Saying goodbye to one of the Greats

Tim Duncan

Tim Duncan, formerly of the San Antonio Spurs announced his retirement little over a week ago. Duncan will be truly missed in basketball for his hard work, commitment, leadership and somewhat quiet aggressiveness on the basketball court. Duncan has always been a beast in the post. He scrapped for rebounds, he blocked shots, he made decent passes, just like any all round special player. He committed many years to the league and he will be going out with five NBA Championship. In addition, he is the only player to win in three different decades in the 90’s, 2000’s, 2010’s. I will provide a list of his honors at the end, I want to use the majority of this article to show my appreciation for Tim Duncan.

Tim Duncan entered the NBA in the year 1997 as the 1st overall picked for the San Antonio Spurs. He then went on to have a spectacular career as the leader on and off the courts for the Spurs. He is a true basketball genius; his love for the game is unquestionable, there are so many words I could use to describe what I saw from Duncan but take a look at how some of his colleagues reacted to the news of his retirement.

LeBron James

✔@KingJames

Timmy D you know how I feel about you, what you did for me and for the entire NBA. Thank you for an amazing career! #BestPFEver #Legend

Kobe Bryant

✔@kobebryant

Congrats TD #19yrs #GoSpursGo

Steve Kerr

✔@SteveKerr

Congrats to Tim Duncan. Probably a top 5 all time player and undoubtedly a top 5 all time teammate. Wow, what a career.

Bruce Bowen

✔@Bowen12

Sometimes all you NEED to say is THANK YOU……..To the BEST EXAMPLE of a Leader, Brother, Friend. Looking forward to the Phase Homie!

Manu Ginobili

✔@manuginobili

Even tho I knew it was coming, I’m still moved by the news. What a HUGE honor to have played with him for 14 seasons! #ThankYouTD

Scottie Pippen

✔@ScottiePippen

At the end of the day, Tim Duncan played the game the way it was meant to be played. One of the all-time greats.#ThankYouTD

Marc Gasol ✔@MarcGasol

For many and different reasons thank you Mr. Tim Duncan. Always led by example, will miss you on…https://www.instagram.com/p/BHut9odgBkg/ 

These are just a few of the comments that I could gather but reading them shows what an amazing athlete and human being Tim Duncan is. He for me was the most humble superstar in his time in the NBA. I’v never seen not even a glimpse of arrogance in the way he carried himself. He had an exemplary career and he has been an inspiration not just to me but to many others around the world. The game will truly miss the ‘Big Fundamental’ as he is affectionately called.

Goodbye Tim Duncan you have truly left a mark.

Career highlights and awards
5× NBA champion (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014) 3× NBA Finals MVP (1999, 2003, 2005) 2× NBA Most Valuable Player (2002–2003) 15× NBA All-Star (1998, 2000–2011, 2013, 2015) NBA All-Star Game MVP (2000) 10× All-NBA First Team (1998–2005, 2007, 2013) 3× All-NBA Second Team (2006, 2008–2009) 2× All-NBA Third Team (2010, 2015) 8× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1999–2003, 2005,2007–2008) 7× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1998, 2004,2006, 2009–2010, 2013, 2015) NBA Rookie of the Year (1998) NBA Shooting Stars champion (2008) Twyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year Award(2015) San Antonio Spurs all-time leading scorer USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year (2003) Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year (2003) National college player of the year (1997) 2× Consensus first-team All-American (1996–1997) 3× NABC Defensive Player of the Year (1995–1997) 2× ACC Player of the Year (1996–1997) No. 21 retired by Wake Forest
Career statistics
Points	26,496 (19.0 ppg)
Rebounds	15,091 (10.8 rpg)
Blocks	3,020 (2.2 bpg)

The Trade Block: 2016 NBA Free Agency.

The 2016 NBA free agency period started on Friday, July 1 and we have seen some major cash being splashed around the league. We cannot begin to speak about free agency without discussing the NBA salary cap. The NBA salary cap is the limit to the total amount of money that teams are allowed to pay their players.The salary cap for the 2016-17 season is up by more than $9 million moving from $84.74 million last season to $94.14 million this upcoming season. This means that teams are better positioned to target top players that will demand a lot of dollars. There is a great number of free agents in the NBA this year and we have so far seen quite a few of them making moves. I will look at few of those moves in this article and what it means for the teams.

Mike Conley’s 5-Year, $153 Million deal with the Memphis Grizzlies

This is the biggest move we have seen thus far as it relates to money. Personally, I think the dollars are ridiculous but from a pure basketball perspective, it is a good move for the Grizzlies. He had an injury hit season but when he was on the court for the Grizzles he was certainly one of their best players and as such the Grizzlies felt that they needed to do their best to keep him and that explains the $153 million contract. Grizzlies centre, Marc Gasol, who suffered an injury to his right foot early last season, should return to the court by the beginning of next season so Grizzlies could make another run to the playoffs.

