By DjackEntering last night's game the Cavaliers were the #2 seed in the Eastern conference, since the Celtics overtook the #1 spot after the Cavaliers had lost the game prior. Everyone was beginning to think it could be the beginning of the end for Lebron James dominating the Eastern conference. It was full blown panic mode, at least for everyone in the media, Cavs never seemed to be that worried with the direction this team was going. They had lost 10 games in March, getting cold at the worst time, now they were about to lose to the Celtics, and lose the #1 seed in the process. Obviously, Lebron James, didn't let that happen.
The king wasn't just about to let the TD Garden gnome, Isaiah Thomas, and his gang of bandits steal the #1 seed away from the Cavs creating all sorts of story lines for the Eastern conference playoffs. Lebron realized last night was probably the only regular season game all year that meant something, so he actually tried, and the result is not surprising whatsoever. The Celtics can't sit with the Cavs, they aren't even half as good as those guys, last night definitively showed the NBA world that when the Cavs spanked the Celtics 114-91. Now, after just one game, essentially one good Lebron performance, the Cavaliers are all fixed and playoff ready. It's pure comedy, the damn media just can't make up their damn mind. Either understand the dominance of Lebron or just don't speak on him because you'll just end up embarrassing yourself. I don't want anyone saying shit about the way Lebron has played this season blaming losses on him would be asinine. The man single-handily beat the Celtics last night with a little help on the boards from Kevin Love. Lebron had 36 points, shooting 63% from the field, bringing down 10 boards, and he had 6 assists. Probably would've had a triple double if his teammates could actually hit some shots. Kyrie Irving, Lebron's sidekick that gets none of the blame and all of the credit, had another Kyrie game that'll get swept under the rug. Kyrie had 19 points, shooting 38% from the field, and he didn't contribute much elsewhere, another underwhelming night for Kyrie in which he'll receive no criticism. Kevin Love had a nice contribution putting up 10 points and 16 boards, but it was nothing that would've made or break the Cavs. Ultimately, Lebron decided to try since their was actually meaning to the game and he reminded the world just how incredible and unstoppable he is once he decides to try.
0 Comments
By MukI love it. First, Lance Stephenson compares his return to the Pacers to Michael Jordan coming back from baseball to play for the Bulls, and then what does he do in his first home game back? Start a fight. As classic Lance Stephenson as you could get.
Listen, I know most people probably hate Lance Stephenson at this point, and since his infamous playoff issues with Lebron back when he was with the Heat, he has struggled to find any traction in the league. But who knows, maybe the return to the Pacers is just what he needs to get himself back on track. Stephenson is an incredibly annoying human being, but I find it hilarious, because he's been somewhat of a scrub for the last 4 seasons, and has still managed to keep himself relevant by doing things like this and saying ridiculous things in the media. Do you man, do you. By DjackGonzaga versus UNC tonight was a back forth game for the whole 60 minutes. The first half from a spectators standpoint was all Gonzaga and on the stat sheet Gonzaga was dominating, yet they only entered half up 3 points. From that moment on I knew Gonzaga was screwed. How did they beat UNC at their own game dominating them in the paint, out rebounding them, getting deep into the post every possession, and you only lead by three. To make matters worse UNC shot a season low 31% from the field for the half. If you can't build a lead while the opponent is playing god awful how can you expect to win. Gonzaga would continue to grind and fight though like they have all season and North Carolina looked to get back to the way they know how to play and win.
