NBA Teams Drafted Wisely

By Travis Stahl

                When watching the NFL draft last April it was interesting to see the drastic change that took place in team’s draft philosophy.  Team’s no longer just sat and waited for a player to fall to them in draft order, they were aggressive in trying to acquire the player they coveted most.  Last night, watching the NBA draft, there was another change in philosophy that I never thought I would live to see.  Teams during the NBA draft last night actually drafted players that filled their team needs and with the intention of playing those players in live games.

                NBA teams have realized throwing away draft picks on wasted players leads to heavy losses.  Picking up players that can actually have an impact on your team and contribute is how teams are built.  Even the NBA champions the Miami Heat added key pieces through the draft in past years with Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole.  That being said, there were some teams that added pieces to their puzzles that fit better than others.  Overall I liked most of the picks and thought NBA teams did a great job in realizing their draft plans had to change but some stood out more than others.

Charlotte Bobcats – The worst team in the league that somehow lost the No. 1 pick in the lottery made up for it by sticking to its plan.  The Bobs drafted Michael Kidd-Gilchrest with the No. 2 pick and then added Vanderbilt forward Jeff Taylor in the second round.  MKG and Taylor were considered by many the two best defensive players in the draft and are now teamed with last year’s pick, Serge Ibaka clone Bismack Biyombo.  Charlotte could have a stifling defense very soon.

Houston Rockets – Houston’s plan to move up in an attempt to get Dwight Howard didn’t pan out.  But the Rockets did manage to get three of the best players in the draft with Jeremy Lamb, Royce White and Terrance Jones.  That’s a heck of an infusion of talent for a team trying to get back in the playoffs.

Golden State Warriors – Typically, anything the Warriors touch turns to crap.  But Golden State may have actually struck gold with this draft.  First the Warriors got Harrison Barnes from North Carolina at pick No. 7 and then added center Festus Ezeli with the last pick in the first round.  Golden State followed that up by adding the hard-working Draymond Green from Michigan State in the second round.  The Culture in Golden State might be changing.

                Typically a draft produces two or three standout players and then a handful of players who are average.  This draft was so deep with talent it could produce 10 to 12 future all-stars as well as players who are solid starts for some teams for the next 10 years.  It will be very interesting to see how the talent added in the draft last night affects free agency.  Did Orland do enough to convince Howard it can win now, did Brooklyn do anything at all to improve its team, and will Perry Jones III put Oklahoma City over the top?  It will be very interesting to see how this draft pans out in two or three years.

OSD is Full of Sports

By Travis Stahl

                What is a sport?  That’s a tough question.  Some people will argue that cheerleading is a sport and others will declare before God Almighty is damn sure isn’t.  What about running or golf or racing, are those sports?  Any activity that lands in the debatable zone is going to have people who can find reason to argue something is or is not a sport.  So, for the sake of making people happy with our discussion I have decided to declare what is and is not a sport.

                A sport is any activity that requires skill and effort.  Period.  That’s your definition.  Running requires skill and effort.  Racing requires skill and effort.  And yes, cheerleading requires skill and effort.  Poker is not a sport.  Poker is skill without effort.  Thus (scientific word) some of the carnival games uptown this week at Old Settlers are indeed sports.

                The Hoop Shoot requires tremendous skill and effort, especially on rims that may or may not be up to NBA specifications.  Making a basket is not easy it requires great accuracy and effort.  I heard a story once that Pete Maravich once made 27 shots in a row at a carnival hoop shoot and was asked to stop playing.  I couldn’t do that.  True, I am a below average basketball player but I think the odds of me making even one out of 10 are pretty slim.

                What about the quarter toss?  Yep, sport.  Try taking a quarter and getting it to land anywhere you want it to.  This game requires an ability to determine where the quarter might bounce and the correct strength with which to toss the coin.  I tried this game last year in an attempt to win my oldest daughter a hermit crab.  We do not have a crab for a pet and tossing quarters is stupid.  OK, I got a little carried away.  The point is it is a lot harder than it appears.

                Have you ever played darts in a bar?  It is not easy and neither is the Old Settlers game in which you have to pop the balloon with a dart.  There are three games for shooting accuracy including shooting the water, shooting out the star and shooting cups with a cork.  All three require accuracy and timing.  And we can’t forget the ping-pong ball toss in which the most accurate of tosses wins a goldfish.  I found out first hand it’s not an easy game.  My daughter managed to master it though and we went home with our very own goldfish last night.  Its name is Callie.

                Perhaps, sports are what you put in to them also.  If a sport requires a certain level of activity then to be successful the participant must put effort in to the game to be successful.  Nobody can say there isn’t effort being exerted in an attempt to win OSD games.  We want those stuffed animals.  We want those hermit crabs, and yes, we even want a goldfish named Callie.  At least we want them for a couple of days anyway.

Rockets Preparing for Fireworks

By Travis Stahl

                When old school fans of the NBA remember the 1980’s they immediately think Lakers-Celtics.  Those two teams were the face of the league and hoisted darn near every championship trophy that was handed out for a decade.  In order to get to the Lakers the Celtics endured epic battles against their bitter rivals the Pistons but people forget how hard the Lakers had to fight against the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference.   The Rockets were a once dominant franchise capturing two NBA titles in the 1990’s but have been dormant for a decade.  That could be all about to change.

                During the reign of Hakeem Olajuwon in Houston the Rockets were annual contenders and one of the most competitive franchises in the league.  The goal every year was clear, win a championship or die trying.  The Olajuwon era was supposed to transition into the Yao Ming era but injures stripped Yao of his career.  Without the play of Yao, the No. 1 overall pick in 2002, the Rockets bounced around .500 never really establishing themselves as a team that could actually win another crown.

                Houston once again has its eyes on an NBA title and is laying the foundation for what could be a blockbuster week leading up to the NBA draft.  The Rockets already owned picks No. 14 and 16 and then acquired No. 18 this week from Minnesota.  On the surface this looks like Houston trying to stock up on young players in can build around.  Houston has other plans though.   The Rockets are trying to work their way in to two lottery picks and will possibly try to package a combination of two of those picks and point guard Kyle Lowry into acquiring its desired picks.

                The Rockets goal is to use those lottery selections to dangle as trade bait and land the biggest fish of them all, Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard.  Howard has said he would not sign a contract extension with Houston if the Rockets trade for him.  But the Rockets might have a plan to persuade Howard to stick around.  By including Lowry in a trade for lottery picks it will free up enough cap space for Houston to also make an offer to free-agent point guard Deron Williams.  You remember Williams, Howard’s best friend?

                The best guess experts are floating around is that Williams would prefer to re-sign with the Brooklyn Nets or head to the Mavericks as he is from Dallas.  But Houston isn’t that far from Dallas and this plan would provide Williams and Howard with what they have wanted all along, to play together.  And we all just saw in the NBA finals what can happen when friends in the NBA decide to play together on the same team.

                If Houston can bibbidy-bobbidy-boo these transactions into reality the team becomes relevant again in the Western Conference really quickly.  We’re not talking about the Eastern Conference where you can take an average team like Philadelphia or Indiana and make a run through the playoffs.  This is the Wild West.  If you can’t trade punches with Oklahoma City, San Antonio and the two teams from Los Angeles then your team is just shark bate.  Houston understands this and knows it needs to swing for the fences or sit on the sidelines.

NBA Mock Draft 3.0

By Travis Stahl

                This is the final mock draft before the real thing takes place Thursday night.  As stated before, this is just a best guess of where players will land.  One thing that separates the NBA draft from the NFL draft is that teams in the NBA are willing to swing trades like crazy.  Some team will promise another team a pot of gold and its first-born child to move up in the draft, it happens every year.  Things have changed since last week’s mock and it is reflected in how the first round will shake out.

1. Hornets – Anthony Davis, Power Forward, Kentucky: Duh.
2. Bobcats – Bradley Beal, Shooting Guard, Florida:  Beal is the hottest prospect in the draft right now and word is that Michael Jordan is in love with him.  Beal would definitely help the worst offense in the NBA.
3. Wizards – Thomas Robinson, Power Forward, Kansas: Robinson is not only a beast under the basket but a great team leader with lots of character which is something the Wiz have lacked for years.
4. Cavaliers – Harrison Barnes, Forward, North Carolina:  The Cavs get their man; now all they have to do is motivate him to play for 82 games a year.
5. Kings – Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Small Forward, Kentucky:  Sacramento benefits the most from Beal’s rise as MKG falls right in to their laps.  The Kings need help defensive and MKG can lock up on three different positions.
6. Trailblazers – Damian Lillard:  Portland needs a floor general and Lillard is not afraid to lead.  The Trailblazers have lacked a true point guard since the days of Damon Stoudamire.
7. Warriors – Dion Waiters, Shooting Guard, Syracuse:  Scouts view Waiters as the next Dwayne Wade.  Teaming with Stephen Curry gives the Warriors a strong backcourt.
8. Raptors – Jeremy Lamb, Shooting Guard, Connecticut:  Toronto wanted Waiters but will settle for Lamb.
9. Pistons – Tyler Zeller, Center, North Carolina:  Zeller is a high-character, low-risk player which is exactly what the Pistons need to rebuild with.  Plus, teaming Zeller with power forward Greg Monroe is too intriguing to pass up.
10. Hornets – Terrence Jones, Power Forward, Kentucky:  What better compliment for Anthony Davis on the front line than his Kentucky teammate.
11. Trailblazers – Terrence Ross, Shooting Guard, Washington:  Lilliard and Ross in the backcourt significantly increases Portland’s scoring punch.
12. Bucks – Andre Drummond, Center, Connecticut:  Milwaukee never got the memo as to why everyone was passing on Drummond.  The Bucks need a center and fell in to thinking Drummond is the answer.
13. Suns – Perry Jones, Power Forward, Baylor:  Phoenix needs just about everything so it makes sense to take the most talented player left on the board.  Now the Suns just need to figure out how to talk Jones in to wanting to play 82 games a season.
14. Rockets – Austin Rivers, Shooting Guard, Duke:  Kelvin Martin is going to be leaving soon and the Rockets need a replacement.  Rivers is a smart player, he just needs to mature a little bit.
15. 76ers – Jon Henson, Power Forward, North Carolina: Philly doesn’t need any superstars and Henson is fine playing the role of defender and rebounder.
16. Rockets – Arnett Moultrie, Power Forward, Mississippi St.:  Houston has been looking for a force under the basket since it lost Yao.  Moultrie is a physical player with great post moves.
17. Mavericks – Kendall Marshall, Point Guard, North Carolina:  Marshall takes over for Jason Kidd who is surely leaving Dallas.  The only way this pick changes is if Dallas thinks it can lure Deron Williams away from the Nets.
18. Rockets – Moe Harkless, Small Forward, St. John’s:  Houston acquired this pick from Minnesota but there is no way any of the Rockets three picks end up with the team.  Houston is attempting to package these picks for Magic center Dwight Howard.
19. Magic – Will Barton, Shooting Guard, Memphis:  Barton is the most confident guy in the draft and never met a shot he didn’t like.  If Orlando can get Barton here it is a steal.
20. Nuggets – Andrew Nicholson, Power Forward, St. Bonaventure:  Denver doesn’t fully trust Javale McGee and Nicholson would be a great team-first guy.
21. Celtics – Jared Sullinger, Power Forward, Ohio State:  Concerns about Sullinger’s back cause a first-round slide that benefits Boston.
22. Celtics – Fab Melo, Center, Syracuse:  Imagine how strong a front court of Sullinger and Melo would be for Boston.
23. Hawks – Meyers Leonard, Center, Illinois:  Everyone thinks Leonard is a lottery pick but after watching the finals its clear center isn’t that important in the NBA right now.  Still, Atlanta is willing to take a chance since it has no post play at all.
24. Cavaliers – Jeff Taylor, Small Forward, Vanderbilt:  Taylor is a great pick up for Cleveland as the Cavs have nobody to play on the wings.
25. Grizzlies – Quincy Miller, Small Forward, Baylor:  Miller is two years away from even being a respectable NBA player.  But the Griz have to figure out what to do when Rudy Gay leaves.
26. Pacers – Royce White, Small Forward, Iowa State:  Indiana likes versatile players and White is the best in the draft at doing a little bit of everything.
27. Heat – Draymond Green, Small Forward, Michigan State:  Speaking of doing a little bit of everything, Green isn’t that bad either.  The Heat need to infuse some young players and Green was custom made to fit in with Miami.
28. Thunder – Tony Wroten Jr., Point Guard, Washington:  Wroten has control issues just like Russell Westbrook.  But there aren’t too many 6’6 point guards around so Wroten is worth the risk.
29. Bulls – Marquis Teague, Point Guard, Kentucky:  With Derek Rose out for the year Chicago needs somebody to play point guard.
30. Warriors – Evan Fournier, Shooting Guard, France:  There aren’t too many 6’7 shooting guards in the NBA as smooth as Fournier.  This would give Golden State four young guys that can really put the ball in the hoop.

I Found a Rivalry Game

By Travis Stahl

                Every little league season my wife and I try to make it to at least one game of each of our nieces and nephews.  We had been down to Morshces Park several times but had never made it to any games of our niece Delaney.   She plays for RA Screen Printing and as the season is almost over we decided to go watch her game Monday night.  I was glad we did.  Sitting there watching the game I found something I didn’t know still existed and it felt good to see it, a rivalry game.

                RA Screen Printing was undefeated on the season going in to last night.  I had heard all about their games from my brother Wes who helps coach the team.  Every other team in the league wants to beat RA that right there sows the seeds for a rivalry.  When a team has a target on its back they are going to face their opponent’s best efforts almost every time on the field.  Monday, RA saw the best effort from the Cake Lady team.

                The Cake Lady team beat RA 20-6 in a game that surprised me in its intensity.  The Cake Lady team is coached by Brent and Kim Lickey.  I played little league with Brent when we were kids and his dad coached our team many years.  There was never a batter that stepped to the plate Monday night that Brent was not constantly coaching and it showed in the many hits the team collected.  The passion the Cake Lady team played with and a lot of RA mistakes led to the lopsided score.

                It was nice after the game also to see how the Cake Lady team handled the win.  The shook hands with every player from RA, ran around the bases in their victory lap and then headed back to the dugout to celebrate.  That was how teams are supposed to respond to winning, as if they expected to all along.  There was no yelling or taunting or anything unsportsmanlike.

                The tournament starts next week and I can’t wait to be there.  I’m really hoping for a rematch between RA and the Cake Lady.  It was so refreshing to someone as old-fashioned as I am to see kids playing softball with passion and a desire to win.  If Monday’s game was that exciting I can only imagine what the tournament will hold.

Be Flexible with Kickers and Defenses

By Travis Stahl

                You know those products that pop up in commercials on TV and you can’t tell if they are real or fake?  You’re busy asking yourself if this is really happening or if you are watching a Saturday Night Live skit about Litter Kritters.  Finally after about 20 seconds you figure out it is indeed a real commercial so you begin to try to figure out who in the world would buy this product.  That in a nutshell is the world of fantasy football kickers and defenses, you can’t figure out who is real and who is fake so just sit back and laugh.

                Obviously some kickers are going to score more points than others.  Steven Gostkowski in New England and Mason Crosby in Green Bay are going to score a ton of points every season due to the offenses they play in.  But nobody last year saw 49ers kicker David Akers leading the fantasy world in scoring.  NOBODY.  So when drafting a kicker, take what you can and be willing to adjust.  Gostkowski is ranked No. 1 but will likely not end the year that way.

                Defenses operate the same way.  It’s easy to look at a list and see that Pittsburgh (for some reason) is ranked No. 1.  Apparently nobody remembers how old the Steelers defense looked last year.  New defenses are going to rise to the top of the rankings as the season moves along.  Houston’s defense is very solid and the Eagles defense should be in line for a bounce-back year.  As with kickers though, be willing to change.

                Fantasy football is all about points.  If you have a very good kicker that is averaging six points a game and there are other kickers averaging nine points per game then make the move.  Your goal is the score as many points as you can every week, do you want your kicker to be the reason you lose?  With defenses, at the end of the season you really need to play the match-ups.  As the playoffs near pick up the defense that is scoring the most points and has the most favorable schedule.  This will pay off especially against teams resting their starters.

                There is always risk involved in adding and dropping players.  Adding new kickers and defenses is a priority in fantasy football and there should be no hesitation.  You can’t become emotionally attached to a defense because they are “your” team.  If you want to win you have to score points and that means adding the best players available.