Ok wait.... How could I forget about the NBA draft !

A highly predicted historic NBA draft is upon us...... set to begin Thursday. Despite my last post I did not forget about the NBA draft. In fact, despite the hype surrounding the top two picks in the draft......my favorite players are neither Jahlil Okafor or Karl Anthony Towns. Towns, is the most skilled big man in the draft because of his ability to shoot open jumpers and ability to work on the block .........but two players in this draft have been over looked. Devin Booker and Justise Winslow are two of the most underrated players in the draft. On Chad Ford's big board Justise Winslow is predicted to go seventh and Devin Booker is predicted to go tenth over all. Justise Winslow in my opinion is one of the top three talents in this draft. His versatility to play positions one through three, create his own shot, and defend all positions on the floor makes him a dangerous player. On the flip side Devin Booker is the best pure shooting guard in this years draft...... hands down... there is no debate. His abilities weren't on full display during his time at Kentucky because his role was so clearcut by Coach Calipari.

Since the NBA is moving toward a more jump shooting league these two players could apply their skills to any NBA roster as soon as next season. Booker backed up Aaron Harrison during his time at Kentucky and was brought in strictly to shoot the three. He was not able to show his mid range jump shot skills. Winslow began to show his skills during the NCAA tournament which helped his stock. Game by game, Winslow looked to be more valuable then many predicted in the draft........not only for his over all game but his size at his position. His potential to get better... only he knows.

It will be interesting to see these two player over the next five years. In five years Winslow or Booker could win the league MVP or best defensive player of the year. Who knows what the future will hold for these players.... I believe one if not both of these players will be extremely successful in this league.... 

And just like that No NBA until OCTOBER......

The NBA finals have now come to a close. The Golden State Warriors won the Championship....... but many have questioned the legitimacy of their championship. Considering the fact Steph Curry didn't face off against any healthy starting point guards the entire playoffs.... some would go as far as saying .....this championship should have an astrix next to it. I wouldn't go that far. Lets be honest the Golden State Warriors had the over all best record in the league (out of both conferences). The argument of this season having more injured super stars then usual could be used to counter that statement. I agree with the counter argument, but they're is something to think about. The Warriors built up such a large leads in the fourth quarter during the regular season Steph Curry rarely played. I agree..... this season more then any other season had a NBA Finals Champion before the contending began. The award had their name on it.... they just had to claim the prize. It goes deeper...... having "luck" and many other things swing your way over the course of the season is the recipe for the NBA Championship. The Warriors cooked up the recipe and deserved the Championship.

Now on to next season and the NBA draft which will begin a week from Thursday. If the Warriors plan to repeat this Championship........ Luck will have to be on their side again. If the injury bug happens to sweep every team in the league again except the Warriors..... you will have to wonder......are they plotting on their competition.

On to the interesting news, the Cleveland Cavaliers next season will be the favorite(if all players are back and healthy) to win the championship. I personally think they need more reliable wing men (guards) out on the perimeter...... getting the job done in big game situations..... but that is just me.  A  player who could fill that role is Noris Cole. Noris Cole, a free agent and former teammate of LeBron James, won two championships in Miami, and was a force on the defensive end. His approach of bringing high energy off the bench was the central reason..... why I thought they won their 2013 Championship. Cole is a free agent this off season and a North East Ohio native ........ knowing LeBron.....he will definitely take advantage of a former teammate and Ohio native by adding him to the roster. In addition he knows what Cole can contribute under pressure and on the Finals stage.

In the West..... I still believe regardless of how this season played out the Oklahoma City Thunder are the best and deepest team in the Western Conference. They are followed by the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors. No matter what happened this season the Warriors won a fluky Championship. While it was well deserved...... it was to EASY. Every team they faced in the playoff was not at full strength. Its hard to give them all the credit when they weren't given the opportunity to compete against the top teams at full strength. If they are able to win again next season ......I will apologize for that statement.

The Thunder with a healthy Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka protecting the front line would have been a true test for the Warriors coming out of the West. Unfortunately, they weren't given the opportunity to face off against them. I hope next season these two teams (if everyone is healthy) are able to face off against each other in the Western Conference Finals. That would be a true treat for basketball fans. I would love to be wrong about the Warriors. I have to see them beat the best teams in the Western Conference in a 7 games series at full strength before I can give them full credit for this Championship.

With that being said.... its sad basketball season is over but the draft will be next Thursday and their is a lot of talent in the 2015 draft. The wait for these players to make their stamp on the league is long awaited.  I'm excited about how they will impact and change the game. Super excited for the 2015-2016 NBA season set to begin in October.

Great season!

Are we witnessing HISTORY ....

I ......like many NBA fans are rooting for NBA history to be made this season in the finals. This goes beyond the Cavaliers winning their first NBA title ever or the Warriors winning their first title in 40 years. A personal accomplishment of LeBron James..... not only catching Magic Johnson in the race for the leagues most triple doubles in the Finals but Michael Jordan, Jerry West, and Rick Barry for most points scored and averaged among three games in the finals. James is in first place with 123 points scored in the first three games of a finals series followed by Rick Barry and Jerry West.

When Kyrie Irving went down it was apparent the Cavaliers had no chance against the high powered offense of the Golden State Warriors. A different message has been absorbed through the first three games. When Irving went down in game one a new star emerged for the Cavaliers and the phrase "Next man up" was the exact motto of, Cavaliers guard, Matthew Dellavedova. His defensive lift since being inserted into the starting line up was huge for the Cavaliers. I hate to say it but defensively he has caused Steph Curry more problems then, teammate, Kyrie Irving. What ever the case may be this team is completely locked in defensively. The way the Cavaliers have held the Warriors to under 100 points during regulation after they average 110 points during the regular season is nothing short of remarkable.

We are witnessing history in the making. It was never a question of could LeBron be the Michael Jordan of this era it was a matter of him physically showing it out on the court. His physical stature puts him above all the greats because of his ability to play all positions on the floor. The way he has willed this team into believing they have a chance to beat one of the top three (regular season records) teams in NBA history is nothing short of pure greatness. If he is able to pull this off and get his third ring there is no question of who the best player is..... that has played the game.

*P.S. Michael Jordan is my favorite player but there is no way you could ignore the history that is unfolding in this finals. LeBron James would be the best player to play the game ... no other player could do what he has done with this team in the finals ... NOT ONE ...

LeBron's urgency for a third championship ... looms

The promise King James made in front of hundreds in Cleveland, Ohio last summer seems to be his reality. While many believed the Cavaliers had a legitimate shot at the title this season, the "injury bug" said otherwise. LeBron said in his speech "it will take time" but I don't think he imagined it would be because of the health of the team. The loss of a championship in Miami during the first season of " the big three" era wasn't due to injury but yet the chemistry of the three super stars . It also was a key concern for LeBron heading into this season. The focus has now shifted to no longer worrying about the chemistry factor of the team but the longevity and health of the players.  

The Larry O'Brien trophy day by day is becoming out of reach for LeBron James and The Cleveland Cavaliers. "The cards are stacked against them" is an understatement. LeBron James is not getting any younger and with a new age of rising stars...... his era of dominance is slowly closing. This isn't to say, once the Cavaliers get all their pieces back intact next season they won't be able to win a championship... it goes far deeper...... This team at some point will win a championship......the question is ....  Will King James be able to win multiple Championships with this group?.... That has yet to be determined. With their leader currently 2-3 in NBA finals .. the urgency to win is more prevalent then ever. The job will not get any easier because the Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards, and Chicago Bulls next season could be legitimate threats in the Eastern Conference and to championship aspirations of the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

I believe next season the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers will be in the finals . The Oklahoma City Thunder's starting forward and guard, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, spent most of the season playing without each other. The Thunder's ability during the regular season to add pieces to expand their bench was key to their future championship aspirations... possibly as soon as next season. In addition to a deep bench the Thunder arguably have two of the top five players (When healthy) in the league. This will be one of the team to keep on your radar in the loaded Western Conference next season. 

 On the flip side the Pacers were without their staring forward,Paul George, for most of the regular season. The Pacers similar to the Bulls could have been a true road block for the Cavaliers. Unfortunately the return of Paul George was a little to late. Their ability to pick up a great player, high in the NBA draft will add to a strong roster. 

This season in one phrase..... "played into the hands of the Golden State Warriors". It seems as if every team except the Warriors throughout the post season battled with physical lingering injuries and many Cavalier fans and fans around the league would agree with that statement. .  How ever you chose to identify this playoff run by the Cavaliers, the "will to compete" is embed into every players DNA on their roster. With two of their "big three"going out in the post season, their ability to make it to the NBA finals speaks for its self. You can't deny or ignore the fight the team put up..... after staring adversity in the face multiple times. 

My main point here is...... the Cavaliers will be the favorite to return to the finals and win a championship next season if all their pieces stay in tact. I would not be surprised if the Pacers were able to dethrone the king from the Eastern Conference Championship title. The effects of going to the finals ....5 straight seasons in this era has shown its physical drainage on the King. This leads me to believe at some point he will need a break. Based on his record in the finals its assumed fatigue has played a factor in the successes and failures on the biggest stage in professional basketball. If he returns for a 6th straight finals appearance... its likely the Thunder's  bench will be a determining factor in the series. This chapter of the dominance of King James is turning a new page. 

And then ... there were....

And then there were two. That is two winners. A Eastern Conference Champion and a Western Conference Champion. Now given the opportunity to battle for the World Championship. Yes. The moment every NBA fan has been waiting for..... has arrived. But how did these teams get on “The BIG stage”?

For one thing the greatness of LeBron James can never be questioned. His arrival to Cleveland was spot on. The Cleveland Cavaliers just a season ago received the number one pick in the NBA draft is now a team contending for a title. That just doesn’t happen everyday. On the flip side the Golden State Warriors were considered one of the top offensive teams for two consecutive seasons, but weren’t able to make it over "the hump" of the post season. The season they changed coaches... they're in the finals?....

The best player in the world vs. the MVP……. that doesn't make since.  Yes, I will repeat  “The BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD vs THE MVP”.  Some viewers that aren’t avid basketball fans might question the logic in that statement. Steph Curry was the league MVP for the 2014-2015 season but he was not the best all around player. To better explain this statement I will make it simple. Steph Curry doesn’t lead the league in ast., rebounds, or triple doubles there for he isn't the best player in the world. This isnt to disrespect the talent of and ability of Steph Curry. He isnt 6’9, 300 pounds, nearly impossible to match-up against…. The list goes on ......but you get the point. Steph Curry just isn't that guy, this doesn't mean he isn't among the top 5 all around players in the league. Steph Curry makes an impact on the game but has yet to show his will to “carrying his team on his back to lead them to victory”.

This leads to the team dynamics in this years finals …..Steph Curry hasn’t prove'n he can single handedly will his team to victory…. Why is that? The Warriors are comprised of multiple players outside of the “splash brothers” that compliment the work of the back court duo, specifically the acrobatics of Steph Curry. This was proven in the playoffs when the Warriors took on the Rockets. Steph Curry was injuried at the beginning of the second quarter of game four.  During his absence the team rallied together as Klay Thompson erupted for 15 points in the final 7 minutes of the half to cut the deficit to 10. The team would also receive contributions from Draymond Green, Shaun Livingston and Leandro Barbosa. The run took place while Steph Curry was not on the floor. The argument throughout the season “The warriors could still be a playoff team without Steph Curry” was proven in that very moment.

On to their opponent the Cleveland Cavaliers....... the narratives that have followed the Cavaliers all season are“ This is LeBron’s team”, “LeBron is running the show in Cleveland”. Both of these statements without a doubt are true ….. I wouldn't say they are 100 % true but with the best player in the World on your team why wouldn't you allow him to “run the show”. When you have an executive, coach, and the best player in the world packaged into one person ….. its safe to say your team is in good hands.

The team dynamics with the Cavaliers have changed throughout the season. The way they have jelled in the post season is unmatched but wasn't always the case during the regular season. The team over the pasted few month ironed out their communication hardships to lean together in light of the playoffs .... so.... Does this mean they have a legit chance of winning the championship? That has yet to be prove'n.....

On to predictions….. A.K. A.  my thoughts of what will happen. Based on what has transpired this post season, it is the Cavaliers Championship to lose. I think ultimately the series will go seven games but I believe the Cavaliers will come out on top. They have played the most consistent out of any team this post season this post season. Defensively they have completely shut players down which I expect them to do with Steph Curry. I believe the Cavaliers have a few players they can throw at Steph Curry on defense. Only one team the Warriors have faced this post season had a player that could defend Steph Curry. Mike Conley of the Memphis Grizzlies did an excellent job on Curry the first three games of the series before fatigue took over. The fatigue factor when guarding a player of Curry’s caliber will be very important especially when you have a few guys that could defend him fairly well. The Cavaliers will rotate multiple guys on him,which is something Memphis was not able to do. This will be very important to slow down the Warriors. 

My main point here is the Cleveland Cavaliers will win the series in seven games or less. In order for this to happen they either have to win both game one and two or split the first two games. They cannot go down 0-2 headed back home for game three.  (If the warriors go up 2-0 they will win the series)