NBA Miscellany -- Part II

NBA League Pass is the gift that keeps on giving this holiday season. College basketball is in the midst of its annual pre-conference play boringness, so I’ve spent a lot of time watching The Association lately.

If you're not familiar with how League Pass works: the games that aren’t nationally televised are carried by each team’s regional network; each team has the same announcers call each of its games – home or away. As a result, I’ve developed a rapport with some broadcast crews, and I’ve been forced to mute others.

It’s fun to pick up on funny/quirky/downright uncomfortable things said during these games. For instance, these dudes will comically call a player exclusively by his nickname for the entirety of the game. Here are my favorites thus far:

“Banger” – Aron Baynes – San Antonio Spurs/FSSW

Near the beginning of the season I was watching a Spurs game while I was preoccupied with something else. I didn’t even see Baynes enter the game, but heard Bill Land and Sean Elliot say “Banger” three or four times in as many possessions. I literally had no idea what the hell they were talking about, until I put two and two together. It was glorious. Unrelated note: these two are a Top 5 Homer Crew in the league (probably because they’re so spoiled by the Spurs). After the Spurs lost at home to Portland in triple OT last week, the gloom with which Land signed off the telecast was both hilarious and worrisome.

“Dragon” – Goran Dragic – Phoenix Suns/FSAZ

The best part about this one is Dragic always has the ball in his hands – leading to more and more exclamatory "Dragon" calls from Steve Albert.  Unlike Baynes, Dragic plays big minutes so if Albert exclusively called Dragic by his nickname it would be unbearably hammered into the ground. This crew is a hoot. 

“Flamethrower” – Ryan Anderson – New Orleans Pelicans/FSNO

This is my favorite. Sure, there are stretches when Anderson is unconscious from anywhere on the court, and at 6’10, that causes big problems for opposing defenses. But this guy is shooting 34% from 3, and has reached the 40% clip in only one season. It may be time for Joel Meyers and David Wesley to retire this nickname until further notice.  

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Now a few tidbits from the last couple days:

Spurs Gonna Spur

The Spurs continue to consistently generate the best half-court looks of any NBA team. In this first sequence, Marco Belinelli gets a back-screen from the Red Rocket, and cuts toward the rim. LaMarcus Aldridge, not wanting to leave Bonner (40% 3-pt. shooter) open from 3, fails to bump Belinelli on his cut. End result is a great look from one crafty foreigner to another for a lay-up. If you watch the video a few times, consider this: I have zero idea what in the world Chris Kaman is doing hugging Thiago Splitter 18 feet from the basket on the weak-side, but he is. 

Jrue "Insert Holiday Pun Here" Holiday

I've become a big fan of Jrue Holiday's floor game this year. Much like John Wall, Holiday has always been incredibly gifted but is just now harnessing that wealth of talent. Holiday is 5th in the NBA in AST/TO ratio among 30+ mpg players. He rarely seems to play at a pace that he's uncomfortable with -- an encouraging sign from a guy who has the ability to run with/stay in front of anybody if need be. 

Look at these two, late 4Q defensive possessions against the Thunder. Holiday did a terrific job staying in front of the weapon of mass destruction that is Russell Westbrook:

 

NBA Miscellany -- Part I

John Wall and Marcin Gortat – A Happy Marriage

Let me be clear: everyone in DC is drooling at Wall’s recent assistapalooza– he’s had double-digit assists in 8 of his last 9 games (and has reached 17 twice). But I am particularly drawn to Wall’s connection with Marcin Gortat. The large, tatted, Pole has scored via assist 108 times, and Wall accounts for 51 of them, per NBA.com.

Conventional basketball wisdom says, when defending in transition, to first get back to establish a paint presence before fanning out to the perimeter. But Wall loves to kick out to wide-open shooters in transition. I think that’s why Gorgui Dieng, Gortat’s defender, put himself in better position to contest an Otto Porter three, rather than stopping Gortat’s rim run. Wall looked off Dieng and delivered a lob that even the earth-bound Gortat could finish.

Gortat and the other Washington bigs set tons of down-screens for Bradley Beal, who only needs a slither of daylight to knock down a jumper. Dieng, again matched up on Gortat, relaxes when he assumes his man is simply setting a screen to free up Beal. Instead, Beal sets a back-pick for Gortat—now Dieng, asleep at the wheel, is grossly out of position. And Corey Brewer, guarding Beal, is equally baffled. The result: an easy two for the Wiz. Wall and company properly executed clever half-court offense from Randy Wittman and his staff.  

