Former IBF Welterweight Champion Kell Brook on the scales in his last bout against Mark DelucaCurrent WBO Welterweight Champion Terence Crawford weighing in for a 2019 title fight against Amir Khan
On November 14th of this year, the WBO Welterweight Championship of the World will be on the line. Current champion and ESPN’s number one ranked pound for pound fighter in the world Terence “Bud” Crawford (36-0 27 KOs) will be put to probably his finest test yet against former IBF Welterweight champion of the world and Middleweight title challenger Kell Brook (39-2 27 KOs).
Crawford has been inactive since he last defended his belt in December of 2019 against the hard-hitting challenger Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauksas (22-1-1 18 KOs) . After an aggressive start from Kavaliauksas, Bud was able to figure the Lithuanian out and knock him out in round 9. Crawford followed up a 7th round knockdown with a pair of knockdowns in round 9 for the stoppage.
Bud is out to make a statement in the fourth defense of his WBO Welterweight strap against former champ Kell Brook.
The beginning of Terence Crawford’s career has been nothing but spectacular. Crawford was a champion at lightweight (135) and super lightweight (140) before climbing up to test his skills against the best at 147 lbs. At super lightweight Crawford was the undisputed champion, holding the WBC, WBO, WBA, and IBF straps. Bud is one of only five fighters to be undisputed champion in the current four belt per division system. But since his move to welterweight, he has had a struggle to get big name fighters on his resume the sport of boxing has desired.
Crawford’s 2014 win against then 23-0 and World Champion Yuriorkis Gamboa Knockdowns were scored by Crawford in rounds 5 and 8 and twice in the 9th
Recently it was announced that in December, Errol Spence Jr is set to fight former Super Lightweight and Welterweight Champion Danny Garcia (36-2 21 KOs) at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas. With Shawn Porter having already taken a fight and beaten then undefeated but unproven Sebastian Formella (22-1 10 KOs), and Manny Pacquio at his age not being interested in an opponent as dangerous as Bud, Crawford and his team set their sights on a former champion who is looking to return to his past glory.
On this day 2014
Kell Brook beat Shawn Porter via a MD in a scrappy fight to become the IBF welterweight champ
After failed attempts for a unification most notably against WBO champ Jessie Vargas, Brook suffered damaging defeats to Golovkin and Spence Jrpic.twitter.com/TQA1J6K4Zv
Kell Brook defeating then champion Shawn Porter for the IBF Welterweight Championship
Kell Brook is looking to prove that he can once again be the elite fighter he once was. In 2014, he gave Shawn Porter his first ever defeat and stole his IBF Welterweight strap in the victory. After the Porter victory Brook would go on to defend his IBF strap three times, all by knockout.
That fight was where Kell’s career reached its apex, as Brook moved up from 147lbs to 160lbs to fight the WBC, IBF, IBO, and widely regarded as the “boogeyman” of the middleweight division Gennadiy Golovkin (40-1-1). In that fight, Brook suffered a fractured eye socket and his corner was forced to throw in the towel in the fifth round. Even after sustaining a major injury, Brook was back in the ring 8 months later fighting another undefeated opponent.
Errol Spence Jr after defeating Brook to capture the IBF welterweight title
In May of 2017, Kell Brook returned to welterweight to put his IBF Welterweight title on the line. He was set to share the ring with at the time 21-0 and #1 ranked contender Errol Spence Jr. The fight was close through the early rounds; however Spence was able to seize control late as he had a pair of knockdowns in round 10 and 11 before ending the fight later on in the 11th. Spence still holds the IBF title to this date and has defended it four times along with also beating then WBC Champion Shawn Porter in 2019 to acquire the WBC belt as well.
Since the pair of losses, Brook has taken time to let his body and mind heal. After two 2018 wins in his hometown of Sheffield, England, Kell was absent from the ring in 2019 as he was getting ready to come back a new and improved version of Kell Brook. In February of 2020, Kell Brook faced off against a scrappy American junior middleweight veteran in Mark Deluca. (26-2 14 KOs). Brook was able to keep Deluca from getting inside and looked the part of potentially the old Kell Brook in a 7th round stoppage.
“Terence Crawford.. You looking for a fight. Uncle Bob knows I want it”
Kell Brook training over the summer, calling out Crawford to get the deal done for a fight
The one problem with the fights that Kell Brook has had recently is that they were as a junior middleweight (154 lbs), and Kell has not had to cut to the 147 lb Welterweight limit since 2017. Cutting weight for a fighter never gets any easier as they age, and Kell is going to have to make sure that he is hydrated enough after making the cut that he doesn’t compromise the fight as a result. Already being the underdog, Brook cannot afford to struggle making weight and having his skills diminished against the sports pound for pound best.
As it pertains to the bout itself, the boxing community is really interested to see how this one plays out. Bud Crawford has a 5 inch reach advantage, and I expect that to play a major role as this fight matures into the later rounds. Both fighters have experience winning world championships, so I expect a feeling out process in the early rounds.
Crawford pictured with head trainer and manager and Brian “BoMac” McIntyre (left) and trainer Esau Dieguez (right)
As we get into the middle rounds, I expect everyone watching will see Crawford stepping to Brook more, and beginning to take the fight to him. Having such an advantage in reach, I expect Bud to attack the body of Brook just as much as he does the head. When Crawford is pressing the action forward and attacking the body, I believe he is at his best because that allows for him to play to his strengths by using his counter punching ability, and also firing off combinations to the head and body. My prediction is that Crawford’s attack becomes too much for Brook to withstand, resulting in a late round stoppage.
As good as Kell Brook has been throughout his career, I just believe he is, unfortunately, a couple years too late to have a chance to be the first-ever to defeat Crawford. That being said, we have seen time and time again former champions in boxing history get written off, just to achieve the same greatness as earlier in their career; and, in some cases become an even better version of themselves. For that reason alone I will not count out Kell Brook in this fight, and Terence Crawford and the rest of his team better not either, Brook can still be very dangerous given the chance.
Brook with the IBF Belt around his waist after defeating Shawn Porter
Boston College running back David Bailey scores a touchdown in the opening quarter of the season (Nell Redmond USA Today Sports)
In a game that started off slow and found the Eagles up 7-6 at the half, Boston College rallied hard in the second half to start the 2020 campaign with a 26-6 win on the road against Duke. This was the first game with former Ohio State defensive coordinator and new Boston College football coach Jeff Hafley at the helm, as he attempts to get Boston College back into being the contender in the ACC that they once were. Hafley has experience in college and in the NFL and has always been successful, something Eagles fans hope continues to carry over.
Hafley during his time in San Francisco as the DB coach (Bleacher Report)Hafley with two of his players at Ohio state who ended up being 2020 first round NFL draft picks Damon Arnette (left) and Jeff Okudah (right) (NE Football Journal)
The Eagles looked tough on both sides of the ball, forcing 5 turnovers and possessing the ball for 36:18 compared to the Blue Devil’s 23:42. After an offseason filled with uncertainty over whether or not he would even suit up for BC this fall, Notre Dame transfer QB Phil Jurkovec showed why Boston College fans were urgently awaiting news from the NCAA regarding his eligibility.
Boston College QB Phil Jurkovec running the ball during Saturday’s game (BC Interruption)
After starting off the game a little shaky by throwing a first quarter interception, Jurkovec rebounded nicely and played mistake free football the rest of the way. The Eagles made timely adjustments at halftime and it showed as Jurkovec completed 6 of 7 passes for 151 yards and threw both his touchdowns in the third quarter. Jurkovec finished the game 17 for 23 passing, 300 yards, and two touchdown passes along with the one interception.
