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Spurs vs. Pacers vs. Heat

June 2, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Will Tim Duncan get his 5th ring?

Will Tim Duncan get his 5th ring?

Who would have thought that the San Antonio Spurs would sweep the series against the Grizzlies and that the Pacers would be tied 3-3 with the Miami Heat. While San Antonio rests, heals, and awaits to find out who they will be playing for their 4th NBA Championship in the last decade, the Heat and Pacers will meet again Monday night. Here’s a quick glance at the advantages each team has over the others and who the Spurs would rather play for the NBA Championship.

The Big Men:
After the Spurs seemingly manhandled one of the best duos down low in the NBA, you would be hard pressed to give any team the big man advantage over the Spurs. Roy Hibbert has been getting a lot of love for his performance against Miami. And is getting even more attention for throwing around gay slurs and calling the media motherf—–s in his post game conference. However, if you were going to ask me whether I’d have a duo of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph or Roy Hibbert and David West, I’ll take Gasol and Randolph any day of the week.  If San Antonio can deal with Z-bo and Gasol, they can handle Hibbert and West. Hibbert averaged 11.9 PPG and  8.3RPG during the season. Against Miami, he’s bumped that up to 22.8PPG and 10.8RPG. So how has Hibbert suddenly found himself and become an unstoppable threat down low? I’m going to say no.
Miami’s presence down low is abysmal. Chris Bosh has already been having a career low in rebounding, and against the Pacers is getting a whopping 3.7RPG. 3.7! That’s completely ridiculous for a 6’11 All-Star player. Look at Bosh’s RPG this season against teams with reputable centers or power forwards in the league. Against Brooklyn-3.3RPG, Indiana-3.3RPG, Utah-1.0RPG, Philadephia-3.3RPG. Chris Bosh doesn’t shut down opposing big men, he gets shut down and dominated. Possession control wins in the post season. Hibbert’s excellence right now is more a byproduct of Miami’s atrociousness at handling big men. Hell, if the Pacers leave Hibbert in game 1, James probably doesn’t get the game winning lay up at the buzzer and maybe there isn’t even a game 7. I don’t expect Hibbert to keep up this level of play against a team such as San Antonio. He’s a good center, but his regular season numbers speak volumes. As far as Miami goes, it’s not the big men that win games, its LeBron James.

Advantage: San Antonio Spurs
Whether it’s the Pacers or the Heat, San Antonio will have the advantage in the big man category. Obviously they would prefer to deal with Miami down low rather than the Pacers, but when you have the best power forward of all time playing alongside one of the leagues best coaches, you have the advantage. The Big Fundamental and a fundamentals coach made their statement against the Grizzlies. They can play down low against anyone in the league. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, its all about Timmy D, and he’s going to get his.

Small-Forward:
Kawhi Leonard is an ever-growing asset to the San Antonio franchise and seems to just be getting better and better. Paul George emerged this year as an All-Star and one of the best all around players in the league. But NOONE can argue that Miami does not have the advantage in the small forward position. LeBron James is the greatest basketball player on Earth. Both the Pacers and the Heat have the advantage against San Antonio in the Small Forward position, but the Spurs would rather face Paul George than LeBron James against them on the court.

Advantage: Miami Heat
You never want to play against LeBron James. Plain and Simple.

Shooting Guard:
It appears that the NBA gods decided to plague the shooting guards left in the playoffs. Dwayne Wade’s stats this post season are 13.6PPG, 4.6RPG, 5.1APG, Manu’s 11.5PPG, 4.5RPG, and 5.4APG, and Lance Stephenson 9.4PPG, 7.7RPG, and 3.2APG. Look at that again, Lance Stevenson is performing at nearly the same level of Manu Ginobili and Dwayne Wade. Throw that in with the injury worries of Ginobili and Wade, and Stevenson may be the one to fear. He has that NBA Live ‘He’s on Fire’ ability that gets the Indiana crowd going wild when playing t home. While he’s playing well right now, theres no way I’m going to put him above Wade and Ginobili. Both are perrenial All-Stars for a reason. Despite Wade’s abysmal performance these past few games and his knees that seem to aged 30 years, everyone remembers his Finals performance against Dallas that gave Miami their championship pre-LeBron. And Ginobili can go from having a horrible shooting performance, to nailing the game winning shot with no time left.

Advantage: No Team
If Dwayne Wade and Ginobili continue their sub par performances, they are nearly comparable to Lance Stephenson. I never thought he’d be in the conversation for advantage at shooting guard but he’s there. Not because he’s playing at an all star level, but because the other two have fallen. I’m not basing this on the potential or sheer talent of the players, but the way their performing this post season.

Point Guard:

Tony Parker is one of the most underrated point guards in the league. Without Tony Parker, there is no way that the Spurs are in the Finals. The Spurs offense begins and ends with him and he runs the pick-and-roll to near perfection. Parker’s averaging 23.0PPG, 3.9RPG, and 7.2APG, but his team role goes beyond the numbers. He facilitates the Spurs game plan and conducts the team perfectly. He’s carried his team to a championship and won Finals MVP and I won’t be surprised the least if he does it again.
Who would have thought that George Hill could potentially get to the NBA Finals the same year as a Pacer as he could have as a Spur. Popovich may be going against one of the players he mentored, and while he’s a good point guard and can run the offense, he’s no Tony Parker. He’s an efficient player and can do his job, but it won’t be at an All Star level.
We all remember Dwayne Wade yelling “Mario F—ing Chalmers” after his stellar performance against the Thunder last year. If it wasn’t for his potential to randomly go off for 20+ points, hit those game winning shots he’s been doing since he left Kansas, or for his ridiculous outfit in Miami’s Harlem Shake video, I wouldn’t even talk about him. Like Hill, Chalmers does his job and can randomly have scoring outbursts. Neither player though will take the game over and be the reason his team succeeds.

Advantage: San Antonio Spurs
Tony Parker is one of the best point guards in the league while the others aren’t even in the conversation. As far as a game manager goes, it doesn’t get much better than Tony Parker.

Coaching:
Advantage: San Antonio Spurs
I’m not even going to give this one an elaborate explanation. I commend Frank Vogel and Erik Spoelstra for leading their teams to the Eastern Conference Finals but I’m not going to say they are better than Popovich. Popovich is that coach that never seems to panic and always gets the best out of his players. He commands respect from his players and his authority is never questioned. He is one of the main reasons that the Spurs have been one of the most dominant teams throughout the past decade. He’s one of the greatest coaches the NBA has seen and his coaching acumen cannot be questioned. The fact that every player seems to develop and improve under his coaching is testimony to his coaching skill.

Who would the Spurs rather face?
The Indiana Pacers

I don’t think that it’s the question that the Spurs would rather play the Indiana Pacers. Their make up is not much different than that of the Grizzlies. They operate an inside-out game plan with athletic wing players. Paul George may be able to give them some trouble but Kawahi Leonard is a fantastic on ball defender and could potentially contain him. If I hadn’t seen the Spurs perform so well against the Grizzlies and be able to grind out and win those close games, I may underestimate their ability to contain Indiana’s big men. A series sweep against one of the best teams in the West though speaks volumes. Throw that in with Popovich’s time to analyze the Pacer’s game tape the past week along with the Spurs’ players getting rest, and you have a team that can handle anyone in the Finals.
While many would argue that the Spurs may do better playing against the Heat in the Finals, they have the ultimate X-factor. I don’t think that any team wants to match up against the best player in the world. There is just too much that can go wrong. Also, the funk that Bosh and Wade are in can’t continue forever. If those two can turn it on and LeBron plays to his usual level, the Heat rattle off the wins. One of the most important factors though is that these two teams didn’t play against eachother in the season. The Spurs infamously sat Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili right before their away game against Miami, and Miami sat Wade and James away against the Spurs. Both games were close despite the missing All-Stars. While the Spurs would probably rather match up against the Pacers, a Spurs-Heat Finals is the one I’m hoping for.
I want to see the ultimate team ball against the star studded cast of the Miami Heat. A team that announced themselves with a rock concert versus the quiet reserved players of the Spurs. One of the most dominant teams for the past decade going against the team that plans to rattle off “not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven” championships. The series could signal the closing of a dynasty or the beginning of a new one, and something all basketball fans should want to see.

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Lebron James: The Most Underpaid Athlete

May 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment

lebron

The Cover 4.com would like to highlight a segment done by our great friends on http://www.cabletv.com/blog

Lebron James is the most underpaid athlete! Yes, we said it. Don’t believe us? Well our friends at http://www.cabletv.com/blog are going to show us how.

LeBronJamesInfographic

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How Westbrook Broke the West

April 27, 2013 by Leave a Comment

It had been talked about too much amongst  NBA announcers and your friends. Whenever people keep bringing something up, things always seemed to get jinxed. But this streak wouldn’t end. With 394 straight regular season games played, 45 playoff games, and inhuman athleticism, Russell Westbrook’s streak seemed it could go on forever. The guy hasn’t missed a game since high school but will sit out indefinitely, 2 games up on the Rockets, in the first round of the 2013 Playoffs. After losing to the Heat in last year’s Finals, Westbrook will not be lining up against them again this season.  I’d be willing to bet everything that Westbrook would rather have lost his streak months ago then  have it taken away from him now.

The news that Russell Westbrook will undergo surgery to have his meniscus repaired is as bad for the NBA and Thunder as Westbrook’s fashion. Westbrook is a top 10 player in the NBA and arguably the best point guard. Westbrook’s speed, athleticism, and skill set force opposing to teams to focus on him and attempt to contain him. Patrick Beverly hit the superhuman point guard with some kryptonite in Game 2 of the series tearing his lateral meniscus. The injury leaves Thunder fans wishing that Westbrook’s punch on the scorer’s table after the injury had gone into Beverly’s face, and hoping that the Thunder can somehow persevere.

Westbrook averaged 7.4 assists, 23.2 points, 1.8 steals, and 5.2 rebounds per game. The Thunder will miss every single one of those statistics. There’s no James Harden to take over the point anymore, Eric Maynor was traded to save a few dollars, so Reggie Jackson will now be lining up in Westbrook’s slot. And if you’re saying the Thunder are stupid for making those moves months ago- shut up now. Shoulda, woulda, and coulda don’t win championships and the Thunder secured the number 1 seed in the West just fine. Bad luck got them in this situation, not bad management. Let’s not kid ourselves though, the team won’t rely on Reggie Jackson or need him to play at Westbrook’s level. We have no idea how the Thunder will play without Russell Westbrook because it hasn’t happened in 5 seasons. We do know that Kevin Durant will have to raise his game to a new level to keep his team alive. The scariest thing is that he’s entirely capable.

If you doubt that the Thunder can make it back to the NBA Finals, you are seriously underestimating Kevin Durant. While Durant may not be the best player in the NBA, he’s the second best basketball player on the planet. In case you forgot, Durant just became the youngest player to join the 50-40-90 Fraternity. He shot 51% from the field, 41% from three and 90% from the free throw line. I don’t know of a much harder pledge process than needing those numbers. A pregnant Kim Kardashian has a better chance of getting in her old jeans than someone does of getting into the 50-40-90 club. So, if you give Durant 10-12 more shots a game at his scary efficiency, its not unlikely for him to average 40 points a game. Durant’s 4.6 assists per game alongside only 3.5 turnovers per game prove he knows how to handle the ball. The team will miss Westbrook, but Durant and company can still get to the Finals. If the Durant and D-Wade Gatorade commercial is true, Durant’s going to give everything he has to get back into the Finals. It won’t be easy for them, but it’s not impossible. The Thunder may be down right now, but they aren’t out.

While the Thunder took a major hit in the defense of their western conference crown, the rest of the Western teams chances to make it to the Finals greatly improved. The Thunder entered the playoffs as the favorites to come out of the west, but Westbrook’s injury has evened up the race. The San Antonio Spurs are rolling over the Lakers behind a Tim Duncan who’s proving himself as the best power forward of all time. If anyone can be considered the new favorites it has to be them. The Warriors and Nuggets are lighting the scoreboard, despite both teams having suffered massive injuries themselves (Danillo Gallinari and David Lee).  The winner of the Clippers-Grizzlies series (who would play the Thunder if they go on to win next round) suddenly seems like a contender to take the west. Everything is up the air and an argument can be made for every team- besides the Lakers and Rockets. At the beginning of the NBA season it seemed destined to end with the Lakers, Thunder, or Heat as champions. The Lakers are all but done, the Thunder have fallen into the pack, and only the Heat remain the favorites. If Westbrook’s injury has shown us anything, don’t count your chips before their cashed. Everything can change on any given play.

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The Betting Corner : NBA Round 1, Day 3 & 4

April 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment

NBA Betting Corner Round 1, Day 3 & 4

Bracket

Welcome! To the NBA Playoffs Betting Corner.

4/22/13

8PM ET on TNT

Series 0-1

          Chicago Bulls @ Brooklyn Nets          

 –

10.30PM ET on TNT

Series 0-1

Memphis Grizzlies @ Los Angeles Clippers

—–

4/23/13

7.30PM ET on NBATV

Series 0-1

Milwaukee Bucks @ Miami Heat

 –

8PM ET on TNT

Series 0-1

Boston Celtics @ New York Knicks

 –

10.30PM ET on TNT

Series 0-1

Golden State Warriors @ Denver Nuggets

  –

Our Sunday started out with an easy win as the total in the Indiana-Atlanta game went over. The Lakers-Spurs game (+9) was really close. The Bucks kept it close in the first half but just had a total meltdown in the second half. In the last game of the night, we had the total over 213 and the final score totaled up to 211,If you watched the game, you’re just as frustrated as me.

YTD Season: 3-4-1

22nets-pic-articleLarge

In the first game of the night, the Brooklyn Nets will continue to route the Chicago Bulls. I had the Bulls +5 because the Bulls are still a great defensive team and with Joakim Noah back, things were promising. Apparently not. The most productive center in the league, Brook Lopez, is playing great along with Deron Williams who’s been on a tear since the All-Star break. Noah came back but wasn’t a huge factor. The Chicago starters combined for just 50 points while the Brooklyn starters combined for 78.

Key(s) to winning- Rebounds

1 Unit (Brooklyn Nets -5)

clippers reserve

In primetime comes the highlight reel Los Angeles Clippers who will try to take a 2-0 lead in their series. The Clippers’ bench only scored nine more points than the Grizzlies bench but the difference in the game was rebounding, The Clippers out-rebounded the Grizzlies 47-23. There’s a saying in basketball, you control the board/paint, and you control the game. The Grizzlies just don’t have enough intensity to match up with the Clippers, especially in Los Angeles.

Key(s) to winning- Rebounds + Bench Production

1 Unit- (Los Angeles Clippers -5.5)

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On Tuesday we have the Miami Heat taking on the Milwaukee Bucks in what looks to be a four-game sweep for the King and his gang. Even though Brandon Jennings showed up and played a decent game in Game 1, the picture shows exactly what happened on Sunday. King James took matters into his own hands and flirted with a triple-double as the Heat erased any doubt in Jennings’ mind that the Bucks will win in six. In summary, the Bucks simply can’t handle the Heat. And with another blowout in mind, I don’t see any value in taking either the total points because it could go either way in a blowout situation.

Key(s) to winning- King James leading the way

0 Unit- (No value in either points or total)

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In more Tuesday action we have the still emotional Boston Celtics at New York taking on the Knicks and like I predicted in Game 1, the Celtics did put up a fight and could have easily covered the game, but were held to eight points in the fourth quarter. Boston also turned the ball over several times in the final two minutes. While emotions ran high during the first game, I feel like the Knicks showed the Celtics first hand why they are 31-10 at home this season. With New York’s stellar defense in the second half forcing turnovers, and with Boston lacking a true point guard, the Celtics had plenty of trouble taking care of the ball. I predict that the Celtics will win outright in Game 3 at home for their home crowd, but for Game 2, take the Knicks.

Key(s) to winning- 3pt% & FT%

1 Unit- (Knicks -6.5)

David-Lee-will-miss-the-rest-of-the-season.-Garrett-Ellwood-NBA-Getty-Images

The nightcap on Tuesday features a GoldenState team that is missing David Lee for the remainder of the playoffs. I had predicted that the Warriors would put up a fight and make it a tough series with Lee and Andrew Bogut being paint problems for the Denver Nuggets but it’s not happening now.The Warriors lost their main low-post threat and about 20 points per game to go along with 10 rebounds per game. With that in mind, the Nuggets were lucky to come out with a win via a buzzer-beater by 37-year-old veteran Andre Miller, who came off the bench with 28 points. It doesn’t look like George Karl will have the need to play Kenneth Faried with Lee out of the picture, so were going to keep going with the under for Game 2.

Key(s) to winning- Points in the paint

1 Unit- (Total under 207)

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The Betting Corner: Round , Day 2

April 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment

 

Bracket

1 p.m EST on TNT

Atlanta Hawks @ Indiana Pacers

Series 0-0

 

5:30 p.m. EST on ABC

Los Angeles Lakers @ San Antonio Spurs

Series 0-0

 

7 p.m. EST on TNT

Milwaukee Bucks @ Miami Heat

Series 0-0

 

9:30 p.m. EST on TNT

Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder

Series 0-0

 

Pacers/Hawks

At 1p.m. EsT we have the sixth-seeded Atlanta Hawks featuring Josh Smith and Jeff Teague visiting the  third-seeded Indiana Pacers with Paul George and David West. Indiana is trying to build on its great season despite missing star Danny Granger. The Pacers are 30-11 at home while the Hawks are 19-22  on the road.

 

11/7/12 Indiana @ Atlanta 86-89

12/29/12 Indiana @ Atlanta 100-109

2/5/13 Atlanta @ Indiana 103-114

3/25/13 Atlanta @ Indiana 94-100

 

As you can see the matchups these two teams have had in the regular season, home court advantage is HUGE and can determine the momentum of the series. I don’t want to sound like a broken record but the NBA playoffs are all about defense and limiting turnovers is a huge key to winning games. The Pacers and Hawks are similar in that category, with the Pacers committing 1227 turnovers while the Hawks committed 1219 for the whole season. While the Hawks are not known for their three-point prowess they rank 7th in the league in three-point percentage at 37.1 percent while the Pacers converted 34.7 of their three-point attempts. Whichever team can take care of the ball and limiting 3’s from the opposing team will win the game. But I do see this game going over the total 185.5

 

Key(s) to winning:Limiting turnovers and three-point percentage

 

1 Unit (Total over 185.5)

 

Lakers/Spurs

At 3:30PM EST comes one of the most exciting matchups we have in the West. The seventh-seeded Mamba-less Los Angeles Lakers visit the playoff experienced second-seeded San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs are 35-6 at home while the Lakers are an ugly 16-25 away from Staples Center.

