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The Betting Corner: NBA Playoffs May 15, 2013

May 15, 2013 by 1 Comment

Chicago @ Miami 7PM (ET) TNT

(Miami 3-1 Chicago Series)

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Tonight’s game is an elimination game for the bulls in one of the most physical series I have seen in a while since the Pacers Knicks rivalry back in the 90’s. This series from a betters standpoint has been very hard to judge because on any given night the heat can play lights out and Vegas knows this. Therefore, Vegas is tempting the dog better with a high spread. However, this is the Heat’s chance to bury the Bulls at home and I don’t see them letting off the gas in this one.
Play:
Miami -14

———–

Memphis @ OKC 9.30PM (ET) TNT

(Memphis 3-1 OKC Series)

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Another elimination game on the slot tonight with a series lead of 3-1 in favor of Memphis. Memphis has flat out controlled this series through defense and utilizing on OKC mistakes. If OKC can limit turnovers tonight and utilize there home court advantage as we are accustomed to, I see Durant and co. giving everything they got in this one and covering the -4.
Play:
OKC -4

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Round 2-NBA Playoffs-Western Conference

May 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment

NBA-Western-Conference

Two epic matchups in the Western Conference featuring the San Antonio Spurs versus the Golden State Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies versus the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

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  • Game 1- May 5 Memphis @ Oklahoma City 93-91
  • Game 2-May 7 Memphis @ Oklahoma City 9:30 p.m. (EST) TNT
  • Game 3-May 11 Oklahoma City @ Memphis 5 p.m. (EST) ESPN
  • Game 4-May 13 Oklahoma City @ Memphis 9:30 p.m. (EST) TNT
  • Game 5- May 15 Memphis @ Oklahoma City TBA TNT
  • Game 6- May 17 Oklahoma City @ Memphis TBA ESPN
  • Game 7- May 19 Memphis @ Oklahoma City TBA 

2013 Regular Season Match-up

  • November 14 Memphis @ Oklahoma City 107-97
  • January 3 Memphis @ Oklahoma City 89-106
  • March 20 Oklahoma City @ Memphis 89-90 OT

Memphis Grizzlies’ Locker Room

This Memphis team seemed to have overcome the departure of ex-star Rudy Gay, but with the arrival of Ed Davis and Tayshaun Prince they have improved their defensive mentality. They lost by a mere two points in Oklahoma City where the Thunder have thrived all season.  Kevin Martin is a good sixth man but he doesn’t have the takeover mentality that James Harden has and the Thunder are missing it big time. The Grizzlies are first in points allowed at 89.3 points per game during the regular season and having beat the LA Clippers in six has given them great momentum coming into this series. They ran into a bit of emotion in game one against the Thunder. But look for the Grizzlies to lock in their defense and maybe surprise the Thunder.

Oklahoma City Thunder Locker Room

Take one game at a time, this Thunder team just isn’t dominating as they use to be anymore. Losing James Harden to Houston and now losing Russell Westbrook to injury, they miss a potential 50 points and 15 assists per game. The Thunder ESCAPED Sunday by a mere two points against the Grizzlies. Without Westbrook to pressure Mike Conley, Conley is able to distribute the ball equally and create plays off the ball.  This Thunder team averages 105.7 points per game this season and are 34-7 at home. To make this series in their favor, they need to win all their home games. If the Grizzlies manage to steal one in OKC, Kevin Durant will have an early exit this season.

Final Predictions

I think this Memphis Grizzlies defense is better than people give them credit for. Defense wins playoff games in the NBA

Memphis Grizzlies in 6

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Golden State Warriors Vs San Antonio Spurs

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  • Game 1- May 6 Golden State @ San Antonio 129-127 OT
  • Game 2- May 8 Golden State @ San Antonio 9.30PM (ET) TNT
  • Game 3- May 10 San Antonio @ Golden State 10.30PM (ET) ESPN
  • Game 4- May 12 San Antonio @ Golden State 3.30PM (ET) ABC
  • Game 5- May 14 Golden State @ San Antonio 9.30PM (ET) TNT
  • Game 6- May 16 San Antonio @ Golden State TBA ESPN
  • Game 7- May 19 Golden State @ San Antonio TBA

2013 Regular Season Match-up

  • January 18 Golden State @ San Antonio88-95
  • February 22  San Antonio @ Golden State 101-107OT
  • March 20 Golden State @ San Antonio 93-104
  • April 15  San Antonio @ Golden State 106-116

Golden State Warriors’ Locker Room

Epic game in the opener as the Warriors blew a huge lead in the final four minutes when the Spurs went on 18-2 run and took the Spurs to double overtime. Manu Ginobili hit a trey to seal the game with 1.4 seconds left. The Warriors rank third in the NBA with 45 rebounds per game during the regular season and without David Lee they still out-rebounded the front court of Matt Bonner, Tim Duncan, Tiago Splitter and Boris Diaw. But during the final moments in game one, experience showed to be the difference when the Spurs locked down on defense and shut down the Warriors, causing them to turn the ball over. If the Warriors want to have a shot in winning, they need to play defense because the Spurs are not going to come out in game two like they did in game one.

San Antonio Spurs’ Locker Room

GINOBILI!!!!!! The  former sixth man of the year hit a game winning 3 with 1.4 seconds left allowing the Spurs to take game one at home. Averaging 25.1 assists per game ranking, which topped the NBA during the regular season, the Spurs showed why experience and teamwork plays a great part in winning playoff games. The big three in Ginobili, Duncan and Parker all showed up to play. Don’t expect any more game one come-from-behind wins from the Spurs, they were helped by Warriors inexperience.  The Spurs are 35-6 at home this season and so far are undefeated in the playoffs, they are going to have to shut down the dynamic backcourt of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson who combined for 63 points. Defense is the key.

Final Predictions

I see the Warriors stealing a game or two in San Antonio but the Spurs are just as good enough to steal a couple on the road.  Look for every game to be exciting, and it’s going to be a great series.

Spurs in 7

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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 Dunk Contest America Wants

February 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment

slamdunk

So the names for this year’s dunk contest came out last week and it’s safe to say that no one’s jaw dropped. In fact, more people probably were wondering whether these guys were even in the NBA.  We’ll do a quick run-through of this year’s featured players. Representing the Western Conference we have Jeremy Evans, Eric Bledsoe and Kenneth Faried.
In case you missed last year’s dunk contest, Jeremy Evans won by jumping over a chair and dunking two balls at once, followed by dunking over Kevin Hart. Yes, the year after Blake Griffin won the dunk contest by jumping over a car, Evans won by jumping over a 5-foot-2 comedian. Speaking of Kevin Hart, we have a player who could stand in for him if need be. (I’m just kidding, Eric Bledsoe is 6 foot 1 and one of the best trade assets in the NBA). Bledsoe, or the slightly smaller Nate Robinson, has some major hops but being only 6 foot 1 it’s hard to do a lot with the ball while in the air. If anything though his dunk should get a good score just for the time he dunked and made Mark Cuban’s face look like this.

Last but not least for the West, we have the Manimal. Kenneth Faried is an absolute beast and he’s very capable awing a crowd. He’s by far the most explosive in this competition and bright spot in this contest. It’s good to see they made sure at least one NBA starter was on here with a name already known throughout the league.
For the Eastern Conference the dunkers are Gerald Green, Terrence Ross and James White. You might have heard the name Green and wondered why it was familiar. It’s because six years ago Green won the dunk contest when he was on the Boston Celtics.  Since leaving the Celtics that year, Green has been on five different NBA teams and it’s questionable what the journeyman has left in the tank.  Green does have an advantage over his fellow journeyman White. Green may not have the best resume, but at least he never fell out of the league. White started for San Antonio in 2006, then moved to Houston and then was out of the league following the 08-09 season until this year when he joined the Knicks. His career minute average is 8.6 minutes per game. He’s probably spent more time in dunk contests than actually on the NBA court. It can’t be denied that the guy can dunk though and he could be one of the best dunkers in the contest since Blake Griffin. White’s the heavy favorite and for good reason.  Terrence Ross is the lone rookie in the dunk contest and the second favorite behind White.  The young Raptors guard has a future in the league and perhaps he can get his name known early by pulling off the win.
So just to be clear, we have last year’s contest winner, a taller Nate Robinson, one NBA starter, two players who have not stayed on the same NBA team for more than a year and a rookie making up the dunk contest. I’m not saying it will be terrible, but the lineup is not exactly marquee. This got us here at theCover4 thinking about whom the best possible dunk contest would feature.
Representing the Western Conference: Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin. Russell Westbrook is an absolute athletic freak, just look at him simply dominate 7-footer Omer Asik.


If Westbrook could do this in a game, imagine what he could do during the competition. I don’t care if Westbrook and Durant are on the same team; I want to see Durant in the dunk contest. The flying stick has some mad hops and has seemed to start enjoying posterizing people more recently. Just watch his new KD 5 commercial and how he’s shed his Mr. NBA Nice Guy image. Anytime you can get a near 7- footer get his head above the rim regularly, I want him in the contest.


Blake Griffin should automatically have a spot reserved in the contest annually. I can’t imagine someone I’d rather not be than Mozgov at this moment. Nothing says posterized quite like getting your face shoved into a NBA player’s crotch while getting dunked on simultaneously. Until someone humiliates a player more than this, Blake has an automatic dunk contest berth.

Representing the Eastern Conference, we would have LeBron James, Paul George and Derrick Rose. The Twitter world collectively held its breath when James tweeted “Dunk Contest?” on February 7. Everyone has wanted to see what LeBron could do during the competition but he has repeatedly refused to participate. If the Akron Hammer decides to throw down this year, it will definitely be a dunk contest that’s remembered for years.

I know that everyone is going to say Paul George was in the dunk contest last year and failed to win. The guy has talent and his explosiveness can’t be denied. Last year’s glow-in-the-dark jersey was so-so but he’s got the talent to compete with anyone in the league.

The Derrick Rose inclusion is hoping that Rose comes back as his old self from his knee injury. The former MVP has nearly unrivaled explosiveness, with Westbrook probably being the only guard capable of matching his athleticism and speed. If he’s back to his old self, he’s one of the most entertaining point guards in the league.

(Why are so many of these against the Knicks?)

While we’ll probably never have a dunk contest featuring this caliber of players, we can always dream. Here’s to hoping that this year’s young dunk contest participants can put on a show and make their names well known by NBA fans. The dunk contest has long been one of the highlights of All-Star weekend and while it’s not what it could be, it offers an opportunity for these young players. White could be one of the best dunkers in the NBA and I fully expect him to put on a show. I fully expect him to win the competition and have his name known throughout the league Saturday night.

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Tye Masters
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Thunder Storming

January 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Westbrooke & KD are both playing lights out!

Westbrook & KD are both playing lights out!

The Thunder’s season ended last year after game 5 of the NBA Finals. Anyone who watched that series immediately knew two things. First, Lebron James is the most dominant player in the NBA and the current king of basketball and secondly, the Thunder would be right back in the finals for years to come.  The tears and frustration that came with losing would fuel the Thunder to continue their growth. Every fan of any team in the Western Conference kissed their dreams of a Finals appearance good-bye (except stubborn Lakers fans with their newly assembled super-team). With Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, the Thunder just had too much potential. They had three all-stars under the age of 25, including the best scorer in the league. Then came the Harden trade and everyone who was not a Lakers or Heat fan collectively sighed, as it seemed obvious that one of those two teams would win the 2012 title.

In the age of the super teams, the idea of trading away an all-star seems like it belongs in one of those AT&T commercials involving spastic little kids asking if three is better than two. Three all-stars must be better than two! Who was going to take over for Westbrook when he went through his shooting funk? Who would come off the bench to keep the scoring going? How would the Thunder compete against the super teams of the league? The Thunder have answered all of these questions through their play this year and are looking like one of the most complete teams in the league. If you look at any power rankings on any site, odds are the Thunder are in the top spot and if not, find a new site.

The Thunder are off to a NBA-best 30-8 start while putting up a second-best 105.11 points per game. Most impressive about their team play is that they have a league-leading +9.16 point differential per game. Not only are they beating teams, they’re dominating them. So how is an offense that loses one of its main offensive threats doing this? It involves multiple reasons but it starts with Durant. While Kevin Durant is not leading the league in scoring at the moment with 28.9PPG, his shooting percentages are 52/40/90. A shooter can’t get more offensively efficient than being part of the 50/40/90 club. If Durant can keep this efficiency up, he will join Steve Nash, Larry Bird, Mark Price, Reggie Miller and Dirk Nowitzki in this exclusive fraternity of sharpshooters.

While everyone knows that Durant can score, he’s spent a good deal of time improving other facets of his game this year. Durant is currently averaging career highs in assists (4.2) and blocks (1.7), while grabbing a solid 7.6 rebounds per game. It’s scary to think of the level Durant can reach. In the past year, Durant has played in the finals, improved his game immensely the following season, and even starred in the feature film Thunderstruck! He’s having an MVP campaign and the ceiling seems non-existent. However, Durant is not doing everything by himself.  Westbrook is putting up a stellar 2012 campaign as well. Against the Phoenix Suns on Monday, the duo combined for 77 points and Durant introduced Marcin Gortat to Perkins and Mozgov in the ‘Embarrassed/Posterized 7-Footers Club’.

Westbrook is having one of the best seasons of his career and has really stepped up in the absence of Harden. Not only has he stopped going into those funks where everyone yells “Westbrook! What are you doing?!”, but he is averaging career highs in multiple categories. Westbrook is logging career highs in minutes (36.1), 3- point attempts (4.1), 3-point percentage (35.7%), rebounds (5.3), assists (8.4) and steals (2.1). While we all know Westbrook can put up 30-plus points on any given night, with his improved ability to get surrounding teammates, he can contribute immensely even when his shot goes cold. Critics of Westbrook won’t be able to find a problem with his current game, but at least they’ll always have his wardrobe.

The entire Thunder team’s improvement cannot be denied. With the departure of Harden has come the emergence of Serge Ibaka. While Ibaka has long been recognized for his blocked shots, even been referred to as ‘Iblocka’, he has evolved into a top power forward. He’s shooting a career-high 56% from the field along with 79% from the line. Throw this in next to career-high 8.4 rebounds and 14.3 points per game and it’s evident that Air Congo has taken off. What is most impressive is that he’s done all this while being the fourth option behind Durant, Westbrook and Kevin Martin. By improving both defensively and offensively and transitioning into a versatile power forward, the Thunder still have three elite players under 25 despite losing Harden.

One of the biggest reasons we have not seen a fall off from the loss of Harden has been the smooth transition of Martin into the Thunder offense. It can even be argued that the loss of Harden and introduction of Martin improves the Thunder offense. Martin is averaging 14.9 points per game, but more importantly is the role he plays in the offense. Martin is a catch-and-shoot player, he doesn’t demand the ball like Harden. If Martin doesn’t have the shot, he dishes it back to either Westbrook or Durant. One of the most frustrating moments for Thunder fans is when Durant doesn’t have the ball in his hands when he clearly should. By removing a player with a style of play that demands the ball and introducing one who simply catches and shoots at a consistent rate with solid production, the ball goes to Durant more. And with Durant playing at the efficient level he is, you want the ball in Durant’s hands.

I think we can safely say that every member of the Thunder, from the coach to the players, are doing everything in their power to ensure they’re smiling instead of crying when the confetti falls in the NBA finals this year. They seem to have taken the slogan ‘Thunder Up!’ to heart, as entire team has upped both its production and expectations. The Thunder are young, fast, talented, and hungry and expect nothing less than an NBA championship. Astraphobia is the fear of thunder, and every NBA team should develop it. Only halfway through the season the Thunder look like a championship team, and expect to see them back in the Finals.

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Tye Masters
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Bennett Tops Bazz, McLemore as Nation’s Best Freshman

January 11, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Anthony Bennett is a man amongst boys!

Anthony Bennett is a man amongst boys!

Every year college basketball programs try to attract top recruits who can make an immediate impact on the team. Everyone wants the next Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, or Carmelo Anthony to play for their program and carry them into the NCAA tourney. An incoming freshman with exceptional talent can benefit a program immensely, even if it is “one and done.” Just ask John Calipari how useful a freshman can be. He owes much of his success to freshmen like Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, John Wall and Anthony Davis. Although early, the 2013 freshman class has some studs making their names known and opposing teams praying they’re one and dones.

Forward Anthony Bennett of UNLV is without question the best freshman at this point. The first McDonald’s All-American to join the Runnin’ Rebels in decades has created a new show in a city known for its entertainment. The freshman already has NBA size standing at 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, and his play makes him a consideration as an early lottery pick if he chooses to leave for the NBA after this season. Bennett uses every bit of his size to bully defenders in the paint on his way to 19.9 points per game while shooting 56.1 percent and collecting nine rebounds a game. While Bennett seems capable of getting to the basket at will, his game is far more versatile. His seven-foot wingspan gives him the ability to match-up against any opponent and his 1.5 blocks per game demonstrates his ability to protect the paint. While it would seem his game has to be lacking in some facet, the guy even shoots the three-ball at 38 percent. Bennett’s far more than your typical college player, hell he’s even more than two collegiate players at times (see video below).

Bennett’s 19-plus points per game and 9-plus rebound average have him in the company of Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and Michael Beasley, so it’s safe to say he should be on the National Player of the Year watch. With a player of Bennett’s caliber to watch, UNLV fans should pack the Thomas & Mack Center all season long. While currently ranked 24 in the AP and 19 in the USA Today, the return of 2012 Mountain West Newcomer of the Year Mike Moser and the sure development of Bennett will make this team scary in March. Bennett may be the savior of Sin City and the Runnin’ Rebels have the potential to make a deep run in the NCAA tourney.

ben

While Bennett is far above anyone other freshman this year, consideration must be given to guard Ben McLemore. It’s a pretty big deal when a freshman leads No. 6 Kansas in scoring. McLemore is averaging a team-leading 15.8 points per game with 5.5 rebounds per game and 2.2 assists per game.  All it takes to recognize his talent is to watch his clutch performance against Iowa State. The freshman put up 33 points, including a perfect 6-for-6 from the 3-point line. He stepped up big by knocking down the game-tying three with only a second left. Whenever you have a freshman step up in such big moments, it can’t go unnoticed. From highlight plays that show his ability to elevate higher than kids at a Wiz Khalifa concert, to his ability to come up big during big games, McLemore can’t be ignored. If the freshman can successfully carry his team to a top seed in the NCAA tourney and continue at the pace he’s going, he will overtake Bennett for top freshman honors and further improve his draft stock.
smart

Another top freshman guard is Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart. The young point guard averages 14.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. The Cowboys have lost two of their last three games and need to snap out of the funk they’re in. As a major contributor to their offense, Smart’s stats show his importance to the team. The guy fills up a stat sheet like a young Jason Kidd. He’s a top two contributor in assists, points, and rebounds. While certainly a top freshman, I have a hard time comparing him to the level of Bennett and McLemore. With the college basketball only half-way through, anything can change. While I don’t see Smart capable of overcoming Bennett for top freshman honors, he definitely must be considered in the top-3 freshman.

bazz

The last freshman consideration is UCLA’s forward Shabazz Muhammad. While Muhammad began with a rocky start due to potential NCAA violations of amateurism, he seems to be trying to live up to the preseason hype. Post #FreeShabazz, is averaging 19.6 points per game and 5.2 rebounds per game. With UCLA about to hit the road in the Pac-12, Shabazz better be ready to be heckled by fans for his possible violations and lead UCLA to match the early expectations everyone had for it. If Shabazz can stay on the court and continue to play at the level he’s been at the past couple games, he’ll move up in these rankings (he’s averaged 19.5 points and 8 rebounds over his past two). Shabazz has some big shoes to step into (probably Adidas), and if he fails match the hype, his status as the number one pick may slip. The potential to go either way is there, it will just be up to him to determine which direction he goes in.

Other Considerations:

Jahaii Carson, Arizona State (16.7ppg, 3.1rpg, 5.4apg)

Nerlens Noel, Kentucky (10.3ppg, 9.3rpg, 3.5bpg)

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Thank you for reading The Cover 4! Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook & Twitter.

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Tye Masters
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