Timofey Mozgov Agrees to 4-Year, $64 Million Deal With Lakers

Timofey Mozgov

I was genuinely shocked by this move. Mozgov struggled to get off the bench for Cavs in the recently concluded NBA finals. I was thinking that the Lakers would try to go for a better centre, Hassan Whiteside was available he is certainly better than Mozgov. I do not like this move and I think it will turn out to be a bad decision for the Lakers.

Joakim Noah Agrees to 4-Year, $72 Million Deal With Knicks

Joakim Noah

I think this is a good move by the Knicks. Noah will be a strong presence on defense and he is a good rim protector. The Knicks also signed Derrick Rose to $94 million 5 year contract. Rose and Noah will be able to link up on pick and role as they used to do in Chicago. Noah also a good passer of the ball playing from the centre position and he can score in the paint. He will add stability to the Knicks’ defense some of which they have been lacking for a while now.

 

Al Horford Agrees to 4-Year, $113 Million Deal With Celtics

 Al Horford

Horford is a good player but I am not sure he has what it takes to be a big-time player. Celtics need a big time player and I am not sure Horford is that player. He will add his 15 points per game but I am not sure what to expect from him on the defensive end of the floor. This is certainly a lot of money to give to a player that may not improve the team. I will be watching closely to see what other moves Celtics will make.

Luol Deng Agrees to 4-Year, $72 Million Deal With Lakers

Luol Deng

 

This is a decent move by the Lakers. Deng will add some experience to the rather inexperienced Laker squad. He will also score points on offense but he will not offer much on the defensive end. Though this may be a good move for the Lakers, they are still lacking that marquee signing. Deng certainly is not that type of player; good job though by the Lakers for adding him to provide the experience in the locker room and out on the court.

The one that Surprised us.

Dwayne Wade will start the 2016/17 NBA season as a member of the Chicago Bulls, not many persons would have predicted that at the start of free agency. Wade is going to Chicago to fulfill a childhood dream of playing in his hometown. If we look at it like that we may say, ok he feels as if its time to move on from the Miami Heat where he has won three NBA titles. On the other hand if you look at how he has been treated by the Miami Heat organization you may well and say he just said enough is enough. Miami Heat at the beginning of free agency offered Wade 10 mil for a one year contract, this is absolutely insulting taking into consideration that he signed a one year 20 mil contract last season. You don’t need to be a mathematician to see that the Heat wanted him to take a 50 percent pay cut. Remember this is a guy that was instrument in bringing the city of Miami its first NBA championship, also he took a pay cut that enable Miami to sign LeBron James and Chris Bosh which resulted in a further two championships coming to Miami. When we consider all that Wade has done for Miami they should have been  willing to give him any amount of money he wants. The Miami Heat did raise their offer to 40 mil for two years or 20 mil a year, exactly what he got last year. In the end he decided to go to Chicago on a 47 mil two year contract. Dwayne Wade made the right decision to leave the Heat, no player should stay at a franchise that does not look out for their best interest. In Chicago he will be teaming up with Jimmy Butler and Rajon Rando, I am not sure that these guys will click together because they don’t compliment each other. Nonetheless Wade has a new challenge and it will be good to see how he responds to that challenge.

The big one

Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant has signed a 2-year $54 million deal with the Warriors, with a player option after the first season. This is a massive move by Durant and the Warriors. Not long ago Durant and the Thunder had the Warriors on the Ropes 3-1 down in the Western Conference finals and we all knew what happened thereafter. I thought after their meltdown in the western conference finals they would have come back together next season better and stronger. I think Durant took the easy way out by joining a championship team that already knows how to win. Also, he was partially at fault for the Thunder’s collapse in the Western conference finals aginst said Warriors, so I felt as if he owed them a redemption season.The Golden State Warriors just got better and its is devasting to think what they could do to the rest of the teams in the NBA next season with Durant in the lineup. GSW won 73 games last season which is an NBA record, I think they could win 80 games this season with this acquisition. I think it is a good move by the Warriors but a cheap move by Durant after the way his team lost in the Western Conference finals last season.

