NBA Finals Preview: Warriors find a way past LeBron

League MVP Steph Curry will look to complete the Warriors record-setting season with an NBA championship.

The Warriors emerged out of the incredibly tough and deep Western Conference by closing out the Houston Rockets in five games in the Western Conference Finals. On the other hand, the Cavaliers, and mostly LeBron James, overwhelmed the inexperienced Atlanta Hawks in a clean sweep in the Eastern Conference Finals. While the Warriors had the slightly tougher road to get here, and are a tad healthier, the Cavaliers should present more problems than anyone they encountered in the West. This is in large part to the four-time MVP and two-time NBA champion LeBron James who has done what he has so often in the past in putting this Cavaliers team on his back and carrying them to the finals. Game three of the Eastern Conference Finals sticks out when James started 0 for 10 from the field only to go on and almost single-handedly muscle the Cavs past the Hawks to put them up 3-0 in the best of seven series. He posted a ridiculous 37 points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists for a clutch, championship level triple-double that, he acknowledged, took its toll on his energy reserves. Performances like this are the main reason why Cleveland is in with a fighting chance to upset the favored Warriors in this year's finals. This year's league MVP Steph Curry of the Warriors and his strong supporting cast will no doubt have something to say about that, as Curry has posted 40-point nights against the Rockets and has come up with clutch shots of his own throughout the course of the playoffs (remember the corner three to force overtime against the Pelicans way back in the first round?). Each team's best player will no doubt play their part and be a huge factor in determining the outcome of this much-anticipated series, but the rest of the team on both sides will be the X-factor. The Warriors have been the 2nd most efficient offensive and defensive team thus far in this years' playoffs, averaging 107.3 points per game and allowing 98.9 points per game, while the Cavs have been the best, albeit in a weaker conference, scoring 108.6 points per game and allowing 98.5. With the clash of the two best postseason teams in terms of efficiency looming, something has got to give. When we look at the supporting cast of each squad, we tend to favor the Warriors, especially at the guard position. The Warriors sport a problematic rotation of Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green, Shaun Livingston, Leandro Barbosa and Andre Iguodala. This is a great mix of young talent and veteran experience and leadership that can all have a various impact on the game offensively and defensively. In Game five of the Western Conference Finals, with Klay Thompson getting injured, Harrison Barnes stepped up with 24 points and 7 rebounds and Iguodala was assigned with defending James Harden for the majority of the night. Harden had his worst output of the series, only scoring 14 points, in the most important game in large part to the length and strong defense of Iguodala. We know what Curry and Thompson can do shooting the ball and creating off the dribble, but the plethora of guards that Golden State can rotate and throw at Cleveland will surely create matchup problems for the slightly hampered Cavaliers. Kyrie Irving missed two games of the East finals with a sore knee and is not at 100%, Iman Shumpert is a solid wing defender and will definitely challenge the Warriors' guards, J.R. Smith will most likely be his usual streaky-scoring self and can impact a game both positively and negatively and surprise back up point guard Matthew Dellavedova has shown tenacity on the defensive end and some offensive explosiveness in Irving's absence. The Cavs do not possess the same depth at this position that the Warriors do and will have a tough time containing Curry and Thompson especially with their current guard rotation. In addition to Irving being slightly banged up, Kevin Love has been sidelined and will not return for the finals. While the Cavs have been able to advance despite Love's absence, you have to think that they will miss his shooting and offensive prowess during this series. While LeBron is perfectly capable of putting in the majority of work and doing a lot of ball handling, he will need trusty shooters for drive and kick outs. Love is that guy he can rely on to create space and find the open shot when James penetrates inside. This puts a ton of pressure on guys like Smith to produce in Love's absence and not have cold shooting nights, since we know that the Warriors will not have that issue. Surprisingly  the Cavs have been the best three point defensive team in this year's playoffs, which given this particular matchup should boost their confidence heading in. If the Cavs can continue to defend the three point ball and their two superstars, James and Irving, can continue to produce and defend at a high level, Cleveland has a real chance in this series. In terms of interior play, the Warriors passed the tough test the Memphis Grizzlies presented in the second round, in dealing with big bodies Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. The Cavs would be wise to try and slow this series down and make it more of a half-court contest as opposed to a transition-based, shooting series which would play into the Warriors hands. Tristan Thompson has stepped up in the playoffs, averaging 9.4 points and 9.9 rebounds per game, and will need to continue to control play down low in order for Cleveland to be successful. He and Timofey Mozgov will have to be strong on the boards against the likes of Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli for the Warriors, who have made their impact felt in spots during the postseason. While the intricacies of each matchup can be interesting to break down, the meat and potatoes of this series will come down to LeBron vs. Steph. The two best players in the world going toe-to-toe for the title will surely lend us an entertaining and captivating finals. You can never count out a team with LeBron James, but I like the overall depth and rotation of the Warriors more so than the Cavs. While the Cavs will try to slow this series down and break down the Warriors defense using different strategies, the Warriors free flowing pace and high level shooting will prove to be ultimate difference.

Prediction: Warriors in 7. 

Stanley Cup Finals Preview: Hawks will fly past Bolts

Blackhawks' goalie Corey Crawford will try to be the difference in the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Blackhawks and Lightning both managed to come up with monumental Game 7 victories to reach the Stanley Cup Finals, but did so using vastly different methods. The Hawks relied on their veteran leadership and experience to get past the Anaheim Ducks, while the Lightning somehow managed to go into Madison Square Garden and do what no team had done before in beating the Rangers in a winner take all showdown in New York. Familiar faces stepped up for the Hawks when they needed them most in Captain Jonathan Toews, scoring four goals in the final five games of the series, and winger Patrick Kane, who recorded a goal and four assists in the final two games. Chicago's top four defensemen, who have basically been the only defensive players seeing big minutes of late in the postseason, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Johnny Oduya have averaged 31:35, 26:21, 26:33 and 25:23 minutes per game in the playoffs respectively. The Hawks' defense have carried them to this point along with timely goal scoring and heady net minding from the previously benched Corey Crawford. Crawford was pulled early in Chicago's first round series against Nashville in favor of backup Scott Darling in a bold move by Head Coach Joel Quinneville. The move ended up paying off in a big way later in the postseason, even though Darling stepped in admirably, as Crawford has compiled a solid .929 save percentage. His counterpart in this series, Lightning goalie Ben Bishop, out-dueled and sometimes outplayed Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist throughout the course of the Eastern Conference Finals. Sure, he gave up 15 goals in three home playoff games, in which the Rangers looked like a completely different team, but those will be quickly overlooked as he posted back-to-back shutouts at Madison Square Garden in Games 5 and 7 to get the young Lightning group over the hump and into the Stanley Cup Finals. Bishop has posted a respectable .920 save percentage throughout the playoffs, and is also aided by the fact that he has the league's number one offensive team, 3.16 goals per game in the regular season, skating and flying around the ice in front of him. The Lightning's scary good top two lines have been the difference for their team thus far in the postseason. The "Triplets" line of Ondrej Palat-Nikita Kucherov-Tyler Johnson have posted ridiculous offensive numbers this postseason. Palat has registered 7 goals and 8 assists for 15 points, Kucherov has posted 9 goals and 10 assists for 19 points, and the supposed Conn Smythe Trophy favorite Johnson has been arguably the most effective player in the playoffs with 12 goals and 9 assists for 21 points. Their other top line of Steven Stamkos-Alex Killorn-Valtierri Filppula have combined for 44 points in the postseason to complement the "Triplets" line and have been equally tough to defend and contain as the formidable defensive depth of the Rangers found out in the previous round. While the goal-tending match-up could very well be the key and determination of who lifts Lord Stanley's Cup in a few weeks, this series has the ear markings of a shootout, high scoring tilt. There are simply too many skill players and snipers on both sides of the ice that can impact the game and make highlight-reel plays. Combined with the fact that, by Stanley Cup Finals standards, there are two average goalies in net, this will most likely come down to which forwards can ultimately take control of the series. Chicago is retaining 13 players from their recent Stanley Cup title in 2013, while the Lightning only have a few players who have reached the Stanley Cup Finals with their lone champion being Filppula with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008. This series will not be as one-sided as many people think, but the Hawks experience and stout defense will be able to pressure Tampa Bay's snipers enough to limit their production. Crawford's championship pedigree speaks a little louder then Bishop's play in the playoffs thus far, and Chicago's top guns will take control and make plays when needed against a slightly weaker Bolts defense. We should be in for an entertaining, end-to-end style in this series with a lot of wide open ice, but I will lean towards the Blackhawks to take this series in a high-octane six games. 

Prediction: Blackhawks in 6.

High Flying Hawks Poised for a Title Run

Atlanta's primary starting five have epitomized team basketball this season

How many of you hoop fans plugged the Atlanta Hawks in for the Eastern Conference's number one seed before the season began? Yeah, I thought so. The surprise team from the 'Dirty South' has exploded out to a 50-13 record, good for best in the East, and have almost guaranteed home court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Hawks became the first team to 50 wins this season with an impressive beat-down of the Sacramento Kings last night, which saw them break their franchise record for three point field goals made in a single game (20), notch 42 assists, and put up a whopping 76 points in the first half. They continued to do it the way they have the entire season, with impressive ball movement, great play from their All Star point guard Jeff Teague and incredible shooting from multiple players, notably sniper Kyle Korver. The Hawks came out shooting lights out from the get go and had 6 players score in double figures (their five starters and standout backup point guard Dennis Schroder), while shooting a ridiculous 60.2% from the field for the game. Sacramento posed no threat defensively and Kings' All Star center DeMarcus Cousins was never really able to dominate in the paint like he's accustomed to. Despite the lack of a stern test last night, the team basketball and outstanding shooting that Atlanta has displayed throughout this season has carried them to an impressive record and a legitimate shot at winning the Eastern Conference, possibly the NBA Championship. The obvious challenger in the East are the now-seemingly on-track Cleveland Cavaliers, with their successful pre-trade deadline acquisitions to complement the Big Three they formed in the offseason. It's hard to see the Chicago Bulls posing a serious threat moving forward without the face of their franchise in Derrick Rose, but they are also a tough challenge given the strength of their front court. The Hawks are playing arguably the best team basketball in the league this season with no true superstar, which many teams across the league lack, and are emulating the success of the San Antonio Spurs from previous seasons. If the Spurs have laid out the groundwork for winning championships, the Hawks are doing their best to follow that path. The concept of team basketball has gotten a little lost in today's NBA, but the teams that manage to keep all of their pieces involved manage to have the most success. That is no coincidence, and if the Hawks can continue this style and level of play, who's to say that any team can stand in their way of the Larry O'Brien Trophy?

Can J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert be the Missing Pieces in the Cavs' Puzzle?

J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert are headed to Cleveland.

The Cleveland Cavaliers' supposed easy transition to title contender after acquiring LeBron James and Kevin Love in the offseason has not gone according to plan. Granted, a 19-15 record gets you a respectable 5th seed in the Eastern Conference, but the Cavs are after much more. Cleveland's new 'Big Three' has not exactly gelled and looked cohesive on the court, when they have all been out there, during the first half of this season. Rookie Head Coach David Blatt appears to have already lost the locker room and has been one of the more heavily scrutinized rookie head coaches in recent memory. It seems as though James has taken on more of a coaching role than Blatt, and the players are aware. A loss to the lottery bound Philadelphia 76ers several days ago prompted Cavs GM David Griffin to make some wholesale changes in the biggest trade of the NBA season, involving the New York Knicks and the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Cavs shipped controversial guard Dion Waiters to the Thunder to play alongside Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, and the Knicks sent Iman Shumpert and the unpredictable J.R. Smith to Cleveland. Those are the meat and potatoes of this trade, as the Cavs also received protected draft picks from OKC and the Knicks received big men Lou Amundson and Alex Kirk from Cleveland, Lance Thomas from OKC and a 2019 2nd round pick from the Cavs. This deal was a cap space clearer for New York, as they plan to waive all of the players "acquired" in this mega-deal. The larger impact for the short term lies with Cleveland and Oklahoma City, as they hope the added pieces will result in second half surges and consequent title hopes. Looking at the Cavaliers, they unloaded an expensive, roller coaster ride of a guard in Dion Waiters who hasn't shown the defensive capabilities needed to thrive in Cleveland, along with inconsistent shooting. Griffin posed the question to James about playing alongside Smith before the Cavs pulled the trigger on the trade, and James agreed it would be a good move. It will be interesting to see if Smith can reign in his shot selection and hectic play to actually be a positive offensive impact player for the Cavs, because that is exactly what they need. They are in need of a hot three point shooter who can provide a spark off the bench, and Smith, when in the right frame of mind, is exactly that. With James nursing back and knee ailments and currently in the midst of a two-week rehab process, and Shumpert needing a few more weeks to recover from his dislocated shoulder last month, the Cavs will not be able to begin this mold until the end of January. With Kyrie Irving also hampered by a back injury, Smith may be thrust into a bigger short term role then he probably anticipated. Shumpert is less of an enigma then Smith, since he is less offensively gifted, as he will provide lock down perimeter defense on the wings and be able to contend with speedy point and shooting guards. As a rotational defender who can occasionally put up 15 points on a given night, the Cavs acquired a big piece to their championship aspirations with Shumpert. Coach Blatt will have his hands full with the personalities that are sitting in his locker room, and it is his responsibility to best manage them on and off the court. He seems to already be on a short leash, so if this subpar play continues from Cleveland, he may be out of a job much sooner then anticipated. But, if he can find the right balance and floor combinations, then he may be a big key to turning the Cavs from middling in the playoff race to holding the Larry O'Brien Trophy in June. However this plays out, it will surely be entertaining to watch as the Cavs juggle all of these talented pieces they have in place. The only question now is will we be watching a smooth ride or a train wreck.

Where do the Giants go from here?

The Giants suffered one of the more embarrassing losses in franchise history last Sunday at Jacksonville.

As soon as Giants Quarterback Eli Manning was sacked and fumbled the football deep in his own territory in the third quarter of last Sunday's game at the Jaguars, every Giants fan with any glimmer of hope in retaining some positivity from this woeful season jumped up shouting "Fall on it! Fall on it!" Only the Giants could not secure the ball as it rolled into the end zone, and the Jaguars somehow managed to recover the loose ball for a touchdown. It appeared as though running back Rashad Jennings was going to be able to recover it, as it sat on the turf waiting for him to fall on it, but just as it has felt much of the 2014 season, it slipped away right through his grasp. At this point, the Giants still held a 21-10 lead with plenty of time remaining in the game, but if you have followed this team during this tumultuous season, it felt as if things were beginning to unravel and the game was getting away from them. Sure enough, the Jaguars continued to pressure Manning off the edge and up the middle, and the constant pressure the Giants generated in the first half on Jags quarterback Blake Bortles slowly decreased. The defensive numbers looked good, 258 yards allowed, 7 sacks, 12 points surrendered (the Jaguars had 2 defensive touchdowns), but the end result was the same. Similar to the Dallas game the previous Sunday night, when asked to come up with a game-clinching stop, the Giants defense could not rise to the occasion. Similar to the Seattle game several weeks ago, they could not defend the read-option and mobile quarterback. Defensive ends collapsed and allowed Bortles to get the edge and rush for a big gain to put Jacksonville in field goal range late. It was like watching a bad movie. The same bad movie that we've watched the last several weeks. Perry Fewell's defensive calls continue to baffle most of us, as he elects to rush four down linemen when they cannot generate the necessary pressure all game to disrupt the flow of the opposing offense. Injuries and personnel have a lot to do with his schemes, but there are fatal flaws in his approach to calling a game. You cannot allow an offense to get into a rhythm on your defense and torch you for plays in the passing and running game, all the while continuing to play conservatively and "die a slow death." Offensive coordinater Ben McAdoo gets a little bit more of a pass than Fewell, since this is his first go-round overseeing the entire play calling of an offense. Fewell has been at this awhile, and has been torched on several previous occasions. Manning may not be the best quarterback for McAdoo's uptempto style of offense (he's no Aaron Rodgers), and that's what this season may be pointing out moving forward. Regardless, moving forward will be challenging, and no one person or group should shoulder the entirety of the blame. Having the 3rd highest amount of players (20) put on the injured reserved list is an unfortunate thing to have happen for a team, but it is no excuse to drop 7 consecutive games. The musical chairs situation with the offensive line is a direct result of these injuries, with key components missing valuable time, such as free agent acquisition Geoff Schwartz. But other parties such as Will Beatty, John Jerry and J.D. Walton have drastically underperformed. Regardless of how the remaining quarter of the season unfolds, there will have to be changes to the Giants front office, roster and coaching staff come next season. A storied, successful franchise like the Giants cannot tolerate one losing season, let alone two consecutively. This team is firmly in rebuilding mode, so it will be interesting to see if they decide to completely clean house top to bottom or elect to re-up some of their key components, such as Coach Tom Coughlin and Manning, and continue to put faith in their abilities. Unfortunately for the fans, the Super Bowl runs of 2007 and 2011 seem like a distant memory. 

The Case For...Shortening the MLB Season

Ever since the NBA and NHL playoffs have ended, there has been a lull in the sports world. Some of you may disagree, given the captivating World Cup games, epic matches at Wimbledon and a multitude of baseball games everyday. Personally, this is my favorite time of year, but my most disinterested in terms of sports. Soccer fans will be immersed in the World Cup for a month, but that only comes around once every four years. Tennis fans will be glued to their televisions for two weeks of high quality grass court battles, only to be disappointed to realize the US Open is still almost two months away. Baseball fans are certainly getting their daily fix, but c'mon, even for the die-hards it has to be tough to get jacked up for every single regular season game. The hockey and basketball seasons are 82 games before the playoffs begin, and I'm starting to think its time for baseball to shorten their regular season by at least 40 games. You would still have plenty of games for teams to make late season surges, and it would make the season less monotonous. I'm speaking from a casual baseball fan's standpoint while presenting this idea, but also realizing that in the scheme of things a 40-game trim would not take away a whole lot from die-hards. There are so many great things about the game of baseball, including the strategic play and little decisions made throughout the course of a game by a manager that have such a great impact on the outcome. These things go unnoticed by many people while watching baseball, who will only see lots of down time between pitches, at bats, etc. I've heard people complain about, "Why do they keep throwing over to first?" not realizing the strategy behind the pitcher and first baseman's attempt to keep the runner close to the bag and prevent a steal. For all of its intricacies, highlight reel homers and 'web gems,' baseball is lacking in its appeal to the "social" or casual fan. Shortening the season would be the first step in trying to reach this market of fans, making each game more meaningful and create less of a mid-season lull. Secondly, once the NFL season begins, even the pre-season, the MLB automatically takes a backseat to football. The home stretch of the MLB regular season and the playoffs are simultaneously occurring with the first two months of the NFL season. While playoff baseball is much more exciting than regular season  baseball, it will still be hard for these playoff games to outshine Thursday, Sunday and Monday football games in the ratings during September and October. If the MLB could find a way to schedule the season so that the playoffs could conclude roughly by the time the NFL regular season begins, they would avoid conflicting sports schedules, have the opportunity to have more eyes on their games and potentially earn more revenue from ticket sales. Die hard baseball fans may respond by saying, "this is America's pastime, we shouldn't have to change anything about our league," but if you look at all of the other leagues, they are continually innovating and experimenting with new things; since they know they are in competition with one another. The NHL is implementing more outdoor games to appeal to audiences with the 'Winter Classic' and the 'Stadium Series.' The NBA is adding new jerseys and on-court apparel for players in the hopes that this will translate in an increase of sales in merchandise. The NFL added 'Thursday Night Football' on now a multitude of networks (CBS and NFL Network) to gain viewers more nights of the week. While the NFL has been the clear-cut market leader for sometime now, each league is constantly trying to improve and outdo the other. Whether the MLB implements a scheduling change or not is completely unknown, and it does not appear that it will happen soon; but if they want to make the regular season more meaningful and appealing to common fans, they should consider this option. 

Who Will Fill the New York Knicks' Head Coaching Void?

It seemed that the plan was clear.  The new Golden State Warriors Head Coach and Phil Jackson disciple Steve Kerr was originally supposed to fill the vacated New York Knicks head coaching position. That had been the plan even before lame duck ex-Knick head coach Mike Woodson was fired last month. Steve Kerr is now a part of the Warriors' organization, and the hunt for a new Knick head coach continues. Names such as Denver Nuggets' coach Brian Shaw, Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Derek Fisher, former NBA head coach Mike Dunleavy and ex-Warriors head coach Mark Jackson have been frequently thrown around in the media since Kerr was hired. Technically, Dunleavy is the only one who is jobless, as Shaw, Fisher and Mark Jackson are currently employed by the league or ESPN. Dunleavy and Shaw have the most head coaching experience in the NBA, but Mark Jackson and Fisher appear to be the more attractive options for Phil Jackson and the Knicks' organization. Mark Jackson was let go by the Warriors after leading them to the second round of the postseason last year, losing in six games to the San Antonio Spurs, and a hotly contested seven-game exit at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round this year. The Warriors players publicly expressed their displeasure at their organization's decision to fire Mark Jackson, since they clearly loved playing for him. Fisher is currently playing in the Western Conference Finals and maintains that he is not focused on the possibility of being the next head coach of the Knicks. Although he is not concentrating on it at the moment, in no more than a month he will shift his focus towards his next potential endeavor. Fisher has previously stated that he will retire at the conclusion of this season, and having been an integral part of Phil Jackson's championship teams with the Los Angeles Lakers it seems as if he would be a great fit to instill the triangle offense into this beleaguered Knicks roster. Fisher and Phil Jackson have similar perspectives on the game of basketball, and will surely implement their views on the makeup and style of the Knicks on-court game. The Fisher-Jackson connection is undeniable, and even though Fisher lacks coaching experience, he is one of the smarter players in the league who has been through many championship runs. He has also been the head of the Players' Association, which shows positive leadership qualities the Knicks desperately need in a head coach. Fisher, like Nets head coach Jason Kidd, could make the  direct switch from player to coach. Knicks fans and the organization would have to show some patience with a first year coach, as the Brooklyn community did with Kidd. Eventually, Fisher would gain his bearings and have the Knicks moving in the right direction. 

Mark Jackson was one of the greatest players to ever put on the orange and blue uniform as a point guard, and will surely be a player and fan favorite if he were to be hired. Unlike Fisher, he would most likely instill a slightly different mindset in the players, but would be guided by Phil Jackson in molding the team. Mark Jackson unfairly had his coaching career halted by the Warriors, but could potentially resume next season if Phil Jackson feels as if he would be a good fit for the organization. As cushy and nice his career as an NBA broadcaster would continue to be, I'm sure Mark Jackson would jump at the opportunity to try and lead his former team back to the Finals. This process of hiring a new coach should be carefully thought out by owner James Dolan and Phil Jackson. They should be in no rush to fill the coaching void, but rather evaluate their options and make the best decision moving forward. Knicks fans have to realize they will need to exercise patience in this process, and that a championship will not come overnight. With the lack of cap space and draft picks they have in the next year, the Knicks may be a few years away from getting back to contention. Regardless of whether or not Carmelo Anthony decides to take a pay cut and remain in New York, the Knicks have to concentrate on hiring the best head coach they can find. Melo's decision is somewhat out of their hands at this point, but the hiring of a coach is completely within their control. Shaw is not available at this juncture, but with the Nuggets' struggles this past season he may be on the market this offseason. That could be unlikely, since the Nuggets have been a regular playoff team in the last decade, but Phil Jackson could definitely lure Shaw to New York if he feels he is the right man for the job. Dunleavy hasn't coached since the 2009-10 season when he was head coach of the hapless Clippers. He had not had a winning season since 2005-06 with Los Angeles, so it has been awhile since Dunleavy has tasted success in the NBA. I do not see the rumors about him coming to fruition with any sort of hiring or offer, since he is the stalest of the candidates. His lengthy experience could be seen as a positive, but it has been a long time since he was named NBA Coach of the Year in 1998-99 with the Portland Trail Blazers. Of these four options, I believe Fisher is the best of the group, even though he lacks any coaching experience in the league. He understands Phil Jackson's philosophies and how to implement them in a team's system. Fisher may endure some growing pains as a head coach, but those will be short lived. In terms of the Knicks returning to glory,  that is entirely another matter.