SR – NBA Christmas Day Preview: New Orleans Pelicans vs. Miami Heat

SR – NBA Christmas Day Preview: New Orleans Pelicans vs. Miami Heat

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by | Dec 25, 2020 | Featured, NBA

Merry Christmas everyone! From our extended SneakerReporter family to yours, we wish you happy, happy holidays! It’s been a long, rough year, but if you are able to just be with family and friends during this wondrous time, that’s a blessing in itself. And per tradition on Christmas day, we have NBA Basketball just a little under an hour away! Five games, and a preview of each of them, are coming down the chimney for viewing and reading pleasure, so go and grab your favorite Yuletide beverage, kick back, and get ready for game one of our NBA quintuple-header choc’ full o’ holiday action!

The first game on the schedule: the New Orleans Pelicans take a trip to sunny South Beach to battle the Miami Heat on ABC at 12:00 p.m. ET.

The Pelicans are fresh off a season-opening 113-99  road thrashing of the Toronto Raptors and really looked like the young, talented team that fueled those preseason expectations of this Stan Van Gundy-coached team making the postseason. Engineered by the unstoppable force named Zion Williamson, who finished with a rattling 18 points off 7-9 shooting as Toronto was struggling all night stopping him from getting to the rack with that tremendous strength and explosiveness he’s blessed with. For Williamson, this has to be the greatest gift of them all, since the 2nd year star out of Duke was sidelined through last January as a result of the injury to his left meniscus and wasn’t able to play in his first Christmas Day game.

Now that he has his chance, NBA fans can expect to see Zion slash his way through Miami’s defense and finish atop the rim with fervent, though it won’t be easy. Though Miami is coming off a tough loss to the Magic, the season is young and it’s only a matter of time until Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic, Bam Adebayo, Duncan Robinson, and crew recalibrate and earn their first win.

This game is going to be a lot of fun and should feature a lot of all-star talent. It will be interesting to see how Brandon Ingram is guarded by Bam Adebayo or Jimmy Butler, and who wants to take initiative and stand in front of Zion to limit his ferocious drives and off-ball cuts inside the lane and on the baseline. Additionally, how does Miami’s offense continue to etch in Tyler Herro as their primary facilitator? And seeing as there isn’t a do-all No. 1 man in this offense, will Jimmy Butler, Herro, or Duncan Robinson be the biggest factor on offense against an effective defensive team that has long bodies around the perimeter?

Two solid rosters will collide, and those questions and more will be answered come tip-off.

Dec 25, 2020 No Comments
SR – NBA Primetime Preview: Los Angeles Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers

SR – NBA Primetime Preview: Los Angeles Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers

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by | Dec 23, 2020 | Featured, NBA

For the second game on our opening night TNT schedule, we have the world champion Los Angeles Lakers dueling against the cross-hallway rival Los Angeles Clippers at 10:00 p.m. ET.

It’s a celebration at the Staples Center on Tuesday night! The Lakers, 71 days removed from their 17th time hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy atop their heads back in the bubble, have their ring ceremony tonight, and while they’ve decided not to have the unveiling of the 17th championship banner until fans pack ol’ Staples (and who knows when that’ll be), the joy of holding the title of “franchise tied with the most gold” will feel just as good to say, even if Lakers fans won’t be in person at their season opener to say it.

Just like any other ring ceremony game, the visiting Clippers are looking to play spoiler. What started out as the joining of a roster that had immediate championship aspirations, turned into a vile collapse during the Western Conference semifinal as they blew a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George begin a season of redemption, and proving they can still hang with a team they beat twice last year with what’s now considered an “upset” win against the Lakers tonight.

This next iteration of the Battle of Los Angeles will feature some new faces in new places. A first: reigning Sixth man of the Year Montrezl Harrell will be on an LA sideline, just not the one you’ve come to expect. After contract talks between him, Jerry West, Steve Ballmer broke down, the Louisville product will be donning Laker purple and gold. Another thing of note, 6MOTY runner-up Dennis Schroder is going to be a Laker as well, as Rob Pelinka made sure to add some outside shooting and crafty ballhandling in the offseason. Wesley Matthews (picked up off the bi-annual exception) adds perimeter defense and accurate shooting from deep.