List of moves thus far:

DeMar DeRozan Agrees to 5-Year, $139 Million Deal With Raptors

Nicolas Batum Agrees to 5-Year, $120 Million Deal With Hornets

Hassan Whiteside Agrees to 4-Year, $98 Million Deal With Heat

Jordan Clarkson Agrees to 4-Year, $50 Million Deal With Lakers

Derrick Rose Agrees 5-Year, $94 Million Deal  with Knicks

Timofey Mozgov Agrees to 4-Year, $64 Million Deal With Lakers

Ish Smith Agrees to 3-Year, $18 Million Deal With Pistons

Jeremy Lin Agrees to 3-Year, $36 Million Deal With Nets

Bradley Beal Agrees to 5-Year, $128 Million Deal With Wizards

D.J. Augustin Agrees to 4-Year, $29 Million Deal With Magic

Andre Drummond Agrees to 5-Year, $130 Million Deal With Pistons

Al Jefferson Agrees to 3-Year, $30 Million Deal With Pacers

Jerry Bayless Agrees to 3-Year, $27 Million Deal With 76ers

Evan Turner Agrees to 4-Year, $70 Million Deal With Trail Blazers

Chandler Parsons Agrees to 4-Year, $94 Million Deal With Grizzlies

Evan Fournier Agrees to 5-Year, $85 Million Deal With Magic

Joakim Noah Agrees to 4-Year, $72 Million Deal With Knicks

Solomon Hill Agrees to 4-Year, $52 Million Deal With Pelicans

Matthew Dellavedova Agrees to 4-Year, $38 Million With Bucks

Mike Conley Agrees to 5-Year, $153 Million Deal With Grizzlies

Jeff Green Agrees to 1-Year, $15 Million Deal With Magic

Kent Bazemore Agrees to 4-Year, $70 Million Deal With Hawks

Jared Dudley Agrees to 3-Year, $30 Million Deal With Suns

Joe Johnson Agrees to 2-Year, $22 Million Deal With Jazz

Luol Deng Agrees to 4-Year, $72 Million Deal With Lakers

Arron Afflalo Agrees to 2-Year, $25 Million Deal With Kings

Bismack Biyombo Agrees to 4-Year, $70 Million Deal With Magic

Al Horford Agrees to 4-Year, $113 Million Deal With Celtics

Courtney Lee Agrees to 4-Year, $50 Million Deal With Knicks

Ian Mahinmi Agrees To 4-Year Deal, $75 Million Deal With Wizards

Cole Aldrich Agrees to 3-Year, $22 Million Deal With Timberwolves

Dwight Howard Agrees to 3-Year $70 Million Deal with Hawks

What do you think about the moves so far? share your thoughts on the NBA free agency period in the comments below!

It all comes down to this: Game 7 NBA Finals

The NBA Finals has boiled down to a game 7 at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California on Sunday (June 19) . There may be some controversy about how we got to the game 7, whether it be the suspension of Draymond Green for game 5 or Steph Curry fouling out in game 6, however, there is no denying that Cleveland showed up big time to win the last two games. We should all be looking forward to a thrilling game at the Oracle Arena. LeBron said after game 6 “the two greatest words ever invented were game 7”, judging by his comments I would say he will be ready for this game 7. Steph Curry after being fouled out in that crucial game 6 will also be ready for battle on Sunday. Now that we know the stars will be ready, the question that lingers is who will walk away as the champions.

Golden State Warriors

There is a major concern for the Warriors coming into this game 7 and that is the uncertainty surrounding Andre Iguodala’s availability. If he can’t play quality minutes in this game 7 the Warriors. will lose on their home court. Taking into consideration that they are already without their centre, Andrew Bogut, if Iguodala is unavailable they will be short-handed. I am expecting another explosion from Steph much like we saw in game 4 when he went off and scored 38 points. Another 38-point performance might just be good enough for him to win his second ring. I am not concerned about the stars for Golden State, the role players, however have been absent for the past two games. If guys like Harrison Barnes and Shaun Livingston can get into their groove offensively the Warriors will be on their way to another title. Draymond Green will also be pivotal in this game 7, Green has to be the primary rim protector for the Warriors. In game 6 Lebron had his own way in the paint as he exploded for another 41 points, this simply can happen in Oracle if GSW are to win come Sunday.

