Skyhook Sunday: Winners and losers from the NBA Trade Deadline

The NBA trade deadline was Thursday at 3:00 PM EST and a lot of very interesting moves occurred. The Cavaliers were particularly active at the deadline acquiring George Hill and Rodney Hood from the Kings and Jazz in a three-way trade while sending Isaiah Thomas to the Lakers and Dwyane Wade back to the Heat. Other moves worth noting are the Magic trading Elfrid Payton to the Suns, the Nuggets trading Emmanuel Mudiay to the Knicks, and the Jazz actually parting ways with Joe Johnson in the Hood deal, which could result in Johnson going to a contender assuming the Kings buyout his contract. If you want a full recap of all the trades and moves that happened, check out any of the NBALord.com social media accounts (links provided at the bottom of the article). I posted all of the moves on there.

What I wanted to do in this post is quickly go over who I felt the winners and losers were at the trade deadline. I plan on analyzing some of the teams more closely next week.

Winners

The Lakers traded Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance, Jr. to the Cavaliers for Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, and a protected 2018 first round pick. Considering their need for a legitimate star player, I'd say the Lakers were winners in this trade. While Isaiah Thomas has been on the move a lot, that doesn't mean he's not a guy you'd want to have on your team. He was a borderline MVP candidate during his final season with the Celtics. To add a guy of his caliber has to have the Lakers excited. 

Let's be real, Isaiah Thomas wasn't a good fit with the Cavaliers and they needed to get something in return for him. While Rodney Hood wasn't directly involved with the Thomas deal, he is a guy who'll bring quality three-point shooting to the team and an ability to score in a similar fashion as Thomas did. Plus, Hood should fit in personality wise with the Cavaliers and relish the opportunity to play alongside LeBron James on a team that is hoping to reach the NBA Finals. As for shipping off Dwyane Wade, that's kind of a bummer, but at the same time if it isn't working out, why hang onto him? The Cavaliers were wise to move him and not continue with an experiment that just wasn't working. 

Emmanuel Mudiay strikes me as a guy who might just need a change of scenery. I like what he can bring to the table and the Knicks could really benefit from having a true franchise point guard. What's even better is the Knicks only had to give up Doug McDermott to get him. The Knicks were definitely winners at the trade deadline, though losing Kristaps Porzingis for the season due to a torn ACL overshadows this move.

The Suns acquired Elfrid Payton from the Magic for a second round pick, which is an absolute steal considering that Payton is averaging 13.0 points, 6.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. I've always liked Payton's game and believed in his ability to become a star point guard in this league. With Brandon Knight's future with the Suns in doubt due to the injuries he's had, this was a no brainer move for the Suns. 

Note: Brandon Condron provided a good breakdown of this trade on YouTube and what it means for the Suns. Click here to check it out. 

The Celtics made no moves at the trade deadline but are still considered winners simply because they got to watch the Cavaliers trade Isaiah Thomas away.  

Getting Dwyane Wade back in a Heat uniform is pretty cool. Especially since the Heat are in the mix to get home court advantage in the first round. They're seeded 7th in the Eastern Conference right now, but that could change with Wade coming back.

Not a move that happened right at the trade deadline, but the Pistons are definitely winners for acquiring Blake Griffin from the Clippers. They needed a franchise player to build around and now they have one. If you missed my blog post on the Blake Griffin trade from the Pistons' perspective, click here. I go into more detail in there. 

Losers

I know I'm kinda cheating by also listing the Cavaliers as losers, but here me out on this. While it is good that they got something for Isaiah Thomas and were able to shake things up a bit, the fact that they had to make those moves in the first place is very concerning. Hell, there was even some speculation that it might be good for the Cavaliers to trade LeBron James and totally hit the reset button for good. The bottom line is that while the moves the Cavaliers made were good for their present situation, it's never a good sign to be in a situation where you need to make a flurry of deals before the deadline in order to stay afloat. 

I'm pretty indifferent to the moves the Jazz made at the deadline. Jae Crowder is a nice player and I understand why Rodney Hood and Joe Johnson needed to go as they probably weren't going to come back once they hit free agency. At the same time, Rodney Hood was supposed to be one of their bright young players to build around in a post Gordon Hayward era. To see him go is kind of a disappointment if you are a fan of the Jazz. Even worse, it feels like the Jazz are a team struggling to find an identity right now. Donovan Mitchell is becoming their man, but they're still a long ways off from being a serious championship contender.

When the Toronto Raptors selected Bruno Caboclo with the 20th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, they thought they had found a diamond in the rough. Everyone else was asking what drugs they were on for selecting him in the first place. At the deadline, the Raptors parted ways with their Brazilian draft and stash wonder, sending him to the Kings for Malachi Richardson. That 2014 first round pick is one the Raptors would like to have back. Rodney Hood, Joe Harris, Nikola Jokic, and Jordan Clarkson were all still available and would have been much better selections than Caboclo, who quite honestly shouldn't have been drafted in either round.

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NBALord.com Podcast: Dwyane Wade to the Cavs; Warriors vs. Nuggets court side

On this week's episode of the NBALord.com podcast, I talk about Dwyane Wade to the Cleveland Cavaliers and also my observations from watching the Golden State Warriors-Denver Nuggets game on Saturday from court side seats. Click here to listen to the podcast.



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Saturday Slam: How much can Dwyane Wade help the Cleveland Cavaliers?

After clearing waivers following his release from the Chicago Bulls, Dwyane Wade signed a one-year, $2.3M deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. While Wade is in the twilight years of his career, he's still a very good NBA player, averaging 18.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.4 steals in 60 games with the Bulls last season. If the Cavaliers know how to use him right, Wade could make a huge impact on their quest for another NBA championship.

Like I said above, the key in all of this is for the Cavaliers to use Wade the right way. They can't expect him to play more than 30 minutes per game. They have to use him as a spice, giving him somewhere between 24 and 30 minutes every night while also resting him when appropriate. They need to find this balance between keeping him lubricated and in some sort of rhythm while also not overworking him and jeopardizing his ability to be effective in the playoffs, which is when they really need him.

While Wade has tailed off a bit, he should still be able to play well alongside LeBron James. The two of them really fed off of each other's energy while they were in Miami, especially in the transition. When you have two guys like that out on the wing, you're pretty close to unbeatable.

