5/23/2019 0 Comments Klay Thompson Was SnubbedDo everything we did, but opposite. ~ Klay Thompson Quite possibly the best quotable player in the NBA just made his first All-Defensive team. Klay Thompson received enough votes to get on the second team, and was fourth in votes amongst the four guards on the list. And while making the list is great, we still feel like he was snubbed. Marcus Smart and Eric Bledsoe were the two guards on the first team, which is awesome for them. They are definitely two of the best defensive guards in the league. But let's get some perspective. Those two guys who made the first team are in the Eastern Conference. Besides Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker, the next best guard they would have to defend this season would probably be D'Angelo Russel and Trae Young. Whereas in the Western Conference, Klay Thompson was defending top level competition almost every night in James Harden, CJ McCollum, Paul George, Jamal Murray, Donovan Mitchell, DeMar Derozan, Jrue Holiday, and Luka Doncic. So yeah, there's just a little bit of a difference there. Now look, a lot of the numbers are in favor of Eric Bledsoe between these two. But they're not drastic enough for us to say that Bledsoe clearly deserved it over Klay Thompson.
Bledsoe had more steals, but Klay had more blocks. The one thing that stands out is the usage rate. Klay was used on the offensive end much more than Bledsoe was. So he was not only playing top level defense on one end, but he was one of the most efficient players on the offensive end. There is no statistic for the eye test unfortunately. But just watch the difference between these two players and you'll see a slight advantage for Klay. They are both guys who have good size for their positions, but Klay is much faster and can turn a defensive play into an offensive play in a matter of three seconds. This is probably why Bledsoe got the nod over Klay, because this is not a vote for who plays better on both ends. It's simply a defensive award. But when you consider all the factors that go into being a great NBA player and the level of competition Klay had to face on a night to night basis, the answer is clear. Klay Thompson should have been on the All-Defensive First Team alongside Marcus Smart.
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There is a certain right of passage that every NBA legend must go through. They begin as a young star. Winning over the hearts of the local fan base. Participate in the Rising Stars Challenge, maybe win Rookie of the Year, make their first All-Star team, get their first non-rookie contract, and possibly win a few playoff series. Then they become a superstar. Start in an All-Star game, make a deep run into the playoffs, have their first MVP-caliber season, achieve failure on a grand level. Then after years of failure, they finally reach the pinnacle and win themselves a championship. But at just 24 years old, Giannis Antetokounmpo has skipped a few steps. Or so it seems. This season for Giannis bares a striking resemblance to the season of a current NBA legend when he was just 24 years old. In the 2008-2009 season, Lebron James won his first regular season MVP. He had his highest scoring average in any season that he's played in his 16 year career. He led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 66-16 record, which was the best in the NBA. This season, Giannis Antetokounmpo is the front runner for his first ever regular season MVP. He has had his highest scoring season in his 6 year career. He led the Milwaukee Bucks to a 60-22 record, which was the best in the NBA. Is this starting to sound familiar? The one major difference between the two, is failure. Up until the 2008 season, Lebron James had been a part of 8 playoff series, including one NBA Finals appearance. The narrative around James up until this point in his career was that he wasn't a clutch performer and that he couldn't get over the hump to win the championship. Giannis has yet to face this kind of criticism that most legends have to go through. Giannis led the Bucks to their first playoff series victory since the Ray Allen, Rafer Alston, and Sam Cassel days back in the 2001 season. And up until this point in his career, he has faced little to no criticism at all. He has had the benefit of being a player that most teams passed on because of the uncertainty around his game. He has benefitted from the fact that he plays in such a small market. The biggest moment he's had was being on 60 Minutes and talking about how other players view him as the game's next big star. With so much love and support from everyone around him, and the media and critics constantly showing him respect, he has yet to have a moment of grand failure. These next few weeks of the postseason may very well determine whether or not he has what it takes to be legendary, and bypass the right of passage. It's about time that Giannis feels the pressure of scrutiny that every legend must adhere too. In the first year without Lebron, Giannis was by far the best player in the Eastern Conference. So it should be his time to dominate and take over. But it won't be easy. Their current matchup with the Boston Celtics is tied 1-1 and it is no guarantee that they will advance past them. And after them awaits the Philadelphia 76ers or Toronto Raptors, who are juggernauts themselves. So what was it about Lebron's failures that led to his legendary status? The weight of the world was on his shoulders and the pressure was so incredibly strong that it eventually pushed him over the top and created one of the greatest players the game has ever seen. Giannis is going to have to have that moment where everyone can look back and say, "Everything changed after his series loss to that team." Most legendary stories aren't created after a first round exit, such as last year's Buck's loss. Pressure creates diamonds, and in basketball it creates legends. It will be interesting to see how Giannis fares over the next few weeks. But if he fails to make the NBA Finals this year, just know that the failure will only lead to a greater future for him. And possibly the Bucks, if he doesn't decide to leave in two years when his contract is up. After all, that is what Lebron did. *Insert Brown Shrug Emoji Guy* 4/24/2019 0 Comments Dame Calls GameFor those who have been following us since our The IrrelAVant Blog days, you know that we have been big fans of Damian Lillard. Not just a fan of him on the court, but in the studio as well. Dame Dolla got his own #MusicMondays article, found here The amount of confidence he brings to each and every game is admirable to say the least. And that confidence stays strong, all the way until the final buzzer. But does his latest series-ending buzzer beater shot make him the most clutch player in the NBA? 5. Kyrie Irving The game comes much easier when you think that the world is flat. Shooting a round ball into a round hoop just wouldn't work if the world was round too. Moment of Arrival: With 30 seconds left against the Michigan Wolverines, Kyrie hit a running bank shot that put the Duke Blue Devils up three. This shot sent Duke to the Sweet 16, and let the world know that he was the guy who needed the ball in his hands when the pressure was on. Defining Clutch Moment: Kyrie Irving nailed one of the most iconic shots in NBA history. A side-step three point shot against arguably the greatest team of all-time in the Golden State Warriors. Game 7, on the road, tie game. The pressure level has never been any higher for a single shot in NBA Finals history. Most Clutch Shot: His clutchest shot was the same moment. There's a short list of shots made in the final minutes that transcended the landscape of the NBA. If Kyrie doesn't hit that shot, the Warriors may have won the championship and most likely would have never signed Kevin Durant. 4. Damian Lillard Being born and raised in Oakland, California was probably a little bit rougher than a basketball game. Lillard's upbringing made the game seem easy. Moment of Arrival: In just his second year in the NBA, he hit the biggest shot in Portland Trail Blazers history. Down by two, he hit a fadeaway three to not only win the game, but win the series over the Houston Rockets. This shot separated him from the rest of his team, and they ultimately started the roster from scratch and built the team around him. Defining Clutch Moment: He has hit multiple game winners since that shot. So much so, that he started his own celebration because of his clutch play when the pressure is on. He simply points to his wrist and looks at the crowd and says "Dame Time." Most Clutch Shot: The whole reason why we're writing this article is because of this shot. Down by two with 40 seconds left, Dame tied the game up. His team got a stop and had a chance for the final shot, and everyone in the basketball world knew he was going to have the ball in his hands. As the time ticked down, him and Paul George stood toe to toe. He was about 37 feet away from the basket, and with time expiring he took two steps to his right to create space and elevated. He once again hit a series-ending three pointer in front of his home fans, and sent the basketball world into a frenzy. 3. Kawhi Leonard The Klaw is a weird dude. But he is one hell of a basketball player, and is more composed than anyone when the pressure is on. Moment of Arrival: With a chance to go to the Sweet 16, Kawhi led his team to victory in a tightly contested, double overtime battle. With less than 30 seconds left, he stole the ball and got the game-sealing dunk. Proving that he can be clutch on both ends of the floor. Defining Clutch Moment: His moment was an entire series. Going up against the Miami Heat and their Big 3, Kawhi was the best player for his team in a dominant 4-1 Finals victory. His Finals MVP performance proved why he needed to be considered one of the best players in the world. Most Clutch Shot: Kawhi has been appreciated through his entire career because of his ability to make plays on both ends of the court. So his sequence against against the Houston Rockets in 2017 was a microcosm of what he brings to every big moment. Down by one with 30 seconds left, he rises over James Harden and splashes a three to give his team a two point lead. Then he runs back on defense, gets a huge block on Harden, grabs the rebound, and sinks the free throws to end the game. 2. Lebron James Yes, Lebron will go down as one of the greatest players to ever play the game as well as one of the most clutch. However, this list is created with where we currently stand. Moment of Arrival: For much of his young career, he wasn't considered a clutch player. One who would come up small in the biggest moments. But with the series tied 2-2 against a deep Detroit Pistons team, Lebron had to do it all on his own. With little to no help coming from his teammates in the fourth quarter, he decided to put the game on his shoulders. He scored the final 25 points for his team which led to the double overtime victory. This still stands as one of the most incredible individual feats in playoff history. Defining Clutch Moment: The Boston Celtics were the one team he could never get passed. His Miami Heat were down 3-2 in the series heading back to Boston, and the chances of the Heat advancing looked bleak. But with a stone cold look on his face, Lebron came out and delivered a dominant performance. He shot 73% from the field, dropped 45 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists. In the face of elimination, Lebron ended all questions on whether or not he was clutch or not. Most Clutch Shot: In his 16 year career, Lebron has an extensive highlight reel of game winners. But some were a bit more difficult than others. With the time winding down in a two point game, Lebron went for the win instead of the tie. On the road against an up and coming Golden State Warriors team, and with Andre Iguodala in his face, Lebron drilled a fadeaway three pointer to give the Miami Heat the win. The crowd was stunned and Lebron broke out a new celebration that would go on to be duplicated by kids across the world. 1. Steph Curry
Baby Faced Assassin. Chef Curry. The Human Torch. Threezus. And possibly by the end of the career, The GOAT. Moment of Arrival: In the first round of the NCAA tournament, Steph Curry led the 10 seeded underdog Davidson Wildcats over Gonzaga. He scored 40 points, including 30 points in the second half. He was already known as a prolific scorer, but this proved that he could do it against anyone. Defining Clutch Moment: In the first season under Steve Kerr, the Warriors had big expectations. They were down by 20 in the fourth quarter to the New Orleans Pelicans. The Warriors stormed all the way back and had a chance to tie with less than ten seconds left. Curry got to the corner, he was double teamed, he faded away and got landed on by two players. The ball was in the air for what felt like an eternity, and then *Splash.* His big shot tied the game and stole all the momentum from the Pelicans. He dropped 40 points when his team needed him most, and led his team to a 54-30 run in the 4th quarter and overtime. That's when he showed the world he was here to stay. Most Clutch Shot: The Warriors dominant era can be defined in one play. Russel Westbrook goes up for a layup in a tie game and he lays a brick. Warriors get the rebound and immediately get the ball to Curry. Everyone knows whats coming. The crowd, the Warriors, the Thunder, they all know Curry is going to pull up for the win. The thing nobody realized was that he was going to pull up from nearly half court. He lets it fly, and then all you see is the Thunder fans with their hands on their head in disbelief. The Thunder players looking over at Curry as he is running across the court pumping his fist and doing The Bernie. In this moment, everyone knew he was the most clutch player in the NBA, and perhaps ever. 4/10/2019 0 Comments NBA Awards 2018-2019 SeasonThe NBA season is unfortunately over. All the drama, incredible plays, and long grind is over. Everything is OVER! But it's actually not, because that means the playoffs are here. Before we get there, let's reflect on this historic season. It's time for some awards. Most Improved Player Pascal Siakam
Throughout this NBA season, we may have had some hot takes over here. But giving this award to Spicy P isn't a hot take at all. No player made a bigger leap from last season than Pascal Siakam. His play not only elevated the Toronto Raptors ceiling, but it showed how much work he put in during the offseason. An increase in minutes not allowed for Siakam to get into a better flow with his teammates, but he was able to show his new coach what he could bring to the table. Nick Nurse told him before the season that he needed to trust his jump shot a lot more than he did in year two. He took twice as many shots while still increasing his shooting percentage. The addition of Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green increased the spacing on the floor for this stretch-four. But his ability to rise to the level of his new teammates gave him the opportunity to improve drastically from last year to this year. Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert Blocks: 187 Defensive Rebounds: 732 Defensive Box Plus/Minus: +5 It was a long and emotional season for Rudy Gobert. Upon being given the information that he was not going to be on the All-Star team, he broke down and had to leave his press conference. This is a guy who loves the game of basketball, and wears his heart on his sleeve. A trait found in most defensive minded players. Picking between him and Myles Turner was like splitting hairs. In just about every defensive category they were both top five, alternating being first and second. But there were two statistics that stuck out; Defensive Rebounds, and Defensive Box Plus/Minus. Forcing turnovers is huge when it comes to winning tightly contested games, and a defensive rebound is no different then a turnover. Gaining that possession and getting your team back on offense is huge, and Gobert did it exponentially better than Turner. Both of these guys had great seasons and both helped their team get the fifth seed in their conference. The voting may be closer than any other award. Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams Minutes Per Game: 26.6 Points Per Game: 20 Assists Per Game: 5.4 Free Throw Percentage: 88% This award isn't really even fair at this point. Lou Williams has been in the league for 13 years and he is still putting up big numbers. The only difference is that he is doing it in less minutes on the floor with every year he's played. The already two-time winner of the award will most likely make it three. He averaged playing just over half of each game and still managed to be the Los Angeles Clippers leading scorer. Talk about efficiency. As Lou went, the Clippers went. In their 47 wins, he contributed to an Offensive Rating of 117. In their 28 losses, that number was all the way down to 104. Lou not only contributed to his team off the bench, but his play determined most nights whether they won or lost. And with the Clippers making the playoffs, it makes the burden he carried look that much more impressive. Rookie of the Year Luka Doncic Points Per Game: 21.2 Assists Per Game: 6 Rebounds Per Game: 7.8 First of all, let's give it up for Trae Young. He got off to a very slow start to the season, but still played in more games and scored more points than Luka, and was second in the NBA in assists. However, this award takes into account the entire season. And Luka Doncic controlled the race for a majority of the season. Doncic just flat out impacted the game in more ways than Trae did. He was a more efficient shooter, was a great rebounder, and logged 8 triple-doubles. Early on in the season, it seemed as if this would've been a unanimous choice. But Trae's clutch plays and incredible scoring feats will make it a tight race among the voters. It's all about perspective and narrative when it comes to this stuff. If the voters are swayed by emotion then they may vote for Trae. If they are more analytical in their decisions then they will go with Luka. Either way, we'll be sitting on the right side of history with our vote. Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo In just about every scoring category, you're going to see James Harden at the top. No player has averaged more points per game than James Harden in a single season besides Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan. But this is an award for the most Valuable player to his team, not the most Outstanding player in the league. And we don't do Co-MVP's, that doesn't even make sense. The Milwaukee Bucks, with new head coach Mike Budenholzer, ended the season with the best record in the NBA of 60-22. And the best player on the best team was Giannis Antetokounmpo. He was number one in the league in terms of Player Efficiency Rating (a measure of per-minute production) with 30.9. To put that into perspective, the league average is 15, and Harden (who touched the ball more than anyone else in the league) carried a 30.8. Giannis averaged a double-double with 27.7 points per game and 12.5 rebounds. He shot an incredible 58% from the field. He scored more points than he ever has while playing the least amount of minutes since his 2014 season. His play led to the most double digit wins in the NBA, and the most since the 73 win Golden State Warriors. His play was not only great, but it was dominant. No disrespect to All-Star reserve Khris Middleton, but this was his second best player all season on a 60 win team. And take into account the fact that the Bucks won every season series against every Eastern Conference opponent, the dominance can not be denied. Giannis Antetokounmpo will be the 2018-2019 Most Valuable Player. 4/8/2019 0 Comments So . . . The Magic, Huh?Sometimes, sports can be very underwhelming. People seem to root for the underdog more than they root for the teams and athletes that are actually better. There's something about an underdog that captivates those that are unexceptional. That may sound a little bit rude, but in a way its true. Just look at March Madness. Everyone always roots for the underdog story because it represents the little guy taking down the juggernauts. And while that's all awesome in it's own right, it ends up taking away from the better teams displaying a better brand of basketball for the world. With a handful of better teams sitting behind the Orlando Magic, none of it matters now as they have clinched a playoff spot. Thus wasting a position in the playoffs that a better team or a team with better athletes could have had. First of all, "congratulations" to the Orlando Magic on clinching their first playoff berth since 2012. Their fans are ecstatic and finally have a chance to enjoy some playoff basketball again. But honestly, besides their fans, absolutely nobody wants to watch them in the playoffs. Whoever they end up matching up against will surely destroy them in four games. Best case scenario for the Magic is that they pull out a miracle in a game at home just to lose in five. Maybe that's all they want. Just an opportunity to be respected and seen as a "playoff" team. Playoff sits in quotations because those bottom three seeds in the Eastern Conference shouldn't really be respected as such. As the current standings look with less than a week to go in the season, it's highly possible that all three of those teams will get into the playoffs without a winning record. We can't blame them for this, the way the conferences are split up allows for a few teams who have no business in the playoffs get in. Teams with better records and better teams such as the Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Los Angeles Lakers would have easily made the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. But it is what it is, as they say, and it can't be changed. So what can we look forward too with this Magic team? Their head coach Steve Clifford deserves a lot of respect for this season. He has had a very underwhelming group of players come together and play well towards the end of the season. Big wins over the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics allowed them to play their way into the playoffs. They have an All-Star in Nikola Vucevic, who is averaging a double-double on the season with 20.8 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 79% from the free throw line. He has been paired with fellow big man in Jonathan Isaac, who has made great strides in the defensive end as the season has progressed. Their starting point guard is DJ Augustin, who finds himself in the playoffs for the fourth time in his career. He leads the team in assists with 5.2 per game, and just so y'all know thats not great. Evan Fournier is his counterpart in the backcourt. There's not much to say about this guy, but don't look up his last name on Google pictures. If you're bored by now, you are not to be blamed. This team has little to nothing to offer. One cool thing about them is that they have one of the best dunkers in the NBA in Aaron Gordon. He should be good for a highlight or two in their four games in the playoffs. Terrance Ross has been their "Clutch Guy" who seemingly comes in and hits big shots whenever they've needed them. But the best thing that has come from their roster this season is drafting Mo Bamba and having Sheck Wes make a major banger in his honor. Listen, these guys stand no chance in the playoffs against any opponent. They are the worst team in the playoffs hands down, unless somehow the Charlotte Hornets sneak in. Usually, we're pretty optimistic here at Under The Irrelevance and we usually can find the good in just about any situation. But these guys don't deserve to be a playoff team, and that's all there is to it. But hey Orlando, you guys made the playoffs. Good job or whatever on your mediocre season that will result in a four game sweep in the playoffs. You'll never be better than this if you continue to root for an underdog squad, so more power to you. Magicians are mostly phony, and so are the Orlando Magic. In the past, unless a guy was one of the top players in the draft, he would usually suck in his first year. That is if he even got the opportunity to play. But over the past few years, it seems like guys are coming into the league and making an impact right away. Not necessarily the kind of impact that raises the level of the team's play exponentially, but enough to get themselves talked about on a night to night basis. Outside of Luka Doncic, it took a while before anyone from this years rookie class made a name for themselves. But as the season progressed, we saw a handful of these young guys grow into role players and even leaders for their teams. The All-Rookie team could shape up to be a group of future All-Stars if they continue to play the way they did this season. *All statistics are ranked amongst the rookie class* Luka Doncic Shooting Guard - Dallas Mavericks - 3rd Overall Pick Points per game - 21.1 (1st) Rebounds per game - 7.6 (2nd) Assists per game - 5.9 (2nd) Let's start with the most obvious choice. This guy should be one of the two unanimous choices for First team All-Rookie. Luka Doncic has played above and beyond just about everyone's expectations. Even for people who had high expectations, nobody could have predicted he would have the season that he did. He instantly became the best player on the Dallas Mavericks, and had them in the playoff race for about half of the season. He posted 7 triple-doubles, which put him in a tie with Magic Johnson for third most all-time in a rookie season. But the thing that caught the eye of everyone who watched him play this season was how fast he was able to add the Harden-like step-back three point shot that is seemingly unguardable. His ability to add a signature go-to move made him a fan favorite pretty quickly, and made his rookie season one that will be remembered for a long time as one of the best in recent memory. Trae Young Point Guard - Atlanta Hawks - 5th Overall Pick Points per game - 18.9 (2nd) Assists per game - 8 (1st) Field Goals Made - 494 (2nd) When the Atlanta Hawks decided to trade down to get Trae Young and pass on Luka Doncic, everyone assumed it was going to become to horrible trade. And maybe 10-15 years from now, it's possible that it could be true. But for this season, both teams look like winners. Young got off to a slow start in the season, but a lot of it had to do with the fact that the Hawks are a very young team and were without one of their young up and coming players in John Collins. Once he got a little bit of confidence, his game became a lot more natural. He ended up with six games consisting of 30+ points and 10+ assists, second most all-time in a rookie season. His best moment of his season was a five game stretch where he averaged 34.8 points and 10.4 assists, including a season high of 49 points. His play over the last two months of the season not only solidified his spot on the All-Rookie team, but has even given some a reason for argument for Rookie of the Year. Deandre Ayton Center - Phoenix Suns - 1st Overall Pick Points per game - 16.5 (4th) Rebounds per game - 10.3 (1st) Field Goal Percentage - 58.5% (1st among rookies with 1500+ minutes) On June 21st, Deandre Ayton became just the third player ever from the Bahamas to get drafted into the NBA. The other two were two-time NBA champion Mychal Thompson (Klay's dad) and current sharpshooter Buddy Hield. With the clearest water in the world, it's no wonder why not too many kids in the Bahamas choose to play basketball. Ayton's rookie season could be summed up in one word, "Good." His numbers didn't jump off the stat sheet, and he never had any stretch or single game that wowed anybody. But he was consistently a good player. On the Phoenix Suns, he was able to get a lot of playing time. This aided him in his development and may have ballooned his rebounding numbers. But regardless, any rookie who averages a double-double for their first season has to make the All-Rookie team. Jaren Jackson Jr. Power Forward - Memphis Grizzlies - 4th Overall Pick Points per game - 13.8 (6th) Total Blocks - 82 (2nd) Field Goal Percentage - 50.6% (2nd among rookies with 1500+ minutes) With the success that Jaren Jackson Jr. had this season, it's surprising that he still doesn't have a nickname yet. His Instagram handle is simply "Jaren," so maybe a nickname is not needed. Although "Triple J" is pretty catchy. After the impact Jackson made off of the bench in the first two games of the season, the Memphis Grizzlies had no choice but to start him the rest of the way. His shooting efficiency forced their hand because of the fact that outside of Mike Conley, they had no offensive weapons. And trading away Marc Gasol gave Jackson the opportunity to shine as the team's best big man. His defensive presence alone could've got him on this list. With 82 blocks in 56 games this season, he made opposing players think twice about coming into the paint. His two-way ability from the power forward position should have Memphis feeling like they've got a main piece for their future. Marvin Bagley Power Forward - Sacramento Kings - 2nd Overall Pick Points per game - 14.7 (5th) Rebound per game - 7.4 (3rd) Total Blocks - 56 (6th) Considering the fact that Marvin Bagley was the second overall pick, his season didn't quite live up to the high standards that many had put up for him. Many people thought the Phoenix Suns had made a mistake taking Ayton over Bagley, but for a majority of the season they were wrong. The biggest issue Bagley had throughout the first half of the season was finding his place on a Sacramento Kings squad that was in the playoff race all the way up until about a month left in the season. His immediate impact wasn't needed, which made it harder for him to make a name for himself. But as the season went on, Bagley got healthy and began playing with a higher intensity which ultimately made him more comfortable. He came off the bench for all but three games this season, which makes his numbers all that much more incredible. He played less minutes and was more efficient than most rookies at the power forward position. If it wasn't for his injuries he sustained this season, the Kings may have found themselves still fighting for that 8th spot in the playoffs. Just like with every other list that has ever been created, there is going to be snubs. Mitchell Robinson had 147 blocks in 60 games which was more than Jaren Jackson Jr. and Marvin Bagley combined. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander started nearly every game for a Los Angeles Clippers team that is in the playoffs. Collin Sexton started every game and was 3rd in points per game.
But taking into account all-around game is important when looking at awards like this. And the top five players in the draft all lived up to expectations as the top five guys in their rookie seasons. Kiss of Death; an action or event that causes certain failure for an enterprise On January 23rd, 2019, the Indiana Pacers received their Kiss of Death. They were 32-15 and sitting in third place in the Eastern Conference. Their star player Victor Oladipo was playing at an MVP-caliber level, and had even received a starting position in the NBA All-Star Game. They were well on their way to a win over the first place Toronto Raptors, when their season ended... Or so we thought. A silence fell over the Indiana crowd as they watched Victor Oladipo lay on the hardwood after suffering an injury that would certainly end his season. All of their hopes of becoming the new team to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals felt gone. The Pacers won that game, but all of the questions after the game were about Oladipo and how the players felt it was going to effect the rest of their season. They said what any other professional would say in that scenario. Thaddeus Young, Darren Collison and Myles Turner all said that this wouldn't define their season and that it was now on everybody to step up. But one thing they said that you don't typically hear, is that Oladipo's leadership wouldn't stop. He would let them know that the goals are still the goals with or without him. Myles Turner described it best. I don't know [Victor] to be the kind of guy to be down and out and glum everyday. He's gonna be the same positive spirited person that this organization brought him in here for. We get a lot more out of him than just his basketball talents. He's going to be with us. Even someone with the most positive mindset would at least expect this team to slide back a bit, even if it were only for a moment. The Pacers had other plans. With just 13 games left in their season the Pacers are tied for third place in the East, are 2 games up on the Boston Celtics, and will clinch a playoff spot with their next win. But having homecourt advantage in the first round is still their goal. And while this all stems from Oladipo putting this team in a position to be successful, it has been the camaraderie of his team and new additions that have contributed to their great play in his absence. So who really deserves the credit? A lot of people, and that's what makes them the team nobody wants to face. Bojan Bogdanovic has done the majority of the heavy lifting in terms of the scoring load for the Pacers. Before Olapdipo's injury he was averaging 16.8 points per game, and since he has averaged 22.5 points per game. Somehow, his field goal percentage has actually gotten better with the increase in shots. So the more he's shooting, the more efficient he's been. His shot has been there all season, and it's not going anywhere once the playoffs begin. Thaddeus Young has brought his veteran leadership to another level. Players stated that at halftime immediately after Oladipo went down, Young was the first one with a passionate message to the team. In his 11th season, there may be nobody on the Pacers who wants a title more than him. The only player on the roster to have played more games with the Pacers is Myles Turner. He has been the leader on the defensive end both for his team and individually. He leads the league in blocks by a wide margin, is among the league leaders in points allowed per 100 possessions, and has four times as many rebounds on the defensive end as he does on the offensive end. His backup Domantas Sabonis has been an under the radar player who could be on some ballots for Most Improved Player. Among players who play less than 25 minutes per game, he is second in defensive rebounds per game. So there hasn't been a huge drop off when he plays in place of Turner. Darren Collison has been the ultimate steady hand all season. His play on both ends of the floor has made everyone's life a lot easier. And having Corey Joseph come off the bench has allowed the Pacers to play the same style of play for 48 minutes. But the one player that may have had the toughest transition out of the roster is a guy who has only been with the team for 14 games. Wesley Matthews has been living up to his nickname "Iron Man" as he has done everything they've needed him too. Since being traded to the Pacers, he has been added to the starting rotation, scored in double figures in all but three games, and has played at least 29 minutes in each game. His biggest moment came when the team was tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder with less than 5 seconds left. Bogdanovic missed potential game winning shot, but Matthews flew in over Russel Westbrook and made the putback layup to win the game in front of that Indiana crowd. The thing that makes the Pacers so scary is that they truly believe in themselves. When they are locked in defensively, they can beat any team in the league. They are playing with a confidence that would typically only be seen in a team at full strength.
If they were to get the Boston Celtics in the first round with homecourt advantage, they could eliminate the preseason favorites. Leaving Boston with a summer full of questions, and Indiana with a summer full of hope. There is nothing to lose for this Indiana Pacers team. There will be no pressure on them down the stretch or in the playoffs, which will make it easier for them to dictate the style of play. "All for one, and one for all" will be more than just a motto in their locker room, it'll be their mission statement. 2/21/2019 0 Comments RIP Zion's ShoeDays before the highly anticipated Duke vs. North Carolina game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, students were camping outside of the arena. Every year this game is major, but this year was going to be bigger. North Carolina is one of the top teams in the country, while Duke has four players with NBA first round draft pick talent. These four came together to try to form one of the most unbeatable teams college basketball has seen in a long time. One kid stands out above the rest, Zion Williamson. He is undoubtedly going to be the first pick in the NBA Draft this summer. But because of rules that are set in place by the NBA, he must play one year of NCAA basketball or be one year removed from high school (so playing professionally in another country basically). But his choice to play college basketball could possibly cost him his future. The anticipation to this game reached heights that were comparable to the Super Bowl. As far as ticket sales go, it may have been even bigger. Most tickets were going for a resale value of at least $2,000 and one ticket allegedly went for over $10,000. All to see Zion in person. But just 30 seconds into the game, something unbelievable happened. As Zion went to stop, his massive frame proved to be far too strong for his Nike's. His foot literally broke through his shoe and it split in half. Because of this, it caused his other leg to twist in a way he wouldn't want it too and he ended up sustaining a knee sprain. Needless to say, he would not return to the game. And all that money spent to see Zion was instantly vanished. Yet the monetary benefits for everyone, except the players, still remain. This one broken shoe could change the landscape of this young man's career and the choices he decides to make going forward. As a college athlete with a scholarship, he can't accept any money or gifts of any kind while he is playing for Duke. This issue is one that may cause him to decide to shut it down for the rest of the season. The only thing promised for Zion at this point is that is he definitely going to be the number one pick in the NBA Draft. That is, if he remains in good health. It is vital for him to go into the league healthy. Not only for the fact that he needs to get on the floor as soon as possible, but also for his marketability. Every moment he plays for Duke is another second he is losing money. Had he been able to enter the draft straight from high school, he'd already be making millions of dollars. And his injuries would have been insured. With the way the rules are currently set in place, he had to make a decision to help him get to the next level. But because of this one broken shoe, his decisions are now even more critical. Let's say he decides to play, and play hard. Best case scenario is he helps win Duke a National Championship and he is known as the best One-and-Done player of all time. He gets drafted number one and becomes the most marketable young athlete in all of sports. Worst case scenario, he injures his knee again and can't play the rest of the season due to a real injury. He now has a recurring knee injury for a kid who is over 275 pounds. Teams look at that, and now he goes somewhere between second to fifth in the draft. He is instantly put into a rehab assignment to get ready for the season. So why risk it? The answer is He shouldn't risk it. There is no winning in playing if you are Zion. The risk is not worth it. Winning a National Championship for college basketball does not mean what it used too, unless it's a group of kids that are all upperclassmen from a school that isn't able to get the top recruits. Winning with four top recruits doesn't mean anything. And the NCAA is going to continue to benefit from him as long as he plays, yet he won't see a dime. Zion, now is the time to shut it down. Pretend you're actually more hurt than you really are. Stop wearing Nike shoes forever. Become the number one pick in the draft and join James Harden, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Aaron Judge, Justin Turner, Marcus Peters, and Juju Smith-Schuster by signing the biggest deal Adidas have ever made. College sports lives by "All for one, and one for all." But boy you gotta get to that paper! It's time to be "One for One." 2/17/2019 0 Comments Joe Harris is UndefeatedEverything in basketball is about the narrative. What is going to be the story that is going to be written in the late hours of the night that will be ready for the morning? Writers probably have stories pre-written depending on how much work they believe they will have ahead of them. The NBA All Star Weekend is an easy way to get ahead on some work. And the Three-Point Contest should've been the easiest article to pre-write. "Seth Drops Seth in Battle of Curry's" "Steph Continues his Dominance" "Dirk is Revived" "Devin Booker Goes Back-to-Back" "It's Dametime" "Kemba Wins it for Charlotte" Any of those would've been the easiest articles to write. But the outcome nobody was prepared for was the one that came to life. "Joe Harris is Undefeated" The man with just 40,000 Instagram followers stole the show. That's barely enough people to fill up two NBA arenas. The average NBA fan is guaranteed to not know Joe Harris. Even someone who watches every night may have a hard time recognizing him. Especially with such a basic name like Joe Harris. Vegas knew who he was prior to this contest, they gave him the fifth best odds to win the contest out of ten participants. Had you put one dollar on Joe Harris, you would've made $6.50 which is pretty good return. But as they say, you can't make what you can't see. The Brooklyn Nets have a whopping ZERO nationally televised games this season. If you were to ask the common fan to name players on the Nets, you might not get past D'Angelo Russel. You might even hear Spencer Dinwiddie because of his play the last two seasons. But you would hardly hear Joe Harris' name come out of anyones mouth. This was the biggest stage that Joe Harris played on all season, and he applied all the pressure. Joe Harris has been the hidden gem hiding in plain sight. Among the participants in the contest, Harris has the best three-point percentage on the season with 47.1%. And it's not like he is shooting this crazy percentage in limited minutes. He has started every game he has played this season, and he has only missed 5 games due to injury. And it's not like he is barely shooting the ball. He has made at least 3 threes in 28 games this season, and shot over 50% in all but 5 of those games. He hit 17 threes over the final four games leading up to the All Star break. Including his biggest game of the season where he splashed 7 threes in a half against the juggernaut Toronto Raptors. So how did nobody know his name? With the luck of the draw, Joe Harris went first in the contest. He set the bar high with a first round score of 26, which was accompanied with everyone in the basketball world tweeting and texting "Who the hell is Joe Harris?!" Every other shooter took their shots, and the only participants to outscore Harris were Steph Curry and Buddy Hield. Joe pretty much stole Seth's brother privileges from him. Even heading into the final round with those two, it would've still been easy to write him off against those two sharpshooters. But Joe Harris was the one who raised the stakes and dropped 27 in final round to force Curry and Hield to go damn near perfect from the field. Even with Steph hitting his first nine shots, it still wasn't enough to overcome the score that Joe Harris had put up. The trophy was now Harris' to keep for an entire year. And as he so quietly came onto the scene, he accepted the trophy in the same fashion. Barely cracking a smile, he stated that it was an honor to compete and that he would be gifting the trophy to a local college for letting him practice prior to the contest. So next time someone asks you who this guy is, don't make a joke and say he looks like the dude who does your taxes. Say his name, Joe Harris. And let them know that for now, Joe Harris is undefeated. From 2013-2016, the Philadelphia 76ers very carefully configured the worst possible rosters the league had to offer. Thus giving them the opportunity to lose a lot of basketball games. This was no accident. The construction was all the idea of the team's General Manager Sam Hinkie. This man had a vision for the Sixers, and that was to create a title contender in the most frowned upon way; Lose on purpose. This gave the team the chance to garner assets from contending teams, add value to their own assets, and put themselves in the best position to draft the world's best young players. Hinkie was criticized relentlessly, while living through the motto "Trust The Process." But he knew what he was getting himself into. His job was to go in there and be the one bold enough to put this plan into fruition. He was the sacrificial lamb. It's April 13th, 2016 and the Sixers have just finished their season with a 10-72 record. They lost 27 of their last 29 games to put one final beautiful disastrous bow and the finishing touches on the end of an era. Three months later, with the first pick in the draft that they had so rightfully (yet so wrongfully) earned, they added one final piece to their broken puzzle. After stockpiling top picks and taking their chances in the draft, they added Ben Simmons to go along with Joel Embiid. Creating a bright future, and a glimmer of hope for all of those who stuck around through all the losing. Although Hinkie's tenure had ended, his work was not done. Every choice he made ultimately lies within Joel Embid. Hinkie drafted Embiid while he had a broken foot, knowing that his potential could change the future of the team forever. He is the reason they lost on purpose. He is the one piece they were looking to start their rebuild around. He is The Process. Through all those years of losing, many critics believed it was not the way to build a contender. A culture of losing will only create more losing. Losing on purpose was irresponsible, and cowardly. Not putting yourself in the best position to contend every year was a slap in the face of the NBA. There's no way it was going to work. Markelle Fultz was supposed to be the team's bad karma. He was supposed to be the big swing and miss that would derail all of the work that Hinkie had created. But the team's new General Manager Elton Brand could see this situation for what it was; Fluid. In one of his first interviews in his new position, he was forward and honest about his role throughout the entire process. Which clearly began when he was brough back as a player just 4 years ago. When Sam Hinkie took me to breakfast and said he wanted me to mentor some of the younger guys on the team, I saw something special. I wanted to be a part of that. I was allowed to be a part of that, and it's turning out just as I thought it would. This was the plan from the beginning. Hinkie showed Brand the ropes, and now he is the one orchestrating the future of the process. This is what they did it for. This moment. There has been no better time for the Sixers to create a contending squad than right now. They have an All-Star in Ben Simmons, who is averaging nearly a triple-double, has an extremely high field-goal percentage, and has over 30 double-doubles on the season. They have Joel Embiid who is an All-Star starter, an MVP candidate, and the best big man in the game. The window to get to the championship is right now. Brand knew the team needed to add a third star in order to be taken seriously as a contender. He traded two fan favorites in Robert Covington and Dario Saric to bring their star in Jimmy Butler to the squad. Then he had the blockbuster trade to land another budding star in Tobias Harris. He has only been the leading scorer for a Western Conference playoff caliber team in the Los Angeles Clippers while shooting with incredible efficiency from three-point range. And finally, getting rid of the bad karma in Markelle Fultz in exchange for future assets and a strong bench player in Johnathan Simmons. The fact that he is now someone else's problem allows the Sixers to focus on the task at hand; getting to the NBA Finals. The new criticism for the Sixers is that they are wagering their future on the backs of Jimmy Butler, Tobias Harris, and JJ Redick. What if they all leave in free agency? What if only one wants to stay? What if this plan blows up in their face? We already know what Ben and Joel are capable of, and having them both in the youth of their prime is time that can't be spent wasted on kicking the can down the road. By creating a starting five as potent as this one, they now have the chance fulfill The Process. The future of the team is no longer in the equation. They lived in the "Play for the future" world far too long. This is what all of that losing was for. The future is now for the Philadelphia 76ers. |
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