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: 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

---

[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. 

The Ridiculousness of LeBron's 2014 Summer

Another major summer could be looming for LeBron James. There is a chance he might have won his third
straight NBA title putting him up there with the likes of Michael Jordan and Bill Russell as the only two greats to win three straight titles. If this happens, we can end the idea of James leaving Miami. No superstar player ever leaves after a championship. That's just a fact of life no matter the sport. Let's say he does not, maybe gets bounced by Indiana or Oklahoma City for that matter, how realistic is James leaving South Beach or is this a media-driven story knowing this NBA free agency is not very exciting minus Carmelo Anthony.

Whether he wins a championship or not, James will opt out of his deal. Andrew Kasmarek pointed it out here last season that for what he is worth to Miami, James is grossly underpaid. It is his time to earn as much money as humanly possible with Miami or some other team. Media outlets will fly off the handle hearing LeBron opted out of his deal, but in reality, the deal he has right now with the team is not a great deal for any superstar player in the NBA. LeBron deserves to be paid like a king and anyone who disputes that is a jester. 

The only way I can see James departing Miami is if he truly feels the window has closed on this basketball team. Dwyane Wade is a huge part in that window discussion. If Wade were to struggle in the playoffs and essentially become the scapegoat of this Miami team, what happens?  Does Miami get rid of Wade for younger talent in hopes to keep James? Probably which will draw ire from people, but it makes complete sense. The other thing we need to look at with Miami's age is the bench. Shane Battier, Ray Allen and Chris Anderson, valued contributors and all pretty old with Anderson being the youngest. James does not want another Cleveland situation where he is carrying the team night in and night out. If that's what he feels Miami will be for the majority of his next contract, he will be gone.

The biggest question no one is answering right now is how many teams will clear the money in hopes to sign James?  Probably all of them because the thirst for James is comparable to a dude whom cannot stop texting a girl even though she has not answered in two weeks. He is the best player in the world, and if teams know there is even a one percent chance at getting James, they will probably bite at it.  Cleveland, Los Angeles Clippers/Lakers, Atlanta, Dallas and countless others will try to pry James away from Miami yet it will probably be a complete rouse no matter what the media says at this point

There are so many great stories about the NBA right now yet the media's obsession with James makes this a story. Every day, every soundbite features something where people might read into LeBron leaving. The latest with Steve Smith where James said it is not a guarantee he will be back in 2014-2015 should be treated with a grain of salt. LeBron is a smart man and knows he screwed up with 'The Decision' meaning everything needs to be a politically correct answer from LeBron. If he says 'I am 100 percent back with the Heat' and then he changes his mind, how many of the same people speculating about James today would be crucifying him if LeBron decides to open his options. For the Heat superstar, he is in a no-win situation no matter what he says about his impending free agency. 

These last two months people will have more theories on LeBron than people do right now with how True Detective will end in the next three weeks. This is a dull time for the media, but at the same time, all of LeBron's words are not gold. It might draw pageviews or eyes to the screen yet we need to be better at letting James breathe versus the former.

Charlie. 

Better Game Winner? - Tyler Ennis or LeBron James

There were two great game-winners in both college basketball and the NBA.  Let's start in college where Tyler Ennis kept Syracuse undefeated by hitting about a 35 to 40 footer for the win. This looks a lot like Ben Brust's game-tyer to force overtime from last year when he drilled Michigan. For whatever reason, Pittsburgh's head coach Jamie Dixon called a timeout to let Cuse set a play and Ennis nailed it as a second option. The best part was probably Jim Boeheim telling ESPN's Doris Burke, 'Well the thing is Tyler played his worst game of the season before that.'  Do you Jimmy B. Do you. Syracuse continues their undefeated season.



Now we have LeBron James. Dare I say he made a little bit of a statement. I know I have called Kevin Durant MVP as well as a bunch of others. In a big game that should have been televised somewhere (Actually it was on NBAtv, why it was not on at the bar last night is beyond me), James went for 36 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists netting a near triple-double against Golden State. This game featured a classic showdown between James and Stephen Curry.  It came down to the last shot and James delivered with a deep three with only .01 seconds left in the game. I wish Golden State was a little bit better because a Miami-Golden State NBA Finals would be absolutely fantastic. It is too bad they can only play twice this season.  

Charlie.

LeBron James Submits his Dunk Resume

I have a theory. Miami Heat's forward LeBron James will never ever be in a dunk contests. Fans have wanted it forever. Fans wasted countless hours talking about how bad a look this is for James when in reality, all James was at a lost unless he won the thing like Vince Carter. LBJ put on a show during practice on Monday showing his teammates what he can do if LeBron did enter the dunk contest. Watching these were completely special as he showed great athleticism and creativity. It almost like James telling everybody 'I could easily win a dunk contest, but I feel like having some time off before playing in the All-Star Game, now leave me alone about it.'

Charlie.

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.

Tappers Viewer Guide to Survive NFL-Less Weekend.

This will be the first weekend without true football since late August. I am assume there are many of you whom are having the shakes just thinking about it. Not helping is the weather in most parts of the United States is absolutely unbearable. You need some help to figure out what to watch, and that's why I am going to assist you in finding some options to watch tonight.

College Basketball - I would not say this is the best weekend for college basketball, but at least Michigan-Michigan State figures to be an awesome game. Florida State-Duke tend to always play close ones. There is enough there to wet your palate. Also if you are a fan of Marquette or Wisconsin, both teams are in action Saturday afternoon.

Senior Bowl - If you are really needed a fix of football, this is probably your best bet. Get your best scouting hat on, and start looking for players that can help your team. In the next month, I will probably utter 'player x would look great in the Green and Gold.' It is like clockwork.

NBA - Not the greatest weekend for NBA, but you do have Clippers-Bulls playing on Friday night with Minnesota-Golden State for the night owls. On Sunday, San Antonio plays Miami and hopefully each team will be playing at full strength. If you really want to torture yourself, you stay for Lakers and Knicks later that day.

NHL - There are multiple outdoor games this weekend as Anaheim and Los Angeles play on Dodger Stadium which will look crazy, but be fun in the late afternoon on Saturday. On Sunday, we have New York Rangers playing New Jersey Devils at Yankee Stadium. I assume for the second, the weather will not be an issue.

Farmer's Insurance Open - While Tiger Woods is not off to the best of starts, there is still a loaded field of talented golfers plus if you live in Wisconsin like I do, the weather will look much nicer in San Diego than it does right now. As of three o clock on Friday, Marc Leishman is in the lead and Jordan Spieth is making a push at the leaderboard.

Australian Open - We have two Australian Open finals if you are into watching things late into the night. Consider like the Hawaii football game of television viewing this weekend. You get Rafael Nadal playing on Sunday, and you have two tennis players trying to become first-time major winners in Stansis Wawrinka and Dominika Cibulkova.

Winter X-Games - Getting sort of fired up for the Olympics? This would be a good pregame for it even though some of the greats are not participating. Plus next month you are not seeing Moto-X grace Sochi so you better get your fill this weekend.

There is NFL this weekend?  The Pro Bowl?  Oh that's... still a thing... Well I guess you could watch that too.

Have a good weekend,

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.

DOY: LeBron James

LeBron James is starting to become the king of another thing... DOY. As I mentioned on Saturday when I featured his dunk on Ben McLemore, James is really not known for dunking on people. I mean we obviously know he can dunk on people, but the fact of the matter is his dunks were more just very powerful and people stayed out of his way. Paul Millsap of the Atlanta Hawks decided he did not value life in late late in the game, and James' dunk brought Miami down one with under 20 seconds left then Heat forced overtime leading to a Miami win in the extra period. James had 38 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

Charlie.

DOY: LeBron James

WHY BEN MCLEMORE WHY?!?! DO YOU VALUE LIFE SON?!  If there is a definition of a rookie mistake, it would be this from the Sacramento rookie. Why would you think it is a good idea to go for a charge against LeBron James. There is a short list of people that I would not try to take a charge on and LeBron is on the top of my list. James felt bad for dunking on the rookie after the game. That's how vicious this dunk was from LeBron. I would say this is tops for DOY right now. It is still way to early in the season, but LeBron's dunk deserves to be up there. I say this whenever we get #blessed with a LeBron James DOY.

Charlie.