Uconn's star

Shabazz Napier was instrumental in leading Uconn to the men's college basketball national title over a run-and-gun Kentucky squad. He became the first player in NCAA history to cut down the nets as both a freshman AND a senior. And while Kemba Walker carried that 2011 title team to an improbable tournament victory, Napier learned from Walker and has developed his game to be much like that of former teammate Walker. 

He has the automatic jump-shot that other Division I players can only dream of. And he's not just about scoring, he's constantly looking for an open man and/or an easy bucket. Napier will just randomly pull up from 30 feet away and effortlessly knock down a shot that not even Lebron James can hit %50 if the time.

 He's also actively involved on the defensive end. He has quick hands that make him excellent at pick-pocketing an unsuspecting ball-handler and getting an easy bucket. When it comes to who will be the best player out of this year's highly-anticipated NBA Draft, I've been riding the bandwagon of Syracuse freshman Point Guard Tyler Ennis all year. I'm also pretty high on Australian Point Guard Dante Exum. But when I watch Shabazz Napier play I see Stephen Curry. (Curry is the best-shooter in today's game for those of you who don't know.) 

Curry could also shoot from multiple feet behind the three-point line, and they both share a gift that cannot be taught: the ability to get the ball into the hands of an open man. Although Napier is currently projected to be a lottery pick, I'm hoping he'll miraculously slip down to my Pacers. But Napier hasn't always resembled Curry. 

In his freshman year, he averaged just 7.8 points per game. However, that same year he had an above-average 50.7 true-shooting percentage (which factors in two-pointers, three-pointers, and free throws.) That total increased over his sophomore and junior years and this year he is having a career year with a true-shooting percentage of 59.1 percent and a career-high 18 points per game. 

And another thing that he's benefited from is staying in college all four years. It's developed him into a much smarter, well-rounded player than he would have been if he'd left after his sophomore year. 

The bottom line is: forget about Jabari Parker. This guy is the most NBA-ready player in the draft. He could be the next Stephen Curry, and if not, he still looks like a safe bet to be a strong 6th man. 

In totally unrelated news: 

The Indiana Pacers have regained the lead over the Miami Heat for the East's coveted #1 seed  with just a few days left in the season.

What's this strange sensation I'm feeling? 

Is this...hope?!?! 

As excited as I am for my Pacers, with upcoming games @ Miami and vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder, they'll need to be at the top of their game to get home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference Playoffs. But  Coach Frank Vogel hasn't been able to find a way to get his team to play good basketball with any kind of consistency recently. He better figure something out before Friday night's clash with Miami, or it'll be another season down the drain in Indy. 

What are your thoughts on the article? Do you have any questions? Post your comments and/or questions!

News

NBA 

What's wrong with Indiana?

The Pacers were a seemingly insurmountable 3 games ahead of rival Miami Heat with 12 games to go and they led the tiebreaker as well. Then they lost to the Wizards in Washington, and the Heat easily handled the league-worst Bucks. Alright, I thought at the time, at least we still have a 2-game lead. I then wrote the article that I recently published about the game being on in the NBA between the two archenemies. Then Indiana dropped a third straight game to Cleveland (!), without star (and only All-Star) Kyrie Irving (!!!). Of course Miami responded by defeating the Raptors in Toronto. The Pacers then lost 101-77 to the San Antonio Spurs at home! As if on cue, Miami won again! After another Pacers loss was coupled with a Miami win, the Heat lead Indiana by 1-game going into the season's final week! And with upcoming games against the Thunder, and @ the Heat, the Pacers are in no condition to get back atop the East standings and snatch the #1 seed before the playoffs start. There's no way this Pacers team, especially in its current state, can BEAT THE HEAT in a best-of-seven playoff-series WITHOUT home-court advantage. (Sigh.) Goodbye season, goodbye...

NFL

The Houston Texans signed injury-prone former New York Giants Running Back to a 1-year deal. Brown should be a nice complimentary back to aging-star Arian Foster, who missed a large chunk of last season with a nagging knee-injury. The Giants opted not to re-sign Brown after they signed journeyman Rashad Jennings, who played solid last year for the Raiders when starter Darren McFadden, in a hope to solidify last years mediocre-is-an-overstatement running game along with David Wilson, who struggled with fumble-issues when he was healthy, and missed a lot of the season from a neck injury that team doctors say could come back to him at any given time. 

The Raiders have traded for former Texans Quarterback Matt Schaub and the 49ers have traded for former Jaguars Quarterback Blaine Gabbert. 

The Colts have re-signed Cornerback Vontae Davis, but they lost Running Back Donald Brown to the Chargers and Pro Bowl Safety Antoine Bethea to the 49ers. 

MLB 

Who cares? 

Actually, I actually watched an ENTIRE baseball game the other night. And by entire I mean the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings. 

Soccer 

The World Cup (my favorite sporting event) is coming in June! I can't wait! I'll have you covered with a preview of it when the time comes. 

#belgiumalltheway

Golf 

If you are a golf fan, you are reading the wrong blog. But if you ARE a golf fan and you ARE reading this, Tiger Woods has withdrawn from the prestigious Masters with a back injury. 

College Basketball 

The Uconn Huskies won the men's National Championship Monday. They defeated the Kentucky Wildcats. 

Sophomore Oklahoma State Point Guard Marcus Smart, Freshman Syracuse Point Guard Tyler Ennis, and Freshman Kansas Shooting Guard Andrew Wiggins have all entered the NBA Draft. Fellow freshmen Jabari Parker and Joel Embiid are weighing whether or not to enter the draft. 

NBA Playoff Picture

NBA Playoff Picture 

Eastern Conference 

1. Miami Heat 53-23

Prediction: 58-24

2. Indiana Pacers 53-25

Prediction: 55-27 

3. Chicago Bulls 45-32

Prediction: 49-33

4. Toronto Raptors 45-32 

Prediction: 48-34 

5. Brooklyn Nets 42-34

47-35

6. Charlotte Bobcats 39-38

Prediction: 42-40 

7. Washington Wizards 40-37

Prediction: 41-41

8. Atlanta Hawks 34-42

Prediction: 36-46 

Conference Quarterfinals 

(1) Miami over (8) Atlanta 4-0

(2) Indiana over (7) Washington 4-2

(3) Chicago over (6) Charlotte 4-1

(5) Brooklyn over (4) Toronto 4-2

Conference Semifinals 

(1) Miami over (5) Brooklyn 4-2

(2) Indiana over (3) Chicago 4-3

Conference Finals 

(1) Miami over (2) Indiana 4-3 

West 

1. San Antonio Spurs 60-17

Prediction: 64-18

2. Oklahoma City Thunder 55-20 

Prediction: 60-22 

3. Los Angeles Clippers 55-23

Prediction: 59-23

4. Houston Rockets 51-25

Prediction: 54-28 

5. Portland Trailblazers 49-28

Prediction: 52-30

6. Golden State Warriors 47-29

Prediction: 51-31 

7. Dallas Mavericks 47-31 

Prediction: 49-33

8. Memphis Grizzlies 45-32

Prediction: 49-33

Conference Quarterfinals 

(8) Memphis over (1) San Antonio 4-2 

(2) Oklahoma City over (7) Dallas 4-1 

(3) Los Angeles over (6) Golden State 4-3

(4) Houston over (5) Portland 4-3

Conference Semifinals 

(4) Houston over (8) Memphis 4-3

(3) Los Angeles over (2) Oklahoma City 4-3 

Conference Finals 

(3) Los Angeles over (4) Houston 4-2

NBA Finals 

Game 1: Clippers 

Game 2: Heat 

Game 3: Clippers 

Game 4: Clippers 

Game 5: Heat 

Game 6: Clippers 

Los Angeles over Miami 4-2 

Finals MVP: LAC PF Blake Griffin 

Award Picks 

MVP: SF Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder 

Defensive Player of the Year: C Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls 

6th man of the Year: PG Reggie Jackson, Oklahoma City Thunder 

Most Improved Player: PG Goran Dragic, Phoenix Suns 

Coach of the Year: Steve Clifford, Charlotte Bobcats 

NBA Power Rankings #16 Part 3

18. New York Knicks 33-43

With last night's 110-81 thrashing of the rival Nets, the Knicks not only won their third-straight game and their eleventh of fourteen, but they also propelled themselves [by percentage points] into the East's 8th and final playoff spot over the struggling Atlanta Hawks. But with all six of their remaining games against playoff teams, the excitement could be short-lived. 

Last Ranking: 21 

19. Denver Nuggets 33-42

In a disappointing first-year for former Pacers assistant Brian Shaw, the Nuggets have been derailed by injuries. It will be interesting to see, should they get their squad fully-healthy, where they end up in the tightly-contested West next year. But with six of their final seven games against legitimate title-contenders they'll likely fail to reach 35 wins. 

Last Ranking: 19

20. New Orleans Pelicans 32-43 

Anthony Davis leaving Wednesday's game with back spasms has to worry Pelicans fans. He is their future and a double-double machine. But with upcoming games against the Trailblazers, Suns, Rockets [twice,] and Thunder [twice,] it might be wise just to let the injury-prone big man sit out the rest of the season. It would be a terrible thing for this team to be ready for a trip back to the playoffs for the first time since the Chris Paul era just to see Davis go down to some season-ending back injury.

Last Ranking: 20

21. Atlanta Hawks 32-42 

Although the Hawks have lost six of their last seven games and fell behind to the Knicks [as mentioned above] in the race to be annihilated by Miami in the first round, the Knicks [as mentioned above] have one of the toughest schedules in the league remaining, while the Hawks have an up-and-down schedule remaining with tough-games @ Indiana and against Miami but also more-than-winnable games against Boston, against Detroit, against Cleveland, and @ Milwaukee. 

#longestsentenceever

Last Ranking: 18

22. Cleveland Cavaliers 31-45 

The Cavaliers seemed to be out of the playoff picture just a couple of days ago, they were far behind the Hawks for the East's #8 seed and had to play the East-best Pacers without superstar Kyrie Irving. But somehow they miraculously won that game, and with just one game remaining against a team with a winning-record, they could potentially make a run at the playoffs and a first-round humiliation from Miami that three teams [New York, Atlanta, and Cleveland] are all chasing. 

Last Ranking: 22

NBA Power Ranking #16 Part 2

9. Golden State Warriors 46-28

Although they ARE just 2 games back from the Trailblazers in the West standings for that #5 seed, and they do have just 2 games left against teams with a winning-record, the feeling is that the Warriors are going to stay put in the standings and head into the West as a #6 seed. They do, however, play the Blazers on April 13 in Portland. 

Last Ranking: 9 

10. Phoenix Suns 44-30

The Suns, on a scorching hot 8-2 stretch and who have won 6 of their last 7 games, still look to have hope for the playoffs thanks to Dirk Nowitzki & co. losing to Golden State in Dallas. And All-Star snub Goran "The Dragon" Dragic is further cementing himself as the #3 Point Guard in the NBA [behind only Chris Paul of the Clippers and Stephen Curry of the Warriors.] Semi-star Eric Bledsoe's long-awaited return [from injury] doesn't hurt either. 

Last Ranking: 11

11. Toronto Raptors 42-32

It's become a real possibility that the Raptors don't get the #3 seed in the East, with them leading over the Bulls only because of a superior average point-differential. Toronto, 5-5 in its last 10 games, also has upcoming matches against the Rockets and Pacers. But their schedule after that? @ Milwaukee [14-60,] Philadelphia [16-58,] New York [32-43,] @ Detroit [27-47,] Milwaukee, and @ New York. Which means they could close the season on a 6-game winning-streak.

12. Chicago Bulls 42-32 

Winners of four of their last five, the Bulls continue to campaign role-player Taj Gibson for 6th Man of the Year. With all 8 of their remaining games against teams with losing-records, an 8-0 run to end the season, and surprisingly become the #3 seed, would not only boost team-morale in the wake of star Derrick Rose's latest knee-injury, it would also vault Coach Tom Thibodeau up to the top candidate for the NBA's prestigious Coach of the Year award. 

Last Ranking: 13

13. Brooklyn Nets 40-33 

The streaking Nets have won three-in-a-row and seven of their last nine. With only one of their final nine games coming against a team with a winning-record, it's more than a pipe dream to envision them not-so-quietly sneaking up the standings and taking the #3 seed in the East from the Raptors or Bulls. In Year 1 of Jason Kidd's coaching tenure, I'd say it's worked out so far. Unfortunately, they have two of the worst contracts in the NBA on their hands in washed-up veterans Joe Johnson and Deron Williams. Just think, what would have happened if semi-star Center Brook Lopez had not broken his often-injured foot and been ruled out for the season. Well, let's just say that Pacers-Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals would not be such a sure thing. 

Last Ranking: 14

14. Dallas Mavericks 44-31 

The defensively-challenged Mavs, have lost the #8 spot in the West standings. They better find a way to defend, because they have a grueling last 7 games that includes playing against playoff teams such as: @ Los Angeles [Clippers,] San Antonio, and two all-important games against the other two teams contending for the West's final two playoff spots: vs. Phoenix and @ Memphis. And something tells me  that if they give up 102 points per game over this homestretch, they're not exactly playoff-bound. 

Last Ranking: 10

15. Washington Wizards 38-36

The Wizards have, predictably, struggled since starting Center Nene was ruled out for the season. But John Wall [#4 on my list of top Point Guards in the NBA currently,] is going to carry them into the playoffs in the putridly awful Eastern Conference. But can he carry them through a playoff series and win one? I don't think he can. At least, not at this point in his career. And if shooters Bradley Beal and/or Trevor Ariza aren't hitting shots, then they'll be lucky to win a game, let alone a whole series in its entirety. 

Last Ranking: 16

16. Charlotte Bobcats 36-38 

Mathematically Charlotte still has a "chance" at getting the #6 seed in the East over the Wizards and thus avoiding the mammoth that is was Indiana, but it seems like they'll be more content to rest up for the playoffs and worry about winning a game or two against the [sigh] Pacers. Of course, at this point it doesn't seem entirely unlikely that they wind up beating Indy in round 1! Anyway, this is a bright young team and with a couple more pieces, they could be contending for a title sooner than you think. 

Last Ranking: 15

17. Minnesota Timberwolves 36-37 

The T-Wolves, 8th in the league in rebounding and 4th in points per game, are one of the best teams in recent memory to not be within 5 games of a playoff spot at the seasons end. They sit at the #10 spot in the West, separated from #8 Phoenix by a whopping 7.5 games, they're stats say they should be among the West's elite. Sure, they are defensively-challenged, but that's not unlike the #5 in the West Trailblazers. Yet here they are, 36-37 in the win-loss column, on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. 

Last Ranking: 17 

NBA Power Rankings #16

1. San Antonio Spurs 58-16

The Spurs, on a franchise-record 18-game winning-streak, have opened up their lead for home-court advantage throughout the playoffs over the Thunder to a seemingly safe 3.5 games seeing that there are only 8 games left for them and 9 for OKC.
Last Ranking: 2
2. Oklahoma City Thunder 54-19
[Likely] losing the #1 seed hurts Oklahoma City because the Memphis Grizzlies, who came into the year looking like legitimate title-conteneders but have been derailed by injuries, appear poised to snag the West's #7 seed and could potentially upset the Thunder in round 1 because of their stifling defense.
Last Ranking: 1
3. Miami Heat 51-22
This time last week, the sky was falling in Miami. They had just lost to the Indiana Pacers to fall back 3 games in the race for the East's highly-coveted #1 seed with just 12 to play, and worse yet, injury-prone semi-star Dwayne Wade injured his hamstring and had to sit out the games final minutes. It seemed like the Heat would settle for the #2 seed and worry about getting Wade healthy for the playoffs. But three horrid losses by the Pacers, and three easy wins for Miami later and the Heat have the sole lead in the East standings.
Last Ranking: 5
4. Los Angeles Clippers 53-22
With swingman J.J. Redick set to return to the ithe lineup this week, the Clippers could potentially pass the Thunder as the West's #2 seed. But who would you rather face in the first-round of the playoffs? Dark-horse title-contenders in the Memphis Grizzlies or a streaky up-and-down team in the Golden State Warriors? I'd say the latter.

Last Ranking: 4
5. Indiana Pacers 52-23
The Pacers have lost three games in a row since they seemingly locked-up the East's #1 seed. And the worst part: they don't seem to know what the problem is. Defensive-superstar Roy Hibbert is publicly calling players selfish, starters George Hill and Lance Stephenson got into a verbal confrontation and had to be separated by teammates, and Coach Frank Vogel is not taking enough responsibility. [Sigh…]
Last Ranking: 3
6. Houston Rockets 49-24
With star Dwight Howard and starter Patrick Beverley out due to injury, Houston has let their lead for the West's #4 seed, and thus home-court advantage in the first-round of the playoffs, drop down to 1.5 games. The Rockets better find a way to improve their porous defense over this homestretch if they want to maintain the #4 seed. Perhaps stars James Harden and Chandler Parsons could assert themselves a little more on the defensive end of the floor.
Last Ranking: 6
7. Portland Trailblazers 48-27
Damian Lillard looks like, I'm going to say it…a potential future MVP-candidate. The way he can drive in and get a sweet finger-roll finish, or if you're guarding the paint, pull up and effortlessly hit a quick three-pointer or mid-range shot. But despite Lillrard's infinite potential, the glaring fact still remains: the Blazers are just 6-9 in games decided by 3 points or less and are a mediocre 18-20 in games against teams with a winning-record.
Last Ranking: 7
8. Memphis Grizzlies 44-30
Would they be in contention for the West's #1 seed had Marc Gasol not sprained his knee and forced to miss two months of the season? Perhaps. But for now the Griz need to worry about making the playoffs. The Phoenix Suns are breathing down their necks with Memphis only currently sitting at the #8 spot in the conference because of records inside their own division.
Last Ranking: 8

More tomorrow!

Although I normally publish my NBA Power Rankings each Monday, I have not had time to [because of my mourning over the Pacers throwing their season down the drain] yet this week and so they have been delayed until tomorrow.

Thank You For Understanding,

The Sports Kid

[ALSO CHECK OUT THE NEW VOTING POLLS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BLOG.]