NBA Mid-Year Review: Teams That Shouldn't Win the Rest of the Season

            Here’s our second installment in our NBA mid-season review. If you missed the first one, click here. Today we discuss the teams that in the interest of their long-term outlook should lose the rest of their games. We group teams in this category if they either have no realistic chance at winning the NBA title, or no other motivations to win games (an example would be a team that doesn’t have the rights to it’s first round pick this June).
            Before we list the teams, let’s discuss the reason so many clubs should want to end up in the lottery. To put it in laymen’s terms…the 2014 draft class is fucking loaded. No Credentials ranks the top eight players on the board as guys that if they were in last year’s class, should’ve been the top ranked prospect. Here are the guys that everyone should be tanking for, as currently ranked by ESPN’s Chad Ford.

1. Joel Embiid, C, Kansas = Embiid has flown up draft boards across the country, with some feeling he has the ceiling to eventually be the next Hakeem Olajuwon. At worst, he’s the next Dikembe Mutombo.
2. Andrew Wiggins, SG, Kansas = Best compared to a new version of pre-injury Tracy McGrady, he’s the guy No Credentials would take first.
3. Jabari Parker, SF, Duke = Reminds me of a Carmelo Anthony type player, who can also be adequate as a small-ball four. He’ll be the favorite for rookie of the year next year.
4. Dante Exum, PG, Australia = He’s 6-6 and can play both guard spots if necessary. If I were running the Celtics and knew for sure I would be getting Exum in the draft, I’d trade Rondo in a nanosecond.
5. Julius Randle, PF, Kentucky = Randle is the player who’s slipped the most from his preseason ranking, but he’s still a guy that could easily average a double-double in the NBA.
6. Marcus Smart, PG, Oklahoma State = The rare sophomore that has actually improved his draft status by returning for a second year in school. I’ll compare Smart to a young Deron Williams (emphasis on young, not the ankle twisting bum that has ruined two of my fantasy basketball teams in the last three years).
7. Aaron Gordon, PF, Arizona = Gordon is referenced by Chad Ford as “a virtual clone of Blake Griffin”. Last time I checked, Griffin was the first pick in a draft, and is pretty damn good at playing basketball.
8. Dario Saric, PF, Croatia = Saric has the rare combo of being 6-10 and having point-guard level passing skills. If he improves his jump shot, we could be talking about a future offensive juggernaut.

         So suffice it to say, if you’re in the top 8, chances are you’re ending up with a building block for a championship contender.

10. Dallas Mavericks

26-20, 8^th in Western Conference
Good News = Dirk Nowitzki is back after an injury plagued 2012-13.
Bad News = Unless Monte Ellis is feeling it, no one other than Dirk can score.
What They Should Do = Looking at this roster, it’s hard to believe that Dallas is above .500 playing in the ridiculous Western Conference. It’s truly a testament to the coaching of Rick Carlisle and the greatness of Dirk Nowitzki. Mark Cuban has infamously whiffed in his efforts to pair a marquee player with Dirk over the past few years (although his incompetence did pay off when Deron Williams chose to re-up with the Nets), but this off-season stands to be different. Dirk will be an unrestricted free agent, and there are whispers that he could give the Mavericks a hometown discount. Couple that with some larger contracts coming off the books (Shawn Marion for $9.3 millions, Vince Carter for $3.2 million), and Dallas should again have the cash flow to pursue a marquee free agent. To that end, tanking to insure they get a lottery pick to bolster their 2014-15 core would make more sense than fighting for an eighth seed and getting swept in the first round. Marion or Carter would be interesting options for playoff contenders looking to add depth, and could add a couple of second round picks. Dallas doesn’t have the pieces to pull off a big time trade, so a ‘Melo type trade for Dallas is unlikely. In the end, I think Dallas will be stubborn and stick with what they have until the bitter end.

12. Memphis Grizzlies

22-20, 9^th in Western Conference
Good News = No one in the West plays better defense than Memphis, and they’ve treaded water without Marc Gasol.
Bad News = Only Utah plays worse offense, and they have very little perimeter scoring.
What They Should Do = Memphis is the last team in the NBA playing like Pat Riley’s old Knicks teams in the early ‘90s. Unfortunately, that style of play will no longer get you to the NBA Finals. Barring a miracle trade for a premier wing player, the Grizzlies aren’t going anywhere fast. It’s a proud bunch, so I don’t expect them to begin tanking games, but that would be the smart thing to do.

13. Phoenix Suns

26-18, 7^th in Western Conference
Good News = No team in the league (Trail Blazers included) has exceeded expectations more than the Phoenix Suns. Jeff Hornacek might be one of the eight best coaches in the league already.
Bad News = Eric Bledsoe is out for another month.
What They Should Do = It’s great having the Suns back as an entertaining basketball team. Bledsoe was getting the majority of the publicity before he went down, but it’s been the exceptional play of Goran Dragic that has taken Phoenix to another level. The Suns are one of the few playoff contending clubs in the league that have cap space, and they are also blessed with Emeka Okafor’s $14.5 million expiring contract. Theoretically, they could trade for a max player today. The best news of all for Phoenix is their strength in the 2014 draft. While currently they wouldn’t have a lottery pick, there’s a chance they will have four picks in the first round (Phoenix needs to the Timberwolves to make the playoffs so their pick isn’t protected for the Suns to land a fourth pick. Their other two selections are coming from Washington and Indiana). Losing to put their own pick in the lottery makes the most logical sense, but long term Phoenix has a bright future whether or not they end up with a top-10 selection. 

14. Denver Nuggets

22-21, 10^th in Western Conference
Good News = After looking clueless for the first month, rookie coach Brian Shaw has finally settled on a relatively consistent rotation.
Bad News = Danilo Gallinari is done for the year, leaving a gaping hole at small forward.
What They Should Do = One of the few No Credentials pre-season predictions that has rung true so far, Denver looks to be heading to the lottery for the first time in many years. JaVale McGee’s contract extension looks like a disaster so far, as the team has actually done better since he got hurt. Not to sound like a broken record, but just like the other Western teams, it makes more sense to lose and increase your ping-pong balls than fight for the right to get slaughtered in the first round. Denver has numerous low-cost assets that could net them some future draft picks if they choose to move them.

15. Toronto Raptors

23-21, 4th in Eastern Conference
Good News = Toronto immediately improved after trading Rudy “The Brick Layer” Gay.
Bad News = There’s very little chance they end up with Canadian prodigy Andrew Wiggins.
What They Should Do = Our first Eastern team on this list is the perfect time to discuss an issue that will hamper every team in the conference to tank. Toronto would be tenth in the West right now, but in the pathetic East they are the fourth best team. It’s ridiculous. Even if Toronto tried to lose the rest of their games, they wouldn’t be able too. This ultimately will play a role in whether or not they trade Kyle Lowry, who is far and away their most tradeable asset. Lowry is cheap (only costs $6.2 million this year), talented (he’s been carrying the team since Rudy Gay left town), and his contract expires after the season. Other than Oklahoma City, every other championship contending team in the league would have to think about sending a first round pick to Toronto for his services. Ultimately, we expect the Raptors to stand pat and enjoy being a playoff participant.

16. Atlanta Hawks

23-20, 3rd in Eastern Conference
Good News = Jeff Teague has raised his level of production, and Paul Millsap has proven to be one of the best free agent bargains.
Bad News = Al Horford is out with a torn pectoral muscle, and is unlikely to return even if Atlanta makes it to the playoffs.
What They Should Do = Stuck in the same scenario as Toronto, Atlanta will also likely do little around the deadline, which is a damn shame because this team is built to trade. Horford is the only player making more than $10 million a year, and rest of the roster is a combo of short and economical contracts. Kyle Korver, Louis Williams, and Elton Brand all have skill sets that would be attractive to contending clubs.

18. Chicago Bulls

22-21, 5^th in Eastern Conference
Good News = Tom Thibeadeau is the best coach in the NBA, and is getting everything he can out of a stripped down roster.
Bad News = They are still winning games despite the loss of Derrick Rose to injury and Luol Deng to a trade with Cleveland.
What They Should Do = Chicago is living evidence of why it’s so difficult for an Eastern Conference team to lose games on purpose this year. Even without Rose and Deng, they are 7-3 in their last ten games. Here are a couple of things the Bulls could do to make their roster even worse this year in the efforts of landing a marquee free agent this summer and landing a higher draft pick.

1. Amnesty Carlos Boozer – Boozer has a player option for next year that he will likely exercise (his days of being worth near-max money were over four years ago, which ironically enough is around the time he signed with Chicago), making it very difficult for Chicago to trade him. Cutting him now would save $15.3 million for next year.
2. Trade Kirk Hinrich somewhere for a second round pick – Plenty of teams in the league need reliable back-up point guards. Hinrich has the added bonus of playoff experience.

         The Bulls are a notoriously cheap organization, so we expect Boozer to stay in uniform for the rest of the year (Chicago would still have to pay him money if they amnesty him), but a Hinrich trade makes so much sense it hurts. Chicago would be able to add to its draft pick stash. They have two valuable assets in the form of protected picks from Sacramento and Charlotte.

20. Sacramento Kings

15-28, 14^th in Western Conference
Good News = DeMarcus Cousins has morphed into the best low-post scorer in the league, and Rudy Gay rediscovered his shooting stroke after being traded from Toronto.
Bad News = Both of those players got hurt in the same game this past Wednesday.
What They Should Do = The Kings made one of the stranger moves of the season when they acquired Gay, but at least his play has built a sense of hope for the future. Sacramento should lose as many games as possible down the stretch, because if their pick falls out of the top-12 this year, it will be shipped to Chicago. A lottery pick added to the duo of Cousins and Gay could be the start of something big. Like Atlanta, the Kings have plenty of useful players that contending teams would be willing to trade second round picks for. We’d love to see Jimmer Fredette end up somewhere where he can get the chance to bomb threes at will.

22. Charlotte Bobcats

19-27, 8^th in Eastern Conference
Good News = Somehow, they are eighth in the East. Also, they are changing their name to the Hornets next year, which is fucking awesome.
Bad News = If they continue to play at their current level of competence, there’s a strong possibility their first round pick will be shipped to the Bulls.
What They Should Do = Charlotte is another relatively surprising team that has taken steps this season. Al Jefferson was a great signing, as he’s the first legitimate post scorer the Bobcats have ever had. Both Cleveland and New York will likely pass Charlotte in the standings, so we forecast that they should hang on to their first round pick. The Bobcats also will fetch an additional first rounder from Detroit if the pick ends up outside the top-8 (most lottery projections have it landing at 10 right now). Ben Gordon has a ridiculous $13.2 million expiring deal that should be used to net the Bobcats some assets before the trade deadline.

23. Detroit Pistons

17-27, 9^th in Eastern Conference
Good News = Andre Drummond is legit.
Bad News = The Josh Smith signing has been a disaster.
What They Should Do = Let’s burn the damn forest down. For one, the Pistons need to fire Joe Dumars. Sure he was a Hall of Fame player back in the day, and built the 2004 NBA Champions, but it’s been all down hill since. Second, the front line of Drummond-Smith-Monroe needs to be broken up. There was a time when three huge dudes could dominate in the NBA, but in a day where floor spacing is so important, but unless one of them can shoot, that can’t happen anymore. Monroe is the most tradeable asset, as his $4 million rookie deal is up after the season. Monroe should fetch a fair amount on the trade market, as there isn’t many opportunities to pick up young, inexpensive seven-footers.

25. Orlando Magic

12-33, 14^th in Eastern Conference
Good News = Victor Oladipo is a stat-stuffer who looks like he could eventually develop into a top-3 player on contending club.
Bad News = Jameer Nelson has somehow been their starting point guard for like eight years.
What They Should Do = Of all these shitty teams, you could make a strong case that Orlando has the best long-term outlook. They drafted the guy that in retrospect should’ve been the first overall pick in last year’s draft. Tobias Harris has missed a bunch of time, which means they lost even more games. Due to the struggles of both Denver and the Knicks, Orlando is currently in position to net a second lottery pick in the 2014 draft (the Knicks should get their act together and get out of the lottery, but you never know). Their own pick should end up solidly in the top 5, which means they’ll end up with a future franchise player regardless of how the draft plays out in front of them. The Magic could be back in the playoff picture as early as next year if things break right.  

26. Los Angeles Lakers

16-29, 13^th in Western Conference
Good News = Pau Gasol has rebuilt the majority of his trade value, giving the Lakers arguably the most valuable trade chip on the market.
Bad News = Kobe Bryant continues to miss games, which is a damn shame for everyone.
What They Should Do = It sounds that the folks running the Lakers have finally realized this team is going no where, as rumors about Pau Gasol being shopped have picked up. Gasol is the rare combination of all-star caliber center paired with a mammoth $18.3 million expiring contract. A wide array of teams should be calling the Lakers about Gasol in the interest of contending, saving money, or doing both at the same time.

 

 

27. Boston Celtics

15-31, 12^th in Eastern Conference
Good News = Rajon Rondo is back, Brad Stevens is a hell of a coach, and the team is still losing. Also, they’ve acquired six additional first round picks over the next five years.
Bad News = They might not have enough ping pong balls when May rolls around.
What They Should Do = Just lose baby! Short term, it sucks watching a team lose, but in Boston’s case, it’s the absolute right thing to do. If the draft lottery was to happen today, the Celtics would have the fourth most ping pong balls, which means they wouldn’t pick any lower than seventh. To put it in simple terms, they would definitely get a possible franchise player. I would not advise a trade of Rajon Rondo, as he isn’t good enough to single-handedly lift Boston into playoff contention, but he’s capable enough to be one of your best three players on a championship team. Furthermore, he’s relatively inexpensive. Danny Ainge should only trade Rondo if he’s also unloading Gerald Wallace’s atrocious contract with it. Kris Humphries has put up an 18.9 PER so far, and would add quality big-man minutes to a contender. He also has the benefit of an expiring contract. It would be foolish not to trade him. Other guys that I would consider moving would be Jeff Green (better suited as the top scoring option off the bench than a lead-dog role), Brandon Bass (a lesser version of Humphries, with the plus of playoff experience) and Avery Bradley (I don’t see him developing into a franchise player, but he could give quality defensive minutes to a contender).

28. Philadelphia 76ers

14-31, 13^th in Eastern Conference
Good News = Michael Carter-Williams will be a legit NBA point guard for the foreseeable future, and the Pelicans pick will definitely end up in the lottery.
Bad News = They’ve won more games already than many experts predicted they would win the entire year.
What They Should Do = If I could have my choice of which team to become the GM for, it would be the 76ers. There’s a realistic possibility that they could have four lottery picks out of back-to-back drafts starting for them next season. Nerlens Noel will be held out of games this year, but should develop into a strong defensive presence once healthy. We already discussed Williams, who has exceeded all expectations in his first year in the league. They currently would have the third most ping-pong balls if the draft lottery were to be held today, which means their own pick wouldn’t fall lower than sixth (meaning worst case scenario, they are getting Julius Randle or one of the elite foreign dudes), and unless New Orleans ends up with a top-5 pick, they’ll get another selection right around the ten spot. To ensure more ping-pong balls, I would trade Spencer Hawes (a stretch big who I’d love to see in Oklahoma City, but he could contribute anywhere), Evan Turner (not efficient, but can carry a team on some nights. His expiring contract would make some sense for Memphis to acquire), and Thaddeus Young (reasonably priced, and can fit as a small-ball 5 if necessary).

29. Utah Jazz

15-29, 15^th in Western Conference
Good News = Trey Burke looks like a long-term starter in the NBA, and they are by far the worst team in the most difficult conference.
Bad News = Enes Kanter has mostly looked like a stiff.
What They Should Do = The lowest ranked West team, Utah’s winning percentage should drop as the season goes along (the last quarter of the year is heavier with conference play). I would move Gordon Hayward out of town to ensure having as shitty a team as humanly possible.

30. Milwaukee Bucks

8-36, 15^th in Eastern Conference
Good News = They won’t have double digit wins until February, and the Greek Freak can ball.
Bad News = Milwaukee’s owner actually wanted this roster to contend for a playoff spot.
What Should They Do = We wrote that it was a strange roster before the season, and they haven’t disappointed. Buck’s coach Larry Drew yanks everyone’s minutes around on a nightly basis, which in a case of incompetence paying off, has led to Milwaukee having a commanding lead in the race for the first pick. There are players with value here, so anything they can do to accumulate draft picks and losses should be exercised. Caron Butler always seems to be overrated for his playoff experience, so it’s reasonable to think he could net them a second rounder.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Past Weekend (11/30-12/2)

10. NBA Fines Spurs $250K For “Restgate”
            It’s relatively amusing that Danny Green, the youngest player that Greg Popovich sent home for last Thursday’s game in Miami, now is dealing with a pulled hamstring.

9. LA Galaxy Win Their Second Straight MLS Championship

            Roughly 23,000 people give a shit.

8. Northern Illinois Crashes BCS Party

            Congrats to the Mid-American Conference champions for earning the right to get blown out by 35 points against Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.

7. Denver Broncos Clinch the AFC West

            Not a lot of folks would’ve predicted that Denver would have a playoff spot wrapped up with four games to play in the regular season.

6. Michonne Kills the Governor’s Zombie Daughter, Than Stabs Him in the Eye With a Shard of Glass on “The Walking Dead”.

            That headline pretty much sums up the reason the mid-season finale made the list.

5. Sidney Rice Nearly Gets Head Torn Off While Scoring Game-Winning Touchdown

            For a guy who’s dealt with concussions throughout his career, this was a truly inspiring effort by Sidney Rice. Seattle appears to have a firm hold on the second wildcard spot in the NFC with three of their four remaining games at home. 
          
4. Orlando Magic Win First Game Against Dwight Howard
            Orlando won’t have a lot to get excited about this season (unless you’re a fan of watching Glen Davis drawing charges), so good for them for embarrassing their former franchise player Sunday night.

3. Charlie Batch Leads Stunning Steelers Comeback at Baltimore
            It’s a minor miracle that Charlie Batch is still employed by a NFL team, much less leading a fourth quarter rally against Pittsburgh’s most hated rival. If Ben Roethlisberger is leading the Steelers to a Super Bowl title in January, this is the game that will have started the run.

2. Alabama Wins Epic SEC Title Game, Earns BCS Championship Berth

            No Credentials predicts that Alabama will have a much easier time with Notre Dame than they did with Georgia.

1. Chiefs Win Despite Tragic Events a Day Earlier

            I can’t even get mad about Kansas City booting No Credentials out of the Sportsbook Survivor Pool (I had chosen Carolina Friday night) after what they overcame to win on Sunday.

Is Dwight Howard a Dumbass? An Objective Analysis

            Carmelo Anthony. Shaquille O’Neal (multiple times). Pau Gasol. Vince Carter (pathetically, but he still accomplished his goal). Kevin Garnett. Leaving the NBA for a second, John Elway. Eli Manning. Roger Clemens. Jaromir Jagr. These are all players who were A-Level talents at their professions who managed to force a trade. It shouldn’t be that hard. Superstar player utilizes the media to share his displeasure with his current situation, holds his team’s future hostage, with the team eventually blinking and moving him for anywhere from $0.25 to $0.75 on the dollar. Teams eventually have to blink because unless they are a large market that can attract free agents, they need to get back something for the loss of a superstar. Otherwise, they make one last run with their star and then watch him go (see: Cleveland Cavaliers, 2010).
            Incredibly, Dwight Howard, far and away the most talented center in the NBA, fucked this up. Everyone who followed the league for the past year knew that Dwight wanted to land in Brooklyn. With a chance to opt out after the 2012 season, it seemed like a slam-dunk that he would end up there eventually. The Nets didn’t have the necessary pieces to complete a midseason trade (thank the balky feet of Brook Lopez for that), but all Dwight had to do was wait 3 months for the season to end to leave. This could’ve happened without Brooklyn gutting half of their roster to acquire him. All that was required was patience. Unfortunately, “Superman” took one of the worst blind leaps of faith in sports history.
            Shortly before the deadline, Dwight agreed to not opt out of his contract, which would allow Orlando to obtain the rights to him through the 2013 season, and stripping him of the chance to hit the open market this summer. How does a player who has been pining for a trade suddenly opts in to another year with the trade he wanted to leave? Here’s a conversation that No Credentials is fairly certain occurred between Howard and former Magic GM Otis Smith back in March.

Smith: I can’t trade you to New Jersey. Have you seen their roster? It’s dogshit.

Howard: Ya I understand.
Smith: But here’s what I’m going to do. I want you to opt in for next season.
Howard: Why would I do that?
Smith: Because I promise I’ll trade you this summer to Brooklyn. We can make one more playoff run. It’ll be a sign and trade, you’ll get an extra year of max money, we’ll find a third team to participate to sweeten the deal…who doesn’t win?
Howard: You promise?
Smith: Promise.
Howard: Okay.

            One slight hitch with this plan…Smith got fired along with just about everyone else in the Orlando management staff (including Dwight’s best friend, Mr. Stan Van Jeremy, I mean, Stan Van Gundy). Stuck with a new GM that is hell bent on acquiring draft picks and inexpensive young talent (he’s a former member of the Thunder’s front office, so would you expect any less?), Brooklyn became an even less likely destination via trade. Stunningly, Dwight went to the NBAPA to accuse the Magic of “blackmailing” him (I thought blackmail was something that only happened in Michael Douglas movies) into opting in. Tired of building failed three and four team trades (the Cavs would’ve pulled the trigger on a deal last week if they didn’t start getting backlash for helping to build another super-team in the NBA), Brooklyn went ahead and resigned Brook Lopez for four years and $60 million (in other words, about $15 million too much for a seven-footer who can barely average six boards a game), taking the Nets’ most valuable trade chip off the table until at least January (there’s a time-period where a newly signed player can’t be traded).

            Is Dwight Howard a moron, assuming he opted in for next season under the pretense that he was going to get traded this summer? Yes. It didn’t take a rocket scientist (or for that matter, a fifth grader) to figure out that Orlando’s ownership was going to clean house. Not knowing the motives or ideals of an unknown GM, it would’ve been best for Howard to stand pat, play out last season, and then join the Nets through free agency (again, assuming that that is what he wanted all along). It’s a shame the Nets and Dwight won’t get together anytime soon. They deserved each other.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Past Weekend (4/27-4/29)

10. Nike Shoe Designer Mocks Derrick Rose on Twitter
            This story wouldn’t have been a big deal if it weren’t for the fact that Jason Petrie happens to be the man who designed Lebron Jame’s signature sneakers. Petrie should’ve used his head and realized that trying to play 66 games in 120 days had much more to do with Rose breaking down than what brand of shoes he was wearing.

9. Redskins Draft Kirk Cousins in Fourth Round

            I’d be totally cool with Washington taking a flier on Cousins (it’s not a bad investment to draft a quarterback late and turn it into future draft picks via trade. Think of what the Patriots did with Matt Cassel as a prime example). The problem is they already gave up three draft picks (including their next two first-rounders) on their presumed quarterback of the future, Robert Griffin III. Shouldn’t a team that isn’t all that great be focusing on adding as many parts as possible around Griffin instead of taking a guy that they might be able to trade in three years? This serves as another reminder that the best part of being a Dallas Cowboys fan is having the Redskins in your division.

8. Cowboys First Round Pick Morris Claiborne Claims He Blew Off Wonderlic Test

            Reportedly his score on the Wonderlic was a 4, so claiming he didn’t give a damn about it was a wise move by the Cowboys’ prized new cornerback.

7. Water Bottle Takes Victory Away From Tony Stewart, Gives it to Kyle Busch

            NASCAR is claiming that there was sheet metal on the track, but Tony Stewart will go to his grave blaming an empty water bottle for taking a sure victory away from him Saturday night. Saturday’s win capped a huge weekend for Kyle Busch, who’s brother Kurt delivered his Nationwide team it’s first victory.

6. Josh Smith Dominates KG, Rondo Earns a Suspension

            For a team that appeared to have a clear path to the Eastern Conference Finals set-up by the Derrick Rose injury, Boston had about as bad a Game 1 as they could’ve had. They’ll need a huge game from Paul Pierce in Game 2 to even the series.

5. Kings Steal Game 1 in St. Louis

            L.A. already took down Vancouver, so the Blues should be a piece of cake right? If Jonathan Quick keeps standing tall, this series will be a short one.

4. Howard-less Magic Score 11 Unanswered Points, Steal Game 1 in Indiana

            What an embarrassing loss for Indiana. No Credentials predicted that Game 1 is the one time Indiana will let its guard down against an undermanned Magic squad, and was handsomely rewarded for a hefty wager on the Pacers in Game 2.

3. Heat Annihilate Knicks

            I’ll make a long story short and come out with the truth…I bet a shit-ton of money on the Heat laying 7.5 points. They won by 33. Good times for No Credentials.

2. Danny Briere Scores “Twice” in Overtime, Flyers Take Game 1

            Briere kicked a puck into the net early in overtime (which was quickly overturned), but made up for it with a well-placed wrist shot. New Jersey was the dominant team in the first period, but ran out of steam the rest of the way.

1. Durant’s Clutch Jumper Gives Thunder Game 1 Win

            It wasn’t the most graceful looking shot, but two points is two points.             

Bonus 1. Grizzlies Pull Epic Choke, Lose to Clippers

            I never claim to be an expert on anything (except how to build a team in Madden’s Franchise mode), but I’m pretty sure that when you are up by 27 points, you’re supposed to win the game. Things would look better for the Clippers if Caron Butler hadn’t of broken his hand.

           

                                                                                                          

Slightly More Informed NBA 1st Round Picks

            I’m not going to spend that much time here because it looks like it will be a mostly chalk first round.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Chicago Bulls vs. #8 Indiana Pacers

            Indiana can run and gun a little bit, but Chicago’s overwhelming defense will be too much for them. I would be surprised if any of these games were close.

Prediction = Bulls in 4

#2 Miami Heat vs. #7 Philadelphia 76ers

            Some of you may think I’m on drugs, but I expect this to be the most competitive first-round series in the Eastern Conference. Remember back in 2008, when Boston’s Big 3 played its first playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks? Joe Johnson and Josh Smith played out of their minds during the Hawks’ home games, and ended up pushing Boston to seven games. 76ers coach Doug Collins has had his group playing inspired defense since the New Year. Miami obviously has the best three players, but Philadelphia probably has the 4^th through 11^th best. Look for plenty of drama, and a spike in “What’s wrong with the Heat?” stories on ESPN (because we haven’t been force fed enough of those all year).

Prediction = Heat in 7

#3 Boston Celtics vs. # New York Knicks

            Boston has looked like a drunken college student playing Madden at 2 am ever since the February trade deadline, but the Knicks are the perfect opponent to get them fired up. The Knicks actually believe that they are a very dangerous team, and are dumb enough to talk that up with the media. Garnett and Pierce will not let Boston lose this series.

Prediction = Celtics in 6

#4 Orlando Magic vs. #5 Atlanta Hawks

            Atlanta always chokes in the postseason (with the exception of 2008 against Boston). There undersized front-line will be no match against Dwight Howard.

Prediction = Magic in 4

WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 San Antonio Spurs vs. #8 Memphis Grizzlies

            I’m predicting a Spurs sweep, but I also am willing to bet Memphis will be in every game. Memphis plays real tough defense, but when you rely on a few crazy dudes (Zack Randolph, O.J. Mayo, Tony Allen), you should expect a few late-game breakdowns.

Prediction = Spurs in 4

#2 Los Angeles Lakers vs. #7 New Orleans Hornets

            It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Lakers win every game by more than 10 points. Along with the Bulls-Pacers, this is the most lop-sided match-up of the first round.

Prediction = Lakers in 4

#3 Dallas Mavericks vs. #6 Portland Trail-Blazers

            The only “upset” I’m willing to bet on (I say upset loosely because on paper, Portland is a better team). Portland’s massive front-line should be able to overwhelm Dallas. Other than Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks do no have another player that would crack the starting lineup for Portland. Unless Dirk scores 35 a game, I like Portland to advance to the second round.

Prediction = Blazers in 6

#4 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. #5 Denver Nuggets

            Since trading away Carmelo Anthony, the Nuggets have been a fantastic story. However, they could not have ended up with a worse match up than Oklahoma City. They don’t have anyone that can guard Kevin Durant, and the Perkins-Ibaka duo should be able to control the paint. I’d like to see Denver move on, but it’s not going to happen.

Prediction = Thunder in 5

Assessing the NBA Title Contenders

            We’re pulling into the stretch run in the NBA. With teams having around 20 games left to play, this is when we’ll start to see who’s cranking it up for the playoffs (unless someone sleepwalks into the playoffs like the Celtics last year and then goes on a tear. At this rate that team could be the Heat). Here’s a quick paragraph assessment ranking each of the teams I feel has a chance at winning the NBA title (even if that chance is 1 and 100,000, like the Trail Blazers and Knicks probably are). We’ll see how accurate these rankings are when the playoffs arrive. Without further ado…

10. Portland Trail Blazers

            Portland has entered into the discussion of fringe title contender after the incredible Gerald Wallace heist. Portland traded an expiring contract, two mediocre players, and two first round picks (which will likely be in the late teens to early 20s) for a player who just last season made the all-star team (perhaps if Michael Jordan spent less time at the poker table and the golf course, he would’ve shopped for a better deal). In theory, Portland has enough size up front to contend with the Lakers. There main issue is shooting. Relying on Brandon Roy to give you 25 minutes a game in the playoffs is a risky proposition.

9. New York Knicks

            Melo, Amar’e, and Billups would have to play out their mind for two months for New York to have a punchers chance at a title. I don’t see them getting it done this year, but their current projected playoff opponent (the Miami Heat) should be scared to death to face them in a seven game series.

8. Orlando Magic

            Orlando has done an excellent job of building a cast of misfits around the best center in the NBA. The Magic rely to much on threes to be considered a serious title contender, but if the match-ups fall right Howard could get them to the Conference Finals.

7. Miami Heat

            Some folks would point to the struggles of the Miami Heat as a sign that God really exists. While that may be an aggressive opinion, it’s good to see a group that thought they were going to win seven championships has to deal with some adversity. With the lack of a point guard, center, or a bench, this team will be lucky to get past the second round.

6. Oklahoma City Thunder

            It’s hard to gauge the playoff potential for this club until we see Kendrick Perkins on the floor. Perkins hypothetically brings enough interior defense to push the Thunder as high as #3 on this list, but No Credentials will need to see a five game sample before putting that in print.

5. Dallas Mavericks

            Tyson Chandler has brought a defensive presence to the Mavericks that they have never had in the Dirk Nowitzki era. They’ll want to do everything they can to secure the #2 seed in the West so they can avoid playing a potential game 7 at Los Angeles in round 2.

4. Chicago Bulls

            Chicago has the best C/PF combo in Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer, an under the radar wing player in Luol Deng, and the most valuable player in the league this season in Derrick Rose. This is the club I’m worrying about as a Celtics fan. 

3. San Antonio Spurs

            The transition San Antonio has made from a defensive oriented team to an up-tempo offense has been remarkable. It will be interesting to see what happens if Tim Duncan gets 35+ minutes in the postseason (he’s averaging under 30 so far this season). We may not have seen the best of the Spurs yet. 

2. Los Angeles Lakers

            People were ready to hit the panic button a month ago (remember the Carmelo Anthony for Andrew Bynum trade rumors?), but an eight game winning streak has silenced most doubters. Their road to the NBA Finals this year will be harder (likely second round match-up with Dallas, either San Antonio or Oklahoma City in the conference finals), but the Lakers size advantage still makes them the favorites in the West.

1. Boston Celtics

            Boston’s trades were widely panned by media critics, but the team has gone 5-0 since Jeff Green arrived. Their unselfishness leads to an unguardable offense (when they are firing on all cylinders) because you never know where a shot is going to come from. For those of you concerned about Shaq’s health going into the playoffs, don’t worry. Throughout his career, he has always missed tons of games during the regular season. This guy wasn’t brought in to win games in February and March. He’ll suit up for every playoff game.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Past Weekend (12/17-12/19)

10. Hyundai Continues to Air Their Christmas Themed Commercials

I’ve decided that #10 will become a gag item that really isn’t that awesome, but is actually something I would like to complain about.

These commercials annoy the living crap out of me. I despise the ads, but strangely, I can’t look away. This duet fascinates me so much, I actually looked them up on Wikipedia (their name is “Pomplamoose”. They are an indie band based out of California. I would’ve guessed that they were from Nova Scotia, but what do I know). The girl is creepy enough that you wouldn’t put it out of the realm of possibility that she sacrificed farm animals for religious ceremonies, and the guy is just an ass. I can point to them as the only reason I want Christmas to come and go, so that way they can stop airing these commercials.  

9. Cowboys Win “Dysfunctional Bowl” Over Redskins

            Dallas even laid down in the second half a little bit to make Rex Grossman look good, hoping that this sort of performance will convince Washington to go into 2011 with Sexy Rex at QB. That Jason Garrett is a real thinker.

8. Peyton Manning and Colts Take Control of AFC South

            Even if you are a Patriots fan, or a fan of another AFC contender, as a fan of football, would you rather see David Garrard or Peyton Manning in the playoffs?

7. Terrell Owens Out For Rest of Season

            I don’t normally cheer or applaud a player getting injured. This is one of those rare occasions.

6. Bengals Blow Opportunity to Take Control of #1 Pick in 2011 Draft

            Carolina won, giving the Bengals an opportunity to pull even in the race for worst record in the league. But alas, it wasn’t meant to be, as they pulled out a two-point victory over the Browns.

            In all seriousness, why are these two teams trying to win games? I would argue that drafting a potential franchise quarterback is much better than winning a meaningless game in December. If I were coaching the Bengals or Panthers, I would’ve pulled my entire defense off the field. I would’ve had the nose tackle play QB (alright, maybe that wouldn’t of been a good idea, since that would’ve probably been an upgrade for both teams under center). Picking a quarterback first overall isn’t a perfect science (see Couch, Tim, and Smith, Alex), but at least it creates some hope for the fans.

5. Tim Tebow Doesn’t Embarrass Himself in 1^st Start

            I’m not a die-hard Tebow fan (like the majority of the Bible Belt is), but I would like to see him do well. If nothing else, he’s a pretty compelling guy.

4. A Fat Patriot Runs a Kickoff 71 Yards

            If DeSean Jackson didn’t have his punt return at the end of regulation against the Giants, 313-pound Dan Connolly and his 71-yard kick return would easily be the play of the day. I was in tears when he cut back to the middle of the field at the 30 yard line and picked up 25 more yards.

  

3. Milwaukee Brewers Trade for Royals Ace Zack Greinke

            I love this trade for a multitude of reasons. For starters, he didn’t go to one of the usual suspects (Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies). Second, he joins a very sneaky Brewers club that could be really good in 2011. They already had added little known Shawn Marcum (formerly of the Blue Jays), who will be a guy that gets drafted in the 13^th round in fantasy leagues but produces like a 3^rd or 4^th rounder. Prince Fielder is entering the last year of his contract, which should mean that he will be pretty motivated. Add in Ryan Braun, Corey Hart, and Rickie Weeks, and you have the makings of a pretty potent offense. With Greinke, they have a legit #1 starter who will contend for the Cy Young trophy. Needless to say, I’m high on the Brewers.

2. Magic, Wizards, and Suns Make a Mega-Deal

            One of the reasons I really enjoy the NBA is when a few teams in the middle of the season decide to get together and blow up 30% of their roster.

1. Giants Pull Off Epic Choke Against Eagles

            I don’t need to write much about this (since it led off every single ESPN studio show today), but I will say that this was the most shocking NFL comeback I’ve ever witnessed. Never underestimate the power of momentum.