The Nuggets are coming off of a horrendous loss to the New Orleans Hornets and are looking to avenge themselves. Hopefully Ty Lawson will be back for this game so I dont have to see too much Andre Miller because if I do I might have to pull my hair out. The Nuggets one the last matchup, but got crushed when they played the Spurs in San Antonio. It is hard to count that game comparably since it was in November and the Nuggets were absolutely awful. The last time they played it was still December, but the Nuggets were starting to turn it on by then.
Tony Parker will face off against his NBA clone, Ty Lawson. They follow similar career paths and Parker had Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli to play with. In the last matchup, Lawson had a terrible game. He had 12 points and 5 assists on 4-15 shooting. I expect him to play better assuming he is back from his injury for this game. Luckily Parker had an equally bad game. He had 13 points and 4 assists on 4-12 shooting. Expect both of these players to play much better in this matchup than the one before.
Iguodala had his type of game the last time these two teams met, he finished with 14 points 9 rebounds and 6 assists to go along with 2 steals and a block. His matchup, Danny Green, is good, but he his not who Iggy needs to worry about. Manu Ginobli will come off the bench and play good minutes. He played 30 minutes in the first matchup and finished with 16 points 6 rebounds 6 assists and 2 steals. He is active and Iggy needs to stay on him and play tight defense the whole time.
Gallo was the star of the show the last time these two met. He iced the game with a cold blooded 3 pointer and finished with 28 points, 9 rebounds and 2 steals. This was during his hot streak and he has since cooled down. However, he was the only offensive player to play well against the Hornets so maybe he has is mojo back. Kawhi Leonard did not play in the last matchup, but he can be a scary player. He defends well and has developed a nice 3 point shot. He also attacks the glass well. Gallo will need to be active and never lose sight of him or else that could spell trouble for Denver.
Kenneth Faried was shown up by Tim Duncan on the defensive end, but he had a superb offensive game. He finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds. When he plays like this the Nuggets are almost certainly going to win. They could use another game like this from him since he has a lot more energy than Tim Duncan at this point in their careers. Tim Duncan has a vintage Tim Duncan game. He had 31 points 18 rebounds 6 assists 2 steals and 5 blocks. He could not be stopped. I suggest the Nuggets put Koufos on him since he is a solid defender and rarely misses rotations.
Kosta Koufos did not have much of an offensive game in this matchup, but he dominated the boards as he finished with 14, 5 of them being offensive boards. Tiago Splitter would be his center matchup, but I would like Faried to stick on Splitter. Splitter had 10 points 4 boards and 3 steals in the last game, but he has shown signs that he has the ability to dominated so whoever guards him better be prepared.
The Spurs have a greta bench that starts with Manu Ginobli, but they also have Patty Mills who can is a good offensive player and Boris Diaw who has been a better player ever since San Antonio picked him up. Stephen Jackson also comes off of their bench and he could drop a lot of points at any time. This is a scary bench to matchup with, but the Nuggets have a good bench of their own. Corey Brewer has not played well the past 2 games, but in his last matchup against the Spurs he had 16 points and 4 rebounds. He needs to provide energy off of the bench and play good defense on the likes of Stephen Jackson in order for the Nuggets to pull this one out. Wilson Chandler was still out when these two teams met, but his shooting and defense will be needed off of the bench. Andre Miller had 8 points 7 assists and 5 boards the last time these two teams met, but im tired of watching his laziness so I wont comment any further. McGee only played 11 minutes in the first matchup, but he had 10 points and 3 blocks. He will have to play better defense if he wants to get more minutes.
This will be a tough one for the Nuggets in San Antonio, but they need to show resilience on the road in order to show they are a legit contender. If they get this win on the road, then people will start considering the fact that Denver could make it out of the west.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Nuggets Streak Ends
Well, all streaks must come to an end, but I did not want to lose to the Hornets. The Nuggets did not play inspired basketball. Andre Miller is just a lazy piece of garbage who needs to be kicked off this team. He gave absolutely no effort at all when the Nuggets needed it the most. Yes, he has a good game here or there, but the bad outweighs the good.
Wilson chandler did not have a good day on his game back, but he still played tough defense and at least tried to drive to the basket. Gallo played the best game on the team, but it was not enough and he gave a lackadaisical effort on defense.
The whole team did not play well, but it was the lack of effort that I could not stand. Oh and lastly, kick Andre Miller to the curb.
Wilson chandler did not have a good day on his game back, but he still played tough defense and at least tried to drive to the basket. Gallo played the best game on the team, but it was not enough and he gave a lackadaisical effort on defense.
The whole team did not play well, but it was the lack of effort that I could not stand. Oh and lastly, kick Andre Miller to the curb.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Freeny or Abraham
Now that Elvis Dumervil is gone, the Broncos can choose between Dwight Freeny and John Abraham if they go with a defensive end in free agency. They could also look for one in the draft, but I think the Broncos front office is leaning towards free agency.
Dwight Freeny had a down year last year, mustering only 5 sacks in 13 starts. He only had 8.5 the year before. He will be 33 years old this season which is ancient for a pass rusher who has not performed well over the past two seasons. I hope the Broncos take a flyer on this signing.
Abraham is older, but more effective. He had 10 sacks in 14 starts last season and 6 forced fumbles. However, he will be 35 next season so he could drop off at any point. I think he would be a more effective signing than Freeny and I would like for the Broncos to make him an offer.
Neither of these guys are better than Dumervil at rushing the passer and they are both much older. Abraham would be the most logical signing, but the long term solution at defensive end for the Broncos is in the draft.
Dwight Freeny had a down year last year, mustering only 5 sacks in 13 starts. He only had 8.5 the year before. He will be 33 years old this season which is ancient for a pass rusher who has not performed well over the past two seasons. I hope the Broncos take a flyer on this signing.
Abraham is older, but more effective. He had 10 sacks in 14 starts last season and 6 forced fumbles. However, he will be 35 next season so he could drop off at any point. I think he would be a more effective signing than Freeny and I would like for the Broncos to make him an offer.
Neither of these guys are better than Dumervil at rushing the passer and they are both much older. Abraham would be the most logical signing, but the long term solution at defensive end for the Broncos is in the draft.
Nuggets Hornets Preview
The last time these two teams played the Nuggets escaped with the win by pulling away in the fourth quarter. Lawson and Chandler should be back for this game which will be a nice tune up for when they travel to San Antonio to take on the Spurs.
Ty Lawson dropped 21 points and 13 assists as he abused the Hornets defense the entire game. I dont expect those type of numbers again since he is coming off of an injury, but I think he could still post respectable numbers. Greivis Vasquez, who has been the biggest surprise this season, had 13 points and 9 assists. You dont have to worry about him scoring too much, but he will drop dimes all day and he crashes the boards well.
Andre Iguodala had 24 points on 10-14 shooting and he also had 6 rebounds 4 assists and 3 steals. He will be charged with shutting down Eric Gordon who is an explosive scorer. He only had 9 points the last time these two teams met, but he only played 25 minutes. Look for him to get more minutes and to shoot more, but it will be tough against Iggy.
Gallo had 18 points 7 boards and 5 assists in the first matchup, but it will be tough for him to replicate that because Al-Farouq Aminu is a very good defensive player and rebounder. He does not do much on the offensive end besides dunk. He is not a reliable jump shooter and will not take a lot of shots throughout this game.
Faried has to try and stop Anthony Davis who is starting to gain steam now that he is healthy. Faried had 13 points and 9 rebounds and 2 blocks in the first matchup. It will be tough for him to score since Davis is bigger and longer, but he will still get his fair share of dunks. Davis had 13 points and 10 rebounds and 3 blocks, but I expect him to post bigger numbers in this matchup since he has grown as a player especially over the last couple of games.
Koufos did not have a great game, only posting 4 points and 5 rebounds, but he held Robin Lopez to only 2 rebounds which is an accomplishment. This won't be a high scoring matchup, but it is an important one on the boards to say the least.
The Nuggets bench performed well in the last game against the Hornets. Brewer had 17 points and 3 steals, sparking the Nuggets like he normally does. I am glad Andre Miller will be regulated back to bench duty, where he does his best work, with Lawson's return. Wilson Chandler had a bad shooting night, 1-5 from the field, but he got to the line a lot, 8 times, and made 7 of them.
The Hornets bench is not great, but they do have Ryan Anderson who is a great stretch 4. He dropped 21 points on the Nuggets the last time the two played. He is there only really good player off of the bench, but Jason Smith is no slouch and is a solid big man.
The Nuggets are looking to extend their streak to 16 and they have a good chance to do it against the Hornets, especially if Chandler and Lawson are back.
Ty Lawson dropped 21 points and 13 assists as he abused the Hornets defense the entire game. I dont expect those type of numbers again since he is coming off of an injury, but I think he could still post respectable numbers. Greivis Vasquez, who has been the biggest surprise this season, had 13 points and 9 assists. You dont have to worry about him scoring too much, but he will drop dimes all day and he crashes the boards well.
Andre Iguodala had 24 points on 10-14 shooting and he also had 6 rebounds 4 assists and 3 steals. He will be charged with shutting down Eric Gordon who is an explosive scorer. He only had 9 points the last time these two teams met, but he only played 25 minutes. Look for him to get more minutes and to shoot more, but it will be tough against Iggy.
Gallo had 18 points 7 boards and 5 assists in the first matchup, but it will be tough for him to replicate that because Al-Farouq Aminu is a very good defensive player and rebounder. He does not do much on the offensive end besides dunk. He is not a reliable jump shooter and will not take a lot of shots throughout this game.
Faried has to try and stop Anthony Davis who is starting to gain steam now that he is healthy. Faried had 13 points and 9 rebounds and 2 blocks in the first matchup. It will be tough for him to score since Davis is bigger and longer, but he will still get his fair share of dunks. Davis had 13 points and 10 rebounds and 3 blocks, but I expect him to post bigger numbers in this matchup since he has grown as a player especially over the last couple of games.
Koufos did not have a great game, only posting 4 points and 5 rebounds, but he held Robin Lopez to only 2 rebounds which is an accomplishment. This won't be a high scoring matchup, but it is an important one on the boards to say the least.
The Nuggets bench performed well in the last game against the Hornets. Brewer had 17 points and 3 steals, sparking the Nuggets like he normally does. I am glad Andre Miller will be regulated back to bench duty, where he does his best work, with Lawson's return. Wilson Chandler had a bad shooting night, 1-5 from the field, but he got to the line a lot, 8 times, and made 7 of them.
The Hornets bench is not great, but they do have Ryan Anderson who is a great stretch 4. He dropped 21 points on the Nuggets the last time the two played. He is there only really good player off of the bench, but Jason Smith is no slouch and is a solid big man.
The Nuggets are looking to extend their streak to 16 and they have a good chance to do it against the Hornets, especially if Chandler and Lawson are back.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Florida Gulf Coast Become First 15 Seed to Advance to Sweet 16
Now here comes the Sweet 16 matchup that I knew everyone had on their brackets. Florida Gulf Coast, after manhandling San Diego State and Georgetown, will now play the Florida Gators for their chance to advance to the Elite 8. They straight up handled San Diego State like it was nothing. They pulled away late in the second half and never looked back.
FGCU has a very good team and they became the first 15 seed to ever advance to the Sweet 16. It will be hard for them to beat Florida for a chance to go to the Elite 8. Florida is a much better team than they are with a lot more talent, but cinderella's are hard to be. However, Florida has done it before when they beat George Mason in the Final 4 in 2006.
Look for Florida to run them out of the gym and not give them a chance. The worst thing you can do with a team like FGCU is give them hope that they can stick with you because if they do they will likely pull away for the win.
FGCU has a very good team and they became the first 15 seed to ever advance to the Sweet 16. It will be hard for them to beat Florida for a chance to go to the Elite 8. Florida is a much better team than they are with a lot more talent, but cinderella's are hard to be. However, Florida has done it before when they beat George Mason in the Final 4 in 2006.
Look for Florida to run them out of the gym and not give them a chance. The worst thing you can do with a team like FGCU is give them hope that they can stick with you because if they do they will likely pull away for the win.
Elvis Dumervil Signs With Baltimore
Sounds like Elvis Dumervil has made his decision and he has chose to be a Raven. He accepted a 5 year 35 million dollar offer. Baltimore got a bargain, Doom is one of the top pass rushers in the league and they got him for a very low price. He had his most productive year, 17 sacks, in a 3-4 and now he will go back to playing in one.
It is not clear what the Broncos offer was, but I think the Ravens offered up more money because they did not have to deal with the dead money on their hands.
The Broncos can now sign either Freeny or Abraham. They could also hold out and try to get a top pass rusher in the draft, but that will be tough because they pick 28th. There could only be a few, if any, options left on the table with that draft position.
This does free up more sacks for Von Miller who finished with 18 last season.
It is not clear what the Broncos offer was, but I think the Ravens offered up more money because they did not have to deal with the dead money on their hands.
The Broncos can now sign either Freeny or Abraham. They could also hold out and try to get a top pass rusher in the draft, but that will be tough because they pick 28th. There could only be a few, if any, options left on the table with that draft position.
This does free up more sacks for Von Miller who finished with 18 last season.
Lawson, Chandler Probable for Monday
Ty Lawson and Wilson Chandler both went through a full practice today for Monday's game against the Hornets. They are both now listed as probable for the game which means, barring any setbacks, they are likely to play.
This is good news for the Nuggets because they have not played well without them and they play the Spurs on Wednesday. The Hornets will make for a good tune up game so they can find their games again and they should both be 100% for that game.
This is good news for the Nuggets because they have not played well without them and they play the Spurs on Wednesday. The Hornets will make for a good tune up game so they can find their games again and they should both be 100% for that game.
Lawson is Important to the Nuggets' Run
Nuggets star Point Guard Ty Lawson is the best player on the team and it has been obvious these past two games. He has missed the past two games with a bruised heel. Andre Miller has been starting in the games that Lawson has missed and it is obvious that the offense runs like a well-oiled machine when Lawson is playing, but when he isn't, it runs terribly slow and inefficient.
Lawson provides more than what his averages of 16.9 points and 6.9 assists say. He runs the break, something Miller cannot do, and he can be productive when playing off the ball while Miller has to dribble the air out of the ball in order to be effective. Lawson does not always get assists off of the break, but he facilitates it so well. The Nuggets played better when Julyan Stone played rather than Andre Miller. Stone knew how to run the offense and he played really good defense.
The offense has simply looked terrible with Lawson out of the lineup and I think the Nuggets will lose if they play against New Orleans with out him. They will definitely lose if the play the Spurs without him.
If you did not respect what Lawson brought to the team before his injury I am sure there is some respect of his his importance to the Nuggets now.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Nuggets Extend Win Streak to 15
The Nuggets extended their winning streak to 15 with a 101-95 win over Sacramento. The Nuggets were again without Ty Lawson which meant Andre Miller got the start. Miller did not play well although he did have a nice and 1 to seal the game. He was only 4-12 from the field and shot entirely too much. Without Wilson Chandler, Julyan Stone got some playing time and played very well. He had 5 points to go along with a rebound and an assist. Although I do not care for the +/- stat it has to be noted that he was +10 in 14 minutes of playing time. I really like Stone and think he could be the solution at backup point guard in the future.
