NBA Primetime Preview: Los Angeles Lakers vs Los Angeles Clippers

NBA Primetime Preview: Los Angeles Lakers vs Los Angeles Clippers

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by | Oct 23, 2019 | Featured, NBA

Game two of our season-opening doubleheader features LeBron James and Anthony Davis’ first official game together, and what better way to have it than to be against their in-house rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers.

The new-look Clippers bring in Kawhi Leonard, 2019 Finals MVP and arguably the most dominant player on the planet, to a roster that is compact with elite defenders and scoring aficionados in the halfcourt. Alongside Leonard is Paul George, a man who not only finished third in MVP voting last season but is an undoubted top 3 two-way player. Both rosters are banged up so this isn’t really the full version of the Battle of Los Angeles; you’ll have to wait until Christmas day for that to happen when the teams face off again.

For the Lakers, their starting five consists of LeBron, new Laker Anthony Davis, JaVale McGee, Danny Green, and Avery Bradley, as most of their guard and stretch big rotation will be out. As for the Clippers, only Paul George remains out for LA. They’re healthy and ready to go for tonight. They’ll roll out Kawhi, Patrick Patterson, Ivica Zubac, Patrick Beverley and Landry Shamut for their first game of the year.

This is indeed the game that the Clippers and Lakers circled on their calendars ever since both teams acquired their free-agent gems in the offseason, so now, its time for the star power of each squad to shine on the NBA’s biggest stage on opening night.

The Lakers have legitimate role players in Danny Green, Avery Bradley, and Quinn Cook while the Clippers employ what looks to be one of, if not the, deepest benches in the league that is headlined by star sixth man Lou Williams. What was a strong preseason by both AD and LeBron, is now only hopes that the very same chemistry exhibited by the two can show itself in the regular season.

Though both teams aren’t at full strength, expect a defensive battle from the get-go and a memorable season opener. The Lakers may just scrape this one out if the hype of LeBron-AD is real.

PREDICTION: 105-100 (Lakers)

Oct 23, 2019 No Comments
NBA Primetime Preview: New Orleans Pelicans vs. Toronto Raptors

NBA Primetime Preview: New Orleans Pelicans vs. Toronto Raptors

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by | Oct 23, 2019 | Featured, NBA

The season opener is upon us!

After three months and nine days NBA basketball is back on our television screens and this time, we debut a new season north of the border for the first time in NBA history.

Jurassic Park, the area outside of the Toronto Raptors’ Scotiabank Arena, will be buzzing with the loudest and zaniest of Canadiens, as they will have the unalienable privilege of seeing their hometown Raptors getting their championship rings while hoisting their first NBA title banner up in the lofty rafters of the arena formerly known as the Air Canada Centre.

The Raptors title defense is easily the hardest retention attempt in NBA history. Kawhi Leonard won a title for Toronto and dipped to the sunnier skies of Los Angeles to join Paul George and the Los Angeles Clippers. Now, the Raptors are no slouch and are favored to snag a playoff spot once April comes around.

Yet, its probably not going to be a high seed as the team’s best player is the newly paid Pascal Siakam, who shined on the national stage by averaging 19.9 ppg. in the NBA Finals against Draymond Green as his matchup. He’ll be joined by the likes of longtime Raptors guard Kyle Lowry, OG Anunoby, Marc Gasol, and Norman Powell in the starting five.

What’s worth mentioning, however, is that the Toronto Raptors played 22 games without Leonard in the lineup (due to either his quad strain or his load management set up for Leonard to rest). In those 22 games, the Raptors won 17 of those contests, so there is a reason to be optimistic about a championship roster that still has two potential all-stars in Lowry and Siakam and could make a respectable playoff run come the spring.

The New Orleans Pelicans pictured the evening of October 22 a lot differently in their heads prior to yesterday afternoon. The first overall pick Zion Williamson was scheduled to start his Rookie of the Year campaign in a foreign land, only to catch wind of the rookie phenom’s sudden and unfortunate meniscus tear that would sideline him for the next two months. Now, the Pelicans start out their 2019-20 season without the likes of their Brahma Bull in Williamson, which could cause injurious harm to head coach Alvin Gentry’s offensive attack.

Still, the show must go on, and the Pelicans will put out a starting five of two ex-lakers (as part of the blockbuster Anthony Davis to Los Angeles trade) in Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram, as they’ll be paired with JJ Redick, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick Favors. Their leading scorer, Jrue Holiday, averaged over 21.2 points per contest and averaged about 8 dishes per game.

This game is going to be a pretty high scoring affair, and though the Raptors are without Leonard, they’ve shown they have the capability to win without him. Tonight’s outing will be an example of that since the Pelicans are undermanned without an already-elite slasher and proficient defender in Zion Williamson.

Plus, the Pelicans defensive attack will be pretty anemic inside with Favors starting at Power Forward and an unproven rookie in Jaxson Hayes. The Pels gave up an average of almost 118 points per game on the road and averaged over 115 offensively last season. The Toronto Raptors offense (who, might I add are coming out in their OG white and purple striped 90’s jerseys!) should be just fine in their new era, and can possibly be in contention in the next couple of seasons.

PREDICTION: 116-105 (Raptors)

Oct 23, 2019 No Comments
Sneaker Reporter NBA Playoff Predictions For 2019-20

Sneaker Reporter NBA Playoff Predictions For 2019-20

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by | Oct 22, 2019 | Featured, NBA

The regular season is finally upon us, and man are we all glad to have gotten through such a long offseason. Exciting? sure. But an offseason is just that, without any actual on-court action or storylines. Now, tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET, the 74th NBA season kicks off in the house of our new NBA champs just north of the border. The Toronto Raptors hoist up their first banner and receive their rings to start the season against the New Orleans Pelicans who will be without rookie phenom and first overall pick Zion Williamson for the presumptuous next two months, which unfortunately takes the air out of this early season matchup.

And after that, fans sticking around during the 10:00 p.m. ET slot will get to enjoy a subsidized version of the Battle of Los Angeles as the Lakers’ first game of their 2019 campaign pairs them up with the in-house rival Los Angeles Clippers and their new acquisition of 2019 NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard.

But before we get into that, it’s only right that we jump directly into some postseason predictions for what feels like one of the most open periods of contention in recent memory. Just about nine teams or more have a shot of making it to the NBA Finals this year (feels weirder every time you say it, doesn’t it?) and now that we are into a new 82-game season, it’s time to put up or shut up for the 30 squads across the league.

With that being said, here’s a look into the predicted Eastern and Western finalized standings once the season’s up.

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Eastern Conference – Final Standings

  1. Milwaukee Bucks
  2. Philadelphia 76ers
  3. Boston Celtics
  4. Indiana Pacers
  5. Toronto Raptors
  6. Brooklyn Nets
  7. Miami Heat
  8. Detroit Pistons

The East, At A Glance: Milwaukee still looks like the favorite to come out of the East, though Philadelphia will more than likely battle with them. So expect some fireworks between these two height-favorable teams. MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is looking to expand off of his best season as a Buck, and with a developed jumper that is becoming increasingly consistent, that could very well be the determining factor to send the Milwaukee Bucks to the NBA Finals.

  • The rest of the East is so tight, that it is a mere dice toss. Spots 3-8, are interchangeable, and for some squads, a couple of surprises could await NBA fans, like the now depreciated and defending Toronto Raptors squeezing out a record over 52 wins, or the new-look Nets winning the third spot in the east without Kevin Durant in Kyrie’s first year. Also, teams like the Heat and the Pistons could either rise or fall, depending on how the season goes and if the two teams remain healthy through 82 games.

 

  • To that point, Indiana is really interesting. There isn’t much say on Victor Oladipo’s return from a torn patella tendon, but there is a lot of quiet favoritism regarding the Pacers’ new pickup Malcolm Brogdon. A wildcard of sorts for the Bucks, Brogdon was Giannis Antetokounmpo’s right-hand man in the postseason and he played a big part in getting the Bucks to the Eastern finals. Now, he, Myles Turner, Domatas Sabonis and the rest of Indy could do some serious damage in their conference, especially if Oladipo comes back in time or before the Pacers’ playoff push.

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Western Conference – Final Standings

  1. Los Angeles Clippers
  2. Denver Nuggets
  3. Los Angeles Lakers
  4. Houston Rockets
  5. Utah Jazz
  6. Portland Trailblazers
  7. San Antonio Spurs
  8. Golden State Warriors

The West, At A Glance: Boy, the Western Conference is going to be difficult to predict. What isn’t hard to theorize – The Los Angeles Clippers will have the best record in the West. The tandem of Kawhi and PG, mixed with the ferocity of Patrick Beverley and Montrezl Harrell, and the natural scoring abilities of sixth man Lou Williams and improving shooter Landry Shamut make the Clippers the most arduous foe to face in not just the West, but the entire league.

The Nuggets, however, will not be far behind. They were only a game out from seeing the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals last year as the No. 2 seed, and Jokic is looking to put forth an MVP campaign as a dual scorer and dimer. Don’t be startled if Mike Malone’s Nuggets get over the hump, upset some teams and get to the conference finals.

  • The Lakers are going to finish with a top 3 seed in the West. I think we can confirm that. That LeBron James to Anthony Davis Pick and Roll will make for some memorable highlights throughout the year, but it’s the rest of the Lakers core that is concerning. Kyle Kuzma is going into his third year, and he’s an esteemed two-way bucket getter that can guard positions 1-4. We know Danny Green as a 3-and-D wing sniper, but last year’s playoffs (not the Finals) showed how inconsistent he can be. Aside from those four, who are all talented together, there isn’t much to be afraid of if you’re playing the Lakers. It would help the Lakers to move Kentavious Caldwell-Pope before the trade deadline, and it will still be difficult for new coaches Frank Vogel and Jason Kidd to fit odd pieces into the Lakers puzzle to ensure a shot at contending for a title in 2019-20.

 

  •  James Harden and Russell Westbrook are really good basketball players. Better yet, they have experience playing together, once reaching the NBA Finals back in 2012 with the original Thunder quartet (KD, Ibaka, the Beard, and Russ). Mike D’Antoni is going to let the two guards loose on opposing defenses but several questions remain: can the two ball-dominant guards coexist while one of them operates more off-ball? What role do the rest of the Rockets play in D’Antoni’s PnR-heavy, motion offense-reliant, drive-kick ran system? How do they stack up defensively against the rest of the West? If D’Antoni can’t get it right this time, is his time in H-Town up?

 

  • We will all watch to see if Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs make the playoffs for a 21st consecutive season, though it won’t be easy. They just so happened to skid in the postseason behind the help of Derrick White, LaMarcus Aldrige, and DeMar Derozan but in such a saturated division this year, that streak may kick the can.

 

  •  Will the Warriors will have trouble making the postseason? The answer is yes. I can’t believe I just said that. Klay Thompson is unlikely to return this year,  putting the Warriors, and more specifically Stephen Curry, in such a pickle. Steph may not be able to carry a 40 ppg. effort every night and get the Warriors over the postseason finish line, regardless if Klay is ready to go at season’s end. Curry is one of the game’s greatest scorers in history, and there’s no denying that he can drop 40 when he feels like it. But, his expense of energy on the defensive end when he knows offenses will attack him as the mismatch will tire him out around March. It’s going to be pretty difficult to play the role of regular Chef Curry for an entire season, especially now that he, A.) can’t take any load management games off and B.) doesn’t have Kevin Durant to rely on when the team needs either an extra 25-30 ppg., or a big bucket.

 

  • Losing other pieces like Shaun Livingston (retirement) and Andre Iguodala (free agency) doesn’t help a lot either, now that there isn’t a lot of skill pieces in Steve Kerr’s rotation anymore.

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Postseason Predictions: Eastern Conference Finals

No.1 Milwaukee Bucks over No. 2 Philadelphia 76ers

  • Milwaukee’s overwhelming size and a roster scattered with stretch bigs that will not only rain down from deep but lead the league in 3pt percentage for a second straight season, as they end the Sixers’ season in seven games. MVP front-runner Giannis Antetokounmpo dominates Ben Simmons for an entire series as a dual slasher, shot creator and consistent scorer from mid-range and beyond the arc and the Bucks pack the paint, forcing Simmons to continue his struggle of shooting the basketball. Tobias Harris becomes yet another no-show and Embiid can’t keep up with Giannis this time.

 

  • On the contrary, Eric Bledsoe actually shows up for a change, drives the lane to get the tall Sixers in foul trouble, and exploits the speed and strength mismatches as he and Brook Lopez run a lot of pick-and-roll/pick-and-pop to punish Joel Embiid inside and out. Fans inside of the Wells Fargo arena pack Game 7 in droves chanting “Trust The Process!”, only to leave the same in silence and dismay inside the final 1:30 of a fourth-quarter as the Bucks take a commanding 10-point lead. The Bucks celebrate an eastern title in Philly, and Joel Embiid cries (again).

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Postseason Prediction: Western Conference Finals

No. 1 Los Angeles Clippers over No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers

  • In a tight, drama-filled Western final that’s got all of the tension of an actual NBA Finals, the Clippers and Lakers go into this one with the easiest playoff travel schedule in the league’s history. Throughout the whole year, Kawhi Leonard doesn’t have to worry about a quad injury that’s caused him difficulty in prior seasons, and Clippers fans don’t have to worry about Kawhi missing significant games due to load management. Both teams remain healthy for the season, making the Battle of Los Angeles the talk of Tinseltown.

 

  • AD and Bron are tested in a physical six-game series against the Nuggets, and LeBron ends up going on a scoring rampage against the Nuggets’ MVP candidate Nikola Jokic and the rest of the Mile-High core in Jamal Murray, Torrey Craig, Gary Harris and Paul Millsap. Meanwhile, The Clippers make easy work of the Rockets in five as Kawhi and Paul George take Russell Westbrook and James Harden completely out of their game.

 

  • In this seven-game barnburner, the Clippers and Lakers are knotted going into the 3-minute mark. Kawhi goes into that Terminator-like zone we’ve come to know he can get into, plucking LeBron every chance he can get while simultaneously getting bucket after bucket on the other end. Paul George helps out too and acts like a spot-up shooter off the catch, letting Kawhi take center stage as the Clippers magically find a way to silence James in the fourth after he posts another playoff triple-double. Montrezl Harrell brings the most poignant energy to the Clippers, shutting down Anthony Davis, while the Lakers’ second unit can’t hold on with Lou Williams running Pick-and-Roll sets ad nauseam with both Harrell and Ivica Zubac.

 

  • Steve Ballmer is seen somewhere inside the Staples Center losing his mind as the Clippers advance to their first NBA Finals in franchise history.

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NBA Finals Prediction: Clippers Over Bucks (in Six)

Kawhi Leonard will best Giannis Antetokounmpo in six games for the second-straight year. Though it is is another tight series, with a prolific scoring output from Khris Middleton as Paul George struggles in containing the one-time all-star. Kawhi and Giannis go at one another for an entire series in a classic. The main difference that keeps the Bucks is Giannis’ inconsistent jumpshot that, to his chagrin, just can’t find the bottom of the nylon in a home elimination game.

The Bucks’ rotational pieces can’t get out of the gate, Patrick Beverley shines in erasing Eric Bledsoe and Paul George gets the upper hand on Khris Middleton to be that dangerous two-way, three-level scorer that propelled him into MVP talks a season ago. Kawhi ends up putting the Greek Freak on lockdown in the final moments of Game Six, leading up to his second-straight Finals MVP.

Again, ESPN’s cameras cut to an ecstatic Steve Ballmer who comes into the Clippers locker room hugging Kawhi and Doc Rivers in joining the bottle-popping celebration as the Los Angeles Lakers capture their franchise’s first NBA championship.

 

Oct 22, 2019 No Comments
Sneaker Reporter’s NBA Awards Predictions For The Upcoming 2019-20 Season

Sneaker Reporter’s NBA Awards Predictions For The Upcoming 2019-20 Season

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by | Oct 22, 2019 | Featured, NBA

Six hours and some change are the only things that separate us from a new NBA basketball season, and the time for talk is just about up. While football season is hitting its midway point, it’s time to get back into that basketball mindset and what better way to do it than to lay out an official Sneaker Reporter NBA awards prediction for the upcoming season.

Of course, some of the guys mentioned in this prediction list are already staples in the awards race and some of the teams that will be spoken about are undoubtedly above the top of the NBA’s annually-updated food chain. But that doesn’t mean there will be any major surprises left out. There are borderline squads whose 2019-20 season is bound to shock some folk, and this may just be the year they prove it.

With that being said, let’s not mince words and time and get straight to it.

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1.) Executive Of The Year: Jerry West, General Manager, Los Angeles Clippers

This sounds like a no-brainer, and it is. The Clippers made one of the most significant renovations in recent NBA history, and the logo is the sole perpetrator (er, with the help of the overly-eccentric Clippers owner Steve Ballmer too). Getting two all-stars that have been staples on all-NBA teams and have both been in the MVP race for years on in one day sounds like the kind of managerial task you’d turn NBA 2k20 on to complete.

But now, West has sculpted the most balanced and most threatening force in the NBA, and the Clippers will be a lock as a top seed in such a stacked Western Conference. Kawhi and Paul George join a roster that took the Warriors – yes, that team that went to five straight NBA Finals and won three titles – to six games.

The eye of NBA basketball’s perfect storm now lies in the city of angels and the Battle of Los Angeles has never had as much hype like this. For that reason, LAC could potentially set the Association’s best record and solidify themselves as the odds all favorite to claim a franchise-first NBA title this year.

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2.) Coach Of The Year: Doc Rivers, Head Coach, Los Angeles Clippers

Again, sticking on the Clippers tangent here. They are already favored to sweep up the West and have the best record in the NBA. As per tradition, this award has gone to the best coach on the best team, and if you can connect the dots, this season should be a coronation for the 20-year head coach and one-time champ. The integration of both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard on an already juggernaut squad on the defensive end is simple enough; you’re relying on the duo’s mental and physical intangibles to get stops in the halfcourt and create chances in the open court.

What may turn into difficulty is determining who exactly the offense runs through. Both PG and Kawhi operate better on-ball than off-ball and with a defensively-minded guard like Patrick Beverley who isn’t that well off on the offensive end, some growing pains will be experienced at season’s beginning, just like any new formation of any team.

Though an unlikely expectation as both the Klaw and George will compliment each other almost seamlessly in offensive sets, Doc Rivers utilizing both two-way dynamos in his offense while establishing the chemistry with the likes of other Clips in Montrezl Harrell, Landry Shamut, and Lou Williams will just about gift a Coach of the Year award, and perhaps another ring, to Doc Rivers.

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3.) Sixth Man Of The Year: Derrick Rose, Point Guard, Detroit Pistons

Dwayne Casey is willing, even encouraging, to give youngest MVP in league history Derrick Rose a much more expanded role than that in his time in Minnesota in his first year as a Piston. Prime DRose is obviously a thing of the past, and it’s safe to say he’ll never average 25 ppg a night for the course of another season like he did his MVP year in 2011. But do not use that as a veritable reason as to why Rose serves insignificance to any NBA roster in today’s league. Proper conditioning has led to a slew of healthy, full seasons, yet he’s been unable to find himself a permanent home since his injury woes arose from 2012-2016.

He’s practically been shipped all throughout the Eastern conference after being traded to the Knicks in 2015 and has earned just scraps off veteran minimum deals with the Cavaliers and Timberwolves. Yet, Rose found a way to alter and transmigrate his playstyle into the current pace and space, high-tempo game by becoming a more efficient midrange and 3pt shooter, calmly operating out of pick and roll sets. In his journey to becoming a playmaking guard, he’s accomplished so much while showing flashes of vintage DRose with some explosive drives in the lane and crafty finishes at the cup.

Rose finished last season averaging 18 points per contest – the fourth-best scoring output in his career. And he wasn’t even a starter like he was in New York or Chicago! The Pistons backcourt depth situation was already shaky at best last year with the wildly inconsistent and banged-up Ish Smith serving as the team’s sixth man.

Casey’s first year with the Pistons ended in a 41-41 record, just good enough to scrape out the eighth seed in the East. Adding Rose to a team that’s already with Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond looks menacing on paper, and with an award that’s gone to Lou Williams that’ll be made harder for him to three-peat, Rose may be the first MVP in history to win both awards in the span of a career.

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4.) Most Improved Player: Markelle Fultz, Point Guard, Orlando Magic

To put it as euphemistic as possible so I don’t ruffle any feathers: Markelle Fultz’s start to his NBA career has been as turbulent as the world’s smallest charter plane taking a trip through the Bermuda Triangle in a thunderous night. Bizarre shoulder ailments forced the 21-year old to adjust and re-adjust a shooting form that had been solidified since his early adolescence, a form that propelled him into national superstardom at DeMatha High in Maryland.

Philadelphia traded up with the Celtics to acquire Fultz and as a result missed out on Jayson Tatum, who could possibly touch his first all-NBA selection this year. Since this last offseason, Fultz had suited up for the Sixers for a total of 33 games over the course of two years.

So, hear me out on this one.

The Magic are giving a former first-overall pick that posted up some serious numbers during his one year at Washington (23.2 ppg) a second chance in an immensely low-pressure development process, only to pair him up with a point guard’s coach in Steve Clifford that helped Kemba Walker experience career highs during his time in Charlotte.

On top of that, Fultz is now graced with a proficient roster compact with wing scorers and rim protectors, making a predicament where a guard who is longing to regain the confidence of a starter now has the all of the opportunities to grow into the first-rounder many draft experts predicted him to be from the moment he declared for the 2017 draft.

Another factor to consider here: the Magic aren’t too keen on trusting D.J. Augustin as their long-term starter. The former Texas Longhorn has yet to eclipse an 18 ppg. scoring mark for one full season and with Fultz’s gifted wingspan, handle, slashing ability and vision in the halfcourt, the third-year guard might just easily swoop into Steve Clifford’s starting rotation, finally live up to the hype with a new shooting form and surprise a lot of his nonbelievers this season if given the minutes.

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4.) Rookie Of The Year: Ja Morant, Point Guard, Memphis Grizzlies

Let me preface this prediction by saying this: in no way, shape or form did I, or any of us for that matter, foresee rookie phenom Zion Williamson be met with such a litany of misfortune to begin his first season. A period of weeks has now downgraded to 6-8 weeks after it was reported that the first-overall pick underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee due to Williamson having suffered a torn meniscus, and it’s looking like we’ll have to wait to watch how exactly the Pelicans plan to handle this new debacle.

What is up for debate – and should come as a confirmation at this point – is just how meteoric the rise of self-dubbed “Point Gawd” Ja Morant’s rookie season will be for not just the Memphis Grizzlies, but for the entire NBA.

A new era in Memphis has finally dawned. The franchise’s all-time leader in points is headed to Utah to battle with the likes of Jazz coach Quin Snyder, and new backcourt mate Donovan Mitchell. That catapults Morant to center stage, but this rookie has everything but stage fright.

He was built for a venue and opportunity such as this. Expect Ja Morant to be given the most minutes as “the guy” from the jump. Taylor Jenkins’ firsts year as the Grizzlies head coach will be scattered with growing pains and that is expected, but what he and the rest of the Grizzlies’ organization cannot wait for is how Ja Morant will electrify FedEx on a nightly basis.

Combine fox-like reflexes, an explosive first step, marksmanship from beyond the arc and some sneaky out-of-the-gym bounce, and you have a Russell Westbrook/Damian Lillard prototypical kind of guard that is – and was literally – a walking triple-double in his final year at Murray State. With second-year man Jaren Jackson Jr. next to him, shots will be shared but Morant will be relied on heavily to run the Grizzlies offense, which means that Ja will be unleashed starting tomorrow night.

And plus, aren’t ROY awards always handed to the player with the best stats anyway?

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5.) Defensive Player Of The Year: Rudy Gobert

It already helps that the Utah Jazz have been one of the most defensively efficient squads in all of the NBA in the past three years, and Quin Snyder has done an exceptional job molding a roster that’s been a buffer stop to the runaway train that is modern NBA pace and space, uptempo basketball. And at the forefront of that defensive effort is the already crowned DPOY in the 2018-19 Rudy Gobert.

We might as well call Gobert of the most vaunted shot blockers in recent NBA history. At a lofty 7’1, the French Rejection’s job may have gotten a lot easier. A trusted veteran point guard in Mike Conley now assists Gobert and company in opening the floor on the offensive end but is also well off on diverting all ball handlers from doing what they want to do, making slashers and roll men who want to come into Gobert’s presence miserable once they set foot inside the restricted zone, as he’ll continuously say “Au Revoir!” to any shot inside the paint.

Gobert has yet to touch an all-star roster, but you have to think, on a revamped starting 5 that could very well incite a really deep playoff run, last year’s DPOY could see his already frightening numbers (15.8 ppg, 2.3 bpg) skyrocket to etch him into all-NBA conversations at year’s end as a repeat winner of the award.

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6.) Most Valuable Player: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Power Forward, Milwaukee Bucks

Sounds like the boring pick, sure, but a man named the Greek Freak should be graced the Most Valuable Player award every year if he replicates, or even improves, on his 2018-19 outing, his best as a pro.

He’s the most unguardable player in the National Basketball Association, and you’re better off debating a wall if you want to doubt it. That raw combination of height, wingspan, speed, strength, dexterity and a growing IQ of the game as a playmaker in both the halfcourt and in transition simply turned a once below-average team that had been content with just making it to the second round of the playoffs into an Eastern powerhouse that puts the Goliathic fear in the rest of the 14 clubs across their conference. 2020 may spell an entirely different year for Giannis Antetokounmpo, since this could be his best year yet.

There have been rumblings of the Freak working tirelessly throughout the summer to gain confidence in his midrange and arc-adjacent game, so imagining Giannis with a perfected and consistent jumper, muscle memory and all, would literally be like watching some kid use the Demigod glitch on NBA 2k20, but in real life.

Since his second year in the league, he’s strengthened his three-point percentage to just 25.6 percent and his mid-range percentage to around 39 percent in his MVP season last year. If that marker moves up…watch out.

Obviously, there are bunches upon bunches of MVP favorites and darkhorses like James Harden who, like Antetokounmpo is destined to put up startling numbers like he does every year. Then, there are also the odds of LeBron going on an absolute revenge tear of the Western Conference, or him taking a backseat to his new frontcourt cohort Anthony Davis en route to an MVP year for the sixth-year big man.

The one main difference is this: they play in a harder conference with a bunch of talent that can overshadow each other on any given night. Giannis could potentially only see the Sixers as the only roadblock between a trip to the Finals, making the very real possibility for the same scenario of Giannis being the best player on a team that has the best roster in the league to happen again. If so, Giannis will win his 2nd MVP and we may just see the first 30 ppg season from the 24-year-old.

Oct 22, 2019 No Comments
Sacramento Kings, Buddy Hield Negotiate On Four Year, $86M Contract Extension

Sacramento Kings, Buddy Hield Negotiate On Four Year, $86M Contract Extension

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by | Oct 21, 2019 | Featured, NBA

As if Kings fans became increasingly anxious on Buddy Hield’s contract troubles, Buddy Hield’s growing impatience with Kings’ brass created such a thick tension that probably needed more than a knife to cut through.

It’s safe to mention now that the Kings finally cleared all of that drama from the air, now that the Sacramento Kings and Buddy Hield have officially agreed on a dually respectable number in their contract talks. Hield and his camp met with Kings management and negotiated to sign a four-year, $86 million contract extension that guarantees over $20M in incentives, as The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported Monday afternoon.

The contract details are as follows: the base salary for Hield’s deal reach at 4 years for $86M, but with some bonuses and incentives for Hield to reach, such as Hield finishing in the top 10 for three-point shooting, top-15 of most efficient shooting guards in the NBA, etc., that base guarantee can climb to $94 million at season’s end. The highest that the deal can go to is about $106M, though that is an arduous climb for Hield to accomplish.

As for the other Kings, De’Aaron Fox’s rookie deal is ending shortly and he will be eligible for an extension next season. Also, sixth man Bogdan Bogdanovic will be due an extension, though it is likely he will become a restricted free agent next season.

Buddy Hield spoke out on numerous occasions to the media about hurrying up the process of getting a deal done sooner rather than last-minute leading up to today’s deadline, and now that it is accomplished, the Kings can get back on track to focus on an 82-game season that they hope ends in a visit to the postseason for the first time since the 2006-07 season.

Oct 21, 2019 No Comments