NBA Draft Grades

Alright class is in session, last nights NBA draft could've been one of the most talented crop of players since 2003. Pretty much every lottery pick has the potential to be a valuable starter if not an All-Star in the future, and some of the later round picks have that potential as well. I'm here today to give out draft grades for each team that was in the draft last night so apologies to Portland, Dallas, Golden State, Washington, and Indiana for not being included in this blog. Finally I get to give the grades and not receive them, this is my form of payback on all my teachers over the years...even though none of them will read this.....


Cleveland Cavaliers: Before I talk about the picks, I think Andrew Wiggins takes the trophy for most ugly suit ever in a draft and he also takes home the award for "Least Amount of words Spoken in English During an Interview" award. Anyway the Cavs took Andrew Wiggins with the no. 1 overall pick, I think they were looking to trade the pick but waited too long and were forced to take Wiggins which isn't all that bad. Wiggins is one of the top athletes in the draft and is an underrated defender with his long size and athleticism. However he needs to work on his offensive fundamentals like shooting if he wants to come to the next level and be a successful player. Imagine this Starting 5 for Cleveland- Kyrie, Dion Waiters, Wiggins (I know he's a 2-guard but they should play him at the 3), Tristan Thompson, and Anderson Varejao. 4 out of the 5 starters would be Cleveland's lottery picks from the past 3 years except for Anthony Bennett who is dangerously approaching ham sandwich territory at this point. The Cavs' two second-rounders were Joe Harris out of Virginia and Dwight Powell from Stanford. The Harris pick was something that kind of confused me, Harris was a pure shooter in college and plays the 3 which kind of creates a build-up at that position. Powell made sense to me because he is a banger down low which is something the Cavs need especially with Varejao getting older they will need a player to put in his space down the road.
Grade: B+
Also LeBron isn't coming back this summer sorry Tom...

Milwaukee Bucks: Ok they got their savior in Jabari Parker at no. 2 and he has the capability to come in and average 20 points per game right away and I think he will average that this upcoming season, he does need to become a much better defender than he is now. If he can't defend a Mercer 3-guard how can he possibly guard Gerald Wallace (I'm making Gerald Wallace look really good right now. Fun fact he actually probably reads this, anything with his name in it Gerald Wallace is taking a look at it). Another plus to Jabari is that he'll bring in fans to the Bradley Center which the Bucks desperately need after nearly being sold to Seattle. Next two-picks were Damien Inglis and Johnny O' Bryant. Inglis is a lanky Frenchman but he'll most likely be stashed overseas to develop, O' Bryant out of LSU can play both the 4 and the 5 and is a banger down low which the Bucks can use down the road. Celebrate Bucks fans! You're on the right track.
Grade: A-

Philadelphia 76ers: The kings of stashing assets the 76ers had 6 picks last night and used every one very well. They took Joel Embiid with the no. 3 pick which could be seen as a risk with Embiid's foot problems but it seems like the same storyline with Nerlens Noel last season. Plus the Sixers are ok with sucking for one more year to get another lottery pick. They traded picks with Orlando at 10 and got Dario Saric who will play overseas which is ok with them. When Saric comes over he'll be a terrific player he was easily the best international player in this draft and the Sixers got em. Their other picks included K.J. McDaniels from Clemson who is a great perimeter defender, Jerami Grant from Syracuse another great defender, Vasilije Micic from Serbia who is a 6'6" distributing PG who will back-up MCW, and Jordan McRae from Tennessee who was a lights out shooter for the Vols last season. Overall I loved the Sixers draft obviously most of these players will need developing but that's what the 2014-2015 season is for right?
Grade: A

Orlando Magic: I was almost certain the Magic were going to take Dante Exum at no. 4 and I was very surprised with there pick of Aaron Gordon. Gordon is a supreme athlete and a good defender he just needs to put the rest of his game together and I think he can become a Blake Griffin type of player. They swapped picks with Philly as mentioned before and got the rights to Elfrid Payton from UL- Lafeyette who is a pesky defender and has great athleticism but really cannot shoot, compare him to a Rajon Rondo for now. Their final pick was Roy Devyn Marble from Iowa who is an exceptional shooter. So imagine this starting 5 for Orlando in the coming years Payton, Oladipo, Tobias Harris (one of my fav players but he goes very unnoticed), Aaron Gordon, and Nikola Vucevic that could be an up-and-coming squad in the future.
Grade: A-

Utah Jazz: They took Dante Exum with the no. 5 selection to play alongside Trey Burke in the backcourt. I'm slightly skeptical of Exum just based on the fact that he did not go to college and only played overseas, I hope he proves me wrong but as of now he has bust potential. There second selection was Rodney Hood out of Duke which was a steal at pick 23 I thought he slid in the draft and the Jazz had no problem picking up a lefty scoring talent like Hood.
Grade: B

Boston Celtics: The Celtics surprised me with taking Marcus Smart at no. 6 I thought they were taking Julius Randle but none-the-less I thought it was a terrific pick. Smart is a pure athlete and a good passer but he needs to improve his shooting and decision making. The thing I like about Smart is his effort factor he is going in there giving you a 110% every single night and that is why he fits well in the Celtics system. Their second pick James Young the lefty from Kentucky was another steal, I thought he'd go 13 or 14 but Boston got him at 17 and is the shooter the Celtics need for the future. Hopefully Simmons reads this and hires me to Grantland after I praise his team's drafting ability.(Wishful thinking).
Grade: A-

LA Lakers: They got their future with Julius Randle at no. 7 although that foot kind of scares me I think Randle can be the future stud after Kobe retires. He need to work on his shooting however last year at Kentucky he shot 17% on jump-shots. 17%!!!!! Let that register that's about what I shoot from Jimmer range at the Y. Not saying I'm a better player than Randle but I might be a better shooter than him which isn't good. Hold on I got a knock at my door....oh it's Julius Randle. $%&@!@!. They're second pick was Jordan Clarkson from Mizzou who is a good two-way player and I think he will be the back-up PG instead of Jordan "Elephant Ears" Farmar.
Grade: A-

Sacramento Kings: Alright I think Nik Stauskas has the potential to be real good player but I thought the Kings kind of reached for him. They already have several back-court players and this pick could hurt the confidence of a Ben McLemore or someone like that. Stauskas is terrific offensive threat and is surprisingly athletic and is lights out from 3. I just don't know how this is going to pan out for Stauskas. He is going to a place where the welcoming billboard says "Welcome to Sacramento, the place where careers come to die".
Grade: B-

Charlotte Hornets: You have no idea how awesome that was to type Charlotte HORNETS. Anyway I love it. They got a steal at no. 9 in Noah Vonleh who will fit perfectly into that system he is a long stretch-4 who can defend and step out and hit the jumper, a perfect compliment to Big Al. They swapped with Miami and got P.J. Hariston at no. 26 who is a great shooter and a good athlete to boot. The fact that he played last season in the D-League also bodes well for him. Their final pick was Semaj Carston from Xavier who is a good PG that can take that back-up role from Luke Ridnour. Overall I think the HORNETS are shaping up to be a playoff team.
Grade: B+

Denver Nuggets: Traded picks with Chicago so they came out with the no. 16 and no. 19 picks. First pick was Jusuf Nurkic from Bosnia who is unbelievably raw, he'll probably be a stash away for a few seasons before coming over to Denver. At no. 19 they took Gary Harris from Michigan State, this is the biggest steal of the draft in my opinion. Listening to Simmons and Jalen last week, Jalen had him going 5th to Utah and he goes 19! Great pick by Denver and I'll say this later too, Minnesota should've taken him. Their final pick was Nikola Jokic from Serbia who is another stash away to save some cap room for the Nuggets.
Grade: B

Minnesota Timberwolves: Leave it to the Wolves to draft the lead singer of Maroon 5 with the no. 13 pick. Oh wait that's Adam Levine. Anyway the Wolves selected UCLA guard Zach LaVine who is a great athlete so great in fact that Coach/GM/Cotton Candy salesman/Ticket scalper/Target Center Usher Flip Saunders went on to say LaVine is "The best athlete in the draft" which isn't totally far-fetched but he is not a better athlete than Wiggins or Gordon. He needs a lot of work to become a good player he has a smooth shot and can finish around the rim but the rest of his offensive and defensive game lacks. I'll say this only once the Wolves will regret not taking Gary Harris with this pick. The Wolves also took Michigan forward Glenn Robinson Jr. in the second round which helps out at the SF position where they have two incompetent players (Corey Brewer and Shabazz Muhammad). Not a terrible draft for the Wolves but LaVine has bust potential.
Grade: B

Phoenix Suns: The Suns have always been a fun team to watch and they furthered that reputation last night by selecting NC State's scoring maestro T.J. Warren at no. 14 and also selecting Syracuse PG Tyler Ennis which will help fill the hole the Eric Bledsoe could possibly leave if he chooses not to re-sign. Their final two picks were Serbian sharpshooter Bogdan Bogdanovic who may be stashed overseas and Alec Brown a big bruising body from Wisconsin-Green Bay who at 7'1" can step out and hit threes as well as bang down low.
Grade: A-

Atlanta Hawks: They picked up a great two-way player in Michigan St. forward Adreian Payne who can work down low and can also step out and hit jumpers a perfect compliment to Al Horford and Payne will be able to step in for Horford if Horford were to get hurt again this year. There second-rounders included 7'3"center Walter Tavares who they will likely stash overseas but, Tavares has a 7'9" wingspan yes you did read that correctly. Their final pick was Pitt guard Lamar Patterson who isn't a scoring threat yet but can play defense and rebound well for his position.
Grade: B

Chicago Bulls: They traded their two first rounders for Denver's no. 11 pick which was Doug McDermott. Now their are only two ways I see McDermott's career working out he either becomes a solid off the bench instant offense guy for Chicago which would be deadly or he turns into Adam Morrison pt. 2 who he has been compared to which isn't the greatest thing ever but Morrison does have 2 rings so I guess as long as you get that ring. Their second rounder was New Mexico's Cameron Bairstow who may not make the team based on how many talented players they have at those positions. Take a look at this line-up if Chicago gets Carmelo (which I think they will) Rose, Butler, Melo, Taj Gibson, and Joakim Noah with McDermott off the bench. That's frightening.
Grade: B+

Toronto Raptors: Toronto laid an egg last night they could've taken Shabazz Napier at no. 20 to help fill the hole that Kyle Lowry could leave but instead they take the Brazilian player Bruno Caboclo who will most certainly be stashed overseas, ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla said about Caboclo "He doesn't really know how to play yet".WHAT. Why would you draft a guy that can't play? I can't play will you draft me Toronto? I could use the extra cash. They also drafted UCONN forward DeAndre Daniels in the second round who is very athletic but needs to bolster his skills to become good. Drake's on his worst behavior right now (Get it).
Grade: D+

Oklahoma City Thunder: Again could've taken Shabazz to back-up Russell or could've taken CleAnthony Early but no they take a guy who hasn't played in a year Mitch McGary. McGary seems like he'll be the Cole Aldrich type who believe it or not played for the Thunder as well and was awful! Their other first rounder was Stanford's Josh Huestis who is athletic but was projected to be a second-rounder. Again CleAnthony Early was available. The Thunder needed bench players to help Westbrook and Durant and they didn't do that. Making it more and more likely that they both leave OKC when they become free agents.
Grade: C

Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizz took sharpshooter Jordan Adams from UCLA which will help when they take the offensive juggernaut that is Tony Allen off the floor (sarcasm). They also took Tennessee forward Jarnell Stokes in the second round and he is a terrific rebounder probably the best offensive rebounder in the draft and will be able to bang down low when Zach Randolph is not in the game.
Grade: B+

Houston Rockets: The Rockets goal of the draft was to just draft foreigners they could stash away to save cap room for a run at Melo or LeBron or both. So they took Switzerland's Clint Capela at no. 25 and Italy's Alessandro Gentile in the second round. They also took Arizona's Nick Johnson in the second round who will be able to drive to the basket and become a distributor as well.
Grade: B+

Miami Heat: As said before the Heat got the Hornet's pick in exchange for P.J. Hariston and a second rounder. So the Heat got Shabazz Napier my favorite player in the draft. I'll be honest when Charlotte took Napier I was already on my Chinese wholesale website looking for a Hornets Napier jersey but then he was traded away to Miami which will fill their need and help persuade LeBron to come back (which he was going to do anyway). I think Napier has a chance to become a starter by seasons end. Sorry to the Heat fans who like Mario Chalmers but he is just awful and if you think otherwise you are just to biased to admit it. Norris Cole is a better player than Chalmers and Napier can overtake both of them in my opinion.
Grade: A-