Kenneth Faried fell one rebound away from a double double, but he had a good scoring game, 17 points, and he shot well from the field, 7-12. Koufos has a solid game with 13 points and 9 rebounds. He also played decent defense although DeMarcus Cousins did go off with 24 points and 15 rebounds. Cousins is a very talented player, but does not "turn it on" all of the time, but he did today. Corey Brewer only finished with 2 points after setting a career high last night, but he did other things like getting 3 steals, 2 blocks and 4 assists. He will not score every night so it is encouraging to see him stuff the stat sheet.
Gallo seemed to break from his two week slump, notching 19 points and 8 rebounds, but it will be interesting to see what he does when Ty and Chandler come back. I hope he can get on track and find his way back to scoring 17 points per game.
This was a tough win that should have been won by more. It is evident that Andre Miller cannot be a starter on this team and that is why Ty needs to come back as soon as possible. They are also missing consistent scoring off of the bench because of Chandler being gone, but once Ty comes back he can shoulder a bigger role off of the bench.
Kenneth Faried fell one rebound away from a double double, but he had a good scoring game, 17 points, and he shot well from the field, 7-12. Koufos has a solid game with 13 points and 9 rebounds. He also played decent defense although DeMarcus Cousins did go off with 24 points and 15 rebounds. Cousins is a very talented player, but does not "turn it on" all of the time, but he did today. Corey Brewer only finished with 2 points after setting a career high last night, but he did other things like getting 3 steals, 2 blocks and 4 assists. He will not score every night so it is encouraging to see him stuff the stat sheet.
Gallo seemed to break from his two week slump, notching 19 points and 8 rebounds, but it will be interesting to see what he does when Ty and Chandler come back. I hope he can get on track and find his way back to scoring 17 points per game.
This was a tough win that should have been won by more. It is evident that Andre Miller cannot be a starter on this team and that is why Ty needs to come back as soon as possible. They are also missing consistent scoring off of the bench because of Chandler being gone, but once Ty comes back he can shoulder a bigger role off of the bench.
Gonzaga Upset
The most overrated team in the tournament has been upset. I did not have them losing to Wichita State, but I had them losing in the Sweet 16. Gonzaga was up by 7 late in the second half, but the Shockers came back and shocked the world.
Gonzaga played no competition all year and it was evident when they got into the tourney. They only won by 6 against against Southern and then they lost today. They did not deserve a number one seed and Miami should have obviously had that spot.
This was embarrassing for them. I always liked Gonzaga as an upset team, but they in no way shape or form deserved the number one seed.
Gonzaga played no competition all year and it was evident when they got into the tourney. They only won by 6 against against Southern and then they lost today. They did not deserve a number one seed and Miami should have obviously had that spot.
This was embarrassing for them. I always liked Gonzaga as an upset team, but they in no way shape or form deserved the number one seed.
Ty Lawson Out Tonight
Ty Lawson will miss his second straight game because of a bruised heel that he injured on Tuesday against the Thunder. This means Andre Miller will get the start which also means expect 0 fast break if Andre Miller is leading the charge.
This could hurt the Nuggets because they seem to have trouble with bad teams anyways and now they are missing their best player.
I hope he is back by Monday to play the Hornets because he could use a tune up game before he goes against Tony Parker and the Spurs.
This could hurt the Nuggets because they seem to have trouble with bad teams anyways and now they are missing their best player.
I hope he is back by Monday to play the Hornets because he could use a tune up game before he goes against Tony Parker and the Spurs.
Nuggets Kings Preview
The Nuggets have played the Kings twice this season and beaten them both times. The Kings area team that could give the Nuggets trouble, but I doubt they do in this game since it is being played in Denver where the Nuggets have only lost 3 times this season. In their last matchup there was very little defense played as the two teams combined for 233 points. Lawson lead the charge for the Nuggets with 24 points and 7 assists. Isaiah Thomas went off for 23 points and 8 assists on 6-13 shooting.
Lawson needs to find a way to shut down Thomas and make him an inefficient scorer. Thomas will have a hard time stopping Lawson since he is so short. Lawson is coming off of an achilles bruise, but he says he hopes to play today. The offense did not look good at all when he was not on the court against the 76ers and it is evident how important he is to the offense.
Andre Iguodala stuffed the stat sheet in the first game with 6 points 7 assists 5 boards and 5 steals in the first game. He will face off against Tyreke Evans who has not found his niche in the NBA yet. In the first game, he held Evans to 7 points and only allowed him to get off 5 shots the entire game. I expect something like this to happen again.
Gallo went off for 23 points 23 points on 7-11 shooting in the first game, but he is in the middle of a bad slump. He has not played well over the past 5 or so games and he needs to find his way out of it before the playoffs start and playing John Salmons should be a easy way to do it. Salmons only had 11 points in the first game because Gallo's length bothered him the entire game. He has the potential to drop 20+ points in any game, but Gallo is too long for him to do so.
Faried had one of his better games of the season in the last matchup. He had 19 points and 12 rebounds to go along with a block. Jason Thompson is bigger than him, but he is not that great of a defender and there is no way he can run with Faried, but to be fair most power forwards cant. Thompson finished with 18 points because it is easy for him to shoot over Faried, but Faried dominated him on the boards. I expect Faried to do close to the same in this matchup as he overwhelms Thompson with his energy.
DaMarcus Cousins is one of the most volatile players in the NBA and he is very talented, but Koufos dominated him for the most part in the last game. Koufos held him to 8 points on 1-12 shooting while Koufos scored 15 points of his own. Cousins dominated him on the boards, pulling down 13 of his own, but as long as Koufos does not allow him to score the Nuggets should be fine.
Corey Brewer lead the charge off of the bench with a career high 28 points against Philly and he scored the last 6 points of the game. In his last matchup with the Kings, he only scored 5 points on 3 shots. Look for him to be more assertive in this game. Andre Miller played well in the first matchup putting up 16 points and 7 assists, but if he has to start due to Ty Lawson's injury the Nuggets are in trouble. This is evident because of what happened in the Philly game. McGee just needs to provide his usual energy off of the bench and he should get more run since Wilson Chandler is out. Fournier might get some playing time since Chandler is out, but he would get more if Lawson is out which he is not.
As with most bad teams the Kings have a poor bench, but Patrick Patterson is a good big man to have coming off of the bench. He can shoot and rebound, but it remains to be seen what type of minutes he will receive. I would like to see more of Jimmer get more minutes since the Kings are not going anywhere this season.
I expect the Nuggets to win this one easily and the Kings should never feel as if they have the chance to win.
Lawson needs to find a way to shut down Thomas and make him an inefficient scorer. Thomas will have a hard time stopping Lawson since he is so short. Lawson is coming off of an achilles bruise, but he says he hopes to play today. The offense did not look good at all when he was not on the court against the 76ers and it is evident how important he is to the offense.
Andre Iguodala stuffed the stat sheet in the first game with 6 points 7 assists 5 boards and 5 steals in the first game. He will face off against Tyreke Evans who has not found his niche in the NBA yet. In the first game, he held Evans to 7 points and only allowed him to get off 5 shots the entire game. I expect something like this to happen again.
Gallo went off for 23 points 23 points on 7-11 shooting in the first game, but he is in the middle of a bad slump. He has not played well over the past 5 or so games and he needs to find his way out of it before the playoffs start and playing John Salmons should be a easy way to do it. Salmons only had 11 points in the first game because Gallo's length bothered him the entire game. He has the potential to drop 20+ points in any game, but Gallo is too long for him to do so.
Faried had one of his better games of the season in the last matchup. He had 19 points and 12 rebounds to go along with a block. Jason Thompson is bigger than him, but he is not that great of a defender and there is no way he can run with Faried, but to be fair most power forwards cant. Thompson finished with 18 points because it is easy for him to shoot over Faried, but Faried dominated him on the boards. I expect Faried to do close to the same in this matchup as he overwhelms Thompson with his energy.
DaMarcus Cousins is one of the most volatile players in the NBA and he is very talented, but Koufos dominated him for the most part in the last game. Koufos held him to 8 points on 1-12 shooting while Koufos scored 15 points of his own. Cousins dominated him on the boards, pulling down 13 of his own, but as long as Koufos does not allow him to score the Nuggets should be fine.
Corey Brewer lead the charge off of the bench with a career high 28 points against Philly and he scored the last 6 points of the game. In his last matchup with the Kings, he only scored 5 points on 3 shots. Look for him to be more assertive in this game. Andre Miller played well in the first matchup putting up 16 points and 7 assists, but if he has to start due to Ty Lawson's injury the Nuggets are in trouble. This is evident because of what happened in the Philly game. McGee just needs to provide his usual energy off of the bench and he should get more run since Wilson Chandler is out. Fournier might get some playing time since Chandler is out, but he would get more if Lawson is out which he is not.
As with most bad teams the Kings have a poor bench, but Patrick Patterson is a good big man to have coming off of the bench. He can shoot and rebound, but it remains to be seen what type of minutes he will receive. I would like to see more of Jimmer get more minutes since the Kings are not going anywhere this season.
I expect the Nuggets to win this one easily and the Kings should never feel as if they have the chance to win.
DJ Williams Signs With Chicago
Dj Williams joins Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall as former Broncos players that now play fir the Bears. He signed a 2 year contract to replace Brian Urlacher on the Bears defense.
DJ is still a good player even though he lost his starting job in Denver, but that was because Wesley Woodyard was just a better player and a cheaper option than DJ.
I dont know the contract details yet, but I expect 3-4 million a year with some bonuses if he performs well.
DJ is still a good player even though he lost his starting job in Denver, but that was because Wesley Woodyard was just a better player and a cheaper option than DJ.
I dont know the contract details yet, but I expect 3-4 million a year with some bonuses if he performs well.
Friday, March 22, 2013
Denver Nuggets Move Up
The Memphis Grizzlies laid an egg against the New Orleans Hornets tonight. This loss propelled the Nuggets up to the 3rd seed in the. Randolph, Conley and Gasol were the only players to show up for the Grizzlies while Robin Lopez asnf Anthony Davis put up double doubles. They allowed Robin Lopez to score 23 points, yes Robin Lopez. Anthony Davis grabbed 18 rebounds, absolutely schooling Zach Randolph on the boards which is very hard to do.
In order for the Nuggets to move up and get comfortable they needed the Grizzlies and the Clippers to lose games to teams they should not. They are now a full game up on the Grizzlies (2 in the win column) and a half game up on the Clippers in the win column. This is good since the Nuggets have the tie breaker so if either do catch up in wins they will not pass the Nuggets.
If the Nuggets grab home court in the first round they should win it easily. If they do end up with the 3rd seed, they would play either Golden State who is floundering since their hot start, the Houston Rockets who would be a good matchup or the Lakers who I would not want to play in the playoffs because of star power.
In order for the Nuggets to move up and get comfortable they needed the Grizzlies and the Clippers to lose games to teams they should not. They are now a full game up on the Grizzlies (2 in the win column) and a half game up on the Clippers in the win column. This is good since the Nuggets have the tie breaker so if either do catch up in wins they will not pass the Nuggets.
If the Nuggets grab home court in the first round they should win it easily. If they do end up with the 3rd seed, they would play either Golden State who is floundering since their hot start, the Houston Rockets who would be a good matchup or the Lakers who I would not want to play in the playoffs because of star power.
Dumervil Close to Decision
It has been reported that Elvis Dumervil is close to a decision on who to sign with and it could come as quick as tomorrow. The two teams he is down to are the Broncos and the Ravens. I have heard a lot of reports that he will go to Baltimore, but I am holding out hope that he will choose Denver.
Baltimore could be an exiting choice for him because they lost Kruger in free agency so he would be an automatic starter. However I think the Broncos would be the best decision for him since he would remain in his starting role and would have good standing in the city.
I really, really hope he stays with the team because if he doesnt the Broncos might sign an older, less effective pass rusher in free agency.
Baltimore could be an exiting choice for him because they lost Kruger in free agency so he would be an automatic starter. However I think the Broncos would be the best decision for him since he would remain in his starting role and would have good standing in the city.
I really, really hope he stays with the team because if he doesnt the Broncos might sign an older, less effective pass rusher in free agency.
Florida Gulf Coast Beats Georgetown!
In their first ever tournament appearance, Florida Gulf Coast beat Georgetown in a game that they dominated fir the entire second half. I am from Florida and I had no idea where FGCU was or even that they existed, but I am glad they beat Georgetown because now Florida does not have to play them.
This is the third time in two years that a 15 seed has beaten a 2 seed. This has happened six other times, but a 15 seed has never advanced to the Sweet 16.
FGCU will play the winner of the Oklahoma and San Diego State game. I doubt they would beat either of these teams, but it is still a good story.
This is the third time in two years that a 15 seed has beaten a 2 seed. This has happened six other times, but a 15 seed has never advanced to the Sweet 16.
FGCU will play the winner of the Oklahoma and San Diego State game. I doubt they would beat either of these teams, but it is still a good story.
Upsets... Upsets Everywhere
Half way through through the second day of March Madness Oregon, Harvard, La Salle and Ole Miss have all won their first game. Ole Miss and Oregon were both 12 seeds, La Salle was a 13 seed who also had a play in game and Harvard was a 14 seed. Ole Miss and La Salle will play each other in the round of 32 which should be a good matchup.
There are still 7 games left to play today so there could still be some left. This has been a great tournament and I have enjoyed watching almost every single game.
There are only 2 perfect brackets left on ESPN after 8.5 million were submitted.
There are still 7 games left to play today so there could still be some left. This has been a great tournament and I have enjoyed watching almost every single game.
There are only 2 perfect brackets left on ESPN after 8.5 million were submitted.
CSU Beats Missouri
CSU dominated Missouri on the boards and on the score board as they controlled the entire game. CSU had more rebounds in the second half than Missouri had the entire game. Missouri looked like a bad rebounding team, they are actually very good, but CSU just dominated them. Colton Iverson lead the Rams on the boards with 13. Dorian Green was hitting a lot of his shots on his way to 26 points. If CSU wants more success then they need Dorian Green to play like this some more.
CSU will now play Louisville on Saturday. Louisville loves to press so CSU needs to practice breaking it. CSU needs to dominate the board again in order to have a chance and they need to play really good defense on Russ Smith. I dont expect CSU to win, but I am hoping they can sneak out with the W and move onto the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1969.
CSU will now play Louisville on Saturday. Louisville loves to press so CSU needs to practice breaking it. CSU needs to dominate the board again in order to have a chance and they need to play really good defense on Russ Smith. I dont expect CSU to win, but I am hoping they can sneak out with the W and move onto the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1969.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Nuggets Stun Philly
Oh you did not think it could get anymore crazy after the Chicago game? Well it did. The Nuggets trailed by 5 points with 10.5 second left then Corey Brewer hit a 3 after slipping. Denver then made Philly call two timeouts because they could not get the ball in and when they finally did, Brewer knocked the ball out of a good free throw shooters hands and it ended up in Evan Turners hands. Turner is not a terrible free throw shooter at 75%, but he was Philly's worst option on the court. I was hoping for him to split them, but he inexplicably clanked both of them and Denver got the ball back. Brewer found his hands on the ball for the final shot and he was fouled shooting a 3 pointer, something you should never do. Brewer is not a stellar free throw shooter and I was hoping he would hit two out of the three to send the game to overtime, but he stepped up to the line and knocked all three of them down to win the game.
