Now that the NFL season is officially a wrap, and can all ya'll stop whining about Marshawn Lynch not getting the rock, if he doesn't care, why should we.
It's time to zone in on the National Basketball Association, and for everyone that wasn't paying attention to what has been happening on the hardwood, let me break it down for you real quick.
Steph Curry is a baller, the Atlanta Hawks are really good, the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks will be drafting first and second in the 2015 NBA Draft, the Thunder wouldn't be in the playoffs if they started today, and yes, LeBron James is still the baddest man in the World.
So before we move on, by a show of hands please, who had the Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks having the best records in their respected conferences at the halfway point of the NBA season?
That's what I thought.
Steve Kerr has led Golden State to the best record in the NBA with a 31-8 record and Atlanta's Mike Budenholzer, or as I like to call him the "Poppet" because I swear he coaches just like Gregg Popovich, has led the Hawks to the second best record in the NBA at 41-9.
And, again, by a show of hands what do Steve Kerr and Mike Budenholzer have in common?
Calm down Timmy, I'll pick you. What would the answer be?
Duncan: Gregg Popovich?
Ding, ding, ding!! You are correct.
Budenholzer spent 19 years in the San Antonio Spurs organization and 17 of them with Coach Pop, winning four rings during his tenure as an assistant coach with the Spurs.
Kerr spent four of his last five years ballin' for Pop and won his fourth and fifth rings with San Antonio. But, you know how players are during their final years, they become sponges and really start taking notes if they want to pursue the coaching path, and boy Steve Kerr sure paid attention to Coach Pop and don't worry Phil I got love for you too, "The Zen" started the brainwashing on Kerr for a five year span from 1993 until 1998.
Alright baby let's dive in and take a closer look at the Western Conference and break down what has happened so far and what is going to happen for the second half of the season.
The Golden State Warriors are the best team in the NBA. I don't care what anyone says, sorry LeBron James, but Stephen Curry is the most exciting player to watch in the game.
And, remember when Mark Jackson said Steph Curry and Klay Thompson was the best shooting backcourt EVER? Yeah, he knew what he was talking about, at least on that. Curry might be the most exciting player to watch, but boy, Klay Thompson might be the best pure shooter in the NBA. Just imagine how different this team would look if they would have pulled the trigger on that Klay for K-Love deal, I think it's safe to say the Warriors made the right move.
But, Golden State is a lot more than the "Splash Brothers" and it all starts with the most underrated player in the NBA, sorry Mo' Speights it ain't you, it's Alvin Gentry's nemesis Draymond Green.
In his third season he has quietly become the Most Improved Player in the game. He's averaging 11.2 PPG, 8 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.4 BPG, but most importantly, he's the best defender on the Warriors squad, and you could even make a strong case he's the best defensive player in the NBA. Outside of LeBron James he's the only dude in the business who can guard every position.
Now onto the team that broke up Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey, wait no, sorry no one cares about that, I mean LeBron James and the Miami Heat.
The San Antonio Spurs have been very inconsistent during the first half of the NBA season, but come on, it doesn't mean anything. They have turned it on once 2014 was a wrap, since the New Year they are 11-4 and they have won eight of their last 10.
You know how Pop rolls, and you can see the rest of the NBA following suit, he cares more about resting his guys and keeping them fresh than getting wins in the regular season, which worked out very well for the Spurs last season.
The Spurs of the past used to be about the "Big 3", but boy, have things changed in San Antonio. I get it, the Spurs arguably have the most depth in the game, but this team will go as far as Kawhi Leonard takes them.
SHOUTOUT TO THE 951!!!
Sorry about that, I don't get a chance to give some love to the same area code I'm from often! Step yo' game up 951! But, back to Leonard, is there a more unappreciated player in the NBA?
NOPE.
So far this year Leonard has been banged up, and the record doesn't lie, the Spurs are 22-9 with Leonard and 9-9 without the four year veteran from San Diego State.
The Spurs might be in the seventh spot right now in the Western Conference race, but there is absolutely nothing to worry about with San Antonio, they will be tough to beat in a seven game series no matter who they play.
Okay real quick, like 0 to 100 real quick, lets break down the rest of the best in the West, my bad, that's why my dogg JT Blaze spits bars in my family.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES - They have the best big man duo in the NBA and I think it's time to throw Zach Randolph's name in the MVP race. Z-Bo is averaging 19 and 13 over his last 14 games and he is fourth in the NBA with 29 double-doubles despite missing nine games this season. And, the acquisition of Jeff Green was huge for Memphis and it could be exactly what the doctor ordered for the Grizzlies once May comes around. One more thing, Mike Conley is the most underrated point guard in the NBA.
HOUSTON ROCKETS - James Harden is right in the thick of things in the MVP race, he has led the Rockets to the third best record in the West, and keep in mind that is with Dwight Howard missing 17 games this season. Howard isn't any closer to stepping on the court and he should be out at least another month so a lot will be on Harden's shoulders during the second half of the season. I love watching Harden ball but I don't like Houston's chemistry at all, especially bringing in Josh Smith, this team won't do much in May, I wouldn't be shocked to hear "Houston we have a problem" and get bounced in the first round of the playoffs for the third consecutive season.
PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS - Can we please acknowledge that LaMarcus Aldrige is the best power forward in the game. Just imagine if he was playing in a top-five market. There are only three players in the NBA who are in the top ten in scoring and rebounding, Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, and L.A. He's averaging 23.7 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.2 BPG, but this is the line I love he's shooting 46% from beyond the arc and he is shooting 87% from the free-throw line. But, what really impressed me the most about the eight year veteran from the University of Texas, he was supposed to miss 6-8 weeks with a ligament tear in his thumb, he missed TWO games. Plain and simple Aldridge is a baller! And, so are Damian Lillard and Wesley Matthews, they are the third leading scoring backcourt in the NBA, only trailing the "Splash Brothers" and the Chicago Bulls duo of Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler. Portland will be a dangerous team in May and I throw them in there with the Dubs and Spurs on the short list as we near the All-Star break.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS - I think most people thought they would be better at this point of the season than they currently are. A lot of NBA experts thought this could be the Clippers season to win the Western Conference but the team 350 miles north have earned that honor through the first half of the season. Chris Paul has always been regarded as one of the top point guards in the game but his playoff struggles have to cause serious concern to Clipper Nation. We all remember Game 5 of the Western Conference semi's against Oklahoma City when they blew a seven point with 49 seconds left and it all falls on the shoulders of CP3. This team will go as far as Chris Paul takes them, and he better hope he doesn't see Lauren Holtkamp in the playoffs.
DALLAS MAVERICKS - A lot of people thought the Mavericks were going to be on the short list of favorites to win their second NBA championship in five years when they acquired Rajon Rondo, but it has had the opposite affect in Dallas. In games played with Rondo the Mavs are 12-9 and they are 22-9 without Rondo on the floor. However, I still think Dallas is getting used to Rondo as their floor general so things could get better in Dallas sooner than later and boy how happy is Mark Cuban he was able to bring Tyson Chandler back home. I think it's a two man race for Most Improved Player between him and Draymond Green. Chandler is one of 12 players in the NBA averaging at least 10 points and 10 rebounds this year but his interior defense has made a huge impact for Dallas. Expect the Mavericks to be a sneaky team to surprise some folks in May, and I know the Spurs are hoping they can avoid Dallas in the postseason, they are always the toughest matchup for Coach Pop.
PHOENIX SUNS - First off, Jeff Hornacek has done a remarkable job with the Suns in his first two seasons as Head Coach (76-56 overall). They came within one game from making the playoffs last year and they are currently the No. 8 team in the playoff race at the halfway mark. I love the three-guard lineup they throw out there with Isaiah Thomas, Goran Dragic, and Eric Bledsoe. It reminds me of the days when the Detroit Pistons would roll with Isaiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, and Vinnie Johnson, and they proved you can win championships with a three guard lineup, buuuuut there is one big difference, the Suns don't have Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn, and Dennis Rodman to help out their little guys. The Suns are one of the most exciting teams to watch in the game but unfortunately I think they are going to fall a little short of the playoffs once again this year.
