NBA mid season awards

Half way through a shortened NBA season, some players are making more noise than others.
Here are my top 5 MVP candidates of the first half of this season.
#5: Tony Parker
Many of you may be surprised with this choice, but lets take a look at the Spurs season thus far. The Spurs rank 2nd in the Western Conference behind the Thunder, and without Parker this wouldn't be possible. The Spurs were said to be old and beat up. With Time Duncan on the down side of his career and Manu Ginobli getting hurt for a majority of this season, the Spurs have relied heavily on their veteran point guard to lead them. He has averaged 25 points in the month of February while the Spurs held the league's longest win streak of the NBA season at 11 games.

#4: Kobe Bryant
Not much to say here. The Lakers are getting old and everyone knows it. They don't have a point guard and no one on there bench can give Kobe a break when needed. Averaging 29 points a game at 33 years old and keeping his team in the middle to upper pack in the Western Conference, this guy always belongs in the MVP conversation

#3: Lebron James
The Heat are probably the favorites to win the NBA Championship right now, and they show no signs of letting up on the gas. Lebron continues to be the leagues overall best player, playing with more confidence than ever. He is third in scoring this year behind Kobe and Kevin Durant and has showed he is the best player in Miami. He fits the definition of giving the award to the best player on the best team and half way through the Heat are certainly the NBA's best team.

#2: Chris Paul
Lob City wouldn't be possible without the best point guard in the league and with the season he is having, Chris Paul deserves that recognition. Paul took that team from only highlight reels to potential Western Conference Champs. All the talk seems to go back to Blake Griffin, but the Clippers will go as far as Paul will take him. Without Paul, the Clippers are an average team that would probably miss out on the playoffs again. Averaging over 18 points, 8 assists and 2 steals a game, Paul may take the MVP award if the Clippers make a run at the top seed in the West.

#1: Kevin Durant
How can you ignore the scoring machine Kevin Durant has become, not to mention his team is in first place in the Western Conference. Durant has shown he can score in a variety of ways this season and is virtually one of the hardest players to guard in the league. He is second in the league in scoring and averages almost 9 rebounds a game. Not to bad for a player who is only 23 years old.

New York's Savior? is Lin the Answer for the Knicks?

As you all have probably heard, Jeremy Lin has taken New York City and the NBA by storm. Selling millions of jerseys, averaging 26.8 ppg in 5 starts and in those starts the New York Knicks are 5 and 0. So why all the questions? The guy scored 38 on Kobe and the Lakers, he is a legit 6 '3' 200lbs and is undefeated as a starter. Not to mention he knows how to play the point guard position the right way, and until Lin, the Knicks didn't have a point guard to run Mike D'Antoni's offense.

I want everyone to think back to when D'Antoni was the coach of the Phoenix Suns. There he had one of the best point guards of all time in Steve Nash, partnered with Amare Stoudemire and role players such as Shawn Marion and Boris Diaw. That offense was a work of art as Nash averaged about 11 assists per game and the Suns were legit contenders in the Western Conference almost every year. Now let’s fast forward to the present, where D'Antoni finally has a true point guard. For the time being, Lin will be given the opportunity to run this offense along side Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler.

If you ask me, that’s about as good as it is going to get. Sure, Lin is no Steve Nash, but the guy has proven he can lead a team to victories and put up some good numbers. Now the Knicks aren’t forced to run an isolation offense through Anthony and Stoudemire. They still have that option, but now they can beat teams in multiple ways. The point guard should always run the offense and Lin is the type of point guard who will make everyone around him better.

The questions should no longer be about Lin, but instead they should be if Anthony and Stoudemire can put their egos aside and let Lin run this offense. Their numbers may fall a little, but wins will build. D'Antoni is a good coach and knows how to have success in this league and now with the essential tools, look for the Knicks to rise in the east as legit contenders as long as they all buy into this system. For now...Lin is the answer in the Big Apple.

Creighton shows no signs of slowing down

For those of you who go to Creighton like myself, the talk around campus is about our up and coming basketball team, that stands at #12 in the USA Today poll. It’s evident that Creighton is on its way to the “Big Dance” in March as they continue to roll through Missouri Valley opponents.
Though I am just as stoked as everyone else on campus, there are those people who are still skeptical about this team but let me tell you there is nothing to be skeptical about. Ok… are they really the 12th best college team in the nation? Who really knows is the better question… but they are ranked there now and these Jays are a team to be reckoned with. They are what I like to call the “Dirty Dozen”, which was the name of a 1967 war film, where a U.S. Army Major is assigned 12 convicts. His goal is to turn them into soldiers and lead them into battle. What is unique about the 12 is that each of them has something different they excel in. Each character in the film is unique in his own way. Each person has their own role and they realize each person must do his role in order to have success.
This seems to be a fair comparison to the Creighton Basketball team. Obviously this team doesn’t go 12 players deep but what team in the nation can actually do that? The point I am trying to get across is the fact that each individual has bought into the team. They rely on one another and encourage one another. They don’t play for the spot light or for a chance to make it big in the NBA someday, not to say that isn’t on their minds, but they play for their school, their coaches and for one another. Creighton leads the nation in field goal percentage, is 2nd in assists per game and is 5th in points scored per game. These are attributed to the team oriented basketball that Gregg McDermott has instilled in these young men. Each player does their role exceptionally well: Grant Gibbs is the glue of the team and keeps everyone on the same page, Jahenns Manigat knocks down the open three every time he gets his chance, Antoine Young is clutch down the stretch in either scoring a big bucket or knocking down free throws and it makes things a lot easier when you have a consistent scorer and player of the year candidate in Doug McDermott. The matter is, however you look at it, Creighton finds ways to win games. It may not be pretty sometimes and sometimes they may blow out a team but they always find a way to get the job done because they believe and trust in one another.
The Jays head to Northern Iowa tonight for another road test, but they should be able to get the job done. #rolljays

Rematch in the Super Bowl

We still have to wait one more week for one of the biggest sporting events in the world, but I want to get a head start on the keys to victory for both teams and my prediction.
Let's begin with the New York Giants, a team that won their final three games to squeeze into the playoffs and now has a shot to win a second Super Bowl in the last 5 seasons. Eli Manning is playing the best football of his career and with the emergence of Victor Cruz and the stellar play of Hakeem Nicks there seems to be nothing that can stop this offense. The key will be if the Giants can run the ball to not only balance their offense but to keep Tom Brady of the field. Time of possession is important against the Patriots. The Patriots often go no huddle on offense which seems to tire out the defense. If the Giants can keep their defense fresh while running time off the clock their chances greatly increase. The Giants also want a close game. Even when New York had been down late in games, they seemed to never panic and they leaned on the leadership of Manning.
As for the Patriots, they have to keep doing what they are doing. Tom Brady has been flawless in the playoffs. Their only concern on offense is stopping the Giants "front four" from getting pressure on Brady. New York's pass rush is good enough to disrupt the Patriots high powered offense, so it's up to their offensive line to give Brady protection in the pocket. New England's defense caught a lot of fire heading into the playoffs. But after two solid performances against the Broncos and the Ravens, they are playing with confidence. If they stop the Giants running game they improve their chances of winning.

So after listing the keys for both teams it's time to pick a winner.
The Patriots are the favorite just as they were back in 2008 when they faced the Giants. The Giants won that game and they seem to have a better team this year than they did 4 years ago. I'm picking the Giants by 3 points. Their defense will be the X-Factor and Manning will be able to control the game and its tempo.

second round of NFL playoffs

As we witnessed last weekend, anything can happen in the playoffs. The Falcons scored only 2 points, rookie QB TJ Yates led the Texans to a victory, not to mention Tim Tebow played the best game of his already famous season in an overtime thriller. What lies ahead is still unknown, but for now lets look at this weekend's match-ups.
Saints vs 49ers: The Saints travel to San Francisco this weekend for a very interesting game. A dynamic offense will face off against one of the league's best defenses. Harbough has instilled an old fashioned system in San Francisco of running the ball and playing flawless defense which landed the 49ers the #2 seed in the NFC. On the other hand, the Saints are arguably the hottest team in the NFL, and no one is playing better than Drew Brees. The Saints have the offense but I'm going with 49ers this weekend for a few reasons. First off, the Saints seem to struggle when they don't play in doors. The long grass may hinder their speed and athleticism just enough to keep the game close, and that's exactly what the 49ers want. In a close game, the 49ers rarely lose, not to mention they have the best kicker in the game in David Akers. If the Saints have to settle for field goals they will be in trouble, that is why I'm picking San Francisco.

Giants vs. Packers: Many believe that if the Packers aren't going to repeat as Champions, they will lose at the hands of the Giants this weekend. The Giants are rolling and are peaking at the right time during the season. A lot believe they will upset the Packers, but I think that is how Green Bay would want it. With the Giants being picked by people to win, it takes the pressure off of the Packers and adds more pressure to New York. I can't go pick against the defending Super Bowl Champs. Their defense has had problems but they have been able to come up with key turnovers and stops, while their offense continually puts up points. Packers win a shoot out at Lambeau Field.

AFC match-ups
Texans vs Ravens: Texans are feeling pretty good about their first round blow-out win over the Bengals but now they travel to Baltimore where it's cold, and the Ravens rarely lose. I like the running game of Houston but I'm not sure that will be enough to get the job done. If the Ravens slow down Arian Foster, I'm not sure if TJ Yates and Andre Johnson can do it with the passing game. Ravens win this game easy with Ray Rice running and catching the ball, and their defense shutting down the Texans.

Broncos vs Patriots: My heart tells me to pick "my donkeys," but my mind tells me otherwise. The Patriots are the number one seed in the AFC for a reason and the though the Broncos beat the Steelers last week, it's hard to think that Tebow can play that well two weeks in a row. What I like about this game is that the Broncos match up well with the Patriots. Solid defense that could perhaps slow down a high powered offense led by Tom Brady, and one of the league's worst defenses allows the Broncos a chance to run the ball and put points on the board. The key to game will be turnovers. If the Broncos turnover the ball even once, you have to like the Patriots chances to win the game. My heart says Broncos, but Tom Brady is too good. But I will say this, though I'm picking the Patriots, I won't be shocked if the Broncos win the game. There is something special about this Broncos team, and like Tebow has proven time and time again, "anything can happen."

national title is overshadowed by Tebow Mania

I would like to devote a whole blog post to the upcoming National Title game between Alabama and LSU, but after the weekend, it seems like I need to devote some time to the one they call Tebow.
The Denver Broncos were back in the playoffs, but after losing their last three games of the season, their chances looked bleak to beat last year's AFC Champs, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers were plagued with injuries so the Broncos were playing them at the right time, however, Pittsburgh was still 8 point favorites on the road. The even bigger story leading up to the game was if Tim Tebow could rally after playing some of his worst football and "pull the trigger", as John Elway had told him to.
Let's just say Tebow pulled the trigger and some. For once, I watched a Tebow who wasn't afraid to throw the ball before his wide receivers were turned around. He had complete and utter confidence in his teammates to make plays consistently during the game as he threw for two touchdowns, including the game winning 80 yard pass and catch to win the game in OT, and ran in for a score in the first half. Say what you want, but it seems like Denver has committed to fact that they will try to build around this guy, plus you can't argue with playoff victories. That being said, Tebow still has a lot of work to do, but for now his attention is on the Patriots, who by the way have one of league's worst defenses. After beating the number one ranked defense in the NFL, the sky is the limit for Tebow and these pesky Broncos.

Ok, now onto Monday night's game in New Orleans.
Anyone catch that?? In case you didn't, LSU will be playing right in their backyard. Does anyone remember the last time LSU won the BCS National Championship? It was the 2007 college season, where LSU beat Ohio State in the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.
LSU finds itself in a similar situation only this time they play a team they have already beaten this season.
Though it is difficult to beat a team twice, can you really argue against home field advantage? In a game where the teams are more similar than different, it comes down to coaching and game situations. Don't expect a lot of points on the board, we aren't watching the New Orleans Saints play in the dome. Les Miles has proven that even with players suspended, and shuffling two quarterbacks that he can get the job done. I expect the LSU Tigers to win the game by no more than 3 points.
What is even scarier is LSU just signed the top quarterback recruit in the 2012 class, so we could very well see them play in this game again next year.

NFL Wild Card Weekend may bring a few surprises

On the brink of the college national championship game between LSU and Alabama, we are given the gift of Wild Card weekend in the NFL consisting of two teams starting rookie quarterbacks, three teams that have won a Superbowl in the last 5 years (New Orleans, NY Giants, Steelers), and of course...Tim Tebow. But more important than the underlying stories, who will move on in the NFL playoffs after the weekend.
Let's start with the NFC. Detroit at New Orleans presents maybe the most intriguing matchup of the weekend. Two dynamic passing attacks, two of the league's best quarterbacks, and these teams have already played one another earlier in the season. The Saints won the first matchup between these two teams. Detroit struggled in the fourth quarter after only being down 1 score. They committed too many penalties and they were missing two of their best pass rushers. Look for this game to be a little closer than their first meeting but it will be the same result. The Saints are too good at home, and Drew Brees is playing some of the best football of his career.
The next NFC matchup is between the NY Giants and Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons had a somewhat disappointing season but snuck into the playoffs where as the Giants finished off the season red hot in order to win the NFC East division. Eli Manning and their passing attack will cause problems for the Falcons and they won't be able to win a shootout in cold weather in New York. Giants over the Falcons.
Now to the AFC. Bengals vs Texans. Two rookie quarterbacks, who have already faced each other once this season. The Texans won their first meeting, and they win this weekend as well. Their rushing attack will be too much for the Bengals on the road.
Then we have the Denver Broncos taking on the Pitt. Steelers. Tim Tebow finished out the season as a turnover machine and the Steelers are plagued with injuries. The difference, the Steelers play their best football in the playoffs. This won't be a blow out, but the Steelers will win this game, probably late in the fourth quarter by a field goal, and the Broncos dismal passing attack won't be able to relish another comeback.
Well...there you have it. Saints, Giants, Texans and Steelers will be the winners on the weekend.