Firings
Rich Cho (Hornets) fired as General Manager.
(Gotta be honest: I totally missed this story) The Hornets are a weird squad. My pre-season thoughts were that they actually had a shot at being vastly better than expected: if Dwight Howard and Kemba Walker perfectly meshed together, then I thought it would leave room to maximize everyone else's skills. Well....didn't happen. Kemba's actually having a pretty good season but no one else is meshing or maximizing and as a result the Hornets are the same sloppy mess that most people (including me deep down) thought they'd be. Was Rich Cho to blame? Ehh, my gut is Michael Jordan runs that team, but he's not getting fired so it was time for Jordan to find a new partner in crime (Mitch Kupchak?). In general Cho had an okay run in his 7 season with the Hornets. I think the Hornets' peak during this period was the 2013-14 season when Al Jefferson went off accompanied by the sneaky good one-year brilliance of Josh McRoberts; I think the Hornets have been searching for that McRoberts replacement ever since, never found it and were never able to make the most of anyone else in the last few years. But the one season was a bit of a fluke and during this period they haven't been able to really develop any young players.
Singings/Waivings
(10-day contract season is fully underway, I'll generally skip these unless an interesting move catches my eye)
Fines
Mark Cuban (Mavs) was fined $600,000 for suggesting in an interview that the Mavs' best strategy for the rest of the year was to tank. (I think the fine is a little excessive considering 1) the Mavs were already going to lose a lot of games going forward anyway and 2) well...I mean...he's right, isn't he?)
Injuries
Jimmy Butler (Wolves) had successful meniscus surgery on left knee. Out 4-6 weeks. (Time for Andrew Wiggins to do his best Jimmy Butler impression)
Avery Bradley (Clippers) diagnosed with sports hernia, day to day. (Hmmm, those are notoriously difficult to play through, no word yet on how this affects his season but it may take him out of extended action)
Debuts
4 new debuts: Walt Lemon Jr (Pelicans), Shaquille Harrison (Suns), Trey McKinney-Jones (Pacers), Andrew White (Hawks)
Up to 108 NBA debuts this year, by far more than usual over the last 10 years and that's with 20-25 games left and 10-day contract period gearing up. I'm not sure what the single season record for debuts is but I think you have to go back to the very early days of the NBA,
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Thursday, February 22, 2018
2017-18 NBA Bric-a-Brac (All-Star Week)
No moves to report this week as everyone has been taking the week off (though I half expected to see that Fergie's ear for music was out for the rest of the year). Though it is a bit beyond halfway through the season, now seems like a good time to look over my pre-season predictions.
MVP
I went with Lebron (Cavs), not a bad pick, he's certainly in the running. But clearly for now James Harden (Rockets) is the MVP. His efficiency is still incredible and now with Chris Paul, he finally has a foil with whom to breeze through the regular season. I expect Lebron and Harden to be the top two vote-getters although I suppose one could argue Giannis Antetokounpo (Bucks) may well have another gear to get to and if you're looking for a crazy longshot I guess Anthony Davis (Pelicans) and Blake Griffin (Pistons) have potential for miracle-working. Otherwise, I can't really point to anyone on those Warriors or Celtics squads, DeRozan (Raptors) and Jimmy Butler (Wolves) are having great years but not MVP-type years, the Wizards seem to be better without John Wall, and no one else in the west really stands out.
Rookie of the Year
I'll still go with Ben Simmons (Sixers) though Donovan Mitchell (Jazz) has certainly been impressive lately; Simmons is still leading all rookies in pretty much everything (except PPG in which he's 2nd to Mitchell). After those two I'd rank them Lauri Markkanen (Bulls) (way better than I thought he'd be), Jaysun Tatum (Celtics) (I'd say Markannen is more important to his team but Tatum is already a reliable contributor on a really good team), Kyle Kuzma (Lakers) (kid can shoot), Dennis Smith (Mavs) (perhaps I'm overrating him a little because the Mavs are so...nothing right now, but the kid's a badass), Bogdan Bogdanovic (Kings) (I watch a lot more of the Kings than I should and I think this kid's really fucking good, perhaps I'm overrating him but I suspect no one else is watching him), Lonzo Ball (Lakers) (he started out overrated, then went through an underrated period, out for while and feels like people are finally properly rating him; so will he close the season over- or underrated?). After that I've really liked DeAaron Fox (Kings), OG Anunoby (Raptors), Bam Adebayo (Heat), John Collins (Hawks), Frank Ntilikina (Knicks), Dillon Brooks (Grizzlies), Josh Jackson (Suns), Josh Hart (Lakers), Daniel Theis (Celtics). (Pleased to report that in my preview I never once mentioned Markelle Fultz (Sixers)).
Defensive Player of the Year
Kevin Durant (Warriors) and Anthony Davis (Pelicans) are honestly the only two I could come up with. (I dunno, does it seem like no one's playing defense this year?) Kawhi (Spurs) hasn't played, Gobert (Jazz) was out for a long stretch, Deandre Jordan (Clippers) has been more noted for trade talk than blocked shots and the Celtics play a solid team defense but there are no particular standours. Demarcus Cousins (Pelicans) was having a great year at both ends but he's out now.
6th Man
I never would've thought it...but gotta go with Lou Williams (Clippers). He's having another great season off the bench. There's a lot of season left though, still time for Eric Gordon (Rockets), Julius Randle (Lakers), Jordan Clarkson (Cavs), Rodney Hood (Cavs) to shine out. And keep an eye on my man Bogdan Bogdanovic (Kings).
Coach of the Year
I cannot go with Mike D'Antoni (Rockets) or Dwayne Casey (Raptors), I'm just not convinced that they're good coaches. Nor can I go with Ty Lue (Cavs) or Steve Kerr (Warriors). It's typical to go with the top of the table coaches but I'm not buying it. My pre-season picks were Steve Clifford (Hornets) because I thought there was a slight chance that the Hornets could be vastly improved (uh....nope) and Mike Malone (Nuggets) because I thought he held the key to maximizing the team. Well, Clifford is clearly out but I'm sticking with Malone. And in the East I'll go with Nate MacMillan (Pacers), a surprise pick for sure, but the Pacers are way better than I would've thought possible and you gotta credit the coach with getting the most out of a weird collection of players trying to replace a legend. That said, Brad Stevens (Celtics) will have to lot of say in whether the Celtics can hold off the Cavs and/or catch the Raptors. And with the crazy tightness in the West, I wouldn't be surprised to see Gregg Popovich (Spurs) get some votes this year (or none at all).
Executive of the Year
I assumed either the Thunder and the Celtics had this in the bag based on their bang-up off-seasons. But gotta give the Cavs credit for pulling off some nifty moves at the trade deadline. Meanwhile, the Thunder have shown sparks but still haven't quite found their groove yet. The Celtics are still in the running (mainly because I still like them to finish ahead of the Cavs) but they've been struggling lately leaving room for the new look Cavs to bust out in the East. I also still like the Kings moves this year: redeeming the overpriced asset that was George Hill was a move well done and cuttung bait on Papagiannis looks like a waste but one could argue it was a mature and gutsy move.
East
I had Celtics, Raptors, Cavs, Wizards as the top 4; feels like the Raptors will hold on to the top spot but I like the Celtics to hold off the Cavs. Next I had Heat, Bucks, Hornets, Pistons; the Pacers have overachieved and the Sixers are ahead of schedule it seems to me, but the Bucks are where they ought to be and the Heat are only slightly off the pace. As for the Pistons, I dunno, I never know what to do with them, maybe they're good or maybe not, I dunno. And, well, I went out on a limb that the Hornets would be a surprise this year....no, they kinda suck just like they were supposed to. And the Knicks, Bulls, Nets, Magic and Hawks are all on track.
West
I had the Warriors, Thunder, Rockets and Spurs as the top 4; and so far I'm not too far off. The Rockets are better than I thought they'd be (though I'm still dubious of them as a playoff team), and the Warriors are still awesome (but haven't yet showed much killer instinct). But #3 through #10 right now are seperated by only 4.5 games so anything's possible going forward--yes, even the Spurs falling completely out of the post-season! I didn't believe in the Pelicans and though they've got a playoff spot at the moment, I still don't believe in them. I initially predicted Nuggets, Clippers, Wolves, Jazz but I can't see the Clippers being there at the end (Lou Williams for MVP if they do). The Wolves are looking at home games in the post-season, I'm still in on the Thunder, I think the Jazz have room to get better (after getting in a good groove lately). So that last playoff spot is down to the Blazers, Pelicans and Clippers and out of those three, I gotta go Blazers.
New post-season prediction
Raptors over Sixers (the youngsters will give the Raptors just enough of a test)
Celtics over Heat (Heat are wacky but the Celtics will get it done)
Cavs over Wizards (you know Lebron always sweeps the 1st round, right?)
Bucks over Pacers (fun series, I like the Bucks' athleticism to pull it out)
Rockets over Blazers (Rockets have too much offense)
Warriors over Jazz (Jazz will give the Warriors a good test)
Thunder over Nuggets (Thunder in 5)
Wolves over Spurs (Unless Kawhi comes back with a chip on his shoulder, I don't like the Spurs)
Raptors over Bucks (fun series!)
Cavs over Celtics (I like the Celtics, but they're not ready to beat Lebron)
Rockets over Wolves (Wolves aren't ready, Rockets will run them out)
Warriors over Thunder (best series of the post-season)
Cavs over Raptors (yeah...are you ready for another Raptor sweep?)
Warriors over Rockets (I don't believe in the Rockets as a playoff team, Warriors will be ready)
Warriors over Cavs in 6 (Warriors will be ready to show off that they're still the best)
MVP
I went with Lebron (Cavs), not a bad pick, he's certainly in the running. But clearly for now James Harden (Rockets) is the MVP. His efficiency is still incredible and now with Chris Paul, he finally has a foil with whom to breeze through the regular season. I expect Lebron and Harden to be the top two vote-getters although I suppose one could argue Giannis Antetokounpo (Bucks) may well have another gear to get to and if you're looking for a crazy longshot I guess Anthony Davis (Pelicans) and Blake Griffin (Pistons) have potential for miracle-working. Otherwise, I can't really point to anyone on those Warriors or Celtics squads, DeRozan (Raptors) and Jimmy Butler (Wolves) are having great years but not MVP-type years, the Wizards seem to be better without John Wall, and no one else in the west really stands out.
Rookie of the Year
I'll still go with Ben Simmons (Sixers) though Donovan Mitchell (Jazz) has certainly been impressive lately; Simmons is still leading all rookies in pretty much everything (except PPG in which he's 2nd to Mitchell). After those two I'd rank them Lauri Markkanen (Bulls) (way better than I thought he'd be), Jaysun Tatum (Celtics) (I'd say Markannen is more important to his team but Tatum is already a reliable contributor on a really good team), Kyle Kuzma (Lakers) (kid can shoot), Dennis Smith (Mavs) (perhaps I'm overrating him a little because the Mavs are so...nothing right now, but the kid's a badass), Bogdan Bogdanovic (Kings) (I watch a lot more of the Kings than I should and I think this kid's really fucking good, perhaps I'm overrating him but I suspect no one else is watching him), Lonzo Ball (Lakers) (he started out overrated, then went through an underrated period, out for while and feels like people are finally properly rating him; so will he close the season over- or underrated?). After that I've really liked DeAaron Fox (Kings), OG Anunoby (Raptors), Bam Adebayo (Heat), John Collins (Hawks), Frank Ntilikina (Knicks), Dillon Brooks (Grizzlies), Josh Jackson (Suns), Josh Hart (Lakers), Daniel Theis (Celtics). (Pleased to report that in my preview I never once mentioned Markelle Fultz (Sixers)).
Defensive Player of the Year
Kevin Durant (Warriors) and Anthony Davis (Pelicans) are honestly the only two I could come up with. (I dunno, does it seem like no one's playing defense this year?) Kawhi (Spurs) hasn't played, Gobert (Jazz) was out for a long stretch, Deandre Jordan (Clippers) has been more noted for trade talk than blocked shots and the Celtics play a solid team defense but there are no particular standours. Demarcus Cousins (Pelicans) was having a great year at both ends but he's out now.
6th Man
I never would've thought it...but gotta go with Lou Williams (Clippers). He's having another great season off the bench. There's a lot of season left though, still time for Eric Gordon (Rockets), Julius Randle (Lakers), Jordan Clarkson (Cavs), Rodney Hood (Cavs) to shine out. And keep an eye on my man Bogdan Bogdanovic (Kings).
Coach of the Year
I cannot go with Mike D'Antoni (Rockets) or Dwayne Casey (Raptors), I'm just not convinced that they're good coaches. Nor can I go with Ty Lue (Cavs) or Steve Kerr (Warriors). It's typical to go with the top of the table coaches but I'm not buying it. My pre-season picks were Steve Clifford (Hornets) because I thought there was a slight chance that the Hornets could be vastly improved (uh....nope) and Mike Malone (Nuggets) because I thought he held the key to maximizing the team. Well, Clifford is clearly out but I'm sticking with Malone. And in the East I'll go with Nate MacMillan (Pacers), a surprise pick for sure, but the Pacers are way better than I would've thought possible and you gotta credit the coach with getting the most out of a weird collection of players trying to replace a legend. That said, Brad Stevens (Celtics) will have to lot of say in whether the Celtics can hold off the Cavs and/or catch the Raptors. And with the crazy tightness in the West, I wouldn't be surprised to see Gregg Popovich (Spurs) get some votes this year (or none at all).
Executive of the Year
I assumed either the Thunder and the Celtics had this in the bag based on their bang-up off-seasons. But gotta give the Cavs credit for pulling off some nifty moves at the trade deadline. Meanwhile, the Thunder have shown sparks but still haven't quite found their groove yet. The Celtics are still in the running (mainly because I still like them to finish ahead of the Cavs) but they've been struggling lately leaving room for the new look Cavs to bust out in the East. I also still like the Kings moves this year: redeeming the overpriced asset that was George Hill was a move well done and cuttung bait on Papagiannis looks like a waste but one could argue it was a mature and gutsy move.
East
I had Celtics, Raptors, Cavs, Wizards as the top 4; feels like the Raptors will hold on to the top spot but I like the Celtics to hold off the Cavs. Next I had Heat, Bucks, Hornets, Pistons; the Pacers have overachieved and the Sixers are ahead of schedule it seems to me, but the Bucks are where they ought to be and the Heat are only slightly off the pace. As for the Pistons, I dunno, I never know what to do with them, maybe they're good or maybe not, I dunno. And, well, I went out on a limb that the Hornets would be a surprise this year....no, they kinda suck just like they were supposed to. And the Knicks, Bulls, Nets, Magic and Hawks are all on track.
West
I had the Warriors, Thunder, Rockets and Spurs as the top 4; and so far I'm not too far off. The Rockets are better than I thought they'd be (though I'm still dubious of them as a playoff team), and the Warriors are still awesome (but haven't yet showed much killer instinct). But #3 through #10 right now are seperated by only 4.5 games so anything's possible going forward--yes, even the Spurs falling completely out of the post-season! I didn't believe in the Pelicans and though they've got a playoff spot at the moment, I still don't believe in them. I initially predicted Nuggets, Clippers, Wolves, Jazz but I can't see the Clippers being there at the end (Lou Williams for MVP if they do). The Wolves are looking at home games in the post-season, I'm still in on the Thunder, I think the Jazz have room to get better (after getting in a good groove lately). So that last playoff spot is down to the Blazers, Pelicans and Clippers and out of those three, I gotta go Blazers.
New post-season prediction
Raptors over Sixers (the youngsters will give the Raptors just enough of a test)
Celtics over Heat (Heat are wacky but the Celtics will get it done)
Cavs over Wizards (you know Lebron always sweeps the 1st round, right?)
Bucks over Pacers (fun series, I like the Bucks' athleticism to pull it out)
Rockets over Blazers (Rockets have too much offense)
Warriors over Jazz (Jazz will give the Warriors a good test)
Thunder over Nuggets (Thunder in 5)
Wolves over Spurs (Unless Kawhi comes back with a chip on his shoulder, I don't like the Spurs)
Raptors over Bucks (fun series!)
Cavs over Celtics (I like the Celtics, but they're not ready to beat Lebron)
Rockets over Wolves (Wolves aren't ready, Rockets will run them out)
Warriors over Thunder (best series of the post-season)
Cavs over Raptors (yeah...are you ready for another Raptor sweep?)
Warriors over Rockets (I don't believe in the Rockets as a playoff team, Warriors will be ready)
Warriors over Cavs in 6 (Warriors will be ready to show off that they're still the best)
Sunday, February 18, 2018
Winter Olympics (update)
Yup, I still don't care about the Winter Olympics. When I want to see rich white kids play around in the snow, I put on The Magnificent Ambersons.
Thursday, February 15, 2018
2017-18 NBA Bric-a-Brac (Week 17)
Waivings/Signings
Celtics sign Greg Monroe (1yr/$5m) (gives them some scoring down low and (kinda) the rim protector they've long needed)
Heat waive AJ Hammons (never part of their future, they needed roster space for D Wade's return)
Kings waive Georgios Papagiannas (supposedly they were desperate to include him in trade with the Cavs but ended up just waiving him instead; kinda quick to give on a lottery pick but I don't recall seeing him play in the 2 years he wore a Kings uniform; I assume he heads back to Europe because, man, if you can't make it in Sacramento...jeez, I dunno what to tell ya)
Knicks waive Johnny O'Bryant (seems like they could've used him for the rest of the year, guess they've got enough G-League depth to suffice)
Mavs sign Kyle Collinsworth to 3yr/min contract (I have no idea what this is or how the Mavs plan to use him going forward)
Bulls waive Willie Reed (I kinda like Reed, he should be picked up by someone (Celtics?) for the post-season) and Tony Allen (already rumored to be joining the Rockets)
Hawks waive Okaro White and Sheldon Mac (officially un-doing the two trades they made at the deadline) and Marco Belinelli (who they tried to trade but got held up while the Grizzlies tried to move Tyreke Evans)
Suns waive Isaih Canaan (this wraps up one of the weirder moves all year long: Suns sign Mike James to a long-term deal, then waive him a week later to bring in Canaan, who almost instantly breaks his ankle and now gets waived, leaving the Suns with neither James nor Canaan, neither of whom they really needed anyway...so what were all these moves all about?)
Rockets sign Bobby Brown for the rest of the year (I don't know who this is, but then again I was always more of a Bell Biv Devoe guy)
Grizzlies waive Brandon Wright (already signed with the Rockets)
Jazz waive Derrick Rose (they never needed him, he was just trade filler; personally, I think Rose should head to the BIG3 League, if he has anything left he can still have fun and be a star there) and sign Naz Mitrou-Long to another 10-day contract (so far so good for the Naz)
Mavs waive Josh McRoberts (this came as a shock to those who thought they waived him in October)
Pelicans waive Mike James (castoff from the Suns couldn't hook on with the Pelicans, I assume we'll see him in Summer League) and Rashad Vaughn (I kinda thought they wanted to give him a look but I guess he was just a roster shuffling move)
Kings waive Joe Johnson (he's already signed with the Rockets)
Sixers sign Marco Belinelli (nice pick up, Belinelli is one of those guys that can contribute to a good team but has not much to offer a terrible team)
Injuries
Seth Curry (Mavs) surgery on left leg stress fracture (out indefinitely)
Debuts
Isaiah Hicks (Knicks), Luke Kornet (Knicks) and PJ Dozier (Thunder bring the number of NBA debuts this season up to 104.
Celtics sign Greg Monroe (1yr/$5m) (gives them some scoring down low and (kinda) the rim protector they've long needed)
Heat waive AJ Hammons (never part of their future, they needed roster space for D Wade's return)
Kings waive Georgios Papagiannas (supposedly they were desperate to include him in trade with the Cavs but ended up just waiving him instead; kinda quick to give on a lottery pick but I don't recall seeing him play in the 2 years he wore a Kings uniform; I assume he heads back to Europe because, man, if you can't make it in Sacramento...jeez, I dunno what to tell ya)
Knicks waive Johnny O'Bryant (seems like they could've used him for the rest of the year, guess they've got enough G-League depth to suffice)
Mavs sign Kyle Collinsworth to 3yr/min contract (I have no idea what this is or how the Mavs plan to use him going forward)
Bulls waive Willie Reed (I kinda like Reed, he should be picked up by someone (Celtics?) for the post-season) and Tony Allen (already rumored to be joining the Rockets)
Hawks waive Okaro White and Sheldon Mac (officially un-doing the two trades they made at the deadline) and Marco Belinelli (who they tried to trade but got held up while the Grizzlies tried to move Tyreke Evans)
Suns waive Isaih Canaan (this wraps up one of the weirder moves all year long: Suns sign Mike James to a long-term deal, then waive him a week later to bring in Canaan, who almost instantly breaks his ankle and now gets waived, leaving the Suns with neither James nor Canaan, neither of whom they really needed anyway...so what were all these moves all about?)
Rockets sign Bobby Brown for the rest of the year (I don't know who this is, but then again I was always more of a Bell Biv Devoe guy)
Grizzlies waive Brandon Wright (already signed with the Rockets)
Jazz waive Derrick Rose (they never needed him, he was just trade filler; personally, I think Rose should head to the BIG3 League, if he has anything left he can still have fun and be a star there) and sign Naz Mitrou-Long to another 10-day contract (so far so good for the Naz)
Mavs waive Josh McRoberts (this came as a shock to those who thought they waived him in October)
Pelicans waive Mike James (castoff from the Suns couldn't hook on with the Pelicans, I assume we'll see him in Summer League) and Rashad Vaughn (I kinda thought they wanted to give him a look but I guess he was just a roster shuffling move)
Kings waive Joe Johnson (he's already signed with the Rockets)
Sixers sign Marco Belinelli (nice pick up, Belinelli is one of those guys that can contribute to a good team but has not much to offer a terrible team)
Injuries
Seth Curry (Mavs) surgery on left leg stress fracture (out indefinitely)
Debuts
Isaiah Hicks (Knicks), Luke Kornet (Knicks) and PJ Dozier (Thunder bring the number of NBA debuts this season up to 104.
Friday, February 9, 2018
2017-18 NBA Trade Deadline recap
The moves
Bulls get Noah Vonleh; Blazers get draft rights to Milocan Rakovic and cash
Bulls get Willie Reed; Pistons get Jameer Nelson and rights to 2022 2nd round pick swap
Cavs get 2024 2nd round pick; Heat get Dwayne Wade
Cavs get Rodney Hood, George Hill, rights to Arturis Gudaitis; Jazz get Jae Crowder, Derrick Rose;
Kings get Joe Johnson, Iman Shumpert, Cavs 2020 2nd round pick, cash
Cavs get Larry Nance Jr, Jordan Clarkson; Lakers get 2018 1st round pick, Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye
Grizzlies get Brice Johnson, undisclosed 2nd round pick; Pistons get James Ennis
Hawks get Okaro White; Heat get Luke Babbitt
Knicks get Emmanual Mudiay, 2018 2nd round pick; Nuggets get Devin Harris, 2018 2nd round pick; Mavs get Doug McDermott
Suns get Elfrid Peyton; Magic get 2nd round pick
Pelicans get Rashad Vaughn; Nets get Dante Cunningham
Raptors get Malachi Richardson; Kings get Bruno Caboclo
Also, Tony Allen waived by the Bulls, Greg Monroe signs with the Celtics
Team by team
Bulls -- Picked up a last look at Noah Vonleh (his 3rd team though still on his rookie contract), Willie Reed (who has already been waived) and all it costs them was the recently received Jameer Nelson (who would've been waived anyway), a 2nd round pick swap (2nd round pick swap? Is that a thing?), and some cash. Well, along with Omer Asik, they picked up a lot of veteran bodies down low, to go with Robin Lopez, they surely have depth there now (of course, they're all injury-prone). Not sure what these moves do for them but they don't cost much, so worth a try, I reckon.
Cavs -- They did the most to remake their team, which clearly needed to happen. Brought in George Hill (I like the move, gives them a confident ball handling PG that can score and play D off the bench), Rodney Hood (streaky shooter but can fill it up on any given night), Larry Nance Jr (active young scorer down low), Jordan Clarkson (much maligned but I think he's a good fit for the Cavs, a confident reliable presence off the bench), a 2nd round pick (top 55 protected meaning it's basically worthless) and the rights to Arturo Gudaitis (AKA future trade filler). I think all four of those guys will help the Cavs. And all they had to give up was mostly addition by subtraction: Isaiah Thomas (hmmm, well that was a disaster, huh? He was hurt most of the time, he was divisive in the locker room and he wasn't very good on the court, getting rid of Thomas was more important than getting anything in return), Jae Crowder (another part of the Kyrie trade that never really fit in with the Cavs), Dwayne Wade (okay I'll say it: he's virtually useless at this point in his career, surprised the Heat took him back), Channing Frye (always thought he could've be more useful to the Cavs than they ever let him be, felt to me like he was more valuable than just trade filler), Derrick Rose (meh, he never did get into the swing of things in Cleveland), Iman Shumpert (though I was never much of a Shump fan, he did serve a worthwhile need to the Cavs that doesn't really get replaced in any of these moves), a 2018 1st round pick (not a big deal, the Cavs don't draft particularly well to be honest) and 2020 2nd round pick (probably a worthless pick anyway). I kinda love these moves for the Cavs, I think they've brought in a raft of hungry, underappreciated players and shipped out a pile of lethargic overrated players. The Cavs are still in the driver's seat in the Eastern playoffs.
Hawks -- Okaro White, ladies and gentlemen! The future starts now! Honestly I don't know who Okaro White is but I do know Luke Babbitt and White is probably just fine. Not sure what this move does for either team but it doesn't look like it'll hurt anything.
Grizzlies -- Brought in a rookie (I kinda like Brice Johnson with the Tarheels, never saw him with the Pistons) for a vet that's been hanging around forever (Ennis has been around been never really played anywhere). Got themselves a bonus 2nd round pick, which isn't bad, they need every lottery ticket they can get.
Jazz -- Brought in Derrick Rose (soon to be waived? They don't really need another ball hogging PG) and Jae Crowder (I think he can be useful to the Jazz, his defense and veteran presence can lift a young team), though it cost them Rodney Hood (inconsistent but damn good at times, I guess they weren't planning on bringing him back) and Joe Johnson (agitating for a trade/waiving, I'm sure) and they sent out cash to make this happen? Hmmm....I guess they needed to do this because I'm not seeing these moves as upgrades.
Heat -- Back comes Dwayne Wade (not as old as Udonis Haslem...can't think of anything else nice to say about him) and Luke Babbitt (uhhh....I'm guessing he has a hot girlfriend....can't think of anything else to say about him). Neither of these moves make the team better (or, to be fair, worse I guess). All it cost them was Okaro White (minor character on Starsky & Hutch, right?) and a 2024 top-55 protected 2nd round pick (the farthest away possible move to make, meaning its basically just imaginary), so...whew, almost like they didn't make a move, isn't it? Yeah, they brought back the hometown fave Hall of Famer but hard to imagine they win a single extra game because of him.
Kings -- Brought in Bruno Caboclo (big man project making Giannis Papagiannis expendable), Joe Johnson (who I assume will be waived any day now) and Iman Shumpert (I kinda like his potential for veteran presence in this youth movement, he can be a good player for them), they also get a bunch of cash and a 2020 2nd round pick from the Cavs (already earmarked for a European stash pick, I'm sure). And all it cost them was George Hill (I still believe in Hill but on this team I thought he was utterly worthless, not a good fit for where they are and what they need to be doing, his absence is a welcome addition) and Malachi Richardson (never really found his place in Sacramento). Great day for the Kings!
Suns -- Brought in Elfrid Peyton (not sure they bring him back next year but they do need PG depth for the rest of the year) and give up only a 2nd round pick. A temporary fill-in for a pick that was not likely to help them and if they can get a good deal on Peyton, they may well bring him back.
Lakers -- Brought in Isaiah Thomas (wouldn't be surprised if they waive him, he doesn't serve any purpose for them and has the chance to be a real bring-down in the locker room) and Channing Frye (again, I think Frye would've be useful for the Jazz but not for the Lakers, I'm guessing they'll use him for minutes rather than waive him) and a 1st round pick (won't be a great pick but Larry Nance and Kyle Kuzma show the Lakers have an ability to make the most of those late 1st rounders). Gave up on Jordan Clarkson (like him, don't love him, Lakers need cap room to go after free agents) and Larry Nance (that kinda hurts, man, I think Nance is pretty good and fit the Lakers well, but worth it to make salary cap space).
Knicks -- Brought in Emmanuel Mudiay (who just wasn't gonna make it in Denver), worth another look in New York, I guess. And sent out Doug McDermott (follow me now: when McDermott scored, the Knicks won games; not saying he was the most important player on the team but was helpful when effective, I think he can still be a good player in the NBA). And swapped 2nd round picks. I dunno, I don't really see the point of this since both contracts are expiring and the Knicks may well have a better 2nd round pick. Not sure what this does for the Knicks, seems to me they need all the scoring they can get rather than PG depth. And if they're just looking to save money, why not dump the entire roster?
Magic -- Got a 2nd round pick for Elfrid Peyton. Since they weren't bringing back Peyton, I guess they did well to get something for him. I like those early 2nd round picks, maybe the Magic can do something with it.
Mavs -- Pick up Doug McDermott (Dirk replacement?) for Devin Harris (you may remember him from that classic Brooks/Reiner routine "The 2000 Year Old Point Guard"). I like McDermott, I wouldn't be surprised is the Mavs re-sign him this summer.
Nuggets -- Brought in Devin Harris as a veteran version of Emmanual Mudiay and (likely) upgraded their 2nd round pick. Not really much difference but Harris replaces the veteran leadership they gave away with Jameer Nelson earlier in the year. A minimal move but not a bad one.
Pistons -- Brought in Jameer Nelson (nice veteran PG off the bench) and James Ennis (nice veteran practice player) for a guy they never really played there (Willie Reed) and a rookie that never found his space (Brice Johnson), and upgraded their 2022 2nd round pick for good measure. Not much of a move but probably fits them a little better for now.
Raptors -- Brought in Malachi Richardson (gives them some Guard depth, I suppose, hasn't done much yet in the league). Sent out Bruno Caboclo (I've liked his work in int'l play but he has yet to do much in the NBA). They've known for a while that Caboclo wasn't going to work so they redeemed him for a few years of a SG to develop. Ehh, I guess this move is something they wanted.
Pelicans -- Brought in Rashad Vaughn (disappointing so far but young enough to be intriguing, I suppose) while sending out the veteran Dante Cunningham. Both contracts were expiring so I'm not sure what this does for them unless they think can develop Vaughn.
Nets -- Brought in Dante Cunningham for a guy that never actually played for them (Rashad Vaughn). In a sense this completes their previous deal with the Bucks, I guess they just like the chances of getting something out of Cunningham more than Vaughn.
Bulls get Noah Vonleh; Blazers get draft rights to Milocan Rakovic and cash
Bulls get Willie Reed; Pistons get Jameer Nelson and rights to 2022 2nd round pick swap
Cavs get 2024 2nd round pick; Heat get Dwayne Wade
Cavs get Rodney Hood, George Hill, rights to Arturis Gudaitis; Jazz get Jae Crowder, Derrick Rose;
Kings get Joe Johnson, Iman Shumpert, Cavs 2020 2nd round pick, cash
Cavs get Larry Nance Jr, Jordan Clarkson; Lakers get 2018 1st round pick, Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye
Grizzlies get Brice Johnson, undisclosed 2nd round pick; Pistons get James Ennis
Hawks get Okaro White; Heat get Luke Babbitt
Knicks get Emmanual Mudiay, 2018 2nd round pick; Nuggets get Devin Harris, 2018 2nd round pick; Mavs get Doug McDermott
Suns get Elfrid Peyton; Magic get 2nd round pick
Pelicans get Rashad Vaughn; Nets get Dante Cunningham
Raptors get Malachi Richardson; Kings get Bruno Caboclo
Also, Tony Allen waived by the Bulls, Greg Monroe signs with the Celtics
Team by team
Bulls -- Picked up a last look at Noah Vonleh (his 3rd team though still on his rookie contract), Willie Reed (who has already been waived) and all it costs them was the recently received Jameer Nelson (who would've been waived anyway), a 2nd round pick swap (2nd round pick swap? Is that a thing?), and some cash. Well, along with Omer Asik, they picked up a lot of veteran bodies down low, to go with Robin Lopez, they surely have depth there now (of course, they're all injury-prone). Not sure what these moves do for them but they don't cost much, so worth a try, I reckon.
Cavs -- They did the most to remake their team, which clearly needed to happen. Brought in George Hill (I like the move, gives them a confident ball handling PG that can score and play D off the bench), Rodney Hood (streaky shooter but can fill it up on any given night), Larry Nance Jr (active young scorer down low), Jordan Clarkson (much maligned but I think he's a good fit for the Cavs, a confident reliable presence off the bench), a 2nd round pick (top 55 protected meaning it's basically worthless) and the rights to Arturo Gudaitis (AKA future trade filler). I think all four of those guys will help the Cavs. And all they had to give up was mostly addition by subtraction: Isaiah Thomas (hmmm, well that was a disaster, huh? He was hurt most of the time, he was divisive in the locker room and he wasn't very good on the court, getting rid of Thomas was more important than getting anything in return), Jae Crowder (another part of the Kyrie trade that never really fit in with the Cavs), Dwayne Wade (okay I'll say it: he's virtually useless at this point in his career, surprised the Heat took him back), Channing Frye (always thought he could've be more useful to the Cavs than they ever let him be, felt to me like he was more valuable than just trade filler), Derrick Rose (meh, he never did get into the swing of things in Cleveland), Iman Shumpert (though I was never much of a Shump fan, he did serve a worthwhile need to the Cavs that doesn't really get replaced in any of these moves), a 2018 1st round pick (not a big deal, the Cavs don't draft particularly well to be honest) and 2020 2nd round pick (probably a worthless pick anyway). I kinda love these moves for the Cavs, I think they've brought in a raft of hungry, underappreciated players and shipped out a pile of lethargic overrated players. The Cavs are still in the driver's seat in the Eastern playoffs.
Hawks -- Okaro White, ladies and gentlemen! The future starts now! Honestly I don't know who Okaro White is but I do know Luke Babbitt and White is probably just fine. Not sure what this move does for either team but it doesn't look like it'll hurt anything.
Grizzlies -- Brought in a rookie (I kinda like Brice Johnson with the Tarheels, never saw him with the Pistons) for a vet that's been hanging around forever (Ennis has been around been never really played anywhere). Got themselves a bonus 2nd round pick, which isn't bad, they need every lottery ticket they can get.
Jazz -- Brought in Derrick Rose (soon to be waived? They don't really need another ball hogging PG) and Jae Crowder (I think he can be useful to the Jazz, his defense and veteran presence can lift a young team), though it cost them Rodney Hood (inconsistent but damn good at times, I guess they weren't planning on bringing him back) and Joe Johnson (agitating for a trade/waiving, I'm sure) and they sent out cash to make this happen? Hmmm....I guess they needed to do this because I'm not seeing these moves as upgrades.
Heat -- Back comes Dwayne Wade (not as old as Udonis Haslem...can't think of anything else nice to say about him) and Luke Babbitt (uhhh....I'm guessing he has a hot girlfriend....can't think of anything else to say about him). Neither of these moves make the team better (or, to be fair, worse I guess). All it cost them was Okaro White (minor character on Starsky & Hutch, right?) and a 2024 top-55 protected 2nd round pick (the farthest away possible move to make, meaning its basically just imaginary), so...whew, almost like they didn't make a move, isn't it? Yeah, they brought back the hometown fave Hall of Famer but hard to imagine they win a single extra game because of him.
Kings -- Brought in Bruno Caboclo (big man project making Giannis Papagiannis expendable), Joe Johnson (who I assume will be waived any day now) and Iman Shumpert (I kinda like his potential for veteran presence in this youth movement, he can be a good player for them), they also get a bunch of cash and a 2020 2nd round pick from the Cavs (already earmarked for a European stash pick, I'm sure). And all it cost them was George Hill (I still believe in Hill but on this team I thought he was utterly worthless, not a good fit for where they are and what they need to be doing, his absence is a welcome addition) and Malachi Richardson (never really found his place in Sacramento). Great day for the Kings!
Suns -- Brought in Elfrid Peyton (not sure they bring him back next year but they do need PG depth for the rest of the year) and give up only a 2nd round pick. A temporary fill-in for a pick that was not likely to help them and if they can get a good deal on Peyton, they may well bring him back.
Lakers -- Brought in Isaiah Thomas (wouldn't be surprised if they waive him, he doesn't serve any purpose for them and has the chance to be a real bring-down in the locker room) and Channing Frye (again, I think Frye would've be useful for the Jazz but not for the Lakers, I'm guessing they'll use him for minutes rather than waive him) and a 1st round pick (won't be a great pick but Larry Nance and Kyle Kuzma show the Lakers have an ability to make the most of those late 1st rounders). Gave up on Jordan Clarkson (like him, don't love him, Lakers need cap room to go after free agents) and Larry Nance (that kinda hurts, man, I think Nance is pretty good and fit the Lakers well, but worth it to make salary cap space).
Knicks -- Brought in Emmanuel Mudiay (who just wasn't gonna make it in Denver), worth another look in New York, I guess. And sent out Doug McDermott (follow me now: when McDermott scored, the Knicks won games; not saying he was the most important player on the team but was helpful when effective, I think he can still be a good player in the NBA). And swapped 2nd round picks. I dunno, I don't really see the point of this since both contracts are expiring and the Knicks may well have a better 2nd round pick. Not sure what this does for the Knicks, seems to me they need all the scoring they can get rather than PG depth. And if they're just looking to save money, why not dump the entire roster?
Magic -- Got a 2nd round pick for Elfrid Peyton. Since they weren't bringing back Peyton, I guess they did well to get something for him. I like those early 2nd round picks, maybe the Magic can do something with it.
Mavs -- Pick up Doug McDermott (Dirk replacement?) for Devin Harris (you may remember him from that classic Brooks/Reiner routine "The 2000 Year Old Point Guard"). I like McDermott, I wouldn't be surprised is the Mavs re-sign him this summer.
Nuggets -- Brought in Devin Harris as a veteran version of Emmanual Mudiay and (likely) upgraded their 2nd round pick. Not really much difference but Harris replaces the veteran leadership they gave away with Jameer Nelson earlier in the year. A minimal move but not a bad one.
Pistons -- Brought in Jameer Nelson (nice veteran PG off the bench) and James Ennis (nice veteran practice player) for a guy they never really played there (Willie Reed) and a rookie that never found his space (Brice Johnson), and upgraded their 2022 2nd round pick for good measure. Not much of a move but probably fits them a little better for now.
Raptors -- Brought in Malachi Richardson (gives them some Guard depth, I suppose, hasn't done much yet in the league). Sent out Bruno Caboclo (I've liked his work in int'l play but he has yet to do much in the NBA). They've known for a while that Caboclo wasn't going to work so they redeemed him for a few years of a SG to develop. Ehh, I guess this move is something they wanted.
Pelicans -- Brought in Rashad Vaughn (disappointing so far but young enough to be intriguing, I suppose) while sending out the veteran Dante Cunningham. Both contracts were expiring so I'm not sure what this does for them unless they think can develop Vaughn.
Nets -- Brought in Dante Cunningham for a guy that never actually played for them (Rashad Vaughn). In a sense this completes their previous deal with the Bucks, I guess they just like the chances of getting something out of Cunningham more than Vaughn.
Wednesday, February 7, 2018
2017-18 NBA Bric-a-Brac (Week 16)
(Just one day before the trade deadline)
Trades
Pelicans get SF Nikola Mirotic, 2018 2nd round pick, 2021 2nd round pick swap; Bulls get C Omer Asik, SG Tony Allen, PG Jameer Nelson, 2018 1st round pick
The Pelicans have desperately needed wing scoring ever since they got Anthony Davis and Mirotic will be a step up for now, the two more years on his contract are very reasonable; and two 2nd round picks (50/50 they ever get either of them) are a nice bonus for getting off of Omer Asik's contract (worst in the NBA?). As for the Bulls, getting rid of Mirotic was an internal need and a 1st round pick (only top 5 protected) is probably all they needed to pull the trigger. As for Asik, well, he did have his best years in a Bulls uniform, maybe he could get some of that magic back (though I'm not betting on it). I would assume they could waive Nelson and Allen, who could go on to be bench-depth for playoff teams (Cavs seem to love guys like this).
Bucks get C Tyler Zeller; Nets get SG Rashad Vaughn, 2018 2nd round pick
I kinda like Tyler Zeller, gives the Bucks good big man depth. Whereas Vaughn never developed into a worthwhile shooting guard, though he'll get another chance in Brooklyn. As for the pick, the Nets still need every lottery ticket they can get (especially since they're still smarting from missing out on Kyle Kuzma).
Hornets get C Willy Hernangomez; Knicks get C Johnny O'Bryant, 2020 2nd round pick, 2021 2nd round pick
I like Hernangomez, who became expendable when the Knicks received Enes Kanter last summer. I admired O'Bryant when he was at LSU but he's never been much more than a pair of long legs on the bench in the NBA. The Knicks seem to have acquired the Sam Hinkie fetish for 2nd round picks (though I can't help thinking they could've done better for Hernangomez). Low cost flyer for the Hornets.
Tyreke Evans (Grizzlies), Avery Bradley (Clippers), Marcus Smart (Celtics) and Marco Belineli (Hawks) still expected to be traded in the next 12 hours or so.
Signings/Waivings
Jarrell Eddie (Celtics), Deandre Liggins (Pelicans), Nigel Hayes (Lakers), Quincy Pondexter (Bulls), Greg Monroe (Suns), Larry Drew (Sixers) all got waived.
Expected Greg Monroe to sign with the Celtics by now (I suppose they're waiting til after the trade deadline?).
Josh Gray (Suns), Emeka Okafor (Pelicans) signed to 10-day contracts.
NBA's latest rookie and a former Rookie of the Year.
Clippers sign SG Lou Williams to 3yr/$24m extension.
This was a surprise, they were expected to trade Williams, flip the script by signing him long term instead. Lou is getting up in age but he's showing he can stay play and I think its a reasonable deal for the Clippers going forward. (And he's still tradeable, right?)
Injuries
Isiah Canaan (Suns) out for the rest of the year with a broken ankle. (Really gnarly injury and they just signed him, too)
John Wall (Wizards) out 6-8 weeks after knee surgery. (Ouch! That's a tough loss for the Wizards. At their best they're a top 4 team, without Wall it's going to be really tough to get home court advantage in the playoffs; but he should be back in time to give them a late push into the playoffs)
Malcolm Brogden (Bucks) out 6-8 weeks with torn quadriceps. (Bucks will struggle with lack of depth without Brogden but it appears he'll be back by the post-season)
Kristaps Porzingis (Knicks) out for the year with a torn ACL. (Damn. Well Knicks went from potential buyers to definite sellers at the trade deadline)
Debuts
3 new debuts this week to bring the total of new rookies to 101: Josh Gray (Suns), Reggie Hearn (Pistons), Erik McCree (Jazz)
Trades
Pelicans get SF Nikola Mirotic, 2018 2nd round pick, 2021 2nd round pick swap; Bulls get C Omer Asik, SG Tony Allen, PG Jameer Nelson, 2018 1st round pick
The Pelicans have desperately needed wing scoring ever since they got Anthony Davis and Mirotic will be a step up for now, the two more years on his contract are very reasonable; and two 2nd round picks (50/50 they ever get either of them) are a nice bonus for getting off of Omer Asik's contract (worst in the NBA?). As for the Bulls, getting rid of Mirotic was an internal need and a 1st round pick (only top 5 protected) is probably all they needed to pull the trigger. As for Asik, well, he did have his best years in a Bulls uniform, maybe he could get some of that magic back (though I'm not betting on it). I would assume they could waive Nelson and Allen, who could go on to be bench-depth for playoff teams (Cavs seem to love guys like this).
Bucks get C Tyler Zeller; Nets get SG Rashad Vaughn, 2018 2nd round pick
I kinda like Tyler Zeller, gives the Bucks good big man depth. Whereas Vaughn never developed into a worthwhile shooting guard, though he'll get another chance in Brooklyn. As for the pick, the Nets still need every lottery ticket they can get (especially since they're still smarting from missing out on Kyle Kuzma).
Hornets get C Willy Hernangomez; Knicks get C Johnny O'Bryant, 2020 2nd round pick, 2021 2nd round pick
I like Hernangomez, who became expendable when the Knicks received Enes Kanter last summer. I admired O'Bryant when he was at LSU but he's never been much more than a pair of long legs on the bench in the NBA. The Knicks seem to have acquired the Sam Hinkie fetish for 2nd round picks (though I can't help thinking they could've done better for Hernangomez). Low cost flyer for the Hornets.
Tyreke Evans (Grizzlies), Avery Bradley (Clippers), Marcus Smart (Celtics) and Marco Belineli (Hawks) still expected to be traded in the next 12 hours or so.
Signings/Waivings
Jarrell Eddie (Celtics), Deandre Liggins (Pelicans), Nigel Hayes (Lakers), Quincy Pondexter (Bulls), Greg Monroe (Suns), Larry Drew (Sixers) all got waived.
Expected Greg Monroe to sign with the Celtics by now (I suppose they're waiting til after the trade deadline?).
Josh Gray (Suns), Emeka Okafor (Pelicans) signed to 10-day contracts.
NBA's latest rookie and a former Rookie of the Year.
Clippers sign SG Lou Williams to 3yr/$24m extension.
This was a surprise, they were expected to trade Williams, flip the script by signing him long term instead. Lou is getting up in age but he's showing he can stay play and I think its a reasonable deal for the Clippers going forward. (And he's still tradeable, right?)
Injuries
Isiah Canaan (Suns) out for the rest of the year with a broken ankle. (Really gnarly injury and they just signed him, too)
John Wall (Wizards) out 6-8 weeks after knee surgery. (Ouch! That's a tough loss for the Wizards. At their best they're a top 4 team, without Wall it's going to be really tough to get home court advantage in the playoffs; but he should be back in time to give them a late push into the playoffs)
Malcolm Brogden (Bucks) out 6-8 weeks with torn quadriceps. (Bucks will struggle with lack of depth without Brogden but it appears he'll be back by the post-season)
Kristaps Porzingis (Knicks) out for the year with a torn ACL. (Damn. Well Knicks went from potential buyers to definite sellers at the trade deadline)
Debuts
3 new debuts this week to bring the total of new rookies to 101: Josh Gray (Suns), Reggie Hearn (Pistons), Erik McCree (Jazz)
Sunday, February 4, 2018
2017-18 NFL (Super Bowl)
Jags 20-24 Pats
I thought the Pats would get out of the gate quick and they didn't. FG on the opening drive but then struggled on their next few drives while the Jags cranked it up and got out to a quick 14-3 lead. The Pats were able to cut the lead to 14-10 at the half and I still thought they were in line to get a big win. As good as Jax had played up to that point, it still felt like Brady could get hot and bury them. But the Pats continued to struggle on offense through the 3rd quarter. Early in the 4th the Jags went up 20-10 and the stadium was deathly quiet. Then Gronk got knocked out of the game (I thought it was a headhunting hit, the kind of hit that was celebrated when I was kid but now just leads to hand-wringing and NYT op-ed pieces (well....unless its the Patriots)) and Lewis fumbles the ball away after a well-executed trick play (personally I didn't think it was a fumble, I was kinda surprised they gave the ball to the Jags). The Jags had their shot there to put the game away but they failed to get a 1st down and had to punt. From there Brady gets the 2 TD's needed to win (Amendola was the man making catch after catch and a big punt return with the game on the line) and the Pats are going on to another Super Bowl while the Jags are headed to the off-season (wondering how to replace Blake Bortles). The Jags just ran out of gas in the 2nd half, Bortles played well for 3 quarters and the D was mostly really good but they just couldn't make it last.
Vikings 7-33 Eagles
The Vikings started well with a solid drive ending in a TD. I thought it was important they start quick and they did and when they stuffed the Eagles on their first possession, it felt like the Vikings were on their way. Then on the next possession, Case Keenum got hit on a throw, Eagles picked it off and ran it back for a TD (brilliant run by the corner), tying the game. From there, the Vikings just disappeared and the game was already over. It kinda played out like a college basketball game where one team gets hot right before halftime then stays hot and the next thing you know they're up by 20 with 15 minutes to go. Yeah, it was like that. The Eagles got in a groove and stayed in the groove and the Vikings were just buried before they could even respond. Nick Foles was fantastic, the Eagles O-line pushed the Vikings (#1 defense in the league) around and the Eagle D was in Keenum's face all day. Great win for the Eagles.
Super Bowl
Though the AFC championship game did not start the way I thought it would, I'll go back to it: I think the Pats start quick today. Though Pats tend to start slow in Super Bowls, I think the Eagles D starts a little soft and the Pats are able to get out to a 10-0 lead right away. From there I think the Eagles take over. The Eagle offense, even without Carson Wentz, was dynamic enough to make mincemeat of the Vikings D and while Belichick is a defensive genius, I kinda think Mike Zimmer is too and he had way more talent. And on the other side I think the Eagles are deeper and more solid than the Jags defense. I think the Eagles get in Brady's face early and often (and I can see Gronk getting dirty-played again right away). The more I think about it, the more I think the Eagles win relatively easily. I thought that last year about the Falcons...and, well, it should've gone that way. This year I think the Eagles O-line can control the Pats leaving Foles enough room to make plays and I think the Eagles D will keep the running game from being relevant, knock Gronk out of the game and keep Brady backpedaling. At the moment the line is Pats -5.5, over/under of 47.5. I was going to say Eagles 24-21 but I think it's a bigger than that. I'll say Eagles 30-21, I'll go with the Eagles and the over.
I thought the Pats would get out of the gate quick and they didn't. FG on the opening drive but then struggled on their next few drives while the Jags cranked it up and got out to a quick 14-3 lead. The Pats were able to cut the lead to 14-10 at the half and I still thought they were in line to get a big win. As good as Jax had played up to that point, it still felt like Brady could get hot and bury them. But the Pats continued to struggle on offense through the 3rd quarter. Early in the 4th the Jags went up 20-10 and the stadium was deathly quiet. Then Gronk got knocked out of the game (I thought it was a headhunting hit, the kind of hit that was celebrated when I was kid but now just leads to hand-wringing and NYT op-ed pieces (well....unless its the Patriots)) and Lewis fumbles the ball away after a well-executed trick play (personally I didn't think it was a fumble, I was kinda surprised they gave the ball to the Jags). The Jags had their shot there to put the game away but they failed to get a 1st down and had to punt. From there Brady gets the 2 TD's needed to win (Amendola was the man making catch after catch and a big punt return with the game on the line) and the Pats are going on to another Super Bowl while the Jags are headed to the off-season (wondering how to replace Blake Bortles). The Jags just ran out of gas in the 2nd half, Bortles played well for 3 quarters and the D was mostly really good but they just couldn't make it last.
Vikings 7-33 Eagles
The Vikings started well with a solid drive ending in a TD. I thought it was important they start quick and they did and when they stuffed the Eagles on their first possession, it felt like the Vikings were on their way. Then on the next possession, Case Keenum got hit on a throw, Eagles picked it off and ran it back for a TD (brilliant run by the corner), tying the game. From there, the Vikings just disappeared and the game was already over. It kinda played out like a college basketball game where one team gets hot right before halftime then stays hot and the next thing you know they're up by 20 with 15 minutes to go. Yeah, it was like that. The Eagles got in a groove and stayed in the groove and the Vikings were just buried before they could even respond. Nick Foles was fantastic, the Eagles O-line pushed the Vikings (#1 defense in the league) around and the Eagle D was in Keenum's face all day. Great win for the Eagles.
Super Bowl
Though the AFC championship game did not start the way I thought it would, I'll go back to it: I think the Pats start quick today. Though Pats tend to start slow in Super Bowls, I think the Eagles D starts a little soft and the Pats are able to get out to a 10-0 lead right away. From there I think the Eagles take over. The Eagle offense, even without Carson Wentz, was dynamic enough to make mincemeat of the Vikings D and while Belichick is a defensive genius, I kinda think Mike Zimmer is too and he had way more talent. And on the other side I think the Eagles are deeper and more solid than the Jags defense. I think the Eagles get in Brady's face early and often (and I can see Gronk getting dirty-played again right away). The more I think about it, the more I think the Eagles win relatively easily. I thought that last year about the Falcons...and, well, it should've gone that way. This year I think the Eagles O-line can control the Pats leaving Foles enough room to make plays and I think the Eagles D will keep the running game from being relevant, knock Gronk out of the game and keep Brady backpedaling. At the moment the line is Pats -5.5, over/under of 47.5. I was going to say Eagles 24-21 but I think it's a bigger than that. I'll say Eagles 30-21, I'll go with the Eagles and the over.
Friday, February 2, 2018
MLB Hall of Fame Voting
Last week Major League Baseball welcomed 4 more members of their Hall of Fame: Chipper Jones, Vlad Guerrero, Jim Thome, Trevor Hoffman. I absolutely agree with Chipper and Vlad, two of the best players I ever saw ('eyeball test' being my main criterion, incidentally). I guess I can't argue with Thome or Hoffman, certainly piled up the numbers need to get in (though I'm a little surprised Thome got in on his 1st ballot while Vlad had to wait a year).
Should get in eventually
Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina
Martinez is a bit of a test case, so far DH-only guys have not been admitted but he was one of the best and I think the evolution of the game is worth noting. I'm kinda stunned Mussina is having to wait so long. He was a great pitcher for a long time, played on a lot of good teams, many time all-star and spent his entire career in the toughest division in baseball, should've been in years ago, but he's trending in the right direction and I think he'll get in eventually.
Guys that ought to be in (probably won't get in)
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Manny Ramirez, Curt Schilling, Sammy Sosa
I've said it before and I'll say it again: these are some of the best players of their generation and if the baseball writers don't trust them or just plain don't like them (Schilling, for example) that is immaterial and those writers should be banned from voting again. Bonds is arguably the single greatest player of ALL TIME! How can you have a Hall of Fame that doesn't have him in it? Clemens may be a lying, cheating annoying asshole but he was one of the best I ever saw and for the Hall to ban him is positively foolish. Manny is one of the best right-handed hitters of all time and if he took steroids...I don't care. I do not believe steroids makes anyone good at baseball (and if you think steroid represent the only cheating in the history of the game then you're a damn idiot). Schilling may be an annoying loudmouth jerk but he pitched with men on base as well as anyone I can think of. Sosa was not one of my favorites during his day but his numbers are undeniable--Jim Thome was one of my favorites in his day but clearly Sosa had the better career. (How can you say Jim Thome is worthy and Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa are not?)
May not make it but ought to
Gary Sheffield
Hey, man, Sheffield was a really good player for a long time for a lot of good teams. And he got fewer votes than Jeff Kent? (Who da fuq is voting for Jeff Kent?) I think he's deserving, I'd vote for him.
Guys receiving votes that I don't think will make
Omar Vizquel, Larry Walker, Fred McGriff, Jeff Kent, Billy Wagner, Scott Rolen, Andruw Jones
All solid players with great careers, it doesn't look like they'll get in and I guess I agree with that.
Not Enough Votes to Continue
Johan Santana, Jamie Moyer, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Chris Carpenter, Kerry Wood, Carlos Lee, Livan Hernandez, Kevin Millwood, Aubrey Huff, Orlando Hudson, Jason Isringhausen, Carlos Zambrano, Brad Lidge
A little surprised Johnny Damon is one-and-done, he was a good player for a long time, played pivotal roles on important teams; I'm not saying he's an HOF-er but I thought he deserved a little more consideration. Also, man, Santana at his best was a bad bad man, too bad he couldn't stay healthy.
Should get in eventually
Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina
Martinez is a bit of a test case, so far DH-only guys have not been admitted but he was one of the best and I think the evolution of the game is worth noting. I'm kinda stunned Mussina is having to wait so long. He was a great pitcher for a long time, played on a lot of good teams, many time all-star and spent his entire career in the toughest division in baseball, should've been in years ago, but he's trending in the right direction and I think he'll get in eventually.
Guys that ought to be in (probably won't get in)
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Manny Ramirez, Curt Schilling, Sammy Sosa
I've said it before and I'll say it again: these are some of the best players of their generation and if the baseball writers don't trust them or just plain don't like them (Schilling, for example) that is immaterial and those writers should be banned from voting again. Bonds is arguably the single greatest player of ALL TIME! How can you have a Hall of Fame that doesn't have him in it? Clemens may be a lying, cheating annoying asshole but he was one of the best I ever saw and for the Hall to ban him is positively foolish. Manny is one of the best right-handed hitters of all time and if he took steroids...I don't care. I do not believe steroids makes anyone good at baseball (and if you think steroid represent the only cheating in the history of the game then you're a damn idiot). Schilling may be an annoying loudmouth jerk but he pitched with men on base as well as anyone I can think of. Sosa was not one of my favorites during his day but his numbers are undeniable--Jim Thome was one of my favorites in his day but clearly Sosa had the better career. (How can you say Jim Thome is worthy and Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa are not?)
May not make it but ought to
Gary Sheffield
Hey, man, Sheffield was a really good player for a long time for a lot of good teams. And he got fewer votes than Jeff Kent? (Who da fuq is voting for Jeff Kent?) I think he's deserving, I'd vote for him.
Guys receiving votes that I don't think will make
Omar Vizquel, Larry Walker, Fred McGriff, Jeff Kent, Billy Wagner, Scott Rolen, Andruw Jones
All solid players with great careers, it doesn't look like they'll get in and I guess I agree with that.
Not Enough Votes to Continue
Johan Santana, Jamie Moyer, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Chris Carpenter, Kerry Wood, Carlos Lee, Livan Hernandez, Kevin Millwood, Aubrey Huff, Orlando Hudson, Jason Isringhausen, Carlos Zambrano, Brad Lidge
A little surprised Johnny Damon is one-and-done, he was a good player for a long time, played pivotal roles on important teams; I'm not saying he's an HOF-er but I thought he deserved a little more consideration. Also, man, Santana at his best was a bad bad man, too bad he couldn't stay healthy.
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