MLB All-Star voting ends on Thursday night. So if you haven't voted 25 times yet, be sure to vote at MLB.com. The players I voted for are below (Click images to enlarge)
Monday, June 30, 2014
Friday, June 27, 2014
2014 NBA Draft
FIRST ROUND
1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Andrew Wiggins (SF) Kansas
2. Milwaukee Bucks: Jabari Parker (SF) Duke
3. Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid (C) Kansas
4. Orlando Magic: Aaron Gordon (PF) Arizona
5. Utah Jazz: Dante Exum (PG) Australia
6. Boston Celtics: Marcus Smart (PG) Oklahoma St.
7. Los Angeles Lakers: Julius Randle (PF) Kentucky
8. Sacramento Kings: Nik Stauskas (SG) Michigan
9. Charlotte Hornets: Noah Vonleh (PF) Indiana
10. Philadelphia 76ers1: Elfrid Payton (PG) Louisiana Lafayette
11. Denver Nuggets2: Doug McDermott (SF) Creighton
1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Andrew Wiggins (SF) Kansas
2. Milwaukee Bucks: Jabari Parker (SF) Duke
3. Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid (C) Kansas
4. Orlando Magic: Aaron Gordon (PF) Arizona
5. Utah Jazz: Dante Exum (PG) Australia
6. Boston Celtics: Marcus Smart (PG) Oklahoma St.
7. Los Angeles Lakers: Julius Randle (PF) Kentucky
8. Sacramento Kings: Nik Stauskas (SG) Michigan
9. Charlotte Hornets: Noah Vonleh (PF) Indiana
10. Philadelphia 76ers1: Elfrid Payton (PG) Louisiana Lafayette
11. Denver Nuggets2: Doug McDermott (SF) Creighton
12. Orlando Magic3: Dario Saric (PF) Croatia
13. Minnesota Timberwolves: Zach LaVine (PG) UCLA
14. Phoenix Suns:
15. Atlanta Hawks:
16. Chicago Bulls4: Jusuf Nurkic (C) Bosnia
17. Boston Celtics: James Young (SF) Kentucky
17. Boston Celtics: James Young (SF) Kentucky
18. Phoenix Suns: Tyler Ennis (PG) Syracuse
19. Chicago Bulls4:
19. Chicago Bulls4:
20. Toronto Raptors: Bruno Caboclo (SF) Brazil
21. Oklahoma City Thunder: Mitch McGary (PF) Michigan
21. Oklahoma City Thunder: Mitch McGary (PF) Michigan
22. Memphis Grizzlies:
23. Utah Jazz:
24. Charlotte Hornets5: Shabazz Napier (PG) UConn
25. Houston Rockets: Clint Capela (PF) Switzerland
26. Miami Heat6: P.J. Hairston (SG) UNC
27. Phoenix Suns: Bogdan Bogdanovic (SG) Serbia
28. Los Angeles Clippers: C.J. Wilcox (SG) Washington
29. Oklahoma City Thunder:
30. San Antonio Spurs:
1traded to Orlando Magic
2traded to Chicago Bulls for 16th and 19th picks
3traded to Philadelphia 76ers
4traded to Denver Nuggets
5traded to Miami Heat
6traded to Charlotte Hornets
2traded to Chicago Bulls for 16th and 19th picks
3traded to Philadelphia 76ers
4traded to Denver Nuggets
5traded to Miami Heat
6traded to Charlotte Hornets
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Nadal Wins Record 9th French Open, 5th Straight
Rack up another for the King of Clay. Rafael Nadal won his 14th career major, winning the French Open Final over Novak Djokovic 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 today in Paris.
In the first set, Djokovic broke Nadal once and held serve, winning 6-3. In the second set, although he still was not as his best, Nadal broke Djokovic at 3-2 and 6-5 to begin to turn the match around. In the third and fourth sets, Nadal seized control of the match, breaking Djokovic twice to win 6-2 in the third before holding off a valiant rally attempt by Djokovic and some apparent back stiffness.
The 14th career major ties Nadal for second all-time with Pete Sampress, trailing only Roger Federer's 17. The win was also Nadal's record-fifth straight French open championship and the 9th in 10 years, with the only blemish in 2009, when he lost to Robin Soderling in the 4th round, allowing Roger Federer to complete the career Grand Slam.
In the first set, Djokovic broke Nadal once and held serve, winning 6-3. In the second set, although he still was not as his best, Nadal broke Djokovic at 3-2 and 6-5 to begin to turn the match around. In the third and fourth sets, Nadal seized control of the match, breaking Djokovic twice to win 6-2 in the third before holding off a valiant rally attempt by Djokovic and some apparent back stiffness.
The 14th career major ties Nadal for second all-time with Pete Sampress, trailing only Roger Federer's 17. The win was also Nadal's record-fifth straight French open championship and the 9th in 10 years, with the only blemish in 2009, when he lost to Robin Soderling in the 4th round, allowing Roger Federer to complete the career Grand Slam.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
2014 NBA Finals Preview: Heat vs. Spurs
It's a rematch of last year's epic NBA Finals! Here's a matchup by matchup breakdown.
Point Guards: Tony Parker vs. Mario Chalmers
Parker has been the Spurs' leading scorer this postseason, but left San Antonio's clincher in OKC with an ankle injury. He is absolutely the key for the Spurs in this series and has to be effective for them to avenge last year's Finals loss. If he can knock down midrange jumpers, get into the paint with his patented tear drop, and find open shots for his teammates, Parker's constant movement can cause a matchup nightmare for the Heat. It'll be interesting to see if Miami coach Eric Spoulstra puts LeBron James on Parker again, which was quite effective last year. Meanwhile, Chalmers has had a relatively quiet postseason, as Spousltra has gone with backup Norris Cole at times when Chalmers has been ineffective. Anything he gives Miami offensively is gravy and only takes some of the enormous scoring pressure off James and Dwayne Wade. If he can force Parker (and his bad ankle) to play both ways this series, it will be a big bonus for the Heat.
Edge: Spurs
Shooting Guards: Danny Green vs. Dwayne Wade
Despite setting an NBA Finals record for made three-pointers a year ago, Danny Green still has stretches of inconsistency that has relegated him to the bench at times this year. His home/road three-point splits are mind-bogglingly tilted, and Spurs' fans have to be glad that they have home court advantage this year. However, his defensive play might be even more important than his shooting. He played solid D on MVP Kevin Durant in the West Finals, and he'll have to do it again in this series against a re-energized Dwayne Wade. Wade seems to be pretty healthy and has averaged nearly 19 ppg this postseason, much higher than a year ago. If he continues to attack the rim in this series and shoot higher than 50%, I think he can thoroughly outplay Green.
Edge: Heat
Small Forwards: Kawhi Leonard vs. LeBron James
Leonard didn't take the enormous leap (offensively) like many thought he would after an outstanding NBA Finals last year, but was named to the NBA All-Defensive second team behind career highs in rebounding, steals, and blocks. His defense will be key in this series, with the 4-time MVP on the other end of the floor. The King didn't win the MVP this season, but he has been on a mission for his three-peat, as he has been scary efficient this postseason, averaging 27 points in just 38 minutes per game. He should get a good test against the more experienced Leonard and a master schemer in head coach Gregg Popovich, who dared James to beat them with outside jump shots in last year's Finals. To his credit, LeBron took what San Antonio gave him and knocked them down when they counted, so look for the Spurs to try something different this year, in what should be an intriguing chess match between two all-time greats.
Significant Edge: Heat
Power Forwards: Matt Bonner vs. Rashard Lewis
I really don't know if either Bonner or Lewis will start, come off the bench, or even play it all in this series. Despite limited playing time from each during the regular season, they were thrown in the starting five in their respective conference finals, whether out of necessity due to injury (to Miami's Chris Andersen) or strategy (to pull OKC's Serge Ibaka away from basket). If they do continue to start in the Finals, expect both players to simply be spot-up shooters who have a chance to make an impact on the series if they can suddenly get hot from the field.
Edge: Heat
Centers: Tim Duncan vs. Chris Bosh
The 38-year old Big Fundamental had another solid regular season consisting of Popovich limiting his minutes, allowing him to save his energy for the playoffs, where he has been his typical solid self. Against OKC in the West Finals, he outplayed the likes of Serge Ibaka and Steven Adams on the post and carried San Antonio in OT of its Game 6 clincher. Now, he'll have a second shot at his 5th championship after carrying the Spurs oh-so-close a year ago, averaging a team high 18.9 ppg and 12.1 rpg in the Finals. Meanwhile, on the other side, there is the enigma that is Chris Bosh, who is coming off a series in which he was putrid for the first three games and great in the last three games. Once a dominant post player, Bosh is now strictly a jump shooter and a very streaky one. His effectiveness in grabbing rebounds and hitting jump shots is a must for the Heat to get some production out of their big men.
Edge: Spurs
Bench: Manu Ginobili/Boris Diaw/Patty Mills/Tiago Splitter/Marco Belinelli vs. Ray Allen/Norris Cole/Shane Battier/Chris Andersen/Udonis Haslem
The biggest difference between the two teams from a year ago is their bench. I think the Spurs' bench has gotten better, while the Heat's is weaker.
Manu Ginobili has had a much better postseason than a year ago, and is the catalyst for the Spurs' offense off the bench with his ability to attack the rim, as well as find teammates with incredible passes. Boris Diaw is coming off a great series against OKC in which he was a matchup nightmare who the Thunder could not contain (and was arguably, the team MVP). His ability to post-up and rebound, while also being able to shoot threes and make pin-point passes gives something Miami cannot match off its bench. Tiago Splitter (if he doesn't start) will be important in protecting the rim against the likes of James and Wade when Duncan goes to the bench. Finally, the streaky Patty Mills and Marco Belinelli can have a big impact on the series if they can knock down open three's.
For Miami, while Ray Allen has been as clutch as ever in hitting timely three pointers and helping Miami space the floor around Wade and James. Chris Andersen (if healthy) gives Miami tremendous defense, energy, and finishing around the rim. Backup PG Norris Cole has been consistent this postseason, shooting 44% from the field. Finally, Shane Battier and Udonis Haslem provide defense and toughness and the occasional jump shot, and could see extended minutes in this series against the Spurs' well-oiled offensive machine.
Edge: Spurs
My prediction:
After an epic series last year that saw the Heat prevail, I predict another long 7-game series this year between two nearly evenly matched teams. The difference this year is the Spurs' better depth, including a more experienced Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. Remember, San Antonio was a Ray Allen-miracle three away from winning it all last year, and the Heat's supporting cast is not as strong. In the end, despite a superhuman series from LeBron James in his effort to three-peat, I'm picking the Spurs to win fifth title with Timmy and Pop.
In 7.
Last round’s record: 2-0
Playoff record: 9-5
Point Guards: Tony Parker vs. Mario Chalmers
Parker has been the Spurs' leading scorer this postseason, but left San Antonio's clincher in OKC with an ankle injury. He is absolutely the key for the Spurs in this series and has to be effective for them to avenge last year's Finals loss. If he can knock down midrange jumpers, get into the paint with his patented tear drop, and find open shots for his teammates, Parker's constant movement can cause a matchup nightmare for the Heat. It'll be interesting to see if Miami coach Eric Spoulstra puts LeBron James on Parker again, which was quite effective last year. Meanwhile, Chalmers has had a relatively quiet postseason, as Spousltra has gone with backup Norris Cole at times when Chalmers has been ineffective. Anything he gives Miami offensively is gravy and only takes some of the enormous scoring pressure off James and Dwayne Wade. If he can force Parker (and his bad ankle) to play both ways this series, it will be a big bonus for the Heat.
Edge: Spurs
Shooting Guards: Danny Green vs. Dwayne Wade
Despite setting an NBA Finals record for made three-pointers a year ago, Danny Green still has stretches of inconsistency that has relegated him to the bench at times this year. His home/road three-point splits are mind-bogglingly tilted, and Spurs' fans have to be glad that they have home court advantage this year. However, his defensive play might be even more important than his shooting. He played solid D on MVP Kevin Durant in the West Finals, and he'll have to do it again in this series against a re-energized Dwayne Wade. Wade seems to be pretty healthy and has averaged nearly 19 ppg this postseason, much higher than a year ago. If he continues to attack the rim in this series and shoot higher than 50%, I think he can thoroughly outplay Green.
Edge: Heat
Small Forwards: Kawhi Leonard vs. LeBron James
Leonard didn't take the enormous leap (offensively) like many thought he would after an outstanding NBA Finals last year, but was named to the NBA All-Defensive second team behind career highs in rebounding, steals, and blocks. His defense will be key in this series, with the 4-time MVP on the other end of the floor. The King didn't win the MVP this season, but he has been on a mission for his three-peat, as he has been scary efficient this postseason, averaging 27 points in just 38 minutes per game. He should get a good test against the more experienced Leonard and a master schemer in head coach Gregg Popovich, who dared James to beat them with outside jump shots in last year's Finals. To his credit, LeBron took what San Antonio gave him and knocked them down when they counted, so look for the Spurs to try something different this year, in what should be an intriguing chess match between two all-time greats.
Significant Edge: Heat
Power Forwards: Matt Bonner vs. Rashard Lewis
I really don't know if either Bonner or Lewis will start, come off the bench, or even play it all in this series. Despite limited playing time from each during the regular season, they were thrown in the starting five in their respective conference finals, whether out of necessity due to injury (to Miami's Chris Andersen) or strategy (to pull OKC's Serge Ibaka away from basket). If they do continue to start in the Finals, expect both players to simply be spot-up shooters who have a chance to make an impact on the series if they can suddenly get hot from the field.
Edge: Heat
Centers: Tim Duncan vs. Chris Bosh
The 38-year old Big Fundamental had another solid regular season consisting of Popovich limiting his minutes, allowing him to save his energy for the playoffs, where he has been his typical solid self. Against OKC in the West Finals, he outplayed the likes of Serge Ibaka and Steven Adams on the post and carried San Antonio in OT of its Game 6 clincher. Now, he'll have a second shot at his 5th championship after carrying the Spurs oh-so-close a year ago, averaging a team high 18.9 ppg and 12.1 rpg in the Finals. Meanwhile, on the other side, there is the enigma that is Chris Bosh, who is coming off a series in which he was putrid for the first three games and great in the last three games. Once a dominant post player, Bosh is now strictly a jump shooter and a very streaky one. His effectiveness in grabbing rebounds and hitting jump shots is a must for the Heat to get some production out of their big men.
Edge: Spurs
Bench: Manu Ginobili/Boris Diaw/Patty Mills/Tiago Splitter/Marco Belinelli vs. Ray Allen/Norris Cole/Shane Battier/Chris Andersen/Udonis Haslem
The biggest difference between the two teams from a year ago is their bench. I think the Spurs' bench has gotten better, while the Heat's is weaker.
Manu Ginobili has had a much better postseason than a year ago, and is the catalyst for the Spurs' offense off the bench with his ability to attack the rim, as well as find teammates with incredible passes. Boris Diaw is coming off a great series against OKC in which he was a matchup nightmare who the Thunder could not contain (and was arguably, the team MVP). His ability to post-up and rebound, while also being able to shoot threes and make pin-point passes gives something Miami cannot match off its bench. Tiago Splitter (if he doesn't start) will be important in protecting the rim against the likes of James and Wade when Duncan goes to the bench. Finally, the streaky Patty Mills and Marco Belinelli can have a big impact on the series if they can knock down open three's.
For Miami, while Ray Allen has been as clutch as ever in hitting timely three pointers and helping Miami space the floor around Wade and James. Chris Andersen (if healthy) gives Miami tremendous defense, energy, and finishing around the rim. Backup PG Norris Cole has been consistent this postseason, shooting 44% from the field. Finally, Shane Battier and Udonis Haslem provide defense and toughness and the occasional jump shot, and could see extended minutes in this series against the Spurs' well-oiled offensive machine.
Edge: Spurs
My prediction:
After an epic series last year that saw the Heat prevail, I predict another long 7-game series this year between two nearly evenly matched teams. The difference this year is the Spurs' better depth, including a more experienced Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. Remember, San Antonio was a Ray Allen-miracle three away from winning it all last year, and the Heat's supporting cast is not as strong. In the end, despite a superhuman series from LeBron James in his effort to three-peat, I'm picking the Spurs to win fifth title with Timmy and Pop.
In 7.
Last round’s record: 2-0
Playoff record: 9-5
Sunday, May 18, 2014
2014 NBA Playoffs: My Conference Finals Preview
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs
The Thunder got a lot of help from the officials (totally agree with Doc about call in Game 5) and rode Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on their way to disposing of the Clippers, while the Spurs blitzed the over-matched and inexperienced Blazers in a quick 5 game series.
Obviously, the season-ending injury to Thunder PF Serge Ibaka is a big loss for OKC, as the Thunder lose their best shot blocker, best rebounder, and their third-best offensive player. While the Thunder have a decent stable of replacements in veteran Nick Collison and rookie Steven Adams, they don't provide the impact that Ibaka does, and will have their hands full with Tim Duncan.
In terms of style of play, both teams like to get up and down and score a lot of points, albeit in vastly different ways, as the Spurs depend on impeccable execution of an well-coached offensive system that works like a well-oiled machine no matter who is in the game, while the Thunder depend primarily on isolation-basketball, relying on the super talented Durant and Westbrook to create shots for themselves and their teammates. Against the well-coached Spurs, I see OKC having problems getting good shots down the stretch, especially if it is a close game (as they did against the Clippers in Games 4 and 5 especially)
In terms of matchups, I see Russell Westbrook and Tony Parker scoring equally well on each other (assuming Parker's hamstring is ok). Kevin Durant will get his points, but Kawhi Leonard should make him work hard to get it). And as mentioned earlier, Spurs will have the edge inside with Duncan and center Tiago Splitter against Collison and Kendrick Perkins. Off the bench, the Spurs have a big edge, as San Antonio hardly seems to miss a beat when Patty Mills, Marco Belinelli, Manu Ginobili, and Boris Diaw get into the game, a luxury that the short-handed Thunder don't have outside Reggie Jackson and Caron Butler. In addition, without Ibaka, the Spurs will be able to finish at the rim a lot more easily (whether via Duncan or center Tiago Splitter, or penetration by their wings), as Kendrick Perkins, Adams, and Collison are not nearly the shot blockers Ibaka was.
With better coaching, rebounding, and depth off bench, I'll take San Antonio to return to the Finals.
Spurs in 7
Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers
The Heat dispatched of the trash-talking Nets rather easily, while the Pacers survived another scare from the upstart Wizards, winning in 6 games, to set up a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference Finals.
The Pacers worked all year to get home court advantage throughout the East playoffs, and they have promptly gone 3-4 at home against the Hawks and Wizards, as they have come out not ready to play time and time again in this postseason.
Style of play will be key in this series. The Heat are most dangerous playing up-tempo with the litany of three-point shooters around LeBron James and Dwayne Wade, while the Pacers have to slow down and play half-court to set up their outstanding defense.
In terms of players, center Roy Hibbert is absolutely the key in this series. He has disappeared and reappeared more times than a magician during the first two rounds of this postseason. Simply put, when he plays well, so do the Pacers. When he plays horribly, so do the Pacers. And if Indiana hopes to realize their dream of advancing past their arch-rivals into the NBA Finals, as he can protect the rim against the likes of James and Wade. Also, when he's aggressive and focused on his offense and rebounding, Miami simply does not have answer for his 7' 2" frame inside, as the Heat's Chris Bosh and Chris Andersen are undersized.
Another key for the Pacers is the play of point guard George Hill, who was simply overwhelmed in last year's series. If Indy hopes to have any shot, he cannot turn the ball over as frequently as he did a year ago.
In the end, I think the trash-talking (I'm talking to you, Lance Stephenson) Pacers' run ends here, as the Heat move one step closer to their three-peat.
Heat in 6
Friday, May 9, 2014
2014 NFL Draft
First Round
1. Houston Texans: Jadeveon Clowney (DE) S Carolina
2. St. Louis Rams: Greg Robinson (OT) Auburn
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Blake Bortles (QB) C Florida
4. Buffalo Bills* (from Cleveland): Sammy Watkins (WR) Clemson
5. Oaklhand Raiders: Khalil Mack (OLB) Buffalo
6. Atlanta Falcons: Jake Matthews (OT) Texas A&M
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mike Evans (WR) Texas A&M
8. Cleveland Browns* (from Minnesota): Justin Gilbert (CB) Oklahoma St
9. Minnesota Vikings* (from Buffalo through Cleveland): Anthony Barr (OLB) UCLA
10. Detroit Lions: Eric Ebron (TE) UNC
11. Tennessee Titans: Taylor Lewan (OT) Michigan
12. NY Giants: Odell Beckham Jr. (WR) LSU
13. St. Louis Rams: Aaron Donald (DT) Pittsburgh
14. Chicago Bears: Kyle Fuller (CB) Va Tech
15. Pittsburgh Steelers: Ryan Shazier (OLB) Ohio St
16. Dallas Cowboys: Zack Martin (OT) Notre Dame
17. Baltimore Ravens: C.J. Mosley (ILB) Alabama
18. NY Jets: Calvin Pryor (S) Louisville
19. Miami Dolphins: Ja'Wuan James (OT) Tennessee
20. New Orleans Saints* (from Arizona): Brandin Cooks (WR) Oregon St
21. Green Bay Packers: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (S) Alabama
22. Cleveland Browns* (from Philadelphia): Johnny Manziel (QB) Texas A&M
23. Kansas City Chiefs: Dee Ford (DE) Auburn
24. Cincinnati Bengals: Darqueze Dennard (CB) Mich St
25. San Diego Chargers: Jason Verrett (CB) TCU
26. Philadelphia Eagles* (from Indy through Cleveland): Marcus Smith (DE) Louisville
27. Arizona Cardinals* (from New Orleans): Deone Bucannon (S) Wash St
28. Carolina Panthers: Kelvin Benjamin (WR) Florida St
29. New England Patriots: Dominique Easley (DT) Florida
30. San Francisco 49ers: Jimmie Ward (S) N Illinois
31. Denver Broncos: Bradley Roby (CB) Ohio St
32. Minnesota Vikings* (from Seattle): Teddy Bridgewater (QB) Louisville
*denotes trade
1. Houston Texans: Jadeveon Clowney (DE) S Carolina
2. St. Louis Rams: Greg Robinson (OT) Auburn
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Blake Bortles (QB) C Florida
4. Buffalo Bills* (from Cleveland): Sammy Watkins (WR) Clemson
5. Oaklhand Raiders: Khalil Mack (OLB) Buffalo
6. Atlanta Falcons: Jake Matthews (OT) Texas A&M
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mike Evans (WR) Texas A&M
8. Cleveland Browns* (from Minnesota): Justin Gilbert (CB) Oklahoma St
9. Minnesota Vikings* (from Buffalo through Cleveland): Anthony Barr (OLB) UCLA
10. Detroit Lions: Eric Ebron (TE) UNC
11. Tennessee Titans: Taylor Lewan (OT) Michigan
12. NY Giants: Odell Beckham Jr. (WR) LSU
13. St. Louis Rams: Aaron Donald (DT) Pittsburgh
14. Chicago Bears: Kyle Fuller (CB) Va Tech
15. Pittsburgh Steelers: Ryan Shazier (OLB) Ohio St
16. Dallas Cowboys: Zack Martin (OT) Notre Dame
17. Baltimore Ravens: C.J. Mosley (ILB) Alabama
18. NY Jets: Calvin Pryor (S) Louisville
19. Miami Dolphins: Ja'Wuan James (OT) Tennessee
20. New Orleans Saints* (from Arizona): Brandin Cooks (WR) Oregon St
21. Green Bay Packers: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (S) Alabama
22. Cleveland Browns* (from Philadelphia): Johnny Manziel (QB) Texas A&M
23. Kansas City Chiefs: Dee Ford (DE) Auburn
24. Cincinnati Bengals: Darqueze Dennard (CB) Mich St
25. San Diego Chargers: Jason Verrett (CB) TCU
26. Philadelphia Eagles* (from Indy through Cleveland): Marcus Smith (DE) Louisville
27. Arizona Cardinals* (from New Orleans): Deone Bucannon (S) Wash St
28. Carolina Panthers: Kelvin Benjamin (WR) Florida St
29. New England Patriots: Dominique Easley (DT) Florida
30. San Francisco 49ers: Jimmie Ward (S) N Illinois
31. Denver Broncos: Bradley Roby (CB) Ohio St
32. Minnesota Vikings* (from Seattle): Teddy Bridgewater (QB) Louisville
*denotes trade
Monday, May 5, 2014
2014 NBA Playoffs- Conference Semifinal Predictions
Western Conference
Portland Trailblazers vs. San Antonio Spurs
Portland upset my Rockets behind superhuman performances from LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard and they will pose big problems to the older Spurs, who had to go the distance with the Mavs in round 1. And while the series will be uptempo and full of offense, I think Tony Parker will give the Portland defense fits inside. And I think San Antonio's much greater depth off the bench proves to be the difference maker.
Spurs in 6
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
LA stuck together through the Donald Sterling fiasco to win a tough 7-game series with their rivals from Golden State, while OKC surprisingly struggled mightily with the gritty Grizzlies, also need 7 games to beat them. In a star-studded point guard matchup between Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook, I think it comes down to LA's superior inside play with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. Kevin Durant should have a field day outside, but I don't think OKC has enough frontline depth to contain to red-hot Griffin and Jordan.
Clippers in 6
Eastern Conference
Washington Wizards vs. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers are a shell of their early season greatness, as they had to rally from a 3-2 deficit just to beat the 37-win Hawks, while the Wizards upset the depleted Bulls in 5. This pick isn't so much about Washington, as it is about the Pacers. Roy Hibbert had a pathetic series against Atlanta, and I expect Nene to dominate inside, just as he did to Joakim Noah in Round 1. I think Trevor Ariza should be able to contain Paul George, and Washington has a better backcourt at the moment (Wall/Beal > Hill/Stephenson)
Wizards in 6
Brooklyn Nets vs. Miami Heat
The veteran Nets squeaked by the inexperienced Raptors in 7 games, while the Heat rested following a 4-game sweep against the Bobcats. And although Brooklyn shockingly swept the Heat in the regular season 4-0, I don't see that happening again in this series, especially given the erratic play of Deron Williams, who got manhandled by Kyle Lowry in Round 1. And although KG and Pierce have had their battles with LeBron and the Heat in the past, they are just too old and won't be able to keep up this time around.
Heat in 5
My First Round Record: 5-3
Portland Trailblazers vs. San Antonio Spurs
Portland upset my Rockets behind superhuman performances from LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard and they will pose big problems to the older Spurs, who had to go the distance with the Mavs in round 1. And while the series will be uptempo and full of offense, I think Tony Parker will give the Portland defense fits inside. And I think San Antonio's much greater depth off the bench proves to be the difference maker.
Spurs in 6
LA stuck together through the Donald Sterling fiasco to win a tough 7-game series with their rivals from Golden State, while OKC surprisingly struggled mightily with the gritty Grizzlies, also need 7 games to beat them. In a star-studded point guard matchup between Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook, I think it comes down to LA's superior inside play with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. Kevin Durant should have a field day outside, but I don't think OKC has enough frontline depth to contain to red-hot Griffin and Jordan.
Clippers in 6
Eastern Conference
Washington Wizards vs. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers are a shell of their early season greatness, as they had to rally from a 3-2 deficit just to beat the 37-win Hawks, while the Wizards upset the depleted Bulls in 5. This pick isn't so much about Washington, as it is about the Pacers. Roy Hibbert had a pathetic series against Atlanta, and I expect Nene to dominate inside, just as he did to Joakim Noah in Round 1. I think Trevor Ariza should be able to contain Paul George, and Washington has a better backcourt at the moment (Wall/Beal > Hill/Stephenson)
Wizards in 6
Brooklyn Nets vs. Miami Heat
The veteran Nets squeaked by the inexperienced Raptors in 7 games, while the Heat rested following a 4-game sweep against the Bobcats. And although Brooklyn shockingly swept the Heat in the regular season 4-0, I don't see that happening again in this series, especially given the erratic play of Deron Williams, who got manhandled by Kyle Lowry in Round 1. And although KG and Pierce have had their battles with LeBron and the Heat in the past, they are just too old and won't be able to keep up this time around.
Heat in 5
My First Round Record: 5-3
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