#NBAFinals2016: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors

Will their rematch produce the same result?
(Image from: cleveland.com)

Season Series:  Warriors 2-0

How the CAVS got here: The Cavs had an easier path to the Finals. They won their first 10 playoff games before losing 2 straight versus the tough and resilient Toronto Raptors. They were barely tested during the first two rounds as they swept Detroit and Atlanta while cruising to a 12-2 mark with 9 of their wins coming in double digits. 

How the CAVS will win: The Cavs are actually a decent three-point shooting team. They were 2nd during the regular season in threes made while being top 5 in shooting percentage. During the playoffs, the Cavs have overtaken the Warriors in the three-point shooting department because guys like JR Smith and Channing Frye have been deadly from long distance. Actually, even LBJ is shooting better during the playoffs. Aside from threes, the Cavs also thrive running in transition and they utilize Kevin Love's ability to throw a wonderful outlet pass to the wing players. On defense, the Cavs are one of the best teams in the NBA. They finished the regular season 4th best in points allowed while 9th in shooting percentage. 

X-Factor for CAVS: Channing Frye was acquired by Cleveland so that they can play more small ball and adding a tall shooter who can stretch the floor is always a good idea, regardless of how much a defensive liability he is. Anyway, Frye has repaid the Cavs in the playoffs with his red hot shooting from downtown by making 57.8% of his attempts and making 2 threes per game while only logging 15.7 minutes. His presence allows the Cavs to rest or bench Love while not sacrificing too much offensively.   

***

How the DUBS got here: The Warriors endured a tougher route to reach the finals again but that's due to a stronger and more competitive Western conference. They almost lost to OKC after being down 1-3 but they fought back and won in 7 games. During the first 2 rounds, Steph Curry did not play in 6 games while nursing various lower body injuries. Still, the Warriors were pretty good during that span since they went 4-2 without Curry.

How the DUBS will win: It ain't a secret that the Dubs rely on the three-ball because they have the best shooting backcourt in the NBA (and maybe in league history). Aside from the Splash Brothers, they also have others who are capable of hitting long jumpers. Only Bogut and Ezeli are considered non-shooters on this team. Now, the Warriors make a lot of threes because they get a bunch of open looks due to their ball movement and set plays. They are very unselfish and their team assists reflect that. For both regular season and the playoffs, the Warriors led the league in assists. They get good shots often and their spacing allows them to have lanes available for drives to the paint. Moreover, the Dubs continue to lead the NBA in scoring due to their fast-pace and their love for the three.  

X-Factor for DUBS: Harrison Barnes continues to start most of the games ahead of Andre Iguodala. That has allowed Coach Steve Kerr to to play last year’s Finals MVP, Andre Iguodala off the bench. Additionally, Barnes also provides another body with 6 fouls who can try to defend LeBron James. Moreover, Barnes is their 4th best scorer during the playoffs and he is a better shooter than Iggy, so his defender needs to respect his jumper more compared to Iguodala.

***

Key Match-up: Kevin Love vs. Draymond Green. A couple of years ago, Love was considered one of the top PFs. Heck, LBJ asked Cleveland to trade Andrew Wiggins so that he can play with Love. Meanwhile, Draymond Green was just another player. Now, the same cannot be said because Green is definitely a much better player than Love. Green is an excellent playmaker and better defender than Love. Green was an All-Star this season while Love sometimes becomes an afterthought. Cleveland needs K-Love to exert maximum effort, especially on the defensive end and on rebounding. If Green dominates Love on both ends of the floor, then the Cavs have no chance in this series.

What will PROBABLY happen: There will be a lot of threes attempted and a lot of running in transition. The tempo and pace will be fast which favors the Warriors because they have a deeper bench and they have guys who can hit jumpers with their eyes closed. The Dubs will run a lot of pick and rolls/pops that involve Curry to free him up or set up other shooters. As for the Cavs, expect LBJ or Kyrie Irving to pursue isolation plays every now and then. This strategy might work for Kyrie if he is able to get Curry to defend or foul him. The Cavs can also play more small ball now, so that is ideal for LBJ because if the Dubs have no rim protector, LBJ will have no problems attacking the paint where he is virtually unstoppable.

Prediction: The Cavs are healthier and have a stronger bench this season. LBJ is leading the way, as usual, with 24.6 points on 54.6% shooting, to go along with 8.6 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 2.2 steals. James was able to win 2 games on his own last year and he should have enough help to double their win total from last season. Hence, I think the Cavs will win in 6 games to avenge their loss last year and bring the city of Cleveland their first NBA title. Enjoy the Finals! Cavs in 6.

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#NBA2016: Five Things To Watch Out For After the All-Star Break

The 2016 All-Star Weekend in Toronto, Canada was considered one of the most successful mid-season breaks in recent memory. A major reason for the success revolved on the events of Saturday night. The Skills Challenge, Three-point Shootout and Slam Dunk Contest gave the fans a night to remember (or morning in Manila).

The main event on Sunday night, the All-Star Game, allowed the fans to glimpse Kobe Bryant playing in his last All-Star game. The game was an offensive showdown between both teams, as they combined for the highest scoring All-Star game ever.

Now that the season is down to less than 30 games, teams will be scrambling to make the playoffs.

Here are 5 things to check and watch out for the 2nd half of the season.

Curry wants more records added to the Warriors' resume
(Image from: Getty Images)

1. Warriors aiming and possibly breaking the 72-10 Bulls' record

After the All-Star break, the Warriors sit at 48-4 which is slightly ahead of the Bulls' pace when they made history last 1996 with a 72-10 record. The current pace of the Dubs have them projected to finish at 73-9 which will break the record by 1 game. The Warriors have unanimously declared that they are chasing for the record and will put their best effort every night. GSW is already exciting to watch and their aim to break the record just made them 10X more watchable!

Kobe Bryant played in his last All-Star game
(Image from: USA Today)

2. Kobe Bryant's final games

Kobe Bryant is on his last legs and we don't know how many games Kobe can play. The Lakers have played 55 games to this point which leaves them with 27 games to go. Bryant has already missed 10 games and he could miss more depending on his health. Hopefully, Kobe can play ALL the remaining games because the Lakers aren't making the playoffs. I was never a fan of Kobe but I respect his talent. Truly, Bryant was one of the best players during his time on the court.

The 2 best teams will play each other 3 more times
(Image from: USA Today)

3. Spurs and Warriors having perfect home records

Both the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors reached the All-Star break with flawless home records. The Spurs have the most wins at 28-0 while the Dubs aren't far behind with 24 wins. The NBA has never seen a team finish with a perfect home record. The most wins at home was accomplished by the 1985-86 Boston Celtics who finished at 40-1. This season, there are 2 teams who can possibly eclipsed that record. Now, isn't that something to watch out for?

Will Dwight stay a Rocket?
(Image from: USA Today)

4. Roster Moves - Trades, Waivers, Buyouts

The NBA Trade Deadline is fast approaching and a bevy of roster moves might be on the way. A major trade between the Pistons and Magic saw them swapping Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova from Detroit for Tobias Harris of Orlando. The guy being mentioned in most trade rumors is Dwight Howard. Aside from him, Hassan Whiteside of the Heat might get traded as well. Now, roster moves can also occur from waivers or buyouts. Aside from those, unsigned free agents or players who have not officially retired might come back to play for a contender.

The playoffs begin on April
(Image from: NBA.com)

5. Road to the Playoffs

We watch basketball to crown a champion. Thus, the NBA playoffs is something we all want to see. In about 2 months, we will know the 15 teams who will try their luck unseating the Warriors from the top of the NBA. Can LeBron take his Cavs to the Promised Land? Will the Spurs win their 6th title, thus, giving Tim Duncan more rings than Kobe and allowing TD to tie Michael Jordan? Will KD and RW finally win a title together? Can Blake help the Clippers get to the top? I'm sure you have more questions but those will have to wait until April.

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#NBA2016: All-Star Weekend Predictions

It will be a special occasion this coming February weekend. No, I am not talking about Valentine's Day on Sunday. I'm talking about lots of basketball love in the cold, Canadian city of Toronto (BTW, I am a proud Filipino-Canadian!).

The 2016 NBA All-Star weekend extravaganza is here and hoopnuts around the globe are surely excited for this gigantic event. If I was a betting man (Oops, I actually was a LONG time ago), I would evaluate each player in all of the contests so that I can decide (or guess) which player has the best chance of winning.  

Now, it's time to break down the participants and predict the winners for each event.

The future looks bright for the T'wolves
(Image from: nba.com)

Rising Stars Challenge 

U.S. Team

Player | Team | Pos. 

