BIG10/ACC Challenge

The Big Ten/ACC Challenge brings us some of the best non-conference college basketball match-ups of the year. For me, the Challenge always feels like the true kick off to the college basketball season. Sure the early season tournaments in places like Maui, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii are great, but they don’t offer the same excitement as a home crowd that has been revitalized by Thanksgiving Break.

This year’s Challenge offers some of the most exciting contests in recent history. The two best conferences in college basketball are full of ranked teams and programs with championship aspirations. This year’s Challenge is headlined by a Tuesday night match-up featuring (9) North Carolina and (2) Maryland. Both teams have dealt with unanticipated diversity through the early going, but both teams have conference championship and national championship goals on their radar.

The three night Challenge features two games on Monday and six games on both Tuesday and Wednesday. With each night I will provide my picks for the games. Picks are in bold.

Big Ten/ACC Challenge Schedule

Monday, Nov. 30
Wake Forest (4-2) (-6.5) at Rutgers (3-3), 7 ET, ESPN2  
Clemson (4-1) (Even) at Minnesota (4-2), 9 ET, ESPN2

Tuesday, Dec. 1
Michigan (4-2) at NC State (4-2), 7 ET, ESPN2
Northwestern (5-1) at Virginia Tech (4-2), 7ET, ESPNU
(12) Virginia (5-1) at Ohio State (2-3), 7:30 ET, ESPN
(15) Miami (5-1) at Nebraska (5-2), 9 ET, ESPNU
(16) Purdue (6-0) at Pittsburgh (3-0), 9 ET, ESPN2
(2) Maryland (6-0) at (9) North Carolina (5-1), 9:30 ET, ESPN

Wednesday, Dec. 2
Louisville (5-0) at (3) Michigan State (7-0), 7:15 ET, ESPN
Wisconsin (4-3) at Syracuse (6-0), 7:15 ET, ESPN2
Penn State(3-2) at Boston College (3-2), 7:15 ET, ESPNU
(13) Indiana (4-2) at (6) Duke (6-1), 9:15 ET, ESPN
(17) Notre Dame (4-2) at Illinois (3-4), 9:15 ET, ESPN2
Florida State (4-1) at Iowa (4-2), 9:15 ET, ESPNU

Grayson Gold-Garvey, Follow on Twitter, @TheGraygo

What has the first month showed us?

After the first month of the NBA season we know a few things; the Golden State Warriors still look really, really good, and the Philadelphia 76ers are still really, really bad. Between those two teams they’re 18-18, those 18 wins coming from Golden State and the 18 loses obviously coming from the Sixers, but what else do we know? Here are some things you might have missed since opening night.

Andre Drummond is probably the best center in the NBA. The Detroit Pistons are getting better but still struggle at times; one thing that has remained constant during the first month for Stan Van Gundy is his 22-year old center and how dominating he has been. The third year man out of Connecticut is putting up some staggering numbers; he’s averaging 17 points and 17 rebounds so far, he’s had 4 games with 20+ rebounds, 11 out of the 17 games he’s had 15+ rebounds, and he’s already had three 20/20 games. If the Pistons are going to compete for a playoff spot in the East, Drummond has to keep showing why he’s the best center in the league.

Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns are fun to watch. The last two number one draft picks have been showing us why they were selected as franchise players for the Timberwolves who are 8-9 on this young NBA season. Wiggins is averaging 21 points a game and Towns is averaging nearly a double-double at 14 points and 9 rebounds. I don’t expect Wiggins and Towns to carry the Timberwolves to the promise land right away but it’s going to happen a lot sooner than people think. Having Kevin Garnett around for a bit doesn’t hurt their maturity.

Just 18 games into his NBA career, Kristaps Porzingis is a Hall of Famer. When the New York Knicks drafted Porzingis the boos rained down from the crowd because Knicks fans couldn’t believe their team wasted another draft pick on someone they had never heard of. Through 18 games the 7 foot 3 center is averaging 13 points and 9 rebounds, while the Knicks have an 8-10 record. Porzingis looks good don’t get me wrong, but a lot of player have looked good after their first 18 games, so let’s wait this one out, but I’m definitely going to enjoy how well he is playing for as long as it lasts.

Oh, and in case you missed it, Kobe Bryant announced that this season, his 20^th, would be his last. We’ll have more on this story tomorrow.

The Race for Ben Simmons

This is the type of race where you have to lose to win. Tanking exists in the NBA like it exists in no other sport. The fact that one player is able to turn around a franchise is the reason for this. Every few years a spectacular player comes along. I’m talking about a player so talented and physically gifted that teams are willing to sacrifice an entire season in the hopes of landing said player. No team will ever admit to tanking, but we all know it when we see it. This year the Sixers are tanking, the Lakers are tanking, and the Nets are just bad. And this year there is a justifiable reason why the Sixers and Lakers are throwing away the season. That reason is LSU forward Ben Simmons.

At this point in the season, there are four teams that look like they will be in contention for the first overall pick in June’s draft. Each team could benefit in different ways by drafting Simmons. Here are the four teams that might draft Simmons and the reasons why he would make each team better.

Philadelphia 76ers:  This year the Sixers are serious about tanking. It’s year three of tanking for Philly and Brett Brown has to be pulling the hair out of his scalp. During his tenure, he has been given a roster full of D-League talent with the exception of a few high draft picks and this year’s potential Rookie of the Year, Jahlil Okafor. The team has finished in the bottom three the past two years but has yet to win the draft lottery. Could this be the year that the Sixers get the first overall pick? If so, the 0-15 Sixers will have no choice but to add another forward. Simmons, coupled with Okafor, would solidify the Sixers front line and would allow Nerlens Noel to come off the bench in a high energy role. Add in Dario Saric and the potential debut of Joel Embiid and the Sixers would have a strong and youthful frontcourt unit.

Los Angeles Lakers:  The 2-12 Lakers are just about as awful as the Sixers and could easily get the first pick in June’s draft. The 6’10” Simmons will bring flexibility to the frontcourt no matter where he goes and this would certainly be the case in L.A. If the Lakers are set on starting Julius Randle and Roy Hibbert then they can play Simmons at the three spot. It’s without a doubt an upgrade at the position over the likes of Larry Nance Jr and the basketball player formerly known as Ron Artest. With Kobe more than likely out of the picture, the trio of Simmons, Russell, and Clarkson will be able to dominate the ball and the Lakers management will have the opportunity to evaluate their young point guards.

New Orleans Pelicans:  New Orleans is probably the premier destination for the star forward. This makes sense on so many levels it is insane. The obvious connection between LSU in Baton Rouge and New Orleans would make the transition easier for Simmons from a logistical standpoint. He would also be paired with arguably the best young big in the game. Simmons could play the three for the Pelicans in a traditional lineup, with Davis at the four and Omer Asik as the starting five. Simmons’ versatility would also allow him to slide to the four in smaller lineups with Davis at the five. The duo could be explosive in the fast break and the combined instincts and passing ability of the two forwards would be deadly in half-court sets.

Boston Celtics:  Boston is far too competitive to tank, but due to the Pierce and Garnett trade they don’t need to. Boston has the right to trade picks with the struggling Nets this year. With the way Brooklyn’s season has been going the Celtics have to feel optimistic about getting a top five pick in the swap and possibly the top selection in the draft. If this goes down the Celtics could get the superstar that they desperately need in order to become a true competitor in the Eastern Conference. Boston is already loaded with quality young players, but none of them are stars and with the exception of Isaiah Thomas, none of them can really create their own shots. Add a kid like Simmons into the mix and Brad Steven’s squad becomes a legitimate threat in the East. Simmons would have the most immediate impact with the Celtics because of their ability to move the ball. Simmons’ gifted court vision would make him the perfect point forward to run Boston’s offense.

Grayson Gold-Garvey, Follow on Twitter, @TheGraygo

NBA Power Rankings (Week 5)

Some things never change. For the third straight week the Warriors have been ranked first and the Sixers have been ranked last in my power rankings. The Warriors are on their way to setting the NBA record for most consecutive wins to start a season, while the Sixers are on the opposite end of the spectrum. When it comes to these teams, I don't see much changing in the near future. However, there has been a great deal of movement throughout the rest of the league, with a few Eastern Conference teams playing much better basketball than we have become used to seeing. With that being said, things are starting to clear up and the teams that we expected to be good are starting to win games and rise in both the standings and the power rankings.
*Number in brackets indicates last weeks ranking

1. Golden State Warriors (15-0) [1]
2. San Antonio Spurs (11-3) [2]
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (11-3) [3]
4. Miami Heat (9-4) [6]
5. Oklahoma City Thunder (9-6) [9]
6. Chicago Bulls (8-4) [7]
7. Atlanta Hawks (9-6) [4]
8. Toronto Raptors (9-6) [10]
9. Dallas Mavericks (9-5) [11]
10. Indiana Pacers (8-5) [14]
11. Washington Wizards (6-4) [15]
12. Boston Celtics (7-6) [8]
13. Memphis Grizzlies (7-7) [13]
14. Los Angeles Clippers (6-7) [5]
15. Phoenix Suns (7-7) [12]
16. Charlotte Hornets (8-6) [19]
17. New York Knicks (8-7) [20]
18. Detroit Pistons (7-7) [21]
19. Denver Nuggets (6-8) [16]
20. Milwaukee Bucks (6-8) [17]
21. Utah Jazz (6-7) [18]
22. Houston Rockets (5-9) [22]
23. Orlando Magic (6-8) [23]
24. Minnesota Timberwolves (6-8) [25]
25. Portland Trailblazers (6-9) [26]
26. Sacramento Kings (5-10) [24]
27. New Orleans Pelicans (3-11) [28]
28. Brooklyn Nets (3-11) [27]
29. Los Angeles Lakers (2-11) [29]
30. Philadelphia 76ers (0-15) [30]

Grayson Gold-Garvey, Follow on Twitter, @TheGraygo

Super Tuesday: College Basketball Review

(2) Kentucky 74, (5) Duke 63

In an early season battle of top-5 programs, Kentucky was able to handle Duke. In this year’s kick-off game to the State Farm Champions Classic, Kentucky looked like the far superior team and were led by the scoring of guards Tyler Ulis (18 Pts) and Jamal Murray (16 Pts). Ulis, the second year point guard, also contributed 6 assists and 4 rebounds and is the early season catalyst of this young Wildcats team. The veteran frontcourt presence of Senior Alex Poythress and Junior Marcus Lee helped Kentucky remain on-top throughout the contest.

Even with the tough loss, Duke looks like a solid team that will improve as the season goes on. Amile Jefferson (16 Pts, 15 Reb) had a monster game and Marshall Plumlee was also able to post a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The two Senior forwards were the strong spot on a primarily bad night for the Blue Devils. Junior guard Matt Jones was also able to contribute 16 points in the losing effort. Duke desperately needs a true point guard as Derryck Thornton is clearly not yet ready and Grayson Allen struggled to get his shot off against a tough Kentucky defense.

(4) Kansas 73, Michigan State 79

This was a highly competitive game between two historic programs and was clearly the better game of the two Champions Classic match-ups. Both Kansas and Michigan State look like they will contend for conference championships and could be poised for deep tournament runs.

Senior forward Perry Ellis and the Kansas Jayhawks started off strong and were able to get off to an early 28-15 lead. But Michigan State stuck around and went on a 9-4 run to cut the lead to 6 at the half. After halftime Denzel Valentine really came alive. Valentine is a coaches’ dream and has a tremendous all around skill set. He posted a massive 29 point, 11 rebound, 12 assist triple double (1^st of his career).

Kansas controlled the pace for the majority of the contest, but let the game get away from them. With 4:49 left in the game, Valentine hit a three to put MSU up 65-64, their first lead since 6-5 with 16 minutes left in the first half. After a back and forth final 5 minutes, Valentine proved to be too much for the Jayhawks. Perry Ellis posted a team high 21 points for Kansas and Freshman Matt McQuaid provided 9 points on 3-3 shooting from deep for MSU, including a clutch corner jumper to put the Spartans up 75-71 with 55 seconds remaining.

(3) Maryland 75, Georgetown 71

This game needs to be played every year. After watching the less than thrilling Kentucky, Duke match-up the Maryland, Georgetown game did not disappoint. The crowd was incredible and you can tell this is a true rivalry, despite the teams rarely facing each other. I can’t say enough about Maryland’s crowd last night.

Georgetown brought their A-game and nearly pulled off the top-5 road upset. It was an all-around team effort for Georgetown, with all five starters scoring in double digits. It was the inside presence of Hayes and the three-point shooting of Derrickson in the first half, with D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera keeping them in it until the end.

Eventually Maryland played up to their potential and were able to take a 71-68 lead off a Sulaimon three with 1:20 remaining in the game. Maryland never looked back and was able to close out the game with four consecutive made free throws by Melo Trimble. Trimble finished with a game high 24 points and was 13-18 from the charity stripe. Trimble is one of the best players in college basketball and will be a candidate for this year’s Naismith Award. Layman added 15 points and Carter finished with 12. Sulaimon could be the difference for Maryland in the BIG10 this year. The Duke transfer contributed 10 points and 7 assists while attempting only 6 shots.

Grayson Gold-Garvey, Follow on twitter, @TheGraygo

NBA Power Rankings (Week 4)

After a busy week of basketball, there has been some movement in the weekly power rankings. The third week of the NBA season featured some thrilling games, including an overtime match-up between the undefeated Warriors and the lowly Nets. The Warriors remain in the one spot and the winless Sixers continue to dwell at number 30. The Celtics had the greatest climb this week, moving up 11 spots following massive road wins at Oklahoma City and Houston. On the other side of things, the Pistons had the most significant slide, falling 14 spots after losing four straight games. See where your team ranks after week three.

1. Golden State Warriors (11-0)
2. San Antonio Spurs (8-2)
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (8-2)
4. Atlanta Hawks (8-4) 
5. Los Angeles Clippers (6-4) 
6. Miami Heat (6-3) 
7. Chicago Bulls (7-3)
8. Boston Celtics (6-4)
9. Oklahoma City Thunder (6-5)
10. Toronto Raptors (7-4)
11. Dallas Mavericks (7-4)
12. Phoenix Suns (6-4)
13. Memphis Grizzlies (6-6)
14. Indiana Pacers (6-5) 
15. Washington Wizards (4-4)
16. Denver Nuggets (5-5)
17. Milwaukee Bucks (5-5)
18. Utah Jazz (5-5)
19. Charlotte Hornets (5-5) 
20. Detroit Pistons (5-5)
21. New York Knicks (5-6)
22. Houston Rockets (4-7)
23. Orlando Magic (5-6)
24. Sacramento Kings (4-7)
25. Minnesota Timberwolves (4-6)
26. Portland Trailblazers (4-8)
27. Brooklyn Nets (1-9)
28. New Orleans Pelicans (1-9)
29. Los Angeles Lakers (2-9)
30. Philadelphia 76ers (0-11)
    

Grayson Gold-Garvey, Follow him on Twitter, @TheGraygo