The Clips may have lost a few pieces in Harrell and Landry Shamet (sent to Brooklyn) and lost their head coach (Doc Rivers was hired by Daryl Morey in Philadelphia) but they’re just as dangerous with the tandem of PG13 and the Klaw. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are the big favorites to repeat as champs, but that doesn’t mean their trip back to the NBA Finals will be a cakewalk. Not in the slightest.

Dec 23, 2020 No Comments
SR – NBA Primetime Preview: Golden State Warriors vs Brooklyn Nets

SR – NBA Primetime Preview: Golden State Warriors vs Brooklyn Nets

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by | Dec 22, 2020 | Featured, NBA

It’s almost time for tip-off, and that can only mean one time…For the first time in over 71 days, professional basketball that actually counts toward something will be on television screens in households around the world. And for this site, it’ll be the first time since March 11, 2020, that a primetime preview article is being published. It’s been a year shrouded with uncertainty, pain, and despair, but there are always lights at the end of those dark tunnels and for a lot of people, sports have been that necessary escape, that joyous distraction, a soothing reminder that things get better and the fact that there’s always a solution to the most pertinent issue.

This season is unlike any other. And the fans not being in stands isn’t the biggest adjustment players have to make. A widespread pandemic has ravaged the sports world, but this league has the initiative to continue playing safely until told to not do so. A 72-game season is the plan B for the NBA and the season, usually ending in early April, will continue into May and an abridged version of the playoffs will take place mid-spring, finally concluding weeks short of the Tokyo Olympics. It’s certainly a work-on-the-fly kind of plan with no concrete schedule, but it’s something they’ll have to get acclimated to.

So, to tonight’s game – Brooklyn and Golden State kick off the most different season in NBA history. All that will be there to accompany the 30 participants on the court will be artificial crowd sounds to fill the fan-less void, but basketball is to be played in its 48-minute entirety. The Golden State Warriors begin a rebounding season that’s sure to be filled to the brim with headlines as one of the West’s most integral teams, and with them now at the bottom of the pecking order, best believe Stephen Curry and crew have something to say about who’s being appointed as early favorites to come out of the conference.

It’ll be the Dubs’ first game in nearly 300 days since their 15-win season was cut short by the pandemic. And for the first time ever, they’ll be participating in competitive basketball in an empty gym. Curry looks to square off against former teammate Kevin Durant, the Nets’ new acquisition who fled to Brooklyn after the debacle in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals, where the four-time scoring champ ruptured his Achilles. He hasn’t played a regular-season game since then, so tonight is a personal milestone in itself for him.

Alongside Durant will be former NBA champ Kyrie Irving who is quite arguably the most skilled player at the position today (though Curry won’t quite vouch for that sentiment!) It’s yet to be determined if the pairing of Irving and Durant will work out, but tonight’s the first glimpse at a team that could very well be representing the East in July’s NBA Finals.

A fun fact – this game was supposed to be played between these two teams back on March 12, so it’s good that commissioner Adam Silver kept this game going as the first one of the new year. And other storylines like Kelly Oubre’s debut with Golden State, No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman’s NBA Debut, and the overall sight of pandemic basketball in home stadiums will all play out on screens at 7:00 p.m. ET on TNT.

Dec 22, 2020 No Comments
Sneaker Reporter’s NBA Award Predictions For The Upcoming 2020-21 Season

Sneaker Reporter’s NBA Award Predictions For The Upcoming 2020-21 Season

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by | Dec 22, 2020 | Featured, NBA

Happy Tip-Off day! In light of the shortest offseason ever (or longest if your team didn’t qualify for the bubble restart), basketball is back into our living rooms as the 2020-21 NBA season starts tonight, on December 22 at 7:00 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on TNT! That feels great to say, and hopefully, this time around we don’t have to worry about a massive shutdown that sent the season into peril back on March 11.

This year is massively different, and an array of curveballs will be thrown at conventionality. That’s just the order of things. But sports are practically the quintessential microcosm of life itself; things never quite turn out how we predict. Case in point – back in October when the bubble playoffs and Finals concluded with the Los Angeles Lakers hoisting ol’ Larry OB above their heads while blanketed by purple and gold confetti, commissioner Adam Silver initially scheduled this NBA season to start mid-January or early February, if health coordinators and state officials across the nation even complied. But, we’re here. And this time, if all goes well and there aren’t too many COVID-19 cases throughout the league, this thing should go swimmingly.

That being said, should this abridged 72-game season go according to plan, there will be our usual 16-team postseason, and order of award winners ranging from League’s Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year, Executive of the Year, and many more. What we already know, however, is just how impossible it is to get every award prediction correctly year-in and year-out. I took a stab at who won the MVP last year, and that looks like the only one that I and a bunch of content creators hammered correctly. But it’s always fun to try.

So without further ado, let’s hop into these predictions for who is winning hardware at the end of this season.

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1.) Executive of the Year: Rob Pelinka, General Manager, Los Angeles Lakers

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka talks about the team’s recent free agent signings at their training facility in El Segundo on Wednesday, July 11, 2018. (Photo by Scott Varley, Staff Photographer)

Being quite honest, this is an award won in the weeks and months of the lengthy offseason, and while proven in year’s past where teams have had at least a 5-6 month lapse for determining how they want to approach their next season and how they want to mold their roster to achieve championship success, the defending champs were tasked with not only remodeling some core parts of this already exceptional team but in the stretch of only 61 days. So to me, Rob Pelinka seems like the safe pick, because it’s not often championship teams add even better pieces while bolstering their depth and locking down their most coveted two pieces in the manner that Pelinka has.

In one offseason, the former agent to the late great Kobe Bryant struck gold after taking Anthony Davis off of the free agency market, (as if he was really going anywhere else, right?) fully signing him to the Lakers on a five-year, $190M deal and extending LeBron James to a massive two-year, $85M deal that keeps the now four-time champ and Finals MVP through 2023.

And now for the “they got even better” clarification: they got 2019-20 Sixth Man of the Year award winner Montrezl Harrell to switch uniforms in the Staples Center to play for the Lakers instead of the cross-hallway rival Clippers, “swooping in” to pick him up while contract talks between him and the Clips broke down. Also, they immediately addressed their fervent need for outside shooting by giving away Danny Green and the draft rights to Jaden McDaniels to the Thunder and getting 6MOTY runner-up, shot creator, and sharpshooter Dennis Schroder in return.

Oh, and not to mention them getting Wesley Matthews from the Bucks via the bi-annual exception as well as extending Kyle Kuzma to a lucrative-yet-responsible deal that could be a bargain if he pans out in LA, and viable trade/draft capital if he underperforms. Should the Lakers get back to the NBA Finals in a suddenly weakening Western Conference and repeat, it seems like Pelinka will earn this honor.

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2.) Coach of the Year: Terry Stotts, Head Coach, Portland Trail Blazers

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Bit of a surprising pick here, but stick with me. Portland had one of the most disappointing regular seasons in recent memory for a team with that much talent on its roster, finishing eighth in the West after fighting to supplant themselves in the playoff picture by defeating the Memphis Grizzlies in the first-ever play-in tournament for the final seed. Damian Lillard put on some historic performances both in the bubble during the season’s resumption and out of the bubble before the suspension, putting up streaks of 50+ point performances that rivaled the likes of Kobe Bryant’s MVP award-worthy slew of 40+ point games back in 2007 and alongside established bucket-getter CJ McCollum, willed his Blazers to a first-round matchup with the Lakers, ultimately losing in five games.

This offseason was different for Portland, who knew what they needed to add in order to really be taken seriously in the West. Robert Covington was as serious of a pickup that they could as for; defense was their focus (fourth-worst def. rating in NBA) and needed to be prioiritized, so they got the respected 3-and-D wing known for shutting down some of the most proficient slashers and outside scorers in the league. By shipping away Mario Hezonja and Trevor Ariza’s contracts, they got the uber-athletic bench piece of Derrick Jones Jr., reliable backup center Harry Giles III and stout rebounder Enes Kanter in return, and also re-signed Carmelo Anthony and Rodney Hood.

Stotts rebounded from his horrendous start to the 2019-20 season on the defensive end when Zach Collins came Jusuf Nurkic returned in the bubble for the first time since March 2019 when he broke his ankle, and the Bosnian shot-blocker helped them get into the playoffs for the third-straight time. Don’t look now, but if health is on their side unlike how it wasn’t last year, Portland could upset a lot of teams in the stacked Northwest division and the West as a whole. They’re best equipped to challenge the likes of the Clippers and Lakers with the roster they’ve pieced together right now, and that’s not being stated lightly. If they end up destroying preseason Finals picks, it’ll be Stotts’ award to lose.

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3.) Sixth Man of the Year: Spencer Dinwiddie, Guard, Brooklyn Nets

Harry How/Getty Images

You’d figure someone in that Steve Nash was going to be awarded for their efforts if all goes well for the new top dog in New York City. While Kevin Durant or his new teammate Kyrie Irving are likely candidates to contend for the Kia Most Valuable Player award this year, Spencer Dinwiddie is quite possibly the best choice to own hardware on this team that’s sure to put up a lot of points this year. And a couple of things point to that possibility.

For starters, the second unit the Nets will have this season is just as good as a lot of teams’ starting five, and the tandem of Caris LeVert and Dinwiddie, who already have a manufactured chemistry with the likes of DeAndre Jordan, Jarrett Allen and Joe Harris, will be frightening to guard on any given night. And as the leader of that second unit, Dinwiddie’s already proved he is capable of manning the lineup when their stars sit. When Kyrie Irving was sidelined for the rest of the season, Dinwiddie put up numbers worthy of All-Star consideration in his first 16 games as the Nets’ starter, putting up 24.3 points, 7.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds. Now imagine him doing that for an entire season as the secondary hybrid guard off the bench.

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4.) Kia Most Improved Player: Michael Porter Jr., Power Forward, Denver Nuggets

Nuggets rookie Michael Porter Jr. is rapidly asserting himself as the team’s third franchise cornerstone. It’s time for him to become a permanent fixture in Denver’s starting lineup. GETTY IMAGES

Porter’s gradual development has been noteworthy ever since his NBA debut back in 2019 for the Nuggets, who drafted him 14th overall in the 2018 draft and saw the 21-year old at the time as a project that could one day compete with the pros as a result of believing in the intangibles that the 6’10 wing with a 7.25″ wingspan had. It was only worth taking a chance with as soon as he configured his bothersome issues stemming from a back surgery that forced him to redshirt his freshman season at Missouri. A choppy rookie season in 2018-19 showed flashes of just how good this kid could be, and the fearlessness to pull up from anywhere and cash out told the simple truth to Nuggets staff officials and executives: this kid is for real.

And, promptly, MPJ made the seismic leap. In the Orlando bubble, Porter exacted that tenacity in seven of the eight season restart games for the Nugs, averaging 22 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting 42 percent from deep the field. Most notably from those games where those crazy averages were determined: two back-to-back games of Porter dropping 37 against the Thunder and 30 against the Spurs, both of which he posted double-doubles in for a total of four straight games with that stat.

His numbers dipped in the playoffs, (11.4 ppg, 6.7 rebounds) mainly due to the dip in minutes and touches since Mike Malone looked to his most prominent pieces of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray to run things, but his upward trajectory is promising. The former Gatorade Athlete of the Year fits into any lineup and automatically gives the five on the floor a boost as an exceptional three-point shooter. As he enters his third season, he could very well be the third-best player on this team behind two All-NBA talents he can further develop his game with and around, especially now that Jerami Grant, their former star  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

5.) Rookie of the Year: Obi Toppin, Power Forward, New York Knicks

Daily Knicks – Brad Dressler/FanSided

Lo and behold NYC – star power has finally returned to the Madison Square Garden.

The growth from being the lowest spotted team in the East to the “top of the heap” will be slow and gradual, but worth it as the Leon Rose in Knickland is off to a pretty good start, offseason-wise. This might not sound like the sext pick for ROY, but results and volume are the determinant for this award and there will be plenty of opportunities for the highest picked Dayton Flyer in school history to make his mark on this league in what should be another reboulding year that will sort out who needs to be built around. Toppin’s offensive skillset resembles a former Knick and legendary household name who donned orange and blue legend, subjectively speaking: Amar’e Stoudamire.

Knicks fans experiencing Obi’s rookie season should be a bit of a throwback to witness: the 6’8 power forward largely does his work under the basket, and he has a knack for bruising opposing defenders on the glass as an adept rebounder and strong-yet-fluid skilled scorer on the block. A polished scorer with exceptional footwork, burst, the mentality and confidence to stretch the floor with a consistent jumper from outside, above-the-rim athleticism and equally damaging off-ball scoring intelligence should be the reason “Obi1” lights up the scoreboard betwixt a rookie class that’s without a true standalone team transformer on both the offensive and defensive end.

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6.) Defensive Player of the Year: Bam Adebayo, Power Forward/Center, Miami Heat

Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo isn’t going to let a shoulder injury prevent him from playing in Game 2. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

It’ll only be a matter of time until the Kentucky product gets one, right? Makes sense for him to win one this year. The pesky, lanky, and high-energy shot-blocker (and alterer) will be at the top of the NBA All-Defensive first team voting results at year’s end, if his 2019-20 season was any indication. Another third-year player of high skill proportions, Adebayo earned his first All-Star berth, averaging 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 5 assists and an impressive 1.3 blocks on the way to helping the Miami Heat earn their first trip to the NBA Finals since the LBJ-Wade-Bosh days.

He was named to the All-Defensive Second team this year, but would’ve definitely earned his spot on the first team had his efforts in the postseason been added to his cumulative resume. While he showed where he had to grow during the Finals against Anthony Davis, who ended up averaging 25 points, 10.7 rebounds against the third-year big man, he earned his stripes in the playoffs and was responsible for earning the moniker of the “Giannis Stopper” by walling up and neutralizing the reigning MVP, clamping him in the halfcourt and keeping him to an average 21.8 points on 50 percent shooting, while also forcing 2.8 turnovers per game (decent stats, but if you were watching it was as if he couldn’t do a thing against Adebayo) as the Heat gentleman’s swept and upset the top-seeded Bucks in a 4-1 Conference Semifinals victory.

His versatility, improving all-around game, and tireless attitude to never take possessions off combined with the fact that he has eyes on him now from the outstanding shows he put on the bubble might get him into a spot where voters can’t refuse giving him the DPOY this year.

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7.) Kia Most Valuable Player: Luka Doncic, Point Guard, Dallas Mavericks

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – AUGUST 23: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks celebrates a game winning three point basket against the LA Clippers during overtime in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 23, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The Slovenian walking Triple-Double might finally crack the league’s hierarchy for the first time in 2020-21, and there isn’t much anyone objecting to his rise that can do anything about it.

Luka Doncic is slowly transforming into a player of his own caliber, a rare, transcendent blend of the finesse and vision of Magic Johnson with the ballhandling skill of James Harden mixed with a sprinkle of can’t-miss marksmanship from Larry Bird. He truly is a world-class talent, and for one who’s reeled in Most Valuable Player accolades on a separate continent with the EuroLeague’s Real Madrid, earning one here in the states at the tender age of 22 just seems destined to happened.

Sure, factor in his struggling 3PT shooting (31.6 percent in 2019-20) but admit it, it’s hard to gameplan for a player like Doncic. He can do everything you ask of him. At 6’8, he can play at his own pace, and though he’s only three years in his NBA tenure, he has the knowledge, skillset and confidence of a ten-year NBA vet. He plays with an indelible level of craftiness and is always head-up when creating for others off the bounce, collapsing defenses and subsequently flinging wild passes to bigs and corner shooters, and going to the rim slashing as he’s rarely, if ever, afraid of drawing contact and getting more points at the stripe. He’s a fresh face and the future of this league.

He was a finalist for the MVP award last year, and with the numbers he put up last year, how couldn’t he be? There was only one man that had more trip-dubs LeBron James (13) last year in his MVP-contending season that obviously ended in a championship: Luka Doncic, who accumulated 17 full stat sheets in only his second year as an NBA player.

Looking at the current field of fellow MVP candidates, James (and probably Kawhi, too) may not play as many minutes in the shortened regular season with the new anti-load management rule set in place, James Harden has his own “episodes” and different motivations this year, Kevin Durant winning the league title off a torn Achilles seems shocking, at the very least, Giannis’ voters may have a little voter’s fatigue keeping him as the MVP for a third straight season, which designates a presumptuous league’s Most Valuable Player nomination and award for the Mavericks star who, along with his team, could knock off some high-up Western teams in the playoffs if they can stay healthy.

Dec 22, 2020 No Comments
Top 15 Sneakers Worn During 2020 NBA Preseason

Top 15 Sneakers Worn During 2020 NBA Preseason

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by | Dec 21, 2020 | Featured, NBA, Sneakers

The 2020 NBA preseason is officially over and soon enough games will count for real. Rookies have gotten their feet wet in the league, logging their first NBA minutes. Veterans sat out some games and then used a game or two to fine-tune their skill set. New contracts have been signed with fresh ink and players are settling into their basketball homes.

