As the Cleveland Cavaliers moped off the court Tuesday night -- heads down, shoulders slumped -- LeBron James waited with his arms extended. He slapped five with each and every one of his deflated teammates, a gesture that screamed typical LeBron. "The King" was playing for the cameras, as always, but I don't think many of us were buying the fake camaraderie.
To the contrary of his outward behavior, I wonder, is LeBron to blame for the Cavs' finger-pointing and overall dysfunction?
Before I dive into this abyss, let's get one thing straight: LeBron is the reason the Cavs have reached the Eastern Conference Finals. He's the reason they swept a better all-around team in the Raptors. So, I'm not questioning his on-court value, and I never would.
The questions here are...has LeBron pumped his teammates full of confidence? Has he welcomed Jordan Clarkson, Rodney Hood, George Hill and Larry Nance? As the GM, head coach, leader and face of the franchise, has he gone the extra mile to make sure Koby Altman's acquisitions settled into comfortable roles within Cleveland's offense? What about simply teaching them how to play off his penetration and one-on-one playmaking?
Tuesday Hood played 11 minutes. Same for Nance. Hill scored 3 points in 33 minutes and last but not least...Clarkson was a DNP Coach's Decision!
I mean seriously, how can that be? In just 29 minutes per game last season, Clarkson averaged 15 points for the Baby Lakers. The athletic young guard shot roughly 45% from the floor and 80% from the line. For most of his career, he's been an aggressive offensive performer with sneaky explosiveness off the bounce. That very same player is averaging 5.1 PPG this postseason on 32% FG shooting.
How can you get so much worse, playing with the best basketball player in the world? An unselfish on-court player, no less. Something isn't adding up, here.
On February 11, in Clarkson's first game with the Cavs, he went 7-of-11 with 17 points in just 23 minutes. He connected on 3-of-4 from downtown, while chipping in 3 rebounds and 2 steals. The Cavs played with a ton of energy that night, and LeBron made a concerted effort to seek out both Clarkson and Hood. The latter left-hander drilled 6-of-11 for 15 points, 3 threes and 3 rebounds. In these playoffs, Hood is averaging 4.9 points and shooting 11% from three.
So what the hell happened to these kids? Hood was considered a primary scorer for a Jazz playoff team. Clarkson was a go-to one-on-one creator for the Lakers. Why have they dissipated into thin air playing alongside LeBron?
Of course, one explanation is that they are choking. Maybe they can't handle the scrutiny of a team that gets national TV exposure and daily hot takes from industry pundits. Maybe LeBron's reputation alone is too much for them to handle. But I don't know. I saw a lot of potential in their very first game with the Cavs.
They CRUSHED the Celtics 121-99 that night. And Kyrie Irving was out there and healthy for the Celtics at that point. The Cavs were the darlings of media coverage the next day. "GM" Altman was getting plenty of positive buzz. Everyone was saying it was Cleveland's conference to lose.
Something is different now. Hood played his way out of the rotation, eventually leading to his refusal to enter a playoff game at garbage time. That's bush league, and has nothing to do with LeBron -- I personally think Hood should have been suspended by the team for the remainder of the playoffs -- but why have things devolved to this point? Why haven't Clarkson or Hood received the touches they had on night one in a Cleveland uniform?
In the end, the players have to perform. They may not like their roles or lack of rhythm touches, but you have to play well if you want an expanded role.
The problem for LeBron, Tyronn Lue and their Cavs is that this isn't the best possible version of their team. Right now they are leaning on veterans who will do an adequate job -- Kyle Korver, Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith -- but they didn't unload Isaiah Thomas, Dwyane Wade, Jae Crowder and Derrick Rose to get NOTHING in return.
One would think LeBron, Lue and Altman would want to conjure ways to make Clarkson, Hood and Nance integral parts of their steady rotation. That just hasn't happened. And we know LeBron has a history of taking the credit when things are going well, then throwing his teammates under the bus when they aren't.
The Warriors and Celtics thrive on positive energy passed from the front office down to the coaching staff and through the players. Everyone keeps each other upbeat. Positive plays are rewarded; negative plays are forgotten.
That's not the way it goes with LeBron. It wasn't like that with Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant, either. Some stars expect greatness, and berate anything below it.
Clarkson, Hood and Nance probably would have been better off in a more welcoming "team" environment, but that's just not the situation they are in. And they haven't made the best of it.
Can this hodgepodge group of misfit toys put it together in Game 3?
I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Thursday, May 17, 2018
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Dissecting the Playoff Careers of CP3, Curry, Harden & Westbrook: Are These Guys Clutch?
Late Sunday night, I was taking a beating from Mark "HD" Rue and Ernest "E-Sharp" Lindain.
The following evening, Sam Ytuarte and Billy Valeriano continued the assault on my opinions. So what were these four, sophisticated NBA minds so worked up about?
Well, I refused to call Stephen Curry "clutch." I told them all that LeBron James and Kevin Durant are at the top of the heap -- in terms of carrying over their regular season production into the postseason -- while Curry, Chris Paul, James Harden and Russell Westbrook are in a similar category...one where their clutchability can be questioned because their playoff production dips below who they've established themselves to be.
Before I get into the comparisons, I want to establish some important points:
(1) I try not to punish or reward an individual player too much for his TEAM'S ultimate success in the postseason. For example, until now, Harden has never had a Rockets' team that could compete with the depth and talent of Steph's Warriors. How can we say trite things like his team has never won it all, when he's never actually had the best team? However, this season, since the Rockets were the No. 1 seed in the West, we can knock Harden if he struggles and Houston ultimately loses in the Western Conference Finals.
(2) When I evaluate players and their teams' runs in the postseason, I compare them to what they have already established. For example, I'm not gonna say, well, Anthony Davis and the Pelicans didn't come through because they lost in the Western Conference Semifinals. Based on what we knew coming in, they went as far as they should have gone, right? They weren't beating the Warriors or Rockets, so they accomplished what they should have, if not better. Their season was a success, even though they lost.
I'm sure more will come up, but let's get into it...
The following evening, Sam Ytuarte and Billy Valeriano continued the assault on my opinions. So what were these four, sophisticated NBA minds so worked up about?
Well, I refused to call Stephen Curry "clutch." I told them all that LeBron James and Kevin Durant are at the top of the heap -- in terms of carrying over their regular season production into the postseason -- while Curry, Chris Paul, James Harden and Russell Westbrook are in a similar category...one where their clutchability can be questioned because their playoff production dips below who they've established themselves to be.
Before I get into the comparisons, I want to establish some important points:
(1) I try not to punish or reward an individual player too much for his TEAM'S ultimate success in the postseason. For example, until now, Harden has never had a Rockets' team that could compete with the depth and talent of Steph's Warriors. How can we say trite things like his team has never won it all, when he's never actually had the best team? However, this season, since the Rockets were the No. 1 seed in the West, we can knock Harden if he struggles and Houston ultimately loses in the Western Conference Finals.
