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(10/08/16 5:47am)
Coming off of their big win against then number 17 Michigan State, Indiana heads into Columbus for an even tougher test. Indiana takes on the number 2 team in the nation in Ohio State at 3:30 p.m. today. Earlier this week I spoke with Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch to see how the Hoosiers could try and pull off a second straight upset.
David Sugarman: How much do you think Ohio State took notice of IU’s win last week against Michigan State and do you think they’re taking Indiana any more seriously because of it?
Tim May: Yes and yes. Next question. No, but Urban Meyer said that and I can tell everybody, this is a team (Indiana) that was throwing into the end zone against a number one ranked Ohio State last year in Bloomington with a chance to tie the game and Eli Apple knocked the ball away in the end zone or who knows what would’ve happened. Zander Diamont had things going and they were going to take Indiana seriously no matter what happened against Michigan State last week. But past that, if you’re going to ask me how good I think this Indiana team is, I wrote earlier in the week they’re no longer I-n-i-a-n-a because they found their D. What the defense did, in overtime especially, the way they got after Tyler O’Connor and the Michigan State offense, I thought it was the defense that basically won that game for them. They gave up that late drive to tie it, but stuff happens sometimes when teams are desperate. But past the biggest difference is it looks like Indiana can play some defense now when it has to. With that said I thought they played defense pretty well against Ohio State last year. Ezekiel Elliott just had a game for the ages where he went 55, 65 and 75 yards for touchdowns things that we’ll never see again in our lifetime. That kind of saved the day for Ohio State. Yes, to answer your question yes Ohio State is taking Indiana seriously. Urban Meyer believes he had his team’s full attention this week.
DS: As great as Ohio State is does it hurt them at all having not been tested in a really close game yet this season?
TM: Well there’s two ways of looking at that. They went to Oklahoma and they were slight favorite, I think by two points and they won by 21. So were they tested by Oklahoma? It’s easy to say that a team hasn’t played in a tight game yet and you don’t know how they’re going to react to that situation. So yeah you can definitely say that. The flipside of it is they went into a hostile environment, Oklahoma had its largest crowd ever at Owen Field at Memorial Stadium and Ohio State won by 21 on national television at night after a 90-minute rain and lightning delay before the start of the game. So it depends on what your definition of testing is.
DS: Fair enough. Now we all know some of the big names like J.T. Barrett, can you give me one player on each side of the ball that Indiana fans probably don’t know, but definitely should?
TM: Well I wrote a story about Isaiah Prince, it’s in our Gameday Plus section and you can see it at dispatch.com. Isaiah Prince our right tackle has really come into his own the last couple of games. He’s one of the three new starters on the offensive line. That’s made a big difference for Ohio State. Then defensively I got a story this week on Robert Landers a defensive tackle who has given them some quality, adequate depth in the defensive line position. They’ve had to play eight to ten defensive lineman and they just keep rolling fresh guys in there. He leads the team in tackles for loss so when he goes in there there’s not really a drop off and he really gives them a little bit of torque down there right in the A gap. He’s a 6-1 and 290 pound guy, very strong and those are two guys to keep your eye on. And I keep reminding people I think the difference in this defense that’s allowed it to play as well as it has so far has been the rise of Marshon Lattimore at the cornerback position vacated by Eli Apple who was the 10th player taken in the NFL Draft this past year. Two great cornerbacks, Lattimore and Gareon Conley, allow the defense to play with a nine-man look at the rest of your offense and so far he (Lattimore) has played extremely well. Those are a few guys to keep your eye on.
DS: Every team has got a weakness. As good as Ohio State is, what do you think the chink in their armor is that Indiana needs to try and expose?
TM: Well everybody thought it was going to be the run defense. And they gave up around 170 rushing yards to Oklahoma. Oklahoma has two outstanding backs in Samaje Perine, the single game FBS record holder for rushing yards, and Joe Mixon and I think they both combined for like 136 yards, which wasn’t very good. Then on top of that Ohio State gave up a kickoff return for a touchdown to Joe Mixon. So if there’s anything they’ve got straightened out for sure last week it was the in essence, stuffing Rutgers on kickoff coverage and so they kind of figured that out. Right now it’s really hard to point your finger at something a team could continually take advantage of so I don’t really know where to answer that question. They’ve only given up two touchdowns on defense; they’ve only given up four touchdowns total. They average 57 points a game, which leads the Big Ten, which is second in the country. They’re averaging right around 580 yards in total offense, which is fifth in the country. Defensively they’re number one in the nation in scoring defense and number one in pass defense efficiency. They’re also number one in defense in their red zone. So I’m not sure where you point the finger at the moment.
DS: So it’s safe to say they’re pretty good?
TM: Yeah that’s safe to say. As I wrote in my prediction, Urban Meyer very much respects Kevin Wilson and the job he does, especially on offense. He’s always thought that he’s one of those guys out there that’s kind of pushing the envelope and he’s a good space maker for his playmakers. As I said earlier this week, they got more wheel routes on that offense then a Nascar team. The point I made was I think this might be the best overall Indiana team, although offensively I don’t think it’s as good as last year. But this may be the best overall Indiana team in the four years Urban Meyer has been here, but this is probably Urban Meyer’s best Ohio State team. So put those two against each other and what do you come out with? I guess we’re going to find out.
DS: So how’s this one going to play out, what’s your prediction for the game?
TM: Well I’m picking Ohio State 45-13. I do respect what Indiana does on offense, Mitchell Paige is an interesting character and I like the way Lagow plays. He looks like he’s pretty tough. But I just think Ohio State will prevail 45-13 especially in Ohio Stadium. Those clashes haven’t been as close at Ohio Stadium as they’ve been at Memorial Stadium over in Bloomington.
You can follow Tim on twitter @TIM_MAYsports and read his work at http://www.dispatch.com.
You can follow David on twitter @David_Sugarman2 and on Instagram @david_sugarman
(09/27/16 9:32pm)
It’s that time of year. Indiana starts Big Ten conference play this week when they host Michigan State at home Saturday night. Both teams are trying to bounce back from their first loss of the season after IU fell at home to Wake Forest and Michigan State got trounced at home against Wisconsin 30-6. I spoke with Chris Solari who covers the Spartans for the Detroit Free Press to see how they plan to rebound.
David Sugarman: A lot of people, including myself, were surprised by the game last week. What surprised you the most about the loss against Wisconsin?
Chris Solari: Just how much Wisconsin physically dominated Michigan State on both sides of the line. Michigan State came off that Notre Dame game looking pretty strong in both facets. I guess now we kind of get a better gauge of what Notre Dame really is after the loss to Duke. And I’m not necessarily sure that the Wisconsin game really showed a lot of what Michigan State really is. They abandoned a lot of their offensive plays to the edge that really worked very well against Notre Dame. They went and tried to attack Wisconsin down the field a little bit more and it just didn’t happen. Tyler O’Connor, this was the first chance that he had to really stretch the field vertically and failed with three interceptions and no touchdowns. A lot of the blame here is being put on O’Connor’s shoulders, but I think there was more than that. There were missed blocks, there were missed receivers, but he shouldered a lot of it too.
DS: You mentioned O’Connor’s struggles. This is his first game as a starter where he’s done a really poor job. What do you think Wisconsin did to get under his skin that Indiana should try and replicate?
CS: Well a lot of that stems from how much pressure Wisconsin put on him. They were blitzing from all angles and both Michigan State’s line and their running backs and their tight ends, all three facets struggled at times to pick up some of those blitzes. So if I’m Kevin Wilson I’m looking at that tape and saying, “Okay if we put O’Connor under duress, can he make the right decisions? Can he stretch the field vertically?” When he’s taking drop backs like that, if they go that route, that’s tough. That’s tough for a guy who hasn’t show the ability to put the ball over the top to his receivers in the right spots, really all season not just against Wisconsin. He’s thrown passes short, he’s thrown passes behind receivers and I think he telegraphs quite a bit too. I would just put pressure on him from the middle and from the edge.
DS: How do you think he’s going to bounce back?
CS: Well that’s one of the things that I think made Connor Cook such a good quarterback. His ability either game by game or play by play, the resiliency that he showed for three years is part of the reason Michigan State had so much success. O’Connor has yet to do that. This is his first loss. He has had some struggles so I think that will test his moxie. We haven’t seen how Tyler O’Connor responds to failure yet. This will be the first time we get to see that.
DS: Moving from O’Connor to the running game, the run game was so good against Notre Dame (260 rushing yards), why do you think it wasn’t effective against Wisconsin (75 yards)?
CS: I think they just struggled to pick up Wisconsin’s blitzes. They struggled to generate much of a drive. LJ Scott had 61 yards and had a critical fumble that went the other way for a touchdown. Really I think if you look at that score there was a lot of faulty points. Michigan State gave them basically 20 points between fumbles and interceptions in that game. In terms of the running game they tried to go up the middle against a really stout Wisconsin defense. Like I said earlier they abandoned those jet sweeps and the little passes out of jet motion around the edge that worked so well against Notre Dame and I would expect to see more of that this week. But I think the coaches felt like they failed themselves in that instance.
DS: Who is one player on each side of the ball for Michigan State that Indiana fans probably don’t know, but definitely should?
CS: From the offensive side, and I’m pretty sure the coaches know him, but fans probably don’t know the name Donnie Corley. He’s a true freshman wide receiver with real game changing talent. You saw the touchdown he had at Notre Dame went up over the top of Cole Luke, the veteran cornerback and pulled the ball away from him for his first career touchdown. He was kind of a forgotten man in that game plan last week against Wisconsin so I would look for him to be more integrally utilized by Michigan State. On the defensive side I think the two names to keep in mind are also true freshman. They’re two guys who had their redshirts burned late last week. One of them is from Fort Wayne, Auston Robertson and a defensive end from Chicago Josh King. Those are two guys that are highly recruited, highly talented defensive ends. Michigan State struggled to generate pass rush and that’s really why they’re burning the redshirts. They want these guys to play and we know that Kevin Wilson likes to run the ball up tempo so they’re going to have a lot of chances to get in there and make some plays even if it’s just rotationally.
DS: What do you think Michigan State’s biggest concern is with IU and how will they game plan for that?
CS: Well the biggest concern to me is will Riley Bullough in the middle of that defense? He sat out last week with an unspecified injury. But after the Notre Dame game when we talked to him he had ice bags on his right shoulder and arm and inside his shirt so kind of speculating as that might be the case and where the issue is. He’s been an orchestrator of that defense. He gets guys lined up in the right spots, he’s tremendous at filling the gap and he’s also probably one of the most in condition guys that they’ve got on their defense. You take that out of the middle, you take the nerve center out of the middle, I think that was part of the reason you saw some of the struggles against Wisconsin. Now especially when you speed up and accelerate the process like Indiana likes to do and you got things moving quickly, how Shane Jones if he’s in there or Byron Bullough, Riley’s brother, how they respond to that and how quickly they respond could be critical from the difference between touchdowns and stops.
DS: What’s your prediction for how this game will play out?
CS: Well I expect there to be a lot of points. I know that’s probably not a surprise. At this point Michigan State needs that offense. They need to recover and revive what they did against Notre Dame. They’ve got the capability to do it. Whether or not it was a suspect Notre Dame defense, they obviously fired their defensive coordinator; I think we saw the Michigan State offense does have the capability to put up big numbers, especially in the run game. I think they will try to control the time of possession in the game and then sit back and hope they can stop Indiana’s offense. I expect it to be an up and down game. I still think Michigan State has enough to win, but at this point I would not be surprised if Indiana comes out on top. Especially it being a night game at home. It becomes a different environment especially for a lot of young guys, Michigan State going on the road for that first test like that in the conference. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a close game.
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You can follow Chris on twitter @chrissolari and read his work at http://www.freep.com/sports/spartans/
You can follow David on twitter @David_Sugarman2 and on Instagram @david_sugarman
(09/08/16 3:19pm)
It’s week two of the young Indiana football season and this week the Hoosiers take on Ball State in their home opener at Memorial Stadium. This week I spoke with the radio voice of the Cardinals, Joel Godett, to get a feel for their improved defense, first year head coach Mike Neu and more.
David Sugarman: Some strengths for both teams last week, IU gave up just 63 rushing yards while Ball State ran for over 300 yards. What do you think is the key for the Ball State offense to win the battle at the line of scrimmage?
Joel Godett: I think it comes down to the end of the game. I think when you take a look at what Ball State was able to do against Georgia State; they only ran for 50 some odd yards in the first half. Where that game was really won was in the trenches and on the line as the game wore on and as Ball State’s offensive line really wore down Georgia State’s defensive line. 267 yards rushing in the second half is what won that game for the Cardinals. It was an ability for a young offensive line to really come together, to be well enough conditioned, to have the endurance to just break the spirit of Georgia State’s defensive line as that game went on. Whether they are going to be able to do that against a Big Ten team is an interesting question. I’ll be curious to see how they stack up against a line that’s going to be bigger, that’s going to be more athletic, that certainly is going to have the ability to go into a little bit of a higher motor. But that’s the biggest thing is if Ball State can outlast you and can really hold out and play the long game, I think that bodes well for the Cardinals offense and certainly for their run game.
DS: With the rushing game clearly being a strength, what do you think is one of the biggest weaknesses Ball State is looking to improve upon from the opener?
JG: The pass game most certainly. Riley Neal first and foremost will tell you he wasn’t happy with the way he played quarterback last week, but at the end of the day he got the W. So it’s kind of a wash. But you’re going to have to be able to go out there and complete more than 51% of your throws and you’ve got to limit your interceptions. Which is something he did last year. It took him 150 passes to throw a pick in his college career and it took him two series to throw two this year. So he’s going to come out looking to improve upon that and I would expect him to. That creates the interesting storyline of what Ball State’s offense is going to look like. Will it be as run heavy as it was last week? Or will we saw a little bit more through the air as Riley Neal gets more comfortable?
DS: As Neal gets more comfortable with the offense do you think they’d rather switch to a pass first offense? Where do you see the offense going when he’s at his best?
JG: They’ll be balanced regardless. They’re going to take what defenses give to them and for the most part you’re going to see balance in college football. They will run if you force them to. They’ll pass if you force them to. They’ll run to open the pass and they’ll pass to open the run. So I think you’ll see a nice balance as things going forward, but certainly I think you’ll want to see more production from Riley Neal than you got a week ago.
DS: Taking a step back for a moment, Ball State goes 10-3 in 2013 and makes it to a bowl game. Since then it’s been tough sledding. 8-16 over the last two seasons and they lose eight out of their last nine down the stretch last season. Can you talk about what new head coach Mike Neu brings to the table, his philosophy and some of the new things he’s brought into the program?
JG: I just think there was a new energy and kind of a new vigor that came along with Mike Neu. When you talk to him and just see him interact with people his passion for this program comes across and it’s not even close. You know within the first three seconds that this is an important place to him. And that I think rubs off on the players. He encourages them to have fun and enjoy themselves and go out there and play football. It’s not work football, it’s play football. You certainly see that come through with the way the guys play, with the way the guys carry themselves. They have a good time, but they’re certainly there to work as well. But I think if you ask any of those guys if they’re having a good time and if they’re enjoying themselves, they’re going to say yes. And that’s the big thing for this bunch. To have that energy, to have that passion, to have that burning kind of desire and belief in themselves which down the stretch last season, when you lose eight of nine, can get squandered and go away a little bit regardless of how good your coaches are, how good your players are, what your mental state is. It’s going to go down when you keep taking hits. So I just think it was a new energy and I think that’s inherent within him and he’s past that off to his guys.
DS: Both teams struggled defensively last season and both played well in their openers. On Ball State where do you think the biggest improvements were in week one from a season ago?
JG: Pass rush is number one. They only had one sack, but Corey Hall came up with an interception in the first quarter of that game that was caused by pass rush. They were in the backfield all night long. They got consistent pressure all night long. They were able to stop the run and the defensive line was huge there, but then also that effected the pass game as well. Front four was outstanding. Front seven was outstanding. There really was no answer for Zack Ryan, the middle linebacker, when he came on blitzes. So I just think it was pressure. It was pressure to pass. It was pressure when they tried to run. You saw a relentless aggressiveness out of the Ball State defense and it was more of an attacking mode then it’s ever been over the last couple of years. The last few years it was much more of a kind of a sit back and wait, bend but don’t break. Play it conservative. But this year it’s much more aggressive. They’re going to take chances. They might get burned. They didn’t last week, but on the other side they’re going to take some chances and maybe come up lucky sevens across. It’ll be interesting to see as the year goes on, but that’s certainly been a change in mentality.
DS: Who’s one offensive player and one defensive player that Indiana fans should definitely know going into this game?
JG: Well certainly Riley Neal on offense. He’s the quarterback. He’s a local kid from Yorktown which is right outside of Muncie; big-bodied kid. 6-6, 215 pounds and he has an NFL body. I think has an NFL future if he continues to grow. A true sophomore so it’s very early. He runs, he can throw, he makes all the throws and I’m not just saying that. He can make NFL type throws. Throwing it to the field and getting it their quickly so Riley Neal is obviously the guy to watch. Outside of him I’d put a hat on KeVonn Mabon, their top wide receiver. He’s got a chance to be the all-time leading receiver here when his career is done at the end of the season. Defensively, we just talked about the defensive line so I’d start with the ends. Josh Posley the transfer from Cincinnati. He’s an Indianapolis kid, went to Warren Central High School and is a next level kind of player. When he transferred from UC, which is obviously a higher-level school, he chose between Ball State and Tennessee. That tells you what his pedigree is. And then Anthony Winbush who is the other rush end. He just has tremendous pass rush ability and between the two of those guys they create a pretty good pincer on that line. I know you asked for two and I gave you four, but quarterback, wideout and d-end are the places I would look first and foremost.
DS: I know a lot of people don’t like to put predictions on games, but can I get a prediction out of you for the week?
JG: I don’t know at this point. I can probably tell you better about both of these teams come Saturday night. Not just because I’ll have seen them, but because it’ll be two weeks in. I mean I don’t know how good Florida International is and I don’t know how good Georgia State is and because of that I don’t know how good Indiana is and I don’t know how good Ball State is. All I can tell you is that both teams played really well, their defenses came to play and how that will compare, I don’t know. I would think it would be close, but Indiana’s a Big Ten team and they’ve got an unbelievably explosive offense and a defense that played well. It’ll be interesting to see how this thing plays out.
You can follow Joel on twitter @JoelGodett and listen to him call Ball State football on WLBC 104.1 FM.
Follow David on twitter @David_Sugarman2 and on Instagram at david_sugarman
(08/29/16 6:27pm)
With the football season about to get underway each week I’ll be previewing the game and getting up to speed on Indiana’s upcoming opponent. This week we break down what to look for in the Florida International University Golden Panthers with FIU’s Pete Pelegrin.
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David Sugarman: Head coach Ron Turner is entering his fourth season and every year the win total has improved. Do you see that happening again this year, which of course after winning five games last year would mean at the least a bowl game?
Pete Pelegrin: Yeah I think so. I mean the schedule is very manageable. Starting off the bat it’s not going to be the easiest with Indiana and Maryland in back to back weeks, but FIU should compete in Conference USA and it’s manageable enough to get those six wins. Now there’s like 350 bowl games so all you need is six wins and you’re pretty much in.
DS: Talking about last year's game, on the road, FIU leads at halftime, was right there in the fourth quarter, so now with a lot of experienced players from that group and at home, what kind of confidence does this team have from last year and what did they take away from that game?
PP: Well I think what they learned from that game is that they could hang with a Big Ten team. Last year they were a year younger, maybe not as big as they are this year, you know some guys put on weight and some guys, their bodies matured. You know they’re 18 to 22 year olds, they’re still growing. I think they realized that on the road they could hang with a Big Ten team and they’re really looking forward to this opener. Maybe with a shot at an upset, I know they’re like a ten point dog going into this game.
DS: From last year’s game I think most Indiana fans would remember a few guys, Alex McGough, particularly Thomas Owens who really lit the young Indiana secondary up. Who is one player on each side of the ball that Indiana fans probably don’t know, but definitely should?
PP: Well I’m not sure if they’re familiar with Jonnu Smith our tight end. He played in last year’s game, but didn’t have the big game that Thomas Owens had, but Jonnu Smith is FIU’s number one NFL prospect for next season or rather for the NFL Draft coming up in April. He’s a guy that plays tight end, but he’s built more like a receiver. At 6-3, 250 pounds he reminds me a lot of Shannon Sharpe the old Denver Broncos tight end. He’s a guy that will certainly draw attention, maybe even double, sometimes triple coverage. You would think sometimes, tight end, he’s just going to catch the ball underneath, but this is a guy that can stretch the defense. Defensively Anthony Wint, the middle linebacker, is the heart and soul of the FIU defense. He’s a former high school wrestler that has really developed into one of the top linebackers in Conference USA.
DS: One of the weak points looking at the statistics last year for Florida International was that they were last in Conference USA in rushing yards. They averaged only 3.4 yards per carry. Did they make a lot of improvements in that over the offseason or do you see them struggling again?
PP: It should be better because of the offensive line. It’s an upperclassmen type line. You got three, maybe four seniors who are going to start and Alex Gardner the leading rusher got a little bit bigger, he’s close to 200 pounds now. Anthony Jones who was kind of shuffled last year between running back and receiver has been told that this year he’s exclusively a running back and he’s a little bit bigger than Gardner and a lot shiftier and then you also have to add in freshman Shawndarrius Phillips who is a bowling ball. He is about 5-11, 230 to 240 pounds and he’s not easy to bring down. But he is a guy that is a freshman so he’s not going to see the number of snaps that Gardner and Jones will see, but he’s guy that will have an impact this season.
DS: It also sounds like with just all the names you’re listing there’s a lot more depth then there’s been in the past. Not just guys improving, but even more guys to share the load.
PP: Yeah this is Turner’s fourth year and he’s had the chance to build on each class each year and address that depth that really any coach that walks into a job doesn’t have his first or second year. Definitely got more depth at running back this year, the O-line is pretty solid on the two deep and I mean offensively is not the issue with FIU. The issue with FIU is going to be whether the defensive line can get to the quarterback and whether the secondary, which is relatively new, can cover.
DS: What should Indiana be concerned about the most headed into this game?
PP: Yeah I think with Thomas Owens and Jonnu Smith and then the double tailbacks of Gardner and Jones and can’t forget about quarterback Alex McGough, he’s in his third year, he knows that offense backwards and forwards, I think it’s the FIU offense. It’s the season opener so everybody’s going to be hyped and Indiana will be playing on the road, I don’t know how much humidity you guys have up in Indiana, but that should be a factor on Thursday night because it has been a scorcher of a Summer down here.
DS: So what’s your final prediction for the game and who do you think ends up coming out on top?
PP: Well I hate predictions, but I think it’s going to be a close game. If FIU can get some plays out of it’s defense which as we talked earlier which you know right now we don’t know what we’re going to get out of the D-line and you don’t know what you’re going to see in the secondary. If they can get plays out of that D-line or secondary then I would not be shocked at an upset. But obviously you have to respect Indiana as a Big Ten team coming on the road, first time ever that a Big Ten team is going to be playing at FIU Stadium. The Panthers did host Maryland, that was when they played one season in the Orange Bowl while FIU Stadium was being built and of course now the Orange Bowl is gone and it’s Marlins Park. But I think it’ll be a close game. I don’t think it’ll be a blowout either way.
You can follow Pete on Twitter @PetePelegrin and check out all of his coverage of FIU sports at FIUsports.com.
You can follow David on Twitter @dshug24 and Instagram @david_sugar24
(01/15/16 9:51pm)
Over the holiday break, I got the chance to talk with Alex Brightman, star of the new hit Broadway show School of Rock, which is based on the 2003 movie starring Jack Black. Brightman, who plays Dewey Finn, talked about the casting process, how he’s gotten to re-shape an already iconic role, his trip to Indiana University and more when we sat down before a Saturday night performance in the always packed Winter Garden Theatre.
(04/18/15 2:27pm)
Our day-to-day lives are full of waiting. Waiting for “Avengers: Age of Ultron”to come out so we can stop re-watching the trailers. Waiting for my grandpa to stop writing entire emails in the subject line. And most importantly, waiting for the marathon that is the NBA regular season to end so the playoffs can start. One out of three isn’t great, but I’ll take it. With both eight seeds decided on the last night of the regular season, the matchups are set, and the quest for the Larry O’Brien Trophy is underway. With tip off less than 24 hours away, we break down everything you need to know about the first round series matchups.
East:
Matchup: Atlanta vs Brooklyn
Seeding: 1 vs 8
Prediction: Hawks in 4
Winners of six of their last seven, the Pacers probably deserved it more. Eastern conference fans can take solace in the Nets snagging the eighth seed for at least one reason. Stemming from the Joe Johnson deal, this year the Hawks and Nets will exchange first round picks. Since the Nets squeaked their way in despite losing two of their last three by a combined 50 points, the East’s best record won’t be receiving a lottery pick this June. That’s about the only good thing that came of this.
Much like Meghan Trainor’s singing career, this series is already finished. I still believe that not having a legitimate superstar will hurt the Hawks down the road, but they should have no problems here. Atlanta swept Brooklyn 4-0 by an average of more than 17 points per game during the regular season. Mike Budenholzer’s bunch is top 10 in the NBA in points per game, points allowed, assists and field goal percentage — all categories in which the Nets rank no higher than 16th. Normally I’d call this a five game series because pride will get the lower seed a game on its home floor, but the Nets hardly strike me as a prideful group.
Matchup: Cavaliers vs Celtics
Seeding: 2 vs 7
Prediction: Cavs in 5
Yes the Celtics only have 40 wins, 10 wins less than the seven seed Mavericks in the West, but kudos to Brad Stevens for engineering this turnaround. With a 19-10 record since acquiring pint size firecracker point guard Isaiah Thomas at the trade deadline, Boston is looking up. The C’s won their last six games in the regular season, and Boston fans couldn’t be more thrilled. Having said all that, the Celtics are playing the 2015 NBA champions. Yes, you read that correctly.
LeBron and company are on a mission and a roll, winning six out of their last eight. Kyrie Irving taking on Thomas should be a fun bout, but the Cavs are heads and shoulders above the Celtics across the board — not to mention the experience factor. Here’s a scary statistic: LeBron has played in 158 playoff games. All the Celtics combined have played in just 139. With LeBron averaging almost a triple double in the month of April, Cleveland will make quick work of the Celtics if The King can carry those numbers into the postseason. Take the 2-2 regular season series split with a grain of salt. In one of the two Celtic wins none of the Big Three played, and in the other Kyrie Irving sat out. I give the Celtics one win at home if for no other reason than they’re feisty.
Matchup: Bulls vs Bucks
Seeding: 3 vs 6
Prediction: Bulls in 6
The Bucks have become one of the league’s best feel-good stories this season. After winning an NBA worst 15 games last season, Milwaukee is in the playoffs. Head Coach Jason Kidd left the dumpster fire that is the Brooklyn Nets and has led this young group to a very respectable 41-41. That’s despite losing two key players in Kendall Marshall and last year’s number two pick Jabari Parker for the season before the All-Star Break to torn ACLs.
The Bulls have had to deal with a slew of injuries themselves. Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson, and of course Derrick Rose, all missed significant chunks of time this season. Yet here they are with the third best record in the East. Healthy and ready to go, the Bulls are always a dangerous team and a tough out. Clearly the more experienced of the two coaches, Tom Thibodeau has his squad gelling at the right time, as the Bulls have won their last four consecutive games.
Chicago will take advantage of the Bucks scoring and rebounding struggles. Butler, Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson have Chicago as a top-10 team on defense and top three when it comes to rebounding. This will be a great experience for the Bucks with virtually no pressure on them. This has the potential to be an entertaining series between a playoff regular and a contender on the rise. The experience factor as well as the intimidating Chicago frontcourt will ultimately prove to be too much for the Bucks, who will get fatigued and bruised in a long series.
Matchup: Raptors vs Wizards
Seeding: 4 vs 5
Prediction: Wizards in 7
The state of the East is pretty bleak, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see most these first round matchup end in five games or less. Don’t expect that here. The Raptors did sweep the Wizards in the regular season, but Toronto pulled it out in their last two contests by an average of just three points. The matchups across the court are enticing. Amir Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas banging down low with Marcin Gortat, the Polish Hammer (an awesome nickname by the way) and Nene. Two tough, gritty backcourts in Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan against John Wall and Bradley Beal. It’s going to be a pendulum series — back and forth the whole way. I’m giving the edge to the Wizards because in a long series — as I expect this one to be — it comes down to who can get stops. Randy Wittman’s club is a superb defensive and rebounding team, whereas the Raptors are average on their best day. Look out for a fun one, and look out for Washington in the second round.
West:
Matchup: Warriors vs Pelicans
Seeding: 1 vs 8
Prediction: Warriors in 5
In an interview with Yahoo Sports, Stephen Curry put it pretty bluntly saying, “If we don’t win our last game this season, it’s going to be a disappointing feeling, one where we felt like we fell short.” The sharp-shooting MVP candidate has made it clear he’s hungry, and he’s about to feast on the Pelicans. New Orleans has a great thing going for it right now, and just making the playoffs is huge. This is a team that just two years ago won a pathetic 27 games. With Anthony Davis playing at an MVP level himself, if the team was a little better he’d have a legitimate case. There is no question this team is on the rise. Of course on the rise means they still have some climbing to do. Making the postseason is as high as they are going to get on the ladder right now. The Splash Brothers will have their way, but New Orleans will be rocking when the series shifts locations. For that reason I give the Pelicans, a group with a lot of spunk and resiliency, one win.
Matchup: Rockets vs Mavericks
Seeding: 2 vs 7
Prediction: Rockets in 6
From one MVP hopeful to another, James Harden has in a short time gone from a good sixth man to a lethal, unstoppable scoring machine. He’ll square off against his former teammate Chandler Parsons, who left for greener pastures and hasn’t quite found them in Dallas. His welcome back to Houston will be less than cordial. This game will be a ton of fun to watch — that is, unless you’re a big fan of defense. If you are, then change the channel because you won’t find it here.
Both teams are in the top 10 in points per game and in the bottom half of the league defensively. In a game that will be played in the triple digits most of the way, it comes down to who has the best scorer. That simplifies things tremendously. Parsons, Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis will make for a competitive series, but at the end of the day James Harden and his 27 points per game will prove to be too much.
Matchup: Clippers vs Spurs
Seeding: 3 vs 6
Prediction: Spurs in 6
If you listen closely, you can already here the Clippers getting called for a technical foul. LA’s whiniest team couldn’t have gotten a worse first round matchup. The Spurs are the defending champs for a reason, and it didn’t really matter where they were seeded as long as they got in. They are capable of beating anyone, and they’ll start with the Clippers. For all their flashy dunks and stare downs, the duo of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin has still yet to make it past the second round. After drawing the Spurs, they shouldn’t expect that to change soon.
It will be a great coaching matchup to watch with two title winners in Doc Rivers and Greg Popovich, but there’s no reason to believe that this immature group has what it takes to take down the humble veterans. By the numbers these two are pretty similar. With Griffin, Paul, the sharpshooting of J.J. Redick and the toughness of DeAndre Jordan, the Clippers will go down swinging as they always do. It’s nothing new, though. Just like their uniforms, it’s the same black and white formula for San Antonio. Talent, a myriad of role players, a wealth of experience and one of the best to ever roam the sideline in Pop. It’s not complicated, but it sure is effective.
Matchup: Trailblazers vs Grizzlies
Seeding: 4 vs 5
Prediction: Grizzlies in 6
With both teams banged up coming into the playoffs, this series presents an extremely fun duel as the Blazers try to get out of the first round in consecutive years for the first time since 2000. At 20th in the league in scoring, Memphis struggles to score the basketball at times but makes up for it with its stellar top-three defense. Portland is a bit more balanced but struggled against the intimidating Grizz frontcourt all season long. They lost to the Gasol and Randolph combo all four times the teams faced off and were kept under 100 points in every outing. This rough-and-tough style of basketball Memphis plays is built for the postseason, particularly in a long series. Don’t expect another sweep, but the stifling defense of the Grizzlies will prove to be too much. As long as they contain Portland’s three point shooters in Damian Lillard and Arron Afflalo the Grizz should get the win. If the 3-pointer isn’t falling, the Blazers will struggle to find offense elsewhere. Yes, they have LaMarcus Aldridge in the post, but even with his 23 points per game, the Blazers are almost last in the league in getting to the free throw line. If the 3-pointer isn’t going down, the Blazers are.
Follow David on Twitter @Dshug24 and listen to him on “The Morning Blitz” from 10-11 a.m. Wednesdays on 99.1 FM
(04/02/15 7:45pm)
The eighth seed – the last spot in the playoffs. It’s the difference between finding the nearest golf course and keeping the sliver of hope for a championship alive. With the season winding down, there are just a few seeds still open for the taking. One bad week could be the difference between shining the nine iron or the Nike’s. The standings are spandex-tight from the seven all the way down to the 10 and even 11 seed in the East. Just sneaking into the post season means something different for each team. This time around we’ll be focusing on the slug fest that is the Eastern conference playoff race.
Miami Heat: 34-40
Current Seed: 7
Matchup if playoffs started today: Cleveland Cavaliers
Last year’s seed: 2
It’s safe to say after LeBron’s departure a fall from grace was expected. But the future is surprisingly bright for Dwayne Wade and company. After acquiring Goran Dragic from Phoenix, it seemed like Miami was prime to take a leap in the standings. That was until soon after the trade Chris Bosh was ruled out for the year due to blood clots in his lungs. Though the loss of Bosh is detrimental to Miami in the short run, it doesn’t spell doom all the way around. Fans are getting to see the duo of Dragic and Wade start to blossom and build chemistry giving — a taste of what could be. Being able to sneak into the post season despite Bosh’s injury would mean something for this team. When Bosh does come back next season, this new big three has a chance to be dangerous.
It’s worth noting that Dragic has only been to the playoffs once in his career, the 2009-10 season. Not to mention playoff experience for Hassan Whiteside, the big man who’s having a breakout season in his third year. With the Nets nipping at their heels in the standings, the Heat are hardly feeling secure at the moment. If the Heat can lock up that seven seed, then a D-Wade and LeBron playoff series is on its way. Pretty enticing as far as two vs seven match ups go.
Brooklyn Nets: 34-40
Current Seed: 8
Matchup: Atlanta
Last year’s seed: 6
With the rumor mill on high around the trade deadline, it seemed that the Nets were going to have their biggest makeover since the move from Jersey to Brooklyn. Outside of moving Kevin Garnett to Minnesota for Thaddeus Young, that wasn’t the case at all. An early exit against the Hawks, whom the Nets are 0-2 against this season, seems likely, and as usual the future is clouded in mystery. Young has contributed nicely by averaging about 13 points and five rebounds a night, but it’s unclear if he’ll be in Brooklyn long term. Unfortunately that’s small stuff compared to all the other question marks on this roster. Lionel Hollins has stressed wanting to keep Brook Lopez on board. The widely regarded soft 7-footer has been playing like a possessed man the past 10 games and is averaging 24 points and nine rebounds while shooting better than 60 percent from the field. The other mystery to solve on this team Deron William’s paycheck. He’s not exactly playing at a hall of fame level, but the zeroes tell a different story. Meanwhile, there are a number of teams who would kill for a scorer like Joe Johnson. Johnson was at the center of numerous trade talks at the deadline. With the franchise seemingly unclear about where it’s ultimately headed, the best thing Brooklyn fans can cheer about is the pick swap with the Nets have with Atlanta Hawks in this year’s draft. Robbing the number one team in the East of a lottery pick is something the rest of the league certainly wouldn’t mind seeing. Outside of that, nothing with this team is certain, and a playoff bid doesn’t mean anything if no one from the team will be in Brooklyn next season to build on it.
Boston Celtics: 34-41
Current Seed: 9
Matchup: None
Last year’s seed: 12
If you’ve been looking for a case where just barley sneaking in to the playoffs would actually be a big deal, then here it is. After winning 27 games in his last season at Butler in 2012, Brad Stevens won just 25 games in his first year in Boston with 46 more attempts. Now just as fast as he took Butler to back-to-back championship games, he has this squad gelling at the right time. Since acquiring Isaiah Thomas from Phoenix at the trade deadline, the team is playing above .500 basketball, going 14-10. With the abundance of young talent it’s difficult to say who the Celtics core is long term, but that’s not a bad problem to have, and at the end of the day experience is the name of the game. If the Celtics work their way in it’ll be the first appearance in the playoffs for young guns such as Thomas, rookie Marcus Smart and third-year man Tyler Zeller. If Brad Stevens can engineer that quick of a turnaround, then fans have a lot to look forward to.
Charlotte Hornets: 32-42
Current Seed: 10
Matchup: None
Last year’s seed: 7
Despite their fresh new, look it’s been a messy year for the newly named Hornets. There have been double digit losing streaks as well as stretches such as a chunk of January when they won 8 of 10. With talk of Lance Stephenson being dealt at the deadline and Kemba Walker’s nagging injuries, it’s unclear what’s in store for this team. As far as the postseason goes, it would be hard to imagine them making any real noise, but for a franchise that hasn’t had back-to-back postseason appearances in more than a decade, any playoff basketball would be something to get excited about.
Indiana Pacers: 32-43
Current Seed: 11
Matchup: None
Last year’s seed: 1
After winning 13 of 15, the Pacers looked like they’d hit their stride and were going to become one of the feel-good stories of the season. Then the competition beefed up, and they got hit in the head worse than the bad guy in a Jason Statham movie. Following a superb February and first half of March, Indiana has lost 9 of 11 including double digit defeats to Chicago, Cleveland, Brooklyn and Houston. Having taken a dip in the standings, losing to the teams surrounding them in the standings doesn’t do the Pacers any favors. In the last two weeks they’ve gone 0-4 in match ups with Boston and Brooklyn.
Sympathy is required when talking about the Pacers. It’s a likable bunch that if it had Paul George would likely already have a playoff spot secured by now. George coming back at this point wouldn’t make much of a difference, but as long as the Pacers stay healthy in the long term, they shouldn’t be in this predicament two years in a row. Head coach Frank Vogel will make sure of that.
Follow David on Twitter @Dshug24 and listen to him on "The Morning Blitz" at 10 a.m. Wednesdays
(03/24/15 7:43pm)
Having two MVP caliber players on your roster is a good problem to have. Most teams would kill for that kind of dilemma, but at the end of the day it’s still an issue. Maybe not today and probably not tomorrow, but eventually the chickens come home to roost. After notching his ninth triple double of the season, Westbrook’s MVP argument continues to build, but with the Thunder currently sitting at eighth in the Western conference with 12 games left to play, a date with the Warriors in the first round looks likely, which could mean an early exit. Much of Westbrook’s success this season has to do with the absence of Kevin Durant, who’s currently out indefinitely with a lingering foot injury and has only played in 27 games this year. Durant might not be back this season, but when 2015-16 rolls around, with Westbrook establishing himself as a bonafide superstar and maybe the best point guard in the league, some decisions might need to be made. The familiar arguments that Westbrook is shooting too much or Durant needs to be more aggressive gets a bit more complicated, and the question stands: Can the two coexist? And if not, who needs to go?
There’s no doubt that throughout his career Westbrook has made improvements to his game — the numbers reflect that. But some people wondered if Westbook was a solo act rather than a duo or even a trio in the days of James Harden, we would have seen these astronomically high levels of play sooner? After just one 40-point performance through his first six years, Westbrook has racked up seven games with 40 or more this season, two on nights when those points were part of a triple double. Despite shooting a career high 21 shots per game, the former No. 4 overall pick hasn’t seen a big dip in his shooting percentage and both his free throw attempts and percentage have gone up.
It’s no secret that Durant, a scoring champion and MVP, needs and deserves his touches. In the past, striking a balance when both are on the floor has at times been difficult. More often than not it’s been Westbrook who has taken the bulk of the criticism. It’s been Westbrook who has been called out for shooting too much, being too out of control (a Tasmanian devil type) and not being the textbook definition of a point guard. After the Thunder’s loss in the 2012 Finals, Magic Johnson said, “That was the worst point guard in a championship finals I’ve ever seen. He was too wild. He was taking off balance shots.” To go with all of that is the widely adopted school of thought that Durant was the Thunder’s best player and Westbrook needed to get on board. Whether it was the case or not back then, you could certainly make an argument for Westbrook today. Westbrook’s scoring ability, 27.5 points per game, is on par with Durant’s. To go supplement, Westbrook also adds seven rebounds and about nine assists per game. Westbrook’s versatility might make him even more valuable than Durant.
So …now what? The stars have coexisted and when they’ve been healthy have had some tremendous success. But has Westbrook grown out of the sidekick role? He’s been more than just a handy side kick the past few seasons, and this year he’s been Oklahoma City’s go-to guy. But it’s difficult to envision the Thunder being Russell Westbrook’s team long term.
Ultimately it may be time for Westbrook to look elsewhere. I say Westbrook because as good as he’s been this season, this was Durant’s team first. The offers would come from every- and anywhere he wanted if OKC or Westbrook himself decide to go in that direction. If not, while the duo would remain one of the most talented in the league, a power struggle could ensue and get in the way of the ultimate goal of getting back to the Finals in the brutal Western Conference. With no crystal ball in front of us, we will simply have to wait and see but also weigh the two ideas. What’s more likely: Westbrook in a different uniform being the clear leader of a team or another roller coaster ride of a season as the gap between the stars continues to close or even start to sway in the other direction? Either way, it’s going to be an exciting storyline to watch.
What do you think will happen with Russell Westbrook and the Thunder? Let me know what you think @Dshug24.
(03/08/15 11:44pm)
My old high school teammate Tom Schuller used to always say that the basket is a cruel mistress. That rang true more than ever Saturday in Assembly Hall. Down 73-71 with two seconds left, Yogi Ferrell stepped to the line for Indiana. He was 9-of-10 before that trip and an 85-percent free throw shooter on the year. After he knocked down the first, members of the IU crowd fell so silent you could hear fans biting their nails in front of television sets across the state of Indiana. Here was a chance to go to overtime and get a win against a tough, gritty Michigan State (21-10, 12-6) team that they desperately wanted. The second free throw took an unfriendly bounce and rolled off the rim. It doesn’t get much crueler than that. IU went on to lose 74-72. It’s difficult to be mad at the leader of the Hoosiers (19-12, 9-9) who finished with 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but IU’s head is now treading just above the water as the Hoosiers drop their third consecutive game and eight of their last 12. This isn’t the first time this season Ferrell has failed to come up in a big spot either, missing potential game-winning and tying shots at Maryland and against Purdue. Ferrell said afterwards, “I guess the basketball gods felt good for me for that first free throw, and the second one just rolled out. Pretty disappointing missing that second one, but it happens.”
Tom Crean commended his players' fight despite their efforts coming up short. Down 67-56 with three minutes left, Crean’s squad came roaring back behind big shots from Ferrell and James Blackmon Jr., who chipped in with 17 of his own. “I’m proud of our fight.," Crean said. "We fought better in the game. You have to be. Michigan State is going to bring the toughness out in you.” Tom Izzo’s team left the door open with several missed free throws late, a trend the Spartans would like to break. After Matt Costello missed two foul shots, Blackmon sunk two. That was followed by Travis Trice going one for two with Denzel Valentine bumping Ferrell on his way down the floor, which resulted in the game-tying free throws.
Blackmon didn’t feel exactly the same way as his coach. “Well myself I feel like I came out too slow, and I feel like we all tried to turn it on too late,” he said.
Although he said he was proud of their fight, Crean didn’t shy away from the team’s shortcomings and brought up the team’s rebounding several times, “If I have to pin point anything is that we have to get better rebounding the ball," he said. Michigan State out-rebounded Indiana 40 to 35 including 15 offensive rebounds that led to 18 second-chance points for the Spartans. Michigan State accomplished these numbers without Branden Dawson, who has been averaging a double double this season. He was forced to sit out today after taking an elbow to the head against Purdue. Crean pointed to rebounding as a key all season long. He turned to the stats, saying that IU is plus-eight rebounding when it wins but average five less rebounds a game than opponents in conference losses.
Despite the disappointment and the bad taste IU will have in its mouth until the Big Ten Tournament, there were some bright spots. After hitting five 3-pointers in his last outing vs Iowa, Nick Zeisloft kept his hot hand, going five for eight from deep and ending with 17 points. But the rest of the bench had just two points.
Barring a few exceptions, the game had all the trademarks of a big Indiana win. The game was at home. The 3-pointer was falling at a decent enough rate, IU hit nine threes in 24 tries, and IU had cleaned up its poor free throw shooting from its recent match ups. After being out-shot by about five attempts per game in its last 11 games, Indiana hit 15 of 20 while MSU went 11 of 20. More absent than anything was the presence of Troy Williams.
After a steal and slam in the opening minutes, Williams ended with just four points and three rebounds - much lower than his averages of almost 14 and seven. His lack of presence was evident. Crean said that he really wasn’t sure what prevented Williams from getting in a rhythm, but he isn’t concerned. He praised the excellent year Williams has had as well as his maturity and added, “I pretty much know he’ll bounce back.”
As for Michigan State, the win came down to toughness, a bounce of the ball and balance. Of the 10 players that stepped on the floor for Tom Izzo, eight scored. Travis Trice led the way with 21, Bryn Forbes had 16 and despite averaging just four and a half points per game on the season, freshman Marvin Clark Jr. stepped up in the absence of Branden Dawson with 14 points and six rebounds. With back-to-back close wins to wrap up the regular season, Michigan State is playing well headed into the Big Ten Tournament. Combine that groove with a wealth of experience and Tom Izzo roaming the sideline, and they have a chance to do some real damage in March.
IU is now headed into the Big Ten Tournament on a three-game slide, and if it loses its first game in in Chicago next week, it will be a big blow to Hoosiers' tournament résumé and a bid that seemed so secure not long ago. A second consecutive year without March Madness won’t spell good things for Crean, who has been under heavy criticism from the IU fan base. He’s doing his best to block out the noise, however. “I don’t read anything with my name in it," he said. When asked about how he gets the team to focus while struggling he said, “We talk a lot about what we have to do. What we have to ignore, what we have to work through, what we have to process.” With a first round bye, Indiana has five days until its first game of the Big Ten tournament where it might need to make some noise to ensure it doesn’t slip on the wrong side of the bubble.
Follow David on Twitter @Dshug24 and listen to him on "The Morning Blitz" on Wednesdays 10-11 am
(03/07/15 4:16pm)
After connecting on a program record 18 3-pointers against Minnesota on Feb. 15, some Indiana fans became dangerously optimistic. Looking ahead, with three out of their last five at home and the two road games against bottom feeders of the Big Ten, there were murmurs of Indiana (19-11, 9-8) going undefeated the rest of the regular season. Fast forward through losing three out of four, including a double digit loss at home to Iowa, and all of the sudden the fading NCAA tournament hopes, which just a little while ago seemed like a sure thing, have the Hoosier’s fighting for their tourney lives. As they prepare for Michigan State (20-10, 11-6), another loss could mean a second straight season without a trip to the dance and head coach Tom Crean’s seat getting even hotter.
Though Michigan State might not be having a great year by normal Tom Izzo standards, it has positioned itself to do damage in the Big Ten tournament. A win against Indiana on Saturday would ensure one of the top-four seeds and a double bye. Combine that scenario with a wealth of experience in Sparty’s big three of Denzel Valentine (junior), Travis Trice and Branden Dawson (both seniors), and you’ll find few teams who want to square off with them this time of year. Indiana has no choice, and if the Hoosiers don’t improve on their latest performances and step up to the challenge, then they won’t be squaring off with anyone this postseason.
Keys for IU:
Tempo:
IU has dropped seven of its last eleven, and in five of those losses, it has failed to score 70 points. The Hoosiers are at their best when the 3-pointer is falling and they’re putting up a lot of points. They score the most points in the Big Ten at almost 72 per game. From the opening tip, IU needs to play its game and dictate the tempo. That means driving and penetrating into the lane and kicking out to shooters who will be taking and hopefully making 3-pointers. Another facet will be the always aggressive Troy Williams getting to the rim and more importantly getting there under control. With no real post presence, Williams’s driving ability is irreplaceable to this team, but when he is out of sync, the Hoosiers tend to struggle.
In its first matchup with Michigan State, the Spartans held IU to 50 points in a 20-point drubbing. IU has proven it cannot win games it doesn’t feel comfortable in. Even if the game is close at halftime like it was against Purdue and Iowa, if Indiana hasn’t hit 30 yet, fans should feel nervous.
Free Throws:
This is crucial to Indiana’s success for two reasons. As far as defense goes, you want Michigan State on the free throw line. The Spartans shoot an abysmal 63 percent and rank 337th of 351 teams in Division I. It has cost them multiple games throughout the season. They went 7 for 18 in a five-point loss to Illinois and 15 for 25 in a two-point loss to Nebraska. The mentality should be to not give up any easy baskets. Give good, hard fouls, and Michigan State will more than likely reward you with its poor free throw shooting.
On the other side of the coin is Indiana’s lack of free throw attempts in its recent losses. In this 4-7 stretch, Indiana has visited the free throw line for 90 shots, under nine attempts per game. Compare this to opponents, who have had 158 total tries - five more attempts per game. In the grand scheme of things, five points may not seem like an astronomical difference, but in the Hoosiers’ four losses by five points or less this season, the opposing team has more free throw attempts in three of them. Five more attempts per game, especially in close games, are precious. Indiana can’t afford to have such a drastic disparity even if Michigan State struggles in with knocking its free throws down.
Know what’s at stake:
After looking like an NCAA Tournament lock just a short while ago, Indiana has played itself onto the bubble. A loss here, and they are one bad game in the Big Ten tournament away from possibly being excluded from March Madness for the second straight season. Indiana needs to realize the magnitude of this game and that the pressure is higher than it’s been all season. After the preseason suspensions combined with the fact that not many people thought this team would do anything substantial, there wasn’t a ton of pressure. But to quote Ben Parker, “With great power comes great responsibility.” That responsibility came when Indiana cracked the top 25 then took down at the time No. 13 Maryland. Now with their backs against the wall, it’s time to see if this young Hoosier team can grow up fast or if it’s simply not ready to handle that type of pressure.
Listen to IUBB vs Michigan State at noon today on WIUX 99.1 FM or online at wiux.org/stream. Follow coverage of the game on Twitter @WIUXSPORTS
(03/03/15 9:48pm)
"Jersey Boys" opens 8 p.m. today at the IU Auditorium. WIUX Sports' and native jersey boy David Sugarman (@Dshug24) caught up with the cast before the big show.
(02/21/15 4:33pm)
“Oh my gosh, it’s so good to see you. You look so … different. Not in a bad way or anything, you know there’s just something different about you.” While this may be a line more commonly used among exes seeing each other again for the first time, the same can be said to the NBA right now. After a busy afternoon headed into the trade deadline, the GMs of the league have certainly shaken things up. Because of that, this last leg of the season is going to look a whole lot different. To help make sense of it, here are all the big deals that went down and what in God’s name it all means.
Goran Dragic to Miami
What it means: The Heat have been mediocre at best this season, but adding an All-Star caliber guard in Dragic changes them in a big way. It’s a good situation for Dragic, who came out and said he didn’t trust the Suns anymore and saw his numbers take a big dip from last season. Despite averaging 16 points and 4 assists, Dragic having to play with two other ball-dominating guards in Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas meant the ball was in his hands less than he would care for. If Miami can stay healthy, which is a big if considering Dwayne Wade’s history and the chance Chris Bosh could be out for the rest of the season with blood clots in his lungs, the Heat could make some noise in the East. Not to mention they have something to build around for the future with Dragic and Hassan Whiteside who’s having a breakout season.
As for the Suns, they get two solid veteran players in Danny Granger and John Salmons but more importantly two first round picks: one in 2017 and one in 2019. For a young team trying to build, draft picks are invaluable.
The third team involved in this deal is the Pelicans. With the Suns potentially taking a dip after giving up both Thomas and Dragic, the Pelicans are nipping at their heels for the ninth seed in the West, still within striking distance of the playoffs. With Jrue Holiday hurt, Norris Cole coming over from Miami, a young player with playoff and championship experience has a chance to make an immediate impact.
Michael Carter-Williams to Milwaukee
What it means: In one of the most surprising deals of the day, last year’s Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams escaped hell, I mean Philadelphia. The 6-6 point guard will not only have a chance to get playoff experience this season but also to learn under one of the greatest to ever play the position in Head Coach Jason Kidd. Not to mention when Jabari Parker comes back from injury next season, a solid young core will start to take shape. The 76ers received a first round pick in the deal, but in a league of elite point guards, it’s head-scratching to see them give up one with so much potential.
On the other side of this deal, Phoenix picked up Brandon Knight, which is a great find. Knight is having the best year of his pro career right now, and Phoenix just lost two dynamic guards in Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas. Knight will have a chance to come in and make his presence felt right off the bat.
Reggie Jackson to Detroit
What it means: In another three-team deal the big name was Reggie Jackson heading to Detroit. It’s unclear what Jackson’s future is long-term with the Pistons when Brandon Jennings comes back next season. For now though, Jackson has 28 games to prove his worth and get the chance he never would have gotten on a team with Westbrook and Durant. Jackson excelled while Westbrook was sidelined. If he shows that wasn’t just a fluke, then he might get the paycheck he feels he deserves this summer — whether it be in Detroit or somewhere else.
On the flip side, the Thunder picked up several pieces who could prove useful in veteran point guard D.J. Augustin, who is a great option off the bench; Sharp shooter Steve Novak and some young talent in Kyle Singler and up and coming big man Enes Kanter. OKC is in the middle of the pack when it comes to bench production, but could see that change soon.
The last team in this trio is the Jazz. The only big name in the deal is Kendrick Perkins, who is expected be bought out and already has several playoff contenders including the Bulls, Cavaliers and Clippers wanting to pick him up. More importantly for Utah is a pair of draft picks and the draft rights to German big man Tibor Pleiss.
Aaron Afflalo to Portland
In one of the more under the radar moves of the day, the Trailblazers bench improved significantly with the addition of Aaron Affalo. Afflalo is a 6-5 shooting guard that doesn’t do any one thing great but does everything well. Averaging 15 points, two assists and three rebounds per game, he’ll fit in nicely with the Blazers’ second unit, which is 28th in the league in scoring.
As for Denver, the Nuggets get a 2016 first round pick (lottery protected) and a handful of young rotational players in Will Barton, Victor Claver and Thomas Robinson. Denver is a young team, and there are minutes up for grabs to be competed for. With the Nuggets out of the playoff mix, this will be a good chance to show what each addition has to offer and to earn roster spots.
Kevin Garnett to Minnesota
If nothing else, this move is sentimental. It’s hard to believe the Timberwolves think of Kevin Garnett as a long-term option. In the short term it will be good for this young core of Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine and Shabazz Muhammad to learn from one of the greats. Garnett will also have a lot to offer to young big men like Gorgui Dieng and Anthony Bennet It will be nice to see Garnett, a future hall of famer, finish his career where he spent his first 12 years.
As for the Nets, many expected them to make more noise than they did. With rumors of Brook Lopez to OKC and Joe Johnson to Detroit, the Nets stayed surprisingly quiet, the one exception being the acquisition of steady scorer Thadeus Young. The Nets are currently 26th in the league in points per game, so the added scoring punch of Young, who’s averaging 14 points per game, will be a nice boost.
Isaiah Thomas to Boston
The second head to be cut off of Phoenix’s three-headed guard monster, Isaiah Thomas instantly makes the Celtics a better team. Just a game and a half back of the eighth seed in the East, Bostson added a 5-9 guard who was averaging 15 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, off the bench. With a collection of young talent beginning to pile up in Boston, the Celtics’ future seems bright. Making a big leap in the East is far from improbable, and that’s exactly what they plan to do.
As for Phoenix, the Suns get another draft pick, and with the addition of Brandon Knight to a team that still has some exciting young talent, you can see the potential if all these picks are used wisely.
It was a busy day to say the least. These moves will create for some interesting story lines as teams try to find their rhythm before the playoffs as well as evaluate their talent for the future. There are quite a few teams that look … different right now. We are about to find out whether that’s a good thing or not.
Follow David on Twitter @Dshug24 and listen to him on "The Morning Blitz" on Wednesdays 10-11 am
(02/12/15 6:20pm)
All-Star
With All-Star weekend festivities on the horizon, the stretch run of the season is gearing up to be a good one. It’s around this time that the good teams turn it on, playoff fates are decided and injuries become more revenant than ever.
Team in the best Spot: Cleveland
After a pedestrian start eerily similar to that of LeBron’s 2010 Heat, the Cavs seem to have found their groove. Since dipping below .500 (19-20), they’ve won 14 out of their last 15 games including a 12-game win streak. The Big Three seems like it’s finally starting to mesh and create chemistry, and if that’s the case, then the sky is the limit. Currently the fourth seed in the East and just a game back of third-place Chicago, if the Cavs can take down the Bulls in their last game before the break tonight then they put themselves in prime position over their last 27 games.
Team in the worst spot: Los Angeles Clippers
Big mouths, soft play and no defense. No, I’m not referring to Daffy Duck in Space Jam. The rest couldn’t come at a better time for Doc Rivers’ club. Before picking up wins vs injured Dallas and Houston, the Clippers dropped five out of six, including four straight. They gave up more than 100 points in every loss. On top of all that wonderful news, they’ll be without leading scorer Blake Griffin for what looks to be three weeks. Though the team can probably still put up points as Griffin recovers from surgery to remove a staph infection from his elbow, the defense is still a major issue. In back-to-back losses at Toronto and Oklahoma City, LA gave up a combined 254 points. Not to mention the team has something of a temper, or as Kevin Durant put it, “They cry too (bleeping) much.” LA leads the league in technical fouls and has three players, Matt Barnes (who leads the league in technical fouls), DeAndre Jordan and Griffin, that are all in the top 10 in the league in individual techs. In a loss at Cleveland last week, the Clippers had a sequence of four technical fouls in three minutes. A mentally and defensively soft team won’t last long in the post season. LA’s eternal JV squad needs to get its act together soon.
MVP: That’s a tricky question, but James Harden
As much I’d like to give this to Anthony Davis, who’s been on a whole different level this season (24.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game) it’s hard to make someone an MVP who’s on a team that at best will likely be an eight seed and might not make the post season at all. Just 21 years old, Davis will have plenty of other chances as the Pelicans continue to improve. Having said all that, I think James Harden, who has been nothing short of spectacular, will win it. Leading the league in scoring to go with seven assists and six rebounds a game, Harden’s stock will only go up if he can step up even more in Dwight Howard’s absence. Even if someone else on Houston fills those shoes for the time being, Harden is the best player on a team that will be close to 60 wins. Stephen Curry will be nipping at his heels, though, especially given the Warriors have the best record in the West. This race will be a fun one to watch.
Rookie of the Year: Andrew Wiggins
It hasn’t been a particularly special rookie class up to this point, and Jabari Parker going down for the year didn’t help that cause at all. Having said that, despite all of Minnesota’s struggles, Andrew Wiggins has played very well — well enough to draw praise from the likes of Kobe and LeBron. Averaging 15 points and four rebounds a game, the former Jayhawk has a bright future. As the Timberwolves continue to rebuild, it’s clear they have something to build around.
Finals Prediction: Cavilers vs Grizzlies
Although the Hawks and their four All-Stars are sitting pretty right now at 43-11, I stand by the popular school of thought: no superstar no championship. With the Cavs hitting their stride heading into the latter part of the season, they’ll be the team to beat.
As far as the West goes, even though the Warriors are sitting on top right now, long playoff series come down to defense. The Grizzlies, who beat Golden State earlier this season, are the best defensive team in the league. The Warriors will be a tough out with the deadly combo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, but if anyone can stop them it’s Memphis.
LeBron came back to Cleveland for one reason: to win a championship for his home. If they can keep this rhythm and chemistry, then simply put the Cavs are just too talented to let this slip through their fingers. They’ll bring home Cleveland’s first pro sports title in 40 years. Cleveland diehards will finally be rewarded for their loyalty.
Follow David on Twitter @Dshug24 and listen to him on "The Blitz" on Wednesdays 10-11 a.m.
(02/02/15 7:51pm)
Before the Super Bowl kicked off, David Sugarman talked one-on-one with Jersey Boy Drew Seeley and discussed one of the hottest shows on tour as well as more about Drew, his take on Greek Life, songwriter Bob Gaudio, the Blue Jays and more.
David: How you doing Drew?
Drew: Good, David. How are you?
David: I’m doing great, thanks. So you’re pretty early in the tour so far, just your second stop. I noticed you have quite a long trip, 18 stops. Now other than Bloomington, which is obviously the premiere destination, do you have any spots you’re looking forward to in particular? I saw you guys were having some fun today in Hershey.
Drew: Oh yeah. We went to the chocolate factory today and designed our own chocolate bars which was a fun trip, mad scientists. There are a couple of cities coming up that I’m really excited about. We’re going to Austin, Texas. I’ve never been there. That’s a great music town. Chicago for a couple weeks. All over the place. I’ve actually been with the show about four months now so I’m halfway through my run so far. It’s been good so far and we still got a lot of cities to hit.
David: Now for everyone here who may be a little unfamiliar with “JERSEY BOYS,” without giving too much away, what can you tell us to give the people here a sneak preview, a little taste?
Drew: Well it’s the story of Franki Vallie and the Four Seasons. You may not think you know a lot of their music but they had 40, 50, even more than that, hit songs over the course of their careers. They wrote a lot of songs you’ve sung since you were a kid. It’s a great show to go listen to the music and also their story is really interesting. They were involved with the mob, they had broken marriages, they went through a lot of stuff to make it to the top. I like to tell people it’s kind of like watching an episode of the Sopranos with music.
David: So you play Bob Gaudio, that’s right?
Drew: Yep.
David: Bob Gaudio, a young kid, a songwriter, you’ve sort of been in that position. You’ve got quite a bit of your own music, so does that help get into that character’s shoes knowing that you’ve gone through that creative process and whatever else that entails?
Drew: Absolutely! Absolutely. The casting for this show was great because we all really connect with the people that we’re portraying, “the real guys.” I’ve been writing music since I was 13. One of my New Year’s resolutions this year was to put out a new single every month. So I just released one, and I’m prepping my second one for the top of February. But I mean Bob Gaudio, those are some huge shoes to fill because he’s one of the classic songwriters of all time. It’s a real honor to be able to get to play him every night on stage.
David: Were you able to work with Gaudio one-on-one?
Drew: No, I haven't met him yet. I know he sees a show once in a while and some of the other cast members have met him. I’m hoping that he comes to check it out and I get to shake the man’s hand.
David: So we mentioned you’re song writing, and you’ve done a lot of different work. Done some film, done some TV, obviously some Broadway. You were Eric in The Little Mermaid for a while, so did "JERSEY BOYS" present any new challenges or anything you hadn’t experienced before?
Drew: Yeah, I mean, I’ve been living in L.A. for the last 10 years, in one place. You know you film a movie you’re out of town for maybe five or six weeks. But when I signed up for "JERSEY BOYS," it’s a nine-month tour and we’re literally in a new city every week. So living out of a suitcase is something different, it’s been a challenge. Finding time to sleep and maintaining that pace and that energy after a while. You really have to plan your days. It’s a new challenge, but it was something I was up for and I’m glad I did.
David: If it makes you feel better I’d choose living in a suitcase over living in a dorm any day of the week.
Drew: Yeah I can see that.
David: Now me personally, I’m a pretty big fan of the show. I saw it once in New York and I know all the words, but you seem like you’re in a good mood and you like me, so I don't want to ruin that with song. But something that I think is great about the show is how wide of an appeal it has. I feel like the frat boys, professors in the math building and really anyone would like it. So what do you think makes the show so that anybody can like it?
Drew: A lot of classic musicals some guys don’t want to go to because they feel like musical theatre can be a sissy thing or whatever. It’s such a man’s show. It really is for everyone. We see whole families getting to their seat and clapping and singing along together. Three generations at a time, like a grandma and her daughter and their 10-year-old. That’s probably the cutoff because there is a lot authentic jersey language in the show. People of all ages can enjoy it because the music and the story is really all about family. Everyone can relate to that because everyone has their own family issues. To see that on stage, there’s a lot of things to relate to.
David: Now I mention the frat boys and I don’t know if you were in a fraternity when you were at Central Florida, but you did play one for a little while on Glory Daze. Can we expect you to go Greek at some point? I’m just saying my street cred would go way up if I rolled up with a Jersey Boy.
Drew: How far away are you guys from the theatre? No I didn’t join a fraternity in college, I kind of wish I had. I missed out on that experience, but doing Glory Daze kind of made up for that because we were a fraternity but it also takes place in the 80s so we got to do all these crazy 80s things and wear these ridiculous costumes and just goof off for two months. That was a really, really fun job.
David: Before I let you go, you may have heard there’s a pretty big game going on this weekend. Got the Seahawks and the Patriots.
Drew: Yeah I might’ve heard about it.
David: You were born in Toronto, so did you have a favorite football team growing up?
Drew: I was more of a hockey and a baseball fan growing up. Where I lived those were the big sports. I lived in Toronto when the Blue Jays won the World Series those two years in a row. So I was a huge fan back then. Joe Carter, Roberto Alomar, I’d follow along. The Maple Leafs of course, too. My heart’s still in Toronto even though I’m living in L.A. But we got the Kings, and they’ve been doing pretty well.
David: And who are you taking the Patriots and the Seahawks going back to this game?
Drew: Oh man you’re gonna turn half your audience against me no matter what I say. I can’t win.
David: If it makes you feel better, most of the people out here are rooting for the Seahawks. Not only did the Colts get beat, but people are thinking the Patriots cheated to do it.
Drew: Right, Deflategate. Who’s the underdog at this point?
David: I don’t have the spread in front of me, but I have to think it’s going be tight either way.
Drew: Well then may the best team win, I guess. I’ll say the Patriots just to take a side.
David: Ok I think you might get some boos when you come out on stage here.
Drew: Oh you see, thanks a lot.
David: When you come here in March, I’ll introduce the rest of the guys then I’ll introduce you like, “Yes, this is Drew Seeley. This is the guy I was telling you about that picked the Patriots.”
Drew: Hey, somebody’s gotta do it right.
You can check out Drew @drewseeley on Twitter, Youtube, iTunes and drewseeley.com. "JERSEY BOYS" will be performed at the IU Auditroium March 3-8 You can get tickets at www.jerseyboysinfo.com.
(01/29/15 7:16pm)
On Dec. 9, I wrote a piece about how the Pistons needed to make a move because the duo of Brandon Jennings and Josh Smith was not working in any sense of the word. The team was struggling mightily at 5-23, and they were in the midst of a 13-game slide. Someone had to let go. Less than two weeks later, the Pistons parted ways with Smith, releasing him. Though I figured this was a step in the right direction, what happened next I would have never seen coming. As soon as Smith’s name had been peeled off his locker, it was as if some sort of cosmic weight had been lifted from The Palace of Auburn Hills. Detroit rattled off seven straight victories and won 12 of its next 16 games. The Pistons took down some of the league’s best, including wins at Cleveland, San Antonio, Dallas and Toronto. All of a sudden, they found themselves just a few games out of the playoff picture.
Then came a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions. Jennings, who had increased his scoring — doubling his average from December to January from 9.3 to 20.9 — field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and free throw attempts and makes per game since Smith left, suffered a full tear in his Achilles last Saturday in a loss at Milwaukee. He will be sidelined for the rest of the season. The loss of the Pistons’ leading scorer and assist man leaves them extremely thin in the backcourt with work still needed to be done in the East. So is the chance of seeing Detroit in the playoffs still a real possibility?
Of Course:
The winner of the amazing race for the eighth seed in the East will likely require just 40 wins — if that. Charlotte currently holds that spot at 19-27. More than half of the Pistons’ remaining games are against teams that are currently below .500. Nineteen of 36 games, to be exact, including three matchups with the aforementioned Hornets, who Detroit has yet to play. In the Pistons’ first full game without Jennings, experienced vet D.J. Augustin dropped 35 points in a close loss to one of the conference’s top teams in Toronto. He may not be Jennings, but Augustin is a very solid player for Detroit to have as its next man up. He’s also seen both his scoring output and shooting percentage take significant leaps forward since Smith’s departure. He and Jennings are hardly the only ones who've stepped up, either. Big man Greg Monroe is scoring more, grabbing nearly five more rebounds a game, and has seen his shooting percentage sky rocket from about 45 percent in the month of December to almost 53 percent in January.
It’s not all about the offense. Since the move, Detroit is giving up almost three points less per game, and before last night’s off-game in Philadelphia, the Pistons were 3-1 in games where the winner had less than 100 points. San Antonio is 15th in the league, right in the middle, with 101.3 points per game. Before this stretch, Detroit was 3-9 in such contests. There are certain games that can be won by individuals on offense, but defense is always a team effort that doesn’t magically go away when one guy goes down. To go add to that, through the first 15 games without Smith, the Pistons have had five different leading scorers. There’s no reason the Pistons can’t continue to be a feel-good story and make the playoffs.
Not a Chance:
I’m all for feel good stories, but don’t even try it with this squad. While the groove Detroit had after ditching Smith was impressive, it wasn’t earth-shattering. Four of their wins during that span were by five points or less, three of which Jennings was the leading scorer. In the one game he wasn’t, Jennings still hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer. It’s difficult to replace a guy who in a win against Orlando, his last game before the injury, had 24 points to compliment his 21 assists. Sure, D.J. Augustin is a nice bench player, but a bench player none the less. Augustin has career averages of 10 points and four assists per game, and although some of that is due to a lack of minutes, you can’t expect him to stay on par every night in a league full of elite guards. The Pistons still have to find ways to slow down Ty Lawson, Tony Parker, Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard and more before it’s all said and done. Pair Augustin with a still very young, raw Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and it doesn't look good for Detroit, as competition against talented back courts is always right around the corner. Case in point is Kyrie Irving, who dropped 38 points two games ago in a Pistons loss. Detroit followed that up with a 20-point loss to the lowly 76ers in which the Pistons put up a measly 69 points and Michael Carter Williams was one rebound shy of a triple-double. Augustin had just two points and didn’t connect on a field goal all night going 0-7.
Piston fans, don’t look to a somewhat favorable schedule for comfort. To go with a questionable backcourt and little depth at the small forward spot, you have a bench that’s in the bottom third of the league in scoring production. There are lots of winnable games, but few you’d take Detroit in hands-down. At 17-30, every winnable game has to be considered a must-win. With Detroit already on a four-game skid since Jennings went down, expect the Pistons to be picking in the lottery again next season.
Verdict:
There are clearly arguments on both sides. The Pistons didn’t claw back into playoff contention on Jennings’ shoulders alone, but they’ll certainly need some new faces to step up. Again. It’s clear that for the second time this season, Stan Van Gundy’s club will have to make some major adjustments. Whether it can make them successfully or not will determine whether the Pistons will still playing when 82 games or up or not. Even a trip to the first round would be a huge accomplishment for an organization that hasn’t been there for five straight years.
Follow David on Twitter @Dshug24
(01/24/15 11:57pm)
In case you’ve been living under a rock for the first half of the NBA season, the Atlanta Hawks are good. Not “Oh what a pleasant little surprise good,” or good for the eastern conference good, more like holy shit good. On pace for over 60 wins (36-8) and currently riding a franchise record 15-game win streak, the Hawks may have what it takes to get out of the East, a feat they haven’t accomplished since they were the St. Louis Hawks in the 1960s. Though it begs the question, can a team without a superstar — not to be confused with simply an All-Star — win it all?
Wherever, whenever:
Numbers never lie, and the Hawks’ numbers tell a scary truth. Not only are the Hawks taking care of business at Phillips Arena (19-3), but they own the best road record in the league at 17-5, a big reason why Coach Budenholzer will be coaching the Eastern Conference All-Stars this year. Some of those wins away from home include trips to Washington, Toronto, Cleveland and Portland. Teams don’t feel much more comfortable at home against the Hawks than they do traveling to Atlanta, and while the rigorous and unforgiving schedule can seem daunting to some, the Hawks don’t seem to lose a step going 9-3 in the second of back-to-back games. This includes 6-2 record when those contests are played away from home. Good teams win at home. Great teams win on the road.
Besting the Best:
I’ve never shied away from the fact the West is far and away a better conference than the East. If the season ended today, the eight seed in the West, Phoenix, would be the fifth seed in the East. Having said that, Atlanta has done a superb job against the West this year going 11-2 after beating Kevin Durant’s Thunder 103-93 last night. One has to wonder if the Hawks could keep this pace if the tables were turned. But there’s no doubt that right now — Atlanta belongs at the top.
Both Ends:
We’ve all seen teams that had the potential to win it all but simply couldn’t get it done because they only played on one end of the floor. The first example that comes to mind was Mike D’Antoni’s Phoenix teams during Nash’s prime. This was a team that lit up the opposition every night, but true to D’Antoni’s trademark, there wasn’t much defense, if any, and it never got out of the West. Not only is Atlanta sixth in the league in scoring with 103.2 points per game, it’s first in the league giving up just 96.1 per game and fourth in field goal percentage defense. After last night’s win, point guard Jeff Teague said the team was playing with a lot of confidence, but attributed much of the success to defense. And if the Hawks can continue to do that — they’ll be alright.
Frito Lay:
On the Atlanta Hawks, everybody chips in. Five different players, including three potential All-Stars in Jeff Teague, Paul Millsap and Al Horford, are averaging in double digits. Kyle Korver is nailing 3-pointers at an unthinkably high clip shooting 53 percent from behind the arc while putting up nearly six attempts every night.
The bench is doing its part as well. The emergence of second-year man Dennis Schroder, who had 13 points and five assists off the bench last night, has been key, as has the strong play of Pero Antic and Mike Scott, who’s coming off of a 20-point performance three games back against the Pistons. Not to mention Atlanta’s assist game, as the team is averaging about 27 assists per game during this current tear it’s on. Everyone seems to be getting a shared taste of the success.
But:
For the last decade, every team that has won the Finals has had a superstar, if not multiple. Parker and Duncan, Miami’s Big Three, Boston’s Big Three, Pau and Kobe, Dirk: all of them were flat out superstars — not guys on the cusp of greatness or possible All-Star snubs. It’s difficult to win in this league without a legitimate stud. Taking a look at champions past, the last team that you could argue won the title by “committee” was the 2004 Pistons. Yes the Pistons had Chauncey Billups aka Mr. Big Shot alongside Richard Hamilton, but they were a team that didn’t have a 20 point per night scorer or anyone with over six assists per game. Champions like that are few and far in between.
I’m not sure I see anyone on Atlanta’s current roster who will blossom into that superstar. And doing it by committee, well it doesn’t have a great track record. Come playoff time, although I still see a deep run in Atlanta’s bright future, having no proven superstar could be its downfall. This team is fun and exciting to watch, and I hope they prove me wrong. After all, proving people wrong is what they’ve done all year long.
Follow David on Twitter @Dshug24
(01/14/15 8:07pm)
The worst part about Candy Land was when the card you pulled landed you on one of those black sticky spots. You were stuck until you drew the color you landed on. Sometimes, it seemed like forever until you finally pried that fateful card from the deck and were able to move forward.
Mikhail Prokhorov strikes me as more of a Monopoly man, which could explain why the Nets are stuck and going nowhere fast. The Nets are on a six-game losing streak that includes three blown double digit leads at home. Unfortunately for the NBA, the Nets would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. The Nets are in a liminal space: a team bad enough to frustrate fans but not quite horrendous enough for a top-10 draft pick. The good news is with an overpaid, underwhelming and often-injured star, minimal young talent and just an overall lack of excitement, the Nets don’t make to be stuck much longer than this six-game stretch. That is if they don’t make the trades that are being thrown around the NBA rumor mill.
Don’t let eighth seed in the East fool you. The Nets are six games below .500 and in the midst of a skid which includes losses at home to Boston and Philadelphia, cellar dwellers of the conference. If a team that goes on stretches like that can make the playoffs, it’s because of how bad the conference is — not how good the team. Getting to the first round of the post season and losing in four or five games doesn’t do Brooklyn any good. It’d be better to for the Nets to be a losing team and start the rebuilding process. But that process has to start with some potentially difficult moves.
If the rumors are true, the Nets seem ready to move in a new direction by trying to dump big men Brook Lopez and Deron Williams and maybe even Joe Johnson. Lopez, who’s been disappointing to Nets fans, has had several bad foot injuries and is widely considered to be soft. But he does have something to offer when he’s healthy. A 7-footer that can stretch the floor and has some scoring ability could prove useful for many teams, Lopez would be better suited as a role player than a main cog. The problem is Lopez doesn't get paid like a role player. The Nets aren’t looking to take on anymore long-term deals, and Lopez is due a whopping 16.7 million next year. It’ll be difficult to find a team willing to take that on, especially if they don’t think of him as a starter.
Of course that’s pocket change compared to the 63.1 million Brooklyn owes Deron Williams through the 2016-17 season. To say Deron Williams has been a colossal disappointment would be an understatement. When you see Williams in the lineup these days, which isn’t often given his history of nagging injuries, it’s like watching an Adam Sandler movie trailer. You know what to expect of the film, and you know you’ll likely end up disappointed. The most disheartening aspect of all is knowing what he used to be and wondering where it all went south. Even if someone is willing to take on Williams, in what capacity? Coming off the bench? If so, would Williams be willing to do that? Although it’s hard to believe he would, that’s quite a bit of money for a team to shell out if he isn’t going to start. Is restructuring Williams’ deal an option? The list of questions just keeps getting longer.
Almost as sad as Williams’ situation is Joe Johnsons’. Although he has been fulfilling his role, averaging 16 points, four boards and three dimes during his three years in Brooklyn, he will likely go as well. Johnson is a player with a hefty deal as well, but the difference is he has lots of trade value around the league.
Looking at the Nets’ current roster, what it comes down to is how much they’re willing to lose. Brooklyn will likely be able to hang on to its low playoff seed in the East, but are they willing to wipe the slate clean and rid themselves of the entire core of Williams, Lopez and Johnson? This would likely mean struggling mightily at first potentially hitting rock bottom in the conference in order to rebuild and start stacking the team with young talent. Outside of Mason Plumlee, who’s having a very solid sophomore campaign averaging around 10 points and seven rebounds per game, the Nets don't have much youth. Not to mention the little they have isn’t getting much experience. We’ve seen big man Cory Jefferson and Oklahoma State product Markel Brown sparingly, and while Bojan Bogdanovic has shown flashes during his consistent playing time, it’s uncertain where he fits in a long term plan for Brooklyn.
Although it may be hard to swallow, the Nets have to go with the philosophy that it’ll get worse before it gets better. It’s time to start over. There hasn’t been much reason for excitement on this team besides Plumlee, and he still has to prove he can get the job done in the long run. Ridding itself of the big three — if you can call them that — with Garnett retiring in the near future is the best case scenario. Sometimes you have to go backwards to go forward. If GM Billy King really thinks he can move forward with this group, they Nets will be stuck for many more turns to come.
Follow David on Twitter @Dshug24
(12/10/14 1:11am)
Certain things just don’t go together: raisins and chocolate, horror movies and children, and whatever line-up the Pistons have put on the court this season. Normally, we realize the mistake we’ve made with these combinations and move on. I’m still waiting on Raisinets to get with the program, but that’s beside the point.
Whatever type of hodge podge the Detroit Pistons have tried to concoct has left a sour taste in fan’s mouths. Throwing two eerily similar ingredients like Brandon Jennings and Josh Smith onto the same plate along with god knows what else has brought the Pistons to 3-18: just a game ahead of the formally 0-17 Philadelphia 76ers, and reeling on a 12-game losing streak. It’s hard to say what Joe Dumars was doing before new GM Jeff Bower came on board, but the former GM left him with a lot of work to be done. Much of which could entail clearing the plate Dumars left for him.
While the expectations weren’t sky high for the duo of Jennings and Smith, not many saw them as bottom feeders. The Pistons were thought to be a team that could compete and possibly sneak into the playoffs in the mediocre Eastern conference, a feat that often requires only 40 wins. Add in Greg Monroe and a couple of high draft picks, and reaching 40 wins didn’t seem like a stretch. But instead of gearing up for the post season, the Pistons will likely be making summer vacation plans at the All-Star break for the second straight year.
Led by two B-minus caliber stars (if you can call them that), the Pistons are finally starting to realize that their big acquisitions from last year are redundant. The first is Brandon Jennings, a man who is essentially tied for second in field goal attempts per game, but shoots it at under 40-percent. Jennings has consistently shot at this sub-par percentage, barring one spectacular season when he skyrocketed to 42-percent. The reason the duo of Jennings and Smith isn’t working out is the same reason Jennings didn’t work out with scorer Monta Ellis in Milwaukee: it’s too much of the same thing. Detroit can’t balance out an inefficient scorer who takes questionable shots when the other staple of its team is one in the same.
While he makes for a good highlight reel, Josh Smith has also underwhelmed since he came to Detroit. At the end of his tenure in Atlanta, Smith was playing some of the best basketball of his career, and many felt he had been an All-Star snub. Now, Smith’s field goal percentage is the worst it’s ever been as is his free throw percentage has taken a dip to 48-percent. Classic J-Smoove was on full display in his last outing, but despite a solid game, he left much to be desired on a launched three-pointer with the Pistons down two with five seconds left. As you might imagine, the 28-percent three-pointer shooter was well off the mark.
To go along with this disastrous duo is second-year man Kentavious Caldwell-Pope who, despite some flashes, also shoots the ball 12 times a game at 37-percent: yet another major reason why the Pistons shoot a league worst .407 from the field. To add to the shooting woes, the Pistons find themselves in the bottom third of made free throws despite shooting the 13th-most free throws in the league. I could go on and on about the train wreck of a show that’s put on at the Palace of Auburn Hills, but you get the point. The Pistons problems stem not from a lack of chemistry, but from a lack of talent as well.
But not all hope is lost just yet. While the Pistons likely won’t leap up in the standings when led by two underwhelming players (good Robins, horrible Batmans) there is some life on this roster. Stan Van Gundy is still a very good coach who has proven he can win, not to mention the young talent on this team. Despite some of his struggles, Caldwell-Pope has been thrust into a new role every game, some of which has excelled in, others where he has not. Andre Drummond is averaging a double-double with just shy of two blocks per game, and Greg Monroe is averaging nearly a double-double as well.
The Pistons are in a tough spot, especially with Jennings and Smith still with one and two years in their respective contracts. Neither are bad players-- many teams would gladly take them-- but they aren’t stars or leaders, especially not together. With some young talent developing fast and what will likely be a high pick in next year’s draft, it’s time for the Pistons to start fresh. Moves and trades fail all the time, but teams need to be smart enough to realize they failed. Hopefully the Pistons, see that sooner rather than later.
Follow David on Twitter @Dshug24 and listen to him on "The Friday Morning Blitz" Fridays from 10-11 am
(12/01/14 3:55pm)
Last year I wrote a piece for GrandstandU.com that highlighted five reasons why things were looking up for the Philadelphia 76ers. Now I realize sports is a domain where we’ll most often be wrong. The constant badgering from my father about that piece has led me to that excuse many a time, though I’m not sure how wrong I am. Sure, the immediate future doesn’t look bright for Philly, currently at 0-16 and flirting with the worst start in NBA history, but whether foolish or not, I’m going to stand by the 76ers future. So here goes nothing. Five Reasons Why the 76ers Won’t Be Bad for Long: Part 2.
Young Guns:
The 76ers are the youngest team in the league with an average age of less than 24 years. For the time being that’s certainly a disadvantage, but these neophytes have shown flashes of a bright future. Tony Wroten, while turnover prone, is averaging around 18 points and six assists. Michael Carter-Williams just posted a triple double against the Mavericks. Even Nerlens Noel, who’s coming off the ACL injury and has a limited skill set for the time being, has had some big-time blocks to go along with eight points and nearly seven rebounds a night. I truly believe there is a core taking shape in Philadelphia, even if it is at this miserable, Gary-the-Snail-type pace. They have a solid young backcourt and a front court that—although it still needs a ton of work—will be getting more help soon.
Joel Embiid:
The 76ers haven’t had great luck with getting their top draft picks on the floor right away. Last year it was Noel, and this year it’s Joel Embiid. But when this former Jayhawk steps on the floor, Philly will see another piece of the puzzle fall into place. While both of their offensive games are still raw, the ceiling is high for these two lottery picks, and the two could become a great front court with their combined length, athleticism, shot blocking ability and size. With some experience, refining offensive moves and putting on more muscle, Noel and Embiid could be a scary big man duo. This is clearly a team in the process of rebuilding from the ground up, which means these things take time. These two won’t put on 15 pounds each and develop a dream shake overnight, but there’s no reason they can’t. And when they do…watch out.
The East:
The Eastern and Western conferences are night and day when it comes to climbing up the ladder. To put the matter simply, the East is full of bad teams that aren’t getting better anytime soon. Teams like the Pistons, Knicks and Celtics that could easily be jumped over with some mild improvement. Mediocrity isn’t hard to achieve and on this side of the league, where mediocrity could mean slipping into the post season as a seven or eight seed. As disgusting as that might seem, we’ve seen teams under .500 playing playoff basketball. The 76ers should just focus on winning a game or two for now, but the point remains the same.
Pride:
Anybody who’s been on a losing team knows how hard it is to keep your head up and playing hard no matter what the circumstances. Maybe it’s the pressure of the impending, dubious record they are close to setting, but Head Coach Brett Brown and the 76ers are still giving their all. You could see the passion a few nights back when they actually held a fourth quarter lead for the first time this season, if only for a short time, against the Nets. Guys were diving to the floor for loose balls, pumping their fists after big plays and jumping up and down on the bench. There was a certain energy on the court, and despite all the 76ers have been through, even belief. The game after, Philadelphia went toe-to-toe with the Mavs, losing by just seven— which is pretty good considering the last meeting when the 76ers lost 123-70. It may not show in the win column, but this team has some heart.
Hope:
The fact of the matter is while every reason I have listed is very possible, they are filled with a lot of “what ifs.” The 76ers’ success hinges on potential, health, development and maturity, all things that can take ages to cultivate and some that never do. When I watch this team play and I see that untapped potential, I feel like it could soon be leaps and bounds better than what it is now. But I’ve been wrong before, and there’s a good chance I’ll be wrong again. It’s both the nature of sports and life itself, but in both I’ve been taught to go with my gut. I’m not saying the 76ers will be raising banners anytime soon, but they won’t be sitting in the basement of the East for much longer either.
Follow David on Twitter @Dshug24 and listen to him on "The Friday Morning Blitz" Fridays from 10-11 am
(11/13/14 1:00am)
The Toronto Raptors have the best record in the Eastern Conference. Let that sink in for a moment. While it still might not sound quite right, just go with it, because I double checked. Toronto has taken care of business to start the 2014-15 campaign with a 7-1 record. The Raptors have played hard, hustled and given fans a reason to be excited with their SportsCenter Top 10-worthy plays night after night. Although their opponents have been subpar (they’ve beaten Atlanta, a crippled OKC team, Boston, Philly and Orlando twice), you should be excited about the Raptors, too. Why? Because when it comes time, Toronto will take care of its stiffer competition.
Toronto has mainly faced off against the bottom echelon of the league up to this point. With the exception of one close game in Boston and last night’s matchup with Orlando, they have won easily every time out. Five of their seven wins have come by double digits, which means they’re winning the games they are supposed to. The fact of the matter is the Raptors can’t control who they play, and they still haven’t taken any of these weak opponents lightly. These wins are only bringing Toronto’s confidence higher as it gears up to play Chicago, Memphis, Cleveland and Phoenix in the coming weeks. We can expect those to be closer games, but there’s no reason that the Raptors can’t compete and beat any of those teams or any other elite teams for that matter. They have the depth, star power and added grit and flare.
Drake’s latest No. 1 team can beat you in any number of ways. Toronto has six players averaging double digit scoring, not to mention other steady contributors in Gervis Vasquez, Tyler Hansborugh and Patrick Patterson. The scariest aspect is that it doesn’t seem to matter who the Raptors rotate in. No matter what lineup Toronto has on the court, those players are going to make an impact. Whether it’s Terrence Ross nailing four three-pointers on the same night the bench scores 42 points, DeMar DeRozan coming up with the game-winner in Boston, Lou Williams helping lead the comeback last night along with the rest of the second unit, or James Johnson dunking so hard on the 76ers that it wasn’t suitable for young children (go look at the highlights, it was that nasty), this team is extremely deep. If one guy is having an off night, that simply lends the opportunity for someone else to step up. And you can bet that within this Raptors organization, that opportunity will not be wasted.
When you look north of the border, you find arguably the best backcourt in the league in Kyle Lowry, a rugged, skilled and smart guard, and DeRozan, a much improved jumper. The Raptors have a bench as deep as you’ll find around the association and an air of excitement that’s difficult to match. Shooters everywhere you look, athleticism, toughness, and it all goes into a winning formula. With a year of experience under its belt, there’s no reason this young team can’t be playing serious postseason hoops. This squad is hungry, and with the Atlantic Division in a weak position right now, it’s as a good a time as ever for Toronto to pounce.
Over the years, the Raptors have struggled to find consistency as a franchise. They found some success with the always exciting vintage Vince Carter—gone. Onto minimal success with Chris Bosh at the helm—gone. Then the short lived success of Andrea Bargnani, who’s about as tough as the Charmin mascot—thankfully, gone. Now with a superstar who’s in the middle of a four-year deal, a great supporting cast and fan base who’s bought in, the Raptors may have finally figured things out. There hasn’t been this much hype surrounding something dinosaur-related since the height of the Jurassic Park series. When the brand new Jurassic World comes out this June, don’t be surprised if the Raptors are too busy to make it to the premiere.
Follow David on Twitter @Dshug24 and listen to him on "The Friday Morning Blitz" Fridays from 10-11 am