Still Optimistic

As I have explained before the NBA draft, I believe there is reason to be excited about the Celtics this off-season. But after the draft I am a little less confident. I'm not as opposed to the selections made by Danny Ainge as many fans are, but I do think it puts a lot of pressure on the team going forward. I think it is clear that some players will have to be moved this off-season and hopefully for strong players in return. I would not be surprised if the Celtics looked to move either Marcus Smart or James Young. Perhaps even Avery Bradley.

The biggest scare for myself, as a fan, is that Boston will come away from free agency empty handed. That cannot happen. I don't think they will come away with nothing but I do think its looking more and more like they will not be able to land an all-star type player. Demarcus Cousins via trade seems to be the most likely, and even that doesn't look promising right now.

If the Celtics could land a player like Kevin Love or Lamarcus Aldridge, good things will happen. Why Boston is no longer a destination for players is beyond me. The fans are great and so is the city, yet the weather turns players away. Despite all of them owning a home in Los Angeles or Miami anyways.

The free agent frenzy will begin this week and I sure hope Boston ends up with Kevin Love and Paul Pierce, as opposed to Al-Farouq Aminu and Greg Monroe.

Storied Franchises Get a Shot in The Draft

This year's NBA draft will be so intriguing, because of the NBA franchises involved. Both the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks have top four picks in the draft, and many needs to fill. It seems if the Lakers keep their pick, they will be selecting Duke big man Jahlil Okafor. Okafor could be the next great big man in the storied history of the Lakers. From George Mikan to Wilt Chamberlain to Kareem to Shaq. The Lakers have always succeeded when led by great centers. Especially ones with as much offensive skill as Okafor.

The New York Knicks may be looking for a guard. D'Angelo Russell is one many think will fall to the Knicks at number four. Russell has been receiving nothing but high praise these past few weeks. Viewed as the best passer in the draft, Russell could be the next great point guard in the league. His size and sneaky athleticism makes him even more appealing. The last time the Knicks had a solid point guard was Jason Kidd, who was at the end of his career.

Both the Knicks and the Lakers have a lot of work to do, but both should take big steps towards future success with top four picks.

Should the Celtics Still Pursue Cousins?

The Boston Celtics have shown interest in Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins for the past couple of years. Going back to when they were looking to shop Rajon Rondo. As we enter the summer of 2015, the interest is still there. Just yesterday, however, the Lakers and Magic were a part of a proposed trade involving DeMarcus Cousins. Picks would be swapped and Cousins would end up in Los Angeles. It would also mean Jahlil Okafor would likely go to Sacramento or Orlando.

The Celtics fan in me hopes this falls through, but the basketball fan in me knows Boogie Cousins and the Black Mamba would be must watch television. Perhaps they add Rondo in free agency and all of a sudden you have one of the most intriguing starting lineups in the league. One filled not only with three of the biggest personalities in the league, but also with talent.

Boston will not let this go that easy. The team has ties with Cousins through point guard Isaiah Thomas. Although the two had trouble sharing the ball in the past, the friendship is still strong, and in Brad Stevens I trust.

The reason Boston should really try for Cousins is that he would immediately be that franchise player the Celtics have been searching for ever since the "big three" broke up. Cousins is a perennial all-star player who would be an MVP candidate if he played for a contender. Boston would embrace the big fella, and get behind him 100%. I still believe he should be the goal for this summer, but if he can't be obtained there are still other options.

Dwyane Wade is potentially going to be open to other teams. I think Boston should give him a call. Even if the Celtics were able to acquire a player like Cousins or Lamarcus Aldridge, Wade would provide leadership and experience in the backcourt. Something the team has lacked in recent years. Not to mention when he is healthy he is still one of the best shooting guards in the league. Wade could also help bring in other players.

There is reason to be excited for this off-season if you are a Celtics fan. I do not believe this team is in complete rebuild mode. They are close to contender than people might think.

Brady Against the League

Tom Brady is meeting with the NFL league offices today, to attempt at proving the league they were wrong in suspending him four games to begin the NFL regular season. This deflategate saga has been going on for months now. Weeks before the Patriots captured the teams forth Super Bowl. As a Patriots fan I have believed this was ridiculous from the start. This opinion has only grown stronger after the Wells Report was released along with all the information that has been released following this story.

Brady does not deserve this, it is clear that there is not enough information against Brady to warrant a suspension, but the league could not go without giving him at least one game. Not after coming down so hard on both Brady and the team.

The New England Patriots open up the season hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers. A team which is always going to put up a fight, led by a quarterback who knows all about controversy, Ben Roethlisberger. A good first test for the team I believe is going back to the Super Bowl. Suspension or not, the Patriots will answer the call and make another run. The revamped Buffalo Bills squad could test the Pats, but even when the team didn't have the best roster, AFC east battles are always tough.

I am very interested to hear how these talks go, and what kind of impression Tom Brady makes on the league. I do not believe the NFL is out to get Brady, but I do think they feel they must do something after so much was made of deflategate. So many former players, coaches and GM's have let there opinion be heard. Many defending Tom Brady and many against his alleged actions.

I can confidently say that once this is all done Brady will not be sitting out four games, and the league may have to take back some of its actions towards the New England Patriots as well. Today should be a step towards that.

Celtics Offseason Begins

Now that the draft is upon us and we are officially done with the 2014-15 NBA season, it's time to start talking about the Boston Celtics. The Celtics want to improve the roster going into next season. This could be through the draft, free agency or trades. Boston only has a couple players they'd really like to hold onto, Isiah Thomas being the main asset.

A lot of mock drafts have the Celtics taking Kelly Oubre out of Kansas at the number sixteen spot. Oubre would be a nice wing player who the team could develop. At 6'7", Oubre would add more size and versatility to the wing spot. This could be a direction the Celtics want to go the way the NBA is shaping right now. The Golden State Warriors just won a title starting three players in the front court who stood 6'6", 6'7" and 6'8" respectively (Andre Iguodala, Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes).

Currently the Celtics have Jae Crowder as the teams only real wing. James Young has potential, but has yet to display it at the NBA level. If the Celtics do not acquire a wing through the draft it will have to be through free agency. A pure shooter is also a need for Boston, maybe a couple of them. Rumors have swirled that the Celtics were looking to acquire one of the biggest names in free agency this summer, Lamarcus Aldridge. Aldridge's teammate Wesley Matthews is also a free agent, one who could have been up for a max contract this summer if his season was not cut short by an achilles injury. If the Celtics could acquire both they would instantly be contenders for a top seed in the eastern conference, as it stands.

There are more options for the Celtics in free agency, and a couple of potential trade targets with all of the assets Boston have to offer.

2015 Finals

The Cleveland Cavaliers put up a fight in game six, but the series was over near the end of game four. It is still shocking to me that the Cavs even won two games in this series. Two games that put them in a position to go up 3-1 in the series. I think it is safe to say we all knew the Warriors would not let that happen, and that we all knew Golden State would win the series. Not once did I believe otherwise. Not even when Matthew Dellavedova was hitting and one bank shots from the ground. I remained confident that the best team I have seen since the 2008 Boston Celtics was going to turn it around, especially against this undermanned Cleveland squad.

After game three, players like Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes were simply not themselves, and looked like the spotlight was perhaps too big. Those two turned it around and played their best basketball of the series in the last two games. Green in particular with an impressive triple double in the closeout game. Something not many players have ever done in finals history.

This match up could be one we see for years in the future. I think the Cavs will be the favorites in the east as long as LeBron James continues to suit up, and Golden State have no reason to not be the favorites in the west.

Warriors Should Be Worried

The series is 2-1. Cleveland leads. It is truly shocking. I thought the Warriors would have more energy and a sense of urgency in game three. Instead the team looked lost through three quarters. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes are not only missing a ton of shots, but also do not seem to know what they're doing at times. All four guys have played tremendously through the first three rounds, but cannot seem to figure it out against Cleveland's physical play.

At least Curry did late. Curry finished the game with 27 points and hit five of his seven threes in the fourth quarter. A lot of people believe this is a good sign for the Warriors, as they will be able to use Curry's play as momentum for game four. I think that may be true, but Curry was hitting the shots, not Barnes, Green or Thompson.

Stephen Curry will lead his team to an improved performance in game four, but the rest of the starters must pick up their individual games. This team needs to force the officials to make more calls. Golden State has not been nearly as aggressive as they need to be. Cleveland is physically punishing each Warrior player as they come up the floor. Someone needs to lay out Matthew Dellavedova, or Tristan Thompson, because those two players are doing whatever they want on the defensive end, and will continue to if no one hits them back.

Hopefully Golden State will come out in came four with that killer mentality. They need to. If the Warriors come out like they did in game three, LeBron James will take full advantage and put the city of Cleveland on the brink of a championship.

Series Turns to Cleveland

The NBA finals are in Cleveland tonight for the first time since 2007, when the San Antonio Spurs completed their sweep of the Cavaliers. LeBron James has come a long way since that night. He now has four MVP trophies and two titles to his name. He has taken his talents down to south beach and back. James has an undermanned Cleveland team in a position to do something special. With the series tied at one game a piece, the Cavs have reason to be confident, because of the way they have defended the Warriors during the first two games.

If LeBron wants to bring a championship to Cleveland, step one is winning game three. The Cavs have all the momentum right now, and it is imperative they keep up the defensive play. We've seen this story play out for the Warriors already this postseason, against the Grizzlies. Golden State not only lost game two at home, but also game three on the road, before winning the next three games comfortably. Perhaps it just takes the Warriors a few games to warm up to a team in these playoffs. Both games one and two against Houston were very close games, even though the Warriors won both.

At this point one might as well call me a Golden State homer, but I still believe they win this series. It will start on the road, that's where the Warriors will find their groove.

Game One Takeaway's

Golden State won game one last night as many expected, but Cleveland came pretty close. Iman Shumpert's off balance shot at the horn fell inches short of going in. The shot would've given the Cavaliers a huge game one win on the road, and at the same time would have prevented both overtime and Kyrie Irving's eventual injury. Cleveland did not play its best last night, but they played about as well as they could on the road in Oracle Arena. LeBron James had another great performance with 44 points, but it took 38 shots to get it. Andre Iguodala played exceptional defense on James all night, including many great stops down the stretch of the game.

While I do think Cleveland can play better this series, I think the Warriors can play much better. The team got off to such a slow start, missing a lot of shots. Golden State looked too excited for what was every players first ever finals game. As the game went on the team settled in and played much better in the second half and overtime. The Warriors are capable of so much more as this series progresses. I thought the defense was not as good as it could have been. The three point shooting did not really get going until later in the game.

I fear that this series is already over because of Kyrie Irving's injury. However, it may just be over because Cleveland missed their shot in game one. I'll stick with my prediction that the Cavaliers win get one game at home, most likely game three at the Q. The series will wrap up next Sunday night in the bay, and Stephen Curry will get the first of what could be many championships to come.

Game One Tonight

An NBA Finals prediction is tough. Series like these never seem to end up the way you thought it'd go. Whenever there is a great match up, it rarely goes seven games. This year the two best teams in the league are in the finals. No mistake about it. Cleveland tore through the east, and Golden State did much of the same against tougher competition. So, these two teams create a fun and highly competitive potential finals. Injuries are key as always. The Cavaliers have not had Kevin Love since the first round of the playoffs, after he suffered a shoulder injury. They are also dealing with Kyrie Irving's injury, one that has kept him out of multiple games this postseason and has limited him when he does play.

Golden State are feeling much healthier. Besides the head injury Klay Thompson suffered a week ago, the Warriors are in good shape going into this series. All of this is leading towards a prediction. Many people I have talked to can't seem to go against LeBron James. Everyone just won't go against the best player in the league. I would agree with that if I thought he was the best player in the league. Sure, resume wise he is far and away the best in the league, but I don't think he's the best this second. I believe Stephen Curry is the best player in basketball right now. He has stepped his game up to another level this postseason. Curry has continued to make everyone on the court better, including himself. The three point shooting is impressive, of course, but the way Curry now controls basketball games is a pleasure to watch.

I think he's going to continue to control games, and this series. Stephen Curry will lead to Warriors to a championship win in five games, and capture his second MVP trophy of the season. I see the bay area having a lot of fun this summer, and Cleveland will have to wait at least another year for the "King" to deliver.

Stephen Curry's NBA FInals

This Thursday we will see Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on the biggest stage in basketball: the NBA Finals. Curry is near the end of what would be one of the greatest seasons ever. Both the team's play and his own has resulted in an amazing 67 wins and a western conference championship. Curry's play has become infectious as he brings energy and effort to the entire building that he's playing in. Curry has brought his numbers up a notch these playoffs, and it is even more clear that he is one of the most dominant players in the league.

If Curry can pull of a championship win over the premier player in the league LeBron James, he will immediately jump into the basketball stratosphere. Stephen Curry is the best shot maker in the game and he displays it every night. As the series approaches I am more and more leaning towards picking Curry to win it all. The ability to make the correct play and still do it in an electric way is a gift.

Basketball fans are going to receive a gift when the fourth quarters come around each game. LeBron James and Stephen Curry (with some help from Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving) are going to go back and forth down the stretch of games. Do not be surprised if LeBron checks Curry a few times each game, because he is the only player on the court with a shot at stopping him off the dribble. These games are going to be a beauty to watch, and Curry is going to have everything to do with it.

LeBron is Back

Cleveland is back in the NBA Finals. The team, and especially the city, have struggled for so many years, and now here is another shot. The Cavaliers are four wins away from a championship trophy for the city. It is all thanks to LeBron James. He has once again carried a team to the finals. Each of the past three seasons LeBron has been on teams that on paper seem to be elite. However, by the end of the season it ends up being LeBron against the world.
It is true that the eastern conference is weak, and that the run has been not the most difficult, but the two teams the Cavs just beat were no jokes. Both Chicago and Atlanta were very good teams, who I believe under performed. Everyone is saying Cleveland had it easy, but I think Chicago should have beat them. I also believe Atlanta should have won at least two games in this series. That being said Cleveland may not be ready for whats up next. Not the Rockets. The Golden State Warriors will provide a different challenge. Both an offense and a defense that Cleveland has not yet seen, and an individual that no one in the east can compare to: Stephen Curry.
Cleveland has great reason to be excited about the finals, but they should not be too optimistic. The Cavaliers will need an all-time great performance from LeBron James. He will be required to not only put up the same statistics he put up against Atlanta, but also do it more efficiently, and start hitting some jump shots. This next finals will be similar to last years. LeBron will need to be all-worldly for the team to have a shot. He was not last year and the Spurs crushed him. If I'm a Cavs fan I'm worried about the upcoming series.

James Harden is Done for 2015

Tonight could very well be the end of James Harden's 2015 season. It has been a defining one for him. He began his march towards superstar status when he first came to Houston, and this year cemented himself as one of the games best players. Harden led Houston to the second best record in the western conference, an impressive feat considering the strength of the conference. At the same time there was very little difference between the two seed and the six seed in the west.
Harden put up impressive numbers, as he did not always shoot the ball efficiently from the field, but he consistently got to the free throw line more than any other player in the league. It has been an impressive year for Harden. He had to carry a team that was without its second best player in Dwight Howard, much of the season. It was hard for me to get completely behind the Harden for MVP campaign, because I just did not think it was him. I believed Stephen Curry was the MVP of the league from start to finish. I never once fell for the 50 point James Harden games here and there. In fact, I think I did not give him enough credit this season. Simply because no one seemed to recognize how good Curry was even if you did not take into account statistics.
Well, here we are before game four of the conference finals, and Harden is about to lose to the MVP. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if Harden can get back to these conference finals, without a big change in the lineup. Golden State will continue to dominate the west for the next couple years, and Oklahoma City will hopefully have both Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook at full strength. I think San Antonio will improve as well.
The next step for Houston is James Harden getting a little more help, and Harden himself becoming a more efficient scorer.

Game Two

Well I was way off on last nights game. Golden State got off to the start I expected, but like the Rockets did in game one, the Warriors gave up the lead and the game was tied at the half. It went down to the wire and the ball was in James Harden's hands. Unfortunately that's how it ended, with Harden ultimately fumbling the basketball as time expired. It was a great back and forth battle between Harden and Stephen Curry. The two went for 38 and 33 respectively, and hit countless big shots during the forth quarter. Again, I still believe this series is over in five, but I still haven't seen the blowout I thought was coming. Houston and Golden State are making up for my complete lack of interest in the Hawks-Cavs series.
I know the Hawks are supposed to be the Spurs of the east, which is somewhat true. They are the Spurs of the EAST. A much weaker conference with less competition. The Hawks are much less fun to watch in stretches, as their bench can struggle a lot at times. The offense as a whole goes through rough patches where they can seem to buy a basket, which never seems to be a problem in San Antonio.
LeBron James will always be enough to grab my attention, but only for stretches as his club has not been that great to watch either. With no Kevin Love and an injured Kyrie Irving, the Cavs are not as exciting as they were game one of the playoffs. I have a feeling tonight the Hawks show up and go for over 100. JR Smith does not hit every shot he takes tonight, but maybe Kyrie will hit a few. Hawks will barely win tonight by a slim margin. 105-100.

It Will Only Get Better for the Warriors

The Golden State Warriors survived a game one battle last night, narrowly defeating the Houston Rockets by four points. It was a very interesting game, as the Rockets got off to a great start, going up by 16 with just five minutes to go in the first half. Then the Warriors began to turn it around, thanks in no small part to their versatile backup point guard Shaun Livingston. Livingston had 16 points in the first half and sparked the run late in the second quarter that helped the Warriors take the lead. The MVP Stephen Curry ended the half in typical Curry fashion, letting go of a step back jumper with no time on the clock and watching it fall through the net. The Warriors held a 58-55 lead at the half, after Houston had played so well.
James Harden had one of his better playoff games in my opinion. He finished with 28 points 11 rebounds and 9 assists. Harden was getting his step back jumper to go, a shot that had failed him recently. When Harden is not hitting his isolation jump shots, he does not have efficient nights from the field, but 11-19 was a great sign for the Rockets.
Houston played well last night which is another good sign, but the Warriors did not. Game one does not change my opinion of how this series will go, I think the Warriors did not come close to their best last night, and the Rockets did about as well as they could without Dwight Howard being effective. Going forward it is important that the Warriors begin to clamp down more defensively. Continue to let Josh Smith shoot threes, and put more pressure on ball handlers other than Harden. The defense will lead to even more fast break opportunities for the Warriors. As always they can cut down on the unforced errors when they try to make the home run play, but those never seem to be too big of an issue, just limiting them is key.
I think game two will be a blowout. I don't see Harden scoring as efficiently as he did in game one, and I think the injury to Dwight Howard is a real concern going forward in this series. The splash brothers will be too much. That and an improved defensive performance will help give the Warriors a 2-0 lead.

The Rockets Are Here

The other side of the Clippers-Rockets series are the Rockets. The Houston Rockets did in fact win this series, and did so almost out of nowhere. We all have heard the story of how they came back, so let's move on. The Rockets now take on the best team in the league. A team that just had their first challenge of the year, trailing 2-1 against Memphis. The Warriors came back, because of the MVP. In contrast the Rockets came back, and without their MVP. Yes, Harden had a lot to do with game five and seven wins, but he was nowhere to be found during the decisive game six comeback.
So, during the regular season the Warriors won all four games by an average of 15 points. You can throw out any regular season numbers, but it was four blowouts, so something to at least keep in mind. The match-up on the surface is simply not great for the Rockets. The Rockets defense is not that great. The Warriors defense is elite. The Rockets can score a lot of points. The Warriors score the most. The Rockets have the runner up in the MVP race. The Warriors have the MVP. Not only of the regular season but also during the playoffs. Stephen Curry has been great for the Warriors, and most impressive during the two closeout games.
To me, the Rockets only have a chance if Josh Smith continues to play the way he has in the past two games, and Harden plays like an MVP. Not the 27, 6 and 8 guy, but a 35ppg guy. Harden must try to score 40 every night. I think he can drop 40 a couple of times, but it won't be enough. My prediction is that Houston will win either game three or four at home, but ultimately lose the series in five games. Houston is a very good team, and I don't want to discredit the amazing turnaround they pulled off against the Clippers, but they shouldn't be here. The Clippers blew it more than the Rockets won it in my opinion, and it will show when Houston gets blown out of the conference finals.

Clippers Fail Again

The Houston Rockets pulled off a great comeback, finishing it today with a game seven win at home. They were down 3-1 in the series and trailed by 19 late in game six, but were able to turn it all around with the help of role players. Josh Smith and Corey Brewer led the way in game six and were instrumental in the game seven victory.
One part of the story is the unlikely turnaround by the Rockets, and the other is the collapse of the Los Angeles Clippers. They blew a 3-1 series lead. The team, many would say, have underachieved in the playoffs once again. Last year the team should have won game five against the Thunder, if it wasn't for an epic late game collapse. I'm not sure who to blame for this. Everyone always says that you can't blame Chris Paul for not reaching the conference finals yet. I don't know what else one would say. Once again Paul put up great numbers throughout the playoffs and in this series, but there was something missing. People used to always be very quick to blame LeBron James for failing to win big series. They would say that despite the numbers he was not clutch, and could never win a championship. Now, saying he was not clutch wasn't fair, but giving him the blame was. James should have taken the responsibility, as he did, for the many losses early in his career. As a superstar, franchise player and future hall of famer, that was the expectation. To be able to carry his team, when he had the opportunity, past tough opponents in late playoff rounds.
The same applies to Chris Paul when talking about the conference finals. He has not been able to reach the round yet. I am not saying his game to game play has been poor, certainly not statistically, but he lacks a certain ability to carry his team to victories. Let me preface what I'm saying. If a LeBron James led team, whether it be the Miami Heat or Cleveland Cavaliers, was leading a series three games to one, and then was up by 19 late in a game six, and went on to lose the series, would we not say that LeBron chocked? I know I would have said LeBron should have finished it off. Especially in the game six. Superstars should be able to will their team to win, whether it is scoring themselves or creating chances for others.
Blake Griffin must take some of the blame too, because this is his team as well. He was statistically very good these playoffs, I think he has been the second best player thus far behind Stephen Curry. At the end of game six he was a non-factor, and game seven he played well, but was not that aggressive. Los Angeles has a lot to figure out this offseason, with Deandre Jordan being their biggest priority. I'm not sure that there is a big need for change on this team at the top, but the supporting cast could use some work. Austin Rivers showed some great promise during the playoffs, but the rest of the bench is not too good. Matt Barnes could be replaced as the starter. His three point shot is just not consistent enough for someone who almost only shoots perimeter shots. The Clippers should look to sign or trade for a more dynamic wing player.
Perhaps Chris Paul will simply be one of these all time greats who never wins a championship. I think the Clippers will still have plenty of opportunities in the coming years, but the pressure will only rise.

Is Memphis Already Done?

Golden State did what I thought they would, and won by double digits in game four. The Warriors are now tied up in this series, with a game on their home court tonight. Memphis played so well in their back to back wins in this series, but I have a lot of doubt going forward for them. Like many of these second round series, it seems the Grizzlies blew their chance at the series as the underdog. Both Chicago, Memphis and Washington all hosted game fours on their home court. All were up two games to one, and all lost. Most now believe that Cleveland, Golden State and Atlanta respectively, will go on to win the series'. Cleveland took a big step with a game five win at home last night, and Golden State will look to do the same tonight.
On of the main reasons the Warriors were able to pick up the play on Monday night, was the improved play of Stephen Curry. Everyone knew he was not going to go 2-10 or 2-11 from three again, but he also stepped up his leadership. Curry did not attempt a shot in the first eight minutes of game four. He let the game come to him and then proceeded to tear apart the Grizzlies defense scoring 33 points. Curry did it all. He played his game. In game five he must do exactly the same. Not necessarily score 33 points again, but have that same bounce to his step and confident play that has made him so good all season. The energy he has is infectious for this Warriors team, and with the home crowd there to support tonight, Memphis could be in for a long one.
Now, I don't exactly agree with the notion that Memphis is done for good after game four, but its close. If the Grizzlies want a shot they better show up tonight. The team will need something to take back home with them even if they lose this game. I can see Memphis forcing a game seven, and everyone always says anything can happen in a game seven, but come on. More often than not the home team wins a game seven, even if the game is competitive. Especially with the home crowd the bay area has been able to produce all year, I'm picking them in seven.
The Grizzlies could still win this series, but it will have to start tonight. I'm afraid I just can't see them winning these next two games.

Why Tonight is Not Do or Die for the Warriors

Tonight is not a must win for the Golden State Warriors. Although this is a very good Memphis team, that has clearly found a way to beat this high powered offense, the Warriors do not have to win. The team which won 67 games, and has the MVP of the league is capable of coming back from down 3-1. There is reason for concern, but no reason to doubt the ability of this team. I think Steve Kerr needs to challenge the officials. The Warriors have been beaten up the past two games. Not only by the big men down low, but also by the elite perimeter defending of Tony Allen and Mike Conley. Kerr needs to challenge the officials to make more calls. Help give his shooters more space to get shots off. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have been forced to take very difficult shots the past two games, and have not been able to hit most of them.
Its easy to say Golden State needs to simply pick up the pace, and start to play faster, but that is easier said than done. The Warriors will step up tonight. I think Curry is too good to not shoot the ball well again. He will tonight. Game four is going to be a close one, but the Warriors will pull away and tie up this series. Similarly to what happened yesterday to the Bulls, the Grizzlies will miss their chance to win this series tonight.

What a Shot

LeBron James has just evened up the second round series with the Chicago Bulls with an amazing shot at the buzzer. James game winner not only ties up the series, but it also gives Cleveland hope for this season. LeBron's chance of getting Cleveland its first championship is still alive this season. To all who "witnessed" the shot could probably have seen it coming. James was given the entire side of the court to step back catch and shoot a fade away shot in the corner. To most a very difficult shot. Not that it was not, but James is one of the few ever to make it look so easy. Game five should be a treat.