Beno Udrih and Andre Miller – Aging Like Fine Wine

Both guards are certainly past their prime, and each is seeing limited minutes on contenders. But occasionally, they can light a little twinkle in my eye.

Beno is long removed from his first few years in the league in San Antonio, but he still shows flashes of Spurs-like savvy in the half-court. Solid in pick and roll situations, Udrih can also hit pull-up jumpers with consistency. Not to mention this gem from last night:

Andre Miller is a better-known commodity, from my vantage point. He has been giving fellow guards the business from the post since 1999. His stats have never overwhelmed me, but I would defend Prof. Miller; he is a cerebral player who has maximized his physical gifts (which are relatively low). He’s the master of keeping his defender on his hip, Joe Ingles the victim in this instance a few nights ago:

Harrison Barnes

Despite starting in all 24 Warrior games, Barnes uses only 14% of Golden State’s possessions per Basketball Reference. That number isn’t too surprising given his high usage backcourt brethren, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Looking at Barnes’s numbers, I am a tad surprised; lower usage players generally are more efficient than are high usage players. I thought  he would be operating at a more efficient clip. That said, this guy can go get you a bucket. He’s probably the third or fourth option in crunch time, but if Curry or Thompson are forced into an unfavorable late-game scenario, I am confident Barnes could at least generate a decent look.

In the first of two end-of-quarter scores against Memphis two nights ago, Barnes beats Jon Leuer off the bounce, jump-stops and shows great footwork with the finish. Impressive finish over two dudes standing 6’10 and 7’0.

                                      

One possession later, Barnes beats the buzzer with a tough, leaning floater. Guards tend to struggle with that short mid-range shot in the 8-12 foot range. Barnes three-point shot is dangerous enough to force defenders to respect it, and he showed deft touch in each of the above instances.

What Is (Actually) Wrong with Michigan Basketball

Photo: Allison Farrand/UMHoops.com

Michigan’s loss to a conference-less NJIT on Saturday can no longer be written off as a statistical anomaly. Yes, that NJIT – the New Jersey Institute of Technology—is not exactly basketball lore. My beloved Wolverines followed Saturday’s putrid effort with a 45-42 home loss to a bitter in-state rival, Eastern Michigan. By bitter in-state rival I actually mean a non-conference doormat that hadn’t beaten Michigan in 17 years.

Michigan’s consecutive meltdowns are low-hanging fruit for college basketball beat writers. ESPN’s Eamonn Brennan posted an article last night in which he aimlessly wondered aloud what’s wrong with Michigan while failing to provide a definitive answer.

Eamonn: I’m here for you bro. Here’s my take:

In the macro-sense, Michigan’s struggles can largely be placed into two categories: youth/inexperience and (relatively) inefficient offensive production.

Let me start with the latter since it requires more explanation. John Beilein’s teams are not known for their defensive prowess – that is no secret. But average to below-average defense is passable when it’s accompanied by lethally efficient offense. Michigan had the most efficient offense in the country in each of the last two seasons, per kenpom (http://kenpom.com/). Watching Michigan’s offense from 2012-2014 was like watching poetry in motion  -- back cuts, screen slips, floor spacing, deadly shooting – it was basketball in its purest form. 

Spike Albrecht (left) and Zak Irvin as the buzzer sounded in Michigan's 45-42 loss to Eastern Michigan. Photo: Dustin Johnson/UMHoops.com

 What I witnessed in last night’s dumpster fire of a basketball game was a far cry from the brand of hoops with which I’ve become obsessed. Not surprisingly to me, Zak Irvin didn’t make a Stauskas-esque jump from year one to year two – and that’s okay because it’s implausible to again expect a low usage freshman morphing into conference MVP the following season. But Irvin is only of only 4 guys Beilein can trust out there; Spike Albrecht, Caris LeVert, and Derrick Walton Jr. being the others. Irvin is the only player on this roster with a true scorer’s DNA – but his current level won’t allow him to do so efficiently in the rugged Big 10.  Therein lies the problem.  

The youth/inexperience issue is equally worrisome. With the exception of Trey Burke, few freshman are immediately able to become key cogs in Michigan’s offensive attack because it takes considerable time to adapt to Beilein’s complex scheme. But I’m at least accustomed to seeing freshman contribute in some capacity – especially at the guard/wing position. Neither Aubrey Dawkins nor Muhammad Ali Abdur Rahkman has seen considerable minutes–- let alone in crunch time. The result is 38-40 minutes per game for LeVert, Irvin and Walton barring foul trouble. I’ve been proud of the way the young bigs, Ricky Doyle and Mark Donnal, have battled, but they miss block-outs and are late on defensive rotations too often. The drop-off of production at the wing spots is equally profound in the frontcourt; Jordan Morgan made so many winning plays.

This is not a coaching issue – Beilein is a top 5 coach in America; he always always always maximizes talent. This is not a locker-room issue – this team doesn’t have any cancerous personalities and the team hierarchy, led by LeVert and Albrecht’s captainship, is well defined. Maybe Team 99 is starting to accept the unfortunate truth: the leftovers from teams with four 1^st round picks in 2 years plus 5 freshman, none of whom are ready to contribute, will likely result in an NIT bid. But I’m certainly not ready to give up hope yet.

Elmer's Glue-All NBA Team

Glue guys are everywhere in college basketball -- undersized, vertically challenged, high IQ guys can excel against talented but unmotivated/low IQ foes. I've found that glue guys in college basketball are often lauded because they are able to excel on good teams despite a glaring weakness. Take a look at Seth Davis's annual NCAAB glue guy column that dates back to 2000. Justin Mason, a 4 year player at Texas who appears on the list, was an offensive liability (4-17 from 3pt. his senior year). Zack Novak, a 4 year starter at Michigan who appeared on the list in consecutive years, played power-forward despite standing 6'5. Brady Morningstar, who I enjoyed in large part because of his badass undershirt, lacked the size and strength to check Big 12 shooting guards. These guys all started on NCAA tournament teams.

But in the NBA, glue guys are a different phenomena. In a league filled with hyper-athletic, skilled players, effort or moxie alone isn't good enough. These guys, unlike their NCAAB glue guy counterparts, don't really have weaknesses at all. Not one of the players below is commonly held to be a top 2 player on his team. None of the players below really has one discernibly great skill, and yet, they are strangely uber important. And that's the magic of glue guys -- you have to look a little closer, dig a little deeper to find their value. They're the proverbial straw that stirs the drink. They're the "I'll Tell You What, Bob, I Don't Know Where This Team Would Be Without This Guy" guy. I love glue guys.

Mike Conley -- Quarterback/PG -- Memphis Grizzlies

Conley is one of the most underrated PGs in the league. He has neither the blazing John Wall speed nor the bounce of Russell Westbrook. But this guy has a terrific floor game that suits Memphis's predominately half-court offense. Conley's floater game is exceptionally strong; he's the only PG I've seen that can shoot floaters with each hand. Mike Conley, a 46% 3pt shooter this year with a 3:1 assist/turnover ratio, you can play for me any time.

Trevor Ariza -- Swiss Army Knife/SF -- Houston Rockets

Ariza disappeared into relative anonymity after his stellar play on the Laker's title team in 2008-09. He burst back onto the scene last year, a contract year for Ariza, where he again assumed the role of a lockdown perimeter defender who is no slouch on offense, either. Ariza has been productive on offense in large part because of his shot selection -- he's taking nearly all his shots either at or near the rim, or from beyond the arc (40% at rim, 59% from 3). So he's both avoiding the dreaded mid-range jumper and spacing the floor to give Harden room to operate. The Rockets knew what they'd be getting defensively from Ariza, but Trevor's offensive production has been pleasantly surprising for Kevin McHale and Daryl Morey.

Draymond Green -- Point-Forward -- Golden State Warriors

Draymond Green started 12 of 82 games last year. This year, David Lee's left hamstring has thrust Green into a starting role in all 12 games -- and the Warriors are benefitting. Green replaces Lee's atrocious post-defense with an ability to guard 3 positions. Offensively, Green brings and inside-out dimension to a team already loaded with perimeter talent. When I think of Draymond Green I think of a possession like this: Steph gets a high ball screen and goes left, taking his defender and the helper with him to the free-throw line extended. Steph then whips a left-handed pass to Green. He gets the rock at the top of the key in a half-court, 3-2 situation, and more often than not, makes the right basketball play. In addition to his play, everything I've read suggests Green is the consummate leader/teammate as well. If Lee is willing to come off the bench when he returns, and with the recent emergence of Marreese Speights to bolster the bench, the Warriors might have something special here.