After losing a guy who accounted for over 4600 yards from scrimmage and 40 touchdowns in his three seasons at Chestnut Hill in now Green Bay Packer AJ Dillon, it was expected that the Eagles were going to need players to step up in his absence. Junior tailback David Bailey proved last year alongside Dillon that he was a capable ACC starting running back. Even though he only had 51 yards on 18 carries, he got in the end zone and with already 1256 career scrimmage yards and veteran leadership up front, the Eagles staff shouldn’t be too concerned.
BC tight end Hunter Long catching a touchdown pass from Jurkovec (Boston.com)
One thing that really stood out to me was the way the Eagles were able to stretch the field, something that has been a struggle at times in the past. Zay Flowers made the biggest play of the day, a 61 yard touchdown grab from Jurkovec (shown below). He lead the way with 5 receptions for 162 yards and was also named the ACC WR of the week. Tight end Hunter Long also had a big day, hauling in 7 passes for a total of 93 yards and a score as well. Flowers and Long along with Kobay White, who returned to practice this past week, give quarterback Phil Jurkovec three dependable options out wide along with a proven running back at his side.
Boston College always seems to have talent on the defensive side of the football. After a season filled with ups and downs last year, this BC defense looked to be a strength instead of the weakness it was at times last year. And early on Saturday afternoon, it was evident that whatever tweaks Hafley has made since taking over have been for the better. The Eagles forced 5 turnovers, not allowing the Blue Devils to get any offensive sustainability.
Boston College defensive backs Mike Palmer (left) and Elijah Jones (right) tackle a Duke receiver (Duke Athletics)
The defense looked good from start to finish, and besides allowing one run play to break big for a score, they were able to keep the Blue Devil’s offense neutralized. Linebacker Isaiah McDuffie and safety Jahmin Muse each recorded interceptions and defensive end Marcus Valdez, corner Josh DeBerry, and safety Deon Jones all forced fumbles as well in the victory.
Linebacker Max Richardson pregame (Sports Illustrated)
Overall I believe the defensive unit can be a strong point for Hafley and the Eagles this year. There is talent there, as the defensive line should keep opposing quarterbacks on their toes. McDuffie and Max Richardson are a great LB duo and are the core of the defense. The secondary looked great Saturday, and if they are able to keep this play up, then Boston College will be tough for any offense to have success against. They were able to challenge the Duke receivers and made them work for every reception.
As we have seen with the recent history of Boston College football, talent hasn’t always translated into the success that was expected. With Hafley now leading the way, BC appears to be on their way to not only finding ways to win with the talent they already have, but acquiring talent that doesn’t always come around Chestnut Hill. All in all, it was a great first week in what could turn into something special under Jeff Hafley at Boston College.
After advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since their 2013-2014 season, the Miami Heat are coming in as the biggest underdogs to potentially advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since that same year where they would go on to lose against the San Antonio Spurs, their roster at the time? They had stars like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Ray Allen, the team was looking for their third championship in their last three years where they defeated teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Spurs which would be the biggest achievements for the team at that time. On the other side, for the Boston Celtics, the team has been to the Eastern Conference Finals twice in the last 5 years, but came up short after losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers who were on their way to face the Golden State Warriors in a huge feud to see who was the better team, in the end? It was the Warriors, but with the Cavs not being involved here and the Celtics defeating last years champions, the Toronto Raptors, they’ll look to upset the Heat and go to their first NBA Finals since the 2009-2010 where they went on to lose to the Los Angeles Lakers in a 7-game series.
As honest as I can be, the Celtics are doing amazing since they signed Kemba Walker and got rid of Kyrie Irving, that is not me dissing Irving, he has an amazing style to play with, has had his moments in his career, but taking on the leadership that he needed to was not going to be a huge help for him when the Celtics could not get past the Cavs or the Bucks when they needed to, this was not Irving’s fault either, after getting rid of both Irving and Horford, the Celtics got Walker signed to the team and finished with a record of 48-24, better than the year before with their record of 49-33, despite the suspended season due to COVID-19, the Celtics didn’t lose a step in the playoffs and played perfectly to keep themselves in the running for a championship for the team, it would be their first championship since 2008 when they defeated the Lakers in 6 games to win their 17th NBA Championship. Jayson Tatum and Walker can be considered the team leaders for the Celtics, but a veteran for the heart of the team is Marcus Smart who does a lot for the team to either keep the lead or make sure the other team can’t score, Tatum has had a great season alongside Walker and Jaylen Brown who despite being possibly injured, Tatum and the rest of the team should have enough in the tank to potentially surpass the Heat in what’ll be an amazing series between the two teams.
In the beginning of the season, the Heat were not seen as a team that would make it this far into the playoffs or even be involved with it, over the past couple of years, the Heat has dealt with a lot of ups and downs, but recently, they have been at their best and are proving a ton of critics wrong who said they would not be this deep into the playoffs. After signing via a sign and trade deal with the Heat, Jimmy Butler has been the savior that Miami needed on their team to help a bunch of their talent out and showcase that they have a winning chance against any team that is seeded as #1 in the league. But, Butler isn’t the only player on the team that’s been proving lots of doubters wrong, but with Tyler Herro who was drafted as the 13th overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, Duncan Robinson, an undrafted star who has been helping the Heat with his three-point shooting, Bam Adebayo has had an amazing year, Adebayo went from scoring 6.9 to 8.9 points per game to 15.9 and more this season, this team has so much potential and with who the team has, they have what it takes to continue upsetting other teams and possibly returning back to the NBA Finals for the first time since the James, Wade and Bosh era for the Heat who won 2 championships and almost completed a three-peat before losing to the Spurs.
Tonight will be game 1 of a potential 7-game series, the first 3 games of the series will air this week and on ESPN, the current betting odds see the Celtics as a -140 and the Heat coming with a +115 to start the series off, but as time progresses, injuries may happen and teams may take a big advantage of the court they’ve been playing on while shocking some more doubters who are still in shock over what’s gone down this year in the NBA Playoffs, enjoy the game, stay safe in the world and have a great day.
Photo credit: Clutch Points Celtics Wire – USA Today IRN Post
Lopez (left) and Lomachenko (right) after Lopez knocked out Richard Commey in the second round to obtain the IBF Lightwight Belt
Boxing has been back for a while now, but one thing fans are still waiting for is the first big super fight. Ever since Top Rank’s CEO Bob Arum announced that we would be having a Lightweight unification bout between WBA, WBO, and Ring Magazine Champion Vasiliy Lomachenko and IBF Champion Teofimo Lopez, boxing fans knew that is exactly what we would be getting. Lomachenko is widely regarded as a top three pound for pound fighter in the world and has an argument for the top spot, along with Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez. Lopez is an up-and-coming star, who is not scared of taking a risk early in his career and appears to be up to the challenge. Here I’ll be giving some background about each champion along with what to expect in the lead up to the fight, as well as my fight prediction.
Both guys have the ability to end the fight when they’re on the offensive. We’ll see if Lopez is able to land those same flush shots against Lomachenko that he has to his other opponents.
Lomachenko after his 2019 victory over Luke Campbell
After an amateur career that will most likely never be duplicated, including 2 Olympic Gold Medals for his home country of Ukraine and 396 victories in 397 amateur bouts, Vasiliy Lomachenko was destined for greatness as he signed with Top Rank in 2013. Lomachenko quickly capitalized on opportunities like no one before him, defeating then undefeated Gary Russell Jr. to capture the WBO Featherweight title. He achieved the feat in his third professional bout, which ties the all-time record for fewest fights to ever win a world title. Since then Lomachenko has rallied off thirteen straight victories and moved from featherweight (125lbs) to super featherweight (130lbs) to now lightweight (135lbs). Lomachenko is coming off a unanimous decision victory over top contender Luke Campbell, in a bout where his elite counter punching and footwork proved to be too much. Those skills are going to be useful against Lopez, as he is a power puncher who will come out and try to make things difficult for Lomachenko.
