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(02/16/15 7:30am)
After a heartbreaking loss in College Park against Maryland Wednesday night, Indiana found itself in a must win situation. Having lost four out of six coming into tonight’s tilt against Minnesota, the Hoosiers went from tournament lock to a teetering bubble team.
The Gophers jumped on the Hoosiers early, going up 14-6, but a spark off the bench in the form of Emmitt Holt and Nick Zeisloft got the Hoosiers back in the game through perimeter shooting.
After Zeisloft got going, a barrage of threes started hitting their mark for Indiana.
Rob Johnson ended a back and forth, high scoring first half with a put back at the buzzer off a Yogi Ferrell miss to give Indiana a six point lead going into halftime.
Once the second half commenced, it was all Indiana.
The three-point onslaught was on and was coming from all angles. Indiana shot 10-15 from behind the arc in the second half and was able to coast from there.
The Hoosiers ended up hitting a school record 18 three-pointers in this one.
Yogi only scored seven points but had 11 assists, 8 of which assisted three pointers. Throughout the game, he was able to slice through the defense and kick out to shooters on the wings.
James Blackmon and Robert Johnson rebounded nicely after rough games last time out at Maryland.
Blackmon led the Hoosiers with 24 points, going 6-10 from the three, and Johnson had 19, hitting five three balls.
After the game Blackmon and Johnson both talked about putting in extra work leading up to this game.
Even Troy Williams got in on the fun, going two for two from long range. He also had some highlight-reel dunks that nearly blew the roof off Assembly Hall.
The Hoosiers advance to 18-8 on the season, and 8-5 in Big Ten play.
Up next for the Hoosiers is a huge game Thursday night against their archival, the Purdue Boilermakers. Last time out Purdue ran Indiana off the court in West Lafayette in a 16-point win, and after the game Yogi called the team out for being “soft”.
It figures to be a rowdy crowd Thursday night in Assembly as bragging rights and positioning in the Big Ten are on the line.
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You can catch the game Thursday on WIUX starting at 7pm.
(10/29/14 4:05pm)
In the third and final installment of my NBA power rankings, I’ll discuss the top 10 teams going into this NBA season. I’ll also give some award and playoff predictions.
Canada, eh?:
10. Toronto Raptors: I couldn’t really think of a category to put the Raptors in, so they get their own category since they are the only team that plays in Canada. Barring any significant injuries, I don’t see any way the Raptors don’t win the Atlantic division and get the No. 3 seed in the East. They are right below the Cavaliers and Bulls and far ahead of the other Eastern Conference teams. They return the same core as last year and added Lou Williams to improve their bench. Kyle Lowry and Demar Derozan are a top five backcourt in the NBA and I think Derozan will get serious MVP consideration this year. Jonas Valančiūnas will be one of the most improved players in the NBA and become a top center in the league. Toronto should enjoy another successful season, but still won’t have a fan in Barney Stinson.
The West is tough…really tough:
9. Houston Rockets: The Rockets had one of the rougher off-seasons in the NBA, losing to Portland on a buzzer beater in the playoffs and then sacrificing depth in the hope of acquiring Chris Bosh in free agency. It seemed like they had Bosh locked up, but then Bosh decided to take the max in Miami and left Houston without a new Big Three in James Harden, Dwight Howard, and Bosh. Houston lost Chandler Parsons to the rival Mavs, which will hurt, but replacing him with Trevor Ariza won’t be a huge loss. The Rockets, like the other teams in this category, will be hurt because they play in the West. The Harden-Howard combination would be good enough to make it out of the Eastern conference, but there are too many good teams in the West. It’ll be a bloodbath getting out of the West and Houston will have to improve its defensive intensity if it wants to make a run in the playoffs.
8. Memphis Grizzlies: A questionable suspension of Zach Randolph prevented the Grizzlies from pulling off the upset of the Thunder in the playoffs last year. With a healthy Marc Gasol and the addition of Vince Carter, the Grizzlies are a dark-horse team in the West. The Zebo-Gasol tandem down low is a tough matchup for any team, but just like Houston, they don’t have enough to get out of the West.
7. Dallas Mavericks: The picture of Mark Cuban signing Chandler Parsons in an Orlando nightclub was one of the lasting images of the offseason. The Mavs gave the Spurs their toughest test in the playoffs, pushing the eventual champs to a tough seven game series. Bringing back Tyson Chandler and acquiring Jameer Nelson and Raymond Felton will add some more depth to this team. On paper, a lot of people feel Dallas can make a serious run to the championship. The Dirk and Rick Carlisle combination is one of the best player-coach combinations in the NBA. All things seem to be a go for Dallas to be a serious contender in the West, and the key for this Mavericks team will be if their guards can matchup defensively with the elite guards of the West.
6. Golden State Warriors: The Warriors were in the thick of the Kevin Love trade rumors, but they decided to keep Klay Thompson and the Splash Brothers together. Even though the players loved playing for Mark Jackson, getting Steve Kerr as coach will be an improvement and he’ll be able to un-tap this team’s potential unlike Jackson. I believe Kerr will finally be able to get the most out of Harrison Barnes and turn him into the star he was projected to be. With Barnes in the starting lineup, this allows Andre Iguodala to come off the bench and be a shutdown wing defender and slasher, which is the role he plays best in. Getting Shaun Livingston in the offseason was a huge steal and his versatility will help the Warriors offense be even more potent. The key for this team will be the health of their big guys David Lee and especially Andrew Bogut. Bogut is the team’s best low post defender and he’ll be needed come playoff time. The Warriors can finally reach their full potential this season if they can remain healthy.
Title Contenders:
5. Oklahoma City Thunder: The Thunder would be No. 1 on this list every year if they hadn’t traded James Harden away. That will go down as one of the worst trades in NBA history and will be the reason why the Thunder won’t have multiple championships. However, the trio of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Serge Ibaka is still good enough to get any team to the Finals. They failed to upgrade their bench again this offseason, with their biggest move being Anthony Morrow when they could have gotten Aaron Afflalo or Pau Gasol. Even with all these negatives, when healthy, the Thunder are a top team in the league. Durant’s the reigning MVP and Westbrook is a matchup nightmare for any team. If going into playoff time the Thunder are at full strength, they could definitely win the title. But remaining healthy has been OKC’s Achilles heel the last few years.
4. Los Angeles Clippers: The pressure is on in Lob City this year to take the next step and advance past the second round of the playoffs. Now that all the off-the-court drama from last year is over with, all eyes are back onto the on court product. Blake Griffin should have another monster season and can give LeBron a serious run for league MVP. This is a huge year for Chris Paul. He’s been in the league ten years now and he still hasn’t made a conference finals. There’s no doubt CP3 is an elite point guard and a superstar, but this is the year to quiet the critics and make a run in the postseason. The addition of Spencer Hawes gives the Clippers a serviceable backup big man and a player who can stretch the floor. Expectations are at an all-time high for the Clippers, as they are now the best team in L.A, which makes me cringe to say as a Lakers fan.
3. Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose coming back is huge for this team, but it’s the additions of Pau Gasol, Doug McDermott, and Nikola Mirotic make this Bulls team a deep and scary one. Adding those three guys along with Taj Gibson and Joakim Noah give Chicago one of the top frontcourts in the NBA. But it all circles back to D Rose. He was the youngest player ever in league history to win MVP, and it seems like that was centuries ago. Tom Thibodeau did a great job coaching this team last year, but it was evident in the playoffs that the Bulls missed that playmaker on offense to take them over the top. If Rose is able to return to form along with the Bulls already stout defense, Chicago will be a very dangerous team.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers: Offensively, LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love will be a spectacle to watch every night. The rest of the roster cold be filled out with men’s league players, and they’d still put up big numbers. However, while everyone wants to crown the Cavs champs already, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love have a combined zero playoff minutes. Both of these guys have been on bad teams their whole careers and never have played in big games. In addition, Irving and Love aren’t what you call lockdown defenders. LeBron will be forced again to cover the other team’s best player. There will be some hiccups with this Big Three just like Miami had in 2011, but as the season progresses, Cleveland will turn into the unstoppable force everyone is projecting them to be. LeBron will be on a mission to bring a title to Cleveland and by playoff time no one will want to play Cleveland.
1. San Antonio Spurs: Reigning champs? Returned the same roster as last year? Still have the best coach in the sport? Seems like the favorite to me.
Award Predictions:
MVP: LeBron James
Runner up: Blake Griffin
Dark-horse: Demar Derozan
Coach of the Year: Mike Budenholzer
Runner up: Doc Rivers
Dark horse: Quin Snyder
Rookie of the Year: Jabari Parker
Runner up: Nerlens Noel
Dark horse: Adriean Payne
Sixth Man: Ryan Anderson
Runner up: Isaiah Thomas
Most Improved Player: Harrison Barnes
Runner up: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Playoff Predictions
ECF: Cavs over Bulls in 7
WCF: Spurs over Clippers in 5
Finals: Spurs over Cavs in 6
Follow Tyler on Twitter @TylerDarwick and listen to him on WIUX B-Side Sundays from 8-9 pm
(10/28/14 9:18pm)
The NBA is now less than three hours away from tipping off. In this second installment of my preseason NBA power rankings, I’ll discuss some teams that will be fighting for a playoff spot this year.
Bubble teams, because it’s the East:
20. Milwaukee Bucks: It was pretty underrated how bad the Bucks were last season. Even though the 76ers had a 26-game losing streak, the Bucks still managed to finish with the worst record in the league. However, there’s reason to believe that this team in the lowly Eastern conference can compete for a playoff spot. Drafting the most NBA-ready player in Jabari Parker was a huge win for this team, as he seems like he’ll be a sure-fire All-Star player for years to come. Also the Greek Freak, Giannis Antetokounmpo, grew two inches in the offseason and he now stands at 6’11”, making him a defensive nightmare for other teams. O.J. Mayo and Larry Sanders both had disappointing years last year, but expect both of them to bounce back and be key contributors this season. If Jason Kidd can find the right rotation for this versatile team, don’t be surprised if Milwaukee is contending for a playoff spot in the East.
19. Brooklyn Nets: If there is one thing that annoys me more then listening to Troy Aikman announce a Cowboys game it’s probably hearing Nets fans yelling, “Brooooklyn!” at a Nets game. In reality there are probably things that annoy me more, but hearing bandwagon Nets fans yelling is definitely up there. On the court, the Nets should be interesting this year. A lot of people thought they could compete for the championship last year, but those dreams were quickly dashed in the playoffs. Substituting Lionel Hollins for Jason Kidd as coach is definitely a win for this franchise, but losing Paul Pierce and Shaun Livingston will hurt the Nets a lot. Having to rely on Deron Williams and Brook Lopez to stay healthy is like me relying on my putting game— it’s not a good thing. But again, playing in the East is enough to give Brooklyn a shot at making the playoffs.
18. Miami Heat: LeBron James is gone and so is all hope. Just kidding, but losing the best player on the planet will definitely hurt the Heat’s chances of making a fifth-straight NBA finals. They were able to retain Chris Bosh in free agency when many thought he was halfway out the door to Houston, but he re-signed and will be the focal point of the Heat’s offense. The key for this team will be Dwyane Wade. If he can show some semblance of the old Flash, then the Heat will have a shot to make the playoffs. However, this is a guy who only played 54 games last year and even with all that rest still looked broken down in the Finals. And this season, he’ll have to carry even more of the workload with LeBron gone. The fate of the Heat’s season will rest on the knees of Dwyane Wade.
17. Detroit Pistons: Detroit had one of the most disappointing seasons in the NBA last year. Expected to make it back to the playoffs, Detroit fell flat on its face and had another disappointing year. However, in comes Stan Van Gundy to make the pain go away. Van Gundy inherits a talented roster that wasn’t able to play well together last year, but he is one of the best coaches at meshing guys together and handling guys with bad attitudes. Andre Drummond is one of the best young centers in the league and should be in the running for an All-Star spot this year. If Van Gundy is able to work his magic and find a workable rotation, Motown will see their team in the playoffs for the first time since 2009.
16. New York Knicks: Just like Detroit, the Knicks had a letdown 2013-14 season. Also like Detroit, the Knicks now have a proven winner running the show in President Phil Jackson and Coach Derek Fisher there to implement Phil’s triangle offense. The key for the Knicks will be getting guys like J.R. Smith and Amare Stoudemire, who disappointed last year, to help Carmelo shoulder the load. If the Knicks can buy into Phil’s system and have more consistency from the point guard position, the Knicks should expect a bounce-back 2014-15 season.
Bubble teams, because it's the West
15. Portland Trailblazers: The Blazers were one of the most exciting teams in the NBA team last year, and Damian Lillard’s game-winning three to propel Portland to the second round of the playoffs was one of the best moments of the 2013-14 season. But as much of a success last season was for the Trailblazers, I expect a setback this year. Portland relied on their starters the most out of any team last year and their lack of depth is going to hurt them this year. They ranked last in bench minutes and scoring last year and they didn’t do much to upgrade their reserves in the offseason. Portland’s starting five is good enough to carry them, but without any contribution from the bench, I think the Blazers will have trouble repeating the success they had last year.
14. Phoenix Suns: Despite winning 48 games, which would have been good enough for the third seed in the East, the Suns just missed out on the playoffs in the tough Western Conference. Unlike Portland, the Suns did a lot to improve their roster in the offseason by getting Isaiah Thomas from the Kings and getting a high-volume scorer in the draft in T.J. Warren. Eric Bledsoe is the x-factor for this team because if he can stay healthy, he’ll be an explosive point guard who can lock down the opposing team’s best player and be a playmaker on offense. Also with the Morris twins and now Goran and Zoran Dragic, the brother power on this team will be unmatched.