Los Angeles Clippers: They had one pick no. 28, they could've taken CleAnthony Early who would help at the Small Forward position but instead they took Washington's T.J. Wilcox who is a good player but how does that fit their roster? They have J.J. Redick, Jamal Crawford, Jared Dudley, and Willie Green all playing shooting guard so what is Wilcox supposed to do? He'll probably end up in the D-League for the season.
Grade: D-

San Antonio Spurs: They took UCLA forward Kyle Anderson who is regarded as one of the smartest players in the draft so it's surprising the Spurs would take a smart player right? Their second rounder was Serbian guard Nemanja Dangubic who they'll stash. Surprise, Surprise.
Grade: B+

New York Knicks: The Knicks got the second biggest steal of this draft when they took CleAnthony Early in the SECOND ROUND. Early is a great scorer and can play the 4 which will help the Knicks especially if Carmelo does not come back. Their other second-rounders were Thanasis Antetokounmpo otherwise known as the Greek Freak's brother who isn't as athletic but still has some upside, and their final pick was French big man Louis Labeyrie who might stay in Europe for a year.
Grade: A-

Detroit Pistons: Detroit only had one second round pick and they used it on Colorado guard Spencer Dinwiddie. Dinwiddie did not play due to a torn ACL last season but is a good PG or SG at 6'6". Detroit took a risk with him based on his injury history but Dinwiddie can shoot fairly well and could factor in well in Detroit.
Grade: B

Brooklyn Nets: The Nets traded into the draft by getting 3 of Minnesota's second-rounders for cash. So they took Oklahoma State's Markel Brown who is athletic and can shoot. They also took San Diego State's stud Xavier Thames which is puzzling as to why they took two shooting guards but Thames is a great scorer but isn't the greatest defender. Their final pick was Baylor's Cory Jefferson who can step out and hit jumpers. Brooklyn needs to get younger and they took a step in the right direction last night.
Grade: B-

New Orleans Pelicans: They had one pick and they took Louisville guard Russ Smith who is talented but joins a roster with several point guards already there so we'll see how it turns out but remember the Pelicans basically traded Pierre Jackson for Russ Smith and Pierre Jackson averaged nearly 40 in the D-League this year.
Grade: C-

That's all I got for today...

-NS (@NolanPSchmidt)

The Minnesota Dilemma

 

Alright recent rumors floating around have said that Kevin Love no longer wants to be a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves as much as this pains me I did see it coming. I promise I won't cry like I did when KG got traded in 2007 but none the less it is disheartening for Wolves fans to hear their best player no longer wants to play for them. Now the Wolves management has said that they will not trade Love until after the NBA draft in a month. This is stupid, there is no other way to put it, if they are going to trade Kevin Love they have to do it before the draft so they can receive a possible pick in this loaded draft class it is vital for them to do this if they wait till after the draft they won't receive as much based on teams not wanting to trade their newly drafted players. So I've come up with a list of possible landing spots for K-Love and with the help of the ESPN NBA Trade Machine I have figured out a few deals to each of these teams now I'll propose some deals that may work for acquiring Kevin Love





Golden State: I'm just going to assume this is the place K-Love would like to end up the most but it is hard to put together a deal the Wolves will take based on the fact that the Warriors do not have a first round pick in this draft. So the blockbuster deal is really out of the question here but there are two deals that would be interesting to see play out.

Option 1:

Warriors Receive: Kevin Love
Wolves Receive: David Lee, Klay Thompson, and a future first rounder from the Warriors
Regardless of what the deal is David Lee has to included in any sort of trade between these two. It would be hard seeing the Wolves doing this based on the fact that they have Kevin Martin signed for the next 4 seasons but I have seen crazier things, that along with probably a higher first rounder from the Warriors doesn't make this deal too tantalizing.

Option 2:

Warriors Receive: Kevin Love
Wolves Receive: David Lee, Harrison Barnes, and Draymond Green
This I can see happening Barnes took a step back from his rookie season and the Warriors won't mind letting him go on the other hand Draymond Green improved quite a but over the season and is a cheap commodity for $875,000. This however causes a log jam at the small forward position with Corey Brewer and Chase Budinger but if a deal were to be made with Warriors it would look something like option 2 I'm assuming

 


Chicago: K-Love also wouldn't mind Chicago as a landing spot with Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose coming back (Yikes) the Bulls would be a threat in the East. There is only one option however based on the fact that the Bulls are awfully close to exceeding the luxury tax.

Bulls Receive: Kevin Love
Wolves Receive: Mike Dunleavy, Taj Gibson, and Chicago's two first rounders in 2014 (No. 16 & 19)
If this deal were to be made it would give the Wolves the No. 13, 16, and 19th picks in the draft not the most desirable numbers but still a chance to load up on prospects. Taj Gibson is also a very good acquisition for Minnesota he outplayed Carlos Boozer all season in Chicago and he would be very menacing with Ricky Rubio at point.

Knicks: The Knicks have least possible chance to land Love based on the fact that they don't have any assets but an offer that would work is...

Knicks Receive: Kevin Love
Wolves Receive: Tyson Chandler, Iman Shumpert, and a future first rounder
If this deal happens I will move to Germany.

Lakers: I have a tough time believing that Love will go here based on the Lakers lack of assets but they do have the #7 pick which could tantalize Minnesota.

Lakers Receive: Kevin Love
Wolves Receive: 7th overall pick, future picks, and Robert Sacre
It's hard to structure a deal here based on the fact that the Lakers only have 3 players under contract so the Lakers are unlikely to make the deal.

Suns: I can see him going here the Suns are LOADED with picks they have 3 first rounders this year and a top-5 protected pick next year from the Steve Nash trade.

Suns Receive: Kevin Love
Wolves Receive: 2014 picks No's. 14, 18, and 27, and 2015 first rounder (top 5 protected)
This would give Minnesota 4 first round picks and back to back selections at 13 and 14. Now this would make the Wolves awful for the 2014-15 season but let's say they fail to win 20 games next season. They will more than likely get a top 5 pick along with the top 5 protected pick from Phoenix that would give them two top 5 picks in a draft that is likely to boast such names as Jahlil Okafor, Cliff Alexander, Stanley Johnson, Willie Cauley- Stein, and Tyus Jones. Granted if the NBA doesn't change the age limit those players should be in the draft.

