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.