Monday Spread Option 05-19-14

1. How shocked are you that the Pacers beat the Heat so handily?

Ty-
Honestly I am shocked and not shocked at the same time. The Pacers have been up and down since the all-star break. The one thing that they have been consistent about is playing up to good teams. I could have seen the Pacers losing by 20 because they haven't played well but they got their groove back a little during the Wizards series. I picked the Pacers to win yesterday because I thought that they would finally play with energy. They had to because this is the series that they have been waiting for all year. They match-up well with the Heat and have the tools to beat them. So I'm not that surprised but I didn't think it would be as easy as it was. The reason it was so easy was because the Heat don't have the same team they had last year. The Heat bench and role players are not playing nearly as well as they were last year. The only player who played great was LeBron. The Heat need more contribution from other players next game. I do think the Pacers need to win game 2 to really have a chance to win the series.

Spencer-
I'm not shocked at all. For one that is the level of basketball I expected the Pacers to play when the playoffs started. Obviously they lived on the edge for the first two series and only looked their best when they knew it was win or go home. All that aside though I knew if the playoffs weren't enough to motivate the Pacers to play harder, a rematch with the Heat was. The Pacers had the Eastern Conference Finals circled on their calender since game 7 ended last year and they wanted home court advantage this time around and got it so they could have an edge when they met Miami there again. They got just that and they're play yesterday showed that this is what they were built for, dethroning Miami. Indiana spent the last three years building that team and getting them playoff experience and they came so close last year. This series is about two teams that hate each other and I expect the Pacers to play inspired like they did in game one all series.


2. How much do you think the Serge Ibaka injury effects the Spurs vs Thunder series?

Spencer-
I think is definitely hurts the Thunder in a big way. I know he isn't by any means the focal point of the offense and that they needed him more in the first two series than they will in this match-up with the Spurs, but I still think him being out of the lineup will cost the Thunder this series.

His offense is helpful enough at times that they will miss it, but what is more important is the absence of his defensive presence. Ibaka averages 8.8 rebounds a game this year and nearly three blocks a game. I know that other guys like Steven Adams and Nick Collison can step up in that spot and contribute in a big way, but they won't have the same effect as Ibaka. Obviously Perkins will guard Tim Duncan, which makes Tiago Splitter's effectiveness huge for the Spurs. He'll step up his game down low and that could be costly for the Thunder. Playing small ball more, could be the one saving grace with the absence of Ibaka, because they have had success with that line up before, including against the Clippers last series.

Ty-
I think it is a big effect on the Thunder. A lot of people under-rate Ibaka when he is playing and downplay his impact on the game. He is a beast defensively and change a lot of shots in the lane. But I do think that if Ibaka is lost this is the time where it doesn't hurt as much. Ibaka was good offensively but not somebody the Thunder relied on. They can get his offense from somewhere else, probably Reggie Jackson, Caron Butler or even a wildcard like Perry Jones III.

The Spurs don't have the bigs that the Clippers and the Grizzlies had that you needed Ibaka for. Perkins would have guarded Duncan anyway and he isn't the focal point of the offense. Spurs center Thiago Splitter has played well but he isn't as athletic as DeAndre Jordan or physically imposing as Zach Randolph or Marc Gasol. Nick Collison and Steven Adams are capable of guarding him. This also forces Scott Brooks to maybe play small more which benefits the team and also play a lineup of Westbrook, Jackson, Durant, Collison, and Adams. That lineup came back against the Clippers in game 6. They still played great defense with rim protection from Adams and had great spacing offensively. Nick Collison's passing and Adam's ability to finish at the rim really opened the floor for Durant and Westbrook. The injury hurts because Ibaka usually kills the Spurs but the whole team plays well against the Spurs so they can still win.

3. Now that the Bruins and have been knocked out of the playoffs and the conference finals under way, who do you have winning the Stanley Cup?

Ty-
The Blackhawks should be the favorite for now. They have the pedigree of winning and they are the defending champions. I do like all the teams left and could see all of them winning the cup. The Rangers did beat Montreal easily so they can be a force to worry about as long as they have Lundqvist. But I think the Blackhawks have the defense and offense to win it again.

Spencer-
When the playoffs started a few weeks back I felt the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues were the two best teams in the playoffs with Chicago as a close third. I thoroughly believed whoever won the Blues, Blackhawks series was destined to at least make the cup and now with the Bruins out of the picture it is the Blackhawks to lose. They should handle L.A. for the second straight year and I don't see either team in the East being a problem for them either. The defending champs will take it again.


4. Which NFL Rookie will have the biggest impact next season?

Spencer-
Kahlil Mack will have the biggest immediate impact next year. This guy is a play maker and don't tell me "he played in the MAC conference," cause I don't care. No conference can hide raw talent and he has it. The Raiders have been stuck in neutral for a while now and defensively they are taking steps forward now. Mack's quickness will allow him to be a play maker all year on an Oakland defense that will face three playoff teams in San Diego, Denver and Kansas City. He will get a lot of reps on defense and with a veteran like LaMarr Woodley to lead him, he can develop into a solid NFL pass rusher. Also the pressure is off of him to take his time to develop because he isn't a quarterback expected to turn around a franchise in a season and he plays in Oakland. That works in his favor as well. I see Mack making a lot of great defensive plays for the Raiders this year and in years to come.


Ty-
Sammy Watkins should have the biggest impact next year. Although I could have leaned on a quarterback like Manziel or Bridgewater. I think that Watkins is the only sure fire starter and star in the draft. Also with the Stevie Johnson trade Watkins is the #1 wide receiver for the Bills already. Although the Bills have other decent wide receivers like Robert Woods and Mike Williams, Watkins is by far the best wide receiver in the group. It all really depends on if E.J. Manuel can get him the ball. They will probably scheme for him to get the ball on screens which should work because Watkins is so good in the open field. I suspect that Watkins has 1,300 yards receiving and 6 touchdowns for the bills this year.




What we learned?

Ty- Coaching Changes Could Decide the Future of NBA

Basketball is just like every other sport. Sometimes even if you have the talent to succeed you need a good coach to mesh everything together. Last year the Pistons cultivated a lot of talent on their team. But they made two bad moves in a row.

First the Pistons signed Josh Smith to play small forward, which he had proven to be bad at. Then they hired Maurice Cheeks who is a good coach but isn't great in a lot of areas that you need and has

never been a proven winner with a tried and true system. They didn't have the right fit of players or coach. Now they have hired Stan Van Gundy to be the coach and the president of basketball operations. He has a great system that is also analytics friendly that should utilize more three point shooting and Drummond's pick and roll prowess.

I do think they need to get rid of Josh Smith or let Greg Monroe walk in free agency. SVG might get rid of them both and opt for a stretch forward like he had in Orlando. But he could win with 2 of those guys and not three unless one of them comes off the bench.

The other coaching change that happened was the Steve Kerr spurning the Knicks to sign with the Warriors. Although I love Steve Kerr and he was a decent GM with the Suns he has yet to prove if he is a good coach. That is however his least important problem. He has to deal with coaching a team that was absolutely not on board with the firing of the successful Mark Jackson.

The team might not want to buy into Kerrs style because of how much loyalty they have for Jackson. The only way they do is if he makes them better. I do think that the Warriors could have played with a lot more pace than they did with all their shooters and open floor athletes. That could really open their game up by they have to remember to play defense. Also hopefully Steve Kerr is better at drawing up plays and not relying on his stars as much as Jackson did. Either way they hiring could really effect the landscape of the NBA.

Spencer- The early MLB season has been a lie 

This year the MLB season has gotten off to a very unpredictable start as the teams that everyone expected to be dominant and prove it from the beginning of the year have been slow, while teams expected to struggle have come out hot. Only three teams in my mind have really lived up to their predicted start and that is the Detroit Tigers, the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics. The Tigers for obvious reasons were picked by most to be a top team and so far have been as they hold a 27-12 record and lead their division by seven games already. With the Giants, although I predicted it completely wrong, they have jumped out to a 28-17 start and lead a division that most thought was owned by the Dodgers. Then there is the A's who hold a 28-16 record and lead the AL West Division by three and a half games over the Angels, which again has been predictable.

Now looking at the rest of the league things seem all out of whack compared to what everyone kind of expected to happen. In the AL East, which I and many predicted to be the toughest division the Yankees lead and the two teams I predicted to finish in first and second, the Rays and Red Sox, sit in the bottom of the division and are slumping. It still could end up being the most competitive division because the teams are all within a few games of each other, but it is kind of opposite of what many thought thus far. In the AL West the Angels, as I said, are just three and a half back of the A's, which has some people surprised. I know I predicted the Angels would bounce back this year with the roster they have but some people still felt they weren't going to compete. What is more surprising about that division is that Texas sits in second to last with a 21-23 record. The Rangers can't seem to score though right now so that has been the cause of their early season struggles.

In the NL the biggest surprise to me is the Milwaukee Brewers ridiculous 27-17 start, which has them leading the NL Central by four games over St. Louis. I don't know anyone who really saw that coming. Then in the NL west the Colorado Rockies have seen some early success as they are in second, just three games back of the Giants and two ahead of the Dodgers who are just a game above .500 at 23-22. I for one saw Kershaw's return as a jump start to L.A.'s season but he struggled mightily in his last start. We may still have to wait for a run by the Dodgers but I still think it's coming. For Colorado though they are hitting out of this world right now particularly at home.
Troy Tulowitzki has kind of been the spark for that offense as he started the month an insane 28-for-47 (.560) at home back on May 5. I don't expect the Rockies to keep this up forever though. The most sane division in the NL is the East where the Braves and Nationals are in a tight race for first. Marlins surprisingly though have used solid pitching to hang in there as well only a game and a half back. I expect the Jose Fernandez injury to have a huge impact on that teams ability to keep this up though.


As we enter summer it is going to be interesting to see which teams can turn their slow starts around or which teams fall off a bit. Baseball is a long season so nothing is set in stone yet, but for baseball fans out there it hasn't been the start we saw coming.

11 Things That Need To Happen This NBA Offseason

Yes the NBA Playoffs are upon us and if the Miami Heat (up 3-2) can make it past the Pacers, we will see them meet the San Antonio Spurs, for what could be a very eventful NBA finals. Maybe the Spurs can participate in a final that wont garnish historically bad ratings.

D Rose missed the entire 2012-13 season.

But since most fans' teams are out of it many people have moved on to what should happen to their teams this offseason. So here is my unorthodox top 11 things that need to happen this offseason to make next season awesome.

11. Everyone needs to get healthy and stay healthy!

This season should be called the "what if?" season. Mainly because there were so many teams that had not just key players hurt but their best players out.

What if Derrick Rose came back? What if half the Bulls' team didn't drop like flies? Would the Bulls be competing in the conference finals right now? The Bulls' already had the defense like the Pacers, that could disrupt the heat except they would have an MVP candidate with Rose, something the Pacers don't have.

Speaking of the Pacers, how about this guy Paul George? He's becoming a bonafide star but the Pacers probably still don't have enough offense to overcome the heat. Paul George is doing everything he can but George Hill and Lance Stephenson combined for 5 points! But Imagine if they had their leading scorer from last year, Danny Granger. Would they be up 3-2 in the series?

Then you have a slew of other injuries that derailed the season for many teams; Russell Westbrook for the Thunder, David Lee for the Warriors, Danillo Gallinari for the Nuggets, Rajon Rondo for the Celtics, Andrew Bynum for the Sixers, Amar'e Stoudemire for the Knicks and all of the Lakers throughout the season.

Injuries happen but it doesn't usually happen to this many star players in one season. Danillo Galinari and Kobe Bryant might not come back until late next season but if everybody is healthy next year we are in for a great season.

10. Change Change and more Change

There are some players on some teams that will not thrive in this league until they go to a different team.

Cousins wants out of Sacramento.

Demarcus Cousins is one of those guys who need a change of scenery. Although he averaged 17.1 points and 9.9 rebounds he has not been happy in Sacramento like most Kings players. Although he is known for having character issues like Zach Randolph and Rasheed Wallace, he can move on to a better situation and thrive. He isn't a free agent but he should be traded.

Tyreke Evans also needs to move on from the Kings. He has the talent to be the go to guy on a losing team but if he really should be the third best player on a championship caliber team.

Either Monta Ellis or Brandon Jennings or even both need to leave the Bucks. New head coach Larry Drew probably wants to keep one of them and Jennings will probably stay because he is a restricted free agent. Either way Jennings isn't happy in Milwaukee and could help another team and so could Ellis.

Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap both need to leave the Utah Jazz as well. Millsap could be a great starter or bench player on a contender and Jefferson could be the final piece to put a team like Houston or even Dallas that can put them over the top.

9. The Wizards need to draft Otto Porter.

Yes the Wizard's didn't make the playoffs for the fifth year in a row but they have a lot to look forward for next year. 

John Wall and Nene entered the 2012-13 season injured but when they came back down the stretch the Wizards went 22-16. Bradley Beal also came on once wall returned and can help form a formidable backcourt. They also were one of the few young teams in the league that actually played defense.

Porter could push the Wizards in the playoffs.

The Wizards played out the rest of the season hard and for that the basketball Gods granted them with the third pick in the draft from a projected eighth pick. Which puts them in position to draft the perfect player for the one position that they need. 

Otto Porter can give them some more offense to complement Beal and Wall and can do all the multifaceted things that Trevor Ariza does now like defend and rebound. 

In reality Otto Porter needs the Wizards as much as they need him. He would have been a high draft pick regardless and it would have put pressure on him to be the go-to-guy on a team. He just doesn't project to be that guy. But if the Wizards draft Porter they will go to the playoffs next year.

8. The Philadelphia 76ers need to find out about Andrew Bynum's health.

The 76ers are in an awful situation. They gave up an olympic gold medalist in Andre Iguodala to get Andrew Bynum and then his season pooped the bed. Actually at risk of sounding gross it diarrhea'd the bed. Yes I know that was overboard but it is the only way to describe a season that was this terrible because Andrew Bynum re-injured his leg bowling.

Maybe the only time Bynum wore this jersey.

Now there are many reports that Bynum's knees are completely done. I don't know if they are or if they aren't but the 76ers need to figure out a way of knowing what Bynum has to offer. Because right now they are in a very damned if they do, Damned if they don't situation. Either they'll re-sign Bynum and lose out on a boatload of money or they'll risk him going to some other team and being dominant again.

I know I wouldn't want to be in the sixers' shoes. Hey at least Jrue Holiday is amazing.

Side note: Maybe they should trade Bynum to Phoenix for Marcin Gortat. Gortat isn't Bynum but is an upgrade over Spencer Hawes. Also Phoenix has a miracle training staff that can heal Bynum. Check the Suns track record of resurrecting players.

7. Josh Smith needs to go to a contender and stop shooting long jumpers.

Josh Smith's shooting percentage shot chart.
Courtesy of Vorped

Josh Smith has been a very good player in this league for a few years now and there has been 2 things that has held him back from taking the next step.

The first was Joe Johnson and Mike Woodson who decided to play a bunch of hero isolation ball. Smith would be a great complement to a superstar player but Johnson was not that. If he partners with James Harden and the Rockets if they don't land Dwight than he'll have a chance to go further than the 1st round of the playoffs.

Losing in the first round of the playoffs has to be monotonous right?

Maybe Iso Joe's game rubbed off on Josh Smith because he's gained a very irrational confidence in his jumpshot. Although he shot an atrocious 29.9 percent from the midrange he continued to take long 2's. He is obviously good around the basket but he needs to work on his shot selection.


6. Blake Griffin and Serge Ibaka need to develop their offense.

Blake Griffin's shot chart. via Vorped

Both these guys are similar in one way. They both are in the NBA mainly because of their tremendous athletic ability. But both are limited offensively in different ways.

Blake jumper make him look like Iron Man because it is so robotic. Ironically his jumper tends to clank off of the iron. Griffin is great around the basket but he needs to shoot better to take his team to the next level.

Serge Ibaka has absolutely no post game at all but he sure does have a pure stroke from the mid range. If he could develop a low post game, one that the Oklahoma City Thunder sorely need, the Thunder would have a big three again. A low post scorer is more potent than a third

perimeter scorer because it can open lanes for Durant and Westbrook. It could also make an already potent offense less stagnant.

Ibaka is already a great off ball defender and free throw shooter so the only hole in his game is a low post game.

This is why I think that Ibaka and Blake Griffin both need to spend not a week, not a month, but a whole summer with Hakeem Olajuwon. If Im the Thunder or the Clippers Im packing their bags myself and sending them to Houston for summer camp Olajuwon on the team's tab as soon as possible.

5. The Thunder need to amnesty Kendrick Perkins.

Although it has been reported that OKC Thunder general Manager Sam Presti has no intentions of amnestying Perkins, he should at least consider it.

Getting Perkins for Jeff Green a few years ago transformed the Thunder into legitamate contenders but

now he has regressed into a liability. Yes he can guard bigger centers in the league but that is about all he can do now.

Perkins' production has deteriorated recently.

He can't score and he can't rebound which was evident in the playoffs, he averaged 2 points and 3 rebounds. They can find a cheaper big body like a Brandon Wright who can actually add some scoring in the front court. Perkins couldn't even catch and finish layups against the Grizzlies. 

Maybe if Perkins only made 3 or 4 million a year than it would be acceptable but he is owed over 18 million over the next two years. Letting him go can open up a chance to gain some cap relief and a mid level exception. 

The Thunder can maybe draft an offensive oriented center like Kelly Olynyk to help bring in offense in the post for cheap so they won't have to amnesty Perkins but he has to play better.

4. The Knicks need to find a way to get younger and score more.

Carmelo needs help.

The Knicks had a successful season and a non-successful season. Before the season started nobody expected the Knicks to have the second best record in the east. But they played great for the most part of the season despite filling the roster with stragglers two days away from nursing homes.

The old roster caught up with them in the playoffs because Rasheed Wallace went down, Marcus Camby did nothing at all and Jason Kidd didn't score at all in the playoffs. He might still be missing open three's in his backyard.

I don't know how they can do it but they need to get rid of all the old people and maybe let J.R. Smith go and look to groom Shumpart. They should also give Chris Copeland an extended role and pray that Amar'e stays healthy.

I have been on and off the Amar'e and Carmelo band wagon. Deep down I think they can somehow work only if Amar'e stays healthy. But now it is probably a safer bet that Lindsay Lohan resurrects her career.

Andre Iguodala would be a perfect fit
for the Cavs... if they give up on the
LeBron sweepstakes.

3. The Cavs need to sign Andre Iguodala if they want to make the playoffs but shouldn't if they want LeBron.

This is a move that the Cavs could push to make and be a solid threat to making the playoffs next year. But it is also a move that I think they will not make because Dan Gilbert is holding out hope that they land LeBron James next summer.

If they sign Iggy to a long term deal that will kill the hopes of bringing LeBron back to Cleveland. But what if they pass up on Iggy and LeBron burns them again? Do they hope they get lucky again and get Andrew Wiggins in next years draft?

It is possible that they could make the playoffs with a different small forward if they draft Nerlens Noel and he actually makes it back be December. Also if Anderson Varejao stays healthy for an extended period of time for once.

Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters are only going to get better next year so they can still make the playoffs in the east but I would probably wait on LeBron. Sorry Iggy.


2. Chris Paul needs to stay with the Clippers but they need to get rid of DeAndre Jordan.

Chris Paul should sign back with the Clippers. Unless He can team up with Dwight Howard and Al Horford in Atlanta. But I don't think that will happen because Dwight doesn't want to play in Atlanta.

So Paul should go back to the Clippers and develop more on his duo with Blake Griffin. Yes there has been some trials and tribulations in their relationship but something tells me that Blake would rather have Paul than not have him.

Paul should return to the Clips.

Besides Paul needs to push Griffin. Blake has so much talent that isn't getting realized. Which is why I said he needs to improve his offense. That way they can make it past the second round of the playoffs.

The Clippers fired their coach Vinny Del Negro in an attempt to appease CP3 but it has back fired. Paul is now pissed that he is perceived as they reason Vinny was kicked to the curb. The reality was that Del Negro needed to go based on his fit with the team although he had a great year.

They need a coach that focuses on defense --like Byron Scott, who they are reportedly talking to-- to make this team better. They also need someone who knows how to coach in clutch situations and Del Negro failed doing that on to many occasions.

The other problem is DeAndre Jordan. Although he is great for dunks and highlights, his game is very limited. He can't shoot at all and his free throw shooting is among the worst in the league. He also doesn't really give them a great amount of defense and can't play down the stretch in games, therefore he needs to go somehow.

Either he needs be traded maybe to get somebody like Al Jefferson in a sign and trade or he needs to get substantially better but I doubt he can do it.


1. Dwight Howard needs to go to the Houston Rockets.

Howard does not fit with the Los Angelos Lakers. I know that the front office wants to resign him but only because they put so many eggs in his basket when they traded for him. They are in denial that Dwight can be the next Wilt or Kareem but he can't.

Howard and Asik can work side by side next year.

He just isn't built for the bright lights of LA and besides the Lakers are not in the best position to compete. Kobe could miss most of the season and the rest of the team is old and a defensive liability.

Many people think that he will go back to LA because they can offer a 5 year 118 million dollar deal but he would probably opt out of it in the fourth year. Also Houston has no state tax so that narrows the gap between the 88 million they can offer and the 118 million the Lakers can offer.

There is no shame in Dwight Howard going to a better basketball situation. James Harden is the best young shooting guard in the game right now and he has no issue sharing the ball. Chandler Parson's is capable of becoming a great third scorer and they have a ton of shooters to free up Dwight Howard down low.

They can also play Omer Asik and Howard together as an overpowering defensive duo. The Rockets would automatically become a candidate to contend in the western conference and add another intriguing story to the league.