NBA Playoffs: Who Will Advance?

The NBA Playoffs have been full of some great games along with a few unexpected blowouts. Let's take a look at who is left and my predictions on who will survive and advance.

In the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers took a 2-0 lead over the Toronto Raptors. The Cavs were hot from downtown from start to finish and held the lead throughout the game. I believe the Cavs will advance to the Eastern Conference Final. 

Also in the East, the Boston Celtics took a 2-0 lead over the Washington Wizards. The game was extremely physical and Boston came up with the victory in overtime. The Celtics were lead by their point guard Isaiah Thomas who had a game high 53 points. I believe the Celtics will advance to the Eastern Conference Final and take on the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

In the West, the San Antonio Spurs bounced back from their ugly loss from the Houston Rockets and tied up the series at 1-1.  Tony Parker injured his leg in the win and left the game early. Reports are saying it does not look too good for TP. I believe the San Antonio Spurs will advance to the Western Conference Final. 

Also in the West, the Golden State Warriors took a 1-0 lead over the Utah Jazz. Steph Curry lead the  the Warriors with 22 points in their 106-94 win. I believe the Warriors will take the series and advance to the Western Conference Final and take on the San Antonio Spurs. 

My predictions are right on track. The Spurs will beat the Warriors and the Celtics will beat the Cavaliers. The finals will consist of San Antonio from the West and Boston from the East. 

What do you think? Let me know your predictions below. 

- H²

NBA Playoffs To Start Sunday

The regular season is over in the NBA and it is time to move on to the playoffs. My prediction is that the San Antonio Spurs will face the Boston Celtics in the NBA finals! I feel like the Warriors will not beat the Spurs and I hope that Cleveland chokes against the Celts. What do you all think? Check out the NBA playoff bracket below. Let me know your predictions.

Evening Thoughts

Sunday 

March 16th 

2016

9:22pm 

*** Joseph Campbell once said, “If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track, which has been there all the while waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living.” At a very young age, my parents signed me up for any sport available. I started out scoring goals in soccer, hitting line drives in baseball, and I even wrestled for a year. When I got older, the small white baseball shifted into a much bigger, brighter yellow color and I began playing softball in the spring. I hung up the tight singlet and dribbled a basketball all winter long. My fall days became occupied by my first sport soccer and a new game, much more tame than the others, golf. It does not matter if I am on the course putting for par, scoring a goal in the upper right ninety, dribbling through the defense and dishing the rock off to an open teammate, or even hitting in a pair of runs…there is one thing I know for sure. Sports are my passion, my true love, my absolute bliss. Like Campbell said, the life I was living when I was young, infatuated with all aspects of sports, should be the one I am living now. What better way to pursue my passion than to keep the one thing I’ve always known close to my heart as I graduate high school. The major “Sport Management" allows me continue my love for sports. ***

I wrote this excerpt for a scholarship I was applying for towards the end of my senior year in high school. Even though it was written less than a year ago, I feel like I was so naive back then. I was naive to think that my love for sports was a good reason I entered this major. I was naive to assume that my personality was my top attribute. Last but not least, I was extremely naive to believe that being a female in male dominated major and industry would be easy. 

Over the course of this year, something has been bothering me. It has been under my skin for quite some time now. I see it happen almost every day on television. I listen to it happen over the radio. I read it on social media. I experience it myself. 

The lack of respect for women in the sport industry. 

I should not have to address this, but I am in no way complaining. I am not "crying" about it like I have been told by some of my peers. I am not acting like a baby either. It's just I had this preconceived notion that women were equal to men. As time has gone on, I have learned that the sad truth is women are not equal to men. Not in this industry. Not in life. 

I see women on television taking the backseat to men. I hear women on the radio getting cut off when trying to voice their opinions. I read horrible, terrible things written about females in the sport industry on twitter. For me, I do not feel equal. I don't feel like my opinion means as much as my male peers. Honestly, it's not a feeling: it's a fact. A fact that upsets me. A fact that I disagree with. A fact that I will have to experience every day for the rest of my life. A fact that should not be a fact. 

Shannon L. Alder once said, "Every woman that finally figured out her worth, has picked up her suitcases of pride and boarded a flight to freedom, which landed in the valley of change." That's exactly what I am going to do. I don't feel sorry for myself at all. In fact, I am motivated. I am ready to show the world what I can do. What a female can do in the sport industry. The many things she can accomplish and achieve. The ideas she has to offer. Gain the respect that she will earn and deserve. 

Most of all, I want to be the example for a young girl from a town like Osceola Mills, Pennsylvania. I want to tell her that knowing the entire New York Yankees team at age six is something to be proud of. I want to ensure that her long hours studying film, and sketching offensive sets during basketball games at age ten will pay off some day. I want her to know that she can do anything she puts her mind to. I want to instill strength within her to break the barriers. Most importantly, I want to encourage her to pursue a male dominated major and industry. 

Sure, it will be a challenge; however, I know if anyone can do it, it's that little girl from a small town in central PA. 

- H²

Lonzo Ball: Moving On To The NBA

In an post game interview after UCLA's heartbreaking loss to Kentucky on March 24, freshman guard Lonzo Ball told reporters he is off to the NBA. When a reporter asked Ball if that was his final game as a Bruin, Ball said, "Yeah that's my final game for UCLA. I appreciate all the fans and all the support." 

It did not come as a shock to most people considering the comments that his very outspoken father, LaVar Ball, has made regarding Lonzo's time at UCLA. Lonzo is a crafty guard with a lot of potential. He is the playmaker, the quarterback of the team. UCLA goes as he goes... or went, I guess I should say. 

I don't have a problem that Ball is headed to the NBA. He has the skills to be a premiere guard in the league and I believe that he is ready. But I do have a problem regarding this situation. First, the timing. Ball declared for the NBA directly after UCLA's loss to Kentucky in the sweet sixteen. In my opinion, I think that says a lot about him as a player. Your team just loss an extremely important game. For the seniors on your squad, they just played their last game. They would love to have just one more game let alone the three extra years you could have if you stayed. But yet, you go ahead and declare for the NBA. I think it's selfish to do that directly after the game. Ball made it all about him. It makes him look like he doesn't even care about the seniors or the team in general. Then it makes me question, "Did he ever really care about the team at all?" He did have an undeclared major which makes me think that he knew he was leaving after his first year anyway. Was he just in it for himself the whole time? 

Whatever the case, I cannot take away how great of a player he is. I am sure he will have success in the NBA. Good for him. But I think there are some unwritten rules when it comes to that kind of situation. A year ago when Peyton Manning won Super Bowl 50, he was asked a similar question, "Is this your final game of your career?" To that Manning responded, "I'll take some time to reflect, but I have a couple of priorities to take care of first." A month later, Manning announced that he was retiring. I think the way Peyton did it was extremely unselfish and classy. Maybe Ball could learn a thing or two from him. 

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below! 

- H²

A Truly Touching Moment

On Sunday (March 26), Mississippi State upset Baylor 94-85 to advance to the women's final four. The Lady Bulldogs junior standout guard, Morgan William, led all scorers with a game-high 41 points. She was absolutely phenomenal from start to finish, leaving the Lady Bears with too much too handle. William was 6-8 from three-point range, and sank clutch free throws in the final minutes of the game to lead her team to victory. 

As if advancing to the final four for the first time in program history wasn't enough, William was emotional for another reason. Almost three years to the date, William lost her father unexpectedly from a heart attack at the age of 44. He passed away her senior year of high school, but she knew that he was with her on Sunday night in Oklahoma City. 

At the conclusion of the game, Mississippi State head coach, Vic Schaefer, spoke highly about his 5'5" guard to ESPN in an interview. He even pulled her into the camera view and gave her some words of encouragement. It was a touching moment. Check out the emotional video below.

- H²

ESPN Dragging Out Cavs Sitting Their Big Three

On Saturday (March 18), head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Tyronn Lue, sat his big three against the Los Angeles Clippers to give them some rest. LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love sat the entire game. The Clippers went on to win the game in front of their home crowd 108-78.  

The NBA season is long and brutal. It's not like Lue wanted to lose the game, and I am sure he didn't want to lose by 30 points either. The NBA was not happy with Lue's decision because of the ratings and how many people tuned in to watch a game between two of the top teams in the NBA. 

LeBron made some comments about Lue's decision. Naturally, ESPN jumped all over this. Don't get me wrong, I love ESPN. I am just sick and tired of hearing about what LeBron said and this entire situation about sitting players. Yes, I get it. The NBA is upset with Lue's decision; however, what does Adam Silver expect the Cavs and the 29 other NBA teams to do when their schedules are crammed? It is just one of those things where the NBA can't do much about it, and neither can the teams. Let it go ESPN. I doubt people will remember that on March 18, 2017 Lue sat LeBron, Kyrie, and Kevin because they needed rest. 

The only people I feel bad for in this situation are the fans. People pay a lot of money to watch an NBA game, and when they go to see these stars play and they sit, it can be very disappointing. 

Once again, I understand ESPN's job is to report news so I have no problem with them reporting this story. I just feel like sometimes ESPN drags out one story that doesn't even deserve much attention because they can't find anything else to talk about. 

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below! 

- H²

Round of 32: Upset City

The March Madness Round of 32 was filled with upsets. The defending national champions were knocked off, a seventh ranked team knocked off a second ranked team, and a few Big Ten teams are proving to be serious contenders with theirs wins. 

East 

Eight ranked Wisconsin upset the number one overall all seed Villanova by a score of 65-62. Wisconsin's star guard, Bronson Koenig, sat on the bench a lot of the game due to foul trouble; however, he gave the Badgers a boost in the final minutes of the game to knock off the defending national champions. 

Number two ranked Duke was upset by number seven ranked South Carolina by a score of 88-81. The Gamecocks forced the Blue Devils to commit 18 turnovers which proved to be the deciding factor in the game. This is the first time in program history that South Carolina is in the sweet sixteen. 

West 

The eleventh ranked Xavier Musketeers stomped the third ranked Florida State Seminoles by a score of 91-66. The Musketeers zone defense proved to be too much for the Seminoles. Five Musketeers scored in double figures. 

Midwest 

Number seven ranked Michigan upset number two ranked Louisville by a score of 73-69. The Big Ten Champion Wolverines have been nothing less than spectacular the past few weeks. Led by their exceptional guard, Derrick Walton Jr., Michigan committed only 6 turnovers in their big win. Ever since their plane scare a few weeks ago, the Wolverines have been playing at another level. 

South

There were no upsets in the South region of the bracket. The number one, two, three, and four seeds all advanced to the sweet sixteen (UNC, Kentucky, UCLA, Butler). 

With all of the upsets, my two brackets are not looking very good. However, I chose Kentucky to win it all in one and UCLA to win it all in the other. My predictions for the national championship are still alive. 

- H²

NCAA March Madness; Who Will Win?

It's the best time of the year again: MARCH MADNESS! With the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament coming to a close, I have only missed 4 picks on my bracket. Check out my bracket below! 

I am sitting in a pretty good position. The teams that have lost so far are teams that I do not have advancing into the second round of the tournament. In the CBS pool ran by a family friend, I am in sitting in third place. Not too shabby.

The only thing I regret doing is picking UCLA to win the entire tournament. Lonzo Ball and the rest of the Bruins are a great team but I just do not see them winning the entire tournament. After watching Kentucky win the SEC Championship, I see the blue and white winning the entire tournament. When the Wildcats play together, they are absolutely unstoppable. I truly believe this is Kentucky's year.

I guess we will just have to wait and see. 

- H²

Twitter Erupts After ESPN Comments on Katie Lou Samuelson

On March 6, 2017, University of Connecticut Women's Basketball guard, Katie Lou Samuelson, had a record breaking night. The sophomore scored 40 points, while going 10-10 from the three-point range. With that game, Samuelson set the Division I record for consecutive three-pointers in a game.

ESPN posted a story highlighting her performance on twitter. They captioned the tweet by saying, "No NBA player has ever gone 10-10 on 3-point FG." With that, twitter went crazy. I monitored the comment section and all I saw was hate. People from all around the globe commented on the post saying that one cannot compare a women's college basketball player to an NBA player. 

In my opinion, I feel that ESPN lacked inclusiveness in the caption. Is it an unfair comparison? The most simple answer is yes; however, I don't think you can make a comparison. The NBA and women's college basketball are extremely different, neither being better or worse than the other. I know, at the end of the day it is just basketball. But there are so many different factors that do not match up between both levels. 

I believe that if ESPN wanted to go with this comparison, a better caption would be, "No professional basketball player has ever gone 10-10 on 3-point FG." That way, you are including the NBA and the WNBA. 

Nonetheless, one cannot take away anything from Katie Lou Samuelson. Being perfect from 'downtown' is not easy to do. Kudos to her. That was a heck of a performance.

- H²

Kim Mulkey Emotional, Regretful Over Remarks

Baylor University has found itself in the spotlight. On January 27, a lawsuit was filed against Baylor University and the Baylor football program. The lawsuit claims that 31 Baylor football players allegedly committed at least 52 acts of rape over the course of three years, starting in 2015. Apart from the football program, at least 125 Baylor students have reported being sexually assaulted during that period of time. Needless to say, Baylor University is in a lot of trouble. 

After recording her 500th career win on Saturday, Baylor Women's Basketball coach Kim Mulkey stood in front of her home crowd at the Ferrell Center and responded to the controversy surrounding Baylor. After praising the University, Mulkey said, "If somebody is around you and they ever say ‘I will never send my daughter to Baylor,’ you knock them right in the face." 

At first, Mulkey stood by her comments showing no regret in the post-game press conference; however, days later she expressed her remorse over her words. On Monday February 27, Mulkey spoke in a press conference. Check out her apology below. 

In my opinion, I feel like Mulkey did not intend for her words to be taken in a negative, harsh manner. While I believe she should've used a better choice of words, Mulkey was not disregarding all of the alleged rape/sexual assault victims. She knows very bad things have happened at Baylor, but she continues to show her loyalty to the university through this difficult time. I just think her words were very insensitive to the situation. 

I feel like Mulkey did the right thing by addressing the media and apologizing for her remarks regarding the victims. It is not an easy thing to stand up in front of the media (aka the whole world) and admit what she said was wrong... but she did. For that, I feel like it has to count for something. Her controversial words have already sparked a raging fire in so many. It will be interesting to see if she receives any more backlash from this incident. 

- H²

Heart Over Height

Boston's "Isaiah Thomas" Doesn't Let His Height Hold Him Back.

Imagine that little boy at the playground: undersized, skinny, and too small. You can spot him out instantly in the crowd of kids his age. When the other boys fight for a jump-ball, they hold their ground. But when that short young boy fights for a jump, he flies across the pavement, scraping his tiny, fragile legs. Everyone freezes.

Within seconds, he picks out the small, bloody rocks that fill the cuts on his knees and brushes off the dirt on his extra small t-shirt. Then, that undersized kid rises from the blacktop. He grabs the ball, bounces it to his much bigger opponent, and shouts "check". In that moment, that kid that was once too small becomes the tallest kid on the court. The other kids look around and nod. Respect is earned. 

Boston Celtic's point guard, Isaiah Thomas, was once that little boy on the playground. His entire life he has been underestimated because of his height. He stands at only 5 feet 9 inches, but that hasn't held him back from accomplishing great things. 

After spending four years at Washington University, Thomas was chosen as the 60th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings. Second round wasn't too shabby for the small kid on the block. Thomas saw minutes here and there for the Kings, until he was traded to the Phoenix Suns in 2014. After playing only a short few months and suffering a few minor injuries with the Suns, Thomas was traded to Celtics in 2015. 

What. A. Trade. 

I don't think Boston knew who exactly just joined their team. Since debuting as a Celtic, Isaiah Thomas has been nothing less than unbelievable for Boston. This season, he is leading the Eastern Conference in points per game (29.7). He has lead the Celtics to a 38-21 record, placing them only three games behind the defending world champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

But where he has been most impressive is in the fourth quarter of games. Thomas has a knack of taking over in the final frame to lead his team to clutch victories. He leads the NBA in points during the fourth quarter with 10.1 points. He puts the team on his back and carries them for the last 12 minutes of a game. Pretty impressive for the shortest player in the NBA.

What I find so amazing is Thomas proved all the doubters wrong. He showed the world that the kid on the play ground who was undersized, skinny, and too small could play with the big dogs. He has given all the kids hope who have been told that they are too small to pursue their dreams. 

Sure, Isaiah Thomas has had his struggles. Not every shot falls for the point guard. A lot of layups have been blocked right back into his grill. Even just a small shove can send the Celtic star flying across the floor at TD Garden. But just like that little kid on the playground, he rises from the hardwood, collects himself, and stands bigger and taller than any other player on the court. 

Even on the biggest of stages, respect is still earned. 

Isaiah Thomas reminds us all that it isn't how big you are... it's how big you play. 

- H²

Knick’s Anthony lets his game respond amongst trade rumors; Phil Jackson wants Melo out now.

A professional athlete is bound to take some harsh criticism throughout his/her career. They play on the biggest of stages, in front of thousands of people day in and day out. New York Knicks small forward, Carmelo Anthony, became the latest victim last week when the Knicks talked about trading the veteran to the Los Angeles Clippers or the Boston Celtics. It doesn’t stop there either. On January 12, Melo air-balled a three-pointer against the Bulls…and he heard about it from the fans as a loud boo filled all of Madison Square Garden. Over the past few weeks, the Knicks organization along with the fans have questioned the 32-year-old’s production.

Needless to say, it has been a rough month for the nine-time all-star.

But Anthony is a veteran. And what do veterans do? They respond. The small forward dropped a game high 45 points against the Atlanta Hawks; however, the Knicks came up short in the 4OT thriller 142-139. Melo went 18-36 from the field, and hit numerous clutch shots to keep his team in the game.

Perhaps the loud boos and trade rumors sparked a fire in Anthony.

Just today, the New York Knicks have shown interest in trading Melo for the Cleveland Cavalier’s Kevin Love. Since, it has been reported that the Cavs denied the trade, and I do not blame them. Why would Cleveland want another small forward? They just acquired Kyle Korver from the Hawks. What the Cavs really need is a true point guard; that being said, Kyrie Irving is more of a two-guard. The bottom line is they do not need nor want someone like Carmelo Anthony.

Knick’s President, Phil Jackson, has made it clear that he wants Anthony gone, and he wants him gone quickly. Not so fast, Mr. Jackson. Getting rid of Melo right now is not going to solve all of your problems. Right now, the Knicks are in 3rd place in the Atlantic Division, and are 8.5 games behind the 2nd place Toronto Raptors, and only 2 games ahead of the miraculously hot 76ers. Looking at the Eastern Conference as a whole, New York is only 2.5 games behind the 8th place Charlotte Hornets. Trading your leading scorer at this point in the season does not seem logical if the Knicks want any chance in making a run for the 7th or 8th spots in the Eastern Conference.

And it’s not just about the numbers. Carmelo Anthony is the glue to the Knicks, whether Jackson wants to admit it or not. The veteran possesses all of the intangibles a team needs to be successful. Most importantly, the 6’8″ forward is a leader. I think people seem to forget that Melo has done wonders for the Knicks over the past 6-7 seasons. He has built a legacy that will never be forgotten. So go ahead Phil Jackson. Blame all of your poor decisions as the team owner on Anthony. Maybe if you knew how to build a team with a good roster and a good coaching staff, you would see some progress rather than the Knick’s stagnant, poor play.

The problem is not Carmelo Anthony. The problem is you, sir.

If I was Melo, I would be gone in a heartbeat. Who wants to play for an owner like Jackson anyway? I think it is in Anthony’s best interest to get out of New York as soon as he can. Playing for a city and organization that disregards the legacy he has built since 2010 is not a place where he belongs. Where he goes is another question that I am sure will be answered soon enough. For now, all I can say is go go go Melo. Get as far away from Jackson and the Knicks as you can. I don’t blame you at all. In fact, I don’t think anyone will.

So sure, maybe it is time the Knicks rebuild. Kristaps Porzingis has proven that he is the new franchise centerpiece. With guys like Derrick Rose, Brandon Jennings, Courtney Lee, and Joakim Noah, the possibilities are endless for New York (that is if Phil Jackson learns how to manage a team). Letting go of Carmelo Anthony could prove to be a good decision for the future of the Knicks. But there is a certain way to do it. Melo deserves the utmost respect from all of those within the Knicks organization, as well as the fans.

He earned that right.

- H²

^{Carmelo Anthony Trade Rumors}

Introduction

Greetings!

This a blog that goes beyond the stats . I will focus on topics that do not focus on statistics but rather focus on other topics that do not concern statistics. I will focus mainly on the sport of basketball.  My passion for sports stems from an unselfish, giving back foundation. It has never been about the numbers for me; conversely, it has been all about what I can do for others. I hope this blog allows my readers to gain a better understanding and realize that not all professional, collegiate, and high school teams and athletes are concerned with the stats.

Best Wishes,

- H²

Notre Dame's "Farrell" Electrifies Crowd with Crazy Shot

With a little over three minutes to play in the second half of the Georgia Tech vs. Notre Dame Men's College Basketball game, Notre Dame guard Matt Farrell hit an insane shot to beat the shot clock buzzer. With Notre Dame leading by four, Farrell's impressive three-pointer sent the fans at Purcell Pavilion into a frenzy. 

At first glance, I didn't understand the hysteria surrounding the Farrell's shot. It just looked like to me something a college basketball player should be able to do. It was just a simple jumper to beat the shot clock. What was the big deal? It's what is expected from a Division I player. But then, I watched the slowed-down replay. 

Wow.

Let me break it down. 

1. Farrell's body is at a complete 90 degree angle to the hoop. When he grabs the ball, he is facing toward the baseline.  At this point, there is 2 seconds left on the shot clock. In a matter of a second, he has to turn his body to square up to the hoop which isn't easy to do. 
2. Momentum is against him. Farrell is leaning back, fading away from the hoop. He has to have enough strength to fight against his momentum and put up the shot.
3. Quick release. Farrell knows that he can't shoot the ball and follow through like he normally does. He has to release the ball quick in order to get it off before the shot clock expires. 
4. Place of the shot. Farrell is stuck in the corner of the court. There isn't much room to work with there. So he has to keep is feet in bounds, while dealing with the backboard getting his way. 
5. Pressure of the situation. Farrell knows that a shot clock violation is waste of a possession. Leading by four with only a few minutes left to go, every possession counts. He knows has got to get this shot off.

It seems like all odds were against Farrell when he pulled up for three. There was no reason that shot should've went in. Matt Farrell's "Larry Bird esc" shot would prove to be big. The three-pointer gave Notre Dame a seven point lead with just three minutes to play. The Fighting Irish went on to defeat the Yellow Jackets 64-60. 

- H²