The Warriors have to do a better job rebounding the ball than they did in the previous two games and thats where guys like Festus Ezeli and Anderson Varejao become important with their size inside the paint. These players (Ezeli and Varejo) have to battle inside to give GSW a chance on the boards. Steph Curry has to set the tempo early so the other players can get in their groove and feed off his intensity. I believe the ’73 wins’ Warriors still have one last masterclass left in them and we might see it on Sunday.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Clevland Cavaliers have done a great job to put themselves in a position to rewrite the history books. I think they are in a very good place and could win another game to cap their season off with a championship win. Credit must be given to Tristan Thompson, he has been very good in these last few games. His intensity has been through the roof and I can argue that he has been the best defensive player in these finals. He has out fought Draymond and others from GSW. The Cavs will need his intensity and fight in this game 7 on the road at one of the loudest Arena in the NBA. As with Steph Curry, we know what we will get from LeBron James (he will be ready), so for the Cavs, much depends on the output of the role players (JR Smith, Richard Jefferson and others). There is a minor concern surrounding Kyrie’s foot as he injured it in game 6, if it bothers him in game 7 then Cavs will be in trouble because they will be losing valuable offense. Cavs have to out-rebound the Warriors and increase their physicality if they are to get the Win in the bay area. As I said in my preview to game 6, Kevin Love should not be starting for the Cavs. Love is becoming a liability for the Cavs on both offense and defence. He has not shot the ball and when he does shoot his percentage has not been good. Richard Jefferson has done well when called upon, I think coach Lue should call upon him once more.

Predictions

I want to point out a very interesting stat from the first 6 games. The average margin of victory through the first 6 games has been 19.7 points, this is quite intriguing. I am going to go against that stat and say this game 7 will be close and GSW wins by 5 points.

Disclaimer

If Iguodala can’t play value minutes, I would rescind my Warriors prediction and switch to Cavs winning by about 5 points.

Edging closer: NBA Finals Game 6 preview

The NBA finals will roll on with a game 6 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Clevland as the Cavaliers look to force a game 7 in Oakland. This NBA final have been spectacular, with every game the level of unpredictability increases. Many thought the series would end in 4 games after the Cavs lost the opening two games, however, this series has become a potential 7 game series. I must admit that Kyrie has really been impressive in these finals. Through the first five games, he has averaged 28.3 points per game. Steph Curry, on the other hand, has been wildly inconsistent  but if the Golden State Warriors go on to win the title, his performance in that pivotal game 4 will never be forgotten. Those two players are my MVP picks for the respective teams.

Will we see a game 7 or will GSW close out the Cavs on their home floor just as they did in last year’s finals?

Golden State Warriors

I picked the Warriors to win in game 5 on their home court and after the first couple of minutes when Steph hit two three pointers I was convinced that the NBA finals were over, boy was I wrong. The Warriors scored 61 points in the first half and then followed that up with 36 in the second half. If they are going to score 36 points in a half and defend the way they did in game 5, they most certainly will lose. GSW in that game 5 missed their vocal leader Draymond Green who was serving his one-game suspension. The Warriors at moments in the game looked overmatched on defence. LeBron had his way in the paint as there wasn’t much shot blocking from Golden State on the court. In game 6 with Draymond back the warriors will have that edge that they often play with when Draymond is on the court. His presence will help the Golden State inside the paint and they will be in a good position to win on the road. Andrew Bogut won’t be playing in game 6 due to a knee injury he sustained in game 5, so the Warriors have to do more as a team to protect the basket and win the battle on the boards.

Klay Thompson

Klay Thompson had a great game through first three quarters in game 5, however, he was no match for the dynamic duo, (LeBron and Kyrie) in the 4th quarter, he can’t afford to fizzle out in the 4^th quarter in game 6 on the road. Steph Curry wasn’t good enough in that home loss and I think he will bounce back just as he did in game 4 when he dropped 38 points after his team had lost by 30 the previous game. The Warriors in this game 6 will need a better effort from Harrison Barnes and Andre Iguodala, they missed too many shots in game 5 and many of those were makeable shots.

 

Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron James and Kyrie Irving

LeBron James and Kyrie Irving showed up big on the road to give their team a chance of staging what would be the most historic comeback in NBA finals (no team has ever won the NBA after being down 3-1). I was impressed by what I saw from James; he set the tone early and that was vital for his team on the road. The Cavs will need his leadership at home in game 6 if they are to win and force a game 7. James settled for a lot of jump shot in that game 5 and luckily for him a lot of them were falling. He can’t settle for these shots at home when he has the ability to drive and finish strong at the rim. Kyrie for me has been Cavs’ most valuable player in these finals, he is a scoring machine and he has given the Cavs a real chance of staging the biggest comeback in NBA finals history. Kyrie has outplayed every defender that the Warriors has put on him this series and I think his offensive explosiveness will be crucial in this game 6.

Kevin Love has been underwhelming through the first 5 games and I don’t think he should be starting in game 6. Richard Jefferson has been doing well when called upon, I want to see him getting the start. I liked what I saw from JR Smith in game 5, he was putting the ball on the floor and getting to the rim. JR Smith is known as a stop up shooter but whenever he puts the ball on the floor he can get into paint and finish at the rim. We need to see more of this from him in game 6, Cavs need at least 15 points from him. Tristan Thompson has been good in the finals with his intensity and the rebounds, he will also be vital for Cavs at home.

Prediction

I am predicting that the Cavs will find a way to win on their home court and we will be heading to a game 7 on Sunday.

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Getting over the line: NBA Finals Game 5 Preview

The NBA finals will move back to Oakland California for a pivotal game 5 with the Golden State Warriors being one win away from becoming two-time NBA champions. The first four games have been eye opening; I have been shocked by LeBron’s failure to take over when the games needed to be taken over. The stats say that no team has ever come back from being down 3-1 to win the NBA finals; with that said the big question is, will the Clevland Cavaliers rewrite history or will The Warriors close the series out on their home court in game 5?

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors in game 4, scored 17 three pointers from 36 attempts, they averaged 13 per game during the regular season on route to a record 73 wins. When the Warriors are attempting and making three-point shots they are unstoppable. I wrote in one of my older posts that the Warriors have perfected the art of taking and making three point shots, we saw some of that in game 4 which they won by 11 points. The reigning two-time MVP, Steph Curry showed up big in game 4 hitting 7 three-pointers as he scored 38 points and led his team to victory. Klay Thompson was also good as he scored 25 points. Warriors responded well after their blowout in game 3. They got back to their identity playing their own game and also playing with some physicality and intensity. Draymond Green was also good on the boards as he brought his physicality that was missing in game 3. The Warriors will be without that physicality in game 5 as the NBA decided to upgrade the common foul that Green got in game 4 to a flagrant foul which resulted in a one-game suspension. Green picked up the flagrant for his reaction to LeBron stepping over him. This was a fair call but I question the consistency of the NBA officials. Draymond could have been suspended in the western conference finals for what was a more serious incident, so I would like to know how he escaped that suspension but not this one. Draymond Green’s absence will be huge, however, I think the Warriors will use this a motivation and they will win on their home floor to clinch the title.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers will be heading to Oakland with their backs against the wall. I think they have blown their chance of winning their first NBA title after losing game 4 on their home floor. The Cavs to their credit did not play badly in game 4, they didn’t get enough from their best player. Lebron James has to shoulder most of the blame for the collapse as his team had the chance of winning games 1 and 4 but Lebron shrunk and could not deliver the victory for his team. In those two games, Lebron averaged just 24 points, that’s not good enough from one of the best players in the world. Kevin love was not good in game 4. I think he shouldn’t have played at all but overall his performance in these finals has been underwhelming. Kyrie Irving  played extremely well in game 4 as he scored 34 points. He has been Cavs best player throughout this series. The Cavs will need Kyrie’s explosiveness and LeBron’s dominance to avoid another disappointment, the bench as well has to do a better job of containing the Warriors when Kyrie and LeBron are off the court.

I think at this point that the result of this NBA finals is a forgone conclusion with the Warriors having the advantage. If the Cavs are going to extend this series, they will need effort on both ends of the court and they have to keep the turnover at a minimum.

Prediction

Warriors will win the second NBA title by winning on their home floor. The absence of Draymond will mean that Cavs have a chance but the Warriors will win a close game.

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Leaving it on the court: NBA Finals Game 4 preview

The Cleveland Cavaliers finally arrived at the NBA finals in Game 3 with an explosive 30-point victory over the defending champs, the Golden State Warriors. This series keeps getting better and better, the Cavs made some adjustments at home and were able to get the win. The Warriors now have to make some adjustments of their own to prevent another blowout. I am careful about becoming a prisoner of the moment, I think Cavs are still in trouble because we haven’t seen the reigning two-time MVP turn up as yet. Steph Curry will have a big game in these finals, if that game is today Cavs will be going home on Monday after game 5.

The Golden State Warriors

The Warriors were humbled in game 3 on Wednesday, as they were outplayed by the Cleveland Cavaliers. The poor performances of their three all-stars (Steph, Klay and Draymond) did not help either. Steph Curry started to get going in the third quarter but that wasn’t enough as Curry only scored two points in the first half; this was simply embrassing coming from the MVP.

The thing I like most about these Warriors is that they don’t hold their heads down for long. Golden State has only lost back to back games once all year and that was game 3 and 4 against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the western conference finals. I think we will see an immediate response from the Warriors and the Cavs could be facing a blowout on their home floor in Game 4 on Friday.

The Warriors have to stay with their game, which is taking and making three point shots; they can’t allow the Cavs to disrupt their flow offensively. The defense has to be better as well; if you’re going to give up 120 points on the road you are mostly likely going to lose. I have been writing about Andrew Bogut throughout the finals; he needs to play big minutes because of his presence inside the paint. The Warriors were hammered on the boards in game 3 as they were out-rebounded (52-32) by the Cavs. They can do a better job with Bogut inside. Curry and Klay need to go for a combined 60-points in this game 4. The fans need to see the splash brothers doing what they do best, so far this series they have looked more like the wash brothers (washed up). The Warriors bench has been consistent over the past three games but the starters, however, have been hot and cold and Klay and Steph have been mostly cold. I think Steve Kerr needs to change his line up and insert Andre Iguodala as he did last year because Iguodala has been very good defensively on LeBron. GSW needs that energy early in the game so they can set the tempo and get this road win.

The Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs have finally responded to the call; I must admit I was worried they were going be swept. Coach Lue made his adjustments and it worked, Richard Jefferson brought the energy early and that helped them get the all-important win. Cleveland has to bring that same intensity over to this game to stay alive in the series. LeBron James was very good in the last game but I think he can be better. At times in the first half he, especially in the second quarter, was not too impressive hitting only 1 of 10 from the field.

Kyrie Irving showed up big time in game 3. I wrote, in a previous post, that he needed to drop 30 points to help his team get the win and he did just that; now he needs to maintain. Tristan Thompson and JR Smith were instrumental in that game 3. Thompson was a beast in the paint especially on the offensive end and I must say if he can have a similar game on Friday, Cavs will tie the series. We need to see some consistency from JR and he needs to hit 5 more threes today. I like the Cavs’ chances of winning again on their home floor. I think if they win tonight we will definitely have a game 7.

Prediction

I am predicting a close game at the Q, whoever wins the rebound battle will win the game.

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The Curry Effect

Last year I casually watched the NBA Finals to cheer for whatever team was playing against my brother team. As a non-basketball fan, my sole motive was to be my brother’s antagonist, but it was a neutral spectator affair as Miami Heats didn’t make it to the 2015 Finals. But I saw something I had never seen before, I was in a trance, and simply amazed by the demonstration of skill and 3 pointers executed by the Golden State Warriors’ number 30.

It was the unexplainable feeling of being awestruck, not believing your eyes, a guy making shots while off balance and falling down, a guy making shots from half court, a guy who repeatedly made 3 pointers from all angles of the court. Unreal!

With that introduction to Stephen Curry, I had to see more. I had  no choice but to investigate who this  man was, what his story was. So for the first time in my 25 years, I started to avidly watch basketball, not just the finals but the entire season. My amazement was fuelled with every game, and with every new bit of statistic, the sport gained my admiration and respect, confirmed and solidified.

Curry makes  3 pointer shots look effortless. I love his confidence, he knows that when the ball leaves his hands 3 points is almost guaranteed for his team, his teammates know this as well and they celebrate before the ball even goes in. I have never seen this before. His warm up routine is pure magic with shots from the arena tunnel.

I’ve concluded that he is not human!!! It is common to hear ridiculous statistics about Curry during games such as Stephen Curry broke the record for three-pointers in a single season. At this point, there was still 24 games left to play. The record he broke was his own, set last year. Saying he’s the best shooter of all time undersells his abilities. I would like to thank Josh Levine for adequately explaining the greatness of Curry and why he is not  human. http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2016/02/stephen_curry_is_not_a_human_being.html

Stephen Curry is  one of the greatest NBA players of this era and it is a pleasure to watch him play. It is an awesome time to be alive to witness this greatness. Stuck in traffic knowing GSW vs Portland Game 5 was on I listened the game on the radio (THE RADIO) and  I enjoyed it!  Thanks to Curry and the Curry effect, I am now an ardent basketball fan.

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Filling the Box Score: NBA Finals Game 2

The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors will take the court for Game 2 of the NBA finals on Sunday, with Golden State holding a 1-0 lead. The Warriors won game 1 by 15 points which were largely due to a massive game from the bench players who outscored the Cavaliers’ bench by 35 points (45-10). The performance from Cavs bench was poor, to say the least; I expected more from the role players. Looking ahead to game 2 both teams have to make some adjustments to try and get the win.

Will Steph Curry and Klay Thompson make up for their poor performance in game 1 or will Cleveland make the necessary adjustments to capture the all-important road win?

Golden State Warriors

Klay Thompson and Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors

In game 1, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson combined to shoot 29% from the field. GSW managed to get big minutes from their role players but I think in game 2 Steph and Klay will take over, I am expecting them to combine for 60 points. Cavs won the battle on the glass in game 1 but they missed a lot of those second chance opportunities; the warriors simply have to do a better job on the boards in game 2. Andrew Bogut only played 15 mins in game 1, adding 10 points in those 15 mins; I think he will be able to win some of those rebounds inside the paint so he should play more in game 2. I like the defensive mentality that GSW came out with in game 1; they have to maintain that for game 2.