(2) When I evaluate players and their teams' runs in the postseason, I compare them to what they have already established. For example, I'm not gonna say, well, Anthony Davis and the Pelicans didn't come through because they lost in the Western Conference Semifinals. Based on what we knew coming in, they went as far as they should have gone, right? They weren't beating the Warriors or Rockets, so they accomplished what they should have, if not better. Their season was a success, even though they lost.
I'm sure more will come up, but let's get into it...
Chris Paul: 10 postseason appearances, 37.4 minutes per game, 21.5 pts, 9.1 asts, 4.8 rebs, 2.6 TOs, 0.1 blks, 2.2 stls, 48.5% FG, 4.9 FT attempts, 84.9% FT, 4.3 3pt attempts and 38% 3pt.
James Harden: 9 postseason appearances, 34.5 minutes per game, 21.5 pts, 5.5 asts, 5.2 rebs, 3.2 TOs, 0.4 blks, 1.7 stls, 42.0% FG, 7.8 FT attempts, 87.1% FT, 6.4 3pt attempts and 33.6% 3pt.
Stephen Curry: 6 postseason appearances, 37.5 minutes per game, 26.1 pts, 6.5 asts, 5.1 rebs, 3.7 TOs, 0.2 blks, 1.8 stls, 45.4% FG, 5.2 FT attempts, 89.1% FT, 10.1 3pt attempts and 41.2% 3pt.
Russell Westbrook: 8 postseason appearances, 37.9 minutes per game, 25.5 pts, 7.8 asts, 6.9 rebs, 3.9 TOs, 0.3 blks, 1.9 stls, 41.3% FG, 7.7 FT attempts, 84.0% FT, 4.6 3pt attempts and 30% 3pt.
Important Points and Observations
1. Directly comparing their numbers isn't the best way to analyze these players. There are dozens of reasons why, but here are a few in short order:
2. Their styles of play are different. Curry relies on the three-point line, as we can see from his 10.1 attempts per playoff game, which are more than DOUBLE both Paul and Westbrook. Harden and Westbrook love to attack the basket and get to the charity stripe, as evidenced by their nearly identical FT attempt averages around 7.7-7.8. Curry and Paul are more around 5. Three extra FT attempts per game can be valuable, particularly at the end of close games.
3. Westbrook's usage rate is through the roof. Behind Michael Jordan, he's second in the history of the NBA in having the ball in his hands. Harden is 17th, Curry is 25th and Paul is 110th. Obviously, that makes Paul more efficient, and Westbrook less. You could say that Westbrook has an unfair advantage in the cumulative statistics, while Paul has a clear disadvantage.
4. As you can see, Harden has the LEAST minutes per game because Scott Brooks was on Mars early in his career. "The Beard" played only 20 minutes per game in the 2009-10 playoffs. Only 31.6 minutes in 10-11, compared to 43.8 with the Rockets in 13-14.
5. These are guards and as you can see from the stats, blocks aren't important. I am officially eliminating blocks from this discussion.
Part II: Ranking the Importance of the Stat Categories (per game)
This is MY opinion, in terms of importance to success in basketball, particularly for star guards like these:
1. Points
2. FG%
3. Assists
4. Free throw attempts
5. Three-point attempts (we know the teams that attempt more threes tend to be more successful in recent years)
6. Turnovers
7. Three-point percentage
8. Rebounds
9. Free throw percentage
10. Steals
1. Points: Curry, Westbrook, Harden/Paul (tie)
2. Points, adjusted for Harden's time in Houston, only (to be fair in terms of usage and being an offensive focal point for his team): Harden, Curry, Westbrook, Paul. Harden averages 27.5 PPG.
3. FG%: Paul, Curry, Harden, Westbrook.
4. Assists: Paul, Westbrook, Curry, Harden.
5. Assists, adjusted for Harden's time in Houston: Paul, Harden, Curry, Westbrook. Harden averages 7.2 APG.
6. FT Attempts: Harden, Westbrook, Curry, Paul.
7. 3pt Attempts: Curry, Harden, Westbrook, Paul.
8. Turnovers (least to most): Paul, Harden, Curry, Westbrook.
9. Turnovers, adjusted for Harden's time in Houston: Paul, Curry, Westbrook, Harden. Harden averages 4.3 turnovers per game.
10. 3pt %: Curry, Paul, Harden, Westbrook.
11. Rebounds: Westbrook, Harden, Curry, Paul.
12. FT%: Curry, Harden, Paul, Westbrook. FT percentage is not very important for this group. Everyone is an excellent FT shooter. None of them are a liability.
13: Steals: Paul, other 3 essentially tied.
14. Steals, adjusted for Harden's time in Houston: Paul, Harden, Westbrook, Curry. Harden moves to 2.0 stls per game. Still negligible with Westbrook and Curry. Overall steals aren't very important within this foursome.
Important Points and Observations
1. We're really splitting hairs here, aren't we?
2. It's really only fair to focus on Harden's time in Houston. Curry, Paul and Westbrook have ALWAYS been playoff focal points for their respective teams. Harden was not a focal point in OKC because of Westbrook and Durant.
3. Harden wins points and free throw attempts.
4. Curry wins three-point attempts, three-point percentage and free throw percentage.
5. Paul wins FG%, assists, least turnovers and steals.
6. Westbrook wins rebounds.
You are free to draw your own conclusions from these results. Depends on the stat categories you value.
Part IV: Career Regular Season Averages
Chris Paul: 13 seasons, 35.3 minutes per game, 18.7 pts, 9.8 asts, 4.5 rebs, 2.4 TOs, 2.3 stls, 47.2 FG%, 4.9 FT attempts, 86.8 FT%, 3.4 3pt attempts and 37.2 3pt %.
James Harden: 9 seasons, 33.8 minutes per game, 23 pts, 6.1 asts, 5.1 rebs, 3.5 TOs, 1.5 stls, 44.3 FG%, 8.3 FT attempts, 85.4 FT%, 6.6 3pt attempts and 36.4 3pt %.
Harden on the Rockets, only: 27.9 PPG, 7.7 APG, 4.3 TOs
Stephen Curry: 9 seasons, 34.4 minutes per game, 23.1 pts, 6.8 asts, 4.4 rebs, 3.2 TOs, 1.8 stls, 47.7 FG%, 4 FT attempts, 90.3 FT%, 7.8 3pt attempts and 43.6% 3pt %.
Russell Westbrook: 10 seasons, 34.4 minutes per game, 23.0 pts, 8.2 asts, 4.0 TOs, 1.7 stls, 43.5 FG%, 7.2 FT attempts, 81.4 FT%, 3.5 3pt attempts and 31.1 3pt %.
Part V: Comparing Regular Season Performance to the Playoffs
In my opinion, this is the BEST way to determine if a player is clutch in the playoffs, status quo or chokes a bit. I mean, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT 4 OF THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE HISTORY OF BASKETBALL, HERE. No one is disputing how good any of these guys are. To pick between them is generally a matter of preference.