 


Celtics: Boston is the most likely landing spot for Love in my opinion they have cap room and assets to give away.

Option 1:
Celtics Receive: Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio
Wolves Receive: Rajon Rondo, Kris Humphries, and No. 6 overall pick
This trade is highly unlikely based in the fact that Minnesota loves Ricky Rubio and would hate to see him go even though if it does mean the Wolves get RAJON RONDO. I'm a Wolves fan through thick and thin but seriously Rubio is not the greatest thing since sliced bread. Is he a great playmaker and on-ball defender? Of course. Is he a serious offensive threat? Absolutely not. He shoots 38% which is nearing Alexey Shved territory (Which is real bad) and GORGUI DIENG has a higher player efficiency rating than him. So there rant over.

Option 2:
Celtics Receive: Kevin Love, Chase Budinger, and Luc Mbah Moute
Wolves Receive: Jeff Green, Jared Sullinger, No. 6 overall pick, Brandon Bass, and Joel Anthony
First off does this look familiar? It seems a lot like the KG deal where Minnesota received 4 ham sandwiches and Al Jefferson before he was "Big Al" yeah it is a lot like that but slightly better. Green is a solid wing presence and Sullinger is developing and has the chance to be solid in the future that number 6 pick could be Aaron Gordon, Julius Randle, or Doug McDermott and they still have that No. 13 pick to use. Bass is fading and Anthony hasn't played a minute in like 3 seasons so those are the ham sandwiches in the deal but the other assets are promising. The Wolves also get rid of Budinger and Mbah Moute's expiring contracts and it also prevents a log jam at the Small forward spot. This deal or something similar will be what the Wolves will take for Kevin Love that is if they trade him before the draft.

I should just run the team
-NS (@NolanPSchmidt)

Playoff Preview

As promised I'm back again to give you a full playoff preview. So let's get right to it shall we....

East:

1. Pacers vs. 8. Hawks: No matter how bad the Pacers have played over the second half of the season they just have too much to offer, especially against a Hawks team that in my opinion is below average. I think the match-ups on paper favor the Pacers they're better at nearly every position besides power forward, which will be a great match-up between David West and Paul Millsap but, I give the edge to Millsap ever so slightly. The Pacers will get past the Hawks but if they don't find their rhythm and play like they have the past few months their in big trouble.

Prediction:  Pacers in 5

4. Bulls vs. 5. Wizards: This could either go 7 games or the Bulls win in 4. You could not have two polar opposites play one another. The Wizards are up and a down, fast, and a good three-point shooting and attacking team, with nearly everyone their roster being a freak athlete (besides Andre Miller). The Bulls on the other hand would rather slow it down and play gritty, grind-it-out basketball with their stellar defensive prowess. It should be very interesting to see these two teams go at it, will the Wiz run the Bulls out of the gym or will the Bulls just beat the Wiz up on both ends of the floor?

Prediction: Bulls in 6

2. Heat vs. 7. Bobcats: Every fabric in my body wants the Bobcats to win, nothing would please me more than seeing Al "Tim Duncan Jr." Jefferson beat LeBron and Bosh. That being said I don't think they will. If the Bobcats somehow miraculously win this series I'll be angry I didn't go with my gut instinct but, the Heat just have too much firepower on both ends and I think that'll stifle a Bobcats team that relies heavily on their starting five for offensive production. Quick foreshadow for you the Bobcats will win one game in Charlotte and watch how big of deal ESPN makes of it. Calling the headline for you "Heat in Trouble?"

Prediction: Heat in 5

3. Raptors vs. 6. Nets: The Nets wanted the 6 seed simply because they did not want to face the Bulls. Instead they get an upstart Raptors team who had surprised me all year. This has seven games written all over it which won't help Brooklyn if they advance and play Miami in the second round. If the Nets old core players can handle the playoff grind they can beat any team in the league. I do want to see the Raptors win however, count how many times they show Drake during the broadcast....

Prediction: Nets in 7


Conference Semi- Finals:

Pacers vs. Bulls: This is the last team Indiana wants to see in the second round, this series goes seven games no doubt about it and Bulls have the best roster to combat the Pacers. That being said if the Pacers find their groove they can beat the Bulls in 5. One thing is for sure and that is that this series will be a war.

Prediction: Bulls in 7

Heat vs. Nets: Since the Nets beat the Heat in all four games they played this season any right-minded person in picking the Nets in 4 right? The regular season does not matter at all no matter how much ESPN makes it out to be it is not. I promise. This series will also be a war, the key is health for both teams Garnett for the Nets and Wade for the Heat. Ultimately I think the Heat turn their "on/off" switch "on" especially for this series considering these teams don't really like each other.

Prediction: Heat in 6


Conference Finals:

Heat vs. Bulls: The Heat always have to go through the Bulls at some point this year it's to go to the finals. There will be flagrant fouls, technical fouls, and ejections because I've personally never seen two teams hate one another more at least in my era. Joakim Noah will be the key factor here, the last few times they've played it seems Noah has been non-existent, I don't think that'll be the case here should be a good series.

Prediction: Heat in 6

West:

1. Spurs vs. 8. Mavericks: Every series in the West has the possibility to be an upset and as much as I love the Spurs this series is not different. The Mavericks will be close in every game and may win one or two but, the Spurs are just to good for this Mavs team to defeat.

Prediction: Spurs in 5

4. Rockets vs. 5. Blazers: It seems to be a popular pick to go with the Blazers in this series. I just don't see it, if it were to be the first-half of the season Blazers sure I might have them winning but, I would consider them much like the Pacers they just have faded in and out in the second half. It doesn't hurt that the Rockets are skilled at all 5 positions either.

Prediction: Rockets in 6

2. Thunder vs. 7. Grizzlies: Me being from Bismarck, ND, I have to root for Dave Joerger as he was the coach of the team formerly known as the Dakota Wizards (now the Santa Cruz Warriors) so it's hard to go against him but, the Thunder are too good with the MVP, Westbrook, and Ibaka the Grizz will give them a run but it won't be enough.

