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What Did We Just Watch?

4/26/2017

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Russell Westbrook’s historic season is over, but how should it be quantified and remembered?
​
By: Bogart Lipe

Last night, the human meteor that goes by the name of Russell Westbrook lost to the Rockets in 5 games. His and the Thunder’s season is over. However, the lore of The Russ Season will live forever. Some will argue that it will survive in infamy, that this season was a culmination of stat-padding, selfishness, and stubbornness. There is some truth to this. This is also true: Russell Westbrook just had the most awe-inspiring, ridiculous, and what-the-hell-did-he-just-do season of all time. He will never be forgotten for the incredible and sometimes imperfect mentality he demonstrated all year, and with time will optimistically gain universal acceptance and praise for his efforts this season. Thirty years from now, the 2017 season will be remembered for many things, starting with Westbrook’s immaculate averages. Yes, he averaged the triple double. Yes, this is a product of our infatuation with round, easy to remember numbers. Yes, this is still what sports are all about. Sports are statistically fueled, and without historic stats, sports are compromised. If a baseball player bats 0.298, he is not a 0.300 hitter. Russ averaging a triple double is hitting 0.400 in baseball. It is hitting 70 home runs in a single season. You will likely never see this again. For now, it’s over.

The Thunder were not the Rockets’ equal. OKC lost in 5, just as was anticipated. The only reasonable argument that was conjured up to pay attention to this series was to witness the two MVP candidates in James Harden and Westbrook go up against each other’s teams. What we thought we knew from the regular season was corroborated. Harden is on the better team, the better system that is perfectly fit for a player of Harden’s otherworldly abilities. Russ was the focal point of the Thunder, as he has been all year. His team has leaned on him as a crutch for the entirety of the season, which can be explained in a number of ways. Is it possible that Westbrook’s tyrannizing of the basketball stunted the growth of his teammates? Sure. This is even likely with a player like Victor Oladipo. Andre Roberson shot 3-21 from the free throw line for the series. That’s 14.3%. Russ passing the ball to Andre Roberson would not turn him into a serviceable offensive player. Steven Adams regressed since last year, when he benefited from the presence of two superstars surrounding him, and Jerian Grant is still incredibly raw offensively. Enes Kanter is so abhorrent at defense that Billy Donovan refused to play him against the Rockets. And without Russ on the floor, the Thunder were constantly outclassed in salient moments. In games 3 through 5, the Thunder were outscored by double digits during Westbrook’s short stretch of rest at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarter. Just in game 5, Russ sat for only six minutes, and the Rockets outscored the Thunder 27-9 in that amount of time. In all likelihood the other players were not empowered throughout the previous 82 games before the playoffs to develop confidence in their own abilities, but there is no question that the Thunder cannot sustain any success with the current roster. When the NBA is shifting towards 4 or 5 shooters on the floor at all times, the Thunder are stuck with the same blueprint they’ve had for years, specializing role players surrounding stars. But they have managed to go from three stars now down to one, and it is time for the GM Sam Presti to respond.

Russell Westbrook is unlike anything we have ever seen. He is a larger, faster, and angrier Allen Iverson. The same criticism that has been heaped on Russ was placed on A.I. Both are Hall of Famers, but both rubbed some fans the wrong way. Both suffered with subpar contemporaries in their own locker room, and frequently dominated the ball and offense. Both were flashy on and off the court, especially with their unique-to-the-NBA fashion. Both created fan bases that developed like cults. To criticize Russ is to criticize his fans and their livelihood. Where it is freeing and beautiful to watch and enjoy the success of players like LeBron and Steph, it is empowering and vindicating for fans of Russ when he dominates and soul-crushing and paralyzing when he fails. The Houston series was the ultimate representation of the roller coaster he provides. He became human and shrunk at inopportune times, playing terribly in the 4th quarter in a number of games. He played fabulously through 3 quarters, driving and finishing or dishing for teammates’ layups. But frequently it appeared he became exhausted, settling for jumpers and coming up short on many shots. He also appeared to be fatigued mentally and frustrated when he realized he could not beat the Rockets on his own. This is clearly no excuse, particularly for an MVP candidate in the postseason. However, we knew he was outmatched. The Rockets were the better team all along. But, like Chris Broussard of Fox Sports 1 likened it to, if you are a boxer that is outmatched on all fronts by another boxer, you have two choices: recede into a shell and try to survive the fight, or you start throwing haymakers. Russ threw haymakers in the 4th, frequently whiffed, and lost. In a season of exhilarating moments and knockout punches by Westbrook, his fists became heavy, but he still went down swinging. Isn’t that all we could ask for as a closing act of a spectacular 6 month long performance from an intrepid, heart-snatching, if myopic, player like Westbrook?
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With the Draft upon Us, It’s Time to Take a Real Look at the NFL

4/26/2017

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By; Emily Herard
​
Excitement is building for NFL prospects and football fans across the country, as the first round of the NFL Draft arrives this Thursday. As more and more attention surrounds these young stars and the NFL, I believe it is the perfect time to take a real look at the league. Although some people criticize the NFL for its many imperfections, fans continue to pour their hard-earned money into a league that promotes behavior that is deemed unacceptable in all other aspects of society. Now before I get started, I just want to be clear that I don’t think the entire NFL is corrupt. There are coaches, management, and players who are great role models, such as Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals. However, overall the NFL is the least progressive of the four major professional leagues and when an average of 16.5 million people watch a typical NFL game it’s important that the league is promoting positive messages, especially to the young boys who idolize the game and its players.

Rodger Goodell and the NFL like to pretend that they have the right “priorities” in mind and claim to promote the integrity of the game. But if the NFL doesn’t have one thing it’s integrity. Recently, the NFL has cracked down on touchdown celebrations, claiming that NFL players are “role models” and that this behavior is not “sportsmanlike.” However, when you have players who have been accused or charged with domestic violence still on the field it’s a little bit of a head-scratcher.