But...if we're talking about clutch...well, shouldn't you at least be able to duplicate your regular season output? Maybe not because defenses are tougher and opposing teams are better. Who the hell knows? So many questions and hypotheticals...
The most important comparisons are points, FG%, assists, turnovers, FT attempts, 3pt attempts and 3pt%.
Chris Paul: Increases 2.8 PPG, Drops 0.7 APG, Adds 0.2 TOs, Increases 1.3% FG, exactly the same FT attempts, adds 0.9 3pt attempts and Increases 0.8% in 3pt. Summary: Improves in 4 categories, gets worse in 2, stays the same in 1.
James Harden (first 3 categories, Rockets only, rest are all-inclusive): Drops 0.4 PPG, Drops 0.5 APG, exact same turnovers, Drops 2.3% FG, Drops 2.8 3pt% too lazy for FT and 3pt attempt calculations, but both of his increase in the playoffs. Summary: Improves in 2 categories, gets worse in 4, stays the same in 1.
Stephen Curry: Increases 3 PPG, Drops 0.3 APG, Adds 0.5 TOs, Drops 2.3% FG, Adds 1.2 FT attempts, adds 2.3 3pt attempts and Drops 2.4% in 3pt. Summary: Improves in 3 categories, gets worse in 4.
Russell Westbrook: Increases 2.5 PPG, Drops 0.4 asts, Drops 0.1 TOs, FG% Drops 2.2, Increases 0.5 FT attempts, Increases 3pt attempts by 2.9 and Increases 3 pt% by 2.5. Summary: Improves in 4 categories, gets worse in 2, essentially the same in turnovers.
Important Points and Observations
1. Paul, Curry and Westbrook all have significant point increases. Harden is basically status quo.
2. Paul attempts an extra three-pointer per game in the playoffs, and his percentage goes UP.
3. Harden has notable drops in FG% and 3pt%.
4. Curry has notable drops in FG% and 3pt%.
5. Westbrook has a notable drop in FG%.
6. Who would have thought that Westbrook's three-point percentage would INCREASE by 2.5?
1. Playoff appearances: Paul (10), Harden (9), Westbrook (8) and Curry (6).
2. Conference Finals appearances: Curry (4, 1 pending), Harden (4, 1 pending), Westbrook (4) and Paul (1).
3. NBA Finals appearances: Curry (3), Westbrook (1), Harden (1) and Paul (0).
4. NBA Finals wins: Curry (2), Harden (0), Westbrook (0) and Paul (0).
I think Part V is the best indicator of clutchability, but everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion.
So...what is your conclusion?
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
MLB Top 250 Players: Electric Aces, Outstanding Outfielders and A Special Second Baseman Top My List
With the NBA Playoffs and NFL Draft dominating recent headlines here at John Frascella Sports, my MLB Top 250 Players series has been forced to take a backseat. With that in mind, I'm going to wrap it up in one shot. Here's how we got to this point:
Players 250 down to 240
Players 239 down to 230
Players 229 down to 201
Players 200 down to 180
And remember, these rankings were compiled PRIOR to the 2018 MLB season. Countdown...right now:
179. Greg Holland, RP, Cardinals
178. Maikel Franco, 3B, Phillies
177. Adam Eaton, OF, Nationals
176. Rich Hill, SP, Dodgers
175. Steven Souza, OF, Diamondbacks
174. Alex Cobb, SP, Orioles
173. Rougned Odor, 2B, Rangers
172. Matt Kemp, OF, Dodgers
171. Danny Duffy, SP, Royals
170. Sonny Gray, SP, Yankees
169. Fernando Rodney, CP, Twins
168. Jed Lowrie, 2B, A's
167. Justin Bour, 1B, Marlins
166. Kevin Kiermaier, CF, Rays
165. Shin-Soo Choo, OF, Rangers
164. Felix Hernandez, SP, Mariners
163. Ian Happ, OF, Cubs
162. Mark Trumbo, DH, Orioles
161. Kendrys Morales, DH, Blue Jays
160. Whit Merrifield, 2B, Royals
159. J.T. Realmuto, C, Marlins
158. Cesar Hernandez, 2B, Phillies
157. Rafael Devers, 3B, Red Sox
156. Dylan Bundy, SP, Orioles
155. Scooter Gennett, 2B, Reds
154. Jon Gray, SP, Rockies
153. Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Red Sox
152. Marwin Gonzalez, Utility, Astros
151. Cole Hamels, SP, Rangers
150. Billy Hamilton, OF, Reds
149. Jeurys Familia, CP, Mets
148. Roberto Osuna, CP, Blue Jays
147. Ken Giles, CP, Astros
146. Jake Odorizzi, SP, Twins
145. Logan Morrison, DH, Twins
144. Brad Hand, RP, Padres
143. Kevin Pillar, OF, Blue Jays
142. Lance Lynn, SP, Twins
141. David Robertson, RP, Yankees
140. Chris Taylor, OF, Dodgers
139. Yasiel Puig, OF, Dodgers
138. Brett Gardner, OF, Dodgers
137. Ender Inciarte, OF, Braves
136. Evan Longoria, 3B, Giants
135. Aaron Nola, SP, Phillies
134. Domingo Santana, OF, Brewers
133. Matt Carpenter, 3B, Cardinals
132. Trey Mancini, OF, Orioles
131. Raisel Iglesias, CP, Reds
130. Rick Porcello, SP, Red Sox
129. Felipe Rivero, CP, Pirates
128. Zach Britton, CP, Orioles
127. Josh Bell, 1B, Pirates
126. Cody Allen, CP, Indians
125. Jeff Samardzija, SP, Giants
124. Kyle Seager, 3B, Mariners
123. Joey Gallo, 1B, Rangers
122. Eduardo Nunez, Utility, Red Sox
121. Drew Pomeranz, SP, Red Sox
120. J.A. Happ, SP, Blue Jays
119. Andrelton Simmons, SS, Angels
118. Alex Bregman, 3B, Astros
117. Willson Contreras, C, Cubs
116. Yuli Gurriel, 1B, Astros
115. Michael Conforto, OF, Mets
114. Eddie Rosario, OF, Twins
113. Marcus Stroman, SP, Blue Jays
112. Jose Berrios, SP, Twins
111. Masahiro Tanaka, SP, Yankees
110. Wil Myers, OF, Padres
109. Avisail Garcia, OF, White Sox
108. Mike Moustakas, 3B, Royals
107. Alex Colome, CP, Rays
106. Jose Quintana, SP, Cubs
105. David Price, SP, Red Sox
104. Rhys Hoskins, OF, Phillies
103. DJ LeMahieu, 2B, Rockies
102. Xander Bogaerts, SS, Red Sox
101. Zack Cozart, 3B, Angels
58. Yu Darvish, SP, Cubs
26. Stephen Strasburg, SP, Nationals
18. Freddie Freeman, 1B, Braves
5. Bryce Harper, OF, Nationals
ANGRY DISAGREEMENTS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME!
Players 250 down to 240
Players 239 down to 230
Players 229 down to 201
Players 200 down to 180
And remember, these rankings were compiled PRIOR to the 2018 MLB season. Countdown...right now:
179. Greg Holland, RP, Cardinals
178. Maikel Franco, 3B, Phillies
177. Adam Eaton, OF, Nationals
176. Rich Hill, SP, Dodgers
175. Steven Souza, OF, Diamondbacks
174. Alex Cobb, SP, Orioles
173. Rougned Odor, 2B, Rangers
172. Matt Kemp, OF, Dodgers
171. Danny Duffy, SP, Royals
170. Sonny Gray, SP, Yankees
169. Fernando Rodney, CP, Twins
168. Jed Lowrie, 2B, A's
167. Justin Bour, 1B, Marlins
166. Kevin Kiermaier, CF, Rays
165. Shin-Soo Choo, OF, Rangers
164. Felix Hernandez, SP, Mariners
163. Ian Happ, OF, Cubs
162. Mark Trumbo, DH, Orioles
161. Kendrys Morales, DH, Blue Jays
160. Whit Merrifield, 2B, Royals
159. J.T. Realmuto, C, Marlins
158. Cesar Hernandez, 2B, Phillies
157. Rafael Devers, 3B, Red Sox
156. Dylan Bundy, SP, Orioles
155. Scooter Gennett, 2B, Reds
154. Jon Gray, SP, Rockies
153. Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Red Sox
152. Marwin Gonzalez, Utility, Astros
151. Cole Hamels, SP, Rangers
150. Billy Hamilton, OF, Reds
149. Jeurys Familia, CP, Mets
148. Roberto Osuna, CP, Blue Jays
147. Ken Giles, CP, Astros
146. Jake Odorizzi, SP, Twins
145. Logan Morrison, DH, Twins
144. Brad Hand, RP, Padres
143. Kevin Pillar, OF, Blue Jays
142. Lance Lynn, SP, Twins
141. David Robertson, RP, Yankees
140. Chris Taylor, OF, Dodgers
139. Yasiel Puig, OF, Dodgers
138. Brett Gardner, OF, Dodgers
137. Ender Inciarte, OF, Braves
136. Evan Longoria, 3B, Giants
135. Aaron Nola, SP, Phillies
134. Domingo Santana, OF, Brewers
133. Matt Carpenter, 3B, Cardinals
132. Trey Mancini, OF, Orioles
131. Raisel Iglesias, CP, Reds
130. Rick Porcello, SP, Red Sox
129. Felipe Rivero, CP, Pirates
128. Zach Britton, CP, Orioles
127. Josh Bell, 1B, Pirates
126. Cody Allen, CP, Indians
125. Jeff Samardzija, SP, Giants
124. Kyle Seager, 3B, Mariners
123. Joey Gallo, 1B, Rangers
122. Eduardo Nunez, Utility, Red Sox
121. Drew Pomeranz, SP, Red Sox
120. J.A. Happ, SP, Blue Jays
119. Andrelton Simmons, SS, Angels
118. Alex Bregman, 3B, Astros
117. Willson Contreras, C, Cubs
116. Yuli Gurriel, 1B, Astros
115. Michael Conforto, OF, Mets
114. Eddie Rosario, OF, Twins
113. Marcus Stroman, SP, Blue Jays
112. Jose Berrios, SP, Twins
111. Masahiro Tanaka, SP, Yankees
110. Wil Myers, OF, Padres
109. Avisail Garcia, OF, White Sox
108. Mike Moustakas, 3B, Royals
107. Alex Colome, CP, Rays
106. Jose Quintana, SP, Cubs
105. David Price, SP, Red Sox
104. Rhys Hoskins, OF, Phillies
103. DJ LeMahieu, 2B, Rockies
102. Xander Bogaerts, SS, Red Sox
101. Zack Cozart, 3B, Angels
JOHN FRASCELLA'S TOP 100 MLB PLAYERS
100. Ryan Zimmerman, 1B, Nationals
99. Carlos Santana, 1B, Phillies
98. Hanley Ramirez, Utility, Red Sox
97. Michael Fulmer, SP, Tigers
96. Alex Wood, SP, Dodgers
95. Ervin Santana, SP, Twins
94. Lance McCullers, SP, Astros
93. Salvador Perez, C, Royals
92. Yadier Molina, C, Cardinals
91. Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Tigers
90. Travis Shaw, 3B, Brewers
89. James Paxton, SP, Mariners
88. Miguel Sano, 3B, Twins
87. Starling Marte, OF, Pirates
86. Jean Segura, SS, Mariners
85. Christian Yelich, OF, Brewers
84. Adam Duvall, OF, Reds
83. Jonathan Schoop, 2B, Orioles
82. Johnny Cueto, SP, Giants
81. Jay Bruce, OF, Mets
80. Adrian Beltre, 3B, Rangers
79. Gio Gonzalez, SP, Nationals
78. Trevor Bauer, SP, Indians
77. Wade Davis, CP, Rockies
76. Jake Lamb, 3B, Diamondbacks
75. Andrew Benintendi, OF, Red Sox
74. Corey Knebel, CP, Brewers
73. Adam Jones, OF, Orioles
72. Justin Smoak, 1B, Blue Jays
71. Luis Severino, SP, Yankees
70. Chris Archer, SP, Rays
69. Elvis Andrus, SS, Rangers
68. Gerrit Cole, SP, Astros
67. Carlos Carrasco, SP, Indians
66. Robbie Ray, SP, Diamondbacks
65. Jon Lester, SP, Cubs
64. A.J. Pollock, OF, Diamondbacks
63. Kyle Hendricks, SP, Cubs
62. Ryan Braun, OF, Brewers
61. Tommy Pham, OF, Cardinals
60. Trea Turner, SS, Nationals
59. Didi Gregorius, SS, Yankees
58. Yu Darvish, SP, Cubs
57. Andrew McCutchen, OF, Giants
56. Lorenzo Cain, OF, Brewers
55. Dee Gordon, OF, Mariners
54. Carlos Martinez, SP, Cardinals
53. Jake Arrieta, SP, Phillies
52. Aroldis Chapman, CP, Yankees
51. Buster Posey, C, Giants
THE TOP 50 BASEBALL PLAYERS IN THE WORLD
50. Anthony Rendon, 3B, Nationals
49. Cody Bellinger, 1B, Dodgers
48. Eric Hosmer, 1B, Padres
47. Andrew Miller, RP, Indians
46. Justin Upton, OF, Angels
45. Robinson Cano, 2B, Mariners
44. Kenley Jansen, CP, Dodgers
43. Zack Greinke, SP, Diamondbacks
42. Edwin Encarnacion, 1B, Indians
41. Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Cubs
40. Craig Kimbrel, CP, Red Sox
39. Dallas Keuchel, SP, Astros
38. Yoenis Cespedes, OF, Mets
37. Gary Sanchez, C, Yankees
36. Khris Davis, OF, A's
35. Madison Bumgarner, SP, Giants
34. Brian Dozier, 2B, Twins
33. Jose Abreu, 1B, White Sox
32. Noah Syndergaard, SP, Mets
31. George Springer, OF, Astros
30. Corey Seager, SS, Dodgers
29. Jose Ramirez, 3B, Indians
28. Marcell Ozuna, OF, Cardinals
27. Justin Turner, 3B, Dodgers
26. Stephen Strasburg, SP, Nationals
THE TOP 25 BALLPLAYERS IN THE UNIVERSE
25. Josh Donaldson, 3B, Blue Jays
24. Justin Verlander, SP, Astros
23. Daniel Murphy, 2B, Nationals
22. Jacob deGrom, SP, Mets
21. Manny Machado, SS/3B, Orioles
20. Mookie Betts, OF, Red Sox
19. Francisco Lindor, SS, Indians
18. Freddie Freeman, 1B, Braves
17. Giancarlo Stanton, OF, Yankees
16. Nelson Cruz, DH, Mariners
15. Carlos Correa, SS, Astros
14. Kris Bryant, 3B, Cubs
13. J.D. Martinez, OF, Red Sox
12. Corey Kluber, SP, Indians
11. Joey Votto, 1B, Reds
THE ABSOLUTE BEST OF THE BEST
10. Charlie Blackmon, OF, Rockies
9. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Rockies
8. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Diamondbacks
7. Aaron Judge, OF, Yankees
6. Clayton Kershaw, SP, Dodgers
5. Bryce Harper, OF, Nationals
4. Chris Sale, SP, Red Sox
3. Mike Trout, OF, Angels
2. Max Scherzer, SP, Nationals
1. Jose Altuve, 2B, Astros
ANGRY DISAGREEMENTS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME!
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
NBA Top 50 Players List: Is Anthony Davis Coming for LeBron, KD and The Beard?
Human beings are creatures of habit.
Every year at this time -- because of the passion, competitiveness and excitement of the NBA Playoffs -- I feel the urge to rank the best basketball players in the world. Of course, the obvious issue is that there are about 70-80 all-star caliber players in the league right now. I've never seen a talent base like this.
And then there's the age-old question...what makes one player better than another? How do we distinguish between polar opposite superstars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Stephen Curry? What about the differences between Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook? And exactly how much weight should we place on the postseason?
Well, this is what I wrote in last year's rankings:
Every year at this time -- because of the passion, competitiveness and excitement of the NBA Playoffs -- I feel the urge to rank the best basketball players in the world. Of course, the obvious issue is that there are about 70-80 all-star caliber players in the league right now. I've never seen a talent base like this.
And then there's the age-old question...what makes one player better than another? How do we distinguish between polar opposite superstars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Stephen Curry? What about the differences between Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook? And exactly how much weight should we place on the postseason?
Well, this is what I wrote in last year's rankings:
1. With the exception of the unselfish, ball movement offenses of the Warriors and Spurs, most NBA teams rely on one-on-one play down the stretch of tight games. So, can this player use the drive/pass/shoot threat to effectively manipulate opposing defenses at crunchtime? Can this star lead his team to victory with controlled, high-percentage, high-IQ plays under pressure?
2. Does this player have a positive impact on the on-and-off court culture of his club? Basketball is a team game and rhythm sport, so a selfish star can spiral a team in the wrong direction. A good attitude is contagious. That's a cold you want to catch.
3. Is this player consistently healthy?
(I'm not even going to mention physical ability because that's a given on this list, right? Well, I guess I just mentioned it anyway.)
And much of that is still true, but I'd like to add the following:
The regular season isn't real. It's one, long 82-game illusion. Look at some of these trends:
1. In the 2015/16 regular season, Curry shot 50.4% from the floor. In the playoffs, he dropped down to 43.8%.
2. In the 2016/17 regular season, James Harden shot 44% from the floor. In the playoffs, he dropped down to 41%. His three-point shooting dropped from 34.7% to 27.8%.
3. In the 2017/18 regular season, Westbrook shot 44.9% from the floor. In 4 playoff games against the feisty Jazz, he is shooting 36.7%.
So what's the explanation for this phenomenon? Well, the easy way out is to say that they are choking -- and let's be honest, Curry, Harden and Westbrook have ALL displayed some mental issues/blocks in the playoffs -- but the reality lies somewhere in here:
1. NBA players make millions and millions of dollars. Eighty-two regular season games, plus travel -- that's asking a lot. Yes, these guys have some of the best strength-and-conditioning coaches in the world, but that doesn't change the fact that basketball is a physically taxing game. That means, not surprisingly, guys take nights off. Sometimes, during the regular season, they are merely going through the motions. The result is that super-talented players like Westbrook, Harden and Curry can easily pad their stats against minimal defensive effort. Very simply, in the playoffs, that minimal effort transitions to MAXIMUM.
2. Not only are they playing against a higher level of defensive effort, they are also contending with a higher level of overall play. We're talking about the best teams and players in the world, here.
3. High-leverage games usually mean more minutes on the floor. That can sometimes lead to fatigue at exactly the wrong times. And of course, pressure, pressure, pressure.
So hell yeahhhh the playoffs matter! The regular season isn't real NBA basketball. Stars should be evaluated under pressure against max-effort D.
Anyway, enough foreplay, let's get into my list...
