NBA Finals Game 1 Takeaways

The Raptors just beat the Warriors 118-109, the Raptors were lead by Pascal Siakam who had 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. The Warriors were lead by Stephen Curry who had 34 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. The Warriors looked like they were the lesser team and the crowd got into their heads, with Drake and Draymond Green even getting into an argument after the game. So now we have to ask, what are the biggest takeaways from Game 1?

For the Warrior's side there lot of concern on their side, if Durant doesn't return for Game 2. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson had a combined 55 points, the rest of the team had a combined 54 points. Two players outscored their entire team, if they want to win Game 2 they need more contribution  scoring from guys like Iguodala, Livingston, and Cousins. They had a combined 15 points, Iguodala is a former Finals MVP, Livingston was a key factor for the past Warriors scoring on the bench, and Cousins was added to make them the best team we've ever seen. Cousins was a shell of himself and it looked as almost he was playing for the Raptors. Cousins is coming back from an injury but I can't help but wonder if he did any conditioning at all before tonight. He played 8 minutes in total and when he would check out he looked completely out of breath, in fact during one of his free throws he looked as if he was trying to catch his breath. Cousins looked absolutely terrible tonight and you have to wonder if Steve Kerr should play him again in this Finals. I would say he shouldn't play again, this is the Finals there's no time for him to get reacclimated to playing again. Kevin Durant desperately needs to come back if the Warriors want this series to become more competitive and send Toronto home. The biggest worry about Durant not coming is the fact that at the end of the game it looked like Iguodala got hurt at the end of the game. If he is hurt we have to see how much this injury affects him, and if he can still play at a high level.

The Raptors have a lot to celebrate for how they played against the Warriors. Pascal Siakam was absolutely lights out shooting, going 14-17. This game was all Siakam, it was his game he was in the zone and no one could guard him tonight. Kwahi Leonard appeared to be worn down from his series against the Bucks, he went 5-14 tonight. Kwahi got the help he needed tonight so this won't be talked about as much. Kyle Lowry played a huge role tonight, even though he went 2-9 with 7 points he played a major role tonight. He finished with 9 assists and had huge defensive plays, he even drew 2 charges tonight, which he is leading the league this postseason in charges drawn. Marc Gasol played absolutely phenomenal tonight, he scored 20 points and played good defense on Curry. He kept at least stepping out to help make sure Curry didn't get a constantly wide open three pointers. Fred VanVleet scored 15 points and kept this crazy run he is having keep going. VanVleet has one more season on his contract, after this season, and he is playing like he is looking for a huge paycheck. If you perform well in the Conference Finals and the Finals, you're guaranteed a huge paycheck. With Kwahi being uncertain on his return to the Raptors next season, VanVleet is taking advantage of what could be his only chance in the Finals.

The Warriors ultimately got outplayed tonight, they looked Rusty and they only received helped scoring from two players, that needs to change if they want to win. Cousin's shouldn't play again for the rest of this series and Durant needs to come back. The Raptors need to keep the crowd going, as you could tell that really helped swing the game into their favor. Siakam has became a name everyone around the league knows tonight, now we will have to see how he responds when the Warriors strategize around him on defense.

Mike D’Antoni Agrees To A Three Year Deal With The Rockets

Mike D'Antoni has came to an agreement with the Rockets about a contract extension, ESPN reported Thursday.
According to the report D'Antoni has one more season remaining on his current deal and will return to coach a final year in Houston.

The 68-year-old D'Antoni has taken the Rockets to a new level in the regular season in his three seasons there, as he's compiled a 173-73 mark. But the Rockets have been knocked out of the playoffs for the past two years by the Warriors. They lost a 3-2 series lead in the Western Conference finals last season and then falling to a weakened Golden State squad, 4-2, in the semifinals this season.
Those outcomes raised questions about whether the Rockets would look to extend D'Antoni. After a 65-win season in 2017-18, the Rockets regressed to 53 wins and a fourth-place finish in the West. Chemistry was an issue early, with the team trying to work Carmelo Anthony into the rotation. D'Antoni has also come under criticism from some for his use of strange rotations and game management, such as his use of timeouts.

Yet D'Antoni revealed to ESPN earlier this month he had begun talking about an extension that would keep him with the Rockets at least three more years.
"I've let general managerDaryl Morey and team owner Tilman Fertitta know that I'm energized to keep coaching - and believe that I can continue to do this at a high level for at least another three years," D'Antoni said. "I want to be a part of a championship here."

It’s great they had agreed to another three year deal he proved that he’s a good coach by the success he’s been having with the team. But as far as winning championship that’s a whole different story. D’Antoni won’t win a championship unless some big changes happen.

Jimmy Butler To The Lakers?

Brian Windhorst has reported that LeBron James has already began his recruiting process for this offseason, he has contacted Jimmy Butler about being a Laker. The Lakers getting Butler could be the exact thing they needed, or it could completely flip the franchise upside down and be the worst decision of all time.

Jimmy Butler is a top 25 player in the NBA today and a great defensive player. He is someone who will outwork the next person and demand the absolute best version of every player. Some players will hate him, like how the Timberwolves did, but he will be loved by LeBron James. LeBron is someone who demands the best from everyone to and with Jimmy, the Lakers will either completely fold or band together to make the playoffs.

