2015 NBA Draft

One of the most interesting and deepest drafts in the last 5 years. 

By: Lamar "L.A" Smith

The 2015 NBA Draft was compelling. This year's draft saw Karl Anthony-Towns a center from the University of Kentucky went No. 1 overall to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Towns was also the 2015 SEC Freshman of the year and was the 2014 Gatorade Athlete of the Year. Towns was a consensus No.1 overall pick by many scouts and analysts since Kentucky's "Pursuit of Perfection" ended in the Final Four this past Spring. UK dominated the draft with more players getting drafted than any other school and tying a NBA Draft record (UK set the record in 2012). The No. 2 pick was a surprise with D'Angelo Russell going over Jahlil Okafor a skilled big man from the 2015 National Champion Duke Blue Devils. Russell being drafted just shows how the league is constantly changing and focusing more on perimeter play. Russell was considered to by most to have the best chance of becoming a superstar in the next five years.

This year's draft was filled with a lot of talent which will have a nice impact on the league in the next few years. Although, similar to any draft a few slept on players will make a few teams pay.

My 380 Sleepers (zzzzz's)

• Justise Winslow: A guy who was a top 5 prospect was picked at No, 10. Any analyst watching the Draft would've been puzzled. Winslow was the best available player after Towns, Russell and Okafor and was the best two-way wing player in the draft. He played his best basketball during the NCAA Tournament and was the engine which fueled Duke to hoist the 2015 NCAA trophy.Winslow now goes to a strong Heat team where he can continue to win with a great Miami Heat organization. Winslow can grow without any pressure to be a star right away. Winslow could possibly be as good as Kawhi Leonard and at worst he will be a role player who possibly will start on most teams. Although, most scouts say he possibly could be like James Harden.
• Sam Dekker: Dekker was passed on by Milwaukee, Boston and Atlanta who all could've used his services though Atlanta and Milwaukee passing on Dekker was probably the most surprising. Dekker can score, can shoot the 3, can handle the ball and is a pretty good athlete. Similar to Winslow he played his best basketball during the NCAA Tournament this year as the Badgers upset the Kentucky Wildcats and faced Duke in the National Championship game.
• Bobby Portis: A few names came to mind when I thought of my top three sleepers in the Draft but out of the other candidates: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Jerian Grant; Bobby Portis is in the best position to succeed. Portis brings more youth and versatility to an older but deep Bulls' frontcourt. Portis is athletic, can shoot the ball and hits the boards hard. The Bulls found a gem late in the draft in the 2015 SEC Player of the Year.

Top 8 Draft Nights

• Timberwolves: The Timberwolves fulfilled two needs by drafting Karl-Anthony Towns at No. 1 and trading the team's two 2nd round picks for Duke Blue Devil Tyus Jones. Towns is a strong interior defender and is UK's best big man not named Anthony Davis in a long time. Jones is a smart point guard who has a high basketball IQ and is more than capable of playing a few spot starting minutes shall Ricky Rubio get hurt. Minnesota has a few players with lots of potential in LaVine, Wiggins and now Towns. Flip Saunders is a good coach who finally can see some light at the end of the tunnel in Minnesota.
• Rockets: The Rockets picked Sam Dekker from Wisconsin  at No. 18 and Montrezl Harrell at No. 32. Dekker has upside and will be a good rotation player should Houston not be able to sign Corey Brewer in free agency and gives them depth on the wing. Dekker plays similar to Chandler Parsons so he should fit well into Houston's up-tempo offense. Harrell is a less athletic Kenneth Faried with a mediocre jump shot. Harrell eats the glass and was one of the best offensive rebounders in college basketball last year. Harrell gives Houston a rugged defender up front who can add some size to the frontcourt if Josh Smith leaves in free agency.
• Lakers: D'Angelo Russell was picked No. 2 and based on ESPN's advanced metric has the best chance of being a superstar in the next five years though, he also has the best chance of being a bust as well. Larry Nance Jr. son of Larry Nance the inaugural dunk champion in the NBA is an athletic big similar to his father and has some decent talent for a late first rounder. Antonio Brown the team's 34th pick is a solid scorer and a versatile wing defender who can shoot threes well and should be a strong role player. Although, Russell was the true gem especially considering when Rick Pitino called him 'the most gifted passer he's ever seen not named Magic.' Russell's skill set just screams "Showtime".
• Heat: The Heat were able to pull off the biggest shocker of the night and somehow snag Justice Winslow at No. 10. Winslow reminds me a lot of Kawhi Leonard though some analysts feel he could even be as good as James Harden. Michael Smith co-host of "His & Hers" also feels Winslow could be as good as Harden 'I'm not saying he will be as good as Harden but when I look at his game I see a lot of Harden.' Josh Richardson was picked at No. 40 and was on the SEC All-Defensive Team and is a good shooter. Richardson adds more depth on the wing barring the unlikelihood Dwyane Wade leaves the Heat and also in the event Wade stays.
• Wizards: The Wizards traded up to get Kelly Oubre from the Hawks who is a great athlete with a 37 in. vertical and a long 7'2 wingspan despite only being 6'7. He has all the tools to be a really good defender and can shoot the ball. Oubre is a smart decision considering Paul Pierce may leave to sign with the Clippers. Aaron White was picked at No. 49 and is an athletic big who runs the floor well and can shoot the ball with range and gives the Wiz a different look than the team's other bigs.
• Thunder: OKC drafted Cameron Payne and Dakari Johnson last Thursday. Cameron Payne is a combo guard though, Payne will play point guard due to his size and will fill the role Reggie Jackson played last season. Payne can flat out score and will give the team some backcourt security when the team has to dispose of a few role players due to the clutter of depth the Thunder acquired before the trade deadline. Johnson is an NBA ready center and is big and physical. Johnson will clog up the paint and plays good help defense. Johnson has awful footwork despite the fact he can score in the post. Johnson was a good pick but most likely will be a NBA back up.
• Pacers: The Pacers picked up Myles Turner and Joe Young. Indiana drafted with the vision to play faster this year and will get rid of the team's grit and grind method which took the team to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals appearances before last season. Turner is a great shot-blocker and can space the floor with his jump shot but often times settles for jumpers and lacks aggression. Shall Turner change this he will help the Pacers out especially in a year where David West likely will not be back next year and as the team looks to shop former All-Star center Roy Hibbert. Young is a great scorer out of Oregon who will be a nice backcourt mate for George Hill who had a strong year last year. Young will likely come off the bench but will provide another scorer for a team who struggles to score.
• Pistons: The Pistons drafted Stanley Johnson and Darrun Hilliard. Johnson knocks down spot up 3's, a great athlete, has an NBA ready body and is a beast on the fastbreak. Add Johnson's 7'0 wingspan and competitiveness and you have a player who shall excel on the next level. Hillard can score the ball and adds backcourt depth. He is a skilled offensive player but, in the 2nd-round all a team looks for is a player with one NBA ready skill which the team can build on. Hillard can put the ball in the basketball and had his best scoring games late in his senior season at Villanova.

0- The number of picks the Clippers had in this year's draft. Although, the Clippers traded cash to acquire the No. 56 pick Branden Dawson an athletic wing player from Michigan State with a high basketball IQ.

This overall was a strong draft with even more solid picks than the ones mentioned in this article. The race for the Rookie of the Year should  be very competitive this year. 

Has Spieth Arrived?

Jordan Spieth gives the US Open Trophy a big kiss after winning his 2nd career major.

By: Lamar "L.A" Smith

Chambers Bay was unforgiving to most of the men on the PGA Tour. Only eight players were able to finish under par and three more finished even par during this tournament.

Gary Player who is considered one of the greatest golfers all-time and is in the World Golf Hall of Fame criticized the golf course at Chambers Bay.

"This has been the most unpleasant golf tournament I have seen in my life. The man who designed this golf course had to have had one leg shorter than the other."

The course had awful greens and all of the golfers struggled to putt at one point or another. The worst recipient of Chambers Bay's fortunate was Dustin Johnson. Johnson missed out on a chance to win his first major championship. He had a chance for a potential win after a long tee shot put him within putting distance. Instead, of an eagle which would have allowed Johnson to win or a birdie which would have forced a playoff. Johnson parred the 18th hole and shot for par during the round.

All Johnson had to do was knock in a 12-ft putt for an eagle. Most PGA golfers could knock in a 12-ft putt for eagle blindfolded. However, Sunday just wasn't Johnson's day. Coming into Sunday's final round Johnson was 6-3 when holding a lead or having a share of the lead through 54 holes. In comparison, to Spieth who was 1-4 going into the final round which made Johnson's collapse even more startling.

Spieth's win made him the first golfer since Tiger Woods (2002) to win the first two majors of the year. Spieth also became the sixth player to win the first two legs of the modern grand slam. Spieth also is the youngest player with two majors in the same year since 1923 and the youngest player to have won two majors since Gene Sarazen. 

Spieth will now try to do something that has never been done and achieve a modern grand slam. Though, after dominating at Augusta National and shooting 18-under par Spieth should thank Johnson for his 2nd career major.

One has to wonder how Johnson will handle more disappoint after another loss especially with a chance to win his first career major. Johnson took a leave of absence from the tour almost a year ago.

Spieth has only 4 career wins and was gift-wrapped one this past Sunday. He has shown tremendous skill and is currently the leader in the 2015 FedEx Cup race with a ridiculous 1,213 point lead after winning the U.S. Open. 

Has Jordan Spieth arrived? This is a hard question to ask but, with only 4 career wins and only a strong 2015 to go off I doubt anyone would argue otherwise. Although in a sport looking for an alpha male and despite the influx of talented golfers on tour, is still looking for the next Tiger Woods. Shall Spieth win anymore majors this year which would be Tiger-esque, everyone should beware of Spieth.

Sale & Scherzer: Not Your Avg. Aces

Drew Storen drenches Max Scherzer in chocolate syrup after pitching a complete game vs. the Brewers.

By: Lamar "L.A." Smith

Max Scherzer and Chris Sale are the hottest pitchers in baseball right now. One just finished throwing 18 straight scoreless innings in his last two starts and the other just finished pitching five straight games with at least 12 or more strikeouts.

Scherzer and Sale have dominated. Scherzer leads the MLB in ERA (1.76) and Ks (123). Sale has an ERA of 2.74 and is third in the majors in strikeouts (119) after his recent tear.

Now, let's review the most recent performances of the two aces starting with Sale. Sale is 3-1 in his last 5 starts and only allowing three earned runs. He also struck out 65 batters during his five-game stretch.  Sale has been the best pitcher in the AL over his five game stretch and became just the third pitcher to throw 12 or more Ks in five straight games along with Randy Johnson (1998) and Pedro Martinez (1999).  Sale's last start saw him retire the first 17 batters before giving up a hit in the bottom of the 6th. Watch Sale strikeout 14 batters in a 3-1 win versus the Houston Astros on the left.

Sale has been sensational. Though, the same thing cannot be said for the lowly Chicago White Sox who are currently (29-38) and last in the AL Central division.

Now the biggest story in the majors currently is Scherzer who has the two most dominate back-to-back starts this year. He almost pitched two back-to-back perfect games as well though, Scherzer settled for two complete games. Prior to coming to D.C. this season Scherzer only had pitched one complete game in his career. A former Cy Young winner and one of the best pitchers in his game put himself in discussion for "the greatest consecutive starts by a pitcher in major league history": said by Tim Kurkjian. 

Game 1 vs Milwaukee Brewers: CG, 16 Ks (Nats record), H, BB and threw 119 pitches.

Scherzer retired 18 batters in a row on an efficient 67 pitches. A bloop single over the head of Anthony Rendon broke up his perfect game during the top of the 7th inning. The last 3 IP after the hit were not as smooth for Scherzer as he threw 52 pitches in order to finish the game. 

Game 2 vs Pittsburgh Pirates: CG, 10 Ks, HBP and threw 106 pitches.

Scherzer really showed his "Nattitude" in his encore performance at Nationals Stadium. He threw 8 2/3 scoreless before his perfect game was broken up by Jose Tabata who leaned into a slider thrown by Scherzer and broke up what would have been considered one of the most dominant perfect games thrown in recent memory instead, he just settled for his first career no-hitter.

Scherzer became the 5th pitcher in MLB history since 1900 to allow 1 hit or fewer in back-to-back complete games and is the first pitcher to accomplish this feat since 1944 (Jim Tobin). He's also struck out 48.1% of the batters he retired in his two starts.

"That's why they got me here."

This is what current Wizards small forward Paul Pierce said after he hit a dagger jump shot versus the Toronto Raptors when he played for the Brooklyn Nets in Game 1 of the First Round of the 2014 Playoffs. Well if this is indicative of Scherzer's dominance, the Nats finally may be able to get deep in the playoffs long as Scherzer's on the mound.

A Golden Year

By: Lamar "L.A." Smith

"What? What? What?"

These were the words of this year's MVP Stephen Curry as he became the third point guard to win the MVP and the NBA title in the same year, joining Magic Johnson and Bob Cousy. He was elated and screamed "what" in front of his teammate Draymond Green exhibiting the grind of a historic season no one outside of the Warriors' locker room saw coming.

However, some analysts may point out how Golden State did not face an elite point guard throughout the team's title run. Jrue Holiday was hurt during the first round, Michael Conley played with a facial injury, Patrick Beverly did not play in the playoffs and Kyrie Irving broke his kneecap in Game 1 of the Finals. The Warriors also did not have to face the Spurs or Clippers in the playoffs who had the best chance of realistically preventing a Finals trip for the eventual champs.

Though, this does not diminish the Warriors' year. Curry became the only player to face and defeat every other member of the All-NBA First Team (3 of which finished behind Curry in the MVP race) in the route to NBA immortality.

Golden State was the best team in the NBA all year. The Warriors won 67 games in the regular season, had the league MVP, the All-Star team's leading vote-getter, two players on the All-NBA Defensive team, the league's No. 1 ranked defense and the league's No. 1 ranked offense. Therefore ending the season with the franchise's first championship in 40 years was only just. The longest drought between championships in NBA history was ended by the Warriors this year.

Curry and company only lost five games in the playoffs, The team never loss another game after going down 2-1 in both series to Memphis and Cleveland and proved jump shooting teams can win championships.

Many people doubted Golden State this year from NBA Hall of Famers to prodigal analysts like myself. We all were proven long.

Golden State shattered another glass ceiling in the NBA this year. The NBA is constantly evolving. The 80's and 90's saw bigmen dominating with Hall of Famers like: Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Alonzo Mourning, Patrick Ewing, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the list goes on and on. Now, the NBA is a point guard heavy league where one should be hard-pressed to win a championship without an elite point guard. The league is stacked with: Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving, John Wall, Eric Bledsoe, the "Baby-faced Assassin" Stephen Curry and so many more point guards.

Andre Iguodala was the X-Factor now he's the Finals MVP. Iguodala became the only Finals MVP to win the award without starting a single game during the regular season. He also had the 3rd lowest Finals scoring average by a MVP only behind Wes Unseld (9 ppg in 1978) and Magic Johnson (16.2 ppg in 1982). Iguodala averaged 16.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 4 apg and shot 52.1 % from the field and 40% from 3-pt range.

Iguodala scores a season high 25 points in the championship clincher and wins the 2015 Finals MVP.

A young team led by arguably the best shooting backcourt in NBA history in the Splash Bros have started a new trend. The Miami Heat started "Small Ball", "Positionless Basketball" and "Pace and Space". Well, this Warriors team created a new motto after a historic championship run.

'You live by the 3; you die by the 3. More like you live by the 3; you thrive by the 3.'

Kate Fagan made this statement on "Around the Horn". I have to agree, basketball is constantly changing and the Warriors are proof.

Blackhawks win 3rd Cup in 6 yrs

Duncan Keith is the 2015 Conn Smythe Trophy winner (Playoff MVP).

By: Lamar "L.A." Smith

The Blackhawks up 3-2 with a chance to closeout at home spells bad news for the opposition. This was my previous prediction when I picked the Blackhawks to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in 6 games.

Chicago is a city known for having great sports teams. The Jordan Era brought Chi-town six championships. The White Sox and the Cubs both have multiple World Series titles. The Bears have even won multiple NFL Championships and the 1985 Super Bowl.

However, Chicago sports teams have been dealing with an insurmountable amount of disappointment lately. The White Sox last won the World Series in 2005 but have only made the playoffs once since 2005 and the Cubs have not won the World Series in 107 years. The Bears have not won the Super Bowl since 1985 and currently have a drastically over paid quarterback who finds a way to perform below his high talent level on a consistent basis in Jay Cutler. The Bulls have not won since Jordan left Chicago in 1998 and Bulls' fans shed tears whenever Derrick Rose goes for a dunk or shoots a jump shot in anticipation he might hurt his brittle knees again. The Bulls also squandered a 2-1 lead versus LeBron and the 2015 Eastern Conference Champion Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Blackhawks has been the only team in Chicago who has produced for the "Windy City". Chicago won its 2nd title in the last 3 seasons and its 3rd in the last 6. Keith, Toews, Seabrook and Kane have been the core through this historic run during the NHL's Salary Cap Era.

Duncan Keith won the Conn Smythe Trophy becoming only the 9th defenseman to win the award. Keith also was second on the team in points and led the team in assists. The alternate captain also scored the Cup clinching goal in the 2nd period to break the tie.

Kane would put the game on ice when he scored his first goal of the series with just over 5 minutes left in the third period to put the Hawks up 2-0.

Duncan Keith's Cup clinching goal.

The supporting cast would help out the star trio of Kane, Toews and Keith. Seven other players had double digit point totals during the team's Stanley Cup run. "The Other Guys" made the difference for Chicago throughout the playoffs and would bring a 6th Stanley Cup title to the city of Chicago. Teuvo Teravainen led the team in points and goals in the Stanley Cup Final with 2 assists and 2 goals. Antoine Vermette scored the game-winning goal in two of the team's four victories in the Final despite only having two goals coming into the Stanley Cup Final.

The three best players in Chicago each have held the Conn Smythe trophy during the teams three titles: the captain Toews in 2010, arguably the team's best player Kane in 2013 and the alternate captain in Keith.

A dynasty may be considered 6 titles in 8 years by Jordan's Bulls in the NBA, 5 titles in 7 years by the Toronto Maple Leafs or 4 titles in 5 years by the Edmonton Oilers during Wayne Gretzky's tenure with the team. Though, in today's sports world where a lot of leagues are trying to prevent "super teams" and encourage competition fans may not see too many more runs like the Blackhawks.

The Hawks have a future star in the making in Brandon Saad and both of the team's best players Kane and Toews are still only 27 years-old and will start to enter the primes of their careers.

Are today's Chicago Blackhawks' a dynasty?

Three titles in 6 years and 4 Western Conference appearances in 7 years exhibits a level of success the public have not seen in years in the NHL. Joel Quenneville is starting to look a lot like Gregg Popovich due to his long-term success in Chicago.

The Blackhawks may not be classified as a dynasty but trust me Chicago is about as close as it gets.

Every goal of the Blackhawks 2015 Stanley Cup run.

The X-Factor

By: Lamar "L.A." Smith

The X-Factor is not just the name of a music competition TV show created by former American Idol judge Simon Cowell. The X-Factor is the difference maker. The independent variable which could alter the outcome of anything. A large part of the 2015 NBA Finals saw us cast Matthew Dellavedova the Australian irritant in this role. A series defined by pace and experience is tied 2-2 heading back to Oakland.

Andre Iguodala is a two-time All-NBA Defense selection (2014 All-NBA Defensive First Team selection) and a former All-Star and before this year he's played 758 games all as a starter. Though, this year everything changed. This year Iguodala was asked to come off the bench by rookie head coach Steve Kerr, something Andre has not been asked to do since his freshman year at Arizona.

A two-time gold medal winner with Team USA in the 2010 World Championship and the 2012 Olympics in London. He was now being asked to be the team's sixth man and his ego had to be checked at the door. Iguodala came off the bench in all of the 77 games he played this year and this led the Golden State Warriors to the best record in the NBA and in franchise history (67-15).

A golden season started to dim a bit when the Warriors faced a 2-1 deficit against the injury riddled Cleveland Cavaliers in a city who is fiending to taste NBA gold for the first time. Steve Kerr started to get criticized for his coaching efforts for the first time this season.

A jolt of energy was needed to inspire an otherwise energetic and prolific offense. Steve Kerr needed to make a move and a previous shootaround interview with Kerr where he told reporters the starting lineup would remain unchanged suggested Golden State would continue to play uninspired basketball.

Kerr lied to the reporters and the result was a change in the starting lineup. A super small speed lineup consisting of: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green. Draymond starting at center for the first time since high school he said in an NBA Gametime interview and Kerr giving the player who he raved about being the best player for the Warriors in this series his first start of the season.

"Enter Andre Iguodala", in his first start of the season Iguodala scored a season-high 22 points and grabbed 8 rebounds while also stealing the ball from LeBron James once. The Cavaliers were 6/45 outside the paint in Game 4. Iguodala was 6/13 and scored just as many points outside the paint as the Cavaliers entire team did in Game 4.

Watch Andre Iguodala put up one of the biggest individual performance's in his life in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

Andre Iguodala outscored King James 22 to 20 and James was 4/14 from the field with 12 points when guarded by "Iggy". Iguodala and the other role players: Harrison Barnes, David Lee and Draymond Green played well to help the Warriors tie the series 2-2 heading back to Oracle Arena.

A series where Kyrie Irving goes down, King James dominates and the Splash Bros are not shooting 3-pointers at a particularly high clip; one may not have saw Andre Iguodala as a realistic Finals MVP candidate.

Watch Iguodala score at all of his 22 points in Game 4 of the 2015 NBA Finals.

I picked the Warriors in 6 games and I'm sticking with my pick. Shall the Warriors win the NBA Finals all of Golden State will truly be able "to get Iggy with it".

You Can't Win a Game of Chess Without a Bishop

Brandon Saad throws his hands up to embrace the lively Blackhawk fan base at the United Center after scoring the goal which would be the game-winning goal of Game 4. The series is now tied 2-2 heading back to Tampa Bay.

By: Lamar "L.A." Smith

No lead has been safe between the Lightning and Blackhawks during the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals. In Game 3 the Blackhawks gave up a 2-1 lead in 13 seconds and would end up losing the game 3-2. In Game 2 the Blackhawks were up 2-1 again and loss the lead in a minute and 32 seconds, and eventually the team was down by the end of the period.

Game 4 was a bit different for the Hawks. After a goal by Brandon Saad with 13:38 left in the 3rd, the Blackhawks for the first time in the series were able to keep a lead. Chicago has led for only 11 minutes in this series before the final 13:38 of Game 4 and neither team has led in any of the games by more than 1 goal all series.

Corey Crawford was spectacular. Crawford had 24 saves and allowed only 1 goal by the Lightning. Tampa Bay has looked faster than Chicago has been more aggressive and looked extremely confident in the No. 1 scoring offense the team posted in the regular season. In a series where each team has scored 9 goals, every play and every shot counts.

Kane & Toews show up

Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews the Blackhawks two best players had one point in the series coming into Game 4 (an assist by Toews in Game 2) and have been outplayed by the stars from Tampa. Highlighting the Lightning's triplets lineup of: Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov. Toews and Kane put their stamp on this Chicago win which saw the dynamic duo's playmaking on both of the Blackhawks' goals. The first goal saw Toews score off a numbers advantage down the ice where he scored off a Patrick Sharp dish in front of the net. Kane gets the loose puck after Richards wins the faceoff towards the middle of the 3rd period. Kane finds a way to get the puck to Saad who finishes the play.

Blackhawks' Powerplay Killing Unit

Tampa Bay was 0/4 on power play opportunities during the game. All the credit has to go the Blackhawks' power play killing unit.

Led by Duncan Keith and Niklas Hjalmarsson who played most of the penalty kill minutes with Hjalmarsson playing 5:10 on the ice and Keith playing 4:53 on the ice.

Chicago crowded the net and made Tampa Bay take long slap shots and not allow the Lightning to crash the net. The Blackhawks blocked shots and forced Tampa away from the net. This helped Chicago because the team struggled with only 2 shots on goal in the 1st period and this helped the team to keep the game at a 0-0 tie especially considering the team struggled to create offensive chances early on in the game.

Crawford Has a Big Game

Crawford came to play and he isn't a Stanley Cup winning goalie for nothing. Crawford played tough for Chicago all night with 24 saves including stopping a strong flurry of shots by Tampa to end the game when Tampa had an extra attacker during the last 1:29 of the game.

Crawford played with composure when Tampa Bay snipers crashed the net and he made important stops which helped the Hawks until the team captured the lead in the game. Crawford will need to continue to play well to help Chicago capture the team's second Stanley Cup in three seasons. The Lightning have proved an up-tempo game is to the Lightning's advantage.

The Blackhawks may have one of the fastest teams in the NHL but it is possible Chicago may have met a team who is faster.

Where's... Bishop?

Ben Bishop left at the end of Game 2 for unknown reasons, he played a strong Game 3 then he missed Game 4 completely due to unknown reasons. One is fully aware a magician never reveals his secrets but unless the Lightning plan on putting Criss Angel into retirement, one has to wonder what is really going on with the team's starting goaltender.

Andrei Vasilevskiy has played well in relief of Bishop having 5 saves and a win in Game 2. Vasilevsky followed his performance up with a solid Game 4 performance giving up 2 goals and recording 17 saves.

Hopefully Bishop plays in Game 5 considering the team has played awful at home going 6-5 at home during the postseason and seem to struggle in front of Bolt Nation. One could only believe Bishop possibly could be injured and the team does not want to go back to Chicago who is 8-2 at the United Center in the postseason down 3-2. Tampa did win Game 3 in Chicago though a Game 6 closeout game in Chicago is not to the Lightning's advantage versus a Stanley Cup savvy Chicago team.

The Game-Winning Goal

Kane was on the right side of Brad Richards who was in the faceoff circle. Richards won the faceoff and the puck was loose in front of Kane. Kane tapped the loose puck to Saad who skated hard to the left of the net. Saad slashed back across Vasilevskiy and tapped in a loose puck which went off the stick of the defender and slapped a wrist shot through the legs of Vasilevskiy. Saad used his speed and quickness on the play and was able to get the goal to win the game.

The Pick

The Blackhawks were able to slow down Tampa a bit and created more scoring chances in front of the net. Another plus was the Hawks' stars Toews and Kane finally made a strong impact in the series. Expect the duo to play well and Keith and the rest of the defensemen to play strong defense until the two get going in the game. I originally picked Chicago to win in 6 so Game 5 is a must win heading back to Bolt Nation. Hawks beat Bolts 3-2 in another close game in Tampa.

And the Winner is: The Grit Squad?

LeBron James shows an out pour of emotion after an exhausting and grimy 95-93 OT win in Game 2 at Oracle Arena. 

By: Lamar "L.A." Smith

"That's what it is, its the grit squad that we have. It's not cute at all, if you looking for us to play sexy cute basketball then that's not us."

LeBron responded in this manner when asked about how Cleveland has continued to evolve in the playoffs. Cleveland has loss an All-Star (Kyrie Irving) and a former All-Star (Kevin Love) this postseason. Winning Game 2 made Cleveland the first team in NBA history to win a game in the NBA Finals without two of the team's top 3 scorers and was the Cavs first NBA Finals win ever.

LeBron is averaging 41.5 ppg 12 rpg 8.5 apg in the NBA Finals thus far and was a few seconds away from taking both games in Oracle Arena. LeBron is the best player in basketball and it is proving it to all of us watching the Finals.

"You don't let me get 40. I go get 40."

This was LeBron's response to the Warriors game plan to let LeBron score and keep his teammates from getting involved in the game. LeBron's bravado has been something new, showing the growing confidence he has in the maturation in his game. The most important stat as Game 3 is previewed is LeBron put up 40 points in a win in "Roaracle".

5 Major Game 3 Adjustments

1. Warriors need to get Stephen Curry some easy shots early on in the game to help the 2015 MVP to bounce back from an atrocious shooting night which was probably the worst shooting night he's ever had and if not this was the worst shooting night of his NBA career. Curry shot 2/15 from 3-pt range and missed more 3-pt shots in a game than anyone else in NBA Finals history. Golden State needs to find ways to get Curry open because if not Cleveland maybe the only team stirring the pot heading into Game 4.
2. Matthew Dellavedova will need to get a good nap in before the game, drink some Red Bull and whatever else to get ready for Game 3 because wings maybe the only thing able to help Delly slow Curry down again. Curry was 0/8 with 6 turnovers when guarded by Delly in the halfcourt, don't count on this happening again.
3. Golden State needs to go at LeBron on defense. LeBron has played 96 of 106 possible minutes through the first two games of the Finals. He's only human, checking Harrison Barnes who doesn't take a whole bunch of shots a game helps him to reserve a little bit of rest during the game.
4. Cleveland needs to not allow the game to be played fast. Golden State is a better team with the better players. Cleveland's only chance is to play gritty defense and play the game in the half court. A generational superstar in LeBron James will assist the Cavs in controlling pace but, take a lesson from the Grizzlies an up-tempo game will not be won versus the Golden Boys.
5. Where is the pace and space offense? Erik Spoelstra made postionless basketball popular. Mike D'Antoni started the "7 Seconds or Less Offense". The Warriors have used both methods to score at a high clip. The Warriors have the best offense in the league, so prove it.

Who The Refs Choosing

The NBA admits three fouls were missed by the referees at the end of the game.

• The Refs missed an obvious travel on LeBron James with about 45 seconds left.
• Andre Iguodala clearly fouled LeBron late in OT, though this doesn't weigh on the game much because LeBron traveled on the play.
• Draymond Green held LeBron on the jump ball in overtime which was a clear foul.

This series has been very physical and the refs been letting the players play and have not been calling a lot of ticky-tack fouls. As Stephen A. Smith so eloquently said on ESPN's First Take 'If the refs let the players play and the game remains physical, Cleveland has a chance to win this series even without Kyrie and Kevin Love.' I agree Cleveland will try to play a grimy game at a slow pace and shall Cleveland prevail this will still be a tight series. We should all expect the officiating to have something to do with dictating tempo in this series.

The Game 3 Winner Is?

Golden State will play much more aggressive and should take Game 3. On the other side of the court LeBron understands how important Game 3 is when the series is tied 1-1 considering teams who win Game 3 are 31-6 in the NBA Finals. Chef Curry been stirring his pot for two days after hearing the ridiculous Delly is the Steph-Stopper talks. Great players play great after awful performances so, expect a large helping of Curry Stew in Quicken Loans Arena tonight as the Warriors take Game 3. Though, as we learned the King still has a lot to say about this series therefore "watch the throne".

The Warriors Stick To The Plan

By: Lamar "L.A." Smith

The Cavs came in to the Bay Area to shut the house down and the Cavs did for 4 quarters. Normally 4 quarters of great basketball would reward the Cavs with a W, too bad the Cavaliers had to play an overtime period vs. the league's best team in the Golden State Warriors. The raucous crowd in "Roarcle" provided the needed boost in overtime as the Warriors held the Cavaliers scoreless in overtime. The Cavs technically did score two points in overtime but this was a garbage time bucket LeBron scored when the game was already decided. Cleveland was 1/9 from the field in OT and LeBron was shutdown by an active Golden State defense in OT. Pace and space has been the motto in the NBA over the last several years and in a game not short of highlights, pace and space won the game.

The Turning Points

• Cleveland was up by as many as 14 points in the first quarter and had control of the game early on. The bench comes in and cuts the lead down to 10 points to end the quarter after Andre Iguodala blows past LeBron when isolated on the last shot of the quarter and gets a dunk to end the quarter 29-19.
• Marreese Speights hasn't played basketball in almost a month. Speights last played on May 5th vs. the Grizzlies in the Western Conference Semifinals due to a right calf injury. He scored 6 points off the pick and roll (8 points for the game) and Speights provided a spark offensively for Golden State. He set strong screens and provided Steph the space to get hot when Golden State struggled offensively.
• Andre Iguodala steals the ball from LeBron and finishes the fast break with a step through dunk to end the 3rd quarter tied 73-73. Golden State struggled to take the lead and played from behind the whole game. Iguodala's score gave the Warriors a jolt of energy and this matriculated to the 4th quarter which gave Golden State the ability to play with the lead for a relative portion of the fourth quarter. Iguodala would even hit a 3 in the corner with his shoe off.
• During overtime, Golden State went small and pushed the tempo. The Warriors struggled at first and were able to get 4 points due to Stephen Curry's lethal jump shot helping him draw two fouls on the perimeter. Golden State proceeded to employ the team's lineup of: Curry, Thompson, Iguodala, Barnes and Green. The team got out in transition and this would be the kiss good night to a team who was reeling in the extra period

The King's Court

LeBron dominated Game 1, scoring 44 points, grabbing 8 rebounds and dishing out 6 assists. He scored at will and was proficient in the post. He used his full array of post moves from facing up and getting to the cup to hitting turnaround jumpers. Also if you were playing "I Spy" for LeBron James jumper, you might have found his shot in Game 1. He scored probably just as much from the perimeter as he did in the paint. He hit tough contested jump shots from all areas of the floor and was single-handedly preventing Golden State from getting too much momentum until overtime. He missed the potential game-winning shot and he was a dud in OT going an inefficient 18/38 overall. On a night where LeBron was definitely wearing his crown after scoring 44 points (NBA Finals career-high) and looked nearly invincible against whoever Golden State threw at him, in the end this freight train just didn't have enough steam.

LeBron's excellence at full display in Game 1 of the 2015 NBA Finals.

The Difference Maker: Andre Iguodala

I was thinking about changing the heading's name to the game's MVP but, the difference maker seems to be befitting of this veteran's performance. Fifteen big buckets, a three-pointer with one shoe on and stopping LeBron from hitting the game-winner. This sounds like a pretty good performance. Well, he was better than good and the numbers don't lie. In 19 different plays where Iguodala guarded LeBron in the half court he was 2/12 from the field scoring 11 points and he did not score in overtime. He played smart in transition finding the open man and converted a few dunks on drives to the lane. Iguodala is the best athlete on the Warriors' squad by far and the team's best shot of containing LeBron. On a night where no one on his team including himself has never been to the Finals before, the 31-year old vet played as if he has seen this stage way too many times.

A closer look at Andre Iguodala's 3-pointer with one shoe on which is reminiscent of Mike Miller's (current Cleveland Cavalier) 2012 NBA Final Game 5 3-pt field-goal with one shoe on when he decided to "Let it fly!". This was just the icing on the cake to an already strong performance.

The Shot

This play is pretty similar to LeBron's game-winner he missed yesterday for the win vs. Golden State. LeBron drives left with Iguodala checking him and pulls up to shoot a tough step-back as he fades away from the basket. The same shot in the same building but, Golden State defended this totally different. In the scenario above Miami was a better 3-point shooting team therefore they were able to space the floor better so, everyone is glued to their man. Also, David Blatt makes a bad personnel decision by putting two bigs on the floor allowing all of the guys on Golden State the ability to put one foot in the paint allowing them the ability to help if James drives. This time as James drives Iguodala keeps his hands active disrupting LeBron's rhythm as he steps back to pull up for the win. Iguodala contests the shot at the last second making LeBron take an uncomfortable fadeaway instead of a routine shot. Now, Shumpert misses a chance to win it falling out of bounds on a rebound but, James look was Cleveland's best chance to escape "Roarcle" with a win.

Golden State will be itching at the chance to put Cleveland in a figure-four leglock and capture Game 2. Therefore, the Cavs have a good chance to bounce back in Game 2 since, a 2-0 hole will harm Cleveland severely. Although, Kyrie did not sound too confident about his effectiveness next game after leaving the game in OT due to an aggravated left knee injury. No Kyrie means no rings and expect Golden State to win again at home where the team is 47-3 all year. Yes, Mr. 380 has Golden State heading to Cleveland up 2-0.

A 380 Full Breakdown: 2015 NBA Finals

By: Lamar "L.A." Smith

A magical season has created a Finals matchup with 2 compelling storylines. One city contains a kid who was born a shooter, he knows the NBA landscape all two well and looks to end a 40 year drought in the Bay Area. He's the "Baby-Faced Assassin", "Chef Curry", half of the "Splash Bros." and his city's "Golden Boy" who has led his team to the league's best record and was crowned this season's MVP. The other city contains a 6'8 250 lb meta-human who came back home to finish what he started and has lifted a team who held the No. 1 overall pick in the draft last year to their 2nd NBA Finals for the first time since 2007. The only thing connecting these two players would be the fact both were born in the same hospital and same city. Other than the two players ties to Northeast Ohio, one may not be able to find two superstars who were more polar opposites than Curry and James. A gifted all-around player and arguably "the best shooter we've ever seen" goes up against a guy who may go down as one of the top 10 greatest players of all-time. Therefore, we should have a good show on our hands.

Splash Bros. vs. King James & Uncle Drew

The most scrutinized players in this series by far could possibly be a deciding factor in this series. The superstars: LeBron James and Stephen Curry will play at a high level and make the other players around them better throughout the series. The real question is which player will play at a another level in the Finals, will a struggling Klay Thompson find his shooting stroke or will Kyrie Irving give the Cavs just enough to bring home the golden globe to Northeast Ohio for the first time?

Uncle Drew is playing with left knee tendinitis and a sore right foot. These are some serious injuries and 8-days of rest is definitely not enough to cure tendinitis. Tendinitis is one of the worst lingering injuries one could have and playing on a bum knee will slow him down. LeBron will be LeBron, but the nets will be worn out due to the smooth shooting touch between the duo of Curry and Thompson.
Warriors have the slight advantage.

"The Other Guys"

The Warriors have a bench consisting of proven veterans who are former starters in: Andre Iguodala, David Lee, Shaun Livingston and former Sixth Man of the Year and Brazilian Blur in Leandro Barbosa. Marreese Speights aka. "Mo Buckets" will also be a threat if given a chance to play. The Cavaliers have a bench consisting of: Australian pest Matthew Dellavedova, South Beach sniper James Jones and the enigma J.R. "Swish" Smith. The Warriors have one of the best scoring benches in the league which scores by committee and brings a different level of versatility to the table. The Cavs bench has lots of grit, consists of three shooters and one of the best scoring bench players in the game.

Cleveland has two bulldogs down low in Tristan Thompson and Timofey Mozgov and another on the perimeter in Iman Shumpert. The trio has made Cleveland much more physical as well as better defensively. Mozgov and Thompson are great at getting offensive rebounds, scrap for loose balls and are high-energy guys.

"The Other Guys" for the Warriors are just as talented and have more overall depth than Cleveland. The team can go 10 deep and have an array of guys who can put the ball in the basket. Since putting the ball in the basket is how you win the game, I have to go with the supporting cast which resides in Golden State.

Which MVP is slowed down?

Curry is the 2015 NBA MVP and James is a 4-time MVP winner and both will be a handful to stop. How do you stop these MVPs?

''Well, the same way you slow me down...You can't.''

LeBron said this when asked on how to stop Stephen Curry. LeBron was spot on so, the best way to describe this is to talk about the matchups. LeBron will be guarded by 2015 All-NBA Defensive First Team defender Draymond Green, All-NBA Defense Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes and even Klay Thompson and Shaun Livingston at times. Curry will be guarded by Irving, Shumpert and probably J.R. and Dellavedova at times in the game. James faces the tougher opposition on defense but neither player will be stopped. Expect the two stars to cancel each other out.

3-PT Shooting

Golden State! Golden State! The Warriors are the best shooting team in the league and one of the best 3-pt shooting teams in NBA history. Steph made 286 3-pointers this year breaking the record for 3s made in the regular season (he set the record last season) and Klay Thompson was not far off hitting 239 3-pointers during the regular season.

Cleveland has shooters in: James Jones, J.R. Smith, Kyrie, Shumpert and Dellavedova. The Cavs shooters get great looks due to the attention LeBron James draws through double teams and Irving when he penetrates instead of spotting up. 

The Warriors will let LeBron get his and will not double team as much as the Hawks did in the Eastern Conference Finals. Thus more contested 3s will be taken and contested jump shots will easily swing in the Splash Bros. favor time and time again.

The Clutch

This part of the game is very close. On one-side you have the best player in the game in James and Irving who rises to the occasion consistently and hits big shots in the clutch. Golden State has two guys in Thompson and Curry who can hit shots from anywhere on the court and are big-time shooters.

In an area of the literally split by threads, the edge goes to LeBron. Close games in the playoffs usually go to the team with the best player therefore Golden State must execute consistently to prevent LeBron from stealing a few games for the Cavs.

The Pick

This will be a treat for NBA fans across the globe showcasing some of the best talent in James and Curry. The game will come down to who's supporting cast shows up and assists two superstars both looking to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy. The Warriors have a superstar, a better team and home-court. Cleveland has the best player in the game. The Warriors in 5, the series may go 6 depending on the supporting cast. But my gut tells me a Game 5 in Oracle Arena will end a 40-yr drought.

A 380 Full Breakdown: 2015 Stanley Cup Finals

By: Lamar "L.A." Smith

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay was the first team to beat 3 teams apart of the "Original Six" hockey clubs in order to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals and could be the first to beat 4 of the "Original Six" to win it all. A tightly contested Conference Finals which both went the distance have created the necessary momentum to expect none other than a great Stanley Cup Final. Both the Lightning and the Blackhawks clinched their series on the road in hostile environments in Game 7. The Blackhawks won vs. Anaheim after being down 3-2 in the series and Ben Bishop outplayed Henrik Lundqvist at MSG.

 How we got here?

Chicago beat the Nashville Predators in 6 games in the 1st round, the Minnesota Wild in the Conference Semifinals 4-0 and beat the Anaheim Ducks in 7 games including a Game 7 on the road. Chicago's first test was the Nashville Predators who were led by playmaker and sniper Filip Forsberg. After handling the Predators thanks to the heroics by rookie goalie Scott Darling, the Blackhawks faced the Wild who have been dominated by Chicago the last couple of postseasons with each year looking more egregious than the next. Finally they beat Anaheim who was the best team in the West by dominating the Ducks 5-3 in a game where the Blackhawks were up by as many as 3 goals on 2 separate occasions.

Tampa Bay faced a tough road to get to this stage facing the Red Wings, Canadiens and the Rangers. The Lightning faced the Red Wings in a gritty series in which they were down 1-0, 2-1 & 3-2 in the series before winning the last 2 games to move on. The Bolts went up against Montreal in the Conference Semis and their Olympic Gold Medal winning goalie Carey Price. Tampa went up 3-0 in the series before dropping the next 2 and dominating the Canadiens 4-1 in a Game 6 home-clincher. The Lightning was truly tested when they faced the New York Rangers a playoff team which was coming off a series win where the team was down 3-1 and rallied past the Washington Capitals. Bishop recorded a shutout in Madison Square Garden ousting the Rangers and beating Lundqvist one of the best goalies in the NHL.

This year's Stanley Cup Final should be just what hockey fans want to see speed, speed and just in case I wasn't clear SPEED.

Goalies  

One of the hardest things to gauge about these two teams are the goalies. Ben Bishop is the new kid on the block who has been making his name in the playoffs this year and has oddly played his best hockey on the road and not at home. Bishop is 7-3 on the road and has 2 shutouts this postseason which both were vs. the Rangers last round in Games 5 and 7.

Corey Crawford is 2013 Stanley Cup winning goalie and has come up big for the Blackhawks time after time the last few years in the postseason. He struggled early in the first round vs. the Predators and was pulled in favor of rookie goalie Scott Darling who played strong before Crawford got his call again to start.

Bishop is hot and Crawford has shown some vulnerability this postseason so I'll give Bishop the slight edge despite his lack of Stanley Cup  Finals experience over Crawford.

Star Power

The Bolts and Hawks will not be short of stars as the two matchup in what looks to be a long series.

Chicago brings Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp who all are some of the most offensively gifted players in the NHL and have been with the Blackhawks who have been to 3 of the last 6 Stanley Cup Finals including 2 of the last 3. Kane and Toews are both former Conn Smythe Trophy winners proving their meddle in the Stanley Cup Finals. Kane's clinched the trios first Stanley Cup with the series-clinching goal in OT of Game 6 vs the Flyers from a ridiculous angle to win the Stanley Cup. The Hawks also have two of the best play-making defensemen in Duncan Keith and Brian Seabrook which constantly makes Chicago a threat to score.

Tampa Bay rides the back of Steven Stamkos. Stamkos has been the face of the franchise since he was drafted first overall in 2008 and will be looked at to end an 11-year drought and bring back the hardware to The Big Guava. Tampa also has Tyler Johnson who is tied with Stamkos for 14th during the NHL regular season in points. Though Johnson was more of a playmaker with 43 assists during the season to Stamkos 43 goals this season. Although Tyler Johnson has been rolling all postseason with 12 goals which is tied for a franchise record currently and leads all NHL players this postseason.

This series has an abundance of stars with Johnson and Stamkos playing at their best versus the dynamic duo of Toews and Kane. The difference maker is the stellar play in the Stanley Cup consistently by Toews and Kane, and the Blackhawks also have the best defenseman in the playoffs in Duncan Keith. Keith also happens to be a really strong offensive player. Chicago definitely has more stars, therefore the Blackhawks have the advantage.

Power Play

Tampa Bay has scored 16 goals on the power play this postseason. They are led by Ondrej Palat (4 goals) and Nikita Kucherov (3 goals) who have both been very effective on the power play. The team did pretty good scoring on the power play scoring 7 goals out of 22 opportunities which accounted for nearly half the team's power play production in the postseason. Though, the team's penalty kill unit wasn't as effective, allowing the Rangers to score 7/24 on power play chances.

Chicago has scored 10 goals on the power play this postseason. The team is led by Jonathan Toews who has 3 goals and 1 shorthanded goal. The Blackhawks were awful during the Western Conference Finals vs. Anaheim going only 5/26 on the power play. Although, the team also held the Ducks to 3/18 on the power play.

One team was pretty good scoring on the power play. The other wasn't particularly good at scoring during extra opportunity chances. The difference is Chicago's penalty kill unit was spectacular last round in comparison to the Lightning who defended the power play poorly last round. Another tight one but, I give Chicago the slight edge considering the team's ability to kill power plays.

Experience

This is not even close, Chicago has more experience by miles. The team has been to 3 Stanley Cup Finals' in 6 years and 4 Western Conference Finals' in 7 years. The Blackhawks know what to do when the game gets tight and the Lightning will have to play 60 strong minutes on the ice to be crowned the 2015 Stanley Cup Champs.

The Pick

The Blackhawks have the experience and have a strong supporting cast from: Marian Hossa and Andrew Shaw to even guys like Antoine Vermette and Bryan Bickell; someone will step up when the moment comes. Tampa Bay has a hot goalie in Ben Bishop and 2 of the best in the game in Tyler Johnson and Steven Stamkos. But, in a series where home-ice doesn't mean anything and your starting goalie actually plays better on the road, the odds are never in your favor. A high-octane series but, I have Chicago in 6. Game 6 in Chicago will see the Blackhawks clinch the title. Series could go 7 but I doubt the Blackhawks choke.