Nicolas Batum -- Batman/SF -- Portland Trail Blazers 

Nicolas Batum is exlusively called Batman by his French national team comrades, but he's neither Batman (Aldridge) nor Robin (Lillard) on his Portland team. Batum barely edged out another great glue guy, Robin Lopez, but I gave Batman the call because of his versatility. Batum is so important to the Blazer offense because a) Portland is comfortable with the ball in his hands which leads to b) Damien Lillard can play off the ball, where he's especially lethal. Per NBA.com Player Tracking, Batum led the NBA last year in distance covered (in miles) on the court. I don't know whether that's a testament to his long legs, or the fact that Batum is always on the move -- either way, he puts a lot of pressure on the opposition.

Jonas Valanciunas -- All Beef/C -- Toronto Raptors

I promise I'm not overreacting to Jonas's 27 points (10-11 FG) & 11 boards last night. He's shooting 60% from the field -- Valancuinas is often the beneficiary of drive and dishes from DeMar DeRozan or Kyle Lowry. But in just his third year, Jonas is also showing off inklings of an increasingly polished back-to-the-basket game. He also converts at an 80% clip from the free-throw line -- a huge plus for Jonas that plagues other near 60% 2FG shooters (see Jordan, Deandre). Even when shots aren't falling for Toronto's perimeter studs, Valancuinas relentless work on the glass provides a much needed spark for the offense.

NBA Tipoff Live-Blog

Finally. After one of the more compelling offseasons in recent memory,  basketball returns to its rightful place at the forefront of American sports-talk. 

1st Quarter

11:48: Annnnnnd we're off. Tyson Chandler maybe would have finished that lob from Jameer Nelson 4 years ago. Great play design by Carlisle out of the gate, though. 

10:32: Jameer Nelson looks geriatric. In other news, Danny Green is still wet. 

9:31: These are 2 of the best 5 X-O coaches in the NBA. Love the game of chess that goes on between Pop and Carlisle.

9:12: Holy Chandler Parsons. Slick in-and-out dribble punctuated with a flush over Timmy Duncan.

7:53: Dirk joins the party. The Red Mamba (Bonner) bit on Dirks' pump-fake. He then calmly buried a 14-footer. 

7:04: Dirk strips Duncan in transition and shouts "AAHF HIS LEHG". Reminded me of this

6:22: Ginobili checks in. No fouls have been called yet. This is an enjoyable brand of basketball.

Commercial Break thoughts: one way to measure coaching is what they do after time outs, stoppages

5: 38: Poor perimeter defense from SA. Both Jameer Nelson and Monta Ellis are getting into the painted area at will. 

5:18: Tyson Chandler doing what Tyson Chandler does. 

3:50: Sloppy sequence ends with a Tony Parker corner three. 

Commercial break: It's funny because the last time I watched the spurs play, they were playing perfect basketball. this is far from it. 

2:50: Aaron Baynes denies Parsons at the rim and Bellinelli buries a 3. Jameer Nelson cans a 3 on the other end. Both offenses seem to be picking up.

2:03: Yikes. Tyson Chandler tweaked his back on one of the attempted lobs. Heading to the locker room.

1:27: Devin Harris looks sharp: mid-range jumper and alley-oop to Brandan Wright on consecutive possessions. 

0:47: First one-footed-fallaway jumper of the year for Dirk, this one with a members bounce. Those never get old.

Nice execution by the Mavs at the end of the 1st quarter. 

2nd Quarter

11:54: Spurs begin 2nd Q with some full court pressure.

10:08: Baynes is kind of good. Old school. There may be a new Big Fundamental in San Antonio. 

9:41: Dirk has now been dropped by Boris Diaw twice. LOL

9:18: Not surprisingly, Danny Green has clearly continued to work on his in-between game. Two smooth looking mid-range Js thus far. 

8:14: Richard Jefferson's corpse! He's alive! Dang, Jameer Nelson has now hit 3 3s.

7:27: Greg Anthony was describing Richard Jefferson's "evolution" which most of us would describe as "decay"

4:28: Tony Parker hits a jumper off of a Duncan screen --going to his left. He rarely shoots jumpers going to his right off pick-and-roll. He has a fairly quiet 10 points. Mavs lead by 3.

4:22: Dallas defensive rotations have been really solid. The back-side guard has disrupted an interior pass on several occasions (Parsons the recipient twice)

3:32: Beautiful fast-break by Parsons and Jefferson. I dream about running those fast-breaks at Gregory Gym. My life is very average. 

2:39: Out of a timeout, Ginobili posted-up Parsons and scored. Interesting. 

1:22: Attention teams who don't shoot corner 3s: watch this game. There have been about 7 between the two teams.

Mavs lead 53-45.

Week 4 Picks*

Week 4 NFL picks are below with bits of commentary interspersed. Picks in bold. Home teams follow '@' or precede 'vs.'

Redskins (-4) vs. Giants

So the Giants may be a little underrated -- as in, they may not be one of the three worst teams in football. But I still don't think they're any good due to shoddy quarterback play in a brand-new offensive scheme and bone-headed play on D/ST (cue Tom Coughlin's face turning an uncomfortable shade of crimson). A noteworthy stat: home teams are outscoring their foes 118-36 in Thursday night games so far this year. And Kirk Cousins (no relation to DeMarcus) is good at football.

49ers (-4.5) vs. Eagles

At 1-2, I would contend that the Niners are still among the best 5 teams in football (or they will be by the year's end). While San Fran's defense is often wrongly ascribed as elite, their physicality may disrupt Philly's offense, largely predicated on timing and precision. Recall that during the second half of PHI/WSH on Sunday, four of the five Eagles offensive linemen were back-ups. Justin Smith is licking his chops.

Packers (-1.5) @ Bears

I understand there is a lot of sharp action on Chicago. But Chicago's only truly impressive performance was when they had seemingly no business winning, but somehow hi-jacked that game from SF in the first regular season game at Levi's Stadium. The Packers have certainly struggled, in large part due to a feeble offensive line, but A-Rod calmed my worries on 540 ESPN Milwaukee when he told Packer Nation to "R-E-L-A-X"...Yes, he actually said that.

Bills (+3) @ Texans

Dolphins @ Raiders (+3.5)

Colts (-7.5) vs. Titans

Panthers @ Ravens (-3.5)

I understand this is not geometry. There isn't, per se, a transitive property of sports. But...teams with mutual opponents this early in the season have to tell us something, right? Baltimore stymied Pittsburgh at home on Thursday in week 2, and the Steelers crushed Carolina (on the road) on Sunday. If-so-fact-o, I like Baltimore ATS.

Lions (-2) @ Jets

Geno Smith is like Hunts Ketchup. He sucks.

Buccaneers @ Steelers (-8)

Jaguars (+13) @ Chargers

Chargers coming off huge win vs SEA, cross-country vs Buffalo, back home.
Since the Jags sprinted out to a surprising 17-0 1st half lead against Philly in week 1, they have been outscored 116-27. Why then, you ask, am I taking the points? Consider this: the Bolts had an emotional win at home against the Seahawks in week 2, then traveled across the country face Buffalo (at noon) in week 3. This has all the makings of a let-down game for San Diego -- and by let-down, I only mean their inability to win by 13 points.

Falcons (-3) @ Vikings

Saints (-3) @ Cowboys [SNF]

Patriots @ Chiefs (+3) [MNF]


Oh, and if you were wondering why there was an asterisk in the title of this post, it's because this season I'm 0-5 ATS in games in which I bet my father's hard earned real money. So your guess is as good as mine. Good luck this weekend.

2014 FIBA World Championships Primer

Tis the time to wipe the dust off the ole blog. Court Vision has lay dormant for over a month -- largely because my life was marred by any of the following: moving out of the White House, my inability to move into my new residence (which subjected me to a friend's couch for the next 8 days), and summer school final exams.

Besides, I started this blog knowing full well that sports summers have little to offer, and that the vast majority of the posts herein will be published between the months of August and June. As heterosexual, meat-eating, American men are nearly shitting themselves in excitement about the start of football season, I am writing today about... none other than the upcoming FIBA World Championships! More specifically, the well-oiled, always loaded machine that is Team USA Basketball.