With the Lakers becoming a complete joke overnight, with this offseason, adding Jimmy Butler could harm them. The Laker's young core is already at in a fragile state, with LeBron James trying to trade them for Anthony Davis, adding Butler could destroy them mentally. Butler arguably hurt Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns development and has harmed them mentally for years to come. With all of Butler's antics to demand the best out of you, some people will fold while others will rise to the occasion. In today's day and age it's unclear if the Laker's young core could take Jimmy Butler mentally on the team.

Butler at the end of the day is a phenomenal player who the lakers need to get on their team. Butler lead the 76er's during the playoffs and was doing everything he could to beat Toronto. Jimmy Butler is one of those player's who will be the greatest decision you ever made as a general manager, or the worst, but Butler is someone who you need to take a chance on.

Final race to the top!

We are here lady’s and gentlemen the nba finals! The winners of each of each conference are set and the big prize is up for grabs. The stories here are endless for anyone to cover. But the biggest question who will win the games for the chip?

The returning champions of last year finals are back and ready to prove they are the best. Can they win another championship with this team that is banged up from all there hard battles in the western conference. Kevin Durant is still kinda hurt and will return for the series. Can Kevin come back without hurting the way the team has been playing since he has been hurt. He bring a whole new power the offense but also takes a lot more shots away from Klay and Draymont. Also the fact that klay will have take another back seat to Kevin again and we don’t know if that will do if Kevin is playing full minutes or limited. Also the Draymont Green has played his best best basketball in the Portland series. Can he recreate it playing with Durant? The last question any can have is who is the number one option and will Curry give it back to Kevin?

The raptors have surpassed all expectations they had for this season coming in. But unlike the warriors the raptors have less talent on the team as a team. They probably have the best player in the playoffs in Kawhi Leonard. He has been carrying all the widget like a champ this playoffs at a high output. The rest of the team has to show up in the weeds for this team to win. Other players have to score take some weight off his shoulder. Pascal who has play welled in the post season needs to continue to bring in a player like Draymont Green slower. Make him match you type of mentality for the Raptors. They point guard Kyle Lowry also will need to show up to to try the defend and match Curry output as much has he can for his team.

Overall the team seem to be like the last couples years in the finals. The team with the best player vs the team who is the best. This finals has the vibes of those past Warriors finals but the will the outcome be the same?

The Real Reason Why Zion Doesn’t Have An Agent Yet

There is less than four weeks remaining before the 2019 NBA Draft, and there's still something curious about Zion Williamson, the player on whom the entire draft world has been focused since he entered college.He still has not signed with an NBPA certified agent. But at the same time it’s not like he needs one. There's no doubt that Williamson will land in New Orleans, which lucked into the No. 1 pick on the night of the NBA Draft lottery. There's also no doubt that Williamson will put his name on what likely will be a record-setting shoe contract once the dust settles.

As long as Williamson has an agent in place by the week of the draft, he’ll have time to work out the details for the NBA transitioning process. But it’s still extremely odd a player of his caliber to still not have an agent, we all know people would die to represent him. But Williamson doesn’t just want any agent, sources told Sporting News that the reason behind the delayed process goes back to Williamson's advisor, former NBA agent Chubby Wells.
Wells played at Clemson for three years in the late 1970s when he was a teammate of Lee Anderson, Williamson's stepfather. Wells had been an Atlanta-area NBA agent going back more than a decade, representing players like Dale Davis and Ramon Sessions. But his certification with the NBPA lapsed.

Through his friend Anderson, Wells got involved with Williamson's AAU team, SC Supreme, and the plan had been to have him recertify as an agent and represent Williamson. But when that plan fell through this spring, Williamson did not have an official agent and top agencies across the country piled into the process.
Among those were Creative Artists Agency, Roc Nation, Klutch Sports and BDA Sports.
While Williamson's family will still lean heavily on Wells for advice, the goal for choosing an agency is, according to a source, "one that can be most effective at building his brand."
A source told SN that Williamson and his family are nearing a decision, which will come possibly as early as next week.

Best in the World?

In the NBA the players have had the motivation to become the best player they can. Many just chase the fame of being good. But very few can say they are in the chase of the best player in the league. The question has a risen again because the poor season from the player who once “the Best in the world”. My question for this is who will take it next or will LeBron James take it again?

The best player is alway an interesting topic of conversation because most people are picking there favorite player or the best on their team. But in rare occasions is there player that most people even if they hate a player have to admit that he is the best. For a long time LeBron was that guy for the NBA to look at. Unfortunately due to injury and missing the playoffs this year he has lost his title in the eyes of most fans. He could reclaim his title if he plays well and makes it to the finals again but what other player could take it away from him. That is the burning question. And right now I would say no one because no has all the things he had while he had his reign. The things he had were numbers like a beast player. Always put up some kind of monster numbers on points or assist or even rebounding at the time. Also he has been seen has a leader to his team and the league on how to take care of ones career. He been nothing but a model player even helping the players union improve life has a player. Other players like Kevin Durant and James Harden have had great numbers but have never been seen has leaders of the league or ever wanting responsibility for the players movement in the league. Also other great players have had great careers in winning and leading but don't have dominant numbers on a game by game average. Curry has been a good example of that form of player who is dominate but doesn’t take a more active role in the players union. Also him and Kevin Durant have won titles but have done it together so many view it as a team success not an individual success for the legacy of there career.

Overall I believe right now no players have that the combination of success and contribution. I don’t believe we will see LeBron back at top like he was in the past but I do believe he has set the bar to such a high level. Can there be a player like that I think so but we have to wait and see.

Stephen Curry Back To MVP Form

Stephen Curry starting this playoffs rocky, with most people questioning what happened to him? Curry and Kevin Durant have had this really weird play this playoffs, where they are viewed as equals but more as this is Durant's team. This has caused a dynamic we haven't seen with this Warriors team where it has hurt Curry's play on the court, but since Durant has been out Curry has been on a tear.

In the first game without Durant, everyone thought the Warriors would ultimately lose to the Rockets. Stephen Curry wouldn't allow this to happen as he scored 33 points, and had 5 rebounds and 4 assists in that game. The Warriors went on to win that game 118-113. Curry scored all 33 of his points in the second half and had some extremely clutch shots.

When it was announced that Kevin Durant would miss the first few games agains the Trailblazers everyone thought it was going to be an extremely hard series for the Warriors, no one was predicting a sweep. Stephen Curry was historic this round, averaging 36.5 points, 7.3 assists, and 8.3 rebounds per game, he even recorded a triple double in the final game. Stephen Curry now has the most points ever scored in a Four-Game Sweep. Curry has 146 points beating out Hall Of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, who had 145 points in the 2002 Finals against the New Jersey Nets. We've never seen Stephen Curry take over an entire series like this before and it's very concerning for whoever comes out of the Eastern Conference. If Curry remains this hot we could be looking at him finally capturing his first ever Finals MVP. Stephen Curry was an absolute monster in this series and couldn't be stopped.

When he was guarded by his brother Seth, Stephen had 29 points, he shot 9-14 field goals and shot 4-8 from 3 point land. Seth only had 3 points and went 1-7 field goals and 1-6 from 3 point land when Stephen was guarding him. He completely outplayed his brother and even hit 2 back to back clutch free-throws when Seth tried to jinx him. In the 4th quarter and overtime Stephen hasn't missed a free-throw in the playoffs since 2015 and Seth told him this to jinx him, but it didn't work.

Stephen Curry is playing some of the best basketball he has ever played, in the playoffs. He is setting himself up to win his first ever Finals MVP and is getting ready to tear apart whoever he has to play in the Finals. Since Kevin Durant has been injured, Stephen Curry looks like the best player in these Conference Finals.

Kevin Durant Injury Update! Might Be Out Longer Than Expected

What we do know about Kevin Durant’s calf strain is that it’s severe enough that it’s going to keep him from traveling with the Warriors on a second road trip this postseason, this one to Portland in the Western Conference Finals.
We know that he definitely won’t play in Games 3 and 4 and if Portland wins a game or two in the Pacific Northwest, he isn’t going to play in Game 5, either. The fifth game of the series would be played back in Oakland on this upcoming Wednesday, and Durant is set to be re-evaluated on Thursday.
                        

So there is a chance that Durant could be fine following his evaluation this week, but the signs aren’t promising. Durant has yet to be cleared for on-court after Game 2activities, and head coach Steve Kerr told reporters that Durant's availability for the rest of the series is in doubt after the forward was re-evaluated Thursday and wasn't cleared for on court work. The Warriors said he would be re-evaluated again in a week.
Following the Warriors' 114-111 Game 2 victory, Kerr said the injury was "a little more serious than we thought at the very beginning." He amended that thought on Friday, however, saying he meant to convey that there was a wide range of possibilities regarding a timeline for Durant's return.
"The right way to put it would be, with a calf injury, there's kind of a wide range of how long a guy's going to be out, and so he's had them in the past where he was out a week or 10 days but right from the beginning, [Warriors director of sports medicine and performance] Rick [Celebrini] was telling me that you really can't put a number of days or weeks on this," Kerr said.
"There's a big range of how long it could be depending on how he responds and how bad the strain is. This one is taking a little bit longer than the ones he's had in the past, but that's OK. He's coming along well and if he continues to improve at the rate he's improving now, we're confident that he'll be back. We just don't know when."

If both Conference Finals continue the way they’ve gone thus far, we could see both ending in four or five games, meaning that if Durant isn’t cleared by his Thursday evaluation, we’re looking at him potentially missing time in the Finals — and with the way Milwaukee is looking, the Warriors are going to need all of the firepower they can get to slow them down.
With Durant sidelined, Steph Curry has done a great job leading things on the offensive end of the floor while Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala have been fantastic in leading the charge on the defensive side of things. The Warriors have the personnel to compete with Milwaukee and maybe even win the series, but the team would likely feel much more comfortable with Durant’s scoring ability and length on the defensive end to slow down Giannis Antetokounmpo and all of the shooters along the perimeter.

Until Thursday, it’s just a waiting game to see how the evaluation goes, but the Warriors have to be hoping for good news at this point, but because the Finals are coming whether he’s ready or not.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr acknowledged that Durant's availability for the rest of the series is in doubt after the forward was re-evaluated Thursday and wasn't cleared for on-court work. The Warriors said he would be re-evaluated again in a week.

Should The Pelicans Trade Zion Williamson?

With the 1st overall pick in this years draft the New Orleans Pelicans will select Zion Williamson to pair up with Anthony Davis. Davis has came out saying that he still wants to be traded from New Orleans even though he will play with Zion. Zion is still only 18 years old and will be 19 for his rookie season, so why should Anthony Davis (26) want to play with a guy whose just entering the league?

Anthony Davis is entering his prime and doesn't want his prime to be wasted. We've seen many players waste their primes with subpar teams and never win anything meaningful. Zion is going to be a great player one day and will be a top player in the league, but this year he is just a rookie and there's only so much that a rookie can do.

Zion Williamson, Anthony Davis, and Jrue Holiday can be a very good big 3 next year in the Western Conference, but a rookie in your big 3 can only go so far. Anthony Davis is in the final year of his contract, the Pelicans must act fast now if they want to keep him long-term. Zion Williamson's value is the hottest in basketball right now, everyone will be willing to overpay for him. Teams would be willing to trade their future, or even their best players for him. If you can pull of a superstar player to pair with Davis, then it could convince Davis to stay on the team.

Another huge reason why the Pelican's would trade Zion is that he could refuse to play for them. Although this hasn't happened in a longtime, this is still an option for Zion. Zion reportedly looked like he got hit by a truck after it was announced that the Pelicans would have the 1st overall pick. If Zion is truly disappointed in going to New Orleans and refuses to play this could be an option they are forced to go with. Realistically the Pelicans could trade Zion for future picks and young talent, and trade Davis for picks and young talent. This would make the Pelicans having the brightest future in the league and give the fans hope even if they are losing all of their players.

The Pelicans should only trade Zion Williamson if they truly think they can trade for someone who will make them a contender and can resign Anthony Davis. If that doesn't happen then they should keep Zion. Anthony Davis is one foot out the door with New Orleans, with the organization trying to convince him not to leave.

Anthony David Trade Rumor! New Teams In the Mix

Anthony Davis does not appear like he'll be playing in Los Angeles next season as expected.
The Pelicans are still "not interested" in sending the 26 year old star to the Lakers, who will hold the fourth pick in the 2019 NBA Draft after they jumped up in the lottery earlier this week, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported Wednesday during an appearance on "The Jump." Los Angeles pursued a deal for Davis before the deadline.

The Pelicans surprisingly secured the No. 1 spot in the draft and are widely expected to select former Duke star Zion Williamson.
Windhorst reported:
"From what I understand, the Pelicans are not interested in making a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. Maybe had they gotten the Zion pick things would be different. I think the Lakers are actually still out of position, even getting the 4th pick."
Davis, a six-time All-Star, told the Pelicans he did not plan to re-sign when he could opt out of his contract after 2019-20 and asked the team to move him in late January. The Lakers made multiple offers for him, according to several reports, but no deal was ultimately reached.

Los Angeles, the Celtics, the Knicks and others will all reportedly explore trading for Davis this summer and New Orleans is expected to once again consider moving him.
New Orleans' new vice president of basketball operations David Griffin, however, believes the team can convince Davis to re-evaluate his decision

There are a lot reasons for him to believe that this will be different," Griffin told NBA TV on Tuesday. "What it starts with is just us doing what we say we're going to do, one step at a time. Over time, I think he's going to see there is a trust level that he should have in us.
"I believe strongly he has always wanted to be part of the market, but, understandably, the kid wants to win."Davis averaged 25.9 points and 12 rebounds in 56 games in 2018-19. The Pelicans finished with a 33-49 record and missed the playoffs for the third time in four seasons.

NBA Conspiracy Theories

With the NBA lottery just happening there are a few conspiracies that could explain why the balls fell the way they do. Now I'm not saying any of these theories are true, but they are fun to mention and think about.

Conspiracy 1: The Pelicans Owner is more of a football owner and with her husband dying it has to be thought that maybe she would sell the team. The last time that franchise was up for sale it was extremely difficult to sell it. Anthony Davis wants to leave, which would devalue the franchise. What would be the only thing that could help raise the franchise's value? Zion Williamson. What if the NBA rigged the draft so the Pelican's would get the first overall pick, so the Pelican's could sell the team.

Conspiracy 2: The New York Knicks had the worst record in the NBA last season, if they obtained the 1st overall pick it would've encourage more teams to tank to be the worst seeing the Knicks could get the 1st overall. If all the worst teams in the league got unfavorable picks it would tell the worst teams in the league that they could still tank and do well. This theory is that Adam Silver made sure all the worst teams got awful picks tonight so next season we can begin to see a more competitive atmosphere around the league with less tanking happening.

Conspiracy 3: LeBron James not being in the playoffs has hurt the rating this season the lottery was rigged so that the Lakers could get an asset to bring in someone of value to trade for someone to play with LeBron. LeBron could get a good teammate in a trade now to help him get to the playoffs. This will help drive the TV ratings back up and help the league out in general.

These are all just theories and none of them could be true.

NBA Draft Predicitons

With the Top 3 picks being announced, the next question is what do the top teams do with their picks? The Pelicans secured the 1st overall pick, with Memphis in 2nd, the Knicks having the 3rd, and the Lakers having the 4th pick.

New Orleans Pelicans got the First Overall pick, which means they will take Zion Williamson. This means that New Orleans will now try to convince Anthony Davis to stay with them. They have a chance of winning a lot of games next year and becoming a great team. Jrue Holiday, Zion Williamson, and Anthony Davis could become a really reliable and good big 3 in New Orleans for years to come. With the Warriors Dynasty looking to end soon and the Rockets having an unclear future, there is room for a new powerhouse in the Western Conference. Tonight just put the Pelicans in a position to succeed for years to come. Shans has reported that Davis still wants to be trade but they will still try to convince Davis to stay. If they do trade Davis the rebuild in New Orleans will be quick.

Memphis Grizzlies got the 2nd overall pick, which means they will most likely take Ja Morant. With the Grizzlies already having a point guard in Mike Conley, this will mean that the Grizzlies will have two options here. They could keep Conley around and have him mentor Morant for a year, or go full rebuild mode and trade Conley. If they do trade Conley they could go into full rebuild mode and build a new team around Jaren Jackson Jr and Morant. The best option for them would be to trade Conley.

With the 3rd overall pick the New York Knicks will be selecting RJ Barrett. Before the college season began Barrett was the consensus first overall pick and was the best player in this class. This season at Duke has put him in the shadow of Zion, but RJ still has potential to become a great player. Knicks fan all over the world are disappointed in this years lottery with them dropping to 3rd but RJ is a player who fans could get behind. His Godfather is Hall Of Fame Point Guard Steve Nash and Barrett is a great player who could potentially lead the Knicks into the playoffs. Marc Spears reported that a "source said the former Duke star (Zion Williamson) was rooting to go to New York, but now is going to New Orleans." Although this doesn't mean much now, it is refreshing to hear a player was rooting to come to New York.

The 4th overall pick went to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are in a win-now mentality with LeBron James on the team. I would be very surprised if they do decide to actually pick this year at 4th. Instead the Lakers will trade this pick away and try to gain some form of asset that will help them win. The Lakers already have young promising talent, they don't need anymore. Los Angeles needs a player who already has shown what he can do and can help them make the playoffs next year.

The eye test vs Numbers?

Sports are a thing that no one can pin down. Many people clam that one method or another could solve all your problems. There is the eye test verse the numbers.  What is the the best way to move forward?

With eye test is more gut and experience. Players, coaches or anyone around the game knows a little about the sport. They would make their judgments on their concept of good basketball. The pros of this method could use past experinces to build good habits for the team to improve on. Keeping up with tradtion or improving tradtion. many good things come from this method becasue it is easly built upon. You would be able to build around a player based on style over his stat line. It doesn’t always show the truth of the situation. The cons of this method is very basic. You must trust human intuition over the facts sometimes and it is hard to do that when you may not see improvement fast enough. Also the people aren’t always willing to admit they are wrong.

If going by numbers is your thing then you have a good chance that you will win ally of games. The whole system is made to prove that you will always be in the game. Numbers tell you that your players with only one or two skills a roster spot because the roster  is looking for that one stat line. Players like P.J Tucker have had a spot on Houston Rockets because the his rebounding and second chance points. The cons of the system is very basic as well. The flaw is the numbers can make a player like Russel WestBrook who are called stats padders. They stuff there numbers and seem more important then they are. The issue arises that the player could get good stats but hurt the team and numbers won’t show it. And when this happens players are harder to improve the game if they believe they are already plastering there best ball with a stat line. Improvement is Harder to put in place.

Overall the two systems have clear pros and cons. The flaws in each can bring a team down for many years if not addressed in time. The pros on each also are vast and can make a team hard to beat. The real conclusion for me at least is the eye test is best way to take you team but with a hint of the numbers to support your clam to show that you are improving beyond the win lose  bracket.

no more Irving!

The Boston Celtics have just lost to the Sixers in the second round of the playoffs. the series was one sided Sixers by the last two games the sixers won. What does that mean for the team moving forward?

I believe this team that they have will break up now. many player have been unhappy with the way the team is going for them. the main play everyone is Kyrie Irving and were he would go. There has been speculation that Kyrie isn't going to stay. His possibilities are every where now because he does give a real location were he would want to play.The next player on the list is Terry Rozier is a young talent who has been trying to prove himself for a big payday or a bigger role were he can lead. The only thing that can change that for Terry is the Celtics matching a offer. But can they do it and trade him for Antony Davis? that would be the only way they match the offer Terry would this off season. The rest of the young core does feel the team no longer wants them to lead the franchise.

The Celtics are in trouble and they will feel the pain. This team was destroyed by the trade deadline. The GM came out saying everyone was a trade piece. This caused to much on the roster to try to win. At the end of the day this team will change alot in the next couple years. 

The Warriors Problem

The Golden State Warriors are facing much adversity in these playoffs this season. So far Demarcus Cousins has suffered an injury that has him out currently, with a chance of him returning during this post season. The fact that Kevin Durant might leave during the offseason isn't helping, and that if the Warriors won't offer Klay Thompson a max contract he will leave for the Clippers has created a distraction. However, with all of this the Warriors could easily win this playoffs. The biggest problem facing them this offseason is Stephen Curry. 

Stephen Curry has been a shell of himself this series against the Rockets. Curry is responsible for them losing game 3, as he missed a huge layup and missed dunk to end the game. Curry can't hit a wide open shot, and is constantly missing layups. Stephen Curry keeps getting wide open 3 point catch and shoot shots, and he keeps missing them. Curry will cut to the rim and miss the wide open layup. When he is being defended, Austin Rivers has been an excellent defender on him. Rivers has been making Curry turn the ball over and making him take contested shots. 

Stephen Curry should take a page out of Dwayne Wade's book from the LeBron Miami Heat teams. Kevin Durant is getting the MVP chants and has risen to another level, while Curry has taken a step back. Curry needs to realize that for this post season it is Kevin Durants team and he is the 2nd best player. This isn't like the last few years were they have been considered equals or no matter how well Kevin Durant plays this is Curry's team. This year it is Durant's team and Curry needs to realize that before it is too late. 

Now with Kevin Durants injury the Warriors might not need to worry about this issue anymore. Stephen Curry might not need to adjust his game, but take his game up another level. If Durant is hurt and out for the rest of the playoffs then this would be Curry's best, and possibly last change, for him to win a Finals MVP. 

Marcus Smart injury update!

Marcus Smart might have a chance to come back sooner than we thought.

The Celtics announced the guard has been cleared for full contact, adding that he played 3-on-3 Saturday and was a full participant in practice Sunday.
Smart believes that there will be a great chance at seeing him play in game 4 against the bucks on Monday(May 6th).

Smart tore his oblique in mid-April and was initially expected to be out four to six weeks, though he's been dealing with a "tough" rehab process.
"Today was a great day," Smart said Thursday. "I was able to do some things, more and more. This is the next step, the next process to getting me back on the court to be able to do simple things like basketball activities such as driving to the rim and really moving."

However, he admitted that there is not a timetable for his return.
"We're taking it day-by-day," Smart added. "Unfortunately, there's nothing really you can do. One day it might feel good, one day it might not. So, you've got to take it day-by-day and take it slow.
"Pain level is going down. The breathing is getting better. It's not as sore, so that's even better. Mild contact, in the fact I get bumped, like just walking down the street, two weeks ago that was excruciating pain for me. This week it is better."


Smart, finished the regular season averaging 8.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and four assists. He shot 42.2 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from 3-point range. Having him in the mix could be really beneficial for the team. His stats does not speak enough for his high contribution towards his team. His hustle play on both ends of the floor had been a key beneficiary towards the the team success. Smart just does all the little things that no one takes account for having him back in the might really be the edge they need to beat the bucks.

Is Baseball Dying?

Baseball is the oldest Major League Sport in the United States out of the 4 major league sports. The MLB was founded in 1903. 116 years ago, unfortunately they are going through a period where it will either make or break the sport entirely. Baseball is currently facing a lot of issues between attendance and tv ratings that they need to fix.

In today's day baseball has gone from a national sport to more of a regional sport. Today's fans really only care about the teams from their area. If you're from San Francisco, typically you'll only keep up with the Giants and not any other teams. Fans today are more only worrying about their team and not caring so much about other teams they aren't fans of. The MLB is facing many issues at hand and if they don't act quickly they could destroy the game of baseball forever.

Attendance for the games are dipping dramatically, with the Giants taking the biggest hit. According to SF Chronicle, the Giants are losing an average of  6,613 fans per game. The Giants went from having an average of 39,278 fans per game to 32,665 per game, that's a 17% drop off in fans in just one season. The second biggest drop off would be the Blue Jays who lost 4,578.

The worst case scenario for the attendance drop off would be the Miami Marlins. They are struggling to sell any seats at all this season. Opening day the Marlins had 25,423 fans, the next game they had 6,503 just one day later. If you take away the opening day game the average fans at the game is 8,722 fans. Just to help give you an idea on how bad that is, the Marlins Park can hold 36,742 people if it's sold out. They are only selling about 24% of the seats they can sell.

According to Market Watch, the average age of a baseball fan is 57 years old, where in 2006 the average age was 52. Only 7% of baseball's audience is under the age of 18, which means they are having a harder time appealing to the youth. Without a proper youth movement baseball is facing a bigger issue in the coming years. When the under 18 gets older, there will not be as large of an audience watching the game. This will lead the attendance problem today being a bigger issue and causing baseball to lose money.

Before we go over the deep end and completely say baseball is dead we need to look at the ratings. According to Forbes, the MLB regional ratings have increased in 2018 by 2%. This just proves that baseball isn't fully dying, but more dying on a national level. Baseball is turning into a regional sport and the commissioner of the MLB, Rob Manfred, needs to embrace it. Manfred needs to create superstars with each team so the fans can go out and see them play. You already have stars like Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper but every team needs to have one star. If every team in the league can market one player to their fanbase they can attract more fans to the games.

Superstars can change the attendance for baseball, a great example of this is Philadelphia. Last season they were 17th in attendance averaging 27,318 fans per game, this season they are 4th in the league averaging 36,823 fans a game. Not everyone can get a Harper to help them raise the attendance but if a team can market the team's identify to fit the region it could work in their favor. If the Miami Marlins identify the identify of Miami and build the team to reflect Miami it could raise the attendance rate.

Another huge reason for baseball dying is that the analytics kill them. In baseball there are so many analytics at this point where it's basically killed a lot of the arguments between fans. NBA fans can argue till they are blue in the face if Kevin Durant or LeBron James is a better basketball. In baseball there are so many analytics at this point where it has basically killed these conversations.

The biggest problem with baseball is that Mike Trout, MLB's best player, could walk into a bar and the average person doesn't know what he looks like. Baseball is doing an awful job at marketing their best player and other stars around the league. Arguably the only player who could walk into a bar and everyone knows who they are is Bryce Harper. Mike Trout should be the cover of baseball games and needs to be more heavily endorsed. Trout should be on Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and more late night shows to try to get more people excited for the season. Trout has the largest deal in baseball and only has 1.5 million followers on Instagram, to compare this to other stars Tom Brady has 6.1 million and LeBron James has 48.9 million followers.

The MLB needs to market their players better if they want to keep baseball alive. Baseball could be facing a huge problem in the upcoming years with the youth being more interested in football and basketball. ESPN has been having a problem marking baseball to as they have cancelled Baseball Tonight. Rob Manfred is currently being faced with the fact that baseball is slowly dying and he has to figure out how to fix this problem. If Manfred can't figure out this issue baseball could slide out of the top 3 sports in America.

Is Kevin Durant The Best Player In The NBA?

When Kevin Durant joined the Golden State Warriors he was faced with much backlash to this decision. Since that decision Durant has won 2 NBA Finals and was named 2 time Finals MVP, with presumably a 3rd NBA championship in the making this postseason. With LeBron James missing the postseason the question that has to be asked is if Kevin Durant is the best player in the NBA?

During the regular season Kevin Durant averaged 26 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game, the Warriors finished 1st in the Western Conference and had the 2nd best record in the NBA. Kevin Durant finished 8th in the league with point per game and was in some peoples talks for MVP. While James Harden and Giannis Antekounmpo were in the talks for MVP, Durant finished 7th in the NBA's Kia MVP award ladder. Durant was on the tear in the last season to prove that he should be in the talks for best player.

In the last 2 NBA Finals, Kevin Durant has outplayed LeBron James in 2 straight Finals. LeBron fans will argue that LeBron put up better numbers, but the facts are the Kevin Durant beat LeBron in two straight Finals and has won 2 Finals MVP's over LeBron. With LeBron getting older and missing the playoffs the NBA is looking for the new face of the league.

This NBA playoffs Kevin Durant has been on a tear, averaging 34.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists. The Warriors have been benefiting greatly from this as they are up on the Rockets currently
2-0 in the playoffs. There is absolutely no one in the league who can guard a 7 footer who can move like a guard and shoot anywhere he wants. Kevin Durant will rise above a defender and make himself virtually unguardable to anybody in the way of him.

Kevin Durant has put himself in the lead for best player in the NBA currently. This playoff season he has been on an absolute tear and reminding the league why everyone was so mad when he first joined the Warriors. Where Kevin Durant goes, that team will automatically be contenders he's that good of a player. Durant is the best all around player in the playoffs and has taken the crown from LeBron as the best player in the league.

How important is this playoff for Kyrie Irving?

Players who are great normally have one season were they have Numbers that rise massively over just one season. They go from 15 points to 25 points and people can see the difference very easily. There other kind of stars who roles changes but there numbers stay the same. Players who become more leaders then stat monsters are harder to say they are super stars. They still need to prove themselves somewhere. That is the playoffs.

Kyrie Iriving is one of those stars. The kind that become better leaders instead of getting numbers. And because He improves off the stat sheet, he still doesn't get the same kind view as other players. if James harden loses to warriors this year it doesn't change his position has a once in a lifetime talent on the offensives end. But can the same be said for Kyrie. I believe that he is judged by his team advancement over his individual stats. So if his team cant win then he is not a true star just a regular star. so in my view of the media it is very important that Kyrie can win as a leader and not a sidekick to some who gets more spotlight because of his numbers. The only other star who has this kind of star power is Stephen Curry right now. He doesn't make more points or any kind of major different stat. His stat line from last year to this year is very smilier. His stat line last year was 24 points, 5 assist, ans 1 steal. the next year was 23 points, 1.5 steals and 6.5 assist. He is seen has good because he has done nothing but win titles for his team and making big shots when they need it.

In short yes Kyrie playoff success is his only that matter. So many people in his position have had impressive season and will be looked as great players because of there stats alone. But Kyrie has to do more with his team success like a Steve Nash or Curry to leave a lasting legacy.

Carmelo Anthony Returning To The Knicks?

Carmelo Anthony was recently interviewed by SNY about a potential return to his former New York Knicks. Anthony said with a smile "I have to see what's going on." Carmelo Anthony is currently 34 years old and use to play with the Knicks from 2010-2017. Anthony is currently 7th in All-Time leading scorers in the Knicks Franchise.

Anthony didn't give a definite yes or no on if he'll resign and it makes sense. At 34 years old, Melo should be hesitant on who he signs with next season. Melo should only consider going to a Finals contender to help him win his first Championship.

Carmelo Anthony is no where near the superstar he use to be with the Knicks, but he can still provide valuable minutes and potential 6 man scoring options for the Knicks or whoever signs him. Melo is still in the gym training, as videos are coming out of him still training.

Carmelo Anthony only played 10 games last season with the Rockets before he was benched until the trade deadline. From there Melo was traded to the Bulls and bought out, no one signed him but the Lakers were close to it.  The only reason why the Lakers didn't sign Melo was because of the fact they aren't going to make the playoffs.

The Knicks would be Melo's top priority if they signed Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant this offseason. If that happens then Melo could be a very valuable 6th man to this team and reunite with the Knicks. Melo is a native New Yorker and did attend college in Syracuse, it would be fitting if Carmelo could end his career in New York.

Vince Carter Set To Return For His 22nd Season

Vince Carter refuses to hang it up just yet.
On The Ringer's "Winging It" podcast with teammate Kent Bazemore and co-host Annie Finberg, Carter said he's ready to play his 22nd season in the NBA. Carter, who spent last season with Atlanta, said that he would like to return to the Hawks.

The conversation about Carter's future comes about five minutes into the podcast as he and Bazemore are discussing the retirement seasons of Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade. Carter then shared his thoughts on Nowitzki announcing his plans to retire after his final home game with the Dallas Mavericks.
"I think he was at peace with his career and what he accomplished and felt it was time to go ... not ya boy," Carter said.
Bazemore: "You coming back?"
Carter: "Yep, I'm coming back, bro. I'm coming back."
Finberg: "You coming back to the Hawks?"
Carter: "I would like to. We'll see what happens."
At the Hawks' exit interviews with Vince Carter, he said he hoped to play another season in Atlanta. He averaged 7.4 points per game and served mostly as a reserve for the 29-53 Hawks.
But then when Carter was asked why wouldn’t he join a team like the warriors to easily win a ring Carter said “ that’s not his generation to join super teams and get carried to a championship”. Carter also mentioned that he rather earn it and play with a team that has a fighting chance for one. Which is really contradicting due to the fact that he chose to play for the Hawks that did not have a fighting chance what so ever when it came to playing for a championship and he mainly chose them because they were the only team to offer him extra minutes.
Carter ranks 20th on the NBA's all-time
He crossed the 25,000-point mark last season with a 14-point game against the Toronto Raptors, who he played for from 1999-2004

Overall, he finished the season as one of the Hawks' leading 3-point shooters 38.9 percent.He has made it clear throughout the last few seasons of his career that moving to broadcasting remains his goal once his playing days are over.
Carter signed a one-year veteran minimum contract last summer, making the Hawks the eighth team he played for joining the Raptors, Orlando Magic, New Jersey Nets, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings.

In total Vince Carter has had a tremendous career it’s easily debatable that he’s was one of the best players in the NBA and by far the best dunker in the NBA history. But Carter’s best days are in the past. We obviously know his love for the game is still strong and that’s why he still plays but i think it’s time for him to hang up the shoes. I know he wants that so real moment like D-Wade and Dirk , but I don’t think he’ll achieve it due to the fact of him never winning an NBA championship.

Who can lead the sixers to the promiseland?

The team the Philadelphia 76ers has so many good players. Many young and talented with with great futures. There is so much potential on there line up that it is hard to see what they can do and not think that maybe they can be the best. The problems comes with the little details.

The first candidate is Joel Emibid. He has the most dominant playing style on the team.With his size and speed he has an ability to score at the rim. He is 7"0 tall while most big man don't have has much playing time like him. His usage rate is third highest in the league right now. Joel has the most swagger then anyone on the team. He is very vocal on tweeter about his opinion and doesn't let people talk bad about him with out responding. His stats in the season were 21 points 11 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks. The best way to describe him is a beast of the east, The only problem is with him and his health. He has shaking health and is held back by the medical staff just so he doesn't get seriously hurt.

The Second one is Ben Simmons. He was thought to be the next Magic Johnson or Lebron James. With his ability to to run a fast break and pass like he does he is a floor general. His size for a point guard d position creates problems for any team in the league. His height being 6"10  he is has tall as any center but moves like a guard. his averages for this season was 15 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assist. the one issue he has is a big one. He doesn't shot jumpers from any distance. He seems very scared to do in the games and the Sixers are practicing it. he needs to start to start taking jumpers so people take him seriously away from  15 feet away or further.

The third one is unlikely but could take the role. Jimmy Butler is a talented shooting guard or is ready for the movement when ever it needs to happen. He has the killer instinct that many people like to say stars have lost. He is a reliable on the court in all ways. He is willing to do anything for his team. his stats a from the season were 17 points , 5 rebounds, and 1.9 steals. His only down side has been his attitude with his teammates. He has been labeled a team killer.

the overall view of all three players is good and bad. One has health issues, the other cant shoot anything when it counts, and the final one is just angry and hurts the teams view of the situation. All three can do it but who will take the spot. the Sixers have to pick one.