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Bold Predictions for the 2016-17 NBA Season

Bold Predictions for the 2016-17 NBA Season

1. The Warriors do not break the 73-9 record.

Even with the addition of Kevin Durant, I do not see the Warriors breaking the 73-9 record. I think some losses will come early in the season, as they will be figuring out how to play with each other. While the Warriors will have their chemistry questions resolved by the end of the season, the first couple of months of playing together will be spent trying to find a balance between all of the great players on the team. There is only one ball on the court, and there is going to be a lot of possessions spent on finding the Warriors’ ideal game style. I think this team will definitely be great, but I just do not see them clicking right away.

2. DeAngelo Russell wins Most improved player.

DeAngelo Russell was the 2015 Draft’s second pick, but he was a bit of a letdown last season, averaging 13 points, 3 assists, and 3 rebounds. While some see this as decent for a rookie, it looked as though he was going to have better numbers than that, but he didn’t. In the Summer league, he impressed many people watching, as he hit tough shots to win games, and bailed his team out a countless number of times after a bad possession by making a difficult shot. Russell showed us through Summer League that he has been working on his defense and other areas through the offseason, and I expect him to be a much better all around player next year. I think he will average close to 17 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds.

3. The Jazz make the playoffs.

What? The Jazz? Yes, the Jazz. This team is full of young talent, and when Gordon Hayward, Rodney Hood, Derrick Favors, and Rudy Gobert were healthy, they posted a net rating of plus-5.0 points per 100 possessions, regardless of who the fifth body was. That would have been good enough to rank sixth in the league. They also added veterans such as George Hill, Joe Johnson, and Boris Diaw. In addition to those players, Trey Lyles, who had an exceptional Summer League, Alec Burks, and Dante Exum can bolster the bench for the Jazz, giving them a great chance of getting into the playoffs.

4. ….and so do the Timberwolves.

Many say that in a few years, the Wolves can be one of the best teams in the league, but I believe, they can do something now. They obviously won’t be the best team, but they have the potential to make the playoffs. They added Kris Dunn, a Rookie of the Year candidate already, using their fifth pick in the Draft. Partner him with Karl Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, and Zach Lavine, and you get a team that can climb into a lower seed in the conference, making the playoffs.

5. Dwyane Wade at the Bulls proves to be a mistake.

Dwyane Wade left the Miami Heat to go the the Bulls, and I believe he will end up regretting this decision. Fred Hoiberg, the Bulls coach, said he wanted to play a pace-and-space style on the court. A pace-and-space playing style starts with ball movement through passing and driving to the basket, with players setting multiple picks and screens to create open looks. But if multiple players aren’t threats to make their shots from the perimeter, it fails to keep defenses guessing. And neither Wade, Rondo nor Jimmy Butler are good on the perimeter: They are career 28.4, 28.9 and 32.8 percent three-point shooters, respectively. This is going to lead to more ball screens and iso plays, with Rondo struggling at the first, and Wade at the second. All three are good with pick and rolls, but there is only one basketball. Wade on the Bulls will prove to be a very costly mistake, maybe costing Chicago a playoff spot.

6. The Pacers, Celtics, Cavs, and Raptors are the only championship caliber teams in the East.

This one is pretty obvious. While I do think Atlanta can cause some trouble, I do not really see them beating any one of those teams above. They do have a great frontcourt in Millsap and Dwight, but I do not see them making it past the 5 seed. The Pacers rebuilt their roster a bit, adding Jeff Teague and Al Jefferson. If Al can stay away from injuries, the Pacers will be a fun team to watch, as they have more talent off the bench, with Miles Turner, Thaddeus Young, and Ty Lawson. The Celtics added Horford and this really gives them a push, maybe even pushing them into the East Finals. The Raptors re-signed Derozan to a big deal, and you can expect Lowry and Derozan to have another breakout season like last year. Then there are the reigning champions, the Cavaliers.

7. The new Knicks make the playoffs, but barely.

While the Knicks have not made the playoffs in 4 years, I see them barely getting into the 7 or 8 seed. They did add former MVP Derrick Rose, and I think he will help the team. In the last few years, Carmelo Anothony has been carrying the scoring load, but now, if Rose can stay healthy and play at least 70 games, he can give them a real boost. They also added Courtney Lee and Joakim Noah, and they add more to the team with their different skillsets. The reason I do not see them making it higher is because of their weak bench. After newly-signed Brandon Jennings, they do not have any bench players. If everyone can stay healthy, the Knicks could be looking at a lower seed in the top 8 in the East.

8. Westbrook wins MVP.

With a new contract in hand, keeping him with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook is among the favorites to win the MVP next season, and I think he will win it. Westbrook has agreed to three-year $85.7 million contract extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The three-year extension includes a player option for the 2018-2019 season.With Westbrook locked up for at least the next two seasons, expect him to post even more eye popping stats than he did last season. Last year, Russ averaged nearly 24 points 10 assists and eight rebounds. Through the last eight seasons, Westbrook has averaged 8 more points, 2 more rebounds, and 1 more assist without Kevin Durant. But this was before Westbrook became a triple double machine. He tied Magic Johnson’s record for most triple doubles in the past 30 years. Last season, he had four triple doubles under 30 minutes. Many of these came without Durant, and it may have given us a small peek at what Westbrook can do without Kevin Durant. I expect Westbrook to average almost a triple double, and win the Most Valuable Player award.

How Different Free Agents Fit With Their Signed Teams

How Different Free Agents Fit With Their Signed Teams

Pau Gasol to the Spurs: Gasol will most likely take up future Hall Of Famer Tim Duncan’s role. While Duncan may still come off the bench, it was evident through last season that he is not the same player he used to be. Gasol gives the Spurs a better jump shooter, as he knocked down a career high 24 threes last season. On the defensive end, Gasol can be an asset, but he must play with the right players. Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green are just the type of people he needs. Gasol fits perfectly into this Spurs team.

Rajon Rondo signs with the Bulls: This was a horrible signing for the Bulls. Replacing Derrick Rose, a scoring, attacking point guard, with Rondo, a passing, not as attacking player, is not what they needed. Rondo struggles to turn his talent into team success, and adding him does not make the team younger or more athletic, which was the goal of the Bulls management this year. It will be tough for the Bulls to make the playoffs this year.

Harrison Barnes signs with the Mavs: The Dallas Mavericks signed Barnes to a max contract this offseason, in the hope that he will fit the team and give them a scoring edge. Barnes gives this team a good three point shooter with an effective mid-range and average defense, but he is only 24, and he will get better. Barnes will be a great addition to the Mavs, but they need to sort out some things to make themselves into a playoff team.

Al Horford to Boston: Al Horford fits the Celtics perfectly. They have an All Star pointguard in Isaiah Thomas, and you can expect to see a lot of Horford-Thomas pick and rolls, as Horford has proved to be a one of the leagues best shooting big men. Horford also runs the floor, and while the Celtics do not usually post up, Horford can create mismatches across the floor, and maybe score from a post up himself. On defense, Horford is one of the league’s best defensive centers, and he is perfect for a Celtics team that sometimes struggles with defense. This move makes the Celtics a title contender.

Dwight Howard to the Hawks: Dwight Howard signed with the Hawks, replacing Al Horford. Offensively, there will be many pick and rolls with Howard and new-starter Dennis Schroeder. Schroeder is a great driving guard, and he will have an option to drive or throw an alley oop to Howard. Hawks Head Coach Mike Buddenholzer will design many plays for Dwight Howard, and the defense will be great, as the Hawks were the second best defensive team last year.

How Newly Traded Players Fit Into Their New Team

How Newly Traded Players Fit Into Their New Team

Since the NBA Draft, there have been many trades, and here are my opinions on how each player will fit into their new NBA team.

Thunder receive: Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova, Domantas Sabonis
Magic receive: Serge Ibaka

Serge Ibaka on the Magic:
Ibaka told reporters he was growing frustrated with his minutes and shots attempted, as he felt he should be used more in the offense. With Steven Adams having a bigger role in the offense, Ibaka was dumped to the fourth option. This is a good pickup for the Magic, as Vucevic is not a great rim protector, and Ibaka is one of the best in the league in that category. The trade also clears up a crowded backcourt situation. Oladipo, Evan Fournier, and Mario Hezonja all competed for minutes at the 2-guard spot, and the situation was complicated enough that all three of them spent time bouncing between point guard and the nominal small forward position. Fournier’s not a lock to stay on the Magic, but the Oladipo trade signals they’ll be trying to keep him around as he fields offers in restricted free agency. There is still the problem of Aaron Gordon, as many think he should get more minutes. With Ibaka, will Gordon play as a backup, or in the small forward position? There are many questions to be answered about this trade.

Knicks receive: Derrick Rose, Justin Holiday, 2017 2nd round pick
Bulls receive: Robin Lopez, Jose Calderon, Jerian Grant

Derrick Rose on the Knicks:
The Knicks must have seen something in Derrick Rose. He has been plagued for many years because of injuries, but the Knicks see a revival in him. In the first 20 games of the 2015-16 season, Rose, playing with an eye injury, averaged 12.9 points per game in 32.4 minutes, while shooting under 37 percent from the floor, 23 percent from three-point territory and 72 percent on free throws. Then he played 28 games toward the middle of the season, averaging 19.4 points per game in 31.4 minutes, while shooting 46.9 percent from the floor, 35.5 percent from three-point range and 87 percent from the free-throw line. That is a huge step up from his previous 20 games. Many teams did not opt to try and get Rose, as many see his career declining due to injuries. The Knicks were also in dire need of a point guard, as Jose Calderon was arguably the worst starting PG in the NBA. Calderon scored a total of 46 points in the paint over the 2,024 total minutes he played last season. Rose scored 453 points in the paint (10th most in the league) over the 2,097 minutes he played. It is easy to see the drastic difference between the two. The problem is with the defensive side for the Knicks. Robin Lopez, who was part of the deal involving Derrick Rose, was a huge part of the Knicks’ defense, but with him gone, others need to step up. Rose needs to be much better defensively, and Porzingis might get more minutes at the center position.

Thunder receive: Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova, Domantas Sabonis
Magic receive: Serge Ibaka

Victor Oladipo on the Thunder:
First, this trade may propel Kevin Durant, the Thunder’s star player, to stay. Durant has got many offers on the table, but the Thunder want him to stay. They are trying to make the team as good as possible, to lure him back into the team. Second, the Thunder’s weakness has always been in their shooting guard. At PG, Westbrook has always been great, having earned NBA First Team honors last season. Then there is Durant, an all time great scorer, and one of the best players in the league. Steven Adams also had an amazing playoffs, but the Thunder never had a great shooting guard. Dion Waiters and Anthony Morrow were never consistent, and Oladipo is perfect for this team. Oladipo is a great scorer, and this could result in less pressure on Durant and Westbrook, as well as more assists for both. While the Thunder do lose a valuable defensive asset in Ibaka, they gain a great defender in Oladipo, who plays with his hands out, and it great at reading passing lanes. He is also extremely strong and fast. Oladipo’s 116 steals last season were 21st in the NBA. His 56 blocks were the third most among all guards behind only Danny Green and John Wall. On offense, Oladipo can carry some of the load, but he needs to work on his three point shooting. Ibaka used to spread the floor, and Oladipo needs to do just that. Durant and Westbrook can handle the dribbling and creating shots, but Oladipo needs to make himself into a three point threat. It will be very interesting to see if Oladipo can fit into this Thunder team.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are NBA Champions!

The Cleveland Cavaliers are NBA Champions!

The Cleveland Cavaliers are NBA Champions, the drought is over, and it is the first title the state of Ohio has gotten since 1964, 52 years ago. This was an amazing accomplishment for LeBron James, who won Finals MVP, and his Cavaliers, who became the first team to come back from a 3-1 deficit and win Game 7. The Cavs won in a thrilling fashion, winning 93-89. The game was tied at 89 with a minute to go, but the Cavs were able to close it out to claim the trophy.

On the Cavaliers’ side, the scoring came mostly from LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. LeBron had a triple double, with 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists, and it may seem as though he had an outstanding game. It was amazing, but he still was struggling with his jumpshot, going 9-24 from the field. He also had 1 three pointer from 5 tries, but did make 8 free throws out of 10. Kyrie Irving had an amazing game as well, scoring 26 points, going crazy in the third quarter. He was a close second for Finals MVP, as he helped the Cavs win the championship, delivering in the final moments. Kevin Love, who received a lot of criticism throughout the year, showed his worth to the team by grabbing 14 points, and Cleveland was +19 when he was on the court. JR Smith shot 2 for 8 from three, but those two makes came in good time, as the Cavs were down 7 heading into the half, and JR cut into that lead in the third with those threes. Tyronn Lue, who coached a fabulous game, did not go deep into his bench, as 5 of the 13 guys did not play. Everyone who played for the Cavs scored, even Mo Williams in his 5 minutes.

Then there was the Warriors. Draymond Green decided to show up in Game 7. At half, he had 22 points, 5-5 from three. He caught the Cavs defense sleeping many times, and drained open three pointers. Often the Cavs would not contest his shots at full strength, and he made them pay. He was extremely hot, but in the second half, Steve Kerr did not draw plays up for Draymond, and, as a result, Green only had 10 in the second half. It was disappointing, as the Warriors could have won if Green was fed the ball more. Stephen Curry, on the other hand, had an absolutely horrible night. He had 17 points, 6-19 from the field, 4-14 from three, and 4 turnovers. These are not the type of numbers we usually see from an MVP. Going into the fourth, it was extremely close, and many expected Curry to step up and make his mark on the Finals, but he did not do this. He shot 1 of 6 in the fourth quarter, and missed two threes in the final two minutes that could have kept the Warriors in the game. This Finals may been the worst showing by a regular season MVP in NBA history. Klay Thompson also did not help the Warriors’ cause much, as he had 14 points, shooting 20% from three, and 6-19 from the field. His shots were a lot closer than Curry’s shots in the fourth quarter, and two of Curry’s did not even hit the rim. Klay’s threes tended to go in-and-out, but still leaving the Warriors looking for answers. Steve Kerr decided to start Festus Ezeli instead of Iguodala to give the Warriors more size in the paint, but this proved to be a bad decision, as Ezeli only had 1 rebound and was 0 for 4 from the field. Although this was a close game, it was a disappointing showing from the Warriors.

The last two minutes of Game 7 were riveting, and most of the viewers were sitting on the edge of their seats. It began with the two teams tied at 89 apiece. The Warriors got a steal, and started a fastbreak, ending up with a 2 on 1. Curry bounce passed the ball to Iguodala, who avoided JR Smith and looked like it was about to be an easy layup for him. From out of nowhere, LeBron James jumped up to chasedown block Iguodala’s layup. Many see this as one of the greatest blocks in NBA history. After the teams swapped possessions for a minute, the Cavs took a timeout. They came out with a pick and roll to get Curry onto Irving. After dribbling the ball side to side, Irving stepped to his right and elevated, hitting a clutch three over Curry. The score was 92-89, and many see this play as the game winner. The Warriors came down court and put the ball in Curry’s hands. They got a switch, and it was now Kevin Love on Stephen Curry. When many hear that matchup, it is easy to think that Curry will put some moves on Love and hit a three, but Love played excellent defense , forcing a tough shot and a Curry miss. With 18 seconds left on the clock, 14 on the shot clock, the Cavs inbounded it to Kyrie, who pushed the ball to the rim, only to find LeBron James cutting to the hoop. James extended his arm and looked as though he was about to poster Draymond Green, but Green made a smart play and fouled LeBron. It took James time to get up, and he was seen grabbing his right wrist. He hit a clutch free throw, but missed one, leaving the Warriors down by 4 with 10 seconds. After the Cavs fouled with 6.5 left in Game 7, Curry got the ball and missed a decent look, one that he has been hitting all year. The game was over, and Cleveland were NBA Champions.

The Warriors historic season came to an end at the hands of the Cavaliers. This resulted in tears of happiness for LeBron James, who came home to Cleveland, promising a championship. Congratulations to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 2015-16 NBA Champions!