I've written about these guys so many times in the past, that this is LIST ONLY. If you'd like to read some past analysis, go here:
2016-17 NBA Top 25 Players (year end)
2016-17 NBA Top 100 Players (beginning of season)
HONORABLE MENTION (in no particular order)
Nikola Mirotic, PF, Pelicans
Jaylen Brown, SF, Celtics
Enes Kanter, C, Knicks
DeAndre Jordan, C, Clippers
Isaiah Thomas, PG, Lakers
Dario Saric, PF, 76ers
Nikola Vucevic, C, Magic
JOHNNY FRO'S TOP 50 NBA PLAYERS AS OF APRIL 25, 2018
50. Aaron Gordon, F, Magic
49. Dwight Howard, C, Hornets
48. Al Horford, C, Celtics
47. Lou Williams, G, Clippers
46. Tobias Harris, F, Clippers
45. Andrew Wiggins, SF, Timberwolves
44. Mike Conley, PG, Grizzlies
43. Clint Capela, C, Rockets
42. Gordon Hayward, G/F, Celtics
41. Ricky Rubio, PG, Jazz
40. Paul Millsap, PF, Nuggets
39. Rudy Gobert, C, Jazz
38. Goran Dragic, PG, Heat
37. Kevin Love, PF, Cavs
36. Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Knicks
35. Blake Griffin, PF, Pistons
34. Kyle Lowry, PG, Raptors
33. Khris Middleton, G/F, Bucks
32. C.J. McCollum, SG, Blazers
31. Marc Gasol, C, Grizzlies
30. Bradley Beal, SG, Wizards
29. Kemba Walker, PG, Hornets
28. Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Timberwolves
27. Draymond Green, PF, Warriors
26. Devin Booker, G/F, Suns
25. Nikola Jokic, C, Nuggets
24. Andre Drummond, C, Pistons
23. DeMarcus Cousins, C, Pelicans
22. Klay Thompson, SG, Warriors
21. Donovan Mitchell, SG, Jazz
20. Jrue Holiday, PG, Pelicans
19. Victor Oladipo, SG, Pacers
18. LaMarcus Aldridge, PF, Spurs
17. Jimmy Butler, G/F, Timberwolves
16. Kawhi Leonard, SF, Spurs
15. Paul George, SF, Thunder
14. Ben Simmons, G/F, 76ers
13. Joel Embiid, C, 76ers
12. DeMar DeRozan, SG, Raptors
11. Damian Lillard, PG, Blazers
10. John Wall, PG, Wizards
9. Kyrie Irving, PG, Celtics
8. Chris Paul, PG, Rockets
7. Russell Westbrook, PG, Thunder
6. Giannis Antetokounmpo, G/F/C, Bucks
5. Anthony Davis, PF, Pelicans
4. Stephen Curry, PG, Warriors
3. James Harden, G, Rockets
2. Kevin Durant, F, Warriors
1. LeBron James, G/F
ALL COMPLAINTS ARE WELCOMED AND ENCOURAGED!!
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
2018 NFL Draft: Should the Jets Take Mayfield, Rosen, Darnold or Allen?
As I was pulling up after a long day at work, I received a frantic phone call from a Senior Analyst of my "Hot Takes Team," quarterback expert Frank Valeriano.
"I'm mentally preparing myself for the Jets to take Baker Mayfield," he said.
"Listen, if the Jets want to draft A.J. McCarron, then so be it!" I barked.
"Noooo, that's not fair," Frank said, "I think Mayfield's skillset is a combination of Johnny Manziel, Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson."
"I think that is a severe over-exaggeration," I snapped.
"I'm not saying he'll be as good as Watson or Wilson," Frank clarified, "I'm simply talking about the way he plays the position."
So is Mayfield the right guy for GM Mike Maccagnan, HC Todd Bowles and the hopeful Jets fans on the east coast? The only way to answer that question is to examine each candidate, one by one...
ACCURACY: Derek Carr (in earlier seasons)
ARM STRENGTH: Andrew Luck & Carson Wentz
SIZE: Eli Manning
MOBILITY: Eli Manning & Philip Rivers
OVERALL: Derek Carr
JOHNNY FRO'S NFL COMPARISONS:
ACCURACY: Andy Dalton
ARM STRENGTH: Mitchell Trubisky, Blaine Gabbert & Matt Barkley
SIZE: Teddy Bridgewater & Ryan Fitzpatrick
MOBILITY: Alex Smith & Blake Bortles
OVERALL: Andy Dalton
JOHNNY FRO'S NFL COMPARISONS:
ACCURACY: Landry Jones
ARM STRENGTH: Joe Flacco & Jay Cutler
SIZE: Carson Palmer & Philip Rivers
MOBILITY: Sam Bradford & Tom Savage
OVERALL: Chad Henne
"I'm mentally preparing myself for the Jets to take Baker Mayfield," he said.
"Listen, if the Jets want to draft A.J. McCarron, then so be it!" I barked.
"Noooo, that's not fair," Frank said, "I think Mayfield's skillset is a combination of Johnny Manziel, Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson."
"I think that is a severe over-exaggeration," I snapped.
"I'm not saying he'll be as good as Watson or Wilson," Frank clarified, "I'm simply talking about the way he plays the position."
So is Mayfield the right guy for GM Mike Maccagnan, HC Todd Bowles and the hopeful Jets fans on the east coast? The only way to answer that question is to examine each candidate, one by one...
Option #1: Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
My loyal readers know that I'm not much of a college football fan. Growing up watching the Jets, Giants and Patriots in the northeast, I became accustomed to a certain level of defensive football. As we all know, when you match a top collegiate offense up against a lesser squad, we end up seeing painful scores like 63-0. And that just isn't fun. For the most part, defense is an illusion at the college level.
So, writing this piece, I want to make it clear that I'm NOT a college football expert. I am, however, very experienced at analyzing quarterbacks. If you want to perform a background check before reading on, check out my last two QB rankings:
I was lucky enough to watch this season's Rose Bowl end-to-end. I watched VERY closely because I had a gut feeling the Jets would end up with Mayfield. In that wild, back-and-forth contest, Mayfield ended up 23-of-35 with 287 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT. Here's what I saw:
ACCURACY: Mayfield was very accurate, particularly in the first half. He seemed quite comfortable with the scripted portion of Oklahoma's offensive gameplan, which lead to good timing and quality, sustained drives. Mayfield had Oklahoma's offense in rhythm, and he drove them down the field with relative ease.
RED FLAG #1: Even when the Sooners were cruising on their way to paydirt, Mayfield appeared to be GUIDING the ball into collegiate-level throwing windows. As I said to Frank on the phone earlier today, I wasn't impressed by a single throw that Mayfield made. To me, he seemed like a kid who had total command and control of the college game. We've seen situations like this before: Matt Leinart, Joey Harrington, David Carr, Danny Wuerffel and Tim Couch. I'm not saying Mayfield will be as bad as all or any of those guys; but way back when, I had similar concerns about their pure arm strength. They were all outstanding college football players; but when they released the ball, they didn't LOOK like NFL quarterbacks to me. You know? Like, when Matthew Stafford or Kirk Cousins let go of the ball it's just like...wow. You can feel the sizzle. And those aren't even top-5 guys.
Mayfield is a smart kid and fearless competitor who settled into a comfort zone at the NCAA D-1 level. He was completely aware of the size of the throwing windows, which means his average arm strength was always disguised by easily completed passes.
MOBILITY: Good. Should be fine at the NFL level, provided he develops pocket awareness of the speed of professional edge rushers. In addition, scrambling for first downs every once in awhile really keeps the opposing defense honest. We have seen Wilson, Cam Newton, Marcus Mariota and even Colin Kaepernick at their bests when defensive timing is thrown off by the mix-and-match of pass-and-run. Mayfield will need this, especially early on in his pro career. He'll also need to know when to slide.
SIZE: I see him listed at 6'1", and I'm sure that's legit, but he looks awfully small out there. There were concerns about Manziel's height, and he was only an inch shorter. It's extremely difficult to find and develop a true franchise quarterback in Mayfield's size range. This is a major concern for me, as he attempts to deal with the big and beastly defenders in the NFL.
JOHNNY FRO'S NFL COMPARISONS:
ACCURACY: Jared Goff
ARM STRENGTH: A.J. McCarron, Brian Hoyer & Case Keenum
SIZE: Tyrod Taylor
MOBILITY: Mariota & Ryan Tannehill
OVERALL: Dak Prescott
Option #2: Josh Rosen, UCLA
So I caught Rosen against Sam Darnold and his USC Trojans on November 18, 2017. He was SUPER impressive, going 32-of-52 for 421 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT. Darnold, on the other hand, finished with just 264 yards, 1 INT and zero TDs. It was an absolute no-contest.
This game was a great barometer because everyone was watching. At the time, Darnold and Rosen were the consensus top two picks. That's when you see what a kid is made of. Rosen stepped up to the challenge without batting an eye, while Darnold looked smaller, weaker and less-NFL ready.
ACCURACY: Rosen may not be as accurate at Mayfield, but because of his superior natural ability, Rosen takes riskier shots into tighter, NFL-like windows. His style of play at the collegiate level is more conducive to a transition to the big leagues.
Mayfield is known as an "aggressive" quarterback, but that label is very much a part of his carefully-crafted persona. Baker likes to talk smack and back it up. He likes to win and rub it in. So he seems very aggressive, when in reality, on the field, he's a ball-control QB who is desperately trying to limit turnovers. And from a mindset perspective, obviously that's a good thing. HOWEVER, we're talking about the No. 3 overall selection in the NFL draft, here. Do you want a poor man's Alex Smith, or someone with the upside to single-handedly propel your franchise into a perennial Super Bowl contender?
I'm not saying that's necessarily Rosen. But he has more of a chance to be that than Mayfield. Rosen has the physical tools and gifts. Mayfield is small, weaker and inherently limited.
MOBILITY: Rosen likes to stay in the pocket. He'll need to get the ball out quickly and/or defer to check-downs when necessary. If you watch the film of his performance against USC, you'll see that despite his impressive arm strength, Rosen has no issue with checking down. That shows his lack of on-field hubris, which is important.
SIZE: Listed at 6'4". He's at the high end of the NFL position average.
JOHNNY FRO'S NFL COMPARISONS:
ARM STRENGTH: Andrew Luck & Carson Wentz
SIZE: Eli Manning
MOBILITY: Eli Manning & Philip Rivers
OVERALL: Derek Carr
Option #3: Sam Darnold, USC
Heading into the 2017-18 NFL season, I thought Darnold was the guy for my Jets. I had seen his uncanny ability to deliver in the clutch, and he made some really tight-window TD throws in his freshman year.
But I don't know what happened as a sophomore. Maybe defenses got hip to him. Darnold somehow looked smaller, weaker and sometimes (shockingly) overmatched. If you watched him on the same field with Rosen, you'd think they didn't belong on that same field. Darnold throws a lot of lame ducks. His ball often seems to die in the air. He needs to bulk up and add pure velocity.
Doesn't matter, anyway, because most reports and mock drafts have the Browns taking Darnold at No. 1. Good luck with that. Nothing ever works out for the Browns, anyway.
ACCURACY: Andy Dalton
ARM STRENGTH: Mitchell Trubisky, Blaine Gabbert & Matt Barkley
SIZE: Teddy Bridgewater & Ryan Fitzpatrick
MOBILITY: Alex Smith & Blake Bortles
OVERALL: Andy Dalton
Option #4: Josh Allen, Wyoming
By this point, I think we all know that Allen has the biggest arm of this foursome. I'd say it's Allen, Rosen, Mayfield then Darnold in that order (though it's awfully close between the latter two). But there's absolutely no doubt that Allen is a project. Mayfield protects the ball and is an accurate thrower. Rosen is a physically gifted quarterback whose accuracy is far superior to Allen's. Darnold is inconsistent, but scouts believe he has the highest overall upside.
Allen is just a big arm who occasionally completes a pass. He's not quite "Wild Thing" Ricky Vaughn, but he's about as far away from Drew Brees as Robert Griffin III. We've seen big, lumbering guys like this before. Allen's upside is Drew Bledsoe or Vinny Testaverde. The bottom, more likely end of his spectrum contains Paxton Lynch and Ryan Mallett. You can see why this is a slippery slope.
ACCURACY: Landry Jones
ARM STRENGTH: Joe Flacco & Jay Cutler
SIZE: Carson Palmer & Philip Rivers
MOBILITY: Sam Bradford & Tom Savage
OVERALL: Chad Henne
Part 5: What Would John Frascella Do?
I'd take Rosen without hesitating. I don't think he can be a Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers, but I DO believe he can be a Derek Carr, Matthew Stafford, Kirk Cousins or Andrew Luck. That's pretty damn good. I'll take that over Dak Prescott, Andy Dalton or Chad Henne any day of the week.
Part 6: What Will the Jets Do?
The Jets will take Mayfield. He's winning them over in interviews. Kid knows how to talk the talk. He reminds me of Sam Bradford that way. Bradford's been tricking everyone for years. He's just an overpaid, colossal bust.
Let me say this...as an NFL prospect, most of the year, Mayfield was considered CLEARLY behind Darnold and Rosen. 95% of the scouts and analysts had Allen clearly ahead of Mayfield. Often, Mayfield was referenced in the "next group" with Lamar Jackson out of Louisville.
So how the heck did he get to the point where he suddenly may get drafted before Rosen? What changed on the football FIELD? Anything?
No. Baker Mayfield interviews well. Honestly, I really don't care about interviews. I care about pure NFL talent.
The Jets are going to get tricked into this pick. Don't tell me you're surprised...
They've never been hard to fool.
Saturday, April 21, 2018
2018 NBA Playoffs: The Blazers, Timberwolves & Thunder Just Don't Get It.
The faster you get the ball over the midcourt line, the more time you have to run an offensive set and get a quality, open look.
And yet there's Tom Thibodeau, distracting his players and barking out plays the second the ball gets inbounded. Jeff Teague, Jimmy Butler or Jamal Crawford are walking the ball up the court, getting the play from the sideline and showing zero urgency.
Have the Wolves ever looked around? Do you ever see the Warriors jogging lightly? The Rockets display urgency even when they're hammering a team by 30-40 points. What about quality organizations like the Celtics, Spurs and Raptors -- do they take plays off? Do they walk through their sets?
The Minnesota Timberwolves have EMBARRASSED themselves through two games of their soon-to-be short postseason run. Karl-Anthony Towns is complaining to the media that he's getting "triple-teamed" on every play? Oh, so Butler, Teague and/or Andrew Wiggins are wide open every play? Why aren't you piling up assists then, KAT?
Excuses, excuses, excuses. Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley KILLED Towns on "Inside the NBA" the other night, and rightfully so. If you want to make an impact, show some urgency and demand a re-post. Kick it out, re-establish position and demand the ball. Then go to work. Shaq and Chuck know what the hell they are talking about.
Just pathetic. Don't even show up if your body language screams we have no chance to win this series. Everyone can see it. Wolves making millions and millions of dollars to quit. Sign me...I'll play hard all 48 minutes.
Despite my disappointment with the Wolves, they'll probably play a close one in Game 3. It's just the nature of the beast. Last I saw the Rockets were -5.5 and 87% of the public was on them. It's a classic "home dog" play; though I would never personally trust these Timberwolves.
We'll see if Minnesota can make it interesting down the stretch. They should really ride Wiggins more; but Thibs has no idea what he's doing. He has to go. The game has passed him by, like Phil Jackson, George Karl and Byron Scott. "Adapt or die," as Brad Pitt says in Moneyball. Thibs wastes athleticism in Towns, Wiggins, Butler, Teague and even Nemanja Bjelica, because they don't push the ball and they aren't being coached properly.
Ultimately, it looks like these guys don't want to play for Tom Thibodeau. They look like caged birds, dying to get out and fly. Athletes wanna run. They want to have fun out there. Run-and-gun is fun, and it gives everyone on the team a rhythm. Thibs represents the Old Guard, and the Old Guard is long gone.
And yet there's Tom Thibodeau, distracting his players and barking out plays the second the ball gets inbounded. Jeff Teague, Jimmy Butler or Jamal Crawford are walking the ball up the court, getting the play from the sideline and showing zero urgency.
Have the Wolves ever looked around? Do you ever see the Warriors jogging lightly? The Rockets display urgency even when they're hammering a team by 30-40 points. What about quality organizations like the Celtics, Spurs and Raptors -- do they take plays off? Do they walk through their sets?
The Minnesota Timberwolves have EMBARRASSED themselves through two games of their soon-to-be short postseason run. Karl-Anthony Towns is complaining to the media that he's getting "triple-teamed" on every play? Oh, so Butler, Teague and/or Andrew Wiggins are wide open every play? Why aren't you piling up assists then, KAT?
Excuses, excuses, excuses. Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley KILLED Towns on "Inside the NBA" the other night, and rightfully so. If you want to make an impact, show some urgency and demand a re-post. Kick it out, re-establish position and demand the ball. Then go to work. Shaq and Chuck know what the hell they are talking about.
Just pathetic. Don't even show up if your body language screams we have no chance to win this series. Everyone can see it. Wolves making millions and millions of dollars to quit. Sign me...I'll play hard all 48 minutes.
Despite my disappointment with the Wolves, they'll probably play a close one in Game 3. It's just the nature of the beast. Last I saw the Rockets were -5.5 and 87% of the public was on them. It's a classic "home dog" play; though I would never personally trust these Timberwolves.
We'll see if Minnesota can make it interesting down the stretch. They should really ride Wiggins more; but Thibs has no idea what he's doing. He has to go. The game has passed him by, like Phil Jackson, George Karl and Byron Scott. "Adapt or die," as Brad Pitt says in Moneyball. Thibs wastes athleticism in Towns, Wiggins, Butler, Teague and even Nemanja Bjelica, because they don't push the ball and they aren't being coached properly.
Ultimately, it looks like these guys don't want to play for Tom Thibodeau. They look like caged birds, dying to get out and fly. Athletes wanna run. They want to have fun out there. Run-and-gun is fun, and it gives everyone on the team a rhythm. Thibs represents the Old Guard, and the Old Guard is long gone.
Part II: Why do the Blazers think it's 2001?
Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum are fantastic one-on-one players, and I really do think that Terry Stotts is a good NBA head coach.
But damn, guys, run some friggin' plays. Mix in some ball and body movement. How about some backdoor cuts?
I say they think it's 2001 because these Blazers essentially treat Lillard and McCollum like Shaq and Kobe Bryant. Oh Shaq got a touch last play? Now let's give it to Kobe, and so on and so forth.
The Blazers are getting shellacked by Alvin Gentry's Pelicans because they aren't playing REAL basketball. Portland's playing hero ball, and part of the problem is that the rest of its team isn't very good. They may need to take a look at their front office. They dumped an awful lot of now-dead money on Evan Turner. Yeesh.
Lillard and McCollum look around and don't see much of a reason to pass. Their teammates seem to agree. Other than Al-Farouq Aminu and (sometimes) Jusuf Nurkic, none of the "others" really even try to make an impact.
Meanwhile, on the other side, hellllllll yeah Pelicans! Very happy for them. Anthony Davis is an absolute freak from another planet; Jrue Holiday is playing with bravado and toughness, a deadly combination; Nikola Mirotic is lighting it up from the perimeter and Rajon Rondo is impacting the game in every possible way.
I'd like to take a moment to apologize to Rajon for calling him a "pathetic loser" during the 2015 NBA Playoffs. Clearly, the Mavs were just a bad fit for him. Totally different story with Gentry and the Pels.
And I hate to say it, but this club is definitely better without DeMarcus "Boogie" Cousins. Boogie is a top-20 all-around player in the world, but Mirotic gives the Pelicans the floor spacing they need. What a money trade that was. With Mirotic keeping perimeter defenders honest, the driving lanes open up for Holiday and Rondo. Not to mention -- most importantly -- the clean pick-and-roll opportunities with AD.
I'd like to see the Pels bury the Blazers in Game 4. No need for this lopsided series to continue.
Part III: Billy Donovan doesn't coach. At all.
You have a great chance to go up 2-0 against a very tough Utah Jazz team. All you need to do is run some quality sets and get good looks. It's really not that hard. The real teams do it.
Instead, Billy Donovan lets Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony run wild. Westbrook clearly knows how to pad his stats, but he doesn't know how to close a close game. With his athleticism and ability to penetrate, PG, Melo and Steven Adams should be getting high-percentage looks down the stretch.
Instead, the Thunder just seem like they are panicking all the time. That's a reflection of Westbrook's low IQ and Donovan's lack of control over his team. Like Thibs, he's another one who needs to go. OKC plays exactly the same way it did under Scott "The Robot" Brooks. Brooks may have been saying "guys, we have to score points" and "guys, we have to get stops" all the time, but whatever Donovan is doing isn't much different.
On the other bench, Quin Snyder has emerged as one of the elite basketball coaches in the world. For the second-straight season, the Jazz outperformed the talent level of their roster. That's a direct testament to the coach, as well as the determination and hard work of his players. These Jazz are grinders. They run hard. They cut hard. They move the ball. They want to knock off these big names from OKC.
Ricky Rubio is shooting the ball better than ever before; Rudy Gobert, as always, is an eraser in the paint; Derrick Favors is playing pretty well and Donovan Mitchell is an ABSOLUTE STUD. What a pick! I just texted my Hot Takes Team the following:
"Just thinking about how painful it is that the Knicks took Frank Ntilikina over Donovan Mitchell."
Everyone cried.
In the end, I'm rooting for the Rockets, Pelicans and Jazz in these series. PUSH the ball up the court. SPRINT through your sets. PASS the ball to open teammates. KNOCK DOWN good looks.
Play real basketball. And I'll root for you every time.
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