hawks (PR=16)...Hawks fans would probably be p***ed if they saw Atlanta ranked lower than the team they are ahead of in their own series...if Hawks' fans actually read this...if anyone actually read this!
14. Chicago Bulls (PR=12)...I think they will take Game 5 at home, but at this point it's clear that the Wizards are just better. If I had to bet on either the Bulls or Rockets coming back from 3-1 though, I'd take my chances with Chicago.
15. Dallas Mavericks (PR=13)...Have played the Spurs much tougher than anyone thought, but I think they had to have last night's Game 4 in Dallas. Now, I think the Spurs will finish this in 6.
Doneski
Charlotte Bobcats
Thursday, April 17, 2014
2014 NBA Power Rankings, Playoff Edition
The fact that I ever called these weekly rankings is a joke now. Time to scrap the regular season records, seedings, and even previous rankings, and start from scratch. Can't wait for the playoffs to start!
1. San Antonio Spurs...They were a shot away from winning it all last year. They've been the best team all season long this year. They had 30 road wins this year. There's not a team in this postseason that scares them...number 1 with a bullet if you ask me.
2. Miami Heat...This team is not as good as a season ago. LeBron's still LeBron. But how bad are Wade's knees? Who can be this year's Mike Miller? Are Shane Battier, Ray Allen, and Udonis Haslem basically done as relevant players? Can Odom and Beasily give them anything? At least the seeds fell in a way that they could potentially avoid Chicago and Brooklyn.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder...I've been tough on OKC all year, and I still think they can be outcoached, but KD is having the kind of season where he is probably good enough to carry the whole team on his back. Watch out for Russell Westbrook injuries/implosions though.
4. Indiana Pacers...Everyone's been on Indy's case of late, but this team is built for playoff basketball, and they still seem to play their best against the league's other best teams (see Miami and Oklahoma City). They also have home court advantage through the Conference Finals and play especially tough at home, so it's hard not to envision they at least make it that far.
5. Los Angeles Clippers...Probably the dark horse title contender right now, but if Blake Griffin gets dinged up again or regresses back to non-shooting Blake Griffin from last year's playoffs, they've got no shot.
6. Houston Rockets...I don't trust a Harden-Howard led team as far as I can throw them, but they do seem to match-up well with the Spurs at least, so I think they have to be taken seriously based on that aspect alone.
7. Memphis Grizzlies...How can the number 7 seed in the West be the number 7 team in the playoff power rankings? Well, have you seen their record since their oh-so-slow start when Marc Gasol was out of the lineup? Who would you rather have here? Toronto? Portland? Chicago? Get out of here!
8. Brooklyn Nets...Basically, my version of Memphis for the Eastern Conference. They have 1 of the best records in the league since the New Year though, and they have been Miami's kryptonite as well.
9. Portland Trailblazers...Love their starting 5. Love their home crowd. But I just don't think they have enough this year.
10. Golden State Warriors...Losing Bogut really hurts against the Clips, as he plays Griffin well. I expect an entertaining 1st Round series, but that should be as far as they go.
11. Toronto Raptors...The most overlooked, dismissed, disrespected 3-seed maybe in NBA history, and yet I kind of share the public's opinion with the Raps. Sorry, Canada.
12. Chicago Bulls...I so wanted to have them higher. They might be the most fun to watch bad offensive team ever, if there is such a thing, and they are going to give Indy a war in Round 2, but ultimately I think that lack of offense is their downfall. Start the Melo rumors now.
13. Dallas Mavericks...Dirk might average 35 a game against the Spurs in Round 1, but I just don't think he has enough help. Let's hope they can retool around him next season, as it would be a shame if this was Dirk's real last hoorah.
14. Washington Wizards...My Wizards are a nice story, but it's mindboggling to me that they are a 5-seed. I love you guys, but, seriously, what the f*** is wrong with the East?
15. Charlotte Bobcats...It will be fun to see Big Al jumphook Miami to death, but their Round 1 series should be over in 5.
16. Atlanta Hawks...I know they smashed the Pacers in Indy a few weeks ago, but Phoenix Suns' fans are collectively shaking their heads at the thought of them.
1. San Antonio Spurs...They were a shot away from winning it all last year. They've been the best team all season long this year. They had 30 road wins this year. There's not a team in this postseason that scares them...number 1 with a bullet if you ask me.
On a mission...
2. Miami Heat...This team is not as good as a season ago. LeBron's still LeBron. But how bad are Wade's knees? Who can be this year's Mike Miller? Are Shane Battier, Ray Allen, and Udonis Haslem basically done as relevant players? Can Odom and Beasily give them anything? At least the seeds fell in a way that they could potentially avoid Chicago and Brooklyn.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder...I've been tough on OKC all year, and I still think they can be outcoached, but KD is having the kind of season where he is probably good enough to carry the whole team on his back. Watch out for Russell Westbrook injuries/implosions though.
4. Indiana Pacers...Everyone's been on Indy's case of late, but this team is built for playoff basketball, and they still seem to play their best against the league's other best teams (see Miami and Oklahoma City). They also have home court advantage through the Conference Finals and play especially tough at home, so it's hard not to envision they at least make it that far.
5. Los Angeles Clippers...Probably the dark horse title contender right now, but if Blake Griffin gets dinged up again or regresses back to non-shooting Blake Griffin from last year's playoffs, they've got no shot.
6. Houston Rockets...I don't trust a Harden-Howard led team as far as I can throw them, but they do seem to match-up well with the Spurs at least, so I think they have to be taken seriously based on that aspect alone.
7. Memphis Grizzlies...How can the number 7 seed in the West be the number 7 team in the playoff power rankings? Well, have you seen their record since their oh-so-slow start when Marc Gasol was out of the lineup? Who would you rather have here? Toronto? Portland? Chicago? Get out of here!
8. Brooklyn Nets...Basically, my version of Memphis for the Eastern Conference. They have 1 of the best records in the league since the New Year though, and they have been Miami's kryptonite as well.
...but will they make it that far?
9. Portland Trailblazers...Love their starting 5. Love their home crowd. But I just don't think they have enough this year.
10. Golden State Warriors...Losing Bogut really hurts against the Clips, as he plays Griffin well. I expect an entertaining 1st Round series, but that should be as far as they go.
11. Toronto Raptors...The most overlooked, dismissed, disrespected 3-seed maybe in NBA history, and yet I kind of share the public's opinion with the Raps. Sorry, Canada.
12. Chicago Bulls...I so wanted to have them higher. They might be the most fun to watch bad offensive team ever, if there is such a thing, and they are going to give Indy a war in Round 2, but ultimately I think that lack of offense is their downfall. Start the Melo rumors now.
13. Dallas Mavericks...Dirk might average 35 a game against the Spurs in Round 1, but I just don't think he has enough help. Let's hope they can retool around him next season, as it would be a shame if this was Dirk's real last hoorah.
14. Washington Wizards...My Wizards are a nice story, but it's mindboggling to me that they are a 5-seed. I love you guys, but, seriously, what the f*** is wrong with the East?
15. Charlotte Bobcats...It will be fun to see Big Al jumphook Miami to death, but their Round 1 series should be over in 5.
16. Atlanta Hawks...I know they smashed the Pacers in Indy a few weeks ago, but Phoenix Suns' fans are collectively shaking their heads at the thought of them.
Damn, son.
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