Tag: NBA

HOF Alex English likes Jokic over Embiid(Audio)

Categories Uncategorized

 Denver Nuggets C Nikola Jokic did it all for the Denver Nuggets this season. The First-Team All-NBA star led the Nuggets in points, rebounds, and assists per game(20.1 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 7.3 apg). Jokic’s ability to do it all was one of the reasons Denver had the second best record in the Western Conference. Ultimately, the Nuggets would lose to the Blazers in the second round of the playoffs.

Is Jokic the best center in the game?

Well, there is a center in Philadelphia named Joel Embiid who might argue. The Second-Team All-NBA star was fourth in the NBA in scoring(27.5 ppg) and was second in the NBA in rebounding(13.6 rpg), and like Jokic, Embiid and the 76ers would lose in the second round of the playoffs.

If it were up to Hall of Famer and former Denver Nuggets  star Alex English, he would go with Jokic.

“Hands down I would take Jokic,” English recently told the Go4it podcast with host Paul Gant when asked to choose between Jokic and Embiid. “There’s even no question. I look at the effort he puts into the game, how he gets back on defense, his effort on the floor. What he does on the floor, I would take him without a second thought… He’s inside; he’s outside, he passes, he rebounds. He’s just a solid player for me.”

Both of these guys are big-time players. For me, it’s Embiid because of the things he does on the defensive end. Embiid(1.9 blocks per game) was a Second-Team All-Defensive center, and I believe he is a better scorer than Jokic, and statistically, Embiid is the better rebounder. However, Jokic is the better passer and is the best passing center in the game.

You can’t go wrong with either center, but in terms of pure talent, I have to go with Embiid, and if he can stay healthy, Embiid is the choice. However, if you have any doubts about Embiid’s healthy, you go with Jokic.

Listen below as English talks Embiid and Jokic at 7:55 mark:

NBA announces 2018-19 All-Defensive team

Categories UncategorizedLeave a Comment on NBA announces 2018-19 All-Defensive team

Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo lead the 2018-19 NBA All-Defensive First Team, the league announced today.

The three finalists for the 2018-19 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award finished with nearly identical point totals as the top vote-getters for the NBA All-Defensive Teams.

The 2018-19 NBA All-Defensive First Team features Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (145 points; 63 First Team votes) and Milwaukee Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe (100 points; 36 First Team votes).  Smart and Bledsoe are both first-time selections to an NBA All-Defensive Team.

The 2018-19 NBA All-Defensive Second Team consists of  Philly’s Joel Embiid, New Orleans’ Jrue Holiday, Golden State’s Draymond Green and Klay Thompson and Toronto’s Kawhi Leonard. The NBA All-Defensive First Team consists of Utah’s Rudy Gobert, Oklahoma City’s Paul George, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Eric Bledsoe and Boston’s Marcus Smart.

The winner of the 2018-19 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award will be revealed at the 2019 NBA Awards presented by Kia on Monday, June 24 at 9 p.m. ET on TNT.  The third annual NBA Awards, honoring this season’s top performers, will take place at Barker Hangar in Los Angeles.

2018-19 NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM
Position Player, Team 1st Team (2 Pts.) 2nd Team (1 Pt.) Total Points All-Defensive Selections
Center Rudy Gobert, Utah 97 2 196 3 (three 1st)
Forward Paul George, Oklahoma City 96 3 195 4 (two 1st, two 2nd)
Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee 94 5 193 2 (one 1st, one 2nd)
Guard Marcus Smart, Boston 63 19 145 1
Guard Eric Bledsoe, Milwaukee 36 28 100 1

 

2018-19 NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM
Position Player, Team 1st Team (2 Pts.) 2nd Team (1 Pt.) Total Points All-Defensive Selections
Guard Jrue Holiday, New Orleans 31 28 90 2 (one 1st, one 2nd)
Guard Klay Thompson, Golden State 23 36 82 1
Center Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 4 72 80 2 (two 2nd)
Forward Draymond Green, Golden State 2 57 61 5 (three 1st, two 2nd)
Forward Kawhi Leonard, Toronto 5 29 39 5 (three 1st, two 2nd)

 


Ka-whi the Raptors could go to the NBA Finals

Categories UncategorizedLeave a Comment on Ka-whi the Raptors could go to the NBA Finals

After two games in the Eastern Conference Finals, it seemed that Bucks were on the way to the NBA Finals. Milwaukee struggled early in Game 1 but finished strong to seal the victory, and in Game 2, the Raptors looked defeated and were dominated by 22 points. At that time, we were ready to crown the Bucks, but as a wise man once said, “A series does not start until the road team wins.” The Bucks were second favorite behind Golden State last week, meanwhile those odds have shifted with The Raptors 10/1 underdogs to win the tournament – that’s if they get past Bucks and Golden State.