Jordan Clarkson | Lakers | G 

Rodney Hood | Jazz | G 

Zach LaVine | Timberwolves | G 

* Devin Booker | Suns | G 

Jahlil Okafor | 76ers | C 

Jabari Parker | Bucks | F 

Elfrid Payton | Magic | G 

D'Angelo Russell | Lakers | G 

Marcus Smart | Celtics | G 

Karl-Anthony Towns | Timberwolves | C 

* replaces Nerlens Noel (injured)

World Team

Player | Team | Pos. 

Bojan Bogdanovic | Nets | G/F 

Clint Capela | Rockets | F/C 

Mario Hezonja | Magic | G/F 

Nikola Jokic | Nuggets | C 

* Trey Lyles | Jazz | F 

Emmanuel Mudiay | Nuggets | G 

Raul Neto | Jazz | G 

Kristaps Porzingis | Knicks | F/C 

Dwight Powell | Mavericks | F/C 

Andrew Wiggins | Timberwolves | G/F 

* replaces Nikola Mirotic (injured)

The Rising Stars Challenge is a glorified pick-up game that uses ZERO defense. However, if you love unimpeded dunks and limitless alley-oops with no defenders around, then this game is for you. Aside from that, young players like Porzingis, Towns, Clarkson and Wiggins can definitely bring some excitement and highlights. The star of the night should be Canadian Andrew Wiggins and I hope he tries to go for the MVP. 

Prediction: World Team 

MVP: Andrew Wiggins

Steph Curry won this event last year
(Image from: nba.com)

Three-Point Shootout Participants
1. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
2. Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
3. James Harden, Houston Rockets
4. Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks
5. Chris Bosh, Miami Heat
6. JJ Redick, Los Angeles Clippers
7. Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
8. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

This contest will have the defending champion (Curry) trying to win back-to-back shooting crowns. Curry has to be the favorite in this event. He leads the NBA in three-pointers made plus he is somewhat familiar with the rims of Air Canada Centre. He used to shoot-around in this building when his father, Dell Curry, played for the Raptors. The safe (and prudent) choice is Steph Curry, however, a couple of guys could possibly steal the title away from him. One of them is his backcourt mate, Klay Thompson, who is 2nd to Curry in threes made. Can you guess who is 3rd on the list? It's "the Beard", James Harden. Between Klay and Harden, the former has a better chance of usurping Curry because Klay is a better shooter (42% compared to 36%) and he is more of a set or spot-up shooter. On the other hand, Harden thrives more off the dribble jumpers. Now, the hometown favorite will be Kyle Lowry and he can make some noise (5th in threes made, 39%). Still, most people consider Lowry more of a rhythm shooter or a streaky one. If he starts missing shots, Lowry loses confidence quick and won't trust his jumpers. One more bonafide shooter in this group is JJ Redick. The former Duke Blue Devil can make threes in his sleep (7th in threes made). The dark horse is Khris Middleton (20th in threes made, 41%). He is not a household name but he can probably hold his own against the more popular players. Rounding up this lot is a former Raptor, Chris Bosh. CB1 is an improved three-point shooter and he has surpassed his career-high in threes made with still roughly a third of the season left. I'm not sure why Bosh joined the contest because he is not a volume three-point shooter. He would have a very difficult time winning this event. Lastly, rookie Devin Booker will try his luck in this event. Sure, he can make some threes but I doubt that Booker can realistically challenge the proven shooters and scorers in the NBA. 

Anyway, having back-to-back champions is somewhat frequent so Curry repeating should not be difficult to achieve especially if you are the best shooter in the world. 
  
Prediction: Steph Curry

LaVine will try to dazzle us again this year
(Image from: nba.com)

Slam Dunk Contest Participants
1. Zach LaVine, Minnesota Timberwolves
2. Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons
3. Aaron Gordon, Orlando Magic
4. Will Barton, Denver Nuggets

The defending champion (LaVine) will be back this year and I am looking forward to seeing what he has prepared for us. In case you forgot what LaVine did last year, do yourself a favor and watch THIS. Now, can you honestly tell me that he won't repeat this year? His opponents will include Andre Drummond who knows how to throw down powerful dunks but his repertoire mostly covers follow-up jams or alley-oops. If the slam dunk contest allows others to challenge dunks, then Drummond would perform better when dunking over other people. Alas, that won't be part of the contest rules. Plus historically, centers have a tougher time winning this contest. The last and only center to win was Dwight Howard last 2008. Moving on, Aaron Gordon is a decent dunker but I haven't seen enough of him to say that he can beat LaVine in a dunk contest. Gordon definitely has the hops but does he have sufficient creativity to compete with LaVine? I'm not so sure about that. Next, Will Barton is a quick jumper and very agile on his feet. However, he is not a powerful dunker so his dunks may not elicit enough positive reaction from the crowd. I'm not convinced that Barton can excite a lot of people. 

Anyway, I am perplexed that Toronto has no contestant in this event. It is too bad that former winner, Terrence Ross (2013), or DeMar DeRozan, a former entrant, did not join again. AND the biggest disappointment: HOW COME ANDREW WIGGINS IS NOT PART OF THIS??? It would have been perfect if a Canadian was part of the slam dunk. Not just any Canadian, but the best active Canadian player. 

Prediction: Zach LaVine

Big Men are now part of the Skills Challenge

Skills Challenge Participants

1. Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors

2. Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans

3. Jordan Clarkson, Los Angeles Lakers

4. DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings

5. CJ McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers

6. Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics
7. Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
8. Patrick Beverley, Houston Rockets 

The format for the Skills Challenge has constantly changed and this year will be different once more because now BIG men are part of the contest. Their inclusion should put more pizzazz in a competition that is typically lackluster. Patrick Beverley is back to defend his title and he can become a repeat winner because guards might still have the best chance to win a timed event due to their speed. Unless the format or scoring is modified, bigger players would have a more difficult time to win but having them around is still a great idea and I'm sure fans will be curious as to how the bigs will perform. I know that I'm looking forward to seeing Davis and Cousins dribble the ball and make plays. This is a tough field to predict a winner from. The advantage should belong to speedy players who can dribble, pass and shoot with regularity and ease. The best player that fits those descriptors is Isaiah Thomas.    

Prediction: Isaiah Thomas

A gift for Valentine's Day from the NBA
(Image from: nba.com)

65th All-Star Game: East vs West

East All-Stars
Starters 
Carmelo Anthony, New York 
Paul George, Indiana 
LeBron James, Cleveland 
Kyle Lowry, Toronto 
Dwyane Wade, Miami

Reserves 
Jimmy Butler, Chicago (out-injured) 
John Wall, Washington 
Andre Drummond, Detroit 
Chris Bosh, Miami 
DeMar DeRozan, Toronto 
Paul Millsap, Atlanta 
Isaiah Thomas, Boston 
Pau Gasol, Chicago

Western Conference All-Stars
Starters 
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers 
Stephen Curry, Golden State 
Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City 
Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio 
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City

Reserves 
Draymond Green, Golden State 
Klay Thompson, Golden State 
Chris Paul, L.A. Clippers 
James Harden, Houston 
DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento 
LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio 

Anthony Davis, New Orleans

This will be Kobe Bryant's last ASG so expect him to shoot often and probably try to win the MVP. He last won the MVP on 2011. However, Kobe's recent injuries might prevent him from playing too many minutes and players on his team might supersede him (Curry, Westbrook, Durant, Harden, etc) with better statistics and more entertaining highlights. Of course, there is also the goal of winning the game first because the MVP is often chosen from the prevailing team. 

On paper, the  West has better players and they have a more complete team because their big men (Davis, Cousins, Aldridge) are more dominant and more explosive compared to the smaller Eastern team. The East will try to get payback for a disappointing loss last season so expect them to play more seriously from start to finish. 

So who will win? The West has won 4 of the last 5 All-Star games and they have last year's ASG MVP (Westbrook) and the regular season MVP (Curry). They also have two elite defenders on their team (Leonard and Green). Moreover, the West also has unstoppable scorers in Harden and Durant. However, I can see the East winning IF Kobe Bryant forces the issue by taking too many shots or if the other West players defer to him. Aside from that, the East might play Bosh, Wade and James along with Lowry and DeRozan. This unit will have 3 players from the Miami Heat (circa 2010-2014) and 2 from the hometown, Toronto Raptors. We know that small ball is the coolest thing in the NBA right now and this lineup might work wonders due to their familiarity with each other plus the home crowd cheering them on.   

Now, if the West decides to play the 3 guys from the Warriors and the 2 guys from San Antonio, then the West will win this game. Since Gregg Popovich will coach in this game, he might rest his guys from the Spurs. Thus, Westbrook and Durant will probably play more minutes. The West will have the advantage offensively over the East and that might be good enough for the win.   

I think the West will win because Kevin Durant is healthy and he wants to show people that he is truly back from his foot/leg injuries that slowed him down last season and early this season. 

Anyway, we are all hoping for an exciting and competitive game! 