Once again it's on @DwyaneWade!! 👑 ⚡️

— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 29, 2017

Health is probably the biggest thing the Cavaliers need to worry about as a collective whole. Isaiah Thomas (hip) isn't expected to be back until January, so it's not like Wade is the only guy whose health needs to be monitored. This team can absolutely contend for a championship. The pieces are there, it's really just a matter of everyone finding a way to stay healthy, which is easier said than done.

If Wade is able to stay healthy and give the Cavaliers the maximum level of production that he is capable of, he's an absolute steal given how much money he's getting paid. Wade is a three-time NBA champion who knows what it's like to play with LeBron. The two of them have been through a lot and know what it takes to win a championship together. Given the moves that the Boston Celtics have made, there's really no reason to not like this move for the Cavaliers.

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Wednesday Windmill: Can the Chicago Bulls reach the Eastern Conference Finals?

The 8th seeded Chicago Bulls are stunning the NBA world right now by taking a 2-0 series lead over the 1st seeded Boston Celtics. With the next two games in Chicago, the Bulls have an excellent chance at sweeping the Celtics and pulling off one of the most monumental playoff upsets in NBA history. I don't care if the Celtics are regarded as one of the weakest top seeds ever. An 8 seed sweeping a 1 seed would be the biggest playoff upset in NBA history. The Bulls are two games away from doing the unthinkable and there's no reason to think they are done making history. 

When the NBA season began, I predicted that the Chicago Bulls would meet the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. At the time, I really thought they had the pieces. Jimmy Butler is one of the best shooting guards in the NBA, Dwyane Wade while aging still is capable of putting up 20 points per game, and they have some other quality pieces like Rajon Rondo, Nikola Mirotic, and Robin Lopez. Given how there was no clear #2 team in the Eastern Conference behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, I figured the Chicago Bulls were as good of a pick as any to get the #2 seed and take on the #1 seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. 

Things didn't exactly go the way I predicted. The Bulls had to wait until the last day of the regular season to find out if they would even make the playoffs. I picked the Celtics to sweep them in my series preview and thought that I was a fool for picking the Bulls to reach the Eastern Conference Finals at the beginning of the season. The Bulls looked like a team that was just lucky to squeak into the playoffs while the Celtics looked like a team poised to make a deep playoff run. 

During these past two games, the Bulls and Celtics have switched roles. The Bulls are looking like a team capable of reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, while the Celtics are looking like a team that could be swept. It's crazy how things can change so quickly after just two games. 

To answer the question that titles this article "Can the Chicago Bulls reach the Eastern Conference Finals?" the answer is yes they can. They have the pieces and those pieces are finally coming together. While Jimmy Butler is averaging 26 points per game during this series, he's not the only one who has come to play. In addition to Wade, Lopez, and Rondo, the Bulls have gotten double-digit scoring productions from the likes of Bobby Portis and Paul Zipser. It has truly been a team effort to go up 2-0 in this series. 

At this point, I like the Bulls' chances of winning this series and advancing to the second round, where they will likely face the Washington Wizards. As good as the Wizards are, they are no slam dunk to reach the Eastern Conference Finals. They are still a team that is learning and growing. Dwayne Wade's playoff experience could be the x-factor in a Bulls-Wizards series and be what pushes the Bulls into the Eastern Conference Finals. 

I understand there is a lot of basketball to be played and the Bulls still have to take care of business in their series against the Celtics. But that notwithstanding, it can't be ignored that the Bulls suddenly have a very clear path to the Eastern Conference Finals. They're playing good basketball and are finally looking like the team that I thought they would be at the beginning of the season. It will be interesting to see if they can sustain this. 

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Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview: Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls

In the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the #1 seeded Boston Celtics (53-29) will take on the #8 seeded Chicago Bulls (41-41). The regular season series split 2-2.  Game 1 will be played on Sunday at 6:30 PM EST on TNT.

After dueling it out with the Cleveland Cavaliers down the stretch, the Boston Celtics were able to secure the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Isaiah Thomas leads the way for this Celtics team, averaging 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per game on 37.9% shooting from three-point range and 90.9% shooting from the foul line. Thomas has had an MVP worthy season for the Celtics, leading the league in 4th quarter points and guiding his team to the top record in the Eastern Conference. He has truly established himself as an elite NBA player.

In addition to Thomas, the Celtics have another quality guard in Avery Bradley, who is averaging 16.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Bradley is one of the top perimeter defenders in the league, capable of guarding anyone on the perimeter. When you combine him with Isaiah Thomas, you have something scary in the backcourt. Down on the block, the Celtics have Al Horford, who signed with the team in free agency after being with the Atlanta Hawks. Horford is averaging 14.0 points and 6.8 rebounds, giving the Celtics a very sound post presence.

In addition to the trio of Thomas, Bradley, and Horford, the Celtics have other quality players in Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart, Kelly Olynyk, and rookie small forward Jaylen Brown. The Celtics have a very balanced team, capable of doing damage both inside and out. While not many people expected the Celtics to get the top seed, they certainly earned it and deserve the respect that goes along with it.

As for the Chicago Bulls, this is a team that has not lived up to expectations. When they got Dwyane Wade in the offseason to go along with Jimmy Butler, lots of people expected this Bulls team to be an upper echelon team in the conference and be a contender. Instead, the Bulls barely squeaked into the playoffs and have had to deal with a lot of distractions caused by Rajon Rondo and rumors that head coach Fred Hoiberg was going to get canned.

In a way, it's a miracle the Bulls still found a way to make the playoffs. For a while there, they were looking like a lost cause. For them, this series is an opportunity to hit the reset button and see what the Jimmy Butler/Dwyane Wade combination can do in the playoffs. The pieces are definitely there to win this series, but the question is will the Bulls play up their maximum potential or will they once again underperform?

If the Bulls want any chance at giving the Celtics a scare, they need to get all they can out of Dwyane Wade, who is averaging 18.3 points per game. Jimmy Butler leads the team in scoring with 23.9 points per game and Wade is the only guy on the team who he can truly rely on to give him some help in terms of sharing the scoring load. If Wade is able to produce above his scoring average, the Bulls could make this series interesting. If on the other hand, Wade struggles and never gets into a groove, this series will be over really quick.

A lot of this depends on the health of Dwyane Wade, who has returned to the lineup after being sidelined with a knee injury. There are major questions of as to whether or not Wade is physically capable of playing up to the level that the Bulls need him to. In his three games back, Wade has averaged 11.3 points per game, which to say the least is not encouraging. Dwayne Wade is really the x-factor to this whole series. If he plays well, the Bulls have a chance to win. If he doesn't, the Celtics will win easily.

