Thoughts on the 2013 NBA Draft: Grades for Picks and Draft-Day Trades

Wow.  Draft day was really something else.  This draft class of 2013 was often criticized for its lack of depth, lack of franchise-altering players, lack of strength and excitement.  But one thing you can't say about this draft was that it wasn't exciting.  With so many ups and downs, so many unexpected twists and major trades involving contenders, and so many cool moments, it was an incredible evening for NBA basketball.  Here, I break down the major first-round (lottery) selections and draft-day trades and give grades for each.

Wait......what?

#1- Cleveland Cavaliers- Anthony Bennett, F, UNLV
Grade: D

This was perhaps the biggest shocker of them all last night: the Cleveland Cavaliers immediately ruining every single mock draft by selecting UNLV forward Anthony Bennett first overall.  All indications were that the race for #1 had come down to two options: Alex Len and Nerlens Noel.  Victor Oladipo was mentioned as a dark horse and Otto Porter and Ben McLemore were in the discussion as well.  Nobody and I mean NOBODY had Anthony Bennett going first overall.  A gutsy move, I'll give that to Cleveland, but a stupid move nonetheless.  They elected to take a risky pick, and boy is Bennett a risky pick, especially that high.  He had a listed weight of 240 (pretty big for a 6'8" forward) but recent reports had him soaring to 261 pounds.  He's coming off a pretty big shoulder injury and while he has drawn some comparisons to former Hornets PF Larry Johnson, the Cavs are set at the 4 with Tristan Thompson, possibly creating a detrimental time share now that Bennett is in town.  Moving him over to the 3 wouldn't work because Bennett simply doesn't have the right build to be a small forward.  Don't get me wrong, he's a fine player.  He rebounds the ball well, has some impressive range for a power forward (he'd have the ability to pick and pop with Kyrie Irving), in addition to a refined post game.  However, not only did it not fill a need for the Cavs, but he wasn't the best player available at #1 by any stretch of the imagination.  Cleveland needed a big man so despite the obvious risks, Len or Noel would be a better pick here.  If Cleveland wanted to take a risk, they should have gone for one of those two instead.  And Ben McLemore, Otto Porter, and Victor Oladipo (who I really think should have gone #1 as I mentioned in a previous post) all have more talent than Bennett.  It's a ballsy pick, can't deny that.  But either the Cavaliers front office knows something that we don't, or this is all going to blow up in Dan Gilbert's face sometime in the future.

#2- Orlando Magic- Victor Oladipo, G, Indiana
Grade: A+

The Orlando Magic made the smartest move in the draft by selecting Oladipo.  Despite earlier reports that said that they would pounce on Nerlens Noel if Cleveland passed on him, they stuck to their gameplan and drafted the Indiana wingman.  I can't say enough good things about Oladipo.  He works harder than anyone else, he's already an elite defender and can guard 3 different positions, he boasts a much improved jumpshot, and he's an explosive athlete that can live above the rim when need be.  His presence at the 2 will also now give Orlando the green light to ship out Arron Afflalo possibly to the Clippers in a run at Eric Bledsoe.  In a draft full of uncertainty, Victor Oladipo is head and shoulders above the rest as the safest choice and I look forward to watching him develop as a pro over many years to come.

The Magic with the best pick in the draft.  

#3- Washington Wizards- Otto Porter, G, Georgetown
Grade: B+

The Wizards needed a SF (the Trevor Ariza/Martell Webster show never has and never will work for them) and they got one in Georgetown guard Otto Porter.  Porter's ability to put the ball in the basket in a variety of ways will complement the backcourt scoring tandem of John Wall and Brad Beal.  He's a solid defender, has shown some nice abilities to dish the rock at times, and he's got great range, not to mention tremendous athleticism and an incredible 7'1" wingspan.  He also a local product having gone to school at Georgetown and he'll feel right at home with this organization.  Great choice by the Bullets.

#4- Charlotte Bobcats- Cody Zeller, F/C, Indiana
Grade: C+

Another big shocker coming within the top 5.  The Charlotte Bobcats pass on Alex Len and Nerlens Noel and make Cody Zeller the second Indiana player to be selected in the 2013 lottery.  All I have to say is add this to Michael Jordan's greatest hits tour in the NBA Draft.  In 2001, Jordan selects Kwame Brown #1 overall.  In 2006, Jordan selects Adam Morrison #3 overall.  And in 2013, Jordan selects Cody Zeller #4 overall.  Ben McLemore was still on the board and would have provided a much needed scoring punch to an anemic Bobcats O.  Plus, Nerlens Noel would have provided a beastly shot-blocking tandem with Bismack Biyombo.  And let's not forget that Alex Len was still on the board.  I get that the Cats probably wanted a big man without the injury risks of a Len or a Noel so I'll cut them a bit of slack.  I'll also cut them some slack just because Zeller is a damn good player.  He's a great athlete on both sides of the ball and he runs the floor very well for a big.  He's also drawn comparisons to Chris Bosh and LaMarcus Aldridge with his jump shooting ability.  He posted some very impressive, even record breaking numbers, at the combine and has shown some elite athleticism for a guy his size.  In it of himself, Zeller is a fine player.  It's just what Charlotte had to pass up in order to get him that ruins it for me.

Really hope Cody Zeller breaks the trend of awful Michael Jordan picks

#5- Phoenix Suns- Alex Len, C, Maryland
Grade: B

This is about where I expected Len to be chosen.  The stress fracture concerns I thought would vault him at least out of the Top 3, but his solid all-around play would prevent him from sliding too far.  With traditional big man back to the basket skills, decent shot-blocking ability, and the ability to hit from mid-range, he's a quality pick.  A true big man, he can come in and make an impact right away for the Suns.  I just wonder what becomes of Marcin Gortat, who has shown promise as a legitimate NBA big man, now that Len has arrived in town.  Do the Suns trade him? Do they bring Len off the bench? Do they slide one to the 4 and go with a twin towers approach? That's the only reason I don't grade Len any higher than a B.  He doesn't fill a need for the Suns who I thought were already set at center.  But then again, sometimes you have to pick the best player on the board, and even if the Suns selected Len over Nerlens Noel, it's a nice choice.  Bonus points to Len for sporting the Ukrainian flag on the insides of his jacket.  That was a nice touch.

#6- New Orleans Pelicans- Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky (rights traded to the Philadelphia 76ers)
Grade: A-

ACL concerns aside, Noel is a steal anywhere outside of the top 5.  One of the most surprising storylines of this draft was Noel's shocking slide out of the top 5.  This was a guy that was the consensus #1 pick for most of the year even when you factor in his injury.  An elite shot-blocker, he can anchor a defense and he's a 7 footer that can run the floor well and make impact plays on the defensive end.  And he would have been a great pick for the Pelicans.  Combining with another Wildcat one and done in Anthony Davis, they would have formed a formidable defense.  Nobody was going to score on that frontcourt.  Blocks everywhere, "Block City" if you will.  And the Pelicans have Robin Lopez who would have been able to hold down the fort until Noel got back, and once he did get back, Lopez would have been able to settle into his true role as a backup center where he would have been able to thrive.  But alas, it was not meant to be.  Soon after being picked, Noel was shipped to the 76ers in a stunning deal.  Which brings me to my next point.

Trade #1: New Orleans Pelicans/Philadelphia 76ers
76ers receive: The rights to C Nerlens Noel, 2014 Top-5 protected first round pick
Pelicans receive: PG Jrue Holiday, the rights to #42 overall pick, PG Pierre Jackson
Grade for 76ers: C+
Grade for Pelicans: B

This was a pretty shocking trade when it was announced and as a matter a fact, it is still pretty shocking.  I think the Pelicans definitely got the better end of the deal.  Jrue Holiday is already a proven talent who is only starting to scratch at his ceiling as an NBA PG.  He can score and distribute with the best of them, and the fact that there are so many elite point guards tends to make some forget how good Holiday really is.  Coming off a season in which he achieved career highs in every major statistical category, he is still only 23 and has a lot of time to improve even more.  So the Pelicans have that to be happy about.  But now there is a major logjam at PG for the Pelicans adding both Holiday and Jackson to the roster.  What becomes now of Greivis Vasquez who had a breakout season last year, leading the league in total assists? There's been some talk that he'll play some SF but he's just not built for that situation.  Plus, the Noel/Unibrow combination would have been one of the most exciting frontcourt tandems in the NBA.  So, adding Jrue Holiday is a major win for the Pelicans but they certainly wouldn't have been too bad off had they kept Noel.