Prediction: West All-Stars 
MVP: Kevin Durant

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#NBA2016: MY All-Star Team Picks and Notes

Toronto, Canada will host the 2016 All-Star Weekend
(Image from: NBA.com)

It is February already and Valentine's Day is less than a week away. February will always be the month of hearts, but more importantly for basketball fans, the second month of a new year signifies that the NBA All-Star Weekend is coming. The highlight of that weekend is the All-Star Game where superstars and celebrities mix and mingle.

The starters for both teams were released already and the reserves followed a week after that.

This gives me the opportunity to share my own picks for the 2016 All-Star Game.

West Starters voted by fans
(Image from: allstarweekendtoronto.com)

WEST

Starters 
G - Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
G - Russell Westbrook, OKC Thunder
F - Kevin Durant, OKC Thunder
F - DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings
F - Anthony Davis, New Orleans Hornets

Reserves
G - James Harden, Houston Rockets
G - Chris Paul, LA Clippers
F - Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies
F - Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
F - Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
WC - Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
WC - Damian Lillard, Portland Trailblazers

Notes: I know that Kobe Bryant will retire after this season, which is why fans voted him as a starter. However, if you evaluate his stats, number of missed games and factor in the win-loss record of the LA Lakers, Bryant should NOT be on the All-Star team. His inclusion on the team robbed other more deserving players of an opportunity to be on the All-Star team. Which other players should have been on the team? Damian Lillard of the Blazers has been amazing in leading his team who lost 4 of their 5 starters from last year. The Blazers are within striking range of the playoffs in large part because Dame is averaging 24 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds.

So, should the NBA leave Kobe off the All-Star team? Not necessarily. I think the NBA should explore expanding the ASG roster to 15 players which is the limit that each NBA team carries during the regular season. Adding 3 more players who are deserving All-Stars will prevent more and more snubs each season. If 3 more slots were added: Damian Lillard, Gordon Hayward and Marc Gasol would get the additional slots.

The NBA might be better served if they created a special "retirement tour" slot for the All-Star game. This spot will be created to honor the farewell tour of a popular and amazing ballplayer. This way, spots are not taken away from those deserving to be in the ASG due to their performance this season. When Tim Duncan decides to retire, he should be given the "retirement tour" slot.

East starters voted by fans
(Image from: allstarweekendtoronto.com)

EAST

Starters 
G - Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls
G - Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
F - LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
F - Paul George, Indiana Pacers
F - Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons

Reserves
G - John Wall, Washington Wizards
G - DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors
F - Chris Bosh, Miami Heat
F - Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks
F - Paul Millsap, Atlanta Hawks
WC - Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
WC - Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics

Notes:
My All-Star selections for the East matched the roster for this year which the fans and coaches voted upon. The major differences can be found on who should start or not. Initially, the fans voted for Dwyane Wade to start (BTW, Wade fan over here) and I disagreed with that. I felt that Jimmy Butler should have received the starter spot over Wade because Butler continues to play better than Wade. Furthermore, "Jimmy Buckets" is a much better defender than Wade at the moment. I'm not saying that Wade should not be in the All-Star game. I merely felt that Butler should have been a starter while Wade should be on the reserve list.

Aside from the Wade-Butler angle. I also hoped that Andre Drummond would start instead of Carmelo Anthony. Drummond's team is playing better than the Knicks and 'Dre continues to lead the NBA in double-doubles and rebounds. Anyway, Carmelo is somewhat hurting nowadays so there might be a slight chance that he skips playing in the All-Star game. If that's the case, a suitable replacement player that can fill his roster spot should be Pau Gasol. In addition, Butler might be a little gimpy from a knee sprain so he might skip the ASG too. Thus, a decent replacement should be Avery Bradley (playoff team) or Khris Middleton (non-playoff team). Moreover, if the NBA decides to increase the roster to 15 spots, the additional 3 spots for the East should go to Pau Gasol. Nik Vucevic and Kemba Walker, barring any injured player replacements.

Lastly, I don't like the chosen coaches for both teams. Coach Lue of the Cavs just inherited the team after Coach Blatt got fired even if the Cavs were tops in the East at that time. Lue should not be coaching the East and Blatt cannot perform that duty. So, why not give the coaching duties to the 2nd placed team in East, Coach Dwane Casey of the Toronto Raptors?! BTW, the All-Star game will be held in Toronto, so I'm sure the fans would love that decision. As for Coach Pop handling the duties for the West, I think it would have been better if Luke Walton was given the chance to coach. Last I checked, Walton was not even credited any of the wins that the Warriors accumulated (a lot of them)  when head coach Steve Kerr was unavailable. A decent consolation prize should be the chance to coach in the ASG.    