The NFL’s true priority is maximizing short-term profit to the detriment of both its players and society. To start, the NFL provides football players with second “chances” that most citizens would never get. Any citizen with a criminal record would have a difficult time securing a high-paying, high-status job, but we continue to see NFL teams draft players with criminal records and “character issues.” I’m not saying that I don’t believe in second chances; however, NFL teams only draft these players to maximize their own value, not to help these young men turn around their lives and grow into responsible adults. These players are enticing to some NFL teams because they will most likely perform at the same level as players without records but they will be less sought after. So when NFL players with prior criminal records or bad behavior in college make the same mistake in the NFL, can you completely blame them? They have been treated as stars there entire life and the NFL doesn’t attempt to modify the poor behavior that often accompanies the stardom. Some might argue that it’s not the NFL’s job to help their players become more positive and productive citizens but I have to disagree. As people put more and more pressure on companies to be more socially responsible, the NFL as an organization should also be held to a greater level of responsibility for its impact on society.

This year’s draft will most likely prove once again that there is an NFL team willing to set aside morals in order to “maximize” its current value. One team will draft former Oklahoma running back, Joe Mixon, who punched a woman in the face, causing broken bones in her face which required surgery. He was given a second chance by Oklahoma, but after he received a parking ticket at the university he ripped up the ticket and threw it in the face of the female parking attendant and then inched his car towards her as a form of intimidation. This might not seem like a big deal to some, but it illustrates how Mixon has not learned from his mistakes and will continue to display this behavior in the NFL. NFL teams should not draft him in order to send a message to young footballs players that their behavior off the field has just as much impact as their performance on the field. But it won’t happen, and Mixon will be drafted, once again sending the message that the NFL doesn’t value women equally. That might seem dramatic to some, but just think about how college and NFL players are constantly put on a pedestal and when they assault a woman it’s swept under the rug or the victim blame game begins.

Once players are in the NFL, the league does not have their best interest in mind. Once again, the NFL only has interest in maximizing its short-term profit, and therefore will do anything to make sure its players can play in every game even at the harm of the players. The average length of an NFL career is about 3.3 years according to the NFL Players Association. Players’ careers are often cut short because of serious injuries that the NFL ignores or treats irresponsibly with the abuse of painkillers. These players’ future potential earnings are also negatively impacted by their injuries. Currently, the NFL’s 32 teams are being sued by former players who claim that teams disregarded player safety and federal rules on handling narcotics and painkillers. These players claim that team doctors oversubscribed painkillers and failed to inform them about the risks associated with using them and their long-term effects. Overall, these former players claim the NFL has a culture that forces players to take painkillers and narcotics in order to continue playing, which benefits the teams and harms players’ long-term potential income and health.

​This NFL season I challenge football fans to take a closer look at the NFL and decide for themselves if they agree with how the league operates. I’m not saying to stop watching the NFL but it’s time for fans to make some noise. Since fans pay the NFL owners and Goodell’s paychecks, and because money speaks more than morality in the NFL, fans have the power to make a change on how the NFL treats its players and what messages it sends to society. It’s time for fans to demand that the NFL change its playbook. In a time when many public and political figures disrespect minorities and objectify women, the NFL has the opportunity to move away from that negativity and help promote equality and respect. 
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Five Overreactions from the First Weekend of the NBA Playoffs

4/18/2017

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Why the MVP doesn’t come down to one playoff game, the Warriors are nearly unbeatable, and more

​By: Bogart Lipe

 
            After a thrilling regular season, the NBA playoffs are finally here. The first weekend provided many storylines, which led to numerous knee-jerk reactions and predictions of how the rest of the playoffs will unfold. Harden outdueled Russ, the Warriors and Celtics faced worthy competition as the number 1 seeds, and Paul George called out his teammate for taking an open 18 footer. What should truly be taken away from the infancy of the playoffs and which stories were complete and utter exaggerations?
 
Harden is the Real MVP
            Sunday night, the Rockets pulverized the Thunder by the tune of 118-87. Harden was spectacular, Westbrook was underwhelming, and “The Real MVP” talk was renewed. First, let’s get this trivial fact out of the way: the MVP is, and always has been, a regular season award. One playoff blowout in a game between MVP contenders has no bearing on the award, especially since all the votes were cast prior to any playoff games tipping off. Westbrook is still the MVP, and should receive the award at season’s end. This has been the Year of the Triple Double and by association The Year of Russ. Twenty years from now, this regular season will be remembered for Westbrook’s unrelenting aggression night in and night out as he hunted down history. If anything, the Rockets dispatching the Thunder like they did further proved Westbrook’s case as MVP. The second best offensive option for the Thunder was not Victor Oladipo (who shot 1-12 and 0-6 from 3), or Steven Adams, or Enes Kanter, but Andre Roberson and his 18 points. The same Andre Roberson who has done an exemplary job filling in the “wing player who plays great defense but is comically worthless on offense” position that the Thunder seem to always have reserved. Westbrook dragged this otherwise underachieving team to 47 regular season wins, while Harden has taken a far superior supporting cast to where they currently stand. Harden has also been celestial, but Westbrook is still the MVP. Even after they likely bow out to Houston in this series.
 