 

11/13/12 San Antonio @ Los Angeles 84-82

1/9/13 Los Angeles @ San Antonio 105-108

4/14/13 San Antonio @ Los Angeles 86-91

 

With and without Kobe Bryant, the Lakers have managed to keep all three regular season meetings close. Both teams know each other very well and without a doubt the key players for this game will be Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard versus Tony Parker and Tim Duncan., Ever since the All-Star break and the passing of Lakers’ owner Jerry Buss, the Lakers have found a sense of urgency and have clawed themselves back into the playoff picture. The Spurs however have been well… the Spurs, despite several injuries throughout the season, with the  managed playing times of his star players, Gregg Popovich has a full squad ready for another championship run. It will be a close game and even though the final score will not show, free-throw percentage will determine the outcome of the game as the Spurs shoot .791 while the Lakers shoot a disastrous .692 from the charity stripe.

 

Key(s) to winning- Free-throw percentage along with  the Gasol/Howard versus Parker/Duncan matchup

 

1 Unit (Lakers +9)

 

 

Heat Bucks

 

Interesting matchup coming in at 7 p.m. EST, the top-seeded defending champions Miami Heat host the eighth-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. The Heat are 37-4 at home and the Bucks are 17-24 away from home.

 

11/21/12 Milwaukee @ Miami 106-113 OT

12/29/12 Miami @ Milwaukee 85-104

3/15/13 Miami @ Milwaukee 107-94

4/9/13 Milwaukee @ Miami 83-94

 

First questions that comes into mind, how many eightseeds have upset the No. 1 seed to move on to the second round? The answer is five.

 

  • The Denver Nuggets defeated the Seattle Supersonics 3-2 in 1994.
  • The New York Knicks defeated the Miami Heat in 1999, 3-2.
  • The Golden State Warriors defeated the Dallas Mavericks in 2007, 4-2.
  • The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the San Antonio Spurs in 2011, 4-2.
  • The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Chicago Bulls in 2012, 4-2

 

Both teams will be healthy to start their playoff run, and as I’ve highlighted in red above, we have had upsets in the past twp years in a row where an eight seed knocked off a oneseed. Will Miami share the same fate or will it be the Thunder that will be a part of history? Opening games are always hard to predict even more so for this matchup, but 13 is just too much in a playoff game to be favorite by even when you’re the Heat.

 

Key(s) to winning- Big 3 of Miami Heat versus the entire Milwaukee Bucks

 

1 Unit (Milwaukee +13)

 

Thunder/Rockets

No hard feelings?  At 9:30PM EST we have another great matchup between the eighth-seeded Houston Rockets visiting the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder are 34-7 at home while the Rockets are 16-25 away from Toyota Center.

 

 

11/28/12 Houston @ OKC 98-120

12/29/12 OKC @ Houston 124-94

2/20/13 OKC @ Houston 119-122

 

If you’re looking for an up-tempo/transition type of game and you absolute HATE defense, look no further, we bring you Houston at Oklahoma City. Why no defense? The Houston Rockets are an atrocious 28th in the league at holding their opponents to 102.5 points per game while the Thunder sit 9th at 96.5 points per game allowed. Knowing that the Rockets can’t play defense, offense will be key to winning this game as the Rockets rank second in the league with 106 points per game and the Thunder just slightly behind at third with 105.7 points per game. Will The Thunder feel the effects of missing James Harden in the playoffs and be the sixth team to lose to an eighth seed? Or will  Harden finally get his revenge on his former team?

 

Key(s) to winning- First team to 100 wins.

 

1 Unit (Total over 213)

 

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The Betting Corner: NBA Round 1, Day 1

April 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Bracket

Welcome! To the NBA Playoffs Betting Corner.

Boston Celtics @ New York Knicks

Series 0-0

Golden State Warriors @ Denver Nuggets

Series 0-0

Chicago Bulls @ Brooklyn Nets

Series 0-0

Memphis Grizzlies @ Los Angeles Clippers

Series 0-0

Knicks/Celtics

At 3pm the 2nd seed New York Knicks will take on the injured riddled 7th Seed Boston Celtics. The Knicks are 31-10 at home this season while the Celtics are 14-27 away on the road.

1/7/13 Boston @ New York 102-96

1/24/13 New York @ Boston 89-86

3/26/13 New York @ Boston 100-85

3/31/13 Boston @ New York 89-108

This game is about emotion. With the chaos happening in Boston, the Red Sox took it upon themselves to completed a series sweep of the Cleveland Indians. In a similar situations, the Knicks opened their season at home after superstorm Sandy devastated the New York Area; they routed the defending champions Miami Heat 104-84. I see emotions running high inside the Celtics heart and they will come out with ready to play for their home town. Both these teams have similar stats in free throw % and 3pt % and whoever can dominate in both categories will win the game.

New York Knicks FT% .759 3PT% .376

Boston Celtics FT% .776 3PT% .358

Key(s) to winning- FT% & 3PT%

1 Unit (Celtics +7)

Warriors/Nuggets

Moving onto game 2 of the day at 5.30PM ET we have 6th seed Golden State Warriors on the road in the Mile High City taking on 3rd seed Denver Nuggets. Nuggets are 38-3 at home this season while the warriors are 19-22 away on the road.

11/10/12 Denver @ Golden State 107-101 OT

11/23/12 Golden State @ Denver 91-102

11/29/12 Denver @ Golden State 105-106

1/13/13 Golden State @ Denver 105-116

Playoffs are about defense. Despite having the 1st and 7th highest scoring teams in this matchup, don’t expect TOO much offense between these 2 teams. Basketball is a team sport and the Nuggets understand George Karl’s system of sharing the ball. The Nuggets rank 3rd in assist per game while the Warriors rank 15th. This game is going to come down to guard play matchup of Curry vs. Lawson, whoever can get their team more involved is going to win the game.