Lopez with his recently acquired IBF Title
Teofimo Lopez is one of the brightest young stars we have on the boxing scene. Though he doesn’t have the legendary amateur pedigree his counterpart does, Lopez has had his fair share of success as well. Lopez was the 2015 National Golden Gloves Champion, and also competed in the 2016 Olympic Games representing Honduras. Lopez signed with Top Rank in October of 2016 and wasted no time climbing to the top of the 135 pound division. In July of 2019, Lopez faced Masayoshi Nakatani in a title eliminator and won a decisive unanimous decision to cement himself as a legit contender for a title. Just three years and 14 fights into his professional career, Lopez was on the brink of capturing the IBF Lightweight title of the world as he was set to face current champion Richard Commey. If there was any doubt about how Lopez’s skill set would translate at a championship level going into the fight, all doubts were erased by a Lopez right hand that sent Commey to the floor in just the second round. Commey took the count and rose to his feet, but was soon finished by Lopez as the referee stopped the fight after a flurry of punches from Lopez with no answer from Commey. Lopez showed he could pack a punch as good as anyone in the 135 pound division and will need that power on his side when sharing the ring with Lomachenko.
Teofimo Lopez posting a training clip online, warning Lomachenko to “be ready”
In the lead up to the fight, we have seen just what we would have expected based on the personalities of the two champions. Lomachenko being the more experienced champion has always let his performances do the talking. Lopez, on the other hand, is a decade younger, and his youth comes with confidence since he believes that Vasiliy Lomachenko is just another fight for him. Lopez has all the talent in the world, but it’s not going to be easy to get inside of the head of Lomachenko. Come fight night, the talking will be done and Lopez will be all business, as will Lomachenko. As far as my prediction for the fight, I expect it to be a classic. “Styles make fights” is a catchphrase used by the general boxing public, and it holds true in this one. Lopez is more of an attacker and the bigger man, and I believe he will look to use his size and power to his advantage. Lomachenko is more of a counter puncher, using his speed, footwork and mind to systematically break down his opponent. I expect the opening rounds to be more of a feeling out process. Lopez may take a few shots early, but I expect Lomachenko to be composed and be able to avoid being hit with the big shot early on. The later in rounds the bout goes, the more I believe that shifts the favor over to Lomachenko. I expect Lopez to be able to land shots as the fight progresses, but to open himself up in doing so. If Lopez leaves himself open for even a split second, Lomachenko will make him pay by attacking the body first and then going upstairs once he lowers his guard. Despite both guys having exciting knockouts on their respective resumes, I expect this fight to go the distance. Overall, I expect Lopez to pressure Lomachenko and bring the fight to him, but Lomachenko will fight well off of his back foot when he has to, counterpunching his way to a victory. I anticipate Lopez getting a few of the early rounds to go in his favor, but I predict that Vasiliy Lomachenko will be adding the IBF Lightweight belt to his collection by defeating Lopez by a score of 116-112 (eight rounds to four).
In this article, I will be bringing in opinions on this topic from High School football players from my local high school, coaches from my local high school, and people from the community that are very close to High School athletics.
Players Opinions
Riley Moore, QB, Senior: It is affecting us players because it doesn’t give us the ability to have summer workouts and 7 on 7’s to prepare for the upcoming season. Our season was moved into the spring and it is kind of upsetting. We don’t have the chance to have a normal and complete season in our senior year. We can’t handle business how we would like and we will have to adapt to our situation.
Judge Norwood, OL/DL, Senior: As seniors in high school, we have millions of things running through our minds each day, and being able to get on the field at 3:30 and clear our minds is the greatest thing for us. Most of us have been doing this for four years, and we still want our chance to play. I think I can speak for all senior student-athletes when I say this. We have been waiting our whole lives to get to walk across the field on senior night, and when there is a chance that we might not even do that, it truly hurts. It may sound crazy to some, but the mental health of student-athletes need to be taken into account. Most of us have been playing sports for our school since we were in elementary. It’s like it has become a part of us, and when it is taken away from us, some of us don’t know what to do. The coaches have been struggling trying to keep their team together and keep workouts going. We’re all adapting to the “new normal”.
Bradley Biddix, OL/DL, Senior: As a senior it is scary not knowing that your season might be taken away from you. My senior season is something that I have been waiting for since I started playing back in elementary school. Most people don’t know how much time, effort, and dedication we put in. As a football player our practicing and training doesn’t stop. We are training all year long, whether it is lifting weights and conditioning or sitting in a team meeting going over plays. Just knowing that I might not get to play football ever again truly terrifies me. As players we feel like we have something to prove and if we don’t get to show it then we’re going to feel like all of this time we put in was for nothing. I feel like all of us athletes would rather take that risk over not getting to play the sport we love.
Seth Baird, K/S, Senior: Covid has affected us players by complicating our preseason. With so much uncertainty with everything going on student athletes have had a difficult time training. We struggle finding places to train and we really don’t even know what time train for. It has also served issues with recruiting. As the season has been pushed further I assume it will make it a more difficult time to put ourselves on the radar of different college teams. Coaches have struggled with getting the players together in large groups. Just as us, they have had to adapt to the new way of training. We have all had to follow the Covid-19 guidelines and it has made it hard to get everyone together. The school itself depends on the revenue taken in from sporting events to help fund other activities. With that, schools are trying everything in their power to continue with sports this year, but the governor’s guidelines and safety precautions will be hard to bring fans into stadiums.
Andrew McGinnis, LB/RB, Senior: Covid-19 has drastically impacted our high school sports. Athletics are essential in schools because it teaches people many life skills, such as teamwork and work ethic, not to mention the fact that it keeps us active and healthy. With the delay of sports due to Covid-19 our athletes are being denied the chance to participate in crucial activities and oppurtunites that they have already worked hard for. In my opinion I think we should have never delayed the seasons and we should play on a regular schedule like we did in the past. My reasoning for this is that the disease mainly affects the elderly. Participating in sports will keep us healthy and our immune systems strong, which will lower the risk of having any drastic symptoms even if we do contract the disease itself. In conclusion, the good still outweighs the bad and there may be alot of disease cases but not enough deaths to have our way of life come to a halt.
Community Member’s Opinions
Daniel Crawley: I can’t speak on behalf of the coaches or parents but as a sports fan in the community it’s a weird feeling not starting the school year with traditional fall sports, but it’s just a part of the environment that we live in right now. I think a lot of people assumed this virus would magically all leave by the summer and obviously that isn’t the case. I think the best thing right now is to be keep an optimistic mindset. A plan is in place to play sports this year if health conditions allow. It’s almost important as a community to do the right things to give our high school athletes a chance to play.
Ricky Carr: Sports are an outlet for many high school kids, it is one place they feel important, wanted and part of something. The social aspect of high school is just as important as the academic part of it. In a way, it shapes us into who we are, the good and the bad. We have stolen this from our youth and we can’t make this up to them. No one living today has had this taken from them like our high school kids now. To have government officials take this so lightly amazes me. We have made our youth into political pawns and given them zero say so in the decisions that are changing their lives.
Neil Norwood: First off I want to say I understand this pandemic is something none of us have ever dealt with. As a parent of a High School senior athlete, I have watched my son grow and learn life lessons thru sports since he was 5. Football being at the forefront. Talking with him countless times through the years about playing varsity football, or as we call it “Friday Night Lights”. Talking about that senior year being the last ride. Senior night walking across their field one by one to get the recognition they deserve for all the blood, sweat and tears they have gave. To think there is a chance that will be taken away from all the seniors breaks my heart because I know it does theirs. As a father of a high school athlete it especially breaks my heart for him, because I know it does his. As a father I’m able to fix most things that affects him in this way, but knowing I am not able to fix any of this , well it sucks plain and simple. One last thing before I’m done. To see all these protests going on , people in the hundreds all over the country not wearing masks and not social distancing. To have elected officials say these such events are not impacting the spread of Covid . Although our student athletes may not even get to get on the field and play a sport they love to play. That in my book is unfair to these student athletes.
As everyone knows by now, Cam Newton signed a one year, $7.5 million contract. But the arising question, will Cam Newton even work out in New England?
On September 30th, 2001, Tom Brady went under center for the very first time. After routing the Indianapolis Colts, it was only the beginning of Brady’s career. Brady was with the Patriots his whole career, until he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After he left New England, every New England fan thought “what are we going to do now?”.
For a while, it looked as if the Patriots were just going to roll with Jarrett Stidham. On July 8th, that changed, Cam Newton joined the New England Patriots.
I will be bringing in some outside opinions to answer this question. In doing so we will be able to see the different perspectives on this topic.
My take: New England has never seen a quarterback like Cam Newton. Bill Belichick has never coached a quarterback like Newton. But the other thing is it’s Bill Belichick and the Patriots, they can make a name out of anyone. Newton has been working this offseason as well, so he is showing his dedication to the game. He wants to come back, You can tell. Maybe the intensity change is what New England needs to stay on track this season. They have the offensive line for it, they have the defense for it. Newton to New England was the best deal for both sides. Cam will come in firing on all cylinders this season, and I can confidently say Cam Newton will sign a bigger contract with New England next off-season.
Logan Deyton: He definitely still shows promise. I think combining him with the New England team and staff it will boost his abilities far more than what everyone thought he was capable of in Carolina. Of course there will be bumps in the road, maybe some team chemistry issues. Although I believe he will easily overcome these things.
Max Cable: Cam Newton has a very particular play style that I feel could be best utilized by team with an above-average offensive line such as New England. Not to mention getting him out of the pocket and using his legs to get him to the second level will be what the Patriots should attempt to focus on moving forward. I say this because we can all agree. When Newton was “Supercam” he played to the best of ability and never failed to put on a show for the fans.
Avery Sigmon: I think he will definitely improve in New England, he has a great offensive line protecting him and that is something he didn’t have in towards the end of his tenure with Carolina. Personally, I believe it will take a couple season for Newton to get settled into New England. The only problem is he is signed to a one year deal, he will have to show New England that he is worth their time. After he signs a new deal and is in New England once again, I think we will see the best version of Cam Newton we have seen. The coaching staff in New England will be a huge part in his success in New England, he has a lot to learn still. Once he gets rolling, Newton will lead New England into yet another Super Bowl.
Jeremy Briggs: I think Cam Newton will do well the Patriots once he gets used to who he is working with. Just as he was in Carolina, he develops much better when he learns his teammates. New England has great potential with Newton. His leadership skills will most definitely help the teams morale stay upbeat, he carries so much energy with him. All around, Newton will be an interesting player to watch this coming season.
Once upon a time, we were unsure if the NBA would come back and finish the season, but here we are back on the court in Orlando. Continue reading to view my breakdown of each of the 22 teams in the bubble. Included in my breakdown will be how each team has looked so far this year, and playoff outlook including best-case and worst-case scenarios for each contender.
The Milwaukee Bucks have been the most dominant team all year long on both sides of the floor and are the #1 overall seed this postseason. Giannis Antetokounmpo is the favorite to win MVP and is also in the running to win DPOY. He would be the first player since Hakeem Olajuwon to win both in the same season. Now with Eric Bledsoe back in the lineup, the Bucks are closer to being back to what they were for the whole regular season. They are my favorites to win the East and reach the NBA Finals. I believe guys like Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, and especially Bledsoe are going to be counted on to hit shots to free up the paint for Giannis Antetokounmpo. My worst-case scenario for the Bucks is that after beating Orlando in round one, then running into Miami, a team who had them figured out at times during the regular season. My best-case scenario for them is Giannis Antetokounmpo takes that next step and is able to lead his team to a championship against either the Lakers or Clippers.
The defending champion Toronto Raptors actually has a higher winning percentage this year than they did last year with Kawhi Leonard. Pascal Siakam has taken yet another huge leap after being last year’s most improved player into the elite category in the Eastern Conference. Kyle Lowry and Fred Vanvleet are not necessarily the most talented backcourt in the East, but definitely, the toughest and will make big plays when called upon. I have a hard time seeing them get by Milwaukee as they did last year, but without Kawhi Leonard they still have bodies such as Ibaka, Siakam, Anonoby, and Gasol to throw at Giannis in a potential Eastern Conference Finals. Being the #2 seed, they will draw Brooklyn in round 1 and should have no problems advancing. Worst- case scenario, I see them not being able to beat the other 2nd tier teams alongside them behind Milwaukee, such as Boston, Miami, Indiana, and Philadelphia. Best-case scenario, since they have the overall blueprint and most of the roster from last year that was able to rally and win 4 straight against the Bucks, Nick Nurse can make a game plan to do the same this year and get them to the finals once again. Overall I see them winning the first round, and having a great second-round series against #3 seed Boston.
The Boston Celtics come in at 3rd in the East and have one thing that no other team in the league has: four guys who average over 18 points a game and that can give you 25 on any given night (Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward). The one thing they lack in size, as Enes Kanter and Daniel Theis are not going to be able to effectively check Joel Embiid or Giannis Antetokounmpo for a whole 7 game series. I believe that Embiid will be an interesting matchup for Boston in the first round. Despite being undersized, the Celtics I believe have enough firepower to get by the Sixers, who are having problems themselves. Ben Simmons out indefinitely makes them a real wild card. Worst-case scenario, even without Simmons Philadelphia’s size is enough to upset. Best case scenario I see them being able to deal with Giannis getting his numbers, but making other guys beat you when it comes down to crunch time. If they are successful in doing this, I believe they have the scorers to break through and make a Finals berth a year or two ahead of schedule. Realistically, they are right on par with Toronto as neither team has enough to beat Milwaukee this year. I’d see that series going 7 games and I believe that Jayson Tatum is more ready to be a big-time, prime time scorer than Siakam is.
The Miami Heat finished in the number four spot in the Eastern Conference. They were one of the pleasant surprises this year, as they took off once they acquired Jimmy Butler this offseason. Bam Adebayo’s game grew exponentially this season as he joined Butler as an all-star selection. Undrafted rookie Kendrick Nunn didn’t fall off after a hot start to the season and is now the starting PG over former all-star Goran Dragic who fills the 6th man role perfectly. Miami has done a great job with their supporting cast, combining young shooting along with savvy veteran leadership. Guys like Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, and Kelly Olynyk are marksmen from 3 and allow Butler and Adebayo to operate in more space offensively. Andre Igoudala and Jae Crowder are the perfect 3 and D guys for any system. They can guard either forward position and have versatility defensively in being able to switch on almost anyone on pick and rolls. The Heat are one of the hardest playing teams in the league, and Erik Spoelstra deserves a ton of credit for what he has done in Miami post-LeBron James. They will draw Indiana in round 1, and I believe they have the bodies to match up against them and would win a tough series, but the worst-case scenario would be that they lose a tough opening-round series. The best-case scenario they would unseat the Bucks in round 2 and break the Eastern Conference wide open. Like Toronto, Miami has bodies to throw at Giannis Antetokounmpo and can make the series interesting as they’ve had the Bucks’ number in the regular season as well. Overall I believe that even though they have a favorable matchup, the Bucks are too dominant on both ends of the court and Miami loses in the 2nd round.
The Indiana Pacers went from a team everyone wanted to play to a team no one wants to play. TJ Warren is averaging over 30 points a game so far in the bubble and his efficiency has been off the charts. Coming into Orlando, the Pacers had questions surrounding their two all-star caliber players and their availability for the restart in Orlando. Domantas Sabonis ended up missing out due to injury, but Victor Oladipo ended up joining the team. Coming back from an injury himself, Oladipo has been cautious in the restart, and it will be interesting to see if he’s 100 percent ready to go come playoff time. With Sabonis out and Oladipo not back yet at full strength, they will need Warren to continue his elite play, and Malcolm Brogdon and Myles Turner will also have to continue their solid play. With Sabonis out Turner has an opportunity to now have a great restart to the season and quiet all the doubters he’s had due to inconsistency in the past. The best-case scenario for Indiana is to able to get past Miami in round 1. Even if they do, I don’t believe unless Oladipo is back and better than ever (which seems unlikely) that they have enough to contend with the elite of the conference yet, especially Milwaukee who they will most likely draw round two. Overall, I see Indiana having a shot to win the series against Miami, but I believe that Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo would be the best two players on the court and Miami has enough role players behind them to advance.
The Philadelphia 76ers came within a couple bounces of potentially an NBA Finals last season. After an offseason where they lost Jimmy Butler and JJ Reddick, they were able to sign Al Horford from Boston and Josh Richardson from Miami. For arguably the most talented team in the Eastern Conference, they’ve struggled with consistency this year and have not figured out an effective way to play both Simmons and Embiid together at a championship level. Especially since Simmons is now out indefinitely, Embiid is going to have to shoulder a load of being the leader and best big man in basketball if the Sixers are poised to make a run this postseason. Before the Simmons injury, I thought Philadelphia was a dark horse to potentially reach the NBA finals. Simmons, Embiid, and Horford are three strong defenders who could match up on Giannis Antetokounmpo and have a recipe for success the same way Toronto did last year. Without Simmons now, they lose their second-best player and an elite defender who can guard any position. In addition to that, he is the one most responsible for running the offense, even with the move to Power Forward as Shake Milton has taken over the point guard role to add shooting to the starting lineup. They will get Boston in round 1, and without Simmons, I don’t see Philly being able to match Boston’s scoring. Missing their number one playmaker and wing defender who would be crucial in guarding Jayson Tatum is another reason I believe they will fall short. Joel Embiid has shown flashes of being the most dominant guy in the league and if he’s able to sustain that over a whole series, and Tobias Harris plays up to his max contract worth, I could still see Philadelphia beating anyone but the Bucks in a series without Simmons. That being said, it’s a big “if” as we’ve yet to see Embiid with that kind of consistent elite play.
The last three teams in the Eastern Conference playoff picture are the 7th seeded Brooklyn Nets, 8th seeded Orlando Magic, and 9th seeded Washington Wizards. The Brooklyn Nets’ roster on paper might be the best in the league. A roster including Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, and DeAndre Jordan would be among the best in the league. Unfortunately, that is not the Nets team we have in the bubble. Instead, we have a team led by Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen, two guys who will be role guys when the Nets aim to be contenders next season. These Nets play hard, but in a playoff series they would need a lot of things to go right to shock the defending champion Raptors. Orlando is a solid young team, but now especially with Johnathan Isaac tearing his Achilles, I don’t see how they could possibly beat number one overall Milwaukee in a 7 game series. The future’s still bright in Orlando as Nikola Vucevic made his first All-Star team this year, and they have young up and coming guys such as Aaron Gordon, Markelle Fultz, Mo Bamba, and also the aforementioned Isaac. The team I have yet to mention is a team that will not be playing in the playoffs. The Wizards have had little success in the bubble, and with All-NBA talent Bradley Beal sitting out of the restart with an injury, there was never any optimism about the Wizards making a push for one of the playoff seeds. John Wall hasn’t been 100% healthy in years, but Washington is expecting him to be next season and he and Beal instantly would become an elite backcourt once again. For now, the Wizards main job was to continue to develop the plethora of young talent they have, including guys like Thomas Bryant, Rui Hachimura, Mo Wagner, Troy Brown Jr., and Jerome Robinson. These guys are all getting opportunities to shine now, and that will play a deciding factor in which guys are thriving and will play well next year alongside Wall and Beal.
The news was reported by Brett Okamoto who tweeted out that the UFC is booking two Flyweight Championship bouts at UFC 255 on November 21st, it’ll be Deiveson Figuiredo defending his Flyweight Championship vs Cody Garbrandt, and Valentina Shevchenko defending their Flyweight Championship against Jennifer Maia, there is one thing that’s wrong with this and that is Garbrandt being granted a championship fight in a weight class that he’s not even fought in yet, the UFC has a problem where they give out championship fights to try and boost the main event or PPV card in the future, but this is not it, chief. The flyweights were on the brink of extinction not too long ago, with Demetrious Johnson being traded to ONE Championship for Ben Askren, Henry Cejudo only defending it once to defeat TJ Dillashaw to save the division and the two championship bouts that went down to crown a new champion between Figuiredo and Joseph Benavidez, the UFC has a stacked division that’s very entertaining to watch, but with this announcement, all it does is hold back the division by allowing someone who has not won yet in it to fight for the championship belt that others are starving for.
Breaking: It will be flyweight title night at UFC 255 on Nov. 21, per Dana White (@danawhite).
Two fighters who should definitely be in line for a Flyweight championship are Brandon Moreno and Askar Askarov, Moreno is the #2 ranked Flyweight and Askarov is #3 ranked with an undefeated record, and a draw against Moreno back in 2019 at UFC Fight Night: Stephens vs Rodriguez. Moreno is currently on a 3-fight win streak with wins against the likes of Maikel Perez for the LFA Flyweight Championship, Kai-Kara France and Jussier Formiga, Askarov is on a 2-fight win streak and after his UFC debut ended in a draw vs Moreno, he was able to defeat Tim Elliot and Alexandre Pantoja to raise his record up to 12-0-1.
Garbrandt is coming off of a win in the Bantamweight division against Raphael Assuncao and with his recent Twitter beef with Sean O’Malley, many speculated that those two will be facing off in the near future, but with Garbrandt dropping down to Flyweight, a lot of us wondered who it would be against, many names could’ve been brought up from guys like Jordan Espinosa, Raulian Paiva, Tim Elliot, and Jussier Formiga. I am a huge fan of a lot of fighters, including Garbrandt who puts their lives on the line whenever they enter the octagon, but after coming off a 3-fight losing streak, getting a win over Assuncao and being rewarded with a Flyweight championship bout, it doesn’t feel right when plenty of guys would sign the contract to welcome Garbrandt into the division and see how he can earn that championship fight against Figuiredo.
Don’t worry kid I’ll be running both divisions by 2021 hopefully by that time you’ll fight someone in the top 15…. https://t.co/SBD9f4WoKv
I am happy that the UFC has not completely destroyed their Flyweight division, plenty of guys in that division have what it takes to become a champion, with Figuiredo looking to be the toughest champion they will be facing, the UFC booking Garbrandt to fight for the championship will be something to see if Garbrandt is able to win the championship, is he going to be able to bounce back from the reign he had as Bantamweight champion or will it be another win added to the record of Figuiredo who could be the next dominant champion since Johnson to reign supreme in the Flyweight division. My only question is this, is it a good idea to do this? in my opinion, it’s not, it feels like it’s being forced to get a championship bout for us to see, which I’m not complaining about, but I am whenever it comes to the Flyweights getting put to the back and allowing someone from a different weight class to come in and get a championship bout without earning it.
UFC 255 will be interesting to see how this all turns out, Figuiredo vs Garbrandt for the UFC Flyweight Championship and Shevchenko vs Maia for the women’s UFC Flyweight Championship being the only fights announced right now, the UFC should be looking to make this event around their smaller weight classes. UFC 255 will be on the ESPN+ on November 21st at a venue that’ll be announced in the next couple of weeks.
From the man that gave the world “Hellraiser”, “Candyman” and numerous best-selling novels, Clive Barker joined with EA Games to create a horror experience that promised it would “scar you for life”.
And in many ways, it kept its promise.
Set in 1920’s after the Great War, occult adventurer Patrick Galloway returns to his homeland of Ireland – where he was banished for a crime he didn’t commit, framed by his rival and forced to flee – in order to help his best friend Jeremiah Covenant deal with a “private, family matter”. In the opening moments of the game, Patrick recounts how he and Jeremiah (along with the squad they traveled with) were sent to deal with superstitious farmers that were intimidated by enemy forces; how Patrick saw the enemy commander (who was in fact an early design for the main character!) and pulled the trigger, just to suffer from a blast from the shaman’s “Gel’ziabar Stone” – a relic of immense power to seemingly anyone but Patrick himself, who only uses it to see the unseen. Saved by Jeremiah and left to recover, Patrick feels indebted to help his dying friend, and so brings us to the manor.
Undying combines the horror and shooter genres to create a unique, addicting storyline that tempts you to continue playing to the end; with a wide range of weapons and spells at your disposal to use on various enemies in the game, you can use Patrick however you’d like in terms of combat. Faced with the four undead Covenant siblings (Bethany, Aaron, Ambrose, and Lizbeth), Patrick is also hindered by the presence of Otto Keisinger; his rival that framed him for murder, and has devious motives for being on Covenant land. Some map destinations include the family mausoleum, an isle of standing stones, an underground pirate keep, and the lost city of Oneiros.
On February 21st, 2001, the game was released on PC and had a PS2 port eyed for the near future, along with a multiplayer patch. While holding high ratings across multiple respected review sites such as GamePro, GameSpot, and IGN, sales failed to meet expectations; in part due to poor advertising and due to being released in the same window as Phantasy Star Online, Paper Mario, Final Fantasy IX, and Unreal Tournament. While you won’t find this on Steam or Origin, let alone a mention on EA’s website, you can pick up the underrated classic for less than ten dollars. A steal that this author would recommend to anyone that loves rich narrative and psychological horror.
It’s impossible to say that a console release would’ve guaranteed the game’s success; gaming culture in 2001 was vastly different from how it is today, for better and for worse simultaneously. As the previous article on this site noted, players today tend to rile against things they dislike; something I find myself doing at times in some aspects. But many take it a step beyond voicing their displeasure against features highlighted or glimpsed, and instead aim to cancel the entire game due to their grievances. If done on release, would it have mattered if the game sold more copies; would the game have suffered from that success, with a sequel being looked down upon, the original game being dragged through the mud with it? Or could it have given the game life support and an opportunity to thrive through remasters/re-releases on consoles and PC engines? We’ll never know. But the one thing that is indisputable is Clive Barker and EA struck gold from a narrative standpoint with Undying, and if ever possible, would make for a great film, television or novel series. If you have the spare change, I highly recommend you give it a try – you might (re)discover a love you haven’t found in years.
As we have seen for the last few years, nothing in the Western Conference ever comes easy. Unlike the East, not one series in the West can be taken for granted. The Lakers and Clippers have been on a crash course to meet in the conference finals, but all eight teams have a chance to make history and make a run in the bubble. As I did in my Eastern Conference breakdown, I will be addressing each team that competed in the NBA Orlando restart, and giving insight into the action-packed playoffs that are finally upon us.
The Los Angeles Lakers are the current betting odds to win the championship. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are two good reasons to believe that the Lakers are the team that will be hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy come October. Even with having two of the top five active players in the league, there is cause for concern about LA’s ability to compete with teams deeper than them. After their two superstars, the Lakers have struggled to find a consistent supporting cast. Since starting guard Avery Bradley opted out of the restart and Rajon Rondo fractured his thumb during an early practice, the Lakers have been desperately looking for guards to play alongside LeBron James. In order to be successful at obtaining their goal, the Lakers need consistent scoring help to go with James and Davis. Included in that supporting cast are Kyle Kuzma, Danny Green, Dion Waiters, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and JR Smith. They need Kuzma to step up and be the third scoring option and the shooters to be able to knock down open shots when the attention is on LeBron and Anthony Davis. If they get the necessary support, I don’t see a team that can match up well with LeBron and Davis. The Lakers will be playing the Blazers round one, which is an interesting matchup. Portland had injuries throughout the year and if they were healthy all season would have been a higher seed. With the lack of offensive success from the Lakers so far in the restart, I think that Portland has the ability to scare the Lakers. The worst-case scenario for the Lakers is Portland comes out red hot, the Laker guards are not able to contain Lillard and McCollum, and the Lakers fall in round one. After a tough first round, it won’t get any easier for the Lakers because they will most likely draw Houston in round two and then their LA counterpart in the conference finals. This might very well be the hardest path a top seed has ever had to reach the NBA Finals. But, I have confidence in LeBron James and Anthony Davis getting the job done and the supporting cast doing just enough to help the Lakers get back to the finals and become champions once again.
Once the Los Angeles Clippers acquired superstar tandem Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, everyone began to look forward to a potential all LA Western Conference Finals. After LeBron and Davis, Kawhi and Paul George are the second best duo in the league. Unlike their LA counterpart, the Clippers have a great role players surrounding their two stars. This includes a great mix of rough and tough defenders and offensive help in shooting and shot creating. Unlike the Eastern Conference, the West has no easy series and the Clippers will have their hands full with Dallas in the first round. If Luka Doncic asserts himself as one of the league’s most elite and the Clippers defense is not able to stop the Mavericks’ record setting offense, the Clippers may be leaving the bubble earlier than expected. The series will be interesting, but I think the Clippers getting their 6th man of the year finalists in Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams back in the rotation are too deep for a good but inexperienced Mavericks team. The best-case scenario for the Clippers, is becoming NBA Champions. In addition to having two top tier talents in Leonard and George, they also have the best supporting cast in the league. One thing that helps the Clippers is having multiple versatile wings to guard LeBron James and pressure him whenever the ball is in his hands. Though they have the ability to potentially slow The King down, they don’t have an answer to guarding Anthony Davis, and I see THAT being the reason the Lakers reach the Western Conference finals and defeat the Clippers in a classic series.
The Denver Nuggets are legit and we realized just how deep they are in the bubble. Led by all-star do-it-all center Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets fell to the Blazers last year in the second round and are looking to advance further this year. Jamal Murray showed last year that when the stakes are high, he can join Jokic at an elite level of play and be a big shot maker. The Nuggets are without two starters due to injury and their availability is uncertain for the future. Gary Harris and Will Barton are both very good players that would make Denver’s depth elite if they were able to return at some point. Going into the bubble, there was a lot of uncertainty around how the Nuggets would fair without their two starters. Instead of struggling to find guys able to fill those roles, Denver got a pleasant look into the future. When Denver drafted Michael Porter Jr. with the 14th overall selection in the 2019 draft, they knew they were already a contending team that could wait and allow him to fully recover from back injuries sustained in college. After having trouble finding opportunities playing behind Will Barton during the regular season, Porter filled the role of starting small forward better than anyone in the Nuggets’ camp could have envisioned. Porter has been their leading scorer in the bubble and gives them a wing to play alongside Murray and Jokic. Rookie Bol Bol has also been a solid addition showing promise after making his NBA debut in the bubble. The Nuggets will face a Bojan Bogdanovic-less Utah team in round one, and I believe they have enough to get it done in that matchup. The worst-case scenario for Denver is Harris and Barton stay inactive and Porter’s play is not the same in the playoffs as it was in the final regular season games. Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert outplay Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray and are able to advance without their second leading scorer. As stated before, I do not see that happening and I have Denver’s depth and versatility being the deciding factor. In order for the Nuggets to advance to the Conference Finals, I believe they would need a Dallas upset of the Clippers because I do not believe they have what it takes to unseat Los Angeles. Denver may have the best future outlook out West, but it’s not enough to win this year.
Did we ever think we would see a starting center the height of a guard? Welcome to the Houston Rockets’ new small ball style of play. Houston has the most talented backcourt ever with former MVP’s James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Led by their two alphas, GM Darly Morey has fully invested in his two stars the necessary pieces that fit their style of play. Though lacking in size, Robert Covington and PJ Tucker are tough defensively and can also hit the open 3 point shot. This is crucial playing alongside two guards who need the ball in their hands to be the most successful. The Rockets square off against Oklahoma City in round 1 and the result of that series could depend on the availability of Russell Westbrook. Dealing with a recent injury, he is expected to miss the beginning of the series, but I expect him to return. If he is out for the whole series then I would give the advantage to Oklahoma City. My problem with the Rockets is that their lack of size will backfire on them. If they are not shooting the ball well, they will need to get stops and rebounds in order to win. This is something that will be challenging against a larger OKC team, anchored by Steven Adams. That is why my worst-case scenario for the Rockets is they lose a tough, drama-filled first round series to the Thunder. On the other hand, if Houston is able to push the pace and get hot from downtown, I don’t see a team being able to slow down the Rockets’ backcourt once they get healthy and running except potentially the Clippers. Their best-case scenario is that the Rockets get Westbrook back early on, deal with the size disadvantage, and upset the Lakers and Clippers on the way to the NBA finals. But like the Clippers, the Rockets do not have an answer for Anthony Davis, which will eventually be their downfall as I have them losing to the Lakers in round two.
After the Oklahoma City Thunder were eliminated in the first round once again last season, they moved on from cornerstones Russell Westbrook and Paul George. In return, OKC landed Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dalino Gallinari, and an abundance of first round selections for years to come. Once Paul was announced as a member of the Thunder, there was doubt that he would ever suit up for them because he is an all-star guard in the later stages of his career on a team headed for, what seemed to be, an inevitable rebuild. Paul was not dealt, and the Thunder entered the season with a 0.2% chance to make the playoffs. The decision to keep Paul ended up being a great one. The Thunder sent a shock wave through the league by not only making the playoffs but by also improving their win percentage from the previous season. Chris Paul eliminated any talks of being “washed-up” by once again playing at an All-NBA level at the age of 35 and proving he is still one of the most valuable players in the league. Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander blossomed into an excellent guard next to Paul and looks to have all star appearances in his future. Completing OKC’s three-headed monster at guard, is sixth man of the year finalist, Dennis Schroeder. Schroeder would start on most NBA teams and is a great first option off the bench. The Thunder open up with the Rockets in the first round, and I believe that will be an eventful series. Russell Westbrook is expected to miss the start of the series and that will play a big role in what happens. I anticipate he will be back at some point in the first round, and if he comes back during the middle of that series Houston should be able to close them out. If he is out the whole first round series, I believe OKC would advance. While the back court matchup is intriguing, the two front courts have a contrast in play style. Houston has adopted the small ball approach while Oklahoma City still plays traditionally with a 7 footer at center in Steven Adams. Adams and other Thunder bigs such as Gallinari, Nerlens Noel, and Mike Muscala all have to keep Houston’s short, scrappy veterans off the glass. They also would need to be able to defend the small ball, which is where I see a problem brewing for Oklahoma City. Gallinari and Adams will be defending further from the basket in open space than they are accustomed to. As good of a story as Oklahoma City has been this year, I believe that Chris Paul will not be able to get his revenge as they fall in the opening round once again.
If Bojan Bogdanovic was in the bubble and in the lineup for Utah, my outlook on them would be completely different. One of the most underappreciated players in the game today, Bogdanovic is a key part of the Jazz as he averaged 20 points a game and shot over 40% from three point range. The Jazz are lead by all-star guard Donovan Mitchell and all-star and former DPOY winner and current finalist Rudy Gobert. They acquired Mike Conley in a trade in the off-season, and though he hasn’t been as good a fit as they thought he would be, he’s still a talented player and a savvy veteran with playoff experience. Without Bogdanovic, Utah has been looking at a few different players to fill his role. Those players include Jordan Clarkson, Joe Ingles, Royce O’Neale and Georges Niang who all contribute in their own ways. The Jazz will open up against Denver in the first round, and my best-case scenario for them is that Conley and Mitchell are able to work together better and Gobert is able to keep Nikola Jokic in check. If they are successful in doing that, then they can advance and then fall to the Clippers in round two, but not without gutting out a tough win or two in that series. With the recent play of Michael Porter Jr, I would choose Denver to win a close series even if Utah had Bogdanovic. However, I do not see the Jazz being able to overcome the loss of their second leading scorer.
If you enjoy watching high scoring games, I’d advise you to tune in any time the Dallas Mavericks hit the hardwood. Led by 21-year-old sensation Luka Doncic, Dallas has the highest rated offense ever. Doncic is in just his second season, but by almost averaging a thirty point triple double has put himself among the NBA’s elite. Being equally effective setting up his teammates and scoring, Doncic plays alongside many shooters whom he can rely on to make outside shots. The Mavericks will square off against the Clippers in the opening round, and this series will be a good measuring stick to see where they stack up against the league’s elite. Luka will have to work for every basket with elite defenders such as Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Patrick Beverly not allowing him to get anything easy. If the Mavericks were to win the series, it will be because Kristaps Porzingis takes another step and enters the NBA’s elite. Similar to the Lakers series, the Clippers have multiple bodies to make things difficult for Luka as they will LeBron. Conversely, they don’t have an answer for Davis and they won’t have one for Porzingis either. Porzingis will most likely draw Harrell as his match up, and will need to take advantage of his eight inch height difference for Dallas to prevail. As good as Dallas is offensively, their defense will be an issue in the playoffs. They don’t have any elite wing defenders to match up against Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, and I see Dallas falling short.
The last team in the Playoffs earned their way in after beating Memphis in a play-in game Saturday afternoon. Led by All-NBA point guard and Bubble MVP Damian Lillard, the Portland Trail Blazers are the most talented 8th seed we have seen to date. Lillard has been spectacular all season long as Portland battled injuries to a lot of key players to scratch and claw their way into the playoffs. Lillard’s backcourt partner CJ McCollum is great alongside Lillard, and has the ability to make big shots as well. With Jusuf Nurkic now finally healthy, the Blazers have a dominant big man 1-2 punch with Nurkic and Hassan Whiteside. Whiteside was able to revive his career by rebounding and blocking shots at an elite level once again after being dealt from Miami to Portland. The piece that really allowed the Blazers to take off was the signing of Carmelo Anthony. Carmelo is a polarizing figure and a future Hall of Famer who would have seen his legendary career come to an end if Portland never picked up the phone. Once signed, Melo proved he can still put the ball in the basket averaging 16 points a game, and is a great option to help space the floor alongside their dynamic duo in Lillard and McCollum. After ousting Memphis in the play-in game, Portland will now be opposite the number one team in the West, the Los Angeles Lakers. Led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers are once again at the top of the Western Conference; but, do they really resemble a top seeded team? Without the services of Avery Bradley and Rajon Rondo, Lillard and McCollum should be able to have their way offensively. They also have the size to match Anthony Davis with Nurkic and Whiteside. The one thing they do not have is an answer on the wing for LeBron James. With Trevor Ariza opting out, they lost their primary wing defender who could make things difficult for James. Even though the Lakers are my championship favorite, they need to be locked in right away. The Blazers will be able to score, and if the Lakers supporting cast disappoints, we may have a historic upset on our hands. That being said, Portland’s lack of wing defenders should prove to be costly. LeBron will be able to score at will and create shots for his teammates. Portland has been entertaining in the bubble and will continue to be for as long as they stay alive this postseason.
The Western Conference also had a number of teams that did not make the postseason, but benefited from participating in the restart in Orlando. The Memphis Grizzlies, led by Rookie of the Year favorite Ja Morant, almost made it playoffs despite Jaren Jackson Jr. tearing his meniscus at the tail end of the season. In Memphis the future is bright with Morant, Jackson, Brandon Clarke, and Dillon Brooks. The Phoenix Suns were the only undefeated team in the bubble. Devin Booker was unstoppable, capping off the first all star season of his career. If DeAndre Ayton continues to progress, the Suns will be in the playoffs for years to come. For the first time in the last 22 years, the San Antonio Spurs are not a playoff team. After LaMarcus Aldridge announced he wouldn’t play in the restart, Demar Derozan did everything he could to continue the streak. Now it’s time to move on from their older players and begin to rebuild around the young talent they have like Dejounte Murray,Derrick White, and Lonnie Walker. Although they were close enough to stay in the playoff conversation, the Sacremento Kings weren’t able to close the gap. With Marvin Bagley III out due to an injury, the Kings’ main focus was to continue building around De’aaron Fox and looking toward a future postseason berth. The team that had arguably the most hype coming into the restart, was the biggest disappointment. Entering the bubble with a serious chance at the 8th overall seed, the Pelicans instead finished 13th. The Pelicans have their brightest days ahead of them. Lonzo Ball struggled badly in the bubble after strong play before the restart, and Zion Williamson never seemed to have his conditioning under control, affecting his play. Overall though, Lonzo, Zion, and first time all-star Brandon Ingram give the Pelicans hope.
For the 31st time since 1989, the Los Angeles the Dodgers will take the field tonight in hopes of ending their longest world series drought in team history. Not since Kirk Gibson and Orel Hershiser wrote a script so unbelievable that even those who live in Hollywood had to pinch themselves. Ordinarily, ‘Hope springs eternal’ is the customary slogan of every teams opening day but this season begins with nothing ordinary and little customary. The 162 game marathon has been reduced to a 60 contest sprint. The Dodgers along with all National League teams will benefit from substituting a position player, most likely the pitcher for a designated hitter. Pitchers must now complete an inning or face a minimum of three batters. Should they enter a game in extra innings, they will begin facing those three batsman with a free runner on second base.
Now for the ‘Ho-hum”, the boring. The Dodgers are favored to win the West. We’ve heard that before, matter of fact we’ve lived through those 7 years in a row. Clayton Kershaw with the Dodgers first pitch. And finally, as on most recent opening days, many baseball observers find themselves saying this is the Dodgers year. Here is why they may just be right. Here is why THIS Dodgers team ranks above even the best of past Dodgers teams.
Let’s begin with a lesson in precious metals. There is an MVP trophy at the top of the line up in Mookie Betts. An MVP trophy in the middle of the lineup in Cody Bellinger and an MVP trophy at the bottom of the lineup in Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw brings along three Cy Young awards as well. Mookie has four gold gloves and three silver slugger awards to brag about. Cody Bellinger also boasts a gold glove and silver slugger that stand alongside his rookie of the year award. Did I mention Rookie of the Year? Well then the now completely recovered Corey Seager (2016 ROY) has to be thrown into the mix as well.
The offense begins with Mookie Betts, the first true leadoff hitter since Steve Sax. Betts is a new millennium player though. Yes he will take a walk just like the aforementioned Sax and sports old baseball world speed as well but what separates Mookie from the pack is the 25 to 30 home runs that help make up his lifetime .301 batting averages. And yes, hell carry four gold gloves to right field every night. Corey Seager and his career high 44 doubles could bat second and provide lights out shortstop. After 2 injured or recovering from injury-plagued seasons Corey had an excellent 2019 and many expect him to be even better in 2020. The aging but steady fan favorite Justin Turner will bat third most nights. JT may have slowed a bit but he will benefit greatly from an abbreviated season. With the Dodgers loaded with youngsters, Turners wisdom on and off the field will help these players grow immensely. Reigning NL MVP Bellinger will lead the power storm. He lost 47 baseballs into outfield pavilions last season and will bring his gold glove to center field. Joc Pedersen and Max Muncy will follow, they had 36 and 35 home runs respectively in 2019. Muncy will play first while Pedersen will be the platoon left fielder. AJ Pollack and Matt Beatty will see outfield time. Pollack will play against lefties while Pedersen should get the majority of the time against righties. If the lineup had any offensive weaknesses it was always found behind home plate, Austin Barnes has always struggled offensively in Los Angeles, batting .203 and .205 over the past two seasons. However, a rookie and instant fan favorite Will Smith, the ball player not the actor has plans to change all that. Will brought the Dodgers 15 home runs, 42 RBIs and a .259 batting average in 54 games last season. At this point in time, its Smiths job to lose.
Matt Beatty, Chris Taylor, Kiki Hernandez, and Edwin Rios will platoon and create a bench that will make many teams starting line up drool
Their pitching staff follows Kershaw with future ace Walker Buehler, the versatile Ross Stripling, hard-throwing Julio Urias who appears to be completely healed from his 2017 shoulder surgery and finally the often injured but super talented Alex Wood. Scot Alexander, Caleb Ferguson, and Dustin May can also start games for the Dodgers. Dustin May is the youngest and probably the best of the bunch. Right now, management is taking their time and slowly bringing the 22-year-old along.
The bullpen sports aging and former star closer Kenley Janssen, not what he once was but Kenly is still a force in the closing role. He will be followed by Joe Kelly who suffered early last season before finding his success midway through. Brusdar Grateerol came over from Minnesota in the Kenta Maeda trade and has been excellent during the preseason. Veterans Pedro Baez, Adam Kalorek, and Blake Trenien round out what expects to be one of the best bullpens in baseball.
One can argue the Dodgers have the best pitching in baseball, the best hitting in baseball. a top rate bullpen and a bench filled with players that could start on almost every other team. Their farm system is locked and loaded with future contributors to the big club. These Dodgers can add one more advantage to their credit and its not a tangible advantage. Its an advantage that comes in the form of memories, bad memories. Be it a trash can from Houston, a juggernaut from Boston or an extra inning grand slam authored by a former fan favorite. These Dodgers know what its like to celebrate an 18th inning world series walk off home run, they know what its like to win a pennant. They‘ve sent countless teammates to all star games, They have congratulated each other on personal award after personal award and even enjoyed a record breaking 12 game ending walk-off heroics last season.
Hollywood is filled with rags to riches stories. Stories of the weak beating the strong, the winning underdog. Tonight in San Francisco these All-Star, award-laden superheroes will try to accomplish a feat that in 1988 was achieved by a bunch of over the hill throw-a-ways named Dempsey and Shelby, Hatcher and Stubbs. Tomorrow night, for the 31st time, Dodger fans everywhere will lift their hopes high in the Dodger blue night and pray to that great Dodger in the sky that their mega heroes become just ordinary baseball players. As ordinary as they were in October of 1988.
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