The NBA Finals are set to kick off on Wednesday night and will feature at least one team expected to make it far: the Los Angeles Lakers.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been dominating since the playoff season began, and their supporting cast has delivered when called upon. Players like Alex Caruso, Dwight Howard, and Markieff Morris have all stepped into bigger roles at different points in the post season, and the return of Rajon Rondo has given the Lakers another ball handler, allowing Lebron to play off the ball more.
The Miami Heat have continued to impress since sweeping the Indiana Pacers in the first round. Nobody outside of the Heat organization gave them a chance against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, but Jimmy Butler has always been vocal about the faith he has in his team to compete against anybody.
Jimmy Butler 'not surprised' with Miami Heat Game 3 win against the Milwaukee Bucks | NBA on ESPN www.youtube.com
Not only did the Heat defeat the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Semis, but they disposed of them in just 5 games with the series never really seeming in doubt. Butler gives this young Heat team an identity and leader, but he has often been the focus of criticism as a locker room problem and bad teammate throughout his career. After Philadelphia was knocked out of the playoffs last season by Kawhi Leonard and the eventual NBA Champion Raptors team, surprisingly Jimmy Butler was not brought back for another run.
Jimmy Butler is a difference-maker‼️ ▪️ Led the Bulls to their last playoff appearance (2017) ▪️ Helped the T-Wolv… https://t.co/o5dMHwbphb— NBA on ESPN (@NBA on ESPN)1601321014.0
There had been speculation that Butler had personal issues with the 76ers' two star players Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons causing him to seek a new situation, but Butler had denied those claims earlier this year. Throughout his career Jimmy Butler has always done things his way, and his move to Miami seemed intentional. It was a team that needed a superstar and Butler was happy to fill that role for them. Erik Spoelstra is a championship winning coach, and that's exactly what Butler is chasing because he knows that being the best player on a championship team legitimizes himself as one of the league's elite.
The Heat and Lakers both missed the playoffs last season, but the moves each organization made in the off-season have brought them all the way to the NBA Finals just one year later. For the Lakers, they knew what they had in the duo of James and Anthony Davis. Veteran additions like Danny Green and JaVale McGee injected a wealth of playoff experience to the roster, while retaining important pieces like Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Alex Caruso gave them the depth they knew they would need for a deep playoff run.
Special Squad. On to the final round. https://t.co/53BlhGCN21— Los Angeles Lakers (@Los Angeles Lakers)1601183928.0
Miami added Butler, but outside of that the only other player on most people's radars heading into the season was their young power forward, Bam Adebayo. Bam has developed into a star player for the Heat, earning an all star selection this year, and he now serves as the Robin to Butler's Batman. But the cupboard seemed bare in an improving Eastern Conference that included the up and coming Boston Celtics, the 76ers, and defending champion Toronto Raptors.
The Miami Heat are true underdogs Tyler Herro - 13th pick Bam Adebayo - 14th pick Jimmy Butler - 30th pick Jae Cro… https://t.co/ag3sUcHsQL— MJs GOAT (@MJs GOAT)1601258606.0
Enter Tyler Herro, Miami's first round pick in last year's draft, an enigmatic rookie who never seems affected by the pressure of the moment. We've seen Herro take and make big shots for his team all season, and that has continued through these playoffs. Not to be outdone, undrafted shooting guard Duncan Robinson spent much of last season on the bench, but when given the opportunity to get more playing time this season he didn't let it go to waste. Now Robinson has cemented himself in the rotation, and the pairing of Herro and Robinson make up one of the most feared perimeter shooting tandems in the league.
2018: Undrafted Duncan Robinson signs a two-way contract with the Miami Heat 2020: Robinson will Start in the NBA… https://t.co/a3NvM4leni— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife.com)1601303268.0
Spoelstra has done a phenomenal job with this team and has expedited the development of many of these young players by simply giving them more opportunities to make mistakes and learn from them. It's been true championship coaching performance, as he will be making his fifth NBA Finals appearance this year, putting him sixth all time(!), only behind Gregg Popovich (6), Johnny Kundla (6), Pat Riley (9), Red Auerbach (11), and Phil Jackson (13).
Erik Spoelstra started as a video coordinator for the Miami Heat and is now headed to his 5th Finals as the team's… https://t.co/4jSQmzSpxF— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter)1601267438.0
On the other bench will be Frank Vogel, who had varying levels of success as an assistant and head coach in the league before landing in LA. The key to Vogel's system is defense, and the Lakers needed a lot of help on that side of the ball. The result has been better than advertised. Los Angeles finished the season as the third best team in the regular season in regard to defensive efficiency, and they, along with the Heat, have been the most efficient defenses in the playoffs (they are tied).
In a matchup that can be deemed the Blue Bloods against the Mutts, the two sides have a lot more in common than you might think. The defensive prowess of both teams was just mentioned, and both rosters are able to adapt to different types of lineups thrown at them. The Lakers showed in the Houston series that they could go small to defend the Rockets' perimeter shooters, and the Heat displayed their defensive versatility by locking down the paint against Milwaukee and then frustrating the Celtics' talented guards and wing players utilizing a rarely seen 2-3 zone scheme in the ECF.
Offensively both teams look to get to the paint to shrink defenses, eventually leading to passing lanes to open shooters. The attention that players like James and Butler draw when going to the basket has benefitted the spot up shooters on their teams. Both the Lakers and Heat have used this offensive strategy to bury teams and not allow them to make comebacks late in games. It's resulted in both teams flying through their conferences at a rapid pace. The Lakers have won every series 4-1, never really being tested by any opponent. The Heat have gone 4-0 (Indiana), 4-1 (Milwaukee), and 4-2 (Boston).
Saluting a couple big-time series in the battle for the West 🔥🔥🔥 https://t.co/5k7yM5pH8W— Los Angeles Lakers (@Los Angeles Lakers)1601325135.0
I expect that this series will be the first time that either side is really tested in this postseason. LeBron James seems focused and understanding of the fact that this may be his best chance at winning another NBA title before his historic career comes to a close. Next season will see the return of Klay Thompson and Steph Curry to the the Warriors, and the Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant era in Brooklyn will begin. Not to mention the continued development of Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic in Denver and Kristaps Porzingis and Luka Doncic in Dallas.
Jimmy Butler and the Heat play with a chip on their shoulder, and they like being overlooked and underappreciated. There's no doubt that Erik Spoelstra is going to have his team prepared for LeBron and will look to force him to take more jump shots and put him on the foul line instead of allowing easy layups. But something we know about LeBron by now is that he's a shark in the water, the apex predator in the NBA. He's finally got a group together that seems to be clicking at the right time heading into an NBA Finals matchup, something we haven't really been able to say since his time with the Miami Heat when he had Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh by his side hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
I look for the Lakers to get out to a hot start and put Game 1 away on Wednesday night, and at that point LeBron will sense the blood in the water. The experienced group of veterans the Lakers bring into the series should be the deciding factor. Guys like Rondo and Danny Green will be great complementary players when the Lakers need points, and the flexibility they have to match up on Adebayo will likely produce similar results to how they played Nikola Jokic in the WCF.
I LOVE this Miami Heat team, and I expect each game to be competitive and go down to the wire, so it pains me to say I do not expect this series to be. This Lakers team is built to win now, and with the way they have been rolling, I'm taking the Lakers in a 4-0 series sweep.
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DMX on the Madison Square Garden marquee
For many managers, their playoff prospects are dark and hot as hell heading into the final week of the fantasy basketball regular season.
But before you can compete to be grand champ, you need to stop, drop, shut your duds down and open up the waiver wire for your last gasp this regular season. Here are some names you should be looking for to give you that push you need.
Rest in peace, DMX.
Booms
Kyle Anderson Forward Memphis Grizzlies
The former UCLA star might have taken the tale of the tortoise and the hare a little too seriously, but the "slow and steady" mantra has given him a successful NBA career and impressive fantasy numbers. For the past week, Slow Mo has averaged 16.3 points on 48.9 percent shooting, seven rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.3 made threes, two steals and one turnover a game.
Ja and Kyle Anderson having too much fun out there 😳 Off-the-glass oop 🔥 https://t.co/lbCrd3edzz— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter)1617847190.0
Anderson has been a consistent contributor throughout the season and it's tough to see his numbers take a hit even when Jaren Jackson Jr. returns at the end of the month. If you haven't rostered him yet, it would be a huge mistake.
Jalen McDaniels Forward/Center Charlotte Hornets
Staying on the court has been a problem for McDaniels this season, but the absence of Gordon Hayward has forced the Hornets to look for other options on the court and the second-year player has been one of the beneficiaries. In the last three games, the San Diego State product averaged 16.3 points on 62.5 percent shooting, two made threes, five rebounds and 3.3 assists. He even threw in 1.3 steals and one block per game.
JALEN MCDANIELS. THROW IT DOWN. (via @hornets) https://t.co/j6vTaidh4w— SLAM (@SLAM)1618022175.0
Hayward is expected to be out for at least three more weeks. Until he's back, expect McDaniels to continue his more proactive approach on this team.
Miles Bridges Forward Charlotte Hornets
McDaniels isn't the only one who has taken advantage of Hayward's injury. Bridges has cranked his game up a notch, averaging 21.7 points on 60.5 percent shooting, three made threes, six rebounds and one steal in the last three games. He may have even had the dunk of the year, posterizing Clint Capela on Sunday.
😤 MILES BRIDGES posterizes Capela! 😂 LaMelo’s reaction. https://t.co/y8kAanwhgq— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife.com)1618168845.0
Until Hayward is back, Bridges will get a lot more freedom to operate and that means more fantasy contribution in the coming weeks.
Reggie Jackson Guard Los Angeles Clippers
Depth has not been a problem for the Clippers the last few seasons, but it has been trouble for fantasy managers looking for consistent contributors on that team. Rest and injuries haven't slowed the Clippers' winning ways this week because Reggie Jackson stepped up for them and gives fantasy participants a short-term high performer to lean on for the week.
In a week where Patrick Beverley, Rajon Rondo and Paul George missed time, Jackson thrived, averaging 17.3 points on 61 percent shooting, three made threes, 4.8 assists, and 1.3 turnovers in four games.
With Beverley out with a fractured hand and Rondo/George/Kawhi undoubtedly taking games off to save themselves for the playoffs, Jackson may not be a bad desperation option in standard fantasy and worth tracking in daily fantasy formats.
Busts
Tim Hardwaway Jr Guard/Forward Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks' recent success has not translated into numbers for all players. Tim Hardaway Jr. is one of them.
The Michigan product averaged 12 points on 37.5 percent shooting, 3.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists in four games last week. He did make two three-pointers per game in that span, but that is like threading a silver lining on a used rag.
Tim Hardaway Jr. missed the 3, so it won't be a highlight, but Luka just threw a pass to him in the corner from the… https://t.co/5Ncj9MbnYE— Dan Devine (@Dan Devine)1616212345.0
Hardaway is still the third scoring option on the team, so he will get more chances to increase his production, but this week was a tough pill to swallow for a lot of fantasy managers.
Derrick Rose Guard New York Knicks
Rose has found a home with the New York Knicks, but his role has not been kind to fantasy managers. We all know the former MVP can still score, but head coach Tom Thibodeau hasn't asked him to do much else.
In the last four games, Rose has averaged 14.3 points on 43.1 percent shooting, 0.8 made threes, 1.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists. That kind of one-dimensional play is a killer of many fantasy teams looking for a more diverse portfolio of contributions.
If you need a boost in scoring, Rose isn't a terrible option to consider, but if you need anything else, you should leave him on the waiver.
Lou Williams Guard Atlanta Hawks
Like Rose, Williams isn't asked to do anything other than score at this point in his career. But even in the past week, he can't even do that at an elite fantasy level. Only averaging 11.8 points per game, 1.8 made threes, 2.8 assists and basically non-existent in every other category in fantasy sports.
Cool moment from first half, as Lou Williams welcomes Isaiah Thomas back to #NBA https://t.co/vv9dImK1fA— Jim Eichenhofer (@Jim Eichenhofer)1617756493.0
It's safe to say that Lemon Pepper Lou's effectiveness as a fantasy star is gone.
Jusuf Nurkic Center Portland Trail Blazers
Okay, I know Trail Blazers have been trying to ease Nurkic back into the lineup and giving him restricted minutes. However, with the fantasy managers looking for that final push to the postseason, there might have to be an executive decision on whether Nurkic needs to be played or pitched.
Teams firmly in playoff position can hold out for him to be used properly again, but other managers won't be able to stomach another week of missed games and low-end production.
Bogdan Bogdanovic
For college basketball, the madness is over. For the NBA fantasy managers, the madness is just beginning.
We are two weeks away from playoffs, and people are scrambling for solutions to their team's problems. Take a look at these waiver wire picks and see who will give you that final push you need to get into the postseason and avoid the humiliation of whatever fantasy punishment you may face.
Booms
Bogdan Bogdanovic Guard/Forward Atlanta Hawks
While one Bogdanovic struggles through a subpar season in Utah, another is thriving in Georgia. Bogdan, the younger of the unrelated pair, missed 25 straight games this season due to a knee injury and had trouble finding consistent minutes on this Hawks team. This past week, he caught fire with John Collins and De'Andre Hunter out with injuries.
The @ATLHawks set a new NBA record for threes made in a quarter without a miss, knocking down 11 of 11 in the 3rd q… https://t.co/Vsemb5lOV6— NBA (@NBA)1617760124.0
He is averaging 37.1 minutes, 21.5 points on 51.6 percent shooting from the field, 4.3 made threes, 4.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.3 turnovers the last four games. He is only rostered in 74 percent of Yahoo leagues but should be rostered in 100 percent.
Robert Williams Center Boston Celtics
The Time Lord continues to impress, proving that Danny Ainge made the right choice at the trade deadline to deal Daniel Theis to the Chicago Bulls. In three games last week, Williams averaged 14.3 points on 82.6 percent shooting, nine rebounds, five assists, 0.7 turnovers, one steal and two blocks.
All eyes might be on Tatum and Brown as fantasy studs, but Williams is establishing himself as a legitimate seven-category contributor in 9-cat formats.
Gary Trent Jr. Guard/Forward Toronto Raptors
Trent might not have walked into a playoff-contending team in Toronto this season, but the opportunity for production has benefitted fantasy managers. After a rocky two games, he hit his stride, averaging 23.3 points on 51 percent shooting, five made threes, and 1.7 steals.
GARY TRENT JR. WINS IT AT THE BUZZER 🔥 https://t.co/L5GiM7SdeU— NBA on TNT (@NBA on TNT)1617672392.0
Despite having a bad season, the Toronto Raptors are still within striking distance of a play-in spot. If they want to make it, they're going to look to Trent's shooting to help them get there.
Kelly Olynyk Forward/Center Houston Rockets
Gonzaga could've used the former Spokane stud in the National Championship Game on Monday. In the last four games, Olynyk is averaging 18.8 points on 57.4 percent shooting, 1.8 made threes, 5.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.3 blocks.
The Rockets may be playing for the future, but Olynyk has proven to be a dependable fantasy option for the present.
Busts
Moses Brown Center Oklahoma City Thunder
After spending last week rebounding like he was Dennis Rodman, he spent this past week looking a bit more human. After averaging 16.8 rebounds last week, Brown dropped down to 10.5 and the rest of his numbers slipped as well. He averaged 9.3 points on 42.3 percent shooting and only shot 60 percent from the foul line.
Moses Brown has been HOOPING recently... and the Thunder have awarded him with a multi-year contract. Love it. https://t.co/z0jFDmcbPR— Legion Hoops (@Legion Hoops)1616970263.0
He is averaging about five fewer minutes a game than he did in the previous week, which could be contributing to his drop in production. With Al Horford completely shut down and Mike Muscala hurt, he will have plenty of chances to increase his numbers
Seth Curry Guard Philadelphia 76ers
Slumping shooters are the most at risk to be on this "bust" list and this week it's the younger Curry brother. He still contributed 2.5 made threes, but he only shot 38.1 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from the free-throw line.
If shooters aren't hitting, they're basically an empty slot in a fantasy lineup. Still, Curry isn't worth dropping because of his potential to get hot, but these are the rough patches managers are going to have to deal with.
Kyle Kuzma Forward Los Angeles Lakers
With LeBron James and Anthony Davis out, now would be the time for Kyle Kuzma to shine. His star is looking more like a lantern fantasy-wise.
He did average 17.3 points last week, but he only shot 44.4 percent and 63.6 percent from the free-throw line. He's also only making 1.7 threes, grabbing 5.3 rebounds and turning the ball over three times in that same time span.
Lebron watching Kyle Kuzma air ball free throws like https://t.co/jy0HzCWdu3— Rich (@Rich)1617567541.0
If Kuzma wanted to prove himself a star, this period of time was not that moment.
R.J. Barrett Guard/Forward New York Knicks
The former Duke player's career season hit a speedbump this past week. In the last four games, Barrett has averaged 13.3 points on 41.7 percent shooting, 1.5 made threes, 3.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists. The Knicks have unsurprisingly lost three of those games.
Fantasy managers in a position to make the playoffs can be patient with Barrett, but those who are fighting for a playoff spot may need to look for other options.
Shane Bieber faced off against the Dodgers in Spring Training. He bested Trevor Bauer, allowing only two runs, and striking out nine
Welcome to the Mock Draft lab.
This is where we are running experiments, crunching the numbers, and proving hypotheses, so you can reap the rewards of our hard work. The rules for this exercise were simple: Take the best pitcher in each round without reaching more than 10 spots away in either direction. (This kept us honest and realistic as to who would be available and prevented any major overpays for talent.)
The first simulation that I'm offering as a tool going into your fantasy drafts is a breakdown of the best pitcher available in each round left for the taking. This has been achieved by studying the results of numerous mock drafts, cross-referencing those results against average draft positions, and the plain old eye test.
How should something like this be applied? Well, imagine yourself in this situation: You've gone best player available for the first six rounds and realize that starting pitcher is a bigger hole on your team than the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Reference this handy-dandy sheet to assuage those concerns. Not to fear, there's plenty of talent to be had in the next round, the round after that, and the round after that.
This is based on a mid-round draft position in a 12 team league. Obviously, higher rated players could fall because there's no accounting for the taste, or lack thereof, of your fellow managers.
Round | Pitcher |
1 | Shane Bieber - CLE |
2 | Max Scherzer - WSH |
3 | Luis Castillo - CIN |
4 | Tyler Glasnow - TB |
5 | Lance Lynn - CWS |
6 | Liam Hendriks - CWS |
7 | Kyle Hendricks - CHC |
8 | Ian Anderson - ATL |
9 | Zach Plesac - CLE |
10 | Chris Paddack - SD |
11 | Patrick Corbin - WSH |
12 | Sixto Sanchez - MIA |
13 | Devin Williams - MIL |
14 | James Paxton - SEA |
15 | Alex Colome - MIN |
16 | Mike Soroka - ATL |
17 | Dustin May - LAS |
18 | Jose Urquidy - HOU |
19 | Ryan Yarbrough - TB |
20 | Jameson Taillon - NYY |
21 | Matthew Boyd - DET |
22 | Tony Gonsolin - LAD |
23 | Zach Davies - CHC |
As you can see, there is talent at every level of the draft, both for starters, relievers, and guys who can do both. The highlights:
SHANE BIEBER
Beginning at the beginning, I can't tell you how much I like getting Shane Bieber anywhere in the back half of the first round. The reigning Cy Young winner looked transcendent last season, and I've seen just as many fantasy projections that squarely place him in the conversation as the #1 overall pitcher. Getting a guy who led the league in strikeout percentage, strikeouts, ERA, and wins is a no-brainer. It's not his fault that he doesn't pitch in New York.
LUIS CASTILLO
A couple rounds later, I believe you can still snag a dude that's about to prove he could be an ace on pretty much any staff. His numbers have improved from year to year, specifically cutting his walks and increasing his strikeouts. Without Bauer in the rotation, Castillo will be the Opening Day starter and can use this chance to solidify himself as a premier pitcher.
This Luis Castillo dude seems to be pretty good at throwing baseballs. https://t.co/jVcslXwKDi— Cincinnati Reds (@Cincinnati Reds)1600307193.0
DEVIN WILLIAMS
In the middle rounds of the draft, I am all about jumping on Devin Williams. The man has a pitch so mesmerizing that it got a name: "The Airbender." He uses a normal circle change grip, but himself sees it as a reverse slider, or what was one time known as, a screwball. He's been ridiculously valuable as Hader's setup man, piling up holds left and right and center. Look here for the possibility of him assuming the closer role if the trade talk surrounding Hader finally comes to fruition.
JAMESON TAILLON
Nearing the end and looking to fill out your roster, I think Jameson Taillon provides a ton of upside this season. He's coming off of a second Tommy John surgery, and the Yankees have already said they plan to ease him into the rotation by having Cole take two starts before his first. (This sets him up to face the Baltimore Orioles, by the way, a team who doesn't have a clear second baseman on the team). However, he's completely rebuilt his throwing motion, which should be more sustainable for his elbow.
Of course, exhibition games don't predict future success, but Taillon has looked tremendous in his four outings. He has one earned run and 14 strikeouts over the 8.1 innings, and this could, finally, be the season that he lives up to the lofty expectations of his high draft status.
Jameson Taillon is bringing a new and improved throwing motion to the Bronx for his first season with the New York… https://t.co/w862Pq5NvK— YES Network (@YES Network)1611673320.0
ZACH DAVIES
In the final round, I'm a big fan of Zach Davies, who put together a respectable season for the Padres last year, proving to be a valuable waiver wire addition. Once San Diego decided they were going the nuclear route and compiled the best staff in baseball, Davies saw himself dealt to the Cubs, as a part of the Darvish trade. The increased use of his change up resulted in more strikeouts. The change of scenery to a weaker division should provide a boost to his stats across the board.
Zach Davies was 5th in the NL in ERA last season (2.73). JD likes what he sees. https://t.co/FILc8Zi8yr— Marquee Sports Network (@Marquee Sports Network)1613489190.0
Zach Davies was 5th in the NL in ERA last season (2.73). JD likes what he sees. https://t.co/FILc8Zi8yr— Marquee Sports Network (@Marquee Sports Network)1613489190.0
Zach Davies was 5th in the NL in ERA last season (2.73). JD likes what he sees. https://t.co/FILc8Zi8yr— Marquee Sports Network (@Marquee Sports Network)1613489190.0