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Staples Center: The new Mecca of the NBA?

After a week of constantly checking social media pages for Kawhi Leonard rumors, the 2019 Finals MVP finally came to a decision at the eleventh hour signing with the LA Clippers.

Leonard’s decision could have ultimately been the cause of the massive earthquake that hit LA late last night, but he took just the right amount of time to handicap the Lakers from acquiring another big name free agent in July and ultimately did the same to Toronto.

Now, I spoke with one of my good friends yesterday on the phone and we both thought that the Claw had another trick up his sleeve. I’m not saying that we knew it was the Clippers, but with the way the last three NBA summers have gone, you couldn’t really assume anything. Leonard put an end to two super teams and his personality just wouldn’t let him join an already assembled team. His heart definitely wanted to be back in LA, and for his childhood team the Lakers, but with LeBron James and Anthony Davis there, it made his decision a lot more challenging. He wanted to play at home, but only if he could lure another big name with him to help compete for multiple titles.

Insert Paul George here.

Leonard to the Clips didn’t necessarily shock the league, but it was the fashion in which the inferior LA franchise acquired him. After snubbing the Lakers in back to back summer’s, PG quietly demanded a trade from the Thunder to the Clippers within the last few days. It was the one rumor that was never leaked and that nobody saw coming. The same George that got his own holiday in Oklahoma City after re-signed in 2018 (July 8), just slapped Russell Westbrook and the entire state in the face in one night. THIS move was what sent shock waves across LA and Twitter.

I can’t really blame PG for the demand, but it was just so out of the blue. Well, to a degree. I believe that if Kawhi was somehow traded to the Lakers last July, then George would have teamed up with him and LeBron and signed in LA, not in OKC. But when the Spurs took weeks to move their all-star forward, PG decided he would just re-sign and run it back in 2018-19.

All in all, Leonard’s decision was hanging in the balance of acquiring another play maker, one of who he wanted to join forces with in 2018, and it just took a week to get it done. In the process, and maybe unintentionally, he put his former team and new cross-town rival in a tough spot after both franchises waited for Leonard to decide.

I wrote about this earlier this summer, but I figured one superstar was going to sign with the Clippers. I just thought it should have been Kevin Durant (pre-Achilles injury). However, after his injury I felt that the Knicks should have been his main focus, not Brooklyn. That’s neither here nor there now, but my thought process was for the red, white and blue to acquire Durant and then another notable free-agent. It would have been two of the best players in the game (LBJ and KD) competing for the LA throne, as well as bragging rights for best player in the game today. Now that would have been must-see TV and ratings would have been through the roof.

Fast forward to this morning and the same type of scenario has somewhat played out. Over the past month we saw KD surging towards dethroning James as the best NBA player in today’s game, but then an Achilles injury put a halt to that argument for at least another year. Now, we very well could have the same type of debate that virtually came out of nowhere. Well, not nowhere, but…yeah, kind of nowhere.

Kawhi missed nearly the entire 2017-18 season with a thigh injury and his return was unknown. Would he be the same player he was in 2016? Was he purposely sitting out? Is he refusing to play so that he gets dealt to the Lakers? The list went on and on, but these were all questions swirling around the two-time Finals MVP.

Within one season up north, the former San Diego State alum put every negative rumor to bed en route to one of the best postseason runs in the past several decades. Leonard’s run in Toronto and his championship level play elevated him into the newly discovered debate – who actually is the best player on the planet? And the list now focuses around the Claw and the King, pushing KD out until he returns.

Forming a super team doesn’t always mean consistent titles (look at Heat 2010-14 & Warriors 2016-18) as injuries and poor play can derail any organization, but Leonard to the Lakers would have assembled the strongest Big 3 of all time. Now, would they have won this year? We will never know, but the 2019 Raptors proved that you can take down a dynasty by committee and depth at the bench position, which is something the purple and gold would have lacked.

The West in the span of one week has gotten even stronger with all of the offseason moves, but it was the city of LA that really lucked out. Although it isn’t the ideal scenario with Durant and LeBron competing for the city, the AD/Lebron versus PG/Kawhi duel will be extremely entertaining this fall.

Kawhi choosing the Clippers came down to three things. Landing a long-term maximum contract in his hometown, becoming the main guy on his OWN team, and luring another superstar along with him that plays both ends of the floor. In the process, the move makes even more sense because he will be playing under an elite coach in Doc Rivers.