Ty Lawson and Wilson Chandler were both out for this game, forcing Karl to experiment with new lineups. He chose to start Andre Miller who played terrible. When he left the court in the second quarter the Nuggets went on a scoring run and when he came back on it seemed to stop. I would have liked if Miller came off of the bench and Julyan Stone started, but Stone received no minutes in this game.
Randolph took most of Chandler minutes. He played ok, nothing spectacular, but he did miss some rebounds.
The Nuggets need Ty to be back on Saturday because the offense looked abysmal without him.
Good, lucky win for the Nuggets. You need a couple of those on a streak.
Ty Lawson and Wilson Chandler were both out for this game, forcing Karl to experiment with new lineups. He chose to start Andre Miller who played terrible. When he left the court in the second quarter the Nuggets went on a scoring run and when he came back on it seemed to stop. I would have liked if Miller came off of the bench and Julyan Stone started, but Stone received no minutes in this game.
Randolph took most of Chandler minutes. He played ok, nothing spectacular, but he did miss some rebounds.
The Nuggets need Ty to be back on Saturday because the offense looked abysmal without him.
Good, lucky win for the Nuggets. You need a couple of those on a streak.
March Madness!
The first day of March Madness is here! I love watching every single game and I never get tired of it. No upsets yet, but I think Oregon will beat Oklahoma State today which would be interesting.
I wonder how many "sick" days are used during March Madness?
I wonder how many "sick" days are used during March Madness?
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Ed Reed to Sign With Houston
Ed Reed will sign a 2 year deal with the Houston Texans. The contract details have not come out yet, but I doubt it is for big money. The Texans need his ball hawking services on their defense and he will definitely improve their defense from the moment he steps onto the field.
Reed is not the player he used to be, but he is still a good ball hawk, 4 interceptions in 2012, and a solid tackler. He also provides veteran leadership which is needed for any team. The Texans defense faltered at the end of the season which ended up being their demise.
I imagine it was very hard to Reed to leave the Ravens, a team that he just won a Super Bowl with, but Houston went after him hard in free agency and won him over.
Baltimore barely resembles the team they were last season after losing Lewis, Boldin, Ellerbe, Kruger and now Reed. They may be a fringe playoff team now and I would not be surprised if they missed the playoffs next season
Reed is not the player he used to be, but he is still a good ball hawk, 4 interceptions in 2012, and a solid tackler. He also provides veteran leadership which is needed for any team. The Texans defense faltered at the end of the season which ended up being their demise.
I imagine it was very hard to Reed to leave the Ravens, a team that he just won a Super Bowl with, but Houston went after him hard in free agency and won him over.
Baltimore barely resembles the team they were last season after losing Lewis, Boldin, Ellerbe, Kruger and now Reed. They may be a fringe playoff team now and I would not be surprised if they missed the playoffs next season
Broncos Bring in Top DE's for Visit
The Denver Broncos are bringing in Dwight Freeny and John Abraham in order to try and speed up the Elvis Dumervil situation. If Doom sees that the Broncos might move on from him then he might be more compliant in signing a new contract with the team.
I doubt the Broncos sign either Freeny or Abraham. I feel as if they are trying to use them as a catalyst in order to get Doom signed. Doom is still their top free agent defensive end so they would not settle for less unless he signed elsewhere.
Nuggets 76ers Preview
The Nuggets and the 76ers played in the season opener. However these two teams have been polar opposites since that meeting. The Nuggets looked like they were bound to miss the playoffs and the 76ers looked like they could have been a playoff bound team. Now the Nuggets are seeking the third seed in their conference and the 76ers are staring down the lottery.
Ty Lawson and Jrue Holiday were drafted in the same draft with Holiday being selected a couple of picks ahead of Lawson, but they have had pretty even careers. Holiday has taken over for the 76ers scoring 18.9 points and 8.2 assists. He is now the dominant ball handler since Andre Iguodala's departure. In the first game Lawson shot poorly from the field and scored 16 points and had 7 assists. Lawson has improved since this first matchup and has become one of the top point guards because of his recent play.
In Iguodala's first matchup against his old team, he shot poorly from the field, 5-13, and only scored 11 points to go along with 4 assists and 4 rebounds. Look for him to play better in this matchup because he has now found his niche with the Nuggets which is scary for any team that plays them. Jason Richardson was starting in the first matchup, but Royal Ivey is now the starter. Iggy should not have to worry much about him defensively which means he should guard Holiday and switch Lawson onto Ivey.
Gallo missed the first game and Jordan Hamilton took his place in the starting lineup. Evan Turner is not much of a shooter and only had 5 points in the first matchup. Turner is a threat in other areas and could have a triple double any night. Turner plays good defense so Gallo will have a tough time scoring.
Faried did not play well in the first matchup, only scoring 6 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. He only played 17 minutes. Thaddeus Young is still the starter and he is dangerous because he has a decent outside shot and he is a very good rebounder. In the first matchup, he had 13 and 5 which Faried should try to hold him to again.
Koufos was battling Lavoy Allen in the first matchup, but Spencer Hawes is now the starting center. Hawes had a great first game notching 16 points and 12 rebounds, but it will be interesting to how he responds starting against the Nuggets since he came off of the bench in the first matchup.
The 76ers bench is not as good since Spencer Hawes is no longer coming off of it, but they still have some quality players on their bench. Dorrell Wright is a good shooter off of the bench for them. Every time I write a preview I rave about the Nuggets bench and they rarely dont deserve the rave, but it will be interesting to see how they respond to not having Wilson Chandler. I think they will respond by giving Brewer more minutes, but they my try to throw Hamilton or Fournier into the rotation.
I think the Nuggets will win this one easily as they extend their winning streak to 14.
Ty Lawson and Jrue Holiday were drafted in the same draft with Holiday being selected a couple of picks ahead of Lawson, but they have had pretty even careers. Holiday has taken over for the 76ers scoring 18.9 points and 8.2 assists. He is now the dominant ball handler since Andre Iguodala's departure. In the first game Lawson shot poorly from the field and scored 16 points and had 7 assists. Lawson has improved since this first matchup and has become one of the top point guards because of his recent play.
In Iguodala's first matchup against his old team, he shot poorly from the field, 5-13, and only scored 11 points to go along with 4 assists and 4 rebounds. Look for him to play better in this matchup because he has now found his niche with the Nuggets which is scary for any team that plays them. Jason Richardson was starting in the first matchup, but Royal Ivey is now the starter. Iggy should not have to worry much about him defensively which means he should guard Holiday and switch Lawson onto Ivey.
Gallo missed the first game and Jordan Hamilton took his place in the starting lineup. Evan Turner is not much of a shooter and only had 5 points in the first matchup. Turner is a threat in other areas and could have a triple double any night. Turner plays good defense so Gallo will have a tough time scoring.
Faried did not play well in the first matchup, only scoring 6 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. He only played 17 minutes. Thaddeus Young is still the starter and he is dangerous because he has a decent outside shot and he is a very good rebounder. In the first matchup, he had 13 and 5 which Faried should try to hold him to again.
Koufos was battling Lavoy Allen in the first matchup, but Spencer Hawes is now the starting center. Hawes had a great first game notching 16 points and 12 rebounds, but it will be interesting to how he responds starting against the Nuggets since he came off of the bench in the first matchup.
The 76ers bench is not as good since Spencer Hawes is no longer coming off of it, but they still have some quality players on their bench. Dorrell Wright is a good shooter off of the bench for them. Every time I write a preview I rave about the Nuggets bench and they rarely dont deserve the rave, but it will be interesting to see how they respond to not having Wilson Chandler. I think they will respond by giving Brewer more minutes, but they my try to throw Hamilton or Fournier into the rotation.
I think the Nuggets will win this one easily as they extend their winning streak to 14.
NFL Rule Changes
At the annual owners meetings they decided on 2 major rule changes. One was a rule where running backs will be penalized and/or fined if they lead with the crown of their helmet. The other was getting rid of the tuck rule which is about 13 years late for the Oakland Raiders.
The crown of the helmet rule will lead to more judgement calls from the refs which no body wants. There will be a lot of thrown objects in living rooms across the nation because of refs making judgement calls on this. It is also an unneeded rule because the running back should know the dangers of putting their head down. This also leads to more sissisfication of the NFL. Just let them play, they know the dangers if the NFL.
The Tuck Rule change came about 13 years late for the Oakland Raiders. This was a rule that should have been gone long ago. I am glad this rule is gone forever.
The crown of the helmet rule will lead to more judgement calls from the refs which no body wants. There will be a lot of thrown objects in living rooms across the nation because of refs making judgement calls on this. It is also an unneeded rule because the running back should know the dangers of putting their head down. This also leads to more sissisfication of the NFL. Just let them play, they know the dangers if the NFL.
The Tuck Rule change came about 13 years late for the Oakland Raiders. This was a rule that should have been gone long ago. I am glad this rule is gone forever.
Broncos Offer Dumervil More
According to Les Shapiro, the Broncos have made a better offer to Elvis Dumervil than the Baltimore Ravens have. Unless his source is wrong that means Doom has a better chance of signing with the Broncos than the Ravens are not more of a contender than the Broncos.
Dumervil has been a Bronco his entire life and I would think it would be hard to leave a team that you have been with your entire pro career.
Denver needs Elvis back, badly. They need his pass rushing ability. Some say the Broncos could easily replace him with Freeny, but that is not the case. Doom is younger and a better pass rusher at this point in the respective careers. Doom also knows the scheme that the Broncos run and knows the playbook so he would not have to go through a learning period like Freeny or another free agent.
Look for Elvis to sign a deal in the coming days, most likely with the Broncos.
Dumervil has been a Bronco his entire life and I would think it would be hard to leave a team that you have been with your entire pro career.
Denver needs Elvis back, badly. They need his pass rushing ability. Some say the Broncos could easily replace him with Freeny, but that is not the case. Doom is younger and a better pass rusher at this point in the respective careers. Doom also knows the scheme that the Broncos run and knows the playbook so he would not have to go through a learning period like Freeny or another free agent.
Look for Elvis to sign a deal in the coming days, most likely with the Broncos.
Chandler Doubtful for Thursday
Wilson Chandler suffered from a separated shoulder in last nights game against Oklahoma City. It was a AC grade 1 separation which is not bad and it means he could be back for Saturdays game against Sacramento.
This is good news that his separation was not more severe and it likely means that he will be available for the Hornets and Spurs games.
This is good news that his separation was not more severe and it likely means that he will be available for the Hornets and Spurs games.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Ty Lawson Re-Aggrivates Achilles Injury
Ty suffered with a lingering achilles problem early in the season, but has not had an issue with it in a while. However news came out after the game that Lawson injured his achilles again. It did not seem to affect him since he was still aggressive in the second half, but you have to wonder how the team will deal with it.
The Nuggets will need him in the next game against Philly to help neutralize Jrue Holiday. However his long term health is more important so if they have to shut him down for a game for two I would be fine for that.
The Nuggets will need him in the next game against Philly to help neutralize Jrue Holiday. However his long term health is more important so if they have to shut him down for a game for two I would be fine for that.
Wilson Chandler Separates Shoulder
Wilson Chandler separated his left shoulder in the 4th quarter of the game tonight. If Chandler misses an extended period of time the Nuggets could be in trouble. He is their best scorer off of the bench and also provides solid defense.
The good news it is his left shoulder which is not his shooting shoulder. That should mean he could come back earlier than normal.
The Nuggets play Philadelphia and Sacramento in their next two games so he could sent both of those games. Hopefully the separation is not that bad and he will be able to come back after those two games. They will need him for their tilt against the Spurs in San Antonio.
The good news it is his left shoulder which is not his shooting shoulder. That should mean he could come back earlier than normal.
The Nuggets play Philadelphia and Sacramento in their next two games so he could sent both of those games. Hopefully the separation is not that bad and he will be able to come back after those two games. They will need him for their tilt against the Spurs in San Antonio.
Nuggets Thunder Review
On Andre Millers birthday he hit 2 great shots to seal the Nuggets win over OKC. He had some bad possessions where he dribble out the shot clock and made some bad decisions, but when it mattered the most he made two big shots. He was the best player off the bench tonight and I was glad he was there to celebrate his birthday in style.
It is amazing what Ty Lawson can do when he is not hungover. He only shot the ball 13 times, making 8 of them, and ended up with 25 points. He came out on fire, but I would like him to shoot the ball more. He was aggressive going to the basket and I liked the arc on his shot on his three point jumpers. If he keeps this going I like the proposition of the Nuggets extending their win streak.
Iguodola did an admirable job on both Westbrook and Durant, holding both of them below 50% shooting. He did a great job of getting his hands in their face and not letting them get into the lane for easy shots.
Kenneth Faried needed to play with this type of energy in order for the Nuggets to win. He got a double double with 13 points and 15 rebounds and he also added 3 blocks. He dominated the boards and was not letting anyone out hustle him for the rebounds. He held Ibaka to only 6 points and 2 rebounds which is a major accomplishment.
Koufos only played 16 minutes, but he still had 6 points and snagged 7 rebounds.
The bench was amazing, Corey Brewer was finding open spots all around the floor. Andre Miller was 3 rebounds and 1 assists from a triple double. Wilson Chandler played good defense off of the bench and was good driving the ball to the basket. However, he separated his shoulder in the 4th quarter. This could hurt in the long term and the Nuggets may have to go deeper into the bench. Luckily for the Nuggets it is his non shooting shoulder. Hopefully he only misses one or two games. Javale McGee also played well. He started off bad taking 2 bad shots, but he had some nice moves and got some and-1's.
This was a great win for the Nuggets. 13 in a row and they will be going back home to play Philadelphia. They should win this after a let down loss in Philly to start the season.
It is amazing what Ty Lawson can do when he is not hungover. He only shot the ball 13 times, making 8 of them, and ended up with 25 points. He came out on fire, but I would like him to shoot the ball more. He was aggressive going to the basket and I liked the arc on his shot on his three point jumpers. If he keeps this going I like the proposition of the Nuggets extending their win streak.
Iguodola did an admirable job on both Westbrook and Durant, holding both of them below 50% shooting. He did a great job of getting his hands in their face and not letting them get into the lane for easy shots.
Kenneth Faried needed to play with this type of energy in order for the Nuggets to win. He got a double double with 13 points and 15 rebounds and he also added 3 blocks. He dominated the boards and was not letting anyone out hustle him for the rebounds. He held Ibaka to only 6 points and 2 rebounds which is a major accomplishment.
Koufos only played 16 minutes, but he still had 6 points and snagged 7 rebounds.
The bench was amazing, Corey Brewer was finding open spots all around the floor. Andre Miller was 3 rebounds and 1 assists from a triple double. Wilson Chandler played good defense off of the bench and was good driving the ball to the basket. However, he separated his shoulder in the 4th quarter. This could hurt in the long term and the Nuggets may have to go deeper into the bench. Luckily for the Nuggets it is his non shooting shoulder. Hopefully he only misses one or two games. Javale McGee also played well. He started off bad taking 2 bad shots, but he had some nice moves and got some and-1's.
This was a great win for the Nuggets. 13 in a row and they will be going back home to play Philadelphia. They should win this after a let down loss in Philly to start the season.
Ty Lawson Played With Hangover
Ty Lawson did not play well in the Bulls game and according to him he was not feeling well with an undisclosed illness.
Well St. Patricks day was Sunday and they played the Bulls Monday night. He was likely suffering from a hangover. He tweeted out a picture of him partying for St. Patricks day on Sunday so it was likely a hangover.
Hopefully he is feeling better for tonights tilt against the Thunder because the Nuggets will need him at his best in order to win this game.
Well St. Patricks day was Sunday and they played the Bulls Monday night. He was likely suffering from a hangover. He tweeted out a picture of him partying for St. Patricks day on Sunday so it was likely a hangover.
Hopefully he is feeling better for tonights tilt against the Thunder because the Nuggets will need him at his best in order to win this game.
Denver Offered Contract to Dumervil
According to John Elway the Broncos have extended a contract offer to Elvis Dumervil. There are no details on the contract offer yet, but I hear the dead money is not effecting the contract negotiations. This is good news since there was a sizable amount of dead money left over from the previous contract.
The Broncos like Dumervil more than any other free agent on the market. The word is that the Broncos think Doom is better and he is obviously younger.
I am hoping Doom accepts this contract offer because I want Doom to be a part of this Super Bowl contending team.
The Broncos like Dumervil more than any other free agent on the market. The word is that the Broncos think Doom is better and he is obviously younger.
I am hoping Doom accepts this contract offer because I want Doom to be a part of this Super Bowl contending team.
Matt Hasselbeck Signs With the Colts
Matt Hasselbeck, who was released by Tennessee yesterday, found a new home quickly in Indianapolis. He will back up Andrew Luck which is great for him and the Colts. He should have some old man wisdom to give to Luck and he is still a good backup quarterback so if Luck goes down there should not be too far of a drop off.
Wilson Chandler Is Growing on Me
I thought the Nuggets would and I wanted them to trade Wilson Chandler before the trade deadline because I thought he would be useless in the rotation. Low and behold I was wrong. Chandler has found his niche off the Nuggets bench and it is consistent scoring.
Wilson brings good scoring and shooting off of the bench. The Nuggets had a good bench before him, but no body that could shoot jumpers or have the ability to drop 25+ any night. Wilson is also a good rebounder and a very solid defender.
Wilson rounds out the bench. Brewer brings his energy, McGee brings his shot blocking, Andre Miller brings his hero ball, but the Nuggets never had anyone to provide consistent scoring.
Wilson Chandler wanted to be traded before the deadline too and made that public, but now it seems as if he really likes it here.
I am glad we did not trade it because whatever we would have gotten in return would not equal what Wilson Chandler is bringing us now.
Wilson brings good scoring and shooting off of the bench. The Nuggets had a good bench before him, but no body that could shoot jumpers or have the ability to drop 25+ any night. Wilson is also a good rebounder and a very solid defender.
Wilson rounds out the bench. Brewer brings his energy, McGee brings his shot blocking, Andre Miller brings his hero ball, but the Nuggets never had anyone to provide consistent scoring.
Wilson Chandler wanted to be traded before the deadline too and made that public, but now it seems as if he really likes it here.
I am glad we did not trade it because whatever we would have gotten in return would not equal what Wilson Chandler is bringing us now.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Nuggets Thunder Preview
Tuesday night the Nuggets will try to extend their franchise best 12 game winning streak against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Nuggets have won 2 of 3 over the Thunder this season, but both of those wins were at Pepsi Center. In the only game in Oklahoma City, the Nuggets were beaten by 20. It is a difficult place to win, but the Nuggets have to put together a better showing than that.
Ty Lawson will have to deal with Russell Westbrook. Westbrook always gets the best of Ty Lawson and shuts him down. Although Lawson did hit the game winner in the last meeting so hopefully that propels him to have a good game this time. Ty does not have to deal with him on defense since that will be Andre Iguadola's job all night. Even with Iggy on him Westbrook has scored 30 or more points in all 3 meetings.
Iguadola will face off against Thabo Sefolosha. Sefolosha is not much of an offensive player, but he has shown the ability to score when called upon. Iggy just hit the game winner in Chicago which hopefully gives him confidence going into this matchup. Iggy will have to focus much of his energy on defense, guarding Westbrook and Durant.
Gallo will face the tough challenge of attempting to guard Durant. His length matches up nice against Durant, but Durant has so many moves to create space and has the ability to take it inside. Durant is just too tough to guard and you have to know he will get his points. Gallo had a great game in the second matchup in which he hit a couple of clutch 3 pointers.
Faried will have to draw Serge Ibaka. Ibaka has taken more of a scoring role this season and has even expanded his range to the corner three. He is also a force on the boards and will get his blocked shots. Faried has to find his energy again and play with a purpose. If Faried plays with energy he can neutralize Ibaka.
Koufos and Perkins will match up, but I think Koufos will start out on Ibaka on defense since he is longer and a better defender. Perkins is not much of an offensive player, but he can shut you down on defense. However Koufos is not a go to scorer so it wont matter if Perkins shuts him down.
Kevin Martin is the Thunder's biggest scoring threat off the bench. If he is hot the Nuggets could be in trouble. He is mostly a 3 point shooter in this team and the Nuggets should not have to worry about him too much anywhere else on the court. Nick Collison is a very underrated player. He does not do much on offense, but he is a solid fundamental defensive player and rebounder. Reggie Jackson takes most of the backup point guard minutes, but Derrick Fisher has staked out his claim to some.
Wilson Chandler went off for 35 points last time these two teams met which ended up being the deciding factor in the game. The Thunder will want to shut him down this time so the Nuggets may not be able to depend on him. Corey Brewer will have to bring his usual energy for the Nuggets to win, he needs to run the Thunder off the floor.
Hopefully the Nuggets can pull off their 13th straight win, but it will be a tough one in Oklahoma City.
Ty Lawson will have to deal with Russell Westbrook. Westbrook always gets the best of Ty Lawson and shuts him down. Although Lawson did hit the game winner in the last meeting so hopefully that propels him to have a good game this time. Ty does not have to deal with him on defense since that will be Andre Iguadola's job all night. Even with Iggy on him Westbrook has scored 30 or more points in all 3 meetings.
Iguadola will face off against Thabo Sefolosha. Sefolosha is not much of an offensive player, but he has shown the ability to score when called upon. Iggy just hit the game winner in Chicago which hopefully gives him confidence going into this matchup. Iggy will have to focus much of his energy on defense, guarding Westbrook and Durant.
Gallo will face the tough challenge of attempting to guard Durant. His length matches up nice against Durant, but Durant has so many moves to create space and has the ability to take it inside. Durant is just too tough to guard and you have to know he will get his points. Gallo had a great game in the second matchup in which he hit a couple of clutch 3 pointers.
Faried will have to draw Serge Ibaka. Ibaka has taken more of a scoring role this season and has even expanded his range to the corner three. He is also a force on the boards and will get his blocked shots. Faried has to find his energy again and play with a purpose. If Faried plays with energy he can neutralize Ibaka.
Koufos and Perkins will match up, but I think Koufos will start out on Ibaka on defense since he is longer and a better defender. Perkins is not much of an offensive player, but he can shut you down on defense. However Koufos is not a go to scorer so it wont matter if Perkins shuts him down.
Kevin Martin is the Thunder's biggest scoring threat off the bench. If he is hot the Nuggets could be in trouble. He is mostly a 3 point shooter in this team and the Nuggets should not have to worry about him too much anywhere else on the court. Nick Collison is a very underrated player. He does not do much on offense, but he is a solid fundamental defensive player and rebounder. Reggie Jackson takes most of the backup point guard minutes, but Derrick Fisher has staked out his claim to some.
Wilson Chandler went off for 35 points last time these two teams met which ended up being the deciding factor in the game. The Thunder will want to shut him down this time so the Nuggets may not be able to depend on him. Corey Brewer will have to bring his usual energy for the Nuggets to win, he needs to run the Thunder off the floor.
Hopefully the Nuggets can pull off their 13th straight win, but it will be a tough one in Oklahoma City.
Nuggets Bulls Review
I hate Andre Miller! This game should have never been in overtime, but a travel and a non close out by Miller allowed the game to go to overtime. The Nuggets fell apart late in the 4th quarter. Denver and the refs let the Bulls back into the game.
In overtime, it looked like the Nuggets would lose, but they pulled through thanks to a clutch three from Andre Iguadola. After Andre Miller dribbled into a double team he blindly kicked it out luckily Iggy was in the vicinity and hit a clutch three.
I can not talk enough about how bad the refs were in this game. Chandler was shoved out of bounds by Noah and there was a no call. Noah also camped in the lane for about 5 seconds, again a no call. There were also countless other on both sides.
Luckily the refs finally got something right in the final seconds Marco Belinelli shot a tough fade away to win and made it, but Noah stuck his hand up and touched the ball and therefore got called for goaltending.
This was a tough win for the Nuggets that they made even tougher by letting the Bulls back into the game. Nonetheless they extended their win streak to 12 which tied a franchise record. They will go for 13 tomorrow in Oklahoma City.
In overtime, it looked like the Nuggets would lose, but they pulled through thanks to a clutch three from Andre Iguadola. After Andre Miller dribbled into a double team he blindly kicked it out luckily Iggy was in the vicinity and hit a clutch three.
I can not talk enough about how bad the refs were in this game. Chandler was shoved out of bounds by Noah and there was a no call. Noah also camped in the lane for about 5 seconds, again a no call. There were also countless other on both sides.
Luckily the refs finally got something right in the final seconds Marco Belinelli shot a tough fade away to win and made it, but Noah stuck his hand up and touched the ball and therefore got called for goaltending.
This was a tough win for the Nuggets that they made even tougher by letting the Bulls back into the game. Nonetheless they extended their win streak to 12 which tied a franchise record. They will go for 13 tomorrow in Oklahoma City.
National Championship Prediction
3 Michigan State V. 3 Florida
A Matchup between two 3 seeds. Both of these teams play strong defense, but Florida is more likely to go off on the offensive end. Michigan State will have a hard time guarding Florid's 3 point shooting, but I dont see any way Michigan State scores a lot of points on the Gators defense. I see Florida handling this one fairly easily.
Winner: Florida
A Matchup between two 3 seeds. Both of these teams play strong defense, but Florida is more likely to go off on the offensive end. Michigan State will have a hard time guarding Florid's 3 point shooting, but I dont see any way Michigan State scores a lot of points on the Gators defense. I see Florida handling this one fairly easily.
Winner: Florida
Final 4 Prediction
3 Michigan State V. 3 New Mexico
I dont have any 1 seeds in my Final 4. Michigan State is a scary team to be playing in March because of superior coaching. If they can shut down New Mexico's balanced scoring attack they should glide to an easy win. They dont shoot a lot of 3 pointers so they rely on defense and rebounding to keep them in games. New Mexico will have a tough time scoring against Michigan State and if they are not scoring it is unlikely they win.
Winner: Michigan State
2 Miami V. 3 Florida
This would be a great matchup against stretch 4's in Kenny Kadji and Erik Murphy. The Gators are stingy on defense so they will not allow Miami to get away with things that they have all year. They will also hit 3's, but they are also really efficient offense and defense. Miami has a great shot blocker in Julian Gamble which means Florida cannot be afraid to go inside. The Gators would have to shut down Shane Larkin which can be a huge task.
Winner: Florida
I dont have any 1 seeds in my Final 4. Michigan State is a scary team to be playing in March because of superior coaching. If they can shut down New Mexico's balanced scoring attack they should glide to an easy win. They dont shoot a lot of 3 pointers so they rely on defense and rebounding to keep them in games. New Mexico will have a tough time scoring against Michigan State and if they are not scoring it is unlikely they win.
Winner: Michigan State
2 Miami V. 3 Florida
This would be a great matchup against stretch 4's in Kenny Kadji and Erik Murphy. The Gators are stingy on defense so they will not allow Miami to get away with things that they have all year. They will also hit 3's, but they are also really efficient offense and defense. Miami has a great shot blocker in Julian Gamble which means Florida cannot be afraid to go inside. The Gators would have to shut down Shane Larkin which can be a huge task.
Winner: Florida
West Bracket Prediction
Round 1
1 Gonzaga V. 16 Southern
Ummm who is Southern?
8 Pittsburgh V. Wichita State
This will be a good game. I think Pittsburgh pulls this one out which leads to a great game against Gonzaga
5 Wisconsin V. 12 Ole Miss
Ole Miss will not be able to hang with Wisconsin in any way, shape or form. Bo Ryan will not lose in the first round.
4 Kansas State V. 13 Boise State
Another stupid play in game. Kansas Sate wins this one easily.
6 Arizona V. 11 Belmont
I dont think much of Arizona this season. They have not been able to put their team together all season. Belmont is a trendy upset pick and I will have to go with that trend.
3 New Mexico V. 14 Harvard
New Mexico is an underrated team this year. Not many people know about them because they are from the Mountain West, but they will turn heads this year.
7 Notre Dame V. 10 Iowa State
Iowa State should win this game. Notre Dame is almost as overrated as their football team.
2 Ohio State V. 15 Iona
I want to pick Iona, but picking a 15 seed over a 2 seed is not a good idea.
Round of 32
1 Gonzaga V. 8 Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh can cause problems for Gonzaga. I think Gonzaga is overrated, but they will not lose before the Sweet 16.
4 Kansas State V. 5 Wisconsin
This game will be played in Kansas City which gives the Wildcats home court advantage and I think that puts them over the top against Wisconsin.
3 New Mexico V. 11 Belmont
Belmont had their lone upset against Arizona. They will get no sympathy against New Mexico.
2 Ohio State V. 10 Iowa State
Ohio State should take control of this game from the start. They should not have to worry about Iowa State.
Sweet 16
1 Gonzaga V. 4 Kansas State
Kansas State is no pushover and will take care of this overrated Gonzaga team. I dont see Gonzaga as an Elite 8 team much less a Final 4 team.
3 New Mexico V. 2 Ohio State
Nobody has New Mexico going too far, but I think they will go far. Ohio State will not be able to hang with them. New Mexico is simply too good.
Elite 8
3 New Mexico V. 4 Kansas State
New Mexico will be going to the Final 4. Kansas State is not good enough inside to hang with New Mexico. New Mexico will be the second 3 seed going to the final 4.
1 Gonzaga V. 16 Southern
Ummm who is Southern?
8 Pittsburgh V. Wichita State
This will be a good game. I think Pittsburgh pulls this one out which leads to a great game against Gonzaga
5 Wisconsin V. 12 Ole Miss
Ole Miss will not be able to hang with Wisconsin in any way, shape or form. Bo Ryan will not lose in the first round.
4 Kansas State V. 13 Boise State
Another stupid play in game. Kansas Sate wins this one easily.
6 Arizona V. 11 Belmont
I dont think much of Arizona this season. They have not been able to put their team together all season. Belmont is a trendy upset pick and I will have to go with that trend.
3 New Mexico V. 14 Harvard
New Mexico is an underrated team this year. Not many people know about them because they are from the Mountain West, but they will turn heads this year.
7 Notre Dame V. 10 Iowa State
Iowa State should win this game. Notre Dame is almost as overrated as their football team.
2 Ohio State V. 15 Iona
I want to pick Iona, but picking a 15 seed over a 2 seed is not a good idea.
Round of 32
1 Gonzaga V. 8 Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh can cause problems for Gonzaga. I think Gonzaga is overrated, but they will not lose before the Sweet 16.
4 Kansas State V. 5 Wisconsin
This game will be played in Kansas City which gives the Wildcats home court advantage and I think that puts them over the top against Wisconsin.
3 New Mexico V. 11 Belmont
Belmont had their lone upset against Arizona. They will get no sympathy against New Mexico.
2 Ohio State V. 10 Iowa State
Ohio State should take control of this game from the start. They should not have to worry about Iowa State.
Sweet 16
1 Gonzaga V. 4 Kansas State
Kansas State is no pushover and will take care of this overrated Gonzaga team. I dont see Gonzaga as an Elite 8 team much less a Final 4 team.
3 New Mexico V. 2 Ohio State
Nobody has New Mexico going too far, but I think they will go far. Ohio State will not be able to hang with them. New Mexico is simply too good.
Elite 8
3 New Mexico V. 4 Kansas State
New Mexico will be going to the Final 4. Kansas State is not good enough inside to hang with New Mexico. New Mexico will be the second 3 seed going to the final 4.
East Bracket Prediction
Round 1
1 Indian V. 16 Long Island
No need for a paragraph
8 NC State V. 9 Temple
Temples coach has been terrible in the tournament over his career. NC State can hang with anyone and are very athletic. They should win this one easily.
5 UNLV V. 12 California
This is essentially a home game for California, but they still wont be able to hang with UNLV. UNLV made it to their conference finals and Cal lost in the first round which does not bode well for the Golden Bears.
4 Syracuse V. 13 Montana
If Montana's leading scorer was not out for the tournament I would pick them since I am not a fan of this 'Cuse team. Syracuse dodged a bullet with this one.
6 Butler V. 11 Bucknell
Butler always seems to make noise in the tournament so I doubt they lose in the first round. Brad Stevens is a great coach and will take care of things for Butler.
3 Marquette V. 14 Davidson
It would be fun to see Davidson beat Marquette, but I doubt it happens, but I am tempted to pick Davidson. I think Marquette wins in a very close one.
7 Illinois V. 10 Colorado
Colorado has a very good rebounding team, but the Buffs struggled on the road all season. Illinois coach, John Groce, has had success in the tournament with Ohio. Illinois should win this one easily.
2 Miami V. 15 Pacific
Miami should have been a 1 seed, but they were snubbed. They ran through their conference tourney with no problems and will run through this game with no problems.
Round of 32
1 Indiana V. 8 NC State
I already have one 8 seed winning against a 1 seed and I dont think NC State can stay with Indian.
4 Syracuse V. 5 UNLV
I dont like this years 'Cuse team at all, just look at what happened against Louisville. UNLV should handle them pretty easily.
3 Marquette V. 6 Butler
Butler is poised to make another bracket breaking run. Brad Stevens will out coach Marquette and they beat Marquette in a game earlier in the season on a neutral court.
2 Miami V. 7 Illinois
I really like this Hurricane team, they should handle Illinois very easily.
Sweet 16
1 Indiana V UNLV
People underrate Indiana for a variety of reasons, but they will make a run at the Final 4. UNLV will not be able to keep Cody Zeller in check for 40 minutes and that will prove to the difference maker in this game.
2 Miami V. 6 Butler
Butler is known for making improbable tournament runs, but this years will end against Miami. Miami is simply too good for Butler to keep in check. This game might be close, but Butler will not have a chance.
Elite 8
1 Indiana V. 2 Miami
This would be a great game that everyone should tune into. Miami has surprised everyone while Indiana has disappointed some people, relative to pre season expectations. Miami should win this game, but it will be one of the tougher games for them and everyone should tune into this game should it be played.
1 Indian V. 16 Long Island
No need for a paragraph
8 NC State V. 9 Temple
Temples coach has been terrible in the tournament over his career. NC State can hang with anyone and are very athletic. They should win this one easily.
5 UNLV V. 12 California
This is essentially a home game for California, but they still wont be able to hang with UNLV. UNLV made it to their conference finals and Cal lost in the first round which does not bode well for the Golden Bears.
4 Syracuse V. 13 Montana
If Montana's leading scorer was not out for the tournament I would pick them since I am not a fan of this 'Cuse team. Syracuse dodged a bullet with this one.
6 Butler V. 11 Bucknell
Butler always seems to make noise in the tournament so I doubt they lose in the first round. Brad Stevens is a great coach and will take care of things for Butler.
3 Marquette V. 14 Davidson
It would be fun to see Davidson beat Marquette, but I doubt it happens, but I am tempted to pick Davidson. I think Marquette wins in a very close one.
7 Illinois V. 10 Colorado
Colorado has a very good rebounding team, but the Buffs struggled on the road all season. Illinois coach, John Groce, has had success in the tournament with Ohio. Illinois should win this one easily.
2 Miami V. 15 Pacific
Miami should have been a 1 seed, but they were snubbed. They ran through their conference tourney with no problems and will run through this game with no problems.
Round of 32
1 Indiana V. 8 NC State
I already have one 8 seed winning against a 1 seed and I dont think NC State can stay with Indian.
4 Syracuse V. 5 UNLV
I dont like this years 'Cuse team at all, just look at what happened against Louisville. UNLV should handle them pretty easily.
3 Marquette V. 6 Butler
Butler is poised to make another bracket breaking run. Brad Stevens will out coach Marquette and they beat Marquette in a game earlier in the season on a neutral court.
2 Miami V. 7 Illinois
I really like this Hurricane team, they should handle Illinois very easily.
Sweet 16
1 Indiana V UNLV
People underrate Indiana for a variety of reasons, but they will make a run at the Final 4. UNLV will not be able to keep Cody Zeller in check for 40 minutes and that will prove to the difference maker in this game.
2 Miami V. 6 Butler
Butler is known for making improbable tournament runs, but this years will end against Miami. Miami is simply too good for Butler to keep in check. This game might be close, but Butler will not have a chance.
Elite 8
1 Indiana V. 2 Miami
This would be a great game that everyone should tune into. Miami has surprised everyone while Indiana has disappointed some people, relative to pre season expectations. Miami should win this game, but it will be one of the tougher games for them and everyone should tune into this game should it be played.
South Bracket Predictions
Round 1
1 Kansas V. 16 Western Kentucky
You never pick against a #1 in the first round.
8 North Carolina V. 9 Villanova
UNC has been somewhat of a disappointment this year while Villanova has been a surprise. Villanova barely won any conference games last season and now they are dancing. However, I have to take North Carolina because they got hot down the stretch and ended up in the ACC championship game.
5 VCU V. 12 Akron
Shaka Smart is one of the best coaches in the tournament. VCU should not have a problem with Akron. Akron's starting point guard is out for this game which should make an easy win for VCU.
4 Michigan V. 13 South Dakota State
This is my first major upset pick. Many people remember Michigan earlier in the year rather than later in the year. They have not won two straight games since January and have some really bad losses (Penn State). SD State is a really underrated and their Point Guard Nate Wolters is one of the best in the nation.
6 UCLA V. Minnesota
Minnesota is better than UCLA. UCLA will be missing Jordan Adams which will hurt their defense. Minnesota had some bad losses, but they will pull through in the tournament.
3 Florida V. 14 North Western State
Florida won the National Championship from the 3 seed and I think they could do it again. They should not have to worry about North Western State getting in their way.
7 San Diego State V. 10 Oklahoma
Oklahoma is another underrated team that will surprise people in the first round. San Diego will have to travel across the nation to Philly to play and I think that puts Oklahoma over the edge.
2 Georgetown V. 15 Florida Gulf Coast
Florida Gulf Coast beat Miami earlier in the year, but they will not do the same to Georgetown.
Round of 32
1 Kansas V. 8 North Carolina
This is where Kansas's road ends. UNC has be HOT and although Kansas had a good season I do not see them beating North Carolina.
5 VCU V. 13 South Dakota State
Although I have SD State beating Michigan, under no circumstances do I think they beat VCU. Shaka Smart will have his team prepared.
3 Florida V. 11 Minnesota
Minnesota was 3-9 away from home during the regular season. You cannot be a good tournament team if you cant play well away from home.
2 Georgetown V. 10 Oklahoma
Georgetown has often failed to get up for lesser opponents. However I think they will be able to take care of Oklahoma. This will be a close game, but I think Georgetown barely wins.
Sweet 16
5 VCU V. 8 North Carolina
North Carolina would be coming off of a big upset against Kansas. Shaka Smart will get his team motivated to make sure that does not happen again.
2 Georgetown V 3 Florida
Florida and Georgetown met in the first game of the season, but the game was called at half because of condensation on the court. The Gators were up at half and seemed to have control of the game. Florida should win this one because of superior coaching.
Elite 8
3 Florida V. 5 VCU
This would be a matchup between Billy Donavan and Shaka Smart, the latter used to be an assistant to Donavan. Smart is a great coach, but Donavan is better. Also, Florida has greater talent than VCU and should win this one in a close game.
1 Kansas V. 16 Western Kentucky
You never pick against a #1 in the first round.
8 North Carolina V. 9 Villanova
UNC has been somewhat of a disappointment this year while Villanova has been a surprise. Villanova barely won any conference games last season and now they are dancing. However, I have to take North Carolina because they got hot down the stretch and ended up in the ACC championship game.
5 VCU V. 12 Akron
Shaka Smart is one of the best coaches in the tournament. VCU should not have a problem with Akron. Akron's starting point guard is out for this game which should make an easy win for VCU.
4 Michigan V. 13 South Dakota State
This is my first major upset pick. Many people remember Michigan earlier in the year rather than later in the year. They have not won two straight games since January and have some really bad losses (Penn State). SD State is a really underrated and their Point Guard Nate Wolters is one of the best in the nation.
6 UCLA V. Minnesota
Minnesota is better than UCLA. UCLA will be missing Jordan Adams which will hurt their defense. Minnesota had some bad losses, but they will pull through in the tournament.
3 Florida V. 14 North Western State
Florida won the National Championship from the 3 seed and I think they could do it again. They should not have to worry about North Western State getting in their way.
7 San Diego State V. 10 Oklahoma
Oklahoma is another underrated team that will surprise people in the first round. San Diego will have to travel across the nation to Philly to play and I think that puts Oklahoma over the edge.
2 Georgetown V. 15 Florida Gulf Coast
Florida Gulf Coast beat Miami earlier in the year, but they will not do the same to Georgetown.
Round of 32
1 Kansas V. 8 North Carolina
This is where Kansas's road ends. UNC has be HOT and although Kansas had a good season I do not see them beating North Carolina.
5 VCU V. 13 South Dakota State
Although I have SD State beating Michigan, under no circumstances do I think they beat VCU. Shaka Smart will have his team prepared.
3 Florida V. 11 Minnesota
Minnesota was 3-9 away from home during the regular season. You cannot be a good tournament team if you cant play well away from home.
2 Georgetown V. 10 Oklahoma
Georgetown has often failed to get up for lesser opponents. However I think they will be able to take care of Oklahoma. This will be a close game, but I think Georgetown barely wins.
Sweet 16
5 VCU V. 8 North Carolina
North Carolina would be coming off of a big upset against Kansas. Shaka Smart will get his team motivated to make sure that does not happen again.
2 Georgetown V 3 Florida
Florida and Georgetown met in the first game of the season, but the game was called at half because of condensation on the court. The Gators were up at half and seemed to have control of the game. Florida should win this one because of superior coaching.
Elite 8
3 Florida V. 5 VCU
This would be a matchup between Billy Donavan and Shaka Smart, the latter used to be an assistant to Donavan. Smart is a great coach, but Donavan is better. Also, Florida has greater talent than VCU and should win this one in a close game.
Midwest Bracket Predictions
First Rounds
1 Louisville V. 16 Liberty
Louisville wins this one easily
8 Colorado State V. 9 Missouri
I am a Colorado State fan so of course I will pick them, however I think CSU has the advantage in this game. They will out rebound Mizzou on the offensive boards and that will be key.
5 Oklahoma State V. 12 Oregon
This is my first upset. I am picking Oregon over OSU. Everyone is enamored with Marcus Smart and LeBryan Nash, but I was not impressed by their team as a whole. Oregon won their tournament and they have home court advantage so I think they pull this one out.
4 St. Louis V. 13 New Mexico State
St. Louis is an awesome team and should handle New Mexico State easily. New Mexico State does not take care of the ball and that can really hurt you in the tournament.
6 Memphis V. 11 St. Mary's
Stupid play in games, they ruin the tournament. I think St. Mary's will win the play in game, but I think they would have a better chance of beating Memphis if there was no play in game. Memphis should win.
3 Michigan State V. 14 Valparaiso
Tom Izzo's teams alway go further than they should and they will not be denied by Valparaiso.
7 Creighton V. 10 Cincinnati
These are two very good teams. I would have picked the Bearcats if they did not stumble down the stretch losing 4 of their last 7 games. Creighton should handle this one pretty easily.
2 Duke V. 15 Albany
It would be funny of Duke lost to a 15 seed two years in a row, too bad it will not happen.
Round of 32
1 Louisville V. 8 Colorado State
To be honest I am picking CSU to win this game, but in reality they dont have much of a chance.
4 St. Louis V. 12 Oregon
The Ducks will not advance further than this round. St. Louis is very good and underrated so many might have them losing to Oregon or Oklahoma State, but they will not go down easily.
3 Michigan State V. 6 Memphis
Two very good coaches will be going at it. I think Michigan State pulls this one out because of superior talent and superior coaching.
2 Duke V. 7 Creighton
Duke obviously has the better team in this matchup. Doug McDermott will be neutralized in this matchup because Duke has its own stretch 4 in Ryan Kelly. Duke should win this and advance to the sweet sixteen to avenge their first round loss last season.
Sweet 16
1 Louisville V. 4 St. Louis
Louisville thrives on taking away the basketball form teams, but St. Louis does not give it away. I think the #1 overall seed is going to lose here.
3 Michigan State V. 2 Duke
I have Michigan State winning this one because of Dukes recent tournament slide. Michigan State should be able to contain Duke and it will be a very close game, but I think Michigan State eeks the victory out.
Elite 8
3 Michigan State V. 4 St. Louis
This is probably a matchup that a lot of people dont have for this side of the bracket. However, these are two very well coached teams that have the talent to be here. I think Michigan State wins this one because of Izzo's experience in the tournament. Also this will be played in Indianapolis which is much closer to Michigan State than St. Louis.
1 Louisville V. 16 Liberty
Louisville wins this one easily
8 Colorado State V. 9 Missouri
I am a Colorado State fan so of course I will pick them, however I think CSU has the advantage in this game. They will out rebound Mizzou on the offensive boards and that will be key.
5 Oklahoma State V. 12 Oregon
This is my first upset. I am picking Oregon over OSU. Everyone is enamored with Marcus Smart and LeBryan Nash, but I was not impressed by their team as a whole. Oregon won their tournament and they have home court advantage so I think they pull this one out.
4 St. Louis V. 13 New Mexico State
St. Louis is an awesome team and should handle New Mexico State easily. New Mexico State does not take care of the ball and that can really hurt you in the tournament.
6 Memphis V. 11 St. Mary's
Stupid play in games, they ruin the tournament. I think St. Mary's will win the play in game, but I think they would have a better chance of beating Memphis if there was no play in game. Memphis should win.
3 Michigan State V. 14 Valparaiso
Tom Izzo's teams alway go further than they should and they will not be denied by Valparaiso.
7 Creighton V. 10 Cincinnati
These are two very good teams. I would have picked the Bearcats if they did not stumble down the stretch losing 4 of their last 7 games. Creighton should handle this one pretty easily.
2 Duke V. 15 Albany
It would be funny of Duke lost to a 15 seed two years in a row, too bad it will not happen.
Round of 32
1 Louisville V. 8 Colorado State
To be honest I am picking CSU to win this game, but in reality they dont have much of a chance.
4 St. Louis V. 12 Oregon
The Ducks will not advance further than this round. St. Louis is very good and underrated so many might have them losing to Oregon or Oklahoma State, but they will not go down easily.
3 Michigan State V. 6 Memphis
Two very good coaches will be going at it. I think Michigan State pulls this one out because of superior talent and superior coaching.
2 Duke V. 7 Creighton
Duke obviously has the better team in this matchup. Doug McDermott will be neutralized in this matchup because Duke has its own stretch 4 in Ryan Kelly. Duke should win this and advance to the sweet sixteen to avenge their first round loss last season.
Sweet 16
1 Louisville V. 4 St. Louis
Louisville thrives on taking away the basketball form teams, but St. Louis does not give it away. I think the #1 overall seed is going to lose here.
3 Michigan State V. 2 Duke
I have Michigan State winning this one because of Dukes recent tournament slide. Michigan State should be able to contain Duke and it will be a very close game, but I think Michigan State eeks the victory out.
Elite 8
3 Michigan State V. 4 St. Louis
This is probably a matchup that a lot of people dont have for this side of the bracket. However, these are two very well coached teams that have the talent to be here. I think Michigan State wins this one because of Izzo's experience in the tournament. Also this will be played in Indianapolis which is much closer to Michigan State than St. Louis.
Matt Hasselbeck Released
The Titans released backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck was a quality backup and good spot starter for the often injured Jake Locker.
This does not make any sense for the Titans unless they plan on picking up a quarterback in this years draft. Even if that is the case it does not make much sense because Hasselbeck is a good mentor and would do good for any other quarterback on the roster.
Someone will pick up Hasselbeck to help mentor their young quarterbacks. This was a really dumb move by the Titans.
This does not make any sense for the Titans unless they plan on picking up a quarterback in this years draft. Even if that is the case it does not make much sense because Hasselbeck is a good mentor and would do good for any other quarterback on the roster.
Someone will pick up Hasselbeck to help mentor their young quarterbacks. This was a really dumb move by the Titans.
Kobe Bryant Out
Kobe will miss his second straight game tonight. The Lakers will be playing the Suns who are the worst team in the western conference so it should not be a problem.
Dwight Howard has been playing better as of late which means they wont miss Kobe much against a pushover team like the Suns. In their last game without Kobe, Steve Nash poured in 19 points and 12 assists, proving the ball moves better without Kobe in the lineup. This is not to say the Lakers are better without him, but the ball does move better.
Kobe is listed as day-to-day, but missing games like these should be no biggie. They don't have a tough game until they play at Golden State on March 27th so they should sit Kobe until at least that game.
Dwight Howard has been playing better as of late which means they wont miss Kobe much against a pushover team like the Suns. In their last game without Kobe, Steve Nash poured in 19 points and 12 assists, proving the ball moves better without Kobe in the lineup. This is not to say the Lakers are better without him, but the ball does move better.
Kobe is listed as day-to-day, but missing games like these should be no biggie. They don't have a tough game until they play at Golden State on March 27th so they should sit Kobe until at least that game.
Garnett Out Vs Miami
Kevin Garnett will be out against Miami which means Brandon Bass and Chris Wilcox will get some extra run.
This brings my Heat losing prediction to a screeching halt. Miami will now most likely win this game because the Celtics will be missing its inside defensive presence and a good scorer.
Boston could still pull off the upset, but it is unlikely.
This brings my Heat losing prediction to a screeching halt. Miami will now most likely win this game because the Celtics will be missing its inside defensive presence and a good scorer.
Boston could still pull off the upset, but it is unlikely.
Broncos Looking Forward to the Draft
The Broncos will shift their focus from free agency to the draft after the Dumervil situation is figured out. A source close to the situation says that it is likely the Broncos resign Doom. If that happens the Broncos will be focused on the draft.
They made their splashes in free agency this season picking up Louis Vasquez, Wes Welker and some others. They now need to make a splash in the draft. Luckily for the Broncos there is a lot of talent in the last first round of this draft.
John Elway and co. have done an excellent job at drafting over the past 2 years and it is because they do their homework. They will now be finishing up pro days and start meeting with the prospects they want.
In order to be a consistently good or great team you need to draft well and the Broncos front office understands this. I dont have a doubt in my mind that they will make the right decisions come draft time.
They made their splashes in free agency this season picking up Louis Vasquez, Wes Welker and some others. They now need to make a splash in the draft. Luckily for the Broncos there is a lot of talent in the last first round of this draft.
John Elway and co. have done an excellent job at drafting over the past 2 years and it is because they do their homework. They will now be finishing up pro days and start meeting with the prospects they want.
In order to be a consistently good or great team you need to draft well and the Broncos front office understands this. I dont have a doubt in my mind that they will make the right decisions come draft time.
Miami's Streak Will End Tonight
The Miami Heat have won 22 straight games and are going for 23 tonight against the Boston Celtics. The Heat will have to play this one in Boston so you can guarantee the stadium will be packed. When one team is on a major win streak, like the Heat are right now, they are going to get the other teams best night in and night out. If you get Boston's best on their home court it is very unlikely you will win.
Boston has the players to match up with the Heat. Lebron will do his thing, but Chris Bosh has to deal with Kevin Garnett which is no easy task and Wade will have to deal with underrated defender Avery Bradley. I do not know if Bosh will be able to handle Garnett because he brings too much intensity for Bosh to deal with. I also think that will be the deciding factor in the game.
The crowd will be rowdy. They will not let the Heat win this one easily. This may be the loudest crowd of the year for Boston. Boston is also on a mission to move up from the 6th seed and try to snag home court advantage. They are only 2.5 games behind the Knicks which is scary for the Knicks since they are only a little over .500 since their great start.
I predict Boston will win this 98-90 in a tough grind it out type of game. I also have Garnett getting a double double while he basically shuts down Bosh.
Even if the Heat lose ESPN wont stop talking about their streak even though the Nuggets would then have the longest streak in the NBA at 12.
Boston has the players to match up with the Heat. Lebron will do his thing, but Chris Bosh has to deal with Kevin Garnett which is no easy task and Wade will have to deal with underrated defender Avery Bradley. I do not know if Bosh will be able to handle Garnett because he brings too much intensity for Bosh to deal with. I also think that will be the deciding factor in the game.
The crowd will be rowdy. They will not let the Heat win this one easily. This may be the loudest crowd of the year for Boston. Boston is also on a mission to move up from the 6th seed and try to snag home court advantage. They are only 2.5 games behind the Knicks which is scary for the Knicks since they are only a little over .500 since their great start.
I predict Boston will win this 98-90 in a tough grind it out type of game. I also have Garnett getting a double double while he basically shuts down Bosh.
Even if the Heat lose ESPN wont stop talking about their streak even though the Nuggets would then have the longest streak in the NBA at 12.
Jake Long Signs With Rams
Jake Long signed a 4 year 36 million dollar deal with the Rams. He used to be one of the best left tackles in the league, but injuries and a drop and play have brought him down to this pay level.
This is a good pickup for the Rams because they need someone to block for Sam Bradford. He has been sack a lot in his 3 seasons in the NFL and the Rams are hoping he wont suffer from David Carr syndrome.
I hope the Rams put something in the contract that has to do with injuries since Long has been injured for the better part of the last two years. If they did this a great, low risk signing for them.
This is a good pickup for the Rams because they need someone to block for Sam Bradford. He has been sack a lot in his 3 seasons in the NFL and the Rams are hoping he wont suffer from David Carr syndrome.
I hope the Rams put something in the contract that has to do with injuries since Long has been injured for the better part of the last two years. If they did this a great, low risk signing for them.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Nuggets Bulls Preview
The first time the Nuggets and the Bulls the game was not close from the start and the Nuggets ran them out of the building. Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried both got double doubles. None of the Nuggets starters were below +16 in the plus minus stats. Also no Nuggets players were in the negative. They shut down basically every player on the Bulls and did not allow them to have a chance.
Ty Lawson will being playing against Nate Robinson. Robinson might be the only player that makes Ty Lawson look like a giant. Last time they matched up Lawson went for 16 points and 12 assists. He held Robinson to 14 points and 6 assists which is a decent game for him, but as long as Robinson does not have a game where he goes off for a lot of points the Nuggets should be fine.
Iguodola had 14 points on an efficient 6-9 shooting, but lacked in some other places including rebounding. He only had 2 rebounds and 4 assists and he also had 2 turnovers. He did hold Richard Hamilton to a terrible night. Hamilton only had 2 points on 1-7 shooting. If that happens again don't expect this game to be close.
In the first game, Gallo had 15 points. He did not do much, but he did not have to because this game was out of hand quickly. He faces Deng who is a good defender so that might hold him in check. Deng had 11 points on 4-13 shooting. He also had 8 boards where he can be dangerous especially on the offensive end where he had 5 rebounds. If Gallo holds him to another inefficient night I dont think anyone else on the Bulls can score consistently.
Faried completely dominated Boozer in the first matchup. He totaled 21 points on 8-9 shooting and also racked up 12 boards. This was a classic Faried game where he out hustled everyone else on the court. It also helped that Boozer is a sub par defender. Boozer did not have a bad offensive game, he had 18 points, but he was completely dominated on the boards as he only had 3. If Faried is calm on the offensive end and brings his normal amount of energy he should do just fine against Boozer.
Koufos only had 4 points and 4 boards in the first matchup, but he has improved greatly since this matchup. He did a good job shutting down Joakim Noah who finished with 2 points and 5 boards. If he can keep Noah off of the boards he effectively shuts down his entire game.
The Nuggets bench did their thing to extend the lead. Wilson Chandler lead the charge with 24 points. McGee had a great game, grabbing 4 offensive rebounds. Look for the Nuggets bench to dominate the Bulls bench.
This matchup will be different. This one is in Chicago so it will most likely be closer and they will try to impose their game on the Nuggets. The Nuggets have to resist that and impose their fast paced game on the Bulls just like they did in Denver.
There is a possibility that Derrick Rose could make his return in this game, but I doubt they would risk him in a potentially fast paced game like this one. Expect Nate Robinson to start this game.
Ty Lawson will being playing against Nate Robinson. Robinson might be the only player that makes Ty Lawson look like a giant. Last time they matched up Lawson went for 16 points and 12 assists. He held Robinson to 14 points and 6 assists which is a decent game for him, but as long as Robinson does not have a game where he goes off for a lot of points the Nuggets should be fine.
Iguodola had 14 points on an efficient 6-9 shooting, but lacked in some other places including rebounding. He only had 2 rebounds and 4 assists and he also had 2 turnovers. He did hold Richard Hamilton to a terrible night. Hamilton only had 2 points on 1-7 shooting. If that happens again don't expect this game to be close.
In the first game, Gallo had 15 points. He did not do much, but he did not have to because this game was out of hand quickly. He faces Deng who is a good defender so that might hold him in check. Deng had 11 points on 4-13 shooting. He also had 8 boards where he can be dangerous especially on the offensive end where he had 5 rebounds. If Gallo holds him to another inefficient night I dont think anyone else on the Bulls can score consistently.
Faried completely dominated Boozer in the first matchup. He totaled 21 points on 8-9 shooting and also racked up 12 boards. This was a classic Faried game where he out hustled everyone else on the court. It also helped that Boozer is a sub par defender. Boozer did not have a bad offensive game, he had 18 points, but he was completely dominated on the boards as he only had 3. If Faried is calm on the offensive end and brings his normal amount of energy he should do just fine against Boozer.
Koufos only had 4 points and 4 boards in the first matchup, but he has improved greatly since this matchup. He did a good job shutting down Joakim Noah who finished with 2 points and 5 boards. If he can keep Noah off of the boards he effectively shuts down his entire game.
The Nuggets bench did their thing to extend the lead. Wilson Chandler lead the charge with 24 points. McGee had a great game, grabbing 4 offensive rebounds. Look for the Nuggets bench to dominate the Bulls bench.
This matchup will be different. This one is in Chicago so it will most likely be closer and they will try to impose their game on the Nuggets. The Nuggets have to resist that and impose their fast paced game on the Bulls just like they did in Denver.
There is a possibility that Derrick Rose could make his return in this game, but I doubt they would risk him in a potentially fast paced game like this one. Expect Nate Robinson to start this game.
Colorado State Tournament Preview
In the first round, the Rams will face Missouri. The one thing they could hang their hat on all season was rebounding and now they face another great rebounding team in Missouri. Iverson and Hournung need to assert themselves on the boards in order for the Rams to pull this out. They got a bad draw having to play against Missouri, especially since San Diego State got a higher rank than them. I still think CSU will win this one pretty easily, but Missouri will have home court advantage since they will be playing this game in Lexington, Kentucky.
In the second round, CSU would have to play overall number one seed Louisville. I am not sold on Louisville in this tourney and I think the Rams have a chance to pull this one out. Everyone in the starting lineup needs to play the best games of their lives and they will be since they are all seniors and don't want to go out on a bad loss.
To think CSU will get past the Sweet 16 is pure fantasy, but they will be going all the way on my wishful bracket.
In the second round, CSU would have to play overall number one seed Louisville. I am not sold on Louisville in this tourney and I think the Rams have a chance to pull this one out. Everyone in the starting lineup needs to play the best games of their lives and they will be since they are all seniors and don't want to go out on a bad loss.
To think CSU will get past the Sweet 16 is pure fantasy, but they will be going all the way on my wishful bracket.
Florida Tournament Preview
Florida landed a 3 seed in the South bracket and will face North Western State in the first round. That should be a fairly easy win and confidence builder. In the second round, they would face either UCLA or Minnesota. I have UCLA winning that game, but I don't think they have a chance against Florida. If Florida happened to face Minnesota I think the same thing would happen. In the Sweet 16, Florida could face either San Diego State or Georgetown. I think San Diego State could cause problems for Georgetown and could be one of those teams that stays around longer than they should. A matchup against Georgetown would be fun to watch. The Gators would have a tough time stopping Otto Porter, but I think they will ultimately come out victorious.
I have UNC and VCU being the possible matchups against Florida in the Elite 8. Florida has faltered in the Elite 8 the past 2 years losing to Butler and Louisville. If they played UNC they would have an easy matchup because I don't see UNC making it too far with that roster. Playing VCU would be tougher. Shaka Smart is a former assistant of Bill Donovan so he knows what Donovan wants to do. VCU is always a bracket buster, but I see their luck stopping here.
I think Miami makes it out of the East. They have played too good and I think they got snubbed on not getting a one seed. Miami has a stretch four in Kenny Kadji who would matchup well with Florida's own stretch four in Erik Murphy. This game would come down to the guard play and if Florida could shut down Shane Larkin they would have a good chance of winning.
This would lead to a matchup with Ohio State for the National Championship game. This would be a rematch of 2008 when Florida trounced OSU. Florida would have a lot of trouble with Arron Craft as everyone has. I don't know if Ohio State could stop Erik Murphy and I think that would be the difference in the game.
I know this might be a little biased.
I have UNC and VCU being the possible matchups against Florida in the Elite 8. Florida has faltered in the Elite 8 the past 2 years losing to Butler and Louisville. If they played UNC they would have an easy matchup because I don't see UNC making it too far with that roster. Playing VCU would be tougher. Shaka Smart is a former assistant of Bill Donovan so he knows what Donovan wants to do. VCU is always a bracket buster, but I see their luck stopping here.
I think Miami makes it out of the East. They have played too good and I think they got snubbed on not getting a one seed. Miami has a stretch four in Kenny Kadji who would matchup well with Florida's own stretch four in Erik Murphy. This game would come down to the guard play and if Florida could shut down Shane Larkin they would have a good chance of winning.
This would lead to a matchup with Ohio State for the National Championship game. This would be a rematch of 2008 when Florida trounced OSU. Florida would have a lot of trouble with Arron Craft as everyone has. I don't know if Ohio State could stop Erik Murphy and I think that would be the difference in the game.
I know this might be a little biased.
Mountain West Gets 5 Teams in
The Mountain west got 5 of its 9 teams in, by far the highest percentage of any conference. Some think this is the best conference in college basketball.
New Mexico got the highest seed as they are a 3 seed. I think they have a legitimate chance of getting to the elite 8.
New Mexico got the highest seed as they are a 3 seed. I think they have a legitimate chance of getting to the elite 8.
San Diego State Gets Higher Seed than CSU
Yes, somehow that happened. SDSU did not have a better season than CSU they had a worse record and a worse conference record and they got to the same section of the Mountain West tournament.
This is highway robbery. SDSU gets to play Oklahoma while CSU draw Missouri. SDSU, assuming they win in the first round, gets to play Georgetown which is no pushover, but is a much better matchup than Louisville.
This is highway robbery. SDSU gets to play Oklahoma while CSU draw Missouri. SDSU, assuming they win in the first round, gets to play Georgetown which is no pushover, but is a much better matchup than Louisville.
Colorado State is an 8 Seed
My school CSU made it as an 8 seed in the tourney. They will face off against Missouri in the first round. Mizzou is a relatively small team so CSU's superior rebounding and more importantly, superior offensive rebounding should be crucial.
I am proud of my school so I hope they can pull out a win.
I am proud of my school so I hope they can pull out a win.
Louisville Is #1 Seed
Louisville took the number one overall seed. This is not surprising considering they won their tournament. They were the most dominant seed in college basketball. I think I will have them going fairly far.
Who Will the #1 Seeds Be?
This is one of those seasons where there is not one team that you can point at and say "they are the best team." Indiana, Miami, Duke, Kansas, Gonzaga and Ohio State can all be viewed as #1 seeds. Kansas had the most solid season, winning 13 games against the RPI top 50. Miami won both the ACC regular season title and the ACC tournament. Indian also had a solid season, but had a couple of games where they lost games that they should not have. Duke did not win anything, but they only lost 1 game when they had their entire lineup in tact. Ohio State won the B1G, but I dont think they played well enough throughout the season to secure a #1 seed. Gonzaga did not play in a tough conference and they ran through their conference. Some are holding that against them.
I think Indiana gets the #1 overall seed with Kansas, Gonzaga and Miami rounding out the top four teams. I dont know how much seeding will matter this year since there are so many teams that can win it all. If nothing else this will be an exiting year to watch the tourney.
I think Indiana gets the #1 overall seed with Kansas, Gonzaga and Miami rounding out the top four teams. I dont know how much seeding will matter this year since there are so many teams that can win it all. If nothing else this will be an exiting year to watch the tourney.
Nuggets Run for the Third Seed
The Nuggets are now tied with Memphis for the 4th seed and are a game behind the Clippers. If the Nuggets end up withe 4th seed they would most likely play Memphis. They have won the season series against Memphis 3-1. They are likely to jump the Grizzlies in the standings which would mean the Nuggets get home court advantage where they are nearly unbeatable.
The real prize is the third seed. They would have to catch the Clippers who have a fairly easy schedule. The Nuggets are only a game behind them and they own the tie breaker. If they caught LA and ended up with the third seed, they would most likely play Golden State first which should be an easy series win. Golden State was hot, but they have faltered as of late and they do not look like a quality playoff team.
Obviously the third seed would be ideal, but I have to be real and say that the Clippers would be hard to catch considering their schedule. The Nuggets can lose a maximum of four games for the rest of the season in order to keep the three seed close.
The real prize is the third seed. They would have to catch the Clippers who have a fairly easy schedule. The Nuggets are only a game behind them and they own the tie breaker. If they caught LA and ended up with the third seed, they would most likely play Golden State first which should be an easy series win. Golden State was hot, but they have faltered as of late and they do not look like a quality playoff team.
Obviously the third seed would be ideal, but I have to be real and say that the Clippers would be hard to catch considering their schedule. The Nuggets can lose a maximum of four games for the rest of the season in order to keep the three seed close.
The Ascension of Kosta Koufos
I have long been a detractor of Koufos, I never thought be should be a starter much less a role player off of the bench. I thought Timofey Mozgov should be in front of him since he added more skill on the offensive end. I said Javale should be starter and that he is better than Koufos right now.
Boy was I wrong. Kosta has been killing it all season even if it doesn't show up in the box score. On his worst day he is a solid defender who is on time for his rotations. In the last month, he has done much more than that. He is scoring much better than he ever has and his solid rebounding continues.
In his last two games Koufos has set his career highs for points (22) and rebounds (17). He should be getting more minutes than he has, but Karl just loves his small ball lineups.
He has played more under control on offense, not rushing his shots and making sure he gets good shots. Early in the season he would miss easy shots and layups. It looked like he would rush his shots and not follow through. He also had terrible hands, not catching passes inside that he should. It looks like his hands have improved also. I haven't had to criticize him in a long time for dropping easy passes on the pick and roll.
Javale McGee has not been playing well lately and it is pretty easy to see the gap that separates McGee from Koufos.
I think Koufos could end up being the starting center again next season and I would not have a problem with that.
Boy was I wrong. Kosta has been killing it all season even if it doesn't show up in the box score. On his worst day he is a solid defender who is on time for his rotations. In the last month, he has done much more than that. He is scoring much better than he ever has and his solid rebounding continues.
In his last two games Koufos has set his career highs for points (22) and rebounds (17). He should be getting more minutes than he has, but Karl just loves his small ball lineups.
He has played more under control on offense, not rushing his shots and making sure he gets good shots. Early in the season he would miss easy shots and layups. It looked like he would rush his shots and not follow through. He also had terrible hands, not catching passes inside that he should. It looks like his hands have improved also. I haven't had to criticize him in a long time for dropping easy passes on the pick and roll.
Javale McGee has not been playing well lately and it is pretty easy to see the gap that separates McGee from Koufos.
I think Koufos could end up being the starting center again next season and I would not have a problem with that.
Dumervil Gaining Interest
According to numerous sources, about six teams are interested in the pass rushing services of Elvis Dumervil. The Broncos, of course, are still interested in him. The Ravens and Patriots are have also shown interest in him.
The Ravens have a lot to lose if they do not get Doom. They lost one of their best pass rushers to Cleveland. Doom would also go back to the 3-4 where he had his best season, but Doom is not fond of playing in the 3-4 so I doubt he would sign with them.
The Patriots also run the 3-4 so they would have a hard time convincing Doom to join their team. They did not lose a lot of defensive players in free agency so I doubt they have the drive to go after Doom.
The other 3 teams need to be a contender to have a chance at Doom. I think the Steelers might be looking to sign him since James Harrison is aging and no longer as effective.
Ultimately I think Doom will end up signing with the Broncos in order to play for a contender in a system that he is comfortable with.
The Ravens have a lot to lose if they do not get Doom. They lost one of their best pass rushers to Cleveland. Doom would also go back to the 3-4 where he had his best season, but Doom is not fond of playing in the 3-4 so I doubt he would sign with them.
The Patriots also run the 3-4 so they would have a hard time convincing Doom to join their team. They did not lose a lot of defensive players in free agency so I doubt they have the drive to go after Doom.
The other 3 teams need to be a contender to have a chance at Doom. I think the Steelers might be looking to sign him since James Harrison is aging and no longer as effective.
Ultimately I think Doom will end up signing with the Broncos in order to play for a contender in a system that he is comfortable with.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Bracket Time!
The best time of the year is now here, bracket time! This is one of the most exiting times of the year. College basketball has done this correctly to make this an event and it has. I am really exited this year because there is not a clear cut team to win it all which makes for a lot of diversified brackets and interesting games.
I always fill out two brackets each year, one showing what I think will happen while the other is just my hopeful bracket, Colorado State might be going all the way in that one.
Who does not fill out a bracket these days? The president does. Even people who do not watch college basketball all season still fill out brackets to get involved in the season. I know most people in my dorm will be filling out their brackets.
This is a great time of year, it is just so sad that it only lasts a couple of weeks. I cannot wait until selection sunday is over so I can get to filling out my bracket right away!
I always fill out two brackets each year, one showing what I think will happen while the other is just my hopeful bracket, Colorado State might be going all the way in that one.
Who does not fill out a bracket these days? The president does. Even people who do not watch college basketball all season still fill out brackets to get involved in the season. I know most people in my dorm will be filling out their brackets.
This is a great time of year, it is just so sad that it only lasts a couple of weeks. I cannot wait until selection sunday is over so I can get to filling out my bracket right away!
Florida Ole Miss Preview
Florida and Ole Miss only played once in the regular season and it was in the O'Dome. Florida lead for basically the whole game and finished them off pretty handily, winning by 14 points, but the game was was not that close. This game is not in the O'Dome so Florida wont have the benefit of home court advantage.
In the first game, Erik Murphy was on fire. He scored 19 points on 7-8 shooting and 5-6 from the three throw line. This was at the peak of his season, he has now dropped off a little bit, but he is still a great asset to the team. Ole Miss needs to prove that they can stop him so Billy Donavan needs to game plan to establish him early and often in the game. Patric Young also had a good game, he dominated the boards and was efficient from the field, shooting 75% from the field.
Rosario also had a good game finishing with 14 points on 60% shooting. He needs to step up in order to win this game. Scottie Wilbekin had a good game as a shooter, but struggled shooting the ball. His main job is to guard Marshall Henderson so he should not focus a lot of his energies on offense. Kenny Boynton has had a bad season shooting, but he does so many other things well he is still valuable. Boynton turned it on in the second half of yesterdays game against Bama. He scored 16 points in the second half and if he keeps the streak going, any team that faces Florida will be in trouble.
The bench needs to provide its usual spark. Prather and Yeguete need to provide rebounding and hustle. Fraizer needs to hit his open threes which has not happened lately.
The Gators cannot allow Marshall Henderson to get open looks. He will knock down shots, but the Gators need to make sure there is a hand in his face on every shot. If they shut down Henderson this game is basically over. Henderson had 25 points in the first match up, but they Gators did not allow anyone else to score which helped their cause.
I think Florida will win this game by double digits. Henderson will have an off game and it will make for an easy win for Florida.
Doom Fires Agent
Elvis Dumervil decided to fire his agent because of the fax snafu. His agent was nice enough to waive the 5 day waiting period to negotiate with teams. Apparently Doom had 6 teams that wanted to talk to him which is not a surprise since he was a top pass rusher.
Vic Lombardi if CBS 4 stated the Broncos front office is optimistic that Doom would stay in Denver.
On a final note, I hope he fired him via fax.
Vic Lombardi if CBS 4 stated the Broncos front office is optimistic that Doom would stay in Denver.
On a final note, I hope he fired him via fax.
Florida Alabama Review
Florida took care of Bama today to advance to the SEC championship game. They trailed by as many as 10 in the second half, but caught up and got the win.
Sorry I could not do an extended review right now, that will be up later today or tomorrow as I have a busy day today
Sorry I could not do an extended review right now, that will be up later today or tomorrow as I have a busy day today
Friday, March 15, 2013
Nuggets Grizzlies Review
Denver scored only 10 points in the third quarter and I thought they were done. Memphis was up by 7 at the end of the quarter and they were up by 10 at one point in that quarter. The 4th quarter was a different story, the Nuggets came out playing great and inspired defense. Kenneth Faried was all over the place until he picked up his 5th foul, but Koufos came in and they did not seem to miss a beat. They outscored Memphis 29-14 in the 4th quarter. They decided to play Nuggets basketball and run Memphis out of the arena. In the third, they conformed to Memphis's style of basketball and obviously it did not work out. Denver is now .5 games out of 3rd place in the west and own the tie breaker over Memphis and Los Angeles.
Ty Lawson did not shoot well this game as he was 4-12 from the field and ended up with only 8 points. However the matchup was a wash because Mike Conley only shot 4-13 from the field for 11 points. Lawson needs to pick up his play in future match ups, but this game did not seem to depend on him.
Iggy and Tony Allen both finished with 8 points. As I predicted this match up would be filled with defense and it was. Iggy ended up being a difference maker, finishing with 7 assists and 7 rebounds. He also had a steal to seal the game at the end.
Gallo's stat line did not look great, he only had 15 points and not much of anything else. However he did hit a clutch three to help the Nuggets pull away and gain momentum in the 4th quarter. He also had a nice 2 point jumper help the Nuggets pull away at the end. Tayshaun Prince only had 11 points on 5-13 shooting. The fact that he did not shoot efficiently helped the Nuggets in a big way. Prince only added 4 rebounds which helped the Nuggets on the boards.
Zach Randolph completely destroyed whoever he was matched up against. He had 18 points to go along with 18 rebounds 10 of which were on the offensive boards. He could not be stopped and it was obvious. He almost single handily won this game for Memphis because of his offensive rebounding. Kenneth Faried only had 8 points and 4 rebounds, but his energy to start the 4th quarter was invaluable to the eventual Nuggets run. He shut down Randolph and was getting great defensive position not allowing the ball to go into the post. The stats may not show it, but Faried might be the reason the Nuggets one that game.
As soon as I wrote that I remembered how great Kosta Koufos played today. He had 18 points and 17 rebounds. He was a rock for the Nuggets. He reminded me why he is starting center and not Javale McGee whom I will rant about later. Marc Gasol was held to 14 points and 7 boards which helped matters and did not seem to be much of a factor in the second half. Although Koufos started out on Randolph, his solid rotations helped slow Gasol too.
The Nuggets bench did not play particularly well. Brewer finished with 11 points and was an important part of keeping the Nuggets in the game and helping them catch up. Andre Miller played well, but slowed down in the second half and finished with 10 points and 3 assists. Javale McGee played terrible and reminded everyone why he is not the starter. He cannot rebound to save his life and does not seem to care about it. Until further notice im done with him. Memphis's bench was led by Jerryd Bayless with 10 points, but on a bad shooting night. Nobody seemed to play well on their bench.
This was a great game by the Nuggets. They ground out a win without scoring 90 points which is a milestone for them. They needed a game like this to show the rest of the conference they are a force to be reckoned with.
Greg Jennings Signs With Minnesota
The Minnesota Vikings signed former Packers receiver Greg Jennings to a 5 year 47.5M 18M guaranteed contract today. Jennings will be 30 in September so it is a little risky to give him this type of contract. However the Vikings needed to considering Jerome Simpson was their best receiver. Jennings does not possess the same explosion that he had earlier in his career in Green Bay which could be a problem later in this contract.
The Vikings do not have anyone to get him the ball. Ponder is not a real QB and once the Vikings front office realizes this they can start to improve by getting a real QB. Jennings will not be all that effective until this happens too, which might be towards the end of his contract.
The Vikings do not have anyone to get him the ball. Ponder is not a real QB and once the Vikings front office realizes this they can start to improve by getting a real QB. Jennings will not be all that effective until this happens too, which might be towards the end of his contract.
So What Do the Broncos Do Now?
Now the Doom is gone due to his agents stupidity the Broncos need to figure out what to do at the defensive end position. They could try to hash out another deal with Doom, but they have 3.25 million in dead money because of that so Doom would have to compensate that in his contract which would mean the Broncos would pay him around 5 million for the first year.
They could stand pat and have Wolfe and Ayers be the starters. This would not be ideal because neither would be able to replicate Dooms pass rushing production. Ayers showed strides last season when he got playing time, but he has been in the league 3 years now and has not lived up to his draft position. Wolfe is a good run stopper, but not that great of a pass rusher. He finished the season with 5 sacks, but a lot of those were coverage sacks or the QB simply just walked into him. Also they would have nobody to back them up. Malik Jackson is ok, but not fit to be a starter and Jeremy Beal has not panned out yet.
They could try to chase players in free agency, the best 3 options would be Dwight Freeny, Osi Umenyiora or John Abraham. All three of these players are north of 30 and are mostly pass rushers. They would not be long term solutions, but they would be likely to sign on considering the Broncos are Super Bowl contenders and these players are on their last legs.
The Broncos could also choose to pick a defensive end in the first couple of rounds. Damontre Moore could be an option since his value has fallen due to less a less than stellar combine. I like to place most of my emphasis on actual play and Moore played very well, amassing 12 sacks last season. Moore also lead the team with 85 tackles showing he is no slouch in run defense. Moore is from the same school as Von Miller so it would be nice to see them both tearing it up on the same team. Alex Okafor from Texas is another option in the first round. He has the family name to go along with production last season. He also had 12 sacks to go along with 4 forced fumbles and 16.5 tackles for loss. There are a lot of other options in the draft, but those were the two I decided to highlight.
It will be tough if the Broncos have to go on without Doom, but I think they will be able to manage if they can snag someone in the draft or free agency.
They could stand pat and have Wolfe and Ayers be the starters. This would not be ideal because neither would be able to replicate Dooms pass rushing production. Ayers showed strides last season when he got playing time, but he has been in the league 3 years now and has not lived up to his draft position. Wolfe is a good run stopper, but not that great of a pass rusher. He finished the season with 5 sacks, but a lot of those were coverage sacks or the QB simply just walked into him. Also they would have nobody to back them up. Malik Jackson is ok, but not fit to be a starter and Jeremy Beal has not panned out yet.
They could try to chase players in free agency, the best 3 options would be Dwight Freeny, Osi Umenyiora or John Abraham. All three of these players are north of 30 and are mostly pass rushers. They would not be long term solutions, but they would be likely to sign on considering the Broncos are Super Bowl contenders and these players are on their last legs.
The Broncos could also choose to pick a defensive end in the first couple of rounds. Damontre Moore could be an option since his value has fallen due to less a less than stellar combine. I like to place most of my emphasis on actual play and Moore played very well, amassing 12 sacks last season. Moore also lead the team with 85 tackles showing he is no slouch in run defense. Moore is from the same school as Von Miller so it would be nice to see them both tearing it up on the same team. Alex Okafor from Texas is another option in the first round. He has the family name to go along with production last season. He also had 12 sacks to go along with 4 forced fumbles and 16.5 tackles for loss. There are a lot of other options in the draft, but those were the two I decided to highlight.
It will be tough if the Broncos have to go on without Doom, but I think they will be able to manage if they can snag someone in the draft or free agency.
Elvis Dumervil Released Due to Fax Gate
The Broncos second best pass rusher has been released due to his agent not faxing his restructured deal to NFL headquarters before the 2PM mountain time deadline. Reportedly Doom and the Broncos front office agreed to a new restructured deal that would bring his cap hit down from 12 million to 8 million this year. However Dooms agent did not file the deal on time due to whatever reason.
According to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, the deal was agreed to and signed at 1:25 which gave Dooms agent 35 minutes to fax the paperwork. He is the only NFL player represented by this agent so it was not like he had 20 other players to take care of too. I do not understand how incompetent you have to be to not file paper work. Doom will lose a lot of money due to this and he should be able to sue his agent to recoup his losses.
The Broncos now have 4 million in dead money because of this deal which hurts their ability to sign any more free agents.
They might be able to get Doom back, but he will not be receiving the 8 million a year that he would have gotten if his agent had his head screwed on straight.
I feel for Doom and the predicament he now finds himself in. I really hope the Broncos will be able to resign him after all of this blows over
According to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, the deal was agreed to and signed at 1:25 which gave Dooms agent 35 minutes to fax the paperwork. He is the only NFL player represented by this agent so it was not like he had 20 other players to take care of too. I do not understand how incompetent you have to be to not file paper work. Doom will lose a lot of money due to this and he should be able to sue his agent to recoup his losses.
The Broncos now have 4 million in dead money because of this deal which hurts their ability to sign any more free agents.
They might be able to get Doom back, but he will not be receiving the 8 million a year that he would have gotten if his agent had his head screwed on straight.
I feel for Doom and the predicament he now finds himself in. I really hope the Broncos will be able to resign him after all of this blows over
Kevin Kolb to be Released
Kevin Kolb, whom the Cardinals traded several draft picks for and gave a hefty contract, will be released this afternoon. Kolb was a disappointment, suffering numerous injuries in Arizona and when he was on the field he did not look like a quarterback who could take control of a franchise. I mean they had Larry Fitzgerald and Kolb made it look like it was tough to get the ball to him.
I criticized the move when Arizona traded for him and gave him a hefty contract. Kolb did not pay off in the slightest of ways. He looked like a quarterback who did not know how to read coverages and was often lost in the pocket.
He is the best free agent quarterback available, yes that is how bad the QB market is, so he will get an opportunity to sign with another team. Look for the Jets to give him a look.
I criticized the move when Arizona traded for him and gave him a hefty contract. Kolb did not pay off in the slightest of ways. He looked like a quarterback who did not know how to read coverages and was often lost in the pocket.
He is the best free agent quarterback available, yes that is how bad the QB market is, so he will get an opportunity to sign with another team. Look for the Jets to give him a look.
Nuggets Grizzlies Preview
The Nuggets will face off against the Memphis Grizzlies at home tonight. They own the season series 2-1 and that tie breaker could become very important in the playoff race. None of the games have been blowouts with the margin of victory in the 3 match ups being 5, 5 and 9. These teams have not faced off since the Rudy Gay trade. Memphis is 16-4 in that trade which is a surprise to me because I thought they would drop off at least a little because of that trade, but it seems as if they have gotten better after shedding Gay. They now own the 3rd spot in the Western Conference. Tayshaun Prince has replaced Gay in the starting lineup and has filled in admirably. He does not score as much, but he is more efficient and is also a good rebounder and a long defender .
Ty Lawson will be facing off against Mike Conley. Conley is a much improved scorer, scoring more more efficiently than before. He is a very good defender who is good at slowing down opposing point guards. Ty has been on fire since the beginning of 2013. He has been hard to stop and Conley will have his hands full. Look for this to be a great matchup and one that could decide the game.
Dont expect much offense from the Iguodola Tony Allen matchup. These are two defensive players going at it and the only way either should score is on a fast break. Neither has much of a jumper or anything outside of a layup and I dont expect that they let each other anywhere near the hoop.
Gall will face off against Tayshaun Prince. His scoring has dipped since joining Memphis as a part of the Rudy Gay deal. However, they don't need to him to score more than 10 per game. He provides length on the defensive end which they will need to guard Gallo. Gallo's production has dropped off since his injury, but he is still playing well. He plays his best when he is driving to the basket and drawing fouls. He also plays at his best when he isn'y dominating the ball. If Ty is dominating the ball it leads to drive and kicks which lead to buckets for Gallo and he needs to remember that.
Faried has averaged 10.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game against the Grizzlies this season. Obviously Zach Randolph has something to do with that. Randolph can be a nightmare to defend because he can take it inside, but he also has a nice outside jump shot. He also goes hard for the rebounds and has good box-out technique. Faried needs to play good solid basketball in order to keep up with him and it will be hard for George to go to his small ball lineups because of Randolph's size and rebounding ability.
Koufos will face the challenge of guarding Marc Gasol. Gasol is an all around player who can score when needed and is a good rebounder. He is efficient from the field and you cannot foul him because he shoots a gaudy 85% from the line. Koufos needs to continue to play solid basketball and don't try to do too much on the offensive end.
The Nuggets bench is one of, if not the best in the league. Corey Brewer and Javel McGee can provide the energy off the bench while Andre Miller and Wilson Chandler can be the rocks off of the bench. I do not know if there is another bench in the league that could hang with the Nuggets. Memphis has a formidable bench too which boast Jerryd Bayless, Quincy Pondexter and Ed Davis. Davis could be a starter in this league if he was not stuck behind Randolph. Bayless has never lived up to his potential from when he was drafted, but he is a very good scorer coming off the bench.
Ultimately this game is a battle of ideology, the Nuggets boast the third best scoring team in the NBA while the Grizzlies have the best scoring defense in the NBA. The Nuggets should be able to run in their own building, but if they play how the Grizzlies want them to play it will be a tough win to get. They can extend their streak to 11 games and win their 30th home game of the season where they have a 29-3 record.
Ty Lawson will be facing off against Mike Conley. Conley is a much improved scorer, scoring more more efficiently than before. He is a very good defender who is good at slowing down opposing point guards. Ty has been on fire since the beginning of 2013. He has been hard to stop and Conley will have his hands full. Look for this to be a great matchup and one that could decide the game.
Dont expect much offense from the Iguodola Tony Allen matchup. These are two defensive players going at it and the only way either should score is on a fast break. Neither has much of a jumper or anything outside of a layup and I dont expect that they let each other anywhere near the hoop.
Gall will face off against Tayshaun Prince. His scoring has dipped since joining Memphis as a part of the Rudy Gay deal. However, they don't need to him to score more than 10 per game. He provides length on the defensive end which they will need to guard Gallo. Gallo's production has dropped off since his injury, but he is still playing well. He plays his best when he is driving to the basket and drawing fouls. He also plays at his best when he isn'y dominating the ball. If Ty is dominating the ball it leads to drive and kicks which lead to buckets for Gallo and he needs to remember that.
Faried has averaged 10.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game against the Grizzlies this season. Obviously Zach Randolph has something to do with that. Randolph can be a nightmare to defend because he can take it inside, but he also has a nice outside jump shot. He also goes hard for the rebounds and has good box-out technique. Faried needs to play good solid basketball in order to keep up with him and it will be hard for George to go to his small ball lineups because of Randolph's size and rebounding ability.
Koufos will face the challenge of guarding Marc Gasol. Gasol is an all around player who can score when needed and is a good rebounder. He is efficient from the field and you cannot foul him because he shoots a gaudy 85% from the line. Koufos needs to continue to play solid basketball and don't try to do too much on the offensive end.
The Nuggets bench is one of, if not the best in the league. Corey Brewer and Javel McGee can provide the energy off the bench while Andre Miller and Wilson Chandler can be the rocks off of the bench. I do not know if there is another bench in the league that could hang with the Nuggets. Memphis has a formidable bench too which boast Jerryd Bayless, Quincy Pondexter and Ed Davis. Davis could be a starter in this league if he was not stuck behind Randolph. Bayless has never lived up to his potential from when he was drafted, but he is a very good scorer coming off the bench.
Ultimately this game is a battle of ideology, the Nuggets boast the third best scoring team in the NBA while the Grizzlies have the best scoring defense in the NBA. The Nuggets should be able to run in their own building, but if they play how the Grizzlies want them to play it will be a tough win to get. They can extend their streak to 11 games and win their 30th home game of the season where they have a 29-3 record.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
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Welker Contacted Denver
Instead of the Denver Broncos making first contact with Welker, which for the most part is how free agency works, Welker decided to give the Broncos a call to tell them he was interested in playing for them. Welker was intrigued by the idea of playing with Peyton Manning while also teaming up with Thomas and Decker.
Welker wanted to win a Super Bowl and realized that the Patriots were going to replace him. The fact that he contacted Denver gives me hope that he will be going all out learning the new system and getting in touch with Peyton over the summer to run routes.
This could be a very scary team to have to game plan against. They will have to face a deep threat in Thomas and two short and intermediate threats in Welker and Decker. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but this could rival the Patriots 2007 offense, but Welker is older. However, Thomas is younger than Moss was, but not quite as talented. One thing this offense also has is a third receiving threat in Decker, something the Patriots offense did not have.
CSU UNLV Preview
CSU split the season series against UNLV in two close games. In the first CSU won 66-61 in Fort Collins. Dorian Green had 24 points to boost the Rams. Paul Hornung and Colton Iverson did their normal things in rebounding and playing defense.
In the second meeting, the Rams suffered a lost as the result of a last second shot. In this game, Colton Iverson lead the team with 14 points, but Dorian Green had a poor shooting night. This was a tough loss for CSU in Las Vegas, but they battled back from numerous deflects to make this game close.
They now face each other in the second round round of the Mountain West tournament. The game is being played in Las Vegas which gives the Rebels some home court advantage. Dorian Green missed this first game against Fresno State due to a sprained ankle. He is going to give this game a go and the Rams will need him in order to win this game. Green is an essential part of the team as a guard and scorer. The Rams will need good nights from both Hornung and Iverson down low in order to take control of the game. I think the Rams can pull this one out with Green hurt, but it will take some work form every other player in order to make it happen.
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Colorado State Rams Garden Flag (Google Affiliate Ad)
In the second meeting, the Rams suffered a lost as the result of a last second shot. In this game, Colton Iverson lead the team with 14 points, but Dorian Green had a poor shooting night. This was a tough loss for CSU in Las Vegas, but they battled back from numerous deflects to make this game close.
They now face each other in the second round round of the Mountain West tournament. The game is being played in Las Vegas which gives the Rebels some home court advantage. Dorian Green missed this first game against Fresno State due to a sprained ankle. He is going to give this game a go and the Rams will need him in order to win this game. Green is an essential part of the team as a guard and scorer. The Rams will need good nights from both Hornung and Iverson down low in order to take control of the game. I think the Rams can pull this one out with Green hurt, but it will take some work form every other player in order to make it happen.
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Colorado State Rams Garden Flag (Google Affiliate Ad)
Broncos Safety Quinton Carter Arrested
Broncos safety Quinton Carter was arrested in Las Vegas for cheating at Craps. After the dice were rolled he would add more money to his bets so he would get a bigger payout. This is not good for the aspiring starting safety because we don't know how the Broncos brass will react to this.
Carter is now facing felony charges with up to 6 years in prison.
Carter is now facing felony charges with up to 6 years in prison.
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