null
  Loading... Please wait...

Blog

NBA 2016-17 Western Conference Sleepers

Posted by

As the NBA opening day approaches it is time to make some predictions. As always, it will be hard for any team in the West to jump into the top 5 occupied by the Warriors, Spurs, Thunder, Trail Blazers, and Clippers, but there will be some shuffling at the bottom. The signing of veterans George Hill and Joe Johnson should help the young Utah Jazz get to the playoffs. Look for Gordon Hayward to be their consistent playmaker and Rodney Hood to keep progressing as their outside threat. Even though the game has changed to a more perimeter style, teams still need a big man to protect the rim and rebound. Rudy Gobert fits that mold. Utah should get to 44 wins, which is two more than last year.

Another team on the rise that people are buzzing about is the Minnesota Timberwolves. They are no longer just a fly over state. With the sudden loss of Flip Saunders before the start of the season last year the young team looked lost on the court. Although Sam Mitchell did his best to fill the gap it was time to get a coach who take them to the next level. The coaching search landed the highly touted Tom Thibodeau, who comes into a great situation. The roster is loaded with young talent including rising stars like Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, and Zach LaVine. Ricky Rubio will run the offense again this year despite his shooting limitations. He knows how to run an offense and is a pass first point guard, which is becoming a lost art. The drafting of point guard Kris Dunn should push Rubio to become better. If Rubio does not show progress or gets hurt, which he has been known to do, I believe there will be a seamless transition to Dunn. The main problem last year was bench production and they went out and signed some savvy veterans to rectify the situation. Cole Aldrich and Jordan Hill will bring defense and rebounding and Brandon Rush will team with Shabazz Muhammad and Tyus Jones to provide some scoring. With only 29 wins last year it is hard to see them get to 0.500, but in my bold prediction I have them at 43 wins and a playoff berth. 

Can the USA Win the Copa America Centenario?

The upcoming excitement for American soccer fans is the 2016 Copa America Centenario tournament that begins in early June. Played in the USA, there will be high hopes for the likes of Tim Howard and Clint Dempsey to win a major international tournament. However, unlike the Gold Cups that feature only North American soccer teams, this tournament will feature [...]

Read More »


Baseball is Back: But Does Anybody Know what will Happen in 2016?

As a new season of baseball dawns upon us, the weather beckons warmly to spring and the summer beyond with all its lazy evenings and hot dog feasting. Spring training sessions are wrapping up and the players are getting comfortable in their new surroundings at Major League ballparks all throughout America (and Toronto). So what’s set to happen [...]

Read More »


A look at the 2016 Rio Olympics

Every 4 years the sporting world turns to one of the greatest competitions of all time: the Olympics. Held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the 2016 Olympic games is a sure bet to be thrill for everyone watching at home, especially for Americans who are usually the most medaled country to participate.Of special note in the Olympics this [...]

Read More »


Who will be the surprise NFL team to contend next season?

Despite the salary cap in the NFL, it’s typically the same group of teams (usually those featuring a star quarterback) who contend year in and year out. But every season there’s one or two franchises that seem to come out of nowhere and actually contend. Last year it was the Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets. Who [...]

Read More »


The 2016 NBA Draft Winners and Losers

With the NBA Draft now firmly behind us, it’s time to take a look at which teams stand to come into next season in great shape, and which will continue wilting down the long hard road of despair. Here are the big winners and losers from the 2016 NBA Draft:Winners – Philadelphia 76ers – It’s pretty easy to [...]

Read More »


Surprising Teams Dominating Baseball this Season

It’s been a recent trend in Major League Baseball, and it’s simply continued into the 2016 season; small market teams have been successful. Last season it was the Kansas City Royals who dominated their way to a World Series trophy. Now it’s a new cast of “little guys” who have defied the odds and are vying for playoff [...]

Read More »


Warriors - Cavaliers NBA Finals is a Dream Matchup

This is the matchup that everyone wanted to see. The Cleveland Cavaliers at full strength against the reigning champion Golden State Warriors who own the best regular season record of all time. It’s the same matchup as the 2015 NBA Finals but this time it won’t just be LeBron James and Matthew Dellavedova for the Cavs. [...]

Read More »


Philadelphia 76ers Wins NBA Draft Lottery

The NBA Draft Lottery was completed on Tuesday, and it played out quite as it should have, with the worst team in the league being awarded the first overall pick. The 76ers have been on a pretty consistent decline for the past 5 years and finally hit rock bottom. Can either Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram (the top 2 [...]

Read More »


Who won the NFL Draft?

It’s hard to judge an NFL draft so quickly, but in the ever thirst for NFL football coverage, rash and hasty judgment must be made! Hundreds of players heard their name called this weekend, but which NFL team did the best? Of course it depends on a variety of factors, such as did a team answer a specific [...]

Read More »