Now what about the Sixers? Noel is an elite defensive talent, I've already touched on that.  But, I fear the Sixers gave up too much to get him.  Jrue Holiday was the alpha dog on that team last year and was even named an All-Star last year.  Philly's offense revolved around him and he looked to be on the verge of superstardom in that system.  Now that he's out of town, who will take on the scoring load? Evan Turner? Thaddeus Young? Please.  So now they have to wait out Noel for at least the first couple of months of the season while (gulp) Spencer Hawes holds down the fort again at center.  The Sixers definitely improved defensively as a result of this trade, but offensively? Not so much.  And the pick that they are getting from the Pelicans for next year is top-5 protected and even if the Pelicans tank horribly next season, (which I don't envision with a hopefully healthy Eric Gordon and Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday coming in to run the offense), would not even allow the Sixers a chance at the Wiggins/Jabari Parker sweepstakes.  I don't know Philly.  What is it with you and centers with knee problems?

It's been done before

#7- Sacramento Kings- Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas
Grade: A+

This one was a no-brainer for the Kings.  I'm sure that even they were pleasantly surprised when McLemore fell into their laps.  McLemore probably shouldn't have gone in the top 3 due to concerns over his work ethic and ability to assert himself.  But 7th? What a steal for the Kings.  Given the new ownership, the new coaching staff, and the new dawn for this Kings franchise, this is a great situation for McLemore to land in.  This is a team that lacks an explosive, athletic talent on the wing.  Now they have that with McLemore who is lauded as a potential superstar and rightfully so with his freakish athleticism and lights-out shooting display. He can come in right away and start from day one if Mike Malone so desires which would allow for Tyreke Evans to slide to the 3 (assuming the Kings don't let him walk) and Marcus Thornton to keep his role as 6th man where he thrived last year (36 against the Heat anybody?).  And all the double teams DeMarcus Cousins commands could allow for a lot of open looks for McLemore down the stretch.  Nicely done Sacto.

#8- Detroit Pistons- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG, Georgia
Grade: B-

I do think the Pistons would have been better off taking Trey Burke here.  He's a hometown hero after leading Michigan to the Final Four and he's a legit PG on a team searching for an identity at that position (Is Brandon Knight a PG or and SG? A starter or a backup? What about Rodney Stuckey? And does Jose Calderon even return next season?).  He was also the best player left on the board at #9.  Instead they elected for Caldwell-Pope who isn't a bad pick at all.  With a great jump shot and an incredible frame/build for a 2 guard, he can start right away and spread the floor for Greg Monroe to operate.  He's also an above-average rebounder for his position and he has shown the ability to create his own shots.  Pistons fans were definitely clamoring for GM Joe Dumars to draft Trey Burke here but they won't have too much to complain about if Caldwell-Pope comes in and injects some life into a Pistons team desperate for help on the wing.

#9- Minnesota Timberwolves- Trey Burke, PG, Michigan (rights traded to Utah Jazz)
Grade: A-

There was no way Trey Burke was sliding out of the top 10.  He's just too big of a talent.  Yes, he's barely 6 feet and his ability to defend bigger, stronger guards is a major question mark.  But this is a kid who won National Player of the Year and has a great combo of range and ball-handling/playmaking skills.  And seeing that the Timberwolves picked him for the Utah Jazz, the A- here applies to the Jazz.  The team desperately needs a PG seeing that Mo Williams is on his way out and (assuming that Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson walk, which is a likely scenario), a core to build around of Burke, Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, and Enes Kanter will be one of the more interesting young cores in the NBA.  Burke is quick as a cheetah and thrives in the pick and roll which the Jazz might be able to execute nicely with the Favors/Kanter tandem.  It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to see Trey Burke put up close to what Damian Lillard put up last year.

#10- Portland Trail Blazers- CJ McCollum, PG, Lehigh
Grade: B+

And speaking of Damian Lillard, the Blazers were finally able to get a capable backup for him by drafting the talented Lehigh point guard.  McCollum knows how to put the ball in the basket and depending on what Coach Terry Stotts decides, could come off the bench to light things up in a hurry a la Vinnie Johnson or could see time at the 2 with Lillard at the 1 should they elect to go small with Matthews at the 3, Batum at the 4, and Aldridge at the 5.  He has incredible range and while his distributing could use some work, the Blazers made a big first step in improving their deplorable bench from last year.

#11- Philadelphia 76ers- Michael Carter-Williams, PG, Syracuse
Grade: C

With the departure of Jrue Holiday earlier in the evening, Michael Carter-Williams is going to be handed the reins to the 76ers' offense from the get go.  The potential is definitely there.  Carter-Williams at 6'6" immediately creates matchup problems on both ends for opposing point guards.  His defense is stellar and is a pretty explosive athlete.  However, he doesn't wow anyone with his shooting ability and his basketball IQ isn't his strongest point.  Unfortunately, it seems that his ceiling is rather low, but at this point in the draft, he is a great value.  The Sixers only get a C for this pick when MCW is more of a B talent because of their gameplan: shipping Jrue Holiday out of town and choosing Carter-Williams to go with Nerlens Noel to spell the future of the team isn't a decision that I think will wind up paying dividends for a disappointing Philadelphia team.

#12- Oklahoma City Thunder- Steven Adams, C, Pittsburgh
Grade: A-

Rare that you see a major contender picking in the lottery but this is the pick the Thunder acquired in the James Harden deal.  That being said, I like the Adams pick for OKC.  Kendrick Perkins has really been more of a liability than anything over the last couple of seasons and Steven Adams, whose stock rose immensely after his performance at the combine, is not only an tough, athletic big, but also showed glimpses of a reliable jump shot (a huge asset for a big man, one that will create more room for Durant and Westbrook to slash up opposing defenses).  I don't know what becomes of Perkins after this, but he is now expendable which is a great sign for the Thunder.  Adams has a solid post-game and his almost guard-like ability to run the floor to go along with his freakish build (a nearly 7'5" inch wingspan!) has to have Thunder fans smiling.

#13- Dallas Mavericks- Kelly Olynyk, C, Gonzaga (rights traded to the Boston Celtics)
Grade: B-

As before, the grade applies to the team that acquired this pick, the Celtics.  It's a nice pick.  Kelly Olynyk is a legitimate 7 footer on a Boston team now desperate for size and an interior presence.  He can be deadly in the half-court and has shown a nice touch to his jumpshot.  While he doesn't block as many shots for a guy his size and isn't as mobile as you'd like for a big man, like the old saying goes, "You can't teach size." so Olynyk as a low-risk, moderate-reward pick at this stage in the draft makes sense for the C's.

#14- Utah Jazz- Shabazz Muhammad, SF, UCLA (rights traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves)
Grade: A

I give the Timberwolves a A for the acquisition of this pick when Muhammad may only be a B- talent (the Bizarro Michael Carter-Williams) because it's an almost ideal situation for Shabazz to land in.  Once touted as a top 5 overall pick, Muhammad's somewhat disappointing freshman year proved that he's pretty much a one-dimensional scorer without the ability to create his own shot.  He hits the 3 nicely but he can't make plays at all and he's not a knock your socks off athlete.  He also needs a lot of work on defense.  He is however an incredibly hard worker and has the length and build to compete at the NBA level.  It's a good fit for the T-Wolves.  Ricky Rubio will make him a lot better and the presence of a healthy Kevin Love could lead to many open looks for Muhammad from the perimeter.  Flip Saunders has already gone out and said that Muhammad will come off the bench.  So depending on what happens with Andrei Kirilenko, Muhammad will have some time to develop and won't be thrown to the wolves right away (pun intended).  It's a rather ideal situation on both sides.

And that concludes my grades and analysis on every lottery pick of yesterday's draft.  Now we'll delve into the megadeal, perhaps the biggest story of last night.

Trade #2: Brooklyn Nets/Boston Celtics
Nets receive: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry
Celtics receive: Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, Keith Bogans, MarShon Brooks, first round picks in 2014, 2016, and 2018.
Grade for the Nets: A-
Grade for the Celtics: B+

Wow.  This is a blockbuster deal if I ever saw one.  The Celtics hit the reset button on the Xbox and completely detonated their team to begin the rebuilding process.  It's tough to process that Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce aren't going to retire as Celtics and it's weird to picture them in Brooklyn unis.  Well needless to say, this improves Brooklyn drastically, perhaps even into serious contenders.  Every position is stacked.  A lineup of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Pierce, Garnett, and Brook Lopez.  Looks great on paper.  I wonder how it will translate though into team chemistry.  These are all guys that are pretty used to being alpha dogs for part, if not all of their careers.  There's only one basketball and there are a lot of mouths to feed, touches to be doled out down in Brooklyn.  It's obvious that the Nets want to win now and this trade puts them in a position to do so.  Granted, it's only a window of one, two years tops, and the skills of Pierce and Garnett have eroded drastically.  However, not having to carry an offense every night could do wonder for these two and they just might find a fountain of youth in Brooklyn.

Now the Celtics side of things.  It looks like they had to trade the remaining parts of their 08 championship core for 40 cents on the dollar.  Gerald Wallace is well on his way down, Kris Humphries is Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks can score but is unexciting and inconsistent, and Keith Bogans is trash.  But it's actually a smart move by Danny Ainge to start the rebuilding process now and build around an entering his prime Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green who we saw glimpses of stardom from in last year's playoffs.  Also, this deal unloaded some killer contracts (especially Terry's) to open up a ton of cap room and the three first rounders over the next five drafts will put the C's in a position to draft young stars (particularly if Brooklyn blows up and falls apart at some point between now and 2018).  So, it's not a bad deal for the Celtics either who immediately got younger and are looking at the long-term rather than the short-term.  Who knows? They may be bad enough this year to have a serious shot at drafting Andrew Wiggins next year.

Well this will be weird...

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS:

I loved Jay Bilas dropping the Superbad reference in last night's coverage of the draft, saying that the controversy surrounding Shabazz Muhammad's age isn't as bad as having a fake driver's license with the name McLovin' on it.  Brilliant.

David Stern could have chosen to be rattled by the fans booing him at every turn, but he embraced it and turned it into some pretty funny moments.  "I can't hear you" and "The boo is an American sign of respect" were priceless.

A very (and I mean very) cool moment when Hakeem Olajuwon came out and surprised David Stern after Stern had read his final pick as NBA commissioner.  Olajuwon was the first pick Stern read way back in 1984 and last night, he sported the same tuxedo he wore way back then.  An incredible moment for any NBA fan.

I literally jumped off my couch with surprise when Anthony Bennett was selected #1 overall.  No really.  You could even hear ESPN's Bill Simmons yelling out "WHOA!!" when Stern announced Bennett's name.

And speaking of stupid Cavaliers picks, what was Cleveland doing selecting Sergey Karasev at #19 when they're desperate for size and Mason Plumlee was still on the board.  Is Dan Gilbert trying to sabotage any chance Cleveland has at getting LeBron back after next season?

I like the Plumlee pick for the Brooklyn Nets.  Good insurance for Brook Lopez in case Lopez's feet crap out.  Plus it was good to see the hometown Brooklyn crowd cheering the pick.  I've watched too many drafts of the 2000s at MSG where Knicks fans boo every Knicks single pick every single year.  Some of those guys  deserve to get booed (cough, cough Renaldo Balkman) but when they boo Danilo Gallinari and David Lee.  I mean come on Knicks fans.

I would have complemented Nerlens Noel on having a mini-version of his Kentucky jersey on the inside of his jacket but Alex Len kind of beat him to that just by being drafted before Noel.  Tough luck Nerlens.  Even Steven Adams and Ben McLemore followed suit but Len wins because he got to show it off first.

Holy Lucas Nogueira's hair!! That hat was ready to fall off at least 27 different times trying to do a balancing act on Nogueira's head.  He beats out Nerlens Noel for best hair of the 2013 draft.  And the hits just keep coming for Noel.

Look at that hat holding on for dear life

Jamaal Franklin fell way too far.  Should have gone in the early twenties but Memphis winds up scooping up the SDSU 2 guard at #41.  Watch out for this kid.  Same goes for CJ Leslie who wasn't drafted at all but has since signed with the Knicks.

Didn't know Shane Larkin was Barry Larkin's son.  Cool.

Speaking of Shanes, Shane Battier moonlighting as an ESPN interviewer was.....interesting.

Remember how I mentioned in one of my earlier posts that GMs always find a way to trade for useless players.  That's what that Nuggets/Grizzlies trade with Koufos and Darrell Arthur swapping places was.  Useless.

Only 4 months till the 2013-2014 NBA season!!!

Thoughts on This Week's NBA Coach Hirings

The last few days saw three of the five remaining NBA coaching vacancies filled with three quality hirings.  The Denver Nuggets pegged former Lakers guard and Indiana Pacers assistant coach, Brian Shaw to replace the ousted George Karl.  The Memphis Grizzlies promoted assistant coach Dave Joerger as Lionel Hollins' replacement.  And at long last, the Los Angeles Clippers finally completed the much anticipated Doc Rivers deal.  I must say, I am quite impressed with all three of these hirings.  The front offices of these three squads should be giving themselves pats on the backs for a job well done.  Each managed to hire a quality coach who will promote both the short-term and long-term growth of the franchise.  And consequently, these three Western Conference powerhouses just got all the more scarier.

Introducing: New Denver Nuggets head coach Brian Shaw

New Memphis Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger

And new Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers

I'll start off with the Rivers hiring.  I already touched a bit on this in my first post but here's the gist of it: Chew on this, Doc Rivers is one of the best coaches in the NBA.  He will immediately come in and change the culture of that franchise.  His prowess on the defensive side of the ball is much needed given Lob City's substandard defensive play last season.  The bigs in particular, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan (assuming that neither is traded this offseason), will be asked to do a lot more defensively and give a lot more effort and once Rivers can unleash the full potential of that freakishly athletic frontcourt (a matter of when rather than if), watch out.  Rivers also knows how to manage egos as he showed with the Celtics Big 3, something of extreme importance on a young team like the Clippers.  He can bring some of that 2008 "Ubuntu" style and get this young team to band together and be the best that they can possibly be.  He's also a former player himself so he knows what these guys are going through.  And finally, his hiring basically seals a Chris Paul resigning and it seems like he and CP3 will be able to create a good balance in who ultimately runs the team (Sidenote: To this point, it seems like Chris Paul has the final say in what is said and done within the Clippers organization.  He's the one that kept pushing management to pursue Doc.  They better be careful with this, letting a star player, whose only allegiance is to himself (something that's really true of any star), call the shots.  That's what happened in Orlando with Dwight Howard's infamous Dwightmare of 2010-2012.  He demanded a trade multiple times so the front office fired coach Stan Van Gundy in a desperate attempt to appease him.  Dwight said "Nope, I still want out." So then they fired GM Otis Smith.  Dwight said "Nope I don't care.  I still want a trade." So then, Orlando was forced to trade Dwight for 50 cents on the dollar for a platter revolving around Arron Afflalo and Nik Vucevic.  It's dangerous water to tread in).  It's my opinion that this hiring will get the Clippers over the hump of a playoff team that gets bounced in the opening rounds to a legitimate contender.  Yeah, Doc Rivers is that good.  Plus, shoutout to Donald Sterling for not being his customary, cheapskate self (Why do you think that he held onto Vinny del Negro and Mike Dunleavy for that long when it was clearly not the right situation for either coach? Because they're cheap as dirt and Sterling is a complete and utter cheapskate).  He'll be paying Doc a hefty 21 million over 3 years.  Congrats Donald.  With this hiring, you take somewhat of slide down to second behind the Miami Marlins' Jeffrey Loria for the distinction of  "Worst Owner in Professional Sports."  Clap clap.

A homecoming of sorts for Doc.

Now onto the next big hiring, the Denver Nuggets tying the head coaching knot with Brian Shaw.  I'm really glad to see Shaw finally get a head coaching gig.  He's seemed like nothing more than a backup plan in head coaching searches of the last two years.  Teams would like to have him, but he's not a flashy hiring so he's really been relegated to a second option.  Now, Shaw has gotten a chance to prove himself with the Nuggets and you know he wants to make all the other front offices that passed on him regret it.  And it seems like a perfect fit.  A young coach like Shaw coaching a young team capable of running and gunning like the Nuggets? Well played, Denver.  Well played.  I do expect Shaw to digress from Frank Vogel's "smash mouth"/slow-down offensive style to play to the strengths of the fresher-legged Nuggets.  And seeing how Indiana was the best defensive team in the league last year, I can easily envision a much improved Denver defense this season.  I also like how he went out and said he wasn't going to implement Phil Jackson's triangle offense (after all he executed the triangle in his playing days and coached the triangle under Jackson as an assistant coach on the Lakers 2009 and 2010 championship teams).  The triangle just doesn't fit in with the types of guys that Denver has. Good to see that Shaw is out to create a style of his own and it will be exciting to see how that original style translates into success or failure (but more likely success) with the Denver Nuggets.  

It'll be fun to see this man running the show for Denver next year.

And finally, we have the hiring of a coach that  nobody has probably ever heard of: the Memphis Grizzlies promoting Lionel Hollins' assistant Dave Joerger to the head coaching position.  This is not a flashy hiring by any stretch of the imagination.  It's not going to turn any heads, it's not going to get any fans excited, and it's not going to rock the professional basketball world.  But it's a solid hire, it's a smart hire, and it will probably go down as the most underrated coaching moves of this offseason.  Dave Joerger has been an assistant coach with the Grizzlies since 2007.  He's a guy that is quite familiar with the organization and the way that they run things.  He's a guy that Grizzlies players already know and respect.  He even shares the front office's inclination towards advanced statistics (a point of friction between Hollins and management that ultimately led to his letting go).  Yes, he's a young coach, a very young coach in fact at only 39, but that's the culture the NBA is slowly heading to now.  NBA management is now starting to invest in the "future." In the words of Pat Riley when he stepped aside to make room for current Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, "This game is now about younger coaches who are technologically skilled, innovative, and bring fresh new ideas." And look how that's working out for them.  It's also why the Pacers cast Jim O'Brien aside in favor of Frank Vogel and why the Brooklyn Nets just hired Jason Kidd.  That's what we're coming to in NBA culture.  Now back to Joerger.  He's a proven winner.  He's already won five championships! Granted they were all NBA D-League championships, but still!!!! That's got to count for something right?!?!? If nothing else, he's already proven that given the right pieces, he knows how to make the most out of those pieces and win (Am I really trying to convince you that D-League championships mean diddly-squat? Man this piece has got to end soon).  I'm sure that the Joerger signing has been incredibly overshadowed by other coaching hirings of this offseason but Dave Joerger is a man who has the potential to make this hiring one of the best of this offseason when we look back several years from now.  

The man already has his own bobblehead.
That's got to mean something too right?

It's good to see that the NBA coaching vacancies are slowly being filled.  It's even better that they're being filled with quality candidates who seem right for the various situations that they are being hired into.  If you're a Clippers, Nuggets, or Grizzlies fan, you have reason to smile because your respective front offices have improved your teams considerably by making smart and savvy coaching hires.  Now we're just waiting on you Philly and Boston!

Thoughts on Your 2012-2013 NBA Champion Miami Heat

"It's back to back titles for the Heat!!!  The 2013 NBA Championship resides once again in Miami!!!" And with those words, uttered by ESPN play by play commentator Mike Breen, the Miami Heat had defeated the San Antonio Spurs 95-88 in Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals to claim their spot on top of the basketball world for a second straight year.  It was a fitting end to an incredible NBA season as well as one of the all-time great NBA Finals series every played.  7 hard fought games and the best of the best slugging it out for all the marbles.  Does it get any better than that? And now that the smoke has cleared, it's time to say hello to the 2012-2013 NBA Champions, the Miami Heat.

I, for one, have spent most of the last 20 hours in jubilation mode and I'm a little too airy to organize my thoughts into one coherent piece so I'll just be giving my take on Miami Heat's championship-clinching Game 7 victory in little random thoughts/tidbits.

First of all, my hat goes of to the entire San Antonio Spurs organization: Peter Holt, RC Buford, Gregg Popovich and that entire coaching staff (Sidenote: I gained so much respect for Gregg Popovich last night, even more than I already had for him.  Seeing him at the end embracing LeBron James, embracing Dwyane Wade, embracing Erik Spoelstra, he was grinning ear-to-ear.  You could see that he was genuinely happy for the Heat for their victory and was just grateful for the opportunity to have competed against them.  Gregg Popovich, you are a true class act and a model of sportsmanship and the NBA is lucky to have you, one of the greatest coaches in the history of professional sports, as part of its family.  I'll also really miss your press conferences in the offseason.) Here's to the Spurs players as well who played their hearts out, left it all out on the court, and gave the Heat everything they could handle.  Kawhi Leonard played beyond his years and from his lockdown defense on the King forcing steals left and right to clutch threes and crashing the glass, he should have been Finals MVP had the Spurs won.  Danny Green came in and set history with a shooting performance for the ages.  Both youngsters have very bright futures.  Credit to the Spurs Big 3 of Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili (three future Hall of Famers) for giving everything they had left in the tank for a final championship run, coming within a fingernail of knocking off the mighty Heat.  They've been a model of consistency, leadership, class, experience, and winning for many years and they definitely gave us a series to remember.  (Sidenote: I do think that with this defeat, the Spurs championship window is now closed.  They'll be another year older and OKC will have a healthy Westbrook, all indications are that Houston will land Dwight Howard, the Clippers are hot on the trail of Doc Rivers, and Memphis and Denver are no pushovers.  But hey I could be wrong.  People have been writing off the Spurs for years and they still keep defying the odds and finding a way to win.  So you never know.)

Now a few notes about the game itself:

Holy Shane Battier! That's what you call a big-time performer!  He came into this game shooting something like 16% from the field on the series as a whole.  And on the biggest stage, Game 7, he came alive with not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5, but SIX three-pointers.  The Heat's ball movement, spacing, and penetration allowed for a lot of open looks for Battier both in the half-court and and in transition and Battier, in a performance reminiscent of Mike Miller's Game 5 against the Thunder in last year's Finals, cashed in with clutch shot after clutch shot finishing with 18 much needed points.

It was only a matter of time before Miami exposed the one flaw in San Antonio's defensive scheme: sagging too far off Dwyane Wade and LeBron James and daring them to shoot from the perimeter.  The mid-range jumper, abandoned for most of the year by pretty much every Heat player not named Chris Bosh (after all, it is the least efficient shot on the court), was finally taken advantage of the super duo of Wade and James.  For the entire series to that point, Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, Boris Diaw, or whoever else was guarding the two played off them on the perimeter and operated with the mindset of "They're gonna have to beat us from out there." For most of the first six games, Wade and James would still try to attack the rim and often they would be met by Tim Duncan patrolling the paint or another defender (usually Leonard) providing the weak side help to force a turnover.  When the duo tried to adjust and shoot from out there, they appeared hesitant and sometimes, that indecision would be enough to for the defender to close out and force a miss.  At some point, Wade and James would just say "screw it" and revert back to attacking the rim but with the Spurs "pack the paint" defense, they weren't always successful.  Well Game 7 came around and guess what? Wade and James decided that the best way to counter the "They're gonna have to beat us from out there" defense was to start beating them from out there.  Eventually, those shots were gonna start falling.  And they did at the best possible time for the Heat and the worst possible time for the Spurs.  LeBron and Wade got the jumpers falling early and once that started happening, there was almost nothing the Spurs could do on the defensive front.  In fact, for the first time in who knows how long, LeBron attempted a double-digit amount of threes (10; he connected on 5 of them, many without a defender even a mile away).  Erik Spoelstra recognized that the two were heating up from the perimeter and started calling plays (some nifty double screens and isolations) for the sole purpose of creating jumpers for D-Wade and LeBron.  In fact, up by 2 with 30 seconds left and a championship on the line, Spoelstra called for Chalmers-LeBron pick that led to (you guessed it) a LeBron James midrange jump shot (which of course, he nailed in one of the clutchest shots you'll ever see.  Let's see Skip Bayless call LeBron a choker now).  Yep, once the dynamic duo got hot from the perimeter it was the death certificate for the San Antonio Spurs.

How on earth did Tim Duncan miss that little bunny hook over Shane Battier with one minute remaining that would have tied the game at 90?!?!?!? There are probably 19 other parallel universes out there where that possession ends with Duncan making the shot.  And we just happened to live in the 1 out of 20 in which he missed it (Sidenote: that's reason #8219647 to love sports.  You never know, as a sports fan, if your universe is one of the 19 or if it's that fateful 20th).  But then again, when Mario Chalmers (an 85 percent free throw shooter) clunked two straight free throws in the last two minutes (in a sequence that nearly had me pull my hair out), it accounted for the two points Duncan blew a minute later.  Things have a funny way of evening themselves out.

Each time we thought that we had delivered a knockout blow to the Spurs late in the contest, they kept clawing back with a timely 3 or an "and one," just refusing to go down quietly.  A true veteran bunch that kept getting back up and swinging even after we thought we had them on the canvass for the final time.

Chris Bosh nearly single-handedly cost us the game.  He had easily his worst game of the season putting up a goose egg in the scoring category and committing some ill-timed fouls on Duncan (he finished with 5 more fouls than points) plus one incredibly stupid decision to take a 3 with the game on the line (doesn't he remember why we lost Game 1?!?!?!?) But since he came up big in Game 6 and his performance didn't cost us Game 7, I'm willing to give him a pass.  Nonetheless, the "trade Bosh" chatter is sure to intensify this offseason after a performance like that.

Gary Neal hit a ridiculous off-glass three-pointer with the shot clock expiring (he had no idea until there was about one second left) in the first quarter that was the complete epitome of luck.  But in the words of Shaquille O'Neal, "One lucky shot deserves another" and Mario Chalmers hit an improbable buzzer-beating 3 off glass to give the Heat the lead going into the 4th and ultimately swinging the momentum to the side of South Beach.  Sometimes, it is better to be lucky than good.

Some thoughts on the implications and aftermath of the Heat's victory:

LeBron James now has as many Finals MVPs as Kobe Bryant.  Go figure.

D-Wade and LeBron are superstars.  And what do superstars do? They come up big and win Game 7s.  LeBron with 37-12 and D-Wade with 24-10.  We are witnessing what greatness is all about.  After all, there's something to be said about being able to lead your team to victory despite a combined zero points from Chris Bosh, Ray Allen, Mike Miller, and Udonis Haslem.  (Sidenote: only 5 Heat players scored in this one.  Throw out 3 points from the Birdman and you still would have had enough to beat the Spurs despite having only 4 players score)

Let's welcome our three newest members in the NBA Club of Champions: Chris Andersen, Rashard Lewis, and Jarvis Varnado can now call themselves champions!  Well done.  And while we're at it, let's welcome the 10 newest members of the Two Rings Club: Ray Allen, LeBron James, Shane Battier, Mike Miller, Mario Chalmers, Norris Cole, Juwan Howard, James Jones, Joel Anthony, and Chris Bosh.  And finally, the newest inductees into the Three Rings Club: Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem.  A round of applause for all!

The Miami Heat are only the second team (along with the Los Angeles Lakers) to win back-to-back championships in the 21st century.

D-Wade pouring champagne on his bad knee.  Straight up stud.

I think I can tie this series in with a boxing analogy (because after all, in the words of Erik Spoelstra after the Heat won the championship last year, "Everybody here knows I'm a big Manny Pacquiao fan!").  When you have a talented, young up and coming prize fighter that's just starting to make a name for himself but still hasn't quite made "The Leap" yet, he'll often get a fight with a grizzled journeyman, a tough veteran that's won and lost before, one that has seen it all.  It's a rite of passage of sorts: if the up and comer can defeat the seasoned journeyman, that's when you know he has arrived as an elite fighter.  For Pacquiao, it was the first Barrera fight.  For Ali, it was the first Sonny Liston fight.  For Tyson, it was the Trevor Berbick fight.  For De La Hoya, it was the Macho Camacho fight.  For Holyfield, it was the Foreman fight.  And for the Miami Heat, it was the 2013 NBA Finals against the veteran journeymen San Antonio Spurs.  Watch out everybody because the Miami Heat have officially arrived.

Though I was obviously rooting for them to lose, I was also kind of expecting the Spurs to lose.  When a team so close to winning it all chokes it away in Game 6 so incredibly, it's almost as if it's a done deal that they'll lose in Game 7.  This is a common occurrence in baseball.  Take Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.  Up by two runs in the bottom of the tenth, the Red Sox, needing just three outs to win it all, get the first two and then have an epic meltdown culminating with Mookie Wilson of the New York Mets hitting a little roller down the first base line that goes through the legs of Bill Buckner allowing the winning run to score (Sidenote: Buckner gets too much of the blame for this.  Calvin Schiraldi, Bob Stanley, and John McNamara all had equally horrendous gaffes.  Just that Buckner's came at the worst possible time.) And of course, the Mets would take Game 7 to win it all.  Or how about Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS?  5 outs away from a trip to the World Series, the Chicago Cubs collapse after the infamous Steve Bartman play and allow the Marlins to steal Game 6 and then the Cubs go on to lose Game 7.  Or my personal favorite.  The 2002 World Series Game 6.  The San Francisco Giants take a 5-0 lead into the 7th inning needing nine outs to win it all.  But the Anaheim Angels score 3 times in the 7th on a huuuuuugeeee Scott Spiezio home run and then 3 times again in the 8th to steal Game 6.  Do I even have to mention that the Halos went on to win Game 7? (BELIEVE IN THE RALLY MONKEY BABY!!!) So though I had my doubts that this model only applied to baseball, the Spurs proved last night that this can and does happen in basketball as well.

My favorite quotes from the Heat's post-game celebratory press conferences? LeBron James' "I ain't got no worries" (concluding an amazingly well-worded and comprehensive mini-speech where he remembers his roots, talks about how blessed he is, and gives a big eff you to all the haters.  Add eloquence to the many talents of LeBron James) and Dwyane Wade's drunken "My name's 3.  Not Dwyane. Alright?" (to signify three championships and his jersey number).

Hi haters.

Credit to Coach Erik Spoelstra for balancing the line between sticking to his guns and trusting his rotations along with making the proper adjustments to win when necessary.  He called for plays that fed to his players' strengths and he realized when he had to get his team to raise their intensity level.  He even did the impossible and out-coached who many see is the best coach in the league in Gregg Popovich.  That's two championships he's brought to South Beach thus far and he's now officially the greatest coach in the history of the Miami Heat.  Way to go Coach Spo! Pinoy ako! Pinoy tayo!!!! Also, his coaching staff, one of the best in the business, deserves some love too.  We couldn't have done it without you Bob McAdoo, Ron Rothstein, David Fizdale, Keith Askins, and Chad Kammerer.  Thanks for helping put us over the top.  And of course, we couldn't have done it without Pat Riley, the mastermind whose vision and actions to make that vision come true made all of this possible, as well as Micky Arison and the Arison family.

Can we please stop talking about LeBron's legacy now? At least for a little bit? Let's just enjoy what we have in front of us and talk about his legacy once he's retired.

Dwyane Wade once said that his gauge of success would be if he won at least three championships.  If he won three, then he could look back and say he had an amazing career.  Well Flash, looks like you've accomplished your goal.  But don't stop there! Rest those knees this offseason and let's have a quest for four next year! In the words of Mark Madsen, "Cuatro! Cuatro! Cuatro!!"

Reports came out today that there is mutual interest between Greg Oden and the Heat.  Let's go out and do it.  Low risk, high reward and it will be for the mid-level exception at the most.  A legitimate 7 footer would do wonders to improve an already beyond stellar Miami Heat team.

While D-Wade, LeBron, CB, and most of the rest of the gang hit up the Miami nightlife and celebrated at some local clubs till 5:30 in the morning, Shane Battier celebrated at Denny's.  Respect.

Really digging the Red Auerbach-like victory cigars there.  It was a nice touch.  Now if only we had Darko Milicic, it would be perfect.  (I'm just kidding! I don't want Darko!!!!)

Kudos to Ray Allen for single-handedly saving our asses with "The Shot" in Game 6.  Now you have twice as many rings as Kevin Garnett and twice as many rings as Paul Pierce!! Yeahhh!!! Also kudos to the Birdman who spread his wings and signed with us at a 99 cent store salary.  He wound up being a huge difference maker for us down the stretch with his energy and never say die attitude.  He also showed us that redemption and second chances still can and do happen.  Also, major props to Udonis Haslem, the heart of this team, and Mike Miller whose sniper-ous abilities really helped us down the stretch.  And really the entire 15 man roster.  We really wouldn't have been able to do it without every single one of you and each individual player was vital to the identity of this magical 2012-2013 championship season.

Finally, I'm pretty sad that this is the end of the NBA season.  What am I going to do with myself? Well at least the draft is next week and training camp is a mere 3 months away! Basketball never stops!

MIAMI HEAT 2012-2013 NBA CHAMPIONS!  BACK TO BACK! YEAH! YEAH!!!

Thoughts on the Official Anchorman 2 Trailer

It's a must that you watch the trailer first before you read this.  Like a prerequisite of sorts.  Trust me, it's worth it.

