#avery bayless

[livinasimminlife]

Dear David...

If you’ve kept up with The Krazy Crazy Life of Kassiopeia Fullbright, you’ll know about the appearance of the Bayless family from Twinbrook. If not, then, ***minor spoiler alert!***

Davis Lamar is related to them... a.k.a. David Bayless. Arc 34, Remembering, briefly features the Bayless family. I decided to share some stills from my gameplay for fun. 

Avery Bayless (14)  is rather angry that the soda machine ate her simoleons. She really hoped for a refreshing drink after school.

Dear David, I really hate this blasted machine! I wish you were here to reach up with your long arms and grab the cola. 

Frustrated, Avery gives up and comes home to play ball with her brother, Taye on their Bayuck swamp farm.

The days and nights kinda blend together, but every night, Taye and I play ball. It’s kinda nice. I know he wouldn’t admit it but he’s grown to be handsome while you’ve been gone... er... except for those ears! 

Taye Bayless (17) tosses a baseball with his sister, Avery near the swamp. He’s taking a break from studying for exams, and he adores his kid sister. 

At least I can wear my hair long to cover mine. The girls at school still make fun of me. I don’t know if I can ever show my face again there after falling flat on my pimply nose while trying to get that blasted cola!

Avery and Taye play ball in the yard near the water tower that provides fresh water for the Bayless family. Also Avery’s sporting her rainboots since the ground can be quite mushy in the swamps. Avery shares a special relationship with Taye as they both love the outdoors and are active. 

But here on the farm, I can just be goofy self and laugh and play in the yard. No one’s gonna see me with all this swamp grass ‘round. Don’t feel like you gotta write back. It’s just stupid stuff here, really. Don’t even know howta end so bye, I guess. ~ Aves

Skye Bayless (16) plays the bass much like their older half-brother, Davis. They also have a flamboyant style. In game, when Skye aged up from toddler to child, they had a feminine hairstyle, and when they aged up to teen, Skye was actually wearing a dress. I decided Skye is gender fluid as the game encouraged me, preferring they/their as pronouns. Look at the pure joy on their face! 

Evening hangs in sultry skies; the heat of sweetgrass swaying in the sweaty breeze. The scent of sun-soaked tea tickles my nose and tempts me away from practice. I ponder little and then I play the love song only Bayucks know and beat my foot upon the porch wood. I strum the notes you taught me b’fore and think of the soft twangs on a sweltering night that barely scratch the sky for which I’m named.

Skye shares a room with their older brother, Taye. Taye is a studious kid and is looking forward to university and getting out of the backwater swamp. Here he practicing writing his speech. 

How do I start? I miss you sounds trite. I love you sounds stupid. But I do, mmkay? Uni apps are due soon and M’as breathi’n down’em my neck, but ya know...what she dont’ realize is I really wanna go and be out there in the world. And somehow I know its tough for ya’s now, but you make it seem okay... that the world aint so scary if you can face everythin’g that’s you have and still come out okay. So hang on... oh and um... when you get home... I still need help with apos’trophes. - Love, Taye (and yeah, Im cool with mushyness but dont’cha tell Ma). 

Little River (5) Bayless is sad. She misses her big brother very much. She also lost her doll somewhere and fears the dog took off and buried it somewhere in the swamp. 

Dear David, I miss you. I love you. My dolly is gone. I think the dog took it. I think the dog put it in the yard in the ground. I wish you was here. We could dig it up to...to...too...(it’s a big word - Chase helped me). together. ~ River 

Shepherd Skeet Bayless may live in the Bayuck swamp, but he’s far from backward. True, he prefers the simple life, but he takes pride in his swamp farming skills. Here he tends to the sweetgrass his family has grown for generations and practices his sermons. After all, plants are very good listeners.

 Son, I miss you. We can’t wait for you to be home. I think it would be good to spend time in the garden together. Plants have a healing nature to them. After all, the Good Lord gave us a garden to tend to give us purpose and a place. Enclosed are my notes from my latest sermon, some psalms, and a few of your favorite hymns. I’ve taken to preaching to the plants. I know it’s dumb, probably, but they listen. I hope you’ll listen and know that you just get well and get home soon, okay? 

At twilight, Chase Bayless (19), all grown up, and capturing the land she calls home on the canvas. It’s a cooler evening than most, the mists of the swamp rising up to provide some low haze. She’s home on break from uni, an Education major, and she took up painting to unwind.

Dear David, I don’t want you to worry about me. Shark Racket broke my heart all those years ago and I know how angry you were. But today he brought me a cake. He dropped it off on the porch and ran away like a sissy, but I saw him through the curtains. I think he heard about your situation somehow. Townsfolk talk. The parishoners whisper among themselves on Sundays and I don’t like it. But you don’t need to worry about it. I’ll bop any of ‘em on the nose if they speak badly about you. 

Ma Bayless... Gwayne, that is, has enchantress abilities. She hoped at least one of her children would inherit her supernatural genes, but alas! No matter how many kids she popped out, not one of them is “special.” She takes out her frustrations by crafting potions (legal and illegal) in the attic of the Bayless Manor. 

Ma’am’s spendin’ most nights in the attic. I don’t think she’d admit it, but she feels guilty. She’s working on the perfect stress potion. She says it’s for her, but I don’t think so. I hear her mumblin’ to herself, hissing at herself, and she says your name a lot and that she’s uh... failed you. Don’t tell her I said that. She’d probably wring my neck like a spring chicken. 

Avery, like her siblings, Davis and Skye, loves music. It brings a smile to her face every time she can tickle the ivories in the evenings. What southern home is complete without a family music room? 

The armless statue of the goddess Veni offends Pa Bayless, but Chase brought the beauty back from her studies abroad in Sim Union. After three days of arguing, Gwayne finally convinced her husband to keep the peace and allow the lady to be on display. 

Did I tell you I got to study abroad? You aren’t the only Bayless to travel now, big brother. I betcha can see my smile. I can still try and one up you, ya know? I spent some time in Championne, in the City of Lights. Oh it was beautiful! I wish you could’ve seen all the art and culture and that you could taste the scones. I’ll make you some when you return.You still like blueberries, right?

I’ve enclosed some of my silly scribblings from the trip. I hope you don’t mind. Tonight I’m painting on the porch. I can hear Skye and Avery both play different songs, and yet somehow they blend so beautifully. I think you’ve inspired them. 

When she isn’t enchanting, Gwayne likes to feel the earth between her fingers. After all, an enchantress has a special relationship with nature. It’s the only time she can be “free” and doesn’t feel the pressures of motherhood and her business management career. 

And Ma’am too. You know she loves you in her own way. She spends more time in the garden now than she ever did, in the section we used to call yours. She’s trying to cut back on her hours at city hall. I think she misses you. But yeah, don’t tell her I said it. This is our secret. 

Taye gets in a late night workout in a dark corner of the attic. He really wants to grow out of the “skinny boy” stereotype. Alas! I don’t think he’ll grow into those ears! 

Taye’s upstairs now fighting on the weight machine like you always did. He’s determined not to be so scrawny anymore. 

In the backyard, River plays pirate in the treehouse. Land Ho! 

And River... I caught her in the treehouse you built with her and Pa tonight. She sleeps out there most nights, playing pirate into the wee morning hours. She says she’s lookin’ out for you over the Gulf. You’ve got a guardian angel you know that? Well, I should sleep. I’ve got an online class in the morning and I need my beauty rest. I hope you’re hanging in there. Hurry home. ~ Yours, Chase 

Hope you enjoyed! 

(The arc itself is NSFW, but if you want to read the chapters featuring the Bayless family directly/indirectly, you can read Unyielding and Unexpected.) 

#livinasimminlife #thekrazycrazylifeofkass #the krazy crazy life of kassiopeia fullbright second edition #the bayless family #ts3 sims #davis lamar #river bayless #taye bayless #avery bayless #skye bayless #chase bayless #gwayne bayless #skeet bayless #twinbrook #bayou #swamp farm #photo gallery #just for fun

[beyond4lines]

NBA Trade Deadline for Each Team

I’m going to dive in what the team needs and what possible trades can happen at trade deadline on February 7.

Eastern Conference

1.       Raptors

Trade assets: Norman Powell, CJ Miles, Delon Wright

Needs: Wings that can shoot/spread the floor, Playmakers

Trade for Raptors:

·         Norman Powell for TJ Warren 

·         Norman Powell and CJ Miles for Kent Bazemore

 2.       Bucks

Trade assets: George Hill, Jason Smith

Needs: shooters, a big that can rebound

Trade for Bucks:

·         George Hill for Wesley Matthews

·         Something involving Hill and Terrence Ross

·         Hill for Enes Kanter

·         Jason Smith for Ed Davis

 3.       Pacers

Trade assets: Kyle O’quinn *Myles Turner, TJ Leaf, Ike Anigbogu, Darren Collison, Cory Joseph

Needs: Stretch 4 if decide to trade Myles Turner, a playmaker with Olidipo out for the season.

Trade for Pacers:

·         Myles Turner and Davon Reed for Nemanja Bjelica

·         B.Bogdanovic and Doug Mcdermont for Kent Bazemore

 4.       76’ers

Trade assets: Markelle Fultz *Ben Simmons

Needs: Shooters

Trade for 76ers

·         Wilson Chandler for TJ Warren

·         Markelle Fultz for Courtney Lee and future 1st

·         Markelle Fultz for Terrence Ross

·         Wilson Chandler for Trevor Ariza

·         Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz, Wilson Chandler, and 2021 Miami (via PHX) 1ST rounder for Anthony Davis

 5.    Celtics

Trade assets: Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier

Needs: Knock down shooter, slashers that can get to the free - throw line and bigs that can rebound.

Trade for Celtics

·         G. Yabusele and Jabari Bird for Ed Davis

·         Terry Rozier for Jerian Grant and future 1st or a 2nd round pick

·         Terry Rozier for Luke Kennard or Reggie Bullock

 6.       Nets

Trade assets: Allen Crabbe, Demarre Carroll, Rondae Hollis Jefferson

Needs: Dump Cap for summer

Trade for Nets

·         Allen Crabbe for Iman Shumpert

 7.       Heat

Trade assets: Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic, Dion Waiters, Wayne Ellington

Needs: Dump Cap

    Trade for Heat

·         Finding trade partners are hard considering how many bad contracts they have.

 8.       Hornets

Trade assets: Nicolas Batum, Marvin Williams, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, *Kemba Walker, Frank Kaminsky

Needs: Players that can support Kemba IE floor spacing and another playmaker.

 Trades for Hornets

1.       Nicolas Batum to the Cavs for Jr Smith in a 4 team trade between Cavs, Suns, and Kings.

·         Dragen Bender from Suns to Hornets

·         Rodney Hood to Suns

·         David Nwaba to Kings

2.       Marvin Williams for Tim Hardaway Jr.

 9.       Pistons

Trade Assets: Reggie Jackson, Andre Drummond, Jon Leuer

Needs: 3 and D wings, figure out if the Griffin/Drummond pair is working

     Trades for Pistons

·         Luke Kennard or Reggie Bullock for Terry Rozier

·         Langston Galloway for Wayne Ellington

 10.   Magic

Trade assets: Evan Fournier, Nikola Vucevic, Terrence Ross, John Simmons*Jonathan Issac, *Aaron Gordon

Needs: Letting go of some assets and bad contracts, a point guard and choose between Gordon and Issac because Issac is more of a 4 than a 3.

Trades for Magic

·         Jonathon Simmons and first rounder for Dennis Smith Jr.

·         Jonathan Isaac and first rounder for Dennis Smith Jr.

·         Nikola Vucevic for Marcin Gortat and future 1st round pick from the Clippers

 11.   Wizards

Trade Assets: Otto Porter, Bradley Beal, Trevor Ariza

Needs: 3 and d wings, floor spacing, playmakers, and figuring out their future with Wall out for the foreseeable future.  

Trades for the Wizards

·         Trevor Ariza for Rajon Rondo and Lance Stephenson and a future 2nd rounder

 12.   Hawks

Trade Assets: Kent Bazemore, Jeremy Lin, Dewayne Dedmon, Taurean Prince

Needs:  get rid of assets like Bazemore,Lin and Dedmon, maybe Prince as some feel Prince might have hit his ceiling and will demand more money the Hawks are willing to pay in the future. In return get guys that can service young core.

    Trades for Hawks

·         Kent Bazemore for Norman Powell and CJ Miles

·         Prince for Denzel Valentine and a 2nd rounder 

·         Jeremy Lin for Solomon Hill and a 1st rounder

 13.   Knicks

Trade assets: Enes Kanter, Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee, Frank Ntilikina, *Kristaps Porzingis

Needs: Create Cap for  summer, and get a point guard for the future.

