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prinzeburden22 · 3 years

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Team USA vs Team Serbia (Basketball Men’s Gold Medal Match | Olympic Games Rio 2016): ANALYSIS

Court Dimensions:

The match was held at Carioca Arena 1 in Barra da Tijuca in Brazil. It follows the standard court dimensions appropriate for indoor basketball: Basketball courts come in different sizes based on the level and type of basketball being played. A professional basketball court is 94’ x 50’ | 28.65 x 15.24 m. Courts are comprised of several foundational components: the baskets, the three-point arcs, free-throw (foul) lines, and the half court line. Indoor courts are usually made with polished wood (often maple), while outdoor courts are typically made from paving, concrete, or asphalt.

Equipment:

USA:

Basketball Jersey- team USA wore a full navy-blue jersey with white text lines.

Court Shoes- some of them wore black Nike shoes and some of them wore navy blue Nike basketball shoes.

Socks- all of them wore black socks.

Arm & Leg Sleeves- they wore black arm and leg sleeves.

Serbia:

Basketball Jersey: team Serbia wore a full white basketball jersey with blue text lines.

Court Shoes- their members wore different colors of basketball court shoes, some of them have blue, white, and black court shoes.

Socks- all of them wore white socks.

Arm & Leg Sleeves- they wore black arm and leg sleeves.

General Equipment and Gear:

Basketball ball- the match utilized a molten standard basketball; it is usually a ball used in professional and big matches.

Basketball hoop and backboard- they used a standard transparent backboard with white lining and an orange hoop with white nets.

Shot clock: they used 2 standard digital shot clocks in the match.

Basic Skills:

USA:

Positioning: Considering that the team USA consists of the best of the best NBA players, they had no problem in positioning, all of the members were positioned based on their role. Team USA’s positioning was so guarded that Team Serbia was unable to penetrate through their defense most of the time, allowing them to dominate team Serbia early to late quarters.

Shooting: They also have good shooters on the team, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson and many more. They got a lot of successful 3-point shots and close-range dunks and layups, with that said their offense was so much stronger than that of Team Serbia’s.

Rebounding: Their most excellent rebounder was DeAndre Jordan and Kevin Durant, there were many occurrences in which their long-range shooters missed, but thanks to their tall rebounders, they were able to chance a score many times which contributed to their victory.

Passing: Their passing was great, but in the first quarter there seemed to be a lot of sloppy passes which are easily intercepted by the opposing team, good thing that they’ve managed to strengthen their passes in the second half.

Dribbling: they were outstanding in terms of dribbling, players such as Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson were very good in dribbling which enabled them to easily pass-through enemy defense and manage to score numerous amounts of layups. Of course, Kevin Durant was very excellent in dribbling, I rarely saw instances where Durant failed to intercept and score a layup.

Blocking: Their blocking skills were very great; I saw a lot of blocks which is why Team Serbia has very little points compared to the points generated by team USA.

SERBIA:

Positioning: Their positioning was not that great compared to their other games, because there were many times that the enemy team easily passed through their defense, but their offense positioning was great in the first half, but team USA easily saw through them and destroyed their defense with ease in the second half.

Shooting: They were very great with layups compared to three-point shots, but when the second half started, they began to look very discouraged. I noticed that Bogdanovic gives the ball away to other team players even though he had the opportunity to do an open shot. So, in summary, they were very great in shooting in the 1st quarter but as time passed, they began to slow down in terms of shooting accuracy.

Rebounding: they were good at rebounding, but unfortunately in this particular skill, they are outmatched by team USA. But I have to say, they were quite impressive based from the successful rebounds they have done throughout the match.

Passing: they are excellent passers, I have not seen any major passing fails or slips, they have great team coordination which enabled them to successfully manage their passes.

Dribbling: They are good dribblers and are capable of going through enemy defense, I have seen not a single problem with their dribbling and they also have good statistics based on their interceptions and dribbling skills.

Blocking: In terms of blocking, they are not as good as Team USA. Their opponents can easily score through their blocks because they had a very weak defense against team USA. This is one of the main factors bringing forth to their loss.

Technical & Tactical Skill of Both Teams:

Offense: Team USA is a greater offense team than Team Serbia, they proved it through the many points they have accumulated throughout the match. Starting from the second quarter up to the last, their shots remain consistent and accurate as contrast towards that of Team Serbia’s.

Defense: Both had decent defense, but Team Serbia’s defense was very lacking in the second half, their opponents easily maneuvered through their defense and made a lot of points from that.

Team Coordination: Both teams coordinated greatly, they were able to carry out their plans to its full extent.

Player Angle and Locations: Both teams have very good strategies in terms of player positioning and angle towards the hoop and in the court. It’s just that Team USA had better and integrated strategies compared to Team Serbia which allowed them to score that easy win.

The Match followed these general rules:

Each team can have a maximum of 5 players on the court at any one time. Substitutions can be made as many times as they wish within the game.

The ball can only be moved by either dribbling (bouncing the ball) or passing the ball. Once a player puts two hands on the ball (not including catching the ball) they cannot then dribble or move with the ball and the ball must be passed or shot.

After the ball goes into a team’s half and they win possession back the ball must then make it back over the half way line within 10 seconds. If the ball fails to do so then a foul will be called and the ball will be turned over.

Each team has 24 seconds to at least shot at the basket. A shot constitutes either going in the basket or hitting the rim of the basket. If after the shot is taken and the ball fails to go in the basket then the shot clock is restarted for another 24 seconds.

The team trying to score a basket is called the offence whilst the team trying to prevent them from scoring is called the defense. The defense must do all they can to stop the offence from scoring by either blocking a shot or preventing a shot from being fired.

After each successful basket the ball is then turned over to the opposition.

Fouls committed throughout the game will be accumulated and then when reached a certain number will be eventually be awarded as a free throw. A free throw involves one player from the offensive team (the player fouled) to take a shot unopposed from the free throw line. Depending on where the foul was committed will depend on the number free throws a player gets.

Violations in basketball include travelling (taking more than one step without bouncing the ball), double dribble (picking the ball up dribbling, stopping then dribbling again with two hands), goaltending (a defensive player interferes with the ball travelling downwards towards the basket) and back court violation (once the ball passes the half way line the offensive team cannot take the ball back over the half way line).

Officiating Basketball:

Referees: The referees did a good job regulating the match, they did not mess up and they even did their job pretty well considering that they are holding an anticipated international match.

Scorers: The scorers were also on-point, there were no errors regarding the scoring.

Fouls: in the match, there were minimal fouls and there was not a single ejected player all throughout the match, meaning it was a clean and fair game.

Overall Officiating: The officials did their job well, they ensured that the match will go smoothly and that the people watching will surely enjoy the match.

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jordanmillsblog · 5 years

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RAPTORS GET IT DONE: Toronto closes out NBA Finals series 4-2 in the final game at Oracle Arena.

“See you in the Bay, Aubrey.” Those were the words from Golden State’s Klay Thompson towards Hip-Hop legend, Canadian icon and Raptors ambassador Drake following Golden State’s 109-104 game two win in Toronto last Sunday.

Drake was not in attendance for games three or four in Oakland, so while the Warriors shooting guard Thompson probably didn’t see Aubrey in the Bay Area; what he did see was his team drop both at home and head back to Toronto on verge of elimination. Setting up an electric party in Toronto the following Monday night.

Monday nights game five also marked the return of Warriors superstar Kevin Durant, who missed the previous 11 games with an apparent calf strain. Arguably the games most dominant player, KD was cleared to play by the Warriors medical team and basketball operations. The Warriors star came to play as well, going 3/3 from three point range scoring 11 points and grabbing two rebounds in 12 minutes of playing time. It looked like KD might be the x-factor that Golden State was looking for; but with 9:46 remaining in the second quarter, that proved to not be the case. While being guarded and trying to pivot, Durant immediately grabbed the lower part of his right leg, hobbling to the sidelines. After being helped off the court, and then seen leaving the arena with crutches and a boot, it was confirmed that he in fact ruptured his Achilles’ tendon and would require surgery. It has also been reported that he will miss the entire basketball season next year.

Canadian basketball fans were at the centre of controversy surrounding the injury, cheering as Durant went down. I won’t touch much on this as it has been blown way out of proportion already. It’s reactionary, that’s all it is. Adrenaline is pumping and all you want is to see Toronto win. When a player of that caliber who is trying to beat you in your building goes down; I think that reaction would have happened anywhere. When the severity of the injury came out, most basketball fans and a lot of Canadians were nauseous. Not only because this is a mans health; but because the NBA needs KD. No basketball fan wants him sidelined. So Canadians keep doing you, the world loves your apologetic asses!

Rallying around the Durant injury were Warriors stars Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Stepping up and hitting big shots in the fourth quarter to steal the 106-105 victory in Toronto. Raps bench boss Nick Nurse was under some scrutiny as well for a time out called with just over three minutes remaining. Fans were outraged saying this time out killed the momentum that the Raptors has found late in the game. Nurse defended the call to the media citing the fact they lose that time out once the clock rolls under three minutes to play. Whether the time out was the right or wrong call, Toronto headed to Oakland for another chance at the title.

Thursday’s game six marked the final game played at Oracle Arena. The arena that has seen three championship banners raised to rafters in the last five years, will close its doors after the final buzzer. The Warriors will move to their new home, Chase Center in San Francisco, for the 2019-20 season. Obviously the Warriors were looking give their fans a win for their final send off, but the Raptors had another agenda. Coming out of the gates hot was the Raptors Kyle Lowry, putting up 11 points (3/3 from beyond the arc) in the first 2 minutes of the game. The game tightened up after that as we saw Golden State find their rhythm. The first quarter ended 33-32 with 15 points coming from the hands of Lowry. The first quarter was a great indication of how the game would go, with the half ending 60-57 Raptors.

The second half saw a lot of the same tight basketball, with no teams lead being more than six points. Tragedy struck again for Golden State however when late in the third quarter, the Warriors Klay Thompson went down holding his knee. This has been confirmed as an ACL tear. He is expected to miss 9-10 months. More heartbreak for Warriors fans. With Thompson gone, and still a whole quarter to play, the Raptors came alive. Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam stepped up and made huge plays late to ensure Toronto would fly home champions, an not for a winner take all game seven.

With 18 seconds remaining, Warriors point guard Steph Curry sinks his second of two free throws to make it a one point game. Getting the ball back, Toronto calls a time out only to lose the ball again on an out of bounds turnover. Failing to capitalize on their possession, the Warriors, with 0.9 on the clock hand the Raptors a technical foul shot and a Andre Iguodala personal foul allows them to have another two. Of course Kawhi buries all 3. This ultimately put the game out of reach, a two possession game with less than a second to play.

The milliseconds ticked down as Steph Curry launched a shot from his own end. As the ball sailed through the air, the buzzer sounded cementing the Raptors as your 2019 NBA Champions. A final score of 114-110.

It would be a travesty not to mention Kawhi Leonard. Picking up his second finals MVP, Leonard was dominant all playoffs long. He has that clutch gene and he reminds me a lot of the Tiger Woods of old, an assasin. Picking up 22 points in game seven adding six rebounds and three assists and went 7/8 from the free throw line. His “not done yet” mentality and championship pedigree rubbed off on his teammates, with everyone buying in, this truly was a team victory. This morning Kawhi is a god to Raptor fans, let’s wait and see what free agency brings.

25 years of Raptor basketball has never seen this. Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Chris Bosh and many other Raptor greats haven’t been able get it done. It took some tough decision making to make this come together. Firing the coach of the year and trading a superstar for a better one. The Raptors management are laughing all the way back to Canada as champions.

So when Klay Thompson told Drake he would see him in the Bay, I don’t think he meant seeing Drake celebrate with the college sports team, the Toronto Raptors, with a 9-10 month recovery ahead of him. Safe to say Aubrey Graham got the last laugh.

It’s Millsy signing off again, thanks for scrolling.

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rbrown2019-blog · 5 years

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Why the Golden State Warriors will NOT win the 2019 NBA Championship

Edit 1: 4/20

Yes, you read it here. The Warriors will not complete their ever so wanted 3-peat, nor do I think they will even make it to the NBA finals. I believe that the Houston Rockets or the Milwaukee Bucks have the greatest chance of taking down the defending champions. In this blog, I am going to break down the starting lineup match-ups, as well as each teams’ offensive and defensive play-style.

Rockets vs Warriors

How will the Rockets beat the Warriors? The Pick and Roll. Clearly, the Warriors can’t handle the Clippers’ Lou Williams isolation ball/pick and roll game, as he lead the Clippers charge putting up a 36 points-11 assists stat line in Game Two AT the Oracle. If the Warriors can’t stop the Clippers’ offensive moves, please explain to me how they will be able to stop James Harden and Chris Paul? With Demarcus Cousins now being ruled out for the rest of the playoffs, you might have better defense with Andrew Bogut. But let’s not forget about that 3 point line, the true reason why the Rockets are so deadly. As a team in the regular season, they averaged a total of 16, made 3s per game; second being the Milwaukee Bucks at 13.5 (NBA Stats).

Edit 2: 4/21 Continuation of Rockets Analysis

Running the offense through James Harden and Chris Paul opens up so many opportunities for them to score, as well as the other 3 or 4 guys on the court, all ready to shoot. Double teamed? Kick it out to Eric Gordon or P.J Tucker. The Warriors are protecting the 3? Lob it up to Clint Capela or Kenneth Faried. Thus, the Rockets just have too many weapons in their starting 5 and off the bench that can torch the Warriors on any given night.

Now yes, The Warriors have their big 4 in Durant, Curry, Klay, and Draymond. And yes, the Rockets don’t have the greatest defense. The big difference is, the Warriors do not really have that guy to throw the lob to, now that Demarcus Cousins is out. When they set up their own pick and roll, they can easily attack coverages such as switches and hard hedges, just like the Rockets. Their one big piece they now lack is a big man to throw the lob to on the roll. Draymond Green, an undersized 6′7 forward is a great option, but I believe he won’t match up against the Rockets bigs, (please prove me wrong). The Warriors do indeed have a man named Kevin Durant, who can get you 30 on any given night. I truly believe he is the X Factor to this series, and it all depends on how many shots he wants to take a game. He needs to quiet the media and haters and prove to them that this is his team, not Curry’s.

EDIT 3, 5/3: Warriors vs Rockets: Games 1-3

Wow. All I have to say. This has been a very entertaining series, from on the court to off the court. If you are an NBA fan, you couldn't ask for anything more, except if you are James Harden or the Rockets. Yes the Warriors are up 2-1 in the series, but the big ref scandal on not knowing their own rule they created a couple of seasons ago about closing out on a player is absolutely ridiculous. Mr. Scott Foster was the main target for this blame, since it was in his zone. The problem was, none of the refs attempted to call it, even if it was in his zone. There were many occurrences of it, mainly that James Harden was apart of. He is known for initiating contact with a defender, but the Warriors players gave him nowhere to land after he shot. Though the Rockets are still in this series, a stolen game at the Oracle will come up big down the road.

Throughout the series, we have seen tempers flare, terrible acting, and Steve Kerr doing absolutely nothing this whole series except trolling the internet and the Houston Rockets. Very funny, but we all know the Warriors could win it all with any head coach. Harsh words, but give the ball to Kevin Durant- just like they did in the 4th quarter of game 3- and watch magic happen. It is unbelievable how good of a player he is. He can do it all, and I do truly believe it is HIS team. Steph Curry may be a fan favorite, but KD is showing up day in and day out, just look at his playoff numbers, he is averaging 36 points on 51 percent shooting. Like I said, Kevin Durant is truly the X factor for the Warriors, it all depends on how many shots he takes, and how many shots they let him take in a row. This man is the definition of streaky, and the Warriors have yet to use him to his full potential.

Edit #4, 5/5: Warriors vs Rockets Games 4 and 5

As the series has gone on, we have seen a lot more flopping, acting, and numerous maneuvers in order to exploit the referees and get a call. These games in my eyes are turning into plays, while each act is a quarter. You never know what is going to happen next from these guys. #BringBack90sBasketball . Now if you know 90s basketball you may think I am contradicting myself saying I do not like trash talk and miniature fights in basketball, but I am trying to say that these days the refs immediately blow their whistles for a technical if you stare someone down, or talk trash a player. This whole series has been a prime example of what I explained above, and it needs to stop.

Despite the flopping and complaining, we got to see Kevin Durant and James Harden both take over in Game 4, and it was a fun scoring battle to watch. James Harden ended up scoring 38 points, while KD led his team in scoring with 34. A great battle between each of these players in the fourth quarter, but the Rockets ended up tying up the series 2-2 after some missed clutched three pointers by Steph Curry and Kevin Durant.

Steph Curry. Has yet to REALLY show up for his team yet. Yes he is still putting up great numbers, but not MVP type of numbers we expect to see from this man. From the missed layups and the wide open threes, Curry has really struggled to put the ball in the net when his team needs it, ESPECIALLY in the fourth quarter. I will give say though he was the main reason why the Warriors brought home game 5 after KDs calf strain. But now since KD is ruled out for the series, Steph Curry really needs to start finding his shot quick in order to avoid elimination from the playoffs. I wouldn't say Austin Rivers, Shumpert, and Cp3 are 100 percent locking Steph up, but they have definitely made a major contribution to his struggles.

Edit #5, 5/7: Could the Raptors be a new rival?

Never thought I would say this, but the Raptors are actually looking great in the PLAYOFFS. We all know Kawhi Leonard has been putting his team on his back and making up for the “Playoff Lowry” jokes that have been happening, but Marc Gasol and Pascal Siakam have really stepped up their game. Gasol has been rock solid offensively, and has really stepped up defensively when it comes to guarding the post or contesting shots. Not to mention, Marc Gasol is creating shots for his teammates, and taking a major gap out of the equation that the Raptors have of depth in the front-court. Also, Paskal Siakam has continued to show us why he will be a offensive and defensive star for many years to come. He is averaging 22 points per game, 1 steal, 1 block, and 7 rebounds a game. Those are some amazing stats coming from a player who averaged 7 points last season in the playoffs. Hats off to both of these guys, as well as the rest of the Raptors role players, for shutting down the Sixers offense.

Kawhi Leonard. The Raptors 100 percent made the right move by bringing him and Danny Green over to the 6. I couldn't be more proud of him, after sitting out a whole season due to his situation with the Spurs, he has been the second or third best player right now in the NBA. He has greatly handled Jimmy Butler and the Sixers defense, averaging 31 points this postseason, to go with an effective field goal percentage (EFG) of 61.2 percent. Not to mention, his Player Efficiency Rating (PER) has been 31.2, which is off the charts. As the article I linked said it, he is a Defensive player of the year putting up 30 points a game; that deserves comparisons to the Greatest of all Time, Michael Jordan. We will see if he can continue this high level play, especially against teams like the Bucks, and if they can get to the NBA finals, the Western Conference.

Edit 6 5/8: How the Blazers can Defeat the Warriors

We all remember Damian Lillard telling reporters he believe the Blazers will win the series in 6 games. That turned into a meme real quick. Now that the Warriors have lost: some of their firepower on defense, the new weapons the Blazers have added, and the emerging of a superstar back-court in Dame and CJ, the Blazers truly match-up with these high flying defending champions. They will need to make a little magic happen-especially at the Oracle Arena- if they want to take this series and advance to the NBA finals assuming they beat the Nuggets.

First off, Damian Lillard has been the definition of clutch, along with Steph Curry. In my eyes, we are seeing the number 1 and number 2 point guard duel each other in the Western Conference Finals. Dame and CJ need to be able to out-shoot their perimeter based offensive, or this series will go downhill very fast. Portland will also need to use their size effectively to counter post touches from Kevin Durant. This will easily be their greatest challenge of the series, because we know both team’s back-courts can score at ease, but can Nurkic and Aminu shut down the best pure scorer in the league. Otherwise, I see the Warriors not having the biggest problem against this Blazers squad.

Edit 7 5/9: The Nuggets Bigs’ are the Key

This blog is turning out to be talking about each team left in the playoffs and talking about how they have a chance on taking down the defending champions. I am totally ok with it, but from a readers standpoint, it may seem very annoying. This Nuggets team really succeeded in the regular season, though then again, it is the regular season. The main key to their success was their ball movement, and their patience. Unlike the Rockets- and for some games the Warriors- the Nuggets use the whole 24 seconds given to them most of the time in order to get a shot off. The fast pace threes are greater than twos game the Warriors play is not their type of game. The Nuggets need to make sure their game is being played, and they are not rushing.

Taking a look at their roster, they are led by the 7 foot point guard/center Jokic, key role players in Will Barton, Garry Harris, and Paul Millsap. Finally, they have an emerging star in Jamal Murray. I love and been loving this mans game ever sine his days in Kentucky; a high flying, electric, fun to watch and impossible to hate player. I see his game very similar to Damian Lillard, the man he is going up against right now in the Western Conference Semifinals. It has been very fun to see both of them go at each other.

Getting back on track, the Warriors lack the size and depth of bigs on their squad, so if Millsap and Jokic will have a field day going against Draymond and Looney if the Nuggets give them post touches. If the post isn't working, both of these big man are great play-makers, and are willing to set another player up for an open shot. On defense, the Nuggets might have a tough time guarding perimeter shots and the pick and roll/pop offense the Warriors run. Though this team has some great defenders in Will Barton and Garry Harris-who will need to be constantly on Curry and Thompson- they must protect the perimeter and be ok to give up lobs and post-up baskets. The Warriors do not completely live and die by the three, and are willing to distribute the ball, so the Nuggets need to be aware of the extra pass and weak side ball screens and cuts the Warriors do to free Curry and Klay. As for Durant, he will get his shot no matter what, but the Nuggets need to make sure they double team him in the post, preferably with their two bigs.

Edit 8 5/10: The Rockets are sent home

Despite Kevin Durant being ruled out for Game 6, the Warriors took the series after a dominating performance by the Warriors back-court Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. I am truly happy for them, both of them started to find their shot and consistency that they have been burning the NBA with during the regular season. Though lets not get ahead of ourselves here, Curry did score 0 points in the first half, and Klay Thompson got off to a decent start. Despite that the game was still neck and neck in the 1st half. Yes, the Rockets deserved to lose this one. Though, from what I watched, there is nobody truly to blame. As Jonathan Fiegen puts it in his article reflecting on the game, James Harden did not fail. He did not succeed, either. No one can claim that he did in another loss, another season ending in frustration. But as much as many will blame him for the latest playoff loss and use it to define him as had been promised even before the game began in the event of a Rockets loss, if he is to be ripped now, they are talking about games of his past. This is a perfect explanation of tonight's game in terms of a Rocket fan’s shoe. I would though argue they should have been up by more at halftime due to the offensive struggle the Warriors had, but not every game is winnable.

Edit 9 5/11: Bucks Analysis

This is the team I expect to be in the NBA finals, and now that the Rockets are gone, the team I want to win it all (in case you didn't know or infer from my previous edits, I don’t really like the Warriors). I am now going to break down the match-ups, and how I think the Bucks can really take advantage of the Warriors fast paced, high flying offense.

Currently, all I know is that Kevin Durant's leg is going to be re-examined in a week, but I am going to assume that he is going to play in the NBA finals. That will be Giannis’ or maybe Kris Middleton's assignment. As I have said for the past teams, Kevin Durant will get his shot, the Bucks just need to make sure that the shots that they give him are not full isolation plays ran for him. As for the back-court, I am really confident that Bledsoe and Middleton have the defensive ability to lock up Curry and Thompson. Both of them are solid defenders who have the ability to guard such of players.

The Giannis Durant match-up is one for the century. Two freaks of nature dueling out with one another for the championship (assuming that is the finals match-up). Both of these players are in their MVP form, and certainly showing it these playoffs, but I believe Durant has the slight edge over him due to his experience in these very intense situations. I fear is the lack of experience this team has. The NBA Playoffs are a whole different type of basketball, not to mention that the NBA finals are the best of the best basketball. We will see if Giannis can continue to perform how he has been all season. Otherwise, the Warriors are most likely seeing a 3-peat.

This is an English Project, I am not a professional blogger nor do I have any experience in blogging. I will continue to update this blog as the playoffs go on, as that is one of the requirements for getting full credit.

#English Project #NBA #nba playoffs #golden state warriors #houston rockets #milwaukee bucks #debate #kevin durant #stephen curry #james harden #chris paul #giannis antetokounmpo #khris middleton #draymond green #demarcus cousins #klay thompson

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newsfact · 2 years

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NBA Power Rankings 2021: Each team’s biggest X-Factors through Week 3

Another week of NBA action has passed, meaning it’s time for our latest installment of power rankings.

Three weeks have now gone by in the 2021-22 season and as teams approach the 10-game checkpoint, we’re learning more about who’s who around the league. While a select few teams have come out of the gate firing on all cylinders, there are some other teams with major aspirations that have stumbled while they work to figure things out.

As always, there have been a few early-season surprises, but it’s far too soon to determine whether or not the success will be sustained for 82 games.

As a reminder, these power rankings are a reflection of where teams stand up to this point in the season and not a projection of where they may land later in the season.

With that in mind, let’s get into the rankings following the week that was.

The undefeated and the winless

Undefeated: 76ers (4-0), Nets (3-0), Suns (3-0), Clippers (4-0), Warriors (3-0), Cavaliers (4-0)

Winless: Pelicans (0-3), Pistons (0-3), Timberwolves (0-3), Hornets (0-4), Rockets (0-4)

Biggest riser

Philadelphia 76ers: 14 → 5

Biggest faller

Los Angeles Lakers: 5 → 12

Weekly scoring leader

DeMar DeRozan – 33.0 ppg on 61.4 percent shooting from the field, 66.7 percent from beyond the arc and 86.2 percent from the free-throw line through three games.

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NBA Power Rankings 2021

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1. Miami Heat

Previous rank: 3

Overall W-L: 7-2

Last week: 2-1

Upcoming: at Nuggets, at Lakers, at Clippers, at Jazz

X-Factor: Tyler Herro’s Sixth Man of the Year campaign

Herro is off to a blazing start this season, averaging 21.3 points per game while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 42.6 percent from 3. His scoring average is the highest of any player in the league coming off of the bench, and he’s also Miami’s second-leading scorer, providing a necessary punch on offense. If the Heat are going to reach their championship aspirations, they’ll need Herro to continue to produce at this level.

– Kyle Irving

MORE: How Kyle Lowry is transforming the Heat

2. Utah Jazz

Previous rank: 2

Overall W-L: 7-3

Last week: 2-2

Upcoming: vs. Hawks, vs. Pacers, vs. Heat

X-Factor: Donovan Mitchell’s fourth-quarter scoring

After a slow-ish start to the season, Donovan Mitchell has picked things up on the offensive end for the Jazz, taking over down the stretch in wins over the Kings and Bucks. Last season, he was 11th in fourth-quarter scoring. While the Jazz’s team-first offense yields balanced results, they look their best when Mitchell is cooking late in games as the team’s best shot creator.

— Benyam Kidane

3. Golden State Warriors

Previous rank: 4

Overall W-L: 8-1

Last week: 3-0

Upcoming: vs. Hawks, vs. Timberwolves, vs. Bulls, at Hornets

X-Factor: Golden defense

Draymond Green is looking like the leading Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Andre Iguodala and Andrew Wiggins are flying around on the wings. Gary Payton II is pestering opposing guards off the bench. Stephen Curry is… turning into Dikembe Mutombo? Put it all together, and you’ve got the team with the best defensive rating in the NBA.

Oh, and the Warriors are doing this without Klay Thompson.

— Jordan Greer

MORE: When will Thompson return to the lineup?

4. Brooklyn Nets

Previous rank: 6

Overall W-L: 7-3

Last week: 3-0

Upcoming: at Bulls, at Magic, at Pelicans, at Thunder

X-Factor: James Harden returning to MVP form

No surprise here. For the Nets to compete with the best of the best without Kyrie Irving, they’re going to need Harden to find his groove again. Much has been made of his slow start this season, which could be a combination of him still working his way back from the hamstring injury he dealt with last season and some of the rule changes. A good sign for the Nets? Harden’s been better lately, posting a triple-double in Brooklyn’s win over Detroit, a 16-point, 11-assist double-double in its win over Atlanta and 28 points in its win over Toronto.

— Scott Rafferty

5. Philadelphia 76ers

Previous rank: 14

Overall W-L: 8-2

Last week: 4-0

Upcoming: vs. Knicks, vs. Bucks, vs. Raptors, at Pacers

X-Factor: Seth Curry’s shooting

No player in NBA history – not even Seth’s older brother – has shot the ball better to begin a season. Curry is en fuego, drilling over 60 percent of his 2s and 50 percent of his 3s while pumping in a career-high 17.1 points per game. He’s perhaps the biggest reason why the 76ers have the NBA’s most efficient offense as Curry’s true shooting percentage of 76.1 was the best ever through nine games.

— Micah Adams

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6. Chicago Bulls

Previous rank: 11

Overall W-L: 6-3

Last week: 1-2

Upcoming: vs. Nets, vs. Mavericks, at Warriors, at Clippers

X-Factor: Nikola Vucevic finding his feet in a new role

The Bulls’ early-season success has been carried by DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, who are both top five in the league in scoring, meaning Nikola Vucevic has been the one to sacrifice touches and scoring opportunities with the big man off to one of the slowest starts in his NBA career. While he’s said he’s happy to impact the game in other ways with his passing, rebounding and screen setting, in matchups against quality big men, how Vucevic picks his moments to step up as secondary scorer will make the world of difference for the Bulls.

— Benyam Kidane

7. Milwaukee Bucks

Previous rank: 1

Overall W-L: 4-6

Last week: 1-2

Upcoming: at 76ers, at Knicks, at Celtics, at Hawks

X-Factor: Getting and staying healthy

Care to guess how many minutes Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo have played together this season? 21, over two games. Antetokounmpo continues to do his thing — you know, putting anyone who dares stand in his way through the rim and blocking everything in sight — but an ankle injury has limited Holiday to four games and Middleton is currently in the league’s health and safety protocols. Until the three of them are on the court together again, there’s only so much we can learn about this team.

— Scott Rafferty

8. Phoenix Suns

Previous rank: 10

Overall W-L: 3-0

Last week: 5-3

Upcoming: at Kings, vs. Trail Blazers, at Grizzlies, at Rockets

X-Factor: The fallout of the Robert Sarver investigation

The Suns are dealing with issues much bigger than their on-court product. An in-depth ESPN report painted a picture of a “toxic and sometimes hostile workplace” under team owner Robert Sarver, who allegedly used racially insensitive and misogynistic language in several instances. Purely from a basketball perspective, Phoenix has great leaders in Monty Williams and Chris Paul, who has unfortunately dealt with this kind of situation before when the NBA banned former Clippers owner Donald Sterling. Still, it will be a challenge for the team to remain completely focused on hoops as this investigation unfolds.

— Jordan Greer

9. New York Knicks

Previous rank: 9

Overall W-L: 6-4

Last week: 1-3

Upcoming: at 76ers, vs. Bucks, at Hornets

X-Factor: Derrick Rose’s production

It seems clear that head coach Tom Thibodeau intends to continue to start Kemba Walker, with Rose playing a sixth man role off the bench. Walker has had more ups than downs to start the season, but there are games where he seems to disappear, such as his four-point outing against the Pacers followed by a five-point outing against the Bucks. That’s where Rose is like an ace up their sleeve, pouring in 23 points, eight boards, four assists and two steals to ignite a comeback victory over the defending champions. As long as Rose and Walker can be like a yin and yang alongside Julius Randle, RJ Barrett and Evan Fournier, the Knicks will be just fine offensively.

– Kyle Irving

10. Denver Nuggets

Previous rank: 7

Overall W-L: 5-4

Last week: 1-2

Upcoming: vs. Heat, vs. Pacers, vs. Hawks, vs. Trail Blazers

X-Factor: Michael Porter Jr. finding his touch again

Porter was recognized for the leap he made last season by finishing third in Most Improved Player voting. The scary part is that he’s still only scratching the surface of his potential, but he hasn’t exactly had a great start to this season, averaging 9.9 points on .359/.208/.556 shooting splits in Denver’s first nine games. That’s not going to cut it if the Nuggets are going to survive until Jamal Murray comes back. There’s only so much Nikola Jokic can do.

— Scott Rafferty

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11. Dallas Mavericks

Previous rank: 10

Overall W-L: 6-3

Last week: 2-1

Upcoming: vs. Pelicans, at Bulls, at Spurs

X-Factor: Jalen Brunson’s secondary playmaking

There’s been a lot of chatter over the last 12 months about how the Mavericks could do with another ball handler next to Luka Doncic to take some of the playmaking duties off of his plate. Maybe more Brunson is the answer? In his first start of the season, Brunson scored 25 points. He followed it up by dropping 31 points on the Spurs, making bucket after bucket down the stretch. He’s probably not going to continue averaging 28.0 points per game as a starter, but him taking another leap would be a pretty big deal.

— Scott Rafferty

12. Los Angeles Lakers

Previous rank: 5

Overall W-L: 5-5

Last week: 1-2

Upcoming: vs. Hornets, vs. Heat, vs. Timberwolves, vs. Spurs

X-Factor: Health

OK, so maybe this is a cop-out. And there is no denying that you could write “health” for all 30 teams. But it feels especially important for the Lakers who are already banged up after entering this season as one of the oldest teams in NBA history. LeBron James is out with an abdominal strain, Anthony Davis sustained a thumb injury in Thursday’s loss to the Thunder, Talen Horton-Tucker is still recovering from surgery on his thumb, and Trevor Ariza likely won’t make his Lakers’ debut until December as he recovers from ankle surgery.

— Micah Adams

MORE: How much time will LeBron miss?

13. Toronto Raptors

Previous rank: 21

Overall W-L: 6-5

Last week: 2-2

Upcoming: at Celtics, at 76ers, vs. Pistons

X-Factor: Scottie Barnes’ offense

The rap sheet on Barnes coming out of Florida State was that he showed immense promise as a wing defender but only if he could shore up an incredibly limited offensive game enough to stay on the floor. So naturally, the supposedly offensively challenged Barnes leads all rookies in scoring at 16.6 points per game, which would be the most by a Raptors rookie since Vince Carter in 1998-99. If the rookie’s offensive exploits are for real, Toronto may have unearthed yet another draft gem.

— Micah Adams

MORE: Is Barnes the favourite to win Rookie of the Year?

14. Atlanta Hawks

Previous rank: 8

Overall W-L: 1-3

Last week: 4-6

Upcoming: at Warriors, at Jazz, at Nuggets, vs. Bucks

X-Factor: Staying focused during the “boring” regular season

Trae Young raised some eyebrows when he called the regular season “boring” and said that you have to “find the motivation to play like the playoffs.” The Hawks have a deep roster full of talented players, yet they find themselves near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings to start the season. Atlanta coach Nate McMillan wants to see his squad show that it is “hungry” to be better than it was last year. A tough stretch of games this week could be a good indicator of whether the Hawks heard the message.

— Jordan Greer

15. Memphis Grizzlies

Previous rank: 16

Overall W-L: 2-1

Last week: 5-4

Upcoming: vs. Timberwolves, vs. Hornets, vs. Suns, at Pelicans

X-Factor: Jaren Jackson Jr. finding his rhythm

Coming back from injury this season, Jackson Jr. was earmarked as the team’s second star alongside Ja Morant, but it’s been the electric point guard carrying the Grizzlies early on. Jackson Jr. has the potential to raise the team’s ceiling to a genuine playoff threat, but his poor shooting (34.2 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from 3) and consistent foul trouble has so far limited his impact in games, especially in the minutes he’s on court without Morant. As the only big man in the rotation who can space the floor, his ability to knock down shots and open up even more space for Morant is arguably their biggest key to success this season.

— Benyam Kidane

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16. Washington Wizards

Previous rank: 15

Overall W-L: 7-3

Last week: 2-2

Upcoming: at Cavaliers, at Magic

X-Factor: Kyle Kuzma’s rebounding

It’s still early in the season, but Kuzma is averaging over nine boards, which is the highest mark of his career … by far. He’s already turned in games of 11, 12, 15 and 17 rebounds this season, and there are over 70 games remaining. Prior to this season, the most rebounds Kuzma had averaged was 6.3 during his rookie campaign. This season, Kuzma’s activity on the boards has played a big role in Washington ranking among the league’s top five teams in rebounds per game, putting its name among teams like Miami, Golden State and Utah, each of whom landed in the top five of this week’s rankings.

— Gilbert McGregor

17. Portland Trail Blazers

Previous rank: 13

Overall W-L: 2-2

Last week: 5-5

Upcoming: at Clippers, at Suns, at Rockets, at Nuggets

X-Factor: When will Damian Lillard start heating up?

10 games into the season, Lillard has yet to find his shooting stroke. He isn’t just performing below his usual All-Star standards — his numbers are flat-out bad. He is shooting less than 40 percent from the field and 30 percent from 3-point range. Does this mean the Trail Blazers should panic? No, of course not. Lillard can get hot at any time. Until he does, though, they will struggle to consistently win games.

— Jordan Greer

18. Boston Celtics

Previous rank: 18

Overall W-L: 2-2

Last week: 4-6

Upcoming: vs. Raptors, vs. Bucks, at Cavaliers

X-factor: Al Horford turning back the clock.

With the noise coming out of Boston to start the season, all the attention has been on Marcus Smart’s comments and the All-Star tandem of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Meanwhile, offseason acquisition Horford has been by far the team’s most consistent player, looking like the version of himself the Celtics signed back in the summer of 2016. Averaging 13.5 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.6 blocks per game, Boston is getting more production out of the 35-year-old veteran than anyone could have imagined.

– Kyle Irving

MORE: Are the Celtics as bad as their start suggests?

19. LA Clippers

Previous rank: 20

Overall W-L: 5-4

Last week: 4-0

Upcoming: vs. Trail Blazers, vs. Heat, vs. Timberwolves, vs. Bulls

X-Factor: Players playing up to their contracts

Paul George has been playing at an MVP level to start the season, but without Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers have struggled to churn out wins. LA paid five role players handsomely over the last two offseasons, with Luke Kennard and Marcus Morris Sr. each signing a four-year, $64 million deal, Reggie Jackson and Terance Mann each signing a two-year, $22 million deal, and Serge Ibaka signing a two-year, $19 million deal.

Thus far, their production hasn’t exactly matched their value. Morris has been out with a knee injury, as has Ibaka with a back injury. Jackson, Mann and Kennard have all had good games, but nothing consistent to this point. If the Clippers are going to win without Kawhi, they’ll need those five players to get going.

– Kyle Irving

20. Cleveland Cavaliers

Previous rank: 23

Overall W-L: 7-4

Last week: 4-0

Upcoming: vs. Wizards, vs. Pistons, vs. Celtics

X-Factor: Darius Garland’s playmaking

Who says Garland can’t be the floor general for a successful team? Three weeks into his third NBA season, Garland is among the league leaders in assists per game, placing his name alongside the likes of Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Trae Young and Chris Paul. Garland’s incremental progress as a playmaker has allowed him to grow into a player that is averaging nearly eight assists per night, setting the table for a number of his talented Cavs teammates. If it’s a sign of things to come, Cleveland has even more winning in its future.

— Gilbert McGregor

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21. Sacramento Kings

Previous rank: 22

Overall W-L: 5-5

Last week: 2-2

Upcoming: vs. Suns, at Spurs, at Thunder

X-Factor: The 3 ball

In a 140-110 rout over the Hornets, the Kings set a new franchise record with 22 made 3-pointers, doing so at a 50 percent clip. It starts with Buddy Hield, who is among the league leaders in total made 3-pointers and 3s per game, which is especially impressive given the fact that he’s doing so as a reserve. Sacramento is far from the top of the league with respect to 3-point shooting, but with an elite shooter like Hield in the fold, the 3 can make a difference on any given night.

— Gilbert McGregor

22. Charlotte Hornets

Previous rank: 17

Overall W-L: 5-6

Last week: 0-4

Upcoming: at Lakers, at Grizzlies, vs. Knicks, vs. Warriors

X-Factor: Terry Rozier’s re-emergence

It’s impressive that the Hornets have gotten off to the start they have this season despite Rozier’s struggles. Remember, Rozier is coming off of a career year in which he led Charlotte in scoring with 20.4 points per game and was one of the league’s best performers in the clutch. He’s still working his way back from the ankle injury he suffered in preseason, but when he finds his rhythm again, it’ll add even more juice to the Hornets.

— Scott Rafferty

23. Minnesota Timberwolves

Previous rank: 19

Overall W-L: 3-5

Last week: 0-3

Upcoming: at Grizzlies, at Warriors, at Lakers, at Clippers

X-Factor: More Towns touches

Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 23.4 points and within shouting distance of 50/40/90 shooting splits (field goals/3-pointers/free throws). There are not many big men that can match up with him given his ability to score at every level. So why is he third on his team in usage percentage behind Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell, both of whom are far less efficient than Towns? If the Timberwolves happened to be an offensive juggernaut, maybe you could let that slide, but they have one of the worst offensive ratings in the league.

— Jordan Greer

24. Indiana Pacers

Previous rank: 25

Overall W-L: 4-7

Last week: 3-1

Upcoming: at Nuggets, at Jazz, vs. 76ers

X-Factor: The presence of Chris Duarte

Duarte, 24, is much older than the typical lottery pick, but he approaches the game with a certain calmness that is most certainly a product of maturity. The rookie’s ability to score efficiently from the onset of his career has been a huge development for an Indiana team that began the season without one wing scorer in Caris LeVert and still anxiously awaits the return of another prolific player in TJ Warren.

Duarte is getting invaluable experience early on and things should only get easier for him as he continues to adjust to the NBA game and the Pacers get more weapons back.

— Gilbert McGregor

25. San Antonio Spurs

Previous rank: 24

Overall W-L: 3-7

Last week: 1-3

Upcoming: vs. Kings, vs. Mavericks, at Lakers

X-Factor: Derrick White stepping up offensively

White has been fantastic defensively and distributing the ball, second on the team in assists behind Dejounte Murray — who is having a breakout campaign — but with the Spurs losing several close games this season, they’ve needed that secondary offensive punch with many expecting that to be White. He has immense two-way potential, however, he is currently fourth in points per game behind Murray, Keldon Johnson and Jakob Poeltl. If his offense catches up to his defense, the Spurs will be in a much better position.

— Benyam Kidane

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26. Houston Rockets

Previous rank: 28

Overall W-L: 1-9

Last week: 0-4

Upcoming: vs. Pistons, vs. Trail Blazers, vs. Suns

X-Factor: Embracing adversity

A tip of the hat to Christian Wood for the words here, but they could not reign more true.

As expected, Wood is posting impressive averages to open the season, but Houston isn’t experiencing much team success. As young as this Rockets team is, these losses — especially the close ones — are the ugly part of the process. With young players like Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., Usman Garuba and Alperen Sengun carrying the torch for the future, the adversity they make it through now will make for success in the years to come.

— Gilbert McGregor

27. Oklahoma City Thunder

Previous rank: 27

Overall W-L: 3-6

Last week: 2-1

Upcoming: at Pelicans, vs. Kings, vs. Nets

X-Factor: Josh Giddey’s playmaking

It seems obvious, but the Thunder look extremely dangerous when the rookie is in his passing groove. The 19-year-old’s ability to generate easy looks at the rim for his teammates is impressive for his age/experience, and in their two wins this season — both against the Lakers — Giddey has combined for 18 assists. When he’s firing off passes and controlling the offense, it opens up a ton of opportunity for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to focus on scoring, which he’s doing at an elite level this season.

— Benyam Kidane

28. Orlando Magic

Previous rank: 29

Overall W-L: 3-8

Last week: 2-2

Upcoming: vs. Nets, vs. Wizards

X-Factor: Cole Anthony taking over

The No. 15 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Anthony has hit the ground running this season. In his third game of the season, he exploded for 29 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists. Since then, he’s scored 20-plus points four times, including a season-best 31 points in Orlando’s blowout win over Minnesota. It’s been a rough start to the season for the Magic, but Anthony’s play has been a bright spot.

— Scott Rafferty

29. New Orleans Pelicans

Previous rank: 26

Overall W-L: 0-3

Last week: 1-9

Upcoming: at Mavericks, vs. Thunder, vs. Nets, vs. Grizzlies

X-Factor: Zion Williamson’s health

Williamson set the league on fire last season, averaging 27.0 points per game on 61.1 percent shooting from the field. In less than 100 career games, he’s proven himself to be one of the most dominant and unique talents we’ve seen in a long time. The problem? He can’t seem to stay healthy. He appeared in 61 of a possible 72 games last season but was limited to 24 games in his rookie season and is still at least two weeks away from making his debut this season. Without him, the Pelicans are going to have a hard time winning games.

— Scott Rafferty

MORE: Expert medical analysis on Williamson’s injury

30. Detroit Pistons

Previous rank: 30

Overall W-L: 1-8

Last week: 0-3

Upcoming: at Rockets, at Cavaliers, at Raptors

X-Factor: Being patient

Particularly when it comes to Cade Cunningham, who, need you be reminded, is a rookie working his way back from an ankle injury he suffered in training camp. His shot isn’t falling right now — he went 7-for-39 (17.9 percent) from the field in his first three games — but Cunningham has shown off other parts of his game to get excited about, like his court vision and defensive versatility. The rest will eventually fall into place.

— Scott Rafferty

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The post NBA Power Rankings 2021: Each team’s biggest X-Factors through Week 3 first appeared on NEWSFACT.

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livesets-dj-mixes-edm-podcasts · 3 years

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Download Andrew Rayel - Find Your Harmony Radioshow 256 for free now!

Artist: Andrew Rayel Show: Andrew Rayel – Find Your Harmony Radioshow 256 Quality: 320 Kbps 48000 Khz Genre: Trance Source: RSS

Discover more Andrew Rayel live sets & radioshows HERE | Listen or download more Find Your Harmony Radioshow episodes HERE

Andrew Rayel – Find Your Harmony Radioshow 256 Tracklist

All the way from Moldova, modern day Mozart, Andrei Rata, born on July 21st , 1992 has been making his own marks, and own unique style in the trance scene. Andrei Rata known as Andrew Rayel started at a young age developing the passion that he has towards his musical skills. Studying Orchestral music and producing only at the age 13 , Andrew Rayel is a name known for his piano keys, harmony, euphoric, and and mesmerizing sounds. Tune in to Andrew Rayel – Find Your Harmony Radioshow 256 now!

01. Matt Nash ft. Nikki Ambers – Ready Or Not [STMPD] 02. Prox – Hypnotic (Daniel Kandi Remix) [Always Alive] 03. Dennis Sheperd x Chloe Kay – How Does It Feel (Aurosonic Remix) [Black Hole] 04. T.F.F. & FLRK! – Macalania [Emergent Cities]

LIGHT SIDE TRACK OF THE WEEK 05. Armin van Buuren feat. Sarah Reeves – Tell Me Why [Armind]

06. Leo Reyes & Mofasa – Amnesia [Scorchin’ Records] 07. Neroun & Dilara Gadel – Tomorrow [2Rock Recordings] 08. Andrew Rayel – Silver Lining (Mark Sixma Remix) [Armada] 09. Roman Messer feat. Romy Wave – Leave You Now [Suanda Music] 10. Fisherman & Lachi – DNA [Black Hole] 11. Holbrook & Skykeeper – Searching [Interstate] 12. Orjan Nilsen – Volt [Armind] 13. MatricK & Amin Salmee – Never Be The Same [Reaching Altitude] 14. Solarstone – Seven Cities (Chris Schweizer Remix) [Armada Captivating] 15. AVAO – Network X [Reaching Altitude] 16. Super8 & Tab vs Factor B – From Way Back [Who’s Afraid Of 138?!]

A Breath Of Aether 17. James Dymond – Paladin [Soundpoercing]

18. Talla 2XLC & Gid Sedgwick – Destined From The Start [That’s Trance] 19. Denis Airwave & Sarah Escape – Horizon (Tycoos Remix) [2Rock Recordings] 20. Corti Organ & Sarah De Warren – Ace (Craig Connelly Remix) [Find Your Harmony]

DARK SIDE TRACK OF THE WEEK 21. Chukiess & Whackboi x Ramsey Westwood – STFU! [Find Your Harmony]

22. Sean Truby – Inner Source [Nocturnal Knights] 23. Fabio XB & Liuck feat. Roxanne Emery – Nowhere To Be Found (C-Systems Remix) [Digital Society]

WORLD PREMIERE 24. Ashley Wallbridge – Golden Hour [We’ll Be OK]

FAVORITE OF THE MOMENT 25. Andrew Rayel – Silver Lining (FLRNTN & Tom Klay Remix) [Armada]

26. Metta & Glyde & Maxine – All On The Same Road [Amsterdam Trance] 27. Drival & Natalie Gioia – Flying [Always Alive] 28. Allan Berndtz – Unikum [InfraRed] 29. Sandro Mireno & Jan Miller – Here Comes the Rain [Abora Recordings] 30. Inoblivion – Exit Point (Ellez Ria Pres. Sound State Remix) [Critical State] 31. Pierre Pienaar & Nicholson – Twilight [High Voltage] 32. Ronski Speed & Harshil Kamdar – Bäng [AVA White] 33. Ruddaz – Alone [A State Of Trance]

CLASSIC SELECTION 34. Claudia Cazacu feat Audrey Gallagher – Freefalling [Armind]

The podcast Andrew Rayel – Find Your Harmony RadioShow is embedded on this page from an open RSS feed. All files, descriptions, artwork and other metadata from the RSS-feed is the property of the podcast owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by EDMliveset.com.

#Find Your Harmony Radioshow #Podcasts &amp; Radio Shows

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edmlivesets4u-blog · 3 years

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Listen or download Andrew Rayel - Find Your Harmony Radioshow 256 for free now!

Artist: Andrew Rayel Show: Andrew Rayel – Find Your Harmony Radioshow 256 Quality: 320 Kbps 48000 Khz Genre: Trance Source: RSS

Discover more Andrew Rayel live sets & radioshows HERE | Listen or download more Find Your Harmony Radioshow episodes HERE

Andrew Rayel – Find Your Harmony Radioshow 256 Tracklist

LIGHT SIDE TRACK OF THE WEEK 05. Armin van Buuren feat. Sarah Reeves – Tell Me Why [Armind]

A Breath Of Aether 17. James Dymond – Paladin [Soundpoercing]

DARK SIDE TRACK OF THE WEEK 21. Chukiess & Whackboi x Ramsey Westwood – STFU! [Find Your Harmony]

22. Sean Truby – Inner Source [Nocturnal Knights] 23. Fabio XB & Liuck feat. Roxanne Emery – Nowhere To Be Found (C-Systems Remix) [Digital Society]

WORLD PREMIERE 24. Ashley Wallbridge – Golden Hour [We’ll Be OK]

FAVORITE OF THE MOMENT 25. Andrew Rayel – Silver Lining (FLRNTN & Tom Klay Remix) [Armada]

CLASSIC SELECTION 34. Claudia Cazacu feat Audrey Gallagher – Freefalling [Armind]

#Find Your Harmony Radioshow #Podcasts &amp; Radio Shows

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guncelkal · 3 years

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The Warriors may hold the key to the NBA draft at No. 2 — here's what experts think they might do

The Warriors may hold the key to the NBA draft at No. 2 — here’s what experts think they might do

Summary List Placement

The Golden State Warriors may be the X-factors of the 2020 NBA draft.

The 2019-20 season quickly went off the rails for them, with no Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and virtually no Stephen Curry, who broke his hand four games into the season.

The team that had dominated the NBA for five years went 15-50 and acquired the second overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft.

Now,…

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coasttickets · 5 years

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Clippers Sign Kawhi Leonard and Paul George

For a long time, the minutiae of a contract didn’t make crazy waves outside of salary cap nuts or hardcore NBA fans who know what “bird rights” mean. While LeBron James had a hand in changing this with the 1 + 1 deals he executed in Cleveland, the player empowerment era has led to players taking matters into their own hands, and complex details on contracts have become real news as a result. Being tied down to a specific team for four+ years is starting to look antiquated in this league. Trade demands by stars are now more frequent, and movement to be with friends or to create a star duo or trio is commonplace. The Clippers benefited from the empowerment era this summer when future Hall-of-Famer Paul George demanded a trade from the sputtering Oklahoma City Thunder to be with the reigning NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard in L.A.

In a league-shattering move that sent a lot of the Clippers’ future away and obtained one of the best players in the league right now, L.A. seized upon the extensive player movement this summer. The scary part? Well, it could happen again in two seasons. They now have a player that moved teams after dominating in the NBA Finals, and a player who just had his best individual season on a team where he had re-signed, just a summer ago, on a long term deal. On paper, the Clippers have the most talent on any one team in the league right now. However, we have seen what can happen in a year or two, positively or negatively. The pressure to win now is at a point so high, I don’t even know how to properly describe it. These players have no qualms in moving teams. It’s rings or bust over the next two seasons, and the Clippers front-office and fans know it. There’s no time for celebrating the acquisitions. Now, they go to work.

The question remains: should this team be the favorites to win the 2020 NBA Finals? So far, everything points to the Clippers being a near-dominant force at both ends of the floor. The projected starting backcourt — Patrick Beverley, Kawhi and George — have a combined 11 all-defense honors. The offensively historic six and seventh man performance from last season with Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell? Don’t expect that to slow down any time soon. Oh, and with sniper Landry Shamet in tow off the bench, along with tough newcomer Rodney McGruder and the return of JaMychal Green, who shot 41.3% from three with L.A. last season, this team is DEEP. That’s not even mentioning incumbent 7’1” starting center Ivica Zubac (who looks like he is expanding his range), veteran wing presence Maurice Harkless, and new guys like Mfiondu Kabengele and Terance Mann. Depth is what wins you rings these days (just look at what Toronto did), and getting contributions from everyone is what the Clippers have excelled at over the last two seasons. This year, they’re deeper than ever.

While this is probably the best Clipper team we’ve ever seen on paper, the West doesn’t relent. The Golden State Warriors dynasty is likely over, with the exodus of Kevin Durant and the torn ACL Klay Thompson suffered in the Finals, but you can’t really count out any of the top 8 teams. The Lakers, like the Clippers, waged a lot of their future in return for a superstar in Anthony Davis, whose current contract is shorter (free-agent this summer) than they would like. Trading away three effective players under the age of 24 and a multitude of first-round picks for the injury-prone forward was a lot. However, the return could be massive. Davis is a genuine superstar and still has more room to grow. Paired with LeBron James and DeMarcus Cousins, with a rebuilt bench, the Lakers are legitimately dangerous this year. They also have the ultimate X-factor in “Playoff LeBron.” The Lakers scored big this offseason, and, on paper, seem to be near neck-and-neck with the Clippers. Along with L.A.’s other team, squads like the Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets all got better with solid additions via trade and free-agency, and teams like the Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs can never be counted out. Yes, the Clippers are better than they perhaps ever have been. The competition however in the West? Perhaps the toughest it’s ever been as well.

This is a long beleaguered franchise that has not given their fans much to root for prior to 2012, and since then has given us more disappointment than true success. The very definition of a “tease.” This could be another situation of the latter, given the recent injury-history of their two new stars, the talented and competitive West, and the “Clipper Curse” that perhaps still lingers. There is rampant fear among Clipper fans that if they don’t capitalize on this two-year window, and by “capitalize” meaning RANGSSS, Kawhi and PG could walk away together. Yes, they are in their home city. Yes, they both chose to be in a Clippers uniform and yes, the Clippers have a very strong culture and front-office. However, without super positive results, there is a very likely world where these two end up going elsewhere. Remember, these are players that have already walked from teams with strong coaching, front-offices and a lot of success. In this empowering era for star individuals, anything goes.

On the bright side, the Clippers are the favorites by most Vegas bookers and by most NBA pundits. With a healthy team in the playoffs, this team will be incredibly difficult to beat, and with Doc helming the brigade and the continued involvement of Jerry West and Lawrence Frank, the Clips are strong, tough, smart, and extremely talented. They will have a full 82 games to get accustomed to one another, and Kawhi just won a championship last season with less talent around him than he currently has in L.A. The pressure to win now is of epic proportions. But this isn’t the Sterling-led Clippers. and this isn’t a franchise that should be considered the little brother to the Lakers anymore. Forget about what Ice Cube or Snoop Dogg say — the Clips have been, and will continue to be, here to stay. Hopefully, of course, with some chips in tow. So bring them dips.

Come Check out the Clippers this Season. For tickets, give us a call at 562-595-6510 or visit our website at www.coasttickets.com

#LosAngelesClippers #LosAngeles #LA #Clippers #LAClippers #ClippersNation #KawhiLeonard #PaulGeorge #Tickets #SeasonTickets #CenterCourt #FrontRow #LongBeach #CoastTickets

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lovepurplequeen · 1 year

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This!

Klay is the X factor for the Warriors having a clear shot to winning back-to-back championships.

#Klay Thompson #Warriors #11 #Baby Boo #Steph Curry's husband

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highbuttonsports · 5 years

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RAPTORS GET IT DONE: Toronto closes out NBA Finals series 4-2 in the final game at Oracle Arena.

Originally posted by adrunkensailor

It’s Millsy signing off again, thanks for scrolling.

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pakcricwiz · 5 years

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Warriors' DeMarcus Cousins could determine outcome of NBA Finals — for better or worse

The Warriors know what to expect from Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, but they need DeMarcus Cousins to be an X-factor in Game 6 against the Raptors.

from Sporting News RSS http://bit.ly/2wMGpu3 from Blogger http://bit.ly/2KfRJHP

#http://worldsportspoint1.blogspot.com/2019/06/warriors-demarcus-cousins-could.html Warriors' DeMarcu

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chrisbhaynes-blog · 5 years

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James Harden-less Rockets put Warriors on notice: They are a force to be reckoned with

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Houston Rockets believe that with a healthy Chris Paul partnered in the backcourt with James Harden, they’re the team that presents the stiffest challenge to the back-to-back champion Golden State Warriors.

Paul’s teammates refer to him as the X-factor, noting that had it not been for a brutal hamstring injury that sidelined him for Games 6 and 7 of last year’s Western Conference finals with the Rockets holding a 3-2 series lead over the Warriors, Houston would have been in the NBA Finals.

On Saturday at Oracle Arena, Paul delivered the Warriors a troubling reminder that he’s still very problematic, with 23 points, five rebounds, a game-high 17 assists and two steals to lead the Harden-less Rockets to a 118-112 victory.

“What did [Andre Iguodala] say about the series last year? If he would have played, they would have swept us? Then he must be the X-factor,” the 33-year-old Paul told Yahoo Sports in a slight verbal jab at Iguodala, who missed the final four games of last year’s West finals with a leg contusion. “That’s the punchline you needed, right?”

P.J. Tucker, who had 18 points and 10 rebounds and played superb defense all night, painfully recalled how that series unfolded.

“That was tough,” Tucker told Yahoo Sports. “It was tough and early on, I had to get away from the game for a minute. To be that close, to be in that situation, up 3-2, that was tough, man. To lose that way with that feeling going into Game 6, man. I don’t even like talking about it now. It’s still a little difficult to digest. We were really riding high and it was a good feeling. We were rolling. It was the best our team had felt with 65 wins and all that stuff. But I think it makes now even more precious to us. Getting Chris back now and the way we’ve been playing … just getting back comfortable and getting ready to really finish these last 23 games strong.”

The Warriors rallied from a 14-point fourth quarter deficit to trim the margin to four with 1:08 remaining. Paul had the ball near halfcourt and was suffocated by 6-foot-7 Klay Thompson.

Shrewdly, the nine-time NBA All-Star noticed Thompson’s arm elevated and he initiated contact and drew the foul. After he sunk the first of two free throws, he pointed to his head, gesturing about his mastery of the mental game. Golden State was done despite not facing Harden, who missed the game with a neck strain.

Paul may not be the speedster he once was, but he’s still plenty effective.

“I know what I’m capable of,” Paul told Yahoo Sports. “I’m not worried about what nobody else is talking about. … I’ll find a way [to be successful].”

After winning the first three games of the season-series against the Warriors with the final meeting on March 13, the Rockets are yearning for the opportunity to not only make it out of the West, but to dismantle the Warriors en route.

They want payback.

“We knew it was going to be tough when [Paul] went out last year, and we still have that bad taste in our mouths,” Eric Gordon told Yahoo Sports after scoring 25 points. “I really, truly believe we match up with them very well, and I think we’re the only team that really has a chance in a series with them. There are a lot of good teams out there, but I really think we’re the only team that can give them a tough run.”

Golden State came out flat, giving up 15 unanswered points to start the game. No one in the Warriors’ locker room had an explanation for the sluggish opening.

“I don’t know,” Stephen Curry said. “We’ve had letdowns like that with the Lakers without LeBron [James] and other cases, so we talked about it and tried to keep a pep in our step, but it didn’t come out that way. That’s why we lost.”

The Rockets instead made a statement: They aren’t intimidated by the Warriors and their confidence might prove beneficial should they meet the champs in the postseason again.

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#NBA #Basketball #yahoosports #chrisbhaynes #chris paul #james harden

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227snewfacebookfries · 6 years

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Thanks to the New Square Strike Wedge, Getting Up-and-Down'liciously' Is as Simple as Using Your Putting #Stroke'liciously' Spicy'

Watch the video below to see the straight-back, straight-through solution to fat & thin chip shots… and all those wasted strokes. Test golfers felt “comfortable” and “confident” the very first time they tried the Square Strike Wedge. “It totally blows my mind how easy it is to use.” Rick Dake, 18 handicap I’m almost afraid to ask, but here goes: How’s your chipping? On a scale of 1 – 10: 8 - 10 … Excellent. I get up-and-down at least 50% of the time. 5 – 7 … Pretty good. But inconsistency is my downfall. 3 – 4 … Not so hot. I chunk, blade or flat-out miss-hit two or more shots each round. 0 – 2 … Let’s put it this way: I need both hands to count all my wasted strokes. If you answered 8+, you’re free to go. Shoot, you may want to give the Tour a try. If you rated your chipping in the 5 – 7 range, I advise you to stick around. What I’m about to show you could provide the consistency you crave – and push your short game to the next level. Which leaves those in the 3 – 4 and, gasp, 0 – 2 groups. You’re not asking for much, are you? You’d love to have the faintest clue around the greens. A smidgen of comfort and an ounce of confidence standing over the ball. Well, I’ve got good news: You’ve come to the right place. In fact, you’re gonna walk out of here with a lot more than the modest items on your wish list. For starters, you’ll be able to chip it stiff from anywhere. You’ll also be free from card-wrecking “two-chips” and other greenside blunders. And instead of fretting all the things that might go wrong, you’ll size up every pitch thinking, “I can hole this.” That’s a far cry from where you are now, right? If it makes you feel any better, you’ve got lots of company. Amateur golfers from here to Timbuktu struggle with this seemingly simple part of the game. Frankly, it’s always been a mystery to me. I mean, if anything in golf should be easy, it’s chipping. The setup is a cinch. You’re using a short club, usually one with lots of friendly loft. And for crying out loud, the pin is right there. Just get it close enough for a makeable putt and you’re a happy camper. Yet for whatever reason, chipping proves maddeningly difficult to a huge swath of golfers. Hi – I’m Andy North, two-time U.S. Open champion and a TV golf commentator since 1993. As a player, I competed against some genuine short game savants: guys like Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Raymond Floyd and Seve Ballesteros. No doubt, they made chipping look easier than it really is. Amateurs, on the other hand, can make it seem harder than folding a fitted sheet. Not just beginners and high-handicappers, either. Andy North Andy North, two-time U.S. Open Champion & network golf analyst. Andy is a paid spokesman for the Square Strike Wedge. I’ve met many experienced players who say their handicap is an 8, but their “short game handicap” is an 18. You’ll meet some of them, too, in just a minute (and find out how they beat their lifelong chipping woes with one little change). OK, so we’ve established that your chipping is less than stellar. If I asked why, I bet you’d answer… My swing is too “handsy”. Or… I can’t get comfortable over the ball. Or… I’m often tentative, especially when I’m not sure I picked the right club. Or… Things go wrong when I open the clubface. Or… My swing is inconsistent from one chip to the next. Trust me, I’ve seen it all. Some fellows in the equipment business had, too. I’m not talking about some back-office bean counters here. These guys are… “Because the club's a little heavier, I think that's a real advantage. So, even the ones I didn't hit so good felt more square, more solid. Is this a legit club? Well, I think the answer to that is, ‘Yes.’” Chuck Durant | 7.1 handicap Top-tier club designers – Golf Digest “Hot List” medal winners, as a matter of fact. And they were just as baffled as you and me. Being hyper-curious, solution-driven engineers, they began exploring. Then one of them noticed the similarities between a proper chipping swing and a pendulum putting stroke and asked the others: When’s the last time you chunked a putt? … Skulled one clear off the green? … Missed your intended line by 10-plus feet? … Made contact an inch or more off the sweet spot? … Cold-shanked a 20-footer? His cohorts’ “you-must-be-joking” stares supplied the answers: “Never, never, never, never and never.” Which led to an obvious follow-up: Since there’s very little difference between the two motions… Why do you miss-hit so many chips while striking your putts so solidly? The answer came quickly: Because the putter is purpose-built to match the putting stroke, while the clubs used for chipping are made for other tasks – like full shots, high lobs and blasting out of bunkers. Makes sense, doesn’t it? Think about your putter: It’s comfortably short, with an upright lie angle that puts you almost directly over the ball and promotes a straight-back, straight-through stroke. There’s minimal arc on the takeaway or follow-through, and the clubhead barely leaves the ground. Less movement equals more control. Traditional Wedge vs. the all-new Square Strike Wedge. With the Square Strike Wedge, there's minimal arc on the takeaway or follow-through, and the clubhead barely leaves the ground, giving you more control and consistent contact. It’s also balanced for minimal face rotation, so there’s no dramatic opening and closing of the blade, while the head is weighted to engage the big muscles (arms and shoulders) and impede the small ones (hands and wrists). Bottom line – the putter is a perfect match for the putting stroke. Now contrast that with your chipping clubs, the wedges and short irons. They’re a little longer and lie substantially flatter than the putter, moving you farther from the ball. That forces you to swing on more of an arc, while the relatively light clubhead invites excessive wrist action. Together, these factors increase the odds of something going wrong. And when it does, your club’s slender sole and sharp leading edge won’t do a thing to help. Hit behind the ball and the club will dig; catch a fluffy lie and it will snag. Consider this, too: You putt with the same club, from the same lie, using the same stroke every time, eliminating the variables that make chipping so tricky (and your confidence so shaky). Once the design team had accounted for all these factors, their mission became crystal-clear: Their mission became crystal-clear… To craft an all-purpose chipping and pitching club. One that’s… That’s deadly accurate from a variety of lies… Virtually eliminates fat and thin shots and… Delivers superior results on miss-hits… Within 40 – 50 yards of the flag. And the kicker: It will work with a golfer’s regular putting grip and stroke – straight back, straight through. Some would call such a mission impossible. Not this bunch. It’s my pleasure to pronounce their mission accomplished. “I loved the fact that it was square and it took my wrists out of it. I don't think I could chunk this (wedge). I can't wait to put it in my bag.” Karleen Wooster | 13.8 handicap Square Strike Wedge Introducing: The Square Strike Wedge The Club that Makes Chipping as Easy as Straight Back, Straight Through & Straight at the Pin Square Strike Wedge Shaft Chipping, easy? Yep, easy. Like Sunday morning. All it took was a club specifically engineered for the purpose of chipping. (As a bonus, it’s also lethal on short pitches and even works for longer bunker shots.) In a moment, we’ll dive into the Square Strike Wedge’s many unique elements. I’ll explain how each feature functions and answer common questions about this amazing new weapon. But the one thing you really need to know is this: The Square Strike Wedge Will Greatly Improve Your Short Game – and Do It Almost Instantly Karleen Wooster can confirm. Tony Sodoro can, too. So can Boy Brainerd, Marcus Boray and the other amateur golfers who got to try the Square Strike Wedge before we deemed it ready for market. Their stories, stats and seeing-is-believing testimony are coming up. I’ll share their handicaps as well, just to show you this remarkable club can improve anyone’s game. https://www.squarestrikewedge.com/get/squarestrike/?utm_source=Taboola&utm_medium=CPC&utm_content=text-02-SSW-01-ccs&utm_campaign=SSW-Taboola-MSN-US

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Thanks to the New Square Strike Wedge, Getting Up-and-Down'liciously' Is as Simple as Using Your Putting #Stroke'liciously' Spicy'

from Jamaal Al-Din's blog 227's™ YouTube Chili' NBA Mix! http://hoops227.typepad.com/blog/2018/05/thanks-to-the-new-square-strike-wedge-getting-up-and-downliciously-is-as-simple-as-using-your-putting-strokeliciously-s.html via http://hoops227.typepad.com/blog/

#Jamaal Al-Din's blog 227's™ YouTube Chili' NBA Mix!

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