SR – NBA Bubble Breakdowns #2: Milwaukee Bucks

SR – NBA Bubble Breakdowns #2: Milwaukee Bucks

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by | Jul 29, 2020 | Featured, NBA

At #2 on our SneakerReporter Bubble Breakdown is the 1st seed in the Eastern Conference, the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks have made trips to the Playoffs every year since 2016, and currently continues to this day, heading into the NBA Restart withholding the best record league wide going 53-12. The 2019 NBA MVP in Giannis Antetokounmpo has been on a tear all season long through 57 games, average 29.6ppg, 13.7rpg, and 5.8apg.

Luckily for the organization, the entirety of the Bucks roster opted into the NBA Bubble which fully allows them to maintain their play style. Just by looking at them, it is very much apparent that the Bucks are big. There are many guys on this roster that are big with long arms with Giannis at the forefront of it all.

Despite being the 1st seeded team in the East, there are many individuals who are skeptical of the Bucks due to the past Playoff experiences, particularly last year where they made an exit in the Eastern Conference Finals against Kawhi Leonard and the 2019 NBA Champions, Toronto Raptors. Having said that, however, there’s much potential for things to be different this time.

Bucks’ Season In-Review: (53-12, 1st in East)

As discussed earlier, we talked about how having the full Bucks roster unlocks them to playing the way they want to play. With Giannis averaging more than he did last season, he alone is capable to contributing to the their wins in a multitude of ways through his scoring and also kicking out to the many shooters they have waiting on the outside ready to fire the 3, from George Hill, the Lopez twins, and Khris Middleton. Speaking on Middleton, he too has been averaging more than last season, a point where many people criticized him for not being able to contribute as much as we thought he could in the postseason. However this does not lie on Middleton’s shoulders alone, the entire Bucks offense needs to be capable of getting their own shots off the dribble rather than waiting for a shot on the three point line.

Looking Into the Bubble:

The Bucks need to ensure that they can consistently operate on offense, especially if Giannis isn’t having the game the we as fans expect him to have. They’re very much capable of shutting down teams offensively and getting out in transition, which is exactly where the Bucks want to be. The Bucks schedule, objectively, isn’t necessarily the hardest one out of all the teams but also does not imply that it’s a walk in the park either. The biggest competition that the Bucks may face in the Restart is facing off against Boston, Miami, Dallas, and Toronto. However, statistically, the Bucks should be capable of walking away from this schedule with a solid amount of wins, ultimately preparing for the NBA Playoffs.

Jul 29, 2020 No Comments
Was Aleister Black Written Off WWE Raw?

Was Aleister Black Written Off WWE Raw?

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by | Jul 29, 2020 | Featured

This week on Raw showed Aleister Black being attacked by Seth Rollins and Murphy after coming to Dominick’s aid. This attack resulted in Murphy targeting the eye of Aleister Black, pressing it against the sharp corner of the steel steps after being instructed to do so by Seth Rollins. After this angle on Aleister Black, many reports had speculated he had been written off television due to Vince McMahon giving up on him. However, with so many superstars not being able to compete on Raw for different reasons, this may not be the case.

Alex McCarthy of Talksport reported that Vince is a huge fan of the performer and Tom Budgen’s (Aleister Black) size, agility, and skill. However, it is essential to note in that report that Alex McCarthy didn’t mention Tom Budgen’s character, Aleister Black. Alex McCarthy also said that “[Vince] is worried the character is a gimmick and will limit him.” It is also in much speculation that Aleister Black may be only written off of television for a little while, with Vince planning to develop a new character for him. Aleister Black may be looking to face Seth Rollins at Summer Slam in a rival that may not be ending any time soon. The question is, will this rival give Aleister Black the much deserve push that he needs? Or will Seth Rollins continue his dominance?

Aleister Black debuted at NXT TakeOver on March 29, 2017. In one-on-one competition, Aleister Black went undefeated for over a year before winning the NXT Championship at TakeOver: New Orleans. Aleister Black later debuted on Raw against Elias on February 18, 2019.


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Jul 29, 2020 No Comments
OKC Thunder Finished (3-0) During The NBA Restart Scrimmages

OKC Thunder Finished (3-0) During The NBA Restart Scrimmages

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by | Jul 29, 2020 | Featured

The Oklahoma City Thunder came to Orlando with one thing on their minds and that’s to compete for the NBA Championship. During the scrimmages, we had a chance to see what the team had to offer. Everyone on the Thunder roster came into this restart healthy including Andre Roberson who’s comeback has been extremely impressive. The Thunder season came to a halt on March 11th in OKC against the Utah Jazz but Bazley and Diallo were still nursing injuries. This restart gave OKC a chance to come back healthy and it’s given everyone a chance to see how scary this team can be healthy.

 

The OKC Thunder started their restart with a win against the Boston Celtics (98-84) but the biggest takeaways from that game were the comeback of Andre Roberson and the play from a healthy Steven Adams. Andre Roberson was able to play in his first game in 909 days and boy did he look amazing. Roberson was nervous and had jitters as you could see once he entered the game but then he was able to settle in. Once Andre was able to get in the flow of the game you saw glimpses of what OKC was missing without Roberson on the court. He came in got a quick put-back layup and then knocked down a corner 3 pointer. It looks like Andre put in some work on the corner 3 pointers while being gone and it definitely showed. On the defensive end, he was always in the right place at the right time and didn’t look like he missed a step. Andre Roberson had a chase-down block that looked like vintage Andre and you can tell that he’s the defensive anchor that OKC needs because he can defend multiple positions. Steven Adams looks lean and mean just like his beef that he talks about in his commercials. Adams was able to set the tone for the Thunder just like he did before the NBA restart for the Thunder. In this game against Boston Adams looked unstoppable as the Celtics had no one that could defend him once he got great position in the paint. The Celtics had Kanter and Theis on him but that didn’t work as Adams finished the game with 17 points and 7 rebounds. Steven Adams looks healthy and has been able to move a lot better on his legs after the 4-month hiatus. The Thunder used the emotional boost from Andre Roberson and the monstrous play from Steven Adams to propel them to victory.

 

 

 

In the game against the Philadelphia 76ers, we learned that OKC still can come back from any deficit. The OKC Thunder beat the 76ers (102-97) as they came back after trailing by 24 points. This game showcased some of the things that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander worked on during the hiatus. Shai finished with 16 points and 5 assists on the night but showed that he’s improved his 3 point shooting and attacking the rim while taking contact now. It’s Shai’s second year but you can’t tell the way that his game has matured over the 4 months. This game showed how far the 2nd unit has come. Darius Bazley came into the game he had a different level of confidence and energy that was contagious as he started scoring and giving the team complete effort. Darius Bazley finished with 13 points on the night. It didn’t matter if it was hustle plays or just getting his teammates involved Bazley started the comeback and OKC started to take notice that they can win. Luguentz Dort was another player that has played with confidence and he was showing that he belongs in this league on a daily. Dort has been able to knock down the 3 point shot and he’s been defending at a high level as well. The second unit was able to make some big shots and they continued to limit the 76ers second unit as they kept chipping away for the win. Andre Roberson played a huge role in this game down the stretch as his defense and his OFFENSE were on full display. With Andre Roberson coming back and this being his second game in a couple of days he didn’t look to have rust or show any lingering injury concerns. In the biggest moment in the game, Andre Roberson hit a 3 pointer in the corner right in front of the 76ers trash-talking bench and turned around to let them know he heard them. A couple of moments later he hit another 3 pointer to give OKC a comfortable lead heading to the win. After the 3 pointers, you can see his confidence go through the roof and his teammates showed how much they missed his by their emotions on the bench. If Andre Roberson is playing like this throughout the playoffs the OKC Thunder will be a tough out for any team especially with them being healthy now.

