2015 NBA Free Agency Preview

LaMarcus Aldridge

LaMarcus Aldridge
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Aldridge has been under appreciated for years. While he is not an elite player, he is just a notch below and can be a key player on a championship team. He has spent his whole career with Portland, but that is set to change as it appears he is on his way out. He has meetings set up with the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs, and Toronto Raptors. Aldridge would be a good fit on all of these teams. Heading into July, the Spurs are the favorite due to Aldridge's appreciation of the system and the team. The one problem with the Spurs signing Aldridge is that they will have to make moves to open up cap space. One team that has not be given much attention but would be a very good fit is Toronto. Toronto's power forwards last season were Tyler Hansbourgh, Amir Johnson, and Patrick Patterson. All are good role players, but not typical starters. Aldridge could slide right into that starting role and help the Raptors become a legit contender in the East. With that being said, the odds are against the Raptors.

Paul Millsap

The Atlanta Hawks had one of the biggest free agent steals in recent memory when then signed Millsap to a two year, $19 million deal in 2013. Now, two years later, Millsap is again a free agent. Millsap can fit in with almost any team. As a stretch four, he can score the basketball from close, midrange, and three point land. He is also an above average rebounder. Millsap is likely to stay in the ATL, but it will be interesting to see if any team will be able to prowl him away. And if a team does, it would a great deal. 

Greg Monroe

Greg Monroe
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Monroe is a very good big man who is only 25 years old. He will not resign with the Detroit Pistons. Ever since the Pistons drafted Andre Drummond, Monroe has been forced to play more power forward and less center, his natural position. Monroe and Drummond would have been a good duo 25 years ago, but now the game has gotten smaller and the two clog too much space. It is better for the Pistons to let Monroe walk and stick with Drummond. Monroe will get a big deal from a team that misses out on one of the big time big men. It would also not be surprising if he replaced LaMarcus Aldridge in Portland. The problem with signing Monroe is it is going to cost a team a lot of money.

Jimmy Butler

The Chicago Bulls have reportedly offered Butler, the 2015 NBA All-Star, a max offer of five years, $90 million. That may be one of the smartest moves of this offseason. Butler is a fantastic player and key  for the Bulls. While the contract may seem large, it will not seem too bad when the cap increases over the next two seasons. By 2017, the deal will seem like a bargain.

Dwayne Wade

Wade has spent his whole career with the Miami Heat. And even though he opted out of his contract, it is still likely that he resigns with the Heat. Wade is asking for a three year, $16 million per year deal, which is way too much for him at 33. I think the Heat are the only team that would even come close to that offer. The Lakers have interest in Wade, but they would not overpay Wade and lose the opportunity to sign a young big man. Odds are in the Heat's favor with Wade.

Monta Ellis

Monta Ellis
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Ellis is an unrestricted free agent after opting out of his contract. He spent the last two seasons with the Dallas Mavericks. The Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Sacremento Kings are reportedly after the 29 year-old shooting guard. Of those four teams, the Kings would be the most interesting and most likely fit. Ellis is a high volume shooter who can be a ball stopper and shoots poorly from behind the arc. He seems like the type of player the Kings would overpay to sign. Ellis is going to get a large deal somewhere, but it is likely that it will be with a team that is not a good fit for him. 

The Five Most Interesting Players in Basketball Right Now

Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook
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Is there anyone more fascinating in sports right now than Russell Westbrook? With Kevin Durant missing extended time this season, Westbrook has stepped up this year, especially recently. The 2015 All-Star Game MVP has average a triple-double over the last five games with 30.6 points per game, 11.8 assists per game, and 10.6 rebounds per game. In the last two games alone, he has taken 70 shots and 30 free throws. He has not been a one-man wrecking crew (Serge Ibaka has averaged 17.2 points and 9.0 boards and Enes Kanter has averaged 15.8 points and 9.0 rebounds over the last five games), but he has been playing on a whole another level. While that has not translated to wins, OKC lost the last two games where Westbrook had over 30 shots, it has made Westbrook mesmerizing to watch.

Any of the Top Players on Kentucky

Devin Booker. Willie Cauley-Stein. Aaron Harrison. Andrew Harrison. Dakari Johnson. Marcus Lee. Trey Lyles. Karl-Anthony Towns. Tyler Ulis. Take your pick of any of these nine players as the most interesting on the team and, therefore, one of the most interesting in all of men's college basketball. If I were to pick one, I may pick Trey Lyles because he was the number two power forward in the Class of 2014 recruiting class, yet he is the starting small forward on the Wildcats and is playing the position at an exceptionally high level. Or Willie Cauley-Stein, the junior, who has come into his own on the offensive end of the court. Or Karl-Anthony Towns, the elite freshman who is dominant when he plays, evident by his per 40 minutes and per 100 possession stats. Or Devin Booker, who is a really good player who can score the basketball. Even players who are not currently on Kentucky but were previouslyare some of the most fascinating (a.k.a. Kyle Wiltjer of Gonzaga, the former Kentucky player and National Champion, who transferred after winning the 2012-13 SEC Sixth Man of the Year and is now one of the best players in the country).

Nina Davis

Nina Davis
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The best player on the one of the best teams in women's college basketball, Nina Davis is an intimidating threat in the post. The Baylor sophomore is averaging 20.6 points per game and 8.7 rebounds per game. Baylor was 26-1 heading into this week. However, they lost to Oklahoma 68-64 on Wednesday and to Iowa State 76-71 today. Both are good teams, but they are not on Baylor's level. Davis had 20 points and 11 rebounds against the Sooners and  16 and 5 against the Cyclones. While she played well in these games, she needs to keep up the good work. The Bears have one more game against Texas Tech before the conference tournament. They are going to need big games out of Davis to be successful in the conference tournament before going to the NCAA Tournament. If they lose against Texas Tech and/or in the conference tournament, the Bears may be in for an upset early in the NCAA Tournament.

Reggie Jackson

Jackson, the former disgruntled Thunder backup, is now running point in Detroit. Even with a 23-36 record, the Pistons are only one game out of the eighth seed in the east and have the talent with big men Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond, and Jackson to be a tough eight seed. For them to reach the playoffs, Jackson has to play like the player he believes he is. In his four games for Detroit, he has 16.0 points per game, 6.5 assists per game, and 5.3 rebounds per game in 32.3 minutes of action. However, his PER is 12.3, he shot a dismal 5-24 against the Knicks on Friday, and then shot 4-12 on Saturday and played less minutes than backup Spencer Dinwiddie. While Jackson wants to be the man, he has to take a backseat to Drummond and Monroe and work with them. He can be main guard, but he has to allow Drummond and Monroe to be "the guys" on the team. If he can do this, the Pistons should be the eight seed. But it is easier said than done with Jackson, making this a fascinating storyline for the rest of year.

Jahlil Okafor

Jahlil Okafor
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Okafor is one of the two best players in college basketball with Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky. What makes Okafor a more interesting player is that he is a freshman, the projected number one pick in the NBA Draft, and his amazing skill set. If you watched Duke's game vs. Virginia on Wednesday, you saw the greatness of Okafor. He scored 30 points on 13-18 shooting (albeit 4-9 from the charity stripe) and nine rebounds. He dominated and manhandled the Hokies in the post. Okafor was absolutely unstoppable. While he was not as great against Syracuse today, he still managed to score 14 points and grab 13 boards. Okafor did shoot only 1-7 from the free throw line, which seems to be his only liability. Okafor is going to make a name for himself as the calendar turns to March

The Problems with the Cavs and Other NBA Notes

Kevin Love
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After losing six straight games (the first five without LeBron James), the Cleveland Cavaliers have rattled off seven consecutive wins behind Kyrie Irving and James. James has averaged over 30 points and Irving has averaged over 24 during the stretch. Both dropped over 30 last night against Detroit. While that seems like a great thing, there is something looming underneath those two players point totals. Kevin Love dropped only seven points while taking less than half of the shots of the two leading scores (Love had 11 shot attempts, eight of those from behind the arc, while James had 24 and Irving had 23). 

Stats via basketball-reference.com

During this same seven game stretch, Love is averaging 14.5 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game. Kevin Love is becoming the new Chris Bosh. Love's current numbers and Bosh's numbers from his first season in Miami are extremely similar and both have had tough times fitting in around James and a high-profile guard. There is one big difference between Love and 2010-11 Bosh. Love can leave Cleveland at the end of the season and the Cavs can get no one in return. Bosh was locked up until 2014 and was only leaving if he was traded. 

If I was Kevin Love, I would, at this point, leave Cleveland at the end of the season. He is not getting the touches he deserves and is slowly becoming the fourth option behind J.R. Smith. Love is the second best player on the team behind James (He is better than Irving) but is being treated like he is a bench warmer. In the last game of the six game losing streak against the Suns, Love was benched at the end of the game, while James Jones, Mike Miller, Smith, and Tristan Thompson all at some point played over him. After the game, Cavs Head Coach David Blatt was highly criticized for benching him and the rumors of Love leaving were at a peak. All of those rumors have gone away for the time being because of the win streak, but that does not mean they are gone for good. 

Kevin Love
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One of the big reasons that Love is having trouble in Cleveland is that he is not a player who creates his own shot. As a big man, he needs to be fed the ball in the post or be the screen setter in a pick-and-roll/pick-and-pop. He has never been a man who can take his defender off the dribble consistently  Because of this, he does not get the ball as often as he should. And if he does not get the ball in a scoring situation, he will not try to create his own shot by taking his defender off the dribble. Love has to pass the ball. On the flip side with Irving, James, and even Smith, these players can receive the ball anywhere on the court and just go one-on-one with the defender. Love cannot go one-on-one with a defender outside of the post and or mid-range area. To add on to that, all three of those players are players who run a lot of isolation plays and take their defenders one-on-one. This hinders Love's offense ability because he cannot get opportunities when the ball stays in only a select few hands. 

Kevin Love is better than Chris Bosh. Love can be a guy who drops 25 and pulls down 12 rebounds every night. He is not going to get that in Cleveland. He is not being treated and used right with the Cavs and if there is not a change for the better, there will be a change at power forward next season.

Kyrie Irving and LeBron James
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The Love Dilemma is not the only problem with the Cavs. The "Big Three" are playing too many minutes. Coming into the season, Blatt said that James would be playing less minutes this season. While he is averaging the lowest minutes per game of his career, James is still averaging just over 37 minutes a contest which is third in the league. Just ahead of him at second in the Association is Irving. For James, he needs to be rested more often so he will not wear down in the playoffs. LeBron is 30 now and he needs to manage his minutes. Irving may be only 22, but his minutes need to be managed better as well. At his current rate, he is going to worn down by the playoffs. Irving has a injury-history and has never played in the playoffs before. He needs his minutes to be managed so he will not crash and burn by the first round of the playoffs. Blatt needs to pace Irving. Also, by sitting James and Irving, the Cavs can play their younger players so they can get experience. Shawn Marion and Mike Miller cannot play forever. There is talent on the Cavs bench that they could exploit when James and Irving are on the bench.

There are problems with the Cavs and there will continue to be problems with the Cavs. Changes need to happen if Cleveland wants to be real contenders because if Love is not happy and James and Irving are playing forty minutes every night, the chances of them winning the title are slim to none.

Other Notes

Brandon Jennings
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Brandon Jennings tore his ACL on January 24. This a major loss for the Detroit Pistons, who are currently two and a half games out of the eighth spot in the East. With Jennings and big men Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe, the Pistons had a great trio of players that were beginning to click. If Jennings was not injured, I would not be surprised if the Detroit made the playoffs and were a tough team to beat. Now, the Pistons are going to have a tough time making the playoffs with the current roster assembled.

Andrew Wiggins is having a fantastic January. He is playing great basketball and making a bad Timberwolves team watchable. Yet, the T-Wolves are still 7-37 and are on their way to possibly gaining the number one pick in the upcoming draft. If they end up getting the number one pick and they draft Duke star Jahlil Okafor, Minnesota will have a nucleus to base their team around for the next ten years.

The Golden State Warriors are the best team in the NBA because they not only have stars, but great role players. Everyone knows about Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green, but Marresse Spreights is third on the team in scoring, Andre Iguadola is still going strong, and Shawn Livingston and Leandro Barbosa are playing really well as back-ups to the Splash Bros. The Warriors have the makings of a powerhouse. 

After a bad rookie season where he was oft-injured and could not gain much playing time, Phoenix Suns center Alex Len is having a good season. While the numbers are not much, under seven points and seven bounds a game, he still leads the team in rebounds and blocks. Len is not going to be a star anytime soon, but he is going to be a major contributor to these playoff contending Suns.

Five Thoughts On College Basketball Heading Into Conference Play

Wisconsin's Other Star

Nigel Hayes
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Heading into the season, Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky was the big name in college basketball and a Wooden Award favorite. While Kaminsky has been great, his teammate Nigel Hayes has also been fantastic. Hayes, a sophomore and 2013-14 Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year, has taken advantage of his inclusion into the starting lineup to become a double-double threat along with Kaminsky. Hayes averages 12.2 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game. Hayes is the key to the team's success. In the Badgers' one loss against Duke, Hayes struggled from the field and was in foul trouble. Hayes is a great player who works very well with Kaminsky. The two of them, along with Sam Dekker and Treavon Jackson, will look to bring Wisconsin back to Final Four.

Missouri Valley Conference

The Missouri Valley Conference currently has two team ranked in the AP Poll and Coaches Poll (Wichita State Shockers and Northern Iowa Panthers) along with two other ten win teams (Evansville Purple Aces and Loyola Ramblers). These four teams all have a chance to make the NCAA Tournament, along with a possible dark horse team who may win the conference tournament. While Wichita State is the more well known team, Northern Iowa has been the better team so far. The Panthers only loss was a double overtime loss against VCU. However, they will have a major challenge forthcoming, as the Panthers first two conference games are against Evansville and Loyola.

Syracuse

Jim Boeheim and Rakeem Christmas
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Jim Boeheim's Orange are currently at 8-4 (with one more game before conference play). Those four losses are the most for the Orange to start a season this century. This is the first season in a while in which Syracuse is not a guarantee for the NCAA Tournament. That does not mean that it would be shocking if the Orange missed the Tournament. They have missed the tournament three times this century (2001-02, 2006-07, and 2007-08). This team does have the potential to make it the Tournament. Senior Rakeem Christmas has taken his game to a whole new level this year. Christmas's point average has increased by about 11 points from this year to last (5.8 to 16.5). His major offensive improvement, along with his ability to rebound (8.7 per game) and defensive presence (2.3 blocks per game). Christmas and Chris McCollough (11.5 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game) form a very good big man partnership. The Orange have talent, but they will need to win games to be successful. 

Kentucky 

The hype is real for this year's Kentucky team. They are loaded with talent and have looked unbeatable. Not only have the won all 13 of their games by more than eight points, but they have defeated three teams who were ranked within the Top 6 in the AP Poll at the time they faced them. Even with the loss of junior Alex Poythress, the Wildcats have a great players. They have big men, point guards, and wing players. There is a strong possibility that Kentucky will go undefeated throughout the SEC and possibly the rest of the season. With all of their talent, they can win while three, maybe four or five, of their best players have an off day. If a team defeats the Wildcats, it will be a shocking upset.

Deleware and Central Arkansas 

Kyle Anderson
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The Delaware Blue Hens and Central Arkansas Bears are the only two Division I teams left with losing records. Both programs currently sit at 0-10. Delaware has had more chances to get rid of the zero in the win column. In Delaware's most recent game against Robert Morris, the Blue Hens had a come back at the end, but still lost 84-81. Central Arkansas, on the other hand, has had only one of it's loss margins within ten points (74-68 loss against Southeast Mississippi State). This season has to be a disappointment for Delaware more-so than Central Arkansas. The Bears have never had a winning season since becoming a Division I program. Delaware not only had a winning record last season, they made the NCAA Tournament. With that being said, Delaware did lose it's top four scorers from last year (three graduated, one kicked out of program) and it's fifth leading scorer (and only senior this year) Kyle Anderson was injured for the first seven games of the year. While I do not expect either of these teams to remain winless, I do not expect them to be close to breaking .500 either. 

2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup Preview

2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup logo
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Top Teams

1. United States (Group C) - The USA may not have global icons in LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant but they still have the most talented squad in the whole tournament. They have shooters, headlined by Golden State Warrior teammates Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, and, for the first time in a while, have a surplus of big man, led by Anthony Davis, one of the team's two players (the other is SG James Harden) who was on the 2012 Olympic Team. They are the favorites to win their second consecutive World Championship.

2. Spain (Group A) - No country has been hurt by the USA's dominance in recent tournaments than Spain. They have finished in second place in the last two Olympic Games to the United States. This tournament's team has a great combination of youth and experience. They will again be led by the Gasol brothers, Pau and Marc. But they are not the only stars. Serge Ibaka is a three-time member of the NBA All-Defensive First Team, Ricky Rubio and Jose Calderon are quality NBA point guards, and Sergio Rodriguez was the 2014 Euroleague MVP. This may be the most talented team Spain has ever sent to a world event. They should be favorites to make it to the championship game.

3. France (Group A) - Even without current NBA Champion Tony Parker, France is as strong as ever. The winners of the 2013 EuroBasket are led by current NBA Champion F Boris Diaw and underrated swingman Nicolas Batum. With other quality NBA players on the squad, along with very good international players, France has the potential to make a run into the championship game.

4. Lithuania (Group D) - Lithuania always puts together a very good team. Toronto Raptors C Jonas Valanciunas will be a key player for Lithuania as their main prescience in the post. He should put up big numbers. PF/C Dontas Montiejunas and PG Mantas Kalnietis are also going to have to play well for Lithuania to reach their potential.

5. Brazil (Group A) - Brazil is looking to improve upon their round of 16 exit at the 2010 World Championships and gain momentum heading into the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil. While Spain's big man trio of the Gasol brothers and Ibaka make the headlines as the best big men, Brazil's trio of interior players are frightening as well. Nene, Tiago Splitter, and Anderson Varajao are all players who can put up big numbers when given the chance. Combine them with a good group of guards, Brazil has a team that can go far.

6. Argentina (Group B) - Argentina are led by a bunch of veterans. New York Knicks PG Pablo Priginoni (37 years old) will run the offense while Indiana Pacer F Luis Scola (34) will be the offensive focal point. Former NBA Players Walter Hermann (35) and Andres Nocioni (34) are also on the roster. However, Argentina has a lot of young, up-and-coming players that will get time to prove themselves. For Argentina to succeed, they will need their young players to shine.

Non-NBA Players To Watch

Dario Saric, F, Croatia - Saric was drafted 12th overall by the Orlando Magic in this year's NBA Draft  and was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers later in the draft. Saric will not be heading over to the NBA this season. This is an event where he can prove himself against very high competition. He should be a focal point of the Croatian squad, getting a good amount of shots and plays designed for him. This is a good stepping stone to get him NBA ready.

Joffrey Lauvergne, PF/C, France - Lauvergne, who was drafted in the second round of the 2013 NBA Draft. was the leading rebounder in the 2013-14 Euroleague season, averaging 8.6 rebounds along with 11.1 points per game. He is a very good rebounder who still has a lot of room to improve on. He did not get much playing time at 2013 EuroBasket, but he will get playing time in Spain. He will play a very good tournament and become a key cog for France.

Eduardo Mingas, PF, Angola - Mingas is not an up-and-coming youngster (he is 35), but he is going to be extremely important to the Angolan squad. Angola lost their best player, Carlos Morias, to injury and Mingas is going to have to pick up the slack. During 2012 Olympic qualifying, he averaged 20.8 points per game along with 5.7 rebounds per game. He does not have to replicated those numbers, but he has to come close for Angola to have a good chance of advancing.

Sviatoslav Mykhailiuck, SG, Ukraine - Mykhailiuck is the youngest player in this year's tournament at 17. He played with the U18 team this year at the 2014 U18 European Championship, B Division and was the tournament's MVP, averaging 16 points per game and 4.7 rebounds per game. At the 2013 U16 European Championship, Division A,  he averaged 25.2 points per game and 8 rebounds per game. Mykhailiuck may not get a lot of playing time, but he should make some impact. He is going to play at the University of Kansas in this upcoming year.

Group Play Predictions

Group A

1. Spain
2. France
3. Brazil
4. Serbia
5. Iran
6. Egypt

Group B

1. Argentina
2. Greece
3. Croatia
4. Puerto Rico
5. Senegal
6. Philippines

Group C

1. USA
2. Turkey
3. Dominican Republic
4. Finland
5. New Zealand
6. Ukraine

Group D

1. Lithuania
2. Slovenia
3. Australia
4. Angola
5. Mexico
6. South Korea

LeBron James's Returns To Cleveland; More NBA Free Agency Notes

LeBron James during his first stint in Cleveland
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LeBron James is heading back to Cleveland. 

Let that sink in.

After four seasons of winning basketball in Miami, four seasons of losing basketball in Cleveland, and four years of hatred in Cleveland, the best basketball player in the world is going home.

And I totally get it. When you read his announcement letter, he makes his reasons for going very clear. LeBron missed Cleveland and feels a responsibility to win and be there for Northeast Ohio. "My relationship with Northern Ohio is bigger than basketball." The part of the letter that most interests me is when he says, "Miami, for me, has almost been like college for other guys." That makes a lot of sense looking back at his time in Miami. LeBron had always lived in Northeast Ohio area and when he left he had to face adversity and live in a new environment. Remember, LeBron never went to college. This was probably as close to college as he will ever get and he needed to have an experience like that to reach the level he is on.

This is the best move for LeBron. He has a much brighter future in Cleveland. In Miami, the team was getting too old for LeBron to be confident that he can win not just a title in three years, but in this upcoming year. In Cleveland, he can be the leader, the unequivocal leader to this young team 

LeBron James and Kevin Love
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The questions around Cleveland are not done. Kevin Love is on the trade market and would Cleveland pull the trigger? The initial offer for Love is rumored to be Anthony Bennett, Dion Waiters, and a future first-round pick. However, this year's number one pick Andrew Wiggins is expected to be the key piece in the deal. This may be a bigger decision than signing LeBron. I would give up Wiggins for Love without a doubt. But, I am not as high as Wiggins as others and I believe Kevin Love is one of the top players in the league. Love is a double-double machine that can shoot a fantastic three-ball. I think a trio of LeBron, Irving, and Love would be a better "Big 3" then the LeBron, Wade, Bosh trio in their prime year. However, if I could get Love and keep Wiggins, I would. 

The next question is who does LeBron convince to join him in Cleveland. Ray Allen and Mike Miller have been rumored to join LeBron in Cleveland and both would be great choices. Not only are both experienced veterans that are great shooters, they will be great in the locker room. If Kevin Martin comes with Love to Cleveland he would be a great pick-up. Anthony Morrow would be a good fit as a sharpshooter. I think they will need another three and possibly a stretch four. 

Kyrie Irving and LeBron James
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This may be LeBron's toughest season coming up. He will be taking a team with pretty much no playoff experience and will try to bring them to the promise land. However, I think that they can do definitely win the Eastern Conference championship and they have a legitimate chance to win the NBA Title. The projected starting line-up of Irving, Wiggins, LeBron, Tristen Thompson, and Anderson Varejeo is very good starting lineup. Irving is a superstar. Wiggins has a high celling, Thompson is a good, young power forward. Varejeo is also a good player,is the only remaining player from LeBron's last season in Cleveland, and are friends. If they get Love, then they have a perfect complement to LeBron. David Blatt, the rookie head coach of the Cavs, will not be an issue. He has been a great head coach in Europe and will be able to quickly adjust. It is now LeBron's time to shine as the leader of his hometown team and bring them title. 

More NBA Free Agency Notes

The most interesting division in the NBA is now the Central Division. Cleveland is now the most interesting team in the league. Chicago and Indiana are the biggest threats to the LeBron in the East. Detroit is an interesting team headlined by one of the most dymaic big men in the league in Andre Drummond. And Milwaukee has Jabari Parker, the best player in  the most recent draft.

Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard
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With LeBron out of Miami, it is widely believed that Chris Bosh is going to go to Houston. Bosh is still a great player and would be a great fit in Houston's core with James Harden and Dwight Howard. He would not have to guard the interior and would be given the opportunity to shoot a lot of jump shots. If they can also retain Chandler Parsons, they would have a tremendous amount of talent. That would be a very interesting and a top three team in the West. It would not surprise me if they would be considered the favorite in the West heading into next season. 

It is now reported that Carmelo Anthony has narrowed his choices to New York and Chicago. The Bulls would be the best choice to win championships and I have believed that since the beginning of free agency. The Knicks would give him a larger and longer contract then the Bulls would give him. 

I think Dwayne Wade goes back to Miami. Unlike LeBron and Bosh, he has stayed with one team, the Heat, for his whole career and he definitely feels close with Pat Riley and Mickey Arison. I also do not believe that there are many teams aggressively going after Wade. The only team that I think may be able to bring him out of Miami would be Chicago, just because Chicago is his hometown and he would not have to be a part of another rebuilding process.

How crazy would it be if in the 2015 NBA Playoffs, LeBron faces Miami and Wade in the first round, Carmelo led Chicago in the Eastern Conference Finals, and Houston with Bosh in the NBA Finals. That may be the most interesting playoffs ever.

Euroleague Final Four Recap

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The 2014 Euroleague Final Four, played at the Mediolanum Forum in Milan, featured the three of the top five winning clubs in Euroleague history and a team that has been in the Final Four three of the last four years. CSKA Moscow, FC Barcelona, Maccabi Tel Aviv, and Real Madrid. Real Madrid has won the most Euroleague Championships with eight heading into the finals, while CSKA Moscow has six and Maccabi Tel Aviv had five heading in as well. In the last four Final Fours, all four made an appearance against a club from Greece. In 2010, FC Barcelona beat Olympiacos in the finals, Maccabi Tel Aviv lost to Panathinakos in 2011, Olympiacos defeat CSKA Moscow in 2012, and Olympiacos won again in 2013 over Real Madrid. 

The semi-final games were Moscow-Maccabi and Barcelona-Madrid. The first game was the match-up between Moscow and Maccabi. Heading into the fourth quarter, CSKA held a 55-45 lead. But, the Electra had a comeback in the fourth quarter and brought the game to 67-63 with under a minute left. Maccabi's David Blu hit a three pointer, his fifth of the day, to bring Maccabi within one point. Then, Maccabi got the ball back off a turnover and Tyrese Rice hit a lay-up with 5.5 seconds left. CSKA still had one final shot. They got the ball into the hands of Sonny Weems, who missed he game-winning three as time expired. Maccabi won 68-67. 

Sergio Rodriguez
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The second semi between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid was expected to be a great match-up. Not only were they two teams from the league (Liga ACB), but they are also fierce rivals and have faced off in the Liga ACB Finals the last two years. However, the game ended up being a blowout. While the first half was relatively close (Real had a 45-37 lead at the half), the second half was not. Madrid outscored Barca 26 to 11 in the third quarter and 27 to 14 in the fourth quarter and also had a 26 to one run in the middle. The final score was 100-62, the largest difference in final score ever in a Euroleague Final Four game. For Real Madrid, Sergio Rodriguez, the Euroleague Regular Season MVP, had 21 points in less then 21 minutes and Nikola Mirotic had 19 points.

Before the Final, Barcelona and Moscow played a third place game. Barcelona pulled out the victory, 93-78. Juan Carlos Navarro had 20 points in less than 18 minutes. Navarro became the career leader in three pointer made at the Final Four with 31 and moved up to fourth on the Final Four scoring charts with 168 points. 

Tyrese Rice
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The Final was great. The game was close throughout. Through three quarters, Real Madrid had a slight 55-53 lead. However, with one minute left to play, Maccabi had taken the lead and was up by four. Rodriguez then drew a foul and hit both of his free throws. After getting a stop on defense, Rudy Fernandez took a jumper for Real and missed, but Ioannis Bourousis got the offensive rebound and drew a foul. He went to the line and hit two free throws to tie the game at 73. Maccabi still had a chance to win the game. Tyrese Rice took a potential game-winning three pointer, but missed. Alex Tyus missed a contested tip-in and the game went to overtime. This was the first overtime game in a Euroleague Final since 1969, a game that also featured Real Madrid. The overtime was all Maccabi, outscoring Real 25-13 and earning a 98-86 win. Rice score 21 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and overtime and was named Euroleague Final Four MVP. This is Maccabi sixth Euroleague championship and their first since 2005.

NBA Playoffs Preview 2014

Key to Miami Three-Peat: Chris Bosh, Miami Heat, C

While LeBron James is the best player in the league and the team is always better when Dwayne Wade is healthy, Chris Bosh is the key to Miami's success. Last year when Bosh struggled, the Heat had a very tough time against both the Indiana Pacers and the San Antonio Spurs. However, the year before when Bosh played brilliantly, the Heat won with relative ease. Bosh will always be the key to the Heat as long LeBron is still on the team.

Breakout Player in the East: Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors, G

Lowry reminds me a lot of Stephen Curry last year. A high scoring point guard who is the team's best player yet was snubbed for the All-Star Game. Lowry averaged about 18 points per game and 8 assists per game this year. If the Raptors beat the Nets, expect Lowry to make a name for himself in that series and then also star in the Eastern Conference Semis, possibly against Miami.

Breakout Player in the West: Patrick Beverley, Houston Rockets, G

Beverley is a high energy player. His motor never stops. Not only that, he fits very well into the Rockets offense. Even though he is the point guard, he does not need the ball to be successful. When it's crunch time, expect Beverley to make a play on offense or defense and as a result, become a household name.

X-Factor in the East: George Hill, Indiana Pacers, G

Hill has struggled for the Pacers this year. After a great season last year, almost all of his numbers have dipped. However, he can make up for it if he returns to the player he was last year in the playoffs. The Pacers need production from the point guard position and Hill is the only one who could bring the needed production. 

X-Factor in the West: Robin Lopez, Portland Trailblazers, C

Lopez's season has been fantastic. He averaged 11.5 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game, and 1.4 blocks per game. He also had 9.5 Win Shares (19th in the NBA), .178 Win Shares per 48 minutes (19th), 128.1 Offensive Rating (1st), 13.6% Offensive Rebound Percentage (4th), and a .606 True Shooting Percentage (8th). Those are numbers of a great player, yet Lopez is in the shadow of Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge. While Lopez will not be in the spotlight, he will play well and the Trailblazers will be better with him on the floor.

PREDICTIONS

WEST

1. San Antonio over 8. Dallas

2. Oklahoma City over 7. Memphis

3. Los Angeles over 6. Golden State

4. Houston over 5. Portland

4. Houston over 1. San Antonio

2. Oklahoma City over 3. Los Angeles

2. Oklahoma City over 4. Houston

EAST

1. Indiana over. 8. Atlanta

2. Miami over 7. Charlotte

6. Brooklyn over 3. Toronto

4. Chicago over 5. Washington

4. Chicago over. 1. Indiana

2. Miami over 6. Brooklyn

2. Miami over 4. Chicago

NBA FINALS

Miami over Oklahoma City

Rants, Rumblings, Raves, and Such on this year's NCAA Tournament

First Round Games To Watch

• #4 San Diego State vs #13 New Mexico State: New Mexico State has the potential to pull off the upset of the first round.
• #5 Cincinnati vs #12 Harvard: This is Harvard's third consecutive tournament and this may be their best team. Last year, they upset New Mexico, then a three seed. Sean Killpatrick and Cincinnati will have a tough time with the Crimson.
• #5 VCU vs #12 Stephen F. Austin: Stephen F. Austin hasn't lost since late November (Another way to put it: They have not lost in 28 games). This matchup was the toughest for me to make in my bracket.
• #6 Baylor vs #11 Nebraska: I really want to see how well Baylor plays. If they dominate, they will be a team to watch for though out the tourney.
• #6 UNC vs #11 Providence: Providence has the chance to shock a lot of people by upsetting the Tar Heels. This should be a good game.
• #8 Gonzaga vs #9 Oklahoma State: A great matchup that has two teams that have the prestige and talent to make ti deep into the tournament.

Great 1 vs. 8/9 Matchups for Round of 32

Shaq Goodwin
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This year features the strongest eight and nine seeds in a long time. Kentucky, the #8 seed in the Midwest, was the preseason number one. Oklahoma State, the #9 seed in the West, was once ranked in the top six teams in the country. Gonzaga, the #8 seed in the West, won the WCC Regular Season and Tournament and was ranked for more then half of the season. Memphis, the #8 seed in the East, was never fell out of the rankings an beat Louisville twice and Oklahoma State once. Colorado, George Washington, Kansas State, and Pittsburgh are also good teams. Off all these teams, Oklahoma State is being considered the most likely to upset a one seed in the Round of 32. However, I think that Memphis has a great chance of upsetting Virginia in their possible match-up. Memphis is a good team that has a lot of upset potential. If they beat Virginia, Joe Jackson or Shaq Goodwin will have had a fantastic game. Oklahoma State has a chance to beat Arizona, but that chance is not as good as people are making it out to be. 

Sim Bhullar and New Mexico State

Sim Bhullar may be the most intriguing player (and prospect) playing in the NCAA Tournament. Bhullar is a sophomore and is 7'5", 360 pounds. There is no one who can compare to his presence on the court. Bhullar does not put up astronomical numbers (He averages 10.3 points per game, 7.9 rebounds per game, and 3.4 blocks per game), but when he is given shots, he usually makes them. When Bhullar plays 25+ minutes and gets over eight shot attempts, the Aggies are 5-1. They need Bhullar to play well to win and I think they will pull off the upset.

Why Kansas Won't Win The Tournament

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Kansas will not cut down the nets in Arlington, Texas on April 7th. They would be lucky to even play in the Final Four. While they have a lot of talent, they are missing a lot of qualities of a champ. First, is their lack of upperclassman that produce. They have only two players who are upperclassman that will play in meaningful minutes during the tournament. The one senior, Tarik Black, doesn't even average 15 minutes a game. Even the Kentucky team with the five fabulous freshman during the 2011-12 season had Darius Miller, a senior, who was arguably their most important player. Not only that, their defense is mediocre, especially without Joel Embiid. Andrew Wiggins cannot cary the Jayhawks to the title, let alone the Final Four.

Ohio State and Aaron Craft

Aaron Craft is a great player. It seems like he has been a Buckeye forever. Sadly, this is going to be his final season in the college ranks. Craft is not a scorer, but there is no point guard who can run the offense and play outstanding defense better than him. If he can get his team to score and play solid defense, Ohio State could make a run.

The Sic 'Em Bears

Cory Jefferson
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The Baylor Bears have a lot of upset potential. Led by Brady Hesslip (11.8 points per game) and Cory Jefferson (13.8 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per game), the Bears offense is one of the best in the nation. However, their defense is mediocre. For them to be successful, they need Hesslip, Jefferson, Isaiah Austin, Kenny Chery, Hesslip, and Jefferson all need to play at their best and each need to get close to double-digit points.

The Cyclones

Iowa State may surprise people as a three seed this is their correct placement. The Cyclones have had outstanding year that includes winning the Big 12 Tournament. Even with one of the toughest schedule in the country, Iowa State's averages 82.9 points per game, which is sixth in the country. They have three players that average over 16 points per game. They are Melvin Ejim, DeAndre Kane, and Georges Niang. If they can get at least two of those scorers hot and can play some solid defense, the Cyclones will be hard to stop. 

Predictions

• Florida cuts down the nets inside AT&T Stadium
• Arizona, Michigan State, and Duke make the Final Four
• Oregon beats Wisconsin in the round of 32
• New Mexico State reaches the Sweet 16
• Memphis and New Mexico come close, but both lose in the final minute to Virginia and Kansas respectively
• There will be early round upsets, but the later rounds will have a lot of upper seeds

NBA News

Milwaukee Bucks

Larry Sanders
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After making the playoffs as an eight seed last year, the Bucks have the worst record in the league at 7-33. Last year's team and this year's team are vastly different. Four of last year's five leading scorers no longer play in Milwaukee. One of the holdovers, the Center Larry Sanders, has been a major disappointment. During the 2012-13 season, Sanders averaged 9.8 points per game, 9.5 rebounds per game, 2.8 blocks per game (lead the league), and was a leading candidate for NBA Defensive Player of the Year. This year, he has only played in 15 games, an averaged 6.7 rebounds per game and 1.8 blocks per game. However, John Henson has done well in his place. He averages 12.3 points a game, 8.3 bounds a game, and 2.2 block a game, as well as a 20.8 PER. No other player on Milwaukee is having a good season. The Bucks problem is scoring. They are last in the league in points per game with 91.4, field goal percentage with 42%, and points per shot with 1.1. While their defense is not outstanding either, the offense is atrocious and there is not much to improve it. OJ Mayo and Brandon Knight, their bester scorers, are way too inconsistent to be number one spot. I doubt they will go out and pick-up a high-profile shooter. They will be sellers if they make any moves. The good thing about being awful this year is the possibility to pick number one in the draft.

Anthony Davis

The number one pick in the 2012 Draft is having a terrific sophomore season. While his team is 8 games under .500, the Power Forward is averaging a double-double with 20.3 and 10.4, while leading the league with 3.0 blocks. His PER (26.8) is in the league's top five.
Against Golden State on the 18th of this month, Davis put together an incredible performance, albeit in a loss. He scored 31 points and had 17 rebounds  while going 11-17 from the field, and 9-12 for the charity stripe. Davis is truly developing into a All-Star Power Forward for the next ten years.

Trades involving the Nets

The Nets made two trades Monday. In a deal with Chicago, they would have sent Tornike Shengelia to the Windy City in exchange for Marquis Teague. In another deal, Tyshawn Taylor went to the Pelicans, while Brooklyn got the rights to Edin Bavcic. Bavcic was drafted by Toronto in 2006 in the second round and has never played the NBA. He is currently playing for KOAD in the Greek A1 Basketball League. While these deals were made to free up room under the salary cap, the pick up of Teague is an interesting move. Under the tutelage of Jason Kidd and Deron Williams at point guard, Teague may become a serviceable bench player. It is surprising that these moves have come during a strong stretch. 

All-Star Game Uniforms

The NBA All-Star Game Jerseys
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The 2014 NBA All-Star Game is being played at New Orleans Arena on February 16. The uniforms were released last week and they are ugly. The jerseys look nothing like a basketball uniform. It looks like a cheap t-shirt you can buy at a kiosk. The jersey looks unfinished with just a crest on the front. They need something more. The back of the uniforms looks normal and fine, there are no complaints here. And let's not forget those sleeves. Sleeves are fine when players want to wear sleeves under their uniforms, and they should make custom sleeved uniforms for those players. However, sleeves are being forced upon jerseys and they do not work. They were ugly last year, they ugly during March Madness, they were ugly on Christmas, and they will be ugly on February 16.

2013 Champions Classic Preview

Promotion for 2013 Champions Classic
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The State Farm Champions Classic this year is incredible. Four of the top five teams in the nation will be facing off against each other today at the United Center in Chicago. The Kentucky Wildcats (#1 in the AP Poll/#1 in the USA Today Coaches Poll) will face off with the Michigan State Spartans (#2/#2) in the first game. Then, the Duke Blue Devils (#4/#4) go up against the Kansas Jayhawks (#5/#6).

KENTUCKY vs. MICHIGAN STATE

What makes the Kentucky-Michigan State match-up even more exciting is that it is between a team with freshman stars against a team of upperclassmen stars. Kentucky's freshman class this year is outstanding. They have five of the top nine recruits in brothers Aaron and Andrew Harrison, Dakari Johnson, Julius Randle, and James Young. Michigan State is based around their core of upperclassman including Keith Appling, Brandon Dawson, Adreian Payne, and Denzel Valentine. This game is going to be great. 

Julius Randle
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Player to Watch: Wildcats F Julius Randle: Randle has been very impressive through two games. He had a double-double in both games. He had 23 points and 15 rebounds against UNC-Ashville 22 points and 14 rebounds against North Kentucky. While he put up those numbers against teams that are not very good, it does show he has the potential to constantly to put up twenty and ten. The stat that I think is most telling is the amount of times he got to the line. He went to the 27 times and made 21 free throws. For him to keep up the success, he will need to keep getting to the line.

Match-Up to Watch: Spartans C Adreian Payne vs. Wildcats C Willie Cauley-Stein: I think Payne is an excellent player. If the Spartans can work the ball to him in the post and work through him, they will be successful. To stop him, Kentucky will need a good game from Willie Cauley-Stein. If Payne is not stopped, it will be a long day for the Wildcats.

Key to the Game: How will the Freshman of Kentucky play in their First Big Game: The question also surrounding young teams in any sport is how will they handle stressful and high pressure situations. This game will show us how resilient the Wildcats are and how they can handle pressure.

And The Winner Is: Kentucky: This game will be tight and will go down to the final minutes. In the end, Kentucky will make a defensive stop. 

DUKE vs. KANSAS

Again, there is more to this match-up then the fact that it involves top five teams. Kansas had the #1 player in this freshman class, Andrew Wiggins, while Duke has the #2 player in Jabari Parker. Both players are superstars. This game may be a Final Four match-up. 

Roodney Hood
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Player to Watch: Blue Devils F Rodney Hood: Hood sat out last season after transferring from Mississippi State. In his first game since March 13th, 2012, Hood played great in a 111-77 win over Davidson. He had 22 points, nine bounds, and went nine-for-ten from the field. If this is not fluke and Hood can put up numbers like that every game, him and Parker could make up the best frontcourt  in college basketball. 

Match-Up to Watch: Duke Guards vs. Jayhawks G Andrew Wiggins: Wiggins is the biggest scoring threat on this Kansas team. He was the #1 recruit for a reason. The Blue Devils need to  stop him from scoring and that job will most of the time fall to the Duke guards. Jabari Parker may also guard him, but no matter who is on him, they need to shut him down. 

Key to the Game: Duke from Beyond the Arc: Duke's offense depends on high-percentage three point shooters. Last season, the Blue Devils were 6th in the nation in three point percentage at 39.9%. They rely on the three to open up the floor for their post players and slashers. If they take and make the three, they will be in a prime position to win. 

And The Winner Is: Duke: Duke is the better team. Kansas still needs to work out some kinks and get into a rhythm. This game will not be as close as the first game of the night, but it should be competitive heading into the final ten minutes.