GSW moved the play well, leading to an impressive 29 assists. I am excepting more of the same for game 2. They are in a good position to win their second championship in two years. If GSW can get a similar production from their bench in game 2 they will win the game big.

Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron James

Cavaliers was in a good position to win game 1, leading by 1 point with under two mins to go in the third quarter. At that time,

 

the Cavs needed their superstar King James to take over the game but he was unable to do so. Too often the King failed to take advantage of golden opportunities to win crucial games. Lebron has to drive the ball to the basket; he did it five times in the 1 st quarter but only 6 times in the other three-quarters this is simply unacceptable. He does not need to take more than 10 jump shots in any game against GSW; he has a better opportunity if he drives the ball in the paint.

The Cavaliers bench have to be better in game 2 if their team is going to have any shot in this game 2. I am looking for more offensively from Channing Frye 2 points is just not enough; in his defense, though, he only played 7 mins in the entire game. Cavs shot only 38.1% from the field in game one and this cannot win a road game against this GSW team. Cavs have to shoot the ball better in game 2 and they have to figure out how to deal with Curry and Thompson because they won’t shoot 29% from the field again. The Cavs have to come out in game 2 with more intensity because I think if they lose this game they will lose the series in 5 games. Cavs missed a golden opportunity to take a 1-0 lead in the NBA finals; I wonder how much this will affect their psyche.

Prediction Game 2

I am predicting that GSW will win game 2 by 20+ points; I am expecting a big game from Curry.

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Time to silence the doubters: NBA finals preview

After 219 days and 2,535 games, it all comes down to a rematch of last year’s finals to decide who will take the 2016 Larry O’Brien trophy. The NBA season has once again been fantastic and many will be looking forward to the rematch. Defending Champions Golden State Warriors has had an unforgettable season and they will be looking to cap it off with another championship. LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers will be in their way searching for that elusive NBA title for the state of Ohio and the city of Cleveland. Will LeBron James be able to shrug off his recent NBA finals disappointment to win his third championship? Or will Steph Curry prove to the world that he is the real King and not LeBron?  The answers to these question will be revealed over the next two weeks starting on Thursday, June 2 when the NBA grand final tips off.

Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors, during the regular season, set the NBA record for most wins in a season (73 wins) but this will be no consolation if they fail to win the championship. Through the entire season the warriors have looked absolutely spectacular night in night and night out, they were the favourites to win the title from as early as February. However, the Warriors in the postseason have looked more vulnerable, following Curry’s injury early into the playoffs. Had Curry been healthy throughout the playoffs it might have taken them fewer games to get to the finals.

Notwithstanding his injury earlier in the postseason, Steph Curry was instrumental in the Western Conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He cannot afford to be absent in this finals as the Cavs will be at full strength and looking to pounce on any deficiencies. With that said I expect the Warriors to stick to their game strategy which is shooting the three pointers; when they are making three point shots they are practically unstoppable. The defense will also be key in this finals as the Cavs have the ability to go big with Tristan Thompson patrolling the paint, Golden State’s centre, Andrew Bogut has to be more involved than he has been this postseason. To his credit, though, Bogut came to life in the last two games against OKC and his presence inside the paint will be needed against LeBron and company. Draymond Green will also be vital for the Warriors as he is their vocal leader on the court.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs will return to the NBA finals just a year after giving up a 2-1 series lead and ultimately losing in six games to the eventual champions, GSW. I expect more this time round from Cavs. Their ‘Big Three,’ comprising LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love are all healthy and have looked very impressive from the second half of the regular season into the playoffs. Love and Irving will both be instrumental in getting the team over the line.

I originally questioned the move to replace coach David Blatt with coach Tyron Lue but he has been able to strike a balance within the team. Forward, Channing Frye has been a very good pick up, Guard, JR Smith has been hitting threes and the Cavs are peeking at the right time. Cavs began the playoffs on a hot streak from three-point land, however that has slowly died down and I think that is a good thing for the Cavs. It is unlikely that they will out shoot the GSW in terms of three pointers, not with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson on the floor.  If the Cavs are to win this series, they have to win the battle in the paint that means LeBron and Kyrie have to drive the ball to the basket and get the layups or free throws. Forward, Tristan Thompson will have to fight inside for everything on the glass especially on the offensive end, if he can out-rebound, Draymond Green and Andrew Bogut, Cavs will have a greater chance of winning the championship.

Fact

This meeting of the Warriors and the Cavaliers will mark the 13th time two teams have met in back-to-back NBA Finals. In those matchups, the teams have split the back-to- back series six times. The Chicago Bulls in 1997 and 1998 were the only team in the past seven repeat matchups to win both times (against the Utah Jazz).

Thoughts on Game One.

The Warriors will bring their game on their home court and that crowd in the Oracle Arena will ultimately lead them over the line. I expect GSW to win on their floor. Steph Curry will have a big game and the Warriors will be hot from the three-point range.

Lebron has to pace himself in this year’s finals; he cannot let fatigue get the best of him as it did last year in game 4. The fact that Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving are healthy should ease some of the pressure on James.

This year’s finals will indeed be an exciting one.

The Solution: Sports, Football more specifically

 

After the First World War had ended in 1918, tensions remained high in Europe. Germany was widely blamed for the war and this did not sit well with the Germans. While the other countries involved tried to rebuild and move on from the horrors and devastation that was World War I, Germany was quietly preparing to go to war again. In September 1939 Germany, under the rule of Adolf Hitler invaded Poland. Their European neighbors Britain and France responded by declaring war on Germany. Japan and Italy joined the war as Allies to the Germans soon after. The war which came to be known as World War II eventually ended in 1945 but suffice to say that European relations were strained. Questions about how the unity of the European nations would be achieved began swirling.

Jules Rimet found a possible solution in the World Cup of Football. The competition which began in the 1930’s was forced to be put on hold because of the war. However, 1950 was a special year for world football; it marked the 25^th anniversary of Jules Rimet as President of FIFA and the World Cup of Football tournament returned in fine style; the competition was destined to be a spectacular one.

It was however difficult to find a host nation due to the world war that took place five (5) years earlier. Presidents and Prime Ministers around the world believed that scarce resources were to be devoted to more urgent priorities than that of a sporting celebration. Many of these same persons went on to regret their speech. Since Europe was still suffering from the devastation of World War II, FIFA decided to move the games to South America. The tournament which spanned a period of four (4) weeks (June 24 – July 16), saw fifteen (15) teams participating in twenty two (22) matches which was held in Brazil, the country that has produced some of the most successful players in the history of the game.

Of the fifteen (15) teams that entered the competition, seven (7) came from Europe. This goes to show the significant role sports can play in uniting people of different race, class, status etc. the 1950 world cup is widely regarded as one of the best in the history of the tournament, not only because of the spectacular display but also because it came on the heels of a major war that left the world desolate but managed to bring the world together nonetheless to celebrate. This was the only tournament not to be decided by a one match finale. Eighty Eight (88) goals were scored overall with an average of four (4) goals per game. The tournament was the start of what turned out to be the Brazilian dominance in world football. The Brazilian team did not win the competition but they were placed second 2^nd with the leading goal scorer coming from Brazil (Ademir who scored 9 goals in the competition).  Each of the seven (7) European countries that participated in the competition took a risk that paid off brilliantly, with football being one of the main sources of investment in many European countries today.

In 1958 the tournament saw further success and advancement. Switzerland had the privilege to host the competition. Switzerland 1958 was a goal festival. Germany and Hungary made it to the finale match as top candidates with Hungary being the favorites guided by the 11 goals from Kocsis with two victories 4-2 in the quarterfinals and semifinals against Brazil and the defending champions Uruguay respectively. Only eight (8) minutes into the game, Hungary was defeating Germany 2-0 and everything was set for a high scoring game but Germany recovered, tied the game in the eighteen (18) minute and with just 6 minutes to go in the second half, HelmuthRahn made the miracle: 3-2 and Germany was the world champion.

 

The unexpected win evoked a wave of euphoria throughout Germany, which was still suffering in the aftermath of World War II. This was also the first time since the Second World War that the German national anthem was played in public. As television was only available to few homes or public places in Germany, a German radio commentator Herbert Zimmermann became a popular German personality due to his emotional reporting style, especially his commentary.His comments when Germany scored the winning goal (“Aus dem HintergrundmüssteRahnschießen, Rahnschießt – TOR, TOR, TOR!” – “Rahn has to shoot from the background, Rahn shoots – goal, goal, goal!“), and after the final whistle (“AUS! AUS! AUS! Das Spiel ist aus. Deutschland ist Weltmeister, schlägt Ungarn 3 zu 2!” – “Over! Over! Over! The game is over! Germany are World Champions, beat Hungary 3–2!“) are well known in Germany.

The importance of sports in society cannot be denied. In 1950 it seemed near impossible to conduct a tournament so massive after many countries were still rising from the ashes of World War II, however FIFA had the dedication and motivation to see the tournament be a success. It was good to see Americans and English supporters inside the same arena cheering for their different teams. Unity was indeed achieved.  In 1950 only fifteen (15) countries participated in the World Cup and in 2009 over 50 different countries were trying to qualify for the tournament in 2010 South Africa.