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER - If Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook can stay healthy the rest of the season I would not want to be one of the top seeds in the West and have to play the most dangerous duo in the game in the first round of the playoffs. It's not a matter of if they will make the playoffs but a matter of how far can two of the youngest stars in the NBA take the Thunder in May. You can take it to the bank, if KD and Russ stay healthy they will be ballin' in May. I know Thunder Nation was hoping Dion Waiters would be the new James Harden, sorry Oklahoma, that won't be the case, but he is a nice improvement to maybe the worst bench in the NBA. The Thunder will be a scare for anyone in the playoffs because anytime you have to face off against Durant and Westbrook you will have your hands full.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS - Can we all please realize how great of a player Anthony Davis is. I hope you guys are noticing who will be the best player in the game in a matter of years, and yes it is the dude who rocks the sexiest unibrow in the World. I mean, who else could pull that off. Could you imagine being in High School with one of those, you wouldn't last a week. But, when you are Anthony Davis you can do whatever you want. And, I love the way Tyreke Evans and Eric Gordon have transitioned their games. I mean who would have thought Eric Gordon would have posted at least five assists in 10 consecutive games and how about Evans putting up a poor man's Oscar Robertson stat line this year - 16.9 PPG, 5.9 APG, 5.4 RPG, and 1.2 SPG. I like the future for this Pelicans squad but I still think they are a year or two out from making noise in the postseason.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS - I mean I gotta talk about the Lakers right, they are horrible, but they are HUGE winners this year because there is a 99.99999% chance they get to hold onto to their 2015 draft pick, it's a top-5 protected pick and there is no way their lottery ball pops out before pick five. I mean David Stern isn't here anymore so he won't be able to screw the Lakers over again. Yo Jake and Nick you finally happy I admitted Stern royally screwed you guys!
Okay baby, let's take a quick break and I am going to help you guys make some money on who will win the awards at the end of the year.
DRUM ROLL PLEASE!
MVP: LeBron James
Rookie of the Year: Andrew Wiggins
Defensive Player of the Year: DeAndre Jordan
Sixth Man of the Year: Jamal Crawford
Most Improved Player: Draymond Green
Coach of the Year: Mike Budenholzer
Okay, now onto the Eastern Conference, and don't worry we are only going to talk about the teams with winning records, so yes, this will be quick.
I still can't believe the Atlanta Hawks are the best team in the Eastern Conference, I mean everyone thought Cleveland and Chicago were locks to be one and two in the (L)East this year. But, after the Atlanta Falcons choked away the NFC South the Hawks were like don't trip ATL we got your back baby.
I don't know what's crazier, Atlanta having an eight game lead in the East, or they are the only team in NBA history to finish a month 17-0. It's remarkable watching this team and to see how similar they are to the San Antonio Spurs and it all starts with the maturity of their point guard, Mr. Jeffrey Teague. The fifth-year veteran out of Wake Forest has become one of the top young point guards in the game, and I guess it's finally time for me to get over how I picked his Wake Forest team to make the Final Four in 2009 but they got bounced in the first round by Norris Cole and Cleveland State. Jeff Teague might very well be the best point guard in the game that no one talks about.
And, fortunately for the Hawks they are a lot more than just Teague. Paul Millsap and Al Horford are both ballin' this year. They are averaging a combined 33 points per game, 15 boards a game, and nearly seven assists a contest. We all saw how important Al Horford is to the Hawks last year when he only played in 29 games, and I love Jeff Teague's game but Al Horford might be their most important player on the court. He's always been a winner since his days at Grand Ledge high-school and we all remember how successful he was at Florida when he helped lead them to back-to-back National Titles in 2006 and 2007.
Then you add in Ashton Kutcher.. Oops I mean Kyle Korver, you know the dude who is shooting 53% from beyond the arc this year. If the season ended today Korver would be the first player in NBA history to shoot 50% from the floor, 50% from three, and at least 90% from the free-throw line. And, how about the best player in the NBA no one has ever heard of - DeMarre Carroll. Everyone needs that energy guy on their team if they want to win it all and Carroll is the Hawks version of Tony Allen. It was awesome to see the NBA acknowledge how well that Hawks have been playing by naming the entire starting five as players of the month in January, it was the first time in NBA history an entire starting lineup was given this honor.
Alright baby, now to the team I think who is really the best squad in the East, the New York Knicks...
Whoops I meant Cleveland, you know the place where J.R. Smith can actually focus on basketball because there is nothing to do in Cleveland, he said it, not me.
But we all know it all starts with the "King" Mr. LeBron James. You can say what you want but he's got a great chance to retire as the best basketball player to ever lace em' up. That's not my opinion, I don't think I will ever see a better hooper than Michael Jordan but all I am saying is if someone has a chance to surpass MJ it's LBJ. So far this year the Cavs are 29-12 with LeBron and they are 2-8 without him. The reason why I already have LeBron as the third best player in NBA history is his ability to make the other four guys on the floor better. Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson are the only two guys I have seen do that better than LeBron James. I love watching Kobe Bryant play but that is the sole reason why I have James ahead of him, Kobe is a top-five player in NBA history, but his lack of ability to make others around him better is why LeBron James is a better basketball player than the Black Mamba, but hey how many guys get to go on a beer run with the Late Night King Jimmy Fallon, I mean that is just pure awesomeness.
But, now to the other guys who will have to step up if Cleveland does anything in the playoffs. I think we are finally starting to see Kyrie Irving figure out his role with LeBron James along with Kevin Love. The Cavs have reeled off 12 straight wins and the scary part about Cleveland is they still are far from reaching their potential.
The Cavaliers might have panicked a bit making two moves to acquire J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, and Timofey Mozgov but they are sure paying off. Shumpert and Mozgov made the Cavs a significantly better defensive team and J.R. Swish can knock down buckets with the best of them. Too be honest I don't see anyone in the East posing a significant threat to the Cavaliers in May if LeBron James is 100%.
Now the team that might pose the biggest threat to Cleveland and Atlanta is the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls are loaded with talent and it's sure nice to see the MVP of four years ago finally staying healthy this year. Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler have helped form one of the top backcourts in the NBA.
But, the biggest addition for Chicago was the signing of Pau Gasol last summer. He's arguably having his best year as a pro. The 13-year veteran is averaging a career best 12 rebounds per game and is also averaging 18.1 points per game, his highest average since the 2010-11 season. His 31 double-doubles are tops in the NBA and the one thing the Bulls have been lacking in the past was a post presence, and that problem is solved with the elder Gasol in the Windy City.
Then you add in Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Mike Dunleavy, Aaron Brooks, and you have yourselves one of the deepest squads in the East. If the Bulls can stay healthy down the stretch they are going to be a tough out in a seven game series.
Alright, so lets wrap up the rest of the East and we only have three squads we are going to zone in on real quick.
TORONTO RAPTORS - The Raptors started out the season on fire but have cooled down a bit. Since the New Year they are 9-9 but they pose one of the top backcourts in the NBA with Kyle Lowry and DeMar Derozan, who are averaging nearly 40 points, 9 rebounds, and over 10 assists a game combined. But, if Toronto wants to do some work in May it will come down to their role players stepping up, especially Louis Williams and Jonas Valanciunas.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS - I think this was a team a lot of people circled before the season started. John Wall has been absolute money this year, he's leading the NBA averaging 10.2 assists per game and he is the only guard in the NBA ranked in the top ten in double-doubles. But, if Washington wants to do damage in May they are going to need more consistency from Bradley Beal. I loved the offseason addition of Paul Pierce this summer, not because of his game necessarily, but because of his leadership. The one thing the Wizards lacked last year in the second round of the playoffs against Indiana was a veteran and they have it now with "The Truth".
MILWAUKEE BUCKS - If Atlanta's Mike Budenholzer doesn't win coach of the year it will be because of Jason Kidd. The job he has done with the Bucks is remarkable. Milwaukee finished last season with the NBA's worst record at 15-67 and this year they are currently the six seed in the Eastern Conference with a 27-22 record. Even with the second overall pick in last year's draft, Jabari Parker, tearing his ACL earlier in the season they haven't skipped a beat. Brandon Knight has been one of the top young point guards this season and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and ZaZa Pachulia have been huge this season. The job Jason Kidd has done this year helps prove he really does know what he's doing on the bench.
Alright baby we can't end it without having an NBA Finals prediction!
Cleveland Cavaliers over Golden State Warriors (4-3)
LeBron James NBA Finals MVP
Sticking with backup running backs in the Bay Area I think Reggie Bush is due for a breakout season in 2015. A lot of people are hyping up Carlos Hyde but I think Bush is getting overlooked a ton. Bush has proven he can be a good running back in the NFL, Hyde hasn't. But, the biggest concern with Bush is durability. He has only played in all 16 games twice during his nine-year career. Last year, Bush made plenty of fantasy owners upset, he only played in 11-games and barley had 500 total yards, which will make him slip in drafts this year for sure. I expect to see the Bush from 2011-13 when he averaged over 1,000 yards rushing per season and had 132 receptions for nearly 1,100 yards during that span. I don't know how much this will factor in for year one in San Fran.. I mean Santa Clara, but Bush has had his best years in his first season with a new team. In 2011 in his first season in Miami he rushed for a career high 1,086 yards and six touchdowns and in his first season with Detroit in 2013 he rushed for 1,006 yards and four touchdowns to go with 54 receptions for 506 yards and three scores. The only two seasons Bush has eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing in a season were the two times he had a fresh start, so who knows he might make it three-for-three with the San Francisco 49ers.
It's been five years since the San Diego Chargers had a franchise type of running back and they might have one in Melvin Gordon. And, if Gordon can come close to achieving what LT did in the 619 then Chargers fans, and more importantly, fantasy football owners will be ecstatic. I know what guys did in college doesn't always tell the truth on what they can accomplish on Sundays but boy Gordon was one of the best college running backs ever. During his senior season he rushed for 2,587 yards and if it wasn't for some guy named Barry Sanders he would own the single-season rushing record but he fell short of Sanders' record by 41 yards. During Gordon's four-year career at Wisconsin he averaged 7.8 yards a carry, which is the best all-time among all college running backs. The one position that the Chargers have been lacking is at running back, but Melvin Gordon will be the answer to that, expect a big-time season for the rookie and I'll do you one better, the former Wisconsin star will be named "Offensive Rookie of the Year" in 2015.
The main reason why Alfred Blue cracks the list so high is because of the injury woes of Arian Foster. The six year pro has only played in 16 games twice during his career and hasn't done so since 2012. With his current groin injury there is no set timetable on how long it will be, but most recent news suggest he may only be sidelined 4-6 weeks, but I wouldn't be shocked if he's out up to eight weeks. That will give Alfred Blue a chance to see the majority of carries early on for Houston and even if Foster comes back sooner than expected the Texans won't rush him back with a serious workload. During his rookie campaign last season the former sixth round pick out of LSU rushed for 528 yards and two touchdowns and also had 15 receptions for 113 yards and another score. Blue will have a heavier workload heading into 2015 and the former SEC star will have a chance to shine in year number two.
With the departure of Reggie Bush the ball is in Joique Bell's hands to take over as the lead cat in Detroit. I know the Lions are high on their second round pick out of Nebraska, Ameer Abdullah, but that might be a blessing in disguise if you want to draft Bell late in your fantasy draft. Abdullah was one of the top running backs in the 2015 draft class, he rushed for 1,600-plus yards in back-to-back years during his junior and senior seasons, and he will threaten Bell for some of his carries this year. And, even if Abdullah cuts into Bell's workload he will still be the primary back in goaline situations. Bell is pretty close to being back to 100% after having minor surgery on his knee and Achilles in the offseason but you shouldn't worry about his durability, he has played in 47 of 48 games during his first three seasons with the Detroit Lions. Last year he rushed for 860 yards and seven touchdowns and had 34 receptions for 322 yards and one more score. If you are in PPR leagues than Bell is an even better selection, over his first three years he's averaging 46.3 receptions and 451.3 yards per season. As Bell enters his fourth season with Detroit expect big things from the 5'11" 230-pound back from Wayne State University.
Jarvis Landry quietly had a really good rookie campaign with the Miami Dolphins last year. He hauled in a team high 84 grabs and his 758 receiving yards and five touchdowns were second most last season for Miami. With the departure of Mike Wallace, Landry will be the lead dog next year even with the selectinon of DeVante Parker in round one of the 2015 NFL Draft. Parker will no doubt be the franchise receiver for Miami down the road but it will take some time, so expect Tannehill to look Landry's direction a lot next year, especially early in the season. Landry was targeted 111 times last year and that number should increase with Wallace in Minnesota now. Landry is even more of a bonus if you are in a league that counts kickoff and punt return yards along with touchdowns because he is expected to be the favorite for both duties in 2015. Now a lot of people might want to stay away from Dolphin wide receivers because of Ryan Tannehill, but the former first round pick out of Texas A&M proved he can sling the rock last year, he threw for 4,000 plus yards and 27 touchdowns in his best season so far as a pro. Landry's former college teammate at LSU, Odell Beckham Jr., stole the fantasy spotlight last year, and I am not saying Landry will put up those kind of numbers this year, but he might be the steal of your fantasy draft in the upcoming weeks.