Key(s) to winning-Assist & Guard Play

.5 Unit (Total under 210.5)

Bulls/Nets

In the Evening 3rd game of the day at 8PM ET we have 5th seed Chicago Bulls in Brooklyn taking on the 4th seed Nets. Nets are 26-15 at home and the Bulls are 21-20 on the road.

12/15/12 Brooklyn @ Chicago 82-83

2/1/13 Chicago @ Brooklyn 89-93

3/2/13 Brooklyn @ Chicago 85-96

4/4/13 Chicago @ Brooklyn 92-90

This is going to be a defensive matchup with 2 VERY defensive minded coaches. Despite not having Derrick Rose all season, the Bulls have exceeded everyone’s expectations. The Bulls rank 8th in rebounding while the Nets rank 10th and the Bulls rank 3rd in points allowed while the Nets rank 6th.

If the Bulls can make the Nets play their game of basketball (grind it out/tough half-court set) the Bulls can surprise the Nets.

Key(s) to winning-Rebounds

1 Unit (Chicago +5)

Clippers/Grizz

The last and final game of the night at 10.30PM ET 4th seed Los Angeles Clippers 32-9 at home host the 5th seed Memphis Grizzlies 24-17 on the road, let the DUNKING Begin…

10/31/12 Memphis @ Los Angeles 92-101

1/14/13 Los Angeles @ Memphis 99-73

3/13/13 Memphis @ Los Angeles 96-85

4/13/13 Los Angeles @ Memphis 91-87

This is the only matchup we have that’s a repeat of last year’s round 1 matchup. The Clippers look to move on once again while the Grizzlies look for payback for last year’s disappointment. Both teams have trouble taking care of the ball at times with the Clippers 13.8 turnovers per game and the Grizzlies 13.2 per game. But with all said, the Clippers have the most productive bench in the league and I just don’t see Memphis matching up with the bench production that Clippers have.

Key(s) to winning-Bench Production & Turnovers

1 Unit (Total over 179)

Season YTD 0-0

Good Luck to all the betters and most importantly enjoy the games.

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Heat of the Moment

April 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment

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LeBron James has always been a love him or hate him figure in the NBA. You either love him and appreciate his greatness and dominance in the game, or you hate how he ditched his hometown team in Cleveland to join his friends/fellow superstars in Miami in pursuit of the easy route to a championship. The Miami Heat recently had their 27-game winning streak snapped and this streak was no different than the perception of James himself ─ either cheered on or rooted against despite the greatness. As polarizing as LeBron and Heat streak is and was, you cannot deny the excellence and that we may never see something like this again.

Too many times we as fans are “prisoners of the moment,” and make an event or an athlete bigger than it actually is because it is so fresh in our minds. For example, compared to Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, especially during the turn of the century, stood as the best golfer ever because of his dominance, fire and determination to win. Most Tiger fans argued that he was already better than Nicklaus and that he will eventually win the most majors. However, we could not fully appreciate Jack’s greatness because it was a relatively distant memory and no one could have projected the struggles Tiger would endure in the past couple of years. In the case of the Miami Heat 27-game winning streak, there seems to be a reverse effect lingering here. We are under-appreciating what the Heat just accomplished.

What the Miami Heat did by winning 27 consecutive regular season games has only been achieved once, when the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers won 33 consecutive games. And in that era there were only eight main teams in the league. All the superstars were piled onto fewer teams instead of being so spread out. The game was less evolved. Who knows what the Heat may have done back then or in the future. The bottom line is it is very possible that the Heat streak might never be done again. If we were told this as a fact, what would we then think?  Most of us, especially those who rooted for them to lose, would feel pretty stupid. As humans, we naturally appreciate something more once it’s gone and never coming back.

With the parity that exists in the NBA today, the Heat’s streak is a mind-boggling accomplishment, however it was not fully embraced due to the polarizing effect that LeBron James has had among NBA fans. In this sense, we were not and are not enough of “prisoners” of this moment.

Let us examine 27 games in a row in the NBA compared to other feats. To accomplish this at the highest level of competition cannot be understated. Maybe compared to high school and college winning streaks, it’s not as potent. However, let’s not forget that the Patriots had their 18-game winning streak snapped when they lost to the Giants in the Super Bowl in pursuit of a perfect season. 27 games represents one-third of the NBA regular season. Let me repeat. One-third! There are currently seven NBA teams entering April 9  that do not have more than 27 wins for the entire season and the season is virtually over. Congratulations to the Timberwolves, Raptors and Wizards. You avoided this embarrassing category with 29 wins for the season.

For the Heat, once they won 20 games, every game had the hype that is typically reserved for the playoffs. SportsCenter previewed every game as if it was a Final Four game. When has Dwyane Wade sitting out a home game against the Bobcats been such a big deal? For a mediocre NBA season in terms of storylines and great quality teams, the Heat streak has been the highlight of the 2012-2013 NBA season. It generated more attention and draw from basketball fans and non-basketball fans. It kept the defending champions interested and gave them an incentive to care about the regular season.
The streak ended fittingly on the road against the Bulls as the wind was taken out of the sails of the Heat. Many people were sad and upset because they wanted to witness history. Many people were happy because LeBron failed and did not get to notch another accomplishment under his belt. It would have been interesting to see the attention of a streak like this done by another NBA team. Maybe the Lakers or Thunder or even the Knicks would have received similar attention, but that’s it. The fact of the matter is that this streak was not glorified as much as it should have been because it involved LeBron James and the defending champion Heat. In a vacuum, however, this streak needs to be worshipped and praised for how amazing a feat it was. This streak may never be accomplished ever again in the NBA, maybe in any sport as well. The Heat streak may be over, but its legacy could last forever.

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NBA Trade Deadline & Bold Predictions

March 3, 2013 by 1 Comment

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Almost a week after the passing of the NBA trade deadline, fans are beginning to get a clear picture of what their teams will look like down the stretch. Although this year’s trade season didn’t feature as many big names changing hands as years past (the biggest trade happened 3 weeks ago), there were several deals done that should impact the race to the playoffs over the final two months.

