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Upset Alert: Which Western Conference Playoff Teams Should Be Scared Heading into the First Round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs?

4/14/2017

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6The first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs begin on Saturday, April 15th. Today we're looking at which Western Conference teams may be looking at an early upset. Click here for our upset alert watch for the East.

The NBA Playoffs are set to begin this week, and although most matchups can be pretty predictable - especially in the first round - there's never a year where everything goes exactly according to plan. Will this year be any different?

There are a couple factors in play when looking at what teams should be most on alert heading into the NBA's first round. For starters, the obvious, there's little parity between the top seeds and the teams that snuck into the playoffs. (Not that that's anything new from year's past.) The No. 1 seed Boston Celtics won 12 more games than No. 8 Chicago, and the No. 1 seed Golden State Warriors won 26 more games than No. 8 Portland.

When you get to the lower-seeded matchups, however, it's much easier to fathom that a few No. 3 or No. 4 seeds may not see the light of day past the first round. But who should be most on high alert?

Let's look through the four opening round playoff matchups in the Western Conference and rank the higher-seeded teams' upset alert factor out of 10.

No. 1 Golden State Warriors v. No. 8 Portland Trailblazers

Golden State has owned Portland this year more than probably any other teams facing each other in this year's first round. But man, how awesome would it be if Portland was able to pull off this upset? They're one of the hottest teams in the entire league entering the playoffs, and the entire state of Oregon is behind them in their push to avenge their loss to the Warriors in last year's Western Conference Semifinals. 

There is no doubting that Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum are going to continue to be great, but the X-factor for Portland is going to be if guys like Maurice Harkless and their frontcourt can pose a challenge for Golden State's smaller lineups. Chances are Portland can get hot enough to steal a game at home, but Golden State is Golden State, and smart money has Portland channeling their inner Dennis Green once this is over. 
Upset Alert: 1/10

No. 2 San Antonio Spurs v. No. 7 Memphis Grizzlies

This is such a solid matchup for basketball fans. Both teams have cores that have played together for years now and the clubs split their four regular season games against each other. Neither team is entering the playoffs on a hot streak by any means, but things heat up pretty quickly for teams like San Antonio and Memphis who seemingly meet in the playoffs every other year.

San Antonio is a deep enough team to do some serious damage in these playoffs, but that doesn't mean that Memphis won't have a serious chance at making a scare if they can handle Kawhi Leonard. But with Tony Allen likely out for the first round, that difficult task looks a lot more impossible. 
Upset Alert: 3/10

No. 3 Houston Rockets v. No. 6 Oklahoma City Thunder

While many are rooting for Russell Westbrook to go supernova and power the Thunder through the playoffs, they're likely not deep enough - or even just good enough - to handle their first test. The turnaround of the Rockets this season was so complete that it's hard to imagine them not being a contender for the next few years as well, and at the core of that is former Westbrook teammate James Harden.

Houston will win this series with their array of weapons off the bench and with Harden's ability to create plays for himself and others. Is there any upset potential? Of course, simply due to the fact that Houston will have no answer for Westbrook when he pushes the tempo and carries the offense. OKC won't have a leg to stand on whenever Russ has to catch his breath though, and therefore will be even less of a threat than people think. 
Upset Alert: 5/10

No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers v. No. 5 Utah Jazz

While it's fun to think of the Utah Jazz as a team that's finally arrived as a threat in the Western Conference, the timing and matchup for them just don't look too positive. Sure, overall this is one of the more evenly-matched series in the first round, but the Clippers are hot - entering the playoffs having won 11 of 13, and having won three out of their four matchups over Utah in the regular season.

To make matters worse for the Jazz, George Hill and other key players have been battling injuries late in the season, prohibiting the Jazz from entering the postseason near full strength. On their side is Gordon Hayward, who's shown flashes this season of progressing towards superstar status...but he's simply not there yet.
Upset Alert: 6/10
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Upset Alert: Which Eastern Conference Playoff Teams Should Be Scared Heading into the First Round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs?

4/14/2017

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The first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs begin on Saturday, April 15th. Today we're looking at which Eastern Conference teams may be looking at an early upset. Click here for our upset alert watch for the West.

The NBA Playoffs are set to begin this week, and although most matchups can be pretty predictable - especially in the first round - there's never a year where everything goes exactly according to plan. Will this year be any different?

There are a couple factors in play when looking at what teams should be most on alert heading into the NBA's first round. For starters, the obvious, there's little parity between the top seeds and the teams that snuck into the playoffs. (Not that that's anything new from year's past.) The No. 1 seed Boston Celtics won 12 more games than No. 8 Chicago, and the No. 1 seed Golden State Warriors won 26 more games than No. 8 Portland.

When you get to the lower-seeded matchups, however, it's much easier to fathom that a few No. 3 or No. 4 seeds may not see the light of day past the first round. But who should be most on high alert?

Let's look through the four opening round playoff matchups in the Eastern Conference and rank the higher-seeded teams' upset alert factor out of 10.

No. 1 Boston Celtics v. No. 8 Chicago Bulls

It's not just that the Celtics have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA over the last two months, it's the fact that the Bulls just aren't built like a well-rounded playoff team able to take down an evenly-matched opponent, let alone Goliath.

While the Bulls did manage to split their season series with the C's, a series that included a 104-103 thriller Chicago pulled out behind 29 from Jimmy Butler on Feb. 16, it's hard to believe Isaiah Thomas and Co. will allow this to go past five games. Upset Alert: 2/10

No. 2 Cleveland Cavaliers v. No. 7 Indiana Pacers

There's a lot going on with the Cavs that might make them an easy pick for a team to be on upset watch. After finishing the 2016-17 season on one of the worst stretches of LeBron James' career, it's tough to look at Cleveland and see them as the same formidable group that took down Golden State in last year's Finals.

But for all of Cleveland's struggles, the Pacers' options pretty much end after Paul George and a still surprisingly strong Myles Turner. Even if Lance Stephenson can manage to be a pest in LeBron's ear once again, this could be a very short series if Cleveland starts looking like a complete team again. 
Upset Alert: 3/10

No. 3 Toronto Raptors v. No. 6 Milwaukee Bucks

This could wind up being the most interesting first round matchup in the entire playoffs. On the one hand you have a Toronto club still hoping they have enough firepower to make the next step past the conference's elite. And, even with Kyle Lowry still finding his groove after injury, the Raptors have one of the deepest lineups in the league and have been red hot since the All-Star Break.

On the other hand you have a Milwaukee team that's capable of putting a real scare into any team thanks alone to the pure talent and athleticism from Giannis Antetokounmpo. On that note, there is a strong chance the Bucks get exposed as an over-performing team relying too heavily on its young stars. But don't be surprised if this series gets scary quick for the Raptors if the Bucks snatch an early win on the road. Upset Alert: 6/10

No. 4 Washington Wizards v. No. 5 Atlanta Hawks

There is a big part of me that feels like the Wizards, matched up against the 43-win Hawks, will have an easier time against Atlanta than Toronto will against the Bucks. The Hawks are a solid, fairly deep team with weapons like Dwight Howard and Al Horford backing up their younger playmakers. They also underperformed and bricked their way though a 2016-17 season that gave them ample opportunity to make a run for the conference's elite.

The upside for Atlanta is that Washington isn't looking quite as strong as they have been throughout the season heading into the playoffs, going 8-9 since an 125-124 OT win over Portland on March 12. Still, the Hawks dropped their season series against Washington 3-1, only winning the first matchup back on Oct. 27. They'll have to figure out a lot to turn their upset bid into reality. 
Upset Alert: 6/10
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NBA Western Conference Finals Preview

5/19/2015

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Season’s Over looks at the NBA’s Western Conference Finals matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets, which begins Tuesday, May 19 in Oakland.

By Mike Corasaniti
Editor-in-Chief


James Harden was one of the few players standing in the way of Steph Curry and this season's Most Valuable Player award. Now him and his Houston Rockets are the last thing standing in the way of Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors from making their first NBA Finals appearance since the 1975 season.

The Rockets are the second-seeded team in the Western Conference after an impressive regular season that saw Harden come into even more of his own as one of the league's true superstars. Yet the Rockets are now certainly  feeling lucky to have even made it this far in the playoffs after getting nearly eliminated by the Clippers in dominant fashion in the previous round. 

Forced to overcome a 3-1 deficit at the hands of the Clippers, Houston now has to quickly refocus its efforts from coming back to jumping out to as good of a start as it can. But the Warriors, who swept the four meetings between the two teams in the regular season, are certainly not the team the Rockets were hoping to see.


Will the Warriors continue to rock chalk and move on handily to their first NBA Finals in 40 years? Or will the Rockets and their equally potent sharpshooting ways make things difficult for the reigning MVP?

A Word on the Warriors

With an impressive 67 regular season wins under their belt, Golden State have cruised into the conference finals. After handily sweeping away New Orleans in the first round, the Warriors beat the Grizzlies by more than 15 points on average in the last three games of the conference semifinals after surprisingly falling behind 2-1. Now only one more test awaits Golden State before it can play for a title.

After such an impressive regular season and start to the playoffs, it is indeed Golden State's series to lose. But that doesn't mean it's a lock in any sense. 
Stephen Curry will undoubtedly continue to be excellent as the best player on the best team in league. But the Warriors and their hopes for Western dominance will rest on the team's role players; namely Curry's No. 2 man Klay Thompson.

Thompson has averaged more than 20 points this postseason, but as evidenced in Golden State's two losses to Memphis in the previous round, Thompson's struggles translate pretty directly to team struggles. Conversely though, the Warriors are near unstoppable once Thompson gets into a groove. T
he shootouts between Curry and Harden have the potential to be historic, but defensive matchups between Harden and Thompson just might be a critical factor in the series.
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A Word on the Rockets

Though it's Golden State's series to lose, the Rockets are coming into their first conference finals appearance in years with more momentum than any other team in the league after coming back from the brink against the Clippers in the previous round. Clutch City is feeling better than ever to face the Warriors in the conference finals, which is a good thing considering that they haven't fared well against Golden State all season.


In the end though, any chances the Rockets have at pulling off the upset rest upon the shoulders of Dwight Howard. The center was dominant in the last three games of the series against Los Angeles, putting up at least 16 points and at least 15 rebounds on all three occasions. If Dwight can now take the next step forward and and continue to put in strong efforts on defense, forcing Golden State's shooters to throw up more shots than they're maybe comfortable taking, then Houston may have a chance to give the Warriors some trouble.

Prediction

Will shutdown defense or efficient offense be the deciding factor in this year's postseason? It's still too early to tell, but Golden State has been the best team in the league this season on both ends of the floor. And Houston will need a lot more than the Clutch factor to overcome that this time around. Warriors in six.


Mike Corasaniti created Season’s Over in June 2012. A recent University of Connecticut journalism grad, Mike is a fan of all things sports, clam chowder, and Dave Matthews. 
Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeCorasaniti or via at mikecorasaniti@seasonsover.com.
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NBA Eastern Conference Finals Preview

5/17/2015

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Season’s Over looks at the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals matchup between the Atlanta Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers, which begins Wednesday, May 20 in Atlanta.

By Mike Corasaniti
Editor-in-Chief


Through a variety of struggles and injuries faced along the way, the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers have fought their way to a matchup of the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference for a spot in the 2015 NBA Finals.

 The Hawks – who have drawn comparison to last year’s San Antonio Spurs all season long– are marching into their first conference final appearance since 1970. Still undeniably the best overall team in the East up to this point, Atlanta now just has to get past the best player in the league in LeBron James.

After taking the regular season series 3-1 over Cleveland, the Hawks have certainly proven it can get past the Cavaliers. But despite taking the season series, earning home court advantage, and facing an injury-ridden Cleveland lineup, the Hawks are easily the underdogs heading into the East’s final matchup.

Can the Hawks' all-star lineup move past its recent struggles when it needs to the most? Or will LeBron James, carrying an injury-plagued supporting cast, make good on his promise to Cleveland and make it to his fifth straight NBA Finals?

A Word on the Cavaliers

The Cleveland backcourt will be crucial for a Cavs team looking to make its first finals appearance since 2007. 

At the point guard position, Kyrie Irving can be one of the most difficult players in the league to defend once he gets into a groove. Multiple injuries however have limited the star to playing below his full capacity. And though the Cavs got some surprise support late from Matthew Dellavedova against Chicago, it’s way too early to dub the backup point guard an essential piece to a championship run.

Luckily, as far as role players go, the Cavaliers found some pretty solid ones in their shooting guards J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert. If the two former Knicks can limit their turnovers and continue to provide consistent offensive support, it should provide enough support for James and big men Timofey Mozgov and Tristan Thompson to stay rolling.

Indeed it’s difficult to worry too much about Cleveland’s chances whenever James is leading the way. But as history as shown for LeBron in the postseason, he’s going to need some help.
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A Word on the Hawks

The Hawks earned the East’s top seed thanks to their largely unselfish team-oriented system, but that system could not have thrived nearly as well if not for some stellar individual performances, none more notably than that out of guard Kyle Korver. But after putting forth one of the most impressive 3-point shooting marks in NBA history this season, Korver has been struggling mightily recently. 

Korver's offensive showing against the Wizards in the conference semifinals was one of the worst of his entire postseason career, and a repeat showing against Cleveland could be fatal for Atlanta’s chances moving forward. Luckily, the Hawks still boast a plethora of scoring threats in their big men Al Horford, Paul Millsap, and DeMarre Carroll, who have all been putting up at least 15 points per game in the playoffs.

Still, the Hawks will need Korver to find his rhythm again sooner rather than later. For Atlanta to give its frontcourt the scoring opportunities they need, they will need help from more than just point guard Jeff Teague to draw out defenders. 

Prediction

In short, the Hawks have declined on offense this postseason while at the same time. And even accounting for the absence of Kevin Love, the Cavaliers have only improved on defense. These trends don’t bode well for the East’s top seed.

If the Hawks as a team can return to its offensive efficiency that it enjoyed throughout the regular season then it’s going to be a completely different series. But with Cleveland’s defense coming together at just the right time, that doesn’t seem all too likely.

Certainly, LeBron James and his teams have faltered in the playoffs before, but going against the superstar is still never a safe bet. Don’t expect that to be likely to change this series either. Cavaliers in six.

Mike Corasaniti created Season’s Over in June 2012. A recent University of Connecticut journalism grad, Mike is a fan of all things sports, clam chowder, and Dave Matthews. 
Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeCorasaniti or via at mikecorasaniti@seasonsover.com.
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The Path to Prosperity: Finally, Some Love for the Wolves

7/17/2014

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Minnesota's No. 13 draft pick, UCLA's Zach Lavine, will soon be key to Minnesota's rebuilding process. (Photo: USA Today Sports/Brad Penner)
Throughout the NBA offseason, Season's Over will be examining which perennial bottom feeders may be rising. The second feature of The Path to Prosperity series looks at Minnesota's recent futile history and how the Timberwolves could go from a team with only one division title to a threat in the stacked western conference.

By Drew Vandemore
Staff Columnist

Well Wolves fans I’ll tell you this. It’s not going to be easy. There’s going to be things you probably don’t want me to remind you of (Remember when you took Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn over Steph Curry then traded Ty Lawson in the same night during the 2009 NBA Draft?), incredibly rough patches of basketball, and a lot of empty arenas, but I guarantee you it will be worth it in the end. 

Since acquiring Kevin Love in the 2008 draft from the Memphis Grizzlies, you haven’t made the playoffs. Despite having solid complimentary players like Kevin Martin and Nikola Pekovic, your roster has failed to get you above 9th place in the Western Conference. How can we fix this you might be wondering?

Have no fear, because GM Drew Vandemore is here:

Step 1: Trade Kevin Love

Sorry folks but I figured it was easier to get this one out of the way first before addressing the other gaping issues within the organization. Love is the best player the Wolves have had since Kevin Garnett, however he seems absolutely primed to leave in the offseason via free agency after voicing frustrations with the front office for not giving him enough pieces to at least make the playoffs in his first six NBA seasons. 

People have been discussing deals with the Cavaliers, but there are two teams that should not be forgotten in this sweepstakes. Both Phoenix and Golden State provide extremely interesting opportunities for Love to make the playoffs, and for the Wolves to acquire young assets in return. Here are some potential trade scenarios:

Minnesota trades Kevin Love and Kevin Martin to Cleveland for Anderson Varejao, Anthony Bennett, Dion Waiters, and a future unprotected first round pick

The Wolves may not get the coveted Andrew Wiggins in this deal, however they get immediate help in the form of cap space by getting rid of Martin’s contract and trading for Varejao (with whom they would arrange a buyout allowing him to sign with a contender). They get a shooting guard in Waiters who was the number four overall pick in the 2012 draft and would benefit greatly from a change of scenery, and they acquire Bennett who was the top overall selection in the 2013 draft. 

This gives the Wolves two great pieces to build around going forwards, while waiting for Pekovic’s monstrosity of a contract to come off the books in what will be four of the longest years of all time for Wolves fans. The extra unprotected pick would come at least in the 2017 draft if not further away, in hopes that the Cavaliers will have entered somewhat of a rebuilding stage by that point.

Minnesota trades Kevin Love and Kevin Martin to Golden State for Klay Thompson, David Lee, Festus Ezili, and a future first round pick

This deal may seem more appealing to Wolves fans as they get a rising star from a playoff team in Thompson, while getting a former all-star in Lee. Ezili provides solid minutes as a back up center to future starting center Gorgui Dieng. Ezili and or Lee would also be likely involved in deals surrounding the trade deadline with contenders, allowing for the Wolves to stockpile even more assets. 

Thompson fits well with no matter who is operating in the post for the Wolves as he is a deadly three point shooter, and Minnesota is again able to move Martin’s contract. A future backcourt with Zach LaVine and Klay Thompson could be the next Westbrook/Harden combination.
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A dream scenario for Minnesota, if they have to trade Kevin Love, could land them Phoenix's Eric Bledsoe. (Photo: USA Today Sports)
Minnesota trades Kevin Love and Kevin Martin to Phoenix for Markieff Morris, Eric Bledsoe, and a first round pick

This is my favorite crazy Kevin Love trade scenario because it would require Bledsoe to agree to a max contract with the Wolves. By doing so, the Wolves guarantee themselves a rising star under contract for the next four years who would work well either on or off the ball (in this case off the ball, playing next to Ricky Rubio) and allowing for a player like Chase Budinger to shine by launching threes from the corner while the two backcourt mates run pick and pops. Love to Phoenix guarantees them the playoffs for years to come and would pair nicely with Goran Dragic and Miles Plumlee/Alex Len. The Wolves starting lineup in this case would be:
  1. Ricky Rubio
  2. Eric Bledsoe
  3. Chase Budinger
  4. Markieff Morris
  5. Nikola Pekovic

Pair with that lineup a bench of LaVine, Dieng, Dante Cunningham, Alexey Shved, and Shabazz Mohammed, and you’ve got a great young core to build around for the foreseeable future. 