Every team that Kawhi has played on has had unbelievable coaching, which can sometimes be an overlooked position in today’s game. Greg Popovich, arguably a top-5 coach of all time, developed Leonard’s game and made him play both ends of the court. Nick Nurse became Nick Nurse without anybody other than the Raptors knowing his game managing skills, and helped further Leonard’s career after a brutal injury via the load management tactic. And now, Kawhi gets Rivers at the helm to help push his career to the Hall of Fame level in just his ninth season in the league.

Leonard signing with the Clippers further creates parity across the entire NBA and for the first time in five years nobody knows who will represent the West in the Finals next June. A dozen teams have at least two 1st Team through 3rd Team All-Star caliber players, along with role players that can compete for the next few seasons.

I truly believe that both George and Kawhi did not want to play with James due to all of the drama and backlash that comes with playing alongside the King. The Clippers in the span of a week gave the two all-star talents an alley to return home to LA, without being overshadowed by LeBron, and to compete for what every NBA player wants in today’s game – the Larry O’ Brien.

With the Knicks missing out on the biggest free-agent class yet again, Madison Square Garden is no longer the Mecca of the NBA universe . LA’s Staples Center has hijacked the nickname altogether and the league now runs through Southern California. The hottest ticket in the game will shift out West as both the Clippers and Lakers have the greatest title odds in 2019-20.

Even though everybody complains about how the NBA is run by the players, it is truly the most fascinating sport in the world today. Super teams or not, the ratings will continue to rise and the game will continue to grow. But for now, the city of Los Angeles is on top of the basketball world.

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Do the New York Knicks make sense for KD?

An early season slump followed by a mid-game feud with teammates back in November allowed for rumors to swirl about the future of Kevin Durant.

Was this the beginning of the end of a three-year era for KD in Oakland or was it just white noise for analysts to discuss over coffee in the morning? For many, it appeared to be a legitimate debate, but for some it was just a small hurdle for the two-time reigning Finals MVP to get over.

The way I saw it (and see it currently) was a team in the middle of a slump trying to figure out what the hell was going on. How could the W’s currently be taking L’s to teams far inferior than them, and by double digits for that matter?

It all stems from the original roster from pre-KD. The team that won an NBA record 73 games in 2016 and fell one win shy of claiming back-to-back titles after blowing a 3-1 series lead to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The team that had Stephen Curry become the first unanimous MVP, and the team that won the Bay its first championship in over 40 years.

Here is where things get dicey when it comes to the 2019 state of the team.

Draymond Green was pivotal in both runs leading to the Finals and was somewhat of the mastermind behind convincing KD to sign with Golden State. His phone call in the parking lot after the Game 7 loss in which he begged OKC’s soon-to-be free-agent to join the historic Warriors was just the beginning. It was the trip to the Hampton’s where the other starters lured Durant to the team and shocked the NBA world for the next three seasons.

With or without Durant on the Warriors, Green has always been scrutinized for his behavior on the court. Accumulating technical after technical, and flirting with suspensions throughout the playoffs and the regular season has overshadowed just how important he is to this team. Before 2017, nobody other than Steve Kerr attempted to mitigate his anger issues. Now, well let’s just say Durant wasn’t shy about stepping out of his own lane.

When a ship is on the straight and narrow out at sea nobody tends to panic. But when a strong wind rips through the mainsail, then everybody aboard must help man the sail. For the first two seasons with Durant the Warriors were smooth sailing, dominating the league and resting stars via the new “load management” tactic. When things got tough (which was rare) they stayed afloat and found ways to win. But in 2018-19, the team started slow and Green began calling out KD and vice-versa. That’s when the losses started to pile up, arguments in the huddle started, and also when Kerr let the players come up with their own plays. Things just weren’t the same.

Golden State had injuries to both Curry and Durant in the regular season, but it seemed like this year was different than the two prior. The deep June runs had finally caught up to this unit and a “calf” injury to KD in the second round kept him sidelined for what SHOULD have been the remainder of the playoffs.

With that being said, what happened after KD didn’t suit up and what always seemed to happen after he didn’t dress, was Warriors success. The same core 4 from the pre-KD era swept the Blazers in the conference Finals after beating the Rockets the series prior. Analysts started chiming in saying that the dubs never needed Durant and he was just the icing on the cake to secure repeated championships.

Whether that was accurate or not, the Warriors limped into the Finals and saw both KD (torn achilles) and Klay Thompson (ACL tear) suffer brutal injuries that could sideline them for the 2019-20 season.

Today, we are just four days from free-agency and thousands of reports and rumors have been plaguing Twitter. Is he gone for good? Will there be a new super team out East? Are the Knicks out of the running? The list goes on and on, but these are legitimate questions across the league.

As many expected he would do, Durant declined his $31.5 million player option, thus opening the door for him to pursue a new franchise.  Just think about that for a second. A 30-year-old, 6 ft 9 in forward, coming off a torn achilles has just turned down $31.5 million. That tells you just how dominate this star is and also tells you that he either has a new massive deal awaiting by the Warriors (doubtful) or he will be taking his talents elsewhere.

I will take the latter rather than the former, although neither decision would shock me (nothing in the NBA really shocks me anymore).

Brooklyn appears to have a leg up on the competition as far as max contract situations go, while the Kyrie Irving to the Nets rumors are at an all time high. Since January, these two have been linked together for next fall. The public has already painted this picture that the two will team up, but where that is remains to be seen.

Personally, I think it makes no sense for Irving to sign in Brooklyn. He had arguably a similar situation in Boston with younger talent and proved that he cannot win on his own, yet he has expressed that he has matured and does in fact want to win again.  The Durant injury forces me to say that the Nets are most certainly not a good fit for the former number one overall draft pick.

If the thought process is to win in two years then that’s fine. Nobody should knock you for that based on how KD’s achilles blew up a week ago. But that is IF, and only IF, Durant agrees to join you, wherever that might be. If you are going to take that risk, then why not do it with the Knicks where the lights are the brightest and where MSG is always sold out?

I will admit that I did think Durant would leave, but I thought he would sign south of the Bay in LA. For the Clippers that is, not for the Lakers. He could stay in California and compete with LeBron James for the keys to the city, but this time he could do it by his personally formed team and on his terms. He wouldn’t need a super team or a team loaded with all-stars, and he would have a Larry O’Brien winning head coach in Doc Rivers along with another max contract slot for assurance.  To me that sounds like an unbelievable opportunity to elevate himself among all-time greats.

Now, all bets are off. The achilles injury could and might possibly alter the free-agent pool before it even gets going. When he returns healthy he will be 31 and coming off a major injury that is difficult to come back from. Are players likely to join him and wait a year or will the top free-agents change plans for their own future endeavors?

The play that now makes the most sense would be for KD to sign in New York. Sign with the championship deprived Knicks who will take you in with open arms and where you will have the highest selling jersey in a year that you don’t even play in. We all know how he has “ties” to Manhattan and owns an apartment somewhere in TriBeca. We all know that he LOVES social media and would do anything for the snake nickname to be erased. And we all know that he wants to be the main guy. New York is his best bet at doing just that.

Durant is already in the conversation with LeBron for the best NBA player in the world today, but his injury will force him out of that debate…for now. The only way for him to actually attempt to leapfrog the King would be to take another franchise to the Finals, just as James is attempting to do in LA.

If the former Texas Longhorn can take the Knicks to the Finals, and win for that matter, then he will quiet every hater who once continuously called him out and force everybody to forget that he even signed with a 73-win franchise in 2016.

KD has the opportunity to free himself from Steph’s shadow and become his own superhero with New York, and by doing so he can denounce his status as the league’s biggest villain altogether.

The Knicks have both the cap space and the environment to lure multiple stars. The question now becomes–will it be enough?

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Is LA the new Bay?

Congratulations to the Toronto Raptors on dethroning the injury-ridden Warriors en route to Canada’s first NBA championship, all while halting the first 3-peat bid since the Lakers in the early 2000’s.

Sorry Leafs fans – but that has to sting!

Kawhi Leonard‘s play throughout the postseason quickly silenced the haters and made everyone that called him”soft” look like a complete fool (@Michelle Beadle and @Skip Bayless). The 2019 Finals MVP came through in the clutch time and time again, but it was the veteran Raptor, Kyle Lowry, that dominated the early portion of Game 6. Lowry scored the Six’s first 11 points of the game and came out firing on all cylinders, setting the tone for the entire team and for the game itself.

Who knows what would have happened if it weren’t for the Kevin Durant achilles injury or the Klay Thompson ACL injury, but Toronto definitely pushed the pace all series and developed a game plan to limit Stephen Curry just enough to come away with the Larry O’Brien.

Injuries are apart of the game (ask the Warriors in 2015 and 2018), that’s just the way it is. That is simply sports in a nut shell. Can you stay healthy long enough, and if not, are the severity of the injuries minimal?

For the Bay, they could not stay off the mend, and the Raptors could. The toll of reaching five straight NBA Finals’ has finally caught up to the Warriors and quite possibly ended the dynasty altogether.

Or has it?

Well, after Anthony Davis hijacked Toronto’s championship parade over the weekend via his trade to the LA Lakers, the state of California might now have a southern shift in dominance across the Western Conference.

The Brow expressed his trade request in the midst of the 2018-19 season that virtually and publicly tore the Lakers franchise apart. Without even being traded he divided LeBron James and the entire Lakers locker room and derailed the purple and gold’s campaign for good.

Fast forward to this past Saturday and the divide in the Lakers organization is no more. Davis was dealt from the Pelicans to LA for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, the 2019 1st round pick (4th overall), and three additional first-rounders. This blockbuster trade sent shock waves across the league and will potentially impact where other free agent all-stars sign this July.

The Lakers have room for one more max contract (if AD chooses to not pickup his $4.1 million trade bonus) and the addition of Davis will easily help lure one of the bigger free agent stars this summer.

As for Golden State’s dynasty, the KD injury doesn’t effect them much as he was most likely on his way out the door anyways. However, it impacts how other big markets such as the Knicks, Nets and Clippers perform in free agency.

The Nets are reportedly the front runners to sign Kyrie Irving, although I think that is completely wrong. He went to Boston with younger players and minimal stars and proved that he couldn’t win on his own, so now he wants to try and do the same in Brooklyn? Yeah, good one.

Irving, I believe, is either signing with the Knicks or he is going to team up again with LeBron in Southern Cal. The KD injury has a huge impact on this move as he and Irving were reportedly going to team up at MSG, but now we might not ever know.

Leonard on the other hand will have a MASSIVE decision to make as well. Does he stay in the North Country and dominate the East another year? Does he wait to see where other stars sign and make a move from there? Does he simply want to play at home in California, and if so, does he want to be the main star with the Clips or the sidekick of Batman on the Lakers?

If his family could choose, they would pick the Lakers (Insta photoshop job from his sister), but if the Claw is choosing for himself, then I really have no idea.

If the Lakers fail to land either star, then Kemba Walker becomes a real option. He would fill the void at PG throughout the season, giving James a major break other than load management. Like Irving, Kemba is a sensational playmaker and can work well with LeBron and AD. The pick and roll will be virtually unstoppable and this “Big 3” can dominate any lineup with or without depth.

Whoever LA gets, and they will be getting one of them, they are the clear cut favorites heading into 2019-20. With Klay sidelined until next February (after he re-signs with the Dubs) and KD out for next year, the Warriors dynasty appears to be on its death bed.

I’m not saying that The Bay won’t be in the playoffs next year or even the Western Finals for that matter, because I’m not. They still have the original “Big 3” with Green and Curry that won over 70 games, but with Klay missing significant time and the KD era coming to a close, the door has been kicked wide open in a deep conference that has a number of stars.

The Thunder have proven time and time again that they cannot win with Russell Westbrook and there appears to be major turmoil in Houston with Chris Paul and James Harden. Portland to me seems like a one-year-wonder and the Nuggets just don’t have that “IT” factor to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Rob Pelinka finally pulled the trigger on the AD trade and the torch has officially been passed to LeBron and the Lakers even without the assurance of a third star.

I don’t know how long this mini dynasty in LA will last, but LeBron is still the best player in the world today heading into year 17 and the addition of a top-5 NBA star to his roster has all but locked up a Finals bid in 2020.

 

 

 

 

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How the Lakers Won by Not Landing AD

The NBA Trade Deadline came and went on Thursday, but the LA Lakers failed to land Pelicans star Anthony Davis. Wednesday night looked as if the deal was going to get done, but New Orleans countered Thursday morning with an offer that only an insane GM would accept.

Selling the farm for a perennial All-Star top-5 NBA player sounds like a sure thing, especially adding him to a roster with LeBron James, but the reality of it is that it would have actually been the worst decision LA could have made. The Lakers would have had to give up their entire young core (Kyle Kuzma, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram) as well as three first-round picks and three second-round picks.  Yes, you read that correctly…

How could a team that lost four players who log significant minutes possibly function by adding just one injury-prone superstar? The answer to that question is that they wouldn’t…at least this year.

Now, looking at the big picture, maybe the trade would make sense. Land AD, make LBJ happy, open up cap space to land a notable free-agent in July all with the mindset of dethroning the Golden State Warriors. Sounds simple enough…right?

Not so fast! The NBA is changing and has changed drastically over the past decade. It’s a shooters league now and the only way to win in this league is if you have players who can hit from beyond the arc. The only way to be the best is if you beat the best and the Warriors have three stars who shot over 41 percent from downtown in 2017-18. Thursday night’s win on the road at Boston simply demonstrated why the Lakers needed to keep some of their younger pieces.

Kyle Kuzma not only went toe-to-toe with the C’s point guard, but he made numerous big time buckets from deep when LA needed him the most. He is second on the team in PPG and is shooting over 31 percent from three. Kuz has taken big strides this year and has played very well through the trade talk rumors. His performance in Boston is why LA needs to keep him around and why he will be a piece to this puzzle they are trying to put together.

The Rajon Rondo buzzer-beater was the type of moment that the Lakers can rally around with the current roster and possibly shake some things up in the West. LeBron’s injury is the only reason they aren’t currently in a playoff spot, but if this team can find a way in (which they will…they have the King), I would not want to be the team facing them in round 1.

As far as missing out on AD, the Lakers are not in any rush to win this year. The goal was to never win this year…it was to develop their core, see who they can elevate and trade, and then bring in one or possibly two free-agents in July. The plan wasn’t to panic and throw the kitchen sink at the Pelicans because Davis suddenly wanted a trade. The plan all along or what it should have been all along was to get Kawhi Leonard on July 1, and then take a bid at Kevin Durant or Klay Thompson. Disrupting Golden State’s roster is the single most important play in the signing of James, and if that fails…then you must re-load.

This apparent rumor that Kyrie Irving is going to reunite with LeBron in LA is pretty comical, but you never know for certain. His public comments about being frustrated along with him announcing that he called the King about leadership is something to be noted…but I just don’t see them teaming up again unless it is in the All-Star Game! I’m not saying that it won’t happen because the NBA is the one league that it could…but it all depends on how Boston finishes in June or even May for that matter.

The game is changing and you need a combination of play-makers and shooters, not an injury prone power forward in exchange for depth and talent. Davis is one of the game’s best players, no question, but the only way to disrupt the Bay’s dynasty is to either lure one of the Big 4 away or stock up on positions that can compete with them and not selling the farm in the process.

Sure, if LA had to give up the silo and a few tractors to nab the Brow then it would have been a no brainer, but you simply cannot sell the farm for anybody in today’s game. A little patience goes a long way sometimes and this time it will almost certainly pay off.

Durant did what he left OKC to do–win titles. So he will likely be on the move in July. DeMarcus Cousins signed a cheap one-year deal to win a ring and win or lose he will be gone. If the Lakers can lure Thompson, which will be a stretch because he seems to love it in Oakland, then they will have successfully completed what they set out to do. But that is a big stretch to say the least!

The Lakers basically have three years to figure this out and win a title, but it all starts with landing Kawhi this July. If the Lake Show can land the Claw then they will be able to make the farm trade for AD. It cannot be the other way around because who knows what could happen. Toronto makes a run and he feels they can win and signs another year. Or Durant decides to stay or Irving stays…it is not a guarantee. Nothing is a guarantee, which is why you need some form of security in your back pocket.

Missing out on Davis at the deadline was a blessing in disguise for LA and only strengthens their championship rebuild plans even further. Magic Johnson just better create some noise in July or this entire plan burns to pieces before year two even begins.

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Best Sports Moments of 2018, New Year’s CFP Picks, SNF AFC Showdown and 2019 Preview

This year went down as one of the greatest calendar years in a long time. From Alabama’s second half comeback in the National Championship with a backup quarterback to Nick Foles playing two of the greatest playoff games in the history of the NFL and hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, 2018 most certainly did not disappoint.

I could write a novel about the 2018 season from the Olympics to the Fall Classic, but for the sake of my sanity…I will limit my favorite moments from this past year to just 5.

Top 5 Greatest Sports Moments in 2018 

5- Loyola-Chicago March Madness Final 4 

The small catholic school from Chicago took the NCAA Tournament by storm, upsetting Miami, Tennessee, Nevada, and K-State en route to the Universities first ever Final 4 berth.

A series of upsets in their region allowed for the smooth run, but not without the help of Sister Jean! Air Jean’s prayers were answered night in and night out, helping the Ramblers take down some of the country’s top schools.

One of the coolest March Madness runs that I have witnessed in my lifetime, and I don’t think their will be another one quite like that, especially from a small school double digit seed.

4- Washington Capitals win the Stanley Cup

After so many seasons of heartbreak in the DC area, the Caps finally slayed Goliath in the second round, defeating the Penguins en route to the Cup Finals. Washington trailed in every single series during their 2018 run, and erased a 3-2 deficit in the Eastern Conference Finals against the top ranked Bolts.

After dropping the first game in Vegas, the Caps won 4 straight games to claim the franchises first ever Stanley Cup, while Alex Ovechkin FINALLY broke through and got his ring, along with the Conn Smythe in the process.

3- Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl 

It was a lot of firsts in 2018, but both the Caps and Eagles claimed their sports first ever championship this past season. Philly’s year took a turn for the worst in mid-December (or so everyone thought) after Carson Wentz went down with an ACL injury, and backup QB Nick Foles looked extremely rusty in his first 2 starts. BUT…the rust wore off once the NFC Championship game started.

The TRUTH not only threw all over the Minnesota Vikings’ top ranked defense, but he converted on 72 percent of 3rd downs…against one of the best 3rd down defenses in the modern era. His play didn’t stop there. Foles’ arm was just heating up as he traveled North to Minneapolis and out dueled the greatest QB of all time in the Super Bowl. His 373 yards passing, 3 passing TD and 1 Philly-Special receiving TD sealed the game for the Eagles as he took home MVP honors and handed the city of brotherly love its first ever NFL title.

2- Alabama wins the National Championship

The Crimson Tide looked lost in the first half against the SEC rival Georgia Bulldogs and could not get anything going. 2017 SEC Player of the Year Jalen Hurts was benched in favor of a lefty from Hawaii, Tua Tagavoila, and the rest is history.

The Tide stymied the Bulldogs in the second half and clawed their way back into the game. Tua set up a potential game winning FG at the end of regulation, but it was shanked worse than Mike Vanderjagt in the 2006 AFC playoffs. The Bulldogs settled for a FG in the first OT, and after a sack took the Tide out of FG range…Tua let loose for a 35 yard strike for a walk-off TD to win the Natty!

An absolute dime to cap off one of the best NCAA championship finishes since the USC-Texas tilt in 2006.

1- Tiger’s win at the Tour Championship 

Tiger went 6 years without winning a PGA Tour event, but this past September was one of the coolest golf tournaments that I have ever witnessed. Tiger Woods has won again. Words that I thought I would never hear again…seriously, I did not think that he would get back to the winners chair.

But, boy was I happy that I was wrong. The scene coming up the 18th green in Atlanta was one that you cannot even describe. It looked like the scene in Happy Gilmore where everyone was chasing after Shooter McGavin for stealing the Gold Jacket…but this time, in real life, they were charging up the fairway in excitement by the thousands. You cannot make this story up. The green was surrounded by fans chomping at the bit to scream in joy once Woods tapped in his par putt for the win.

You can try and argue with me about the greatest sports moment in 2018…but you will lose.

New Year’s CFP Prediction

With all of the controversy surrounding the final four teams in the College Football Playoff, I will have to say that the committee got it right. Oklahoma getting in as the 4 seed was the correct decision, whether or not Georgia is the better team (which they are). Based on all of the criteria…OU should be in.

Georgia lost twice this season…yes to tough opponents, but they still lost twice. Two loss teams do not deserve a shot at the playoff…sorry. If you want in then take care of business in the regular season. It’s that simple.

Many have spoken up about expanding the playoff to 8 and I personally have to strongly disagree. STRONGLY disagree. Everybody is so soft these days…you can’t say this, you can’t do that, Bobby should get a participation trophy for taking 9th. Like seriously? The BCS used to take the top 2 teams based on a brutal criteria, but it was do-or-die all year long. Now, you lose once and you still have a shot. I don’t mind the 4-team playoff because, for the most part, chalk usually prevails and the top-2 teams advance.

Enough of the 8 team playoff talk…just stop it.

I won’t go into detail too much about my picks, but I do think that OU will make it a game with Bama. They are a 2 TD dog right now, but I think that they keep it within a possession. Tua is not 100 percent, and the Sooners have the most dynamic player in the game Kyler Murray. It will be a high scoring affair, but I think the difference is the Tides defense and they eventually get the critical stop they need in the 4th.

Alabama 45-37 

The Clemson-Notre Dame game is interesting with the recent suspension of Dexter Lawrence. Now, without their top defensive player, the Tigers will have to find away to put pressure on Ian Book and slow down the Irish.

I love the QB matchup (in both games for that matter). Freshmen phenom Trevor Lawrence (AKA Fabio) and Book will battle it out for a chance to play for the Natty chip next month, but this game will come down to the Tigers running game where they have the massive edge.

Clemson 27-23

 

Colts-Titans

My guy has done it. Andrew Luck has placed the Colts in the AFC playoff picture and all they must do now is win. Win and you’re in!

The Colts are the hottest team in the NFL having won 8 of their past 9 games, and they are most likely a team nobody wants to face come January. I have said this so many times before, but Andrew Luck is my 2018 MVP so far and if he comes away with the win, in a do-or-die game on the road in Nashville… just give it to him.

Tennessee is no easy out and they were in the same spot a year ago. Marcus Mariota will likely play, but it has been the Titans defense that has carried this squad in 2018. They have a top 10 defense and they have been really good in the turnover/takeaway department the past 2 months.

The difference in this game will be Luck vs. the Titans secondary.

Prediction: Colts 23-20

2018 is almost officially in the books, but it has set the stage for what should be another great year in the sports world.

The NFL playoff picture might not include the Steelers for the first time in a long time. The Eagles look to be almost finished on their journey to repeat as champs, and the Chiefs have taken the entire league by storm.

The NHL has seen a dynamic duo in Colorado light up the Central Division with Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon, while the Toronto Maple Leafs could be in position to hand Canada its first title since 1993.

The Bryce Harper sweepstakes are heating up and I think that everybody can predict where he lands. Being a Yankees fan, I must say that the pinstripes will look prety sweet on the Vegas product!

Golden State’s struggles in the Bay will only be short lived once Boogie Cousins returns to the lineup, but DO NOT count out the Lakers and LeBron James. The 2018 AP Male Athlete of the Year is starting to rally the purple and gold down in Hollywood and you can never bet against him when he has a few decent weapons at his side (2016, down 3-1). Don’t poke the bear!

Buckle up everybody, 2019 is going to be one hell of a ride!

 

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LAbron, David Price’s Breakthrough, The 6, and Le’Veon to the Browns?

Last night LeBron James made his Lakers debut for the purple and gold on the road in Portland, but the story line was not how Los Angeles lost, rather the pieces surrounding the King.

The Lakers got off to a hot start and LeBron scored his first points on a “Pick-6” dunk in the opening minutes, but the adrenaline eventually wore off and the Blazers pulled away in the 4th to win by 9. The biggest takeaway that I had from Thursday night’s opener was not the fact that LA lost, but how good Rajon Rondo looked.

The former NBA champ totally controlled the game in the first half and found ways to get points both off the dribble and through the air, dishing out a game-high 11 assists. LeBron was his usual self but only managed to play 17 first half minutes, tallying 18 points through the first two frames (finished with 26/12/6). Walton is obviously trying to limit James’ minutes for the second half of the season, but that will ultimately change soon.

JaVale McGee looked decent as well in his debut but second-year pro Josh Hart stole the show off the bench. His 20 points kept the game interesting for the majority of the second half, but Damian Lillard and the Blazers perimeter shooting was the difference.

LA has no shooters. Literally zero. They won’t be able to challenge the West’s juggernauts–Houston and GSW–without them and quite frankly, LeBron and Brandon Ingram cannot be your go-to 3-point targets. This has been the story all summer and it will continue to be the story until they either trade for one, or Lonzo Ball and his new shooting motion catches fire.

All in all, it was a nice debut for the King, however, they came up short and LeBron is now 0-4 in career debuts in the NBA. Expect them to bounce back when the real Hollywood debut takes place this Saturday at the Staples Center against the Rockets who suffered an embarrassing loss to the Pelicans on Tuesday night.

The Lakers aren’t banking on winning the title this year. 2018-19 was all about getting LeBron, developing the youth to either trade for better weapons or simply to just buy time for the 2019 summer when they will take a run at Kawhi Leonard and Anthony Davis.

Oh, and congrats the the Warriors for their 3-peat. Klay…you can jump ship anytime now!

The New David Price?

The Red Sox are heading back to the World Series for the first time in 5 years, but the real story behind the best team in baseballs dominating series win over the Astros in the ALCS was starting pitcher David Price.

0-9. That’s what Price’s postseason record was heading into the ALCS. Not even one win. In his career in the playoffs he had a 6.03 ERA in 10 starts. He even lost to the Yankees in Game 2 of the 2018 ALDS. But somehow he managed to turn it all around and in his two starts this series against the Astros he was 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA.

Price also changed his Twitter bio information to “Astros Father.” Maybe a little over the top, especially since it was his only career playoff win and the same club absolutely shelled him a year ago, but hey, I’m all about the chirps! Keep ’em coming!

Boston has undoubtedly been the best team all year. They won 108 games (franchise record), will likely have the AL MVP (Betts or JD), and will have an outside shot at the AL CY Young (Sale). They dominated the ALCS against their rival and now executed payback for the loss Houston handed them in 2017. They have the most athletic group of outfielders that I have ever seen in my lifetime and their infielders have absolute cannons for arms. It will be Boston’s Series to lose next week against either the Dodgers or Brewers, but for the fans…please be the Dodgers. Nobody wants to see Milwaukee in the finals…but the ratings would be the highest ever for LA-BOS.

Give the fans what they want please!

Toronto

What a time to be from The 6 in 2018. Canada’s team looks like an absolute wagon in the NHL, the Raptors have a shot at winning the East with a healthy Kawhi and Drake is bound to drop another album soon…right?

Well, anyways the Leafs overs have hit in about every game this year except like two. Their offense is scoring in waves even without William Nylander and John Tavares and Auston Matthews are both going to pot 50 goals this winter.

Matthews’ insane point streak of 2 or more points in the Leafs’ first 7 games ended last night in Pittsburgh, but the kid still leads the league in goals (10) and points (16), and Toronto is in first place in the Eastern Conference.

Tavares grew up in the Greater Toronto Area and has added depth to an already vital group of forwards. Both JT and Matthews are going to put up their fair share of points this year, but for a team that has been questioned for their lack of depth defensively, Morgan Rielly has quietly been breaking records on the blue line.

The 24-year old surpassed Bobby Orr’s 45-year-old record for the most points by an NHL defenseman through the first five games of a season in the modern era. Rielly leads all NHL defenders with 13 points (T2 in NHL) and is second on the Leafs in plus-minus (+5). Toronto leads the league in goals for (33) and ranks 4th in goal differential (+7).

Who said you have to defend if you average over 4 goals per game? It’s simple math…just outscore your opponent and you’ll be just fine!

Leonard looked solid in his Raptors debut, dropping 24 points and grabbing 12 boards en route to a 116-104 win over the Cavs. A healthy Claw means that Toronto significantly got better when they traded DeRozan to the Spurs for Leonard back in July.

Boston is the only team that could take the Warriors the distance next June, but they will have to get past a gritty Raptors team first. I’m not sold on the 76ers quite yet. They, like LA, don’t have any ‘good’ shooters and their best players only attack at the rim. Toronto can actually control a game from the perimeter, but the question is whether or not they can compete in Boston.

It’s still early, but both the Raptors and Leafs are locks to make playoff runs. How far they go…well, that will come down to a variety of factors, health being the biggest. Let’s just sit back and watch history in the making while Tavares and Matthews both go for 50 a piece, and the Claw takes Canada to an NBA Finals…and then leaves for LA right after.

Bell to the Browns

Le’Veon Bell publicly announced (through his agent) that he would be returning to the Steelers sometime during the teams Week 7 Bye. The exact date is unknown, and whether or not he will report is still a question.

The Killer B has tweeted that he wants to remain a Steeler and win in Pittsburgh, but the offensive line and current starter, James Conner, seem to be doing just fine. The Steelers are back in the win column and are just one game back in the AFC North.

Bell is demanding a long, guaranteed contract like Todd Gurley signed this past off-season, but Pittsburgh refuses to give him one due to his given history of being suspended. So, where does this leave us now? Obviously trying to spitball and guess where Bell ends up by Week 10.

Today’s Jacksonville-Cleveland trade might have just answered everybody’s questions. The Browns dished RB Carlos Hyde to the Jaguars in exchange for a 5th round pick, clearing up cap space to sign a big name…possibly Bell.

Why would the unemployed star back want to sign there? They have a rookie 1st overall QB (Baker Mayfield), they have the leagues number one receiving target (Landry) and they lead the league in takeaways. This roster is very underrated and they are missing a game changer in the backfield. Cleveland could and should trade for Bell now if they wish to have a superstar running back for the future.

The Browns already have “their guy” under center, now just give him a transcendent talent to alleviate pressure and build off of a really good defense. Also, Conner is tearing it up in Pittsburgh and is being paid at league minimum essentially. Why risk bringing Bell back and disrupt what is working as of late…

Mark it down…Bell should be and will be a Cleveland Brown.