Wednesday Windmill: The Toronto Raptors are legit contenders

The Toronto Raptors' 15 game winning streak came to an end on Wednesday as they lost to the Brooklyn Nets 101-91 in Brooklyn. It was the longest winning streak in franchise history. The Raptors are now 40-15, just 6.5 games back of the 46-8 Milwaukee Bucks.

Earlier in the year, I wrote about how we shouldn't sleep on this Raptors team and it looks like I was right. What I like about them is their combination of depth and stardom. Pascal Siakam (23.7 points & 7.5 rebounds) is a legit star with a great supporting cast around him in Kyle Lowry, Fred Vanvleet, Serge Ibaka, Norman Powell, OG Anunoby, and Marc Gasol. The only guy in that group not scoring in double figures on average is Gasol. The rest of those guys are. That's six guys scoring in double figures every night! That's just scary!

Most assumed that with the departure of Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors would sink back into the middle of the Eastern Conference standings and maybe win a playoff series if they caught a break. What made me doubt those assumptions is what I said above. I felt Siakam had the pieces to be the face of the franchise and that he had a really good supporting cast around him. On top of that, as sensational as Leonard was last year, people forget that it really was a team effort to bring the first NBA championship to Toronto. Everyone contributed. It wasn't just Leonard.

Emboldened by winning a title with the help of Leonard, the Raptors now have the confidence to go toe-to-toe with anyone in the NBA. Especially the rest of the Eastern Conference. With the way they've been playing, they shouldn't be afraid of anyone.

As for whether or not the Raptors win the NBA championship, I would be lying to you if I told you I thought they would win it all again. When you lose a guy as good as The Claw, it's hard to defend an NBA championship. Most teams who lost a guy of his caliber would be in rebuilding mode or at least not contending for another title. That said, the fact that the Raptors are contending once again does give me hope that they might repeat or at the very least come out of the East once more. The only team standing in their way is the Bucks and as good as they've been in the regular season, there's reason to doubt their ability to get it done come playoff time.

If the Raptors keep playing like they've been and the Bucks falter a bit, don't be surprised to see them back in the NBA Finals. They have a new star in Siakam, a quality supporting cast around him, and experience. We The North isn't done just yet.

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Wednesday Windmill: Three things the Toronto Raptors need to do to defeat the Golden State Warriors

Yesterday, I provided my list of three things the Golden State Warriors need to do in order to defeat the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Finals. If you didn't read that, click here.  Today I'm looking at this series through the lens of the Raptors and what they need to do to knock off the Warriors. And yes, just like yesterday, I'm going with the old school logo!

#1. Kawhi Leonard needs to go wild: If the Raptors want any chance of winning this series, they need Kawhi Leonard to have the series of a lifetime. What allowed the Cleveland Cavaliers to knock off the 73-9 Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals was the surreal performance of LeBron James. Leonard has more pieces around him than James did, but that doesn't lighten the burden that is on him to deliver the goods. Leonard needs to be averaging 30+ points per game in this series while also playing lock down defense.

#2. Defend Jurassic Park: If you've been reading my recent blog posts, you would know that I've been hammering home the fact that the Warriors will not have home court in the NBA Finals regardless of whether it's the Bucks or Raptors that they face. Of all the major sports leagues in America, home court/field/ice advantage is most important in the NBA. For whatever reason, home teams do better in the NBA than they do in the NFL, MLB, and NHL. I think a lot of it has to do with the influence that home court has on the officiating and the way stars get calls.

So long as the Raptors are able to defend their home floor, they will continue to have the advantage in this series. They need to defend their home floor like a pod of velociraptors protecting their nest from the egg snatching oviraptorsaurs. If the Warriors steal a game or get an egg, the Raptors will be in a really difficult spot.

#3. Role players need to step up: As important as it is for Kawhi Leonard to carry the load, he can't win this series all by himself. He's going to need help from his supporting cast. Especially Marc Gasol, Pascal Siakam, and Kyle Lowry. Those three guys in particular need to have a big series. If those guys step up and take the edge off Leonard, the Raptors will be tough to stop.

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Wednesday Windmill: Can either the Milwaukee Bucks or Toronto Raptors take out the Golden State Warriors?

At the moment, the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors are engaged in an epic series that is tied 2-2. The home team has won every game, which means we're on track for a Game 7 in Milwaukee. While these two teams fight for Eastern Conference supremacy, the Golden State Warriors are relaxing and waiting to see who they'll face in the NBA Finals. Given how dominant the Warriors have been, it's fair to ask whether or not it matters who they'll face. What I want to do in this blog post is quickly breakdown what threat each team poses and what the odds are that they actually take out the Warriors.

Starting with the Bucks, one thing they'll have to their advantage should they reach the NBA Finals is home court advantage (the Raptors will have this as well). Should they win Game 1 of the series, they'll have around 85% odds to win the series and should the series go to a Game 7, they'll have around 80% odds to win. These numbers are based on NBA playoff history as a whole. I wasn't able to find the exact numbers for the NBA Finals. Whatever the exact numbers are, the bottom line is having home court advantage is nice. If you can defend home court in Game 1, history says you'll win. If you host a Game 7 on your home floor, history also says you'll win.