 

 

 

 

The OKC Thunder defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in the last scrimmage game getting them ready for Saturday against Utah. In this game, the Thunder were able to play Shai at the point guard position with Chris Paul sitting out. On the flip side of things, Portland didn’t play Damian Lilliard or CJ McCollum. OKC started off a little sloppy and stagnate but then OKC got the offense going in the right direction. Shai finished with 10 points and 7 assists on the night against Portland. It’s clear that Shai is ready for the regular-season games to get underway as he looks more explosive and his court awareness has definitely improved. The story of this game was the play of the Thunder bench as they finished with 85 points as a group and looked amazing. Yes, it’s a scrimmage game but this is still the NBA and the bench looked very comfortable throughout the scrimmage games. Tonight against the Trail Blazers they continued to look comfortable as Darius Bazley and Hamidou Diallo led the charge as they looked really good. Darius Bazley improved every game of the scrimmages as he put up 9, 13, and tonight 20 points. The growth and patience that Bazley has shown in his rookie season have been impressive and he’s been able to showcase it to us all. Bazley’s decision making and ability to put the ball on the floor instead of just shooting right away has been great to see. Bazley has looked amazing and you can tell he’s trying to play himself into a role in the regular season and playoff games. Hami had a great game tonight as well showing that he can score and finish when given the opportunity. It was a great game as Hami was defending at a high level and using that defense to create offense. Hami also was able to show his slashing ability and he was able to hit some shots. Overall this second unit for OKC looked really good and the candidate for 6th Man of the Year Dennis Schröder looked really good throughout as well. Dennis played a big part in each win and even if he wasn’t in the game he was cheering the loudest. Dennis has that smooth game that can’t be overlooked and you can tell he’s been in the gym the way his offense didn’t skip a beat.

 

 

 

 

This OKC team will be dangerous to play against and as they gear up to play the Utah Jazz on August 1st look for them to continue this hot streak. In the playoffs it’s all about chemistry and being hot at the right time and entering the bubble the OKC Thunder are 3-0. The Thunder will need to continue to listen to the game plan and coaching from Billy Donovan as they look for a long run into late September.

 

 

Video Credit: SEF-Oklahoma

Photo Credit: OKC Thunder

Jul 29, 2020 No Comments
SR – NBA Bubble Breakdowns #3: Los Angeles Lakers

SR – NBA Bubble Breakdowns #3: Los Angeles Lakers

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by | Jul 28, 2020 | Featured, NBA

As we get closer to the NBA Restart, we’ve reached the Top 3 on our NBA Bubble Breakdowns, with the 1st seed of the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers haven’t had much Playoff appearances since 2013. The team is now in a prime position to be making the first run in 7 years, and have lots of potential to make a deep run in the Playoffs.

Only one player on the Lakers roster, Guard Avery Bradley, has opted out of the NBA Bubble to be with his family. Bradley also vocalized himself alongside Nets Guard Kyrie Irving expressing their concern that the NBA Restart overshadowing the Black Lives Matter movement. Although Bradley’s veteran defensive savvy will be missed by the Lakers, they also signed NBA Free Agents in Dion Waiters and J.R. Smith, who will be returning to the floor after having not been apart of a roster since last season. Also starting PG for the Lakers Rajon Rondo will be out 6-8 weeks due to an injury to his thumb during the return process to the Restart.

Although the Lakers are currently seeded #1, which puts them in a premier position to make one of the deepest runs that they have had since their first round exit in 2013. Once again I must admit, being a lifelong Lakers fan, I have my hopes and biases towards the team. But I also must say that the Lakers can’t let up and take their foot off the gas at any point throughout the Playoffs.

Lakers’ Season In-Review (49-14, 1st in West)

Whether you’re a fan of the Lakers or not, it is hard to deny the sheer amount of excitement and electricity that they play with when they step out onto the floor. Having been referred to as Showtime Lakers 2.0, they’ve easily become the powerhouse that we all knew them once to be in the late 90’s early 2000’s. In comparison to the Lakers of last year, it’s quite clear that this year’s Lakers has a much stronger amount of depth of the bench. The Lakers have surrounded LeBron and AD with a multitude of veteran players, like Dwight Howard, Javale McGee, and Danny Green, to younger up and coming names like Alex Caruso, Kyle Kuzma, and Quinn Cook. The only issue with this team is ensuring that these role players can play at high levels consistently. The team is currently ranked 5th in Offensive Rating and 3rd in Defensive Rating, ultimately showing the amount of talent that they have amongst their players. The Lakers bench, specifically, prior to the hiatus was contributing 34% to their scoring, and knowing that with such a percentage they withhold a 49-14 record, they are on a good pace going into the Playoffs if they are able to maintain such contributions. On the defensive end, the Lakers are more times than not averaging more blocks and steals per game than their opponents with 6.8bpg and 8.6spg. With such effectiveness on the defensive end is what truly unlocks the Lakers and allows them to play the brand of basketball that both we as fans and they as players have come to expect of themselves.

