5 teams that will attempt to sign Jeremy Lin from the Knicks
Point guard Jeremy Lin has essentially become a restricted free agent now that the New York Knicks’ season is officially over but the Knicks may not have the money to sign him to a long term contract. The only good news for the Knicks is that under league rules, Lin can only sign for a maximum of $5 million per season over the next two seasons. That doesn’t prevent teams from offering Lin a longer contract paying him more after those first two seasons though. If the Knicks can’t compete with a team willing to sign him to a longer contract then that could be the end of the “Lin-sanity craze” in New York. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE »
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College Basketball: 5 Mid-Major Teams with Legitimate Final Four Hopes
Mid-major teams have been steadily climbing up the college basketball rankings ever since the George Mason Patriots’ improbable run to the Final Four in 2006.
There is less separation between the traditional powerhouses like the Duke Blue Devils and UCLA Bruins and mid-major teams like the Ohio Bobcats.
Following in George Mason’s footsteps, the Butler Bulldogs made it to two national championship games in a row in 2010 and 2011, narrowly losing both contests.
Joining Butler in 2011 were the VCU Rams, who made their own unexpected Final Four run before losing to the Bulldogs.
So why should next season be any different?
There are plenty of teams ready and waiting to make that leap into the national spotlight. And more than a few are capable of doing so.
Here are the mid-major college basketball teams that have a legitimate shot at reaching the Final Four next season.
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NBA Playoffs 2012: Teams That Should Be Worried Moving Forward
As the 2012 NBA playoffs warm up, teams are beginning to show their true colors, whether it be the balanced Indiana Pacers or the dominant Oklahoma City Thunder.
Some teams, however, have failed to distance themselves from the competition and are headed for an early exit out of the postseason.
Here’s a look at some teams that are in danger of going home early.
Memphis Grizzlies, First Round
The first four games against the Los Angeles Clippers have not been encouraging for the Grizzlies. The Clippers, who proved inconsistent but explosive during the regular season, have come out ready to play and they have the talent to surprise a lot of teams.
The Clippers have won three games in the series by four points or less and they simply look more in tune than the Grizzlies. The Clippers could just as well resort back to playing inconsistent ball, but I like what I’ve seen from them thus far.
Los Angeles Lakers, Second Round
The Lakers may be one of the best teams in the Western Conference, but they will have a hard time defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in their inevitable second-round series.
The Lakers haven’t particularly dominated against the Denver Nuggets, despite a clear advantage in the paint, and the Thunder trump them in nearly every important category, including field-goal percentage, point differential and opponents’ field-goal percentage.
The Lakers do have an advantage in rebounding, but I don’t think it will be enough against the explosive, well-balanced Thunder.
Indiana Pacers, Second Round
The Pacers will inevitably knock the Orlando Magic out of the playoffs in the first round. The bad news is, they will likely have to face the Miami Heat in the next round.
LeBron James has been unconscious this season, resembling a modern-day Magic Johnson. Dwyane Wade is his usual stellar self and Chris Bosh and the rest of the Heat are doing enough to win a title.
I actually really like the Pacers, but I think they are a year away from seriously contending against teams like the Heat.
Los Angeles Clippers, Second Round
I expect the Clippers to advance past the Grizzlies in the first round. Unfortunately for them, they have to face the San Antonio Spurs in the second round, who just swept the Utah Jazz out of the playoffs.
The Spurs were supposed to be too old to legitimately contend for a title this season, but their veterans have been outstanding and rookie Kawhi Leonard is developing nicely. They are a well-balanced team with a historic coach in Gregg Popovich.
The Clippers need another year before they can topple an experienced, playoff-savvy team like the Spurs.
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NBA Draft 2012: Teams That Must Take Pure Talent over Specific Needs
When the NBA draft rolls around in June, several teams will fill specific needs, especially at the top of the draft.
While some teams always draft for need, other teams prefer the route of taking the best player on the board, regardless of position. Rolling the dice on future success rather than an immediate impact can lead to quite the gamble, but it’s a risk certain teams need to take.
Sometimes, taking the most talented player on the board is the route to go. Here’s a look at a few teams that need to lean towards talent over specific needs.
Portland Trail Blazers
The lottery will likely change things, but as it stands now, the Blazers would pick at No. 6 and No. 11 in the first round wtih a need for a big man and a quality point guard. At either spot, they would be reaching at either position.
Instead, taking the most talented player on the board would make much more sense. While they could be reaching for the likes of a Damian Lillard and a Tyler Zeller-type big man, they could end up with a talent like Perry Jones III and an Austin Rivers-type of guard.
The Blazers can stand to get more athletic, and here’s a chance to do so regardless of need. They have cap room to fill out the rest of their roster during the offseason.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Pretty much all season, I’ve had Florida’s Bradley Beal tied to the Cavs in my mock drafts, but hat’s based out of need for a competent 2-guard.
But they could go a different route altogether. Cleveland is on the right path to rebuilding, and with their two first-round picks, they must get more athletic. The Cavs also could stand to get bigger, so while passing on a guy like Beal could look bad immediately, rolling the dice on an athletic big like Andre Drummond wouldn’t be a bad long-term pick.
New Orleans Hornets
Quite simply, a team like the Hornets have many needs. So, for now, they can forget about needs and take the best player on the board with both of their first-round picks, which will probably both be in the top 10.
Taking the two best players available at the time will likely fill needs anyway.
Houston Rockets
Houston has a pair of first-round picks in the middle of the draft and while they need backcourt depth and a legitimate big man, they are another team that should draft for talent instead of need.
They likely will fill the backcourt need this way, but if there isn’t a quality big man available by the time they select, there’s no point on reaching for one. Even though the Rockets have a ton of wing players under contract, an athlete along the lines of a Quincy Miller or Moe Harkless who has upside could make more sense than a big man who may not have the same type of ceiling.
Boston Celtics
The Celtics right now have picks No. 21 and No. 22. While many feel that their needs include a big man and a shooting guard, Danny Ainge should just draft talent here.
Boston needs to get younger, and they need depth. Most of the top shooting guards project to be gone by the time they draft, and instead of reaching, Ainge should just take the top two guys on his board.
Don’t forget the fact that the Celtics will have money to spend the next two offseasons, so they can look to fill those needs in free agency instead of the draft.
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NBA Draft 2012: Overrated Players with High Bust Potential Teams Should Avoid
Every NBA draft will produce at least a couple busts, there’s no way to avoid it. That’s why teams are smart to select a safe prospect, even if he has slightly less upside, rather than going out on a limb to take player that has a lot of potential, but a lot of work to do to reach that level.
Let’s take a look at three players that teams should avoid based on their current value. All of them probably could have used another year or two in college to hone their skills, which isn’t an easy task when trying to break into an NBA lineup.
Perry Jones III
Jones will likely be selected in the lottery because of his terrific size and athleticism, but there’s no guarantee he’ll ever be able to translate those raw tools into success at the next level. He showed no improvement from his first to second season at Baylor.
He lacks strength, something he has tried to offset by adding a mid-range game to his arsenal to moderate success. Without the power to dominate in the post or a reliable jump shot, his offensive game will be limited at the beginning of his career.
The forward also struggled with inconsistency in his final season with the Bears. He chipped in just nine points in the team’s first two tournament games. He’s an impressive athlete, but the amount of work left to do should be worrisome to teams.
Austin Rivers
Even though he was a highly-touted recruit, it was surprising to see Rivers declare for the draft after just one season at Duke. He was a volume scorer that didn’t contribute much in any other area of the game, making another year under Mike Krzyzewski seem like the wise move.
Rivers’ struggles on the defensive end are the biggest concern. He’ll go up against some of the best scorers on the planet at shooting guard and he just hasn’t shown the ability to slow those type of players down. So, regardless of how many points he scores, he’ll likely give them all back on the other end.
When you pair that with a bunch of secondary issues such as a lack of distribution skills and free-throw shooting woes, Rivers probably deserves to get selected in the second round. The hype surrounding him will make him get picked way earlier, though.
Tony Wroten
Another freshman guard who probably should have stayed in school, Wroten is already being projected on the first-round fringe. Just like Rivers, he was a volume scorer that has a long way to go before NBA coaches will feel comfortable giving him extended minutes.
He had more turnovers than assists in his one season at Washington, which isn’t ideal for a player that was projected as a point guard. His jump shot isn’t consistent enough to become a full-time shooting guard at the next level, either.
Teams expect their first picks to contribute immediately and there are plenty of questions as to whether or not Wroten can do that. He’d be a better fit in Round 2, where the pressure for him to exceed would be far less.
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NBA Playoff Schedule 2012: Home Teams That Desperately Need to Win
The first round of the 2012 NBA playoffs are finally getting into some “do or die” scenarios for some teams, and several squads need to take care of business on their home court if they want to move on.
New York Knicks
Starting out with the obvious “need to win” team, the Knicks need to give their fans at Madison Square Garden some bleak amount of hope that they can right the ship and win this series. If they don’t win their Sunday afternoon bout with the Miami Heat, they’re out of the playoffs.
The Knicks don’t have a great chance of prolonging this series today, but they have to give it the ol’ college try so New York fans can tell the NBA world that they took a team seemingly destined for the finals to five or six games.
Utah Jazz
In another “win or go home” (or, in this case, stay home) situation, the Utah Jazz will hope to find a way to keep their dreams of beating the wily veteran San Antonio Spurs alive tomorrow. The team of Gordon Hayward, Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson are an underrate trio for the Jazz, but their lack of luck in the drawing will likely lead to a first-round exit for Utah.
That doesn’t mean the Jazz won’t come out swinging on Monday, but considering that the Spurs have won the previous three games by double digits each time, I don’t see them pulling off the upset in Game 4.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers are facing a Derrick Rose-less Chicago Bulls nowadays, in case you haven’t heard. Chi-Town will also be without Joakim Noah for at least Game 4. Philly needs to get this series to 3-1 in their favor before going back to Chicago.
Two of their biggest playmakers will be sitting on the bench, but the Bulls are one of the deepest teams in the NBA playoffs. They have also grown accustomed to playing shorthanded, with Rose out for much of the regular season.
Philadelphia does not want to get the city of Chicago believing they can win the series by losing Game 4 and then traveling to the Windy City two days later.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers had seemingly the easiest route to the next round of the playoffs when the first round bracket was set: facing a Dwight Howard-less Orlando Magic. Before Game 3, the series was a bit of a yawn-fest. But with the help of Glen Davis in the third matchup, the Magic took Indiana to the limit.
Orlando forced the first overtime game of the 2012 playoffs, coming up just two points short at the end of extra time. The Pacers will have their home crowd to cheer them on, and they’ll need to wrap this series up in Game 5, unless they want to see a revitalized and hopeful Magic team after a big win on the road to prolong this first-round bout.
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Big 12 Basketball: Each Team’s Top 2012 Recruit
The 2011-12 Big 12 regular season ended in an almost perfect bell curve in terms of records and was one of the most competitive conferences in the country.
However, with the losses of such stars as Thomas Robinson (Kansas), Perry Jones III (Baylor) and J’Covan Brown (Texas), just to name a few, how will the conference respond for the 2012 season?
Some schools, such as Kansas and Baylor, have continued their tradition of recruiting at a high level, but the following will break down the top recruit for each Big 12 school.
Note: All ratings come from ESPN Basketball Recruiting Nation.
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NBA Playoff Schedule 2012: Teams Guaranteed to Struggle in Must-Win Games
The 2012 NBA Playoffs have been a strange journey, to say the least, and we are only one week in. As things stand right now, there are a lot of teams holding on for dear life in their respective series, but Saturday is going to put the proverbial nail in a few coffins.
With four games slated to take place today, it is put-up-or-shut-up time in three games. When the chips are down, you really see how much a team has left, and in this case, the answer will be: not much.
Here is a look at the Saturday schedule and teams who will fail in must-win situations.
| MATCHUP | TIME & NETWORK |
|---|---|
| Game 4: Indiana Pacers at Orlando Magic (Pacers Lead Series, 2-1) | 2:00 p.m. EST on ESPN |
| Game 3: Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Clippers (Series Tied 1-1) | 4:30 p.m. EST on ESPN |
| Game 4: Oklahoma City Thunder at Dallas Mavericks (Thunder Lead Series, 3-0) | 7:30 p.m. EST on TNT |
| Game 3: San Antonio Spurs at Utah Jazz (Spurs Lead Series, 2-0) | 10:00 p.m. EST on TNT |
Orlando Magic (Trailing Indiana, 2-1)
After a surprise win in Game 1, the Magic have looked like the team we thought they would be when the playoffs started: Some defense, no offense whatsoever.
Stan Van Gundy gets a bad rap because he is brash and speaks his mind, but I will bet money that he gets fired because the front office has built a team so dependent on one player—Dwight Howard—that if anything happens to that player, they are doomed.
Not even a trip back to the Magic Kingdom is going to be enough to help this putrid team put the ball in the basket enough times to compete with the Pacers.
Dallas Mavericks (Trailing Oklahoma City, 3-0)
Following the first two games of the series, the Mavericks had to be feeling a lot better than most people would have expected. No, they didn’t have a win, but they kept the games close and had a chance to win at the end both times.
Everything collapsed on the defending champions in Game 3 at home, as the Thunder shut down the Mavericks offense and played their most complete game of the season.
No one was actually expecting the Mavericks to win the series, but now they are going to go home for the summer without winning a single playoff game.
Utah Jazz (Trailing San Antonio, 2-0)
Not that you would know it, because no one is paying attention to this series, but the Spurs and Jazz are in fact still playing each other. Things have gone about the way you would expect them to: San Antonio is dominating, and Utah looks lost at the wheel.
The Spurs have actually been exciting to watch—at least for them. They have scored 220 points through two games and are playing their best basketball of the season, albeit against an inferior team that has no business being in the playoffs.
For a team like the Jazz, who had no expectations coming into the year, the playoff berth alone should be enough to celebrate. Following another destruction in Game 3, the Jazz can sit back and reflect on how they were one of only 16 teams to play more than 66 games.
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NBA Playoffs 2012: How Trailing Teams on Life Support Can Rebound
As the 2012 NBA playoffs are in full swing, five teams find themselves currently down in their respective series. Four of these teams are hanging on life support as the end of their seasons appear very near.
NBA teams have come back from holes before, but it’s not the norm, and these respective teams are in trouble.
What can these teams do to rebound and make a series of things? Let’s take a look.
New York Knicks (trail series 3-0)
What can the Knicks do to make this a series? Pray.
New York’s been banged up, but they’ve also been outclassed by LeBron James and the Miami Heat throughout three games.
What the Knicks have shown is that despite the nice run at the end of the season, they may still be two or three players away from being serious title contenders.
Teams have come back from down 0-3 before, but not in the NBA. Besides, this current Knicks team is too banged up to do so. This series is over.
Dallas Mavericks (trail series 3-0)
Quite frankly, the Mavs were a couple bounces away from heading home up 2-0 in the series instead of down 0-2. But they had problems executing down the stretch, and the Thunder didn’t.
Had they taken taken care of business Thursday night at home, then they may have some momentum heading into Game 4. But they’ve been unable to contain Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, and Dallas isn’t getting much contribution from their key parts.
Dirk Nowitzki hasn’t been very good, and without Nowitzki playing at a high level, the Mavs have no chance.
They can show that pride and heart that led them to a title last season. If they do, they may be able to steal a game or two, but this series is all but over as well.
Utah Jazz (trail series 2-0)
The San Antonio Spurs have been teaching class against the Jazz throughout the first two games of the series, but while Utah has very little chance to win this series, they have the talent to rebound and possibly steal a game, maybe two.
If their frontcourt—that features two good players in Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson—can get in a groove early, the Jazz have a good chance to compete.
Defensively they need to put much more pressure on Spurs point guard Tony Parker, possibly picking him up as soon as he crosses half court. Parker’s only turning the ball over 1.5 times per game in the series, and the Jazz must try and force him into mistakes and capitalize off them at the offensive end.
Denver Nuggets (trail series 2-0)
The Nuggets head back home in an 0-2 hole, and must get things turned around in a hurry. Through a pair of games, they haven’t been able to get their up-tempo offense in gear, and Kobe Bryant has ripped them a part at the other end of the floor.
To have playoff success, you must be able to execute in the half court and make plays on the defensive end of the floor. George Karl’s team can’t do that right now.
Yet Game 3 is in Denver, and they have a chance to get going. They must push the tempo and make the Lakers run. Defensively, Arron Afflalo must force Kobe out further and force him to take tough jumpers with a hand in his face.
Orlando Magic (trail series 2-1)
Without Dwight Howard in the lineup, the Magic faced an uphill climb against the Indiana Pacers, but managed to win Game 1.
Since then they’ve dropped the next two games, losing by a combined 38 points.
While Orlando’s not on life support just yet, they are close. They’ve only gone 13-of-40 from behind the arc in the two defeats. For the Magic to get back into the series, Ryan Anderson, Jason Richardson and J.J. Reddick must catch fire from the perimeter.
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NBA Playoffs Predictions: Teams That Will Bounce Back from Series Deficit
It’s still relatively early in the 2012 NBA Playoffs, but more than one team have already dug themselves a hole, facing an early deficit through a couple of games.
While I’m not really giving the Utah Jazz much of a chance against the San Antonio Spurs or the banged-up Orlando Magic much of a chance against the Indiana Pacers, several other teams have the chance to bounce back and at least make their respective series competitive.
Here’s a look at the teams with the best shot of getting back into things.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs are in an 0-2 hole, losing both games by a combined four points. The defending champs have fought hard, but just haven’t executed well down the stretch.
That will continue as the series shifts to Dallas. The effort will be there for Dirk Nowitzki and company, and if a couple friendly bounces go their way at home, the Mavericks could at least make a series of it.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets have fallen behind 0-2 to Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, but like most lower seeds, the Nuggets play much better at home than they do on the road.
During the regular season, Denver went 20-13 at home on the season, while the Lakers were just a 15-18 team away from the Staples Center.
The Nuggets have the talent to play with the Lakers, and if they can get their up-tempo offense, which lead the NBA in scoring at 104.1 PPG, going early, then the Nuggets have a good chance to get back in the series.
New York Knicks
On paper, this series is all but over, and I don’t give the Knicks much chance at all of coming back from down 0-2 to win the series, but with things heading to Madison Square Garden, New York still has the ability to bounce back and take a game or two to at least make this series look competitive on paper.
They will be playing without three starters in Amar’e Stoudemire, Jeremy Lin and Iman Shumpert and could be easy to write off and overlook.
But sometimes that makes a team dangerous. There’s still competitors and good talent in the Knicks locker room, so I don’t see them rolling over to play dead at home. With Carmelo Anthony moving back to the 4 and Tyson Chandler’s leadership, the Knicks can still make a little bit of noise.
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