By: Mike Wagenman (@mjwags23)
After yesterday’s first part of my NBA mock draft, I have gone all-out and finished the first round. I was thinking about doing a second round mock, but the second round of the NBA draft is pretty low-key. Catch the first part of my mock here, and the second half just below:
By: Mike Wagenman (@mjwags23)
The Conference Finals are set to begin already, just a day after the Pacers finished off the Knicks in the only remaining series of round two. Will the Heat advance to their third straight NBA Finals? Will San Antonio get back to the promised land that Gregg Popovich knows so well?
Find out:
By: Mike Wagenman (@mjwags23)
Today is the NBA’s first day off since the playoffs began. So, in the spirit of an off day, let’s regroup and discuss the winners and losers of the playoffs so far.
Winners
Golden State’s backcourt: Stephen Curry is playing out of his mind and is capturing the attention of the nation’s basketball fans. He set records this season, but his coming out party is currently in session. Curry is averaging 26.5 points in the playoffs to go along with 8.9 assists and 2.0 steals. He is knocking down 46.3 percent of his shots and 43.1 percent of his three pointers. Curry has owned the third quarter, and not to mention, he led the sixth-seeded Warriors to a first round series victory over the Nuggets and has stolen home court advantage from the Spurs.
Klay Thompson’s value to the Warriors has been on display in the first two games of the second round. In game one, he fouled out, and then the Warriors collapsed. In game two, he notched 34 points including 29 in the first half. Thompson is averaging 17.6 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 47.9 percent from the floor and 41.7 percent from downtown. His effectiveness allows Mark Jackson to play him at small forward late in the game, so Jarrett Jack and Curry can pair in the backcourt. This creates a much quicker lineup, which is much more difficult for San Antonio to contain.
Don’t forget Jack. He is shooting an even 50.0 percent from the floor in the playoffs, averaging 17.0 points, 6.0 assists and 4.6 rebounds. His veteran leadership and knowledge of when to slow down the offense has benefitted the Warriors all playoffs, especially Wednesday night when they almost collapsed again.
By: Mike Wagenman (@mjwags23)
The Knicks and Grizzlies head into tonight’s matchups facing a 1-0 series deficit. New York lost home court advantage when it laid an egg in game one against Indiana. Memphis lost on a Kevin Durant mid-range jumper with 11 seconds left, and put up much harder of a fight than did the Knicks. If either team wants to even the series up before traveling to a new venue, here is what they must do:
By: Mike Wagenman (@mjwags23)
After it looked like nearly all the first round series were heading towards a sweep, the playoffs took a bit of a turn. Five series went to six games and one went down to the final minutes of game seven.
The second round features some potentially entertaining and high-flying matchups. It tips off in just a few minutes, so, with that, here is who I’m picking to move on and battle for a conference title.
By: Mike Wagenman (@mjwags23)
Tonight’s NBA schedule features four game sixes, two out west and two in the east.
Boston has turned a 3-0 series deficit into a 3-2 deficit against New York, and Houston has done the same against Oklahoma City.
The home team has won all five games in Indiana’s series against Atlanta, and Memphis has reeled off three straight wins after being down two games to none to being its series with the Clippers.
There can only be four winners. Who will they be? Find out here:
By: Mike Wagenman
Going The Distance’s list of the NBA’s top 30 centers continues today with No. 10-6. Scroll down to the bottom of the article to find the previously posted rankings (No. 30-11).
10. Roy Hibbert – Indiana Pacers: Hibbert has the ideal frame of a dominant center at seven-foot-two, 280 pounds. As recently as last season, he was in the conversation involving the NBA’s top centers, but since signing a max-deal with Indiana, he has been labeled “undeserving”.
Sure, Hibbert had an unstoppable floater/hook shot combo that has become somewhat stoppable this season. He also was one of the league’s best back-to-the-basket players, but has suddenly lost the ability to draw double-teams. Amidst all the negativity surrounding Hibbert, his offensive numbers are still strong for a team that prides itself on defense, and have not dipped as much as it may seem since last season. Also, Hibbert is the defensive anchor of his defensive-minded team.
He averages 11.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocks, the highest blocks per game average of his career and good for fourth in the NBA. Last season was Hibbert’s best, as he scored 12.8 points per game, grabbed 8.8 boards per game and swatted away 2.0 shots per game.
Going The Distance 