 

Memphis Grizzlies

Grizz fans should have been on alert when the team shipped big man Marreese Speights, a key player off their bench, to Cleveland along with guards Wayne Ellington and Josh Selby plus a future first round pick in exchange for Jon Leuer in an obvious salary dump move.

Leuer has been up and down between the NBA and the D-League this season and only appeared in 9 games for Cleveland prior to the trade on January 22. Since the trade, Speights is averaging over 12 points and 6 rebounds per game for the Cavs. Ellington, the primary backup at shooting guard for the Grizzlies who even started 4 games before the trade, is now averaging nearly 10 points per game since the deal to Cleveland.

Eight days later, Memphis dropped the real bombshell and traded leading scorer Rudy Gay and Iranian center Hamed Haddadi to Toronto for forwards Ed Davis, Tayshaun Prince and Austin Daye as part of a 3 team deal with the Detroit that sent Jose Calderon to the Pistons.

Once again, money was the clear motivation for this deal. The luxury tax penalties beginning after this season are absolutely brutal even for billionaire owners, so it’s hard to blame Memphis ownership. On the court, Prince is still a solid perimeter defender in his 11th season in the league and on a given night can pitch in double-figures scoring, he’s no Rudy Gay. Gay has been the leader the Raptors needed since his arrival increasing his scoring average (20.1 ppg with Toronto, 17.2 with Memphis), hitting a few game-winning shots and changing the entire vibe around Toronto leading them to a 7-4 record in their first 11 games.

In the short-term, Memphis GM Chris Wallace’s moves appear to be paying off. They are 9-3 since the Gay trade and had an impressive 8 game winning streak. Although they gave up a lot, what the Grizzlies got in return with the acquisition of Prince is much-needed championship experience as well as financial flexibility for the future to keep some of their other core players around. Teams like the Clippers and Thunder may get more attention, but watch out for the Grizzlies as the playoffs draw closer. The combination of Gasol and Randolph will give teams trouble, especially in the playoffs when the game slows down. That’s also when defensive specialists like Prince and Tony Allen will prove to be important if they hope to get past Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

 

Boston Celtics

The Celtics did make a move at the deadline and traded away an injured guard, and it was not Rajon Rondo as some speculated. In a deal that largely went under the radar, the Celtics acquired guard Jordan Crawford from the Wizards for veteran center Jason Collins and guard Leandro Barbosa, who is out for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. Crawford’s minutes declined after the return of John Wall, even though he was averaging around 13 points per game this season primarily as a reserve (though he had also started 12 games). There has never been any doubt about Crawford’s ability as a scorer; it’s his attitude that drove him out of Washington. A change of scenery can be good for players like Crawford, especially when they are put on a contending team with a coach like Doc Rivers and veteran leadership like Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Although he has been hot and cold since the trade (10 points in his first game, 2 total in the 2 since), look for Crawford to be an important contributor off the Celtics’ bench for the remainder of the season. He has the potential to provide the scoring spark they desperately need in their second unit, scoring over 20 points in a game 12 times this season. If he can keep his head screwed on straight, this may turn out to be one of the best deals of the season.

 

Milwaukee Bucks

You know it was a boring trade deadline when J.J. Redick was the biggest name traded. The Bucks acquired Redick from the Magic along with center Gustavo Ayon and guard Ish Smith in exchange for veteran backup point guard Beno Udrih, rookie guard Doron Lamb, and forward Tobias Harris. In other words, they were able to get a good shooter while giving up virtually nothing significant.

Before you write this off as ho-hum trade for a spot-up shooter and decent defender, think about how the Bucks are built and it will make a lot more sense. The addition of Redick allows the Bucks more freedom for their best players to do what they do best: attack the basket. Redick scored 16 points in his first game for them, but they won’t need him to do that every night. His presence spreads the floor for Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis to create and get to the rim. When they put in Redick for Luc Mbah a Moute, Milwaukee will have him and stretch-power forward Ersan Ilyasova on the wings, with either Larry Sanders or Samuel Dalembert patrolling the paint and screening for Jennings and Ellis.

This trade gives Milwaukee an additional piece that fits into their system well as they fight for a playoff spot in the East, currently 8th and 4 games ahead of Philadelphia.

 

Houston Rockets

Give the Rockets credit; they have been one of the most active teams in the trade and free agent markets throughout the last year as they continue to become more relevant in the loaded Western Conference, and have always found a way to add helpful pieces to their roster. On deadline day they traded starting forward Patrick Patterson, center Cole Aldrich, and guard Toney Douglas to the Kings for top-5 pick Thomas Robinson, guard/forward Francisco Garcia, and forward Tyler Honeycutt, then traded Patterson’s backup Marcus Morris to the Suns for a 2nd round pick. Houston currently sits a half game behind Utah for the 7th spot, and holds a 2.5 game lead over the Lakers for the final playoff spot.

If you haven’t seen the Rockets play much this year (or read any headlines recently about their record-setting nights), their offense is built around shooting 3s and driving to the basket/getting to the free throw line. Omer Asik is arguably the best screen-setter in basketball and James Harden gets to the rim and finishes as well as anyone not named LeBron James, with Chandler Parsons almost deadly when left open. Patterson and Morris had both evolved into respectable outside shooters, whereas Robinson is strictly an inside player, so how does this trade help them? Robinson’s role is yet to be determined, and Garcia is another solid perimeter player joining the likes of Parsons and Carlos Delfino in their rotation. Moving Patterson and Morris opens the door for Donatas Motiejunas, another stretch forward who loves to shoot the rock like most European forwards.

Most importantly, the move allows the Rockets continued payroll flexibility in the future. Their management has made no secret about their desire to bring in another superstar or two to team up with Harden, and this deal gives them the cap space to either sign another max-contract player or pull off another blockbuster trade without having to worry about money. Needless to say, the Rockets are in an enviable position to be in a “building” mode while contending for a playoff spot.

 

Closing Forecast/Bold Predictions

With a little less than two months left in the season, plenty is left to be decided in the Eastern and Western Conference playoff races, with the only sure thing at this point barring an injury or a massive conspiracy being LeBron James taking home another NBA Most Valuable Player award.

Eastern Conference

After a slow start, Miami has proven they are easily the best team in the East and should coast to the number 1 seed come playoff time. If Chicago gets Derrick Rose back in the next month, look for them to slide up as high as the 4 seed (if they don’t get him back, they are no better than the 6 seed), with the Pacers holding strong to the number 2 seed following Danny Granger’s return from injury. Deron Williams will remember how to take over and lead the Nets to the 3 seed, with the Knicks sliding to the 5 spot. Atlanta lacks firepower in the backcourt and will fall to the 6 seed, with Boston holding on to the 7 spot despite their injury plagued season. Milwaukee will squeak in as the 8, and promptly get swept by the Heat in the first round. Even if the Sixers get Andrew Bynum back, he won’t be enough to carry them ahead of the Bucks, and Rudy Gay has the Raptors playing better but still not quite at a playoff level.

Western Conference

Somehow Greg Popovich and the Spurs manage to pull it all together year after year when the world tries to count them out, and there’s no reason for it to stop now. The top 4 seeds in the West appear to be set with the Spurs, Thunder, Clippers and Grizzlies in that order. The question everyone is asking is whether or not the Lakers will make the playoffs. The answer is yes, as the 7 seed, with Utah falling out of the picture by season’s end. The Warriors have been surprising under Mark Jackson, and with the return of a healthy Andrew Bogut they could overtake the Nuggets for the 5 seed. Houston will round out the playoffs as the 8, and don’t be surprised if James Harden carries them to a couple wins in a series against the Spurs.

 

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Breaking the Bank

February 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment

amarebench
In the sports world, every person has a value. NBA general managers are paid millions of dollars to ensure that they sign players to contracts of appropriate value. Sometimes they mess up — like really mess up. Like a got in bed with a 2 when you were drunk and thought she was a 10 type of mess up. But rather than being embarrassed, never seeing that person again, and getting called an idiot by your friends, NBA teams and owners have to fork out millions of dollars, see that player every day, all while being called an idiot by everyone following a bad signing. Let’s take a look at some of the contracts that teams would prefer they hadn’t signed.

Paydays that Make Owners Cringe for 2012-2013:

Amar’e Stoudemire: $19,948,799
I’m not saying that Amar’e isn’t a good player. I am saying that he does not demand the fourth-highest salary in the NBA.  He is also the only player making nearly $20 million while coming off the bench. The Knicks are paying such a hefty sum for an injury-prone player averaging 13.3 PPG and 4.9 RPG.  People have told me that everything is overpriced in New York, but this is ridiculous.

Andrew Bynum $16,899,000
Bynum’s contract has him making more than $16 million dollars this year. You might argue that Bynum is one of the best centers in the league, but when you pay $16 million dollars for a player who may not even play this year, and is a free agent this summer, you haven’t overpaid, you’ve been robbed. Even while making all that money Bynum still can’t afford a proper barber or haircut.   
Perhaps he’s made his money this year by just providing fans entertainment. Keep hoping that he’ll play this year Philly, and pray that he doesn’t go bowling again and injure his glass knees.

Kris Humphries $12,000,000
Kris Humphries will make $12 million this year. No, that is not from royalties for his short stint as a Kardashian, but the salary the Brooklyn Nets will pay him. Right now Humphries is averaging roughly 6 PPG and 6 RPG. I realize it’s probably not even worth Mikhail Prokhorov’s time to bend over and pick up a few million dollars, but if you want to throw ridiculous amounts of money around, throw it in a different direction. I think it’s safe to say Kris Humphries has lived the dream. He’ll make $12 million this year, got Kim Kardashian (even if just for a bit), plays only 19 minutes a game, and is great in this commercial.

I hate to say it, but I’m jealous of Kris Humphries.

Hedo Turkoglu $11,815,850
In 2009, Turkoglu signed a $53 million dollar contract with Toronto that everyone thought was an overpayment. Now back on the Orlando Magic, everyone still thinks that he is being overpaid. Hedo is the post-college child that moved back home and the parents just want him to move out. It’s costing the Magic $11 million to watch him only play 11 games so far and shoot 26 percent while averaging 2.9 PPG. Did I mention that he has a player option for $12 million dollars next year? Charlie Sheen has a better chance going sober than Turkoglu does of declining that. For the team who had huge contracts with Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson and Dwight Howard, it wouldn’t be the Magic if they didn’t have one terrible contract.

Andre Iguodala $14,968,250
Andre Iguodala is a good NBA player. Does he demand a nearly $15 million salary? No. Whether it’s the legalized marijuana or the high altitude in Denver, Iguodala is playing like he’s high. A player you pay $15 million shouldn’t go 0 for 7 with air balls from the free-throw line and the field (February 19 versus Boston). He’s a good option, but for that kind of money you should be getting a solid number one option.

Honorable Mentions:
Joe Johnson $19,752,645
Joe Johnson is the fifth-highest paid player in the NBA. He’s not the fifth-best player in the NBA, but Prokhorov’s bottomless pockets make the payday a little bit easier to swallow. Also, the overtime clutchness that Johnson has demonstrated this season has semi-legitimized his contract. Coming from a guy whose favorite NFL team has Tony Romo at quarterback, the clutch factor should be a major factor in determining a salary.

There are times that NBA teams are able to secure a player for a low price. Generally, this only happens for a young player still playing on his rookie contract, or a veteran who suddenly thrives in a new system. There’s going to be people who argue that superstars like Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are underpaid because of max salary rules, but I don’t buy it. Their endorsements and marketability pretty much make it so they have infinite income resources.  Also, it’s hard to argue that someone making more than $15 million dollars a year is underpaid. It could be wrong to say that the players below that threshold are even underpaid, as they still make millions a year. However, in relation to the income of the players around them and the impact they have on their respective teams, their team is getting a bargain. These players may not be making the big-time NBA money right now, but you can bet their contracts will come.

Underpaid for 2012-2013:

Jrue Holiday $2,674,852
Jrue Holiday is averaging 19 PPG 8 APG and 1.5 steals per game. The 76ers are making up some of their Andrew Bynum losses with the fantastic play of Holiday. Holiday has erupted this year,  making his first ever all-star game. The 2009 draftee signed an extension earlier this season, which kicks in next year and will give him a nice payday of almost $10 million.

Paul George $2,574,120
Once you saw Holiday’s salary for this year, you had to assume that he was the most underpaid NBA all-star. You would be wrong. Paul George is having a breakout season for the Indiana Pacers and was rewarded with a roster spot in this year’s all-star game. His rookie contract will extend to next year allowing the Pacers to keep their bargain star. George is the best player on his team right now even though Danny Granger (who’s currently hurt) and Roy Hibbert each make $11 million more than him. You can bet when he hits the market after next year, he’ll be demanding a huge contract.

Brandon Jennings $3, 179, 493
Brandon Jennings may only make $3 million this year, but the highly-skilled guard will get PAID this summer. Milwaukee failed to reach an extension with Jennings this summer and he’s not going to stay there. Either the Bucks match the offers that Jennings will receive as a restricted free agent, or they watch him go. I’ve never been to Milwaukee, but I’ve had Milwaukee’s Best beer. And if that’s the best Milwaukee has to offer, I don’t blame him for wanting to leave.

Kyrie Irving $5,375,760
The former first-overall pick is helping to heal the wound left by LeBron James in Cleveland. If you didn’t see, Irving dominated all-star weekend winning the 3-point contest, playing well in the rising stars challenge, and the all-star game. The young stud’s play is well worth more than his contract. Rest assured that when his rookie contract lapses, he’ll be demanding a near-max deal. Irving is the future of the NBA and gives the black hole that is Cleveland sports the ability to hope for a championship.  If I were the Cavaliers, I’d pull a Chicago Bulls and sign my star point guard to a $90-plus million extension before his rookie contract closes.

Ray Allen $3,000,000
I understand Ray Allen wanting another championship and the Miami nightlife, but arguably the greatest shooter of all time should be making more than $3 million. Allen would have made twice the money if he had chosen to re-sign with the Celtics. Not only did the defending champion Miami Heat get the greatest 3-point shooter of all time, they got him for a bargain.

Greivis Vasquez $1,191,240
With all the hype of Anthony Davis and the name change from the Hornets to the Pelicans, you may have missed out on the great season that Greivis Vasquez is having. He’s averaging 13.8 PPG with 9.4 APG. For a player barely making more than $1 million, those are great numbers. The Hornets were able to snag a great guard for a bargain and have him under contract for a couple years.

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Lake Show vs. Lob City

February 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment

la

When you think of basketball in Los Angeles, you think of the purple and gold. The championships. Kareem and Magic. Kobe and Shaq. The glitz and the glamour. Jack Nicholson sitting courtside. Conventional wisdom indicates that there is just one basketball team that dominates the headlines in L.A. If you asked most natives, UCLA would probably be the second-most popular answer if you were playing Family Feud. However, for the first time since, well, ever, L.A. has two sheriffs in town now, with the rise of the L.A. Clippers.

The Los Angeles Clippers have been the laughing stock of the NBA for years, epitomizing how not to run a franchise. Conversely, the Lakers have been a model of excellence. No matter the year the motto is “championship or bust.” However, this year, it has become more and more evident that the tides are turning in Tinseltown.

Let’s first focus on each team’s players. The Lakers have superstars, but all are arguably past their prime. Kobe is still Kobe, but he has racked up more minutes than Andy Rooney with his fantastic career nearing its end. Dwight Howard has brought nothing but drama in his first year with the Lakers and his back injury raises major question marks for the future. Pau Gasol recently suffered a foot injury, which does not bode well for any 7-footer’s career, even if he is well connected to Dr. Scholls. Steve Nash missed the first part of the year with a leg injury, and seems to be a shell of himself in a Laker uniform. The only thing Nash can do to play defense these days is hope that his awful haircut will distract the league’s top point guards. Even with the former Ron Artest on the team, the Lakers season and future can be called anything but peaceful.

As for the Clippers, they have arguably the best point guard in the league in Chris Paul. He not only walks the walk on the court, but off the court he talks the talk. He is a leader, and he makes the players around him better.  Blake Griffin is the co-star for the Clips and he is the most exciting player in basketball. His dunks even make cops jealous. Jamal Crawford is easily the sixth man of the year, a bona-fide stud who brings an element of street ball to the court when he is in the game. Veterans such as Grant Hill, Lamar Odom and Chauncey Billups have chosen to play for this team because they thought it as their best opportunity to win a title. In years past, it would be like someone wanting to move to Seattle to get a better tan. Now the Clippers represent a team on the rise, full of promise for the future and a threat to take over as the new basketball team of Los Angeles.

In years past, the Clippers organization had to call businesses and fans for sponsorship and attendance. They practically had to rely on the league’s best opponents to help put butts in the seats for Clipper home games. These days, fans and sponsors are flocking to the Staples Center to be a part of the Clipper Magic. The Clipper stock is rising and everybody wants to buy a share. The Clippers have a better record, better team chemistry, and a better shot to win the title than the Lakers. However, it remains to be seen if they can win over the fans who look at L.A. as Laker Land.

The Lakers and Clippers play their home games in the same arena similar to two brothers who grow up living together in the same house. The Clippers have always been that younger brother who never gets any attention, while the Lakers have been the pride and joy of the Los Angeles family. The Lakers have all the awards, historic teams and players, and accolades to boot. The Clippers on the other hand don’t really have much to show in their trophy case.  However, it looks like the little brother is finally growing up.

The Lakers beat the Mavericks on Sunday and acted as if they had advanced to the NBA Finals. The Mavericks are under .500 and are in danger of not making the playoffs, much like the Lakers. Sad, but times are changing as well as the standards. The Lakers never used to celebrate moral victories. The Lakers never used to make news when they went on a three-game winning streak. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are making the Clippers a force to be reckoned with and they are not going away anytime soon. Lob City has arrived and they are the closest thing to Showtime since Magic Johnson ran the point. They are a better team and a more viable contender for a championship. Is this a sign for things to come? We will have to see. Whether this becomes true, it still will take a huge effort surpass the Lakers as the pulse of Los Angeles. The fact that this is even a discussion now represents a new era in and of itself.

 

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