Roundball Wrap-Up: Thursday March 13th

Your favorite inconsistent NBA post is back from last year!  I never really had a full grasp on how to do this blog, but I think I have figured it out. There will be similar elements from Bucks Buzz, but in reality, it will be its own post on Wednesday (Or Thursday). I do not really have a time for when it will be up but there will be all sorts of random shit I happen to come across on the Internet plus some thoughts about the week that was.

Players of the Week 
Al Jefferson - It is really nice to see Jefferson is getting credit for the season he has having this season for Charlotte. Remember when he took this contract, people expected him to just cash a check on a biweekly basis and move on. That did not happen. Jefferson had another big week for Charlotte as the Bobcats have won four of their last five games. In the last five games, Big Al is averaging five points above his average with 26 points a game. He also pulled down two double-doubles this week maintaining with his average of 10 per game. Jefferson is probably a second or third team All-Pro this season. Maybe second is a little rash, but third seems like a given.


Blake Griffin - Pretty good week for Blake. He pissed a couple people off with P.J. Tucker throwing a chicken wing at him on Monday night and Jermaine O'Neal wanting to fight him after the game. Griffin had some gaudy stat lines in the past week. He dropped 37 points against Phoenix, and then he scored 30 last night against Golden State with 15 rebounds. Are people ready to give Blake's credit? He is a top ten player in the NBA. No question about it and he may be pushing towards the top five. Doc Rivers did wonders with Griffin along with him maturing into a better player.

This week in Kevin Durant and LeBron James 
Despite two losses, KD had another big week with a 42 point performance against Houston where they needed a victory and got one. Durant also had a triple-double against Los Angeles with 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. For LeBron, Miami lost four of their last five with not many great games from LBJ in the process and the best one came in the only win against Washington with James having 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.

'I am not mad, I am disappointed' Rapper of the Week 
Lil' B - I have no idea what Kevin Durant to get himself into a diss song, but it happened as Lil B created     '---- KD' and actually it is extremely catchy as they use "Brown Paper Bag"'s beat and hook. But why do you want these problems Lil B? I hope Durant gets him at Rucker Park or Drew League and just torches him.

Team of the Week
Los Angeles Clippers - This team is truly rounding into form with a month left in the season. They are only two games back in third place in the Western Conference chasing the Thunder and Spurs but they are red hot right now winning nine of their last 10 games. In this winning streak, Los Angeles dumped Phoenix twice, Golden State, Oklahoma City and Houston. That's a pretty impressive list for a nine-game winning streak. Western Conference has four or five teams I think can truly find themselves in the NBA Finals.

Team of the Weak
Miami and Indiana - Both are still on top of Eastern Conference mountain, but what I found interesting is how both teams have lost four of their last fives. If Miami were to get hot during that point, they are back on the one seed and if Indiana had been winning games, this team is farther away from Miami than just a two game lead. They will be obviously find, but the question is will they both get hot after this or will one flounder?

Sportandfashion-news Medical Injury Report  
Anthony Bennett - He has been a little better in the last couple months, but he is now bothered by a knee injury that could put him out until April. Once again, this is another bad mark on Bennett's rookie season. If he is truly hurt and Cleveland is not set up to make a push to the playoffs, just shut down Bennett for the season.

NBA's week in Images, GIFS, Instagram, Vine, Links, anything else.
Joakim Noah as a high school girl is excellent



James Harden is a cowboy.

oh wow. RT @jennydialcreech James Harden showed up in a hat and boots after his trip to rodeo yesterday. pic.twitter.com/n4zLJ4F51z
— Holly MacKenzie (@stackmack) March 8, 2014

In other Noah news, Yannick Noah waving a finger in Chicago's win was fantastic.

Blake Griffin being a complete boss with post moves, not dunks.

Chipotle should be 24 hours
— Maurice Harkless (@moe_harkless) March 11, 2014

Truuuuu Moe Harkless.

Charlie.

The Last Leg: Western Conference

When I was in middle school I became obsessed with Led Zeppelin. They were the cock of the walk, the bee’s knees and the hands down best band of all time. I started buying their albums, I created a really shitty clay sculpture of them (I’m talking really shitty), I read the book, “Stairway to Heaven: Uncensored” (which I probably shouldn’t have read because there was juts a ton of drug and sex references littered throughout the book) and ultimately, through my obsessions with Zeppelin, I found out “How the West was won.”

40 years later in the NBA, we have no clue who is going to win the West, but there are a couple things I have been thinking about the hotly contested conference. Let’ talk final quarter people, and if you missed my final quarter thoughts on the Eastern Conference, click here.

1. KD and Russ.
I put this topic first, so before you get worn out from reading anything else I put in the body of this post, I want you to realize that Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook will be fine. They actually need each other.

Thunder dropped their first three games after Westbrook’s return, one of the games coming against Cleveland, and people just started flying off the handle. “He takes away from Durant”, “Doesn’t know his place”, “Stupid gunner” yada, yada, yada. Let us remember a few things about the NBA:

1. For Finals Contenders, regular season losses rarely matter. The season is a grind. It is six months long, and packed with 82 games before the playoffs start. Every once in a while a bad loss happens. Thunder lost three straight games, and it did not change the fact they are still indeed the one seed. However, in those three games, what happened? They let Russell work out his kinks, and they won the following three games. Let us not get hung up on February losses, thanks.

2. Kevin Durant didn’t get “worse” since Russell has gotten back. I have seen waaaayyyy too many people talking about how Russell takes away from Durant. And that ladies and gentleman, is bullshit. Let’s take a look a Kevin’s season averages and then compare them to the last 6 games since Russell has been back:

	PPG	RPG	APG	Shot Attempts
Season Averages	31.6	7.7	6.7	19.2
Averages from last 6 gms w/ Russ	34.1	7.0	6.1	22.6

So what do you see there? I see a dude that has shot and scored more, while keeping his distributing and rebounding numbers constant, since his teammate and top 10 player, Westbrook has been back. Also, in the six games, Durant scored 42 points twice and 37 points another time. His offensive numbers have not taken a “hit”. 

To me, the explanation is simple, an athlete as dynamic as Russell does nothing but take pressure off everyone else on offense. Durant got more shots, and more easy shots, since the return of his buddy Russ. Defenses can’t just 100% key in on KD anymore, because the athletic prowess of Westbrook will torch them if they turn a blind eye. A balance that is crucial for their playoff success, as documented last year when they were easily disposed by Memphis Grizzlies. Russ makes KD better. I don’t care what anyone says otherwise.

