Category Archives: NBA
Top 5 Reasons the NFL is better than the NBA
The NBA kicked off the season on Tuesday and now we have all four sports in season. This Sunday will be the first time ever that there has been regular or post season football, baseball, basketball, and hockey on the same day.
No disrespect to the NBA, I like it an all, but I’m not following it until football season is over. The NFL is America’s sport and here are five reasons why it is:
Your not going to eat that at an NBA game.
5. The Last 2 Minutes Take Forever
In the NBA, the last two minutes of any remotely close game take forever. Each team has a seemingly endless amount of timeouts and take one after each possession. Also even when play is the trailing team will foul in the closing minutes, which leads to plenty of free throws, one of the most boring parts of the game.
In the NFL, the last two minutes will take a little longer than usual but nothing compared to the NBA. A team will have at most 3 timeouts left by that time and most of the time they’ll have less. The clock is running otherwise and teams show a sense of urgency instead of standing at the top of the key waiting until the shot clock is about to run out before they make a move.
4. Selfish, Not Team Game
The NBA is built for superstars. Everybody knows the most talented players who score the most. You can one player carry his entire team on his back. LeBron James has done this for the Cavs and so has Kobe for the Lakers. While there is no denying these players are great, it takes away from the team aspect of the game.
It doesn’t work that way in the NFL. There are 11 players on the field and everyone needs to do their 1/11 in order for the play to be successful. If the wide receivers burns the corner but the left guard misses his block the quarter back will be sacked instead of passing to the receiver for a touchdown.
Peyton Manning will go down as one of the best if not the best quarterback of all-time yet he has only won 1 Super Bowl. Another qb legend, Dan Marino, never won a Super Bowl, his entire career. You need a complete team to win. No one player is bigger than the rest of the team.
3. Teams that make playoffs
Eight teams make the playoffs in each conference in the NBA and 16 teams make it overall. That is more than half of the entire league! That is ridiculous. The playoffs are supposed to be for the best of the best. When you have teams aren’t even in the top half of the league playing in the post season that’s a problem. For the past four seasons in the Eastern Conference at least 3 teams have made the playoffs that have a .500 or worse record. That’s is one team away from half of the teams that made it.
In the NFL every few years or so you will see one 8-8 make the playoffs, let alone almost half of the playoff field. Also, never has a team with a losing record made it. Even if you win 9 or 10 games your still not even assured a playoff berth. Last year the New England Patriots finished 11-5 and still failed to make the playoffs! That is a .6875 winning percentage. To compare that to the NBA, it is the equivalent of a 55 win team not making the playoffs yet the NBA has team with under 40 years almost every year.
2. Tailgating
This one is an easy one. Rarely does someone tailgate for an NBA game. You’d think someone was crazy if you ever saw them in the parking lot cooking up some burgers and dogs before a basketball game.
For the NFL tailgating is a tradition. People arrive at the stadiums as soon as they open to start tailgating and don’t leave until long after the game is over. Some of them won’t eve go into the stadium. They just stay outside, eat, drink, and watch the game on a t.v. A tailgate is hard to describe but the experience is incredible. Being with fellow fans, enjoying delicious food; it’s one of the better experiences in life that nothing can compare to.
NBA Mock Draft 3.0
The NBA Draft is tomorrow and there are still many questions at the top as to what the teams will do. Here is my latest take on what will go down tomorrow night.
1. Los Angeles Clippers- Blake Griffin, PF, Oklahoma
A no brainer for the Clippers. Griffin is the consensus number one player in the draft and even the Clippers can’t screw this up.
Thabeet will be blocking shots in Memphis now.
2. Memphis Grizzlies- Hasheem Thabeet, C, UCONN
The Grizzlies need some interior defense and Thabeet will bring that. His offensive game is still developing but he can contribute immediately on defense. The Timberwolves are interested in moving up to this pick to take Thabeet too.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder- Ricky Rubio, PG, Spain
The rumor lately has been the Thunder will pick Rubio if available. If they pick Rubio it will shift Russell Westbrook to the 2 guard. Rubio is only 18 and has been playing professionally in Spain since he was 14.
4. Sacramento Kings- Jonny Flynn, PG, Syracuse
No one really knows what the Kings will do. If Rubio is available he will likely be the pick but if he’s not it be a number of guys including Flynn, Evans, Holiday, or Curry. Flynn is a leader at the point guard position and has been playing great in workouts recently.
NBA Draft Decisions: Should I stay or Should I go?
The deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft was yesterday and some prospects including Jodie Meeks, Luke Harangody, and Greivis Vasquez didn’t make their decisions until the final moments. In this article I’m going to discuss and analyze the decisions made by some prospects.
Scotty Reynolds, G, Villanova- Return to Villanova
Reynolds decided to return to Villanova for his senior season. The Wildcats made the Final Four last year and will try to repeat this season with a stacked recruiting class. Reynolds though, hasn’t improved much since his freshman year and his stock was high as it was ever going to be after his clutch shot against Pittsburgh. With incoming freshman Dominic Cheek and Maalik Wayns set to steal playing time from Renyolds this doesn’t like the right decision.
Harangody will return to Notre Dame as the Irish try to rebound from last years dissapointing season
Luke Harangody, PF, Notre Dame- Return to Notre Dame
Harangody waited until the final day to decide to come back to Notre Dame for his senior season. Harangody was a likely second round pick in this years draft if he stayed in. Harangody will return to Notre Dame and try to make up for a poor seaosn which saw the Irish miss the tournament. Also by coming back Harangody will break many Notre Dame school records making him go down as one for the best to ever play at Notre Dame. His draft status probably won’t change much but the allure of the records and fame make it worth going back for Harangody.
Jeff Teague, PG, Wake Forest- Stay
Teague waited until the last minute to decide whether or not to stay in but it seemed like a forgone conclusion he would stay in from the start. Teague had a great start to the season but tailed off a little at the end including a dreadful performance in the NCAA Tournament against Cleveland State but his stock is still solid. Teague should go somewhere from the mid first round to the early 20’s in the draft. A shooting guard in a point guard’s body Teague will need to work on his decision making skills in the NBA to be an effective point guard.
NBA Mock Draft Part 2
In case you missed the first part of my mock draft you can check it out here.
15. Detroit Pistons- B.J. Mullens, C, Ohio State
The Pistons could lose Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess, and Kwame Brown in the off season so a froncourt player is needed. With the Piston looking toward the future they can take a chance on Mullens who will take time to develop.
Blair would give the Bulls some much needed toughness
16. Chicago Bulls- DeJuan Blair, PF, Pittsburgh
There is talk the Bulls have promised to take Mullens here but if he is off the board the next best big available is DeJuan Blair. Blair would add some much needed toughness and despite his size (6’6) his 7’2 wingspan makes up for it.
17. Philadelphia 76ers- Eric Maynor, PG, VCU
Andre Miller is set to become a free agent this summer so addressing the point guard position is a necessity. Maynor despite playing at VCU got plenty of media attention thanks to his NCAA tournament performances and can step in and play right away.
NBA Mock Draft
Now that the deadline for underclassman has come and gone we officially know who is in and who is out of the draft. Some last minute withdrawals were Greivis Vasquez and Luke Harangody. With the NBA Finals over the focus in the NBA world switches to the draft. The draft will be held on June 25th. With that said here is my latest NBA Mock Draft.
Good News: Blake Griffin is going to Los Angeles. Bad News: It's the Clippers
1. Los Angeles Clippers- Blake Griffin, PF, Oklahoma
This pick has been a lock since the start and apparently since last year. Even the Clippers can’t screw this one up. Griffin is the consensus top player in what is considered a weak draft. The drafting of Griffin will probably force the Clippers to trade either Zach Randolph or Chris Kamen.
Previous Pick: Same
2. Memphis Grizzlies- Hasheem Thabeet, C, UCONN
This is where the drafts starts to get interesting. The Grizzlies could take Thabeet, Ricky Rubio, or trade the pick perhaps to Sacramento. The Grizzlies don’t have a big need at center or point guard with Marc Gasol and Mike Conely Jr. at both positions but while Gasol is a solid player you don’t pass up a player like Thabeet for him. Thabeet will be a defensive force early and if his offensive catches up he could have a career similar to Dikembe Mutombo.
Previous Pick: Ricky Rubio
Lakers win 15th Title: What it means for Kobe
Kobe and Fisher Celebrate their Fourth Title Together
The Lakers took care of business last night defeating the Magic 99-86 to capture the 15th title in franchise history.
The series went only five games but was much closer than that. The Magic blew late leads in Game 2 and 4 which should have extended the season.
But they didn’t and the Lakers came out victorious. The title was the fourth for Kobe and the tenth for Phil Jackson, both historic ones for each guy.
For Kobe this has been a long time coming. The media has not stopped talking about how Kobe has not won a title without Shaq after Shaq won one with Dwayne Wade and the Heat in 2006. Those talks can finally stop now and thank god. It was getting to the point where you couldn’t say Kobe Bryant without no titles without Shaq coming up.
The most relieved person however is Kobe Bryant. He averaged 32.4 points per game and was named Finals MVP.
“It was like Chinese water torture,” he said. “I would cringe every time. I was just like, it’s a challenge I’m just going to have to accept because there’s no way I’m going to argue it. You can say it until you’re blue in the face and rationalize it until you’re blue in the face, but it’s not going anywhere until you do something about it.”
Phil Jackson the greatest coach ever?
Has Phil surpassed Red?
With the Lakers winning their 15th championship in franchise history coach Phil Jackson won his 10th career title setting not only NBA record for most titles by a coach but in any sport. Jackson passed the late Red Auerbach, who won 9 titles with the Celtics in the 50′s and 60′s including an unprecedented eight in a row, a feet that will never be repeated.
Now the question becomes whether Phil is the greatest coach of all time. Going on winning alone, which is the most important thing when you boil it all down, Phil has him beat but only by one title. Phil has gotten some criticism because he always had the best talent. Yes he did have MJ, Shaq, and Kobe on all of his title teams but Auerbach had Russell on everyone single one of his title teams.
Cavs Off-Season Targets
The Cleveland LeBrons were upset by the Orlando Magic in the conference finals a little over a week ago. Their lack of a supporting cast mainly any inside presence was exposed by the Orlando Magic time and time again in the series.
LeBron needs help
With the summer of LeBron only a year away now the Cavs realize this is their last year to win before LeBron bolts to New York. NBA Executive of the year Danny Ferry needs to prove his title this off season and get LeBron some help.
Ferry will need to get creative as the free agent class isn’t stacked and they don’t have many valuable trade assets. With that being said I’m going to play G.M. and look at some of the options the Cavs could explore this summer.
Trade Options:
A trade would be a lot harder to facilitate considering the Cavs don’t have much to trade away and they have to match up salaries but it might be necessary.
Shaquille O’Neal
The Cavs desperately need a big man and there is none bigger than Shaq. The diesel missed the playoffs this year and surely wants another shot at a title especially if Kobe gets one this year. Shaq showed last year that he wasn’t finished and played good ball and Phoenix might be looking to the future with Steve Nash set to be a free agent in 2010. LeBron and Shaq would be a great combo and finally give the Cavs a legit low post scorer. Imagine a Cavs Lakers finals next year with LeBron vs. Kobe and Shaq vs. Kobe. The NBA would have a field day with that.
Shaq and LeBron in Cleveland?
LeBron a Poor Sport?
The Cleveland Cavliers were eliminated from the playoffs on Saturday but they’re still getting plenty of media attenition most noticably LeBron James.
Much is being said of LeBron’s actions following the Game 6 loss when he left the court immedialtely after the bizzer sounded and did not talk to reporters after the game and instead went to the team bus. Also the next day LeBron did not apolgize for his actions which angered many in the sports world.
When LeBron addresed the media finally he said this “It’s hard for me to congratulate someone after you lose to them. I’m a winner. It’s not being a poor sport or anything like that. But somebody beats you up, you’re not going to congratulate them on beating you up. That doesn’t make sense.”
I initially was not that upset after LeBron walked off the court and din’t shake hands. He was upset and frustated and did not want to deal with everyhting. That’s understandable and I was willing to give him a break if he apolgized and said he should have shook hands and congradulated them.
LeBron in the NFL?
Last week ESPN put out an article about the possibility of LeBron James in the NFL and how good he would be. To sum it up it basically said while LeBron would most likely not pull an MJ and switch sports most people said he would be a good player.
After reading this I thought about for awhile before realizing that how silly it was. If LeBron played football he would without a doubt be a pro bowl caliber player and one of the best in the league.