Prediction: Thunder in 5

3. Clippers vs. 6. Warriors: The key here is the injury to Andrew Bogut, now the dinosaur fossil that is Jermaine O' Neal has to play starters minutes, which he hasn't done since his cornrow days in Indiana. That will be the deciding factor is if he can play well and how Steph Curry plays. The rest of Warriors have been too inconsistent all year on offense to be a threat to a stacked Clippers team.

Prediction: Clippers in 5

Conference Semi-Finals:

1. Spurs vs. 4. Rockets: Both teams match up very well with each other and that will make for a 6 or 7 game series. I think the key is the Spurs' depth, their bench is capable of coming on and winning games for them, which will happen in a few games during this series.

Prediction: Spurs in 6

2. Thunder vs. 3. Clippers: Besides a possible Spurs/Thunder match-up in the Conference Finals, this will be the best series of the entire playoffs. These teams do not like one another and the Blake Griffin/Serge Ibaka match-up is one to watch. Ultimately the Thunder win based on the fact that they have Kevin Durant and I think the Clippers poor free-throw shooting ability will be their downfall here.

Prediction: Thunder in 6

Conference Finals:

Thunder vs. Spurs: This will be a great series, surprisingly I think the Thunder have the advantage match-up wise at least on paper. Another added factor I think is Kevin Durant's attitude, all year I've seen something in him that I've never seen in him the man just wants to win and I think the beat the mighty Spurs just because I think they'll want it more than the Spurs.

Prediction:  Thunder in 6

















NBA Finals:


Heat vs. Thunder: Look familiar? I think LeBron's reign atop the NBA ladder ends this year. The Heat to me have just been far to inconsistent all season to three-peat and Kevin Durant's pure will to win will take him to the top.

Prediction: Thunder in 5
Finals MVP: Kevin Durant

Will I be wrong? Doubt it......

-NS (@NolanPSchmidt)

NBA Awards

Been gone for a while now I'm back for the playoffs and awards. I'll start with the awards although some teams have a game to play I think season awards are not going to come down to the final night. Expect a playoff preview sometime before they begin on Saturday I'm just waiting on the seeds to be finalized after this evening. So here goes, sorry I may be a little rusty...

MVP:

We all know it's been between two men basically all season but I'll give you top 5 in my opinion then analyze...

 

1. Kevin Durant
2. LeBron James
3. Blake Griffin
4. Stephen Curry
5. Dirk Nowitzki

Now it's a two man race between Durant and LeBron, any right-minded NBA fan knows this. What I'm about to say is what I've said since the All-Star break and I will still hold true to it: LeBron James is the best player in the game however Kevin Durant has had a better season then LeBron James. Both of them have advantages over one another in areas of their game, Durant is a better scorer, LeBron is a better passer but let me say this: The MVP award is awarded to the player who is considered most valuable to their team, now both teams would be nothing without James and Durant and that is clear to see. The key for me in this race is Durant's ability to keep the Thunder in the top 1 or 2 spot in the West(the tougher conference) even though he spent almost the entire first half of the season without his running mate Russell Westbrook. LeBron fans will say But D-Wade only played 53 games this season indeed he did but throughout the season the player that has stepped up the most for the Heat was Chris Bosh and others as well so Lebron had help with Wade gone. What did Durant have besides Serge Ibaka? Very limited resources for the Thunder during Westbrook's absence which was longer than Wade's anyway (He's only played 45 games this season). Now stats time let's compare the two stats wise...
Durant: 31.9 ppg, 5.5 apg, 7.4 rpg with a 50% from the field.
James: 27.1 ppg, 6.4 apg, 6.9 rpg with a 56% from the field.
A clear example of what each player is better at Durant a better scorer, LeBron a better passer, and both are about equal rebounders although Durant does average more than James. The one thing that troubles me about LeBron and the whole Heat team is what I would refer to as an "on/off" switch. If LeBron wants to win MVP he will but it just seemed like he took games off here and there which could have contributed to him winning the award. On the other hand Durant always has his switch turned "on" no off games always comes ready to play which shows me he's ready to take the MVP from LeBron this season. Durant has just been a little better than LeBron throughout the season and I would consider it a travesty if Durant does not win MVP.

My other candidates get the wrong end of the stick on this because Blake Griffin has had easily the best season of his career and puts up MVP type number every night. Steph Curry has thrown his hat in the "elite PG" ring this season and although the rest of the Warriors have struggled throughout the season Curry has been consistent offensively all year. Also the resurgence of Dirk is beyond me, I thought after last season Dirk was on a down-ward turn but no, he has showed this season that the Mavericks would be nothing without him and they might be my sleeper pick come playoff preview time.

Defensive Player of the Year:

1. Joakim Noah
2. Roy Hibbert
3. Anthony Davis
4. DeAndre Jordan
5. Paul George

Again I think it's a two-man race here between Noah and Hibbert and I give the edge to Noah simply based on Hibbert and the Pacer's struggles over the second half of the season. He did however have a terrific defensive output during the first-half of the season. Noah has all the tools for a perfect defensive player: Great rebounder, good shot-blocker, gets in passing lanes even though he's a center, and he has Tom Thibodeau as a coach so I gotta give him the nod here. Davis and Jordan is next years defensive player of the year race mark my words their the future of defense in the league.

Sixth Man of the Year:

1. Manu Ginobili
2. Taj Gibson
3. Markieff Morris
4. Jamal Crawford
5. ???????

This is a tough one I say Ginobili but I think Gibson has an equal shot at winning. Ginobili is known as the Spurs sixth man but I think you could throw in any member of the Spurs bench as a possible candidate as well (Patty Mills or Marco Bellinelli). Gibson has been as reliable as anyone off the bench backing-up a fading Carlos Boozer and within the next year or so I see Boozer out and Gibson in as the starter. It's only a matter of time. I'm sure your surprised to see Markieff Morris in the three spot averages 13 and 6 for a Suns team that is very balanced offensively and surprised us all and it's a shame they will not be in the playoffs and the Hawks will be.

Rookie of the Year:

1. Victor Oladipo
2. Mason Plumlee
3. Michael Carter- Williams
4. Steven Adams
5. Tim Hardaway Jr.

I assumed a two man race at the All-Star break between Oladipo and Carter-Williams but, Plumlee seemed to come out of nowhere and is a crucial reason why the Nets are still a legitimate contender in the East. Just imagine if Kevin Garnett did not get hurt, would we be seeing Plumlee in this race? Absolutely not. For Plumlee it's almost a blessing in disguise because when KG went down he was forced to play in his spot which he has done beautifully. I put Carter-Williams at 3 because the Sixers...