The series shifted to Toronto, and the Raptors were able to clip the Bucks in double OT in Game 3, and in Game 4, Toronto routed Milwaukee, and now, we go back to Milwaukee with the series tied at 2.

We are starting to see why Kyle Lowry was an All-Star this season. Lowry had 25 points last night, and he is playing much better than he did in the previous round against the Sixers. Also, role players play better at home, and that was the case for Toronto in Game 4 on Tuesday night. Marc Gasol chipped in with 17 points, and Toronto’s bench was big time. Serge Ibaka had 17 points and 13 rebounds; Fred VanVleet finally joined the party by dropping 13 points, including 3-3 from downtown, and Norman Powell continued his excellent play with 18 points.

It’s the best of three, and at this point, the Bucks seem to have the advantage because two out of the next three games(if necessary) will be in Milwaukee, but will that matter? The best player in these playoffs has been Kawhi Leonard. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been excellent; Kevin Durant was getting it done before the injury. However, Leonard has been better. He carried the Raptors to the Eastern Conference Finals after averaging 34.7 points per game against the 76ers, including an epic, series-clinching jumper at the buzzer to beat Philly, and while his team struggled in the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals, Leonard did not. He scored 31 points a piece in Games 1 and 2, and in Game 3, where he played a game-high 52 minutes, Leonard poured in 36 big points. We forget that Leonard was a Finals’ MVP, and we forget that before last season, Leonard was considered the best two-way player in the game. If he can work through his leg fatigue, Leonard gives the Raptors a shot to steal a game in Milwaukee—–something the Raptors were able to do once in the regular season.

Rudy Tomjanovich once said, “Never underestimate the heart of a champion,” and Leonard has shown championship mettle in the past and is showing it right now. Antetokounmpo will probably win the regular season MVP, but if we were handing out a postseason MVP, it probably would go to Leonard.

Can the best player in the postseason get it done for Toronto? Milwaukee had not lost more than two games in a row all season, so losing four in a row could be asking a lot, but with the play of Lowry and the Raptors’ bench, I can see Toronto making the NBA Finals. However, that won’t happen if Leonard is not healthy.

 

 

NBA announces awards finalists for 2018-19 season

Categories UncategorizedLeave a Comment on NBA announces awards finalists for 2018-19 season

The NBA today announced the finalists for six awards that honor top performers from the 2018-19 regular season: Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, Kia NBA Sixth Man Award, Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Kia NBA Most Improved Player and NBA Coach of the Year.

The winners of these awards will be revealed at the 2019 NBA Awards presented by Kia on Monday, June 24 at 9 p.m. ET on TNT.  The third annual NBA Awards will take place at Barker Hangar in Los Angeles.

The finalists for the six annual awards, based on voting results from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, are below:

Kia NBA Most Valuable Player

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

Paul George, Oklahoma City Thunder

James Harden, Houston Rockets

   Kia NBA Rookie of the Year

 

Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns

Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks

Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
     
Kia NBA Sixth Man Award

 

Montrezl Harrell, LA Clippers

Domantas Sabonis, Indiana Pacers

Lou Williams, LA Clippers

   Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year

 

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

Paul George, Oklahoma City Thunder

Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
     
Kia NBA Most Improved Player

 

De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings

D’Angelo Russell, Brooklyn Nets

Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors

   NBA Coach of the Year

 

Mike Budenholzer, Milwaukee Bucks

Michael Malone, Denver Nuggets

Doc Rivers, LA Clippers

The 2019 NBA Awards presented by Kia will also feature the announcement of the winners for the NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award, the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award, the NBA Sportsmanship Award, the Seasonlong NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente, the NBA Hustle Award and the fan-voted House of Highlights Moment of the Year.

In addition, basketball icons Magic Johnson and Larry Bird will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award and broadcasting legend Robin Roberts will be honored with the Sager Strong Award.

Great courtside angle of Leonard’s amazing shot(VIDEO)

Categories UncategorizedLeave a Comment on Great courtside angle of Leonard’s amazing shot(VIDEO)

Kawhi Leonard’s buzzer-beating, series-clinching shot against the 76ers to send the Raptors to the Eastern Conference Finals was ridiculous, and it is was one of the greatest shots in NBA history.

Never has a seven-game series ended in this manner, which makes this shot even more special.

We have seen so many different angles of this shot, but I think we may have just found one of the best.

Watch Below:

Pelicans win the Lottery, Zion Williamson next?

Categories UncategorizedLeave a Comment on Pelicans win the Lottery, Zion Williamson next?

The New Orleans Pelicans have not had much to cheer about this season. Their star player Anthony Davis asked for a trade in January, and the season was a mess the rest of the way. However, things got a little better on Tuesday night.

The Pelicans win the Lottery! New Orleans will draft first in the 2019 NBA Draft, which means they will probably get Duke phenom, Zion Williamson. The Pelicans jumped from seven to the number one spot in the draft. Vice president of basketball operations David Griffin now has more ways to try to convince Davis to return or use Davis in a trade to build around Williamson.

Will Davis change his mind and stay in New Orleans? Who knows, but if you’re the Pelicans, you have a guy in Williamson who could be a franchise player for years to come.

Under this year’s new NBA Draft Lottery system, the odds at the top of the lottery were leveled so that the three teams with the lowest regular-season winning percentages (New York, Cleveland and Phoenix) each had a 14 percent chance of receiving the No. 1 overall pick. Drawings were held at tonight’s Draft Lottery to determine the first four picks in the 2019 NBA Draft presented by State Farm. The full results of tonight’s Draft Lottery are as follows:

  1. New Orleans Pelicans
  2. Memphis Grizzlies
  3. New York Knicks
  4. Los Angeles Lakers
  5. Cleveland Cavaliers
  6. Phoenix Suns
  7. Chicago Bulls
  8. Atlanta Hawks
  9. Washington Wizards
  10. Atlanta Hawks
  11. Minnesota Timberwolves
  12. Charlotte Hornets
  13. Miami Heat
  14. Boston Celtics

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert: ‘John Beilein is a winner’

Categories UncategorizedLeave a Comment on Cavs owner Dan Gilbert: ‘John Beilein is a winner’

University of Michigan Head Coach John Beilein and the Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to terms on a multi-year contract for Beilein to become the team’s next head coach, Cleveland announced on Monday.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, it’s a five-year deal.

“We conducted a deep and thorough search to find the best possible candidate for the next head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers. We interviewed several strong and talented candidates who, no doubt, will get an opportunity to become an NBA head coach somewhere down the line,” said Cavaliers GM Toby Altman. “Following the end of those interviews, it became clear to us that Coach Beilein was the right choice and best fit for our franchise.”

Cleveland Cavaliers Chairman Dan Gilbert believes that Beilein is a proven winner.

“We could not be more thrilled to name John Beilein as the new coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers,” said Gilbert. “First, John is a great human being. He cares deeply about his players and others who work for him and around him. He defines the words class, integrity and character. He is a tireless worker who obsesses about finding better ways and the inches that will help his team and the organization grow. John is a brilliant basketball mind and last but not least, John Beilein is a winner.”

Beilein, 66, has compiled a career record of 829-468 (.639) as a collegiate head coach. He has recorded 20-plus win seasons on 23 occasions and has finished with a winning record in 35 seasons, placing him in the top 10 for career victories among active NCAA Division I head coaches. He took Michigan to the Final Four and a pair of National Championship Game appearances in 2013 and 2018, with the trip to the title game in 2013 being the first in 20 years for the school.  In 12 seasons at Michigan, Beilein became the winningest coach in school history.

“I am very thankful to Dan Gilbert and Koby Altman and honored to be the head coach of the Cavalier,” Beilein said. “I love the position the team is in to build and grow and this was something I felt was the perfect fit for me. With hard work and dedication by all of us, we will grow this team day by day and reinforce a culture of success that sustains itself with strong core values. Cleveland is a great city with amazing fans and I am really looking forward to calling Cleveland home for years to come.”

It’s a very interesting hire for the Cavaliers, especially when you consider Beilein’s age and the number of young guys that are on Cleveland’s roster. The Cavaliers probably will not be a winner anytime soon. Therefore, will Beilein be around when the team actually starts winning again? Unlikely, but anything is possible.

Max Kellerman: Kawhi Leonard is best player in the NBA(VIDEO)

Categories UncategorizedLeave a Comment on Max Kellerman: Kawhi Leonard is best player in the NBA(VIDEO)

Last season, was a tough one for Kawhi Leonard. As a member of the Spurs, and due to injury, Leonard played in only nine games in the 2017-18 season. Many questioned his heart, and some wondered if he would ever be the same. What a difference a year makes.

The former Finals’ MVP has willed the Raptors to the Eastern Conference Finals. In the Eastern Conference semifinals against the 76ers, where Leonard made a series-clinching, buzzer-beating jump shot on Sunday, Leonard averaged 34.7 ppg.

Leonard has played like one the best players in the NBA, and according to ESPN’s Max Kellerman, Leonard is the best player in the league.

Listen what Kellerman had to say on ESPN’s First Take today:

I think many forgot how good Leonard was before the injury. He is special for sure. Best player in the league? Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, and Kevin Durant might argue with you, but in the end, it’s safe to say that Leonard is back!

Twitter reacts to Kawhi Leonard’s series-winning shot

Categories UncategorizedLeave a Comment on Twitter reacts to Kawhi Leonard’s series-winning shot

What a Game 7 in Toronto, and what a fantastic shot by Kawhi Leonard. With the score tied at 90, Leonard shot a jump shot in the corner that bounced around the rim and went in at the buzzer, and the Raptors win 92-90 to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals to play the Milwaukee Bucks, which starts on Wednesday.

After the game, Twitter reacted.

Here is a sampling: