Durant Staying Brooklyn!!!

 On Tuesday August 23rd the Brooklyn Nets issued a statement saying that Kevin Durant and the team have decided to move forward with each other and Durant has rescinded his trade request. The question is now what can we expect from the Brooklyn Nets this season; also how Durant staying affects the rest of the NBA as well.

Durant staying means the team will be a top contender to win the NBA Championship. We’ll finally get a chance to see what the trio of Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons, and Durant would look like. It can be very intriguing as you can have Irving play off the ball a position in which he thrived in and have Simmons handle the point guard duties. The Nets open up against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 19th.

One of the more interesting things to watch out for is how teams try to mend relationships with players who heard their names in the Kevin Durant trade rumors. Many of today’s players tend to take their names being circulated in rumors more to heart and forget that this is a business.

Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics whose name is constantly in trade rumors once again found his name in rumors when it came to potential Durant trades. I believe Brown will bounce back and have a good season but I can see him eventually asking to be moved from Boston as he may believe they do not value his talent as much as they do his teammate Jayson Tatum.

Brown is just one example but i am sure there are many other teams who have to mend relationships as well. This is going to be a great NBA season and I cannot wait to see what happens.

KD Worth Trading For?

 With the NBA waiting for the Brooklyn Nets to trade Kevin Durant, free agent signings have been put essentially on hold. The question becomes is it worth it to trade for Kevin Durant. 

The team that trades for Kevin Durant would have to be a team that believes they are a superstar away from winning the Championship. The biggest obstacle is that when trading for Durant it will require key players and draft picks. With this being the case I feel there are only realistically 2 teams that could trade for Durant and still have enough for them to be contenders and him be satisfied. The teams that fit this criteria would be Celtics, and Miami Heat.

The Boston Celtics assuming they would only have to give up Jaylond Brown, Marcus Smart and picks as the framework of the deal. Durant with Jayson Tatum would be a powerful offensive combination.

The Miami Heat would be a great destination if they are able to keep both Bam and Jimmy Butler. The Heat would send Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson and picks. 

The Kevin Durant will go down as one of the biggest trades in NBA  history.

DURANT WANTS OUT AND GOBERT TRADED!!!!

 The 2022 NBA Off season is going to go down as the craziest in NBA History. Kevin Durant has requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets. Rudy Gobert has been traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. I will examine these two potential league changing situations things.

Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant requested a trade and he has given a list of teams that he would like to go to including the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat. The Nets are reportedly looking for 2 young All Star players and draft picks. When this trade occurs it could not include either Devin Booker of the Suns or Bam Adebayo of the Heat. This is because due to the Collective Bargaining Agreement you can only have one designated rookie max player per roster that can be acquired via trade. This means in order to get either of these players, the Nets would have to include Ben Simmons in a trade with Durant. With that being said, Phoenix is still the favorite in my opinion with them having the ability to sign and trade Deandre Ayton in a potential deal to land Durant. I predict Durant will also command 7 draft picks.

Rudy Gobert

Rudy Gobert was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for 4 players and 4 1st round draft picks. 3 of the draft picks are unprotected, which means no matter where the Timberwolves ended up in the draft the Utah Jazz get their draft pick. This will be an interesting pairing as the 2 time Defensive Player of  the year will be paired in the front court with Karl-Anthony Towns. The defense will be improved with the great rim protector that Gobert is. The issue will come playoff time because you still will have Rudy Gobert's inability to contribute offensively, and also his lack of ability to defend on the perimeter. They can become a middle of the pack team being a 4 to 6 seed in the Western Conference. They will be a first round exit especially if they have to play the Nuggets, Clippers, or Grizzlies.

This off season is just getting started. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the Summer unfolds!!!!!

  

Can Warriors Repeat!!!

 The Golden State Warriors won there 4th NBA Title in 8 years. Steph Curry won his first NBA Finals MVP, adding to his tremendous accolades he has acquired over his career. The question is can the Warriors repeat next season. 

The Warriors are primed to repeat they have the rotation all coming back year. Klay Thompson will be back and better with a year removed from his recovery. He will likely be more consistent with shooting. The contributions of Jordan Poole, Gary Payton II will even grow. In addition, James Wiseman will be back in the fold which will help with the team’s size. Wiseman will be a good rebounder and will be able to contribute offensively as well.

The Warriors have a tremendous shot to repeat next year and they are the early favorites to win the championship next year. I will wait until free agency and off-season moves are made before making an official prediction but the Warriors are in the discussion. 

GAME 1 NBA Finals Takeaway and NBA FINALS Prediction

 The Boston Celtics completed a great  comeback down 12 going into the 4th quarter to take game 1 of the NBA Finals. They received great scoring nights from Al Horford and Derrick White. Horford poured in 26 points including 6-8 from the 3 point line. White contributed 21 points going 5-8 from 3 point line himself this helped to overcome Jayson Tatum who struggled offensively in game 1 of the NBA Finals. Jaylen made his presence felt with 25 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists.

The Golden State Warriors collapsed in the 4th quarter. Steph Curry had a monster 1st half scoring 21 points in the first quarter. He was just 2-6 in the fourth quarter scoring 4 points. Jordan Poole struggled in his first NBA FInals going 2-7 in 25 minutes. Poole looked as though he was pressing during the game trying to play fast and force the action at times. Draymond Green shot 2-12 from the field which was detrimental due to the fact that the Celtics defense could play off him when he shot his 4 3 point attempts which he missed.

Yes, the Celtics took game 1 ; I do believe the Warriors will win the series in 5 games. White played tremendously knocking down 5 threes. I do not see that happening again in this series. Jayson Tatum will play better for the Celtics but also Jordan Poole will get back to himself and contribute to the Warriors offensively. In addition Klay Thompson will have one great game this series and Draymond will be the facilitator he is and not get up 12 shots in any other game this series without making the Celtics defense pay for leaving him open. Warriors win in 5 and Steph Curry becomes Finals MVP and gets his 4th NBA Championship.

Eastern Conference Finals Game 7 Preview

 Jimmy Butler dropped 47 points in game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals leading the Miami Heat to a 111-103 victory. This forced a game 7 with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line. This was a must win for Miami and they played like it. Butler was aggressive from the start looking for his shot; which was something did not do in the previous game. Also, one of the unsung heroes of the game was Kyle Lowry who scored 18 points including hitting 4 threes.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown had decent scoring games scoring 30 and 20 points but their turnover woes reared its head again combining for 11 turnovers. This helped the Heat to get their biggest lead of the night 13 points in the 3rd quarter. The question is what can we expect in game 7 on Sunday in Miami.

The Miami Heat I believe will find a way to get the job done and advance to the NBA Finals. Jimmy Butler will have the Heat ready, they are a veteran team who is eager to get back to the NBA Finals. I think that the game 7 pressure will be too much for the Celtics who I believe are similar to the Oklahoma City Thunder team from 2012 who had a great young core but ultimately only went to 1 NBA Finals. I like Boston but Jaylen Brown and Tatum have not had a great game together throughout this entire series. The only way Boston wins is if they can limit their turnovers. I predict the Miami Heat win game 7 and advance to the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. Jimmy Butler will win the inaugural Eastern Conference Finals MVP.

NBA Conference Finals Takeaway

 The NBA’s Conference Finals is underway with both the Eastern and Western conferences having both played 2 games. I will be giving my thoughts on each series so far and how I see the series ultimately going.

Golden State Warriors vs Dallas Mavericks ( Warriors 2-0)

The Golden State Warriors completed a great comeback last night when they came back down from 16 points down at halftime and ended up winning which included a 43 point 4th quarter. The Warriors have thrown numerous defenders at Dallas Star Luka Doncic making him work for everything. Luka had a great game 42 points including a 18 point second half. Unfortunately for the Mavericks the Warriors woke up and shot 46% from 3  point range and 61% from the field. Steph Curry and Jordan Poole took over the game in the 2nd half. Curry dropped 12 and Poole 16 helping to lead and take over the game after halftime. Kevon Looney played a great role providing his usual rebounding with 12 but he also poured in 21 points. With Looney being able to be an offensive contributor the Warriors are primed to go back to the NBA Finals. It will be interesting to see how the Mavericks bounce back from this collapse in game 2. With that being said, the Warriors will sweep the Mavericks; Steph is eager to become the newly established Western Conference Finals MVP and ultimately the NBA Finals MVP.

Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics ( Series tied 1-1)

The Celtics have been able to get off to a  traffic start in both games. Jayson Tatum has been shooting well and the Celtics are shooting the 3 point shot well in this series. The Heat have had terrible transition defense so far this series. This has allowed the Celtics to get out for easy fast break points and has put tremendous pressure on the Heat’s defense to be perfect when facing a deficit at halftime  of both games. Game 1 the Heat was able to overcome being down 8 at halftime and their defense sparked their victory. Game 2 they were down 25 at halftime and were never able to get back into the game. In the 2nd half both teams scored 57 points so if the game was closer in the first half who knows how the game would have played out. With both games ultimately being blowouts my takeaway is essential if Miami comes out and plays defense like they are capable of they should win the series. I predict Miami will win in 6 games.

GAME 7 PREVIEW!!!!

   The most exciting two words in sports are Game 7! This afternoon the NBA will have 2 game 7’s with a trip to the Conference on the line. The two matchups feature tremendous star power making it a dream scenario for the NBA. In the Western Conference you have the best two players in the NBA 25 and under with the Dallas Mavericks; who are led by Luka Doncic facing off against Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns. In the Eastern Conference you have Giannis Antetokounmpo and the  reigning NBA Champions the Milwaukee Bucks; going against Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics. I will take a look back at both series and also will make a prediction for the games to see who moves on to the Conference Finals.

Boston Celtics VS Milwaukee Bucks

The Celtics and Bucks have alternated each game of this series. The Celtics came out with their backs against the wall in game 6 and Jayson Tatum showed his superstar potential by leading the Celtics to the victory. Tatum scored 46 points which included him hitting 7 three pointers. The Celtics have seemed to find a way to defend Giannis by getting him in foul trouble and using his aggressiveness against. Many times he barrels down the lane so the Celtics have done a great job of anticipating his drive and causing to commit offensive fouls. The key to game 7 will be can the role players show up for Milwaukee if they show up and give Giannis help they will have a chance in the game. For Boston the key will be Marcus Smart, if he can play within himself and not to try do anything extra the Celtics will win the game comfortably. I predict the Celtics win 112 - 103 with Tatum leading the way with 30 points with 5 three pointers made.

Phoenix Suns VS Dallas Mavericks

This Suns and Mavericks series has been the definition of home court advantage. The home teams won every game this series. The previous 3 games since Chris Paul’s Birthday ironically he has struggled with turnovers. With Paul turning the ball over at an alarming rate with him having more turnovers compared to field goals made over the past 3 games 11 Turnovers to 9 Field Goals made. Luka Doncic has been tremendous this entire series but unfortunately the other Mavs players have not shown up on the road. With that being said, I predict the Suns win 111-100 with Deandre Ayton and Devin Booker both contributing 20 plus points. Chris Paul will take care of the ball and have minimal turnovers. Luka will be fantastic but he will not be enough to overcome the Suns. 

Brook's Series Altering Play!!!!

 2:52 seconds into the first quarter of game 2 a series altering play was made by the Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillion Brooks. Brooks committed a Flagrant Foul against Warriors guard Gary Payton II. This resulted in Brooks being ejected from the game and Payton II to be taken out of the game with a fractured elbow. Payton is ruled out for the rest of the second round of the playoffs and Western Conference Finals if the Warriors advance. Brooks is suspended for tonight's game 3. 

Payton II is one of the few defensive stoppers that the Warriors have and with him out for the series it can drastically change the Warriors defensive rotations and efficiency. With no Gary Payton II this will put pressure on Klay Thompson to try and turn into that phenomenal two way player he was prior to his injuries 2 years ago. This will likely be difficult and can mean more paint points for Ja Morant who has been incredible the first two games of the series scoring 30 plus in both games. Morant has the ability to drive and slither his way to the paint with his aggressive driving ability. In addition, with the absence of Payton II it leaves a void when guarding the trio of guards  that  Memphis plays in key moments and can lead to Memphis exploiting mismatches for drive and kick situations.

The Warriors will put up a great fight against Memphis and put in the effort of a champion.

If Memphis has learned not to start slow on the road like they did against Minnesota then you’ll see the Grizzlies and Ja Morant in the Western Conference Finals. I believe the injury to Payton II is too much for the Warriors to overcome and will ultimately fall to the Grizzlies in 7 games. The question is based on Brooks’ actions does this taint any possible championship run that Memphis may make.

  

Western Conference 2nd round Preview

 The Second round of the NBA Playoffs begins Sunday. There are some very exciting matchups that we will see. I will preview the Western Conference and predict the winners setting up the Conference Finals matchup.

Phoenix Suns vs Dallas Mavericks

The top seeded Suns face off against the Mavericks in a must see matchup.

Both teams were able to win their first round series in 6 games, this sets up an excellent Point Guard between Dallas’ Luka Doncic and Phoenix’s Chris Paul. This will be a must watch as Luka is the future of the league and Chris being the best pure Point Guard in the NBA. Devin Booker will ultimately be the difference maker in this series. He will be able to score and get to his spots and has the ability to hit tough shots. For the Mav’s Jalen Brunson will be the key if the Mavericks have a shot to upset the Phoenix Suns. Brunson is scheduled to be a free agent this summer and has played great in the playoffs and will prove to be a second scoring option for the Mavs. My prediction is the Suns will win in 6 games and the Suns will move on to the Western Conference Finals.

Memphis Grizzlies vs Golden State Warriors

The young Memphis Grizzlies team was able to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in 6 games. They even overcome double digit 4th quarter deficits in 3 of their 4 wins in the series. The next test is against the Golden State Warriors, who took care of the Denver Nuggets in 5 games. The Warriors have a championship pedigree that will be shown in this series. The Warriors with their new starting lineup provides  great shooting and instant offense. The Grizzlies struggled out of the gate in their games in the previous round especially in the 3rd quarter. The Warriors will not give up double digit leads so the Grizzlies have to play better and Ja Morant has to play better for the Grizzlies to have a shot. I predict the Warriors will win in 5 games.

How to Fix the Los Angeles Lakers!!!

 The Los Angeles Lakers have had a tumultuous after having championship aspirations coming into the season. There were several reasons as to why the Lakers season did not go the way they wanted to. I will lay out the 3 biggest reasons in my opinion why the Lakers season is considered a failure and also will give suggestions on how it can be fixed next year to give the Lakers a chance to compete next season.

1. Aging rosters and Defense

The Lakers had the oldest roster in the league this year with an average age of 30. With an aging roster it made it difficult for them to keep up with many of the younger and athletic teams in the league who liked to get up and down. In addition the teams defense suffered as well with many players individually being picked on during crucial possessions in games. Their defensive efficiency rating was 27th in the NBA  making them one of the worst defenses in the league. This is just one of the problems the Lakers had this season.

2. Roster Fit 

The biggest issue for the Lakers was the roster construction. Even though many people will point out Russell Westbrook being the main example of the teams roster construction  issues while this may be true he was not the only one. If you look at the additions of Carmelo Anthony and Trevor Ariza these were not good fits either as they exposed on defense as well. So on any given instance you had at least 3 players on the floor that were defensive liabilities not just individually but also many of these players did not help with team defense. The Lakers must address this issue in the off-season. Will be interesting to see what they do as they are limited due to Russell Westbrook's high salary making it hard for him to likely be traded.

3. Injuries 

Lastly, the biggest issue for me was injuries. The Lakers roster due to it being top heavy they needed to stay relatively injury free in order for them to get the most out of their roster. Both Lebron and Anthony Davis missed extended periods of time during the season which derailed their season.  Players acquired in free agency also missed time on the injury list including Trevor Ariza, Wayne Ellington and Kendrick Nunn. Kendrick Nunn missed the entire season. 

The way I would fix the Lakers would be to get some younger pieces by possibly trading Westbrook to a small market team that wants relevance such as the Indiana Pacers. This way the Lakers can get back some shooters and playmakers and it won’t be all on Lebron to create for everyone on the team and get his own shot. In addition, get Anthony Davis to take part in workouts that can help him possibly with injury prevention as he has a very extensive injury history. The Lakers will be back next season. Lebron tweeted he will not miss the playoffs ever again!!!

NBA Playoff Preview

 Today Saturday April 16th the NBA Playoffs begin. With this being the 75th season of the NBA it has been filled with many great teams this season. I will examine the most intriguing of the first round of the playoffs. I also will give my prediction for the Conference Finals and also some Upsets to be on the lookout for in the first round.

Most Intriguing Matchup

There are many interesting matchups in the first round of the playoffs. The most intriguing matchup is the Memphis Grizzlies vs the Minnesota Timberwolves. This is the best matchup to watch in the first round due to the fact the teams very much mirror each other. Both teams have young cores that are the future of the NBA. The regular season series between the two teams was 2-2.  The individual matchup that is must see TV is the Anthony Edwards vs Ja Morant. Ja Morant has taken a huge step this season so much he found himself in the MVP conversation this year. In addition Anthony Edwards is always ready to bring it especially in a big game. Morant vs Edwards will likely happen during key possessions in the 4th quarter which just adds to the intensity and excitement.  Also the battle down low between Minnesota’s Karl Anthony Towns and Memphis’ Steven Adams specifically their battle on the boards. Whichever team wins the rebounding battle will win the series as both teams are evenly matched and extra possessions will be key. 

Upset Alert 

Out of the 8 first round series there are 2 series that have upsets to watch for . In the Eastern Conference The Philadelphia 76ers are favored against the Toronto Raptors. The Philadelphia 76ers are on upset alert against the Raptors. The Raptors have several players who provide length and can also score offensively. In addition the 76ers do not have anyone on their team who can guard Raptors Forward Pascal Siakam and he will be able to match or come close to Joel Embiid’s offensive production. Due to the vaccination mandate in Canada the 76ers best perimeter defender Matisse Thybulle will not be allowed to travel to Canada which means he will miss at least 2 road games in the series. Another player to watch is Toronto’s Scottie Barnes especially when he is playing defense likely on James Harden. Barnes is a top Rookie of the Year Candidate who is a very good defender; he will see time defending James Harden. With James Harden's history of struggling in key moments of the playoffs an upset is possible.   

In the Western Conference the team that should be on upset alert are the Golden State Warriors.

The Golden State Warriors are the 3rd seed going up against the 6th seeded Denver Nuggets. Star Point Guard Steph Curry status is currently in question due to an ankle injury that has kept him out the last few weeks of the regular season.  The Warriors will be in trouble if Steph is unable to play in the first few games of the series. The Nuggets are led by MVP front runner Nikola Jokic who has been tremendous this season averaging nearly a  triple double. If there is no Curry, Jokic will be able to control the game, to the benefit of the Denver Nuggets. 

Conference Finals Predictions 

These are going to be an exciting playoffs this year and so many teams have the ability to make Conference Finals. Here are my picks for the Eastern and Western Conference Finals.

Eastern Conference Finals

I believe this will be the year  Boston Celtics find their way back to the Conference Finals and with the emergence of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown they will have a chance at getting to the NBA Finals. The team that they will be meeting are the defending NBA Champions the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks are hitting their stride at the right time and finally have a healthy roster with Brook Lopez back in the lineup. The Celtics will have the more difficult road getting to the conference finals but it will be a great test for them as they will be ready to face the Milwaukee Bucks.

Western Conference Finals

The Western Conference Finals will be the Phoenix Suns vs the Memphis Grizzlies. This will be a very exciting matchup to watch as both Ja Morant of the Grizzlies and Devin Booker of the Suns will be offensive anchors for their teams and help put them over the top throughout the Western Conference Playoffs. This will also be a look at what the NBA contenders will look like in the next 3 to 5 years. 

These Playoffs will truly be exciting and I can not wait to see what happens!!    

PLAY IN GAME PREDICTIONS

 The NBA’s Play In Tournament begins tonight and now is time for me to analyze the match-ups and give my predictions for the initial match-ups taking place tonight and Wednesday. The first 4 games feature tremendous stars in the NBA.

Western Conference

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Los Angeles Clippers

The upstart Minnesota Timberwolves host the Los Angeles Clippers in the 7 vs 8 match-up.

The Clippers are 3-1 against Timberwolves this season; their lone loss coming on January 3rd a game in which Paul George did not play. With Paul George from his elbow injury earlier this season, he has given the Clippers their star player that can carry you to a win or two by himself. It will be interesting to see how the Timberwolves perform in this high stakes game defensively. In clutch time, which is defined by games that have 5 or less minutes in the game and are within 5 points or less, the Timberwolves are 20-17. Minnesota does have a winning record but they also have a young core who lack experience in big games. Also the games against the Clippers in which Paul George played have not been close. The Clippers average margin of victory being 19  points in the 3 victories against the Timberwolves this season. The Clippers will look to slow the pace down as the Timberwolves score the most points per game at 115 while the Clippers are towards the bottom of the league at 108. Also the Clippers will try to limit the amount of threes the Timberwolves will take as they are first in the league in 3 pointers made. With all that being said,  I predict the veteran Clippers will beat the Timberwolves to claim the 7th seed in the Western Conference. This means the Timberwolves would host another game to determine the 8th and final Western Conference Playoff spot.

San Antonio Spurs vs New Orleans Pelicans

The San Antonio Spurs visit the New Orleans Pelicans in the 9 vs 10 matchup in the Western Conference Play In. This game features some young stars including the Pelicans 

 Forward Brandon Ingram, and San Antonio’s All Star Guard Dejounte Murray, who made his first All Star team this year. The Pelicans will be without Zion Williamson, their prized number 1 draft pick in 2019 who has not played this season. The Pelicans made a game changing trade prior to the trade deadline when they traded for CJ McCollum. McCollum provides another scorer who can consistently give you 20 plus points and get his own shot. The Pelicans and The Spurs are evenly matched offensively with very identical numbers offensively. However the difference comes defensively where over the last 15 games Pelicans are near the bottom of  the league. The Pelicans are allowing teams to shoot nearly 50% over the past 15 games, defensive field goal percentage . I think the Spurs will be able to keep the Pelicans in check and All Star Guard Murray will show the fans what he can do and will achieve in a Triple Double and lead the Spurs to Victory over the Pelicans.

Eastern Conference 

Brooklyn Nets vs Cleveland Cavaliers 

The Brooklyn Nets take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in a very intriguing matchup.

This features an upcoming Cavaliers term against a Nets team that has Championship aspirations. The Cavs come in without their All Star Center Jarret Allen who is out due to injury. The Cavs can have a shot if they are able to limit the Nets to one shot. All Star Point Guard, Darius Garland will do all he can to help the Cavs grab the 7th seed. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant likely will be too much for the Cavs to handle. In order for the Cavs to win they have to get Andre Drummound in foul trouble and then they can try to get use the size advantage they have against the Nets. When it is all said and done the Nets will win and claim the 7th seed and it will set up a matchup of them against the Celtics in the first round.

Atlanta Hawks vs Charlotte Hornets

The Atlanta Hawks vs Charlotte Hornets will be an extremely high scoring game that features very little defense. Both teams love to get up and down; they are both led by All Star Point Guards in  Atlanta’s Trae Young, and Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball. Both teams are top 10 when it comes to 3 Point Field Goal percentage and Points per game. This will be an exciting game that will produce many highlights that will be shown all over social media when it’s done. I predict the Hawks will win and Clint Capela will be the key as his rebounding ability will give the Hawks an advantage. LaMelo and Trae will put on a great show for the fans and show that this can be a rivalry for years to come.

 

NBA 2022 Awards

 The NBA regular season comes to an end tomorrow and the playoffs kicks off with the Play In Tournament  starting Tuesday April 12th. It is time to give out the yearly awards and my reasoning below.

MVP: Nikola Jokic:

This is a runaway award when you look at the numbers. Jokic is putting up numbers that are even better than his number from last year in which he won the MVP award. He leads in many key analytical categories such as Win Shares, and Player Efficiency Rating. In the past few  years analytics has been used as a way to get a deeper dive into finding out who truly is the MVP. Jokic is putting up numbers we have not seen from an efficiency standpoint  ever. Jokic has carried his team to almost 50 win in a very deep Western Conference.

Defensive Player of the Year: Marcus Smart

 Marcus has been one of the best defenders this year. As a guard he is in the top 20 in Defensive Win Shares and Defensive Rating . In addition he is top 10 in both total steals and  steals per game. The Celtics are a top 3 team in the Eastern Conference with Marcus Smart being the anchor of the defense. Also with the game being more of a perimeter based game it is time to acknowledge a guard with having the possibility of winning the award. Smart is seeking to be the first guard to win the award since Hall of Famer Gary Payton.

Sixth Man of the Year: Tyler Herro

Tyler Herro has been the best bench scorer in the NBA this season. He is a key part as to why the Miami Heat are the number 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. He is averaging almost 21 points a game and has been consistent all season especially during the times when key players were missing from the Heat’s Lineup. This has been Herro’s award since All Star Break and he has just continued to be consistent and proved he deserves the award.

Most Improved Player : Ja Morant

This is another award that was one essentially before the All Star Break. Ja made a tremendous jump this year. He was in the MVP conversation earlier in the season and put up tremendous numbers. This helped lead the Grizzlies to the 2nd best record in the Western Conference. Unfortunately Ja missed over 20 games which dropped him from the MVP conversation but based on his performances in the games he’s played he should have the Most Improved Award locked up.

 

Rookie of the Year: Evan Mobely

For Rookie of the Year I am going with Evan Mobely. He has played a pivotal role in the Cavs resurgence. Also they are in position to be the first Cavaliers team in the playoffs without Lebron James since the 1990’s. Mobely is primed to be a rising star in this league if he can build on this strong season.

NBA PLAY IN Tournament Predictions!!!!

     The NBA regular season comes to an end 8 days on April 10th. Once the season ends the postseason begins with the Play in games on Saturday April 12th.  In both conferences the positions of the Play in Tournament are not set but we will analyze what is currently occurring.

In the Eastern Conference the Play in Tournament essentially set with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets and Atlanta Hawks. The Cavs are currently in the 7th spot with a 2 game lead over the 8 to 10 spot. They are technically 3 games back of the Toronto Raptors with just 5 games left; due to the Cavs current injury situation to many key big men they likely will not be able to catch the Raptors. The Nets, Hornets, and Hawks all have the same record 40-37 with the Nets having the tiebreaker between the 3 teams. If things stay the way they are, the Cavs would host the Nets and the Hornets would host the Hawks. My prediction if things stay the way they are is the following; the Nets will beat the Cavs to grab the 7th Spot. I also see the Hornets beating both the Hawks and the Cavs to claim the 8th and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

In the Western Conference the Play In picture is a little less clear. The Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Los Angeles Clippers are essentially locked into the 7th and 8th spots. The Timberwolves are 2 games back of the 6th spot with 4 games left so it is unlikely they catch the Denver Nuggets who are the 6th seed. The 9th to 11th spots are all within 2 games of each other. This includes The New Orleans Pelicans who are in the 9th spot and have a 2 game lead over the San Antonio Spurs who have a 32-45 record. Also they have a 3 game lead over the Los Angeles Lakers who have a 31-46 record with 5 games left. I predict that the Los Angeles Clippers will defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves to secure the 7th spot.  I also predict the Timberwolves will defeat the Pelicans to grab the 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

This will be a fun final week of the regular season. I can’t wait to see how this season ends. Next week I will Preview the Play in Games and season ending awards.

KYRIE IRVING NOW A FULL TIME PLAYER

 On Thursday March 23rd New York City pulled back the vaccination mandate for non vaccinated athletes and entertainers. This clears the way for Brooklyn Nets Guard Kyrie Irving to play in home games. The Nets have 9 games left, 7 in which are played in New York City. 6 of the games are home and 1 road game against the New York Knicks. With Kyrie being able to play now in home games the Nets will be able to have their full team for the most part together for the first time this season.

This will be great because now the team can build some consistency without worrying about Irving being in and out of the lineup. Also, this will leave the Nets without any excuses as they will have both Irving and Kevin Durant. The Nets are currently in 8th place and if the standings stayed the way they are they would have to play the Raptors in Canada. Kyrie is currently unable to enter Canada since he is not vaccinated so the Nets would be without him. With 9 games remaining The Nets just have to do the best they can to hold on to the 8th seed.

With Kyrie eligible to play in all games for the remainder of the season I think the Nets will thrive and build chemistry. I do not think they will win a championship but with Kyrie and Durant if they can make it out of the play- in games they will make it to  the conference finals depending on the first round matchup. If they play the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round the Nets are going home. Any other matchup I see them getting past the first round then losing in the 2nd round of the playoffs.   

MVP Ladder 3-19-2022

 The season is winding down and this has been a great year especially when it comes to the Race for MVP. Here are my top 5 MVP candidates. As the season has unfolded it has proven to be a 2 man race with everyone else in the distance for various reasons.

1. Nikola Jokic

The reigning MVP is making a case as to why he should be a back to back winner. He is putting historic numbers on the floor the likes of which we have only seen from Wilt Chamberlain. He is doing this essentially by himself, nearly averaging a triple double while his two co-stars have been out due to injury for all season in the case of Jamal Murray and most of the season when it comes to Michael Porter Jr. Another strong case for Jokic to win back to back is the fact that the Denver Nuggets with him off the floor their plus minus is historically bad at this point in the season. Some may feel Jokic won by default last year due to injuries but this year he has more than earned it.

2. Joel Embiid 

Joel Embiid is having an amazing season while being the Primary option on the team. Prior to obtaining James Harden in February the Philadelphia 76ers’ did not have a consistent number 2 option. Embiid had a stretch during the season in 23 straight games he scored at least 25 points. The last time that happened in franchise history was when Hall of Famer Allen Iverson did it for 27 straight games during his MVP Season in the 2000-2001 season. Also Embiid has put the Sixers on his back despite the Ben Simmons saga that permeated  the team until Simmons was traded to the Nets.

3. Ja Morant 

Ja Morant has had a spectacular season. He has the Memphis Grizzlies with the 2nd best record in the league. He will no doubt win Most Improved Player of the year this season. The only thing that would go against Ja in such a tight race is the fact that when he missed time this season the Grizzlies continued to win. They are 13-2 when Morant does not play this season.

4. Stephen Curry

Steph has had a good season and has helped the Warriors get back to the Championship ways. They have the 3rd best record in the league. Steph is 3rd due to the Warriors struggles once star Forward Draymond Green went down with injury. Also due to Steph’s recent ankle injury he won’t be back until the start of the playoffs which all but takes away his consideration for MVP this season. 

5. DeMar DeRozan.

 DeRozan has had a great season. He proved many doubters wrong this year who said his signing with the Chicago Bulls was a bad move.

He has helped lead the Bulls to the 5th seed this year after missing the playoffs last season. The only reason he isn’t higher is due to the Bulls playing lackluster basketball after the NBA All Star break. They are 2-8 in their last 10 games including losing 3 straight.

Nets VS Sixers' Takeaway

 The Philadelphia 76ers faced off against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night in a highly anticipated matchup for various reasons. The game had many storylines including James Harden facing the Nets for the first time since being traded back on February 10th. In addition this was Ben Simmons first time coming back to Philadelphia this season after sitting out the season and requesting a trade from Philadelphia and citing mental health problems preventing him from playing for them. Ben Simmons did not play in the game but he did sit on the bench.

The game turned into a blowout win for the Brooklyn Nets 129 to 100. The game was over pretty much at halftime the Nets were up 21 points. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving had excellent games; Durant dropped 25 points and 14 rebounds, Irving poured 22 points and 5 assists. Joel Embiid struggled from the field 5 for 17 but still managed to produce 27 points. James Harden on the other hand struggled all night 3 for 17 from the field for just 11 points.

The biggest takeaways from this game are that the Nets will always have a chance with Durant and Kyrie playing together. This makes the current Vaccine Mandate in New York City crucial due to the fact that Irving would be eligible to play in just 1 of their last 8 games this season.  

In addition, James Harden has once again in a big time game so he will have to perform better in their litmus test against the Miami Heat on March 21st. Lastly the Sixers' bench will likely  be whats holds them back from winning a championship if their production does not improve. 

Championship Contenders or Pretenders

 At the start of the NBA Season the two favorites to win the NBA Finals in most people’s eyes were the Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets. These two teams at the moment are far from contenders at this point of the season. Both teams are currently in position for the Play in Tournament. We will examine how both teams got here and also look to see if either can make it out of the Play in Tournament and possibly make a run at the NBA title.

The Los Angeles Lakers traded for Russell Westbrook this off season and despite the fit concerns many assumed that LeBron James could make the fit work between himself, Westbrook and Anthony Davis. The fit has not worked well with Anthony Davis missing over 20 games this season. In addition Westbrook started out initially a turnover machine and shooting poorly. On top of that the Lakers defense has been horrible this season. They rank near the bottom in defensive efficiency in the league. The Lakers have an aging roster that looks as though they are looking towards the off season. Hopefully they can turn on the switch and once they  get Anthony Davis back from injury. They can hopefully hit the ground running and make up some ground and gain momentum.

The Brooklyn Nets have not been a complete team this entire season due to the NYC Vaccination mandate needed for Nets Players to play in home games. Kyrie Irving, a pivotal part of the Brooklyn Nets is not able to play in home games. With Kevin Durant having missed the last 21 games due to an MCL Sprain the Nets went 5-16 dropping from 2nd place in the Eastern Conference to 8th in the conference with just 1 game separating them and the 10th seed. Many believe that due to Irving’s vaccination status keeping him from playing home games it led to James Harden forcing his way out of Brooklyn to Philadelphia. Durant just returned on Thursday night but Ben Simmons and Irving did not play. Irving still cannot currently play in home games due to the NYC mandate. In addition Simmons is yet to get on the practice floor for the Nets. One thing is if the Nets meet the Toronto Raptors in the Play in or the Playoffs, currently Kyrie would not be able to play due to his vaccination status and in one game scenario anything can happen.

I believe the Nets and Lakers will both fall short of winning the Championship this season.

I can also see both teams losing in the first round if they manage to get past the Play In Tournament.

James Harden 76ers Debut

 James Harden made his Philadelphia 76ers debut against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He proved once again once he is fully engaged into a situation he will perform tremendously. He ended up putting up 27 points, 12 assists, and 8 rebounds. He played similar to James Harden in Houston including hitting his signature step back 3 pointer for a 4 point play. This appears to be just the dynamic duo with Joel Embiid  picking up where he left off  prior to the All Star Break. Embiid had himself a monster game including 34 points and 10 rebounds in the 76ers 133-102 victory over the Timberwolves.

If Harden plays like he did last night the 76ers will be a top contender in the Eastern Conference. This can be a very formidable duo for the next few years and even have an opportunity to reach the NBA Finals. If the Sixers can get a consistent third scorer this team will have a great chance to win this season assuming they can sure up some bench productivity. They are currently ranked 27th in bench points.

Harden and Embiid look to be a good duo after one game. Hopefully they can develop enough chemistry this season so we can see what this team can truly do. 

NBA ALL Star Weekend Predictions

 The NBA All Star Weekend is here it is the most exciting time during the NBA Season.

There 3 key events taking place on Saturday night: the Skills Challenge, the 3 Point Shootout and the Slam Dunk Contest. Here are my winners for each contest.

Skills Challenge 

This year the format of the SKills Challenge is different from past years instead of head to head it will be played in a team format. You have three different teams participating this year.

1. The Rookies ( Josh Giddy, Scottie Barnes, and Cade Cunningham)

2. Team Cavs ( Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, and Jarret Allen)

3. Team Antetokounmpo ( Giannis, Thanasis, and Alex)

For this challenge I am going with Team Cavs to take home the trophy for the Hosting Cleveland Cavaliers.

Three Point Shootout

This has recently become the highlight of the night these past few seasons.

As the shooting in the NBA has gotten extremely accurate over the years.

The contestants are the following below.

1. Luke Kennard

2. Patty Mills

3. Desmond Bane

4. Trae Young

5. Zach LaVine

6. CJ McCollum

7. Karl Anthony Towns

For this contest it will be fun to watch.
I am going with Luke Kennard to win the 3 Point shootout.

The Dark Horse of the group is going to be Desmond Bane. 

Slam Dunk Contest

The Slam Dunk Contest is an event that has lacked luster the past few years.

The main reason being that many of the stars are not participating in the Dunk Contest which then loses its luster especially with the casual fan. The contestants are below.

1. Jalen Green

2. Obi Toppin

3. Cole Anthony 

4. Juan Toscano-Anderson

I am picking Jalen Green to win. I believe he is going to show a lot of creativity with his dunks.

He also has great leaping ability as well. Next year they have to get star to do the contestant because you are a die hard fan like myself you have no idea who any of these players are; which is ultimately a bad look when you consider this is All Star Weekend.

In addition for the All Star game itself on Sunday I am going with Team Durant to win and for Ja Morant to win All Star Game MVP!!!!  

Ben Simmons Traded for Harden!!!!

 The NBA trade deadline passed this week and the key trade we were all waiting for occurred. The Philadelphia 76ers traded Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and 2 First round draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden and Paul Milsap.

This is a trade that benefits both teams equally. The Sixers get the superstar they’ve been looking for to pair with Joel Embiid. They did this while keeping two very key players on Tyrese Maxey, and Matisse Thybulle . So the Sixers are geared up to make a run at a championship for the next two seasons. In addition they have Tobias who they can trade on the offseason for any assets they may think they are missing.

For the Nets they address 3 things they were missing. Seth Curry addresses the Nets need to add another sharp shooter with Joe Harris' return in doubt for this season. In addition Andre Drummond provides a big body who can rebound which the Nets lacked. Lastly Ben Simmons can serve as a clutch perimeter defender who guards the best player. Simmons also will be a great slasher for when Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant demand double teams. The Simmons pickup will also provide insurance just in case Irving decides to leave after this year, since he is under contract for 3 more years.

Overall this trade is a win win for both sides. It will be interesting to see how soon Ben Simmons is able to play and with the Nets vs Sixers on March 10th will he be making his return to Philly!!!