The first 15 minutes of the second half were pure garbage. Fouls back and forth, which has to be expected when both teams are powerful inside. When you have big bodies against big bodies pounding away inside for the majority of possessions there's going to be a lot of contact leading to a lot of foul calls. Unfortunately, this really slowed down the pace of the game, which in turn totally took the players out of any type of rhythm leading to the horrible shooting performances from virtually everyone. People tend to blame the referees for this happening and always say let the kids play, but then complain the second a close foul call isn't called. Some people are never satisfied and fuck those people, just enjoy the damn game. Gonzaga went on a huge cold streak in the second half not making a field goal in what felt like almost the entire first 15 minutes of the second half. Gonzaga made 5 field goals total in the first 15 minutes of the second half and that explained the Carolina lead going into the final stretch. Despite Gonzaga being dreadful offensively in the second half Carolina was only able to manage a 2 point lead heading into the final five minutes of the game. At this point both teams have had stretches of being dominate on the glass, neutralizing one another in that aspect. As for scoring inside the arc Carolina was better than Gonzaga at finishing in the paint. Don't get me wrong Karnowski had about 10 shots from 3 feet and he missed all but one, so the ball just wasn't falling for the Zags inside. The Zags would make up for it by shooting a nice percentage from deep, essentially keeping them in the game. Both teams had been getting to the free throw line with regularity, but neither of them could take advantage. Joel Berry carried the UNC offense for the majority of the game with Justin Jackson struggling mightily offensively all game long. Gonzaga was very balanced scoring the ball having 5 guys with 9 points or more. Zags-UNC after all that were tied up at 63 a piece with two minutes to play. With two minutes to play Gonzaga took the early lead going up by two after Williams-Goss hit a beautiful bank shot jumper over a Carolina defender. Carolina came right down the floor gave the ball to their star Justin Jackson, despite his horrible offensive performance the majority of the game, he came up big finishing an and one layup, putting the Tar Heels up by 1. Williams-Goss missed a jumper on the other end to try to take the lead. Carolina goes down the floor took a 3 that missed Meeks rebounded, Karnowski stripped it, and Meeks and two Gonzaga players dove to the floor for the ball. Meeks had a hand clearly out of bounds, so it should've been Gonzaga ball. Refs didn't see it though, Carolina ball. Carolina inbounds, stalls until late in the shot clock, and then gets a huge layup from Isaiah Hicks with 21.9 seconds to go as Carolina leads by 3. Williams-Goss tried to answer quickly on the other end but was stuffed by Kennedy Meeks who then passed it ahead to Justin Jackson for the game sealing dunk. UNC wins the National Championship over Gonzaga 71-65. The redemption tour for North Carolina is complete. By DjackA season that started in November, crowns a champion tonight in April. Both these teams have proved they're the most worthy competitors in the nation to play for this prestigious honor. Tonight NCAA crowns a men's basketball champion after one of the greatest tournaments in recent memory. Buckle up, the final show is going to be one hell of a ride, and here's what to expect along the ride.
Both these teams are actually very similar in terms of build, maybe that's why they both ended up in the championship game because they had the right formula this season. UNC has the best group of bigs in the country and them being #1 in the nation in rebounding proves that. Gonzaga has a solid group of bigs of their own with Karnowski being the face of the group. Zach Collins and Johnathan Williams also can hold their own against anyone in division 1, so look for the matchup down low to be a dog fight. Karnowski and Meeks, Collins and Hicks, Williams and Jackson, these are the matchups you'll see fighting on the boards all night. Gonzaga has the slight height advantage in terms of actual size of their bigs, however I feel UNC players are just better overall players, so I'll give UNC the slight edge on the boards tonight. Where the game is going to be won and lost is beyond the three point mark. Which team is going to be able to hit more big shots in the big stadium. We all know at this point that the shooters in these Final Four games tend to have trouble shooting in the bigger stadiums for whatever reason. That'll play a big factor in tonight's game just like it always does in these Final Four games. The guard play is right up there in importance for winning this game. Joel Berry or Nigel Williams-Goss, who will have the better game. My guess Williams-Goss just based on how poorly Berry has played these last few games. Taking all that into consideration I have Gonzaga winning it all for the first time in their school history tonight. The teams are so similar, but one thing sets Gonzaga apart for me. Experience both teams have it, big bodies down low both teams have it, both teams love to get out and run, but I just feel Gonzaga is the better shooting team and that'll be the difference in a game where both teams tend to neutralize each others strengths. Gonzaga, can you slay the big blue blood, and win one for all the little guys out there. By DjackBad news for Golden State haters, Kevin Durant is coming back at the perfect time. It's been a little over a month since KD went down with injury for Golden State, many thought it'd be worse than originally thought, or tough to rehab. Turns out the doctors know more than us fans and were exactly spot on with his recovery. Anyone who thought that this injury would impact the Warriors playoff run was wrong, myself included, and now the Warriors get their best player back at the best possible time.
KD will play in the final three regular season games for the Warriors. This gives him time to get his wind back and slowly work his body back into playing shape after not being on the court for a month. Those three games plus the 4 in the first round against whatever team ends up being the 8 seed will be plenty for him to get his legs back under him and find his rhythm on the floor again. The Warriors will be a well oiled machine heading into the second round of the playoffs which is good for absolutely nobody. Warriors are going to run through the west without any speed bumps. Originally I thought KD would come back in the first round and be thrown immediately into the fire of playoff basketball. That would've made it much harder for him to ease back in with this team. Now, I know 3 games isn't a lot, but in a situation like this it certainly matters when a player is rehabbing an injury. Being able to get a few games under his belt before the real deal start is only going to benefit the Warriors. Sorry, fellow Warriors haters we aren't going to see Golden State fall to the Rockets or Spurs early in the Western conference playoffs like we had hoped. By MukAlthough the Thunder lost Sunday to the Hornets, Russell Westbrook surely can't be to blame, after he recorded his 5th-straight 30+ point triple-double, now the longest streak in NBA history. Westbrook went off for 40 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists, for his 40th triple-double of the season, now just one shy of Big O's record 41.
'Brodie' is likely to tie, or even pass Robinson's record by Wednesday, as the Thunder have off tonight before taking on the Bucks at home Tuesday, and then traveling to Memphis Wednesday night to face the Grizzlies. After recording his triple-double last night against the Hornets, Russell Westbrook now only has one team left in the NBA that he has not notched a triple-double against at some point in his career, the Bulls. He's unlikely to get a chance to do that this season, as the Thunder and Bulls will not play against one another for the rest of the regular season, and there is very little chance the Bulls make it to the playoffs, let alone out of the East. With 6 games remaining for the Thunder, and with Westbrook averaging 31.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 10.4 assists for the season, it seems to be a lock that Brodie will take over the all-time leader board for most single season triple-doubles, and hopefully, be able to lock up his much deserved and over-due first career MVP. 4/1/2017 Tracy McGrady, Bill Self, Rebecca Lobo, and Jerry Krause Headline the 2017 NBA Hall of Fame ClassRead NowBy DjackTracy McGrady- Tracy McGrady aka T-Mac was a proliferate scorer in the NBA for the Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, and Houston Rockets. He played for other teams at the end of his career, but those were the teams he played for in his prime. From 2000 to 2008 McGrady was one of the best players in the NBA. He won two scoring titles in 2003 and 2004, he was a seven time all star, and averaged 20 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game throughout his career. He never made it past the first round of the playoffs despite always putting up huge numbers in the postseason. In 2009 Rockets made it past the first round, however T-Mac wasn't playing due to injury, yet he was was on the roster technically, so it counts. Regardless, McGrady was a superstar in his generation and if it wasn't for injuries he might've had a longer and even more historic career. A Hall of Fame career is good enough for him I'm sure. Bill Self- The current coach of the Kansas Jayhawks got in based purely off how dominate he's been in his tenure with Kansas. He's won 13 straight conference championships the most by any coach in NCAA history, pretty impressive for a guy that has only been at the school 15 years. He's made two final fours and he's won one against the undefeated Memphis Tigers coached by John Calipari. Bill Self has been amazing for Kansas, especially in their own building. Self has a 95% winning pct. in Allen Field House. Self is 416-87 with Kansas that's a 82% winning pct. extremely impressive for a head coach in a power 5 conference. Not many coaches get in while still active, however Self is so legendary and great that they had to put him in ASAP. Rebecca Lobo- One of the pioneers of women's college basketball gets inducted this year into the Hall of Fame. Lobo was on the 1995 UConn women's basketball team that went undefeated and won the national title. It was the beginning of the 20 year reign of UConn basketball being the best their was. She started a legacy in college and the pros. Rebecca Lobo was apart of the first wave of WNBA superstars. Her, Sheryl Swopes, and Lisa Leslie were the faces of the WNBA in the inaugural season in 1997. Her career professionally didn't last long due to injury, however her legacy was already cemented in women's basketball history forever. Rebecca Lobo, a true pioneer in the sport of basketball. Jerry Krause- Possibly the best GM to ever do it, Krause was the master behind putting the Bulls dynasty teams together. Krause took over as GM the year after Jordan was drafted, for years he couldn't quite figure how to win the whole thing with Jordan. He drafted Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant in the 1987 draft, two players that'd be keys to success in the future for the Bulls. Krause also hired Phil Jackson after Doug Collins couldn't get the job done, which paid off big time since he was the first one to give the greatest head coach ever a job. Krause went on to win 6 championships with the Bulls, developing the greatest team in the history of the game. The fact it took him this long to get in is a little puzzling, but I guess all that matters is that he got in. Other inductees:
Muffet McGraw- Head Coach of the Notre Dame women's team. Mannie Jackson- Owner of the Harlem Globetrotters. Tom Jernstedt- Credited for making the NCAA Division 1 Championship what it is today. He worked for the NCAA from 1972-2011 George McGinnis- ABA and NBA all-star that played 11 seasons. Nick Galis- Seton Hall Legend 4/1/2017 Mississippi State Upsets Goliath UConn in Women's Final Four and Ends the 111 Game Win StreakRead NowBy DjackLast night the most legendary run in sports history came to an end. After winning 111 games in a row and 4 straight national championships the UConn reign of dominance over women's college basketball was brought to a stunning end last night. UConn entered last night as the overall #1 seed in the tournament, Mississippi State entered as a #2 seed, in most cases it'd be predicted to be a close game based on the seeding. However, UConn is so much better than the rest of the NCAA women's teams, so they were favored to win by 21 points. That's a pretty ridiculous spread for a final four game, no matter how great one side is and Mississippi State showed the world that last night.
Mississippi State jumped out to an early lead, forcing UConn into an uncomfortable position of having to play from behind early on. The second quarter was pretty even in terms of scoring, so Mississippi State was able to maintain their first quarter lead. They headed into half time up 36-28. Anyone that knows UConn women's basketball, knows an 8 point lead is nothing with the scoring fire power they're capable of at all times. In the third quarter UConn began to go on a run. Something we've all seen time and time again, they close the gap, take the lead, and never look back. Mississippi State wouldn't allow that to happen though. After UConn tied up the game Mississippi State turned up the defensive intensity and it was a stalemate for the rest of the game. Mississippi had a late lead, it looked like mighty UConn was about to fall, they made the necessary plays, despite missing a crucial free throw that may have won them the game, and made the stops on defense to force the game into overtime. Heading to OT everyone on the planet thought UConn would finally put the jets and continue on their magical run after this scare. That would not be the case however. They couldn't hit a shot neither could Miss. State, both teams had scored 4 points in the overtime period until the final shot. Morgan William had the ball outside the arc with time winding down, she dibbled up to just outside the top of the paint, lofted up a floater over the outstretched arm of defender Natalie Butler, and kush. Nothing but net as time expires, the Goliath UConn has fallen, the streak is over the streak is over. Morgan William just a few days earlier scored 41 points in the elite eight to lead Miss. State into this Final Four. She dedicated the game to her father who passed away, a truly great story, and if anyone had to hit the buzzer beater to end the historic UConn run, I'm glad it was her. 1,465 days UConn were National Champions, that'll end tomorrow when either South Carolina or Mississippi State win. 835 days in a row the women's huskies went without a loss, and that came to an end last night. There'll probably never be run quite like that again, so to witness history like that happen in the way it happened is something that everyone watching will remember forever. In terms of women's basketball that had to be the biggest game ever and must've done the best ratings in the history of the sport, which is really nice to see the sport finally get some recognition. What a night it was in sports, hopefully the men's final four can match the quality of play we saw last night in that amazing game. |
Details
AuthorDjack- Chief editor Archives
March 2018
Categories |