My choice: Take the Phoenix trade. While trading with teams in your conference tends to make teams hesitate, this move works out too well for both sides to not happen. 

Step 2: The draft

By trading away Love, Minnesota should be able to find their way into a top 5 pick in the draft. For the sake of my analysis, I’m going to say they end up with a top 10 pick (lottery luck!) and select Chris LaVert (Who doesn’t want LaVine and LaVert on the same team?), a 6’6 SG from the University of Michigan. 

With the pick they acquire from the Suns, the Wolves could target someone like SF Terran Petteway from the University of Nebraska or Alex Poythress from Kentucky. The Wolves should do all they can to continue to stockpile young assets to set themselves up for future stars to come into free agency or come available via trade. 
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Before Kevin Love, Minnesota hasn't had a true superstar among their ranks since the days of Kevin Garnett. (Photo: USA Today Sports)
Step 3: Acquiring a star

This is the hardest part. Minnesota has never been a popular free agent landing spot for stars. Actually, most stars have tried to leave Minnesota when they get there.  However, with a young attractive roster full of players like LaVine, LaVert, Petteway, Bledsoe, Dieng, Pekovic, etc the Wolves roster actually becomes attractive to a star who is looking for young help that can allow for him to not have to carry as big of a load. 

If Bledsoe keeps developing it is not entirely out of the realm of possibilities that a big name free agent would come play with him and the talent that the Wolves front office would be able to acquire around him. After the 2016 NBA season, there will be a bevy of big time free agents to choose from, including Kevin Durant, Al Jefferson, and more. I

It is imperative by that time that the Wolves have acquired enough young talent through trades and draft picks to be able to acquire such a talent if they want any shot of ascending to a championship caliber team. We’ve seen recently through free agent signings like Houston signing Dwight Howard, Cleveland signing LeBron James, and Charlotte signing Al Jefferson that stars are willing to go to markets that before they wouldn’t have if both the money situation is right and the roster possesses young talent. 

Due to the current CBA, I see this trend continuing as it becomes harder and harder to form super teams in the Association without superstars taking pay cuts. By building around a young core that they already have in LaVine, Mohammed, Pekovic, and Dieng, Minnesota can position itself very well by the time the next large class of big time free agents comes around. 

By rebuilding the team now, the Wolves stand to be getting better by the time that the rest of the Western Conference is coming back down to Earth talent wise. Hang in there Wolves fans, the journey might not be an easy one, but the playoffs might not be as far away as you think. 

Drew Vandemore is a senior natural resource economics major at the University of Connecticut. He lives in Charlotte, N.C. and spends his free time playing basketball and relaxing with his family. Follow Drew on Twitter @scoopdadoop and contact him at drew.vandemore@uconn.edu.
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The Path to Prosperity: The Rebranded Hornets' Future

6/30/2014

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Charlotte will look to their No. 9 pick Noah Vonleh to help lead their growing cast of young stars. (Photo: USA Today Sports)
Throughout the NBA offseason, Season's Over will be examining which perennial bottom feeders may be rising. The opening features of The Path to Prosperity series look at Charlotte's recent futile history and how the Hornets could go from a seven-win team to a potential conference contender.

By Drew Vandemore
Guest Columnist

“With the ninth pick in the 2014 NBA draft, the Charlotte Hornets select…” 

These were the words that came out of NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s mouth last Thursday. For the first time since the 2001 draft (Where ironically enough, the team selected another power forward from Indiana in Kirk Haston), the Charlotte Hornets had a draft pick.

This article is Part 2 of a two-part series that will look to the future of the Charlotte Hornets, how they fared in the 2014 NBA draft, and some ideas for the 2014 free agency period, which starts on Tuesday. Part 1 looked at how the Charlotte Bobcats failed and succeeded in recent years to reach the position they are now in today.

Analyzing the picks

Charlotte had two first round picks in the 2014 draft, receiving the No. 9 overall pick from Detroit to complete the Ben Gordon trade (In the 2012 offseason, Charlotte agreed to send SF Corey Maggette to Detroit for SG Ben Gordon and a future first round pick) and the No. 24 overall pick from Portland to complete the Gerald Wallace trade (At the 2011 trade deadline, Charlotte agreed to trade Gerald Wallace to Portland for a bunch of expiring contracts and two first round picks). The Hornets also sent their own No. 16 overall pick to Chicago to complete the Tyrus Thomas trade from 2010 – thank God the Tyrus Thomas experiment can finally be wiped from our memories – which the Bulls packaged in a deal for Doug McDermott.

Heading into the draft, Charlotte was thought to be eying shooting prowess with the No. 9 overall pick. Most mock drafts and analysts had Charlotte selecting Creighton senior and 2014 Wooden Award Winner Doug McDermott. While there were occasionally rumors of Charlotte being interested in other players such as Louisiana-Lafayette point guard Elfrid Payton or Michigan shooting guard Nik Stauskas, the Charlotte front office had apparently fallen for the 6’7 McDermott. 

When it came time to pick however, the circumstances had changed for Charlotte. Noah Vonleh, an 18-year-old power forward from Indiana was widely considered a Top 5 selection going into the draft. And he was still on the board for the taking. 

Charlotte fans had right to be nervous when Adam Silver walked to the stage, undoubtedly anticipating hearing McDermott’s name, one day forcing talks about how McDermott wasn’t the next Adam Morrison. However something funny happened: Charlotte made the right pick, selecting Vonleh despite him being somewhat repetitive with what they had drafted the previous year.
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Some of Charlotte's newest additions: P.J. Hairston (left) and Vonleh with GM Rich Cho. (Photo: Getty Images)
I love the Vonleh pick for two reasons. First because he oozes potential (Watch this highlight reel and tell me you can’t see the talent this young man has  – just mute the video so your ears don’t begin to bleed), and second because he was the best player available at the time. GM Rich Cho has been quoted multiple times in saying that the organization was going to take a “draft for talent, trade for need” mentality to any draft that he would be a part of, and that is exactly the criteria that the team took with this pick. 

Vonleh has already drawn comparisons to a young LaMarcus Aldridge, most likely because he shot 48 percent from 3-point range in his one season at Indiana and has hands that are reportedly bigger than those of 2014 NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard. He possesses a solid back to the basket inside game and has the ability to stretch the floor, which makes him an ideal compliment to current starting center, 2014 All NBA 3rd team performer Al Jefferson. 

The drafting of Vonleh also makes the retaining of free agent PF Josh McRoberts less of a necessity. If McRoberts decides to command something larger than say a 4 year deal worth 20 million, the Hornets can afford to let him walk while playing Cody Zeller and Vonleh at the forward spot opposite Jefferson. Noah Vonleh: A

The Hornets were able to work out a trade sending the No. 24 pick (Shabazz Napier) to Miami to acquire the No. 26 pick, the No. 55 pick, and a future second round pick. With the No. 26 selection, the Hornets were able to fulfill their wish of a shooting guard who can shoot, drafting P.J. Hariston from the Texas Legends in the Development League.

Hariston played for the Legends this past season after being dismissed due to legal trouble at UNC. He shot a solid 36 percent from the NBA 3-point line in his one season in the development league, and that should at least remain constant heading into this season.  

This selection seems to be a perfect fit for a team who desperately needed three-point shooting in order to take the next step as a team and free up space for Big Al to work on the block. While I would have been happy with either Hariston or Cleanthony Early, if Hariston can prove to the Hornets that he is truly past his legal problems this pick could end up being a steal late in the first round. P.J. Hariston: B+


The Hornets made two selections in the second round, selecting Stanford PF Dwight Powell with the No. 45 pick and Semaj Christon with the No. 55 pick. Powell is part of a trade that will send him to Cleveland, and Christon has been traded for cash considerations to the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

The reason I like the Powell pick actually has nothing to do with Powell himself, but rather that he was packaged with Brendan Haywood in a deal that has sent the two big men to Cleveland for Alonzo Gee and his fully non-guaranteed contract. This allows for the Hornets to get an extra $2 million below the salary cap by getting rid of the oft injured Haywood and waiving Gee, giving the Hornets a total of roughly $20 million in money to spend during the offseason this summer. Overall Draft Performance: A-
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If everything goes according to plan, these two will be the face of the Hornets for a long time. (Photo: USA Today Sports)
At the end of the night, Charlotte had successfully set itself up for what is being considered by many as the most important offseason in the young history of the franchise. To guarantee any success going forward, Charlotte must continue to build on the momentum it has gained by the playoff finish from last season and a draft that has been considered a unanimous success amongst its fan base. 

Here are a couple of thoughts on what the team should do with their roughly $20 million dollars in cap space:

  1. Make Lance Stephenson the priority: While bigger name teams are busy clearing out space for names like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, Charlotte should be putting all of its energy on bringing in the 23-year-old shooting guard. Stephenson has developed extremely well so far in his three seasons in the league, averaging nearly 14 points per game last season while shooting 35 percent from 3-point range. Offering Stephenson, an unrestricted free agent, a 4-year deal worth $40 million dollars might be enough to get him in a Hornet uniform.
  2. Address the backup point guard spot: Free agent Ramon Sessions has publicly welcomed the idea of returning to Charlotte for a second stint near home (he is from Myrtle Beach). A 2-year deal worth $8 million should be fair to Ramon, while also leaving the Hornets with a little wiggle room below the cap line.
  3. Re-Sign Josh McRoberts: McRoberts was critical in the Bobcats offense last year, playing the role of distributor from the power forward position. Offering McRoberts a 3-year deal worth $15 million seems fair for the value he provides to the Hornets. McRoberts is a unique free agent in that his value largely depends on him being allowed to play a Boris Diaw type role that he currently enjoys in Charlotte. McRoberts is quoted as saying he wants to be back in Charlotte and the Hornets front office has been quoted saying they want to bring him back. Get this done. 
  4. Bring back Anthony Tolliver: Tolliver was one of the few bright spots for the Bobcats last season from 3-point range, shooting an incredible 41 percent from beyond the arc. Tolliver made $975,000 last year and presumably could be brought back on a similar, non-guaranteed deal. Tolliver makes sense as a savvy veteran to keep on the roster that can also step in and play SF or PF in a pinch. 

If the Hornets are able to pull off each of these four transactions, you could see the following lineups on the floor next year:
Starters:
  1. Kemba Walker
  2. Lance Stephenson
  3. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 
  4. Josh McRoberts
  5. Al Jefferson
Reserves: 
  1. Ramon Sessions
  2. Gerald Henderson/PJ Hariston
  3. Jeff Taylor
  4. Noah Vonleh/Anthony Tolliver
  5. Cody Zeller/Bismack Biyombo
That starting lineup has a very good chance at retaining its position as one of the top defensive teams in the league, as adding an above average defender like Stephenson should do nothing to hinder their efficiency on that end. Moving Henderson to the second unit seems to make a lot of sense for both sides, although I believe that Charlotte will be actively shopping his contract at the trade deadline this year. 

Getting Taylor back will be an enormous boost for a unit that really struggled to score the basketball at times last year. Overall this roster is much improved while remaining slightly under the salary cap. 

Looking Ahead

This lineup should be good enough to challenge Washington for the second spot in the Southeast division (Assuming Miami is able to retain their “Big 3” this offseason). If LeBron and Co. leave Miami, Charlotte would have a serious chance at winning the division and obtaining a top 4 seed in the beleaguered Eastern Conference.

'14-'15 Prediction: 50-32, 2nd in the Southeast division and a No. 5 seed in the East. 

 If Miami is able to retain their free agents as expected, a second place finish in the division is certainly not out of the question. Still, although this team may be drastically improved next season, Charlotte fans know better than to expect a Conference Finals appearance for a team that has struggled mightily in recent years. 

Drew Vandemore is a senior natural resource economics major at the University of Connecticut. He lives in Charlotte, N.C. and spends his free time playing basketball and relaxing with his family. Follow Drew on Twitter @scoopdadoop and contact him at drew.vandemore@uconn.edu.
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The Path to Prosperity: The Timely Death of the Bobcats

6/28/2014

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Kemba Walker is the past, present, and future for a Charlotte team looking to take the next step. (Photo: USA Today Sports)
Throughout the NBA offseason, Season's Over will be examining which perennial bottom feeders may be rising. The opening features of The Path to Prosperity series look at Charlotte's recent futile history and how the Hornets could go from a seven-win team to a potential conference contender .

By Drew Vandemore
Guest Columnist


It's no stretch to say that all 10 seasons Charlotte's basketball team played under the monicker Bobcats were tough for the city and its fans. From their opening game against the Wizards in 2004 to their final playoff game against Miami in 2014, Charlotte ran through the gauntlet most new franchises must face. But there just might be a light shining brightly at the end of the tunnel.

This article is Part 1 of a two-part series that will look at how the Charlotte Bobcats failed and succeeded in recent years to reach the position it is now in today. Part 2 will look to the future of the Charlotte Hornets, how they fared in the 2014 NBA draft, and some ideas for the 2014 free agency period, which starts on Tuesday. 

Looking Back

Kemba Walker had to expect something different. 

Coming off of a national championship run at the University of Connecticut in 2011, Walker skyrocketed up NBA draft boards. Teams loved his pure athleticism and ability to create his own shot, and that made up for what he lacked in the height department (Walker is barely over 6 feet). 

"I told him it’s time to move on," said then UConn head coach Jim Calhoun told NBA.com. "He’s ready to move on as a man. He’s ready to move on as a basketball player- emotionally and physically." 

The Bobcats, who were coming off of a 34-48 season and were led mostly by then interim head coach Paul Silas, selected Walker No. 9 overall. But with talented players on the roster such as D.J. Augustin, Boris Diaw, Stephen Jackson, and Gerald Henderson, the Bobcats seemed poised to be able to remain competitive while undergoing a minor rebuilding job for the next few seasons.

Instead, Charlotte chose to go the complete opposite direction and totally empty the cupboards. The Bobcats traded Stephen Jackson to Milwaukee in what was a three way deal between Charlotte, Milwaukee, and Sacramento. That landed the Bobcats SF Corey Maggette and the No. 7 overall pick in the 2011 draft, which the Bobcats used to select big man Bismack Biyombo from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (On Biyombo's resume is the only triple double performance in the history of the Nike Hoops Summit game, so he seemed as good of a place to work into some rebuilding as any.)

Still, in the 2011 offseason, the Bobcats made absolutely zero effort to improve their roster outside of Kemba Walker. Majority owner Michael Jordan tried to warn the fan base of what was about to happen, but even he could not have envisioned where the upcoming season was heading. 

Herein lies the issue with this decision making: Not only was the season shortened due to a lockout that lasted until Christmas Day (Thank goodness for Charlotte's sake), but because of the inefficiencies of the Bobcats front office – and the old CBA – Charlotte was perfectly content with sucking until they had enough “pieces” to try to contend. 

At one point in this absolute embarrassment of an NBA season, the Bobcats had a starting lineup as follows:
  1. D.J. Augustin
  2. Gerald Henderson
  3. Corey Maggette
  4. Eduardo Najera
  5. Desegana Diop

In his first NBA season, Kemba Walker won about 22 percent of the number of games that he won in his final season at UConn. The 10.6 winning percentage is the worst in NBA history and the seven wins is the fewest by any team if you exclude the 1948 Providence Steamrollers, who were also apparently a professional basketball team.

The Bobcats began to show some competent signs the next offseason despite what the fan base may have thought. GM Rich Cho (The mastermind behind the Biyombo and Walker picks) had a full year on the job and was beginning to show some of the savvy that he had become known for in Oklahoma City, where he established a record as an elite decision maker by drafting Kevin Durant, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Serge Ibaka. 

Charlotte traded Corey Maggette’s expiring contract to Detroit for two years of Ben Gordon’s monster contract and a future first round draft pick. In that draft, Charlotte selected Michael Kidd-Gilchrist No. 2 overall (*cough* After the lottery was rigged so the league could entice a high bidder to buy the league owned New Orleans Hornets *cough cough*) before then getting a steal with Vanderbilt’s Jeff Taylor at No. 31 overall.

Charlotte then let Augustin sign with Indiana in free agency to clear the way for Walker to take control of the team. Paul Silas resigned (Fired? Resigned? Forced out? Same thing.) and the team Hired Mike Dunlap, who was an assistant on Steve Lavin’s St. John’s Red Storm team at the time. 
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Mike Dunlap was drawn by the young talent, but ultimately couldn't get the job done in Charlotte. (Photo: AP)
From the George Karl coaching tree, Dunlap was long thought to be head coaching material, but his style seemed to be more applicable to college players.

"Mike Dunlap absolutely elevates every player and team he comes into contact with," said Karl to the Charlotte Observer. "He will take you from good to great. Name any top-level, elite coach in the game – the only difference between Mike and them is their address."

This is what attracted him to owner Michael Jordan at the time due to the fact that the Bobcats had one of the youngest roster’s in the NBA. Jordan felt that this hiring would help progress his young guys while motivating whatever veterans were stuck on this God-forsaken team to give their all. 

While the season started well – the Bobcats were a surprising two games over .500 after the first 12 games of the season – the tide turned quickly. Charlotte finished the season an improved 21-61, but only won 14 of their last 70 games en route to tripling their win total from the previous season. 

Despite this improvement (No NBA team had ever tripled their win total before), the Bobcats fired Mike Dunlap after just one season due to what Rich Cho said was “not a great fit”. Dunlap had become unpopular with a majority of the roster due to his tendency to micromanage and bench veteran players for long periods of time. 

The 2013 offseason then brought a renewed spirit to an absolutely beaten up fan base. Not only did the city of Charlotte manage to acquire the Charlotte Hornets name back for the 2014-2015 season, but the organization made the biggest signing, maybe both literally and metaphorically, in team history: Al Jefferson. 

Big Al has been a dominant low post scorer in the NBA for 10 years, coming straight from high school in Mississippi to the league. Signing a player of Jefferson’s caliber signaled that Charlotte could become a popular destination for free agents if the right pieces were put into place. 

Steve Clifford, a long respected NBA assistant and a disciple of Jeff Van Gundy, was hired as head coach and made an immediate impact on the team. The Bobcats were able to acquire Josh McRoberts at the 2012 trade deadline for Hakim Warrick in what seemed to be a minor deal at the time. However, McRoberts ended up almost being the perfect pairing with Jefferson and Walker, essentially becoming a second point guard on the floor: He averaged 4.3 assists per game from his power forward spot while knocking in a respectable 36 percent from 3-point range. 

In the 2013 draft, Charlotte selected PF Cody Zeller out of Indiana with the No. 4 overall pick. Despite the weak draft class, the Bobcats were able to find arguably the best player selected in the top seven picks. This led to optimism for the upcoming NBA season in  Charlotte for the first time since Larry Brown led the way. 
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Al Jefferson has been a bright spot for Charlotte and could continue to be a leader going forward. (Photo: USA Today Sports)
The Bobcats started the 2013-2014 season rather slowly, at one point falling to 17-25 and again eyeing a lottery selection. Jefferson was dealing with lingering ankle issues from a preseason injury and Zeller was struggling to adapt to the speed of the NBA game. The team limped into the All-Star break at 23-30. 

But something changed midseason in Charlotte. Jefferson got the rest he so badly needed for his ankle and was able to use his All-Star snub as motivation. The team came out blazing in the second half of the season winning their first four games out of the break. In March, the Bobcats beat both the Pacers (Top seed in the East) and Blazers (No. 5 seed in the West) by 30 points. The team went 20-9 after the All-Star break and finished with a record of 43-39, good enough to earn the Bobcats their second ever playoff appearance. 

The Bobcats earned the No. 7 seed in the East, drawing a first round matchup with the two-time defending champs. In the first quarter of the first game against Miami, Al Jefferson tore the plantar fascia in his right foot with the Bobcats leading 21-14. The Bobcats never really stood a chance in the series to begin with, but the injury to Jefferson all but sealed Charlotte's fate. In Game 4 at Time Warner Cable Arena, the Bobcats gave a valiant effort without Jefferson in their final game under the infamous moniker, but ultimately fell to the Heat 109-98.

Now having the ability to judge these decisions, it is obvious where the Bobcats began their misfortunes. Not only has Biyombo failed to turn into anything remotely close to an efficient player in his three full NBA seasons, but players drafted in the same range as him such as Klay Thompson, Alec Burks, and 2014 NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard have proven their worth all while doing things that the now Hornets desperately need in order to advance to the next level. 

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, while a fan favorite, has a long way to go as an offensive player to live up to the hype of a No. 2 overall pick despite being one of the top young defenders in the league. Zeller struggled heavily in the first part of the 2014 season but seemed to progress nicely after the All-Star break, finding his groove by playing closer to the basket and finding garbage baskets and making hustle plays. 

There may be some well-justified buzz surrounding these new Hornets, but whether the moves in recent years have indeed set Charlotte up for success still remain to be seen. 


Drew Vandemore is a senior natural resource economics major at the University of Connecticut. He lives in Charlotte, N.C. and spends his free time playing basketball and relaxing with his family. Follow Drew on Twitter @scoopdadoop and contact him at drew.vandemore@uconn.edu.
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2014 NBA Finals: Brooklyn Nets v. Houston Rockets

8/4/2013

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By Mike Corasaniti

Game: 2014 NBA Finals
Location: New York City, New York; Houston, Texas
Date: June 2014
Teams: Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets

Championship odds for both the Brooklyn Nets and Houston Rockets have changed dramatically since the Miami Heat wrapped up their second title. The Rockets have since acquired superstar center Dwight Howard and the Nets took on half of the Boston Celtic's starting lineup. Combine the new arrivals with the growth both teams have gone through in recent years and you have two sexy picks for a championship matchup.

How Brooklyn gets there

It did not take long for Brooklyn to emerge behind the Knicks as the city's new counterpart. The projected starting lineup of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Brook Lopez looks like a team that could make an easy deep playoff run in just it's second year in a new city. 

How Houston gets there

The biggest question mark for the Rockets will obviously be their biggest offseason acquisition. Will Howard thrive in a new city, a smaller market, and a different offense? Or will he continue to solidify his growing legacy as an immature bust? Only time will tell how the Dwight Howard experience will play out in Houston, but a change of pace with players like James Harden and Chandler Parsons could be just what the big man needs. 

The Matchup

Were there ever two teams with so much speculation surrounding their success? The beginning of the playoffs next spring could start would both teams scraping their way in or with both teams dominating and people would feel equally the same. The Nets are either a veteran team or an old team, and the Rockets are either dynamic or way too overly hyped.

A best case scenario with both teams in the Finals though is just that possible despite all of the doubts though. Despite 82 regular season games and a long playoffs, the fates of both teams will still most likely depend on whether they can get past the Heat or Spurs, who look just good enough to make it back to the championship for a rematch.

But say they do overcome their biggest obstacles, whether that be their opponents or themselves, Brooklyn should be the go-to pick. They are the Lakers from last year without the combustibility of the Lakers, with just enough pressure to solidify Brooklyn as a basketball hotbed. Dwight Howard could be standing tall a year from now as a Finals MVP, exorcising countless ghosts of teams spited in the past. But he could just as easily be heading into another offseason, coming just short in the Finals against a more well-rounded team.

Prediction

Brooklyn in 7
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Western Conference Finals: Oklahoma City Thunder v. Los Angeles Clippers

1/6/2013

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The Los Angeles Clippers (27-8) are starting to prove they may be the team to beat in the west, so long as they could handle the Oklahoma City Thunder (26-7) in a Western Conference Finals showdown.

By Mike Corasaniti

Look at any NBA power rankings thrown around the Internet and you’ll see some variation of the following: No. 1 Los Angeles Clippers, No. 2 Oklahoma City Thunder.

While the league may still belong to the Heat, the Western Conference belongs to these two teams, and they’re not going through anyone but each other for a shot at a title.

How the Clippers get there

Los Angeles is the best team in the NBA right now (doesn’t that have a nice ring to it?).  They may not have proved everything in their amazing win streak over the past weeks, considering the schedule may have been a little closer to the cupcake side, but nobody wins that many games in a row by accident.

What the Clippers mostly proved in their recent winning ways is that they’re more than just a highlight machine for Monday mornings; they can actually play some pretty decent defense. In allowing only about 93 points per game so far this season, the Los Angeles has proved that it’s not the team San Antonio swept out of the playoffs last season.

Los Angeles has proved it can win.

How the Thunder get there

Behind one of the most potent scorers in the league, the Thunder have been riding one of the most efficient offenses in the league (second in points per game with over 105). When Oklahoma City wins, they usually win big.

They’ll sweep Portland or Denver or whoever else is thrown their way the first round, if not entirely behind Durant putting up more than 30 per game. Memphis or San Antonio will put up a huge fight in the next round, forcing the Thunder to flex their defensive muscles that can be so surprisingly tough (especially with Serge Ibaka playing the best overall basketball of his career).

Memphis and San Antonio could both put up interesting matchups in the frontcourt for the Thunder, but Oklahoma City just has too many weapons for anybody to stop a return trip to the conference finals.

The matchup

Is this a matchup between potent offense and shutdown defense? Not necessarily. But this series does provide for some awesome matchups. Chris Paul on Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin on Serge Ibaka, and even DeAndre Jordan on Kendrick Perkins, this series would be a hell of a lot of fun.

Unfortunately, that feeling of a fun series is eerily similar to the feeling from last season’s NBA Finals. So many juicy matchups, but only one side with the experience and the proven ability to win when it matters most.

Games 1 and 2 will probably be barnburners out of the sheer awesomeness of the matchup, but it would be a surprise if it takes Oklahoma City too long to wrap up it’s return to the Finals.

Thunder 4-2

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NBA Finals: San Antonio Spurs v. New York Knicks

1/3/2013

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Tuesday night’s inter-conference matchup between the San Antonio Spurs (26-8, 2nd Western Conference) and the New York Knicks (21-10, 2nd Eastern Conference) could very well be a preview of an NBA Finals rematch 13 years in the making.

By Mike Corasaniti

Tim Duncan had the ball, fittingly, but a double team forced him to pass it off to forward Sean Elliot.

Elliot drove toward the basket then kicked it off to point guard Avery Johnson who was waiting on the left baseline. Johnson hit a long jumper to put the Spurs back up over the Knicks 78-77 with less than a minute to play.

What that shot signified was the clinching of the 1999 NBA Finals for the San Antonio Spurs, their first such NBA Championship, but it also signified one of the greatest decade long runs for any team in NBA history. Not to mention one of the most well publicized decade long swoons in league history as well.

Now, more than a decade later, both teams are once again flirting with the top of their conferences* heading into their second matchup of the season at Madison Square Garden.

Tuesday’s contest offers a lot of interesting storylines, like a down low matchup between the Big Fundamental and Tyson Chandler, the defending Defensive Player of the Year, as well as up to between two very different prolific scorers in Carmelo Anthony and Tony Parker. But even more so, Tuesday’s game could have implications to how these two teams match up against each other in the long run, should they meet many months down the road with much more down the line.

How the Spurs get there

San Antonio’s favorite thing in the world is sneaking up on people, no matter how many titles they manage to put under their belt. They’re a cohesive unit, rarely flashy, and are once again primed to return to the Big Show.

And, once again, San Antonio’s title hopes rest upon the shoulders of Tony Parker and Tim Duncan.

At 36 years of age, Tim Duncan is still one of the most consistent and dominant big men in the entire league. If Duncan can continue to average a near triple-double for the rest of the season**, there’s nothing saying that this team doesn’t have what it takes to redeem their Western Conference Finals loss to Oklahoma City and return to the big one.

How the Knicks get there

A few short years ago, the Knicks brought in Amar’e Stoudemire and Raymond Felton who helped New York return to playoff form for the first time in (seemingly) any Knicks fan’s memory.

Now, just a few short years later, the team belongs to Carmelo Anthony. And when Carmelo Anthony is averaging nearly 30 points per contest, this is hardly a bad thing. The tough reality for the Knicks lies with the fact that the bulk of their success may lie with those two key players they brought in two years ago.

While Felton doesn’t put up incredible numbers***, for some reason he just works with the cohesive unit of the New York Knicks, setting up plays and parking consistent play when some of the bigger stars on the team are struggling.

As for Stoudemire, it may not be so much of whether or not he plays extremely well for the Knicks the rest of the season, but whether or not his consistent presence in the lineup will hurt the good mojo New York has been able to build up so far this year. It’s no secret that since Melo came to town; the two stars still have not been able to show that they are 100 percent compatible on the floor. They’ll need to prove it if they want to prove themselves worthy of a return to the Finals.

The matchup

Every inch of me wants to say that the Knicks have what it takes to avenge their NBA Finals loss from before the turn of the millennium.

On their side for proof is the success they have been having this season. The Knicks have beaten the Miami Heat twice this season (comfortably), proving they have what it takes to win the Eastern Conference. They have even proved their toughness against the Spurs themselves, pulling out a 104-100 win at San Antonio in mid-November after being down by as many as 12 in the fourth quarter.

What will continue to be on New York’s side throughout the rest of this season and in this matchup will be their experienced play. Jason Kidd, for example, (who is no stranger to the Spurs in the Finals himself) has been instrumental to the Knicks offense this season, helping to take over and slow things down whenever things get out of New York’s control.

But weighing against the Knicks is the incredible amount of experience on San Antonio’s side. Tim Duncan would be returning to the Finals for his fifth time, and Tony Parker would be itching to grab another Finals MVP.

When it comes down to it, the result of the Finals will come down upon nobody more singularly than Tony Parker, who’s play has defined San Antonio’s success this season****. If the Knicks defense can shut down Parker and the rest of the Spur’s terrifyingly well-balanced offense, then they have the tools to pull it off. But over a seven game series, the Knicks still need to prove that they have the experience to do so.

San Antonio 4-2


*Granted, the Knicks made the ’99 Finals as the No. 8 seed.
**Duncan’s stats as of January 3, 18.0 PPG, 9.8 RPG
***Felton’s stats as of January 3, 15.8 PPG, 6.3 APG
****In San Antonio wins, Parker averages 20.6 PPG; in losses, just 14.9.

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