Aside from the home court, the Bucks do have perhaps the best player in the game in Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is a matchup nightmare for whatever team they face. The Warriors will have a difficult time taking out the Bucks because of Giannis alone. He handles the ball extremely well in transition, can play multiple positions, and is exactly what his nickname bills him to be. He's a freak.

When you add guys like Brook Lopez, Malcolm Brogdon, Eric Bledsoe, Nikola Mirotic, Khris Middleton, and George Hill to the mix, you have a team that's going to be a tough out. This Bucks teams has a lot of depth and that more than anything could make the difference.

As for the Raptors, aside from the home court advantage that I touched on earlier, it all boils down to whether or not Kawhi Leonard can stay healthy. If he's healthy, they got a shot. Especially since they have a solid supporting cast of their own in Kyle Lowry, Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, Pascal Siakam, Danny Green, and Fred VanVleet. Leonard is also in discussion for best player in the game and when he gets going, the Raptors should feel like they can beat any team in the league.

I still have my money on the Warriors to win the NBA championship, but it's not going to be easy. They'll have to go on the road and win in very hostile environments to get home court advantage on their side. The best thing they can hope for is that this series goes the distance and that their opponent will be fatigued and a bit banged up from the Eastern Conference Finals.

Now what you're probably hoping for is my prediction for this Bucks-Raptors series. I think it could go either way, but I still have the Bucks pulling it out. They have home court advantage on their side and I have a tough time seeing the Raptors win four straight games. This one is probably going the distance and in a Game 7, you gotta roll with the home team.

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Wednesday Windmill: The Toronto Raptors are willing to make some moves

With the NBA trade deadline approaching on Thursday at 3:00 PM EST, there are a lot of different stories swirling. One of the more interesting ones is the story involving the Toronto Raptors being willing to trade Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas to the Memphis Grizzlies for Mike Conley and Marc Gasol. Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated has more below: 

"Perhaps of greatest intrigue, the Toronto Raptors have called Memphis, offering Jonas Valanciunas and Kyle Lowry for both Conley and Gasol, league sources told Sports Illustrated. Memphis, sources said, would prefer to receive younger players such as OG Anunoby or draft assets in any exchange with Toronto that would send Conley north. The Grizzlies of course rejected Toronto's initial offer." 

While the Raptors' initial trade request was rejected, it's still interesting that they have been willing to move yet another key franchise piece as they seek to win their first NBA title. At 39-16, the Raptors are second in the Eastern Conference, playing really good basketball. I find it both unusual and interesting that they are willing to make such a radical move during the middle of the season.

                                          (Credit: USA TODAY Sports) 

What will be interesting to see as we head into the trade deadline is whether or not the Raptors actually move Lowry or Valanciunas and if they don't, how both players will respond in the second half of the season. The Raptors' biggest issue has been the mental side of the game and having your star players named in trade rumors could have an effect on team morale. Especially if those players don't get traded.

If I'm a Raptors fan, I'm definitely pleased that my team is willing to make moves, but I might worry they're overplaying things a bit. They've been in need of a guy who can lead them to a title and Kawhi Leonard appears to be up to the challenge. Rather than shuffling the deck, especially during the middle of the season, I might rather see how things go with Leonard before blowing up things even more. It's not like Lowry and Valanciunas have had no success in Toronto, and on the flip side, it's not as if Conley and Gasol have found the recipe for championship success, either.

Change can be good if it's the right kind of change. The kind of change the Raptors appear to be seeking seems to be more cut out of the "change for the sake of change" type of cloth, which isn't always the right kind of change. Sometimes it's better to just stand pat at the trade deadline. Especially when you just added a guy like Leonard into the fold.

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Saturday Slam: The Memphis Grizzlies won't go down without a fight

On Saturday night, the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the San Antonio Spurs 110-108 in overtime to even the series at 2-2. Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley and Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard dueled it out down the stretch and in the end, it was Grizzlies center Marc Gasol who hit the game winning shot, leaving the Spurs with just .7 seconds on the clock to go the length of the floor.

Mike Conley finished with 35 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists while Kawhi Leonard finished with 43 points and 8 rebounds. Both guys played an amazing game and left it all out there on the floor. It was definitely the best game of the playoffs so far.

This win by the Grizzlies encompasses what they are all about, which is playing hard and never quitting. The Grizzlies could have easily packed this one in and given up considering the brilliant play of Kawhi Leonard. Instead, Mike Conley lived up to his record-breaking contract and delivered the goods down the stretch, hitting multiple clutch floaters in the lane and doing everything he could to get his team the win.

In my series preview, I picked the Spurs to win in six games and I stand by that pick. The Spurs are the more talented team and in the end, that is what I think will make the difference. That said, the Grizzlies are showing a lot of fight in this series and certainly have a great chance to take the Spurs to a Game 7.

At that point, anything can happen. Mike Conley is proving his worth and he's getting good support from the likes of Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, and JaMychal Green. Andrew Harrison stepped up with a key block from behind down the stretch, so the Grizzlies really are making winning plays on both ends of the floor.

You don't have to be a Grizzlies fan to respect them. They play hard, they don't give up, and they play as a team. They aren't flashy but what they do works. They only care about winning games and they don't care how ugly they need to play to get the win. Tonight, they made winning plays down the stretch and didn't back down. Whether or not the Grizzlies actually come out on top in this series remains to be seen, but what is certain is that they won't go down without a fight.

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Western Conference Playoffs Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies

In the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, the #2 seeded San Antonio Spurs (61-21) will take on the #7 seeded Memphis Grizzlies (43-39). The regular season series is split at 2-2. Game 1 will tip off on Saturday at 8:00 PM EST on ESPN.

Despite the huge gap in records, this series could be a lot more competitive than expected. While the Spurs are a true championship contender with Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge at the helm, it isn't like the Grizzlies are chopped liver. They have plenty of playoff experience and have a very solid trio consisting of Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, and Marc Gasol. The Grizzlies are dangerous and certainly have the pieces to give the Spurs a good scare.

If you listen to the podcast that accompanies this preview, you would know that one of the things talked about is how the Grizzlies have been jinxed by injuries over the years. Shortly after recording the podcast, news broke that Tony Allen is out indefinitely due to a muscle strain in his right leg and isn't expected to play in the series. Without Tony Allen, the Grizzlies lose their best perimeter defender and the heart and soul of their defensive identity. His absence is huge and makes things a lot tougher for the Grizzlies to win this series.

The Spurs on the flip side are at full strength, which gives them a huge advantage in this series. Without Tony Allen in their grill, guys like Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, and Tony Parker should have a much easier time scoring from the perimeter and attacking the rim off the dribble. Look for the Spurs to take full advantage of Allen's absence in this series.

While it is true that the absence of Tony Allen puts the Grizzlies behind the eight ball, it isn't like the Grizzlies can't win this series. They can. We've seen them win playoff games on the road before and thrive in the underdog role. If the Grizzlies want to win this series, they'll need to get stellar production from the Conley, Randolph, Gasol trio and really muck up the game with their grit and grind style. If they can slow the pace down and limit the amount of possessions on both sides, they'll give themselves a shot at winning this series.

As far as the Spurs are concerned, what they need to do is take advantage of the fact that they have the best player in this series in Kawhi Leonard. Leonard is averaging 25.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He's perhaps the best two-way player in the NBA and is a legitimate MVP candidate. If Leonard has a big series, the Grizzlies are toast. It's that simple. The Grizzlies have to do all they can to slow him down and force the Spurs to rely more on their other guys.

In addition to Leonard, the Spurs also have LaMarcus Aldridge, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, and other weapons. The Spurs are the much deeper team, so it isn't like slowing Leonard guarantees a win for the Grizzlies. The Spurs should be able to overwhelm the Grizzlies with their plethora of options to the point that if Leonard has an off night, they'll still win.

When it comes to making a prediction for this series, I said in the podcast that the Spurs will win the series in six games and even with Tony Allen out, I'll stand by that prediction. The Spurs do have more weapons, but the Grizzlies' trio of Conley, Randolph, and Gasol should be able to extend this series to a Game 6. The Spurs will come out on top because they have more weapons, but the Grizzlies won't make it easy.





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Tomahawk Tuesday: The Memphis Grizzlies are poised to do some damage

As always, the Memphis Grizzlies are grinding away in the background, doing what they do best, which is score little and have their opponents score less. The Grizzlies hold a solid 18-11 record, having won 7 of their last 10 games while scoring only 96.4 points per game, which ranks 29th in the NBA. As one would have to expect, the Grizzlies are really excelling in opponents points per game, holding opponents to 96.7 points per game, which is second best in the NBA. Ironically, the Grizzlies actually average fewer points per game than their opponents, but somehow have a winning record. It's a weird statistical fact that just underscores what Grizzly basketball is all about: Placing a premium on stellar defense and essentially ignoring offense all together.

While the Grizzlies are probably ranking lower in points per game than they would prefer, it doesn't appear to be affecting them too much when looking at their record. Marc Gasol (19.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game) and Mike Conley (18.3 points and 5.6 assists per game) are both playing very good basketball while Zach Randolph is still getting it done inside averaging 13.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.  Despite not making much changes to their grit and grind roster, the Grizzlies are once again looking like a team that could do damage in the playoffs if given the right opportunity.

While it is true that the Memphis Grizzlies often don't do much beyond winning a first round playoff series, I would like to put forth some reasons for why this year could be different.

First, the Grizzlies are defending at a very high level. I've already mentioned how they are #2 in opponents points per game and to go along with that, they are #2 in opponent field goal percentage (43.0%) and #11 in the NBA in rebounds per game (44.5).  Their defense is stellar.

Second, the Grizzlies have a lot of experience with their core trio of Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, and Zach Randolph. This is not the first rodeo for this Grizzlies team. They'e been through a lot together and they are all too aware of their playoff shortcomings in the past. With that in mind, they've learned a lot from those shortcomings and are a much more seasoned team than they were a couple of years ago.

Third, if given the right circumstances, the Grizzlies could shock the world. A lot of the NBA playoffs come down to matchups and staying healthy. The Grizzlies have had some bad luck with the injury bug over the years and have failed to be at full strength in the playoffs. If they are able to keep their key guys healthy and go against a couple of teams that are banged up and not at full strength, the Grizzlies could easily take advantage due to their physical brand of basketball.

While it's unlikely that the Memphis Grizzlies get past the Golden State Warriors or San Antonio Spurs if they are at full strength, they could get past those teams should they lose some key players to injury. Injuries always play a major role in the NBA playoffs and if the Grizzlies navigate the injury waters better than any other team in the NBA, they could see themselves playing in the Western Conference Finals or even NBA Finals.

The bottom line when it comes to the Memphis Grizzlies is that they are still a very dangerous team with Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, and Tony Allen as their core four guys. They defend at a high level, control the glass, and play a brand of basketball that nobody likes to play. Given the right conditions and opponent, the Memphis Grizzlies could make some noise this season and emerge as a serious contender in the Western Conference.

Tomahawk Tuesday is a weekly post that focuses on the Western Conference. 

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Daily Dunks: 6/22-6/28

                                                   (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for image). 

Here is my Daily Dunks page for June 22, 2015 through June 28, 2015. Throughout the week, this page will be updated with all the latest news, scores, and rumors from the NBA until a new Daily Dunks page is created for the following week.

Monday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Nets have extended a qualifying offer to Mirza Teletovic, making him a restricted free agent (Click here for details).

#2. Thaddeus Young is opting out of his contract with the Nets (Click here for details).

#3. Jameer Nelson will out out of his contract with the Nuggets (Click here for details).

#4. Dwight Howard is leaving adidas to sign with the Chinese brand Peak (Click here for details).

#5. Contrary to other reports, the Heat won't have a meeting with Dwayne Wade this week (Click here for details).

#6. The Pistons are interested in Knicks swingman Tim Hardaway, Jr. (Click here for details).

#7. Raymond Felton exercised his contract option to remain with the Mavericks (Click here for details).

#8. Paul Pierce is opting out of his contract with the Wizards. The  Clippers are a possible destination for him (Click here for details).

#9. The city of Charlotte will host the 2017 NBA All-Star Weekend (Click here for details).

#10. The Lakers want to trade for Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (Click here for details).

Tuesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Nuggets extended a $1.2M qualifying offer to guard Will Barton, making him a restricted free agent (Click here for details).

#2. The Kings' front office insists DeMarcus Cousins is going nowhere (Click here for details).

#3. Goran Dragic opted out of his contract with the Heat (Click here to see them).

#4. George Karl wants the Kings to trade DeMarcus Cousins according to reports. Specifically for Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried of the Nuggets (Click here for details). Keep in mind that the Kings' front office says Cousins is going nowhere.

#5. The Cavaliers picked up Timofey Mozgov's option (Click here for details).

#6. The Kings and Rajon Rondo have mutual interest in each other. The Kings are said to be shopping Rudy Gay to make a deal happen (Click here for details).

#7. The Bucks are shopping Michael Carter-Williams and John Henson to trade up in the draft (Click here for details).

#8. The Nets are trying to unload Mason Plumlee (Click here for details).

#9. The Suns have offered point guard Eric Bledsoe to the Knicks for the #4 overall pick (Click here for details).

#10. Andrei Kirilenko has officially retired (Click here for details).

Tuesday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Mystics 84 Sparks 80: Final. Mystics forward Tiffany Ruffin-PRatt had 20 points and 5 rebounds.

Wednesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Kevin Love is opting out of his contract with the Cavaliers. LeBron James reportedly won't recruit him back (Click here for details).

#2. The Hawks unveiled new uniforms (Click here to see them).

#3. The Grizzlies traded the rights to small forward Janis Timma to the Magic for point guard Luke Ridnour (Click here for details).

#4. The Raptors are getting their own D-League team which will play in Mississauga, Ontario (Click here for details).

#5. Ed Davis opted out of his $1.1M deal with the Lakers. He will be a free agent (Click here for details).

#6. David West is opting out of his contract with the Pacers (Click here for details).

#7. Monta Ellis has opted out of his contract with the Mavericks and will become a free agent (Click here for details).

#8. J.R. Smith has opted out of his contract with the Cavaliers, but it looks like he'll stay with the team (Click here for details).

#9. The Rockets picked up small forward Kostas Papanikolaou's $4.8M option (Click here for details).

#10. The Trail Blazers traded Nicolas Batum to the Hornets for Gerald Henderson and Noah Vonleh (Click here for details). The Hornets also traded Matt Barnes to the Thunder for Jeremy Lamb (Click here for details).

#11. Note: The NBA Draft is Thursday at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN.

Wednesday's WNBA Final Scores: 
Sky 100 Dream 96: Final/OT. Sky forward Elena Delle Donne had a career-high 45 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

Thursday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The NBA Draft is over (Click here to view the picks and trades from the draft).

#2. The Trail Blazers traded Arizona forward Ronade Hollis-Jefferson and guard Steve Blake to the Nets for forward Mason Plumlee and Notre Dame shooting guard Pat Connaughton (Click here for details).

#3. The Knicks traded Tim Hardaway, Jr. to the Hawks (Click here for details).

#4. The Raptors traded Greivis Vasquez to the Bucks (Click here for details).

#5. Report: LaMarcus Aldridge has told the Trail Blazers he won't re-sign with them (Click here for details).

#6. The Trail Blazers plan to pay Damian Lillard whatever he wants (Click here for details).

#7. Luke Ridnour is going to the Thunder, Matt Barnes is going to the Grizzlies, and Jeremy Lamb is going to the Hornets (Click here for details).

#8. Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson believes he is on his way to the Kings (Click here for details).

#9. After opting out of his contract wit the Pacers, David West could be heading to the Knicks (Click here for details).

#10. Roy Hibbert has exercised his $15.5M option to stay with the Pacers for next season. They might trade him before the trade deadline (Click here for details).

Thursday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Stars 76 Mercury 71. Lynx 76 Storm 73.

Friday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Pistons are guaranteeing Anthony Tolliver's $3M contract for next season (Click here for details).

#2. LeBron James will opt out of his contract with the Cavaliers, but he's expected to stay with the team (Click here for details).

#3. Carmelo Anthony is unhappy that the Knicks drafted Kristaps Porzingis (Click here for details). However, Carmelo has denied these reports. He says he is happy with the pick (Click here for his comments).

#4. Serbian forward Nemanja Bjelica, Euroleague MVP, is expected to join the Timberwolves for next season (Click here for details).

#5. 76ers GM Sam Hinke expects Dario Saric to join the team in the summer of 2016 (Click here for details).

#6. The Spurs rejected trade offers for Tiago Splitter (Click here for details).

#7. The Spurs reportedly are operating under the assumption that Tim Duncan comes back next season (Click here for details).

#8. Knicks president Phil Jackson says a scout called Kristaps Porzingis a "once in a lifetime player" to draft (Click here for details).

#9. Restricted free agent forward Tobias Harris wants max money and the Magic aren't likely to match (Click here for details).

#10. Cavaliers GM David Griffin says LeBron James is conferring with him daily about the team's roster (Click here for details).

Friday's WNBA Scores: 

Sun 80 Sparks 76. Sky 83 Fever 77. Dream 72 Mystics 69. Shock 71 Liberty 62.

Saturday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The 76ers are demanding money from the Lakers for misinforming them about Andrew Bynum (Click here for details).

#2. Former Villanova power forward Jason Fraser is joining the Suns as a player development coach (Click here for details).

#3. Former Trail Blazers point guard Sergio Rodriguez is contemplating an NBA comeback (Click here for details).

#4. Kings owner Vivek Ranadive reportedly gave DeMarcus Cousins' agent permission to seek a trade (Click here for details).

#5. Greg Monroe has free agent meetings set up with a few teams. None of those teams are the Pistons (Click here for details).

#6. Cavaliers GM David Griffin is open to re-signing J.R. Smith (Click here for details).

#7. Magic rookie Mario Hezonja's contract with FC Barcelona will be bought out by Monday (Click here for details).

#8. The Celtics extended a qualifying offer to Jae Crowder, making him a restricted free agent (Click here for details).

#9. The Suns will keep Jon Leuer and pay him $1M for next season (Click here for details).

#10. Report: The Warriors will likely pick up Marreese Speights' $3.8M option (Click here for details).

Saturday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Lynx 71 Mercury 56. Stars 73 Storm 71.

Sunday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Suns are expected to go after Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge (Click here for details).

#2. Brandon Knight reportedly will re-sign with the Suns for 5 years, $70M (Click here for details).

#3. Marc Stein reports that if point guard Brandon Knight re-signs with the Suns long-term, odds are good that the team will shop point guard Eric Bledsoe (Click here for details).

#4. The Mavericks are reportedly the most likely team to lure DeAndre Jordan away from the Clippers (Click here for details).

#5. Manu Ginobili will announce his decision on his future in an Argentine newspaper (Click here for details).

#6. Kevin Garnett will "definitely re-sign" with the Timberwolves according to TwinCities.com. TwinCities.com also adds that Flip Saunders will remain as the team's head coach (Click here for details).

#7. The Heat will not pick up Michael Beasley's $1.3M option for next season (Click here for details).

#8. Marc Gasol reportedly has no interest in joining the Lakers in free agency (Click here for details).

#9. The 76ers have been fined $3M by the NBA for not disclosing Jrue Holiday's leg fracture to the Pelicans when they traded him (Click here for details).
7
#10. The Magic have declined to pick up Ben Gordon's $4.5M option for next season (Click here for details).


Sunday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Liberty 79 Sparks 70. Mystics 86 Sky 71. Shock 93 Storm 89.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord and like my Facebook  page NBA Lord Nation to keep on top of the NBA 

Daily Dunks: 5/4-5/10

                                                  (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source). 

     Here is my Daily Dunks page for May 4, 2015 through May 10, 2015. Throughout the week, this page will be updated with news and scores from across the NBA until a new Daily Dunks page is created for the following week.

Monday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Warriors point guard Stephen Curry won the 2014-15 NBA MVP award (Click here for details).

#2. The NBA Draft will once again be at Barclays Center (Click here for details).

#3. Gregg Popovich thinks the Hack-A-Shaq rule gets solved if guys simply make their free throws (Click here for details).

#4. Willie Cauley-Stein, a projected lottery pick, changed his middle name to "Trill" (Click here for details).

#5. Emmanuel Mudiay won't attend the NBA draft combine in Chicago (Click here for details).

#6. Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley believes sitting in a loud arena helped him in his recovery (Click here for details).

#7. The Hornets plan to have their own D-League team soon (Click here for details).

#8. Danny Green wants to remain with the Spurs (Click here for details).

#9. Bulls point guard Derrick Rose had 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.

#10. Clippers power forward Blake Griffin had 26 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists. Also, Clippers point guard Chris Paul (hamstring) did not play.

Monday's NBA Playoff Scores: 

Bulls 99 Cavaliers 92 (Bulls lead series 1-0). Clippers 117 Rockets 101 (Clippers lead series 1-0).

Tuesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Warriors point guard Stephen Curry was given the MVP trophy before Game 2 against the Grizzlies.

#2. The Bulls reportedly want Tom Thibodeau out as coach. Fred Hoiberg is rumored to be desired replacement (Click here for details).

#3. Nets GM Billy King is reportedly closing in on an extension (Click here for details).

#4. Russell Westbrook will represent the Thunder at the NBA Draft Lottery (Click here for details).

#5. The Spurs may look to trade Tiago Splitter (Click here for details).

#6. Isiah Thomas has been named president and part owner of the WNBA franchise New York Liberty (Click here for details).

#7. Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley (facial fractures) played with the mask and had 22 points (Click here for details).

#8. Warriors point guard Stephen Curry and Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson shot a combined 3-17 from three-point range.

#9. Wizards point guard John Wall (wrist) did not play (Click here for details).

#10. Hawks small forward DeMarre Carroll had 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Tuesday's NBA Playoff Scores: 

Hawks 106 Wizards 90 (Series is tied 1-1). Grizzlies 97 Warriors 90 (Series is tied 1-1).

Wednesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday underwent surgery to remove a screw from his lower right leg (Click here for details).

#2. Pelicans small forward Quincy Pondexter underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee (Click here for details).

#3. Joe Dumars, a Louisiana native, is closing in on a deal to join the Pelicans' front office (Click here for details).

#4. The Nets intend to extend Mirza Teletovic a qualifying offer, making him a restricted free agent (Click here for details).

#5. The Cavaliers planned to give away 20,000 slings to fans in support of Kevin Love, but then they canceled it (Click here for details).

#6. Dirk Nowitzki has opened up on the Rajon Rondo situation and why they didn't give him a share of their playoff money (Click here for details).

#7. Spurs assistant Ettore Messina is interested in some head coaching opportunities (Click here for details).

#8. The Nets are going to make re-signing Thaddeus Young and Brook Lopez a priority this summer (Click here for details).

#9. Rockets shooting guard James Harden had 32 points and 7 assists.

#10. Cavaliers small forward LeBron James had 33 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Wednesday's NBA Playoff Scores: 

Cavaliers 106 Bulls 91 (Series is tied 1-1). Rockets 115 Clippers 109 (Series is tied 1-1).

Thursday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Nuggets are expected to sign Nikola Jokic this summer (Click here for details).

#2. Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert (groin) is questionable for Game 3 (Click here for details).

#3. The Pelicans say they are not planning to hire Joe Dumars for any front office role (Click here for details).

#4. Rockets forward Corey Brewer was fined $5K for flopping (Click here for details).

#5. Wizards point guard John Wall has five non-displaced features in his left wrist. His timetable for return is unknown (Click here for details).

#6. Clippers point guard Chris Paul (hamstring) is questionable for Friday's Game 3. He did some workouts on Thursday (Click here for details).

#7. Matt Barnes trash talked James Harden's mom (Click here for details).

#8. The NBA draft combine participants have been announced (Click here for details).

#9. Rajon Rondo once lost to Charlie Villanueva in Connect Four (Click here for details).

#10. There were no NBA playoff games today. Games resume on Friday.

Friday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Anthony Grant is joining the Thunder as an assistant coach (Click here for details).

#2. Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving has been playing hurt (Click here for details).

#3. Thunder GM Sam Presti plans to re-sign Enes Kanter (Click here for details).

#4. The Magic prefer to have Tom Thibodeau be their new head coach. Their second choice is Scott Brooks (Click here for details).

#5. Chandler Parsons is ready to recruit free agents to join him in Dallas (Click here for details).

#6. J.J. Barea wants a multi-year with the Mavericks that will pay him $3M annually (Click here for details).

#7. Raymond Felton will exercise his $3.9M 2015-16 option with the Mavericks (Click here for details).


#8. Mark Jackson takes a dig at Stephen Curry, saying it was the "easy route" to pick him for MVP (Click here for details).

#9. Mirza Teletovic hopes to stay in Brooklyn and definitely stay in the NBA (Click here for details).

#10. Bulls center Joakim Noah was fined $25K for pushing a fan (Click here for details).

Friday's NBA Final Scores: 

Bulls 99 Cavaliers 96 (Bulls lead series 2-1 and Derrick Rose hit the game winning three). Clippers 124 Rockets 99 (Clippers lead series 2-1).

Saturday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Bill Simmons and ESPN are parting ways (Click here for details).

#2. Wizards small forward Paul Pierce hit the game winning shot and he called game (Click here for details).

#3. The Lakers are planning to offer Jimmy Butler max money in restricted free agency (Click here for details).

#4. LeBron James thinks Joakim Noah's trash talking crossed the line. As if trash talking can be nice (Click here for details).

#5. Marc Gasol hit a crazy bank shot to seal the win for the Grizzlies (Click here for details).

#6. Clippers forward Glen Davis was fined $5K for flopping in Game 3 against the Rockets (Click here for details).

#7. Rockets shooting guard Jason Terry's flagrant 2 foul on Friday was downgraded to a flagrant 1 (Click here for details).

#8. Wizards point guard John Wall (hand/wrist) didn't play. He also hasn't started dribbling yet (Click here for details).

#9. Clippers point guard Chris Paul (hamstring) will play in Game 4 on Sunday (Click here for details).

#10. Bulls power forward Pau Gasol (hamstring) is questionable for Game 4 on Sunday (Click here for details).

Saturday's NBA Final Scores: 

Wizards 103 Hawks 101 (Wizards lead the series 2-1). Grizzlies 99 Warriors 89 (Grizzlies lead series 2-1).

Sunday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Cavaliers small forward LeBron James hit the game winner to beat the Bulls (Click here for details and a video).

#2. Jimmy Butler intends to stay with the Bulls (Click here for details).

#3. Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving has left knee tendinitis but will play through the injury (Click here for details).

#4. Bulls power forward Pau Gasol (hamstring) did not play in Game 4 (Click here for details).

#5. Randy Whittman says John Wall is heading in the right direction (Click here for details).

#6. Kings owner Vivek Ranadive says the team is trying to build something special (Click here for details).

#7. James Harden doesn't like the "Hack-A-Shaq" strategy (Click here for details).

#8. Cavaliers small forward LeBron James scratched David Blatt's play at the end of the game (Click here for details).

#9. Clippers center DeAndre Jordan shot 14/34 from the foul line and had 26 points and 17 rebounds.

#10. Cavaliers small forward LeBron James had 25 points, 14 rebounds, and 8 assists.

Sunday's NBA Playoff Scores: 

Cavaliers 86 Bulls 84 (Series is tied 2-2). Clippers 128 Rockets 95 (Clippers lead 3-1).

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

Western Conference Playoffs Preview: Portland Trail Blazers vs. Memphis Grizzlies

#4 Portland Trail Blazers (51-31) vs. #5 Memphis Grizzlies (55-27): 

     The Memphis Grizzlies swept the Portland Trail Blazers 4-0 in the regular season and by having a better overall record, they have earned home court advantage for the series. A huge factor going into this series is that the Trail Blazers are banged up and the Grizzlies are healthy. Mike Conley, Tony Allen, Jeff Green, and Marc Gasol were all able to go in Game 1 and they'll be good to go tonight in Game 2.

     As for the Trail Blazers, Chris Kaman (ankle) and Arron Afflalo (shoulder) will not be available for Game 2 after missing Game 1. In addition, the Trail Blazers have lost Wesley Matthews for the season to an Achilles injury. It will be really hard for the Trail Blazers to overcome these injuries. Especially since they weren't even able to overcome the Grizzlies when healthy.

     The only way the Trail Blazers win this series is if LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard become the best two players in the series and carry the team on their backs. Lillard has averaged 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game while Aldridge has averaged 23.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. They are an excellent duo that has the capability of taking over games against the very best of teams. The problem that they face is they really don't have anybody else who can help them. Nicolas Batum and Robin Lopez aren't bad, but they can't make up for the production that they would have with a healthy Wesley Matthews and Arron Afflalo.

     The Grizzlies on the other hand don't need to rely as heavily on any two players. Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, Mike Conley, and Jeff Green share the scoring the load together, which takes pressure off each of them individually. In addition, they have guys like Courtney Lee, Vince Carter, and Beno Udrih coming in off the bench who can also knock down some shots.

     The Grizzlies' biggest strength is their defense and rebounding, which is bad news for the Trail Blazers. It will be really hard for Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge to have huge games against a team that prides itself on defense and crashing the glass since it limits the amount of quality shots they can take. Lillard and Aldridge will have to earn every point they get and as a result will get worn down over the course of the series.

     Lastly, the Grizzlies have plenty of guys who can step up in the clutch given their veteran leadership and experience. Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, and Vince Carter are all used to playing under the pressure of the playoffs and should be able to perform just as well in clutch moments as Lillard and Aldridge. The Grizzlies have more weapons, more depth, and home court. I got the Grizzlies winning this series in 5 games.

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

   

2014-15 Southwest Division Preview

   

                                          (credit 7poundbag.com)
   
     The NBA season starts today, so I'm trying to get these previews under the gun! I am moving on to my preview of the Southwest Division, home to the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, and New Orleans Pelicans. As has been standard protocol on my previews, I will list each team in order of where I think they will finish with their win total in parentheses.

   

                                              San Antonio Spurs (59) 

     

     The machine that is known as the San Antonio Spurs is coming off their fifth NBA championship in franchise history and they don't show any signs of slowing down. Just when you think they are ready to head for a "re-building" period, they continue to find ways to compete, contend, and win NBA championships. 

     What is probably most frightening for opponents of the Spurs is the emergence of Kawhi Leonard as the next superstar of the franchise. The franchise appears to be in good hands with Kawhi Leonard as their star once Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker retire. In addition to Leonard, Tiago Splitter also appears to be on the verge of being another key piece to build around for years to come. 

     As for this season, Splitter and especially Leonard should really take the pressure off of the Spurs' "Big Three", allowing them to spend more time resting for the playoffs without the worry of losing too much ground in the standings. The key to the Spurs' success is the balance between making sure their core veterans are rested for the playoffs and also making sure that they are still winning enough games in the regular season to position themselves well for the playoffs. The Spurs appear to have the pieces to accomplish the goal of keeping the old guys fresh while also making a run for the top spot in the West. So long as they are able to do this, they are sure to be a really scary team. 

     Lastly, the Spurs have Gregg Popovich, who in my opinion is arguably the greatest coach in the history of the NBA. If there is any man who can help the Spurs maintain a perfect balance between rest and playoff positioning, it's Gregg Popovich. He will once again do a masterful job with this team and make sure his guys are ready for the playoffs. 

                                              Houston Rockets (54) 

     

     The Houston Rockets are truly what I call a "two-man freak show" now that Omer Asik and Chandler Parsons are gone. This "freak show" consists of James Harden and Dwight Howard. Harden continues to be one of the league's best shooting guards, averaging 25.4 points and 6.1 assists per game last season and Howard is still the league's best center. 

     The key thing to look for in this Rockets team is whether or not both of these guys are ready to carry the load and take on the responsibility of being the leaders of a championship caliber team. This team was designed to be a contending team with Howard and Harden as the foundation. It's time that these two guys prove that they can be such a foundation. 

     The Rockets don't have a championship caliber supporting cast around Howard and Harden, but that doesn't mean Howard and Harden can't play like a championship caliber duo. The Rockets' success this season has to be measured by the performance of Howard and Harden as a duo and not by the team's overall success. 

     This team as presently constituted, even if Howard and Harden become a championship caliber duo, is not going to win the Western Conference crown. The very best case scenario for the Rockets is that they win a series and maybe take 2 games in the next round. If they do that, they can be confident in Howard and Harden as their duo for the future. 

     

     

                                                Dallas Mavericks (52)

When looking at the Mavericks' roster, the first thing that jumps out at me is all the possible options they have at point guard. They have Monta Ellis (more of a shooting guard), Jameer Nelson, Devin Harris, and Raymond Felton all on their roster. This is rather unusual and I expect them to trade one of these guards before the trade deadline. 

     Anyways, on to the rest of the team! Dirk Nowitzki is still getting it done as one of the league's best players, averaging 21.7 points per game last season. He showed last season that he is still capable of leading a team to a championship provided he gets enough help. Does he have enough help? I don't think so, but Monta Ellis is a really nice #2 option for the Mavericks to have as is newly acquired small forward Chandler Parsons, who is coming over from their in-state rival Houston Rockets. Both of those guys are really solid players who help take the pressure off of Dirk Nowitzki. 

     Ultimately, I expect the Mavericks to be in the playoff mix all season and if they get a good first round opponent, they could find themselves in the second round of the playoffs. However, the Western Conference is really competitive and a lot of teams will be breathing down the Mavericks' neck all season. Look for the Mavericks to be a competitive team this season, but not a contending team. 

                                             

                                            Memphis Grizzlies (51) 

     The Memphis Grizzlies are coming off a very good season in which they took the Oklahoma City Thunder to a Game 7 in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Last year they had a really competitive team that didn't quite seem to be able to get over the hump. Can they get over the hump this year? 

     Reason to believe that they can is that they added Vince Carter, which is a signing I have applauded on BealeStreetBears.com, a Memphis Grizzlies website I write for. The reason why I applaud this signing is that Carter brings three-point shooting, experience, an additional scoring punch, and a clutch factor to the team. He's a guy who this team can trust to hit big shots in big moments. While the team is still built around Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, and Mike Conley, Carter's presence will be huge this season as a guy who can on occasion step up like they do. 

     The Grizzlies should once again be a competitive team this season. Their core group is intact with Tony Allen as the heart and soul of their grind it out defensive style of play. They also added Jordan Adams from UCLA in the draft to give them another much needed long-ball threat. This team has the makeup to make some noise in the playoffs as we saw last season. But it remains to be seen whether or not they can make the jump from scaring teams like the Thunder and Clippers to actually knocking them out of the playoffs. 

     

                         

                                                     New Orleans Pelicans (39)

     Anthony Davis appears to be on the verge of superstardom which should be great news for the Pelicans. The problem for them, however,  is that this could also indicate he's on the verge of leaving. The key thing for this Pelicans team to do is convince Anthony Davis that he can compete in New Orleans and that they are capable of building a competitive team around him. If they can do that this season, then they'll have had a good year. 

     Whether or not they accomplish this goal largely comes down to health. Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans, and Eric Gordon, who all are the main guys built around Davis, have had injuries during their careers. If they can stay healthy and figure out how to play together, things could look rather promising for the Pelicans. If they don't stay healthy, then things will look rough and complicated for the Pelicans as well as the future of Anthony Davis with the team. 

     As for this season, I don't expect the Pelicans to make the playoffs or come close. They should improve from last season and come close to 40 wins, but they'll likely need at least 44 wins to make the playoffs.  I don't see them making that kind of improvement in one season. 

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