Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's meteoric rise has been phenomenal

 

                                             (Credit: Kyle Phillips/AP file) 

The Oklahoma City Thunder will be facing the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals, starting this Thursday. The Thunder took out the Timberwolves in five games while the Pacers took out the Knicks in six. The star of this year's Thunder team has been point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is a three-time All-star and also this season's NBA MVP. In just his seventh season, Gilgeous-Alexander has risen to superstar status. It's truly been a phenomenal and meteoric rise. 

Gilgeous-Alexander was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the 11th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, but was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers on draft day. Gilgeous-Alexander had a solid rookie season with the Clippers, averaging 10.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, finishing 6th in the Rookie of the Year voting. Despite that strong season, the Clippers traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder during the summer in a mega trade that landed them Paul George. 

In hindsight, that traded ended up being a big mistake for the Clippers as Gilgeous-Alexander began his rise to stardom the next season, averaging 19.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Since then, he's gotten better each season and in the last three seasons, he's been an All-Star, averaging 30+ points per game, finishing top-five in the MVP voting each of those three seasons and of course this year, taking home the hardware with a first place finish. In his MVP season this year, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, leading the league in points per game, field goal attempts per game, and free throws made per game. 

During the playoffs, Gilgeous-Alexander has played up to his MVP status, averaging 29.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, guiding the Thunder to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2012. He's done a terrific job of making plays for his teammates and being someone who they can count on to make winning plays in crunch time. What makes him so good is the fact that he is effective on both ends of the floor as a true two-way player. He plays elite defense on top of being an elite finisher, scorer, and facilitator. The greatest players of all-time get it done on both ends of the floor and he has clearly taken that to heart. 

Looking ahead to the NBA Finals, it'll be fun to see how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander performs. His rapid ascension to the top of the NBA has been spectacular and as a result, he's being rewarded with the chance to showcase his skills on the game's biggest stage. Well deserved! 

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Saturday Slam: Making sense of the Clippers-Mavericks series

                                                 (Credit: Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY Sports) 

The NBA more than any other pro sports league values home court/field advantage. But in this year's first round Western Conference series between the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks, home court advantage has become home court disadvantage as the road team has won the first six games. This is the first time this has happened in NBA playoff history. Game 7 will be on Sunday in Los Angeles, which I guess means the Mavericks should be favored. In this blog post, I want to quickly analyze what has happened in this series and what we can expect to happen on Sunday. 

The Mavericks won Game 1 113-103 in Los Angeles behind 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists from Luka Doncic. 21 points from Tim Hardaway, Jr. and 18 points from Dorian Finney-Smith, both of whom also start, made a difference as well as 15 points off the bench from Jalen Brunson. For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard (26 points) and Paul George (23 points) stepped up, but they didn't get enough help. As a team, the Mavericks made 17 three-pointers, while the Clippers made 11. That seemed to make a pretty big difference in the game. 

Going on to Game 2, the Mavericks once again won, though this time it was closer (127-121). Doncic exploded for 39 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists while Hardaway, Jr. (28 points & 5 assists) and Kristaps Porzingis (20 points) had big nights as well. For the Clippers, it was more of the same: A huge night from Leonard (41 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals) and a double-double from George (28 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists) while not getting much help from anyone else. 18 made threes from the Mavericks and 13 made threes from the Clippers made a difference similar to Game 1. 

Game 3 went the Clippers' way as the series shifted to Dallas by a final score of 118-108. The Clippers got down 30-11 in the first quarter, but found a way to bounce back. I had pronounced them dead, but they proved me wrong.

Leonard (36 points) and George (29 points) once again had big nights, but this time it was the role guys that stepped up. Reggie Jackson's 16 points and Marcus Morris' 15 points were just what the doctor ordered. Meanwhile for the Mavericks, it was basically Luka Doncic going wild with 44 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists without much from anyone else. 

The Mavericks' three-point shooting was hot again as they made 20 threes, to the Clippers' 13, so in that vein it's a little odd they didn't win Game 3. But, the Clippers did outbound them 39-33 and also shot 57.9% from the field compared to the Mavericks' 44.2%, so three-point shooting obviously isn't everything in this series. 

In Game 4, the Clippers won big 106-81 to tie the series up 2-2. Leonard's 29 points and George's 20 points led the way. Doncic had a quiet 19 points and he was the top scorer for the Mavericks. So, this game wasn't really all that competitive. 

In Game 5, the Mavericks stole back home court, winning by a final score of 105-100. Doncic exploded for 42 points, 8 rebounds, and 14 assists while Hardaway, Jr. chipped in 20 points. Leonard didn't have his best outing as he had 20 points. George was the top performer with his 23 points and 10 rebounds. Jackson (20 points) and Morris (16 points) played pretty well, but Leonard having an off-night relative to his standards did the Clippers in. 

In Game 6, the Clippers won 104-97 to force a Game 7 as Leonard really took the team on his back with 45 points and 6 rebounds, his best performance of the series. George also had a nice night with 20 points and 13 rebounds while Jackson had a series high 25 points.  As for the Mavericks, Doncic had 29 points, 8 rebounds, and 11 assists, which is very good performance while Hardaway, Jr. had 23 points. The problem for the Mavericks is nobody else really stepped up. 

So, that's where things sit as we head into Sunday's series deciding Game 7. As far as what we can learn from the first six games, it's clear that star power is key. When Kawhi Leonard goes off and is the best player in the game, the Clippers win. When Luka Doncic is the top performer and goes off, the Mavericks win. It also seems like when those guys get going for their respective teams, their teammates feed off that and play better as a result. 

What does help Leonard is the presence of George, who for the most part has been a pretty reliable number two option. Doncic doesn't have that same number two guy who he can consistently depend on, but if there were to be such a guy on the Mavericks, it would be Hardaway, Jr. who has played pretty well this series. 

As far as my prediction is concerned, obviously anything can happen in a Game 7 and we are in uncharted waters here as it's the first Game 7 in NBA playoffs history where the road team has won every game in the series. So, it's hard to just pick the Clippers to win Game 7 because they are at home. 

That said, I do think the Clippers will win Game 7. Not because they are at home but because they are the slightly better team. If Leonard can go wild and George does his regular thing, that should be enough for the Clippers to win provided they get decent support from their role players. Doncic has to do more for his team and I think that's starting to wear on him a bit as the series goes on. But once again, anything can happen. The Mavericks winning certainly wouldn't surprise me. It's going to be fun to see how this one plays out! 

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Tomahawk Tuesday: How concerned should the Los Angeles Lakers be right now?

 

The Los Angeles Lakers are currently 5th in the Western Conference standings, 8 games back of the top seeded Utah Jazz, 7 games back of the Phoenix Suns, 6 games back of their inner city rivals Los Angeles Clippers, and 4 games back of the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers have slipped back in the standings due to LeBron James (ankle) and Anthony Davis (calf) missing extended periods of time. James has played in 41 games this season while Davis has played in 26. Fortunately for the Lakers, Davis is now back, having played three games since his return. But James' return date is still up in the air. 

To the question at hand, the Lakers should be moderately concerned right now, but there's no reason to panic. They're the defending champs and at full strength, they should be favored to come out of the Western Conference. All four of the teams ahead of them are teams that have never won an NBA championship, which means all four of those teams still have a lot to prove. 

On top of that, some of those teams ahead of them are dealing with injury issues of their own. The Jazz have had to play without Donovan Mitchell for the past 10+ days or so due to his ankle injury and the Nuggets have lost Jamal Murray for the season due to a torn ACL. The Suns' Chris Paul has had injury issues in the past and the Clippers' Paul George likewise has found ways to get hurt in the playoffs. So, everyone is dealing with injuries right now or at least has the threat of injuries hurting their seasons. 

That all said, the Lakers still find themselves in a tricky spot. If they stay at the 5 spot, they'll likely have to win the championship without home court advantage in every series they play in. Home court advantage is crucial in the NBA and to not have it puts your team at a real disadvantage. Plus, they have no shot at winning the title without James and Davis healthy. If those guys go down again come playoff time, it's game over. 

I'm confident that James will be fine in the playoffs. He's rarely shut down like this and I suspect part of this is just being overly cautious for the playoffs. But Davis has had real injury issues for his entire career, which is why I was skeptical of their title chances a year ago. So, he's definitely one to watch throughout the duration of the season. 

The bottom line is the Lakers still are the slight favorites to come out of the Western Conference in my book, but they have their work cut out for them and none of the teams ahead of them are going to back down without putting up a real fight. The Jazz, Suns, and Clippers in particular see an opening here and have to be motivated to see a wounded Lakers team currently chasing them. It'll be interesting to see how they finish the season and whether or not the Lakers will be able to gain some ground before the playoffs start. 

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Saturday Slam: The Los Angeles Clippers are starting to gel

                                         (Credit: Sports Illustrated) 

In last week's Saturday Slam piece, I wrote about the Los Angeles Lakers. This week I'm writing about the team who they share the same building with: The Los Angeles Clippers. At 20-7, the Clippers are just 3.5 games back of the 23-3 Lakers and starting to look like the team we all thought they would be.

On Friday night in Minnesota, Paul George (46 points) and Kawhi Leonard (42 points) became the first duo in franchise history to each score 40+ points in a game, guiding the Clippers to their fourth straight win. The two of them are forming a really scary tandem, capable of scoring, rebounding, and playing elite defense.

Around George and Leonard is a killer supporting cast in Lou Williams (19.9 points & 6.2 assists), Montrezl Harrell (18.7 points & 7.6 rebounds), Landry Shamet (9.1 points), and Patrick Beverley (7.8 points & 1.5 steals). These four guys are the glue. The ones who really make the engine go.

As we saw last year, these guys were capable of playing winning basketball before George and Leonard arrived. They just didn't have enough to go all the way. What George and Leonard are able to give the Clippers is that extra boost to become a true championship contender. In addition to having a steak, you need a little sizzle to win an NBA championship and the Clippers have that now.

While the Lakers are the favorites to come out of the West, the one team they should be keeping a close eye on is the Clippers. The Clippers have a legitimate one-two punch in George and Leonard, a great supporting cast, and toughness. Harrell and Beverley are the kind of players who won't back down to anyone and after what we saw him do in the NBA Finals last season, there's no reason to think Leonard is afraid of anyone, either. It's going to be fun to see what they do in 2020.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Los Angeles Clippers send early message to Lakers on opening night

                                          (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) 

On opening night, the Los Angeles Clippers defeated their crosstown rival Los Angeles Lakers 112-102 behind 30 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block from Kawhi Leonard. Even though it was just one game, the Clippers sent an early message to the Lakers by winning this game. Especially since Paul George (shoulder) did not play.

To a large extent, there was a lot of mystery going into this game considering the fact that both teams have rebranded themselves. The Clippers have added Leonard and George while the Lakers have brought in Anthony Davis, Danny Green, and others to join LeBron James. Both teams expect to make deep playoff runs and contend for the NBA championship as a result of their offseason moves. Given that both teams have a lot of new pieces, what we saw tonight is just a prelude to what we'll see come May and possibly June.

That all said, it's still huge for the Clippers to win this game considering the rivalry that they have with the Lakers. By winning tonight, they set the tone for the rivalry and made it clear to the rest of the Western Conference in the process that they are indeed a legit threat to win the conference despite having a ton of new pieces. Once George comes back, that should take them to another level, which is kind of scary to think of.

As for the Lakers side of this, they have to brush this off as one game and remind themselves that they too were short handed as Rajon Rondo and Kyle Kuzma were both out. On top of that, they're still figuring out how to get their pieces to work together and that come the second half of the season, they're going to look a lot more cohesive.

Overall, tonight was a good night for the NBA. The Clippers and Lakers played a hard fought game, showing that their rivalry should be fun over the course of this season and possibly beyond. The NBA has been stagnant when it comes to rivalries over the years, so this should give the league a nice little pop during the course of the regular season and hopefully the playoffs.

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Saturday Slam: Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are heading to the Los Angeles Clippers

                                          (Credit: Frank Gunn-The Associated Press) 

On Friday night, I wrote a blog post for Saturday all about why Kawhi Leonard should stay in Toronto, why he would be foolish to leave behind a situation where he is the toast of the city and hero to all of Canada and then boom! News broke that Leonard was joining the Los Angeles Clippers! Even more amazingly, news subsequently broke that Paul George will be joining him as a result of being traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, four unprotected first-round picks, one protected first-round pick, and two pick swaps. The Clippers have also waived Tyrone Wallace as a result. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN has the details below.

ESPN story on the Clippers bombshell acquisitions of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George: https://t.co/CYnIGPhipn

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2019

With Leonard and George, the Clippers have a legitimate one-two punch that has the chance to win a championship. Aside from the photo, the one vestigial remain of my original Saturday Slam post for this weekend is that the Clippers are a better choice for Leonard than the Lakers.

The first reason is because the Clippers were a better team last season. Unlike the Lakers, the Clippers actually made the playoffs, giving the Warriors a bit of a scare in the first round. The Clippers looked like a team that was going places and by adding Leonard and George, they're more than just going places. They're entering themselves into the championship discussion.

The second reason is that the Clippers will be Leonard's team. Had he joined the Lakers, Leonard would have been second fiddle to LeBron James. Or at least that would have been the perception. Instead, Leonard gets to be the the man on this new and improved Clippers team, giving him a chance to go after James and prove himself to be the superior player.

Third, there's less pressure on Leonard. The Clippers have never won a championship before and quite frankly have never come close. By going to the Clippers, Leonard is able to be somewhat in the shadows of the Lakers, something that he doesn't mind.

Fourth, as was said above, Leonard gets to play with Paul George, one of the best wings in the NBA. George should play well alongside Leonard, giving the Clippers a legit second option. Together, Leonard and George have the chance to do a lot of damage and take the Clippers to even higher heights than they achieved during the Chris Paul/Blake Griffin era.

I will later address what this all means for the Oklahoma City Thunder and Toronto Raptors, but for now, I want to focus on the Clippers. For them this is huge. They're in the game now and a real threat to win the NBA championship. On top of that, they're set to form a really fun crosstown rivalry with the Lakers, something that is certain to boost ratings across the league. As exciting as this past NBA season was, I'm already eager to see what next season has in store.


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Skyhook Sunday: How dangerous are the Oklahoma City Thunder after landing Carmelo Anthony?

On Saturday, the Oklahoma City Thunder acquired Carmelo Anthony from the New York Knicks, giving up Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott, and a 2018 second round pick. For the Knicks, they finally get to build around Kristaps Porzingis and free up tons of cap space (approximately $26.5M per year over the next two seasons). As for the Thunder, they get a player who could be the missing piece to a championship run.

After getting Paul George to pair with Russell Westbrook, the Thunder were already cooking with gas, but now that they've landed Carmelo Anthony, they have a legit "Big Three" capable of doing serious damage in the playoffs. Last season, Anthony averaged 22.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game; Paul George averaged 23.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.6 steals; Russell Westbrook averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 10.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, the first triple-double average since Oscar Robertson in the 1961-62 season.

While the Golden State Warriors still have to be favored to come out of the West, the Thunder might be their biggest threat. Not only do the Thunder have the talent to give the Warriors a scare, they should have the mindset as well. Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony just want to win a ring. They'll be more than willing to sacrifice and share the wealth to accomplish their ultimate goal.

Perhaps what's most scary for the Warriors is the fact that Westbrook appears to have a vendetta against Kevin Durant for the way he left Oklahoma City. There's nothing more scary in today's NBA than an angry Russell Westbrook. When he's angry at you, you don't stand much of a chance. With Paul George and Carmelo Anthony on his team, he'll be capable of doing even more damage than before.

The bottom line with this Thunder team is that they definitely have the pieces to win an NBA championship. It may take some time for them to gel, but once they click, they'll be scary. Even if they don't go all the way this season, they'll make the season a lot more compelling.

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Saturday Slam: What will the New York Knicks do with Carmelo Anthony?

The biggest question on the minds of every NBA fan right now is what will the New York Knicks do with Carmelo Anthony? According to ESPN, Anthony is willing to waive his no-trade clause if he can get traded to either the Cleveland Cavaliers or Oklahoma City Thunder. He was also willing to go to the Houston Rockets, but that ended up not coming to fruition.

On Wednesday, I wrote about the New York Knicks now needing to be Kristaps Porzingis' team, but of course, the Knicks may not heed my warnings and instead hang onto Anthony through the season. The key thing to understand is that the Anthony has a MASSIVE contract that pays him $26.2M this season and $27.9M the following season. He won't hit unrestricted free agency until 2019 and at that point, a team will be able to sign him for a lot cheaper. To take on that contract for two seasons is only worth it if you truly believe adding Anthony makes your team a legitimate championship contender.

The good news for Anthony (and the Knicks), is he could make both the Cavaliers and Thunder legit championship contenders. LeBron James needs a true sidekick with Kyrie Irving gone, while the Thunder are at least one man short of giving the Golden State Warriors a serious run for their money.

The Thunder to me is the more intriguing destination for Anthony because he'd give them a big three that includes Russell Westbrook and Paul George. Together, Anthony, Westbrook, and George would form a very exciting trio that would make basketball in Oklahoma City great again (sorry, I couldn't resist!). I don't know if that trio would be capable of winning a title, but I'd sure like to find out! As for the Cavaliers, I think that would be a better destination for Anthony since he'd have less competition to deal with. The Cavaliers is the safer team for Anthony to go to, but the Thunder is the more intriguing team since that situation is much more of an unknown.

While I don't know for sure what will happen with Carmelo Anthony, the overall vibe is that something will go down. It's just a matter of when. It could happen this weekend, it could happen right before the trade deadline, etc. It's almost like Donald Trump's impeachment: Everything indicates it's going to happen, but we just don't know when it will happen, exactly.

                                         (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) 

Ultimately, the New York Knicks would be wise to trade Carmelo Anthony, but they need to make sure they get back as much for him as possible. He's a very valuable asset to have and you don't want to give away an asset of his magnitude for nothing. Personally, I think Carmelo Anthony will be with the Knicks through training camp and a trade will happen sometime close to the trade deadline. I could even see him getting shipped out in a last second trade deadline move.

The Knicks would be smart to play this out for as long as possible and make sure they get what they can. Unlike the Kyrie Irving situation,  Carmelo Anthony isn't making the same type of stink about staying put, so it's not like his presence will create bad vibes in the locker room or anything. They can be more patient with this one and see what offers come their way.

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Skyhook Sunday: Are the Oklahoma City Thunder serious contenders after landing Paul George?

A move that caught the basketball world by surprise was the Indiana Pacers trading Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis. Paul George leaving the Pacers wasn’t a huge shock, but Oklahoma City wasn’t a destination that was considered a likely landing spot for him. With George now on their roster, the Thunder have a legitimate superstar to pair with Russell Westbrook. The question is, do they have enough to contend for a championship in such a loaded Western Conference?

In order to answer this question, it needs to be understood that while the Golden State Warriors remain the clear cut favorites to come out of the Western Conference next season, it is not clear who should be expected to face them in the Western Conference Finals. Even though free agency is still going on, we already can put the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder in the conversation based on the trades that they have recently made. The San Antonio Spurs we also can’t leave out due to the fantastic season that they just had.

In addition to the Rockets, Thunder, and Spurs, the Minnesota Timberwolves are also making big moves and the Utah Jazz, if they can hang on to Gordon Hayward, will be another force to be reckoned with as well. The bottom line is the Western Conference will be loaded next season and the race to the conference finals will be a battle.

What the Thunder have in their favor is they have the 2017 NBA MVP in Russell Westbrook, who averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game last season, the first triple-double average for a single season since Oscar Robertson did it way back in the day. Westbrook is arguably the best player in the NBA and when you pair him with a guy like Paul George, who averaged 23.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game last season, you got yourself a team that can do some serious damage.

While we are still yet to see how the rest of free agency plays out, it’s already clear that the Oklahoma City Thunder will be a serious contender next season. With Kevin Durant leaving for Golden State, the Thunder had to find another elite swingman to pair with Russell Westbrook and Paul George is as good of an option as anyone out there. While they probably still need to make one more major move in order to give the Warriors a serious scare, the foundation to contend is definitely in place. 

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Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers

In the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the #2 seeded Cleveland Cavaliers (51-31) will take on the #7 seeded Indiana Pacers (42-40). The Cavaliers won the regular season series 3-1. Game 1 will tip off on Saturday at 3:00 PM EST on ABC.

When looking at this series from a distance, what stands out is the matchup between LeBron James and Paul George. LeBron James is looking to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to their third straight NBA Finals appearance while Paul George is trying to lead the Pacers to their first playoff series win since the 2013-14 season, a season in which they lost to LeBron James and the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. Both guys are the engine of their teams and really need to deliver the goods in order for their team to advance to the second round.

One of the biggest factors going into this series is momentum or the lack thereof. The Cavaliers have won 4 of their last 10 games and have lost 4 straight games while the Pacers are on a 5 game winning streak, having won 6 of their last 10 games. The combination of the Cavaliers struggling down the stretch and the Pacers finding their groove to sneak into the playoffs could be a recipe for an upset in Game 1 on Saturday. The Pacers know that in order to win this series, they probably need to get a split in Cleveland and Saturday should be the easier game to accomplish this task. If the Pacers can get the split in Cleveland, this series could get really interesting.

In addition to the presence of LeBron James and Paul George, the supporting casts of both of these teams will be vital. For the Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving will need to step up as LeBron James' sidekick and take the pressure off of him. Kyrie Irving has the capability to be the best player on the floor due to his wicked ball handling and silky smooth jump shot. While containing LeBron James is nearly impossible, trying to put the clamps down on Kyrie Irving is almost as tough. If Kyrie Irving is able to have a big series in addition to LeBron James, odds are good the Cavaliers will have too much for the Pacers to handle.

As for the Pacers, Jeff Teague is a player who needs to have a big series. As the floor general of this team, Jeff Teague is expected to score and get others involved on offense. Teague is averaging 15.3 points and 7.8 assists per game, making him one of the better point guards in the league. The matchup between Jeff Teague and Kyrie Irving at the point guard position will be crucial to this series and also very entertaining. Both guys do a great job at running the offense and it will certainly be fun to watch both guys battle it out in the backcourt.

The major question in this series is whether or not the Cleveland Cavaliers will wake up and not take the Pacers lightly. The Pacers play hard and they have a great home court advantage. Winning in the playoffs at Indiana has always been a tall order and with the Cavaliers going into the playoffs like they are, it doesn't look like it will be easy for the Cavaliers to get a road win in this series. The Pacers play with a lot of confidence at home and their fans really get behind them. If the Pacers find a way to steal a game in Cleveland, the Cavaliers will be in a lot of trouble.

In terms of predicting an outcome for this series, I got the Cavaliers in six games. I think this series could absolutely go seven games given the history between these two teams and the presence of Paul George. Don't let their record fool you: The Pacers are a tough team and they will not go quietly into the night. What makes me think this series ends in six games and not seven is the simple fact that the Cavaliers have their eyes on a much bigger prize. They are trying to stay as fresh as possible for the Eastern Conference Finals and they don't want to have to play in a Game 7 in the first round of the playoffs.

My personal prediction is going into Game 6 in Indiana, the Cavaliers will be up 3-2 and LeBron James will put the hammer on the Pacers to close out the series in six games. The Pacers will play the Cavaliers tough, but as soon as they start to look like a team that could win the series, LeBron James will put them away and get his team into the second round of the playoffs.






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Skyhook Sunday: The Indiana Pacers are starting to find their groove

One of the hottest teams in the NBA is the Indiana Pacers, who have won five straight games with wins over the Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets, and New York Knicks. At 20-18 the Pacers find themselves in the 5th spot in the Eastern Conference and right in the mix to get home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

The man who is primarily responsible for this five game winning streak is none other than Paul George, who is averaging 22.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game on the season. He's had two 30+ point games during this five game winning streak and nothing less than 19 points in any of the games. He's flat out balling right now and the Pacers are winning games as a result.

If there's one other player who deserves credit for the Pacers' new found success, it's their center Myles Turner, who is in his second year out of Texas. Turner is averaging 15.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, going off for 25 points and 15 rebounds against the Nets and 23 points and 12 rebounds against the Magic. Myles Turner is stepping up and playing big down low, which is huge given the ups and downs of Al Jefferson. "Big Al" was supposed to be the guy who provided consistent post presence down low for the Pacers, but instead it has been Myles Turner.

What's scary about this Pacers team is that in addition to Paul George and Myles Turner, they have other quality pieces like Al Jefferson, Jeff Teague, and Monta Ellis. Even C.J. Miles can get the hot hand from time to time. This Pacers team has a lot of talent and weapons that they can go to. It's just a matter of everybody getting on the same page and playing consistently. Right now, the only consistent players on this Pacers team are Paul George and Myles Turner. If the Pacers want to win a series and actually do some damage in the playoffs, guys like Al Jefferson, Jeff Teague, and Monta Ellis are going to have to step up and provide more consistent production.

The good new for the Pacers is that it's early in the season and they still have plenty of time to put it all together. If this team continues to get better and find their groove, they could be a team to watch out for in the Eastern Conference playoffs. I'm not saying they're championship contenders, but they could give the Cleveland  Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors a scare given the right conditions. It's just a matter of getting all the parts to work together.

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Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview: Toronto Raptors vs. Indiana Pacers

                              (2) Toronto Raptors (56-26) vs. (7) Indiana Pacers (45-37) 

     The Toronto Raptors and Indiana Pacers will tip off the 2016 NBA playoffs on Saturday at 12:30 PM EST on ESPN. The Toronto Raptors come into this series with a lot of momentum, having won 7 of their last 10 games and they look to make quick work of the Indiana Pacers, a team who they defeated three times in four regular season meetings. The Raptors are hoping to make a deep playoff run and prove to the rest of the NBA that they are serious contenders. As for the Pacers, they hope to upset the Raptors and see their superstar Paul George have a huge playoff series.

     If the Raptors want to eliminate the Pacers quickly, they need both DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry to prove that they are the kind of one-two punch capable of leading a team deep into the playoffs. Even though the Raptors have the second best record in the Eastern Conference, they still have a bad taste in their mouths after getting swept by the Washington Wizards in the first round of the playoffs last year. They folded like cheap tents in that series and immediately made everyone in the NBA question their toughness and legitimacy as contenders in the East.

     Game 1 of this series is crucial because of what happened to the Raptors last season. The Raptors need to win this game because doing so will set the tone for the rest of the series. If the Raptors get the win on Saturday, odds are good that they'll settle in and win the series in five games. If on the other hand, Paul George leads the Pacers to victory, we could be in for a very interesting and long series.

     As was hinted in the previous paragraph, the Pacers need to win Game 1 of this series so as to place doubt in the minds of the Raptors. The Raptors are a mentally fragile team in the playoffs and a loss in the opening game of the series might be too much for them to handle. Paul George has to do everything he can to will his team to victory so as to make the Raptors vulnerable.

     If Paul George wants to lead his team to a first round upset over the Raptors, he's going to have to get some help from his friends. Monta Ellis needs to step up and average more than the 13.8 points per game that he has been averaging. In addition, Ian Mahinmi and Jordan Hill need to do everything they can to keep Jonas Valanciunas and Bismack Biyombo off the glass. The Raptors have some big bodies inside with Valanciunas and Biyombo. The Pacers must do everything they can to make sure those guys don't have their way inside.

     Even though the Raptors gagged in the playoffs last year against the Wizards, I'm optimistic that this time around, we'll see a different result from them. The Raptors are now the #2 seed in the East as opposed to being the #4 seed. Plus, the Pacers didn't even make the playoffs last year. Paul George is trying to lead his team to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since his gruesome leg injury and to do it against a team like the Raptors would take a Herculean effort on his end.

     Ultimately, I have the Raptors winning this series in five games. They have the better team on paper and they took three out of four games in the regular season. Even though the Raptors had a disappointing result in the playoffs last year, they are still the superior team in this series and deserve the respect of a number two seed. If the Raptors don't win this series, it will be a very difficult off-season for Masai Ujiri and company.

Wednesday Windmill: Will Monta Ellis make the Pacers better?

     Monta Ellis is perhaps the greatest player in NBA history to never make an All-Star team. He has averaged 19.3 points per game over the course of his career and has certainly been on several Sports Center highlight reels. But for whatever reason, he hasn't ever found a permanent home or been able to play on a championship caliber team.

     Some say that this is due to Ellis' selfish play and his inability to play "winning basketball." I personally have always found this criticism of Ellis to be harsh since he never has been on teams that gave him much support. That being said, results don't lie and as of right now, Monta Ellis doesn't have much to speak for in terms of playoff success.

     This season, Monta Ellis once again finds himself wearing a new uniform in Indiana with another opportunity for a fresh start and a new beginning. Given his stature and All-Star worthy abilities, it's surprising that more people aren't asking the following question: "Will Monta Ellis make the Pacers better?"

     Last season, the Pacers missed the playoffs with a 38-44 record largely due to Paul George's ghastly injury and his lengthy recovery. With Paul George now healthy and Monta Ellis aboard, the Pacers should automatically be better, right? Barring some other serious injury, the answer is likely yes. But, let's not forget that with Paul George healthy, this Pacers team was a team that made the Eastern Conference Finals with the #1 overall seed in the conference just two seasons ago.

     What we really should be asking is whether or not the Pacers are now serious threats to win the Eastern Conference by getting Monta Ellis. Upon looking at the Pacers' roster, while it's clear that they've gotten better from last season, it is far from clear that they have what it takes to dethrone the Cavaliers in the East.

     A big reason for this is that two of their key players from their previous run to the Eastern Conference Finals are now gone, namely David West (Spurs) and Roy Hibbert (Lakers). Both of those guys, even with Roy Hibbert's mental lapses, were really solid in the paint. With those guys gone and Monta Ellis now present, the Pacers suddenly have turned into a team that will try to win by beating teams with speed and quickness as opposed to size and strength.

     The Pacers' whole style of play is undergoing a drastic change that includes Paul George playing a lot of his minutes at the power forward position. Undergoing such a change isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's just that at this point, we don't know how it will all work out.

     Perhaps the change to smaller and quicker lineups led by Paul George and Monta Ellis will benefit the Pacers and make them more dangerous than they've ever been. It's certainly possible. However, it's equally if not more possible that while being perhaps more entertaining on the court, the Pacers won't replicate the same success they had prior to Paul George's injury.

     Some of this inability to replicate that same success will of course be due to the departure of Hibbert and West as well as the fact that the Cleveland Cavaliers are really good. Still, even with those as excuses, that doesn't change the answer to the question of this article, which is "Will Monta Ellis make the Pacers better?" At the moment, the answer appears to be no. The front court is much thinner and outside of Monta Ellis, Paul George, and George Hill, the Pacers don't have a lot of guys who they can rely on to score the basketball.

     Now, what I want to make clear is that Monta Ellis is a nice addition to this Pacers team. It's just that I don't think he's enough to make them "better" than what they've been in years past. He'll help them score the ball and all, but he simply cannot make up for the fact that the front court is thinner and that a lot of core pieces from Pacers teams of yesteryear are gone. I guess what I'm saying is this: Don't expect Monta Ellis to make the Pacers better, but at the same time, don't use that as a reason to think that Monta Ellis isn't as good as other people think he is.

     Look at Monta Ellis as a plus that simply doesn't outweigh the negatives of losing Roy Hibbert and David West. If the Pacers still had those two guys, we could seriously be talking about Monta Ellis perhaps being the missing ingredient to an Indiana Pacers championship run.

Daily Dunks: 10/26-11/1/15

                                                  (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source) 

     Here is my Daily Dunks page for Monday, October 26 through Sunday, November 1, 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. (Note: This is the final Daily Dunks page. At least for a while. This page was getting tiring to create every week! Haha. This blog will be solely focused on generating good opinion pieces)

Monday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. A former Bucks team dancer is suing the team for wage violations (Click here for details).

#2. After being cut by the Kings, Marshall Henderson will join the Reno Bighorns of the D-League (Click here for details).

#3. Andrea Mazzon is joining the Delaware 87ers as an assistant coach (Click here for details).

#4. Meyers Leonard hopes to stay with the Trail Blazers (Click here for details).

#5. Wizards center Marcin Gortat will donate $200 to charity for every shot he blocks this season (Click here for details).

#6. Kings rookie Willie Cauley-Stein will start at power forward (Click here for details).

#7. NBA coaches will wear a lapel pin to honor the late Flip Saunders (Click here for details).

#8. Glen Rice, Jr. was shot in the leg out of an Atlanta restaurant (Click here for details).

#9. Rick Carlisle and the Mavericks are reportedly close to an extension (Click here for details).

#10. The Heat have unveiled new uniforms (Click here for details).

Tuesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Click here to get caught up on all the cuts from the NBA in the past couple of days. A key one was the Pistons waiving Danny Granger.

#2. Harrison Barnes and the Warriors have closed talks regarding an extension (Click here for details).

#3. The Lakers plan to transition Metta World Peace into an assistant coach (Click here for details).

#4. Hawks small forward Thabo Sefolosha has officially decided to sue the NYPD for $50M (Click here for details).

#5. Sam Mitchell will take over as the Timberwolves' head coach. Milt Newton as GM (Click here for details).

#6. John Stockton is joining Montana State as an assistant coach on their women's basketball team. His daughter Lindsay is a senior on the team (Click here for details).

#7. Bucks forward Jabari Parker is targeting a November return (Click here for details).

#8. Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday didn't play on opening night. He is day-to-day (Click here for details).

#9. The Utah Jazz will now be playing in the "Vivint Smart Home Arena". Same building with a new name (Click here for details).

#10. The Spurs exercised their 2016-17 option for Kyle Anderson (Click here for details).

#11. The Pelicans signed guard Ish Smith (Click here for details).

#12. The Suns exercised their options for T.J. Warren, Alex Len, and Archie Goodwin (Click here for details).

#13. 76ers guard Nik Stauskas is hoping to play on Wednesday (Click here for details).

#14. The Grizzlies exercised their 2016-17 option for guard Jordan Adams (Click here for details).

#15. The Hawks exercised their fourth year, 2016-17 options on guard Tim Hardaway, Jr. and guard Dennis Schröder (Click here for details).

#16. The Clippers exercised their 2016-17 option on guard C.J. Wilcox (Click here for details).

Tuesday's NBA Final Scores: 

Pistons 106 Hawks 94. Bulls 97 Cavaliers 95. Warriors 111 Pelicans 95.

Wednesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban doesn't give a **** about the Clippers (Click here for details).

#2. Stephen Curry is getting a wax figure at Madame Tussauds in San Francisco (Click here for details).

#3. The Warriors hope Steve Kerr is hoping to return by January 1, 2016 (Click here for details).

#4. Thanasis Antetokoumpo will play in the D-League for the Westchester Knicks (Click here for details).

#5. Michal Frissdahl is named President and CEO of MLSE (Click here for details).

#6. The idea for Joakim Noah to start coming off the bench actually came from Joakim Noah (Click here for details).

#7. Carmelo Anthony on the Knicks: "I believe in this team" (Click here for details).

#8. Craig Sager has returned to TNT sidelines (Click here for details).

#9. The Cavaliers called a players-only meeting in the preseason (Click here for details).

#10. Chris Paul wants to retire with the Clippers (Click here for details).

Wednesday's NBA Final Scores: 

Pistons 92 Jazz 87. Cavaliers 106 Grizzlies 76. Timberwolves 112 Lakers 111. Wizards 88 Magic 87. Celtics 112 76ers 95. Heat 104 Hornets 94. Bulls 115 Nets 100. Raptors 106 Pacers 99. Nuggets 105 Rockets 85. Knicks 122 Bucks 97. Thunder 112 Spurs 106. Mavericks 111 Suns 95. Trail Blazers 112 Pelicans 94. Clippers 111 Kings 104.

Thursday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Lance Stephenson is starting at the 3 for the Clippers (Click here for details).

#2. The Nuggets have some new"Whitegold" uniforms (Click here to see them).

#3. The Utah Jazz are starting rookie Raul Neto at point guard over Trey Burke (Click here for details).

#4. Derrick Rose says he is still battling blurred vision (Click here for details).

#5. The Rockets won't extend the contracts of Terrence Jones or Donatas Motiejunas (Click here for details).

#6. Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler is likely out two weeks (Click here for details).

#7. Linda Luchetti is now the Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Utah Jazz (Click here for details).

#8. Wizards forward Martell Webster may need season-ending hip surgery (Click here for details).

#9. Pistons shooting guard Jodie Meeks is out indefinitely due to a Jones fracture in his right foot (Click here for details).

#10. Clippers point guard Austin Rivers has been fined $25K for throwing a seat cushion that hit a fan (Click here for details).

#11. Pacers forward Paul George has been fined $10K for criticizing officials (Click here for details).

#12. Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons is targeting a Sunday return (Click here for details).

#13. Warriors center Andrew Bogut is out indefinitely with a concussion (Click here for details).

#14. The Pelicans waived point guard Nate Robinson (Click here for details).

Thursday's NBA Final Scores: 

Grizzlies 112 Pacers 103. Hawks 112 Knicks 101. Clippers 104 Mavericks 88.

Friday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Mavericks point guard Deron Williams is out indefinitely (Click here for details).

#2. NBA Global Games London 2016 has already sold out (Click here for details).

#3. The NBA plans to put a sponsored Kia logo patch on NBA All-star Game jerseys (Click here for details).

#4. ESPN has suspended Grantland (Click here for details).

#5. Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov is buying control of Nassau Coliseum (Click here for details).

#6. The Cavaliers may or may not use their $10.5M trade exception this season (Click here for details).

#7. Jeff Ayres, Jimmer Fredette, and Perry Jones were picked in the Top 3 of the D-League draft (Click here for details).

#8. Pistons' head coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy isn't happy with his team's early schedule (Click here for details).

#9. Click here to view the NBA's Christmas jerseys.

#10. LeBron James says he plans to play in all 82 games this season (Click here for details).

#11. Lakers head coach Byron Scott calls his team "soft" (Click here for details).

#12. Terrence Ross is hopeful that the Raptors will give him an extension (Click here for details).

#13. Erica McKinley is the NBAPA's new Chief Operating Officer (Click here for details).


Friday's NBA Final Scores: 

Jazz 99 76ers 71. Timberwolves 95 Nuggets 78. Warriors 112 Rockets 92. Cavaliers 102 Heat 92. Thunder 139 Magic 136 (2OT). Raptors 113 Celtics 103. Pistons 98 Bulls 94 (OT). Hawks 97 Hornets 94. Wizards 118 Bucks 113. Spurs 102 Nets 75. Kings 132 Lakers 114. Suns 110 Trail Blazers 92.

Saturday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Bulls exercised their contract options for Ton Snell and Doug McDermott (Click here for details).

#2. The Celtics exercised their contract options for Marcus Smart, Kelly Olynyk, and James Young (Click here for details).

#3. Pistons guard Jodie Meeks is expected to miss 12-16 weeks after surgery on his right foot (Click here for details).

#4. The Pelicans signed guard Toney Douglas (Click here for details).

#5. The 76ers exercised their contract options for Joel Embiid, Nerlens Noel, and Nik Stauskas (Click here for details).

#6. Grizzlies guard Tony Allen has been warned for flopping (Click here for details).

#7. Pacers legend Mel Daniels has died (Click here for details).

Saturday's NBA Final Scores: 

Jazz 97 Pacers 76. Warriors 134 Pelicans 120. Grizzlies 101 Nets 91. Knicks 117 Wizards 110. Suns 101 Trail Blazers 90. Clippers 114 Kings 109.

Sunday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Steve Nash was inducted into the Suns' ring of honor earlier in the week (Click here for details).

#2. 76ers center Joel Embiid grew two inches during the off season (Click here for details).

#3. Terrence Ross and the Raptors are still discussing an extension (Click here for details).

#4. Click here for an update on Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving.

#5. Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich is dealing with a sore toe (Click here for details).

#6. Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker are the winningest trio in NBA history with 541 wins and counting (Click here for details).

#7. Jeremy Lamb and the Hornets are closing in on a three-year, $21M extension (Click here for details).

#8. Kobe Bryant isn't happy with how he is playing (Click here for details).

#9. 76ers center Joel Embiid is reportedly recovering ahead of schedule (Click here for details).

#10. Rick Carlisle (Mavericks) and Dwane Casey (Raptors) have set franchise records for all-time wins (Click here for details).

#11. Chandler Parsons returned for the Mavericks (Click here for details).

#12. Pelicans center Kendrick Perkins is out indefinitely with a right pectoral injury (Click here for details).

#13. Kings center DeMarcus Cousins is day-to-day with a right Achilles strain (Click here for details).

#14. The Nets are declining Sergey Karasev's option (Click here for details).

#15. The Wizards won't be giving Bradley Beal an extension (Click here for details).

#16. The 76ers dealt J.P. Tokoto to the Thunder (Click here for details).

#17. The Rockets signed forward Chuck Hayes to a non-guaranteed contract (Click here for details).

#18. The Thunder and Dion Waiters won't agree on an extension (Click here for details).

#19. The Rockets picked up Clint Capela's option (Click here for details).

Sunday's NBA Final Scores: 

Hawks 94 Hornets 92. Spurs 95 Celtics 87. Heat 109 Rockets 89. Raptors 106 Bucks 87. Bulls 92 Magic 87. Thunder 117 Nuggets 93. Mavericks 103 Lakers 93.