Examining The Celtics’ And Team USA’s Situations After The FIBA World Cup

Examining The Celtics’ And Team USA’s Situations After The FIBA World Cup

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by | Sep 11, 2019 | Featured, NBA

It had been 58 international competitions that the Team USA Basketball program competed and won, and to the rest of the world, it seemed like a lone formality to let the USA’s NBA-riddled roster to run amuck on its opposition. International games were perceived as proverbial NBA showcases with All-NBA First Team members usually decimating whatever country they faced, as the USA often finished winning those matchups by double-digit margins.

And they just lost their first international competition in those 58 outings against a heavily-touted French National Team by 10 points during the quarterfinals of the FIBA World Cup. Their best player and one of the two all-stars, Kemba Walker, scored only 10 points on 22% shooting. While guarded by Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina who has struggled to assert himself as a worthy first-round selection in his short time in the NBA. Not quite a good look.

Maligned by a sparse majority of biased prognosticators on social media and from a few news media outlets, Team USA Basketball – or as some called them the “Team USA Celtics” as about one-fourth of the roster contained Celtic teammates – received a lot of unwarranted criticism as the roster was significantly more inept than previous World Cup and Olympic teams.

And yet, Team USA won all of its group stage games by wide margins, largely in part to the high scoring of Donovan Mitchell, but more so the defensive prowess of Marcus Smart, the versatility of a Jayson Tatum and athleticism and potential of a Jaylen Brown.

While Smart provided his contribution of 11 points and Jaylen Brown scored 9 in the loss, there are both validities for optimism of the Celtics’ young core of Tatum (who did not play due to a left sprained ankle) and Brown who will both see an increase of touches and drawn-up plays this upcoming season, and concern for how well, or if, the Celtics are able to seamlessly mesh and score the ball consistently with Kemba being in the same pressurized, media-ridden position that made Kyrie Irving want to flee to Brooklyn.

When looking at the Celtics core next season after getting a short preview this summer from the new Boston big four, you could see that there is a reason for Celtics fans to be excited about what they will witness this year. Yet, their success is incumbent on the quartet’s consistency and chemistry once the real competition begins, and how they stack up defensively against a saturated Eastern conference.

On an overall examination of Kemba’s first visible impact with his new teammates during team USA’s efforts in the World Cup, his game on Wednesday were not an accurate reflection of his effect on the floor. Though limited to his lowest scoring output of the tournament, Kemba accumulated a total of 83 points throughout the tournament while averaging a little over 13 PPG with another game against Serbia in the coming days. Similar to Kyrie, his ability to create off the dribble while being a playmaker in opening the floor in the halfcourt will be a key component of Boston’s success.

Looking Ahead At The Future Of USA Basketball

It is no secret this World Cup displayed a talent-deficient and uncharacteristically-inexperienced team compared to its predecessors that were awash with gold-medal accolades and spotless records. The United States’ participation in the FIBA World Cup has almost always featured at least five, or six, NBA All-Stars that were unanimously dubbed the most dominant in their position.

To USA Basketball, winning the World Cup was as easy as getting the Sunday paper from off the front porch. Now, add in the fears of injury during inconvenient times of approaching seasons, and what you may have are lackluster rosters with little to no all-star talent.

A shocking revelation? An inconceivable, unbecoming occurrence to the most esteemed basketball development program on the planet? Both points hold water.

I mean, it was a non-issue back during the 2014 FIBA World Cup, back when both the Splash Brothers, Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, James Harden, and other league titans suited up for the World Cup without hesitation.

Diffident perceptions and anxieties have arisen from the likes of the league’s best American-born players, seeing the likelihood of a Paul George-Esque injury becoming reality, and their claims have validity. Obviously, next summer will be a completely different story as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics roll around, and Team USA’s roster will see its four-year influx of superstars donning the red, white and blue in what may be the most intimidating roster that USA Basketball will ever put out.

It is not a new trend for franchise cornerpieces to pull out of international competition, as their health and recovery in time for training camp have always been viable factors in their decision making.

But one can only wonder, can this increasingly-apparent fad be the future fate of USA Basketball, where the league’s most outstanding players will opt out of playing for their country in favor of conditioning for an upcoming season, leaving the difficult task of beating the world’s best to reserves who otherwise would not even be considered to be bench pieces on an Olympic roster?