Trades for Knicks

·         Tim Hardaway Jr. for Marvin Williams

·         Enes Kanter for George Hill

·         Courtney Lee for Markelle Fultz

·         Enes Kanter for Zach Randolph

·         Enes Kanter or Tim Hardaway Jr., Kristaps Porzingis and 2019 1st rounder for Anthony Davis

 14.   Bulls

Trade assets: Jabri Parker, Cristiano Felicio, Robin Lopez

Needs: 3 and D wings, playmakers, getting off Jabari Parker contract

Trades for Bulls

·         Robin Lopez for Brandon Knight

·         Jabari Parker for Zach Randolph

·         Jabari Parker for Wesley Matthews

·         Denzel Valentine for Prince

 15.   Cavs

Trade assets: Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, JR Smith

Needs: get rid of overpaid players

 Trades for Cavs

·         JR Smith for Brandon Knight

·         Tristan Thompson for Evan Turner

·         Tristan Thompson for Jonas Valanciunas

 West Conference

1.       Nuggets

Trade assets: Mason Plumlee, Will Barton, Trey Lyles

Needs: Floor spacing, more depth

Trades for Nuggets

·         J. Hernangomez and Torrey Craig for Jonathon Simmons “Magic”

·         Trey Lyes, J. Hernangomez, Torrey Craig for Courtney Lee “Knicks”

·         Trey Lyles for Luke Kennard “Pistons”

 2.       Warriors

Trade assets: None

Needs: NONE they are the Warriors they have 5 all-stars yeah FIVE!

Trades for GSW

·         None

 3.       Thunder

Trade Assets: Patrick Patterson, Alex Abrines

Needs: defensive wing depth, big depth

   Trades for OKC

·         Patrick Patterson to Kings and Alex Abrines to Magic for Terrence Ross “Magic” and Scal Labissiere “Kings”

·         Alex Abrines for Wayne Ellington

 4.       Trailblazers

Trade assets: *CJ McCullum, Evan Turner, Meyers Leonard

Needs: Length and 3 and D guys

Trades for Trailblazers

·         Jake Layman and Nik Stauskas and a 1st rounder for Taurean Prince

·         Myers Leonard for Courtney Lee

 5.       Clippers

Trade assets: Gallinari , Avery Bradely, Marcin Gortat

Needs: free up cap space

Trades for Clippers

1.       Marcin Gortat and a 1st rounder for Nikola Vucevic

2.       4 team trade involving Clippers, T’Wolves Cavs and Kings

·         Clippers receive Iman Shumpert, Jayred Bayless, and Rodney Hood

·         T’Wolves receive Avery Bradley and Milos Teodosic

·         Cavs receive Mbah a Moute

·         Kings receive Gorgui Dieng

 6.       Spurs

Trade assets:  Pau Gasol, Rudy Gay

Needs: 3 and D wing

Trades for Spurs

·         Rudy Gay for Courtney Lee

 7.       Lakers

Trade assets: anyone but Lebron

Needs: shooters, a star

Trades for Lakers

·         Lance Stephenson for Wayne Ellington

 8.       Rockets

Trade assets: Brandon Knight, Marquess Chriss

Needs: rebounding, and shooting

 Trades for Rockets

·         Brandon Knight for JR Smith

·         Brandon Knight and Marquess Chriss and future 1st and 2nd  for Enes Kanter

·         Brandon Knight for Robin Lopez

 9.       Jazz

Trade assets: Derrick Favors, Dante Exum, Jae Crowder

Needs: Playmaker/Scorer to relieve Donovan Mitchell

Trades for Jazz

·         Dante Exum, Jae Crowder, Ekpe Udoh for Jabari Parker

·         Derrick Favors for Jabari Parker 

 10.   Kings

Trade assets: Zach Randolph, Iman Shumpert

Needs: floor spacing,  2 way big

Trades for Kings

1.       Zach Randolph for Enes Kanter 

2.       Nemanja Bjelica for Myles Turner and Davon Reed

 11.   T’Wolves

Trade assets: Jeff Teague, Gorgui Dieng, Taj Gibson

Needs: playmaker, perimeter scoring

Trades for T’Wolves

1.       Refer to the 4 team Avery Bradley deal I made for the Clippers

2.       Jeryd Bayless for Cory Joseph “Pacers”

3.       Jeryd Bayless in a 4 team trade for Dennis Smith Jr.

·         Minnesota receive Dennis Smith Jr.

·         Mavs receive Brandon Knight and Jeryd Bayless

·         Rockets receive Wesley Matthews and Pat Connaughton

·         Bucks receive Carmelo Anthony

4.       Taj Gibson in a 3 team trade for Markelle Fultz and Kosta Koufos

·         T’Wolves receive Markelle Fultz and Kosta Koufos

·         76ERS receive Anthony Toliver and a Future 1ST rounder

·         Kings receive Taj Gibson

 12.   Mavs

Trade assets: Harrison Barnes, Wesley Matthews, *Dennis Smith Jr.

Needs: perimeter defense, rebounding off bench, perimeter shooting depth.

Trades for Mavs

·         Wesley Matthews for Courtney Lee and Noah Vonleh

 13.   Pelicans

Trade assets: Jrue Holiday, *Anthony Davis, Solomon Hill, E’twaun Moore

Needs: Defense, Perimeter scoring, rebounding

Trades for Pelicans

·         Solomon Hill and Tim Frazier for Kent Bazemore

 14.   Grizzlies

Trade assets: *Mike Conley (has an early contract termination on final year of contract “2020-2021”) Marc Gasol, Chandler Parsons

Needs: get younger, get supporting pieces for Jaren Jackson , Kyle Anderson, and Dillon Brooks.

Trades for Grizzlies

1.       Marc Gasol for Allen Crabbe, T. Graham and future 1st ronder

2.       Mike Conley to the Suns in a 4 team trade involving the Grizzlies, Suns, Pelicans, and Kings

·         Grizzlies receive Solomon Hill, Josh Jackson,Skal Labissiere, and Frank Jackson

·         Suns receive Mike Conley and Time Frazier

·         Pelicans receive Zach Randolph

·         Kings receive Ryan Anderson

 15.   Suns

Trade assets: TJ Warren *Josh Jackson, *Kelly Oubre, *Mikal Bridges

Needs: point guard, bench depth

Trades for Suns

·         Kelly Oubre for Dennis Smith Jr. and  Bucks 1st rounder

·         Mikal Bridges for Dennis Smith Jr and  Bucks 1st rounder

·         Josh Jackson for Frank Ntilikina

#NBA #nbaseason #nba basketball #basketball #sports #trade deadline #sports blog

[hauntedsouthla]

Joseph Jefferson Mansion History

The mansion was built in 1870 in New Iberia, Louisiana by the actor, Joseph Jefferson for a hunting lodge and winter home. It was originally a plantation house named Bob Acres Plantation, after a character of a play that he was in. Joseph Jefferson did not use this house for agriculture or commerce, but instead to host extravagant parties. One of the most famous guests was President Grover Cleveland, who reportedly enjoyed taking naps under the oak trees on the property. 

The house sits on top of a salt dome on Lake Peigneur. In 1917, after Jefferson passed away, the property was sold to the partnership of John Lyle Bayless, Paul Jones, and E.A. McIlhenny, who owned Avery Island and was the maker of Tabasco hot sauce. Bayless loved the location and was the one to develop the Rip Van Winkle Gardens in the late 1950s after the selling of the salt mines under the island and lake. The name Rip Van Winkle originated after a character that Jefferson played on stage over 4,500 times. Bayless also donated the home and 800 acres to a private operating foundation so he could share the place that he loved so much with everyone. Bayless built a conservatory, that had over 3,000 exotic tropical plants, and a welcome center. He moved there after his retirement. 

On November 20, 1980, a Texaco drilling rig pierced one of the salt caverns, which flooded the mine. The entire lake was swallowed, creating a whirlpool, which took 65 acres of native woodland, the welcome center, the glass conservatory, Bayless’s new home, a drilling rig, several barges that had trucks and rock salt loaded on, and boats and equipment. Thankfully no lives were lost to this tragedy. The lake was eventually filled back up from the Gulf of Mexico, thanks to the Delcambre Canal. When it was refilled, nine of the barges that was originally sucked down, was brought back to the surface. 

The house is now a host for weddings, private functions, conferences, corporate retreats, luncheons, and bed and breakfast cottages. 

[deannadupont]

Atop a salt dome on Lake Peigneur sits Rip Van Winkle Gardens with 20 acres surrounding the Joseph Jefferson Home. The home was built in 1870 by the acclaimed American actor, and listed on the National Register of Historical Places. Jefferson purchased "Orange Island" in 1869 and built his winter home here. He is credited for playing the "Rip Van Winkle" role from the Washington Irving tale for many years in the theater. After his death in 1905, Jefferson's heirs sold Jefferson Island and the 2,000 acre plantation in 1917 to a partnership of John Lyle Bayless, Sr. of Anchorage, Kentucky; Paul Jones, bourbon distiller of Louisville, Kentucky; and E. A. McIlhenny of Avery Island, maker of TABASCO® Sauce. John Lyle Bayless, Jr. affectionately called Jack, developed Rip Van Winkle Gardens around the historic home in the late 1950's after selling the salt mine that tunnels under the island and lake. Bayless donated the home and 800 acres to a private operating foundation which he formed to assure its continued operation far beyond his lifetime to share with everyone, the place he so loved and enjoyed. Bayless built a 1/2 acre garden under glass. This conservatory and welcome center featured over 3,000 species of exotic tropical plants. On the edge of the 1,300 acre Lake Peigneur, Bayless moved into his retreat to enjoy his retirement. On November 20, 1980 his dreams were washed away when a Texaco drilling rig pierced one of the giant caverns of the Diamond Crystal Salt Company, flooding the entire mine. The vortex into the salt cavern swallowed the lake, 65 acres of native wood land, Rip Van Winkle Welcome Center, the glass conservatory and Bayless' new home. A drilling rig, several barges loaded with trucks and rock salt, boats and equipment also vanished into the whirlpool. Nine of the lost barges were coughed up from the deep recesses of the lake after it was refilled by the Gulf of Mexico via the Delcambre Canal. What was once a 10 foot deep freshwater lake is now a one thousand three hundred foot deep salt water lake. Miraculously, no lives were lost that day in the mines. The damage to the island took 4 years to recover and rebuild. (at Jefferson Island) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIqb10-jXbX/?igshid=1ce1uqot3vb6m

[sugarwaterradio]

NEW MUSIC - Doug E. Fresh feat. Avery Lynch / Celebrate #newmusic

      Doug E. Fresh began his recording career as a solo artist and was among the last artists on Enjoy Records and one of the first on Vintertainment Records (the same New York-based label owned by Vincent Davis that would later make a name of hip-hop artist Joeski Love and bring R&B singer Keith Sweat to ultimate fame). He and a new team of DJs known as the Get Fresh Crew (Barry Bee and Chill Will), along with newcomer MC Ricky D (who would later achieve fame as Slick Rick), came to fledgling New Jersey-based hip-hop label Danya/Reality Records the following year and recorded "The Show", which borrowed the melody of the Inspector Gadget theme by Shuki Levy. They also recorded "La Di Da Di", a tune that was completely voiced by MC Ricky D and backed by Doug E. Fresh's beatboxing for the entire duration of the song. The release of these two songs as a 12" single launched Doug E. Fresh (and Slick Rick) into stardom. Both sings are considered among the greatest early hip-hop classics. "The Show" peaked at #7 on the UK Singles Chart in December 1985. Doug E. Fresh was interviewed in the 1986 cult documentary Big Fun In The Big Town. Slick Rick left the group almost a year after the release of the "The Show"/"La Di Da Di" single, reappearing in 1988 as a Def Jam artist and releasing his debut album, The Great Adventures of Slick Rick. Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew continued on, now officially signed to Danya/Reality/Fantasy, by releasing Oh, My God! in 1986, which included the hit song "All The Way To Heaven". In 1988, The World's Greatest Entertainer was released, featuring the song "Keep Risin' To The Top", which was named after Keni Burke's then-obscure 1981 hit "Rising To The Top" (which has since become Burke's signature song). Doug E. Fresh's "Keep Risin' To The Top" also samples the main chorus of Heatwave's 1976 classic "Ain't No Half Steppin'," which Big Daddy Kane also sampled that same year for his song of the same name. In 1992, after a four-year hiatus, Doug E. Fresh joined MC Hammer's label Bust It Records and issued the album Doin' What I Gotta Do, a commercial failure despite some minor acclaim for the single "Bustin' Out (On Funk)", which sampled Rick James' 1979 single "Bustin' Out". In 1993, Doug E. Fresh found a new home at Island Records-affiliated label Gee Street. However, he only released one single containing three songs: "I-ight (Alright)" (the main track), "Bounce" and "Freaks". Although "I-ight" (which originated the now-famous club chant "Heyyyyyy, YO!... I-iiiiight?") was slated to become the first major hit for Doug E. Fresh in five years, it was almost immediately overshadowed by "Freaks", a dancehall tune beatboxed entirely by Doug E. Fresh and vocalized mainly by his protégé, a Brooklyn-born Jamaican teenage newcomer named Vicious. The song received major radio and club play, followed by video play in early 1994. Vicious would soon ink a deal with Sony Music's Epic Records for three years, although he would only release one album, Destination Brooklyn. In 1995, Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh reunited for a track on an album titled Play, which received positive reviews; Bret Love wrote, "A welcome flashback to the days when guns, drugs, sex, and violence were not the genre's primary lyrical focus." Also on the Play album was "Freak It Out", which featured Uncle Luke, was produced by platinum producer Frankie Cutlass and was appeared on the Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood soundtrack. Play was certified gold by the RIAA. On May 23, 2007, Doug E. Fresh performed variations upon "The Show" with finalist Blake Lewis on the sixth-season finale of American Idol, the first ever hip-hop performance on the show. In 2010, Doug E. Fresh resurfaced when rap group Cali Swag District brought back some of his trademark dance moves for their song "Teach Me How to Dougie." Members of Cali Swag District saw Texas college students doing a local dance created in Dallas called the "D-Town Boogie". They recognized it as a modified version of Doug E. Fresh's dance moves and created a song that would feature the dance, but also give Fresh his due credit. On June 27, 2010, Doug E. Fresh performed with Cali Swag District on "Teach Me How to Dougie" at the BET Awards pre-show. He also performed a concert called "The Show" at the Paradise Theater on August 12, 2010. On November 8, 2010, Fresh appeared at the Soul Train Awards, where he taught CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer how to Dougie on stage as part of the show. On December 10, 2010, Fresh appeared on ESPN First Take to speak about the phenomenon of the Dougie as a sports celebration and voted on the best sports-related Dougie dances, selecting that of host Skip Bayless, though he rated Wolf Blitzer's Dougie at the Soul Train Awards as better but with no sports association. On October 28, 2011 Doug E. Fresh performed at the Paradise Theater in a concert to benefit New York City's public hospitals; the show was part of "STAT! for NYC's Public Hospitals" to raise funds to reduce gun violence. On July 9, 2012, Fresh served as a celebrity judge on the Apollo Live TV show. Beginning May 25, 2013, Fresh hosted a classic hip-hop and R&B show called "The Show" on New York's 107.5 WBLS, which aired 9:00-11:00 p.m. Saturday nights until the final broadcast on December 31, 2016. Read the full article

#NewHipHop #NewMusic

[flauntpage]

Your Monday Morning Roundup

Last night felt like a punch to the gut.

It was a roller coaster weekend for Sixers fans regarding LeBron James. He officially opted out of his deal with the Cavaliers Friday morning and the courting for the king began. And slowly, it started to begin to feel he might actually come to Philly. And it felt like a Big 3 of James, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George would not happen with PG staying in OKC.

Fast forward to Sunday, when in the middle of the World Cup, Woj dropped a huge bomb involving a meeting with the Sixers and LeBron’s reps, sans LeBron. The Sixers reportedly pitched that they were very confident the team could get Kawhi from the Spurs and sign him to a long-term deal. Getting him would’ve taken two players and three first round picks. We all wanted to pull the trigger immediately.

And then at 8:05 PM, out of nowhere, Klutch Sports Group, the agency that represents James, dropped a short press release announcing James would go to LA for four years and $154 million. Get his jersey if you want.

To make things worse:

Sources: As trade talks have unfolded, Kawhi Leonard’s focus is unchanged: He wants to be a Laker. https://t.co/0wZGf5MrNt

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2018

Who knows how it may unfold in LA. The Lakers also signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, LANCE STEPHENSON, and JAVALE MCGEE to one-year deals. KCP is a good player, but Stephenson, LeBron’s top enemy who will probably play the role of J.R. Smith, and McGee, the big man who’s made numerous appearances on Shaqtin’ A Fool embarrassing himself, is unbelievable. It might turn into a clown show for all we know. They’re also interested in bringing back Brook Lopez and signing Nerlens Noel.

So what will the Sixers do? Ersan Ilyasova and Marco Belinelli left, which means the scoring from our bench took a huge hit. And with Kawhi’s wishes to still be a Laker in any way possible, including sitting out next season, it’d be smart if the Sixers don’t waste Dario and Covington plus three first round picks for a rental.

The big priority right now is to get J.J. Redick back. Losing him would be brutal. Next up would be reloading the bench. James Ennis has reportedly been a target for the team, and Jabari Parker has also been linked to the team. Do you also re-sign Amir Johnson or possibly pursue a guy like Kyle O’Quinn? Guys like Avery Bradley, Tyreke Evans, and Kyle Anderson (RFA) also intrigue me.

They also appear to be talking to Jerryd Bayless about either a complete buyout of his $8.575 million contract or stretching out his contract. The latter of the two options would keep him on the books for three seasons (double the number of years left on his current contract plus one year), but with a lower salary hit of around $2.85 million a year.

So with that, Joel Embiid’s response to all of this was simple:

MOOD #TheProcess pic.twitter.com/uwsCLVCSth

— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) July 2, 2018

Let’s do it organically. Trust The Process.

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The Roundup:

We have a new episode of Crossing Broadcast to discuss everything that happened this weekend, including the LeBron stuff.

Continuing with the current Sixers squad, Summer League action begins later this week. Markelle Fultz will not participate as he continues to work on his shot with Drew Hanlen, and Shake Milton suffered a stress fracture in his back and also will not play in Las Vegas.

Here’s a look at the minicamp participants, which also includes former St. Joe’s Hawk Isaiah Miles:

A look at #Sixers minicamp participants (with obvious note that Milton will not be in this group now) pic.twitter.com/tP9FaKOg3K

— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) July 1, 2018

Jonah Bolden will also not participate, and apparently he might not be a part of the team in the future at all:

Source: Philadelphia are entertaining the idea of using stash Jonah Bolden as a trade asset. Lots of interest from other NBA teams, there's a standard NBA buyout to free him of his $400,000 deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv.

— David Pick (@IAmDPick) July 2, 2018

As with the veterans on the team, Justin Anderson had shin surgery and will be re-evaluated in about two weeks.

On Thursday, the Sixers helped opened up a renovated playground in North Philly. They hope it can turn the area around for the better.

The Phillies took three of four games against the Nationals this weekend. After edging the Nats Thursday, the Phils got blown out Friday with a 17-7 loss, thanks to seven home runs by Washington.

Saturday saw Vince Velasquez leave the game early after taking a line drive to his right arm, but the Phils eventually earned a 3-2 win thanks to seven innings of bullpen work. He’s on the 10-day DL.

The series finale was a hot and wild 13 -inning affair, with the Phillies coming out on top with a 4-3 win thanks to an Andrew Knapp walk-off homer. Nick Pivetta came in relief for the final inning and got the win. That capped off a brutal 42-game stretch which saw the team go… 21-21. That’s really damn good.

The team has a well deserved day off before beginning a quick two-game series with the Baltimore Orioles tomorrow night at home. Zach Eflin will take the mound in that one.

During the weekend, we saw Pat Neshek return for a third of an inning, but also saw Hector Neris go back down to Lehigh Valley.

Recently retired Phillie Jayson Werth probably deserves a spot on the team’s Wall of Fame.

While NBA Free Agency was hot, NHL Free Agency also got underway Sunday afternoon. The Flyers made one move, signing James van Riemsdyk to a five-year, $35 million deal ($7 million AAV).

You can thank Claude Giroux and Jake Voracek for persuading JVR to come back:

“I heard from G and I talked to Jake Voracek,” van Riemsdyk said via conference call. “It was good. I did my homework in the situation to talk to guys that were still there, some guys that maybe are not there anymore but that were there recently, just to get a feel of where things are at.

“I talked to both those guys and just picked their brain about some stuff. They were great about being open and available to help me through my process of getting to the point to make a decision. That was really helpful.”

Three former Flyers the team didn’t want signed elsewhere. Brandon Manning went to Chicago (2 years, $2.25 million per year), Petr Mrazek went to Carolina (1 year, $1.5 million), and Valtteri Filppula signed with the New York Islanders (1 year, $2.75 million). Good job by Ron Hextall to not give those guys that much money.

Meanwhile at Development Camp, Isaac Ratcliffe is showing signs of why the team moved up in last year’s draft to get him:

“My goal after last camp was just to get a lot stronger,” he said last week, after finishing drills at the team’s practice facility in Voorhees. “I have the size to actually get heavier, and this year I wanted to come back and really show I developed a lot this year and put on a few pounds. I want to show I can compete with the toughest guys in the league.”

Ratcliffe, 19, said he wants to put on even more weight, continue to add strength, and increase his speed in the next year.

“It’s a fast game, and it’s a game that’s decreasing in size, too,” he said. “And I have to show that I can bring both speed and size to the game, and my skill set as well.”

Some surprising Eagles news: Linebacker Nigel Bradham won’t play in the season opener. He said it stemmed from an incident back in 2016 where he hit a cabana boy.

The Ringer suggests the Eagles trade Brandon Graham to San Francisco:

Let’s say, just for a minute, that the cap-strapped defending champs decide they can’t afford to sign Graham, 30, to a long-term contract extension now or in 2019. In that case, their next two options are to (1) ride out the final year of his contract and maximize their shot at winning a second consecutive title before letting him walk in free agency—thus getting relatively little (a 2020 comp pick, maximum) in return or (2) think big picture, and trade him now for high-value picks and some much-needed cap relief.

I know what I’d do (Super Bowl LIII or bust, baby), but with the 25-year-old Carson Wentz locked in as their franchise quarterback, the Eagles brass should be thinking about the long-term health of their roster and salary cap, too. That’s where the 49ers—cap- and draft-pick rich and not afraid to make a big splash—come in. San Francisco’s got plenty of interior pass-rush talent, but they don’t have a proven elite edge rusher like Graham. If they threw a 2019 second-rounder and more Philly’s way, Howie Roseman may have to consider it.

The Union fell to LAFC 4-1 out west this weekend. They’ll return home on Saturday to take on Atlanta United FC.

In the FIFA World Cup, France, Uruguay, Russia (in penalty kicks), and Croatia (PKs) all moved on to the quarterfinals this weekend with wins.

Today, Brazil takes on Mexico at 10 AM, followed by Belgium and Japan at 2 PM on Fox.

In other sports news, former Islanders captain John Tavares signed a seven-year, $77 million deal ($11 million AAV) with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Not everyday you can live a childhood dream pic.twitter.com/YUTKdfMALl

— John Tavares (@91Tavares) July 1, 2018

In other NHL Free Agency news, John Tortorella ripped on defenseman Jack Johnson going to Pittsburgh:

John Tortorella sure can’t help himself when it comes to the Penguins https://t.co/vo3l6RH0sF pic.twitter.com/3W8o5DVcpc

— Mike Darnay (@MikeDarnay) July 2, 2018

Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor is probably calling it a career:

Gods Grace

pic.twitter.com/60J2DugpD1

— Kameron Chancellor (@KamChancellor) July 1, 2018

Celtics first round pick Robert Williams missed his flight to Boston and didn’t show up to the first day of Summer League workouts for the team.

Mo Salah signed a new long-term deal with Liverpool. He’ll be there until 2023.

In the news, $1.7 million of fentanyl was seized at the Port of Philadelphia.

Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s personal attorney, said his family and country come first before President Trump

Vermont legalized weed.

The post Your Monday Morning Roundup appeared first on Crossing Broad.

Your Monday Morning Roundup published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

[amtushinfosolutionspage]

NBA Dunk of the Week: Joel Embiid Is Punk as Hell

A brief excerpt from Keith Pomeroy’s writeup of the Sixers’ 97-86 win over the Pistons on Monday night:

Embiid, who shed his hair braids, came into the game wanting to do better than his previous matchups of the season.

Looking to get an edge, he watched game film of Drummond before the game.

“Defensively, he doesn’t play any defense,” Embiid said of what he saw. “When we started the game, he was being aggressive and he was talking, too. … So what I was like [in my mind] ‘You want to do that? I’m going to kick your [butt] then. So that’s what I did.”

This is post-game trash talk at its most oblivious and savage. A reporter asks about playing against Drummond, and Embiid says he watched film and realized that Drummond doesn’t play any defense—extremely true, by the way; it’s the primary wellspring of his and the Pistons’ ongoing NBA shittiness the past few years. So, when he got on the court, and Andre talked some shit, Embiid kicked his ass. No subtext, no shade, no generalizations, just I looked him up. He sucks at defense so I killed him all night. Who cares?

It’s like someone on the Sixers tried to give Embiid media training—using clichés, displaying a broad respect for your opponent, not doing weird Twitter posts, all that shit—and he just said, “Hmm. Nah. I’ll just say whatever. I couldn’t care less, honestly.”

This kind of simplistic, balls-out method—I saw the guy, he sucks, so I took it to him—is inherent in Joel’s game, too. He is the NBA’s most beautifully raw product, lacking the extraordinary subtlety of some of his league-mates but making up for it by always, ALWAYS going out there and imposing himself, yamming a dunk when he has one, taking a three when he’s open, spinning around any post defender who isn’t as gigantic as he is.

It’s big man basketball stripped down to its barest essentials, played with style and attitude, along with a complete lack of fucks about what the squares might think about you. There is no way around this, people: Joel Embiid is fucking punk as hell.

Which brings us to the inaugural VICE Sports NBA Dunk of the Week. The Sixers’ Jerryd Bayless, a bald journeyman, goes away from a screen Embiid is setting. Drummond—who sucks at defense, you may recall—way overcommits to the trap. Bayless passes out to a rolling Joel, streaking toward the hoop, Drummond makes an insanely ineffectual, vainglorious swipe at Joel, and lifts it just in time to avoid the foul and, ultimately, direct blame for his colossal fuck-up. Meanwhile, Avery Bradley, who is pretty good at defense, sees this malfeasance unspooling in front of his eyes, and charges toward the rim in, I suppose, a vainglorious stab at doing something to mend this disastrous defensive possession for the Pistons.

But Embiid, simplicity itself, powers right through this 6’2” guard on his suicide mission. Their hands interlock in the air, destabilizing both after landing on the hardwood. Bradley, the victim of this dunk both in the sense of being placed on a poster by Embiid and being completely fucked over by his teammate Drummond, stumbles around and recovers along the baseline. Meanwhile, Embiid’s head jerks back, the ball hits him in the chest. He also falls and stumbles but more dramatically than Bradley, his legs—previously moving in a simple, profound line—sprawling akimbo in every connection, his massive arms propping him up and maintaining his balance. He recovers and runs back on defense, one hand in the air. In this post-dunk acrobatic haze, a simple straight line dunk transmuted by a series of bad decisions, Joel radiates more Vīrya than most NBA players do in a lifetime, sprawling out in a 1!-2!-3!-4! mess grown from the seed of a simple roll action and a total disregard for the interference of his opponents.

This dunk could only happen now, at this time, on this day. Soon, Bradley will realize this trying shit isn’t worth it on the Pistons. He will realize that Drummond isn’t Kevin Garnett or even Amir Johnson, that it is in his very nature to betray everyone who has a heads-up attitude on defense, and rotating into a poster on his behalf is a fucking waste of time. Meanwhile, defenses of every stripe, good and bad, will slowly realize that leaving Embiid alone to grab a ball and drive it in a straight line to the hoop is truly the worst idea you can possibly have on a basketball court.

But while we have still Embiid as he is in this moment, let him sweep you away. He makes the simplest basketball shit amazing again, both by dint of his extraordinary energy and by existing in the NBA’s high-modernist period, where nearly every bucket is the result of a monumental tactical effort. He is a blessing from the God of Punk on high.

NBA Dunk of the Week: Joel Embiid Is Punk as Hell syndicated from http://ift.tt/2ug2Ns6

[soccerstl]

Jack Wagoner with parents Laurie and Chris and the U13 National Championship trophy as well as his Golden Ball Award on July 29, 2017

While you did get the report on the U13 SLSG boys who were recognized as part of the Top XI team named for each age group at the recently concluded USYSA National Championship Series, I didn’t have the U15 boys report. Let’s rectify that with the boys named to the USYSA Top XI Teams last week:

[table] 13-and-Under Boys Player, Club, Position Jack Wagoner*, St. Louis Scott Gallagher Pre Academy 04 (MO), Goalkeeper Michael Vela, Heat FC 04 ET (NV), Other Kitch Andrew, Real JFC (NJ), Forward Thomas Napoli, Real JFC (NJ), Midfield Giuseppe Gereau, St. Louis Scott Gallagher Pre Academy 04 (MO), Other Tatenda Chigede, TSC Hurricane 04 Umelo (OK), Defender Ethan Gordon, TSC Hurricane 04 Umelo (OK), Defender William Rieves**, St. Louis Scott Gallagher Pre Academy 04 (MO), Keeper Vicente Ayala, Heat FC 04 ET (NV), Midfield Martin Martinez, -Leyva TSC Hurricane 04 Umelo (OK), Forward Joseph Cino, Real JFC (NJ), Defender [/table]

Jack Wagoner was named the Golden Ball award winner, signifying the top player at the tournament in his age group. His teammate William Rieves was named the Golden Glove Winner for top Goalkeeper and Giuseppe Gereau, the central defender in the three man back line was also part of the Top XI.

The SLSG 2004 pre-Academy team defeated Heat FC 1-0 in the Final to win the Championship title.

[table] 15-and-Under Boys Player, Club, Position Abdillahi Adan, NFC 02 Blue (NE), Forward Kidd Avery, Midwest United FC 02 Royal (MI), Forward Jason Villalba, Tuzos Academy 02 (AZ), Forward Riley O’Donnell*, Solar Chelsea Red 02 Stricker (TX-N), Forward Richard Garcia, Solar Chelsea Red 02 Stricker (TX-N), Midfield Joshua De Velder, Midwest United FC 02 Royal (MI), Defender Joon Mun, BRYC 02 Elite (VA), Defender Haden Biering, Solar Chelsea Red 02 Stricker (TX-N), Midfield Adam Lucas, St. Louis Scott Gallagher SC Elite (MO), Forward Theo Ruppert, St. Louis Scott Gallagher SC Elite (MO), Forward Michael Sedano, Boca OC 02 White (CA-S), Midfield [/table]

Adam Lucas (Bayless), forward and Theo Ruppert (Kirkwood), wing midfielder, were both named to the Top XI for their age group. Lucas is #9 in the Gallagher lineup, bringing pace and savvy to the attack in front of an attacking midfielder (Livingstone and Weinhold generally) while Ruppert is an #11, playing primarily on the left wing where he scored a pair of critical goals. The team earned points in the group from both games, a 2-1 win and 2-2 draw, that sent them to the semifinal game against Solar Chelsea, the eventual age group champions.

Congratulations to the boys on their recognition.

#gallery-0-4 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-4 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; } #gallery-0-4 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-4 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

#10 Jack Wagoner (2004/2022)

#12 Wil Rieves

#13 Guiseppe Gereau

Theo Ruppert

Adam Lucas

Five SLSG Players Named to USYSA Top XI Teams at NCS While you did get the report on the U13 SLSG boys who were recognized as part of the Top XI team named for each age group at the recently concluded USYSA National Championship Series, I didn't have the U15 boys report.

#2017 USYSA Soccer National Championship #Adam Lucas #Jack Wagoner #SLSG Missouri 2002 Elite Amlong #SLSG Missouri 2004 Pre-Academy #Theo Ruppert #Wil Reives #William Rieves

[emblem-333]

A Bittersweet Reward

Ainge acquiring All-Star, top-20 player Gordon Hayward in free agency is not without its caveats. In the coming days, perhaps hours, the GM will have to make one of the hardest deals of his Celtics tenure. I summarize why letting one - or two of Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart or Avery Bradley hurts so fucking bad.

This time last week we dreamed of a super team forming in Boston, with Gordon Hayward and Paul George being the big gets of the off-season. And by all accounts that’s what should have happened. Today the Celtics fan base is debating who’s easier to cut bait with: Avery Bradley (expiring), Marcus Smart (Expiring- RFA) or Jae Crowder (3 years left on a bargain deal), when they could have talked about what Ainge will offer Pacers GM Kevin Pritchard for Paul George to complete the most top-heavy team in the East.

But it didn’t happen. Following the trade down from the number one pick when Celtics fans were so jazzed to have the first overall selection, the PG-13 surprise deal made all of us collectively expect Gordon to stay in Utah or Miami to somehow snatch him from us because Pat Riley is a demon spawn. As life inevitably marched on, I stared to grow more confident in Hayward’s decision was going to be Boston. That scared me even more. I’m never right when I want to be. Always my educated guesses look like some half-baked Skip Bayless take, only I actually can see if anybody tweets about how wrong I was.

The night before July 4th, I went on a mini-rant, basically readying myself to hate Gordon Hayward if he chose Miami. There was absolutely nothing there to entice him other than the weather and atmosphere. Dragic is getting old, has a player-option for 2018-19. Hassan Whiteside isn’t ideal for today’s NBA which feasts on big men who can easily be run off the floor by a stretch five. Their third and fourth players would certainly leave them in free agency as they wouldn’t have enough capital to keep Waiters, Johnson and sign Hayward to the max.

My hopes only grew when I read how long the last meeting between Hayward and the Jazz lasted. If you have to spend 270 minutes trying to convince your girlfriend not to dump you, it’s probably too late and you’re just appealing to her heartstrings at this point. “Baby, I know I didn’t give you that $50 million when I didn’t think you’d get much attention on the RFA, but I changed since then. I got you Ricky Rubio!”

Then the report came out about how “torn” Hayward was about leaving Utah, just like Durant the year before. KD gave Oklahoma City TWO meetings out of courtesy on the off-chance they actually change his mind. The parallels for all big market free agents in how they make their decision in today’s NBA is always marching to the same drumbeat. They want to leave, but try so hard to save face with their fans when it’ll always feel like you left them at the alter.

Randomly the next day, one of the people I follow on Twitter, Brian @Primetime_23, tagged me in a bleacher report post that said Hayward’s intentions to sign with Boston. For the second straight summer, Danny Ainge obtained the player he coveted, and this time it’ll cost him an arm and leg in cap space to fit him on the roster. But, such is the price for doing business.

Whether Boston has to part with a trusted stalwarts of their backcourt or frontcourt, signing Hayward was an absolute must for Danny Ainge. Other than Isaiah, no other Celtic possessed the ability to create their own offense; Crowder at times showed the ability and promise, but his last two seasons ended with him throwing up way too many jump shots that were usually uncontested for a reason.

Boston now has not one or two, but three players able to create their own shot. Jayson Tatum will likely be the go-to scoring option for the second unit. It may have seemed it took Boston years and years of patience, asset gathering and financial positioning to get to this point; that’s because it did. Every summer since Ainge blew up the Kevin Garnett era, he couldn’t dodge the question “when will the Celtics get their man?” Kevin Love, Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler and Paul George slipped through their fingers like sand escaping a tightly clutched fist. When cornering the free agent market, it comes down to your situation as a team, the product you can put on the court and how fortunate are you when the courting begins? For Boston, they were very fortunate to have Brad Stevens in their back pocket to give Gordon a trip down memory lane. When circumstance always seemed to go against the Celtics, on July 4th a break finally went their way.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Boston is a worser team in 2017-18 because of the tough decisions they’ll have to make in the coming days. With LeBron still sitting triumphantly on the eastern conference throne, the growing scuttlebutt is he’s interested in going west to play for the Lakers for whatever reason, but it’s a real fear in Cleveland Cavalier-land. Until that crucial crossing of the bridge in 2018, Boston fans should not expect to be one of the last two standing come next June.

But 2017-18 will be one of high hopes for Boston. With a depleted talent pool in the east, a stagnant off-season of its biggest inner-conference rivals, mixed with behind the scenes turmoil. Problem being is the loss of the only logical player that can theoretically guard LeBron James; in the previous summer Boston possessed the expensive (kinda) contracts of Amir Johnson, Jonas Jerebko and Tyler Zeller for this specific reason if a salary-dump if needed.

If the valued player on the move Is Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart, we’ll most likely see Hayward start at the shooting guard position, Jae Crowder closing contests at the 4, Hayward at the 3 and Horford at the 5. Gordon does not have the strength to play the four under any capacity. One of the biggest drawbacks to signing him is losing the benefit of a Crowder who you can slide anywhere between SF and C.

Whatever difficult roster decisions the Celtics have to make, they will be in a fantastic position for a rematch against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Hayward signing validates the model of Danny Ainge.

#boston celtics #utah jazz #miami heat #Gordon Hayward #nba free agency #NBA Sign-and-Trade

[sportsv]

自由市場爭霸指南 大西洋組球隊篇

作者： JGT

簡單用五篇列出了各位置幾名比較重要的自由球員後，換個角度從球隊的視角來看看自由市場，本系列會從球隊的未來薪資架構來去探討該球隊的可能補強與操盤方向，也會更詳細的列出每一支球隊究竟有哪些球員將會投入市場。

NBA總共將30支球隊平均分配在6組，本文將先從東區大西洋組開始介紹，本季這組雖然有著波士頓塞爾提克與多倫多暴龍兩隊強佔東區前四種子的兩個席位，但另外三支隊伍紐約尼克、費城七六人、布魯克林籃網名列NBA倒數前六名，實力落差非常懸殊。

塞爾提克在籃網的「幫助」下不但一邊角逐總冠軍另一邊還順勢重建；暴龍許多重點戰力的合約都將在暑假到期面臨「只有現在」的煩惱；尼克究竟是要力圖振作還是要打掉重練「陷入了兩難」；七六人培養出贏球氛圍後重建進入尾聲只需等著潛力股們一一「從傷病中歸隊」；籃網則是思考著怎樣在「沒有選秀權」的情況下進行重建......

(註：1. 以下薪資結構圖來源自Basketball-Reference。2. 圖中藍字代表球隊選擇權、綠字代表球員選擇權、粉紅色字代表提前終止選擇權、斜體字球員代表已被球隊買斷。3. 明年球季預估薪資上限以稍早公布的1億100萬美元為基準。4. 自由球員U為非受限自由球員、R為受限自由球員、P為球員選擇、T為球隊選擇、ETO為提前終止合約選擇。5. 適合補強人選為個人評估，僅供參考)

波士頓塞爾提克

#薪資結構：

#自由球員：

Amir Johnson(U)、Jonas Jerebko(U)、Kelly Olynyk(R)、James Young(U)、Gerald Green(U)

波士頓雖然是美國境內繁華度名列前茅的城市，又擁有NBA歷史上最多的17座總冠軍，出產非常多的名人堂級球星，若要挑個缺點就是天候寒冷，即便有著許多優質條件，但波士頓一向都不是大咖自由球員的第一選擇，也因此為何當去年夏天明星中鋒Al Horford以4年1億1300萬美元(第四年為球員選擇權)加盟時其意義更勝提升戰力。

繼2010-11賽季後，塞爾提克再度嘗到例行賽突破50勝的滋味，也預估能夠重返大西洋組龍頭寶座，看似已經是支頂尖強隊的背後，事實上這支球隊仍「重建未完」，從上面的薪資結構圖可以看見17-18賽季暫時擁有接近3000萬美元的薪資空間，若將下個賽季即將入隊的兩名16梯首輪中段新秀Guerschon Yabusele與Ante Zizic兩人，也預估還有2700萬美元，假設一切順利手中的籃網首輪籤選到17梯狀元，仍然有大約2000萬美元左右的空間能運用，在Olynyk不確定是否有必要留下的情況下，這樣的薪資空間足夠讓總管Danny Ainge好好發揮。

不過看似亮麗的未來，背後還是有些無奈，明年賽季陣中三大後衛Isaiah Thomas、Avery Bradley、Marcus Smart都將進入合約年，今年順利挺進東區決賽也更加確立Thomas的重要性，未來開出平均年薪大約3000萬美元的頂薪合約勢在必行，屆時後兩人就有可能被迫擇一成為交易籌碼調節薪資空間；而從籃網手中獲得狀元籤也預計將留著自用並在三大超級新秀控衛Markelle Fultz、Lonzo Ball、De'Aaron Fox中做出抉擇，至於Thomas能留就留就算留不住也做足心理準備。

對球隊而言，如果能夠順利於自由市場甚至運用交易添得一名超級巨星固然是好，但同時球隊陣容上仍有不少問題要解決，像是「缺乏稱職替補控球」、「缺乏合格護框籃板長人」，物色幾名有助於填補傷口的即戰力可能會比一心運用手中的籌碼去追求「第三個巨頭」更有直接性的幫助。

#適合補強人選：

Gordon Hayward、Danilo Garllinari、Darren Collison、Aron Baynes。

多倫多暴龍

#薪資結構：

#自由球員：

Kyle Lowry(P)、Serge Ibaka(U)、Patrick Patterson(U)、PJ Tucker(U)

若非明星賽後當家主控Lowry受傷缺陣到上星期才歸隊，例行賽尾段與克里夫��騎士爭奪東區龍頭的球隊可能不只塞爾提克而已，前三年都打進季後賽的暴龍，容易���表現不穩定的情況發生，頭兩年都在首輪止步，去年也是跌跌撞撞才成功打進東區冠軍賽，今年在次輪就與騎士碰頭，最終慘遭橫掃出局。

今年球季的季中交易除了DeMarcus Couins交易案外，就屬暴龍與魔術的Ibaka交換Terrence Ross的交易最具有撼動NBA勢力的潛力，緊接著球團又利用不適應球隊體系的Jared Sullinger向太陽換來防守悍將Tucker，這兩筆交易的確都有補在刀口上，但更值得探討的是這兩人還正好都是合約年，也象徵了暴龍明確的表明要「拚現在」的決心。暴龍會這樣操盤的最大原因莫過於Lowry，暑假絕對會放棄下個賽季1200萬美元選擇權的Lowry將投入自由市場，貴為連兩個賽季的全明星球員，本季又能有著22.7分4.8籃板6.9助攻的成績，勢必會引起一波搶人潮，深怕著Lowry會琵琶別抱也讓球隊引入兩名合約年的即戰力以確保薪資彈性。

從上圖的薪資結構圖可以得知，暴龍下個賽季預計擁有的薪資空間大約有2300萬美元，看似龐大但光是想要留住Lowry就必須要開出一張年薪至少2500萬~3000萬美元的大合約，想要再留下Ibaka甚至Tucker就必須支付昂貴的豪華稅。

#適合補強人選：

只要成功留下Lowry，暴龍也就沒什麼必要也沒有本錢做出其他補強了。

紐約尼克

#薪資結構：

#自由球員：

Derrick Rose(U)、Sasha Vujacic(U)、Justin Holiday(U)、Ron Baker(R)

回頭看看去年暑假，再回來看看現在各隊的表現與戰績，尼克所支付的鈔票絕對跟其獲得的回饋呈現極大反差，運用了兩張千萬合約綁下Joakim Noah、Courtney Lee四年，就連Lance Thomas也以4年2700萬美元續約。無奈Noah違反聯盟禁藥規範禁賽20場，原先定位成第六人所網羅的Brandon Jennings也表態希望去到一支「想要贏球」的球隊後達成買斷協議，這支球隊從當初被預期成為東區強權現在卻成了坦克之一。

對尼克而言，並不能說去年暑假的補強方向錯誤，但最大的問題在於球團不論高層、教練團與球員三方無法能夠有明確的共識，總管Phil Jackson總是想要球隊配合著他的「三角戰術」，公然對媒體放話批評當家球星Carmelo Anthony，總教練Jeff Hornacek擅於快節奏的跑轟戰術也被迫更頻繁使用三角戰術，戰績不佳還能靠交易簽約補強，但陣中大將一一對高層表達不滿才是最大麻煩。

紐約是全美最熱鬧繁華的城市，也自然是許多喜愛鎂光燈的球員心中夢寐以求的選擇，即便現階段的尼克有著嚴重的內鬨問題，難以吸引大牌球星，但對於一些二線球員還是具有一定的吸引力，不過看禪師亟欲想要把整個尼克「徹底重組」的情況來看，也不排除會在休賽期間嘗試說服Melo放棄霸王條款，交易他出去。

「我們季外需要補進一些防守型球員。」Hornacek前陣子這樣說道，今年暑假自由市場確實有不少防守專家以及3D球員，尼克確實有機會好好的進補一下，只是回到這段文章一直講到的問題，與其想著自由市場怎麼簽怎麼補，不如想想怎麼撫平嚴重的內鬨裂痕吧！

#適合補強人選：

Jrue Holiday、Thabo Sefolosha、Greg Monroe、Mason Plumlee。

費城七六人

#薪資結構：

#自由球員：

Tiago Splitter(U)、Sergio Rodriguez(U)、Robert Covington(T)

轉眼間，七六人的擺爛重建計畫也來到了第四年，初代元老Michael Carter-Williams與Nerlens Noel也在這段期間成為交易籌碼離去，在盼望許久終於獲得的狀元郎Ben Simmons無緣在這季亮相後，被寄予重望的14梯新秀中鋒Joel Embiid利用短短37場比賽就擄獲費城球迷的芳心，無奈傷勢困擾本季再度報銷，所幸另外一名新秀Dario Saric也打出亮麗成績。

前幾年這支球隊即便球員們個人都有著無比的求勝慾望，但始終無法同心協力取勝，但這個賽季卻有明顯的進步，除了多虧Embiid激起的士氣外，或許Gerald Henderson的加盟也有起到一定的影響力，這名球員雖然生涯帳面數據平平，但一直都是公認很敬業又很有拚勁的球員，靠著他灌輸年輕球員們經驗，也加快了他們培養贏球氛圍的速度。

眼看著即將到來的選秀會將再度握有一枚探花籤，有機會在這堪稱「超級選秀大年」的梯次中獲得一名頂級新人，再搭配新賽季準備復出的Simmons、Embiid，下個賽季他們會有怎樣的表現真的十分令人期待。

雖說暑假有著約5000萬美元的薪資空間，但七六人並不急著去嘗試簽下明星球員，陣中潛力股有的展現了他們的戰力價值，有的更證明了他們能夠成為球隊未來的基石，將這些薪資空間留著準備他們續約會更加實際，若真的想要給予球隊立即性的戰績提升，也可以仿效去年簽下Jerryd Bayless、Henderson這種同時可打先發又可打替補的即戰力作為年輕球員的後盾。

#適合補強人選：

Jeff Green、Taj Gibson、Amir Johnson。

布魯克林籃網

#薪資結構：

#自由球員：

Randy Foye(U)

進入重建初期的球隊通常都有個現象，那就是球員們的薪資普遍很低，與球員簽的合約也不長，就連球員們的名字可能也認不出幾個，而籃網現在就處在這個階段。但對他們來說，更悲慘的是戰績墊底手中的「準狀元籤」卻在別人的手裡，擺爛反倒是幫了別人，也因此籃網去年暑假才會簽下希望有個先發舞台的林書豪、藍領苦工Trevor Booker甚至還對兩名受限制自由球員Allen Crabbe、Tyler Johnson開出溢價合約。

2013年與塞爾提克所進行的大型交易送走的選秀權(包含2016、2018未保護首輪選秀權與今年首輪選秀權交換權)還有一年的副作用，也因此籃網並沒有任何的理由於下個賽季「為別人」擺爛，所幸隊內上下都知道這一點，打起球來倒是格外的拚且認真，若非林書豪整個賽季因傷所困，籃網或許還不會確定是本季爐主呢！

講了這些，但回歸現實來看看下個賽季籃網的薪資結構，撇除掉Caris LeVert、Rondae Hollis-Jefferson兩名還有著球隊選擇權的新秀合約，將有八名球員進入合約年，除了期待球員們會為了下一份合約奮鬥打出更為出色的表現之外，更要觀察球團是否會針對交易價值較高的中生代球員進行交易(例如：Brook Lopez、Booker、林書豪)，以獲取更多能夠加速重建的資產。

以籃網現今的球隊戰力來說，要吸引球員加盟就已經需要端出高於市價的合約才有機會成功，更別說吸引球星加盟如同天方夜譚，但對籃網來說也不是沒有好消息！今年暑假正好是2013梯新秀們合約到期的時機，而2013選秀會又被稱為近代選秀小年的一大代表，首輪30人就有高達14人將成為受限制自由球員，球團反倒可以趁著這個機會向其中一些不受母隊重用或是母隊面臨薪資空間問題的球員提出報價，說不定還能順勢挖到寶。

#適合補強人選：

Michael Carter-Williams、Ben McLemore、Kentavious Caldwell-Pope、Tim Hardaway Jr.、Shabazz Muhammad、Nikola Mirotic、Alex Len、Kelly Olynyk。

【其他組別】

2017自由球員球隊篇(西南組)

2017自由球員球隊篇(東南組)

2017自由球於球隊篇(中央組)

#NBA #basketball

[junker-town]

11 thoughts on if Zion Williamson should sit out for Duke to save himself for the NBA Draft

The conversation around the Duke star is just getting started.

Zion Williamson is going to be the first pick in June’s NBA draft. This was not immediately apparent at the start of the preseason (we had him No. 5 on our initial board), but it’s a lock now. The gap between Williamson and whoever goes No. 2 — teammate R.J. Barrett being the current frontrunner — is massive.

The only thing that can slow down Williamson is a major injury. He suffered a minor one last weekend when he was poked in the eye against Florida State and missed the second half of Duke’s victory. He was on the floor for a significant one earlier this week when teammate Tre Jones sprained his shoulder diving for a loose ball that will keep him out indefinitely.

This is the context to the conversation that’s swirling around Williamson at the moment. It’s a conversation started by NBA legend Scottie Pippen, who said Zion should stop playing for Duke immediately to avoid putting himself at risk for injury ahead of the draft.

Here are Pippen’s words, transcribed:

“I think he’s locked up the biggest shoe deal, I think he’s definitely going to be the No. 1 pick, I think he’s done enough for college basketball that it’s more about him personally,” Pippen said on ESPN’s “The Jump.” “I would shut it down. I would stop playing because I feel he could risk a major injury that could really hurt his career.”

This has become a talking point everyone has an opinion on. We have some thoughts, too.

1. Zion hasn’t said or indicated anything to suggest he’s even thinking about this

Do not blame Williamson for this conversation because he has yet to even acknowledge it. Duke is gearing up for one of the biggest games of the season on Saturday when undefeated Virginia visits Durham. For Williamson personally, this talk amounts to nothing more than an unwelcome distraction.

The only reason people are talking about this is because Pippen put the idea out into the void. It feels like the perfect topic for this moment in time when everything is debated endlessly on a variety of platforms for a 24-hour newscycle. It’s a topic custom-built for Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless to scream about.

Still, there’s a reason why this isn’t a ridiculous conversation to have.

2. College football’s best players are already doing this

High-profile college football players projected at the top of the NFL draft have been choosing to sit out bowl games for a few years now. This was famously done by running backs Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey before they entered the draft. This year’s projected No. 1 pick, Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa, chose to leave school in October as he was rehabbing an injury.

This is the first time this conversation has happened in basketball. No one debated if Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagley III, and Jaren Jackson Jr. should out last year (though Tom Izzo did his best to ensure Jackson’s health). Given the overwhelming consensus that Williamson is this year’s top pick, the fact that we’re having this conversation shouldn’t be that surprising.

3. If Williamson did hypothetically chose to sit out, it would change college basketball forever

Do you know who teenagers look up to more than anyone else? Older teenagers! If Zion did shut it down in the middle of the season, you can bet next year’s top prospects like Anthony Edwards (read my profile!), Cole Anthony, and James Wiseman would take notice. Just like in football, it only takes one star player to turn a conversation into a trend.

At least until the age limit is finally abolished (more on this later).

4. Scottie Pippen isn’t wrong about this part ...

“I think he’s done enough for college basketball”

This is true. College basketball has had a lot of value for Williamson. He wasn’t the consensus No. 1 pick coming into the season. Being all over ESPN 24/7 has certainly helped his marketing value. At this point, Williamson might already be more famous than 99% of NBA players.

He’s also not getting anything more out of NCAA ball at this point, which is Pippen’s point. Beating Buffalo in the Sweet 16 won’t get Zion a bigger rookie deal in the NBA. Winning a national championship probably won’t get him any more endorsement money.

Williamson’s reputation as a player and image as a spokesman is already set. College basketball isn’t doing anything for him at this point. However ....

5. College basketball still needs Zion Williamson

Duke’s pursuit of a national title with Williamson leading the charge is going to be the biggest story in sports post-Super Bowl. People are likely going to be talking about the NCAA tournament more than ever this season because Zion will be in it. Ratings are going to be huge when he’s playing. All of this means the NCAA is making money, even if the the players shamefully cannot.

Can you imagine the reaction of television and advertising executives if Williamson chose to sit out? The man has an entire economy swirling around him that he isn’t even allowed to personally capitalize on yet.

6. Imaging Coach K’s reaction is the best part of this

Mike Krzyzewski didn’t always embrace the one-and-done. It isn’t hard to find stories of Coach K throwing a tantrum when Corey Maggette and William Avery had the audacity to leave school early 20 years ago.

Krzyzewski would be just furious if this hypothetically happened — and that would be delightful to Duke haters everywhere. In fact ....

7. Why wouldn’t R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish also shut it down if Zion chose to?

Barrett would be a top five pick if he didn’t play another game. Reddish would be a top-10 pick if he didn’t play another game. It’s possible Duke’s entire superstar trio of freshmen could shut it down right now and still go 1-2-3 in the NBA draft come June.

Coach K would be so mad. There are Duke haters around the world with a big, dumb smile on their face right now just considering this scenario.

8. Zion should do whatever Zion wants

If Williamson did want to shut it down, he deserves to have unanimous support. Pippen is right that he’s already done enough for Duke and for college basketball. Anyone with half a brain should be able to see that Williamson would be well within his right to maintain his body and his earning potential by ensuring he’s healthy as he enters the NBA.

But if he wants to keep playing, hey, that’s cool, too. Watching Zion Williamson play basketball is great, and he’s going to make the NCAA tournament so much more exciting.

9. Zion will be asked about this, and he’ll handle it with grace

Seriously: part of the reason this dude is about to make billions is because he’s so thoughtful and charismatic in front of a camera. You know these questions are coming. It would be overwhelming for most 18-year-olds, but it likely won’t be for Williamson.

10. Now, real talk: Zion does not seem like the type of player who would actually shut it down

Williamson’s hyper-competitiveness is one of the best things about him. This is a player who competes with intensity on both ends every second he’s on the court. He’s a team-first player in every way. You only need to hear Zion talk about The Brotherhood (Duke’s newest self-proclaimed nickname) for a minute to realize how important his lone college season is to him.

Even if Zion is well within his right to shut it down for the NBA, he just doesn’t seem like the type of player who would do that. But for those who come after him ...

11. This will continue to be a talking point until the NBA’s age limit is abolished

The NBA is aiming to abolish the age limit by 2021 or 2022. It could be a few long years for college coaches with top NBA prospects on their team.

The players are well-aware that everyone involved in college basketball is making money but them. You couldn’t fault any athlete for choosing to ensure his long-term future over playing for free. The only way to get out from under this discussion is giving the players the option to turn pro out of high school. Until that happens, you can bet we’ll be having this conversation every year.

[flauntpage]

NBA Dunk of the Week: Joel Embiid Is Punk as Hell

A brief excerpt from Keith Pomeroy's writeup of the Sixers' 97-86 win over the Pistons on Monday night:

Embiid, who shed his hair braids, came into the game wanting to do better than his previous matchups of the season.

Looking to get an edge, he watched game film of Drummond before the game.

"Defensively, he doesn't play any defense," Embiid said of what he saw. "When we started the game, he was being aggressive and he was talking, too. … So what I was like [in my mind] 'You want to do that? I'm going to kick your [butt] then. So that's what I did."

This is post-game trash talk at its most oblivious and savage. A reporter asks about playing against Drummond, and Embiid says he watched film and realized that Drummond doesn't play any defense—extremely true, by the way; it's the primary wellspring of his and the Pistons' ongoing NBA shittiness the past few years. So, when he got on the court, and Andre talked some shit, Embiid kicked his ass. No subtext, no shade, no generalizations, just I looked him up. He sucks at defense so I killed him all night. Who cares?

It's like someone on the Sixers tried to give Embiid media training—using clichés, displaying a broad respect for your opponent, not doing weird Twitter posts, all that shit—and he just said, "Hmm. Nah. I'll just say whatever. I couldn't care less, honestly."

This kind of simplistic, balls-out method—I saw the guy, he sucks, so I took it to him—is inherent in Joel's game, too. He is the NBA's most beautifully raw product, lacking the extraordinary subtlety of some of his league-mates but making up for it by always, ALWAYS going out there and imposing himself, yamming a dunk when he has one, taking a three when he's open, spinning around any post defender who isn't as gigantic as he is.

It's big man basketball stripped down to its barest essentials, played with style and attitude, along with a complete lack of fucks about what the squares might think about you. There is no way around this, people: Joel Embiid is fucking punk as hell.

Which brings us to the inaugural VICE Sports NBA Dunk of the Week. The Sixers' Jerryd Bayless, a bald journeyman, goes away from a screen Embiid is setting. Drummond—who sucks at defense, you may recall—way overcommits to the trap. Bayless passes out to a rolling Joel, streaking toward the hoop, Drummond makes an insanely ineffectual, vainglorious swipe at Joel, and lifts it just in time to avoid the foul and, ultimately, direct blame for his colossal fuck-up. Meanwhile, Avery Bradley, who is pretty good at defense, sees this malfeasance unspooling in front of his eyes, and charges toward the rim in, I suppose, a vainglorious stab at doing something to mend this disastrous defensive possession for the Pistons.

But Embiid, simplicity itself, powers right through this 6'2'' guard on his suicide mission. Their hands interlock in the air, destabilizing both after landing on the hardwood. Bradley, the victim of this dunk both in the sense of being placed on a poster by Embiid and being completely fucked over by his teammate Drummond, stumbles around and recovers along the baseline. Meanwhile, Embiid's head jerks back, the ball hits him in the chest. He also falls and stumbles but more dramatically than Bradley, his legs—previously moving in a simple, profound line—sprawling akimbo in every connection, his massive arms propping him up and maintaining his balance. He recovers and runs back on defense, one hand in the air. In this post-dunk acrobatic haze, a simple straight line dunk transmuted by a series of bad decisions, Joel radiates more Vīrya than most NBA players do in a lifetime, sprawling out in a 1!-2!-3!-4! mess grown from the seed of a simple roll action and a total disregard for the interference of his opponents.

This dunk could only happen now, at this time, on this day. Soon, Bradley will realize this trying shit isn't worth it on the Pistons. He will realize that Drummond isn't Kevin Garnett or even Amir Johnson, that it is in his very nature to betray everyone who has a heads-up attitude on defense, and rotating into a poster on his behalf is a fucking waste of time. Meanwhile, defenses of every stripe, good and bad, will slowly realize that leaving Embiid alone to grab a ball and drive it in a straight line to the hoop is truly the worst idea you can possibly have on a basketball court.

But while we have still Embiid as he is in this moment, let him sweep you away. He makes the simplest basketball shit amazing again, both by dint of his extraordinary energy and by existing in the NBA's high-modernist period, where nearly every bucket is the result of a monumental tactical effort. He is a blessing from the God of Punk on high.

NBA Dunk of the Week: Joel Embiid Is Punk as Hell published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

[flauntpage]

NBA Dunk of the Week: Joel Embiid Is Punk as Hell

A brief excerpt from Keith Pomeroy's writeup of the Sixers' 97-86 win over the Pistons on Monday night:

Embiid, who shed his hair braids, came into the game wanting to do better than his previous matchups of the season.

Looking to get an edge, he watched game film of Drummond before the game.

"Defensively, he doesn't play any defense," Embiid said of what he saw. "When we started the game, he was being aggressive and he was talking, too. … So what I was like [in my mind] 'You want to do that? I'm going to kick your [butt] then. So that's what I did."

This is post-game trash talk at its most oblivious and savage. A reporter asks about playing against Drummond, and Embiid says he watched film and realized that Drummond doesn't play any defense—extremely true, by the way; it's the primary wellspring of his and the Pistons' ongoing NBA shittiness the past few years. So, when he got on the court, and Andre talked some shit, Embiid kicked his ass. No subtext, no shade, no generalizations, just I looked him up. He sucks at defense so I killed him all night. Who cares?

It's like someone on the Sixers tried to give Embiid media training—using clichés, displaying a broad respect for your opponent, not doing weird Twitter posts, all that shit—and he just said, "Hmm. Nah. I'll just say whatever. I couldn't care less, honestly."

This kind of simplistic, balls-out method—I saw the guy, he sucks, so I took it to him—is inherent in Joel's game, too. He is the NBA's most beautifully raw product, lacking the extraordinary subtlety of some of his league-mates but making up for it by always, ALWAYS going out there and imposing himself, yamming a dunk when he has one, taking a three when he's open, spinning around any post defender who isn't as gigantic as he is.

It's big man basketball stripped down to its barest essentials, played with style and attitude, along with a complete lack of fucks about what the squares might think about you. There is no way around this, people: Joel Embiid is fucking punk as hell.

Which brings us to the inaugural VICE Sports NBA Dunk of the Week. The Sixers' Jerryd Bayless, a bald journeyman, goes away from a screen Embiid is setting. Drummond—who sucks at defense, you may recall—way overcommits to the trap. Bayless passes out to a rolling Joel, streaking toward the hoop, Drummond makes an insanely ineffectual, vainglorious swipe at Joel, and lifts it just in time to avoid the foul and, ultimately, direct blame for his colossal fuck-up. Meanwhile, Avery Bradley, who is pretty good at defense, sees this malfeasance unspooling in front of his eyes, and charges toward the rim in, I suppose, a vainglorious stab at doing something to mend this disastrous defensive possession for the Pistons.

But Embiid, simplicity itself, powers right through this 6'2'' guard on his suicide mission. Their hands interlock in the air, destabilizing both after landing on the hardwood. Bradley, the victim of this dunk both in the sense of being placed on a poster by Embiid and being completely fucked over by his teammate Drummond, stumbles around and recovers along the baseline. Meanwhile, Embiid's head jerks back, the ball hits him in the chest. He also falls and stumbles but more dramatically than Bradley, his legs—previously moving in a simple, profound line—sprawling akimbo in every connection, his massive arms propping him up and maintaining his balance. He recovers and runs back on defense, one hand in the air. In this post-dunk acrobatic haze, a simple straight line dunk transmuted by a series of bad decisions, Joel radiates more Vīrya than most NBA players do in a lifetime, sprawling out in a 1!-2!-3!-4! mess grown from the seed of a simple roll action and a total disregard for the interference of his opponents.

This dunk could only happen now, at this time, on this day. Soon, Bradley will realize this trying shit isn't worth it on the Pistons. He will realize that Drummond isn't Kevin Garnett or even Amir Johnson, that it is in his very nature to betray everyone who has a heads-up attitude on defense, and rotating into a poster on his behalf is a fucking waste of time. Meanwhile, defenses of every stripe, good and bad, will slowly realize that leaving Embiid alone to grab a ball and drive it in a straight line to the hoop is truly the worst idea you can possibly have on a basketball court.

But while we have still Embiid as he is in this moment, let him sweep you away. He makes the simplest basketball shit amazing again, both by dint of his extraordinary energy and by existing in the NBA's high-modernist period, where nearly every bucket is the result of a monumental tactical effort. He is a blessing from the God of Punk on high.

NBA Dunk of the Week: Joel Embiid Is Punk as Hell published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

[junker-town]

We imagined how an NBA expansion draft would look today

All 30 SB Nation NBA blogs joined in to imagine a future where the league adds to expansion teams. Here are the results.

The NBA is approaching a 14th season existing with 30 teams, the longest period of time that the league has gone without adding or losing teams. Ever since the Charlotte Bobcats — now Hornets — joined in 2004, the 30-team league has been a happy, if flawed, default.

The NBA is also experiencing a global boom. It’s making more money than ever before, highlighted by a record-breaking nine-year, $24 billion television deal that kicked in last season. It’s rapidly growing in popularity both in the United States, where 29 of the 30 teams are located, and globally, where more and more international players are introduced to the league. Given the way this world works, and how quickly the NBA is rising, it was no surprise when NBA commissioner Adam Silver said this about expanding to 31 or 32 teams:

“I don’t want to put a precise timeline on it, but it’s inevitable at some point,” he told C.J. McCollum. (Yes, that’s Blazers guard C.J. McCollum).

Inevitable. That’s a strong word, but that’s where the league is headed.

SB Nation’s Tom Ziller is all over the logistics. You can read this explainer about what would need to happen for the NBA to vote for expansion, and also 13 places where the NBA could expand to, including two international options. (Not London!)

All those things have to be worked out by the smart people in the NBA before any expansion could be approved. We at SB Nation don’t have those same limitations, and we also know that there’s one especially fun thing about the process: The Expansion draft.

So, we are doing one of our own.

The concept is simple: all 30 teams can protect eight players off their roster, and the two expansion teams (it might just be one, but we’re going with two because it’s more fun) can pick from the remaining pool. They’d also get a top draft pick, but that’s not a major factor for this exercise.

We asked all 30 of our SB Nation NBA team blogs which eight players they would hold back from the expansion draft, and had them answer why.

Here’s who they protected and why:

Peachtree Hoops (Atlanta Hawks): Dennis Schroder, Taurean Prince, DeAndre Bembry, John Collins, Dewayne Dedmon, Mike Muscala, Ersan Ilyasova, Kent Bazemore

Celtics Blog (Boston Celtics): Isaiah Thomas, Gordon Hayward, Al Horford, Jae Crowder, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart, Ante Zizic

Nets Daily (Brooklyn Nets): D’Angelo Russell, Caris LeVert, Allen Crabbe, Jarrett Allen, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Spencer Dinwiddie, DeMarre Carroll, Jeremy Lin

At the Hive (Charlotte Hornets): Kemba Walker, Dwight Howard, Nicolas Batum, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Cody Zeller, Frank Kaminsky, Malik Monk, Marvin Williams

Blog a Bull (Chicago Bulls): Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, Lauri Markkanen, Denzel Valentine, Bobby Portis, Cristiano Felicio, Paul Zipser, Jerian Grant

Fear the Sword (Cleveland Cavaliers): LeBron James, Kyrie Irving (for now), Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith, Cedi Osman, Kyle Korver, Richard Jefferson

Mavs Moneyball (Dallas Mavericks): Harrison Barnes, Dennis Smith Jr., Seth Curry, Nerlens Noel (assuming he re-signs), Dirk Nowitzki, Yogi Ferrell, J.J. Barea, Salah Mejri

Denver Stiffs (Denver Nuggets): Nikola Jokic, Paul Millsap, Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, Wilson Chandler, Juancho Hernangomez, Will Barton, Emmanuel Mudiay

Detroit Bad Boys (Detroit Pistons): Andre Drummond, Avery Bradley, Tobias Harris, Stanley Johnson, Luke Kennard, Henry Ellenson, Ish Smith, Reggie Jackson

Golden State of Mind (Golden State Warriors): Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Patrick McCaw, Shaun Livingston, Jordan Bell

The Dream Shake (Houston Rockets): James Harden, Chris Paul, Clint Capela, Eric Gordon, P.J. Tucker, Trevor Ariza, Zhou Qi, Nene

Indy Cornrows (Indiana Pacers): Myles Turner, T.J. Leaf, Glenn Robinson III, Cory Joseph, Domantas Sabonis, Victor Oladipo, Thaddeus Young, Lance Stephenson

Clips Nation (Los Angeles Clippers): Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Danilo Gallinari, Patrick Beverley, Austin Rivers, Milos Teodosic, Sam Dekker, Montrezl Harrell

Silver Screen & Roll (Los Angeles Lakers): Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Julius Randle, Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Clarkson, Brook Lopez, Larry Nance Jr., Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Grizzly Bear Blues (Memphis Grizzlies): Marc Gasol, Mike Conley, Ben McLemore, JaMychal Green (assuming he re-signs), Deyonte Davis, Wayne Selden, Tyreke Evans, Brandan Wright

Hot Hot Heat (Miami Heat): Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic, James Johnson, Dion Waiters, Bam Adebayo, Josh Richardson, Kelly Olynyk, Justise Winslow

Brew Hoop (Milwaukee Bucks): Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker, Khris Middleton, Thon Maker, Malcolm Brogdon, Tony Snell, D.J. Wilson, Sterling Brown

Canis Hoopus (Minnesota Timberwolves): Jimmy Butler, Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Gorgui Dieng, Tyus Jones, Jeff Teague, Nemanja Bjelica, Justin Patton

The Bird Writes (New Orleans Pelicans): Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, Jrue Holiday, Solomon Hill, Cheick Diallo, Frank Jackson, E’Twaun Moore, Rajon Rondo

Posting & Toasting (New York Knicks): Kristaps Porzingis, Willy Hernangomez, Frank Ntilikina, Carmelo Anthony, Damyean Dotson, Kyle O’Quinn, Courtney Lee, Ron Baker

Welcome to Loud City (Oklahoma City Thunder): Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Steven Adams, Andre Roberson, Patrick Patterson, Alex Abrines, Enes Kanter, Raymond Felton

Orlando Pinstriped Post (Orlando Magic): Jonathan Isaac, Aaron Gordon, Arron Afflalo, Elfrid Payton, Nikola Vucevic, Terrence Ross, Jonathon Simmons, Marreese Speights

Liberty Ballers (Philadelphia 76ers): Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz, Robert Covington, Dario Saric, J.J. Redick, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarot, Richaun Holmes

Bright Side of the Sun (Phoenix Suns): Devin Booker, Josh Jackson, Marquese Chriss, Dragan Bender, Tyler Ulis, Eric Bledsoe, T.J. Warren, Alan Williams

Blazer’s Edge (Portland Trail Blazers): Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum, Jusuf Nurkic, Al-Farouq Aminu, Zach Collins, Caleb Swanigan, Maurice Harkless, Noah Vonleh

Sactown Royalty (Sacramento Kings): De’Aaron Fox, Skal Labissiere, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Justin Jackson, Buddy Hield, Willie Cauley-Stein, Harry Giles, Malachi Richardson

Pounding the Rock (San Antonio Spurs): Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, DeJonte Murray, Manu Ginobili, Patty Mills, LaMarcus Aldridge, Davis Bertans, Kyle Anderson

Raptors HQ (Toronto Raptors): Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Serge Ibaka, Norman Powell, Delon Wright, Jakob Poeltl, O.G. Anunoby, Jonas Valanciunas

SLC Dunk (Utah Jazz): Rudy Gobert, Ricky Rubio, Dante Exum, Rodney Hood, Donovan Mitchell, Derrick Favors, Joe Ingles, Joe Johnson

Bullets Forever (Washington Wizards): John Wall, Bradley Beal, Otto Porter, Markieff Morris, Marcin Gortat, Kelly Oubre, Tim Frazier, Mike Scott

Then there’s the actual draft.

Using the players our team communities left unprotected, SB Nation’s Kristian Winfield drafted one team, while our Seattle Supersonics blog Sonics Rising — a hopeful and extremely likely expansion team whenever it finally happens — selected the other. They will unveil their rosters at noon ET.

NOTE: Per expansion draft rules, each new expansion team is limited to one selection per NBA team. Hence, some of the picks.

Remember the time we last did this?

Tom Ziller will take a stroll down memory lane to 2004, when the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) entered the league. There were some odd players left unprotected and some fascinating ripple effects.

Who would you pick?

Now it’s your turn. Here are the five most notable players left unprotected at each position.

And here’s the full list. Pick four from each category (but not two players from the same team) and let us know your 12-man rosters in the comments section:

GUARDS: Malcolm Delaney, Terry Rozier, Isaiah Whitehead, Langston Galloway, Lou Williams, D.J. Augustin, Derrick White, Derrick Rose, Joe Young, Jawun Evans, Troy Daniels, Jamal Crawford, Frank Mason III, Michael Carter-Williams, Kay Felder, Darren Collison, Wade Baldwin, Jerryd Bayless, Brandon Knight, Fred VanVleet, Cameron Payne, Devin Harris, Jameer Nelson, Tyler Ennis, Andrew Harrison, Tyler Johnson, Matthew Dellavedova, Jordan Crawford, Shabazz Napier, Tomas Satoransky, Sean Kilpatrick, Briante Weber, Jose Calderon, Mario Chalmers, Shelvin Mack, T.J. McConnell, Pat Connaughton, Bobby Brown, Ian Clark, Semaj Christon, Randy Foye, Tony Parker, Archie Goodwin

WINGS: Jeremy Lamb, Dwyane Wade, Iman Shumpert, Corey Brewer, Chandler Parsons, Tim Hardaway Jr., Kyle Singler, Alec Burks, Dwayne Bacon, Dorian Finney-Smith, Luol Deng, Nik Stauskas, Evan Turner, C.J. Miles, Tyler Dorsey, David Nwaba, Malik Beasley, Nick Young, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Sindarius Thornwell, Josh Hart, Wayne Ellington, Quincy Pondexter, Lance Thomas, Doug McDermott, Evan Fournier, Brandon Paul, Thabo Sefolosha, Jodie Meeks, Luke Babbitt, Johnny O’Bryant, Reggie Bullock, Omri Casspi, Troy Williams, Bojan Bogdanovic, DeAndre Liggins, Mindaugis Kuzminskas, Michael Beasley, Jerami Grant, Garrett Temple, Bryn Forbes, Marco Belinelli, Abde Nader, Justin Holiday, Wesley Matthews, Wesley Johnson, Okaro White, Darius Miller, Jared Dudley, Bruno Caboclo, Nicolas Brussino, Marcus Morris, Joe Harris, Treveon Graham, Eric Moreland, Rodney McGruder, Rashad Vaughn, Furkan Korkmaz, Jake Layman, Vince Carter, Semi Ojeleye, Jeff Green, Justin Anderson, Derrick Jones Jr., Rudy Gay, Mario Hezonja, Terrance Ferguson,

BIGS: Dwight Powell, Kenneth Faried, David West, Ryan Anderson, Kevin Seraphin, A.J. Hammonds, Spencer Hawes, Taj Gibson, Omer Asik, Jahlil Okafor, Tyson Chandler, Meyers Leonard, Georgios Papagiannis, Pascal Siakam, Ian Mahinmi, Miles Plumlee, Jon Leuer, Gershon Yabusele, Quincy Acy, Robin Lopez, Trey Lyles, Jon Leuer, Zaza Pachulia, Chinanu Onuaku, Udonis Haslem, Greg Monroe, Alexis Ajinca, Joakim Noah, Nick Collison, Bismack Biyombo, Alex Len, Pau Gasol, Jonas Jerebko, Chris McCullough, Aron Baynes, Timofey Mozgov, Josh McRoberts, Boban Marjanovic, John Henson, Cole Aldrich, Amir Johnson, Ed Davis, Daniel Theis, Trevor Booker, Edy Tavares, Khem Birch, Lucas Nogueira, Ekpe Udoh, Mason Plumlee, Anthony Tolliver, Kevon Looney, Tarik Black, Ike Anigbogu, Ivica Zubac, Mirza Teletovic, Dakari Johnson, Kosta Koufos, Tony Bradley, Channing Frye, Darrell Arthur, Damian Jones, Brice Johnson, Thomas Bryant, Joffrey Lauvergne, Joel Bolomboy, Jason Smith, Tyler Lydon, JaVale McGee, Al Jefferson, Willie Reed, Zach Randolph

[sportsv]

東區季後賽展望：不只有LeBron的戰場

原文作者： Ken

2017年，東區季後賽戰場，不同往年，今年騎士在下半季陷入低潮，暴龍、巫師等中上游球隊迅速崛起，塞爾提克甚至超越騎士成為東區第一，擁有Jason Kidd擔任教練的公鹿也不容小覷，老鷹更是季後賽老牌球隊。

波士頓塞爾提克：人小志氣高，矮湯與綠賽的首次冠軍路

Kevin Garnett、Paul Pierce被交易到籃網、Ray Allen轉戰熱火、教練Doc Rivers前往快艇，最後在2014年球季開始時，當年「速食冠軍」宣告瓦解，僅剩下Rajon Rondo，他也已經與球隊漸行漸遠。賽季只打22場，就被送往達拉斯小牛，同時塞爾提克也在二月中，透過交易找來Isaiah Thomas，誰都沒想到原先只被定位成板凳第六人的小傢伙，在兩年後躍升成塞爾提克的明星控球，而故事就是這麼開始。

2016年季後賽，Isaiah Thomas生涯首次入選明星賽，在季後賽將火力昇華到平均24.2分，然而，賽爾提克在首場比賽就傷Avery Bradley，雖然一度將落後19分的劣勢，在第四節一口氣追回，但仍以1分差落敗，其後雙方各保住主場優勢，系列賽2：2打成平手，但第五、六戰，老鷹發揮無明星陣容的優勢，將塞爾提克的得分限制在83、92分，反觀老鷹兩場得分皆突破100分，在傷兵與經驗等條件下，塞爾提克連續兩年止步季後賽首輪。

今年，塞爾提克簽下老鷹的明星前鋒Al Horford，Jae Crowder、Marcus Smart等綠葉皆有稱職表現，開始回收這幾年的潛力，同時Thomas更以「第四節殺手」的名聲享譽聯盟，打出平均29.1分5.9助攻的驚奇表現，對於塞爾提克來說，最主要的目標就是擊垮騎士，跨過這道高牆，把握騎士低迷的近況，一舉擊潰，再次步入總冠軍。

克里夫蘭騎士：LeBron再一次挑戰二連霸，皇帝的時代來臨？

所有的一切都要回到2014年講起，當LeBron James在總冠軍賽輸給馬刺，他沒有留在邁阿密和好兄弟Dwyane Wade、Chris Bosh再戰一年，為熱火奪下兩座冠軍或許夠了，選擇回到生涯的起點，家鄉克里夫蘭，為這座城市拿下第一座冠軍。騎士為LeBron賣掉狀元籤，找來Kevin Love，加上2011的選秀狀元Kyrie Irving，組成新三巨頭，2014-15賽季他們再度重返季後賽，睽違4個賽季。

待在騎士頭兩個賽季，LeBron持續發揮他過人的影響力，兩個賽季都打入總冠軍賽，第一年當他們步履蹣跚踏入總冠軍賽時，Love在第一輪的賽事中，已經因傷賽季報銷，Irving更在Game 1受傷倒下，辛苦組成的三巨頭到頭來又只剩LeBron，平均35.8分13.3籃板8.8助攻，神人般的數據也無法挽救騎士，LeBron一度讓球隊以2：1領先��列賽，但他真的累了，連續兩年亞軍飲恨，隔年再次碰頭勇士，這次他們在1：3的絕對落後下成功逆轉，Game 7，LeBron以27分11籃板11助攻奪下總冠軍賽，打出可能是有史以來最精彩的冠軍最終戰。

季前雖然失去Matthew Dellavedova，防守與控球兼具的好手，卻也在今年季中透過交易，騎士獲得Kyle Korver、Derrick Williams、Deron Williams，儘管後半季深陷低潮，但LeBron的球隊輸球並不該有任何藉口。今年，他們的目標仍是總冠軍，沒有總冠軍就是失敗。

多倫多暴龍：雙槍上膛，這次不會再卡彈

「我感覺不到暴龍有讓人畏懼的『某些東西』，那是在Costco或Walgreen買不到的。」2015年季後賽首輪開打前，華盛頓巫師的老將Paul Pierce說了這番話，意外引起兩隊的口水戰，而該年東區首輪正是由暴龍挑戰巫師，結果如Pierce自信滿滿的預言，巫師還真的不害怕暴龍，直落四淘汰對手。

暴龍的球迷肯定恨透Pierce這名老不休，從2013年開始，暴龍單季勝場數不曾少於48勝，但在14年與15年的季後賽，都是高順位種子首輪遭淘汰，2014年對上布魯克林籃網，雙方殺入第七戰，最後關頭籃網領先1分，由Kyle Lowry操刀最後一球進攻，結果Pierce賞了Lowry一記火鍋，成為經典的鏡頭，隔年Pierce轉往華盛頓巫師，好死不死對手又是暴龍，這年他在季後賽成屢次關鍵得分，用經驗甩開暴龍的追擊。

去年賽季，暴龍終於得以擺脫Pierce，這年隊史第一次殺入東區冠軍賽，可惜季後賽中途傷了Jonas Valanciunas，雖然Biyombo意外崛起，卻仍不敵當時的東區霸主。今年暴龍除了更加成熟之外，DeRozan成為眾球星認證的中距離大師，Lowry更已經是聯盟頂尖的控球，季中補進Serge Ibaka、PJ Tucker進一步提升防守質量與經驗，他們與塞爾提克的目標相同，就是拉下騎士進軍總冠軍，想要留下將成為自由球員的Lowry與Ibaka，這個賽季至少要打出比去年還要強悍的競爭力。

華盛頓巫師：實力堅強，卻不必操之過急

去年賽季，巫師以五成勝率被屏除在東區季後賽門外，以往「西強東弱」的印象，隨著幾支東區新興球隊崛起，反倒讓東區季後賽B段班球隊的競爭格外激烈。過去三年，巫師兩度打入東區第二輪，例行賽戰績卻都分別僅拿下44勝與46勝，靠著陣中老將輔佐年輕的John Wall，得以擊敗戰績優於他們的暴龍、公牛，若要進一步成��，球隊的年輕人勢必得有更多發揮。

這幾年陣容進行微調，透過交易找來太陽的Markieff Morris，扶正潛力前鋒Otto Porter成為先發，再進一步慢慢磨合巫師雙衛Wall與Bradley Beal的默契，儘管兩人一度傳出拆夥不和的謠言，但仍在今年賽季締造自1978年以來例行賽的最佳成績。Wall平均10.8助攻，同時繳出生涯新高的23.2分。減少三分外線的出手次數，轉為向禁區切入破壞，更有效率的進攻打法，讓Wall的得分效率大幅提升，且Beal今年賽季的平均得分也仍有23.1分，兩人互相分享，讓巫師更能整合團隊戰力。

如今，Porter已成為聯盟頂尖的3D球員，Morris則是專打錯位的進攻好手，季中更透過交易與買斷市場，簽下Brandon Jennings、Bojan Bogdanovic兩名先發等級的替補球員，季外簽約的Jason Smith也有出色的表現，不管先發與替補戰力都相當完整。今年目標扳倒騎士或許仍嫌太早，但巫師要花一個賽季證明，至少他們是與塞爾提克、暴龍同等級甚至更強悍的球隊，比起總冠軍，巫師或許更像是成果驗收，今年累積更多經驗，未來兩年或許才是他們的主戰場。

亞特蘭大老鷹：東區馬刺，該找出屬於老鷹的新風格

老鷹之所以能有「東區馬刺」之稱，不只是因為教練與管理團隊承襲馬刺系統，更是因為在過去十年來，他們是東區唯一每年都打入季後賽的球隊，老鷹雖然不如馬刺強悍，卻也靠著許多方式的補強，來建築自己的球隊體系。2014-15賽季，以60勝22敗成為東區第一，整支球隊成為單月最佳球員，「無私、團隊」這些字眼成為老鷹這兩三年以來最好的代名詞。

然而，老鷹終究不是馬刺，過去幾年雖然時常打入季後賽，卻也只有2014年挺進東區冠軍賽，有四年止步第一輪，四年止步第二輪。2014年東區冠軍賽更是老鷹問題的寫照，面對LeBron的騎士老鷹顯得無能為力，DeMarre Carroll是非常優秀的球員，要擋下LeBron仍嫌困難，Paul Millsap、Al Horford更是頂級的禁區猛獸，但這一切似乎反而被「團隊所受困」，季後賽籃球或許更需要一名頂尖球星，適時幫助球隊突圍，然而老鷹沒有這樣的明星。

老鷹今年賽季確實是以打入東區冠軍賽作為目標，但在經過漫長的賽季，如今的目標應該轉向透過季後賽，確立陣容改革的人選。去年夏天他們簽下Dwight Howard，並讓Dennis Schroder接棒Jeff Teague，送走Kyle Korver，讓Tim Hardaway有更多投籃機會，Paul Millsap將成為自由球員，比起總冠軍，老鷹更需要好好在季後賽沈思，哪些球員該花大合約留下，該以哪位球員為中心進行改組。

密爾瓦基公鹿：重建路不遙，五成鹿將改名

Jason Kidd的球隊不會太無趣，我始終深信如此。曾被戲稱「五成鹿」的公鹿，這幾年在季後賽邊緣載浮載陳，2013-14球季單季甚至只有15勝，隔年Kidd接手公鹿以五恰好成戰績打入季後賽，14-15賽季公鹿又跌出季後賽，今年他們再度以五成左右的勝率卡位季後賽，比起2013年的公鹿，現在的公鹿是前途更被看好的潛力球隊。

過去幾年公鹿的陣容一直不太穩定，從早期Brandon Jennings到後來的Monta Ellis、Brandon Knight，他們始終沒有「非賣品」，球隊欠缺值得長期栽培的明星球員，直到Giannis Antetokounmpo的加入，並且靠著14年的選秀籤選中Jabari Parker，加上Khris Middleton，公鹿好不容易在這個賽季讓人看見他們新生代的鐵三角陣容。尤其是Antetokounmpo，不僅名字特別，打球更像個怪物，今年繳出23.1分8.7籃板5.4助攻1.7抄截1.9火鍋的全方面數據。

今年進入季後賽，目標是累積經驗值，Antetokounmpo初次以主力戰將的身分打季後賽，碰上東區前半段的球隊，能造成什麼樣的威脅，值得球團好好觀察，並且進一步探索公鹿該如何尋找綠葉球員與Antetokounmpo搭配，比較可惜的是Parker在下半季報銷賽季，未能參與季後賽，對於公鹿的雙前鋒搭配少了一次難得的經驗。

印第安那溜馬：這一次，George或許不再留戀

2014年，Lance Stephenson離開溜馬，他將使用說明書留給教練，卻忘了將球隊的護身符留下來。前一年，他們還是熱火LeBron最討厭的人對手之一，但隔年他們卻是一支連季後賽都打不進去的球隊，Stephenson的缺席或許是一個原因，但更重要的或許是Paul George在夏天參加美國隊集訓，意外的嚴重受傷，2014-15賽季溜馬僅僅只拿下38勝44敗，George更只出賽6場比賽。

一年的低潮是有收穫的，溜馬靠著選秀得到Myles Turner，並且在夏天重金簽下Monta Ellis，球隊再次進入季後賽，這次碰上暴龍，雙方前四戰互相取得2：2領先，第五戰溜馬一度領先17分，卻在末節被暴龍反打一波9：25的攻勢，暴龍拿下第五戰，儘管下一戰溜馬再度將賽局打回平手，第七戰卻仍無法拿下。George這個系列以平均27.3分7.6籃板4.3助攻力壓暴龍雙槍，但Ellis整個賽季的格格不入與Turner的經驗不足，都成為溜馬輸球的原因，Jonas Valanciunas、Bismack Biyombo的禁區威脅，更讓溜馬無法招架。

今年賽季，溜馬將控球後衛換成更具有切入威脅的Jeff Teague，大前鋒找來Thaddeus Young，老朋友Stephenson也在賽季末回歸溜馬，球隊陣容進行改組，但事實上溜馬卻打出比去年更差的例行賽戰績。陣容雖然看似齊全，卻仍有待磨練，不過比起爭奪東區冠軍，或許球隊該擔心的是George將在明年夏天成為自由球員，如果這次季後賽再沒打出好成績，溜馬或許該好好想想，要如何組織球隊，才有說服力和George簽下新合約。

芝加哥公牛：風城之子，身在何方？

當飆風玫瑰Derrick Rose倒下，公牛並沒有隨之離開季後賽的競爭，2014-15賽季，公牛更以大手筆的合約，挖來湖人的中鋒Pau Gasol，已經三年未曾入選明星賽的Gasol，在公牛兩年期間平均17.6分11.4籃板3.4助攻2火鍋，並且重回明星賽舞台。公牛更在該賽季再度打出單季50勝的戰績。

季後賽首輪面對公鹿，前三戰公牛輕鬆取勝，傷癒歸隊的Rose在季後賽有亮眼的切入破壞力，加上已經成為一哥的Jimmy Butler，公鹿似乎不是公牛的對手，第四戰Jerryd Bayless在最後1.3秒絕殺上籃，第五戰公鹿再討回一勝，雙方3：2進入第六戰，然而這次公牛不再放水，120：66血洗對手，創下季後賽最大勝分。第二輪碰上騎士，前三戰公牛取得2：1領先，但第三戰公牛傷了Gasol，第四戰開始LeBron先是拿下大三元，將戰局扳平，第五戰38分12籃板6助攻，再下一城，最後第六戰，15分9籃板11助攻準大三元，反觀公牛單場只攻下73分慘遭淘汰，且後續三場比賽，籃板優勢皆讓騎士掌握，少了的進攻與策應，團隊的進攻也不再流暢。

去年賽季，Joakim Noah只打29場比賽，而球隊也陷入傷兵困擾，最終被排除在季後賽門外，Rose再一次的受傷，讓速度、爆發力再次受挫，Butler過往的操時演出也開始付出代價，球隊今年賽季再次失去Gasol，Noah、Rose也紛紛轉往尼克。公牛簽下家鄉英雄Dwyane Wade，以及爭議很多的Rajon Rondo，但這些努力並沒有回饋到戰績，直到例行賽最後一天，才擠進季後賽。今年，季後賽或許不是他們的該專心的賽事，好好思考接下來球隊該如何改建，或許才是重點，趁著季後賽看看誰才是該留下來的人才。

【2017 Playoffs】 季後賽展望：西區篇 季後賽展望：東區篇

NBA季後賽賽程&轉播資訊

西區季後賽關鍵球員：覆蓋的王牌

季後賽首輪分析

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