A piece or two away:
13. Washington Wizards: Washington seemed poised to upset the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals last year after taking Game 1 in Indy, but Washington’s inexperience ended up being their demise. This team comes in confident from last year’s success and expects even better results this year. However, Paul Pierce filling in the void left by Trevor Ariza is a downgrade. This team will need guys to step up off the bench like Otto Porter, who was the third pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Washington had one of the least productive benches in the NBA last year, ranking 29th in scoring. If this team wants to live up to their expectations and seriously contend in the East, they’ll have to make a move to improve their lack of depth.
12. Charlotte HornetsA: The sting is back in Charlotte and the miserable 10-year history of the Bobcats will be put to bed this season. Last season was a huge success for the Bobcats making the playoffs for only the second time in the franchise’s history. Now the expectations are higher after last year’s success and signing Lance Stephenson in free agency. They drafted a knockdown shooter in P.J. Hairston and drafted IU’s Noah Vonleh to play alongside another IU alum, Cody Zeller. This creates a logjam at the power forward position, and if Charlotte wants to legitimately contend they should consider trading one of those guys for a proven veteran. You have to think that Michael Jordan, being as competitive as he is, will trade either Zeller or Vonleh for the likes of a David West, Paul Millsap, or Tobias Harris given the opportunity. If he does, he will make Charlotte a legit contender.
11. Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks gave Indiana a run for their money in the first round of the playoffs, and I thought Atlanta could have been a serious landing spot for LeBron James. It was a long shot, but I thought LeBron would be a nice fit in Coach Mike Budenholzer’s system which mirrors the Spurs, a team he spent 18 years working with. Much like the Spurs, this team is going to focus on ball movement and shooting a ton of threes. Al Horford returning from injury is a big boost for this team and will give Atlanta a legit post threat. With the loss of Lou Williams, Atlanta is missing that one piece off the bench that can take them over the top. Budenholzer is an up-and-coming coach, and the Hawks will plays like the Spurs of the East, but if they want to make a serious run in the playoffs getting another scorer off the bench is key.
Follow Tyler on Twitter @TylerDarwick and listen to him on WIUX B-Side Sundays from 8-9pm
(10/27/14 8:49pm)
Basketball is back. The NBA season begins tomorrow, when all the off-season drama will be over and only the games will count. I was going to do a division-by-division preview but then I remembered I actually had a lot of schoolwork to do—darn you accounting—so that never materialized. But now I'm back and better than ever after my hiatus, and I'm ready to give my full NBA preview. I’ll do power rankings of the teams and categorize teams based on the state of their team going into this season. This article will feature the bottom ten teams in the NBA and their prospects going into this year.
Fight for the first pick
30. Philadelphia 76ers: This is a team content with being awful this year and for a few more. The over/under for this team is 16 and the under seems like more of a lock at this point. They won a whopping 19 games last year and this team is even worse this year with only a few true NBA players on the roster. The return of Nerlens Noel is the only thing to look forward to this year if you’re a Sixers fan as they’ll be in the hunt for the No. 1 pick in the draft.
29. Minnesota Timberwolves: Losing a top-10 player in the offseason is a never good thing. The T’Wolves got some good value out of the Kevin Love trade but no proven commodities. Their roster features a lot of young talent, which is a good thing, but lacks a veteran presence to help mentor the younger players, which will hurt them. There will be a lot of growing pains for the Wolves this year and playing in the Western conference will keep them in contention for the first pick.
What’s going on?
28. Los Angeles Lakers: As a long-time Lakers fan I know that it’ll be another rough season for the purple and yellow. Kobe is back, which is great, but have you looked at the rest of the roster? Other than Julius Randle, it makes me nauseous. Steve Nash is done for the season after carrying some heavy luggage so that’s probably a sign of how the Lakers season will go. Everyone wants to criticize Kobe for the poor state of the Lakers right now, but if David Stern didn’t veto the Chris Paul trade and Jim Buss hired Brian Shaw instead of Mike Brown, the Lakers would probably a title contender. It’s going to be another long season for this storied franchise with little hope on the horizon.
27. Indiana Pacers: Did any team in the NBA have a worse off-season than the Pacers? Indiana was on the brink of making the NBA Finals the past two seasons and now it looks like a team that’s going to go into rebuilding mode. Lance Stephenson left in free agency and Paul George suffered a gruesome ankle injury in a U.S scrimmage game that will sideline him for the year. This was a team already pressed for offense. Take off the two best playmakers from the roster, and it doesn’t look good. Roy Hibbert and David West will probably be on the trade block, as the Pacers will try to blow up their team from the past few years. An Indiana team that seemed primed to be contending for the championship for years to come had its title window slammed shut over the course of two weeks.
26. Sacramento Kings: Booooooogie!! Whenever this team is discussed, I am obligated to yell, “Boogie” in honor of Demarcus Cousins. Like their past off-seasons, the Kings had another head-scratcher. They drafted Nik Stauskas who plays the same position as Ben McLemore, who they drafted last year, so that makes no sense. The Kings also got rid of Isaiah Thomas and replaced him with subpar talent. Another bizarre off-season for Sacramento and it doesn’t seem like any improvement is on the way.
Young and Hopeful
25. Boston Celtics: This figures to be another rebuilding year in Boston, but unlike the rival Lakers, there seems to hope on the horizon for these young Celtics. Getting Marcus Smart and James Young in the draft was a win as both guys can be cornerstone pieces for the franchise going forward. Rajon Rondo will most likely be traded, but Boston can keep stockpiling the draft picks. This team won’t compete this year, but with the young talent and draft picks they’ve amassed, the light at the end of the tunnel seems to be getting closer for the Celtics.
24. Utah Jazz: The Jazz are the second youngest team in the NBA, and they got even younger when they drafted the Australian sensation Dante Exum, who just turned 19 years old. This is a roster that features a lot of young talent and they should be on display this year. With first year head coach Quin Snyder, the Jazz are going to play a fast-pace style of offense, and with Trey Burke and Exum in the backcourt alongside Rodney Hood, Gordon Hayward and Alec Burks on the wings, they should be a fun team to watch. The Jazz seem to be a year or two away from being playoff contenders, but they should be exciting to follow this season.
23. Orlando Magic: Just like the Jazz, the Magic are one of the youngest teams in the NBA coming in as the fourth youngest team. Orlando drafted its point guard of the future in Elfrid Payton and an athletic nightmare for other teams in Aaron Gordon. Payton, tagged along with IU’s Victor Oladipo, will form one of the best young backcourts in the league for years to come. If the coaching staff can develop their younger players, Orlando can be a playoff contender this year. But if not, Orlando should be right in the thick of things throughout the coming years.
Middle of the Road
22. Denver Nuggets: This team was ravaged by injuries last year, losing Danilo Galilnari and JaVale McGee for the entire season. Kenneth Faried emerged into one of the best power forwards in the league and playing for the team USA over the summer will pay huge dividends this season. However, playing in the tough Western conference will do this team in. A mediocre roster with little cap space leaves Denver in the middle of the pack.
21. New Orleans Pelicans: This team will be a must watch this year just because of The Brow, Anthony Davis. He has emerged as one of the best players in the league and will be a force to be reckon with throughout his career. Along with Ryan Anderson, Tyreke Evans, Jrue Holiday, and Eric Gordon, the Pelicans should be a potent offensive team. But just like Denver, playing in the West will do them in. Brow power should be in full effect this year but it won’t be enough to get New Orleans into the playoffs.
Follow Tyler on Twitter @TylerDarwick and listen to him on WIUX B-side Sundays from 8-9pm
(10/09/14 9:02pm)
With only three weeks until the NBA season tips off, all teams have started training camp and preseason games have begun. Coming out of an offseason where the drama likened to an episode of The O.C, I know I can't wait for the off-the-court drama to end and the games to begin. Some major story lines to watch for this season are: “can LeBron's earth-shattering move to return to Cleveland result in the city's first major sports title since 1964?”, “will Brian Hoyer is going he might beat him to it?” and “will the Spurs be able to repeat as champs in what possibly might be the last time we see Tim Duncan and Pop on the sidelines?” There's definitely a lot to be excited about if you're a NBA fan as this season should be full of excitement. Each week leading up to the season I'll give a preview of two divisions in the NBA. I'll give a preview of each team and a best and worst-case scenario for each team for the upcoming season. Today I will preview the Atlantic division and later in the week I’ll preview the Central.
Atlantic:
Philadelphia 76ers:
One huge storyline in the NBA last year was about teams trying to tank so they could get a high pick in one of the best draft classes over the past decade. If one team could epitomize the Riggin for Wiggins, Sorry for Jabari, and Need for Embiid (I came up with that one!) campaigns it would be the 76ers. By trading away All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday for the rights to draft Nerlens Noel in the 2013 draft, a guy coming off a torn ACL and someone they knew wouldn't be able to play a year, really showed they were all in for tanking. This trend continued throughout the year by trading away Spencer Hawes and Evan Turner and they helped their cause by going on a 26 game losing streak. That was bad enough to earn them the third pick in the draft where they selected Joel Embiid, another big guy with health issues who probably won't see the court this year. Also they took foreign sensation Dario Saric, who won’t be coming over to the U.S for a few years. This is a team geared up and content with being bad this year and couple more down the line. Their roster has a few nice pieces like the reigning R.O.Y. Michael Carter-Williams and the aforementioned Nerlens Noel who should be itching to get on the court after being sidelined all of last season, but no real NBA talent other than that.
Best-Case Scenario:
Michael Carter-Williams cuts down on his turnovers and averages a triple-double, joining only the Big O and Oscar Robertson, to average such numbers during a regular season in NBA history. Nerlens Noel blocks six shots a game and Jason Richardson channels his inner '05-'06 J-Rich and averages 23 points a game. And in a surprise turn of events, Dario Saric flies onto the court opening night in a helicopter, coming over a few years earlier than expected.
Worst-Case Scenario:
Michael Carter-Williams continues to develop bad habits and doesn't show signs that he can become their franchise point guard. They'll trade him away and just stockpile more picks for future drafts. This is a team that’s content with losing for years to come so this is more of a best worst-case scenario for them.
Boston Celtics:
Just like Philadelphia, Boston was content with being towards the bottom of the standings last year. By trading away coach Doc Rivers to the Clippers and siphoning away all of the Nets draft picks for the next four years by giving away past-their-prime veterans Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett showed that Boston was going into rebuilding mode. Even though its record won't reflect it, the team did play hard for first year coach Brad Stevens and an expected jump up the standings in the near future is more likely than it is for the 76ers. The one big question mark surrounding this team is whether Rajon Rondo be traded before the deadline or whether the Celtics decide to build around him.
Best-Case Scenario:
Rondo decides he wants to stay in Boston and the team builds around him. Avery Bradley, eager to show he deserved his big contract, continues to develop his offensive game and he and Rondo form one of the best backcourts in the Eastern conference. Marcus Smart helps them form a three-headed monster in the backcourt with tenacious defense and intensity. James Young’s smooth stroke on the outside gives them a deadly outside threat. This team fights for a playoff spot in the weaker Eastern conference, and rather than trade away Rondo the Celtics trade for another piece (Josh Smith, perhaps?) to put beside Rondo to make them into a legitimate contender.
Worst-Case Scenario:
The Celtics find out Rondo didn't actually break his hand by slipping in the shower but by punching a wall expressing his anger that he is still in Boston. The team trades him away and decide to look towards next year. Marcus Smart can't find the consistency on the offensive side of the ball and leaves Boston with no point guard for the future.
New York Knicks
To say the 2013-14 season was a disappointment for the Knicks would be an understatement. Coming off a 54-win campaign and division title the previous year, the 37-45 record posted a year ago was definitely a letdown. However, in comes the Zen Master, Phil Jackson, as President of Basketball Operations to fix the roster and first year Head Coach Derek Fisher to install Phil's triangle offense. The biggest move of the offseason was getting Carmelo Anthony to return to the Knicks. Now the question is whether or not Jackson and Fisher can turn Anthony into a championship caliber player and return the Knicks to the postseason.
Best-Case Scenario:
Carmelo buys into the system and becomes the leader the Knicks need going forward. By trading for Jose Calderon this gives the Knicks consistency at the point guard position, something that was lacking massively last year with Raymond Felton. J.R. Smith is motivated to put last years "Shoelace" incident behind him and to prove he has finally matured at age 29, and he becomes the guy who won the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2013. Tim Hardaway Jr. will build off his successful rookie campaign and become an elite three-point shooter and Cleanthony Early will show why he was the steal of the draft with his ability to play both of ends of the court.
Worst-Case Scenario:
Derek Fisher gets off to a Jason Kidd-esque start and continuously keeps getting fined for wearing sleeveless suits to shows off his biceps. As mention before, relying on J.R Smith to show maturity is always a slippery slope and he continues to be erratic on and off the court. Amare Stoudemire can't show any semblance of his former self, and he and Andrea Bargnani continue to give no production from the power forward position. Phil Jackson realizes he's sick of dealing with divas and overbearing owners, decides to retire for good and goes back to Montana.
Brooklyn Nets
An awful start to last season culminated by Jason Kidd's spilling the drink incident seemed like Brooklyn fans would be in for a long season. However, they were able to turn their season around and ended up advancing to the second round of the playoffs—but this was a team with championship aspirations. Coming into this season, the aspirations are still there but not as realistic. The acquisition of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett was supposed to put them over the top last year but Pierce is gone along with all their draft picks and Garnett is a mere shell of his former self. This team is in a must-win mindset and the key will be the health of Deron Williams and Brook Lopez.
Best Case-Scenario:
Deron Williams and Brook Lopez are able to stay healthy and both return to All-Star form. If these guys are able to do that, then the Nets can be a dangerous team in the East. Joe Johnson will continue to be a solid scoring option and a go-to guy down the stretch. Mason Plumlee will benefit greatly from being on the U.S National team for the FIBA World Cup and becomes a viable low post threat. Lionel Hollins will show why losing Jason Kidd as coach will only be an upgrade and the Nets win the Atlantic Division.
Worst-Case Scenario:
Lopez and Williams continue to be sidelined by injuries and aren't able to be productive. Kevin Garnett continues to be ineffective and decides to retire early. The losses of Shaun Livingston and Paul Pierce prove to be crucial as no one can help Joe Johnson shoulder the load. The lack of cap relief and draft picks hurts the Nets for the coming years and Mikhail Prokhorov sells the team and jets back to Russia.
Toronto Raptors
This team was definitely one of the biggest surprises of the 2013-14 season. When Toronto traded away Rudy Gay in December, a lot of people thought the front office was packing it in, and yet, it just did the opposite. The Raptors started to play great team basketball (coincidence when Rudy Gay left?) and Kyle Lowry and Demar Derozan developed into one of the best backcourts in the league. An early exit from the playoffs last year will only motivate this team more to show last year wasn't a fluke.
Best-Case Scenario:
Same keys as last year. Kyle Lowry and Demar Derozan continue to play like All-Stars and put in work as the cogs for this team. Third-year players Terrance Ross and Jonas Valanciunas continue to develop and become reliable scoring option. Trading for Lou Williams will end up being a huge steal for the Raptors as he will provide the bench scoring they so desperately needed last year when they ranked 27th in bench scoring. If everyone stays healthy for this team, there's no doubt Toronto should win this division, and the experienced gained from last year will help them make a deep run.
Worst-Case Scenario:
Kyle Lowry turns into the guy that no one wants to play or coach with and this team falls apart. They are able to make the playoffs again in a weak conference but get bounced in the first round once again. Drake ends up being part of a group to buy the Raptors and renames them the Toronto Drakes.
Follow Tyler on Twitter @TylerDarwick and listen to him on B-Side Sundays from 8-9 pm
(09/30/14 6:53pm)
As the calendar shifts from September to October, the MLB gears up for another round of October baseball. With the regular season coming to a close on Sunday, we are left with only 10 teams fighting for the chance to lift the World Series trophy. The biggest stars in the game will highlight this postseason. With Derek Jeter hanging up his cleats for good on Sunday, Mike Trout, the new face of baseball, will get his first chance to showcase his skills on MLB’s biggest stage. Clayton Kershaw has the chance to step out of Sandy Koufax's shadow by bringing a World Series trophy back to L.A. for the first time since 1988 and solidify his case as not only the best pitcher in Dodger's history but possibly of all time. Other big names include the golden boy Buster Posey, Miguel Cabrera, Bryce Harper, and David Price. With the AL wild card game less than six hours away, let’s get into some predictions for this postseason.
AL Wild Card game: Athletics at Royals
Throughout the entire season it seemed like a forgone conclusion that the A’s would win the AL West. They were shattering records for run differential and it appeared that Moneyball might finally get over the hump and make a deep playoff run. With the acquisitions of Jeff Samardzija and Jon Lester, the A’s pushed all their chips into the pot in hopes of playing deep into October. However, since acquiring Lester on deadline day the A’s have been in a downward spiral and just barely fought off the Seattle Mariners for the second wild card spot. Now, the season that was supposed to end with them lifting the World Series trophy hangs in the balance as they travel to Kansas City—fighting for a chance to play one more game.
On the other side of the field the Kansas City Royals have to be happy to be back in the postseason, their first appearance since 1985. However this is a team no one should take lightly. The Royals are built around their pitching and defense and can shut down any lineup any given night. So who wins this game? Despite all that’s gone wrong with the A’s the past couple of months, I have to go with Oakland in tonight’s game. Runs should be at a premium with Jon Lester going against Big-Game James Shields. The crowd should be raucous as they’ve waited for this moment for nearly 30 years, but I think Jon Lester proves why the A’s traded for him and carries them to the ALDS.
NL Wild Card game: Giants at Pirates
Just like their counterparts across the bay, the Giants were sitting pretty at the All Star break. Leading the Dodgers by as many as 9.5 games, it appeared that San Francisco was going to run away with the NL West. However, between the Dodgers getting hot and the Giants getting injured, San Francisco has landed itself in the Wild Card game. Nonetheless, as a longtime Giants fan, I know this team’s M.O. The Giants often torture their fans throughout the season with close games, never making it out easy. The catchphrase “Giants baseball… torture!” has become a slogan for the team’s brand of baseball, and this year was no different. Wednesday’s matchup vs. the Pirates will just continue this trend. The Pirates come in as one of the hottest teams in baseball posting a 15-6 record in September, nearly catching the Cardinals for the division title. Their pitching was dominant during this stretch, leading the MLB in team ERA. The cherry on top, Andrew McCutchen pieced together another MVP-caliber season and comes in batting .347 in September. However, I’m going to have to stay true to my roots, and pick the Giants to get it done and advance to the play the Nationals. Even though the Pirates come in as the hotter team, I the odds any night when Madison Bumgarner is on the bump for the Giants. He’s the best pitcher in the NL not named Clayton Kershaw, and he excels pitching on the road, posting a 2.22 ERA and 11-4 record. Was there really ever any doubt I wouldn’t go with my Giants? Probably not, as I foresee the Giants moving on, and the torture just beginning.
ALDS Predictions:
Athletics over Angels in 4:
As much as I’d like to see the Jersey Boy Mike Trout carry the Angels through the postseason, I still like the A’s to get it done. The rotation of Jon Lester, Jeff Samardzija and Sonny Gray is enough to stifle the Angels loaded lineup. The loss of Garret Richards in the front of the Angel’s rotation is going to end up hurting them in this series.
Orioles over Tigers in 5:
If we’re measuring star power in this series, then the edge goes to Detroit. Boasting the past three AL Cy Young winners on their team and the two-time reigning MVP in Miguel Cabrera certainly gives the Tigers an advantage. Still I believe the Orioles win this series and advance to the ALCS for one reason: Buck Showalter.
NLDS Predictions:
Dodgers over Cardinals in 4
As much as this pains me to say, I believe the Dodgers will win this series. My hatred for the Dodgers runs deep as a Giants fan, but I believe Dodgers have too much talent not to win this series. Kershaw and Greinke alone are enough to win any series, but the resurgence of Matt Kemp will be the x-factor in this series.
Giants over Nationals in 4
No shocker here that I have the Giants advancing to the NLCS. Despite the Nationals having the best all-around team in MLB, I still think the Giants advance to the NLCS. Buster Posey should be the MVP of the NL and he’ll show why in this series. In addition, the best acquisition at the trade deadline, Jake Peavy, will be a key for the Giants to advance.
ALCS:
Athletics over Orioles in 5
As stated before, I think the A’s pitching is what propels them in this series. I picked them at the beginning of the year to represent the AL in the World Series, and I’m sticking by that selection. The losses of Manny Machado and Matt Weiters are going to end up costing the Orioles in this series. Also their big lefty bat in the lineup, Chris Davis, will miss at least the first three games of this series due to a 25-game amphetamine suspension in September.
NLCS:
Giants over Dodgers in 7
As if this rivalry wasn’t heated enough, putting a World Series birth on the line will definitely raise the stakes between the Giants and Dodgers. Many experts would say I’m crazy to pick the Giants to beat the Dodgers when L.A boasts one of the most talented rosters in the league, but then again, what experts care about what I have to say? Well that’s just hurtful of them, because if the Giants have proven anything in the past, it’s that they thrive as the underdog in the playoffs. In 2010, they weren’t supposed to give the Phillies a challenge in the NLCS, but a nice six-game dismantling of Philadelphia proved that theory to be wrong. Yet another example is 2012, when the Giants were down 3-1 to the Cardinals in the NLCS and everyone wrote them off. Oh wait, they won that series too. Am I biased? A tad, but history backs up my so-called crazy predictions, and that’s why the Giants will advance to the World Series.
World Series
Giants over A’s in 6:
Well look at that, it’s the same prediction I made before the 2014 season. This series will feature dominant pitching, a man named Buster taking over, and a lot of shots off the Golden Gate Bridge. The two teams by the bay will be playing against each other in the World Series for the fifth time and first since 1989. The key in this series will be which offense can squeak across more runs against these loaded pitching staffs. I think the Giants have more firepower than the A’s, and win their third World Series in five years. The three P’s for the Giants will end up being the difference makers in the Championship series: Panik, Pence, and Posey. Also, look for Tim Lincecum to reprise his role as a dominant reliever that he was in the 2012 playoffs. Bruce Bochy will continue to remind people that he is the best manager in baseball, and Buster Posey will continue to add on to his legacy by adding a third ring and his first World Series MVP. The Giants will reign over the baseball world once again, but they won’t do it without putting their fans through a little bit of torture in process.
Follow Tyler on Twitter @TylerDarwick and listen to him on B-Side Sunday nights from 9-10 pm