In terms of my prediction, I have the Celtics sweeping the Bulls 4-0. Isaiah Thomas is the best player in the series and the presence of Avery Bradley out on the perimeter will make things tough on both Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade. The Celtics are on a mission to get to the NBA Finals and they should be motivated to win this series as quickly as possible. I know I'm coming off as dismissive of the Bulls, but the truth is I don't see this series being all that competitive. If Dwyane Wade were at full strength, it would be a different story, but so long as it will be Jimmy Butler needing to play hero ball, I don't see the Bulls having a prayer.





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Saturday Slam: The Chicago Bulls need to either fire Fred Holberg or make a trade

Earlier this week, Marc Stein of ESPN reported that there is talk of Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg being in the hot seat due to his team's underwhelming start to the season. In addition to that, Rajon Rondo is unhappy with his role with the team, telling the Chicago Sun-Times earlier today that he would "Absolutely" look to get traded if he continues to see his minutes decline. The Bulls lost to the Bucks today by a final score of 116-96 at home in the United Center, falling to 16-18 on the season and 10th in the Eastern Conference.

The biggest problem the Chicago Bulls have right now is that outside of Jimmy Butler (24.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists) and Dwyane Wade (18.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists), they are getting virtually no production from anyone else. Rajon Rondo, Jerian Grant, and Michael Carter-Williams might as well go out for a Coke and a hot dog instead of spend time playing in the backcourt while Robin Lopez, Taj Gibson, Nikola Mirotic, and Doug McDermott are playing solid in the frontcourt but not really shining either.

It is my opinion that the Chicago Bulls should be much better than 16-18. If you are an avid reader of my blog, you would know that I picked the Bulls to reach the Eastern Conference Finals this season and at the moment, they are far from getting there. When you have a guy like Jimmy Butler on your team you should be an above .500 team and then when you add a guy like Dwyane Wade who is still good for 18-20 points per game, you should absolutely be a top four team in the Eastern Conference.

The Bulls have one of three options: They can stay the course and hope things get better, they can make a trade, or they can fire Fred Hoiberg. I will take a look at each of these options.

Stay the course: When it comes to staying the course, I really don't see much benefit to this path. Through 34 games, this team is not playing anywhere close to the level they were expecting to and neither Dwyane Wade or Jimmy Butler are part of the problem. Both of them are producing at a high level. The issue is that the rest of the supporting cast is letting them down and not giving Wade and Butler the support they need. Thus, it stands to reason a move has to be made.

Make a trade: Making a trade makes a lot of sense for the Bulls because as I said, the supporting cast around Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler isn't stepping up. Plus, what helps is that they have some attractive pieces that might fit better elsewhere. Rajon Rondo is a talented enough guy that someone would certainly be willing to take a gamble on him and Michael Carter-Williams is another guy who could benefit from a change of scenery. If the Bulls could find a team willing to offer something that fits better with Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler, they should absolutely pull the trigger.

Fire Fred Hoiberg: The benefit of firing Fred Hoiberg is it's the easiest thing to do and also sends a message to the team that things need to change. It's not always easy to find a willing trade partner, but firing a coach is always an easy thing to do since you don't need two teams to make it happen. Plus, when looking at this roster, it really is hard to believe that this is a sub .500 team in the Eastern Conference. This smells like a situation where the the coach isn't getting the most out of his players, which makes firing him justifiable.

Of course, the Bulls could do a combination of options two and three, which is to make a trade and fire Fred Hoiberg, but breaking down that situation gets messy since you either need to assume that the players are the problem (letting the coach off the hook) or the coach is the problem (assuming the players just need a coach that can get them to gel).

The bottom line is that the Chicago Bulls are at a crossroads and need to make a change fast since the season is starting to slip away from them. I personally think trading Rajon Rondo would be a good first step since he's got the reputation of being a locker room killer and he's not putting up big numbers, so it makes a lot of sense to send him packing.

Firing Fred Hoiberg has pros and cons. If the Bulls really believe he's not getting the most out of his guys, firing him makes sense. However, firing a coach mid-season is really a desperate move that few teams recover from during the season. If the Bulls have any hopes of actually making some noise in the playoffs, keeping Fred Hoiberg for the season actually makes sense. Either way, the Bulls have to do something. Things aren't going well the way they are and unless they make some sort of change, things are guaranteed to not get much better.

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Wednesday Windmill: The Chicago Bulls are shaping up to be pretty interesting

     While the Golden State Warriors have made the biggest free agency splash in the Western Conference by landing Kevin Durant, the Chicago Bulls are the ones who have made the biggest splash in the Eastern Conference, landing Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo. With a trio of Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade, and Rajon Rondo, the Bulls certainly have one of the most interesting rosters in the NBA. But, do they have a roster that can threaten the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference? That's the big question.

    If one is going to put forth an argument for why the Bulls can threaten the Cavaliers, the argument has to revolve around the fact that Jimmy Butler is becoming one of the elite wings of the NBA and Dwyane Wade, while getting older, is still capable of putting up around 20 points per game. The way that you can spin this is if you say that the Bulls have their franchise player in Jimmy Butler and all he needs is a sidekick to take the edge off. Dwyane Wade certainly appears capable of being such a sidekick since he can still put up 20 points per game and command a two-year, $47M contract.

     Then, as a kicker, if you add a quality pass-first point guard like Rajon Rondo to the mix, you suddenly have your ball movement problem solved and somebody who can set up Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler for easy shots. Michael Wilbon said on PTI this week that Rajon Rondo would average 14 assists per game with the Bulls due to having guys like Wade and Butler around him. Considering that he averaged 11.7 assists per game on the lowly Sacramento Kings last season, it's not at all unreasonable to figure his assist totals will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 14 per game.
   
     To help round out their roster, the Bulls have decided to part ways with Derrick Rose, sending him to the New York Knicks in exchange for Robin Lopez,  Jerian Grant, and Jose Calderon. Calderon has since been traded to the Lakers to free up space for Dwyane Wade, but both Lopez and Grant remain, promising to be solid role players off the bench. In the draft, the Bulls added a quality shooter in Denzel Valentine from Michigan State to help stretch the floor. Plus, Taj Gibson and Nikola Mitotic still remain.

