Syracuse Basketball: Analyzing the NBA Draft Stock of Each Orange Departure
In 2012, the Syracuse Orange experienced one of their most successful seasons in school history. They finished the regular season with 30 wins and just one loss, the school’s best record of all time. This winning atmosphere in Syracuse can be largely attributed to the talent depth on the Orange roster.
Four players from last year’s team have enlisted in the NBA draft. Let’s see where they will be heading.
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Bulls vs. Heat: Biggest Weaknesses for Each Team Heading into Playoffs
After the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls’ last regular-season battle, it’s time to evaluate both Eastern Conference powerhouses before the playoffs kick off.
Was the Heat’s 83-72 victory on Thursday a sign of things to come? Or will the Bulls exact their revenge, complete with Derrick Rose, in the postseason?
Here’s a look at each team’s weaknesses heading into the playoffs.
Chicago Bulls
Shooting Guard
The Bulls aren’t as bad off this year as they were last season, but shooting guard is still a weak spot on the team. Richard Hamilton has been shooting the ball well, but he’s 34 years old now and isn’t able to defend as well as he did in the past. You have to love how he’s battling, though.
Free-Throw Shooting
The Bulls shoot 72 percent from the charity stripe, fourth-worst in the NBA. In contrast, the Heat shoot 77.3 percent from the free-throw line. If the Bulls are forced to make free throws down the stretch, there’s a chance they could falter.
Lack of Explosiveness
Beyond Rose, there aren’t many players on the Bulls who have the athleticism to stack up with a team like the Heat. They’ve been able to play well against the Heat this season because of their team chemistry and help defense, but the Heat are able to cover up their deficiencies to an extent with electric plays and the ability to quickly shift momentum.
Miami Heat
Team Chemistry
The Heat may have the Big Three, but they haven’t played consistently as a team throughout the season, and that’s a legitimate concern. The Bulls were able to beat the Heat on March 14 without Rose because numerous players stepped up. The Bulls hardly miss a beat with their star player out.
Rebounding
LeBron James, the dominant player he is, significantly helps the Heat on the glass, but they don’t have the interior players to clean up on the boards. The Heat have averaged 41.6 rebounds this season, 21st in the league, and Chris Bosh isn’t the rebounder he once was.
Depth
This may go hand-in-hand with the Heat’s team chemistry. Part of working well as a team is having numerous players off the bench contributing. If they don’t contribute, the Heat’s Big Three are forced to try to win the game themselves.
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Amile Jefferson: Odds for Star Recruit to Decide on Each Team on His List
Amile Jefferson is a McDonald’s All-American and a star college basketball recruit who delayed his decision once again today, and these are the updated odds for every team courting Jefferson to land the 6’7″ small forward.
Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina State and Villanova all remain on his list, and they wait with bated breath as Jefferson continues to make them wait. Trying to find out where they all stand on his list is stressful for teams and fans alike, and these are my odds for where he will end up.
Jefferson’s decision is going to be one of the biggest left in college basketball this year. His athleticism and great length make Jefferson a great player, and his decision will carry great weight.
With that, let’s take a look at the odds for each school to land the skilled forward.
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NBA Draft 2012: Predicting Where Each Kentucky Wildcat Basketball Star Lands
All five starters of the Kentucky Wildcats National Championship team declared for the NBA draft on Tuesday and the group will go their separate ways come June 28.
Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marquis Teague, Doron Lamb and Terrence Jones all look to be first-round picks, which is unprecedented.
The five were a closely-knit group who now look to divide and conquer on the NBA scene.
With different team scenarios factoring in, it might be tough to determine each player’s level of success at the next level, but trying to pick a landing spot for each star isn’t as hard as one might think.
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Lakers commit record 92 turnovers as a benched Kobe Bryant demands ball on each possession
OAKLAND—The Lakers collected an ugly 99-97 road victory against the Warriors last night, committing a record setting 92 turnovers, a majority of which came when Lakers players passed the ball out of bounds to Kobe Bryant, who, despite being on the bench with a shin injury, called for the ball on nearly every Lakers possession.
“You have to crack a few eggs if you want to make an omelette,” said Bryant after the game when asked about the 92 turnovers, which more than doubled the previous mark set by the then-San Francisco Warriors in 1971. “Yeah, we turned the ball over a bit, but I got my touches and we got the W. That’s no coincidence.”
When asked about Kobe’s comments, coach Mike Brown replied, “Yes. Yes, it is a coincidence. But please don’t write that down. I don’t want Kobe to know I said that.”
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Spurs vs. Lakers: Biggest Foes for Each Team in 2012 NBA Playoffs
The San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers have a lot of history when you look back at recent postseason basketball.
The two franchises, widely viewed as the two best Western Conference teams since the 1990’s, have met 11 times overall in the postseason, with the Lakers coming out ahead eight of those times. Since current stars Kobe Bryant (1996) and Tim Duncan (1997) arrived on the scene, the Lakers have won four of six postseason meetings against the Spurs.
Often, the NBA championship has gone through one of these franchises, and it very well could do so again this year.
The Spurs and Lakers have developed quite the rivalry over the years and will be each other’s playoff foe once again this season.
If seeding holds true (assuming the Spurs end up No. 2 and the Lakers end up No.3) throughout the first round and both the Lakers and Spurs win their opening-round series, the two will be on a collision course to meet up once again, with a lot at stake. A trip to the Western Conference Finals will have to go through two of the storied franchises of the past two decades.
If the Spurs can claim the No. 1 seed overall, the two still have a chance to meet in the Western Conference Finals.
The rivalry between the two franchises is based on playoff success. The 2011 season marked the first time since 2006 that neither the Spurs nor the Lakers appeared in the Western Conference Finals, and for only the second time since 1999, neither team made the NBA Finals (Dallas won the West in 2006 and 2011).
Yet this season could give us one of the best Spurs-Lakers series we’ve seen to date.
The two teams met six days ago when the Lakers went into San Antonio and came out with a win behind a 30-rebound effort from Andrew Bynum. They also meet two more times down the stretch, including a big matchup tonight at the Staples Center.
That’s plenty of time to spark up some bad blood between the two teams.
No matter whom either team could potentially meet in the Western Conference Finals, both Los Angeles and San Antonio represent the biggest foe for each other along the way.
San Antonio’s Big Three in Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are out to prove they have one more championship run left in them. Coincidentally, Bryant, Bynum and Pau Gasol are out to do the same.
One of the teams could get the shot at a title once the playoffs get going.
It’s almost fitting that they will have to go through each other to do it
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Anthony Bennett: Each School’s Chances of Getting Top Remaining Prospect
Anthony Bennett, quite possibly the best power forward recruit in the country, has yet to make his decision on where he’ll play college basketball in 2012.
And it’s hard to blame him.
First, he had to win a state title with Findlay Prep, with a McDonald’s All American game squeezed in there. Then he had help carry the International squad to a win over the USA at the Nike Hoop Summit.
Now he’s at the Jordan Brand Classic.
Mix in practices, traveling, homework, heck, probably some dating, and Mr. Bennett is a very busy guy. Deciding on what college to attend between all of that isn’t easy.
But he’s narrowed it down to five, and after he takes official visits later this month and next, he’ll be ready to make a decision.
Here’s a look at each school’s chance to land the talented big man.
UNLV Runnin’ Rebels: 35 percent
Most people like Florida in this Bennett sweepstakes, but I’m going with UNLV as the favorite.
Not only is UNLV about 20 minutes from where Bennett currently attends high school in Henderson, Nevada, but it also now home to Khem Birch, former Pittsburgh forward.
Birch, like Bennett, is orginially from Canada and the two share a close friendship. It’s hard to beat a school that is this close to home and gives Bennett a chance to play with his good friend.
What’s more UNLV is slowly getting back on the map as a basketball powerhouse. With Bennett, they’ll officially be back.
Florida Gators: 30 Percent
The Gators have been thought to be at the top of Bennett’s list for a long time, and now they’ve even opened up room for the power forward.
Walter Pitchford, a 6-foot-9 forward, is transferring from the Gators and that gives Florida one open scholarship and a need for a big man.
For what it’s worth, three of the seven ESPN insider analysts predicted Bennett to Florida, which is more than any of his other targets.
That’s relevant, right?
Kentucky Wildcats: 15 percent
I would guess the odds that Kentucky acquires Bennett’s services have been dropping ever since John Calipari landed Nerlens Noel, but it’s impossible to count them out.
The Cats have already landed Noel, a center, Willie Cauley, a center/power forward and Alex Poythress, a small forward/power forward.
Throw in sophomore power forward Kyle Wiltjer, and it’s already a crowded frontcourt. Bennett could certainly open some room with that big body of his, but I would guess that it’s unlikely.
Oregon Ducks: 10 percent
There hasn’t been a ton of talk about Bennett to the Ducks, but don’t discount them as a sleeper in the race.
Oregon basketball is certainly on its way back up; they’ve already signed talented four-star point guard Dominic Artis, and Bennett would be the superstar to carry this team near the top of an improving Pac12.
It’s hard to pass up all of that.
And Nike. It’s hard to pass up Nike, too.
Washington Huskies: 10 percent
The Huskies may not realistically be in this race, but they might be able to benefit the most from an official visit.
Head coach Lorenzo Romar is a terrific recruiter, and if Bennett visited Seattle, Romar would be able to sell him on the campus, the school, and most importantly the style of play.
The Huskies play a very up-tempo game and like to utilize big men who can run the floor and shoot, which makes Bennett the perfect fit in Washington’s system.
It probably won’t be enough, but it’s certainly enough to at least intrigue Bennett.
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One Weakness of Each Top NBA MVP Candidate
Every NBA player has a weakness, including MVP candidates.
While much of our time is spent worshiping the talent that MVP-caliber athletes bring to the table, even more time is spent overlooking the flaws and inherent blemishes of their game.
As the regular season winds down and the race toward league MVP intensifies, though, scrutiny will prevail and the weaknesses of the NBA’s biggest stars will not be as overlooked.
And in the case of more than one, it will be these suddenly broadcasted deficiencies that prevent them from contending for the league MVP award any further.
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Derrick Rose and the X-Factors for Each Possible NBA Playoff Team
With the playoffs looming and the race for playoff seeding at a fever pitch, possible playoff teams need certain players to step up and help their ball clubs win important games down the stretch.
It may not seem like it, but every playoff team has an “x-factor.” An x-factor can be an injury, a situation, a player, a group of players, or an entire team’s performance. An x-factor, depending on the circumstances, can ultimately alter the course a team is taking, whether it be positively or negatively.
These are my x-factors for each and every team that is currently in playoff contention and the players I believe can make a difference in whether a team loses a playoff spot, makes a deep run in the postseason, or hoists the Larry O’Brien trophy after all the dust has settled.
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Final Four 2012: Each Team’s Best NBA Draft Prospect
This year’s NCAA tournament has provided a great stage for some of the next stars of the NBA, and even more so for those players who made it all the way to this year’s Final Four.
For the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, Ohio State Buckeyes and Kansas Jayhawks to make it to where they did, they needed great play from players who stand out from the rest.
While many of their players will likely go on to play in the NBA, each team has a distinctive star who took the team above and beyond.
Ohio State Buckeyes: Jared Sullinger, F, Sophomore
The Buckeyes were lucky to have their star freshman in Sullinger return for his sophomore season. The standout forward has once again risen the team above and beyond, making quite a statement in his second year of success at the collegiate level.
Sullinger once again averaged just over 17 points per game this season, as well as being right in the range of about 10 rebounds per night. He has clearly been a force on both sides of the ball, and could certainly excel when playing within a solid core of players.
It will remain to be seen if he could play the star role, but the more likely scenario is that he will be a solid contributor, while quietly adding 15 points or so a night.
Kansas Jayhawks: Thomas Robinson, F, Junior
Getting his first serious minutes of his college career, 6’10″ forward Robinson has been a huge contributor all season long for the Jayhawks. He has had a ton of success on both ends of the floor, but has been a beast on the glass.
He is averaging 11.8 rebounds per game along with his 17.7 points. Those numbers are huge, and any team will likely be salivating at the chance of landing him in the draft.
This year there is a lot of big men, so there are a plethora of options. Robinson, though, stands a strong chance to excel amongst his appears, especially given how well he has played in the tournament thus far.
In the first three rounds, he grabbed 41 rebounds, as well as bringing down nine against the very big North Carolina Tar Heels in the Elite Eight.
If he can fight on the glass like that against NBA teams, he will be one tough matchup in the post.
Louisville Cardinals: Gorgui Dieng, F, Sophomore
It will remain to be seen if Dieng will opt to head to the 2012 NBA draft, but one thing is for sure, teams will be heavily interested whenever he decides to go.
His stock will probably rise if he were to head out after next season, but still, the 6’11″ man from Senegal has been strong on both offense and defense this year.
This was Dieng’s real first shot to shine at Louisville, and he has taken advantage of the opportunity. He is averaging 32.6 minutes per game, while scoring 9.4 points with 9.1 rebounds per night.
There is definitely still room to improve, but there is certainly a lot of upside with his game. If he can continue to excel, there is a good chance he will become a great player in the NBA.
Kentucky Wildcats: Anthony Davis, F, Freshman
No secret here. The AP Player of the Year in Anthony Davis has been one of the most phenomenal players all season long—not to mention he is just a freshman.
With Davis being right now the consensus No. 1 overall pick of the 2012 draft, there is no doubt that everyone is labeling him as quite possibly the next great big man.
Davis has been strong all season long, but showed his true colors in the team’s Elite Eight game against the Baylor Bears.
In that game, Davis recorded 18 points and 11 rebounds, not to mention the ridiculous six blocks he had.
That is exactly what he can do though, and he will be able to dominate others at the next level.
Jeff Chase is a Featured Columnist for the Chicago Cubs and Arizona State football.
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