3. Take a gander back up at Durant’s stats up there. They are beautiful. To this point, they are his career’s masterpiece, and because of Durant, Thunder are the one seed. However, with the return of Russell, and the closing of the season, I would suggest Durant takes a passenger’s seat to Westbrook for the closing month and a half. Durant proved to be unstoppable this season. We all know this, and as of now, he is locked neck-and-neck in a heated MVP race. TO me though, I think it is time to choose whether he wants the MVP or playoff success.

Thunder will need Russell Westbrook to be rolling on all cylinders come May. He only played in a month or so worth of games this year and his shot is already a streaky one. At this point, while he seems to be getting acclimated just fine, I don’t think it would hurt to give him more of the reigns and really start to feel himself going into the playoffs with knowledge that Kevin Durant needs no warm up.

Westbrook was a little shaky in the first few games back, but in the last three, has looked more like himself. He averaged 21.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game, over the last three and managed to post a triple-double in his last effort. They will still win games with this strategy, albeit giving Russ the main stage would easily derail Durant’s MVP campaign.

Whatever the matter, people just need to stop hating on Russell. KD and him get along, and I think with that duo healthy, this is your Western Conference team to beat.

2. Hot in Houston
Rockets are probably the league’s hottest team right now, and on Tuesday night, beat Miami Heat en route to the their 12th victory in 14 tries. 

“Yeah, ahh, Houston, we have lift off.”

Before they beat Miami on Tuesday, I had compiled stats from the previous last 13 games and what I found was a very efficient Dwight Howard. The man has been a monster, and seems to have found his old ways. In the aforementioned stretch, he scored 22.2 points per game, pulled down 12.1 rebounds per game as well as swatting an average of two shots as well.

The 22.3 points is three above his season average of 19.0, and his muscular shoulders don’t appear to be getting weaker. To help aid him, has been who else, but the Beard also known as James Harden.

And take it from me, beards are in.

Harden has been a monster in that same stretch, and last week, he took home Western Conference Player of the Week. Over the last 14 games he averaged 27.1 points to go along with 5.9 assists per game and shot 40% from downtown. He also has shot 113 free throws, and made 99 of them.

Behind Harden and Howard, the Rockets are now the West’s three seed, and in the last month, they have beaten the Spurs, Suns, Mavericks, Wizards, and now Heat over the course of their last 14 games. They are rolling, and if Patrick Beverly and Jeremy Lin can somehow not completely fall apart in the playoffs, this could be a team that is competing into June.

3. Blinded by the Light!!
What a story in Phoenix. Before the season, the media labeled this team as a rebuilding project, a team that would not compete for years. Instead, the Suns are extremely efficient, pick-n-rolling, offensive masters. It has been fun to watch.

First credit has to be given to Jeff Hornacek, for coming into a challenging role as a rookie head coach, and getting his talent in situations where they can succeed. The Morris twins had been all but written off, but this year they have been fantastic hustle players. Same goes to Channing Frye and PJ Tucker, neither are incredible individual players, but they are specialists (Frye 3-point, Tucker hustle), and Hornacek used them that way.

Gerald Green has literally flown back on to the radar. Getting his first opportunity to start ever, and Green impressed in a major way. Averaging 15 points per game and shooting a steady 38% from downtown, Green fought his way off the bench. He had never started more then 28 games in his career, and this year he already started 42. It has been a long and rocky road for Green. So to see him achieve success serves as a great reminder that if you stick around and keep working hard, good things happen.

However, the main difference in the Desert has been the additions of Eric Bledsoe, and the emergence of Goran Dragic. Bledsoe, unfortunately had a meniscus injury and missed significant time, but the rumor is he has been practicing a little and could be something like two weeks away from a return. We should learn not to rush these guys, but I will be keeping an eye on this situation moving forward. For the season, he averaged 18 points 5.8 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. With long arms and being as athletic as he is, he quickly became a matchup problem for his NBA foes. Hopefully he can bounce back quickly.

Meanwhile, Dragic has been an absolute monster. Averaging 20.6 points per contest, while shooting 51% and doling over six assists to boot. He has been the battery pack for the Suns, and it seems everything he is setting a new career high in something. He also expanded his three point shooting, and for the season is hitting from range at a 41% clip. Easily a career high, and the first time he has topped 40% from deep. He has been a real firecracker.

What is funny is before the season, Phoenix prepared for a very long season. And had been stock-piling draft picks for the upcoming draft. Aside from their own picks, they also have Minnesota, Washington, and Indiana’s first round pick. As well as, the Lakers 2015 first round pick.

While a lot of the picks are protected, so they might not get them this year, all of them will be filtered to Phoenix at some point in time. The Lakers one is particularly hilarious because they are a team that needs all the help they can get, and they gave away three first round picks to get Steve Nash’s old body.

Basically, Suns are a competitive team, with a lot of draft day assets, and a good coach. Moving forward, this is a team worth watching.

4. The Unfair West.
In the Eastern Conference blog, I talked a little bit on tanking, and why it is a problem. Something needs to be changed, we know that, and Bill Simmons just posted a column that goes a little more in-depth if you are interested. Today, I have another suggestion that could make the NBA a better product.

Looking at the standings, it is an understatement in saying that the Western Conference is just superior to the East. The West is a fucking war zone compared to the East, aka “The Land of Patty Cakes”.

Only Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat would be good enough record wise to make the playoffs in the vaunted Western Conference. Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls would both be in the hunt for the post season, but they also would also be on the outside looking in.

Take a look at the current NBA standing by Conference. 

Eastern Conference

1. Indiana Pacers 46-15
2. Miami Heat 43-15
3. Toronto Raptors 33-26
4. Chicago Bulls 34-27
5. Washington Wizards 32-29
6. Brooklyn Nets 30-29
7. Charlotte Bobcats 28-33
8. Atlanta Hawks 26-33
9. Detroit Pistons 24-37
10. Cleveland Cavaliers 24-38
Absolute Shambles: New York Knicks 

Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 45-15
2. San Antonio Spurs 44-16
3. Houston Rockets 42-19
4. Portland Trail Blazers 42-19
5. Los Angeles Clippers 42-20
6. Golden State Warriors 38-24
7. Phoenix Suns 35-24
8. Dallas Mavericks 36-26
9. Memphis Grizzlies 34-26
10. Minnesota Timberwolves 30-30
11. Denver Nuggets 26-34
12. New Orleans 24-37

As you can see basically the entire Western Conference would be in the hunt for an Eastern Conference playoff seed. Meanwhile, teams like Minnesota and Memphis would be three to six seeds in the East are regulated to 82-game seasons, while the Heat pounds a weak franchise like the Charlotte Bobcats in the post season.

So what can be done? Logistically, only one move really makes since, and that would be moving a team like…gulp… Milwaukee, to Seattle, allowing them join the West, while simultaneously letting at least one of the eastern Western Conference teams (Minnesota, Memphis or New Orleans) move into the Eastern Conference.

Unfortunately, that moves really only satisfies one franchise, and devastates all Milwaukee Bucks fans. So my other suggestion would be, why not play out the regular season, but just take the best 16 teams record wise for the playoffs, instead of the best eight from each conference and set up an NCAA tournament style seeding and bracket.

Using this system the playoff seedings would end up looking like this:

1. Oklahoma City 46-15
2. Indiana 46-15
3. Miami 43-15
4. San Antonio 44-16
5. Houston 42-19
6. Portland 42-19
7. LA Clippers 40-20
8. Golden State 38-24
9. Phoenix 35-25
10. Dallas 36-26
11. Memphis 34-26
12. Toronto 33-26
13. Chicago 34-27
14. Washington 32-29
15. Brooklyn 30-29
16. Minnesota 30-30

With this format, just eliminated slums like Atlanta and Charlotte from the playoffs. Added good teams like Memphis and Minnesota, and created the possibility for entertaining cross conference playoff rivalries.

Houston could be battling Miami in an unprecedented second round match up. We could watch a first round coaching battle of Pop vs Thibs. In future years, you could possibly watch the Heat play the Pacers in the finals or Harden going back to OKC to try and beat his old cronies for the title.

I think that this format could be fun. And who says no to simply letting all the best regular season teams (instead of just some of them) get a chance to play for a championship? This is something that needs to be thought about in great depth, because I don’t really feel like watching the Hawks vs. Pacers first round matchup, and honestly, I would love for K Love to finally get in the playoffs.

He deserves to get in there once during his time in Minnesota.

You reach, I teach,

~Andrew 

Roundball Wrap-Up: Wednesday March 5th

Your favorite inconsistent NBA post is back from last year!  I never really had a full grasp on how to do this blog, but I think I have figured it out. There will be similar elements from Bucks Buzz, but in reality, it will be its own post on Wednesday (Or Thursday). I do not really have a time for when it will be up but there will be all sorts of random shit I happen to come across on the Internet plus some thoughts about the week that was.

Players of the Week 
LeBron James - What a massive statement for LeBron in the last 10 games. He is getting the extended player of the week as James is averaging nearly 33 points a game along with being 52 percent from three and shooting over 60 percent from the field. Do you think James was a little pissed off at the hype Kevin Durant was getting? I bet LeBron reads Sportandfashion-news and sick and tired of seeing 'This week in Kevin Durant' therefore we are adding LBJ to the mix. James' strong play has become the difference in propelling the Heat winning the last eight of 10. I am happy this is a friendly rivalry and LeBron is taking over becoming more selfish because he damn well can whenever he wants due to being the best in the world.

Kevin Love - We should have given Love this honor last week, and I did not so this is my apology. Love had a massive February and it did not stop in March. He put 33 points and 19 rebounds against Denver on Monday dominating the Nuggets as well as getting a win against Sacramento where Love flirted with a triple-double with 22 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. The last time Love did not have a double-double where he played in the game was January 27th against Chicago. If Minnesota finds themselves in the playoffs, Love deserves to get some MVP votes. I do not know expect him to win it, but he is more than deserving right now.

This week in Kevin Durant
After Oklahoma City lost three straight, they have won three straight beating the likes of Memphis, Charlotte and Philadelphia. Durant disposed of Philadelphia with 42 points and nine rebounds. He also added 37 points against the Grizzlies which is like scoring 50 on most defenses.

'I am not mad, I am disappointed' Owner of the Week
Mark Cuban -  Cubes thinks the D-League would be a better option than the NCAA. I disagree. What's broken is the fact guys only have to stay for a year. They honestly need to have a baseball system where either high school is the choice or two or three years in college. One-and-Done is broken. If you do not know believe it, look what's happening at Kentucky basketball.

Team of the Week
Chicago Bulls - Being a neighbor from the south, you typically do not root for Chicago. Honestly, I like the Bulls when they are not playing Milwaukee. It is hard not to like Tom Thibodeau and respect what he does with the little talent he has on the roster. What if he had a team full of stars, could he make them a 65 win team? I am dead serious about that question too. Bulls are fourth in the Eastern Conference and pushing towards the third spot. People do not want to face Chicago in the playoffs, and they are hot as of late winning their last 10 of 12 games.

Team of the Weak
Denver Nuggets - It is time Denver embraces the tank. Their entire team is injured and lost their last 14 of 17 games which is bailed out by a short two game winning streak against Los Angeles and Milwaukee in early February. Nuggets need to just shut it down and try to get as high of a draft pick as humanly possible. If the Nuggets could add a Marcus Smart to their team, they become instantly better with the wealth of good talent they are already have on this team whom all currently sitting on the bench or not playing right now. At least Ty Lawson blew up Corey Brewer's ankles. (h/t @cjzero)



Sportandfashion-news Medical Injury Report  
Kevin Garnett - Tonight will be the third straight game where Garnett is missing for back spasms. Should this concern you are a Brooklyn fan? Absolutely. Garnett always had some issues with his back in recent years, and it appears to be acting up on him again. This could be damaging news for Brooklyn and their playoff hopes if Garnett battles back injury for the rest of the year.

NBA's week in Images, GIFS, Instagram, Vine, Links, anything else. 


This young Knicks fan is the greatest.  



John Wall did a step over on Kyle Lowry, respect. (H/T @Truth_About_It)

Check out @StephensonLance's 'Sir Lance A Lent' @and1basketball Aqua Mid PEs for tonight: http://t.co/KgJ9UdOQw3 pic.twitter.com/MUBykuAbjr
— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) March 4, 2014

Lance Stephenson's Mardi Gras shoes last night. First, they are great. Second, I did not know AND1 still made shoes for NBA players.

Charlie. 

Tapping The Keg Episode 78

Mitch and Charlie doing their usual podcast thing today where many topics are discussed. It begins withCharlie's review of the Krewella concert at The Rave on Saturday evening. The sports talk begins with Milwaukee Bucks with all of the old players coming back, and why Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is selfishly looking at this team. We also discuss the Bucks strong play of late. Topic stays with NBA where LeBron James v. Kevin Durant, and everything else going on in the NBA. It continues to Major League Baseball about why Spring Training should not be taken that seriously. We finish up with Packers free agency talk along with March Madness and a little bit of NHL trade deadline talk.

Mitch and Charlie.

Roundball Wrap-Up: Wednesday February 26th

Your favorite inconsistent NBA post is back from last year!  I never really had a full grasp on how to do this blog, but I think I have figured it out. There will be similar elements from Bucks Buzz, but in reality, it will be its own post on Wednesday (Or Thursday). I do not really have a time for when it will be up but there will be all sorts of random shit I happen to come across on the Internet plus some thoughts about the week that was.

Players of the Week 
James Harden - We had Houston take the Team of the Week before the All-Star game, but Harden is right now playing like a top five player in the NBA. Sure, he cannot play defense, but it is the perfect recipe for him as he can let guys go in the lane and see Dwight Howard whom has reverted back to 'Good Dwight.' Harden been impressive in the last couple games including his 43 point performance last night where 40 of his points came before the five minute mark in the third quarter. Since the All-Star Break, Harden is averaging 33.5 points per game and shooting 50.6 from the field. If Houston finds themselves to be the one seed in the Western Conference, Harden deserves some consideration for MVP. I do not think he deserves it, but man, he had quite the year with the Rockets. This is a dangerous team.

Carmelo Anthony - If you listen to The Solid Verbal, they had a thing going with Nick Foles when he played in college called 'Nick Foles in a losing effort.' I think it is time we need to create 'Carmelo Anthony in a losing effort.' The Knicks are putrid, but Melo is anything, but. In the last four games, Carmelo is averaging 41.5 points a game. FORTY POINTS A GAME. The man is out of his mind right now and also 53.1 percent from the field. In two of those games, Carmelo made six or more threes as well along with grabbing multiple rebounds. People are forgetting how good Melo has been this season because the Knicks are so goddamn bad. If New York was a three seed and Carmelo put up these numbers, I think there is a discussion for MVP.

This week in Kevin Durant
Not really much to report about KD as he only played two games since the All-Star Break and Oklahoma City lost both games. Durant had gaudy numbers against Los Angeles Clippers in a shootout going for 42 points and 10 assists, but that's about it. KD's assist numbers are definitely something to keep an eye on.

'I am not mad, I am disappointed' Player of the Week
Raymond Felton - New York is a complete mess as noted in the Melo graph, but Ray Felton made it worse with getting arrested for waving his gun around at his probable ex-wife. I guess despite New York City's tough gun laws, Felton will not be seriously charged like Plaxico Burress or Lil Wayne, but still this is yet another stain for New York. To make matters worse, Felton will start tonight for New York. I do not really think I am putting Felton in the lineup after catching a gun charge, might want to wait a couple days, see how things play out.

Team of the Week
Charlotte Bobcats - HERE COMES THE CATS. Charlotte has won five of their last six games and found themselves in the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference with four games under .500. They are only a half game out of the sixth seed. Bobcats beat Memphis in an impressive victory last night being led by Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has become one of the better defenders in the league, and this team could at least frustrate a team in the first round. Although poor Charlotte as their next four games is a three-game road trip against San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Miami with coming home to face Indiana.

Team of the Weak
Atlanta Hawks - I do not think people are realizing how bad Atlanta has been for the month of February. They began the month with a win and a 25-21 record. Since then, they have won a single game and now four games under .500 being the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference right now. They are giving a ton of points right now. In five of their losses, Atlanta gave up 105 points or more which is not good whatsoever. In Atlanta's defense, they have played Indiana twice, Chicago twice and Toronto once which they lost all those games. It could be Atlanta just is not very good.

Sportandfashion-news Medical Injury Report  
Iman Shumpert - There was some talk that Shump would have been on the move to Oklahoma City but New York did not want to give him up for a first-round pick which is bizarre, but okay. Shumpert turned around and hurt his knee putting him out until early March. Somehow the Knicks found a way to dominate a Roundball Wrap-up with being 10 games under .500. I am sorry folks, not a ton of injuries, Felton being a dumbass and Melo playing well. I do not make the rules here.

NBA's week in Images, GIFS, Instagram, Vine, Links, anything else. 

Honestly, I do not like to encourage Heat fans, but I found this kid hilarious.



Thomas Robinson had the block of the year.



Brad Stevens get the most calm ejection of all-time. Honestly, I have no idea what he did wrong there.



DIRKUS CIRCUS STRIKES AGAIN.  

RT @HoustonRockets: @JHarden13 addresses media wearing the latest in a recent series of amazing shirts. #FlowerPower pic.twitter.com/BnAQJTTYdG
— Chris Herring (@HerringWSJ) February 24, 2014

It appears James Harden has stole my Grandma's couch.

Charlie. 

This Ain't Your Father's NBA

I love the NBA as much as anyone, but I've been needing to rant about its current state.

I've been thinking a lot lately about how bad of a league the NBA is at the moment and this past All-Star Weekend pretty much confirmed my thoughts and perhaps took my concerns to a whole new level. 

All-Star Weekend, for all intents and purposes, was a dud. 

The Rising Stars game on Friday night was just as bad as the celebrity game that came before it in terms of effort and defense. Then, Saturday night, The "Shooting Stars" competition was a waste of time, as usual, and the skills course was over before it began with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Demar DeRozan being eliminated in a heart beat. DeRozan pretty much lolligagged through the course while Giannis showed some competitive spirit. Giannis missed a couple times while trying to pass the ball through the hole but DD crawling through the course was really costly. Again, this shows a lack of effort.

I can't believe I'm going to say this, but the dunk contest has nearly jumped the shark entirely. The format this year was ridiculous and it seems to get more and more redundant each year. In the recent contestants' defense, some that have come before have set the bar so high, that it's tough to live up to some of these dunks (see Vince Carter below). There's only so much a human being can do, and a lot of it has been done.

Vinsanity in the 2000 Dunk Contest:

John Wall had a nifty dunk that won the competition but it was pretty boring. What needs to happen is the superstars of the NBA need to swallow their pride and enter the competition, I'm looking at you "King" James. 

If the NBA could roll out a dunk contest with names like James, Blake Griffin and Dwight Howard, it would be a little more exciting. Back in the '80s and '90s, Michael Jordan, Julius Erving and Dominique Wilkins were dunk contest regulars. These days, we can say that Jeremy Evans, Gerald Green and Fred Jones have more dunk contest titles than LeBron James.

The three-point shootout might have been the coolest part of the weekend, having the largest presence of contestants that are actually known for this skill. Steph Curry, Damian Lillard and Kevin Love are all superstars who are known for their ability to shoot from deep. Marco Belinelli, of all people, ended up winning the contest but there was a bit of drama and guys wanted to compete.

Having said all that, I understand All-Star Weekend is basically a big party for everyone involved, but it was still disheartening and segways into what I really wanted to get into: everyone in the NBA is buddy-buddy.

I recently listened to a BS Report (the podcast hosted by ESPN's Bill Simmons) featuring Dominique Wilkins, the Human Highlight Film. Simmons asked him a series of questions about his playing days, among other things, and Wilkins said something that really stuck with me when asked about his relationship with other stars in the league. 

The Human Highlight Film

I'm paraphrasing here but it was something to the effect of:

"In the offseason, we'd go out to California to hang out with Magic Johnson and play but during the season, I didn't like those guys."

He just came across as your typical old school athlete and now, it's like NBA players are more concerned about their social status across the league and updating their Instagram account than they are with beating their opponents. 

The collegiate product has become much more enjoyable for fans of the game of basketball, complete with passing, than the NBA game where it's almost encouraged to play hero ball and "swag" your way to 30 points on 9-28 shooting and several free throws on superstar treatment.

Speaking of "superstar treatment," this is another problem with today's NBA. It probably happened back in 'Nique's day as well but it truly is one of the more annoying things in the game. Guys who are much better than the guy guarding them, get anything and everything called in favor of them. 

This phenomenon also typically applies to large market or more marketable teams, which drives fans of small market teams out of their minds. I've probably beaten this one to death but the easiest example of this was the Kings-Lakers 2002 Western Conference finals, when the Kings' big men were called for so many ticky-tack fouls and it took most of them out of the game with foul trouble. The Kings were left with Lawrence Funderburke (6'9" 230 pound PF) to guard Shaquille O'Neal (7'1" 325 pound C). In case you hadn't guessed, Shaq did well with that matchup.

I think that if guys get back to playing with some grit and determination for every minute of every game, we can get the product back to where it once was. 

With David Stern stepping out of the NBA commissioner's office for good, things may have a better chance of balancing out. 

Maybe I'm just jaded from a season where everyone is tanking because the 2014 Draft has been touted for several years as being one of the best in a while. This has watered down the product because no one wants to be on the mediocrity tread mill (right Herb?) to be the whipping boy for the Heat and Pacers, among others, in the first round of the playoffs. More often than not, a team has to bottom out before they can compete for a championship in the future. 

The Eastern Conference is horrific and the conference finals are all but decided. I honestly think that everyone in the East, outside of the Pacers and Heat (and Knicks and Nets because they don't have a first round pick), will try to lose as many games as possible for draft positioning. Luckily for us, the Bucks are so bad that they are pretty much going to finish with the worst record no matter what, guaranteeing them a top four pick.

I'm hoping next year can be the start of a new competitive NBA but I really have no reason to believe that will be the case.

There are some guys that you can tell are ultra-competitive. Guys like Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and even LeBron, to some extent, have a cutthroat mentality and a killer instinct. Giannis even shows his desire to win and an emotional competitiveness that the Bucks have been missing probably since Andrew Bogut was traded two years ago.

Obviously, the team isn't winning as much as he'd like but you can just tell, he can be the emotional leader of this team as they grow. However, the league as a whole has lost a lot of that competitive spirit and I want nothing more than to get it back.

Adam Silver wants the NBA to compete with the NFL in popularity. He's got a long way to go but to get anywhere near it, he needs to find a way to get as much competitive balance as he can. The "Big 3" in Miami has hurt the Association, in my opinion. They're (were) a super team that most teams have no chance to beat because of the Heat's sheer talent.

The NBA in general has five to seven teams that are really competing for a championship and the rest of the league are nothing more than the Washington Generals, if you will, and just fodder for the great teams.

To fix this, I think something needs to be done with both the playoff format and the draft format, more so the playoff format. If they could go to a six team format, like the NFL, more of the teams that actually make the playoffs have a chance of advancing. Having over half the league make the playoffs is pretty pointless and in a horrible Eastern conference, you end up with teams under the .500 in the postseason.

They've got to find a way to make the draft have a little less incentive for tanking. I don't think you can ever fully eliminate tanking because one guy can change a team's fortunes so much so you'll always get a team or two looking for that kind of impact in the draft. I can't think of anything that could truly work off the top of my head that I really believe would help as everything I do dream up, I can also shoot down.

Guys that get paid (a lot) to think about this should be able to figure it out. In the meantime, we have to suffer with 38-44 teams like the '12-'13 Milwaukee Bucks taking on the indestructible Miami Heat that never even let the Bucks have a lead in the brief four game series.

I'll stop there. I'm sure I'll revisit a lot of these ideas over time.

10 Things to Watch for NBA's Final Two Months

With the NBA season turning the final corner, we need to look at some of the storylines that might be heavily involved in the final two months. There are a lot of them plus since I am sucker, I make my predictions on what might happen this season.  

Could Philadelphia out-tank Milwaukee? - Everyone will find this weird, but I keep having flashbacks of the Milwaukee Brewers closing out the season with a strong final month and ensuring they would not get a top five draft pick. I do not think it will happen with Milwaukee, but Philly is bad right now plus they will get worse when the trade deadline rolls along.  Personally, it is down to these two teams for the worst record in the league, and it is not even close.

Andrew Bynum with the Pacers - The much-maligned center will likely make his debut with the team in the coming weeks, and from all that being said by their players, Indiana does not feel it will be a problem. Given what we found out about Cleveland, Bynum got off the hook a little bit for his antics with how dysfunctional everything was there to begin with even though Bynum is not completely there. With the team and the coaches around him, I have a feeling Bynum will flourish with this squad.

Russell Westbrook with the new KD - Let's face it, Kevin Durant is a different player than he was when the season started. Durant became the definite leader of this team. With Russell Westbrook back on Thursday, are we sure he will be okay with all of this?  Remember Russ can be a type of player that tries to do too much costing his team and freezing out Durant late in the game. I feel like these two have such a good working relationship that this will not be an issue, but one little dispute and the media will be all over their asses.

Trade deadline deals - I do not believe Pau Gasol, Carmelo Anthony or Rajon Rondo will get moved this week. Those are the big three that people are going into ESPN's Trade Machine and trying to figure out how they fit on their squad.  I do think Philadelphia will deal one or two of their players whether it be Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes or others. Milwaukee should move a piece or two with all their available veterans. Brandon Bass from Boston is probably elsewhere by Thursday.

Will Giannis make a case for Rookie of the Year? - Looking at the rookie crop and there are not many great players with the ability to snag Rookie of the Year. You would probably say Victor Oladipo and Michael Carter-Williams are the favorites at this point. If Giannis Antetokounmpo comes through with a big March and April, will he garner some votes?  Probably because he would need to be special almost every time he went  on the court.

How the Eastern Conference will play out  - In a weird way, I find the Eastern Conference more fascinating than the Western Conference because truly anything can happen.  There are four possibly five teams vying for the three seed right now along with others whom are multiple games under .500 slotted into playoff spots. It is a great heaping bag of mediocrity after Indiana and Miami. Although those two teams will be battling out to see what team gets the top spot to see who will take homecourt advantage for the entire playoffs.

Kyrie Irving and Cleveland  - This does not always happen but after a guy comes up big in an All-Star, it translates into a strong stretch of games for him. Cavs need to make a push at some point. They need to get their shit together and throw their name in the hat for one of the bottom seeds in the Eastern Conference. Despite how poorly the Cavs have played this season, they are only three games back of the eighth seed. It is possible they could sneak in there. Even though, I have someone else at the eight seed, I could see Cavs getting hot for a couple weeks.

Kevin Durant and LeBron James going boxscore for boxscore - These players are in separate conferences, but at the same time, everybody is putting both of these guys on a pedestal. Durant's comments on LeBron over the weekend tells me he wants this MVP to escape from LeBron's shadow. KD is sick and tired of it and wants to make a difference. But then there are reminders like last Wednesday night where James reminds the world he is the best player in the world and will be making a run at the MVP crown. It should be great when these two square off on Thursday night.

Playoff Predictions - Eastern Conference - 1. Indiana,  2. Miami,  3. Toronto  4. Washington  5. Chicago  6. Brooklyn  7. Atlanta  8. New York

Playoff Predictions - Western Conference  - 1. Oklahoma City, 2. Houston  3. LA Clippers  4. San Antonio 5. Portland  6. Golden State  7. Dallas  8. Phoenix.

Charlie.

Dunk Contest Disaster

Like the end of my first relationship with a rude and swift stomach punch, NBA Dunk Contest ended abruptly and without emotion. Boos echoed down from the “Smoothie Center” rafters, as the players stood awkwardly around Nick Cannon. This was not the ending that anyone was looking for to fire them up before heading out on a Saturday evening.

We can all agree the ending of the Dunk Contest was a giant, horrific scab on the face of an otherwise successful first All-Star Saturday for the new NBA commissioner, Adam Silver. The event has been under scrutiny, as interest in the dunk contest seems to rise and fall yearly. Dunk Contest used to be the pinnacle of the weekend. Winning it absolutely meant something for the winner and his team. At its best, winning the Dunk Contest cemented a legacy for the individual. It was a competitive event showcasing athleticism that doubled as bragging rights for your team.

But that's like your Grandpa telling you a story, 'Back in my day, the dunk contest meant something.' Superstars today don’t feel the same pressure Dominique Wilkins and Michael Jordan felt to win the award, and coupled with the fact it is harder now to impress people with dunks than it was in the early 90's. An NBA player cannot use the same dunk that someone else did in years prior. That unspoken rule did not apply 25 years ago. Twice, Jordan won the contest with his own variation of the free throw line dunk. Last year, former New York Knicks forward James White could have done his between the legs dunk from the free throw line and still lost. Most of the dunks that happen in today’s event, would seem borderline incomprehensible when this event was super in its heyday. Dunk creativity has skyrocketed, and this new reality has definitely hurt how people perceive today's contest. Often negatively.

Another common knock on the All-Star weekend is how buddy-buddy the league has gotten, a perfect example of how AAU has improved league camaraderie while simultaneously making the pundits argue the game has gone soft. Whatever the matter, there is no denying that tempers don’t flare and bodies don’t fly quite like they did in the 80’s and 90’s. When you talk to any NBA fan, it was those decades seeming to warrant the most amount of respect from the casual fan. Fair or unfair, that is the level of nasty competitiveness, people seem to be looking for.

For All-Star Weekend, NBA decided to add more of a competitive flair to things in an attempt to revive Saturday in an effort to pit the East vs. West. In a season that injuries have stolen players like Derrick Rose, Kobe Bryant and Russell Westbrook, the regular season thankfully been saved by the individual greatness of LeBron James and Kevin Durant. As the media has carefully orchestrated a way from these two friends to have bad blood, their fictional rivalry would serve as a perfect parallel for the new All-Star format. LeBron Vs. Durant. East vs. West.Whatever the case, it was clear to me the league is trying to bring back any semblance of bad blood to help boost ratings. And honestly, I am all on board for that plan. The new format did not bothering me one bit. In fact, I thought it was working. I found myself cheering a little harder then usual. But then the Dunk Contest happened....

The Freestyle round was different, but unique. I had not seen that before, and thankfully, they let the Eastern Conference team of Paul George, John Wall and Terrence Ross trot out there first. They were eloquent, barely missed any dunks, and put on a show. Did I have a problem with the way it was graded with three NBA legends holding up East or West? Yes, but at least for this part of the night, grading did not bring to question any doubt within the competition, because the East team showed up, and showed out.

Unfortunately, the end of the first round also is when the door can start to swing open to criticism. The grading system sucked, as my buddy Ryan texted me, “I want a mutha f$%#$ score out of 10”.  He could not be more right. Again, I enjoyed the East vs. West moniker, but why not just still rate every dunk and then take averages and have that serve as the decider? That would work just fine, right? America likes numbers. We don’t care that TNT can afford iPads, and only the really stoned ones watching forgot which player was in the Eastern and Western Conference. So we don’t need to vote that way. NBA taking away one of the key cornerstones in the dunk contest is a massive oversight. 

And of course, the judging was just the first complaint. My next one although smaller, is to please rid the event of props. I don’t need to see a “knighting” ceremony led by Shaquille O’Neal, because simply jumping over him will speak for itself. I don’t need Drake coming out with a backwards snapback, because that can arguable lose Damian Lillard a chance at winning his “Dunk Off”. DeMar DeRozen, who I feel is the leagues best dunker, declared a few years back that he would not participate in the event again until the props are dropped, and quite frankly, he is right on the money. Terrance Ross won the Dunk Contest last year, not using props. Athleticism is all we want to see as fans.

Which brings us back to the start. The slap in the face. The punch in the gut. The fact we did not get a final round. It was tragic. Fans and players alike were duped, as we all waited for the final round. The winners of the round two “challenges” were supposed to have a final round to declare the real winner. But the NBA had other plans. And we all lost.

And we all watched the Drake Sprite Commercial.

If it wouldn’t have been for such an unfortunate ending, I wouldn’t have been forced to write this, but we were all cheated. Everything the league pushes on to us is that this is a competition worth watching. Dominique said it like 55 goddamn times. But on Saturday night, the dunk contest was a waste of my time. We did not get to see who really won. John Wall was voted winner, but I’m not even sure. They never showed me a graphic. Graphics are an easy part of the business, and something should have been produced. Nick Cannon stumbled through the award ceremony with everyone in a state of confusion.

As an NBA advocate, it embarrassed me. And I hope next year, East vs. West moniker aside, they don’t short us a round of competition because nobody has time for that. This format needs to be changed. If they don’t figure it out, the precious viewers they seek will diminish, and the only savior would be finding a way for LeBron and KD to square off.  

I have confidence something will happen. I am not saying those two powerhouses will square off, but something will draw us back next year.

I  hope that something is getting graded out of 10.

May the wind be at your back,

~Andrew 

Roundball Wrap-Up: Wednesday February 12th

H/T @jose3030

Your favorite inconsistent NBA post is back from last year!  I never really had a full grasp on how to do this blog, but I think I have figured it out. There will be similar elements from Bucks Buzz, but in reality, it will be its own post on Wednesday (Or Thursday). I do not really have a time for when it will be up but there will be all sorts of random shit I happen to come across on the Internet plus some thoughts about the week that was.

Players of the Week 
Joakim Noah - It was a weird week for 'good performances.' I mean George Hill had one of the best games out of the week. I will give to Noah whom put together two nice efforts against Los Angeles Lakers and Atlanta Hawks. He nearly had two triple-doubles this week as he notched eleven assists twice, both were season-high for Noah, and one, notched him a triple-double against Atlanta. I do not think people realize how good of a rebounder he has been this season. In 22 of the last 24 games, Noah pulled down at least 10 rebounds with the two games missing were one, Noah got ejected and the other, he did not play. Since December, there are only six games where Noah had less than 10 rebounds. People like to diss him and talk about how he is annoying, Noah having a great year.

Blake Griffin - Big time week for Blake heading into All-Star Game. Remember when Andrew wrote a piece about changing his opinion on Blake? I saw some national reporters writing things similar. I have a weird sneaky feeling Griffin might be the story from All-Star Sunday. I could definitely see him taking home the All-Star Game MVP with a big performance turning the heads of people whom think he is just a 'dunker' and 'flashy player.' Griffin is doing it in all facets of the game. He had a big week including a 43 point, 15 rebound effort against Miami last Wednesday. Blake is averaging 23.9 which is nearly two points higher than his career number, and some of that, might have to do with him shooting 70 percent from the line versus his career 63 percent. He is having a great season.

This week in Kevin Durant
Ho hum. Durant nearly gets a triple-double against New York with 41 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. He follows it up with a 36 points and 10 rebounds against Portland last night. Durant is continuing to be the king of the castle. Here are more Durant facts for you to gnaw on. That's just silly and why he is the MVP of the league at the All-Star Break.

Kevin Durant scores 35+ points for 15th time this season; next 2 players on list have combined for 13 such games. pic.twitter.com/PJwbsgHZ26
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 12, 2014

'I am not mad, I am disappointed' Player of the Week
Not having Pierre The Pelican Jokes - Well we still might have them, but Pierre is going under reconstruction in the coming days because he supposedly 'hurt his beak' during a pick-up basketball game. Well, first it is silly to have birds play basketball. Second, New Orleans did this to avoid getting slaughtered on social media this weekend with Pierre being involved with all the All-Star festivities. I just want to make easy, lay-up jokes. Hopefully, he will still look like a creepy bird.

Team of the Week
Houston Rockets - Here come the Rockets! A team people expected to be pretty good this season is suddenly hot before heading to the All-Star Break. They have won their last six games. Further, Houston has won 12 of their last 15 games. They are six back from the top spot in the Western Conference, and only two games back from the second seed. Dwight Howard is playing his ass off whether you like him or not, and I believe Jeremy Lin can make a case for Sixth Man of the Year.

Team of the Weak
Philadelphia 76ers - I think they are the only team to make Team of the Weak twice, but I have to give it to the Sixers. They officially arrived to the Tanksville, USA by getting absolutely beaten down by Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors in two of the most embarrassing losses in regular season NBA history. They only have 15 wins on the year currently six games ahead of Milwaukee, but it really seems like they have just given up. That's okay to mail it in, but at least look competitive for three quarters if you can.

Sportandfashion-news Medical Injury Report  
Andrew Bogut - Not much, but he will be out for the Miami game on Wednesday plus Bogut told reporters he needs a cortisone shot in his shoulder. That does not sound good. Bogut has all sorts of shoulder problems, and if this trend continues, Golden State could have some issues inside. I would be curious if they make a trade for a big man just in case Bogut's shoulder is not stable.

NBA's week in Images, GIFS, Instagram, Vine, Links, anything else. 


It has been awhile since we had a mean LeBron dunk.

Finally saw the winning run of @Maria Amazing. Does bob costas have pink eye?
— Dirk Nowitzki (@swish41) February 11, 2014

Dirk with expert on analysis on Bob Costas.



Featuring our player of the week with Blake Griffin and our team of the weak, Philadelphia 76ers.

Charlie.  

Tank for Thon Maker

This went viral over the weekend as the world outside of the college basketball recruiting world were introduced to Thon Maker, a 7'1 high school sophomore. He has all the skill in the world. He can take it to the lane as well as hit deep threes. Maker looks great handling the ball, and obviously, he can block shots with the best of them.  The comparison will be Kevin Durant who ius 6'10 and Giannis Antetokounmpo who is 6'10-6'11, with an opportuntity to grow even more. I see a lot of Kevin Garnett comps as well but he never had a handle like Maker. I worried about that with Giannis, but after watching Maker at 7'1 doing things Giannis can do on the court, it makes me feel more confident if he kept growing. Trying to think about how a team stops in college basketball or the NBA is damn near impossible. The only concern would be if he can stay healthy with his legs and feet. Always a worry with big men no matter their skill set.

Charlie.

Roundball Wrap-Up: Wednesday February 5th

Your favorite inconsistent NBA post is back from last year!  I never really had a full grasp on how to do this blog, but I think I have figured it out. There will be similar elements from Bucks Buzz, but in reality, it will be its own post on Wednesday (Or Thursday). I do not really have a time for when it will be up but there will be all sorts of random shit I happen to come across on the Internet plus some thoughts about the week that was.

Players of the Week 
Al Jefferson - Big Al might have gotten snubbed from an All-Star spot, and he is playing like one right now as his last five games have been impressive to say the least as Charlotte is on a west coast road trip. Jefferson had 30 plus points in four of their last five games along with 10 or more rebounds in all of those games. Big Al's crowing achievement this week happened against Los Angeles Lakers where he had 40 points with 18 rebounds in a road win for Charlotte. He is a physical force playing efficiently shooting well over 50 percent in those games as well. It will be interesting to see if Jefferson gets an opportunity at an All-Star berth if a few players drop out.

Kevin Love - Death. Taxes. and Kevin Love filling up the box scores. What a week for this guy. The last two games against Atlanta and Los Angeles Lakers have featured big stat dumps by Love with 43 points and 19 rebounds versus the Hawks in a losing effort. Then last night, Minnesota defeated the Lakers with Love going for 31 points and 17 rebounds. In 10 of Love's last eleven, he had more than 10 rebounds meaning he is continuing his tear as a double-double machine. Like Jefferson, he had 30 or more points in four of his last five games. Love justified why he deserves to be a starter at the All-Star Game next year. Also worth noting, Love's last 30-15 night was pretty special...

Crazy stat of the day: Kevin Love posted his 25th career 30-Pt, 15-Reb game breaking Kevin Garnett's T-Wolves record - in 582 fewer games.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 5, 2014

This week in Kevin Durant
After a great performance against Miami where Durant kept his 30-plus point scoring streak alive, it came to an end in a win against Brooklyn. Durant said 'it felt good to not have that pressure' meaning KD was pretty sick of everyone talking about how he was playing on a nightly basis. In January, Durant was the first player since Michael Jordan in 1987 with at least 550 points and 90 assists in a month. Only four other players have done it in a month. He also had 31 points, eight rebounds and assists in a win against Memphis. Oklahoma City as a team is still red hot despite their loss to Washington over the weekend.

'I am not mad, I am disappointed' Player of the Week
Mike Dunleavy and Boogie Cousins - What exactly is the point at poking the bear that is Boogie Cousins. These two have apparent beef, and it appears like we need a good ole fashion brawl between the two guys to settle things. Cousins called Dunleavy a 'clown' after Sacramento's blowout win against Chicago on Monday night. Dunleavy pulled a seventh grade move and replied with 'He's the one that's a clown.' The classic 'I know you are but what am I?!' move from Dunleavy. If you guys are mad at each other, throw down on the court, not through the media.

Team of the Week
Memphis Grizzlies - Even though the Grizz fell to Oklahoma City this week, they have won eleven of their last 13 games pushing towards a playoff spot as they are one game back from Dallas for the eighth spot. It is still very early for the playoffs, but it feels like Memphis is rounding into form. Mike Conley's injury is not as serious as some people believed when it happened last Friday as he will only miss a week. I had my concerns with Memphis regarding the make up of their team, but it appears they have figured out how to make all work efficiently which is a good sign for the future.

Team of the Weak
Cleveland Cavaliers - Remember when this team traded for Luol Deng, and everyone thought they would make a push towards the playoff? This has not happened with the Cavs as they dropped their last five games and lost eight of their last 10 games. There were rumors about Kyrie Irving wanting out of Cleveland as well not making this losing streak any easier on the team. It is evident there is an issue with this game whether it is the front office, players or the lack of coaching. With the bad Eastern Conference bottom half, Cleveland is not completely dead, but they need to improve on their 5-20 road record if they want to put themselves back into contention.

Sportandfashion-news Medical Injury Report  
Nate Robinson - He is done for the year with a knee injury which adds to mounting injury problems for Denver. Robinson is instant offense, and a great bench compliment to Ty Lawson. He will now be shelved along with Danillo Gallinari and JaVale McGee on this Denver team. Weirdly enough, you would think Andre Miller might get a chance, but that does not look like it's happening as Brian Shaw is going with a two point guard situation with Randy Foye and Lawson starting for them.

This Week in GIFs, Vines, Tweets, Instagrams, Videos, Links, Pictures and anything else

Randy Foye hit a game-winner on Monday that was tremendous. (H/T @JDonSports)



J.R Smith crosses over Anthony Bennett and throws it down.



Joakim Noah is upset. This might shock you but he was ejected and fined after this tirade.

If you somehow missed Tony Parker's free throw from last week, worth the view and if you have seen it, always helps to laugh again. (Barstool Sports: Chicago) 

Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James: A Reaction of Sorts

It has been a very interesting NBA season thus far. We lost a plethora of stars (Kobe Bean, Russ Westbrook, Al Horford, Eric Bledsoe, Derrick Rose, Andrew Bynum, kidding! A lot of Marc Gasol, etc.). We endured what was one of the worst starts ever for an entire conference[1]. A start that has thankfully turned around kind of (see footnote 1), but most notably, we have Kevin Durant and LeBron James.

And we need to be thankful for that. These are Durant and James numbers so far this season. 

Kevin Durant	Head-to-Head	LeBron James
31.3	PPG	26.0
5.2	APG	6.5
7.8	RPG	6.9
51%	FG%	57.9%
31.1	PER	28.3

(Bold numbers denotes career high)

Looking at the stats, there is no question as to whose year it has been thus far halfway through the NBA season. Durant has career highs in points, assists, tied for his best FG% and by far his best PER rating, at 31.1[2]. He upped his defensive intensity, averaging a combined 2.4 steals and blocks per game. And he is doing it without Westbrook. Durant has simply been on a tear, currently riding a hot streak of 12-straight games with 30 or more points (Passing Michael Jordan in the process).

And last night, KD finally got LeBron again. It had been a while (the ’11-’12 NBA Finals was the last time the Thunder beat the Heat in a basketball game) and the elation KD’s face showed afterwards made it seem like Oklahoma City put their exclamation point on that statement they have been making throughout Durant's hot streak beating teams like Portland, Golden State, Houston, San Antonio and now Miami. Durant is working very hard to knock the “second fiddle” label, and step out of LeBron’s enormous shadow as LeBron’s equal[3], and by all accounts, he has done it this year.

As I watched the game last night, and more so KD splashing home deep three after deep three in LeBron’s face, the thought that this man could quite possibly be a better basketball player than James went through my head. Something that I did not think was really possible. But his size and length, and touch, and overall really-coolness make it seem possible and it’s really cool for basketball fans.

The other thing that is really cool was after watching LeBron’s postgame interview; I got the sense the large amount of KD Love genuinely annoyed  him. Not so much in a personal attack of KD, because it is known all to well that theses guys like each other and work out and whatever all that bullshit amounts to in the large scheme of things. It is more so the fact that LeBron received a lot of hate for never winning a title, and was relentlessly reminded of his shortcomings as a professional leading to him basically being left out of the “best in the game” discussion until he got his ring. KD, on the other hand, has received little to no criticism because he is a little less arrogant[4], and did not back stabbed an entire city/state, people give him the nod simply because he is likable, awesome and not named LeBron.

And hopefully come June (with a couple of healthy Robin’s: Russ and DWade), we can see these two heavy weights square off for all the marbles again. This time with KD in his prime, and LeBron at the top of his reign.

We are spoiled sports fans, and the game last night was just a little tease.

-Andrew

---

[1]I’m happy to report the East has somewhat turned it around against the West. If you take out the records of the 4 tankers in the East (Bucks, Celtics, 76ers, and Magic), the East has actually gone 73-103, which is .414. Which is right on par with where the East usually sits against the West. If you do add in the Tankers, then the West is walloping the East 163-85.

[2]LeBron’s PER last year in his absurd fourth MVP campaign was 31.6. So not to far in front of Durant.

[3] Or in my opinion 1B to LeBron’s 1A.

[4]Okay maybe a lot less.