The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: NBA

  • When in-person sports can’t be a reality, fantasy delievers

    When in-person sports can’t be a reality, fantasy delievers

    The Lumberjack guide to fantasy football

    2020 has been a year of disruption felt throughout the globe let alone Humboldt State campus. Like most industries in America, live sports has been subjected to repercussions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

    With most states banning the gatherings of large amounts of people, sports organizations such as the NBA and MLB have attempted to salvage the remaining portions of their seasons in order to keep fans entertained and revenue coming in. As the fall has drawn closer many have worried the pandemic would stifle the incoming football season. Though the arenas in which these teams rival for the next few months may be empty, the fans at home are champing at the bits for the action their hearts long for.

    Despite the current pandemic stifling most ways fans enjoy football season, one thing remains as popular as ever: Fantasy Football.

    Though it might be daunting from an outsider looking in, fantasy football is a pretty easy game to get into for fans of all ages.The first step of the game for any prospective fantasy football franchise owner is finding a league.This can be accomplished by joining or starting a league with a group of friends, coworkers or family members, if not joining a league online.

    For the novice beginner with no previous experience we suggest joining a league with people you know first. Each league ranges in size from eight to sixteen team owners.The league fee also ranges from group to group, often varying from twenty to a few hundred dollars per individual participating in the season.This pool of money is then distributed to the team that come in first place.

    Fantasy football is a game that can be learned as the season progresses but the gist is that the better your players perform during the regular NFL season, the better they will perform each week against other teams in your league. The players’ stats from each week are added up and the team with the most points is the winner.It is important to start your franchise off with a solid roster. As draft day approaches here’s a few tips and tricks that will help you curate a team that will hopefully perform well throughout your season.

    Select players that you project will continue to perform well from last season.

    Be weary of players that have the same by weeks during the season because this will dramatically affect your teams chances of winning during such weeks.

    Steer clear of players that are prone to injuries, suspensions or any lackluster performance from previous seasons.

    At the end of the day what you learn throughout the season will be as a result of trial and error. Have fun with it, learn from your mistakes and don’t be afraid to take a chance on certain opportunities that may arise during the season.

  • Here’s How You Can Drown Your Sports Sorrows

    Here’s How You Can Drown Your Sports Sorrows

    While sports may be at a standstill, you can still relish and relive your favorite game moments

    Every major sports league, from the UEFA Champions League to the NBA, has canceled or postponed their league for the remainder of the year to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. This is a very tough pill to swallow for sports fans around the world, but there are still opportunities for fans to relive past games and watch sports shows and documentaries while practicing social distancing.

    One way these professional leagues are accommodating their fans is by offering free league passes to watch any past game you could think of. Leagues like the NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB are offering these free league passes until May 31.

    If you have a cable provider like Spectrum or AT&T, channels like ESPN, FOX Sports, TUDN and CBS sports are showing daily replays of old football, basketball, baseball, hockey and soccer both at the professional and college levels.

    In addition to all these replays, ESPN has pushed up the release of one of their most anticipated documentaries, “The Last Dance,” to April 19. The documentary is based on Michael Jordan and the 1990s Chicago Bulls, who won six NBA championships and are generally considered the greatest basketball dynasty of all time. The documentary is a 10-part series of never-before-seen behind-the-scenes.

    From movies to shows, sports are being given to us at an all-time high rate through many mediums.

    Netflix is also doing its part in getting more sports to us through shows and documentaries. Some of the more popular documentaries include three must-sees. First, “I Am Bolt,” detailing the athletic legacy of the greatest Olympic sprinter in history, Usain Bolt. Second, “Q-Ball,” a documentary about the basketball league in San Quentin prison. Third, “Notorious,” the documentary on UFC’s bad boy, Conor McGregor, and his rise to fame in the sport.

    Sports TV shows can also help entertain you through social distancing. One of the more popular shows right now is “All-American.” The show is based around Spencer, one of the best high school football players in the country from Crenshaw in Los Angeles, who transfers to Beverly Hills High School. The TV drama is basically “90210” meets “Friday Night Lights.”

    If you’re a wrestling fan, you’re in luck. Hulu has every episode of WWE’s “Raw” and “Smackdown” so you can relive the best fights. The same goes for the “Ultimate Fighter,” which produced some of the best UFC fighters such as TJ Dillashaw, Rashad Evans and Tony Ferguson.

    YouTube can also help with sports withdrawals. It has any kind of highlight you can think of, from France’s run toward the 2018 World Cup, to Lebron James’ first championship in 2012 with the Heat, to highlights from Super Bowl LII when the Eagles upset Tom Brady and the Patriots. The list goes on. Any sporting memory you have is almost guaranteed to be on YouTube.

    These are just a few options we have during social distancing to stay in touch with our inner fan. From movies to shows, sports are being given to us at an all-time high rate through many mediums. So stay home, stay healthy and drown your sorrows of social distancing with your favorite sports.

  • HSU Students Remember a Legend

    HSU Students Remember a Legend

    The loss of a legend leaves impact on fans and HSU students

    NBA legend Kobe Bryant died last Sunday in a helicopter crash at the age of 41, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant and seven others.

    Humboldt State University’s Alexia Thrower, a star player on HSU’s women’s basketball team who leads her team and conference in scoring and rebounding, admired Bryant not only for his mentality and approach to the game, but also the advocacy he had toward women’s basketball.

    “I loved the way Kobe played,” Thrower said. “He was always in attack mode, regardless of if he missed shots or made mistakes his foot was always on the pedal and that’s how I play. He had four daughters and Gigi was a baller so he had a real passion for women’s basketball and really respected us as basketball players too, and that means everything coming from one of the greatest basketball players ever.”

    There’s a saying in the world of sports: “Heroes come and go, but legends never die.” This saying was challenged in the early morning hours of Jan. 26 when Bryant died. His death sent shockwaves around the world, and athletes and celebrities mourned him on social media.

    Longtime teammate, fellow NBA legend and self-proclaimed big brother Shaquille O’Neal was one of many left heartbroken. O’Neal took to Twitter to speak about Bryant’s death.

    “There’s no words to express the pain I’m going through with the tragedy of losing my niece Gigi and my brother Kobe, you will be loved and missed,” O’Neal said. “My condolences goes out to the Bryant family and the families of the other passengers on board. I’M SICK RIGHT NOW.”

    Bryant was a 20-year NBA veteran who played entirely with the Los Angeles Lakers. Over the course of his career he became a five-time NBA champion, 18-time All-Star, league MVP, two-time Finals MVP and finished his career ranking third all-time on the NBA’s scoring list. By the end of his career, he was widely considered one of the greatest players to ever set foot in the NBA.

    Bryant influenced generations of future basketball players, including boys, girls and student athletes like HSU freshman Isaiah Sampson, who plays on the men’s basketball team. Sampson viewed Bryant as a role model.

    “The way he worked inspired me and helped me change my whole mindset to achieve my goals. He was a role model for me,” Sampson said. “Everyone has their time, but you hate to see someone with his impact go so soon and tragically.”

    Bryant is survived by his wife Vanessa Bryant and three daughters Natalia, Bianka and Capri.

  • A Look Into the 2019-20 NBA Season

    A Look Into the 2019-20 NBA Season

    The Golden State Warriors were once unbeatable, but on Oct. 22 the NBA landscape changed

    Balance has returned to the force, or rather, the NBA. The past three seasons, the Golden State Warriors were an almost unstoppable force while employing one of history’s best scorers: Kevin Durant.

    The Toronto Raptors won its first NBA title against the Warriors last season thanks to Kawhi Leonard. Leonard has since joined the Los Angeles Clippers as a free agent while Kevin Durant also made a splash in free agency by joining superstar point guard Kyrie Irving on the Brooklyn Nets.

    Over in the Eastern Conference —sometimes known as the weaker conference— not much has changed for the top teams from last season. Philadelphia hopes to make a run at glory after trusting the process for the past few years. If Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid can take the next step in their skills, then they can be the best 76ers team since Allen Iverson graced the court.

    The Boston Celtics is the most storied franchise and it’s making its way back to playoff stardom. But with Irving now in Brooklyn, the Celtics is running its offense through Kemba Walker, who is good, but not quite the caliber of Irving. Second-year man Jayson Tatum will need to evolve his game if the Celtics want any shot at a championship this year.

    The Raptors are basically the same team they were last year, minus star player Leonard. It will make the playoffs, but anything beyond that will take a miracle. Last season’s MVP, Giannis Antetokoumpo, is leading the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks are off to a slow start, but when you have a fantastic athlete like Antetokoumpo, aka “The Greek Freak,” it’s hard to be counted out.

    If Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid can take the next step in their skills, then they can be the best 76ers team since Allen Iverson graced the court.

    Leonard joins another all-star forward, Paul George, to create one of the best teams the Los Angeles Clippers has seen. Lebron James is now in year two with the Los Angeles Lakers and they recently brought in one of the top big men in the league, Anthony Davis. James is keeping his standard stat line that puts him near the best in the NBA, but Davis is a top 5 player in points (28.8), blocks (3), and rebounds (12.5) so far this season.

    Both LA teams look to lead the Western Conference, but the up and coming Utah Jazz is an exciting team to watch, with Donovan Mitchell as the star averaging almost 25 points a game in 2019. However, as long as Gregg Popovich is coaching the San Antonio Spurs, they will be an obstacle for other teams. Demar Derozan is the star, but the roster has plenty of talent and young point guard Dejountae Murray has what it takes to make the Spurs dangerous again.

    The Golden State Warriors is no longer the team to beat in the west. Durant is gone and multiple key bench players are playing elsewhere. A team with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will not be a pushover. However, with Thompson still recovering from an ACL tear from the end of last season’s playoffs and Curry suffering from a broken hand, Green will have to take over as the team’s best asset for now.

    Also in the west, there is the rookie sensation, Zion Williamson, who is healing from a knee injury. Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans are young and dynamic and they just might surprise the rest of the NBA.

    The most dangerous team in the west, outside of the LA Clippers, is the Houston Rockets. The Chris Paul and James Harden combo was good, but it didn’t work out as planned. Paul is gone and now the 2016 MVP Russell Westbrook joins the 2017 MVP Harden to create a two-headed monster down in Texas.

  • Athletes Are People Too

    Athletes Are People Too

    Pro sports is a two-sided business in need of a power redistribution 

    Owners of professional sports teams have made headlines the last few years for all the wrong reasons. The primary issue regards team owners treating players as property instead of as people, and a good amount of this coverage surrounds the National Basketball Association and the National Football League.

    Since 2014 there have been numerous situations where owners of sports teams made racially-toned remarks concerning their athletes, who are predominately black. Simply referring to whomever controls the majority of the team as ‘owner’ can have its own racial implications in leagues where most players are people of color.

    According to the NBA’s 2015 Racial and Gender Report Card and a 2014 NFL Census, 75% of NBA players and 68% of NFL athletes are black. The NBA also has the largest percentage of people of color in its fan base, whereas NFL fans are primarily white.

    In 2014, The NBA forced former LA Clippers’ shareholder Donald Sterling to sell his team after a tape of him spouting racist remarks was released to TMZ. But in the NFL it seems like their majority shareholders are able to get away with more. NFL team owners were more vocal than ever this past season due to the outrage from many fans about players kneeling during the National Anthem.

    While NFL contracts may seem ridiculous compared to other high-grossing sports, professional football players receive the lowest percentage of guaranteed money in their contracts. In contrast, NBA athletes make every cent of their contracts and are often considered to be involved in the daily running of the league as opposed to just their respective teams’ shareholders making all the decisions.

    When it comes to the relationship between owners and their athletes, a large factor in the athlete’s treatment is how fans act. Rhetoric during the kneeling protests relayed many of the players who took a knee as unpatriotic, spoiled and privileged, with fans telling players to “shut up and play.”

    Fans treat players as if they are toys for amusement instead of human beings. And team owners treat players like property that can be replaced at any moment. But when there is a media storm of fans and others calling for change like with the Clippers in 2014, progress can be made. Fans hold more power than they know and can directly affect how teams are handled and how athletes are treated.

  • Playoff breakdown: Opening round of the NBA

    Playoff breakdown: Opening round of the NBA

    Can any team stand in the way of the back to back champions Golden State Warriors?

    Although Lebron James and the Los Angeles Lakers aren’t in, there is plenty of high profile firepower across the NBA. The last time the four-time MVP James missed the playoffs was 2005. For reference, 2005 was the year Youtube launched. No worries though, the NBA is still in good hands with emerging young talent and superstars driving the league. Let’s take a look at the postseason landscape of the 2019 first round.

    1. Golden State Warriors vs. 8. Los Angeles Clippers (West)

    This series might be one-sided, with the best starting lineup in the NBA residing in Oakland. Steph Curry leads the way for the Warriors as the NBA’s best point guard averaging 27.3 points a game. Kevin Durant is unstoppable and will be a force to reckon with during this series and the playoffs. He might have the best mid-range game in the league along with his ability to drive to the basket averaging 26 points a game. Klay Thompson rounds out the big three as the deadly sharpshooter averaging 21.5 points a game. The Clippers, led by guard Lou Williams, is one of the league’s best players off the bench. His 20 points a game easily makes him a top three nomination for the sixth man of the year award. Clippers will need a significant team effort, especially from their bench if they want even to pull a one game upset. Prediction: Warriors win 4-1

    1. Milwaukee Bucks vs. 8. Detroit Pistons (East)

    The Bucks dominated the NBA this season with a record of 60-22. A huge reason for that is MVP leading candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo who is averaging 28 points a game and 12.5 rebounds. His build and athletic ability are unmatched in the league. He can shoot it in the defenders face while also being able to drive and deliver posterizing dunks. Pistons should be fired up and ready to go after making the playoffs, led by Blake Griffin who averages 24.5 points a game. Andre Drummond adds 17.3 points a game while piling together a league-high 15.6 rebounds. Prediction: Bucks win 4-0

    2. Denver Nuggets vs. 7. San Antonio Spurs (West)

    A lot of people are surprised by the Nuggets performance this season earning the two seed. Nikola Jokic averages 20 points a game with 10.8 rebounds. Jamal Murray adds 18 points a game; this team understands floor spacing and plays together as a unit. They could be a real threat in the playoffs especially getting home court in Denver for the first two rounds. Spurs will play hard in this series as long as Coach Popovich leads them. LaMarcus Aldridge who averages 21.3 points and 9.2 rebounds is a force inside. Along with Demar DeRozan being an offensive monster at 21.2 points a game, DeRozan shoots well, drives to the basket, and this Spurs team can make the challenging offensive plays. They just might be overwhelmed by the Nuggets. Prediction: Nuggets win 4-1

    2. Toronto Raptors vs. 7. Orlando Magic (East)

    Kawhi Leonard is the best player on the Raptors, and he has a great ability to close out games. Leonard averages 26 points per game while being a lethal shooter. The Raptors will be a threat thanks to him. Raptors look to go on a playoff run after a disappointing postseason last year. Nikola Vucevic leads the Magic, averaging 20.8 points per game and 12.0 rebounds. Aaron Gordan averages 16.0 points per game and delivers in the paint with flashy dunks. This Magic will need to play sound basketball to make a run in the playoffs. Prediction: Raptors win 4-0

    3. Portland Trail Blazers vs. 6. Oklahoma City Thunder (West)

    This matchup is a fan favorite. The higher seeds usually win the first round seven-game series, but anything can happen with four offensive superstars on the same court. The Trail Blazers have one of the best home courts in the league. Damian Lillard is the leading player on the Trail Blazers averaging 25.8 points per game. Lillard is not afraid to put the team on his back hitting big time jumpers in games along with adding 6.9 assists per game. C.J. McCollum scores from anywhere on the floor. He averages 21.0 points a game. This team is aiming big this season. Russell Westbrook leads the Thunder and is a walking triple-double, he averages 22.9 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game. Paul George averages 28.0 points per game and is not afraid to take over games late. The Thunder arguably has the two best players on one team in the league. Prediction: Thunder win 4-3

    3. Philadelphia 76ers vs. 6. Brooklyn Nets (East)

    The 76ers made strides in the process this year, playing better than a lot of people thought. This team has a good group of players and a bench that delivers when needed. Joel Embiid averages 27.5 points and 13.6 rebounds per game being a force down low. Jimmy Butler at 18.2 points per game is a terrific shooter, as is J.J. Reddick and Tobias Harris. The 76ers are finally ready to continue their regular season accomplishments and make waves in the postseason. The Nets surprised everyone this year with the rejuvenation of Deangelo Russell who averages 21.1 points and 7.0 assists per game. He brings a spark and a swag to each game. The energy is something we didn’t see with him in previous seasons in L.A., due to team chemistry or just lack of wins. The 76ers “trust the process” motto might be gelling together in this year’s playoffs and might be too much for the Nets to handle. Prediction: 76ers win 4-2

    4. Houston Rockets vs. 5. Utah Jazz (West)

    The reigning MVP and leader in points in the NBA, James Harden, may have the deadliest shot in the league. He averages 36.1 points and 7.5 assists per game, he is lethal from all areas of the court. He led this Rockets team from a slow start to the season to home court in the first round. Clint Capela averages 16.6 points and 12.7 rebounds per game, he is a threat from under the basket. Eric Gordon and Chris Paul provide big-time play as well. The Jazz also command a great home court, in Salt Lake City. Last year the Jazz turned some heads meanwhile they’re trying to do even more this year. Donovon Mitchell 23.8 points per game lead this team and is dangerous. He can make the clutch shot if needed and has great handles. This team plays well and can jump on a run at any time. Rudy Gobert under the rim is a force at 15.9 points per game and 12.9 rebounds. Joe Ingles brings an underrated game as does Jae Crowder off the bench. Prediction: Rockets win 4-2

    4. Boston Celtics vs. 5. Indiana Pacers (East)

    The Celtics have been somewhat disappointing this season but still managed to secure home court in the first round. Kyrie Irving is always dangerous with the ball and clutch in the fourth quarter. Coming off an injury Irving is averaging 23.8 points and 6.9 assists per game. Jayson Tatum at 15.7 points per game can make big-time shots. The Pacers dealt with their best player Victor Oladipo injured for the season, despite this they stayed competitive. This group plays together and surprisingly led by Bojan Bogdanovic who averages 18.0 points per game. Domantis Sabonis delivers a boost off the bench with 14.1 points and 9.3 rebounds a game. Myles Turner and Thaddeus Young also were vital to the season and will need to play at their top form to have a shot at upsetting the Celtics. Prediction: Celtics win 4-2

  • This week in sports

    This week in sports

    April 25, 1976 – Former San Antonio Spurs power forward Tim Duncan is born in Christiansted, United States Virgin Islands. Widely considered to be the greatest power forward of all time, he is a five-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP and an NBA All-Star Game MVP. He is also a 15-time NBA All-Star and the only player to be selected to both the All-NBA and All-Defensive teams for 13 consecutive seasons. He is undoubtedly the highest decorated Spur of all time. Duncan started out as a swimmer, and only began playing basketball in ninth grade after Hurricane Hugo destroyed the only Olympic-sized pool in his hometown of Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.

    April 27, 1947 – Babe Ruth Day is declared a national holiday by then baseball commissioner Albert “Happy” Chandler Sr. The commissioner was aware of Ruth’s rapidly deteriorating health, and designated Babe Ruth Day at Yankee Stadium. Ruth would address the Yankee faithful, 27 years after first slipping on the pinstripes. Baseball fans around the world still celebrate the day designated for the Great Bambino.

    April 28, 1967 – Boxing world champion Muhammad Ali refuses to be inducted into the U.S. Army and is immediately stripped of his heavyweight title. Ali, a Muslim, cited religious reasons for his decision to forgo military service.

    “I have the world heavyweight title, not because it was ‘given’ to me, not because of my race or religion, but because I won it in the ring through my boxing ability,” Ali said in a press statement. “Those who want to ‘take’ it and hold a series of auction-type bouts not only do me a disservice, but actually disgrace themselves. I am certain that the sports fans and fair-minded people throughout America would never accept such a ‘title-holder’.”

  • This week in sports history

    This week in sports history

    April 18, 1966 – Bill Russell becomes the first African American head coach in NBA history for the Boston Celtics. The hall-of-famer played 13 seasons for the Celtics, and won 11 championships in that time. Russell is one of seven basketball players in history to win an NCAA Championship, an NBA Championship and an Olympic gold medal.

    April 20, 1986 – Chicago Bulls shooting guard Michael Jordan set an NBA playoff record with an incredible 63 points. Jordan broke the mark that was previously held by Elgin Baylor who scored 61 points in the 1962 NBA Finals.

    April 22, 1954 – The NBA introduced the 24-second shot clock to speed up the game. The number was devised when Syracuse Nationals owner Danny Biasone divided the seconds in a 48-minute game by the the average amount of shots by both teams (120) from games played from the previous three seasons. The game was dull and played at a snail’s pace, with one team opening up a lead and freezing the ball until time ran out. The only thing the trailing team could do was foul. Thus the games became rough, ragged and free-throw shooting contests.

    “The adoption of the clock was the most important event in the NBA,” NBA President Maurice Podoloff said.

    Legendary Celtics coach Red Auerbach called it the single most important rule change in the last 50 years.

    April 23, 2000 – American snowboarder Chloe Kim is born in Torrance, California. Kim won gold in dominating fashion for the United States in the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea at the age of 17.

  • Trump VS Sports

    Trump VS Sports

    On Friday night, President Trump started another one of his trademark fights. After firing off against African American athletes taking a knee during the national anthem, the stars of the NFL and NBA are aligning to respond to Trump.

    The president went after America’s most popular sport when he mentioned NFL players at a political rally in Huntsville, Alabama.

    “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. He’s fired. He’s fired,’” Trump said. “You know, some owner is going to do that. He’s going to say, ‘That guy disrespects our flag, he’s fired.’ And that owner, they don’t know it, but they’ll be the most popular person in this country.”

    Trump then went on to attack the NFL’s lower ratings and new safety procedures designed to make the game safer.

    “The NFL ratings are down massively,” he said. “Now the number one reason happens to be they like watching what’s happening with your truly. They like what’s happening. Because you know today if you hit too hard…15 yards. Throw him out the game. They’re ruining the game. That’s what they want to do. They want to hit. It is hurting the game.”

    NFL team owners donated millions to the Trump campaign. Patriots owner Robert Kraft even gave Trump his own Super Bowl ring. That didn’t stop NFL commissioner Roger Goodell from issuing a statement condemning Trump’s comments.

    “Divisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and all of our players, and a failure to understand the overwhelming force for good our clubs and players represent in our communities,” Goodell said.

    NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith came to the defense of his players in a statement released Saturday morning.

    “The union will never back down when it comes to protecting the constitutional rights of our players as citizens, as well as their safety as men who compete in a game that exposes them to great risks,” Smith said.

    Trump was not finished there. Early Saturday morning, after finding out about NBA superstar Stephen Curry rescinding an invitation to the White House, the president took to Twitter.

    “Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team. Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn!” Trump tweeted at 7:45 a.m. Saturday.

    Curry caught the President’s attention when he announced he would not vote to go to the White House when the team makes a decision as a whole.

     

    “By acting and not going,” Curry said, “hopefully that will inspire some change when it comes to what we tolerate in this country and what is accepted and what we turn a blind eye to”

    Lebron James also piled on to the president when he took to Twitter to defend his NBA comrade.

    “U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain’t going! So therefore ain’t no invite. Going to the White House was a great honor until you showed up!” James tweeted.

    With renewed attention on the players, all eyes are sure to be on Sunday’s NFL games and the players’ actions during the national anthem.

  • NBA MVP

    NBA MVP

    By Danny Dunn

    The 2016-2017 NBA regular season has been full of interesting storylines. Everything from players getting more and more rest time to the “Shaqtin A Fool” beef between Shaquille O’Neal and JaVale McGee. Currently, one story stands above all the rest and that is who will be named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player?

    Last season the MVP race was not nearly as exciting due to the fact that Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry was the first ever unanimous MVP, collecting all 130 votes. Consider also that it was also his second consecutive MVP award.

    When Kevin Durant, who is one of the best players in the league, signed with the Golden State Warriors last summer, it essentially eliminated all Warriors from the MVP discussion, including Curry. So that leaves the award up for grabs this season and it seems that four players all have a legit claim to the MVP award. These players are Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook. Check out how I rank their chances.

    Ranking and Description of each MVP candidate:

    1. Kawhi Leonard. Small forward, San Antonio Spurs.

    Leonard is averaging over 25 points per game while adding just under six rebounds and three assists per game. On top of this, Leonard is a lock for first team all defense once again and has taken his offensive game to another level. If there is one thing working against him it is that the Spurs are only about a one-point difference when he is not on the court, and they have a winning record even when he does not play. But that speaks more to coaching than it does to Leonard, and Leonard has been the best player on 60-win teams back-to-back years.

    1. LeBron James. Small forward, Cleveland Cavaliers.

    LBJ is the man, the myth, the legend. What else is there to say about how great he is? After bringing home a championship to Cleveland for the first time ever, he is having one of the best offensive seasons of his career. James is averaging 26 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists per game. The only issue is his team has completely underachieved this season. The Cavaliers have not played a lick of defense since the start of the calendar year. They should have wrapped up the number one seed in the Eastern Conference a month ago. Yes, a month ago, but in their last 40 games they are hovering around .500 which is awful for this squad. Without LeBron, this team would be competing with the Brooklyn Nets for the worst record in the league.

    1. James Harden. Point guard, Houston Rockets.

    “Fear the Beard,” is a slogan I never associated with Harden because I always linked it to former San Francisco Giants closing pitcher, Brian Wilson. But this season Harden has earned the right to it by averaging 29 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds. If not for Russell Westbrook’s dominating play, Harden would be the closest to averaging a triple double in some time. Under new coach Mike D’Antoni, Harden has moved from shooting guard to point guard and man, has it paid dividends? Harden leads the league in assists and has the Rockets third in the Western Conference behind the Spurs and Warriors. He is still a bit of a liability on the court, but he has noticeably improved this season. A downside is that he is one of the leaders in turnovers, but that is bound to happen since he has the ball in his hands most of the time.

    1. Russell Westbrook. Point guard, Oklahoma City Thunder.

    Double doubles are a dime-a-dozen, but triple doubles are somewhat rare in the NBA. For instance, Westbrook has more triple doubles this season than the rest of the NBA combined. He now has the single season record for triple doubles in a season (42), and joins Oscar Robertson as the only two players to ever average a triple double. Westbrook is averaging over 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists per game, and is leading the Thunder to the sixth seed in the Western Conference with a subpar supporting cast after losing Durant last summer. His triple doubles are not empty, as his squad’s record is far better when Westbrook has a triple double than when he does not. He plays as hard as he can night-in and night-out with historic results and so I think Westbrook will win the 2016-17 NBA MVP award.

     

  • NBA Playoffs

    NBA Playoffs

    By Danny Dunn

    The 2017 NBA playoffs tip off with history on the line, as the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors look to be the first teams ever to meet in the finals three years in a row.

    The Warriors won the first finals matchup 4 games to 2 over the Cavs behind finals MVP Andre Iguodala. The Cavs then took the second finals matchup 4 games to 3 with a historical comeback from down 3 games to 1 in the series, lead by finals MVP LeBron James.

    The Cavaliers stumbled into the playoffs this season, they finished second in the Eastern Conference with 51 wins and 31 losses. Since the start of March the Cavs have played under .500 basketball with 10 wins and 14 losses in that span. They are still the favorites to get out of the East, because well they have LeBron James.

    The Warriors finished the regular season strong, winning 15 of their final 16 games and finished first in the Western Conference with 67 wins and 15 losses. They are a heavy favorite to come out of the West, with or without all star Kevin Durant who is dealing with a lingering calf strain.

    The first round of the postseason was relatively painless for the Cavs and Warriors, as they both swept their first round opponents.

    The rest of the postseason will not be quite as easy for these teams, the competition will get tougher.

    Obstacles:

    For the Warriors, they will play the winner of the Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz series. The Warriors have not lost a game to the Clippers since Steve Kerr took over as head coach in 2015. As for the Jazz, they do not appear to have the firepower to match Golden State, the only chance they would have is to muck up the series and slow the pace of the game. But neither of these teams should last longer than six games with the Warriors.

    The real competition for Warriors will come in the conference finals where they will likely play either the Houston Rockets, or the San Antonio Spurs. Each team has beat the Warriors this year, the Spurs having done so twice. For the past few postseasons Spurs v Warriors is the matchup everyone has anticipated in the conference finals, but the Spurs have not been able to make it that far.

    For the Cavs, they will play the winner of the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks series. The Cavs defeated Toronto last year in the conference finals in six games. Do not expect this year’s results to be any different. As for the Bucks, it would be interesting to see Giannis Antetokounmpo [The Greek Freak] go head to head with Lebron in a series, but the Cavs should still be able to get by them.

    The Cavs true competition will also come in the conference finals, where they will likely play either the Washington Wizards, or the Boston Celtics. Boston might have even been a favorite in the East if they did not get blown out by the Cavs at the end of the regular season. Washington matched up well with the Cavs in their meetings this season, the Wizards backcourt John Wall and Bradley Beal in particular played well in their meetings with the Cavs.

    With the finals still about a month and a half away any number of things can happen to prevent a third meeting between the Cavaliers and Warriors, but at the moment it appears that these teams are on a collision course to square off again.

  • NBA Trade Deadline

    NBA Trade Deadline

    By Danny Dunn

    With All-Star weekend in the rearview mirror, NBA teams can now focus on the trade deadline. Unlike other sports, a decent amount of trades actually get made in the NBA.

    There have already been several trades throughout the NBA. Starting at the beginning of the season with the Oklahoma City Thunder trading forward Ersan Ilyasova to the Philadelphia 76ers for forward Jerami Grant. This trade has benefited both teams providing the Thunder with a wing defender, and the 76ers with a solid stretch 4.

    It was pretty dead on the trade front until the start of February when things began to heat up around the league. Milwaukee Bucks center, Miles Plumlee, was dealt to the Charlotte Hornets for center Roy Hibbert and forward Spencer Hawes.

    Miles was not the only Plumlee to get traded, his brother Mason Plumlee, center for the Portland Trailblazers along with a 2nd round pick, were sent to the Denver Nuggets for center Jusuf Nurkic and a first round pick.

    Plumlee will be a solid backup big for the Nuggets, while Nurkic showed promise as a starting center before being overshadowed by Nuggets teammate and rising star Nikola “The Joker” Jokic.  

    The first big splash of the season was the trade by the Toronto Raptors to land power forward Serge Ibaka from the Orlando Magic for small forward Terrence Ross and a first round pick. The Raptors who are currently sitting with fourth best record in the Eastern Conference made this deal to hopefully close the gap between them and the Eastern Conference favorite Cleveland Cavaliers.

    Speaking of the Cavaliers they traded center Chris “Birdman” Anderson to the Charlotte Hornets for a second round pick. The Cavs most likely made this move to open up a roster spot and possibly sign another playmaker.

    The biggest trade of the season, at least biggest name, happened right after the all-star game. Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins and forward Omri Casspi were dealt to the New Orleans Pelicans for guard Buddy Hield, guard Tyreke Evans, and a first and second round draft pick. This deal will pair two of the league’s best big men together, Cousins and Anthony Davis.

    There have been discussions between the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons, possibly trading Pistons guard Reggie Jackson for Magic forward Jeff Green and guard D.J. Augustin.

    So who are the trade targets going into the deadline?

    Realistic Targets: Phoenix Suns small forward P.J. Tucker can help teams as a wing defender. Next up, guard Lou Williams of the Los Angeles Lakers, he can definitely help bolster a playoff contenders bench. Dallas Mavericks center Andrew Bogut is a solid rim protector and can set screens like nobody else in the league, but do not ask him to score. Timberwolves forward Shabazz Muhammad is similar to Williams as a bench scorer, but can also defend a little and he is a bit younger. Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafur is a talented scorer in the post, and has had suitors already, the Bulls and the Celtics.

    Out of Reach: New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony has been linked to the Cavaliers, Clippers, and even the Celtics. But he is out of reach mainly due to his massive salary. Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez, solid big man with skills in the post, but will likely have a huge price tag that no one will pay. Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler is a name that has been linked to the Boston Celtics, but unless the Bulls are thinking about a complete rebuild, it is unlikely Butler is moved.

    Other names to look for at the trade deadline: PG Brandon Knight, SF Luol Deng, SF Danilo Gallinari, PF Kenneth Faried, SF Wilson Chandler, SF Bojan Bogdanovic, PF/C Nerlens Noel, PG Rajon Rondo, PF Nikola Mirotic, PG Derrick Rose, PG Ricky Rubio, PG Deron Williams.

  • Oklahoma fans “boo” their ex

    Oklahoma fans “boo” their ex

    By Danny Dunn

    Chants of “Cupcake!” were heard throughout the arena in Oklahoma city when Kevin Durant returned to his former arena. Durant had a bitter-sweet night in his first game back in Oklahoma, since signing with the Golden State Warriors this summer after leaving the Thunder. Durant scored 34 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Warriors past the Thunder 130-114.

    The game began as you would expect, Thunder fans booed when the Warriors players were announced, a little extra when Durant’s name was announced.

    The crowd was ready for this one, but not only with their noise level. A wide variety of fans showed up with homemade signs mocking Durant. There were many cupcake signs. Whether it was the actual word cupcake or just an image of one. The cupcake signs are supposed to indicate that Durant is ‘soft’ for leaving Oklahoma City.

    The crowd kept this up throughout the 1st quarter whenever Durant would touch the ball. The crowd even took it a step further and gave Thunder guard Russell Westbrook roaring applause when had the ball.

    Westbrook wound up with a solid stat line as usual this season, with 47 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists. Going into tonight Westbrook averaged a triple-double, with over 10 rebounds and 10 assists per game, and a league leading 30.9 points per game.

    Tensions did mount in the game, by the third quarter Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant exchanged some words going into a time out. It did not stop there, Thunder forward Andre Roberson and Durant got face to face, after Roberson fouled Durant and appeared to say something to him after the foul which lead to the face to face.

    ESPN broadcaster Mike Breen commented on why people in Oklahoma City might be upset with Durant.

    “Durant was not just the face of the franchise, he was the face of the of the city, and maybe even the state,” Breen said.

    Breen’s broadcasting partner, and former Warriors head coach Mark Jackson had some words on returning home, at the end of the 1st half when the Warriors held a 20 point lead.

    “Whoever said you can’t go home again, didn’t have Steph Curry and Klay Thompson on their team,” Jackson said.