Bean Bryant: Part 1

Dear Kobe Bryant,

First and foremost, thank you. Thank you for being Kobe Bryant. Thank you for being one of the greatest players we have ever watched pick up a basketball. But a simple thank you isn’t enough.

When I first started watching and understanding the game of basketball it was around the time the Lakers started their three-peat, and one of the first players I really started to watch was Kobe Bryant. Kobe was “cool”; he came straight from high school, Lower Marion High School, and while he didn’t make a splash right away, you could tell he was going to be something special. Nineteen seasons later he’s one of the greatest players in NBA history.

Kobe was the player who when you were outside shooting in your driveway and counted down, 3…. 2…1, you pretended you were number 8. He’s also the guy who when you’re throwing something in the trash you must yell, “KOBE!”. You could say that’s a cultural impact.

For that Kobe, basketball fans across the globe say, thank you.

­­_________________________________________________________________________________

If we’re looking at strictly numbers for Bryant, here are some of those numbers.

• ·      32,638 career points (3^rd all-time)
• ·      15x All-NBA Team
• ·      12x All-Defensive Team
• ·      17x All Star
• ·      5x NBA Champion

Those are just some of his legendary stats that will no doubt land him in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Much has been made throughout Bryant’s career about how Kobe didn’t pass, over 6,000 assists might say otherwise, but Kobe has always been one of those players who likes to shoot, a lot. But you don’t score over 32,000 points without taking a couple shots here and there.

I never got to see Michael Jordan in his prime but I can imagine that it looked similar to the way Kobe has played the game. Kobe doesn’t have “friends” on other teams, he doesn’t really care about other players, and he sure as hell didn’t care what other people thought. That made him a player people loved to hate, and for Kobe, that was perfectly fine.

There is a lot to say about Kobe Bryant, you can love him or you can hate him, but if you’re an NBA fan one thing you have to do is respect him. Respect what he has done for t

he game not only for the NBA, but also for basketball everywhere.

There are going to be plenty of emotions during the rest of the season wherever the Lakers go, one of those emotions is going to be sadness. It’s sad because Kobe is at the end and you never wanted to think the end was going to come for him, but it has and while the season progresses let’s all take a couple minutes to just sit back and appreciate the greatness that is Kobe Bean Bryant.

Stephen Springer, follow him on Twitter @Stephen_Springs

Big Ten/ACC Challenge: Day 2

After the first day of the Big Ten/ACC challenge we're all tied up at 1-1. On paper, it wasn't the most interesting kick-off to the event, as the opening night often features softer match-ups. However, the Wake Forest-Rutgers contest ended up going down to the wire with the Demon Deacons winning on a last second layup by Cornelius Hudson. The final score was 69-86 Wake Forest, giving the ACC the victory and putting me at 0-1 on my predictions (Wake -6.5). The second match-up saw Minnesota comeback from a 6-point halftime deficit in order to win by the same margin. It was a high scoring affair with a final score of 89-83 Golden Gophers. The win tied up the series for the Big Ten and brought me to even on my predictions (Minnesota, -2).

Tonight's games are much more appealing and are capped off by the must watch contest between UNC and Big Ten newcomer Maryland. Senior Marcus Paige makes his season debut in a much anticipated point guard battle against Big Ten preseason player of the year Melo Trimble. There are six games tonight, featuring 5 ranked teams. Here is tonight's schedule and my selections based on ESPN point spreads.
*Picks are in bold

Michigan (4-2) (-1) at NC State (4-2), 7 ET, ESPN2
Northwestern (5-1) (-2) at Virginia Tech (4-2), 7ET, ESPNU
(10) Virginia (5-1) (-8.5) at Ohio State (2-3), 7:30 ET, ESPN
(21) Miami (5-1) at Nebraska (5-2) (+6.5), 9 ET, ESPNU
(11) Purdue (6-0) (+1) at Pittsburgh (3-0), 9 ET, ESPN2
(2) Maryland (6-0) (+6) at (9) North Carolina (5-1), 9:30 ET, ESPN


Grayson Gold-Garvey

NBA Power Rankings (Week 6)

After five weeks of basketball, things are starting to look more like we thought they would. The good teams are starting to separate themselves from the average teams and the weaker teams continue to lose. Golden State continues to dominate the league and the Sixers keep blowing 4th quarter leads. The Spurs and Cavaliers look polished (it will be scary when the Cavs get Kyrie back) and the Thunder have pulled it together since the return of KD. The biggest disappointment continues to be the Rockets, who have a 7-11 record and needed a 50 point outing from Harden to narrowly escape a defeat at the hands of the Sixers, a.k.a. the 2008 Detroit Lions. On a more positive note, the surprise of the year, and the team of the week, is the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers have won 5 straight and Paul George is an under the radar MVP candidate, averaging 27 points and 8 rebounds per contest. Here are this week's rankings.*Number in brackets indicates previous ranking

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

Grayson Gold-Garvey

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