Looking into the Bubble:

The Lakers have quite the challenging schedule, having to face-off against the Clippers on opening night of the NBA Restart then followed by the 2nd seeded Raptors and many other Playoff contending teams like the Jazz, Thunder, and Rockets. There are many storylines that are associated with the Lakers this time around, and with that it’ll be an interesting journey to watch for the Lakers, as they come in with a team structure that wants to play big, in a league that has been dominated by small ball for many years now. Additionally to that, if LeBron is able to come out of the Restart as an NBA Champion, he’ll be apart of the short list of players to have one 3 NBA Titles with 3 different teams, which is perfectly contrasted to Clippers F Kawhi Leonard, someone who shares a similar story. We come closer and closer to seeing things come to fruition for the Lakers, come July 30th.

Jul 28, 2020 No Comments
SR – NBA Bubble Breakdowns: #4 Toronto Raptors

SR – NBA Bubble Breakdowns: #4 Toronto Raptors

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by | Jul 26, 2020 | Featured, NBA

As we get closer and closer to the NBA Restart, we move on to #4, the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Raptors. Being the reigning NBA Champions, it only seemed fitting to have the Raptors in our Top 5. The many headlines regarding the Raptors at the beginning of the season claimed them to be a mid-tier team with the loss of Kawhi Leonard, but the team has been able to blow all expectations out of the water by currently withholding the 2nd seed in their conference. The Raptors were very much considered to be an underdog team despite having notable names such as Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, Serge Ibaka, and Marc Gasol. These players all provided a huge contribution in their successes this season, and hope to carry that same momentum into the NBA Restart.

Despite having had the choice, the Raptors’ players had chosen not to opt-out of the NBA Restart, having their fully entire roster in Orlando at this time. They’ve been participating in the scrimmages up to this point and seem to be gaining their footing back after many months without basketball. Although this may be true, navigating through the NBA Playoffs as we know is an entirely different beast than the regular season, a beast that admittedly the Raptors have struggled with in years past prior to Kawhi’s arrival to the 6ix. Of course we can’t solely base these claims on history, for the team had developed a new go-to option in former Most Improved Player Pascal Siakam. As seen below we can see that Siakam has been making strides in his young career, jumping up in his averages from year to year. With this, if Siakam is able to perform at the level he’s been playing at, alongside other up and coming names like Fred VanVleet, the Raptors stand a better chance than some may give them credit.

Honestly, I personally would like to see the Raptors make a solid run in the Playoffs again this season. I do wonder, as I’m sure many fans leaguewide are as well, if the improvements that the Raptors made this season be enough to fill the shoes of Kawhi Leonard? In contrast however, this team has the experience and the know how in order to win an NBA Finals, Kawhi or no Kawhi, which may have been just enough to prepare them for whats to come very soon.

Raptors’ Season In Review: (46-18, 2nd in East)

There is and there isn’t much to be said regarding the Toronto Raptors during the regular season. In the most simplest of terms, as previously stated, they’ve managed to meet and surpass any and all expectations set upon them at the beginning of this season. A team that was expected to be towards the middle of the seeding in the Eastern Conference has earned their spot as the 2nd in the East only behind Milwaukee. The players on this team were willing and able to accept the challenge to fill the void of their loss during the off-season last year, but their ultimate test truly begins come Playoff time.

Like most teams towards the top of the seeding, the 8 games ahead have no real impact on them other than fighting for positioning. Their schedule however is not an easy one by any stretch of the imagination, having to face the current best in the West in the Lakers, and many of the potential future opponents in the Eastern Conference match-ups such as the Heat, Magic, Celtics, Bucks and 76ers. Come July 31st begins a second title run for the defending NBA Champions, the Toronto Raptors.

Jul 26, 2020 No Comments