The Last Leg: Eastern Conference

Before the arrival of the always phenomenal NCAA Tournament, and everyone goes to sleep on the NBA for a month, I wanted to alert everyone that we did it; we have reached the fourth quarter of the NBA season. It’s been long, treacherous, and hilarious as always, but now the final chapter is taking shape. And we are all ready for the stretch run.

We need the stretch run.

Mental or physical despair has touched nearly every NBA team, and in some cases (Think New York Knicks), it has proven to be both mentally and physically despairing. Whatever the problem, it is good knowing the end is near. The playoffs are looming and due to the fourth quarter being upon us, and I want to stick with the “quarters” theme[1], I’m going to share four different things trending in my NBA head.

(Of course because there is soooo much going on in my head, I’m narrowing this post down to just Eastern Conference things, and hopefully, probably, maybe, I will do a Western Conference one tomorrow.)

Without further adieu I give you my “4 Things About the  Eastern Conference” or something…

1.THE DC BOOGIE DOWN
I’m so proud of the Washington Wizards. While I am a Bucks fan regionally, a large scale LeBron backer and mainly just an all-around basketball fan, I did peg the Wizards as a team that I could potentially fall in love with three years ago, and what they have going right now is pretty fun.

Last year, when sharpshooter Bradley Beal was healthy, they were a budding NBA offense. The problem happened to be Beal made the injury report often, and by seasons end, they ranked near the bottom in a number of offensive statistical categories:

•  Field Goal percentage: 27th (43% as a team)
•  Team Assists: 19th 
•  Turnovers: 25th
•  Points Per Game: 28th (93.2 ppg)

Wizards' fans were forced to watch sloppy basketball translating into a lot of “L’s” a season ago. The massive turnover numbers also forced down the number of shots they were able to take, and make (ranking 28th in shots made). This year however, has been a difference dance.

And Nae-Naein’ at the forefront is John Wall.

Wall, feeling slighted for a laundry list of reasons[2], has been a monster this season leading the Wizards to a record of 31-28 (the Wiz haven’t finished above .500 since 2007-2008). Beal, stayed healthy. With that combo, they have much different offensive rankings:

• Field Goals Taken: 9th
• Field Goals Made: 9th
• Field Goal Percentage: 13th (45%)
• Assists: 7th
• Turnovers: 14th
• Points Per Game: 16th (100.3 points per game)

As you can see, they have drastically improved. And it is all about Wall and Beal.

Wall: 20.0ppg 4.2rpg 8.7apg 43% FG 33% 3FG 2.0 spg
Beal: 16.7ppg 3.8rpg 3.5apg 41% FG 41% 3FG

Wall and Beal, both understand their roles, take over when necessary and it seamlessly resulted in offensive continuity. The two have benefited off each other, as well as, the steady shooting of Trevor Ariza and Martell Webster and the low post presence of Nene and Marcin Gortat. They have been sound on all parts of the floor.

There are loose ends however as a team three games over .500 are not perfect. For example, they don’t shoot free throws well ranking 26th in the league. Another major concern that I had a few months ago, as this team started to show its true colors, would they succumb to pressures in the playoffs? When you think of the Wizards, because they haven’t been that good in awhile, and the stars on this team are young up-and-comers (SEE: Wall and Beal), and not proven cornerstones, it is easy to write this team off as inexperienced. But that is far from the truth. When you look at the players, they will be relying on in the playoffs, many of their guys have major postseason chops. Marcin Gortat played major minutes in the Finals behind Dwight Howard in 2009. Nene was apart of the fun Lakers vs. Nuggets Western Conference Finals, Trevor Ariza played a key bench role on the Lakers team that beat both of Nene and Gortat’s teams and PHD. Andre Miller has obviously been around the block more times than Christy Mack.

They also have Kevin Seraphin, a young and learning power forward who will not help this team at all basketball wise, but did recently follow me on Twitter. And you can bet your ass I was pumped when he followed me. I bragged to follow Sportandfashion-news writer Murph, and he told me, “Welcome to the big leagues”.
Unfortunately, Seraphin unfollowed me a couple days later, and I have been regulated back down to the minors. I still love Twitter.

Back to the Wizards Basketball team though, and even though I have a tendency to be biased, and I might be slightly over valuing them, this is a squad to take note of in the coming months. There is a lot to be excited about, and I got a lot of faith in these guys.

And I will have even more if Seraphin re-follows me.

2. Toronto Drakes: Playoff Bound.
Two claps for Drake. Two claps for Rob Ford doing coke. Two claps for pussy eating. Two claps for eating pussy while coked out listening to Drake[3].

Now, that we got that out of the way, this is another team that has really turned things around. And most of it has to do with getting rid of Rudy Gay. It has been really funny the way this has transpired, but whenever Gay leaves town, the team he left gets a little better. In Toronto’s case, Gay’s departure improved the team's defensive efforts and helped open the door for Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan to take over the offense. 

Toronto's guard tandem has been marvelous. Lowry, whom has averaged nearly 17 points a game and a little over seven and a half assists a game to go with a team high PER of 19.9, has been Toronto’s most reliable player. He shot well from downtown at a 37 percent clip and been the leader Toronto needed him to be at the point guard position. Meanwhile, DeRozan took Gay’s departure as means to take more shots and he delivered in a major way. For the season, he averaged 22.7 points per game, and thrived at getting to the free throw line. He takes seven and a half per game and makes a little over six. He has made the fifth most free throws in the league.

A lot of credit for the turn around needs to go to Dwane Casey and his ability to get his squad to “D Up”. The Raptors currently rank fifth in team defense yielding 97.1 ppg, and are seventh in Defensive Rating (104.1). They protect the hoop with a variety of frontcourt combinations that include, Amir Johnson, Jonas Valanciunas, Patrick Patterson and of course, the ultimate pot-stirrer, Tyler Hansbrough.

(Before I say anything more, I have to admit that I think the NBA playoffs are always a better place with Tyler Hansbrough in them. I don’t like him at all, but that is also exactly why I want him in there. I’m not alone in not liking him, and it even seems like players within the league don’t like him, and because bad blood = fun series, Hansbrough should be a must have in the playoffs every year, anyway…)

Raptors have a roster that features three gunners (Lowry, DeRozan, and combination of Terrance Ross and John Salmons) surrounded by a bunch of hard working defend and rebound guys. And they have been successful in this personnel strategy. They rank near the top in defense and free throw shooting. In high school and college basketball you win with defense and free throw shooting. We are not talking high school or college though, and in the NBA, there is no way around playoff growing pains. No matter what however, it is fun the Raptors are here. 

I can already smell a budding Raptors vs. Wizards rivalry for years to come.

3. Shame on you Philadelphia.
As an NBA advocate, one thing I have learned casual fans hate a lot is tanking. The NBA tried to move away from it, but with the way the lottery system is set up, combined with the trifles of being a small market team, it seems sometimes tanking is the only way to get to the top. However, what Philadelphia has chosen to do is flat out despicable. Milwaukee Bucks blew these slum dogs out the other night.

Let me say that again, the Bucks blew these guys out.

After dumping Spencer Hawes and Evan Turner, an already bad Sixers team became unwatchable, and unfortunately the NBA is forced to stand behind them with a blind eye. Philly has lost their last 14 games, and they are 0-5 since the trade deadline with an average margin of loss of 20.1 points.

Their “team” includes the following: Thaddeus Young, Michael Carter-Williams, Hollis Thompson, Lorenzo Brown, Tony Wroten, Henry Sims, Arnett Moultire, Jarvis Varnardo, Eric Maynor, James Anderson, and Bryon 'Don't call me BJ' Mullens.

I mean, gag me. Exorcism puke all over the floor, walls, ceiling, vents and anywhere else in the Wells Fargo Arena.

Aside from MCW and Thad Young, I would not expect any of these guys to be on the team come start of next season, and to expect to get fans to come out and support a group mailing it in and not caring is flat out absurd. It is offensive, and I hope the league figures out a way to stop this type of stuff from happening. But the sad reality is that will be hard to change. So I’m sorry to anyone that enjoys watching Sixer games because nothing is changing, and you have a full month and half of crapsketball.

4. Miami vs. Indiana.
The Money Makers. The heavyweights. The title fight. This is the series we all want to see come playoff time. All season the two have battled for the top spot in the East, and it has been a great fight. It is pretty obvious that I am a LeBron fan, and I will admit, Pacers are a real threat to his throne, but I also think that the throne is safer then what people are saying. And it is because a couple of factors.

The first is that I think Indiana fudged up and made two too many moves in the last few months. The first move was signing Andrew Bynum. I don’t know what good bringing him in did for Indiana. While, it never hurts to have depth, this is also a guy who does not seem to care at all, was disruptive in practice in Cleveland, and just seems to be more of a headache than a pain reliever.

Aside from the addition of Bynum, I thought the trading of Danny Granger (not the addition of Evan Turner) is a problem. While Evan Turner is a far superior player at this point in his career, I think ripping Granger from the locker room was a bad move.Four years ago, when the Pacers were a struggling team, Granger sold the tickets and started the turn around in Indiana. As Paul George skyrocketed to stardom and Granger’s knee’s failed him, he became a mentor and brought a positive attitude for Indiana’s locker room, and an integral piece to their puzzle.

When they traded him, the team seemed upset. And while the addition of Turner should help them on paper, I’m not positive his game will gel so seamlessly with the rest of the Pacers. Turner, has a high usage rate (24.1 percent) when on the floor, and does not shoot at a great percentage (40% FG, 20% 3FG). I think he might be more of a kink in the offense than an asset.

(It should also be noted that Miami has been rumored to have turned down a trade offer that involved Evan Turner for Udonis Haslem because they wanted to stay loyal to Haslem, a story that seems completely and utterly orchestrated by the media and Heat fans.)

The second reason that I feel Miami is still strongly asserted in the drivers seat, has to do with the following:

Player A: 28.0 ppg 8.5 rpg 3.0 apg  45% FG 42% 3FG PER: 24.1

Player B: 22.9 ppg 4.5 rpg 3.9 apg  43% FG 33% 3FG PER: 18.9

Player C: 22.6 ppg 6.4 rpg 3.5 apg  43% FG 36% 3FG PER: 21.1

Carmelo Anthony, DeMar DeRozan and Paul George own those three stat lines. Melo is player A, and far and away the best in this grouping, while DeRozan (B) and George (C) and actually quite similar to each other, although no one is screaming that DeRozan is as good as George. And while I do think George is an excellent player, I think the media blew him up to something that he is not. Or something he is not yet.

We do know George is an excellent two-way player, but he is by no means the best one. He totally benefited from having Roy Hibbert and David West behind him. The tandem gave him the freedom to gamble for steals and blocks, knowing that he will not get burned to the bucket. This is not saying George is not a top tier basketball player, but I think all the wins the Pacers compiled as a team, jaded our views of George as an individual player. He is a good offensive player, and plays with a tough as nails defense on a very good basketball team, that made it past the second round of the playoffs once. George is a ball player, but he is not anywhere close to being the player that he will become in the coming years.

And then of course, if any of that does not convince you the throne is safe, you can consider LeBron James scored 61 points last night and reminded everyone himself that the league is in fact his little brother, and he is in fact the King.

Happy March Folks,

~Andrew

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[1]Turns out I just love quarters. Old quarters, new quarters, the game of quarters, quarters found under the couch, quarter bags of kush, quarter-pounders with cheese after quarter bags of kush etc…

[2]Did not win rookie of the year, did not get invited to the Olympic tryouts, Kyrie Irving (who has won like 34 games in the NBA) was voted a starter over him in the All-Star game, and probably other things.

[3]For the record my Mom just got real upset with me for that joke, but I’m not posting my weed piece about her so it’s a fair trade for now. 

Tapping The Keg Podcast Episode 76

Mitch Pratt and Charlie Tritschler get together for yet another edition of Tapping The Keg podcast. Most of the podcast involves us talking about the trade deadline for the NBA. Even though there were not many big deals, there were enough of them to talk about for 15-20 minutes. Milwaukee Bucks made a move dealing Gary Neal and Luke Ridnour to Charlotte for expiring contracts with Ramon Sessions and Jeff Adrien. Even Turner deal to Indiana is discussed at great length as well as a couple of the minor deals. Also in this podcast, how Tinder is changing the date game, getting you ready for the Olympics and Hank the Brewers mascot dog!

Charlie.

Tapping The Keg Podcast Episode 74

Tapping The Keg podcast episode 74 gracing the airwaves with Mitch and Charlie (Hi) per usual. We get into with talking about whether Favoring tweets between the opposite sex is flirting along with discussing what a favorite is and a BuzzFeed discussion. Moving from that, we touch on Seattle's Super Bowl win plus Charlie overreacts about the NFC's dominance while both of us fan the flames on dynasty talk for Seattle. We move on to the Milwaukee Bucks where the topics include Ersan Ilyasova wanting out, LARRY SANDERS! and flu talk. Next up is whether Pau Gasol will get traded to Phoenix as well as possibly moving Danny Granger there. We finish up with Joel Embiid talking about staying another year and a recommendation for Vanderpump Rules.

PS: The audio gets a little screwy in the last 10 minutes or so. My computer was acting up. Not too bad, but just a couple random jumps.

Mitch and Charlie.  

NBA Future Power Rankings: 4.) - 1.)

by Adam Hatlak, edited by Charlie Tritschler.  

Late December/early January is generally when the NBA starts to heat up. For this NBA season, this is especially true. With all of the injuries to major stars and one of the most anticipated draft classes in recent memory coming up, the landscape of the NBA is in store for a major shakeup. Due to all the changes, now is a good time to look at what the NBA will look like for the next 3-5 years. These Power Rankings were made from a fan’s perspective including many different variables: probability of future success, likeability of organization, trust in front office, and ability to acquire/retain quality players. All of the criteria are applied for the next 3-5 years, as anything further into the future is increasingly more difficult to predict.

Teams ranked from 30.) - 25.) 
Teams ranked from 24) - 20.)
Teams ranked from 19.) -15.) 
Teams ranked from 14.) - 10.) 

Teams ranked from   9.) - 5.)  

4.) Houston Rockets
Key Assets: James Harden, Dwight Howard, Chandler Parsons, Omer Asik, Jeremy Lin, Daryl Morey.

Reason for Hope: Daryl Morey built this team through acquiring quality assets and turning them into superstars, only Houston only acquired Parsons through the draft. Harden and Howard both have top-10 potential as individuals and capable of being one of the most deadly pick’n’roll combinations in the league. Parsons fits in very well with this team, as he is not asked to do more than he is capable of due to the abilities of his teammates. The Rockets are guaranteed to get extra value on the court before or at the trade deadline, whether they are finally able to turn Asik into a new player, or if they convince him to man the second unit inside like he did in Chicago. If this team figures it out, they could be extremely dominant in the West.

Reason for Concern: Despite Houston’s ability to build this team without very little homegrown talent, there are significant concerns about their top stars. Harden has admittedly not given his all on defense at times and may lack the ability to shut down opponents top scorers. There will always be concerns about Howard’s maturity, and his main advantage over his peers is his athleticism, something that will fade as he ages. Asik and Lin are very nice role players, but their salary skyrockets in the future, making them difficult pieces to trade. A move with Lin or Asik that may be necessary in the future, as Parsons will not always be available for a dirt cheap deal. This team still has a few more roster moves to make before being a legitimate title contender.

Key Decision Looming: What do they get back for Asik? There have been multiple times where it seems like Houston had a plan in place to deal Asik, and both parties certainly need to move on from each other. As time passes, his trade value decreases greatly, due to not being on the court and his contract next year. The Rockets stated they wanted two first round picks for Asik, but when this is all said and done, it seems likely they’ll move him for a heavily protected first rounder.

3.) Indiana Pacers
Key Assets: Paul George, Roy Hibbert, Lance Stephenson, David West, Danny Granger, Frank Vogel.

Reason for Hope: A year after winning the Most Improved Player award, George made another leap, becoming one of the top five players in the game. Hibbert maintained his high level of play from the playoffs last year, and as a whole, Pacers are getting more respect from the rest of the league, refs included. Stephenson is improving as a player as well, and has become the type of player the Pacers need to lock up to a long-term deal this offseason. Perhaps most importantly, no team in the NBA looks hungrier this year than the Pacers, and it seems like nothing but defeating Miami Heat in the playoffs will satisfy that hunger. This team seems stable enough to go to battle with the same core for the next few seasons.

Reason for Concern: It has not been an issue yet this season, but decisions regarding Granger are looming. Granger was the leader and soul of this team prior to George’s rise to stardom, and dealing with his return or departure could prove problematic to team chemistry, a true strength for the Pacers. George and Stephenson both came into the season with very small contracts that were very team friendly. George has already been extended, but Stephenson is next and will require a significant raise. West has been great for the team, but is old and has an injury history; will he be able to stay healthy when the Pacers need him most? It also feels like the team gets overrated slightly due to their ability to match up well against the Heat. They are still an elite team, but look better to casual fans, as they can dominate Miami inside.

Key Decision Looming: Is Danny Granger move valuable on the court or in a trade? Granger's deal is expiring and is likely to move on next season so the Pacers can extend Stephenson, this is leading to multiple trade rumors surrounding Granger. The truth is he is most valuable on the court for Indiana. It is clear they are gunning for the title this year, and Granger coming off the bench, assuming he is willing to accept that role giving the best chance to do win a championship. Allowing Granger to rack up points with the second unit lets the Pacers play the hot hand between him and Stephenson in crunch time. Even though Granger once had star status, he would be a great veteran leader while they make a run at the Heat. The team should allow Granger to contribute to a potential title team in Indiana and let him walk after the season if they cannot afford him.

2.) Miami Heat
Key Assets: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Pat Riley, Erik Spoelstra.

Reason for Hope: Any time you have James, the outlook is good. Unless something changes, he will be the best player in the NBA for at least the next three years, potentially more. The best part about James is that he works to make other players better therefore the ability to attract mid-level free agents is increased, and Riley showed a great ability to do so. With Wade’s new schedule keeping him fresher, it seems like he will be more of a force in the playoffs, when Miami will need him most. Spoelstra is one of the more underrated coaches in the league, as he does have great talent, but also does a good job of putting them in position to succeed. Bosh’s demeanor and lack of physicality at times makes him an easy scapegoat for this team when things are going wrong, but he is the second most valuable player behind James, as he is Miami’s one quality big, and his playing style works well for what the Heat are trying to do.

Reason for Concern: Age is starting to catch up to this team with Wade being affected the most. While it seems like this team came together relatively recently, they all have the ability to opt out of their contracts soon, something that James and Bosh seem likely to do. Their veteran role players are also getting older and closer to retirement and Miami might have some issues replacing them. They consistently do not have enough quality depth inside with no true resolution in sight. Bosh is more likely to leave than James, although it seems likely both will stay, but either way the team will run out of ways to make constant improvements due to age and salaries, while their chief rivals will be able to catch up.

Key Decision Looming: When is the right time to end the Big Three era? Heat created their identity based on Bosh, James, and Wade, but a day will come when those three cannot lead their team to a NBA Title anymore. Wade seems to be the first one to potentially decline out of the situation, but he would also likely be the most difficult for the Heat franchise to move on from. James and Bosh also seem likely to opt out of their deals this offseason, in hopes of getting more long term money, or potentially leaving for greener pastures. Both should stay in Miami to see how many titles they can win together, but the salary associated with Wade will make it difficult to bring in more help as time goes. The new CBA will make it difficult on the Heat to continue to add to the team, but they should stick with the Big Three and allow veterans to take small deals to chase a championship.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder
Key Assets: Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson, Steven Adams, Jeremy Lamb.

Reason for Hope: They have the best young core in the NBA as Durant, Westbrook, and Ibaka are all still 25 and under. Durant is the likely heir to the best player in the NBA throne, for when LeBron begins to fade. Westbrook, when healthy, is also a top 10 player. Each of these players is still showing signs of improvement.. Thunder have also done a great job continuing to add young talent to their rotation. While Jackson, Adams, and Lamb are no James Harden, they are providing solid bench production. If they are able to bring it when it matters most, this team will continue to contend. Perry Jones III still has enough raw potential to possibly develop into a scary player off the bench, but he is a player nobody discusses.

Reason for Concern: Westbrook’s knee has been operated on three times in the last eight months. For a player that has overwhelming athletic ability, it will be interesting to see if this causes him to dramatically alter his game, and if it will affect his ability to dominate. The team is still oddly committed to Kendrick Perkins, and due to the handling of James Harden, the upcoming contract for Jackson has people wondering how the Thunder will handle it. The Thunder benefited by dominating the draft for three straight years, but now they will have to retain their stars for their full careers while having an ownership that seems unwilling to pay the luxury tax, something that could eventually cause key players to move on willingly or not be retained.

Key Decision Looming: Can they afford Jackson? Until they win a title, the Thunder will always be haunted by the handling of the Harden trade. It is not as bad as most have made it seem, as they were able to acquire Lamb and Adams, whom are not likely to ever equal Harden’s superstardom, but will be able to contribute on this team. They do have a similar situation coming up with Jackson’s contract. He proved to be a great bench player behind Westbrook, and even held his own when called upon to start with Westbrook down with injury. Luckily Perkins will eventually see his contract expire and Thunder will have to decide between paying Jackson or trading him for a pile of assets. With Westbrook’s injury concerns, having Jackson lead the bench or the starters is a must, even though it may cost the team.