When it comes to sneakers, the 2020-21 NBA season will be anchored by the LeBron, Kobe, KD, Kyrie, and PG line (like always). These dominant Nike athletes are on their 18th, 13th, 7th, and 4th signature sneakers respectively, with Kobe’s line continuing to go strong with the Protro versions every year. This season looks to build on the success of the Nike Kobe 5 Protro from last year by releasing the 6’s this year. Expect the Nike PG 5 to release soon, as Paul George’s PG 4 was technically his shoe for the 2019-20 season. Under Armour and Steph Curry look to make some noise with the Curry 8 – now casted as Steph’s own brand under the UA umbrella. Will Joel Embiid’s new signature shoe with Under Armour be able to do numbers as well? Adidas just released the Harden Vol. 5, and is slated to come out with the D.O.N. Issue #3 shortly. Derrick Rose’s signature series is still going strong as he just launched the 11th model in his line. Budding young superstar, Trae Young, is set to become the next signature athlete for the Three Stripes sometime later on in 2021. Jimmy Butler is off the sneaker free agent market and has inked a deal with Chinese brand Li-Ning. It will be an interesting year in terms of sneakers for sure. Scroll below to see who rocked the 15 Best Sneakers of the 2020 NBA Preseason.

 

 

15. Adidas D Rose 11 – Derrick Rose

 

     

 

 

14. PUMA Clyde All-Pro “Elf” – Kyle Kuzma

 

     

 

 

13. Adidas Harden Vol. 5 – Kyle Lowry

 

     

 

 

12. Adidas D.O.N. Issue #2 “Louisville” – Donovan Mitchell

 

     

 

 

11. Nike KD 13 “Aunt Pearl” – Kevin Durant

 

     

 

 

10. Nike Kobe 5 Protro P.E. – Devin Booker

 

     

 

 

9. Nike Zoom Freak 2 P.E. – Giannis Antetokounmpo

 

     

 

 

8. Nike Kyrie 2 “What The Kyrie/Green Glow” – Ja Morant

 

     

 

 

7. Nike Kobe 5 Protro P.E. – Devin Booker

 

     

 

 

6. Jordan XXXV P.E. – Jayson Tatum

 

     

 

 

5. Nike KD 4 “Galaxy” – Ja Morant

 

           

 

 

4. Nike Kobe 6 “Rice” – Eric Paschall

 

     

 

 

3. Nike KD 4 “Weatherman” – Tyrese Haliburton

 

     

 

 

2. Nike PG 1 “Academy” – Paul George

 

     

 

 

1. Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Grinch” – Ja Morant

 

           

 

 

 

 

Dec 21, 2020 No Comments
SR – NBA 2020-21 Division Preview: The Southeast

SR – NBA 2020-21 Division Preview: The Southeast

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by | Dec 21, 2020 | Featured, NBA

We are less than 24 hours away from the season’s Tip-Off, and with that we are wrapping up our team breakdowns with the very exciting Southeast Division with many new faces that are must-see television.

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1. Atlanta Hawks (Finished Last Season 20-47, 14th Seed)

2020 Offseason Acquisitions: 

  • Danilo Gallinari, SF/PF (free agency)
  • Rajon Rondo, PG (free agency)
  • Tony Snell, SG/SF (traded from Detroit)
  • Bogdan Bodanovic (free agency)
  • Solomon Hill (free agency)

2020 Key Losses:

  • Dewayne Dedmon (traded to Detroit)

Roster and Depth Chart

  • PG: Trae Young, Rajon Rondo, Kris Dunn, Brandon Goodwin, Bogdan Bogdanovic
  • SG: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kevin Huerter, Cam Reddish, Kris Dunn, Tony Snell
  • SF: De’Andre Hunter, Cam Reddish, Kris Dunn, Tony Snell, Danilo Gallinari
  • PF: John Collins, Danilo Gallinari, De’Andre Hunter, Solomon Hill, Onyeka Okongwu
  • C: Clint Capela, Onyeka Okongwu, Bruno Fernando, John Collins, Nathan Knight

Strengths:

  • Trae Young. It goes without saying that the third-year All-Star caliber PG is on a major upswing based off his performances season’s past. It seems like more times than naught that we see Young with highlight clips on Instagram or ESPN’s Top 10 on a regular basis, whether it be from his ability to shoot from anywhere on the court or showcasing his ball on a string handle on unsuspecting defenders. It’s only right to assume that he’s more than capable than keeping up such a high level of play, if not even more than we’ve seen thus far.‘

 

  • Offensive Weapons. When taking a look at the Hawks depth chart for this season, the argument can definitely be made that the organization has made some major improvements offensively off the bench with names like Bogdanovic and Gallinari in the mix. The youth on this team also has a lot of promise. With De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish being some of the few young faces having gotten their feet wet heading into their second year’s in the league, they too, alongside Trae Young will be much more comfortable in the NBA.

Weaknesses:

  • Hawks’ Defense. It has been pretty apparent that the Hawks had many things that needed adjusting in order for the team’s success to rise going into the new season, and it remains to be seen if they’ll be able to increase their defensive capabilities. Despite having defensive anchors John Collins and Clint Capela guarding the paint, the biggest question lies along the perimeter. Although there have been glimpses of solid defensive showings throughout the course of last season, the Hawk’s should be determined in being able to disrupting opposing offenses on a consistent basis.

Record Prediction: 33-39.

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2. Orlando Magic (Finished Last Season 33-40, 8th Seed)

2020 Offseason Acquisitions:

  • Jonathan Issac, PF/C (re-signed)
  • Markelle Fultz, PG/SG (re-signed)
  • Cole Anthony, PG/SG (draft)

2020 Key Losses:

  • N/A

Roster and Depth Chart:

  • PG: Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony, Michael Carter-Williams, Karim Mane, Jordan Bone
  • SG: Evan Fournier, Terrence Ross, Michael Carter-Williams, Cole Anthony, Dwayne Bacon
  • SF: James Ennis III, Dwayne Bacon, Terrence Ross,  Michael Carter-Williams, Evan Fournier
  • PF: Aaron Gordon, Chuma Okeke, Al-Farouq Aminu, Gary Clark, James Ennis III 
  • C: Nikola Vucevic, Khem Birch, Mo Bamba, Chuma Okeke, Gary Clark

Strengths:

  • Consistency. Despite being an organization with no major standout players, the Magic have been consistently making trips to the Playoffs in season’s past. The players that they do have, however, have been key in their success and it would seem that the Magic are opting in to stick with what they have, with players like Aaron Gordon, Markelle Fultz, Nikola Vucevic, and Evan Fournier becoming household names in Orlando. And ultimately if this team is able to progress and get better together there’s no reason why they Magic can’t make a deeper run in the Playoffs.

Weaknesses:

  • No “Go-to” Option. It seems pretty counterintuitive to say that the Magic have been having success without standout players then immediately saying that they have no “Superstar” on their team, and that would be true, but it has to be said that the teams in this league for the most part have that #1 option that they look towards to be the leader of their roster. From what can be observed from seasons past, the Magic haven’t really had something of that nature. It should also be said that this doesn’t ensure turbulence for them, but having that type of player is vital to have if/when trouble does come their way.

Record Prediction: 36-36.

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3. Miami Heat (Finished Last Season 44-29, 5th Seed)

2020 Offseason Acquisitions:

  • Avery Bradley, SG

2020 Key Losses:

  • Jae Crowder, SF/PF

Roster and Depth Chart:

  • PG: Goran Dragic, Kendrick Nunn, Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, Avery Bradley
  • SG: Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Avery Bradley, Jimmy Butler, Andre Iguodala
  • SF: Jimmy Butler, Andre Iguodala, Maurice Harkless, Avery Bradley, Duncan Robinson
  • PF: Maurice Harkless, Meyers Leonard, Kelly Olynyk, Precious Achiuwa, Andre Iguodala
  • C: Bam Adebayo, Kelly Olynyk, Meyers Leonard, Precious Achiuwa, Chris Silva

Strengths:

  • Jimmy Butler. After last season’s Playoff run leading all the way up to the NBA Finals with Jimmy “Buckets” Butler at the head of it all, anyone would be remiss to not mention his ability to lead a team. After bouncing around the league for a couple of seasons, it seems that Butler has found a home in South Beach and is more ready than ever to take another shot at the NBA Championship.

 

  • Roster Depth. Looking back at last season, we’ve learned that the Miami Heat have threats everywhere in the scoring department with Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro showing that they’re very comfortable under the bright lights going into their rookie years. The Heat have also scouted even more talent in Precious Achiuwa and KZ Okpala (who’s on a 2-way contract). They’ve also managed to blend in solid veteran role players with Avery Bradley and Andre Iguodala to help defensively but more so leading the younger guys.

Weaknesses:

  • Team Health. Like any team in the league, the injury bugs strikes at any given time throughout the season, and unfortunately for the Heat it hit in the midst of the NBA Finals. Although Dragic and Adebayo have had some time now to recover from their injuries, there is always chance for a re-injury (knock on wood) or for another player on their roster to go down.

Record Prediction: 38-34.

 

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4. Charlotte Hornets (Finished 23-42 Last Season, 10th Seed)

2020 Offseason Acquisitions:

  • Gordon Hayward (trade)
  • LaMelo Ball (draft)

2020 Key Losses:

  • Nicolas Batum (free agency)

Roster and Depth Chart:

  • PG: Devonte Graham, LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Malik Monk, Cody Martin
  • SG: Terry Rozier, Caleb Martin, Malik Monk, Cody Martin, Devonte Graham
  • SF: Gordon Hayward, Miles Bridges, Cody Martin, Caleb Martin, Jalen McDaniels
  • PF: P.J. Washington, Jalen McDaniels, Miles Bridges, Gordon Hayward 
  • C: Cody Zeller, Bismack Biyombo, P.J. Washington, Vernon Carey Jr., Nick Richards

Strengths:

  • Roster Changes. Last year there were many glimpses of what could be a solid Hornets team, and throughout the offseason, the organization may have been able to make some key additions to the team to propel them to a more competitive team. With Gordon Hayward coming from Boston and LaMelo Ball getting drafted by Charlotte, the team has gained some interest potential that they can potentially reach.

Weaknesses:

  • Roster Depth. Although with the additions of Hayward and Ball are solid acquisitions, the question bares whether or not it’s enough to put them in a position to contend in the Playoffs in what is becoming a very strong Eastern Conference.

Record Prediction: 24-48.

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5. Washington Wizards (Finished Last Season 25-47, 9th Seed)

2020 Offseason Acquisitions:

  • Russell Westbrook PG (traded from Houston)

2020 Key Losses:

  • John Wall PG (traded to Houston)

Roster and Depth Chart:

  • PG: Russell Westbrook, Raul Neto, Ish Smith, Cassius Winston, Troy Brown Jr.
  • SG: Bradley Beal, Jerome Robinson, Troy Brown Jr., Garrison Matthews, Raul Neto
  • SF: Deni Avdija, Issac Bonga, Troy Brown Jr., Garrison Matthews, Jerome Robinson
  • PF: Davis Bertans, Rui Hachimura, Mortiz Wagner, Deni Avdija, Troy Brown Jr.
  • C: Thomas Bryant, Robin Lopez, Mortiz Wagner, Anzjes Pasecniks, Rui Hachimura

Strengths:

  • Russell Westbrook. Although Wizards’s fans lost household name and perennial All-Star John Wall this past offseason, they’ve received what might just be a breath of fresh air in Russell Westbrook. Also despite the comparison’s between the two players that some have made, both Wizards’ fans as well as the organization should be excited to be getting a point guard of equal or higher caliber back after being without John Wall in season’s past due to injury. Now that Westbrook is in the mix, the Wizards are set to get back to old ways, that is making the Playoffs and being a contender for the Championship. This is in no way, shape, or form a knock on John Wall, however, if anything it’s truly a testament to his impact on the team when he’s on the floor versus when he’s not. But now the Wizards have a former League MVP in their corner, which could potentially set them up success and perhaps even a deep run into the post season.
  • Bradley Beal. Bradley Beal is easily one of the most underrated players in this league today, after being made apparent by getting snubbed in the All-Star selections several times. This however has not slowed Beal down, perhaps even driving him even further towards the recognition he deserves. Surely he finds himself in a position that can help him do so, now alongside Russell Westbrook as stated above. Beal has shown that he can take over games and now that he has more help he can definitely find more than just individual success going into this season.

Weaknesses:

  • Team Cohesion/Chemistry. Although it may be the opinion of some whether from fans or former teammates that Russell Westbrook is the type of player that people love to have in their locker room, there may be some turbulence with the team figuring out how he can fit in to the rest of the roster and vice versa. NBA fans saw some of said turbulence in Houston with Westbrook and Harden trying to figure out how to run their offense. Unfortunately this could still be the case potentially in Washington if things don’t work out.

Record Prediction: 37-35.

 

 

Dec 21, 2020 No Comments