Coach of the Year:

1. Gregg Popovich
2. Jeff Hornacek
3. Terry Stotts
4. Rick Carlisle
5. Tom Thibodeau

Tough one here to, Pop wins because of his ability to keep the Spurs relevant despite the age of the roster. I mean their the best team in the tougher conference and that's been the case for forever it seems like. I want Hornacek to win and I think he would have if the Suns would have made the playoffs. So Pop gets it hopefully he'll smile.....maybe....maybe not.

Most Improved Player:

1. Goran Dragic
2. Anthony Davis
3. Lance Stephenson
4. DeMarcus Cousins
5. DeAndre Jordan
6.Markieff Morris
7. Gerald Green
8. DeMar Derozen
9. Terrence Ross
10. Miles Plumlee
11. Shaun Livingston
12. Andre Drummond
13. D.J. Augustin
14. Kyle Lowry
15. Timofey Mozgov
16. Alec Burks
17. Jodie Meeks
18. Kendall Marshall
19. Isaiah Thomas
20. Draymond Green

This is by far the hardest award to choose, hence the reason why I have twenty names on this list. I think it comes down to Dragic he has the best chance of winning although I think all of these guys have case for it. Also I'll say this now Anthony Davis is the future of the NBA plain and simple.

Stay tuned for that playoffs preview coming tomorrow or Friday....

-NS (@NolanPSchmidt)

Teams to Watch and Final Four Picks

Thought I'd give you an outlook on what I believe is the most wide open NCAA Tournament I've ever seen. I don't know about the rest of you but my bracket might go down to the midnight deadline that is how unsure I am of this whole tournament. So here are a few teams to maybe watch out for and maybe make you re-think your bracket entirely. Don't worry I'll give you my final four picks at the end as well.

South Region Teams To Watch:

Stephen F. Austin: I think going undefeated in your conference throughout the season is very impressive regardless of what conference it is. This is exactly what the Lumberjack's have done this season 18-0 in the Southland conference and a 31-2 overall record. One of those two losses coming to Texas who is the only team they played all year that is in this year's tourney. So you're probably thinking "Oh they only played bad teams, so they can't be that good" but couldn't the same be said for #1 Seed Wichita State? They are a solid all-around basketball team 4 out of their 5 started average double figures in scoring. I think that will be the reason they beat VCU they have so many scoring options and it will really spread out a really good VCU defense. I originally had the Lumberjack's as my double-digit seed to make the Sweet Sixteen but then I got my mind straight. This is VCU's game to lose and Stephen F. Austin might just take advantage of a team that did not look especially good against St. Joe's in the A-10 tourney.

Dayton: The Flyers are put up against the Buckeyes of Ohio State in the "Second" round setting up a battle for Ohio. I really haven't been impressed with Ohio St. all year and their lack of scoring options may prove fatal for them. I think Dayton takes advantage of this lack of scoring and uses their potent offense to beat the Buckeyes. The Flyers also have wins over 3 tourney teams as well (Gonzaga, George Washington, and Saint Louis).

Pittsburgh: They are 9 seed which would make it an upset if they beat Colorado, I'll pretend it's an upset even though Pitt is a better team than Colorado. Also Jamie Dixon scares me.

For all of you who are rooting for Tulsa to beat UCLA, it's obviously not impossible but I think the Bruins are still on a high after beating Arizona in the Pac-12 title that they won't lose to Tulsa.




East Teams to Watch:

Harvard: They're smart and they can play basketball? All five of their starters average double figures so they have a balanced scoring attack against a Cincinnati team that relies mainly on Sean Kilpatrick for scoring. If Cincy can't score watch the Crimson blow em out. I didn't pick them last year and I paid for it so this year I like the Crimson.

Providence: This match-up is tantalizing to say the least. The 11th seeded Friars are up against North Carolina which makes for a great guard match-up between Marcus Paige and Bryce Cotton. Despite the Friars having the lower seed they are an evenly matched team. The key for the Friars I think is getting James Michael McAdoo in foul trouble early and let their offense flow freely from there.

St. Joseph's: A-10 champs indeed but they get the lower seed as their matched up against the Huskies of UCONN. The Huskies leading rebounder is their point guard Shabazz Napier which shows the glaring weakness of no real inside play from the Huskies. The Hawks should be able to key in on this with Halil Kanacevic and Ronald Roberts Jr. That coupled with Langston Galloway the Hawks are in good shape to pull the upset.


Midwest Teams To Watch:

NC State: Yes I'm picking a play-in game team to upset a very good Saint Louis team. Also what is a Billiken? Anyway the Wolfpack have T.J. Warren the ACC player of they year who averages nearly 25 a game. Having that talent alone I think catapults them to the victory. Also the Billikens are 0-2 against AP Top 25 teams this season which doesn't bode well for them either.

Kentucky: Wait Nolan they're an 8 seed that doesn't make it an upset? Correct not in the "second" round but I firmly believe Kentucky will beat Wichita State in the third round and will advance to the Sweet Sixteen. A month ago I would not have said this but after watching the Wildcats in the SEC tournament and watching them almost beat Florida I think this team full of freshman is ready to play in this tourney. I also believe Wichita has not had the experience against exceedingly good competition this season to prove that they are one seed.

I know the Tennessee-Iowa game hasn't been played yet but whatever team wins that game will beat UMass who was overseeded by the selection committee.

West Teams To Watch:

Oklahoma State: This is the one team over a 5 seed that I can see making a Final Four run. They have been scorching hot since Marcus Smart's return from suspension. They are not afraid of any team they are faced with and their backcourt is impeccable. I personally don't have them making the Final Four (I have them losing to Arizona in the third round) but I am a firm believer that they can beat Arizona and anyone that is put in front of them. Who's laughing now Jeff Orr?

Nebraska: I love Nebraska and I think they can make a Sweet Sixteen I personally have them losing to Baylor just based on Baylor's size but I would love to be wrong on that pick.

LA-Lafayette: My favorite team in the tourney. They have the potential to be this years Florida Gulf Coast, a very high powered offense. However they are matched up against Doug McDermott and Creighton which is a tough draw. Look for Shawn Long and the RAGIN' CAJUNS to try and run the Jays out of the gym. If they can somewhat neutralize McDermott maybe hold him to 20 or even 25 they have a serious chance in beating this team.

North Dakota State: Got to rep my state. I don't think Oklahoma knows what they're up against here, an very athletic team with TrayVon Wright and Kory Brown. They have an inside presence with Marshall Bjorkland and they have their stud in Taylor Braun a very balanced, smart team that always seems to find a way to win. Boomer Sooner is going down at the hands of the Bison.

I was going to feature New Mexico State just because they have a 7'5" center but I decided to save you some time.



Final Four Picks:

South- Syracuse: Apparently someone forgot about them. Yes they have struggled recently with the loss to NC State in the ACC tournament but, I just can't see a Jim Boeheim team that is not ready to play in an NCAA tournament plus they have a pretty talented group of players. They have a tough road ahead no doubt they have the possibility of facing Kansas in the Sweet Sixteen and then Florida in the Elite Eight. I will be honest I'm not 100% on this selection so I may change it before midnight but for now I got the Orange in Arlington.

West- Arizona: I'm very squeamish when picking Arizona they are just one of those teams that can come out flat and make you look stupid for picking them. Another pick I may have to change before midnight but Arizona is the only sure-fire team I can see going to Arlington. Maybe Wisconsin.

Midwest- Louisville: The fact that they're a 4 seed makes me want to vomit while writing this, what an atrocity. That being said that is the perfect motivational factor for the Cardinals to succeed in this tourney and Rick Pitino will use that as a motivating factor to get this team past Duke, Michigan, Kentucky, Wichita State. There too seasoned as a team to not have them make it to the title game.

East- Michigan State: They're healthy which means they're set to go for the tourney. They looked so good in the Big Ten tourney and that should carry over into the NCAA tourney.



For the championship I got Michigan State v. Louisville with Michigan State winning by a score of 75-65.

There you have it now that you've read this you should be able to win the billion dollars. Or maybe not. Either way may the probabilities be ever in you favor or however that line goes I never saw that movie or read the book for that matter.

-NS(@NolanPSchmidt)

All Generation Team

I thought of this idea the other night and I cannot stop thinking about it. What if I could come up with 12 names from the 2000-2010 and call it the All Generation Team (I call it that compared to All-Decade Team because I'm going to base it off of players I enjoyed watching while growing up and players that have had success as well)? I know hold your applause it's genius (Even thought I'm sure it's been done before) but regardless should be interesting am I right? Now the down-side to this is only picking 12 or 13 names for this list some I'm going to try and pick names that I are deserving hopefully I don't ruffle any feathers with this one but I'm sure I will.

Let's start with the starting 5 shall we....

Point Guard- Allen Iverson: Yes I know AI normally would play shooting guard but hey it's my team, plus he is only 6 ft. tall which is good point guard height. Iverson averaged roughly 27ppg and 6apg for his career. That stat jumped out at me 6 assists per game for his career? I will always remember Allen Iverson as a pure scorer and more of a "pass-second" type of player. I don't blame him for this however when you look at the starting five for the  2001 Philadelphia 76ers (That made the finals) there is no one to write home about in terms of talent besides Iverson such names as: Eric Snow, George Lynch, Tyrone Hill, and "Finger Wag" Mutombo all of those players failed to average double figures in points for their careers. The bench for the Sixers that year wasn't much better either with players like Aaron Mckie and Todd MacCulloch (He plays professional PINBALL now [S/O to Jax]). So do I blame Iverson for being a shoot first players not at all. Awards include an 11x All-Star, Rookie of the Year, 4x Scoring Champion and the 2001 MVP. LeBron James even went on to say Iverson was "Pound for pound the greatest of all-time". The crossover was kind of nasty too I guess.

Shooting Guard- Kobe Bryant: Kobe has got rings and that's while I'll give him the starting nod. As of now he has averaged 25 ppg for his career and averaged 35ppg in 05-06. Awards include 5x NBA champ, 2008 MVP, 16x All-Star, and 2x scoring champ. I like to think of #8 "mini-fro" Kobe that's my favorite Kobe when him and Shaq were dominating the NBA in the 00s and that's the main reason why he's in the starting spot.

Small Forward- LeBron James: Do I really need to explain myself on this one??? I didn't think so either.

 

Power Forward- Tim Duncan: I'll say it once and I'll say it again TIM DUNCAN IS THE BEST PF OF OUR GENERATION AND WILL BE THE GREATEST PF OF ALL-TIME ONCE HE RETIRES. Nothing get's me more riled up then when people say that they hate to watch Tim Duncan play because he is "boring" YOU ARE IGNORANT. He doesn't play boring he plays the game the way it should be played: fundamentally and smart. That's my rant I'll be willing to defend Tim Duncan on any level of basketball argument. Ok back to the facts awards include 4x NBA Champ, 2x MVP, Rookie of the Year, 14x All-Star. He's the Spurs all-time leading scorer which is wildly impressive when you look at the players that once played for the Spurs (David Robinson and George Gervin for example). For his career he averages a double-double 21ppg and 12rpg he can still do that on a nightly basis now at the age of 37. Let me say this one last thing since being drafted by the Spurs in 1997 they have won over 50 games every season except one (That one was in 98-99 when there was a lock-out) and they have never had a win percentage under .600 during Duncan's tenure. Apparently winning is boring.

Center- Shaquille O' Neal: The most dominant player I have ever seen play the game of basketball, give that man the ball on the block and he will score with no question asked a true pioneer at the center position. Averaged 24ppg and 11rpg for his career. He is a 4x NBA Champ, 2000 MVP, 15x All-Star, 2x Scoring Champion, and Rookie of the Year. The one and only man that made Kobe Bryant a secondary scoring option which is the hardest thing to do. An unreal talent and an unbelievable personality pick one NBA player that you would want to spend the day with and I would pick Shaq. CAN YOU DIG IT?!


Now time for the bench....

Sixth Man- Tracy McGrady: I've went over my love for T-Mac and his game in a previous blog so I'll keep this one short. Kobe Bryant who is my starting shooing guard once said "The player that gave me the most trouble was Tracy McGrady". Out of all the great players Kobe has played against he picks T-Mac as the one that gave him the most headaches. I think I've made my point.