Not bad huh? This trailer was released a couple of days ago but I caught a glimpse of it for the first time today.  My reaction? Sweet Uncle Jonathan's corn cob pipe!!!! Is it possible that the Apatow/McKay superteam could top the original?!?!? After all, the original Anchorman is one of the most beloved comedies of the last decade and it has had an enormous impact on pop culture.  I can't tell you how many times I've heard someone drop the "Stay classy, San Diego" reference and the "Well that escalated quickly" line will go down in the Internet history books forever (sidenote: that film is, in my opinion, the greatest comedy film ever  in terms of producing memorable, hilarious one-liners.  The "toilet store," the "glass case of emotion," "I immediately regret this decision," "Whore Island," and "60 percent of the time" are truly indelible).  But after seeing this trailer, fans of the original (myself included) have a lot to be excited about.

We now know that instead of being set in 1970s San Diego, the sequel will be set in 1980s New York City. And instead of being held to the confines of the Channel 4 News, the team is moving onto bigger and better things: an uber-ambitious 24 hour news channel.  THIS IS FANTASTIC!!! I am so glad that Anchorman 2 is not going to fall into the trap of so many sequels before it in delivering THE EXACT SAME MOVIE as the original.  So many other movie sequels (like The Hangover series and the Home Alone series) are guilty of this.  What's the point as an audience of paying good money to watch the exact same movie that you saw years ago?  Props to you Anchorman 2 for not being "one of those" sequels.  In addition, it's the 80s baby!!!! The era of big hair, Pacman, Poprocks and Coke, Cyndi Lauper, and Bueller seems like the perfect backdrop for the genius that is Ron Burgundy.  If you think he did well in the 70s, you should see the kind of stuff he's gonna pull a decade later.  Really digging the move from a small market like San Diego to a huge market like the Big Apple as well.  It should open up a lot of doors for this wrecking crew of a news team.

You stay classy New York City...

I was also tremendously pleased to see that the sequel had maintained Ron Burgundy's entire team: a murderer's row of Brick, Champ, and Brian (played by Steve Carell, David Koechner, and Paul Rudd, respectively) at Burgundy's SIDE to KICK him into shape (what do they call those things again?) One thing I really liked about the original is that while each character had his own weaknesses (Ron has a huge ego, Champ is awfully crass, Brian is kind of a narcissist, and Brick is, well, an idiot), when they united together as one and fed off each other's energies and personalities, they were able to minimize their individual weaknesses and deliver one kick-ass news broadcast.  The chemistry of that news team is unparalleled.  So I'm glad that the entire team is back for an encore (and I'm especially glad that there's no salary cap that the news station has to abide by that would force them to break up that chemistry and trade Brian to the Houston Rockets for 8 months of Kevin Martin and chump change.  See I had to throw in a sports reference somewhere in here!)  It's also great to see Baxter is back too for all you animal lovers out there (all of whom probably had an aneurysm in the first one when Jack Black punted him off the bridge).

FINAL THOUGHTS

 Ron Burgundy was starting to get a Will Ferrell as Robert Goulet-type look there at times which I'm not sure is a good thing or a bad thing.  Just something that caught my eye.

Hello I'm Robert Goulet Da da de da da do

I must admit, I'm pretty intrigued by the new romances the trailer had to show.  Brick's awkward flirting with a new Kristen Wiig character ("I like the parts on your face that are covered with skin") and Ron himself with a new love interest that looks eerily like Serena Williams.  Excited to see what they're gonna do with that.

It's just the trailer but we're already seeing more incredible one-liners.  "I'm gonna do the thing that God put Ron Burgundy on this earth to do.  Have salon-quality hair and read the news!!!" And I literally laughed out loud (it's cliche, I know but the situation calls for it) at the line at the end  "Which one of you convicts with the longest record can pass me the mashed potatoes?"  Racism as comedic material can be hit or miss but I thought in this instance it was spot-on (Sidenote: one YouTube commenter summed it up pretty well in response to other commenters who were offended by the "racism as humor" card: something along the lines of "When you can't laugh at how absurd racism is, then racism wins." Well put.

I found it fitting that Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" played in the background of this trailer.  It's the same song that they played in the background of the last scene of the Sopranos, a scene that I watched again on YouTube yesterday in light of the passing of Tony Soprano himself, James Gandolfini.  RIP.

And what incredible timing that they would release it on Christmas!! Reason #3781 to look forward to Christmas! Man, I can't wait!

Get ready America.  The Channel 4 News Team is back to chew bubble gum
and kick ass.  And they're all out of bubble gum.

Thoughts on NBA Finals Game 6: One For the Ages

There have been a lot of great games in NBA Finals history.  Jerry West hitting the miracle 60 footer in Game 5 of the 1970 Finals.  Kareem's skyhook to cap off a Game 6 double OT victory in 1974.  Jo Jo White and John Havlicek trading heroics with Paul Westphal and Gar Heard in a triple overtime affair in Game 5 of the 76 Finals.  Larry Bird hitting a back-breaking jumper over Magic Johnson in OT in Game 4 of the 1984 Finals (otherwise known as the Rambis/McHale clothesline game).  Magic answering back with a killer baby hook at the Garden in Game 4 three years later.  Olajuwon blocking Starks in 94 in the OJ Simpson series.  Jordan pushing off on Bryon Russell to clinch Chicago's 6th championship in 98.  The 2001 "David" 76ers taking down the undefeated in the playoffs "Goliath" Lakers in overtime in Game 1 behind an inhuman performance from Allen Iverson (and one memorable step over Tyronn Lue).  Robert Horry hitting clutch shot after clutch shot against the Pistons in 2005.  The 2010 Lakers-Celtics slugfest in Game 7.  Now, you can add Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals to that list.  Folks, we may have just witnessed arguably the greatest game in NBA Finals history.  This game had more storylines than a daytime soap.  Everybody on the floor played like they had something to prove.  And a result, we, as NBA fans, were treated to an all-time classic.

Going into the game, we wondered how the Heat would respond after a demoralizing Game 5 loss in San Antonio.  With their backs against the wall, now facing elimination, would we see the LeBron James of old (the Cleveland and Year One Miami one who faltered when he needed to step up most)? Or would we see the LeBron James of new (the one who looked to finally have made "The Leap", who knew how to balance getting his teammates involved with taking over the scoring load when need be, who closed out the Bostons, the Indianas, and the Oklahoma Citys)? LeBron took a bit of a backseat from the limelight in the first half and other storylines emerged.  Mario Chalmers came out of the gates strong and attacked the basket and hit some timely 3s (sidenote: this is a kid that isn't afraid of the biggest moments, a kid who comes alive when it matters the most.  We saw it way back when he was still in Kansas when he hit the clutch 3 over Memphis's own Derrick Rose to tie the national championship game.  We saw it in Game 2 of the 2010 Finals where he hit a cold-blooded 3 to tie the game.  We saw it last year against the Thunder in the LeBron cramps/"Mario Motherf***ing Chalmers!!!!" game.  We saw it in Game 2 this year when the Heat went on a 33-5 second half run to step on the Spurs' throats.  And we were seeing it again last night.)

Also contributing for the Heat were Chris "The Birdman" Andersen who had fallen out of Erik Spoelstra's rotation completely in Games 4 and 5 but spread his wings last night (much to the delight of the Miami crowd) and provided some much needed energy with passionate defense, keeping the ball alive on the offensive end, and one memorable "Everybody get out of my way" dive into the crowd to save a loose ball.  Even Shane Battier, another forgotten man, hit some much-needed 3s and stepped in to draw some momentum-swinging charges (Battier being one of the best at that in the NBA).  On a more concerning note, we all had to hold our breaths midway through the first quarter when Dwyane Wade came up limp after banging knees with Manu Ginobili (plus he was called for an offensive foul on the play, literally adding insult to injury).  This was not his "3 bone bruises in one knee"" right knee, but rather his left knee that gave him so much trouble in last year's playoffs.  He did hit a couple of nice shots in the first half, including a nifty side-step of Gary Neal and a Kemba Walker-like stepback over Boris Diaw but at other times, he was clearly hobbled and didn't even start the second half because the knee began to swell up.  Wade's health/effectiveness was another key storyline for this game.

On the Spurs side of things, Kawhi Leonard looked strong to start (putting Mike Miller on a poster early) but Tony Parker was unimpressive, Ginobili struggled after a time machine performance in Game 5, and Danny Green, sans 1 three, (HOW IS HE STILL OPEN?!?!?!?) couldn't get it going.  However, all of these subpar 1st half performances were offset by one man: Timothy Theodore Duncan.  He absolutely took over in the first 24 minutes.  He manhandled Chris Bosh on the low block, hitting his first 8 shots.  He showcased an endless array of post moves and got some tough rebounds in traffic.  When the smoke cleared, Duncan went into the locker room already with 25 points and 8 boards.  This was vintage Tim Duncan and he looked poised to capture that 5th ring.  (Sidenote: what really sets Tim Duncan apart, what makes him the best power forward to ever play the game and the best player of his generation, is his ability to take his game to another level when it matters the most.  Just ask J-Kidd's Nets when Duncan posted a near quadruple-double to clinch the championship.  Or maybe you could ask Ewing's Knicks when Duncan and Robinson destroyed them in 99.  Or ask the Kobe and Shaq Lakers how they felt about Duncan ending any hopes of a possible 4-peat.  This guy's really something else.)

The third quarter was when it looked pretty glum for Miami.  After seeing their lead whittle down to 1 with 6 minutes left in the period, the Spurs went on an 11-0 run.  Parker was penetrating, Wade was hurting more than he was helping (literally and figuratively), and LeBron looked too passive settling for contested jumpers and somehow getting shut down by Boris Diaw.  Boris Diaw!!! A Duncan putback that led to an and one capped off the run (Sidenote: Patty Mills was in a suit on the Spurs bench emphatically waving a towel around the entire night whenever the Spurs would score.  He reached his towel-waving peak when Duncan hit that putback and one.  In last year's Finals, I hated the Thunder's Cole Aldrich for obnoxiously cheering after every Kevin Durant/Russell Westbrook basket.  Now I'm starting to think that Patty Mills is worse.  At least Aldrich was in uniform and was only slightly annoying.  Mills is there at the end of the bench in a suit waving a towel like he's a Pittsburgh Steelers fan that's had one too many beers.  C'mon at least take some lessons on cheerleading from the bench with class from Robert Sacre, Mark Madsen, and Brian Scalabrine. Or something. I also still can't believe that this is a thing:)

At the end of 3, the Heat were staring at a 10 point deficit with the possibility of the end of their season being a mere 12 minutes away.  The Spurs were ready to put the chokehold on them and clinch their 5th championship in 14 years.  "But wait a minute..." thought LeBron James.  "This seems all too familiar." And he was right.  Tim Duncan coming up big when it mattered most and him, LeBron James, the consensus best basketball player in the world, choking away a championship at the hands of Popovich's gang?  Getting ready to have to watch the Spurs celebrate on his home floor? Then it hit him.  The 2007 NBA Finals when LeBron's Cleveland team was swept by Duncan's Spurs and had to suffer through the agony of watching them celebrate in his house.  "No..." thought LeBron.  "Not again."

Then the 4th started.  Boom an assist to Chalmers in the corner for 3.  Boom an easy layup.  Boom an assist to Mike Miller on the wing for 3 (the famous one-shoed 3 that will go down in NBA lore forever).  Then an errant Mario Chalmers airball at the tail end of the shot clock that LeBron happened to be in the right place at the right time to dunk home to bring the Heat within 4.  But in the process of the putback dunk, a Spurs defender knocked off LeBron's signature headband to the floor.  With no time to retrieve it because he had to get back on defense, he resumed play without it.  And that's when all hell broke loose.

Like Superman shedding Kryptonite, as soon as that headband left LeBron's head, it was time.  Time for LeBron Raymone James to evolve into a terrifying cross between Rambo, Michael Jordan, and a cobra.  It was time to take over this game.  First a thunderous dunk off a good read by Mario Chalmers to see a cutting James.  Then, a wrap around Boris Diaw for an easy layup (seriously how long did you think Boris Diaw would be able to stop LeBron for?).  A pinpoint pass to a wide-open Birdman that led to a foul, and then a vicious block of Tim Duncan at the rim that must have activated Tiago Splitter's PTSD.  That led to a Ray Allen layup and just like that, Miami was back on top.  A few more fearless drives to the hoop resulting in layups and free throws and a bit of help from his partner, Dwyane Wade, and Miami held a 89-86 lead with under 2 minutes remaining.  It seemed like the ultimate case of role reversal.  LeBron was the one coming up clutch while Tim Duncan (held scoreless in the 4th quarter) was the one choking.  And at that point in time, it felt damn good to be LeBron James.  

But then, it started to all come unraveled.  An improbable, clutch stepback 3 for Tony Parker (never known as a 3 point shooter by any stretch of the imagination) over none other than James tied the game.  A bad Chalmers pass led to another Parker score and put the Spurs back up by 2.  Timeout Miami.  "Don't panic" thought LeBron.  "Just be yourself and we'll bring this one home."  And that was the beginning of an almost fatal mistake.  Old LeBron started to rear his ugly head again.  This was the same LeBron that got swept by Duncan in 2007.  The same LeBron that allegedly quit on his team against the Celtics in 2010.  The same LeBron that disappeared against the Mavericks in 2011.  And he was back for more at the worst possible time.  On another drive to the hoop, James lost control of the ball and turned it over.  After the Heat now had to foul, Ginobili canned two at the line to increase the lead to 4.  James got the ball again.  This time, he chucked up an ungodly mix between an airball and a wild lob and turned it over again.  Another foul, another Ginobili trip to the line and he hit 1 of 2.  And it looked liked that was it.  Down by 5 with less than 30 ticks left, the writing looked to be on the wall for the Miami Heat's season.  That was it.  They started to bring out the championship trophy.  Security guards came out and yellow tape was placed courtside to prevent fans from rushing the court.  Heat "fans" starting heading for the exits, prematurely abandoning the seats they paid thousands of dollars for (more on this in a minute).  King James had choked yet again.  But in the words of the great Yogi Berra, "it ain't over till it's over." 

Heading into the final couple of defensive possessions, Gregg Popovich, in a fateful decision, decided to leave Tim Duncan on the bench.  And then, the final 28 seconds.  LeBron caught the ball off the inbounds and his 3 was way off .  Old LeBron had almost completed his epic collapse.  But with Duncan sitting on the bench, the rebound was up for grabs and a mad scramble had Mike Miller emerge with the ball who quickly shoveled it to James and in a final attempt to slay the demons of Old LeBron launched another 3.  Nothing but net.  After a Spurs timeout, the Heat immediately fouled Kawhi Leonard sending the 21 year old to the line for the biggest freebies of his life.  And wouldn't you know it, he only hit 1 of 2, leaving the door open for the Heat just a bit.  No timeouts left, the Heat took the ball out and ran a double screen for LeBron to get a 3 which he put up.  Clang.  And the Heat's season looked to be flatlined again.  But remember, Popovich left Duncan on the bench in this crucial possession.  And the forgotten member of the Big 3, Chris Bosh, took full advantage and grabbed the biggest offensive rebound of his life and tossed it back out to the greatest 3 point shooter of all-time, Ray Allen, backpedaling to the right corner and lining up for 3, ignoring a wide-open LeBron James and Mario Chalmers in the process.  Nothing.  But. Net.  And with one shot, Ray Allen had saved not only the Heat's season, but also possibly LeBron James' legacy.  

He. Got. 

Game.  

After a Parker fadeaway at the end wasn't even close, we headed to overtime.  A slew of basket trading resulted in Spurs ball with 40 seconds left down by 1.  And Chris Bosh showed up again.  A man called soft, "the Ru Paul of big men" (by none other than Shaquille O'Neal), and "Bosh Spice" (by the beloved Skip Bayless) responded with a huge block on a Tony Parker jumper.  But after a Dwyane Wade brick, the Spurs got another chance.  Electing not to call timeout, Ginobili got the ball and elected to attack the basket wildly, ultimately getting stripped and Ray Allen winding up with the ball (Sidenote: there was some minimal contact on the play, but when you're spiraling out of control like that, no ref is gonna bail you out.  I don't care if it's the 2nd quarter in Game #26 of the regular season or Game 6 of the NBA Finals.  You're not getting that call.  In fact, you might get called for a travel, because it really looked like Ginobili took 3 steps). You know that one of the all-time great free throw shooters wasn't going to miss in a clutch situation like this.  And when the Spurs tried to get it to Danny Green at the end for a potential game-tying 3, he was greeted by no other than Chris Bosh who stuffed the life out of him (two words: all ball).  Game over.  Heat win.  And it all comes down to a decisive Game 7.  Hold onto your hats.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I thought Popovich actually got outcoached by Erik Spoelstra in this one.  Pop stupidly elected to sit Duncan taking a page out of Frank Vogel's book.  He could have called for a better play on the game's final play and he should have called timeout after Wade's brick near the end of OT.  He didn't even realize that tonight wasn't Ginobili's night and decided to stick with him to the tune of 8 TOs.  Plus, the refs missed his illegal substitution of Duncan late in the game.  Meanwhile, Coach Spo masterminded the Heat's defensive clampdown in the 4th and sitting Wade for most of the second half turned out to be a good decision.  Finally, re-inserting Birdman and Battier into the rotation paid huge dividends down the stretch.

It's a shame that Miami "fans" had to feed to the bandwagon stereotype and leave early.  It's unfortunate but true that most Heat fans are bandwagon fans who weren't there before LeBron.  I for one am glad to say I'm not one of those fans (I hopped on the bandwagon when Shaq got traded to South Beach LOL).  They definitely should have given more respect to their team that has done so much for them this year.  And it was pretty funny to see them in a mad rush to enter American Airlines Arena once they got word that the game went into overtime and security slammed the door right in their faces.  Serves em' right!

Mike Miller's shoe now definitely has to go down into the lore of famous sports articles of clothing along with Curt Schilling's sock and Thurman Thomas' helmet.

I found it fitting how Bosh said before the game that prospective Finals MVP Danny Green "won't be open tonight" and wound up rejecting him at the end.  Well done Bosh.

I also really enjoyed watching the post-game interviews where LeBron, Wade, Bosh, Ray Allen, and Battier talked about how seeing the championship trophy toward the end really pissed them off and caused them to go into "eff you" mode at the end.  It's the little things like this that are the reason why I love sports.

Be interesting to see if LeBron wears his headband in Game 7.  I say that he will but if he's not pleased with his play with it on, he's losing it.

The Heat seem to be a lot worse with D-Wade on the court unfortunately.  With Wade even more hurt now, I wonder if Spoelstra makes any tweaks to his rotations for Game 7.

Seeing LeBron rotate through various cycles of choke and clutch I think sums up the enigmatic superstar that is LeBron James.  He has so many demons to slay and sometimes, when it looks like he has them beat, they rear their ugly heads again.  Ladies and gentlemen, the man, the myth, the legend, LeBron James. Nice triple double by the way.  We'll need more of that (as well as a timely appearance from New LeBron) next game.

Respect to Ray Allen.  That's years of hard work, practice, dedication, blood, sweat, tears, stuff, thaaannggs, that went into that final shot.  The man's clutch level is off the chart.  Hats off to you Ray Ray.  Mama Allen must be proud.

If you haven't already, clear out your schedule for 6 PM PST for Game 7 of the NBA Finals.  Game 7 of the NBA Finals.  I'm gonna let that sink it for a bit.............but seriously you don't want to miss it.  If you thought that Game 6 was the most exciting this series could get, in the words of Judas Priest "you've got another thing coming."

And the last thing that I'll leave you with is that this game resulted in one of my favorite tweets of all-time courtesy of fellow Filipino, sportswriter Pablo Torre.

Peace.

Thoughts on Rumors of Alex Len Going #1 Overall

I have to admit.  I was quite surprised when I heard today that the Cleveland Cavaliers were considering the possibility of selecting Maryland center Alex Len #1 overall in the upcoming NBA Draft which we are only 9 days away from.  In every single mock draft I had followed for the last few months, basically everybody had the 7 foot 1 Len going #6 overall to the Hornets (whoops, sorry, the Pelicans; this is gonna take a while to get used to). Nobody was talking about him going inside of the top 5 and with good reason.  THE MAN IS COMING OFF A STRESS FRACTURE IN HIS ANKLE FOR PETE'S SAKE!!! If there's one thing that NBA GM's should have learned after all of the Sam Bowies, the Bill Waltons, the Yao Mings, the Greg Odens, and the Michael Olowokandis, it's that you shouldn't gamble too highly on big men with foot problems!!! When I heard of Len's fracture that would sideline him for 4-6 months, I thought that would immediately send his draft stock into a free fall, perhaps even out of the top 15.  Once the feet start to go south with a big man, that's it.  A major foot injury is just not something that a guy with a 7 foot 260 plus pound build can come back from and be the same player he was before the injury.  That's what happened to Arvydas Sabonis.  That's what's about to happen to Pau Gasol.  And that's what Alex Len is seriously in danger of.  And the kid's only 20! He could spend the next decade plus watching games in a suit on the sidelines.

"Selecting a center with serious foot problems #1 overall?!?!? That's the
most ridiculous thing I've ever he-- Oh wait."

The talent is definitely there for Len, let's not forget that. He's a true center with an incredible wingspan and he's got a polished offensive game with a consistent mid-range J.  He's also a solid defender with equally solid athleticism.  But do the positives outweigh the huge red flags surrounding Len enough so to justify selecting him with the top pick in the 2013 NBA Draft? Well let's compare him with the other top big man in this class, a man that held the #1 overall position in mock drafts for most of the year this year, University of Kentucky standout Nerlens Noel.  Noel is coming off a major injury himself having torn his ACL in February in a game against the Florida Gators.  A torn ACL is usually a devastating blow to any player and it may take at least a year to fully recover from (or longer if your name rhymes with "Schmerrick Schmrose").  But as weird as it may sound, Noel's torn ACL is less concerning for me than Len's stress fracture.  The reason is this.  Big men, and relatively young big men at that, have suffered through torn ACLs and came back afterwards, not only as the same player they were before, but sometimes even better.  Al Jefferson and David West are a couple of examples of this.  As catastrophic as ACL injuries can be, in my opinion, a big man coming off a torn ACL is less concerning than a big man coming off a stress fracture in his foot.  And injuries aside, Noel is no slouch either.  He is freakishly athletic and is a monster on defense blocking shots left and right.  He was one of the most exciting players to watch in college all the way up until his injury, and there is little doubt that his defensive prowess will be able to translate well into the NBA game.

However, let's throw injuries aside and assume both players are at full health.  I would probably have to go with Alex Len over Noel.  Noel's offensive game needs some work (concerning to the point that people fear he'll just be the next Birdman, Chris Andersen) and he raised a lot of eyebrows by weighing in at a meager 206 pounds at the draft combine.  I highly doubt that a man that weighs just 5 pounds more than Jeremy Lin is going to be able to bang with NBA bigs in the paint.  Len has all of the tools you would want out of an NBA center and the midrange jumper will be a deadly weapon at this level.  Plus, he dominated Noel when Maryland faced Kentucky earlier this year putting up 23 and 12 and holding Noel to 4 points.  But once you throw in injury risk, this becomes a lot tougher.  Once you factor in the nature of their injuries and the types of builds that they have, I think Noel is still the better choice to draft #1 overall.  It's just downright foolish to take that big of a risk on Len that high in the draft.  Still think that #6 to the Pelicans would be a good spot to take Len.  However, this doesn't mean that I agree with selecting Nerlens Noel with the #1 pick.  Ultimately, I think that neither Noel nor Len should go #1 overall.

Nerlens Noel or Alex Len at #1 overall? The answer just might be neither.

If I'm Cavaliers GM Chris Grant and I decide to hold onto the pick, I'm not choosing either of these two for the aforementioned red flags surrounding both of them.  I definitely wouldn't choose Kansas SG Ben McLemore (whose name has been tossed around over the last few months as a candidate for the pick) either after concerns of him being a one-dimensional scorer and his work ethic plus reports that came out today that he showed up to team workouts out of shape.  Nope, if I'm picking first, I'm picking the surest thing in this draft: Indiana wingman Victor Oladipo.  Oladipo is an elite athlete with an incredible motor and the ability to become one of the top defenders in the league.  He's lightning quick and knows how to put the ball in the basket.  In a draft filled with uncertainty, Oladipo seems like the one sure thing and if I'm Cleveland, drafting him will give me the flexibility to start Oladipo at the 2 and bring Dion Waiters off the bench as a lethal scoring option, or go small and start Oladipo at the 2 and Waiters at the 3.

So in sum, Alex Len at #1 overall is a completely preposterous notion because there are numerous glaring red flags around him as well as serious doubts, all things considered, that he's a better choice than Nerlens Noel.  Still, Noel isn't the answer at #1 overall either which makes choosing Len at #1 even more laughable. Don't do it Cleveland! Go for the sure thing and choose Victor Oladipo!!!