The Trail Blazers Can Make It a Series Against the Warriors
            There isn’t a recipe to beat this Warriors team, but the Blazers tried their hardest. With CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard going nuclear in the first half, combining for 47 points, the Blazers were able to go into half as well as the 4th tied with Golden State. But then, Draymond Green did Draymond Green things, Kevin Durant looked 100% again, and the Blazers’ steaming duo cooled off. Dame and CJ combined for 75 points, and Klay Thompson was cold all game long, and Portland still lost by 12. It’s as simple as this: when the Warriors play well, no team on this planet can beat them. Not even a team led by LeBron. Draymond looked like the Defensive Player of the Year, and had what may end up as two of the best blocks of the year. One, during which he halted a 2-on-1 Blazers fast break with a thunderous rejection of a Noah Vonleh dunk attempt. Given, Portland was without Jusuf Nurkic, who is out for now with a broken bone in his leg, but if/when he comes back, this series should already be over. Golden State just has too much firepower for Portland’s backcourt to keep up with, and when Draymond is making a 19 points 12 rebounds 9 assists 5 blocks and 3 steals line actually feel like more, there is no hope. Oh, and I haven’t even mentioned Steph Curry, the most devastating shooter of this generation and likely of all time once he calls it quits. There truly isn't a way to beat these Warriors over a course of a 7 game series unless (1) you can hit 15+ threes a game, (2) two out of the big four consistently go cold every game, and (3) Draymond starts kicking again. If they stay healthy, this postseason may already be over.
 
The Clippers Are Finished and Need to Blow It Up
            The snake bitten Clippers appeared to finally get a break in the playoffs, when the Utah Jazz’s defensive menace Rudy Gobert went down with a hyperextended knee and bone bruise just 17 seconds into the game. But the Jazz, like their coach Quin Snyder, never gave up. They made it a close game throughout, ultimately winning it off a Joe Johnson floater that rattled in at the buzzer. Amazingly, Joe Johnson (who has made over $200 million in career earnings…really) leads the NBA in game-winning buzzer beaters in the NBA since 2007 with 8. It is unlikely Gobert could return in this series, so there is no need to worry if you’re the Clippers at this point in time. Without Gobert, the Clippers have far more talent than the Jazz, who will struggle with rebounding now that they will have to have Derrick Favors and Jeff Withey split time at center. The series may go 7 now, but the Clippers still have a great chance to win the series, obviously as long as they can win Game 2 at home.
 
(They’ll still probably have to blow it up after they lose in the next round though.)
 
The Best Player Should Take the Last Shot
            The NBA star ego is incredibly stubborn. At the end of Game 1 of the Cavaliers-Pacers series, Paul George had the ball in his hands down 1 with less than 10 seconds to play. The Cavs sent LeBron to double George, and making the right play, PG-13 passed it to C.J. Miles who was being covered by the disintegrating Richard Jefferson. With only 4 seconds left, Miles was forced to make a play, faking out Jefferson and creating an open 18 foot fade away from the left wing, which he left short. Paul George was visibly enraged afterwards at Miles, and even said in a post-game press conference that he spoke to Miles and told him that he, as the best player, needed to take the last shot. This is hilariously wrong in a few ways. First, if George wanted to take the last shot, he should have attacked the shorter J.R. Smith as soon as he saw LeBron approach for a double team. Instead, he allowed LeBron to pressure him, and he passed it to Miles as he should have. Miles created a fabulous look at the buzzer, which was all the Pacers could have asked for. Second, George is a dismal 0-15 from the field on go ahead shots with less than 20 seconds to play in his career. So I don’t know, maybe Paul George isn’t exactly the guy you want taking every last shot. He should not have said what he did, and throwing your teammate under the bus for taking a great shot isn’t a recipe for success to come back from what is now a 2-0 series deficit.
 
Kyle Lowry is an All-Star Point Guard Who Will Shake Off His Playoff Struggles and Finally Lead the Raptors to a Deep Playoff Run
            How much longer will it take to finally conclude that the playoffs might not be Lowry’s thing? His backcourt teammate DeMar DeRozan has historically struggled in the postseason as well, but Lowry is at a much lower trough. After a 4 points on 11 shots performance in Game 1 at home against the Bucks, things are not looking up. The Raptors have still never won a Game 1 in the first round in the playoffs, and have lost 9 straight Game 1s overall. Lowry is an easy scapegoat, as every statistical category of his is considerably worse in the playoffs when compared to his regular seasons of the last 4 years. He has only shot 39% from the field and 30% from 3 in the playoffs, and his net rating in the postseason is -8, whereas it is a +10 during the regular season. We now have a 42 game sample size of Lowry in the playoffs, which should be more than enough. Winning in the playoffs is tough, and Lowry has had trouble doing so, going 13-19 in his career. He may be an All-Star guard, but he is far from the discussion of elite point guards like Steph, Kyrie, and Russ.
 
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2017 WNBA Draft Preview

4/11/2017

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By: Emily Herard
​

After what turned out to be a historic and exciting NCAA Tournament, the stars of women’s college basketball will have an opportunity to achieve their dreams at the WNBA draft this Thursday at 7:00 p.m. on EPSN2.

Here are my first round predictions for the 2017 WNBA Draft:

1.  San Antonio Stars: Kelsey Plum
College: Washington
Position: Guard
​Height: 5-8
There is no doubt in my mind that Plum will be the number one overall pick in the draft. After leading Washington to the Sweet 16, Plum won the John R. Wooden Award. She had a historic offensive season, breaking Missouri State’s Jackie Stile’s career and single-season scoring records. Plum was the NCAA’s leading scorer this season, averaging 31.7 points per game and finished with 3,527 career points and 1,109 points this season. Shooting 53% from the field, it would be crazy for the Stars to pass up on this instant offense.

2.  Chicago Sky (from Washington Mystics): Allisha Gray
College: South Carolina
Position: Guard
Height: 6-0
After a winning the NCAA Tournament and averaging 16.5 points on 58% shooting and grabbing 8.3 rebounds in the tournament, junior Gray decided to enter the draft early.
The Sky traded star Elena Delle Donne to the Washington Mystics for center Stefanie Dolson, guard Kahleah Cooper, and this year’s second overall pick. Looking for a Delle Donne replacement at shooting guard/small forward, the Sky would benefit from Allisha Gray’s dynamic scoring and rebounding abilities (13.7 PPG and 5 RPG).

3.  Dallas Wings: Alaina Coates
College: South Carolina
Position: Center
Height: 6-4
Coates lead the Gamecocks in rebounding, averaging 10.7 rebounds a game and adding 12.9 points per game. She will help the Wings establish strength in the post, freeing up Dallas’s scorers Skylar Diggins and Odyssey Sims.

4.  Dallas Wings (from Connecticut Sun via LA Sparks): Shatori Walker-Kimbrough
College: Maryland
Position: Guard
Height: 5-11
Walker-Kimbrough will bring more depth to the Wings backcourt with her ability to drain shots from beyond the arc. Walker-Kimbrough shot 45% from long-range and averaged 18.8 points per game, making her an enticing pick for Dallas.  

5.  San Antonio Stars (from Phoenix Mercury): Chantel Osahor
College: Washington
Position: Center
Height: 6-2
Although extremely unlikely Osahor will be picked this high, it would fun to see her play with her former teammate, Kelsey Plum, in the WNBA. Osahor was Plum’s right-hand woman at Washington and was a threat from the three-point line with her unorthodox shooting stroke.

6.  Washington Mystics (from Seattle Storm): Brionna Jones
College: Maryland
Position: Center
Height: 6-3
As the leading scorer (19.9 PPG) and rebounder (10.9 RPG) for Maryland her senior season, Jones could easily be already chosen before the sixth pick. As a fan I would love to see Jones play on the same team as Delle Donne. If Jones is still available, the Mystics will benefit immediately from Jones’ ability to dominate in the post. Not to mention she would also be a local favorite.

7.  Atlanta Dream: Nia Coffey
College: Northwestern
Position: Forward
Height: 6-1
With Atlanta’s leading scorer Angel McCoughtry (19.5 PPG), sitting out an undetermined amount of time for the 2017 season for rest, the Dream could use another scorer. Coffey averaged 20 points per game and can put the ball on the floor and get to basket. She also snagged 10.4 rebounds a game.

8.  Connecticut Sun (from Indiana Fever): Kaela Davis
College: South Carolina
Position: Guard
Height: 6-2
Like her teammate Gray, Davis is declaring early to the draft as a junior. She averaged 12.7 points per game.

9.  Chicago Sky: Sydney Wiese
College: Oregon State
Position: Guard
Height: 6-1
Wiese helped Oregon State make its first program appearance in the Final Four, averaging a team high 15.2 points per game and shooting 42.6% from three.

10.  Dallas Wings (from New York Liberty): Alexis Jones
College: Baylor
Position: Guard
Height: 5-9
Averaged 13.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. Jones could be picked earlier, however a knee injury has lowered her stock. Paired with Skylar Diggins in the backcourt, Jones could prove to be solid guard option for the Wings.

11.  Los Angeles Sparks (from Los Angeles Sparks via Dallas Wings): Alexis Peterson
College: Syracuse
Position: Guard
Height: 5-7
Peterson was the first Syracuse player to ever be named ACC player of the year. She averaged 23.4 points and 7 assists per game her senior year.

12.  Minnesota Lynx: Lindsay Allen
College: Notre Dame
Position: Guard
Height: 5-8
The Lynx don’t need much as they already have a solid roster, but Allen would be a good backup point guard behind Lindsay Whalen. Allen averaged 9.6 points and 7.6 assists per game this season for the Fighting Irish.

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NBA Regular Season Awards

4/11/2017

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A historic season is coming to an end, so in a year of shattered records, who deserves the end-of-season praise?

​By: Bogart Lipe

The regular season wasn’t supposed to matter. As soon as Kevin Durant decided to switch teams in the summer and join the historically fantastic Warriors, this season seemed predetermined. The Warriors and Cavs would steamroll through their respective conferences, with few challengers and storylines. But instead, the greatest league on the planet gave us something else. It gave us triple doubles, turnovers, The Process™, 5’7” and 6’11” point guards going berserk, and of course Melo drama. As we look back, who made the season what it was (and what the playoffs may be)?


MVP
The MVP discussion this year has been fervent to say the least. What makes an MVP? Best player in the world? Best player on the best team? Best single season? Best statistics? A combination? Let’s start with a non-MVP stat: the virtually impossible record of 422 turnovers in a season was somehow shattered by BOTH Russell Westbrook and James Harden this year. In lieu of this, the two have separated themselves from the other contenders. Kawhi Leonard? Averaging nearly 26 points per game as the only real star on a 60+ win team while frequently guarding the opposing best player (and frequently shutting them down)? Sorry, but not enough. LeBron James? Averaging career highs in assists and rebounds (and turnovers) while still being the undisputed best player in the world? Sorry, but not enough. Although in any other year the seasons these two have had would almost always run away with the prestigious award, Harden and Westbrook have simply performed at a level we haven’t seen and may never see again. Westbrook has now clinched a triple double average (and a 30 point average at that) for the season while keeping the Thunder in the playoff race after a world-beating, get-out-of-my-way last few weeks. A few weeks that have seen spectacular fourth quarter performances for wins, the latest being a game winning 35 footer at the buzzer in Denver on Sunday. Harden is leading the league in assists, and as a result of the large number of 3s the Rockets take and make, has the first season in NBA history averaging 25 points per game while accounting for another 25 points per game by way of assists. Both have led their team to unexpected heights during this year’s campaign, so how do you choose? Russ is going to shoot a ridiculous 1900+ shots this season, and neither are exceptionally efficient from the floor (LeBron actually has a higher 3 point percentage than both this year). But for voters, it will come down to who they can live with not giving the MVP to. Each of the four players mentioned are worthy recipients, however this is the hardest race to judge conceivably in history. LeBron’s Cavs have sputtered over the last month of the season, even blowing a 26 point 4th quarter lead in Atlanta on Sunday, taking him out of serious contention. The Spurs’ inability to overtake the Warriors when KD was injured hurt Kawhi’s momentum. But how to pick between Russ and Harden? Can you say no to a triple double? Can you say no to the captain of the perfect version of D’Antoni’s mathematical system? There is undoubtedly stat padding by Russ and Harden, as players their size cannot carom the number of rebounds they do without help from teammates, but that’s the case for every superstar on the planet. If you get over the criticism that the triple double is a subjective statistic based on humans’ adoration of round, easy to understand numbers (just like every other stat in sports because well, this is sports and numbers are a huge part of this), the answer is simple. Westbrook has had too many MVP moments as the season winds down; his 50 points 16 rebounds 10 assists game-winning performance Sunday in Denver that broke Oscar’s 41 triple doubles mark might’ve just sealed it.

Winner: Russell Westbrook

Others receiving votes: James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, Steph Curry (KD who?), Isaiah Thomas


Coach of the Year
Compared to the brutally difficult MVP race, this award is a bit less stressful, but is still very competitive. Sure, Gregg Popovich—who could win the award every year— is a basketball wizard who churns out 50 win seasons no matter the circumstances and is doing one of his best jobs ever. Brad Stevens has done a wonderful job for the Celtics and will receive many votes as his team challenges for the number 1 seed in the East. As will Quin Snyder, the architect of the Jazz’ fabulous season. However, Mike D’Antoni has helped completely change the Rockets’ outlook, starting with the offseason decision to have Harden bring the ball up. And I guess not having Dwight Howard anymore always helps.

Winner: Mike D’Antoni

Others receiving votes: Brad Stevens, Gregg Popovich, Quin Snyder, Scott Brooks


Sixth Man of the Year
It’s stunning that this is possible, but the Rockets have a chance at sweeping MVP, Coach of the Year, and Sixth Man. Trading for Lou Williams before the deadline cements that the sixth man will come from Houston. It’s only a matter if it’ll be Eric Gordon or Lou Williams. Other contenders will include the everlasting Jamal Crawford, who appears on track to come off the bench and score 18 into his late 40s. Patty Mills has had a good year for the Spurs, but not enough to seriously contend. In another close race, it goes to Williams, who has scored more per game while also being more efficient than Gordon. However you can’t go wrong with either.

Winner: Lou Williams

Others receiving votes: Eric Gordon, Jamal Crawford, Patty Mills


Most Improved Player
This award is the easiest decision for the voters. There are cases to be made for some players, though. Bradley Beal has finally shown us he’s not actually made of glass, and has career highs in games played, points, field goal and free throw percentage, and assists. Plus he has played a big part in the jump the Wizards made this season. Myles Turner has further established his potential as a future star in the league. Rudy Gobert has transformed into a double double stalwart while leading the league with 2.7 blocks per game. However, there’s a freak in Milwaukee that is leading his team in every major statistical category (while improving upon each from a year prior) and has taken the league by storm as the leader of the Unicorn Party. Giannis Antetokounmpo also will just miss out on averaging 2 steals and 2 blocks per game, a feat only David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon, and ahem…Gerald Wallace have accomplished.

Winner: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Others receiving votes: Bradley Beal, Rudy Gobert, Myles Turner


Rookie of the Year
What a terrible year for rookies. Ben Simmons hasn’t played a game, Brandon Ingram has struggled all year long, and Joel Embiid missed more time with injuries. What we have been left with is a vote between Malcolm Brogdon and Dario Saric. There was early talk about whether or not Embiid’s earth-shattering per 36 numbers would be enough to make up for only 31 games played, but it becomes harder to imagine he will get enough votes as each day passes. Embiid is widely seen as the best rookie that played this year, and I am rooting for him to win, but the low sample size damages his bid. Brogdon has had a solid first year for the upstart Bucks, but is only posting 10 points and 4 rebounds a game. It doesn’t help his case that no player has won the Rookie of the Year while scoring less than 11 points per game. Saric has also played well for the Sixers, and has averaged 13 and 6, not eye-popping statistics by any means, but more impactful than Brogdon’s. In the least intriguing race for the regular season awards, Saric gets the slight edge.

Winner: Dario Saric

Others receiving votes: Malcolm Brogdon, Joel Embiid, Marquese Chriss, Willy Hernangomez

Defensive Player of the Year
Finally, the defensive player of the year. As with all the other awards, this year has provided many deserving players. As previously mentioned, two time defending champ Kawhi Leonard is still the best two way player on the planet and will go down as one of the best defensive players ever. Gobert will receive many votes as well, as the centerpiece leading Utah’s defensive year-long prowess. Big men like Hassan Whiteside and Deandre Jordan will also vulture some votes to possibly finish in the top 5. Paul Millsap may also threaten, and finish in a similar position as his 5th place finish last year. However, this should finally be Draymond Green’s year. With the arrival of Durant, a Draymond who could focus much more energy on defense came, and it has shown in his play. He can still guard anyone from Isaiah Thomas to Anthony Davis and is leading the league in steals. Also consider he’s the main cog in the Warriors machine that is second in defensive efficiency. Given, the Spurs are narrowly above the Warriors in the metric, but Draymond blows away Kawhi in defensive box plus/minus (4.9, a league high, compared to 1.6). It’s finally his time.

Winner: Draymond Green

Others receiving votes: Kawhi Leonard, Rudy Gobert, Hassan Whiteside, Deandre Jordan, Paul Millsap
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UConn Hardly Believe It: Huskies Fall to Miss. State, but South Carolina Wins it All

4/4/2017

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By: Emily Herard

This year’s NCAA women’s tournament proved that there are other powers in women’s basketball besides UConn, as Mississippi State took down the Huskies in what will go down in history as one of the biggest upsets in sports history.


​Final Four

(2) Stanford vs. (1) South Carolina
On Friday night, Stanford took on South Carolina after scraping by Notre Dame 76-75. Both teams struggled to score at their usual rates in what turned out to be a defensive game. Stanford contained South Carolina through the first half, leading 29-20 at halftime, and were successful in the first half by double teaming the Gamecock’s dominant inside scorer A’ja Wilson. Despite constant double, triple teams, and many uncalled fouls Wilson recorded a double-double by hitting the boards and grabbing 19 rebounds, allowing for second chance points and finishing with 13 points. Stanford’s third leading scorer Karlie Samuelson (12.6 points per game) twisted her ankle just before halftime, and despite her best efforts to contribute later in the game Samuelson went scoreless in her 25 minutes of play. South Carolina outlasted Stanford 62-53 to give SC’s head coach Dawn Staley her first victory over Stanford’s head coach Tara VanDerveer (after going 0-5 against her).

(1)
  Miss. State vs.  (1) UConn

If you didn’t watch this game, you missed the biggest upset in sports history. UConn dominates women’s basketball and has won 111 straight games with 10 consecutive Final Four appearances and four consecutive national titles from 2012-2016. No one thought that Mississippi State, who embarrassingly lost to UConn 98-38 in the Sweet 16 last year, could take down the Huskies. However, the Bulldogs jumped out ahead first and took control of the game. Mississippi State played its style of basketball and forced UConn out of its usual faced paced rhythm. Slowing down the tempo on offense, the Bulldogs were able to keep UConn’s offense at bay and as a result didn’t have to defend the Huskies high-powered offense for as long. At halftime the Bulldogs led 36-28, a position the Huskies have only found themselves in a couple times during their 111 win streak. Despite Mississippi State’s first half success, it seemed like UConn would go on a run and leave the Bulldogs in the dust. But this never happened, and the two teams battled through regulation and an overtime. Mississippi State’s point guard Morgan William “Itty Bitty” hit the game winning shot in overtime to beat the buzzer and go down in sports history as an underdog hero.

​UConn will be back next year with young talented players, which could become an even scarier Huskies team. Without the experience of playing in close games, UConn didn’t know what to do late in the game against Mississippi State. But don’t doubt for a second that UConn won’t use this loss to fuel its fire to break more records in the future. However, moving forward Mississippi State has opened the door for other teams who now know that the Huskies aren’t immortal.

National Championship: Mississippi State vs. South Carolina

Miss. State was unable to continue its magical journey and lost to South Carolina 67-55 in the Championship game. Despite wanting to see the Bulldogs win the title after dethroning the Huskies, the Gamecocks victory still resulted in a feel-good story. South Carolina’s head coach Dawn Staley, unable to win a NCAA championship as a player at University of Virginia, finally won a championship as South Carolina won its first national championship in program history. No one gave South Carolina a chance to win when its star center, Alania Coates (12.9 points per game and 10.7 rebounds per game), went out with an ankle injury before the tournament. However A’ja Wilson of Hopkins, SC, who could have played at any school in the country, stepped up for the Gamecocks and became a hometown hero. Despite the feel-good win for the Gamecocks, there was drama surrounding the Bulldogs. Mississippi State’s head coach Vic Schaefer sat his star point guard William for the entire fourth quarter of the championship game, and William finished the game with 8 points in 23 minutes. Without taking anything away from the Gamecocks, South Carolina must be thankful for Itty Bitty and the Bulldogs for taking down the Huskies.

This weekend’s Final Four proved to be extremely important for women’s basketball. Friday’s game between UConn and Mississippi State had 2.763 million viewers on ESPN2, more than the Rockets vs. Warriors game (2.213 million) televised on ESPN (I won’t get into the fact the Final Four games should have been on ESPN). Viewers were exposed to the greatest upset in sports history on Friday, and on Sunday basketball fans got to see a great basketball game between two teams that had never won a national title. Women’s college basketball will be very interesting next season, and now people who said there is no reason to watch because UConn will never lose should change their tone and tune into a few games.


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Where JR Smith Happens

4/4/2017

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A Synopsis of Every Version of JR Smith Throughout His Career
​

By: Bogart Lipe

It is nearing the NBA playoffs, and the darling of last year’s postseason and NBA Finals, JR Smith, will once again be chasing another title with the East favorite Cavs, despite their recent struggles. JR was not always a darling in the NBA however, depending on who you ask. There used to be baggage involved with signing a player like Smith, but he has come a long way since his early career antics. However, it led to thinking, what were the craziest and most ridiculous times of JR's NBA career and was he worth the trouble? Using foolishness as the independent variable and productivity as the dependent variable, the notable versions of JR Smith were graphed.

Note: Productivity based on JR Smith's capability, not relative to other players. Foolishness is based on a straight scale. Both rated from 1-10 with 10 being the maximum.
Picture
New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets (2004-2006)

Productivity stats : 21.7 MPG, 9.2 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 1.5 APG, 39.4% shooting, 11.5 PER
Foolishness stats : None notable

Productivity rating : 4
Foolishness rating : 1

As a young player, JR did a solid job. Not much foolishness involved so we'll get through this quickly and to the interesting parts.

Denver Nuggets (2006-2011)

Productivity stats : 24.7 MPG, 13.7 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.2 APG, 43.8% shooting, 16.3 PER

Foolishness stats :
​
December 16, 2006 : Incites a brawl after getting hit hard on a foul. "Inciting a brawl" in this instance included Smith putting the beloved Nate Robinson in a headlock and tackling him into photographers. 10 game suspension.

February 7, 2007 : JR crashes Carmelo Anthony's car as the two are riding together because for some godforsaken reason Melo thought it was a good idea to let JR drive his car. Both miss shootaround as a result.

June 9, 2007 : A much more serious case, as Smith ran a stop sign, collided with another vehicle and flipped over. His friend, one of the passengers, died a few days later from injuries he sustained. It is revealed Smith racked up 27 points on his license from April 2005 to January 2006, according to USA Today. Smith was sentenced to 24 days of jail time and agreed to partake in 500 hours of community service. 7 game suspension from NBA.

October 7, 2007 : Smith involved in a fight outside Denver nightclub. 3 game suspension from the Nuggets.

August 5, 2009 : After serving his jail sentence, he began changing the letter "C" to "K" in his tweets, sparking talk that JR was/became a member of the Bloods gang. His account was deleted shortly thereafter.

February 2, 2011 : Hits Raja Bell (official thief of the bell rung for Ben Wallace) forcefully with a cheap shot to the delight of many NBA fans across the country. Results in a scuffle, flagrant foul and a $25,000 fine from the NBA.

Productivity rating : 6
Foolishness rating : 9.5

This was the beginning of the JR Smith lovable circus and the most trouble he got into. He lived in Colorado just about 7-8 years too early, which I have to imagine makes him regretful.

Note: the 2009 Nuggets had a roster including JR, Kenyon Martin, Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, Nene, and Chris “Birdman” Anderson. Those are all top 50 guys I want on my team in a street fight in the history of the sport (besides Melo of course). Also imagine how much money exchanged hands in poker games between JR, K-Mart, and AI. Throw in Barkley and it is Pay-Per-View material. Also imagine a championship parade with those guys. JR put on for them eventually though (we’ll get to this later).

New York Knicks (2011-2015)

Productivity stats : 31.4 MPG, 15.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.8 APG, 41.6% shooting, 15.4 PER (2013 NBA Sixth Man Award)

Foolishness stats :

March 2012 : JR posts an inappropriate picture of a woman on Twitter who was previously involved with Joe Budden. The NBA fines him $25,000. JR takes his first major Twitter L.

2012 : During the lockout Smith played in China, where it is rumored he accumulated over $1 million in fines.

January 26, 2013 : The Legend of JR. In a leaked DM, JR asks a female fan (who was a senior in high school at the time) if she is....you may want to sit down......"trying to get the pipe?" An amazing and fiery Twitter storm ensues, with this tweet still living in infamy and the Hall of Fame of DM screenshots. JR takes his second major Twitter L, which feels more like 100.
P.S. He went 0-8 from the field that night. But credit to him for Shooting His Shot.

September 2013 : To the surprise of nobody, JR is suspended 5 games for violating the NBA's anti-drug policy. I'll refrain from making more jokes and kicking a man when he's down. Or up. High up. In the clouds. Moving on.

November 2013 : Fined $25,000 for getting in a Twitter argument with Brandon Jennings (before Twitter arguments mattered even a little bit) after Jennings tweeted questioning why Smith's brother was in the league but others weren't. Third strike in Twitter L's because messing with Brandon Jennings is asking for trouble.

January 2014 : After instances of JR untying opponents shoelaces, the NBA fined him $50,000, which must be the most ridiculous thing a fine has been handed down for in the NBA. Big props to JR for having that NBA Fines championship belt to himself.

Productivity rating : 6.5
Foolishness rating : 8

Sixth Man of the Year vaults an otherwise disappointing Knicks campaign to a 6.5. Would have a higher foolishness rating but not as many suspensions and brawls as during his Nuggets time. But the combination of posting a woman's behind on Twitter, asking a girl if she wants to get a hold of his manhood, and untying other players' shoelaces is too spectacular to overlook. Also, Brandon Jennings is the last person you mention on Twitter, and for that the fool rating also suffers.

Pre-Championship Cleveland Cavaliers (2015-2016)

Productivity stats : 31.1 MPG, 12.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.0 APG, 41.9% shooting, 13.2 PER

​Foolishness Stats :

November 2015 : JR alleged to have choked a 19 year old after getting heckled at a pizza shop. Smith and his attorney denied the claim.

Productivity rating : 7.5
Foolishness rating : 2.5

LeBron was able to help contain Wild JR during this stint, but not for long.

​Post-Championship Cleveland Cavaliers (2016-2017)

Productivity stats : No shirt for days on end, 30+ bottles of Hennessy consumed, one woman drenched in champagne at a club, and endless dancing and smoking whatever JR smokes nowadays.

​Foolishness Stats: See above.

An all-time performance by JR the days following clinching the title. A touching post-game press conference in which he cried while talking about his journey and family was the icing on the cake. Also, if you're able to get people to buy shirts of your bare chest you've done something right and need to be respected. If he ran as Lebron's VP in the election they would have gotten a majority of the Ohio vote. We’ll ignore his injury-riddled season this year because truly it wouldn’t change the ratings one bit.

Productivity rating : 11
Foolishness rating : 13

Conclusion: When forcing a line of best fit through the data points of JR’s career, we come up with a slope of 0.9726. An even proportion of foolishness and productivity would have resulted in a slope of 1. Thus, theoretically speaking, throughout Smith’s overall career his productivity has not outweighed his foolishness, although it does come close. However, I will throw my own results out of the window, as JR’s post championship performance was one for the ages and will not be overlooked. After signing a 4 year/$57 million deal in the offseason, JR now enters the playoffs knowing he’ll have a contract next year. Last year he didn’t have that luxury and he STILL did everything he did. I can’t even imagine what would be in store if the Cavs repeated.


Never change, JR. Never change.

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Women’s Basketball Battles Past Georgia Tech in 3 OTs to Win WNIT Championship

4/3/2017

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By: Emily Herard

WNIT Championship
This Saturday at Calihan Hall, the Detroit Mercy arena playing host to the Women’s NIT Championship game, the Michigan women’s basketball team did what no other team has done in program history. Showing extreme heart and determination, the Wolverines defeated Georgia Tech 89-79 to win the WNIT in a crazy back and forth game that took 3 overtimes.

Michigan had faced Georgia Tech in early December, dominating the Yellow Jackets 92-52, however it was quickly obvious that Georgia Tech was a different team than the Wolverines had faced previously. On Saturday, the Yellow Jackets were able to make good defensive adjustments in the first half, holding Michigan to 29% shooting and forcing Katelynn Flaherty to go cold from beyond the arc. Georgia Tech entered the locker room at halftime only down 28-27.

The second half of regulation belonged to Flaherty, as she scored 20 of her 27 points in the second half. After her shooting struggles in the first half, Flaherty stayed confident and her shooting rhythm came to her. With her team down three with 15 seconds left in regulation, Flaherty got the ball on the top of the key and did what Kate Flaherty does best. With time running down, Flaherty stayed composed dribbled right, using an excellent screen set by Jillian Dunston, and took a step back three from a least four feet behind the line and drained the shot with 9.6 seconds left.

With the game tied at 67 and 9.6 seconds to go, the drama was far from over. Georgia Tech dribbled down the clock and Elo Edeferioka took the last shot from the left elbow and was fouled by Siera Thompson with less than one second remaining on the clock. As Edeferioka, a 70% foul shot shooter, stepped to the line you could feel the disappointment in the air from Michigan fans, if she hit just one shot the game would surely be over. The crowd held its breath as Edeferioka missed her first and then her second shot, sending the game into overtime.

In the first overtime both teams only scored three points, sending it to overtime number two. The Wolverines were on the board first and it looked like they might pull away with the victory but then Georgia Tech got a steal and score and Flaherty’s last second go ahead shot was blocked and Michigan found themselves heading into a third overtime.

Michigan finally pulled ahead of the Yellow Jackets in the third overtime behind Nicole Munger’s strong offensive performance. Munger knocked down a right corner three to put the Wolverines up and scored 7 of her team’s 11 points of the last overtime. Fighting exhaustion, Michigan outlasted Georgia Tech pulling away 89-79, winning its first championship in program history.

Hard Work Pays Off
The Wolverines recorded their best season in program history, finishing the regular season 22-8 (11-5 Big Ten) but were snubbed by the NCAA selection committee. Devastated from being left out of the NCAA Tournament, the Wolverines took a moment to collect themselves and prepare for the WNIT. Michigan decided that it would prove to the selection committee that it had made a mistake when it passed up the Wolverines. Michigan won its first two games of the WNIT and then faced yet another obstacle, when the team announced that Kysre Gondrezick, Michigan’s third leading scorer with 14.9 points per game, was “taking a leave of absence from the women’s basketball team for personal reasons”. Michigan did not bat an eye, winning its next two games over St. John’s and Virginia Tech by 20 and 18 respectively. The team adjusted to Gondrezick’s absence by becoming more defensively oriented. Hallie Thome and Flaherty stepped up offensively for the Wolverines averaging 21.5 and 21.3 points per game respectively in the WNIT. With the excellent coaching of Kim Barnes Arico (Big Ten Coach of the Year), Michigan stepped up to the adversity and made it its goal to hang a banner for the team’s seniors. The team’s two mottos “Hardest Working Team in America” and “By Any Means” came to fruition during Saturday’s championship game.

Total Team Effort
The entire team stepped up for the Wolverines on Saturday making Saturday’s victory possible. Thome earned all-tournament honors, with 25 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks, in 52 minutes and Flaherty was named WNIT Tournament MVP after scoring 27 points and hitting a game tying 3. Battling a season long foot injury, Munger came off the bench and scored 12 points, helping Michigan pull away from Georgia Tech in the third overtime. Additionally, the Michigan bench fueled the grit and determination of the Wolverines’ on court performance, creating energy that was contagious and essential to Saturday’s long fought battle.

Jillian Dunston Shows She’s the Heart and Soul of the Wolverines
Flaherty and Thome were essential to Michigan winning its first banner, but it couldn’t have been done without the tremendous effort and heart brought by Jill Dunston. Dunston finished the game with 6 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals, however her impact on the game goes far beyond the numbers on the stat sheet. Dunston took several charges during the game, and her last charge caused Georgia Tech’s leading scorer Zaire O’Neil (21 points) to foul out late in the fourth quarter, swinging the momentum in favor of the Wolverines. Dunston brings the fire and energy to the Michigan squad and her understanding of the game and execution of the fundamentals allows her teammates to succeed. After helping free up Flaherty with a screen and watching her knock down the tying three, Dunston ran to her teammate, lifting her off the ground, showing why Dunston is so important to the Wolverines. Although Michigan has amazing talent, the team has lacked a certain fire needed to win big games. Saturday Dunston showed that she has that fire, bringing heart and soul to the Wolverines.

Seniors Siera Thompson and Danielle Williams Leave Their Mark
As KBA’s first recruited class at Michigan, Siera Thompson and Danielle Williams have helped turn around the women’s basketball program and have brought it to heights it’s never been before. Thompson is now the leader in most games played, minutes played, and assists, playing all 55 minutes of Saturday’s game. She recorded 15 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, and a steal, exemplifying how she has been a stabilizing leader for Michigan for the past four seasons. Williams scored four points and snatched 5 rebounds on Saturday but her time at Michigan has been defined by the things she did that did not show up in the box score. Williams always brought energy and defense when she entered a game and made sacrifices for her team. As a leader on and off the floor, Williams always lead by example and helped motivate her team to make the final push towards the WNIT championship. These two seniors have left an incredible mark of the women’s basketball program as KBA said “Those two have meant everything to our program. This was for them and their commitment.”

With a program best 28-9 record and finally a championship banner to hang in Crisler, the Wolverines proved that they are a talented team that will go far in the future under the leadership of Kim Barnes Arico. Next season Michigan will be motivated by the new WNIT Championship banner hanging in the rafters and will look to add a Big Ten one next to it.

​
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