Five Quick Hits On College Basketball

Hello everybody!

I hope Thanksgiving was all you wanted it to be, and if you went out for black friday I hope you didn't get into too many fights.

Lets get down to it: Five quick hits on college basketball

1. This class of college basketball talent is special.

There's no denying the freshmen hype with this college basketball class. From the likes of Kentucky's Julius Randle, Andrew Wiggins of Kansas, Jabari Parker of Duke, and Aaron Gordon out of Arizona. I'm watching Duke vs Arizona while I write this. Don't forget about sophomore star, Marcus Smart. If all of them enter the draft after this season, I think they'll all go at least in the top-ten of the draft. It might not be that big of a stretch to say they all go top five, either. I'll talk more about these guys in a bit.

2. Is Michigan State truly the best team in the country?

I'm not entirely sure. They're good. Don't get me wrong. They beat Kentucky, but the Wildcats always struggle in the early going. They have some quality players; Gary Harris, Adreian Payne, and Keith Appling are no joke. They have a top flight coach in Tom Izzo. I can't put my finger on it, but something tells me right now they won't win the title.

3. I know some people have already said this, but Aaron Gordon is basically a carbon copy of Blake Griffin.

They're similar in size.They can jump out of the gym. The potential is staring you right in the face. I think Arizona's favorite play is throw it near the rim and let Aaron Gordon find a way to score. What I've seen of him I've liked. I just hope he can expand into an all-around game.

4. I hate Duke. The crazy thing is I love Jabari Parker.

He's so good. He was the first kid in Simeon's history to start on the varsity as a freshmen. Some guy named Derrick Rose didn't even have that chance. Depending on who you asked, they probably said Parker or Wiggins was the best player in the recruiting class last year. He can play the 3,4 and even the 5 depending on the type of line-up on the floor. He can shoot from anywhere on the floor. Play with his back to the basketball as well as defend his position. What more can you ask for?

5. Marcus Smart made a smart move in returning to school.

Marcus Smart was pretty good last year. What do ya know, he got even better! He's averaging 22.5 ppg so far. Against Memphis, he went bonkers. He dropped 39 points. He said the major thing he wanted to work on in the offseason was his outside shooting. Last year he shot around 29%. So far, he's shooting 40%! It's a pretty small sample size, nonetheless, the kid can play!


Thanks for reading!

Follow me on Twitter @TheLanceMorris

I post when I'm announcing games with the Bowling Green Radio Sports Organization as well as little tidbits about everything else going on in my life.

I have two radio shows, you can follow them on Twitter as well:
@Ball_Night Mondays at 8 AM on falconradio.org
@OrangeBrownWBGU Tuesdays at 6 PM on wbgufm.com if you're in the Bowling Green,OH area tune in live on 88.1 FM

You can also find them on the Tunein-Radio app on your smartphone.

My Thoughts on the Fielder-Kinsler Trade

It's been a while! First, I apologize; it's very easy for college to get in way. Secondly, I needed to get some thoughts out!

The trade of Prince Fielder and Ian Kinsler has to be one of the biggest MLB trades in sometime. The Tigers have been no stranger to trades the last couple of seasons. In the last few seasons, they've acquired the likes of Max Scherzer, Austin Jackson, Phil Coke, Jhonny Peralta, Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez, Omar Infante, and Jose Iglesias. Guys that they've given up? Curtis Granderson, Jacob Turner, and Avisail Garcia are the only guys that have been given up that are actually relevant major leaguers. For that, credit must be given to Dave Dombrowski. He hasn't been afraid to give up guys that might be good for guys that ARE good. (Just imagine that when the Tigers traded for Miguel Cabrera, they didn't get the corpse of Dontrelle Willis.) I was a major fan of Avisail Garcia. If you don't know who he is, he's what the Tigers gave up as a part of the Jose Iglesias trade. He showed a little flash at the big league level. He honestly looks like a skinnier Miguel Cabrera at the dish. Nonetheless, he wasn't the answer for the Tigers and they knew that. Once Peralta was suspended last season, they knew they had to make at least a move for the short term, but they did much more then that! They acquired a player that was second in the AL Rookie of the Year voting and by a lot of accounts, the best defensive shortstop in baseball. As long as he is spectacular defensively he'll be a starting shortstop at the major league level. He has to be just good enough at the plate to have a lot of value.

Lets dive into the Fielder trade. I guess you could say I like Prince Fielder. In fact, I'm wearing my Prince Fielder jersey t-shirt as I'm writing this. Regardless, I LOVE THIS TRADE. It gives the Tigers much more flexibility. It allows Cabrera to go back to first base even though he player better then expected at third. I don't know if the Tigers want to resign Jhonny Peralta, but if he's willing to play third (he didn't want to in Cleveland) they should look into it. If they don't resign Peralta, it then allows the Tigers star prospect, Nick Castellanos, to go back his natural position in third base. He has been training to play the outfield since he wasn't going to unseat Cabrera at third. So that's another option. What might be the biggest part of this deal is the $$$$$$$$$$$$$. Prince Fielder's big ass contract comes off the books. He was through two years of a NINE year contract. That contract pays him a total of $214 million. That contract is more than Miguel Cabrera's deal! Kinsler makes about $13 million a year compared to Fielder's $23 million a year. This deal makes the infield defense better. The line-up will shake up a little bit. Not to mention, the Tigers will be breaking in new manager Brad Ausmus. It'll be interesting to see how the line-up falls into place. That's of course assuming Cabrera's healthy at the start of next season.

Free agency is just heating up. The biggest move will be where Robinson Cano will end up and for how much. If he gets a $300 million dollar contract I will be STUNNED. He's not that good! Has he ever tried to beat out a ground ball? I haven't seen it. There's a lot of rumors that are spread around the hot stove. Still, there are rumors that the Tigers are trying to land Joe Nathan AND Carlos Beltran.

Hold on one second.

(Pinches arm to make sure he's not dreaming)

Yep. I'm not dreaming! That would be amazing! It's still speculation, but I would be in favor of that without a doubt.

Soon (by the end of next week I swear!) I'll dive into some NBA and NCAA Basketball

Thanks for reading!

Follow me on Twitter @TheLanceMorris

I post when I'm announcing games with the Bowling Green Radio Sports Organization as well as little tidbits about everything else going on in my life.

I have two radio shows, you can follow them on Twitter as well:
@Ball_Night Mondays at 8 AM on falconradio.org
@OrangeBrownWBGU Tuesdays at 6 PM on wbgufm.com if you're in the Bowling Green,OH area tune in live on 88.1 FM

You can also find them on the Tunein-Radio app on your smartphone.

My Personal Fantasy Football Rankings #1-50

No gimmicks here. Just my straight up rankings on players 1-50.

1. Adrian Peterson - RB MIN
2. Marshawn Lynch - RB SEA
3. Doug Martin - RB TB
4. C.J. Spiller - RB Buf
5. Ray Rice - RB BAL
6. Jamaal Charles - RB KC
7. Arian Foster - RB HOU
8. Alfred Morris - RB WSH
9. LeShan McCoy - RB PHI
10. Trent Richardson - RB CLE
11. Stevan Ridley - RB NE
12. Maurice Jones-Drew - RB JAC
13. Matt Forte - RB CHI
14. Calvin Johnson - WR Det
15. Chris Johnson - RB TEN
16. Steven Jackson - RB ATL
17. Aaron Rodgers - QB GB
18. Drew Brees - QB NO
19. Peyton Manning - QB DEN
20. Frank Gore - RB SF
21. Dez Bryant - WR DAL
22. Brandon Marshall - WR CHI
23. A.J. Green - WR CIN
24. Jimmy Graham - TE NO
25. Randall Cobb - WR GB
26. Demaryius Thomas - WR DEN
27. Larry Fitzgerald - WR ARI
28. Julio Jones - WR ATL
29. Roddy White - WR ATL
30. Cam Newton - QB CAR
31. Dewayne Bowe - WR KC
32. Vincent Jackson -WR TB
33. Tom Brady - QB NE
34. Reggie Bush - RB DET
35. Marques Colston - WR NO
36. Victor Cruz - WR NYG
37. David Wilson - RB NYG
38. Rob Gronkowski - TE NE
39. Darren Sproles - RB NO
40. Lamar Miller - RB MIA
41. Danny Amendola - WR NE
42. Pierre Garcon - WR WSH
43. Antonio Brown - WR PIT
44. Andre Johnson - WR HOU
45. Wes Welker - WR DEN
46. Jordy Nelson - WR GB
47. Russell Wilson - QB SEA
48. Hakeem Nicks - WR NYG
49. DeMarco Murry - RB DAL
50. Montee Ball - RB DEN

Soon I will be rankings #50-100

I didn't specify in my last post so I'll clarify. My show will be on Mondays at 8am. I'll tweet out either from my personal account or from the account of my show @Ball_Night when I'm about to go live, and I'll probably live tweet during the show as well.

Follow me on Twitter @TheLanceMorris
Follow me on Instagram @TheLanceMorris

I'll follow back on both!
If you like what I write then tweet my link out, comment, and give me your thoughts. Help me get exposure. Please and thank you!

My Post Draft Analysis of One Of My Fantasy Leagues

Sunday night was a great night.

The second episode of the current season of Breaking Bad was on. That was awesome. After that episode, I was able to take part in one of my favorite activities as a sports fan, and it's not about actually watching the sport. For me it's right up there with filling out brackets before March Madness. That activity is a fantasy football draft.

As I touched on in my last post, I have been putting as much fantasy football information into my mind as I possibly can. Listening to both the Fantasy Focus Football podcast (put it on the board and you're in the 06010) and also listening to the Fantasy Underground podcast. Listening to both podcasts that have some differing views better allows me to formulate my own thoughts and opinions on which guys I think will be studs this year in fantasy.

There has already been one trade in the league, which had Cam Newton and Stevie Johnson being moved for Matt Ryan and Pierre Garcon. I'm going to go team by team and talk about their pros and their cons. My team will be the last we go over. We had a 10 team snake draft. I'll give you there roster and the draft grade slash evaluation their draft was given by the commissioner.

We will start with our league commissioner, Austin Nader. He had the 6th overall pick.

QB- Matt Ryan, ATL
RB- Jamaal Charles, KC
RB- Maurice Jones-Drew, JAC
WR- Andre Johnson, HOU
WR- Steve Smith, CAR
TE- Kyle Rudolph, MIN
FLEX- Reggie Bush, DET
D/ST- Texans D
K- Matt Bryant, ATL

BE- DeAngelo Williams, CAR
BE- Matt Schaub, HOU
BE- Mike Williams, TB
BE- Alex Smith, KC
BE- Ravens D
BE- Pierre Garcon, WSH

Commissioner's Evaluation:
Good draft. He basically filled all his needs except his bench is a bit poor and needs another receiver but other than that nice draft. DRAFT GRADE B+ 

My Thoughts: He was a part of the Ryan & Garcon trade, and I think he had the bad end of it. Going from Cam Newton to Matt Ryan is a downgrade in fantasy football terms. Jamaal Charles is a top ten back if he stays healthy. I love the MJD pick. He got him in the 4th round (If he fell one spot, I would have drafted him). Andre Johnson is solid, but I don't like him as a #1 receiver in fantasy. Same goes for Steve Smith. Kyle Rudolph is very overrated, and like I said before unless I'm getting a top five tight end I'm waiting on drafting my tight end. Reggie Bush is a good pick, but he is a better player in a PPR league. Bench is okay. Garcon, DeAngelo, and Mike Williams are good flyers. Problem is he has two quarterbacks and a defense on the bench. That limits his depth. If one guy gets hurt he is going to suffer. The team has a lot of injury concerns.


Next is Andre's team. He had the 4th overall pick

QB- Russell Wilson, SEA

RB- Doug Martin, TB

RB- Steven Jackson, ATL

WR- AJ Green, CIN

WR- Danny Amendola, NE

TE- Jermichael Finley, GB

FLEX- Darren Sproles, NO

D/ST- Seahawks D

K- Randy Bullock, HOU

BE- Andrew Luck, IND

BE- James Jones, GB

BE- Carson Palmer, ARI

BE- Sidney Rice, SEA

BE- Cecil Shorts, JAC

BE- Mark Ingram, NO

Commissioner's Evaluation:
Decent draft. A bit iffy with Danny Amendola and Steven Jackson but fairly good plus has a nice bench. DRAFT GRADE B


My thoughts: I like the Russell Wilson pick. He was the second highest scoring fantasy quarterback once Seattle put the zone read in their offense. Doug Martin should have a nice season. In my opinion, Steven Jackson will either be a home run, or a total flop. I'm iffy on Atlanta's offensive line. Their run blocking sucks. It's really that simple. AJ Green is a top five receiver and could be as high as number one. Danny Amendola is a good pick when he's healthy, but he's rarely healthy. You already know how I feel about tight ends not in the top five, but he was taken in round thirteen so I'm okay with that. Sproles, like Reggie Bush, is a better PPR player. Seahawks D is a great defense. He has a fine bench, but he has two quarterbacks taking up bench spots. Jones, Rice, Shorts, and Ingram are good flyers. Jones becomes a starter if this was my team. This team has some spots that are hit and miss.

Next is Ben Thomas' team. He had the 3rd overall pick.

QB- Cam Newton, CAR

RB- Arian Foster, HOU

RB- Giovani Bernard, CIN

WR- Julio Jones, ATL

WR- Reggie Wayne, IND

TE- Greg Olsen, CAR

FLEX- Jordy Nelson, GB

D/ST- Patriots D

K- Matt Prater, DEN

BE- Monte Ball, DEN

BE- Phillip Rivers, SD

BE- Ben Tate, HOU

BE- Jermaine Gresham, CIN

BE- Chris Givens, STL

BE- Giants D

BE- Stevie Johnson, BUF

Commissioner's Evaluation:

Again another decent draft except Bernard who is a rookie and Jordy Nelson who isnt all that great plus the bench is a bit weak. DRAFT GRADE B- 

My thoughts: I like getting Newton as an upgrade over Matt Ryan. I'm worried about Arian Foster. I feel like he could led the NFL in rushing just as easily as he could miss a bunch of games and have no impact on fantasy football. I like Giovani Bernard, but not this season. The Bengals are going to give BenJarvis Green-Ellis have at least 60% of the carries. Julio is nice, but with the Falcons offense, Roddy White could have a big game just as easily as Julio Jones could. I think this is Reggie Wayne's last season as fantasy football relevant. Greg Olsen is eh. Jordy Nelson can be a top twenty receiver if he's healthy. The Bench is hit or miss. If Monte Ball become the lead back in Denver then he will get 20+ carries a game. Phillip Rivers needs to stop playing football. Ben Tate is a good handcuff with Arian Foster. Jermaine Gresham is a better NFL player than fantasy football player. Chris Givens is a good sleeper, and Stevie Johnson could have 1,000 yard receiving. Overall, it's a good team, but like other teams a lot of injury concerns. 

Next up is Dan Janning's team. He had the 1st overall pick. 

QB- Tom Brady, NE

RB- Adrian Peterson, MIN

RB- David Wilson, NYG

WR- Roddy White, ATL

WR- Vincent Jackson, TB

TE- Vernon Davis, SF

FLEX- Antonio Brown

D/ST- Bronco D

K- Sebastian Janikowski, OAK

BE- Joe Flacco, BAL

BE- Tavon Austin, STL

BE- DeAndre Hopkins, HOU

BE- Michael Floyd, ARI

BE- Coby Fleener, IND

BE- Michael Bush, CHI

BE-  Buccaneers D

Commissioner's Evaluation: Good draft. Only concerning pick is Antonio Brown and his bench a bit poor especially with two rookies but they are two of the best so i guess its good. DRAFT GRADE B+


My thoughts: I like the Tom Brady pick more than most. I think he is going to make whomever he is going to throw to better. He is helped a lot if Danny Amendola is healthy. I can't argue with taking Adrian Peterson number one. David Wilson could be a good pick if he can handle being the go-to-back. The Roddy White pick I already explained with the Julio Jones selection. Vincent Jackson is good, but Tampa is a running team. Vernon Davis can be good. I don't know if Colin Kaepernick will throw to him. Davis was more valuable when Alex Smith was their quarterback. I like Antonio Brown as the number one receiving option in Pittsburgh. The only valuable guy on his bench is Tavon Austin. In fantasy terms, Flacco stinks. Hopkins is probably the number two option in the passing game that isn't all that great. Michael Floyd didn't do anything last season. Fleener isn't even going to be the number one tight end for the Colts. Michael Bush is only valuable as a handcuff to Matt Forte, and you don't need a back up defense. If he has an injury he is done for. I don't see a breakout guy outside of possibly Tavon Austin. He can contend if his team stays healthy.


Next is Johnathan's team. He had the 8th overall pick.

QB- Robert Griffin III, WSH

RB- Ray Rice, BAL

RB- Steven Ridley, NE

WR- Brandon Marshall, CHI

WR- Wes Welker, DEN

TE- Tony Gonzalez, ATL

FLEX- Greg Jennings, MIN

D/ST- Rams D

K- Steven Gostkowski, NE

BE- Rashard Mendenhall, ARI

BE- Denarius Moore, OAK

BE- Antonio Gates, SD

BE- Lance Moore. NO

BE- Shonn Greene, TEN

BE- Kendall Wright, TEN

BE- Ryan Tannehill, MIA

Commissioner's Evaluation: Decent draft. Fairly good picks except RG3 will not be as good as he was last year especially with his knee and Greg Jennings wont be the same on the vikings plus the rams defense? Really? DRAFT GRADE B- 

My thoughts: If RGIII is healthy he's a top ten quarterback, but he probably won't run as much regardless of how he feels. Ray Rice can be a top five guy if the Ravens offense can move the ball. I like the upside of Steven Ridley. Marshall is a good pick since Jay Cutler only knows how to throw to Brandon Marshall. Wes Welker could be good, but we don't know how many catches he can get in Denver. This is most likely Tony Gonzalez's last NFL season. If he gets enough touchdowns that becomes a good pick. I'm very down on Greg Jennings. He's playing with a bad quarterback, and he can't stay healthy. The only guy I like on his bench is Mendenhall and that's only because he should be their starting running back. Raiders suck. So Denarius Moore is useless. Gates is past his prime and you don't need a back-up tight end. Lance Moore is a third option. Shonn Greene might get some touchdowns. Kendall Wright is only useful in deeper leagues. You don't need Tannehill and he's not that good anyway.  I don't like this team very much. 

Next up is Kevin's team. He had the 7th overall pick. 

QB- Aaron Rodgers, GB

RB- Trent Richardson, CLE

RB- Ryan Matthews, SD

WR- Demaryius Thomas, DEN

WR- Mike Wallace, MIA

TE- Rob Gronkowski, NE

FLEX- Torrey Smith, BAL

D/ST- Bears D

K- Justin Tucker, BAL

BE- Eli Manning, NYG

BE- BenJarvis Green-Ellis, CIN

BE- Cowboys D

BE- Andre Brown, NYG

BE- Brandon Myers, NYG

BE- Josh Brown, NYG

BE- Malcom Floyd, SD

Commissioner's Evaluation:  Eh draft. Ryan Mathews is just terrible and Thomas now has to compete with Welker so he will get less looks and just a poor draft. too many risky picks. sorry Kevin. Draft Grade C 

My thoughts: I like Aaron Rodgers, but you can't take a quarterback in the first round. I like Trent Richardson, he should have a good season. I really don't like Ryan Matthews. Why is he still in the NFL? He's not good. I like Demaryius Thomas. I really don't like Mike Wallace. He downgraded in every way possible. Rob Gronkowski is great if he's healthy, but he hasn't been healthy in two years. I don't like Torrey Smith that much. His bench is awful. He has a back up quarterback, back up defense,back up tight end, and back up defense. Andre Brown is the only guy on his bench that could have any fantasy impact. I don't like this team one bit. 

Next up is Ben Lowry's team. He had the 2nd overall pick. 

QB- Matt Stafford, DET

RB- Matt Forte, CHI

RB- Darren McFadden, OAK

WR- Calvin Johnson, DET

WR- Deshaun Jackson, PHI

TE- Jimmy Graham, NO

FLEX- Eddie Lacy, GB

D/ST- 49ers D

K- Blair Walsh, MIN

BE- Daryl Richardson, STL

BE- TY Hilton, IND

BE- Golden Tate, SEA

BE- Michael Vick, PHI

BE- Kenny Britt, TEN

BE- Justin Blackmon, JAC

BE- Jordan Cameron, CLE

Commissioner's Evaluation: Poor draft. Could have easily had foster but took Calvin over him. Lacey is a rookie and since when do the packers run? just not feeling his team DRAFT GRADE C- 

This team is pretty hit and miss. I like Matt Stafford this year. Matt Forte isn't going to have that great of a year. McFadden is never healthy, and when he is healthy he sucked. I like Calvin Johnson, but he was taken second overall. You just can't take a wide out in the first round. I don't like Deshaun Jackson. The Eagles are going to run the ball as much as they can. I love Jimmy Graham. I don't like Lacy very much. I like his bench. He took a lot of flyers and one or two might actually be good. He didn't need to take a back up tight end or back up quarterback. I think this team finishes in the middle of the pack. 

Next up is Charles Stone's team. He had the 9th overall pick. 

QB- Peyton Manning, DEN

RB- Alfred Morris, WSH

RB- Chris Johnson, TEN

WR- Randall Cobb, GB

WR- Emmanuel Sanders, PIT

TE- Owen Daniels, HOU

FLEX- Ryan Broyles, DET

D/ST- Falcons D

K- Phil Dawson, SF

BE- Marques Colston, NO

BE- DeMarco Murray, DAL

BE- Ben Roethlisberger, PIT

BE- Packers D

BE- Aldrick Robinson, WSH

BE- Fred Davis, WSH

BE- Brandon Pettigrew, DET 

Commissioner's Evaluation: Okay Draft. Charlie could have drafted better if his computer didn't screw up but this is what he drafted. His WR core is pretty crappy and so is his D but other than that its okay. Draft Grade C 

My thoughts: If his computer messed up, that sucks, but he should have put lined up his picks just in case something were to happen. He was smart to take Alfred Morris first. He reached on Peyton in the second round. Chris Johnson could have a sneaky good season. I like the Randall Cobb pick. I don't like the Sanders pick. You know my thoughts on non-elite tight ends. Ryan Broyles is not a starter. Colston is a solid number two receiver. Murray should be starting as well. The rest of his bench is poor. You don't need a back up quarterback, defense, and you definitely don't need two back up tight ends. Aldrick Robinson is only a  back up in a deeper league. This team could contend if he starts the right guys and stays healthy. 

Next up, we got Joe's team. He had the 10th pick overall. 

QB- Drew Brees, NO

RB- Marshawn Lynch, SEA

RB- Frank Gore, SF

WR- Victor Cruz, NYG

WR- Anquan Boldin, SF

TE- Jason Witten, DAL

FLEX- Le'Veon Bell, PIT

D/ST- Steelers D

K- Garrett Hartley

BE- Lamar Miller, MIA

BE- Miles Austin, DAL

BE- Tony Romo, DAL

BE- Vick Ballard, IND

BE- Vincent Brown, SD

BE- Martellus Bennett, CHI

BE- Brian Hartline, MIA

Commissioner's Evaluation: Great Draft. Very nice picks only questionable pick is Bell but other than that nice draft Papa Zamfino. DRAFT GRADE A 

My thoughts: I kind of like this team. Well, some aspects. Lynch is a good number one running back. Brees is a top quarterback, but he reached to get him in the second round. Gore is good, but I don't think he will get the carries to be a top back this season. I like Victor Cruz, but he might not be healthy and teams will key on him. I don't know how much value Boldin has as a fantasy player. He had a great post season. Did you look at his regular season last year? He was invisible. I like Witten. Le'Veon Bell isn't that good. I don't see him as a good NFL running back. He should have Lamar Miller starting. He has a high upside. Miles Austin is a good flyer. Ballard might get some looks. Brown sucks. You don't need a back up tight end. Hartline is a good flyer. He could be a contender. 

Next up, yours truly. I had the 5th overall pick. 

QB- Colin Kaepernick, SF

RB- CJ Spiller, BUF

RB- LeSean McCoy, PHI

WR- Dez Bryant, DAL

WR- Larry Fitzgerald, ARI

TE- Jared Cook, STL

FLEX- Dwayne Bowe, KC

D/ST- Bengals D

K- Greg Zuerlin, STL

BE- Ahmad Bradshaw, IND

BE- Hakeem Nicks, NYG

BE- Chris Ivory, NYJ

BE- Eric Decker, DEN

BE- Shane Veeren, NE

BE- Bryce Brown, PHI

BE- Josh Gordon, CLE

Commissioner's Evaluation: Kaep'n Crunch- Amazing Draft. Has all of his spots filled with good players and has a nice bench. nothing else to say. DRAFT GRADE A+ 

My thoughts on my team: Well, obviously I think my team is good. I hope Kaepernick has enough weapons to get a top ten quarterback. He can still make plays with his legs though. I love CJ Spiller. Buffalo is going to run the ball a lot because the only guy they can even attempt to throw to is Stevie Johnson. I love LeSean McCoy. Chip Kelly loves, loves, loves to run the ball. LeSean will be a top 5 running back. I think Dez Bryant will be at least a top five wide receiver. I think he could be as high as number one if Calvin Johnson has an off year. I think Larry Fitzgerald will have a great year. He actually has a quarterback that is competent. I think he has at least a solid season, and maybe even a top ten year. I think Dwayne Bowe will be good. Alex Smith will be the best quarterback he has ever played with. Ahmad Bradshaw will be the starter in Indy. Hakeem Nicks is the second option in New York. If he's healthy he can be a top twenty receiver. Chris Ivory will probably be the starter for the Jets, which gives him some value. Shane Veeren will take over the Danny Woodhead role in New England. Bryce Brown could get 10 to 12 carries a game even if LeSean McCoy is healthy. If he did happen to get hurt then Bryce Brown will step in and be the lead back. I love Josh Gordan as a flyer. He should be the top receiving option in Cleveland and Norv Turner likes to go deep. I really, really like my chances. I don't think my peers know as much as I do, and I don't think they drafted as well as I did. 

Follow me on Twitter @TheLanceMorris
Follow me on Instagram @TheLanceMorris

I'll follow back on both!
If you like what I write then tweet my link out, comment, and give me your thoughts. Help me get exposure. Please and thank you!

My Radio Show will air at 8 am. Once I get back to school. To listen live go to falconradio.org and click "listen live". My show is called Ball Night! I will talk NFL, NCAA Football, NBA, NCAA Basketball, and MLB.

My Thoughts On Fantasy Football

I've taken a long enough hiatus from writing anything. Well, outside of tweets here and there.

After the NBA Finals ended and the draft happened I haven't had anything that makes me want to take some time and put my thoughts into words. I could have written about NBA Free Agency moves, but I'll wait until the season's about to start for that. I could write some about baseball, but the only part of baseball I would be able to write at length about, would be my Detroit Tigers. At this point in time I just want to watch them and see how they play as the season gets down into the September stretch.

I'll write about the NFL once the season actually kicks off. Recently, I've been locked into fantasy football. I've downed all the fantasy podcasts that my ears have allowed. I've been doing mock drafts to my hearts content. That mostly means my head is full of fantasy things I would like to say about different fantasy items.

First, a disclaimer. I was in three fantasy leagues last year. Two of them I won, and in the other I came in second. I've been playing in some kind of fantasy football league for the last three or four years. Before, I used to just pick guys that I knew about, and that wasn't exactly the best idea. Last year I was a little more educated on who to take. Now I'm as educated as one could be on fantasy football.

All my thoughts are based on being in a 10 team standard league like one you would find on ESPN.com

Let's start out with some thoughts on specific players.

1. Don't go nuts over Doug Martin after his stellar rookie season.

Yeah, Doug Martin had about as good a rookie year as a guy could have. Besides Alfred Morris, but we'll talk about him later. He had some monster games. He had a 51 and 32 point performance. If you had Doug Martin, started him, and didn't win that week. You messed up big time. Even though he had a couple down weeks once defenses keyed in on him; he was still a top fantasy running back. What worries me is that when you go back and look at the top second year players is that the first guy taken never lived up to the value of where they were picked. I feel he would still be a good fantasy running back, but I don't know if he is going to be a top five guy this coming season.


2. Don't sleep on Trent Richardson.

Yes, I am a Browns fan, but this is something that needs to be touched on. On ESPN, he is ranked #8 overall and the 8th ranked running back. He could very easily a top 5 fantasy running back. The Browns are running the Norv Turner offense, which means they will go deep and run the ball effectively. Also, when looking back on Norv Turner coached teams (as the Offensive Coordinator)  Emmitt Smith lead the league in rushing all three seasons under Turner. Plus, LaDainian Tomlinson won two rushing titles under Norv Turner. That gives great hope that Richardson will be a top fantasy running back. You know as long as he stays healthy.

3. I highly doubt Alfred Morris has a season anywhere close to last season.

Last year, Morris would have won the rushing title if not for Adrian Peterson being a super-human. He is the 9th overall running back as well as the 9th ranked running back. I am a huge Robert Griffin III fan. I hope he is as ready to play week one as he says he already is. Even if RGIII is healthy he may or may not be as willing to run as he was last year. Most of the receivers outside of Pierre Garcon aren't reliable, and Garcon is hurt a lot. Teams are going to be keying in on Alfred Morris because outside of RGIII, there isn't much else to look out for with the Redskins offense. Also, from a fantasy perspective, he can't catch very well out of the back field. Other top running backs like Ray Rice and AP can catch out of the backfield. What that boils down to is that Morris won't be on the field on 3rd downs most of the time. That takes away plays that many other running backs will still be on the field for. Whether or not that player gets any yards, he still won't have the opportunity on 3rd down that a lot of other guys do.

4. I am very, very lukewarm on Steven Jackson.

Last season the Falcons were a play or two away from making it to the Super Bowl. That was with Michael "I can't believe I was in the NFL last year" Turner as their starting running back. He some how had 10 touchdowns, but nonetheless, he was a disaster. I don't deny that Steven Jackson is a huge upgrade over Turner. The problem is the Falcons offensive line is a pass blocking line, and they aren't even that great at pass blocking. Jackson is also 30. As you probably know, running backs usually hit the wall at age 30. He can catch passes out of the backfield, but most of the time Matt Ryan is going to be throwing to Roddy White, Julio Jones, or Tony Gonzalez. The Falcons are going to be in a lot of shoot outs, which means less action for Jackson.

5.  I absolutely love Jimmy Graham.

Jimmy Graham is, in fact, the best tight end in the NFL. If Rob Gronkowski hadn't had surgery every other week for the last couple months then he might have something to say about that. He is rated as the top tight end and is rated 29th overall. Last year he was a little down because the Saints simply weren't as good as they were in 2011. Not having Sean Payton didn't exactly help their offense, and their defense was abysmal. Even though it's August, I'll make a fairly bold prediction. Graham will break Rob Gronkowski's record (yes, they traded who had it twice before Gronk beat him out for it) for most receiving yards in a single season by a tight end. That will translate to fantasy points and I think the touchdowns will in the double digits somewhere. It doesn't help defenses that he is unstoppable in the red zone.

Lets go into some draft strategy.

1. If you don't take a running back in the first round, I would bet you won't like your team as much as if you take a running back first.

Don't get me wrong. I think Aaron Rodgers is the best player in the NFL. Calvin Johnson is probably going to be the best receiver again. My point is that quarterback and wide receiver are deeper than running back. There are plenty of running backs that could be a top 10 running back, but those are the guys that are either constantly hurt, are rookies/ first year starters or are guys that are learning a new system.

2. Unless you're getting Graham, Gronkowski, Gonzalez, (maybe) Jason Witten or Vernon Davis
 wait on your tight end.

I already told you why I think Jimmy Graham is a good player for your fantasy football team, I'd think of taking him as early as the second round. If Gronkowski is healthy then he and Graham could be neck at neck. Gonzalez always seems to get a couple catches and a few touchdowns. Ditto to Jason Witten. Vernon Davis is the only one I would be cautious on. He has all the tools to be a top five tight end. With Michael Crabtree out he should become Colin Kaepernick's number one target. I am a little down on Davis because after Colin Kaepernick took over as starting quarterback he faded out and had about two catches a game. So if you aren't getting those guys wait until at least the 11th round or maybe even 12th round when getting your tight end. If you aren't getting one of the elite guys then it is impossible to predict which 6th-10th ranked tight end will be the one getting those touchdowns. All of those guys will have a game or two where they have a big game. It won't matter which one you have if you don't get an elite tight end.

3. Try not taking a quarterback in the first 3 rounds of your draft.

This is a strategy I've tried in my last 6 or so mock drafts. Usually, I take 2 running backs to start. Sometimes I'll take a receiver and a running back. I'll even take a running back and Jimmy Graham. My third pick is a receiver, running back or Jimmy Graham depending on the flow of the draft. Once the fourth round hits you wanna go with your gut. Hopefully, you have your running backs at that point because after the first three rounds the running backs that could be taken are probably the injury prone types (a Darren McFadden type). Usually Rogers, Brees, and Peyton Manning are gone after three rounds. After the third you already have your important skill guys. So depending on what kind of guy you like that will shape how the draft will go for your team. You could get Cam Newton if you want, in the 4th. RGIII in the sixth. You could even have Matt Stafford or Russell "hustle and bustle, mounds of man muscle" Wilson in the seventh.

4. Don't be afraid to get your second running back in the third round depending on the flow of your draft.

 Like I've said before running back is the deepest position in fantasy football. In the third round you can gets guys like Maurice Jones-Drew, Frank Gore, Chris Johnson, and David Wilson. You could reach for them in the second and feel good about it. If you really like a Darren McFadden or a Monte Ball, they will be available in the fourth round if that's what you want.

5. There is not a defense or a kicker that should be taken before the last two rounds of your draft.

This sounds obvious, but sometimes people pick a defense early because they think it will be a giant difference maker. People did this with the Jets a few years ago. The Steelers before them. This year that could be the trend with the Seahawks and the 49ers. Granted, they are the two of the top defenses in the NFL, but except for the game where the Seahawks had 30+ points the defense will only be able to get you so many points from week to week.

A little down the road I will get into my individual rankings for the quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers (tight end, defense, and kicker are obvious).

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My NBA Mock Draft: Lottery Picks

Well, the NBA Season is over. I can't say I'm happy about it. I loved this NBA Season, and that's crazy to think since I'm an Orlando Magic fan. But watching LeBron this year was special; if he is still improving, I'm down right scared. But we can wait until October to talk about how great LeBron is. Let's start talking NBA Draft! I know most people don't care much about the NBA Draft, but I've liked watching it for as long as I can remember. The first draft lottery I watched was when the Cavs landed the first pick in 2003, and we all know what happened from there. Yet again the Cavs have won the #1 Overall pick. This is the first time in a while that we don't know who the #1 pick will be. Last year, it was clear in December the Anthony Davis would be the #1 pick. This year, there isn't a clear guy that either should or will go #1. Let's start picking!

1. Cleveland Cavaliers

2012-2013 Starting Line-up:
PG - Kyrie Irving
SG - Dion Waiters
SF - Alonzo Gee
PF - Tristan Thompson
C - Tyler Zeller

The Cavs land the top pick in the draft for the second time in their three post-LeBron seasons. And people across the country are already planning for LeBron's return in 2014 (which isn't a guarantee). The Cavs have done well to some extent will their drafting the last few years. They clearly nailed it when they drafted Kyrie Irving. Although, if you look back at that 2011 NBA Draft, they could've had a lot of other high level guys (Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, Iman Shumpart, Kenneth Faired). Regardless, the Cavs have done fairly well. If Anderson Varejao comes back healthy then he probably becomes a trade piece. If Kyrie stays healthy the Cavs could contend for a playoff birth.

The pick
Otto Porter SF - Georgetown

The Cavs starters not named Alonzo Gee were drafted within the last few seasons. Gee is a decently solid guy, but you won't get anywhere with him as your starting three. Otto Porter took Georgetown to places they haven't been since the 80's. He was a player of the year finalist and viewed as one of the top players in the country. I don't know if the Cavs will take him number one, but if they do trade down as some have speculated Porter will be the pick.

2. Orlando Magic

2012-2013 Starting Line-up:
PG - Jameer Nelson
SG - Mo Harkless
SF - Tobias Harris
PF - Andrew Nicholson
C - Nik Vucevic

The Magic had one of their worst seasons record wise since their inception in 1989. The team is clearly in rebuilding mode due to the "Dwight-mare Saga". Although, when you look back at the trade; the Magic actually made out fairly well. The Lakers got an unhealthy Dwight Howard and Jodie Meeks. Meeks was mostly a benchwarmer and Dwight was on-and-off all season. The Nuggets got Andre Iguodala, which was a good move for them, but he just opted to become a free agent and may leave Denver. The 76ers got Andrew Bynum who didn't play a game all season and the team ended up missing the playoffs. The Magic got an abundance of players with at lease some value. They received Harkless, Vucevic, Harrington, and Afflalo.  All but Harrington had a major impact on the team. The Magic also traded sixth man JJ Redick for Tobias Harris in a deal that really helped the Magic more than it helped the Bucks.

The Pick
Nerlens Noel C - Kentucky

The Magic have tons of options on what to do with this pick. I'm not as high on Noel as I was initially. The Magic already have Nik Vucevic as the starting center, and I think he can get much better on both ends of the floor.  I really think we need a new point guard since both point guards on the roster are 30+ (Nelson and Udrih) and aren't going to get any better. I'd love if they got CJ McCollum, Michael Carter-Williams, or even Trey Burke. I'd even like if they took one of the top shooting guards in Ben McLemore or Victor Oladipo. Sadly, I think they will take Noel simply because of the massive potential he has. As a Magic fan, I'm skeptically since we already have a starting center and point guard is the weakest spot on the team.

3. Washington Professional Basketball Team (ala Joe House)

2012-2013 Starting Line-up
PG - John Wall
SG - Bradley Beal
SF - Martell Webster
PF - Nene
C - Emeka Okafor

Last season was very up and down for Washington. They started and ended the season on losing streaks, but in between, once John Wall was healthy, they looked like a playoff team. Everyone had been waiting for John Wall to take that next step into to stardom. If they nail this draft pick and the team stays healthy they will be in the playoffs next year. Hell, the Bucks weren't even over .500 and made the playoffs. They nailed the Bradley Beal pick and they need to hope other recent picks like Jan Vesley develop into at least a solid pros. If Nene and Okafor stay healthy, are efficient, and play solid defense, they can be a solid team. Even when with their next pick, they won't be a title contender, but it would be a good start.

The Pick
Anthony Bennett PF - UNLV

I think if Otto Porter is falls to them they won't think twice about taking him, but if that doesn't happen Anthony Bennett is a good fallback. He was the best player in the country you've probably never heard of. Like Andrew Wiggins, he is from Canada. When you watch him, he just oozes natural talent and athletic ability. The only thing that worries me is that he failed to show up in the NCAA Tournament, but other NBA Stars didn't do well in the NCAA Tournament so maybe that doesn't matter.

4. Charlotte Bobcats

2012-2013 Starting Line-up
PG - Kemba Walker
SG - Gerald Henderson
SF - Michael Kidd-Gilcrist
PF - Josh McRoberts
C - Bismack Biyombo

Ah, the Bobcats. They're a weird team. They have some a nice core with Kemba Walker and MGK, Biyombo still has to improve, Henderson and McRoberts need to improve. They will be breaking in a new coach (again). They will be in the lottery next year and after that, maybe they will be able to contend.

The Pick
Ben McLemore SG - Kansas

Ben McLemore was one of the more polarizing guys in college basketball last season. He was a freshman on a basketball team filled with seniors. I think he had the most natural talent in college basketball last season. He just looked like the best player on the floor most nights. I think that he should be a better player than Bradley Beal. Both of them were compared to Ray Allen before the draft and I think McLemore better fits the bill since he's a bigger guy and once he fills out a bit and gets some good players around him. He could be one of the better shooting guards in the league. I think if another team was picking right here, Oladipo would be the pick, but the Bobcats tend to pick the wrong guy. (Even though both guys will be good, I think Oladipo will at least be better sooner)

5.  Phoenix Suns

2012-2013 Starting Line-up
PG - Goran Dragic
SG - Wesley Johnson
SF - Jared Dudley
PF - Markieff Morris
C - Luis Scola

The Suns had their most irrelevant season since before Steve Nash was there. I never saw them on national TV, and that's a good thing. They're going to be down for a while. So get used to the lottery.

The Pick
Victor Oladipo SG - Indiana

If Oladipo falls to the fifth pick, I would be very surprised, but if he does the Suns would be getting a steal. Oladipo turned from just being an athletic guard into a real basketball player. He came up big in the NCAA Tournament. He had a game winning three pointer to beat Temple in a game that they struggled to defend Khalif Wyatt (who also could get drafted because of that performance). Oladipo was clearly one of the best players in the country and it also helped that he was on one of the best teams in the country. The shocking thing is if one year ago, you said Victor Oladipo would get drafted before Cody Zeller, his Indiana teammate, that thought wouldn't have even crossed your mind. Now, it's almost a certainty.

6. New Orleans Pelicans

2012-2013 Starting Line-up
PG - Greivis Vasquez
SG - Eric Gordon
SF - Al-Farouq Aminu
PF - Anthony Davis
C - Robin Lopez

The Pelicans are in the lottery again for the third year in a row in the post-Chris Paul era. They made the obvious pick last year to take Anthony Davis at the top of the draft. They might have missed with the pick of Austin Rivers at number ten, but he can still get better. If Eric Gordon is healthy, he's a top-five shooting guard. Aminu and Lopez can be solid as role players. They will be in the lottery again next year unless every guy on their team has a giant leap forward, and even if they do they would be a six or seven seed.

The Pick
Shabazz Muhammad SF - UCLA

This would be the first shocker of the draft. Coming into the year, he was viewed by most experts to be a top pick. After an up and down year at UCLA, he could go near the top of the draft board, or he could fall even out of the lottery. But if the Pelicans made this pick I wouldn't see a problem with it. He is a better version of Al-Farouq Aminu, and if he develops a reliable jumper, then he can become a top level NBA player. Although, if that's not the pick then I wouldn't bet against them taking Alex Len.

7. Sacramento Kings

2012-2013 Starting Line-up
PG - Isaiah Thomas
SG - Tyreke Evans
SF - John Salmons
PF - Jason Thompson
C - Boogie Cousins

The Kings haven't been relevant since they had Vladi Divac. They're staying in Sacramento for the foreseeable future. They suck, and they're going to continue to suck. The only bright spot is Boogie Cousins, and he'll be gone whenever he can.

The Pick
Trey Burke PG - Michigan

Trey Burke, I'm sorry. Even though I'm an Ohio State fan; I can respect a good basketball player when I see one. If the Kings have to trade Boogie, can you find a way in on that deal? He won all the awards a player can win without winning the National Championship, and he still got to the Title game! Hopefully, the Kings can just go away so they stop ruining good basketball players.

8. Detroit Pistons

2012-2013 Starting Line-up
PG - Jose Calderon
SG - Brandon Knight
SF - Kyle Singlar
PF - Greg Monroe
C - Andre Drummond

Well, Pistons fans, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that you have a nice, young, and talented core. The Bad news is you hired yet another average coach. If the young guys keep getting better they will battle for a playoff spot, but they still need a better coach. If they get the right guy in this draft it will certainly put them on the fast track to playoff contenders.

The Pick
CJ McCollum PG - Leigh

If you don't know about this kid; study up. He is a guy coming from the small school mold similar to Damien Lillard and Steph Curry. He is a really smart guy. He scores at will. He's becoming a better passer, and he could play off the ball if you want to move Brandon Knight over. He played four years of college basketball, so he will be ready to play. I'm done buying into the "he didn't play anybody" idea. He was getting double and even sometimes triple teams every game. He beat Duke a few years ago in the NCAA Tournament. He can play, and expect him to contribute immediately.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves

2012-2013 Starting Line-up
PG - Ricky Rubio
SG - Luke Ridnour
SF - Andrei Kirilenko
PF - Kevin Love
C - Nik Pekovic

If Kevin Love was healthy they would've been a playoff contender. Rubio wasn't healthy most of the year. Pekovic became one of the better centers in the NBA. Bottom line: if they stay healthy and pick the right guy, they should at least compete for the playoffs if not make the playoffs.

The Pick
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope SG - Georgia

This would be one of the better picks in Minnesota Timberwolves history if they pick this guy. He would basically be the missing piece. If they keep Pekovic, and if Derrick Williams gets better, that easily gives them seven solid guys, which all but guarantees a playoff spot. Well, as long as K-Love stays healthy.

10. Portland Trail Blazers

2012-2013 Starting Line-up
PG - Damien Lillard
SG - Wesley Matthews
SF - Nicolas Batum
PF - LaMarcus Aldridge
C - JJ Hickson

Portland was a really weird team last season. They went through a 13 game losing streak to end their season, and in-between a lot of winning and losing streaks. They either won a lot in a row, or they lost a lot in a row. They nailed their first round pick last year by taking rookie of the year, Damien Lillard. They have a top five power forward in Aldridge, and a quality swingman in Batum. Matthews in a streaky scorer. Hickson is a solid center, but you won't be telling your grandkids about him. They're bench is terrible. They have a quality starting line-up, but their bench will continue to lose them games. They will probably be a lottery team again unless Batum steps up and Lillard plays even better than last season.

The Pick
Alex Len C - Maryland

If Len falls to 10 then I think some teams made mistakes. I wouldn't be shocked if the Pelicans took Len before Portland gets the chance. Don't forget the Blazers tried to get Roy Hibbert last off-season to bolster their frontline. Len would fit that role pretty well. He is an offensive center that knows how to score efficiently on the left block and is improving on the right block. He is currently hurt and even played half last season through an injury, and didn't even know it was a major problem! That shows a lot of toughness, which should be a good sign. Oh, and he used to be a gymnast. How many centers in the NBA have been gymnasts? Probably not very many.

11. Philadelphia 76ers

2012-2013 Starting Line-up
PG - Jrue Holiday
SG - Nick Young
SF - Evan Turner
PF - Thad Young
C - Spencer Hawes

Last season was clearly a disappointment for the 76ers. A few years ago they made the second round. Yeah, they were aided by a Derrick Rose injury, but they still had to win the games. They took Boston to seven games that year. After that they made the trade to move Iggy and they received Jason Richardson and Andrew Bynum. Those two missed a combined 131 games. That wasn't exactly great news for the Sixers. If they get healthy and make some good moves in free agency, they could make the playoffs. If they miss the playoffs though, it won't be by very many games. They're how the Rockets were a few years ago. They're good enough to contend, but not good enough to win a title.

The Pick
Cody Zeller C/PF - Indiana

Zeller was supposed to be the best player in college basketball last season. He wasn't even the best player on his team! Oladipo had that honor, and he will probably be drafted ahead of Zeller as well. Don't sleep on Zeller though. He probably won't be an all-star, but he will be a solid NBA player. I think he can be a better version of his brother, Tyler,  He is a quicker and more agile guy, especially for a seven footer. I think he is a safer bet than some of these raw, athletic guys. You know what you're going to get from this guy. His best case scenario is as a starting power forward or a center, and he averages a double-double.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder (from the James Harden trade)

2012-2013 Starting Line-up
PG - Russell Westbrook
SG - Thabo Sefolosha
SF - Kevin Durant
PF - Serge Ibaka
C - Kendrick Perkins

The Thunder really need to score with this pick. They traded a top-15 player in the NBA for Jeremy Lamb, Kevin Martin, and some draft picks. Martin is solid, and the jury is still out on Lamb. They need a good pick here to show their fans that they didn't give up James Harden for nothing. The Thunder will be a playoff team next year. Durant is the second best player in the league. Westbrook will come back healthy and be a top player. They will at least make the second round of the playoffs, if not the Conference Finals.

The Pick
Kelly Olynyk PF - Gonzaga

I don't know how likely it is for the Thunder to take Olynyk, but I would really like it if they took a guy like this. I think he can play either the four or the five in the NBA depending on the line-up. Put him on the floor with Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, and Martin. That's four guys who can score without thinking twice, and Ibaka will get you nearly a double-double every night along with a few blocks. That would be one of the best line-ups in the league. If they don't take Olynyk, I think they take Steven Adams the Center out of Pittsburgh. Oh, and they'll either amnesty Perkins or have him take a pay cut.

13. Dallas Mavericks

2012-2013 Starting Line-up
PG - Darren Collison
SG - OJ Mayo
SF - Shawn Marion
PF - Dirk Nowitzki
C -  Chris Kaman

The Mavs haven't had much to celebrate since winning the title in 2011. If they don't get a high-caliber free agent next month, they will probably be a lottery team again. If they do, they will contend for a playoff spot at the very least.

The Pick
Steven Adams C - Pittsburgh

I don't know much about Steven Adams, but I know he is one of the guys that has a lot more risk then a Cody Zeller does. He is a seven footer that averaged seven and six as a freshmen. He has a lot of developing to do, but if he develops the way he should; he can be a top center in the next five years.

14. Utah Jazz

2012-2013 Starting Line-up
PG - Mo Williams
SG - Randy Foye
SF - Gordon Hayward
PF - Paul Millsap
C - Al Jefferson

Another team that like the Rockets of a few years ago. Won't win a title and they won't be the worst team in the league. They need to a bon a fide star to be a playoff contender, until then it will be a lot of mediocre seasons.

The Pick
Shane Larkin PG - Miami

He turned from just another average player in college basketball to one of the best point guards in the NCAA. He was the only young guy on a Miami team that was one of the best in the country. Guard is the only position they don't have their player of the future at and getting Larkin would be a good start to that.

Tune into the NBA Draft on Thursday Night at 7 PM on ESPN!

Follow me on Twitter @TheLanceMorris

NBA Finals Preview

Welcome back. It's been too damn long! As LeBron said last year, "It's about damn time." It feels like the Pacers-Heat series took months. That was probably the best series that I have watched as a 19 year old NBA basketball fan. I wasn't able to watch Michael Jordan in his hay day. I very, very vaguely remember watching Shaq and Kobe win three titles in a row. So for me, watching the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals was some of the best NBA basketball I've watched. If the Heat had made quick work of the Pacers, we would have put the 2012-2013 Heat into the discussion of best team of all-time. They still might get there, but it wouldn't be the same as if they had only lost three games in the entire playoffs. As Ryan Ruocco said on his radio show with Stephen A. this week "We needed the Heat. Even though I root against them. We needed them." That echoes how I feel. I don't like the Heat for a few reasons. 1. I like the Orlando Magic. So it's a natural rivalry against the Heat. 2. I haven't exactly been a LeBron fan since he left Cleveland in the manner that he did. 3. I didn't like the heat pre-LeBron. I didn't like them when they had Shaq, D-Wade, and company back in 2006. So not liking the Heat isn't something that is new to me like it has been to all the people that noticed the Heat after the culmination of "the Big 3".

On to the Finals. We have the Spurs going up against the Heat. One story line is that the LeBron is facing the Spurs in the finals for the second time in his career. He went up against them in the 2007 Finals as a member of the Cavs, but his team was really, really bad. Another is Tim Duncan possibly becoming the only player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to win NBA Finals MVP 14 years apart. That would be something that will never be forgotten. There's other various storylines like Tony Parker cementing the idea that he is the 3rd best player in the NBA (I think that's crazy but it's out there). Also there's Wade getting his 3rd NBA Title and (officially) claiming the title as 3rd best shooting guard in the history of the NBA.

But let's get down to business. The Heat have games one and two at home before they go down to San Antonio for games three, four, and five. Then we go back down to South Beach for game six and game seven.

Let's look at the line ups. The Spurs have a giant advantage at the point guard spot by having MVP candidate Tony Parker run their offense. The Heat have Mario Chalmers who is capable of having a big game, but is nothing compared to Tony Parker. The Spurs start Danny Green, who should at least know LeBron well after he started his career with him in Cleveland, although, he was glued to the bench. He is a fine role player who shoots 3's and plays hard defense. But Dwyane Wade, could be a mixed bag. It's nearly impossible to know how he will come out on a game to game basis. Something else that Ryan Ruocco has talked about both on his show and "Mike And Mike" was how Dwyane Wade is in a unique position that other athletes are almost never able to be in. Whenever he has a bad game, it's just due to his injury(s) limiting his effectiveness. However, if he has a good game it's because he isn't as hurt today as he was in past games. It probably helps that he is playing along side the best player in the world. Regardless, he is now completely blameless. If Dwyane Wade plays like he did in game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals then he will clearly play a larger role then Danny Green will. Green probably won't play as many minutes as Manu Ginobili will at the shooting guard spot. If he plays how he should, it could be a dead even matchup. Do I even need to go over the small forward matchup? LeBron should and most likely will, destroy whoever the Spurs put in his way. They don't have a Bruce Bowen type to lock him down. Power forward will vary game to game. The Heat usually have Udonis Haslem at that spot, but Shane Battier might get more minutes in this series than he did against the Pacers because of the matchups. The Spurs have one of Skip Bayless's favorite NBA guys in Tiago Splitter at their power forward. Although, he has vastly improved from last year. For that spot, it will change every game. If Haslem is hitting his jumper from 13-16 feet like he did in game three against the Pacers, than he will have a big advantage over Splitter. At center, the Spurs have one of the top players all-time in Tim Duncan, who should always have at least a better defensive game than Chris Bosh of the Heat will. If Bosh can maybe get into double figures at some point in this series it will greatly help the Heat. Otherwise, I expect Duncan to get the better of him in that matchup.

Now on to my prediction. I feel the same way in this series as I did in the Heat and Pacers series. As a team, I feel like the Spurs are more well rounded than the Heat. But the Heat will win the NBA Finals in six games and I will tell you why. 1. They have the best player in the world in LeBron James, and the Spurs don't have a guy that can take him all by himself. That isn't good news for the Spurs. 2. Miami's role player's not named Norris Cole all have a lot of experience. Battier, Haslem, Birdman, and Mike Miller all have a lot of postseason experience. The Spurs role players are young. They have guys like Leonard, Green, Splitter, and Neil. So I like the Heat role guys over the Spurs role guys. 3. Bosh should have a much better series against the Spurs than he did against the Pacers because Duncan is at the very least a better matchup than Roy Hibbert. 4. The Heat have home court advantage. If they win the first two games at home, they should be almost set to win at least one game in San Antonio then be able to close the series at home. 5. The Heat haven't lost back-to-back games since January. I don't see that stopping now. Again, Heat in six, and LeBron wins Finals MVP.

I told you I'd give you a book recommendation. Well, I'll do one better. I'll give you two! Two books any true basketball fan should read are Eleven Rings by Phil Jackson. He talks a little about his life growing up then he talks about his playing days for the Knicks and how he hated the Celtics long before he was with the Lakers. It goes into a lot of detail on his coaching days with the Bulls and the Lakers, and he even compares Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Another book you should read is Dream Team by Jack McCallum. He talked about how the Dream Team came to be and the journey to get the Olympics to allow NBA Players to play. Both are extremely good books and if you have any interest in basketball I suggest taking some time to read them.

Follow me on Twitter @TheLanceMorris

Thoughts on Heat-Pacers So Far.

Wow. I had the feeling after four games in the Heat-Pacers series that it would be 2-2 going back to South Beach. I had no idea that it would be quite like this though. Even though I predicted that the Heat would win in six games; I still had the sneaking suspicion that the Heat might steamroll the Pacers. That didn't happen in any way shape or form. Three out of the four games so far have been spectacular to watch.

Game one was insane. Paul George's shot to send the game to OT was just ridiculous. He has only been in the NBA for a few years and to step up and make a shot of that magnitude on largest stage of his career was remarkable. His game up to that point hadn't exactly been up to par and that shot changed how his game was going. I know it's been a while since game one, but I also think that Roy Hibbert should have been in the game when LeBron made that game winning layup. Don't think Paul George is without blame, though. Had he stayed in front of LeBron when he was driving to the hoop then having Hibbert in the game might not have mattered. I would guess that Paul George assumed LeBron was going to pull up in stead of drive to the hoop. Michael Jordan was someone that always said, "Force LeBron to his left. When he goes right, he drives to the hoop, and when he drives to left, he pulls up." Nonetheless, game one was interesting. We saw David West dominate the first half of that game, and we saw Paul George dominate the second half (at least offensively). LeBron just does what he seems to often do. He shined has the best player in the game today and had a triple double. Not to mention he made a game winning shot to win that game for the Heat to keep home court advantage. Also, I liked how Birdman played! He went 7-7 and did a good job being effective in just 18 minutes of action.

Game two was also crazy! All the Pacers starters had positive +/- numbers and were in double figures, which is probably because the Pacers bench flat out stinks. Roy Hibbert played well on both ends of the floor. George Hill shot about as lights out as he could have. David West struggled in shooting the ball from the floor, but excelled at getting to the free throw line, and was 9-10 from the charity stripe. Yeah, the Pacers won game two by a score of 97-93, but it's not as if the Heat didn't show up. LeBron was amazing like always, but had two passes in the final minute of the game that were probably among the worst of his career. Wade, Bosh, and Chalmers didn't contribute like they should have. Haslem might as well not have dressed for this game after only having one point. Battier didn't score. Birdman did what he could. And Norris Cole and Ray Allen didn't really do much either.

Game three was the least spectacular of the games so far. Every Pacer struggled. If you're looking for a silver lining David West played the best of the Pacers shooting 50% from the field. Everyone on the Pacers struggled. I don't need to list all of them, but no one on the Pacers had a really good game. Hibbert had a 20 points 17 rebound game, but that didn't matter. It didn't help that the Pacers stayed an extra night in South Beach, which means they probably didn't get much rest. First thing with talking about the Heat was how much can change between games for one player. Udonis Haslem had what was probably the best offensive output of his career. He shot 8-9 and seemly made every short corner jumper that he took. The rest of the Heat did what they had to do. Another shout out to Birdman for not missing a shot. The Heat won 114-96, and it wasn't a good game.

Game four was amazing. I wish this game wasn't tampered by the refs. Joey Crawford was the head official. And if you know anything about NBA games, that is a sign for bad calls to ensue. Basketball is a game of runs, and the Pacers started of the game running. They started 11-0 and forced the Heat to take a timeout early on. Regardless, both teams played fairly well for the most part. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this game. Roy Hibbert showed why he deserved to get that monster contract last offseason as a restricted free agent. He didn't have a brilliant game from a numbers standpoint 23 points and 12 boards. He didn't have a blocked shot, but he did his part on defense and changed every shot he possibly could. David West had a nice game. Paul George had an alright game. I really liked the game Lance Stephenson had even though he flopped any chance he got. George Hill didn't shoot the ball all that well, but he made some key shots when he had to. I'll touch on the officiating after talking about the Heat, LeBron James had a good game. What else do you expect of him? He can't get a triple double every night. He had a technical called on him even though I don't know why he had a technical called on him. He fouled out for the first time in what seems like an eternity and that killed the Heat in the last minute of the game. Wade was simply okay. He hasn't had a game that has been up to his high standards. Chris Bosh only made one shot and it was a three. Chalmers was their second leading scorer, which shouldn't happen very often. More attention was paid to Haslem after his amazing game three. Ray Allen contributed only by going 4 of 13. In other words, not very good.
Let's give some credit to the Pacers though. They did make enough plays to win the game. The Pacers did win the game 99-92 Although...

Remember how I said Joey Crawford was officiating this game? Well he showed why he is the only ref that has a name that recognize besides Tim Donaghy. There was a technical called on each team (one on LeBron and one on Pacers coach Frank Vogel). They called a travel on Wade that was at least a questionable call. They called so many fouls on LeBron that he actually fouled out. The call that he fouled out on was on an illegal screen call. First off, that's one of the most subjective calls in a basketball game. It's rarely called and when it is then it's usually as blatant as can be. If you want to know what a true illegal screen looks like just watch Kevin Garnett. He does an illegal screen damn near every time he sets a screen! Anyway, I think that's a lame call in the last couple minutes of a Conference Finals game. While most people can debate the Wade travel and the LeBron Screen; you can't debate the 24 second call that shouldn't have been called. It clearly hit the rim and improperly gave the ball back to the Heat. Sadly, it wasn't even reviewed. It led to a Heat run that may or may not have been sparked after the missed call.

I'm not backing down on my prediction of Heat in six games, but I do think it will be a challenge for both teams.

I'll talk about the Grizzles and Spurs series in a giant preview before the NBA Finals, and I'll even give you a book recommendation.

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Preview of Eastern & Western Conference Finals

The Miami Heat will host the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday tipping off the Eastern Conference Finals. LeBron has already said the Heat will be ready, and why wouldn't they be? They easily took care of the Bucks in the first round by means of a quick four game sweep. They dispatched the injury ridden Bulls in five games after the Bulls stole game one in Miami. It probably helped that the main source of offense for the Bulls was 5'9 Nate Robinson. The Heat basically said, "Okay. Nate Robinson is not going to be the one to beat us." And once they did, the Bulls struggled on offense. Even though they had glimpses of Richard Hamilton (I thought he was in Tom Thibodeau's doghouse) and Carlos Boozer on offense. The Heat have the chance to be put in the greatest team ever debate (at least in terms of winning percentage). We will see how they do against the Pacers this time around with both teams being subtly different.

The Heat are mostly the same cast as last season. They have a few additions in Ray Allen, Chris Andersen (Bird Man), and Rashard Lewis. Norris Cole has dramatically improved from his rookie season. Shane Battier has been okay in spurts. Dwayne Wade has added "when he's healthy" to his name. LeBron is LeBron (duh). The pacers are a little difference as well. The back up point guard roll changed from Darren Collison to D.J. Augustin. Paul George is twice the player he was last season. Danny Granger has been unable to play for a while. This year's team has also had a much larger dose of Lance Stevenson. Up until last series, Roy Hibbert has been a shell of himself. Like last year, he will be the key to the Pacers, at least having a chance in this series. The Pacers, were the best rebounding team in the NBA. On the other end of the scale, the Heat were the worst rebounding team in the league. But their poor rebounding numbers didn't keep them from having a 27 game winning streak. So, I don't know how much I would look into that. Speaking from the perspective of an Orlando Magic fan, I watched how a fully healthy Magic team was able to give the small Miami Heat team fits. Of course this is back when they had Dwight & company health. Clearly, Roy Hibbert hasn't been even a poor man's Dwight Howard. At least back when Dwight was at (what might have been) the peak of his powers a few seasons ago.

I do think the Heat will win the series, but I expect it to be a gritty, tough series. It should be a lot like last year, although it will be subtly different. I see the Heat winning in six games, again, like last season.

Game One of the Grizzles and Spurs series tipped off Sunday. The Spurs didn't even give the Grizzles a fair shot. The closest the game was just so happened to be at the opening tip.  But let's look at how the rosters changed. One more so then the other. The Grizzles made radical changes mid-season with the Rudy Gay trade. I thought there might be a chance for the Grizzles to make a run like they did in 2011 because they were set up a lot like they were when Rudy Gay was hurt. The Grizzles changed from having Rudy Gay, OJ Mayo, and a couple other role players to a dramatic overhaul. They added guys like Tayshaun Prince, Jerryd Bayless, and Ed Davis among others.  But the bulk of the Grizzles success has been from the guys that were already there. Zach Randolph has been playing the best basketball of his career not counting the 2011 postseason. Marc Gasol, the newly crowned defensive player of the year, has made himself into the games best big man. He has even been a better offensive player both in scoring and his passing. And Mike Conley. Holy Crap, Mike Conley. I'm an Ohio State fan and I never would have seen this coming. I would never have thought out of Mike Conley, Greg Oden, and Daequan Cook that Mike Conley would have had the best NBA career of the group. He has been nothing short of sensational this postseason.

The Spurs are basically the same team they have been throughout their run of 50+ win seasons. Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan, and an assortment of role players.  I don't think there's much that can be said about the Spurs that people don't already know. Tim Duncan is still a great player. Tony Parker is always solid. Manu hits big shot after, big shot. And various role players like Danny Green and Matt Bonner always seem to make an impact.

Even though the Spurs won game one with ease. I still think the Grizzles will win this series in six. I think this series may have the same blueprint as the Thunder series last year. The Spurs won their first two games at home then they lost four straight. I see the same kind of things happening in this series. I don't see how they can consistently stop Gasol and Randolph game after game. The Spurs just don't have the size to match up with the Grizzles and I think that will be the key for the Grizzles.

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Reflection Of NBA Playoff Games In The West

       One series in the West done, and another one to go.

       The Thunder lost to the Grizzles in five games, but was anyone really surprised by the outcome? It took the Thunder six games to get past the Rockets even though their answer to stopping Kevin Durant was Francisco Garcia. Really? Francisco Garcia? Has he had a relevant moment in the NBA? Anyway, I like many others, had the thought that the Thunder weren't making it past the Grizzles. They weren't a good match up. Let's look at the Thunder's flaws before we get to the good things about the Grizzles.

       First off all, don't blame this on Kevin Durant. What was he supposed to do with a back-up point guard playing 40+ minutes a game? Don't go around and say Durant isn't everything he's supposed to be just because of this series. Everyone needs help. LeBron's run in 2007 was an anomaly (He had Eric Snow, Big Z, Larry Hughes, and Drew Gooden). But I think we should look at just how inept Durant's supporting cast is. Kevin Martin is only a shooter. If his shot isn't falling down then he has no other way of contributing. Reggie Jackson is a very poor man's version of Russell Westbrook. He does the same thing's as Westbrook, but not nearly as well. Serge Ibaka is a good asset on a star studded team. He is a great defensive player (he averaged 3+ blocks a game). The problem is he doesn't have another gear. When Westbrook went down, the general though was that Ibaka was going to step up and take up some of the shots that Westbrook would have taken. After watching him play without Westbrook it's clear to me that Ibaka is the same player night in and night out. He will get you transition and other easy buckets, but don't expect him to make moves in the post and put it in the basket. I do have one burning question though? Why is Kendrick Perkins still in the league? His one job is to defend the big centers (Dwight Howard, Marc Gasol, Roy Hibbert, etc.). But he can't even do that anymore. It's annoying to me that Scott Brooks continued to play Perkins when he wasn't effective at either end of the floor all series long. It didn't help either that the Thunder's bench was very weak. Thabo Sefolosha who started, but might as well have been a bench player is a good defensive player, but he can only make lay ups and very, very wide open 3's. Derek Fisher's 38 and playing significant minutes. Nick Collsion plays hard, but can't really do much of anything. The rest of their bench is either young and needs to develop, or young and they can't play.

        But enough about the Thunder, let's give some credit to the Grizzles.  Zach Randolph has been playing fairly well. He's not exactly the guy he was in 2011, but he has been going 110% and banging bodies night in and night out. Marc Gasol has established himself as the top big guy in the game since Dwight Howard has been either unhealthy or unengaged. Not to mention, he won Defensive Player of the Year and he is the best passing big man in the game today. Tony Allen has been one of, if not the best wing defender in the NBA. Mike Conley is showing everyone watching that he is worth every penny that the Grizzles paid him two years ago. Tayshaun Prince has filled in nicely, and their bench as been as solid as they can possibly be. Credit the Grizzles to playing an old school type game with
two big men and filling the gaps everywhere else. I like how they play even if it's not the flashy way to play in the NBA today. I feel like the Grizzles will beat either the Spurs or the Warriors and move on to the NBA Finals. Although, that remains to be seen. Let's talk some Warriors - Spurs.

       The Spurs are up 3-2 over the Golden State Warriors. I think this series goes 7 if the Warriors have a semi-healthy Stephen Curry. Let's look at the Warriors first. I love, love, love watching Stephen Curry when healthy. That's the problem with Curry. You always have to say "if he's healthy" when talking about how good he is. Aside from having to worry about his ankles, he has been the best player to watch in the playoffs. Well, at least from a come out party point-of-view. Klay Thompson has been fun to watch, too. His Game 2 performance was amazing to watch. If he develops the confidence to go to the hoop more instead of just shooting his way out of trouble, I think that he could become a top 5 shooting guard in the league. Harrison Barnes has been fun to watch more so then not. I really like the move for him from the 3 to the small ball 4. He is the kind of stretch 4 that gives your offense room to move. It really gives their offense another dimension that they didn't have with David Lee in the starting lineup. I wonder what would have happened if David Lee never got hurt in the Denver series? It might have kept them from advancing past the Nuggets , but who knows? Andrew Bogut has been playing more like the Bogut of 2010 and that has really helped the Warriors interior defense. Jarrett Jack and the rest of the Warriors bench has been very key for them in winning games against the Spurs.

      The Spurs have been playing very well in their own right. I must admit, I've never really liked the Spurs. Maybe it's just because they win every year. But as I've grown older, I've grown to appreciate Tim Duncan. He's been in the league forever and he just keeps doing what he does. He's solid on both ends of the floor every single night. There's not very many people in the league you can say that about. Tony Parker has done what he can even though he's fighting through injuries. Danny Green. Yes, we're going to talk a little about Danny Green. A few years ago, he was out of the league. He was never really given a chance on the LeBron James Cavalier team's, but once he found he's fit on the Spurs he has been a great guy for them. He has just two jobs: make open 3's and play solid defense. And he has done just that especially when guarding Stephen Curry. Manu has done everything Manu is supposed to do. He had a terrible game 1, but all was forgiven when he made the three to beat the Warriors in game 1. And don't forget about Kawhi Leonard. He has been the Spurs most important player not named Tim Duncan. The Spurs bench has done what it can, but they usually only have Manu and sometimes Tiago Splitter as useful guys off their bench.

       As much as I want the Warriors to win. I think the Spurs will win in 7. If the Warriors were healthy, I would give them a punchers chance in game 7. With Curry injured, it simply kills the Warriors chances of getting to the Western Conference Finals.

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Reflection Of NBA Playoff Games In The East

Ah, the NBA Playoffs.

It's definitely one of my favorite times of the year. It is right up there with the NFL Playoffs, MLB Playoffs, NCAA Football's regular season, and March Madness. The only thing is that if my team isn't involved in the MLB playoffs; I'll have a hard time finding a reason to watch.

In the NFL, I always am watching even though the Browns have only been in the playoffs once in my lifetime. In MLB, (luckily) the Tigers have been in the postseason the last two seasons, but if they weren't in the playoffs, quite frankly, I probably wouldn't watch any postseason action. Baseball doesn't appeal to me in the same sense basketball and football do. I love watching college football. I can watch a random game that comes on between Baylor and West Virginia just as easily as I could watch Alabama verses Florida. College football is just magical in way that I can't real describe through words. March Madness, I love in every way, shape, and form. The team I grew up loving (The Ohio State Buckeyes) has gone deep into the tournament the last few seasons, but I still watch whether they're playing in the NIT, or they're in the NCAA Championship game. But onto the NBA Playoffs.

First, the Heat against the Bulls.

I want to start out by saying I love the way Tom Thibodeau coaches a basketball team. With any less of a coach I don't know if the Bulls get into the playoffs. Let alone beating the Brooklyn Nets in 7, or beating the defending NBA Champs on the road in game one of the Eastern Conference Semis. He has gotten so much out of the players he can. Nate Robinson has looked better then I've ever seen him outside of winning a couple Dunk Contests. Joakim Noah, who is playing hurt, has done more on one leg then a lot of other guys in the NBA can do on two. Carlos Boozer played out of his mind in game three and hopefully the Bulls can rely on him for at least 15+ a night. Jimmy Butler, who has been playing (almost) every minute of this series, has done everything but throw the kitchen sink trying to slow down LeBron James. Marques Teague, a rookie from last years stacked Kentucky Squad, has stepped in nicely as the back-up point guard the Bulls really needed to keep Nate from becoming ineffective. Marco Belinelli and Taj Gibson have also been key in keeping the Bulls in the series.

Oh, I almost forgot, you know how many guys the Bulls have hurt, right?

Well, of course there's Derrick Rose, who hasn't logged a minute all season after recovering from an ACL injury. And NO, I don't think he should come back unless he is 110% ready. I know Bill Simmons has said this, but the shadow of Gilbert Arenas is hanging over Derrick Rose. Arenas had the same type of injury and he rushed back way too soon and never, ever recovered. Luol Deng, the Bulls #1 scoring option most of the year has been going through various injuries throughout the year, but what's keeping him out right now is an illness. And also the Bulls are without guard Kirk Hinrich, who has been fighting a calf injury. So when you hear some one say, "Oh, the Bulls have no shot tonight!" Just calmly tell them they're wrong and talk about how they have been proving everyone wrong since the start of this season.

Now, I think I know what you're thinking. You're waiting for me to gush over LeBron and how great he is and all the things of that nature. Well, I'm not going to do that. Well -- actually-- I am. Just a little.

I'm prepared to say he is the greatest player in this generation. (Clearly, I'm not including Michael Jordan in this generation).

He's an athlete that basketball has never seen before. The things he does are so unique. He's not Jordan, he's not Magic, he's not truly like another player in NBA history. He has some qualities of some of the greatest players ever to play the game, but he is not a carbon copy of any of them. I think he is on his way to becoming a smothering defensive presence in the way Scottie Pippen was. He has that pass first mentality that Magic Johnson had. He is already one of the best players in NBA history, and technically, he hasn't hit his prime yet. Scary.

In the end, I see the Heat winning in six. I think the Bulls will come out and find a way to win another game. Whether it's in Chicago or South Beach. The Bulls will more then likely will there way to a win at least one more time before the Heat move on to the Eastern Conference Finals.


Knicks and the Pacers. It's not exactly Patrick Ewing against Reggie Miller, but Carmelo Anthony against Paul George will have to do. The Pacers are up 2-1 after they stole home court away by stunning the Knicks in game one. Even though this isn't the best comparison, I have a reason the Pacers will win this series in six games. The Pacers are a team that, at times, has trouble scoring. The Knicks are a team that, at times, has trouble defending.

 Does this sound familiar? If you watch college basketball it should ring a bell or two. It has some resemblance to Louisville and Michigan.
Even though the Knicks have the best player in the series in Carmelo Anthony. They do have more problems then the Pacers do right now. JR Smith has been struggling ever since the incident he had in game three last round against the Celtics. They're also trying to bring back Amar'e. Even though he's only played in 20 some games this season. Tyson Chandler and Kenyon Martin have been hobbled throughout the playoffs. And Jason Kidd hasn't scored a point in this series. Meanwhile, the Pacers have been clicking on all-cylinders. Paul George has been coming into his own as a star in the league. Roy Hibbert, if he keeps playing how he played on Saturday, will keep the Knicks from scoring in these playoffs as well as be a major challenge to the Heat. George Hill, Lance Stevenson, and DJ Augustin have been solid at the guard spot. David West has been solid. And guys like Tyler Hansbrough are contributing off the bench. People debated throughout the regular season who has the biggest challenge to the Heat? The Knicks or the Pacers. The Pacers should be the team that fills that role.

Later in the week, my thoughts on the West.

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