     The only real significant loss to their team is Joakim Noah, who is joining Derrick Rose as a member of the New York Knicks. The Bulls will definitely miss Noah's defense and rebounding, but with Robin Lopez, Taj Gibson, and Nikola Mitotic, their front court should remain relatively formidable. I don't think the loss of Joakim Noah is a big one in terms of his on court production, though I do think it is a big loss in terms of what he meant to the city, community, and locker room.

     The bottom line with the Chicago Bulls is that while they are unlikely to actually win the Eastern Conference, they are certain to reach the playoffs and expected to win a series or two. The ceiling for this team is the Eastern Conference Finals if they play their cards right and get a good draw in the playoffs. Outside of Cleveland, the Eastern Conference is wide open and I think the Chicago Bulls recognize this.

     If the Bulls can put themselves within one series of reaching the NBA Finals for the next two years, then these recent moves will have certainly paid off. Hell, it could theoretically result in a championship. All you can do in the NBA is position yourself as best you can and positioning yourself for a possible run to the conference finals is as good of a position as you can ask for.

     The Bulls are definitely doing the right thing by getting Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo. The alternative would be to start from scratch and build through the draft, which we know from watching the Philadelphia 76ers is a very risky proposition. If you are faced with rebuilding or setting yourself up to be one of the last four teams standing in the NBA, you roll with being one of the last four teams every time. It's a no brainer.

Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview: Toronto Raptors vs. Miami Heat

     Tonight on TNT, the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat begin their second round series in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Raptors come into this series having survived a seven-game scare against the Indiana Pacers while the Heat come into this series having played a seven-game series of their own against the Charlotte Hornets.
     For the Raptors, it would have been disastrous to fall to the Pacers. Lord knows what the aftermath would have been. The media in Toronto would have rightfully questioned the mental fortitude of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry should they have gone down to the Pacers. As for the Heat, a loss to the Hornets wouldn't have been a big deal since Chris Bosh is out. Most people would have chalked up an exit to the Hornets as a result of his absence and the Hornets being a team on the rise.
     If the Raptors want to win this series against the Heat, the main thing they need to do is hold serve at home. If the Raptors go down in Game 1 or Game 2, the Heat will have a tremendous amount of confidence in their ability to win the series since the Raptors will appear vulnerable. Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, and Jonas Valanciunas have to come out strong and confident as a trio. If they do, the Heat will have their work cut out for them. If they falter and don't play up to their maximum potential, the Heat will be in a prime position to pounce.
     If the Heat want to win this series against the Raptors, they'll have to do whatever they can to get a game in Toronto and get in the Raptors' head. The Raptors are mentally fragile at the moment and the Heat know it. If the Heat can get a game in Toronto, they'll get in the Raptors' head big time and make them question themselves.
     In addition, the Heat should really rely on their veteran playoff experience to win this series. Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem both have three championship rings and are very battle tested. Their veteran leadership made the difference in the series against the Hornets and I look for it to make a similar impact against the Raptors. Wade and Haslem know what it takes to win a seven-game playoff series while the Raptors are still figuring out how to do it.
     With that all being said, I still have to pick the Raptors to win this series in seven games. It'll be a close series that will go back and forth, but at the end of the day, the Raptors will get this done. The Raptors should have some confidence from their series against the Pacers that will serve them well against the Heat. Even though the Raptors showed signs of mental frailty against the Pacers, they only bended as opposed to breaking.
     Going through a tough series and surviving makes young teams like the Raptors stronger. I expect DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, and Jonas Valanciunas to step up and deliver the goods for the lone Canadian city in the NBA. With a tough series under their belt, they now know they can win a playoff series. With that hurdle now cleared, I expect them to play with a lot more confidence and do what they've done all season, which is be the second best team in the Eastern Conference. Don't get me wrong, the Heat will challenge the Raptors and push them all the way. But in a Game 7 in the city of Toronto, I have to roll with the Raptors.

Eastern Conference Playoffs: Miami Heat vs. Charlotte Hornets

     

      

                                       (3) Miami Heat (48-34) vs. (6) Charlotte Hornets (48-34) 

     The post-LeBron James era is going pretty well for the Miami Heat. They have the third seed in the Eastern Conference and are in good position to reach the Eastern Conference Finals with Dwyane Wade still leading the way to go along with a solid supporting cast that includes Goran Dragic, Luol Deng, Joe Johnson, and Hassan Whiteside. As for the Charlotte Hornets, they are starting to get their own crew together composed of Kemba Walker, Al Jefferson, Nicolas Batum, and Jeremy Lin. 

     The biggest hurdle the Miami Heat have to overcome in this series is the absence of Chris Bosh, who along with Dwayne Wade has been averaging 19 points per game. Bosh has been dealing with blood clots in his leg and is without a timetable to return. With Bosh likely out for the series, the Heat will need Goran Dragic, Luol Deng, Joe Johnson, and Hassan Whiteside to step up. Whiteside will especially need to come up big since he plays down on the block. With Bosh out, it will really be up to Hassan Whiteside to provide a quality post presence for his team in this series due to his rebounding and shot blocking. 

     The biggest hurdle the Charlotte Hornets have to overcome in this series is experience. They didn't make the playoffs last season and as group have very little playoff experience. Even though they have the same record as this Heat team and are healthier, they still have to go up against the likes of Dwyane Wade, Joe Johnson, and Luol Deng, guys who have a lot of playoff experience.  

      In order for the Hornets to overcome this hurdle, they'll need to get big production from Kemba Walker, who really is the lone star on their team. Walker is averaging 20.9 points per game on 37.1% shooting from 3-point range and 84.7% shooting from the foul line. He has the potential to take over this series and have his playoff coming out party. If he is able to average 24+ points per game and get the help he needs from Al Jefferson, Nicolas Batum, and Jeremy Lin, this Hornets team has what it takes to win this series. 

     When looking at how this series plays out, I'm leaning very slightly towards the Miami Heat winning just because they have more weapons and more experience. I would not be surprised if the Charlotte Hornets won this series, but given that the Heat have Dwyane Wade and a beast like Hassan Whiteside down low in addition to the other guys I mentioned, I'm going to say that the Heat win this series in six games. It'll be close, but the Heat will prevail. 

Note: Game 1 of this series is Sunday at 5:30 PM EST on TNT 

Daily Dunks: 7/20-7/26

                                                   (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source)

     Here is my Daily Dunks page for July 20, 2015 through July 26, 2015. Throughout the week this page will be updated with news from across the NBA until a new Daily Dunks page is created for the following week.

Monday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Celtics have signed second round pick forward Jordan Mickey (Click here for details).

#2. The Ty Lawson trade to the Rockets became official (Click here for details).

#3. The Nuggets waived guard  Pablo Prigioni, whom they acquired from the Rockets in the Ty Lawson deal (Click here for details).

#4. The Pistons signed second round pick guard  Darrun Hilliard (Click here for details).

#5. The Spurs officially re-signed guard Manu Ginobili (Click here for details).

#6. The Pistons officially signed Reggie Jackson to his extension (Click here for details).

#7. The Pistons officially re-signed center Joel Anthony (Click here for details).

#8. The Pelicans officially re-signed forward Luke Babbitt (Click here for details).

#9. The Nets made a bunch of promotions in their basketball operations department (Click here for details).

#10. Shaquille O'Neal and Scottie Pippen got into a fight on Instagram (Click here for details).

#11.  Forward John Jenkins signed a three-year deal with the Mavericks (Click here for details).

#12. Forward Quincy Acy re-signed with the Kings on a two-year deal that includes a player option (Click here for details).

#13. Ty Lawson's contract with the Rockets has been restructured such that the final year of his contract is unguaranteed (Click here for details).

#14. Monta Ellis has finally signed with the Pacers (Click here for details).

#15. 76ers center Joel Embiid re-broke the navicular bone in his right foot (Click here for details).

#16. Undrafted rookie forward Duje Dukan from Wisconsin has agreed to a deal with the Kings (Click here for details).

#17. Free agent center Jarrid Famous has agreed to a one-year partially guaranteed deal with the Mavericks (Click here for details).

#18. Guard Keith Appling has agreed to a two-year partially guaranteed deal with the Magic (Click here for details).

#19. Undrafted Louisiana Tech forward Michael Kyser signed a one-year, partially guaranteed deal with the Raptors (Click here for details).

Monday's NBA Summer League scores: 

Spurs 93 Suns 90. Spurs win the Las Vegas Summer League title with former WNBA player Becky Hammon as their coach (Click here for details).

Tuesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Danilo Gallinari and the Nuggets agreed on a two-year, $34M extension (Click here for details).

#2. Richard Jefferson is signing with the Cavaliers (Click here for details).

#3. The Pacers officially re-signed Rodney Stuckey (Click here for details).

#4. The Pelicans have agreed to a one-year deal with Kendrick Perkins for the veteran's minimum (Click here for details).

#5. Rockets shooting guard James Harden won the MVP at the Player's Awards (Click here for details).

#6. After 17 years in the NBA, Nazr Mohammad is thinking about retirement (Click here for details).

#7. Clippers forward Blake Griffin has come to DeAndre Jordan's defense (Click here for details).

#8. The Pacers are going to wear Hickory High uniforms to commemorate the movie Hoosiers (Click here for details).

#9. Adrian Wojarowski has signed a four-year deal to stay with Yahoo! (Click here for details).

#10. The Magic and Raptors will face each other in London in 2016 on January 14 (Click here for details).

Tuesday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Mystics 76 Shock 69. Stars 80 Fever 62.Sky 97 Dream 92. Liberty 81 Storm 77. Sparks 70 Mercury 65.

Wednesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. After being waived by the Nuggets, point guard Pablo Prigioni signed a one-year deal with the Clippers (Click here for details).

#2. The Kings signed Seth Curry to a two-year deal (Click here for details).

#3. The Pistons have signed Stanley Johnson to his rookie contract (Click here for details).

#4. Stephen Jackson (Yes, that Stephen Jackson) has retired (Click here for details).

#5. LeBron James' company has signed with Warner Bros. Space Jam 2 is a possibility (Click here for details).

#6. Adam Silver is thinking about not giving division winning teams a guaranteed playoff spot (Click here for details).

#7. Wizards forward Jared Dudley is out 3-4 months after undergoing back surgery (Click here for details).

#8. Bill Simmons is joining HBO (Click here for details).

#9. Former Alabama swingman Levi Randolph will join the Celtics for training camp (Click here for details).

#10. The Spurs signed point guard Jimmer Fredette and shooting guard Jonathon Simmons to training camp deals (Click here for details).

Wednesday's WNBA Final scores: 

Sun 78 Lynx 77. Liberty 59 Sparks 53. Liberty forward Tina Charles had 14 points and 14 rebounds.

Thursday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Kings officially signed Caron Butler (Click here for details).

#2. The Mavericks signed forward Maurice Ndour to a training camp deal (Click here for details).

#3.The Pistons signed forward Adonis Thomas (Click here for details).

#4. The Cavaliers traded forward Rakeem Christmas to the Pacers (Click here for details).

#5. Rakeem Christmas' deal with the Pacers is a 4 year, $4.5M deal with the first two years guaranteed (Click here for details).

#6. James Jones re-signed with the Cavaliers on a one-year deal worth the veteran's minimum (Click here for details).

#7. Chris Copeland signed a one-year contract with the Bucks (Click here for details).

#8. The Hawks signed Lamar Patterson and Terran Petteway to training camp deals (Click here for details).

#9. The Warriors pulled center Ognjen Kuzmic's qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent (Click here for details).

#10. The Jazz plan to make changes to their logo (Click here for details).

Friday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. A lawsuit trying to prevent the Sacramento Kings' arena from being built has been rejected (Click here for details).

#2. The Trail Blazers signed guard Phil Pressey and forward Cliff Alexander (Click here for details).

#3. Carmelo Anthony reportedly may join the Team USA mini-camp in August (Click here for details).

#4. The Wizards are unlikely to trade Nene before the season starts (Click here for details).

#5. Harrison Barnes says he hopes to stay with the Warriors long-term (Click here for details).

#6. Bucks forward Chris Copeland says he is ok after his stabbing (Click here for details).

#7. Phil Jackson has some criticisms for NBA players from Duke (Click here for details).

#8. Nick Young expects to not be traded from the Lakers. At least for a while (Click here for details).

#9. Wesley Saunders, an undrafted guard out of Harvard, has agreed to a partially guaranteed deal with the Knicks (Click here for details).

#10. The mayor of Atlanta is willing to contribute public money for the new Hawks arena (Click here for details).

Saturday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Kings have offered Peja Stojakovic a full-time front office position (Click here for details).

#2. Samuel Dalembert has a signed a one-year deal with the Mavericks (Click here for details).

#3. Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving's health is improving (Click here for details).

#4. 76ers rookie center Jahlil Okafor sees himself as a cornerstone of the franchise and is ready to dominate (Click here for details).

#5. Becky Hammon is gaining some traction as a head coaching candidate (Click here for details).

#6. Glenn Robinson III has agreed to a three-year deal with the Pacers (Click here for details).

#7. Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis turned down an invite to join "Dancing With The Stars" (Click here for details).

#8. Former Arizona forward Brandon Ashley has signed a partially guaranteed multi-year deal with the Mavericks (Click here for details).

#9. The Knicks signed power forward Darion Atkins to a partially guaranteed deal (Click here for details).

#10. Kings VP of basketball operations Vlade Divac dislikes analytics and has ceased contact with Dean Oliver, a guy in the organization who loves analytics (Click here for details).

Saturday's WNBA All-Star results: 

West 117 East 112: Final. Lynx forward Maya Moore won MVP with 30 points.

Sunday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Heat traded point guard Shabazz Napier to the Magic for a future protected second round pick (Click here for details).

#2. The Cavaliers traded Mike Miller and Brenden Haywood to the Trail Blazers for cap space and trade exceptions (Click here for details).

#3. The Kings fired analytics guru Dean Oliver (Click here for details).

#4. Damian Lillard says he will likely not participate in the Team USA minicamp (Click here for details).

#5. Blake Griffin and Stephen Curry will participate in the Team USA minicamp (Click here for details).

#6. Dwyane Wade is launching his own brand of wine in China (Click here for details).

#7. Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts says he has no hard feelings towards LaMarcus Aldridge (Click here for details).

#8. The Spurs signed center Yassou Ndoye to a non-guaranteed training camp deal (Click here for details).

#9. The Mavericks signed forward Jamil Wilson to a partially guaranteed contract (Click here for details).

#10. The Celtics signed guard Corey Walden to a non-guaranteed training camp deal (Click here for details).


---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord and like my Facebook page NBA Lord Nation for NBA news 

Saturday Slam: Is Milwaukee a possible destination for Dwyane Wade?

     Things between Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat aren't going so good in terms of working out a new contract. Wade wants more money over the course of three years and the Heat at the moment are not willing to fork over the booty. Such is the case with all contract negotiations, but sometimes a deal is never reached and the two sides decide to part ways.

     I am of the opinion that Dwyane Wade will likely work out something with the Heat, but in the event that he decides to go elsewhere to finish his career, I think the Milwaukee Bucks is the most likely team he ends up with. This might come off as a surprise to you since Wade is from Chicago and there has been tons of talk about Dwyane Wade playing for his hometown team. But the fact of the matter is that Chicago isn't the only NBA city outside of Miami that Dwayne Wade has a personal connection to. There is another city, namely Milwaukee, which is where Wade played three years of college basketball at Marquette University.*

     Anybody who has gone to college knows that their Alma mater has a special place in their heart. For me, my Alma mater UC Berkeley has a special place in my heart. I do a weekly blog post on here called "Bear Territory Tuesday" which is entirely dedicated to Cal basketball and it is my favorite thing to write each week.

     I can't speak for Dwayne Wade, but I would guess that he has fond memories of his time at Marquette University and that a part of him wishes he could once again play basketball in the city of Milwaukee. If he ever wanted to relive his college days and once again become a part of the Milwaukee community, joining the Bucks would be a great thing for him to do.

     In addition to having a personal tie to the city, the Milwaukee Bucks actually have some attractive pieces to put around Dwyane Wade in Jabari Parker, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Kris Middleton, who will be a restricted free agent this summer. Even if Middleton leaves in free agency, Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo are enough of an attractive package to entice Dwayne Wade to come back to Milwaukee.

     The Bucks were able to make the playoffs and give the Bulls a good scare with Jabari Parker out for the season. Assuming Parker makes a full recovery, the addition of Dwayne Wade would make the Bucks a scary good team. I wouldn't say the Bucks would be favored over the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the Eastern Conference, but they would be in the discussion to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, a place where the Milwaukee Bucks rarely go.

    Lastly, I don't know if Dwyane Wade would feel comfortable going to the Bulls on the grounds that the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls have had some bad blood over the years. Joining the Bulls would really hurt Miami Heat fans and the organization in a way that going to the Bucks wouldn't. His decision to leave alone would hurt, but seeing him play in the same city where he first became a star would make some Miami Heat fans smile, and besides, what is there to really hate about the Milwaukee Bucks? Milwaukee hasn't done anything of importance in the NBA since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar departed for Los Angeles in the 1970s. Seeing Dwyane Wade put the Milwaukee Bucks back on the map would feel almost like an act of charity on his part as opposed to an act of spite.

     In conclusion, I really believe Milwaukee is a possible destination for Dwayne Wade to go to in the event that he decides it's time to move on from Miami. He has a personal tie to the city, the team is promising, and it wouldn't really offend the Heat organization. While on the surface it seems like an odd choice, it's really quite easy to connect the dots. It'll certainly be interesting to see what Wade ends up doing.

*Wade was academically ineligible to play his freshman season at Marquette, so he only played during his sophomore and junior seasons.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news 

2014-15 Southeast Division Preview

I continue my preview of the 2014-15 NBA season by taking a look at the Southeast Division, home to the Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards, and Charlotte Hornets. I will address each team in order of where I think they will finish with a projected win total in parentheses.

                                                          Washington Wizards (50) 
 
     The Wizards' backcourt of Bradley Beal  (17.1 ppg) and John Wall (19.3 ppg) is one of the best backcourts in the NBA, averaging a combined 36.4 points per game last season. They can only be expected to improve this season and with the addition of Paul Pierce, they could be on the cusp of a trip to the NBA Finals.
    The most important thing for this Wizards team is going to be how well they can stay healthy. Their roster itself is really solid. In addition to a great backcourt, they have a great frontcourt rotation with Marcin Gortat, Nene, and Kris Humphries. With Paul Pierce playing the small forward position, they look very dangerous and capable of winning the Eastern Conference provided they stay healthy. If any of those guys is out for an extended period of time, then there will be trouble.
     This won't be an easy task as Nene, Bradley Beal, and John Wall all have dealt with injuries in the past. It will be really important for their head coach Randy Wittman to manage the minutes of all his players carefully. Especially Wall and Beal since they are the real driving force behind this team.
    What also will be important to keep an eye on is their bench. Glen Rice, Jr., Andre Miller, Otto Porter, Jr., Martell Webster, and Garrett Temple will have to step up and provide quality relief for Pierce, Wall, and Beal.
     I'm confident that Andre Miller will play well and that Martell Webster will continue his solid off the bench production. It's the other guys that are hard to call. Especially Rice and Porter. Neither player  was a factor at all last season, and yet both have the potential to be quality off the bench scorers. If both of them can have significantly improved seasons, that will do wonders for the Wizards since their bench honestly is suspect.
     Overall, this Wizards team looks very solid. The starting five is great and they have nice balance between a good backcourt and a good frontcourt. They can beat you inside and out. Ultimately, injuries or the lack thereof will make the difference for this team's season. If they stay healthy, they'll make a strong push to win the East. If they get injured, they'll make the playoffs, but fail to make much of a push.

                                                           
                                                               Miami Heat (47) 

This team may have lost LeBron James, but they still are going to be dangerous. Luol Deng was a very underrated addition to this team since everybody was only thinking about how he isn't LeBron James instead of thinking about how he averaged 16 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1 steal per game last season. While it is true that he is no LeBron James, he is still a very quality small forward who should fit nicely with what the Heat have been doing during their four straight trips to the NBA Finals.
     In addition to Deng, the Heat also still have Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, who is the heart and soul of the franchise. Both of those guys are still capable at producing at a high level. Ironically, like last season, this team's success hinges on the health of Dwyane Wade's knees. If Wade stays healthy, the Heat will still be very dangerous since outside of the Cleveland Cavaliers, they arguably have the scariest trio in the Eastern Conference.
     What will also be crucial to this team's success is how well Danny Granger and Josh McRoberts fit with the team and how productive they are. Especially Granger since he has had injury issues these past couple of seasons. If Granger is able to be anything close to his old self, the Heat could really be cooking with gas in terms of offensive firepower.
     The biggest concern for this team outside of Wade's knees is their lack of size in the middle. Chris Andersen and Udonis Haslem aren't bad in the paint, but they still have a weak front line that was largely masked by the amazing play of LeBron James. They are going to have to find ways to win despite getting beat on the glass. I think Deng will fit the style they've been playing, but since he isn't as multi-dimensional as LeBron James, I expect their lack of size to be an even bigger concern this season.
      The Heat are one of the few teams that might give the Cavaliers serious trouble in the playoffs. Health will be huge, but if they can weather that storm, they could find themselves in a position to knock out the Cavaliers and surprise everybody.

                                                    Charlotte Hornets (44)

     The renaissance of Buzz City is a great thing for the city of Charlotte. They finally have a team that they can really embrace and get behind. "Charlotte Bobcats" always felt strange and so it's nice to see the nickname "Hornets" back where it belongs.
     As for the team itself, they look promising. They added Lance Stephenson and Marvin Williams in free agency and also P.J. Hairston and Noah Vonleh in the draft. Those guys should all prove to be very good additions to go along Al Jefferson, Kemba Walker, and Gerald Henderson. In addition, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Cody Zeller should be improved with another year under their belts.
     Of all those additions, Lance Stephenson is undoubtedly the most important. He emerged into an all-star caliber player last season and he could prove to be a terrific fit with Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson who largely had to carry the load last season. It was clear that the Hornets didn't have the firepower to win a series with just Jefferson and Walker as their best players. It's no disrespect to them. They just needed help and Stephenson's ability to attack the basket from the perimeter as well as his defensive and rebounding abilities could be just what the doctor ordered.
     Noah Vonleh should provide quality production inside and P.J. Hairston should be a nice scoring threat off the bench. But with those two guys being rookies, the Hornets can't bank on them being consistently good every night. Lance Stephenson on the other hand played a big role on the Pacers last season and he should be expected to be a major contributor right away.
   Ultimately, I see the Hornets making the playoffs, but not threatening to win the East. The East is wide open, but there is still a pecking order that goes Cleveland, Chicago, Washington, and then Miami. Charlotte isn't good enough to break into that tier, but they still will be exciting and certainly dangerous.

                                                       
                                                            Atlanta Hawks (41)

     The Hawks are coming off a season in which they almost knocked off the top seeded Indiana Pacers  in the playoffs as an 8 seed, taking them to seven games. This team accomplished a lot last season considering that they were without Al Horford for the bulk of the season including the playoffs. We are still yet to see how this team can do with both Paul Millsap and Al Horford healthy, which gives reason for optimism if you are a Hawks fan.
     Before going down last season, Horford was averaging 18.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, the best numbers of his career. As for Paul Millsap, he too had a career year, averaging 17.9 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. If the Hawks get that kind of production from both players throughout the whole season, they will be very scary. Especially since they also have a solid point guard in Jeff Teague, who averaged 16.5 points and 6.7 assists per game last season.
     As for the rest of the team, they have some solid pieces. Kyle Korver is able to knock down threes with regularity and stretch the floor, DeMarre Carroll hustles and does all the dirty work, and Pero Antic is a big man who stretches the floor by hitting threes. Plus, they added Kent Bazemore in free agency, a swingman who averaged a career high 13.1 points per game during his stint with the Lakers last season. Those players all know their roles and fit nicely with the Teague, Horford, and Millsap trio.
    This team's success comes down to how healthy Teague, Horford, and Millsap stay. If those three can all play 70+ games each while staying healthy for the playoffs, they'll be scary. However, they won't be good enough to win a series in my opinion if everything in the Eastern Conference holds to form. But if they are healthy like I mentioned and a couple teams fall due to injury, the Hawks could be prime for a first round upset. I just won't predict it at this point in time.

                                                   Orlando Magic (34) 
   
     The Orlando Magic drafted Aaron Gordon out of Arizona with the #4 overall pick in the draft. I am really high on him due to his athleticism, energy, and defensive abilities. I think he'll have a really good rookie season even if he has a hard time scoring because of all the other things he brings to the table.
     In addition to drafting Gordon, the Magic also added Channing Frye and Ben Gordon in free agency. Both guys can score the ball, especially from downtown, and that is something that this team lacked last season. This team already had a slasher from the backcourt with Victor Oladipo and a quality paint presence with Nikola Vucevic inside. The three-ball they lacked and by now having it, they should be much improved.
    One of the more interesting things to look for in this young Magic team is how point guard Elfrid Payton and Victor Oladipo play together in the backcourt. Payton came into the draft as one of the best point guard prospects. If he can hold his own at point, the Magic may have themselves a really good backcourt for the future.
    This team can compete for a playoff spot, but right now, I see them missing the playoffs. However, not by much. 34 wins is probably 4-5 wins shy of a playoff spot, which means that if they get some luck they could snag the 8 seed in the East. Most previews of this team's season aren't going to be as optimistic as mine is. I actually like the additions they made in free agency and the draft. It's just going to be tough for it to all come together in one season.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

2014 NBA Finals Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Miami Heat

                                            (credit: rsenetwork.net) 

The 2014 NBA Finals starts tonight, which means it is time for my annual NBA Finals preview. In case you haven't been following the NBA playoffs at all, the NBA Finals is between the Eastern Conference champions Miami Heat and the Western Conference champions San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs have home court advantage and for the first time since 1984, the NBA Finals will not be in the 2-3-2 format but instead the 2-2-1-1-1 format.

Probably the most unique part about this series is that it is an NBA Finals rematch from last year. The last time the same two teams faced off in the NBA Finals for the second year in a row was 1998 when the Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls squared off for the second straight time. Like the 1998 NBA Finals, the Eastern Conference champs won the previous NBA Finals matchup. Also like the 1998 NBA Finals, the Western Conference team is billed as the better overall team but the Eastern Conference team is billed as having the game's best player. I'm not saying LeBron James is in the same league as Michael Jordan, but I am saying that like Jordan in 1998, LeBron James is the league's best player. What this NBA Finals is really about is whether or not a better overall team can take out a team that has the best player in the world. The Jazz couldn't overcome the Bulls, and now we will see if the Spurs can overcome the Heat.

One important difference between the 1998 NBA Finals and the 2014 NBA Finals is that the Spurs have won 4 NBA titles going into this series and the Jazz had won zero, so I do like the Spurs' odds better than I would have liked the odds of the Jazz. Still, it is really hard to pick against a team that has the league's best player. The NBA is a league that ultimately is dominated by superstars at an almost disproportionate rate. But with that being said, to say that the Heat win this series is to say that even though the Spurs have home court advantage, a deeper team, a better coach, and have beaten better teams to get to the NBA Finals, the Heat will still find a way to win the series because LeBron James is a force of nature like unto Michael Jordan. I do not think he is a force of nature like Michael Jordan, which is a big reason why I think that the Heat will fall short of their goal of a three-peat.

But with that being said, I don't mean to "slight" the Miami Heat in the way that LeBron James feels like they have. The Heat are the two-time defending champions who have been to three straight NBA Finals. That means that they have to be doing something right. What makes the Heat so dangerous is that when healthy (and they are healthy right now), the Heat have the NBA's best starting lineup. LeBron James is the best player in the NBA and easily one of the top 10 greatest players of all time (probably top 5), and Dwyane Wade is one of the top 5 shooting guards of all-time. When you have two hall of fame players who are among the very best to do what they do on the same team, you have yourself a team that is very difficult to stop. In addition, the Heat have a very underrated power forward in Chris Bosh who has evolved into a lethal threat on the perimeter and they also have a couple of guys who make great role players in Ray Allen and Shane Battier. Both guys are good to hit clutch shots and both play very unselfishly. To say the least, the Heat have a team that is a quasi all-star team, and that makes them very tough to beat.

But while we talk about how star-laden the Heat are, it isn't like the Spurs are a team that doesn't have stars and hall of famers of their own. On their team they have Tim Duncan, who is indisputably the greatest power forward of all-time, Tony Parker, who is arguably the best point guard in the NBA and one of the greatest point guards ever, and a wily old Manu Ginobili who still has tricks up his sleeves and still likes to remind us why he is a hall of fame player. Point guard play and play in the paint is where the Heat are most vulnerable and that's a problem for them because that is where the Spurs excel the most. Tim Duncan still gets it done inside and Tony Parker carves up defenses like he is carving a Thanksgiving turkey. In addition, the Spurs have fantastic wing players to prevent defenses from collapsing on Tony Parker with Danny Green, Manu Ginobili, Marco Belinelli, and Kawhi Leonard all capable of knocking down threes with relative ease. What makes the Spurs so tough is that not only do they have hall of fame players to come through in crunch time, but they also have fantastic role players who at times can be equally dangerous. In this discussion, we haven't even brought up Tiago Splitter, Boris Diaw, Patty Mills, Matt Bonner, or Corey Joseph who are additional guys that the Heat have to worry about. When you look at the Spurs as a collective whole, they can beat you in multiple ways, with 11 guys who are all capable of doing serious damage when called upon.

The Heat have nothing close to that kind of depth, and they ultimately need LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to play well in order for them to win this series. The Spurs on the other hand do not need one or two particular players to play well. They run a very well-oiled system that allows different players to step up and cover for guys who are having a rough night. Even if Tony Parker is having a bad night or is injured, the Spurs can still find ways to win because what they rely on more than anything is their system and not one or two particular players. The Heat don't have this luxury. They must have LeBron James play well in this series or they are doomed. If he has a bad night, they are done. It is that simple.

Ultimately, the fact that the margin for error is smaller for the Heat than it is for the Spurs is why I am picking the Spurs to win this series in 7 games. They have more weapons, more options, and a coach in Gregg Popovich who knows how to put those weapons to use. The Heat's head coach Erik Spoelstra has less options and he must rely on LeBron James to will the Heat to victory in order for the Heat to win this series. There are adjustments he can do like putting Chris Andersen with Chris Bosh, or moving LeBron James to the power forward position in certain situations, but ultimately there is less within his control. Spoelstra's role as head coach is much more like the boss of a company who makes sure everybody is doing their job, whereas Popovich's job is much more like a musical composer asked to compose a symphony using a variety of instruments. Spoelstra just needs to make sure everybody does their job and Popovich on the other hand tries to find creative ways to bring out the french horn and have it carry the melody (Yes, Boris Diaw is the French Horn of the Spurs).

 The point is, the philosophies of both coaches is very different because of the tools they've been given to work with. Spoelstra has the best two tools to work with in LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, but Gregg Popovich has more tools to work with who collectively are better than the sum of all the tools that Erik Spoelstra has. Typically teams with the best player win a 7 game series in the NBA, but they can be beaten by teams that are way better than them collectively and are better overall teams. I think the Spurs as an overall team are much better than the Heat, which is why I have them winning this series in 7 games.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord