Revisiting the Carmelo Anthony Trade



He plays defense like this too.



Looking back to the middle of the NBA season, all the hype surrounded Carmelo Anthony.  Was he staying in Denver?  Would he be traded to the Nets? Would he be traded to the Knicks?  Would he be traded to the Lakers???  Melo was shipped to New York along with Chauncey Billups and several others in a package for Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, and two more players.  This move was supposed to give the Knicks the opportunity to compete with Chicago, Boston, and Miami in the East, while Denver was supposed to slip out of playoff contention and be content with building for next year.

What resulted from this deal? The complete opposite.  The Nuggets were 32-25 when the trade occured. Since? 18-6 and have wrapped up the #5 seed in the Western Conference with a cumulative 50-31 record.  The Knicks sported a 28-26 record before the trade, and are now 42-38, playing near .500 basketball at 14-12 since Anthony came to town. 

Why has this trade not worked out?  First, playing Anthony at Small Forward as opposed to Chandler or Gallinari gives the Knicks less size on defense (as well as less work ethic).  Second, Anthony is not a good fit in Mike D'Antoni's offense and neither is Billups.  Both those players are more comfortable in a half court offense, as opposed to the up-tempo one D'Antoni runs.  Clearly the Knicks can adjust their offense around Anthony, but that will take time and Knicks fans are pretty impatient...  Finally, the loss of Chandler and Gallinari limits the amount of frontcourt players the Knicks can play in their rotation.  Can they really rely on major minutes off the bench from Shawne Williams and Jared Jeffries? I didn't think so.

Wilson Chandler and his fellow
former Knicks have thrived
in Denver

Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets are thriving.  The superb play of both Raymond Felton and Ty Lawson gives Denver a constant scoring threat from the backcourt to compliment Aron Afflalo's defense and JR Smith's offense at the SG position.  Their frontcourt is now extremely deep with Nene, Chris Anderson, Kenyon Martin, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, and Al Harrington.  The Nuggets enter their playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder with a lot of confidence, while the Knicks have struggled to find their rhythm and now face arguably the top defensive team in the league!  As Marilynn always says, and is right about "Carmelo Anthony? Whatever!"

Heat-Pistons Game, What a Birthday Present!

This past Wednesday, March 23rd I had the pleasure of attending the Detroit Pistons vs Miami Heat game at the Palace of Auburn Hills with Marilynn.  She purchased us tickets to the game as a birthday present to me, and damn was it a treat! 

Although Howard didn't play, he
seemed to be in high spirits!

We got to the Palace @ approximately 6 pm right when the doors opened, Marilynn sporting her LeBron shirt, while I rocked the D-Wade gear.  We were really eager to get to our seats, as Marilynn came through big time and got us tickets in the sixth row from the floor!  Considering I had never been that close to the floor at a sporting event before (Okemos High School basketball games don't count) I was quite excited.  We get down to our seats, and we had an excellent view of the Miami Heat bench.  Perfect! I would have the chance to see, in person, how much Chris Bosh resembles a dinosaur!  As we settle in we get to see Juwan Howard warming up, and even though he hasn't made an impact in the NBA since I was in middle school, I appreciate what he has done for the game as an alumnus of my Michigan Wolverines and as a member of the Fab Five.  Howard greeted every player on both teams like they were an old friend, and mingled with Pistons staff.  Clearly he is well-liked around the league and knows a plethora of people considering he has been playing in the NBA since 1994!

Around 7:15 the Heat come out to warm up.  Marilynn's favorite player is LeBron James, so naturally she was really geeked to seem him play and just observe his mannerisms from up close.  James was all fun & games during warm up, and the Heat looked like they have truly bonded as a team.  On another note, LeBron and Dwyane Wade look a lot more muscular on television. Up close LeBron's legs didn't look as thick or powerful as I expected. Following the warm-up, the crowd proceeded to boo LeBron during pregame introductions.  I understand that LeBron is a pretty polarizing figure, but shouldn't Pistons fans be happy that he isn't playing for Cleveland anymore?  The Cavaliers are one of the Piston's rivals, thus the Pistons should be content that they can beat up on the Cavs again for the first time since 2003. 

The game itself was really enjoyable!  The Pistons shot over 50% from the field up until the fourth quarter, when the Heat seemed to focus more on their defense.  The Heat ended up winning 100-94, starting the fourth quarter on a 15-0 and never relinquishing their lead, and you can find the box score here. Below are some quick observations and analyses from the game:

(1) Greg Monroe is a budding star: Yes, this comment may be a bit premature, but take a look at his stat line from this game and his statistics since the All-Star break.

Expect big things in the future from
Rookie Greg Monroe

March 23rd vs Miami Heat: 35 min, 14 pts, 12 rbs (5 orbs), 2 ast, 2 stl, 2 to, +/- = +9
Averages in March: 32.3 mpg, 13.4 ppg, .573 fg%, 9.3 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.8 stlpg

Monroe has been very productive since taking over for Ben Wallace, and his statistics don't support how well he played against Miami wednesday night.  Monroe was dominant on the boards due to his superior athleticism and positioning.  Expect him to develop into one of the best centers in the Eastern Conference over the upcoming year's.

(2) The Heatles can coexist peacefully: there seems to be an equal distribution of plays ran for each player, and all three are above-average passers for their position.  I was particularly impressed with Chris Bosh's vision and agility in this game.  He has really quick post moves and his mid-range jumper is excellent for a player his size.  What Bosh gives up on the boards he more then makes up for with his passing and shooting.  Marilynn did point out that he looks more awkward up close then on the television, an assertion I agree with, but clearly he knows his role in the Miami Heat offense.  Wade and LeBron seemed to fade in and out of the game, as the motion in the Heat offense isn't the most effective.  Sometimes you could predict which of them would take it to the whole, but regardless of who did obviously both are great at drawing double-teams and getting fouled.  Once the motion in the Heat offense improves, both LeBron and Wade could get more open looks. 

(3) Rip still has it, and Stuckey sucks!:  Richard Hamilton provided the Pistons with the shooting touch they were looking for when they signed Tracy McGrady.  Playing McGrady at the point forced the Heat to put their smallest defender on Hamilton, who capitalized on some open looks on the baseline.  As weird as it seemed that the Pistons most effective lineup was McGrady-Hamilton-Prince-Monroe-Wilcox, with no true ballhandler in the game, it seemed to work well on both ends of the floor.  Also, Rodney Stuckey IS NOT the answer at Point Guard for the Pistons.  Not only was he boo'd, but also his shot selection was suspect.  At times he made some flashy plays, but at other moments he looked lost or stuck, hehe. 

Look at these
little ballers!

(4) LeBron's kids are really cute: LeBron's fiancee and kids had courtside seats next to the Heat bench for this game.  During timeouts LeBron would sometimes go over to talk with his children, and after the game his kids starting running around the floor.  Both Marilynn and I wonder if they know how famous their father is, but they really seemed to enjoy themselves!

Overall, it was a great game to watch and a great experience.  The Pistons kept up with the Heat for most of the game, which I did not expect.  Most of all, it was a great birthday gift to me, and my girlfriend got to see her favorite athlete up-close.  Can the Heat progress to the point that they can compete with the Bulls and the Celtics come playoff time? I am excited to find out!

The Kardashians: Connecting Entertainment to the World of Sports

To some, the Kardashian Family may just be notorious for their exploits on the televeision screen, specifically their TV show Keeping up With the Kardashians, and it's spinoffs Kourtney and Khloe take Miami and Kourtney and Kim take New York.  Kim Kardashian may be most notorized for her sex tape with Ray J, and Kris Jenner may be best known for her role as the manager of her children, especially Kim.  Considering Marilynn is a huge fan (understatement) of the Kardashian family, she can appreciate the various T.V. appearences and advertising campaigns the Kardashian's have been involved in, and which one's have propelled them to stardom and fame.  However, I believe the way the Kardashians have increased their Q-ratings and presence is through their connection to the world of sports. And it all starts with Kris Jenner.

The matriarch of the Kardashian Clan, Kris Jenner was first married to the late Robert Kardashian, an L.A. businessman and attorney for O.J. Simpson in his famous jury trial in 1995.  Mr. Kardashian even let Mr. Simpson stay at his house the day's following the murder.  Kris and Robert divorced in 1990, but not before Kourtney, Kim, Khloe, and Rob Jr. were all born.  Kris proceeded to marry Bruce Jenner in 1991, winner of the decathalon at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal.  I think that this connection has had the greatest impact on the Kardashian family and their interaction with the world of sports. 

Since her sex tape fiasco, Kim Kardashian seems to have followed her mother's footsteps by sticking to the sports world for her male partners.  Kim dated former USC and current New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush from July 2007 to July 2009, and then again from October 2009 until they broke up for good in March 2010, a month following his Super Bowl XLIV victory. Kim then moved on to Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin, who burst onto the scene as one of the top receivers in the NFL in 2009.  Although the exact time they started dating is up in the air, their relationship went public in July 2010 and lasted until September 2010.  One difficulty in their relationship was that Kim thought Miles was 'uncomfortable' with the celebrity lifestyle, as he had risen from obscurity to stardom in such a short period of time.  Who is Kim dating nowadays?  None other than Kris Humphries of the NBA's New Jersey Nets.  Kim currently runs her family's fashion boutique, D-A-S-H, in NYC, hence dating a Nets player.  Personally, I think she likes how his name starts with a K like her sisters and mother! 

Although the Kardashians have usually been overshadowed by their athletic significant others, this is definitely not the case for Kim and Kris Humphries.  Kris was a relatively unheralded NBA player, with career averages of 4.7 ppg and 6.4 rpg.  However, this year he has taken on a larger role for the Nets, averaging 8.8 ppg and 9.3 rpg for the 2010-2011 season.  Is he scoring better on the court because he's scoring better off the court?  Who knows.  Regardless, the Kardashians love their athletes.

Khloe Kardashian Odom (note the name change) is married to L.A. Lakers star Lamar Odom.  Lamar and Khloe started dating in the middle of 2009 and were married in September 2009. Talk about love at first sight!  The couple are nearly inseperable, and coincidently, Lamar is having one of his best seasons in the NBA this year.  Clearly having a Kardashian by your side can lead to success on the court?  The Kardashians have continued to increase their exposure, maybe not so accidently, by dating and falling for sports stars.  Consistenly getting themselves out there as one of the most powerful and notorized family's in Hollywood. 

'The King' has Yet to Ascend the Throne

Looks like King James and the Heatles aren't ready to ascend the thrown just quite yet... riding an eight game winning streak into today's tilt with the Boston Celtics at the Garden, it was expected that the Heat would take down a crippled Celtics squad and affirm their status as the top team in the Eastern Conference.  Not so fast Miami!  The Boston Celtics held on to defeat the Miami Heat 85-82 and improved to 3-0 against them this season, this time without Shaquille and Jermaine O'Neal and only one single point from Paul 'The Truth' Pierce. 

So how do the Celtics contain the Heat so well?  Boston held the sharpshooters surrounding LeBron, Wade, and Bosh to a low three point percentage.  Mike Miller and Eddie House went a combined 1 of 9 from beyond the arc, and the Heat as a team shot 3 for 16 for an 18.8% 3-point percentage.  Guarding the perimeter was a concern coming into this game, as stretching the floor would allow LeBron and D-Wade to penetrate the lane in an easier fashion.  The Heatles accounted for 62 of Miami's 82 points, so clearly the Celtics did their job holding the Miami bench, Mario Chalmers, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas in check. 

This was a concern earlier in the year and continues to be cause for alarm.  Against strong teams, the supporting cast is just not getting the job done for the Heat.  From what I've seen, I would recommend two things to the Heat: 
(1) Play Joel Anthony more.  Anthony may be a liability on the offensive end, but his strong defensive rebounding and positioning makes him a valuable asset.  In today's game the Heat were +5 in his 21 minutes in the ballgame, more then any other player. 
(2) Give Mike Miller more of the ball.  If any player is going to step up on offense it his him. Also, can one really trust Dwyane Wade to stay healthy all season.  Miller needs to assume a larger role in the offense, regardless of whether he is needed to step in.

Hopefully the Kings of South Beach get their act together, as they currently aren't living up to their hype.  March 23rd Marilynn and I are going to see them play the Detroit Pistons, and I hope that they have made some adjustments by then so they won't disappoint her!  Her favorite player is LeBron James and clearly she wants to see an amazing game from him, but I am looking forward to seeing how the whole team works together on both ends of the court, and specifically how Joel Anthony and Mike Miller are used.  But for now, looks like the Celtics are still the Kings of the Eastern Conference, and Miami still has work to do to ascend the throne.

Australian Open Recap: The Rise of Djokovic and the Fall of Federer?

Hey guys, its been a while!  I've been back in East Lansing, Michigan and have kept pretty busy with family, friends, and Marilynn.  Hopefully I'll be able to blog more this week but who knows!

First off, congratulations to Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Kim Clijsters of Belgium for winning the Australian Open.  Djokovic defeated Andy Murray 6-4 6-2 6-3 and Clijsters defeated Li Na 3-6 6-3 6-3. I was relatively surprised by the results of the tournament in particular the men's side.  At this time two weeks ago, there was no doubt in my mind that Rafael Nadal was going to win the Aussie Open.  He had so much momentum coming in from last season and a minor injury a few weeks prior seemed irrelevant.  However, injuries are no surprise with Rafa, so seeing him succumb to a virus, which affected his play against fellow Spaniard David Ferrer, was not abnormal.

Not to take credit away from Djokovic, who played masterful tennis throughout the tournament, but the 2011 Australian Open will be remembered for the shortcomings of the top two players in the game: Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.  Federer fell to Djokovic in straight sets in the semifinals, although all three were closely contested.  One has to consider if Federer is dropping off at all.  He is not consistently beating top-10 players like he did several years ago and is playing second fiddle to Nadal.  Am I saying that Federer will never win a major again? No.  Is his window of opportunity quickly closing? Yes.  It's remarkable how long he has been at the top of his game, but younger players like Murray and Djokovic are trying to take his place as the game's elite.  Djokovic has been one of the top five players in the world for three years, winning the Australian Open in 2008, but has faded in and out at majors with fitness issues and uninspired performances against Nadal and Federer.  However, the way Djokovic dismantled Berdych, Federer, and Murray in succession was truly impressive.  If Nadal continues to struggle with injuries and Federer keeps falling off, expect Djokovic to be pretty successful from here on out if he can stay fit.  Besides, at least he has his girlfriend to fall back on.

 

Reflection on the AFC and NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl XLV prediction!

The Pittsburgh Steelers. Six Super Bowl Victories. A tradition of winning quarterbacks: Terry Bradshaw, Ben Roethlisberger.  A tradition of winning coaches: Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, Mike Tomlin.  A tradition of the strongest defenses and defensive players in all of football, from Mean Joe Greene to Troy Polamalu and James Harrison.  The Steelers absolutely dominated the first half of this football game, carrying over the way they played in the second half of the Baltimore game last week.  Up 24-3 at halftime following touchdown runs by Roethlisberger and Rashard Mendenhall and a fumble recovery touchdown return by William Gay, the Steelers seemed untouchable and unphasable. However, the Jets managed to mount a comeback in the second half and almost pulled off an upset that would have seemed impossible in the first half.   Santonio Holmes continued his playoff heroics, catching a 45 yard touchdown pass at the beginning of the third quarter, and Jerricho Cotchery caught a pass to bring the score to 24-19 with three minutes left.  Pittsburgh was able to run out the clock though, ending a game which truly was a tale of two halfs.  Can Pittsburgh put two strong halfs together in the Superbowl two weeks from now? We will see, as they will need it to defeat a hot Green Bay Packers team.

The Green Bay Packers.  Traditionally one of the strongest franchises in NFL history and winners of three Super Bowls, the Pack is back!!  Aaron Rodgers has looked the part of the best quarterback in the NFL throughout the playoffs.  His connection with Greg Jennings forms arguably the top QB-WR combo in the NFL, and his rapport with his other receivers allows him to spread the ball around to many targets.  Rodgers didn't have his best stat line against the Bears Sunday, but his performance was admirable, as he made so exceptional throws outside the pocket following some quick moves to avoid pass rushers.  The Packers were not very effective running the ball against the Bears strong front seven, but the Bears were no better against the Packers defense.  Both defenses were stout, but Aaron Rodgers outplayed the trio of Bears quarterbacks to lead Green Bay to victory. 

Can this Packers team move the ball against the best defense in football next week? It remains to be seen! The Steelers defense has been strong, but not dominant.  Both these defenses are capable of forcing a lot of turnovers, as Green Bay picked of Chicago quarterbacks three times yesterday, and both teams scored a defensive touchdown.  I believe that the Pittsburgh Steelers defense is more proven and should be better prepared for this Super Bowl XLV.  Another advantage the Steelers have is the running game, Rashard Mendenhall runs hard and has great vision.  If the Packers had issues moving the ball against the Bears, the Steelers are even stronger up front and play the pass extremely well with Troy Polamalu in the secondary.  Don't expect James Starks, Brandon Jackson, and John Kuhn to get much going against the Steelers run defense.  In fact, I expect Aaron Rodgers to be the Packers top rusher in the Super Bowl. Damn is he mobile! 

Prediction for this game?  I say the Packers cinderella run continues, even though they seem a little bit overmatched.  Marilynn tends to have a better grasp then I do with who will win games like this, so without further adieu....

Packers 27 - Steelers 24

The NBA season is 'Heat'ing up! A midseason report on the Eastern Conference

Hello all, sorry that I have not been updating the blog daily.  Thursday was my 22nd birthday so there was various festivities regarding that over the past few days, not to mention work for my class and Skyping with my girlfriend (I am behind the times as I just downloaded Skype a few days ago).  Anyways, this past week marks the midpoint of the NBA season.  All the NBA teams have played between 39 and 44 games, roughly averaging out to the 41 games that make up half the regular season. 

Today's blog focuses on the Eastern Conference, which has played second fiddle to the Western Conference ever since MJ retired the second time (I still think he should have been called for an offensive foul when he pushed off Byron Russell in Game six of those 1998 NBA finals!)  The Eastern Conference has a large discrepancy between its elite, mediocre weak teams.  The mean winning percentage is .689 for the top five teams, .431 for the middle five teams, and .2826 for the bottom five teams.  That's a cumulative winning percentage of .467, so clearly the Eastern Conference is the weaker conference overall.  However, that does not mean that some Eastern Conference teams should not have NBA title hopes!  Below I group Eastern Conference teams into three categories regarding their playoff chances and outlook for the rest of the season:

Contenders
1. Boston Celtics - Talent is never a question with this team.  Perserverance and health is.  Can this team hold up throughout the season?  Will the Celtics be able to rest Allen, Pierce, and Garnett a bit down the stretch so they are fresh for the playoffs?  Currently sporting a 33-9 record, it's pretty impressive what the Celtics are doing without Kendrick Perkins and the minor injuries which caused Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett to miss some games.  However, one red flag does show up.  The Celtics are 25-5 against the Eastern Conference, meaning that their schedule the rest of the way will have a heavier dose of Western Conference opponents and some tough west coast roadtrips.

Projected Record: 61-21. #1 seed in the East

2. Miami Heat - the Heatles, Kings of South Beach (my apologies to the U for stealing there swagger), MV3.  The acquisition of Chris Bosh and LeBron James this summer gives the Heat the most talented roster in the league for the next six years, and gave my girlfriend, a huge LeBron fan, a new team to root for.  Can the Heatles finally mesh as the season continues and become a smashing success like their British counterparts?  They sure are taking the basketball world by storm, like the Beatles did to the United States in 1964.  If all three can stay healthy during the playoffs, its hard not to like this team's chances of winning it all.  Also, they have some role players who have integrated themselves well with the three superstars.  Joel Anthony grabs a lot of boards and plays tough defense, while Mike Miller and Carlos Arroyo are constant threats from deep.  Expect the Heat to struggle as Bosh, LeBron, and Wade are all nursing minor injuries at the moment.  However, this Heat team should be the most dangerous and talented team in the NBA for the next five years.

Projected Record: 58-24. #2 Seed in the East

3. The Derrick Rose show... Chicago Bulls - Da Bulls are back baby! Best Bulls team since the 1997-1998.  The addition of Carlos Boozer was a huge lift on offense, and Derrick Rose is developing into a superstar.  I am eager to see this team play when both Boozer and Noah are both healthy, as this team will be very hard to beat inside.  Luol Deng is definitely the x-factor for this team.  On nights that he can score, the Bulls will be extremely hard to beat.  Kyle Korver adds an outside threat, and Rose's distribution continues to improve.  The Bulls should, barring another injury to Boozer, be one of the top teams in the East for the next several seasons.

Projected Record: 56-26. #3 Seed in the East

4. Orlando Magic - It's a bird! It's a plane! Noooo, it's DWIGHT HOWAARRDDD!  This guy is an animal down low, and if he could actually shoot the basketball would be impossible to defend.  The Magic made some blockbuster moves last month to surround Superman with some new talent including Mr. Agent Zero Gilbert Arenas, J-Rich, and Hedo (take two).  Hopefully these three can replace the contributions of Rashard Lewis and Vince Carter, and the emergence of Brandon Bass finally gives this team a true 4 at Power Forward.  The Magic have the talent to make it through the Eastern Conference, but can they make it work with these new players joining Dwight and co?

Projected Record 55-27. #4 Seed in the East

5. Atlanta Hawks - Soaring to... mediocrity.  The Hawks have the pieces to contend with any team, however, they lack a true superstar.  Joe Johnson is a great shooting guard and a matchups nightmare considering his height for a SG, Josh Smith is one of the most athletic players in the game and a beast in the paint, and Al Horford is a great rebounder and solid around the rim.  This team lacks a championship-caliber point guard, as Mike Bibby and Jamal Crawford do not fit the bill.  Depth is an issue on the Hawks as well, especially at the power forward and center positions.  This team will continue to be impressively mediocre, unless Josh Smith and Al Horford break out even more.

Projected Record 53-29. #5 Seed in the East

Pretenders
6. New York Knicks - Possibly the most exciting team to watch in basketball, the Knicks score five more ppg then any Eastern Conference team.  However, like all Mike D'Antoni teams, they don't play much defense either.  Raymond Felton is excelling in D'Antoni's system and meshes really well with Amare Stoudemire.  Wilson Chandler and Danillo Gallinari are great complements to Amare with their outside shooting, but besides Amare this team is undersized, one cause of a weak defense.  This team can compete with anyone on any given night, but is just too volatile to succeed in the playoffs.

Projected Record 44-38. #6 Seed in the East

7. Milwaukee Bucks - This team just can't seem to score any points!  Brandon Jennings has been out since December and may not return for another week.  Andrew Bogut is solid at center, but the team is mired in mediocrity with John Salmons, Corey Maggette, Carlos Delfino, and Ersan Ilyasova all fitting similar roles at the 3 and 4.  The Bucks may play good defense but they lack the size and scoring capabilities to be competitive against the top teams in the East.

Projected Record 40-42. #7 Seed in the East

8. Philadelphia 76ers - The Sixers strike me as similar to the Bucks.  They have a young, talented point guard, some good scoring on the wings, and an injury prone center.  Elton Brand's health is the key to this team making the playoffs.  If he can stay healthy, they could very well sneak in with a .500 record.  If not? Well they could be heading for the lottery again.  Andre Iguodala is a dirty talent at small forward, and Thaddeus Young provides a spark off the bench.  This Sixers team, with the exception of Brand, is young and should continue to grow, but don't expect more than a first round sweep by Boston or Miami in the playoffs.

Projected Record 38-44.  #8 Seed in the East

9. Charlotte Bobcats - The Bobcats lack a superstar and a solid center, so scoring points is an issue for this team.  Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace lead the way for the 'Cats, and can create mismatches at their respective positions of SG and SF.  I just cannot put my faith in a team that starts Kwame Brown at center, and has DJ Augustin running the point.  Both these players make questionable decisions on the court, and Augustin needs to work on his distribution.  Expect mediocrity from Charlotte the rest of the way. Although they could sneak into the playoffs, I don't expect them to.

Projected Record 36-46.  Getting ready for next year!

10. Indiana Pacers - Its hard to have confidence in such a young team, but the Pacers could surprise!  Danny Granger has a young supporting cast in Darren Collison, Brandon Rush, and Roy Hibbert.  However, Mike Dunleavy is old and nowhere near as effective as he was a few years ago.  Darren Collison needs to do a better job passing the ball and creating looks for his teammates, as the Pacers rank 21st in the league in APG.  However, rebounding is a strength for this team and should continue to improve as Hibbert develops.

Projected Record 36-46. Getting ready for next year but excited for the future!

Lottery Bound
11. Detroit Pistons - The Pistons have struggled to score points and rebound all year.  Surely this team misses the Wallaces from a few years ago, as Ben Wallace isn't the player he once was!  Detroit ranks 29th in the league in RPG at 38.2, part of the reason why they are only scoring 95.1 PPG.  Rebuilding with older players like Tracy McGrady and Richard Hamilton on their way out should set the Pistons up for success in the upcoming years.  Building around a young core of Rodney Stuckey, Austin Daye, Charlie Villanueva, and Greg Monroe should help the Pistons climb up the East standings as the year's progress.

Projected Record 33-49.  Lottery bound in D-town!

12.  Washington Wizards - Anyone up for 'doing the John Wall?'  Sending Agent Zero packing was a smart move for a Wizards team that is changing its identity.  At this time last year its nucleus was Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, and Gilbert Arenas. None of these players remain.  Andray Blatche has flourished this year as well as Nick Young, who just flat out scores.  Al Thornton and Rashard Lewis clog the SF position, and one should probably be traded before the trade deadline.  Expect the Wizards to improve a bit throughout the rest of the year, but not too much!

Projected Record 30-52. Watch out for John Wall as the year goes on!

13. Toronto Raptors - Not much to say about the Raptors: they really miss my favorite dinosaur Chris Bosh.  They don't have a true Center as Bargnani isn't big enough down low.  DeMar DeRozan is turning into a good scorer, but the pieces are just not in place to form a strong team.  Defense is a weakness for this club, as they allow 104.6 PPG.  Expect the Raptors to keep struggling unless they pick up a strong draft pick!

Projected Record 26-56.  Hoping to draft Jared Sullinger next year!

14.  New Jersey Nets - The Nets are a pretty melodramatic club, now that the Carmelo Anthony talks have finished.  Brook Lopez continues to develop into a stronger scorer, but where is the rebounding?  Kris Humphries rebounds better than Lopez, who has no excuse to be struggling like this.  Derrick Favors should continue to develop over the next few years, and Anthony Morrow and Devin Harris are still pretty young.  Signing Carmelo to a long-term deal during the offseason would be a clutch pull for the Nets, but they are missing a scoring piece like him to contend

Projected Record 24-58.  Working toward a (hopefully) bright future!

And finally...

15.  Cleveland Cavaliers - Please stay LeBron, Please stay LeBron, pleaaaseee?  And... no! LeBron takes his talents to South Beach.  This season's Cleveland Cavaliers are totally lost without LeBron, and injuries to Anderson Varejao and Ramon Sessions have not helped their cause.  Antawn Jamison can try to carry the scoring load, but seems unwilling to do so.  Expect these Cavaliers to continue to falter, as they have not established an identity or rallied around a new leader in the lockerroom since LeBron took his talents to South Beach.

Projected Record 15-67.  Trying to get that #1 pick and still mourning the loss of LeBron!

Tennis Anyone? A Preview of the 2011 Aussie Open

Hey guys, hope everyone had an excellent weekend!  Although the tournament started yesterday I will be previewing the Australian Open today.  As a pretty big tennis guy, its only fair that I do the sport some justice as most people could care less about tennis...!  The hype generated by this tournament is that Rafael Nadal can complete the 'Rafa Slam' by winning this tournament.  He won the French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open last year, so this would make four in a row if he triumphs down under.  On the women's side, the field is pretty open! Serena Williams is sidelined with an injury, opening things up as she has been pretty dominant the past few years on tour.  Lets first take a look at the women's favorites and then at the men's. 

2011 Women's Australian Open: The Favorites

Kim Clijsters - The 2010 U.S. Open winner has been the most consistent woman on tour as of late, and this Aussie Open looks like a great opportunity for her to add to the three U.S Opens she already has.

Caroline Wozniacki - The young Swiss girl is currently #1 in the world, so you can't not call her a favorite right?  Although Wozniacki has never won a major, her powerful strokes and consistent results could help her win her first Slam.

Venus Williams - Never count her out! Even though she hasn't been very good on any surface but grass over the past five years, I still think she has something left in the tank! Expect her to make a run down under

Justine Henin - Why not? She has great ground strokes. However, a lingering elbow injury may contribute to decline.  If she looks healthy, watch out!

Maria Sharapova - Not a serious contender, as she is too inconsistent. But lets be honest, who wouldn't want to see her out there for the majority of this tournament?

Predicted Winner? Clijsters.  If not Clijsters? Wozniacki.

Now for the Men's Draw...

2011 Australian Open Men's Favorites

Rafael Nadal - He is clearly the best player on the men's tour right now.  He has a lethal kick serve and has the best range of any player on tour.  However, he will have to serve very well to complete the Rafa slam, as the Rebound Ace surface can favor big servers and provide the players with interesting bounces.

Roger Federer - He won it last year and is playing great tennis right now.  I feel like the only player that can consistently beat him right now is Nadal, so if Federer doesn't have to play Nadal in this tournament, I don't see him losing a match.  The Fed has enough left in the tank to win two or three majors, and the 2011 Australian Open is a great opportunity for him.

Novak Djokovic- The third best player in the world right now, just a step below Nadal and Federer.  As entertaining as he is, his conditioning is an issue and he will have to get pretty fortunate to defeat Nadal or Federer, even though he is a past Australian Open Champ

Andy Murray -  Made the final here against Federer last year, can the Scot finally break through?  He will have to serve very well to defeat the likes of Nadal or Federer, and is vulnerable to losing to players like Andy Roddick or Tomas Berdych.

Likely Winner? Federer.  If not Federer? Nadal

Hopefully these predictions turn out to be true.  Once the semifinals roll around I hope to blog about the tournament again.  Best of luck to Andy Roddick, but I feel that he is too old and inconsistent to compete at the highest level anymore.  At least he has her to keep him happy.  Hopefully I can watch a bit of this tournament over the upcoming week, and I intend to watch at least some of the final Sunday morning January 30th! (sorry Marilynn, I'm sure you will understand and hopefully watch a bit with me).  Until then hoping for a great tournament!

Update on Patriots-Jets: The end of a streak... and Wide Left!

Well... All good things must come to an end, and Tom Brady's streak of pass attempts without an interception just did. At least he was intercepted by former Michigan Wolverine David Harris!  Tom Brady had not thrown an interception since Week 6 against Baltimore, a span of 12 games and 323 pass attempts.  However, Brady and the Patriots looked pretty good on their opening drive despite one errant pass.  The combination of the 'Law Firm' and a 'Woodland Creature' running the football has been pretty effective, and should set up some pass plays later in the game.  Tom Brady is blessed with so many weapons on this football team, and is not limited to Wes Welker, Deion Branch, Brandon Tate, Sam Aiken, Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez, Alge Crumpler, etc.  Expect Brady to keep spread the ball around throughout the game. 

I am currently sporting my new Tom Brady shirt, which I received as a Christmas present from my wonderful girlfriend.  We will see whether this shirt is good or bad luck for the Patriots... who just went up 3-0 following a missed field goal by Nick Folk with a made kick of their own by Shayne Graham...

Drivin toward in-game reflections plus a recap of yesterday's playoff games.

Hey guys, welcome back to the blog.  Today I am going to do some in-game reflections of the Patriots-Jets game, which starts at 4:30 ET / 3: 30 CT.  Considering my love for former Michigan Wolverine Tom Brady, I will be analyzing his play throughout the game!  Yesterday I received a comment that I forgot to mention Tom Brady in my blog about the Patriots-Jets and Bears-Seahawks matchups.  Thanks to Marilynn for pointing that out, as it was unjust of me to neglect my favorite player! (ps. I am wearing my Tom Brady shirt right now!)  Anyways, yesterday's football games were great to watch!  The Ravens-Steelers game will certainly be discussed for a long time, as the Steelers came out with such intensity in the second half.  Like I predicted in my blog on Friday, superior Quarterback play from Ben Roethlisberger helped lead the Steelers to victory, while some mistakes by Joe Flacco doomed the Ravens.  This was the same case for the Packers-Falcons game later last night, as Aaron Rodgers played a phenomenal game while Matt Ryan threw some suspect passes. Lets take a look at each quarterbacks respective statlines:

                               C/ATT   YDS   AVG   TD   INT   RATING
Ben Roethlisberger    19/32     226     7.1      2        0         101.8
Joe Flacco                16/30     125     4.2      1        1          61.1
Aaron Rodgers          31/36     366    10.2     3       0          136.8
Matt Ryan                 20/29     186     6.4      1        2         69.0

Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers both posted at least 100 yards passing and 40 points more in passer rating than their respective opposing quarterbacks, Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan.  Aaron Rodgers performance is especially significant, considering he led the Packers to only 17 points last month against Atlanta and had not won a playoff game until this year.  Looks like the Packers made a great decision getting rid of Brett Favre and installing this guy into the offense.  Besides, it's too cold to text a lot in Green Bay anways!

Check back here soon for your updates on the Patriots-Jets game!  I'm sure Rex Ryan is rooting for a lot of punting, as he likes players with good feet, like this guy, whose name is more synonomous with 'Dude? Where's my Car?' than football!

         

Playoffs? Talking about Playoffs?

Hello everyone, hope you enjoyed yesterday's blog about the Big Ten conference and my propositions to change the division names.  Today we segway, not like this, into the realm of the National Football League and tomorrow's divisional round games between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, and Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons.  I anticipate two tight, evenly matched games tomorrow and a clear winner for both games does not come to mind.  If I were betting on these games, I would probably resort to my girlfriend's opinion, as much to my chagrin she seems to be correct about everything lately. For a more practical take on tomorrow's games, lets take a look at some statistics to try and predict the outcomes.  I feel that quarterback play is extremely important to succeeding in the NFL playoffs so below are analyses of each quarterback's past playoff performances.

Saturday January 15th, 2011

4:30 PM ET

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Past five matchups:

Dec 5, 2010 PIT 13 BAL 10

Oct 3, 2010 BAL 17 PIT 14

Dec 27, 2009 PIT 23 BAL 20

Nov 29, 2009 BAL 20, PIT 17

Jan 18, 2009 PIT 23 BAL 14

As one can tell, defense dominates the Steelers-Ravens series.  One intangible in favor of the Steelers is the fact that the Steelers have won the last six games between the two in which Ben Roethlisberger has played. 
However, the Ravens did beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh already this year, so they know what it's like to win a bigtime rivalry game on the road.  One red flag stands out to me for Baltimore: Joe Flacco's past playoff performance; he has not played well enough to win games for Baltimore. Below is a list of his past playoff passing performances.

Year  Opponent  Passing  Yards  TD  INT  Rating
2008     MIA         9-23        135     0       0      59.1
2008     TEN         11-22      161     1       0      89.4
2008     PIT           13-30      141     0       3      18.2
2009      NE           4-10        34       0      1       10.0
2009     IND          20-35      189     0       2      48.4
2010      KC          25-34      265     2       0      115.4

Flacco has only thrown for 200 yards once and has only thrown three touchdowns in six postseason starts.  Although his receiving core is improved this year and I cannot see him repeating his performance from January 2009, I still do not think Flacco has what it takes to beat the Steelers with his arm.  If the Ravens are going to win this football game it will be on the shoulders of their defense or in the hands of Ray Rice.  Ben Roethlisberger's playoff success and ability to extend plays outside the pocket gives the Steelers an advantage in what Terrell Suggs refers to as 'WWIII'

Make it:  Steelers 24  Ravens 13

As for the night game...

Saturday January 15th, 2011

8:00 PM ET

Green Bay Packers @ Atlanta Falcons

Past Five Matchups:
Nov 28, 2010 ATL 20 GNB 17 

Oct 5, 2008 ATL 27 GNB 24 
Nov 13, 2005 GNB 33 ATL 25
Jan 4, 2003  ATL 27 GNB 7
Sep 8, 2002 GNB 37 ATL 34

Green Bay and Atlanta have only played five times in the past nine years, and only once in the playoffs in 2003 with Michael Vick at Quarterback.  Judging by the past two matchups between the teams, this seems like a matchup with potential for a very close contest.  Aaron Rodgers and the Packers looked strong against the Eagles defense, while Clay Mathews and friends shut down Michael Vick and a high powered Eagles offense for most of the game.  However, Eagles kicker David Akers missed two medium range field goals due to the poor weather conditions.  The Packers do not have that luxury in the Georgia Dome.  Considering the past two matchups between these teams, I think this game will come down to quarterbacks, just like the Baltimore-Pittsburgh game.  Can Aaron Rodgers lead his team to victory even though the Pack went 3-5 on the road this season?  Lets take a look at Rodgers career stats against the Falcons and playoff stats, compared to Matt Ryan against the Packers.

Aaron Rodgers

Year  Opponent  Passing  Yards  TD  INT  Rating

2008      ATL       25-37      313      3       1      109.4

2009      ARI        28-42      423      4       1      121.4

2010      ATL       26-35       344     1       0      114.5

2010      PHI        18-27      180      3       0      122.5

Matt Ryan

Year  Opponent  Passing  Yards  TD  INT  Rating

2008       GB         16-26      194     2       1      94.1

2008      ARI         26-40      199     2       2      72.8

2010       GB         24-28      197     1       0      107.9

Clearly Aaron Rodgers has outplayed Matt Ryan in both these teams meetings the past three years, but is that enough for the Packers to win at Atlanta?  Can Michael Turner carry the load to the tune of 110 yards on a 4.8 YPC average and a touchdown like he did in Week 12?  Which defense will show up to force key stops and turnovers.  I think the Pack and my main man, Charles Woodson, will make enough plays to swing this game in favor of the men from Green Bay.

Make it: Packers 27  Falcons 23

The Value of LeBron James to the Cleveland Cavaliers and the aftermath of 'The Decision' on this year's Cavaliers

Wow Cleveland has fallen! Following some of last night's Los Angeles Lakers-Cleveland Cavaliers game made me cringe looking at the box score.  A final score of 112-57? Seriously? The last well publicized game I remember being so lopsided was when the Boston Celtics absolutely crushed the Lakers 131-92 in Game 6 of the 2008 finals.  57 was the least the Cavs had ever scored in a game and the least the Lakers allowed since the introduction of the shot clock in 1954.  The Cavaliers currently boast the NBA's worst record at 8-30, and LeBron seems to be reveling in the glory of their downfalls.  I received a text from my girlfriend earlier today citing a tweet from LeBron referring to last night's demolition of the Cavaliers. 

Obviously much of the Cavaliers decline hinged on one 'Decision,' in which superstar and two-time MVP Lebron James decided to 'take his talents to South Beach' to form 'The Heatles' with Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and friends down in Miami.  To the chagrin of Cleveland fans, Lebron was gone and the Cavs were forced to carry on without him.  Lets take a look at the current Cavaliers lineup compared to last year's:

January 2010                  January 2011

G - Mo Williams                                        G - Mo Williams
G - Anthony Parker                                   G - Manny Harris
F - Lebron James                                     F - Antawn Jamison
F - JJ Hickson                                           F - JJ Hickson
C - Shaq                                                    C - Ryan Hollins

The only players that remain are Mo Williams and JJ Hickson, as Anthony Parker is currently injured and Shaq and Lebron have moved to other teams.  However, the loss of Parker and O'Neal is relatively marginal.  Lebron James WAS the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Below are some statistics that one may be familiar with, but some others that may truly stand out, courtesy of Basketball Reference.


Cavaliers All-time Free Throw Attempts
1. LeBron James 814 2005-06
2. LeBron James 773 2009-10
3. LeBron James 771 2007-08
4. LeBron James 762 2008-09
5. LeBron James 701 2006-07
6. LeBron James 636 2004-05
7. Shawn Kemp 635 1999-00
8. Brad Daugherty 579 1990-91
9. Ron Harper 564 1986-87
10. Shawn Kemp 556 1997-98

Cavaliers All-Time Season Points Per Game




1. LeBron James 31.4 2005-06
2. LeBron James 30.0 2007-08
3. LeBron James 29.7 2009-10
4. LeBron James 28.4 2008-09
5. LeBron James 27.3 2006-07
6. LeBron James 27.2 2004-05
7. Mike Mitchell 24.5 1980-81
8. World B. Free 23.4 1985-86
9. Ron Harper 22.9 1986-87
10. World B. Free 22.5 1984-85

The above individual statistics assert Lebron's dominance as the best player ever to play for Cleveland.  But lets be honest here, who was not aware of that?  The significance of Lebron's last two seasons with the Cavaliers, and the claim that he is the best player in the NBA, can be summarized by two short acronyms: PER and WS.  For those who are not familiar with basketball statistics, PER stands for Player Efficiency Rating.  PER, in short, measures a player's per minute productivity.  More information on PER can be found here. WS stands for Win Shares, which I found to be described well in this quote:

"In other words, a Win Share is kind of like baseball's VORP stat...it relies on the assumption that efficiency is the key to wins, looks at a player's offensive efficiency compared to the league average, a player's defensive efficiency compared to the league average, corrects for minutes played, then adds up the corresponding Offensive and Defensive Win Shares to get one number that estimates how many wins that player was worth."

Both PER and WS are sabermetrics.  Sabermetrics attempts to find answers objective questions in sports such as: Which player on the 2003-2004 Detroit Pistons contributed most to the team's offense?  Was Rickey Henderson faster than Tim Raines?  Does Lebron James contribute more to his team than Chris Paul or Kobe Bryant?  Below are recent statistics on PER and WS, cementing Lebron's meaning and impact on the Cavaliers and how different the team is without him.

Win Shares - 2008/2009 NBA       Win Shares - 2009/2010 NBA


1. LeBron James-CLE 20.3                                          1. LeBron James -CLE 18.5
2. Chris Paul-NOH 18.3                                               2. Kevin Durant -OKC 16.1
3. Dwyane Wade-MIA 14.7                                         3. Dwight Howard -ORL 13.2
4. Pau Gasol-LAL 13.9                                                4. Dwayne Wade -MIA 13.0
5. Dwight Howard-ORL 13.8                                       5. Dirk Nowitzki - DAL 12.3

PER - 2008/2009 NBA                   PER - 2009/2010 NBA


1. LeBron James-CLE 31.76                                           1. LeBron James-CLE 31.19
2. Dwyane Wade-MIA 30.46                                          2. Dwayne Wade-MIA 28.10
3. Chris Paul -NOH 30.04                                               3. Kevin Durant-OKC 26.23
4. Dwight Howard-ORL 25.44                                        4. Chris Bosh-TOR 25.11
5. Tim Duncan-SAS 24.51                                               5. Tim Duncan-SAS 24.79

PER Ratings and more Sabermetrics from ESPN

Based of off the win share data above, LeBron James was clearly the most valuable player to his team the past two NBA seasons, sporting the highest Win Share value as well as the highest Player Efficiency Rating in both seasons.  These ratings credit the supporting casts of superstars like Kobe Bryant, who does not show up on any of these lists.  The closest Cleveland player on the PER lists is Antawn Jamison in 2009/2010, with a PER of 17.66. He checks in at #66 throughout the entire NBA (don't let his contributions fool you though, he only played for Cleveland for the 2nd half of the year and was a larger contributor when he played for the Wizards earlier in the season).  For 2008/2009, Zydrunas Ilgauskas ranks #53 with a PER of 18.03.  Ilgauskas's Win Shares was 6.6 for that season, while Jamison's was 7.0 for last year. 

In addition to win shares, we have what I believe to be the most important statistic, EWA.  EWA stands for Estimated Wins Added, over a replacement player.  LeBron James had an EWA of 30.5 in 2009/2010 and 32.3 in 2008/2009, both being tops in the league.  Clearly this impact is gigantic, as if not for him, these numbers predict the Cavaliers would have won 30 or 31 games last year as opposed to the 61 that they did win in the regular season. 

In conclusion, LeBron was more important to the Cavaliers than any single player on any other team.  If not for him, they would have only won half the games they did last year.  His paramount PER, WS, and EWA make him not only the most indispensible player to his team for 2008/2009 and 2009/2010, but the most valuable player in the NBA.  Now that he's a member of the Heat these numbers may decline, but the Cleveland Cavaliers are getting crushed with out him, and the numbers prove their demise.