2014-2015 NBA Playoffs Predictions (The Best of the West edition)

In light of the start of the highly anticipated NBA season, I have decided to create a beginning season predictions for which teams in both the West and East make it into the playoffs, and also which ones should start getting ready for next season

West

The Spurs are looking to repeat after a tremendous outing last year against Miami
(EPA/LARRY W. SMITH)

1. San Antonio Spurs - Until this team can prove to be anything but the continuous title contenders that they are, the Spurs will remain on my number one position in the West. With the future of this franchise being solidified in Kawhi Leonard, this team can be making playoff runs for many years to come. During last season, Leonard averaged 12.79 ppg and 6.24 rpg. With an excellent defensive showing in his only preseason game, I see him improving in points, rebounds, and assists this season. Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker will be there usual selves, and Coach Popovich will make sure the new guys will contribute and fit the system beautifully.



If their big men can start pulling down more rebounds, the Warriors
will be scary good this season.
(Fernando Medina/Getty Images)

2. Golden State Warriors - Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson both finished the preseason in double digits in ppg and both finished with 50% or higher in 3 pointers. the back court of this team is stacked. Andre Iguodala and Harrison Barnes can and most likely will split the responsibilities at the small forward position. The biggest issue with this team is the front court.  Andrew Bogut (5.67 rpg) and David Lee (5.29 rpg) need to get stronger on the boards. Hopefully, with the addition of Draymond Green down in the post, this Warriors team can make a serious run in the playoffs.
3. Portland Trail Blazers - Damian Lillard continued to impress this preseason with 13.40 ppg and 1.2 spg), and with four players averaging over 10.00 ppg, this team is a serious threat on offense. Robin Lopez, Chris Kaman, and LaMarcus Aldridge were all averaging over 6.0 rebounds a game, which is an excellent compliment to that fast-paced offense. Expect this Trail Blazers team to be in the top half of the conference standings going into the playoffs.
4. Los Angeles Clippers - After the tremendous outing this team had in the preseason, the Clippers are looking very intimidating. Blake Griffin carried a majority of the scoring load, averaging 23.43 ppg and pulled down 5.43 rpg. Chris Paul did a beautiful job with distributing the ball, averaging 9.00 apg. With an exciting win over the thunder last night, this team looks primed and ready to make a playoff run.
5. Oklahoma City Thunder - Although the reigning MVP (Kevin Durant) is out for the first eight weeks of the season, this team will do a stellar job at staying above .500 and will stay in a comfortable spot until Durant comes back. In their first game of this season, Russell Westbrook played extraordinarily well with 38 points and 6 assists. But in last nights 93-90 loss, the thunder took a blow that they could not afford. Westbrook fractured his hand. With the amount of time he will be out, this team will struggle greatly in the beginning of this season.
6. Minnesota Timberwolves - This team has some solid, young tools to finally turn this franchise around, this season. The loss of Kevin Love was undeniably terrible, but the addition of Andrew Wiggins softened the blow immensely. The Timberwolves had EIGHT players

   

   They may be young, but the Timberwolves
   are ready to take the NBA by storm.
   (Getty Images)

   averaging double digits in scoring this preseason. The biggest concern this team will have this year is rebounding. Nikola Pekovic led the team this preseason with a dismal 7.00 rpg. Being 6-11 and 285 lbs, there is no reason that number should be that low.
7. Houston Rockets - The numbers from the Rocket's last year's preseason dropped significantly. Howard, although he only played 3 games, dropped his rebounding productivity by more than 2.00/game. James Harden will continue racking up points, but I see Howard growing softer and softer. A injury-laden Kobe Bryant should not intimidate a 7-0 Center. If Howard can find the strength that he had in Orlando, this team will improve significantly.
8. Los Angeles Lakers - The Lakers may have lost Steve Nash, but they still have an older (but still productive) Kobe Bryant. Averaging 19.00 ppg this preseason, expect Bryant to yet again, carry the scoring load. The loss of Pau Gasol to Chicago will hurt this team in the post, even with the addition of Carlos Boozer, who pulled down 4.43 rpg this preseason. If the lakers want to get past the first round of the playoffs, they will need major production from their big men.

Stauskas was a perimeter threat in the Big Ten. Expect the same
results from him in Sacramento.
(Gannett)

I'm expecting the Sacramento Kings to be attending the draft lottery this season. The kings did the right thing in taking an outside threat like Nik Stauskas in the draft this year, especially to take some attention off of their leading scorer, DeMarcus Cousins, but they are still in need at the small forward position. Rudy Gay does a decent job scoring, but when it comes to other aspects of his game, he falters. During the preseason, he averaged only 2.17 rpg and 2.33 apg. His counterpart, Derick Williams was just as disapointing, pulling down 1.50 rpg and dishing out a pathetic 0.83 apg. This Kings team is one solid Small Forward away from making a serious run into the playoffs next season.

2014-2015 NBA Playoffs Predictions (Beasts in the East Edition)

In light of the start of the highly anticipated NBA season, I have decided to create a beginning season predictions for which teams in both the West and East make it into the playoffs, and also which ones should start getting ready for next season.

East

1. Cleveland Cavaliers - With their blockbuster moves in the off-season (LeBron James, Kevin Love, Mike Miller, and Shawn Marion) it is hard to not see this team grabbing the number 1 spot in a rather weak Eastern Conference, even with a coach with zero NBA head-coaching experience.

   

   Watch out NBA, this Cleveland big three
    is bigger and better than the one in Miami
   (Getty Images)

2. Chicago Bulls - Barring another Derrick Rose knee injury, this Chicago team has all the tools ready to make a serious run for some hardware. Adding Pau Gasol to the mix gives Joakim Noah more room to unleash his energetic, intimidating defense.With four players averaging over 10.0 ppg (Rose, Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson, Gasol), and a solid 3-point shooter on the bench in Doug McDermott (8.25 ppg) I see this team easily sliding into the playoffs with home court advantage in the first round.
3. Miami Heat - No doubt, the loss of LeBron James would put a sour taste in any teams mouth, but Pat Riley worked his magic and made the best of a terrible situation. Adding Danny Granger and Luol Deng were crucial moves to continue making Miami a continuing threat in the playoffs. The rookies are playing incredibly well. Shabazz Napier (10.25 ppg, 2.75 apg) could quite possibly nab the starting Point Guard position if he continues to develop. Tyler Johnson (17.0 ppg, 2.0 apg) will definitely start getting more playing time as well, especially with an aging Dwyane Wade who averaged only 13.86 ppg this preseason.
4. Charolotte Hornets - New look. Old name. Hopefully the same old school playing. Al Jefferson continues to be impressive. last year, he averaged 21.84 ppg and 10.85 rpg and I expect that to continue to stay the same. After last nights impressive comeback overtime win over the Milwaukee Bucks, I am expecting a breakout year from Kemba Walker that mirrors

   

   They may have a new look, but the hornets must also
   play with a new attitude.
   (Photo: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports)

   that of Damian Lillard last year. Walker put up some impressive numbers in the preseason (13.33 ppg, 5.50 apg) and I expect his scoring average to increase from the 17.66 he had a year ago. Another player to watch for is Lance Stephenson. If he can keep is oddities to a minimum, this Hornets team can really surprise people, and with the owner being Michael Jordan, I don't see Stephenson being a problem, only a solution.
5. New York Knicks - Phil Jackson+new coach Derek Fisher+Carmelo Anthony+Amare Stoudemire should equal a pretty nice formula, especially if this triangle offense that Fisher is wanting to incorporate pulls off. Anthony will do his usual scoring wizardry (18.57 ppg this preseason), and if Amare stays healthy and gets back to his playing level when he was in Phoenix, this team has a chance to surprise some people. Another player to look out for is Tim Hardaway Jr. who averaged 10.7 ppg last season. If he continues to progress, he could definitely carry a load of the scoring burden off Anthony's back. I expect the Knicks to sneak into the playoffs at no higher than the #5 spot.
6. Indiana Pacers - As long as Roy Hibbert plays the post like Kevin Hart in the Celebrity All Star game, this team will be average, at best. Rumors are that he is being shopped around, but few teams would/should be interested in a mediocre 7-2 center that averaged a mere 10.17 ppg this preseason. With Paul George also out for the season, someone needs to step up to put some blue collar in this "gold swagger".
7. Toronto Raptors - Being able to sway Kyle Lowery from joining the Miami Heat may have saved this team from reserving a table for next years draft lottery. Nobody on this team could put up the stats that Lowery did last season (17.94 ppg, 7.42 apg), and it shows. only four players averaged double digits in the scoring column in the preseason, and the leading scorer was DeMar DeRozen who averaged only 14.57 ppg. The next player was Lou Williams with 12.86 ppg. I see Toronto trying to grab a big man to help with the front court and drawing less attention from their young, but promising back court.
8. Brooklyn Nets - Squeaking into the final spot, I have the Brooklyn Nets. Paul Pierce may be gone, but as a bit of a shock, Mirza Teletovic is more than filling that void left by Pierce. Teletovic averaged 12.00 ppg and 7.33 rpg. In Wednesday's loss to the Celtics, he raked in 20 pts and 6 boards with a couple blocks to go alon
   g with it. Mason Plumlee is doing just as well, leading the team in rebounds this preseason (7.67 rpg). The talent is there with a healthy and determined Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, and a freak in Kevin Garnett (even at his age), but something isn't clicking. Talent can only get you so far. Isn't that right Heat fans?

The team that I am predicting to have a table on the draft lottery night would be the Philadelphia 76ers. Nerlens Noel was an absolute monster on the boards during the preseason averaging 8.50 rpg, and Tony Wroten is doing a solid job at point, but Philly shouldn't tag him as a franchise player any time soon. This team is very, very young, and with that comes inexperience. I give Philly one more down year and a top-tier draft pick and this new look 76ers team will be demanding your attention.

The 76ers are one solid draft pick away from getting out of this
unusual streak of misfortune.
(USA Today)

Come back tomorrow when I predict the playoff tree in the West. In the mean time, enjoy this video that the NBA and Kendrick Lamar made to get you excited for this season! Happy ballin'!!!

NFL- Suspension Policy: Going Strong or needs improvement?

This past week, I've been burdened greatly by the appalling amount of suspensions Roger Goodell and the NFL have been handing out to players and staff. According to www.spotrac.com, in just this season (Including offseason) alone, the NFL has suspended 30 players for a combined 142 games, while also raking in a very hefty amount of cash ($14,777,355) in fines. The problem is that these punishments aren't being effective enough. Goodell and the NFL must throw the hammer down and make an example out of all offenders of the policies these players agreed to uphold.

In this offseason, I have seen RB Ray Rice,  assault a woman be handed a two-game suspension, while another player, WR LaVon Brazill be suspended for a season for violating the drug policy. What is wrong here? The problem is that there is an incredible lack of uniformity in the disciplinary actions by the NFL and commissioner Goodell. 

I understand that there are certain factors that are in play, such as repeat offenses and severity of the offense, but does that mean that these offenses cant be made an example of to the rest of the league? 

As an Indianapolis Colts fan, I was greatly shocked and disappointed when I discovered that our defensive anchor, OLB Robert Mathis would be missing the first four games of the season for the use of performance-enhancing drugs. After doing a little digging into the situation, I discovered that he was using the fertility drug Clomid to begin a family with his wife, Brandi, near the end of last season. As a fan of the Colts, I was disappointed that Goodell didn't allow an appeal for this, but I think that it was Mathis' fault for not checking with the NFL before using this drug. 

I'm sure that there have been other situations like this for other teams and it has bothered a number of fans as well. I think that if there was a more uniformed way of disciplining athletes, the NFL would receive much less backlash and maybe even have a little more support.

To drive all of this home, I want the NFL to go to the fullest extent in disciplining these athletes. In today's American society, Athletes and celebrities are placed on an incredibly high pedestal, in which many kids look up to.Are we sending type of message that it is okay to abuse your girlfriend/wife, take PEDs, and do whatever you want with minimal consequences? I certainly hope not. I would love to see the intensity of the consequences doubled, if not tripled. I am tired of athletes forgetting who really helps pay their paychecks, and not giving a damn about the fans and kids that consider them "idols". 

Something needs to be done. Your move, commissioner.