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#NBA2016: Individual Awards Watch: 2nd Edition

Happy New Year! 

The NBA is nearing the midway point of the 2015-2016 season with more than half the teams playing at least 41 games already. Additionally, the All-Star Weekend is also just a few weeks away. 

This gives us the opportunity to take our second look at the players who have excelled (some expected, some unexpected) in each of the five individual award categories. 

The KAT plays better when slotted at the PF position
Image from: hoopshabit.com

Rookie Of the Year 
1. Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
2. Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks 
3. Jahlil Okafor, Philadephia 76ers
4. D'Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers
5. Emmanuel Mudiay, Denver Nuggets

#NBA2016: Individual Awards Watch: 1st Edition

The NBA season is very near the quarter mark of the 2015-2016 season with most of the teams hovering around 21 games played as of December 6. 

This gives us the opportunity to take our first look at the players who have excelled (some expected, some unexpected) in each of the five individual categories. 

Porzingis has impressed in NY
Image from: NBA.com

Rookie Of the Year 
1. Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks 
2. Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
3. Jahlil Okafor, Philadephia 76ers
4. Emmanuel Mudiay, Denver Nuggets
5. D'Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers

The rookie from Latvia has given the New York Knicks some hope regarding the playoffs and the future of the franchise. Porzingis leads all rookies in double-doubles and rebounds. Actually, he also leads the Knicks in rebounds, blocks and double-doubles. The #1 pick, Karl-Anthony Towns is also delivering solid numbers for the T'wolves. KAT had an incredible first 2 weeks of the season but he cooled down recently and inconsistency bothered him. As for Okafor of the Sixers, he leads all rookies in points and in immaturity. His recent involvement with off-court issues (speeding, brawls) resulted in a 2-game suspension and fans are putting more stock into that compared to his on-court brilliance. Meanwhile, Mudiay is averaging double figures in points to go with 6 assists per game while Russell has been so-so in Lakerland because Coach Byron Scott has been hesitant to play him important and heavy minutes.  

#NBA Playoffs Predictions for 2015-16

Image taken from: moddingway.com

The real season has officially started and it's time to make more predictions (and guesses) on what could happen in 2015-2016 for our beloved NBA teams. It's great to dream and fantasize while it's early and most teams still have realistic chances to make the playoffs.

Who will make the playoffs and what seeds will they get? Will the Warriors repeat or will the Spurs find themselves at the top again? Will LBJ bring the Cavs all the way this time? Will Kobe play after this year and will Kevin Durant leave OKC? All these questions and many more make the NBA interesting and entertaining every year. So, on to the predictions!

EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs simply need to be healthy to achieve the top spot in the East. However, they aren't starting the season healthy since Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert are hurting. Even LBJ has some minor injuries that limited his preseason preparation. On the bright side, Kevin Love looks ready to play and Tristan Thompson has been renewed, albeit quite overpaid.

2. Chicago Bulls
They have a rookie coach in ex-player Fred Hoiberg whose coaching style puts more weight on offense rather than defense. Hoiberg was cited as being creative offensively so expect the Bulls to run more sets and score more points. They are already putting more emphasis on offense to start the game because Joakim Noah was sent to the bench and more shooting/offense was inserted into the starting lineup with Nikola Mirotic.

3. Miami Heat
Miami feels that they can compete with the Cavs. They certainly have the talent to do so (Gerald Green, Justice Winslow, Amare Stoudemire) and they have a better coach as well. D-Wade is entering this season in the "best shape" of his career so maybe he won't miss 20 games or so which will help their overall record. The wildcard is Hassan Whiteside. Can he improve from last year's breakout campaign?

4. Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks are no longer under the radar and teams will not underestimate them. They also lost a key guy when DeMarre Carroll bolted to join the Raptors. The injury to Thabo Sefolosha will also hurt them. To replace Thabo, Kent Bazemore will be their starting SG/SF. I'm not sure that Bazemore is ready to be an everyday starter for the Hawks. Still, they are good enough to be in the top 4 in the East.

5. Toronto Raptors 
Carroll and Cory Joseph are a good pickups for them and they strengthen an already solid perimeter team who has DeMar DeRozan, Terrence Ross, James Johnson and Kyle Lowry who has significantly trimmed down. However, a major barometer for their success should be Jonas Valanciunas. Can he be a top center in the East? I think he can.

6. Washington Wizards
John Wall and Bradley Beal are among the best young back court tandems in the NBA (aside from Curry & Thomspon). Wall is their leader and the former ROY is ready to accept the challenge. The Wiz are also expecting Otto Porter Jr. to improve a lot this season after having a somewhat disappointing 2 years with them.  

7. Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks have anointed Giannis, the Greek Freak as their best player who will guard multiple positions and play PG from time-to-time. The addition of Greg  Monroe will bolster their front court because this guy can collect double-doubles instantly. The Bucks are also awaiting the return of Jabbari Parker from an ACL injury.

8. Detroit Pistons
Andre Drummond has upped his points and rebounds every year in his first 3 years with the Pistons. Coach Van Gundy is hoping that Drummond can do that in 4 straight years. They have new additions in Marcus Morris and Ersan Ilyasova to flank Drummond at the middle while the back court is still a work in progress with young guns Stanley Johnson, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Reggie Jackson.

WILDCARDS - Pacers and Magic
The Pacers only got 6 games from Paul George last year but they still made the playoffs. Thus, the Pacers still have the ammunition to make the playoffs again with a healthy Paul George and Monta Ellis. As for the Magic, they have a very good starting lineup of Vucevic, Harris, Payton, Fournier and Oladipo. Their bench is okay with Aaron Gordon, Mario Hezonja and CJ Watson. These guys might surprise a few teams and make the playoffs.

WESTERN CONFERENCE 
1. Golden State Warriors
Repeating as champs is no easy task but the Warriors are coming back with an intact lineup and they still have last season's MVP to lead the charge. However, the absence of coach Steve Kerr might cost then a few losses but they should still finish at the top of the standings because they know how crucial homecourt advantage is in the playoffs.

2. San Antonio Spurs
LaMarcus Aldridge fits their offense but can his defense be sufficient enough in the Spurs' system? In any case, the presence of Tim Duncan and current DPOY, Kawhi Leonard can hide most of the defensive deficiencies by the rest of the Spurs. They just need to stay healhty.

3. OKC Thunder
The best duo in the NBA is Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. That is a certainty. Both guys can win games alone or together. Yikes. Still, the problem lies with their supporting cast. How reliable and consistent are these guys? By the way, they also have a rookie head coach.

4. LA Clippers
The Clippers have a deep bench this season that includes Paul Pierce, Josh Smith, Jamal Crawford and Lance Stephenson. DeAndre Jordan is back with them plus Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are still there. Can they finally reach at least the Conference Finals?

5. Memphis Grizzlies 
The core of Grizzlies are still here (Gasol, Conley, Randolph, Lee, Green and Allen) and they added minor pieces with Matt Barnes and Brandan Wright. They are good enough for the playoffs and can make it to the top 4 but they need more firepower to unseat the other teams above them.

6. Houston Rockets
Ty Lawson is an upgrade over at PG and he has the mentality of a pass-first PG. That bodes well for James Harden who always needs the ball in his hands. Look for Harden to improve on his stats from last year. The Rockets also need to make a concerted effort to involve Dwight Howard more offensively because he sulks when he doesn't get touches.

7. Sacramento Kings
The Kings have a new head coach, George Karl and Rajon Rondo is in town to try and help the Kings reach the playoffs. It also helps that the best big man aside from Anthony Davis plays for the Kings. DeMarcus Cousins apparently has a three-point shot now so that spells troubles for opposing teams.

8. Utah Jazz
The Jazz found their new defensive center in Rudy Gobert. His pairing with Derrick Favors gives the Jazz a strong front court who are very good defensively including wing players Alec Burks and Gordon Hayward. But, can the Jazz score enough points to carry them to the playoffs?

WILDCARDS - Pelicans and Timberwolves
Originally, I had the Pelicans making the playoffs but a slew of injuries (Evans and Cole) to start the season should cost them a few wins, thus, dropping them in the standings. However, the brilliance of Anthony Davis just might be able to carry this broken team to the playoffs. As for the T'wolves, the new blood of Towns, Muhammad and Wiggins should catapult them to more wins this season. Can those extra wins allow them to sneak into the playoffs? We shall wait and see.

PLAYOFFS
1st Round
Cavs over Pistons
Bulls over Bucks
Heat over Wizards
Raptors over Hawks

Warriors over Jazz
Spurs over Kings
Thunder over Grizzlies
Clippers over Rockets

2nd Round
Cavs over Raptors
Heat over Bulls

Warriors over Clippers
Spurs over Thunder

Conference Finals
Cavs over Heat

Spurs over Warriors

Finals
Cavs over Spurs

*** My apologies for not being able to post the predictions before the start of the season. I got too caught up with watching a lot of NBA games! hehe

Follow me on twitter: @rolly_hoopnut

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#NBA 2015-16 Roundtable Season Predictions

The NBA season is formally underway and to welcome our favorite players and teams, how about some predictions and thoughts from three avid hoopnut junkies! 

Our 3-on-3 panel consists of: 

Enzo Flojo (EF) - founder of hoopnut.com; writer for Rivals PH; regular guest on The Score; UAAP basketball television analyst; solid and proud supporter of Gilas Pilipinas.  

Rolly Mendoza (RM) - writer for hoopnut.com and Rivals PH; collects shoes and sneakers; teaches chemistry during the day; watches a lot of basketball and loves NBA2K16 for the PS4. 

Alwin San Jose (ASJ) - A corporate slave now in the US; battling homesickness by buying huarache shoes, playing Destiny in PS4 and watching all things NBA and Boston sports (Go Celts and Pats!)

Image taken from: NBA.com

1. Will the Warriors repeat and who is their biggest threat?

#NBA 2015-16 Individual Awards Predictions

The start of the NBA season is upon us and to greet the new season, here are predictions for the individual winners of the 2015-16 season. Listed (in no particular order) are five players who are probably the best candidates for each award.

Rookie Of the Year
1. Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
2. Jahlil Okafor, Philadephia 76ers
3. D'Angelo Russell, LA Lakers
4. Frank Kaminsky, Charlotte Hornets
5. Willie Cauley-Stein, Sacramento Kings

Image taken from: Bleacher Report

The 2015 draft class gave us a deep source of talent especially with big men. Just looking at the top 12 lottery picks, 7 of those have heights of 6'10" or taller and can either play power forward and/or center. The best big man of that group has to be the #1 pick Karl-Anthony Towns. He is the projected starting center of the T'wolves and he will have Kevin Garnett to guide him during his rookie season. The minutes will be there for Towns and he can operate down in the low post. His best asset might be the ability to make free-throws. Meanwhile, Jahlil Okafor also has the chance to win ROY but his minutes and opportunities might be fewer than Towns because Okafor will share the floor with Nerlens Noel.      

#NBA Ten Questions for the 2015-16 Season

The NBA regular season is just one day away from officially beginning. There's a lot of excitement and anticipation for all 30 teams. Here are some burning questions which can be answered during the course of the season. Let the games begin!

Image taken from: Bleacher Report

1. Can the Dubs Repeat?
Winning back-to-back rings is no easy feat in the NBA. Even the mighty San Antonio Spurs have not won consecutive titles. I'm not saying that the Dubs cannot win a second straight ring but it's very difficult especially when opposing teams bring their "A" games against them every night. It also hurts them that Coach Steve Kerr is ailing and his return from a back injury has no timetable. The Warriors could lose a few extra games during Kerr's absence and that could be the difference in deciding home-court advantage in the stacked Western Conference. The Dubs used home-court advantage to its fullest last season as they finished with a 39-2 record at the Oracle Arena during the regular season. GSW can repeat as champs but I'm not banking on that happening.

#NBA JOHN WALL AND ADIDAS UNVEIL J WALL 2

John Wall 2 home colorway

PORTLAND, Ore.  – John Wall wasn’t ready for the league, they said. The electrifying No. 1 overall pick was challenged for having too much fun, too much flash and not enough consistency for success.  

While the Washington Wizards struggled early in John’s career, he dedicated himself to the game, leading the Wizards to back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since 2006 and garnered praise as a two-time NBA All-Star. Now, John is in search of an NBA Championship without comprising his bold personality and thrilling style of play that never hides from the spotlight.

#NBA: Miami Heat 1st Round Pick, Justice Winslow Joins Adidas

Top nba draft pick Justise Winslow JOINs adidas

PORTLAND, Ore. – adidas recently announced a partnership with Justise Winslow, the No. 10 overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat. The versatile wing is heralded for his for strong finishes at the rim, lockdown defense and tough, physical play.    

“I’m excited to be a part of adidas,” said Winslow. “I loved playing in their basketball shoes at adidas Nations and what they’ve been doing with Kanye and Originals is changing the game. I pride myself in being the best player on the court and having unique style off it and adidas will definitely help me do both.”

Winslow joins the ranks of an adidas basketball roster highlighted by NBA All-Stars James Harden of the Houston Rockets, John Wall of the Washington Wizards, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers and 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls.