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The world of Basketball detailed by the voices of the unathletic. Discussing play, culture, and, of course, who's the best. Trust the Process.
2018 Defensive Player of the Year Prediction
Draymond Green dominated the league on the defensive end last year and took home his first ever Defensive Player of the Year award. Rudy Gobert gave him a good fight in the race, but in the end, Green's versatility and impact for the best team in the NBA was too much to overcome. While last year was basically a two man race, that should not be the case this year. With that being said, let's get right into my top five candidates for this upcoming season.
Jason DandyPublished 7 years ago in UnbalancedMeasuring OKC Against Golden State Following the Carmelo Anthony Trade
Just when you thought we’ve seen the most ridiculous offseason in the history of basketball, we get one more Woj bomb to remind us just how memorable this arms race has been. Now that the dust has settled and the smoke has cleared, Oklahoma City has built one of the best lineups in the NBA, following their most recent deal to acquire Carmelo Anthony from the Knicks.
Dan O'SheaPublished 7 years ago in UnbalancedTwo Underrated Rookies Heading into the 2017-18 Season
Last season, Malcolm Brogdon, the 36th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, flew under the radar as the 2016-17 season started for the Milwaukee Bucks. Drafted as a senior from Virginia, Brogdon wasn't supposed to do much except provide some shooting and defense off the bench. Nobody expected him to play over 26 minutes a night and start each of the Bucks' six playoff games.
Michael DePriscoPublished 7 years ago in UnbalancedNBA Shows Where Its Target Market Is, and It’s Not You
I’d been suspecting for a while that I’m now in the older demographic of NBA fans, despite not exactly being old. This week, the League confirmed my suspicions, announcing they had made big changes to the All-Star Game format. For the first time in 67 years—the first time ever, actually—the Eastern Conference will not be playing the Western Conference.
Myles StedmanPublished 7 years ago in UnbalancedSame Thing, New Big 3
Okay, so we are here now. Super teams, while not new, are the new trend and everyone is looking to hook up with another Olympian and pursue a title. Teams are now attempting to jump the line in pursuit of Larry O'Brien. The Oklahoma City Thunder are the newest edition after winning this off-season and acquiring two top 30 players to join Russell Westbrook via trade. The Thunder locked up their MVP for another five years at 233 million dollars and acquired Carmelo Anthony to accompany Paul George rounding out the starting five. On paper, this is a team that should challenge the Warriors and contend for a Western Conference title. The last time the Thunder had a big 3 like this, they made it to the NBA Finals. An interesting fact, since Lebron left Cleveland for Miami in 2010, “super teams” are 3-4 in NBA Finals. What does that say about this phenomenon? Nothing is guaranteed. Injuries happen, players do not gel, etc. You still must play the games.
Kyle Jordan FergusonPublished 7 years ago in UnbalancedFree from Egos, Do These New York Knicks Finally Have a Shot?
Last week, new Oklahoma City Thunder forward Carmelo Anthony laughed in the face of a journalist who had dared to utter, “Come off the bench,” in his presence.
Myles StedmanPublished 7 years ago in Unbalanced2018 NBA MVP Prediction
Last year we witnessed one of the closest MVP races in the league's 71-year history. Russell Westbrook and James Harden took turns posting historically great numbers night in and night out. In the end, Westbrook took home the hardware after averaging a triple-double over the course of the entire season. With the way the offseason has shaken things around the league, the award is once again up for grabs with many newcomers expected to be in the hunt. Here is how I see the race playing out this season with my top five candidates to win the award.
Jason DandyPublished 7 years ago in UnbalancedIs This the Most Intriguing NBA Season…Ever?
As I, along with many NBA fans and writers, wait with bated breath for the start of the season (17 days for those counting), something struck me.
Myles StedmanPublished 7 years ago in UnbalancedNBA Rookies that Will Struggle in 2017-18
A week ago I outlined three rookies that are poised to have successful rookie seasons. Jayson Tatum (BOS), De'Aaron Fox (SAC), and Dennis Smith (DAL) were all players with translatable NBA skills and are in situations with their teams that will help their development throughout the 2017-18 season.
Michael DePriscoPublished 7 years ago in UnbalancedWhat 'Tweetgate' Reveals about Kevin Durant, and Why He Is so Different to Other NBA Superstars
Golden State Warriors superstar Kevin Durant was recently found hiding online behind multiple social media accounts on multiple platforms.
Myles StedmanPublished 7 years ago in UnbalancedTweets and Ink
A little over a week ago, Kevin Durant made a mistake. Which mistake he made is still debated. Did he A) Forget to log out of a burner Twitter account before commenting on a fan's question, or B) Answer said question in third person which made him sound like a ancient egomaniacal ruler? My guess is KD is in full "couldn't offer fewer shits" mode and doesn't care what the world thinks (though he apologized for suggesting he and Russell Westbrook were the only redeemable members of the Thunder during his tenure in Oklahoma City). In the maelstrom that has become the NBA offseason of late (CARMELO to OKC! DWADE to CLEVELAND!), it's important to remember just how interesting and odd the KD's Twittergate was. To remind us is an oral history of the event, through the prescient eyes of Durant's body art.
Jared WheelerPublished 7 years ago in UnbalancedBall in the Family: The Making of a Leader
In episode five, "The Making of a Leader," of Ball in the Family, we get to see how LaMelo is still just a high school kid that loves to play NBA 2K. LiAngelo has been at UCLA for a period of time now and doesn't get to spend as much time with his family, and has no idea how to hold a conversation with his girlfriend. Lonzo doesn't have any air time this week, while LaVar and Tina get just the right amount of screenplay.
Stone StrankmanPublished 7 years ago in Unbalanced