The jury is still on the fence as to whether NBA superstars should be obligated to take to the court for their native land as notable NBA standouts of different nationalities compete to their heart’s content for theirs.

Most notably, the current league’s Most Valuable Player and the 5th person in league history to win the award as a foreigner, Giannis Antetokounmpo played all World Cup games for his native Greece, whereas former league MVPs and superstars like James Harden, Steph Curry, and Russell Westbrook choose to not represent their country by playing on the world’s largest stage.

And on that topic, are we forgetting that just a little under a month ago, the Women’s National Soccer Team and the best female players on the planet (while heavily favored) gave their all to win their fourth world cup in a grueling, three-week tournament that showcased the best footballers in the world, all while returning to play in dually competitive fixtures such as the National Women’s Soccer League just days later?

Sure, consider it a factor of unimportance, citing this as just “another World Cup” to guys who are only making sure their bodies are in tip-top shape for another year.

Yet their lies an underlying fear that is festering in the minds of those who want to see their country succeed at the highest level. Fans can only hope that this trend of superstars planning not to play in World Cups will be short-lived and not a repetitive occurrence, to the point where they question if the league’s most prominent players apprehend to place value an Olympic Gold Medal over large quantities of money and “rest”.

Sep 11, 2019 No Comments
Now That Dwight Howard Is A Laker, What Must He Do To Produce Right Away?

Now That Dwight Howard Is A Laker, What Must He Do To Produce Right Away?

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by | Aug 24, 2019 | Featured, NBA

This past week, the Los Angeles Lakers looked to be shopping for a new man on the low block, considering what they were missing at the five spot as their newly-acquired all-star big DeMarcus Cousins reportedly ruptured his ACL in a 5v5 scrimmage in Las Vegas. So as a response, the organization invited three big men who have individually gotten their fair share of burn in the league – Joakim Noah, Mo Speights and “best center in the league” Dwight Howard – for an intricate workout and examination of who could provide the most impact in such a necessary role.

It was only a matter of time until the Lakers dwindled their search from three to one, ultimately leading up to their decision of taking a chance on a former all-star who dominated the glass and terrorized any assignment he had under the basket.

L.A. took the latter and trusted their guns in planning to re-sign Dwight Howard to a non-guaranteed contract on Friday afternoon. There are reports of Howard coming to meet with Jeanie Buss and the Lakers organization after dropping 25 pounds, with a completely healed back that practically sidelined him since November. Los Angeles has undergone the Dwight Howard experience just a little under a decade ago (which, as we all remember ended horrendously) so they were justifiably cautious to show what he has left in the tank.

It is also being reported that Howard had several meetings with other Lakers officials who are now willing to give him a second chance to show how he has matured in conducting himself. However, this non-guaranteed contract gives the Lakers leverage in their ability to cut him if he underperforms, injures his back again requiring him to sit for an extended period of time, or fails to mesh with the team’s infrastructure.

From a basketball standpoint,  L.A. is now even deeper in rim protectors, with a former league MVP and elite defender in Howard likely starting, and Javale McGee coming into the second rotation. With the addition of Howard into an already threatening frontcourt scoring trio of LeBron, Anthony Davis, and a developing Kyle Kuzma, the Lakers will certainly be a hard out in the West this year.

Granted, if you account a simple eye test, you could make the very venerable case that Howard’s game – and his health – have severely deteriorated in the years after his exodus from Los Angeles. Back injuries and consecutive surgeries have made the once fun, eccentric all-star superfluous with personality into an unimpassioned role player whose reputation has turned into more of a laughing matter amongst NBA fans and the professional media, ever since he left Orlando.

Dwight wanted another chance to reset his career narrative. With the Lakers and one of his greatest foes during their duels in the East just a decade ago, he might just have the coaching expertise and assisting talent to have that chance.

How Howard Fits In The Rotation

If numbers are the single factor most considered when determining Howard’s effectiveness, it is just about a fact that he is not the player he used to be as a literal walking double-double and premier shot blocker. He only played nine games with the Washington Wizards, averaging 25.6 minutes with just a little under 13 points and 9 rebounds a game. Hence, the cue of condescending comments of “washed up” and out-of-his-prime being consistently directed at the former all-star.