Back-up PF- Kevin Garnett: Is this a biased pick? Maybe Is it a good pick? Yes. Averages 19ppg and 10rpg for his career. Has one NBA title, one MVP, 15x All-Star Defensive Player of the Year in 2008, and a 4x rebounding champion. Growing up watching KG I know dominant he was in Minnesota and I'm sure most of you know too. He carried those Wolves teams to the playoffs every year they went, even the years they had Cassell and Sprewell he still put the team on his back and got the job done. When The Big Ticket retires I may cry because I feel as though I know him on a personal level after watching him for so long. Wow I just got really emotional with you guys.........

Back-Up C- Dwight Howard: Again another familiar name, so is in depth analysis really necessary? There is just such a small market for good centers in our generation. Who do you want me to put on here? Vlade Divac, Yao Ming there's really only two deserving names here Diesel and DH.

Back-Up PG- Steve Nash: Pretty difficult pick here I mean I could've picked Chris Paul, Tony Parker (Trust me it was hard to leave him off), or even Jason Kidd. I picked Nash because of his passing ability and underrated scoring ability. Has averaged 14ppg and about 9apg for his career. Back to back MVP in 2005 and 2006, 8x All-star, and 5x NBA assist champion. I've never seen a more unstoppable offensive play than Nash and Amare Stoudemire's pick and roll it seemed so easy to stop in theory but yet NOBODY COULD STOP IT.


Back-Up SG- Vince Carter: I'll admit this is a personal pick. He has had a very respectable career however with 20ppg and 8 All-Star appearances. If I can get the Vince Carter that played for the Raptors and the Nets I will be happy. Best Dunker of All-Time

Reserve- Dirk Nowitzki: It's hard putting Dirk as a reserve but there are just better Power Forwards then him. I do love him however: 2011 NBA Champ,2007 MVP, 12x All-Star, 26ppg and 10rpg for his career, and will be the greatest player in Dallas Mavericks history probably for the rest of my lifetime.

Reserve- Paul Pierce: 2008 NBA Champ, 10x All-Star a 21ppg scorer for his career. I think I'd be crazy to leave him off.



Reserve- Mark Madsen: Every team needs a motivator and a guy that will be the first one off the bench to give high fives during a time-out and Mad Dog is the Greatest of All-Time in that respect.

 













Well that's all I got for today. If I forgot someone you think is deserving honestly let me know I'm sure I did. Thanks for reading

-NS (@NolanPSchmidt)
 

The Emergence of Blake Griffin

I said a while back I'd do a full blog on Blake Griffin and I completely apologize for not getting to it I kind of forgot about it. I'm sure all of you were so eager to read my thoughts and were let down when I did not post anything (In reality it's the complete opposite I'm sure) but none the less here it goes.

I have been known in the past to have a strong dislike for Blake Griffin's basketball ability, as recently as this past November or so I've been vocal in saying that Blake Griffin does nothing but dunk, sure he's a terrific athlete but he has no ability besides dunking the basketball and I'm sure others would agree with me in saying that. This is because ESPN and other sports media outlets focus only on the "highlight plays" rather than the games themselves. This is good to a degree but can also be a fault as well and in Blake Griffin's case it is a fault. I started to really focus on Blake Griffin and his whole body of work as a basketball player once Chris Paul went down due to injury. I started noticing astounding "ticker stats"(Stats you would see on a ticker on ESPN for example: Points, rebounds, assists) from Griffin after Paul got injured. This surprised me because as an ignorant fan of Blake Griffin's I wondered how he could score 34 in a game just based on dunks? I then decided to dig a little deeper into Blake Griffin and I came to the realization that maybe this man that I once thought could only dunk improved in various facet's of his game. However when I looked at his season statistics they are not that different from his previous season, a slight increase in points per game 24 this season from 18 the previous year, also a small improvement in his rebounds per game roughly 10 per game this season compared to 8 last year. So on paper not a super improvement so what was causing these great statistics? I had to find out for myself.

I sat down one Thursday evening and watched a Warriors-Clippers game on TNT just to see how Blake could be doing what he had been doing recently. Then I finally found out, I was no longer an "ignorant" Blake Griffin fan. He had indeed improved in nearly every area of his game. He had become a much better post defender(which is good considering he was an awful defender throughout his first 3 seasons) for one but it wasn't his defense that caught my eye it was the fact that he had developed a jump-shot ranging to about the top of the key. He had also developed post moves that would make Kevin McHale proud (or maybe not since he coaches a team looking up at the Clippers in the West). I was now enlightened into how much he had improved and then I also looked how much of a catalyst he had become for the Clippers in Paul's absence. Let's just take a gander at Blake Griffin's statistics during Chris Paul's absence:

January: 26ppg, 8rpg on 56% shooting

February: 30ppg, 11rpg on 55% shooting....wait what?

Games in which Chris Paul missed: 28ppg, 9rpg

Impressive February is it not? Now stats do not matter if the team doesn't win which makes this even more impressive. In the 19 games that Chris Paul has missed this season the Clippers are 14-5 (41-20 overall) and those 14 wins included a 6 game winning streak. How could this be? How could the Clippers succeed with out their leader and best player Chris Paul? Who could they rely on? DeAndre Jordan? Jared Dudley? HEDO TURKOGLU???????? None of the above Blake Griffin is the main reason the Clippers succeeded and continue to succeed this season. I think Blake Griffin finally matured as a player and because of this the Clippers are still a legitimate threat in the Western Conference. If Griffin would've played like the Blake Griffin of his first 3 seasons the Los Angeles Clippers would be fighting for a playoff spot and would not be in the position they are now. He took the leadership position on that team and was able to keep them afloat.





With all this being said I believe Blake Griffin has molded himself into a superstar in the NBA something NBA fans have been waiting to see since he came out of Oklahoma in 2009. Once he gets more exposure and ESPN starts showing his overall game rather than just his highlight plays people will start to realize that he is force to be reckoned with. I know either Kevin Durant or LeBron "The Dark Knight" James (I would love to rage on the topic of SportsCenter reporting on THE TYPE OF MASK LEBRON IS GOING TO WEAR FOR THE HEAT'S NEXT GAME but I'll hold my comments) will win the MVP but I leave you with this question: Does Blake Griffin after all he's done for the Los Angeles Clippers this season deserve MVP considerations? Just something to ponder as you wait patiently for my next blog entry.....

-NS(@NolanPSchmidt)