5 DiffRences we wIll see in the 2016-2017 nba seasoN
by bRittAnY GeHlmann
5. Cleveland no longer has a drought-with the Cleveland Cavaliers being the reigning NBA Champions, and giving Cleveland their first NBA title, fans will be looking to how they can compete with the supposed “super team” in the Bay.
4.The Knicks-thanks to several of Derrick Rose’s statements about the Knicks being a super team, fans are going to be watching to see how that will pan out, as well as looking to see how strong they will be in the East. With opening night against the reigning NBA Champions, all eyes will be on the Knicks as the first test of the season is game 1. Not just wondering if the Knicks can actually have a winning season and be a “super team”, but the real test will be if the Knicks can stay healthy, especially the man behind all these lofty statements- Derrick Rose.
3. a New Look-during this offseason we have seen several mediocre players signing max contracts, and star players changing teams. With Kevin Durant going to Golden State, and Dwayne Wade going to Chicago, the faces of some major franchises have changed. There are also players that will probably sing with other teams before the season starts, the main one being JR Smith. JR Smith wants 15 million annually from the Cavaliers, but the Cavs don’t have that kind of money left, and JR is not the kind of player to take a pay cut. Either JR takes less money and wins or he signs a big deal with a team like the Los Angeles Lakers.
2. A Shift of Power Once Again with the Warriors considered a Super Team-if Derrick Rose thinks the Knicks are a super team he better watch out for one of, if not the super team of the NBA-the Golden State Warriors. With a stacked roster of Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson, the Warriors are once again the team to beat this season. However, the real question will prove to be if there are chemistry issues with sharing the ball. Even with all the natural scoring ability that Golden State has, they still need to be able to share the ball efficiently and effectively.
1. Kobe Bryant-Kobe has been in the league since 1996 and played for twenty seasons, anyone under twenty years old has never seen the NBA without him. Kobe has been one of the most prominent faces of the NBA and from retiring after completing 20 seasons, basketball is going to look a little different. Especially with Tim Duncan retiring as well. Kobe was not the best basketball player after he began his decline, but he was one of the most widely known athletes in the world.
4.The Knicks-thanks to several of Derrick Rose’s statements about the Knicks being a super team, fans are going to be watching to see how that will pan out, as well as looking to see how strong they will be in the East. With opening night against the reigning NBA Champions, all eyes will be on the Knicks as the first test of the season is game 1. Not just wondering if the Knicks can actually have a winning season and be a “super team”, but the real test will be if the Knicks can stay healthy, especially the man behind all these lofty statements- Derrick Rose.
3. a New Look-during this offseason we have seen several mediocre players signing max contracts, and star players changing teams. With Kevin Durant going to Golden State, and Dwayne Wade going to Chicago, the faces of some major franchises have changed. There are also players that will probably sing with other teams before the season starts, the main one being JR Smith. JR Smith wants 15 million annually from the Cavaliers, but the Cavs don’t have that kind of money left, and JR is not the kind of player to take a pay cut. Either JR takes less money and wins or he signs a big deal with a team like the Los Angeles Lakers.
2. A Shift of Power Once Again with the Warriors considered a Super Team-if Derrick Rose thinks the Knicks are a super team he better watch out for one of, if not the super team of the NBA-the Golden State Warriors. With a stacked roster of Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson, the Warriors are once again the team to beat this season. However, the real question will prove to be if there are chemistry issues with sharing the ball. Even with all the natural scoring ability that Golden State has, they still need to be able to share the ball efficiently and effectively.
1. Kobe Bryant-Kobe has been in the league since 1996 and played for twenty seasons, anyone under twenty years old has never seen the NBA without him. Kobe has been one of the most prominent faces of the NBA and from retiring after completing 20 seasons, basketball is going to look a little different. Especially with Tim Duncan retiring as well. Kobe was not the best basketball player after he began his decline, but he was one of the most widely known athletes in the world.
A message to the russell westbrook fan club
by lucas dodson
Oh man, I have been waiting to go off on this for a while now but I’m going to start this off real mellow. On August 4, exactly one month after Kevin Durant spurned his Thunder for the Golden State Warriors, Russell Westbrook signed a 3-year $85 million dollar contract extension. So, people have been starting to talk, and when people talk, it’s not always the best. But people can’t stop labeling Westbrook, people are calling him insanely loyal, MVP lock, and team leader, and here is when I start to get mad.
First off, Westbrook can not be considered super loyal, sure, he signed back with a not-so-talented Thunder team, but I don’t think loyalty was the reason for that. Take this into account… what team could Westbrook have realistically joined to compete with the Warriors? Hello? Is anyone there? All I hear are crickets and people saying he could’ve joined the Cavs. If Westbrook got traded to the Cavs, they would most likely have to give up Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, so you tell me, would you rather have Russ, or Kyrie and K-Love. Now for the MVP lock label people have been giving him. Every MVP winner since the year 2000 has been on a team that has won at least 50 games, and finished top 2 in their conference. The Oklahoma City Thunder are not going to be a top 2 team in the west, no way, no chance. Sure, Westbrook is very likely to put up absolutely monster numbers next year but look at Steve Nash’s MVP in the year 2006, Kobe Bryant scored 35.4 points per game, but his Lakers were 45-37 and were a 7 seed. For Nash, the Suns were the 2 seed and went 54-28. Now, for the team leader label. People in the media are saying that Westbrook is a team leader. This is the same media that blamed Westbrook for not trying to be a good team leader when the Warriors came back in the Western Conference Finals.
According to The Sports Cheat Sheet, the Thunder are still title contenders for the 2016-17 NBA season. JUST STOP, WESTBROOK ISN’T A PLAYER THAT CAN PULL OFF LEBRON-LIKE PERFORMANCES AND MAKE A BAD TEAM A TITLE CONTENDER! They go as far as to say that the Thunder have a “talented supporting cast”. Come on fam. Enes Kanter, Steven Adams and Victor Oladipo is a title contending supporting cast? You got to be serious. I can’t even go on after that disgraceful take. I’m out.
First off, Westbrook can not be considered super loyal, sure, he signed back with a not-so-talented Thunder team, but I don’t think loyalty was the reason for that. Take this into account… what team could Westbrook have realistically joined to compete with the Warriors? Hello? Is anyone there? All I hear are crickets and people saying he could’ve joined the Cavs. If Westbrook got traded to the Cavs, they would most likely have to give up Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, so you tell me, would you rather have Russ, or Kyrie and K-Love. Now for the MVP lock label people have been giving him. Every MVP winner since the year 2000 has been on a team that has won at least 50 games, and finished top 2 in their conference. The Oklahoma City Thunder are not going to be a top 2 team in the west, no way, no chance. Sure, Westbrook is very likely to put up absolutely monster numbers next year but look at Steve Nash’s MVP in the year 2006, Kobe Bryant scored 35.4 points per game, but his Lakers were 45-37 and were a 7 seed. For Nash, the Suns were the 2 seed and went 54-28. Now, for the team leader label. People in the media are saying that Westbrook is a team leader. This is the same media that blamed Westbrook for not trying to be a good team leader when the Warriors came back in the Western Conference Finals.
According to The Sports Cheat Sheet, the Thunder are still title contenders for the 2016-17 NBA season. JUST STOP, WESTBROOK ISN’T A PLAYER THAT CAN PULL OFF LEBRON-LIKE PERFORMANCES AND MAKE A BAD TEAM A TITLE CONTENDER! They go as far as to say that the Thunder have a “talented supporting cast”. Come on fam. Enes Kanter, Steven Adams and Victor Oladipo is a title contending supporting cast? You got to be serious. I can’t even go on after that disgraceful take. I’m out.
Top 10 Point guards in the nba
By: Jackson hett
The NBA has a history of elite point guards from Magic Johnson to John Stockton. Today's NBA does not break this trend. There are several elite star point guards, and here's the top 10.
10- Reggie Jackson, Pistons
Reggie Jackson averaged 18.8 PPG, 6.2 APG, and 3.2 RPG, last season. He's a very talented young point guard at only 26 years old, but his attitude and lack of drive on defense are big weaknesses. If he improves those, he could become a top 5 point guard in the future and the duo of him and Andre Drummond could be deadly.
9- Kemba Walker, Hornets
Kemba Walker averaged 20.9 PPG, 5.2 APG, and 4.4 RPG. He is unquestionably a great scorer, but is on a mediocre Hornets team. His rebounding isn't great but he is also only 26 so that could improve.
8- Kyrie Irving, Cavaliers
Kyrie Irving averaged 19.6 PPG, 4.7 APG, and 3 RPG this past season on the NBA champion Cavalier team. This was a down season for Kyrie, considering he averaged less than 5 APG on a team with LeBron and Kevin Love. Look for Irving to have an inspired bounce back season as long as he can stay healthy.
7- Kyle Lowry, Raptors
Kyle Lowry averaged 21.2 PPG, 6.4 APG, and 4.7 RPG this past season. This was a career year for Lowry as he helped lead a 2 seed Raptors team. He is one of the older PGs on this list at age 30 but still has several elite years left. He will look to continue his great chemistry with DeMar Derozan this season as they look to climb to the top of the east.
6- Isaiah Thomas, Celtics
Isaiah Thomas averaged 22.2 PPG, 6.2 APG, and 3 RPG last season while carrying the Celtics to the playoffs. Since the Celtics acquired him, he has been the team star and led them to good seasons. He is a pure scorer and great shooter that means a ton to the Celtics. Him and Al Horford will look to carry Boston to a top 4 seed in the east this season. His defense is clearly a liability at 5'9 though.
5- John Wall, Wizards
John Wall averaged 19.9 PPG, 10.2 APG, and 4.9 RPG this past season. He tried to carry the Wizards and averaged an impressive double double although the Wizards didn't make the playoffs. He's only 25 and will be the Wizards franchise player for years to come.
4- Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers
Damian Lillard averaged 25.1 PPG, 6.8 APG, and 4 RPG this past season. 25.1 PPG is the 2nd most among all point guards. He led the Blazers past the Clippers in the playoffs and the Blazers will look to add some solid talent to compliment Lillard, he is undoubtably a star and only 26 years old.
3- Chris Paul, Clippers
Chris Paul averaged 19.5 PPG, 10 APG, and 4.2 RPG, for the stacked Clippers this past season. He is 31 but will still have several quality seasons. He is well on his way to becoming a top 10 PG all time and has kept the Clippers competitive the past few seasons. The Clippers will be a force to be reckoned with this season and try to take down the Warriors.
2- Russell Westbrook, Thunder
Russell Westbrook averaged 23.5 PPG, 10.4 APG, and 7.4 RPG this past season. He is a superstar, a franchise player. He throws up triple doubles like nothing and is virtually unstoppable. With Durant leaving the Thunder, Westbrook's stats will most likely look even better this coming season! He will look to put this Thunder team on his back and play this season with a chip on his shoulder. Russell Westbrook is a beast.
1- Stephen Curry, Warriors
Steph Curry averaged 30.1 PPG, 6.7 APG, and 5.4 RPG this past season. He was the unanimous MVP, and is an insane scorer. He's the greatest shooter in NBA history. Curry just beat out Westbrook for this number 1 spot in my rankings because of his sheer talent and scoring ability. He showed that there's no way to stop him by hitting masterful shots and leading the Warriors to the greatest regular season in NBA history.
Team USA's Struggles: Don't Blame The Players, Blame Coach K
By Lucas Dodson
In the 2016 Olympics, Team USA has not been playing particularly well and all the blame has been going to the players, but I think Mike Krzyzewski, Coach of Team USA should be getting all the blame, here’s why.
He Is Not Creating a Defensive Identity
This years Team USA is a team filled with defensive studs, you have Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, DeAndre Jordan, Jimmy Butler, and Kyle Lowry and they are allowing teams like Serbia and France score 90+ points on them. First off in the game against Serbia, the only players that the Serbians have are Nikola Jokic and Bogdan Bogdanovic and they let that team score 91 points on them. Now let us look at France, sure, France is a good team, but they only have 4 NBA players who played in today's game, and USA let them score 97 points. But the big reason why this happened is not because of the players, it’s because it’s almost like Coach K forgot how to make a defensive lineup. Whenever a team has gone on a run, exposing the defense that Team USA has on the floor, Coach K doesn’t seem to worried about it and is keeping a lineup that is not a strong defensive unit on the floor. The best unit that Coach K could put on the floor that would play lockdown D and still score the ball would be: Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and DeAndre Jordan. How come Coach K hasn’t done that yet? I don’t understand why not but all we can do is speculate.
He Isn’t Letting the Team Have Fun
A big part of coaching a basketball team is letting the players be themselves and have fun while still having a serious and competitive nature. But whenever this USA team has fun, Coach K makes them stop, and when they were having fun, USA would beat teams by 50 because they were being themselves out on the court.
He Is Not Creating a Defensive Identity
This years Team USA is a team filled with defensive studs, you have Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, DeAndre Jordan, Jimmy Butler, and Kyle Lowry and they are allowing teams like Serbia and France score 90+ points on them. First off in the game against Serbia, the only players that the Serbians have are Nikola Jokic and Bogdan Bogdanovic and they let that team score 91 points on them. Now let us look at France, sure, France is a good team, but they only have 4 NBA players who played in today's game, and USA let them score 97 points. But the big reason why this happened is not because of the players, it’s because it’s almost like Coach K forgot how to make a defensive lineup. Whenever a team has gone on a run, exposing the defense that Team USA has on the floor, Coach K doesn’t seem to worried about it and is keeping a lineup that is not a strong defensive unit on the floor. The best unit that Coach K could put on the floor that would play lockdown D and still score the ball would be: Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and DeAndre Jordan. How come Coach K hasn’t done that yet? I don’t understand why not but all we can do is speculate.
He Isn’t Letting the Team Have Fun
A big part of coaching a basketball team is letting the players be themselves and have fun while still having a serious and competitive nature. But whenever this USA team has fun, Coach K makes them stop, and when they were having fun, USA would beat teams by 50 because they were being themselves out on the court.
Three players who will have a new home in the 2016-17 season
by lucas dodson
We have reached the dog days of the NBA offseason. Minor moves being made and little to no trades. But there are still rumors swirling about. The are three big names left in the NBA who I think will have a new home before the start of the 2016-2017 NBA season.
Russell Westbrook
Perhaps the most obvious name on this list, Russell Westbrook, I guarantee will be traded before the start of the season. Whether it’s to Boston or who knows where, Westbrook will be traded. Although Westbrook has come out to the media saying he doesn’t want to be traded, Sam Presti can’t let Westbrook walk for nothing the same way Kevin Durant did less than a month ago.
Paul Millsap
This may come as a shock to some but hear me out. Millsap is on a contract year and is getting old. I wouldn’t be surprised if Millsap wanted to chase a ring next offseason as it might be his last chance to get one. Atlanta would be smart to move Millsap also because there is no chance of them winning a championship next year so why keep him?
J.R Smith
This one might be a surprise once again, as J.R has stated many times that he wants to return to the Cavs. But can they keep him? He is asking for a deal in the $15 million range and the Cavs are almost empty of cap room, so I don’t know is they can sign him.
Russell Westbrook
Perhaps the most obvious name on this list, Russell Westbrook, I guarantee will be traded before the start of the season. Whether it’s to Boston or who knows where, Westbrook will be traded. Although Westbrook has come out to the media saying he doesn’t want to be traded, Sam Presti can’t let Westbrook walk for nothing the same way Kevin Durant did less than a month ago.
Paul Millsap
This may come as a shock to some but hear me out. Millsap is on a contract year and is getting old. I wouldn’t be surprised if Millsap wanted to chase a ring next offseason as it might be his last chance to get one. Atlanta would be smart to move Millsap also because there is no chance of them winning a championship next year so why keep him?
J.R Smith
This one might be a surprise once again, as J.R has stated many times that he wants to return to the Cavs. But can they keep him? He is asking for a deal in the $15 million range and the Cavs are almost empty of cap room, so I don’t know is they can sign him.
Olympic basketball: what it means to me
By Lucas dodson
The Olympics are upon us. The sporting event that has everybody across the world glued to their televisions every four years. The only time that your entire country will root for every American team, as we see the greatest collection of athletes our country has to offer. There is one sport though that I have unbelievable patriotic passion for, basketball.
I am a guy who dislikes plenty of NBA players, and some are on the National Team (i.e DeMarcus Cousins) but I will be rooting for them come game time. I have grown up loving Olympic basketball and there was one experience, in 2008 that meant the most to me.
In 2004, the USA Olympic Basketball Team had one of the greatest flops ever, only picking up the bronze medal. I was only 2 years old at the time, so of course I didn’t watch the Olympics, but even if I did, I wouldn’t know what was going on. But in 2008, I was 6 years old and just starting to really enjoy sports, but one sport I wasn’t too fond off was Basketball, not because I didn’t like it, it was because I didn’t understand how it worked and why people cared so much about it. But come Olympic time, my family would go to the television to watch the 2008 “Redeem Team” play their games. Featuring a cast of LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Carlos Boozer, etc, the team was absolutely stacked. As I watched this team play, I saw the high-flying dunks of Kobe and LBJ, the monstrous blocks by Boozer and Dwight, the nifty dimes of Chris Paul, and the deep threes by Deron Williams. I was mesmerized, it was one of the coolest things I had ever seen. I started to enjoy it more and more by every game I watched, and by the championship game, I was a basketball fan, I didn’t know much, as I was a to-be First Grader but I enjoyed it and was a fan, just like that. But still, I have to give some credit to the 2012 Olympic Games for sparking more interest in basketball, although the 2008 Olympics was the one that lit the fire. So, in 2012, I was 10 years old and starting to play more basketball, at recess, lunch, and everyday at my house, thinking that I was on the 2012 USA Team, I would shoot from deep thinking I really was Kevin Durant or Melo, I would drive hard to the basket, thinking I am LeBron or Russell Westbrook. But after all that, I still wasn’t that knowledgeable about basketball, and that leads me to now.
As I sit in bed, writing this article, I am more than obsessed with the sport of basketball, I can name anything you want about basketball, I am a statistician and I can’t ever stop talking about it. With this year's Olympics, although most of the biggest NBA names are missing from the roster (Russell Westbrook, Curry, LBJ, Harden, Kawhi Leonard, CP3, D-Lillard and more), there are still stars playing and I will be able to enjoy them more than ever this year. I am thrilled for the Olympics, and that is what Olympic Basketball means to me.
I am a guy who dislikes plenty of NBA players, and some are on the National Team (i.e DeMarcus Cousins) but I will be rooting for them come game time. I have grown up loving Olympic basketball and there was one experience, in 2008 that meant the most to me.
In 2004, the USA Olympic Basketball Team had one of the greatest flops ever, only picking up the bronze medal. I was only 2 years old at the time, so of course I didn’t watch the Olympics, but even if I did, I wouldn’t know what was going on. But in 2008, I was 6 years old and just starting to really enjoy sports, but one sport I wasn’t too fond off was Basketball, not because I didn’t like it, it was because I didn’t understand how it worked and why people cared so much about it. But come Olympic time, my family would go to the television to watch the 2008 “Redeem Team” play their games. Featuring a cast of LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Carlos Boozer, etc, the team was absolutely stacked. As I watched this team play, I saw the high-flying dunks of Kobe and LBJ, the monstrous blocks by Boozer and Dwight, the nifty dimes of Chris Paul, and the deep threes by Deron Williams. I was mesmerized, it was one of the coolest things I had ever seen. I started to enjoy it more and more by every game I watched, and by the championship game, I was a basketball fan, I didn’t know much, as I was a to-be First Grader but I enjoyed it and was a fan, just like that. But still, I have to give some credit to the 2012 Olympic Games for sparking more interest in basketball, although the 2008 Olympics was the one that lit the fire. So, in 2012, I was 10 years old and starting to play more basketball, at recess, lunch, and everyday at my house, thinking that I was on the 2012 USA Team, I would shoot from deep thinking I really was Kevin Durant or Melo, I would drive hard to the basket, thinking I am LeBron or Russell Westbrook. But after all that, I still wasn’t that knowledgeable about basketball, and that leads me to now.
As I sit in bed, writing this article, I am more than obsessed with the sport of basketball, I can name anything you want about basketball, I am a statistician and I can’t ever stop talking about it. With this year's Olympics, although most of the biggest NBA names are missing from the roster (Russell Westbrook, Curry, LBJ, Harden, Kawhi Leonard, CP3, D-Lillard and more), there are still stars playing and I will be able to enjoy them more than ever this year. I am thrilled for the Olympics, and that is what Olympic Basketball means to me.
The TImberwolves future
By:ADam hipsky
The Minnesota Timberwolves. When you hear that name you think a bad team. A team that has been consistently bad. Well there not as bad as what you think. They have an up and coming star PG in Kris Dunn who they drafted 5th in this years draft. Also Karl Anthony Towns a star center out of Kentucky. Then Andrew Wiggins who they acquired for Kevin Love. This could possibly a big 3 that could take the NBA by storm.
Lets start with the backcourt. A backcourt that is actually a top 15 backcourt in the league. At PG Ricky Rubio a solid distributor averaging 8.6 APG last season along with 10.1 PPG. Even though Ricky is getting older he’s still a solid ball player. They could possibly shop him in a trade landing some key role players maybe even a starter. Then at the 2 guard position Zach LaVine a 2x Dunk Contest a guard that is a slasher that can take the ball into the paint and get it done. Averaging 14.0 PPG he and Rubio create a powerful backcourt duo. The bench includes Kris Dunn a rookie with a sky high ceiling out of Providence. Then the backup 2 guard Kevin Martin a veteran that averaged 10.6 PPG makes a beautiful backcourt 1st string and 2nd.
The Forwards. At the 3 spot Andrew Wiggins a future superstar already averaging 20+ PPG could see an ASG for him in the future maybe even this year. I see him creating a dynamic duo with ROY Karl Anthony Towns. Also knowing Wiggins won the same award this is a young team with a very bright future. Then backing him up a very strong SF could probably start somewhere else Shabazz Muhammad. Muhammad is the 6’6 Forward out of UCLA only 23 years old has a solid future as a role player with this Timberwolves squad already averaging double digits. (10.5 PPG) The 3 spot is a super important position on the floor especially if you loom at the stars in the league Lebron James,Kevin Durant, Paul George all big players and you need some solid small forwards to guard these Superstars.
The Power Forwards definitely the 2nd strongest position on the court for Minnesota maybe even the strongest. Karl Anthony Towns only a 2nd year player already has an award under his belt and that gives him a major confidence boost. This may sound crazy but I see an MVP in this kids future. He is the future of the league when all the stars are out it’s Karl’s time. I think maybe an ASG this year. Possibly an NBA 2nd or third team honors. I have a feeling that he's a star and he can be one of the best big men to ever play when his career is done.
At the 5 position they really need to upgrade here by far the weakest position on the court. We start with Gorgui Dieng averaged 10.1 PPG last season as a starter. Thats not terrible. He also averaged 7.1 RPG. Not good but not terrible. He definitely cannot hang with the stars of the big men in the league but here’s the problem. Backing him up is Nikola Pekovic. He is absolutely terrible in this system only averaging 4.5 PPG. I understand as a big man you don't have to score but this is why the T Wolves need this guy out of there system. He only averages 1.8 RPG! Thats absolute terrible for a backup big man. Now a small upgrade happened this free agency and that is Cole Aldrich. All he does is gets Pekovic out of the depth chart and decreases his minutes. Aldrich isn't anyway anything better than a mediocre big man but it’s better than Pekovic.
Final Predictions: A spot in the playoffs and a season over .500.
Lets start with the backcourt. A backcourt that is actually a top 15 backcourt in the league. At PG Ricky Rubio a solid distributor averaging 8.6 APG last season along with 10.1 PPG. Even though Ricky is getting older he’s still a solid ball player. They could possibly shop him in a trade landing some key role players maybe even a starter. Then at the 2 guard position Zach LaVine a 2x Dunk Contest a guard that is a slasher that can take the ball into the paint and get it done. Averaging 14.0 PPG he and Rubio create a powerful backcourt duo. The bench includes Kris Dunn a rookie with a sky high ceiling out of Providence. Then the backup 2 guard Kevin Martin a veteran that averaged 10.6 PPG makes a beautiful backcourt 1st string and 2nd.
The Forwards. At the 3 spot Andrew Wiggins a future superstar already averaging 20+ PPG could see an ASG for him in the future maybe even this year. I see him creating a dynamic duo with ROY Karl Anthony Towns. Also knowing Wiggins won the same award this is a young team with a very bright future. Then backing him up a very strong SF could probably start somewhere else Shabazz Muhammad. Muhammad is the 6’6 Forward out of UCLA only 23 years old has a solid future as a role player with this Timberwolves squad already averaging double digits. (10.5 PPG) The 3 spot is a super important position on the floor especially if you loom at the stars in the league Lebron James,Kevin Durant, Paul George all big players and you need some solid small forwards to guard these Superstars.
The Power Forwards definitely the 2nd strongest position on the court for Minnesota maybe even the strongest. Karl Anthony Towns only a 2nd year player already has an award under his belt and that gives him a major confidence boost. This may sound crazy but I see an MVP in this kids future. He is the future of the league when all the stars are out it’s Karl’s time. I think maybe an ASG this year. Possibly an NBA 2nd or third team honors. I have a feeling that he's a star and he can be one of the best big men to ever play when his career is done.
At the 5 position they really need to upgrade here by far the weakest position on the court. We start with Gorgui Dieng averaged 10.1 PPG last season as a starter. Thats not terrible. He also averaged 7.1 RPG. Not good but not terrible. He definitely cannot hang with the stars of the big men in the league but here’s the problem. Backing him up is Nikola Pekovic. He is absolutely terrible in this system only averaging 4.5 PPG. I understand as a big man you don't have to score but this is why the T Wolves need this guy out of there system. He only averages 1.8 RPG! Thats absolute terrible for a backup big man. Now a small upgrade happened this free agency and that is Cole Aldrich. All he does is gets Pekovic out of the depth chart and decreases his minutes. Aldrich isn't anyway anything better than a mediocre big man but it’s better than Pekovic.
Final Predictions: A spot in the playoffs and a season over .500.
Knicks a team stuck in the past
By: JJ Glaser
The Knicks have had a great offseason if it was 4 years ago!! They acquired Derrick Rose but let's face it he won't be anything like his MVP self. After facing multiple injuries he just doesn't get a break and I will doubt he plays more than 50 games this year for New York. Yeah if Derrick Rose returns to his Allstar self this trade was worth it but other then that I don't see it paying off for the future. Rose is also a free agent next year and there's no guarantees of a return.
Next the Knicks signed Joakim Noah we all knew this one was going to happen. After getting Rose they were front runners to land the former all star Joakim Noah. FORMER all NBA first team , 2x all NBA defensive first team , and NBA defensive player of the year will not be as great as he was. Let's face it Noah has aged and as a backup to Pau Gasol last year he averaged 4.3 PPG , 8.8 RPG , and 3.8 APG this is nothing like when he was at his best. He used to average 12.6 PTS , 11.3 RPG , and 5.4 APG. He also only played 29 games last year dealing with injury. He is a solid center but will he be able to average a double double.
Then the Knicks went out needing to get a SG after Afflalo wasn't gonna be a Knick next year. They were in the front running for Eric Gordon and Courtney Lee. There was also rumors about Dwade but that was just a dream for Knicks fans. The Knicks ended up signing Courtney Lee who is a solid option at SG. I feel like he will have a solid year with the Knicks. He averaged 9.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG , and 1.7 APG for the Hornets last year.
Now let's talk about Melo. If he is healthy he will be a huge threat but that seems unlikely. He is 32 years old with history of being hurt. I feel like Melo will play in less than 70 games this year. He averaged 21.8 PPG, 7.7 RPG , and 4.2 APG. If Melo is 100% healthy he will be a huge threat this year.
Now Porzingis he is just filthy. From his put back dunks to shooting 3s he is a PF the Knicks will have for awhile. After his rookie year I feel like he will be a better player this year and playing with the veteran Noah he will progress. He averaged 14.3 PPG , 7.3 RPG, and 1.3 APG.
Final verdict: If this was a few years ago it would've been a super team. Considering injuries and the age of these players the Knicks will be a 5-8 seed in the east this year.
Next the Knicks signed Joakim Noah we all knew this one was going to happen. After getting Rose they were front runners to land the former all star Joakim Noah. FORMER all NBA first team , 2x all NBA defensive first team , and NBA defensive player of the year will not be as great as he was. Let's face it Noah has aged and as a backup to Pau Gasol last year he averaged 4.3 PPG , 8.8 RPG , and 3.8 APG this is nothing like when he was at his best. He used to average 12.6 PTS , 11.3 RPG , and 5.4 APG. He also only played 29 games last year dealing with injury. He is a solid center but will he be able to average a double double.
Then the Knicks went out needing to get a SG after Afflalo wasn't gonna be a Knick next year. They were in the front running for Eric Gordon and Courtney Lee. There was also rumors about Dwade but that was just a dream for Knicks fans. The Knicks ended up signing Courtney Lee who is a solid option at SG. I feel like he will have a solid year with the Knicks. He averaged 9.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG , and 1.7 APG for the Hornets last year.
Now let's talk about Melo. If he is healthy he will be a huge threat but that seems unlikely. He is 32 years old with history of being hurt. I feel like Melo will play in less than 70 games this year. He averaged 21.8 PPG, 7.7 RPG , and 4.2 APG. If Melo is 100% healthy he will be a huge threat this year.
Now Porzingis he is just filthy. From his put back dunks to shooting 3s he is a PF the Knicks will have for awhile. After his rookie year I feel like he will be a better player this year and playing with the veteran Noah he will progress. He averaged 14.3 PPG , 7.3 RPG, and 1.3 APG.
Final verdict: If this was a few years ago it would've been a super team. Considering injuries and the age of these players the Knicks will be a 5-8 seed in the east this year.
Are The warriors that good?
By: Eli Lesser
Are The Warriors That Good?
After a record setting 73-9 season, the Golden State Warriors fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers in game 7 of the NBA Finals. After their big loss, heading into the offseason, the Warriors went out looking for another big name to add to their roster to ensure that they won’t lose in the NBA Finals next season. They ended up signing superstar small forward Kevin Durant to join their star studded lineup with Curry, Thompson and Green.
The 27 year old is a 7 time all star and was the 2014 MVP as well as being named to the All NBA First Team 5 times. Durant, while with the Thunder, was used to being the star of the show alongside Westbrook. Durant often times kept the ball for himself, either driving the ball to the basket or hitting long range threes.
Now that Durant is with the Warriors, he will not be able to keep possession to himself as the MVP for the past two years Stephen Curry keeps control of the ball and takes many shots resulting in many many points.
Also now that another star player is being added to the Warriors, other stars around him like Klay Thompson and Draymond Green’s numbers will go down as well as Durant’s himself.
This lineup might be considered a “super team” but they have a huge whole in their depth including their starting center. Currently the number one center on their depth chart is Zaza Pachulia. The 32 year old has had a pretty average career and has never played on a great team. He is a downgrade from the Warrior’s center last year: Andrew Bogut.
Now in order to have enough money for Durant, the Warriors had to give up basically all their forward depth. They lost their backup center Festus Ezeli who is young and has a bright future to Portland, and they lost their backup power forward Marreese Speights, who is still in his prime and came up big for them in the postseason to the Clippers.
Looking back at the last team that was considered a “super team,” the 2012-2013 Los Angeles Lakers, who had stars such as Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol, were a mess and under performed tremendously. Chemistry was awful for the team with Howard trying to take over the team from Kobe. Looking back at that, there might potentially be a similar case with Durant and Curry. The Lakers went from the league’s top team to one of the league’s biggest jokes, which they still are today.
All in all, the Warriors are still one of the top teams in the west, but there is no way this team can be called a “super team” until they prove they can play and win together as a team.
After a record setting 73-9 season, the Golden State Warriors fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers in game 7 of the NBA Finals. After their big loss, heading into the offseason, the Warriors went out looking for another big name to add to their roster to ensure that they won’t lose in the NBA Finals next season. They ended up signing superstar small forward Kevin Durant to join their star studded lineup with Curry, Thompson and Green.
The 27 year old is a 7 time all star and was the 2014 MVP as well as being named to the All NBA First Team 5 times. Durant, while with the Thunder, was used to being the star of the show alongside Westbrook. Durant often times kept the ball for himself, either driving the ball to the basket or hitting long range threes.
Now that Durant is with the Warriors, he will not be able to keep possession to himself as the MVP for the past two years Stephen Curry keeps control of the ball and takes many shots resulting in many many points.
Also now that another star player is being added to the Warriors, other stars around him like Klay Thompson and Draymond Green’s numbers will go down as well as Durant’s himself.
This lineup might be considered a “super team” but they have a huge whole in their depth including their starting center. Currently the number one center on their depth chart is Zaza Pachulia. The 32 year old has had a pretty average career and has never played on a great team. He is a downgrade from the Warrior’s center last year: Andrew Bogut.
Now in order to have enough money for Durant, the Warriors had to give up basically all their forward depth. They lost their backup center Festus Ezeli who is young and has a bright future to Portland, and they lost their backup power forward Marreese Speights, who is still in his prime and came up big for them in the postseason to the Clippers.
Looking back at the last team that was considered a “super team,” the 2012-2013 Los Angeles Lakers, who had stars such as Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol, were a mess and under performed tremendously. Chemistry was awful for the team with Howard trying to take over the team from Kobe. Looking back at that, there might potentially be a similar case with Durant and Curry. The Lakers went from the league’s top team to one of the league’s biggest jokes, which they still are today.
All in all, the Warriors are still one of the top teams in the west, but there is no way this team can be called a “super team” until they prove they can play and win together as a team.