Yet, with one season removed from back surgery, his first and last year with the Hornets was his best season since his Orlando days. In an averaged 30 MPG, Howard put up 17 PPG with 12.5 RPG to boot. In the span of three years, from 2016 to 2018, Howard has shot the ball at an alarming 60% from the field, mainly due to his bulk and athleticism getting him looks under the basket.

Of course, there is a calculated risk of Howard reinjuring himself, but if he is able to play out the entire season, the Lakers will not only have a healthy roster but another body to crash boards, put back misses, run the floor to get deep positioning early on matchups in transition, and be a consistent screen setter.

The best thing about the Howard signing? The former all-star does not have to perform like an all-star as he did with the rosters he was previously on. Dwight may have toiled away in obscurity among other locations like Atlanta and Brooklyn, but there are certain things he can do to benefit LeBron’s journey to a fourth ring.

Howard doesn’t need to be a superstar on a team that already features LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He doesn’t need to be a prolific scorer with Kyle Kuzma. When LeBron sits, Lakers guard Rajon Rondo will facilitate the offense when Howard is on the floor, making pick and roll sets that much more malleable into the system.

And when it comes to spacing the floor, the roster already boasts a bevy of promising shooters like the two-time champion and new Lakers shooting guard Danny Green. The Lakers just need the 33-year-old to do the literal bare minimum for trip No. 2 to Tinseltown to go swimmingly.

What Dwight Cannot Do As A Laker

As the NBA has transitioned into a positionless, pace and space, “stretch big”-abundant league, the old-school center position has undoubtedly altered itself with players experiencing different positions, practicing and excelling in different offensive skill sets that involve cutting, putting the ball on the floor and being a volume shooter off the catch and dribble. Centers and hybrid 4s are coming into today’s game with the defensive extensiveness to get stops against all ballhandlers (whether on the perimeter or inside the paint) on the floor when switched onto them.

Therefore, we are seemingly saying goodbye to the old-fashioned back-to-the-basket center whose footwork, off-ball technique and versatility are minuscule in comparison to the average center or power forward.

It is practically a formality that today’s big man must have an established jumper off the pick and pop and be equally effective as a fade and roll man. Dwight, unfortunately, is the last of a dying breed, as his failing health mixed and inability to utilize his power moves inside the key have made it simple for executives across the league to write him off.

In order to counter that, Dwight must play to his strengths if he is to remain on an NBA roster. Using his pliability and natural strength to set solid screens and cut to the basket off pindown sets will work, without a doubt. He has enough floor spacing to do that. On defense, Dwight is still a decent shot blocker. His blocks per game (BPG) numbers have been consistent his entire career with two per game and in just a two-year span, he averaged a block a game.

What will not work anymore, is for Dwight to take up space on the low block and isolate. He showed that he was still able to face up down low and get to the basket, primarily off the dribble.

The hook shot may fall when gifted the opportunity to make a play but the problem is, the offense will stall out, especially when two other ball-needy low post scorers in AD and LeBron need that space to survey the defense. Defenses across the league have adapted to nearly eliminating isolation possessions, so more ball holding down low means more collapsing, bad shot selections under the bucket, and transition opportunities for other teams.

It literally took the Lakers to sign LeBron James and Anthony Davis, a league-wide tour, the reinjury of another all-star big and a buyout of a contract to bring him back to the purple and gold. If he is to solidify his role as a veteran and do what he is supposed to do, this will be the site of his first successful season since 2009.

Dwight’s return from his fall from grace, and reacquisition of his lovable reputation, will all be worth it.

Aug 24, 2019 No Comments
NBA 2k20 Is The First Video Game To Include A Social Justice Movement, And That’s A Good Thing

NBA 2k20 Is The First Video Game To Include A Social Justice Movement, And That’s A Good Thing

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by | Aug 20, 2019 | Featured, NBA

Sports games in the past decade have become rather monotone contrary to popular belief, and though certain titles have shown progressive upgrade on their next-gen platforms, games like NBA 2k and Madden NFL have been rather described as mere roster updates. In regards to the company’s community of loyal players, 2k’s iterative approach of exclusive gameplay photographs has become, in fact, just slight touch-ups on sweat graphics and tune-ups to in-game mechanics so that the basketball simulation mirrors its real-life counterpart.

Promptly, this has aroused feelings of contempt, disdain and a fervent need for a new experience from a vast majority of 2k players. Especially now, since sports gaming is to enter a brand-new decade of untouched innovation.

But, these sports games are extremely successful and a ball to play year after year. EA Sports and 2k Sports are well versed in making their money and are awash with support the night of when their products drop. Millions upon millions are spent on these games every year and not just for their single-player modes as microtransactions on “Ultimate Teams” and “MyPlayers” alike have dominated the realm of sports gaming.

And yet, there has been a single strand of entertainment that both companies have used to reel in online views and pre-orders: the phenomenal effect of adding story modes to their games. EA’s FIFA 17 first popularized the dramatic genre by introducing “The Journey”, placing players in the shoes of star soccer player Alex Hunter as they played out his professional career amidst pressure from media, fans and familial requests. Madden NFL dabbled in the career mode pool with their “Longshot” and “Face of the Franchise” modes as well.

But 2k Sports brought a different flavor to the career mode in a sports game, with much more salient topics coursing through the lifeblood of their gripping plots. Whether you began your career in high school until your character was “Livin Da Dream” in the league (NBA 2k16), or you made your way into the NBA as an undrafted free agent by way of a Chinese basketball league (NBA 2k19), 2k Sports has never been afraid to offer a cinematic touch to make your yearly in-game experience that much more enjoyable.

Of course, if it is not broken, there is no reason to fix it. This year is a spitting image of its predecessors: a Hollywood-ridden cast awash with star-studded talent, a gripping storyline to mimic life inside the actual NBA, and the opportunity to include players’ personalized superstars into a complex tale.

But 2k really decided to push, better yet shove, the envelope this year, adding a plot that unprecedentedly blurs the virtual from the real in a way that is so abrasively groundbreaking it is bound to incite discussion leading up to its September release.

2k Sports is entering a zone that most companies are honestly scared to dip their feet in. This year, 2k players will get the chance to see the perspective of an athlete who chooses to stand up for personal beliefs as a social pariah of sorts, something that has become increasingly popular in the past four years. 2k Games granted LeBron James’ Springhill Entertainment creative control and production rights to NBA 2k20’s MyCareer story, titled “When The Lights Are Brightest”.

Set in a modern NBA and social climate where athlete’s voices and opinions are magnified, as they are seen as “More than an athlete” (chalk up LeBron James’s “Uninterrupted” for the credit). As a collegiate baller on the course of graduating, you find your player on a social balancing scale, prompted by the unjust removal of your friend’s scholarship after a career-altering injury.

Alfie Brody, Vice President of Global Marketing at NBA 2K, stated in a press release;

“An entire film made entirely of video game scenes has never been done in this way before. We decided to partner with SpringHill Entertainment because as an athlete-led production company, they authentically understand basketball culture and created a totally unique cinematic experience that encapsulates the reality facing the game’s next prospects. What we were able to accomplish in this year’s MyCAREER mode is an example of what’s ‘NEXT’ in moviemaking and in gaming.”

Per a report from Hypebeast, this year’s cinematic narrative was directed by next up visionary Sheldon Candis. It features a star-filled cast that includes prolific actor Idris Elba, the ubiquitous Rosario Dawson and the likes of Desus and Mero with a slew of past and present NBA players like LeBron himself.

Honestly, you’d be remiss to believe in a reality where sports gaming did not include some sort of social and/or political topic at some point, with this in the form of amateur athletes taking a stand for what they believe in, regardless of oncoming backlash and ostracism.

From this trailer, it is evident that we will see 2K potentially tackle the issues of injury risk and lack of pay that come with the territory of amateur athletes playing college basketball, a conversation that was elevated to mainstream media status following the infamous Zion Williamson shoe blowout/injury on January 15 against UNC that occurred this past college basketball season.

To think, there was a time where one side of a fanbase wanted a storyline in Madden video games to replicate the Colin Kaepernick saga taking place in the real NFL, but EA Sports opted to not only ignore the request, but erase all of Kaepernick’s existence from the game by going as far to delete his then-free-agent player model from the game, and delete any song lyrics that mentioned his name.

2k took the initiative and pulled the trigger on writing a controversial story, and they have shown they are embracing the change of the world around them, especially as a response to those who have displayed their discontent with the social and political stances of a LeBron James or a Maverick Carter, who have often been told by their most negative critics to “shut up and dribble”.More importantly, 2k knew of the substance they were going to let LeBron and his crew put in the game.

2k unabashedly included topics in this year’s edition that aren’t cheesy cliche’s, or cute little after-school stories that just act as a buffer into the etching in of your player into the NBA. This story is hard-hitting, and more than what the average gamer will come to realize.

Real-world problems that are happening in real-time are deeply woven into the seams of the plot, forcing the user to have a judgment of morality that can and will ultimately decide one of two things:

For the first option, you can side with your coach to play out the season, continue your basketball career and live out your dream as a graduating senior, prompting a high draft selection and a big gold star on your chest for “doing the right thing”. All while ignoring the distraction of your injured teammate’s cry of injustice and denial of any opportunity to speak your claim on the infraction.

Or you could choose path No. 2, where your player can go against the grain, your coaching staff and the support of millions of fans and media experts alike. The story will transition from the proverbial basketball story of an up-and-coming phenom with skills magnanimous enough to be a highly-touted rookie already endowed with a flush of elite basketball skill, to one of your player becoming a voice to the millions of seemingly voiceless collegiate athletes done wrong by a capitalistic system known for its greed and its mistreatment of amateur athletes.

By sitting out the last couple of games of your collegiate career in protest of your teammate’s unfair exile, you will more than likely risk your draft placement, or even worse, the single opportunity to be selected in the NBA Draft will slip from your grasp altogether. The choice gets even more difficult to make once your own morals as a human being are brought into question and you will more than likely have to decide what moral path is correct to walk on in seconds.

Is this video game storyline as scandalous or nefarious as taking a knee for a national anthem? Is the decision you must make as significant to the point where you ring the alarm to signify slander from the President of the United States by standing up for what is right? Maybe not quite yet.

But it is quite a start.

In the next decade now kicking off with NBA 2k20, LeBron and his camp may not see it now as vividly as prophesized, but they will feel their effect on sports gaming as a whole. As Americans, we have already entered this period of cynicism, where the younger and “Next” generation has said enough is enough when it comes to social inequality and failures of justice.

Folks will constantly complain about letting the cloud of social issues permeate the clear skies that are supposed to be sports. Reality is, sport is an imitation, better yet an intricate reflection, of humanity. Therefore, social issues are unavoidable, as the athletes go through the very injustices certain skeptics continually disconfirm.

Being “More Than An Athlete” is the big lesson 2k wants to drive home upon their customers once their September release rolls by, and not for the sole reason of just teaching that lesson. Much like your MyPlayer, 2k Sports is vying to cling to that role of the social pariah destined to leave its legacy on a divided social environment, but not in a commanding and forceful way but from a place of informing and teaching.

In order to understand why there is such a thing as the “More Than An Athlete” campaign in the first place, it is imperative to get an idea of how the negative conditions affect these professional and amateur athletes. Of course, fans of the series will flock to their local stores to pick up their yearly copy of the game or buy it online, making this groundbreaking strategy a brilliant tactic.

No game company has ever gone this far. Including the realism of athletes speaking out against social inequality was seen as a taboo to most companies, a “let’s never go there” kind of business move.

So let 2k Sports be the first to almost fully blend the lines between virtual and reality not just with the most cinematic in-game movie any sports gamer has ever seen, but with such a relevant story that is bound to break the barriers of introducing social justice into sports gaming, and be a major catalyst for the “Next” decade of gaming as a whole.

Check out this discussion panel on the construction of the plot and how this year’s story mode came to be, featuring the “When The Lights Are Brightest” Executive Producer Maverick Carter, Director Sheldon Candis, Lead Writer Taylor Materne and the President of Springhill Entertainment, Jamal Henderson.

The NBA 2k20 demo releases on Wednesday morning at 8 A.M. ET.

Aug 20, 2019 No Comments
2019-20 NBA Schedule Released – Top 10 Games For The Upcoming Season

2019-20 NBA Schedule Released – Top 10 Games For The Upcoming Season

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by | Aug 13, 2019 | Featured, NBA

The latest iteration of the NBA schedule release commenced Monday afternoon at 3 p.m., and fans of the global game have only the remnants of the summer left to wait until a new year dawns upon the calendar. NBA preseason games will be here before we all know it, and we will get a small glimpse of just what all 30 clubs across the basketball stratosphere are cooking up.

Brand new powerhouse dynamic duos, gripping storylines, gritty rivalries and a palate of instant-classic level matchups sprinkled like parsley across the league schedule await all experts, and prognosticators, alike as October 22 approaches.

It has been nothing short of an explosive offseason and free agency period, with Woj and Shams notifications on every eager NBA fan’s personal device dominating the summer. Kawhi and Paul George head home to sunny California, Kemba is headed to Boston and more specifically, back to the Northeast where he brought a national championship to the University of Connecticut in 2011.

The Klutch Sports pairing of LeBron and Anthony Davis unite in Tinseltown to take on the suddenly horrifying Clippers in the Battle of LA. Kyrie and KD team up in New York – not that part of New York you may have been thinking of back in January – to contend for an NBA Finals bid in the coming years. The Brodie has found his way back to the Beard to potentially recreate the success the two had in 2012 and contend for a title this year.

All of these tales yet to be told signify that we are that much closer to the October tip-off, and we are all chomping at the bit to get this show on the road. We are getting treated to a plethora of return and revenge games, which will be complete with cheers and boos, just the way we like them.

With that in mind, check out below the ten best matchups, both early and late in the season. You can never predict what games will have playoff implications, so some of these ten games could impact playoff seeding.

 

10. Dallas Mavericks vs. New York Knicks, Nov. 14, 8 p.m., TNT

Cross the first revenge game off the list. The Knicks will be hosting Kristaps Porzingis’ first game in New York as an ex-Knick and to the chagrin of supporters of the Knicks former first-rounder, it is no secret that the boo birds in the Garden will sell out during his return. New York is off to a considerable rebuild as the 7’3 unicorn, as explained by most witnesses of the multifaceted talents Porzingis displays when at full strength, but it is more than likely the Mavs will trounce all over the new-look organization, especially now that the 100% healthy Porzingis joins the Rookie of the Year Luka Doncic in Dallas.

Still, it will be worth the watch to see and hear the reactions and sounds of the Garden during that night, and whether Porzingis will be met with sympathetic cheers as he comes back from injury or apathetic dismay from diehard Knicks fans who felt disrespected by his choice of words about requesting a trade from the rebuilding and uncompetitive Knicks back in February.

 

9. Los Angeles Clippers vs. Toronto Raptors, Dec. 11, 7 p.m., TNT

Much of the speculation around Kawhi’s intentions leading up to July surrounded the single topic of whether he would stay in Toronto by signing a long term deal with the Raptors, right after winning the franchise’s first championship. We know the answer to that question now, as Leonard decided to head back home to join the Los Angeles Clippers and replicate the model of success in helping to mold a championship roster that he displayed to the league a year ago.

Now, one larger question remains: how will the city of Toronto react when their Finals MVP is handed his championship ring? The matchup between the championship roster constructed by Masai Ujiri against the new-look Clippers will tell a lot of people whether or not to perceive the Raptors as a venerable playoff contender in such a saturated Eastern Conference.

 

8. Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Pelicans, Nov. 27, 9:30 p.m., ESPN

Another returning game here. The entire fiasco back in January concerning Anthony Davis’ discontent with the Pelicans, and LeBron James’ need to acquire championship pieces to immediately compete in the West came full circle, with AD finally having his request honored by David Griffin and the Pelicans in June. The six-time all-star was shipped to the Lakers in exchange for the Lakers’ young and developing core of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and the 4th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

Anthony Davis’ first year out of New Orleans – and his injection into the system of one of the sport’s most storied franchises – will signify just how much of a talented asset he is on the court to a lot of prognosticators, especially so now that he shares the same frontcourt with the prolific James. Throw in the new rivalry between LBJ and his ex-Laker teammates who now are not quite fond with the King, and rookie phenom Zion Williamson’s first test against the best player on the planet, and you have a fun primetime battle on national television.

 

7. Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics, Nov. 27, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

You are going to hear a lot of booing from inside the TD Garden on this night. Brooklyn’s new acquisition Kyrie Irving personally claimed that he would re-sign with the Boston Celtics in a heartbeat only if “you fans would have me back”, and also said he wanted to be the reason no other Celtic would ever wear No. 11 again in a Nike commercial, as he played on the parquet with his father.

And as fate would have it, everything went completely opposite of how we all expected for the Celtics last season. A preseason favorite to commandingly win the entire East was bounced in the second round, and Irving promptly jumped ship in order to team up with a rising power in the East in Brooklyn. Best believe that in his return to Boston aa an ex-Celtic, Irving will receive the bitter end from the Boston natives with every touch he has with the ball, and when his name is announced during the introduction of the starting lineups.

That scene should provide plenty of fireworks – especially with many of Irving’s former teammates looking to prove the team can more than move on without him. It is up to Kemba Walker, the new face of the franchise, to lead the Celtics back to prominence in the East. This is going to a high-scoring affair between former Celtic Irving and new Celtic Walker, no question about it.

 

6. Milwaukee Bucks vs. Houston Rockets, Oct. 24, 8 p.m. ET, TNT

It’s rather the cliche’ to include a game like this on the list, but then again, you would be remiss to leave it out. It is the first battle of league MVPs, though it is kind of a 2 to 1 handicap match considering the Rockets picked up another league Most Valuable Player in Russell Westbrook just a couple of weeks ago. Still, a man who is arguably being decided as the most dominant player in basketball on the other side of the floor contains the strength, speed, pliability, and tenacity of two, maybe even three, men.

The debates of who should have won the league’s most coveted individual award will be settled in these two teams’ first meeting on the year.

 

5. Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, Jan 9, 8 p.m. ET, TNT

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1E0SXch0pZ/

The last of the original big four have left the coop of OKC, as longtime Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook departed from an organization that he reached unparalleled heights with, and a community that accepted him in as one of their own in the 11 years he spent there. A trip to the NBA Finals, a league MVP, and the identity as one of the two men in league history to average a triple-double for an entire season are all on the resume of one Westbrook, who will return to Oklahoma for the first time since the trade. The night will be incredulously emotional, in more ways than one.

If he is to remain in a Thunder uniform, expect the still-existent bad blood between new Thunder guard Chris Paul and James Harden established from their fallout after last season’s failure in reaching the conference finals to display itself on the floor during Westbrook’s homecoming.

 

4. Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers, Nov. 13, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN

LeBron renews his rivalry with Stephen Curry and the Warriors since they last left off with a Lakers win and LeBron injury on Christmas day. This time, however, Curry is heading to this battle with a depleted army, as he is now without Kevin Durant for the first time since 2016, Andre Iguodala since 2013, and the recovering Klay Thompson since 2010. This time around, LeBron finally walks in with the better hand of cards, bringing in perhaps his best All-Star big man in Davis and a new cast of veteran shooters around him.

This game features a couple of notable reunions. D’Angelo Russell faces the organization that drafted and later banished him to Brooklyn him to make room for Ball. Also, Cousins returns to the Bay to face his former teammates and coach, looking to prove he can still return to his All-Star form where he was unanimously declared the best big man in the game. It also wouldn’t be a surprise to see Quinn Cook try to hit a few 3s against his old mates.

 

3. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets, Jan. 18, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC

This is the Saturday Primetime game of the year, no debates necessary. The floor is scattered with MVPs in Westbrook, Harden, and LeBron James (5 league MVP titles combined) with AD having been potentially budding into the Most Valuable Player conversation every year since 2015. Expect a flurry of highlights from this battle of titans and maybe, just maybe, a triple-double or two. Another chapter in this spectacular rivalry between the Lakers and Rockets is yet to be experienced by all NBA fans and on these teams’ first matchup of the year, and it could very well be a preview for the playoffs in the spring.

 

2. Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Lakers, Jan. 25, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC

Yes, this will be your NBA Finals. No debate necessary.

In the East this year, the new look — and new average height Philadelphia 76ers — will be an arduous out in the postseason and are heavily favored to advance to their first NBA Finals since 2001. It is correct to fully trust the process in 2019-20, as Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons have one of the most skilled frontcourts in basketball, especially after prying away Boston’s Al Horford and putting him in the mix.

Though a scoring average of a nightly 20+ points from the likes of the departed Jimmy Butler will be missed, Joel Embiid is easily the best pure center in the NBA, Ben Simmons’ game has vastly improved in the offseason (especially his jumper), and Tobias Harris will garner all-star votes. Sixers fans can expect a four-headed monster heading into this season, and the ballers on Broad street will be well endowed at just about every position, accounting their bench depth as well.

Klutch Sports Agent Rich Paul is going to have a blast watching this one, considering that three of his most famous clients — Ben Simmons, Anthony Davis, and LeBron — will duke it out in Wells Fargo in what will be consecutive Saturday night primetime wars, a treat for all fans of the game.

 

1. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Los Angeles Clippers, Dec. 25, 12 p.m., ET, ABC

Of course, you knew this was coming, It wasn’t really going to be a surprise anyway.

Lo and behold, the revamped Battle of Los Angeles. A clash of two Western Conference powerhouses on Christmas Day that could very well set as a precursor to first-ever Western Conference Finals to take place in a neutral site.

Though the Clippers and Lakers start their season against one another on October 22 on TNT, the season opener has a little less salience compared to Christmas Day’s duel. Acquired in a package deal with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George has been dealing with shoulder soreness from a prior offseason surgery after his first-round loss to the Blazers last season, so his status for game one is uncertain. Conversely, this game on October 22 is the No.1 game to watch for the year if he is suddenly announced as healthy.

Nonetheless, the union of two of LeBron’s most tedious foes in George and Leonard create even more of a high-tension turf war inside the Staples Center. James isn’t empty-handed though. He will unveil his newest All-Star big man as the Anthony Davis era begins to the delight of the purple-and-gold nation.

This game will be the debut for several Lakers, from head coach Frank Vogel to DeMarcus Cousins, Danny Green and former Clipper-turned-Laker Avery Bradley, with a variety of others making their first appearances in the Staples Center as permanent figures.

On the blue and red side, Clippers Head Coach Doc Rivers might have two new superstars, but he has plenty of chemistry and continuity with veterans such as the scrappiest guard in the league in Patrick Beverley as well as the most intimidating bench in basketball, starring sixth man of the year Lou Williams and the rising superstar Montrezl Harrell.

This is war. And basketball cannot come soon enough.

 

 

Aug 13, 2019 No Comments
Spurs Hire Tim Duncan As Assistant Head Coach

Spurs Hire Tim Duncan As Assistant Head Coach

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by | Jul 22, 2019 | Featured, NBA

While the precedent of former franchise greats serving as advisers to their younger mentees and current team members is not new, asking your Hall of Fame Power Forward to fulfill a critical coaching spot on your staff surely sounds like a new mountain to climb.

For the San Antonio Spurs, an organization and team enriched in the advice of its successful predecessors, asking a talent like The Big Fundamental to coach alongside his greatest adversary in Gregg Popovich seems like such a Spurs way of doing things.

The standard of treating excellence as a habit is a Spurs tradition, and on Monday afternoon, the Spurs organization seemed to uphold this tradition, as they announced to the NBA universe that Tim Duncan will rejoin sides with Gregg Popovich as an Assistant Coach for the 2019-2020 season. Duncan, a 1997 Wake Forest graduate, played 19 seasons with the Spurs and won five championships, two league MVP awards, three Finals MVPs, made 10 All-NBA First Teams and became the franchise leader in points before retiring in the summer of 2016.

The legendary Power Forward will join a voluminous coaching staff, along with a former assistant coach of his in Becky Hammon. Also joining the staff with Duncan will be Will Hardy, a former Spurs basketball operations intern that graduated from Williams College in 2010.

When asked about the familiarity of his new coaching acquisition, Popovich spoke highly of Duncan’s loyalty to the franchise he called home for nearly 20 years.

“It is only fitting, that after I served loyally for 19 years as Tim Duncan’s assistant, that he returns the favor,” Popovich said.

Spurs fans and fans of the big three will be more than excited to see their towering (literally and figuratively) example of class, leadership, and professionalism on the Spurs coaching staff for every minute of every game this upcoming season.

Jul 22, 2019 No Comments