I love college football -- but let's be honest: unless you're one of a handful of teams who has a legitimate test in week 1 (SCarolina/A&M,Wisconsin/LSU, Bama/WVU, UGA/Clemson), there isn't much to glean from a 59-0 obliteration of some FCS school. So for one last week until November, let's talk hoops.

Before delving into a team USA roster that is loaded -- yet wholly inferior to rosters in recent international competitions -- let's pay homage to the two dudes that run shit: Jerry Colangelo and Mike Krz...Coach K.

Mike Krzyzewski (left), Jerry Colangelo (middle), and Jim Boeheim (right) converse during a USA practice held in Las Vegas earlier this month. Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

When Colangelo was appointed Director of Basketball Operations in 2005, USA Basketball had hit (relatively speaking) rockbottom. A disappointing 6th place finish at the 2002 FIBA World Championships was followed by a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Colangelo's first order of business: find a head coach who shared his vision of commitment and discipline. After hiring Krzyzewski, USA again posted an underwhelming result -- finishing third in the 2006 FIBAs -- but the atmosphere was certainly changing. 

 Eight years later, and the quarterfinal loss to Greece in the 2006 FIBAs is the only time USA has lost in international competition with Coach K on the sidelines. Together, Colangelo and Coach K have made it "cool" for the best players in the world, most of whom play in the NBA, to participate in international basketball. They've turned players sometimes labeled lazy into guys who dive for loose balls or sprint to help a teammate up. These things matter. When the biggest, most athletic and most skilled players on the planet are also doing the oft-belabored "little things" the result is a 65-1 stretch in 8 years. 

Now a breakdown of the position groups on the final 12 man roster:

Guards

I've pegged Steph Curry as a starter since camp began, and that should hold true in the opener against Finland...but not at point guard. Kyrie Irving, whose consistent jumper and ability to break interior defenses, gets the nod as floor general. Hyper-athletic Derrick Rose still shows flashes of his former self, but he's still playing his way into "game shape" and fits well coming off the bench. Klay Thompson is a floor-spacer and plus defender -- both of which will gain him minutes off the bench. James Harden is a firm starter; his offensive floor game remains elite, but he has apparently improved his defensive effort .  The guard spot is the strongest group on the USA roster, in my humble opinion.

Forwards

With the two best wing players in the world (LBJ, KD) opting not to play in the 2014, the USA forwards are a bit of a rag-tag bunch. And by that I mean they would probably play a featured role on any other roster in this tournament. Kenneth Faried's relentless effort on defense and both backboards thrusted him into Coach K's starting lineup. Rudy Gay was added to the roster when KD withdrew, and I think he'll see time at the 3 and even the stretch 4 in small-ball lineups. I was surprised to see DeMar Derozan make the team over Chandler Parsons, but I suppose Coach K favored Derozan's superior athleticism for defensive purposes. 

Bigs

Anthony Davis is not only a surefire starter; but also the most important player on the roster, from my vantage point. Davis's length is a downright problem for opposing frontcourters; and his ability to corral rebounds and get the break started quickly also stands out. Aside from his own strengths, the depth (or lack thereof) behind Davis is somewhat alarming, and renders Davis all the more important. Andre Drummond, DeMarcus Cousins and Mason Plumlee are all solid NBA bigs, but do I trust any of them playing crunch time minutes against a front court of Serge Ibaka, Marc and Pau Gasol? Meh. And if Davis somehow fouls out, (remember only 5 fouls, not 6 like in the NBA) team USA is vulnerable. 

Sunday, September 14th. That's the day of the finals. To be frank: if the USA isn't playing (and winning) the championship game, it will be a letdown. But with the empire that Colangelo, Coach K have only expanded, I am hard-pressed to believe that anyone but team USA will be hoisting a trophy in the next few weeks. 

From 30,000 Feet: A Few of My Favorite YouTube Videos

Greetings all,

I'm currently aboard American Airlines Flight 290 service to New York, New York to visit my sister. So what better time to crank out a quick blog post? I really wish the 280lb behemoth next to me in seat 25B had bought two seats to accommodate his heftiness. I also hope he isn't peering over my shoulder reading this. 

On to more pertinent matters. The invention and subsequent growth of YouTube has brought every relevant (and wildly irrelevant) sports moment to the palm of your hand. Below I've compiled some of my favorite clips.

Kevin Durant's First Visit to Rucker Park

Three years ago, the NBA lockout prevented players from training in team facilities until an agreement was reached between the NBA owners and the Player's Association on a new CBA. As a result, Kevin Durant (and many others) had to find alternate ways to stay in playing shape. Fortunately for us, KD35 took his wet jumper to Rucker Park in August 2011. Since its inception, Harlem's renowned Rucker Park has played host to streetball legends and NBA Hall of Famers alike. Quick tangent: Joakim Noah, per Wiki, visited Rucker Park back in 2006. I love Noah as a player, but how exactly does he put on a show at Rucker? By relentlessly attacking the offensive glass or berating his teammates for missing a defensive rotation? Who knows. Finishing with 66 points (record is 74), Durant had an out-of-body experience as he buried deep 3s on 4 consecutive possessions. He shut the place down with the fourth as the crowd mobbed him at mid-court. With no thanks to the ghetto fabulous dawg MC-ing the game, this video is awesome even for non-KD apologists.

Aquille Carr HoopMixtape

Generously listed at 5'7, Aquille Carr stars in one of the more entertaining hoopmixtapes on YouTube. Carr had initially committed to Seton Hall, but last-minute decided to play overseas in 2012. Carr's gravity-defying ability to change direction on a dime has had more than his hometown of Baltimore buzzing. To me, more impressive than his ankle-breaking handles, are the few blocked shots in the reel in which he meets much taller players at the rim. Aquille Carr may not get a shot in the NBA, but he should be able to make a healthy living playing basketball--somewhere. I'll forever remember his entertaining, hood-rat style. You do you, Aquille.

Trey Burke The Shot

I was at this game, sitting right behind the media in the front row on the baseline. I recognized the two guys in front of me as the main contributors to UMhoops.com, a blog I have followed religiously since 2007-2008. As the Kansas lead swelled to 14 with less than 7 minutes remaining, I saw them booking a return flight home to Detroit. The writing was on the wall. And then it wasn't. Michigan cruelly roped me back in after I had nearly accepted defeat by chipping away at the deficit. Miraculously, Michigan found itself in a dogfight in the final minute. Kansas guard Elijah Johnson, who purposely punched Mitch McGary in the balls earlier in the game, stepped to the line for a 1-and-1 with 12.6 seconds remaining. Karmically, he missed. Then it happened. In a state of euphoria, I think I blacked out in the immediate aftermath of "The Shot" (Yes, I'm fully aware I'm one of roughly 18 people in the world who refer to this play as "The Shot"). When I gathered my wits I was jumping uncontrollably while violently yanking on the shirts of Joe and Dylan from UMHoops. A security guard then threatened to remove me from the stadium if I touch a media row member again. Whatever you want, officer. Then Michigan tore through the bracket to the 'ship where...let's not talk about that.

ESPN SportsCenter Images of the Decade

My all-time favorite video. It combines everything we love about sports: utter despair, jubilation, and the element of "You Literally Cannot  Make This Shit Up." It also incorporates noteworthy cultural events like 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, both of which undoubtedly had an affect on the sports world. This video production itself is a reminder that ESPN is not the World Wide Leader on accident. An underrated cool thing about the video: the lyrics to the song (Clocks by Coldplay for any of you noobs) is synced to describe what is unfolding on the screen. Not sure how else I can do this video justice, but if you are only interested in watching only one of the above clips, please make it this one. 

2014 NBA Draft Recall

This sports summer has been busier than most: the World Cup, wild NBA Free Agency, and Baseball Tonight weeknights on ESPN2. Perhaps the last one was a stretch, but arguably the most loaded NBA Draft in this millennium has quickly fallen by the wayside, outside of NBA circles. For that is why I have rehashed a few of my favorite (likes) and least favorite (yikes) picks of the 2014 NBA Draft. Enjoy


Likes

Kyle Anderson (SF) -- San Antonio Spurs -- 30th Overall -- UCLA

Is there any conceivable way a guy nicknamed "Slow Mo" wouldn't end up in San Antonio? Rangy and methodical, Anderson, a point-forward in essence, was the primary ball-handler on a top 20 squad. Does he project to be a primary ball-handler in the NBA? No, probably not, but he has excellent vision and a solid handle at his height (6'8). I'm not sure a player's style fits the team by whom he was drafted better than Anderson and San Antonio. Anderson is Boris Diaw thirty pounds ago. And I thought Boris Diaw should have won 2014 Finals MVP -- so it's readily apparent that the Spurs value a small-ball 4 who can pass and stretch the floor. Would you be surprised if Anderson was running a Hi-Lo post set with a 48 year old Tim Duncan in the 2024 NBA Finals? Don't rule it out.

Bottom Line: Anderson is indeed a project; but there is simply no better place to hone his particular skill-set than in San Antonio. I expect him to become a reliable (at least) three point shooter, and his unselfishness should manifest itself in an offense predicated on passing.



Julius Randle (PF) -- Los Angeles Lakers -- 7th Overall -- Kentucky

Randle is a walking, eating, and shitting double-double; he led the nation with 24 of them. Some perspective:  right now, he may have the best motor of any front-court player in the NBA, with the exception of Kenneth Faried. At 6'9 250, he won't be able to consistently bludgeon NBA power forwards into submission like he did at Kentucky, but his 7'0 wingspan allows him to alter his release-point and get the ball on the cylinder from unconventional angles. And there is nothing cataclysmically wrong with his jumper, so with some time, I expect him to be a serviceable mid-range shooter (Kobe will ensure this happens).

Bottom Line: The Lakers' selection will yield immediate help on the glass, and has the potential to blossom into a formidable shooter and back-to-the-basket threat.

James Young (SG/SF) -- Boston Celtics -- 17th Overall -- Kentucky

Like Randle, Young: is left-handed, left Kentucky after a productive freshman year, and has a 7'0 wingspan. Wait, what? 6'6 James Young has freakishly long arms. His 34% 3-point shooting is somewhat disappointing given his silky smooth release. But Young is one of those guys who seemingly always buries a 3 when his team is a) trying to thwart an opponent's run or b) stuck in neutral on offense. He definitely needs to tighten up his handle so he can do more of this. Let's remember that this dude is 18 (!) and doesn't turn 19 until mid-August.

Bottom Line: At the very least, the Celtics gained an athletic wing who can guard two positions, but I think his ability to stretch the floor on offense will be his calling card. He's a piece of the rebuilding puzzle.



Yikes

Nik Stauskas (SG) -- Sacramento Kings -- 8th Overall -- Michigan

For those of you who don't know, I follow Michigan basketball rather closely. So I wasn't thrilled  to see Stauskas was heading to the black hole of basketball; a place where promising young talent self-combusts due to the lack of organizational structure, among other things. But will I buy a heinous purple #10 Stauskas jersey as soon as it hits the shelves? Absolutely. Anywho, Stauskas is a dead-eye shorter who is vastly underrated as a passer and in pick-and-roll situations. He's basically an offensive juggernaut, but his defensive ability leaves much to be desired. And that last sentence is applicable to about 5 other players on their roster -- not good. So while the Kings gained another guy who can get buckets, their DRtg will remain in the bottom third of the league next year. That ain't gonna cut it in the absurdly loaded Western Conference. Couple that with the fact that the Kings are (seemingly) giving up  on Ben McLemore after only his rookie season, and you have yourself a boneheaded selection.

Bottom Line: I just wrote a paragraph about how the Kings are a crappy franchise in case Stauskas doesn't pan out as a player because I'm a homer. In all seriousness, Stauskas thrived in a Princeton-style motion offense at Michigan; he will see nothing like that in Sacremento. He also doesn't satisfy a team positional need.

Zach LaVine (SG) -- Minnesota Timberwolves -- 13th Overall -- UCLA

After NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called his name on draft night, cameras caught LaVine appearing to mouth the words "F__k me". While we'll never know for certain whether his intent was exaltation or despair, I prefer the latter. After all, "F__k me" was probably the first thought that popped into the heads of the last ten Minnesota draft picks; only LaVine was dumb enough to actually mouth the words on national television. LaVine is an intriguing prospect, though; he showed out at the NBA Combine with a 42" vertical. He's 6'6, the ideal height for NBA shooting guards, and he wields a compact and mechanically sound jumper. So why did he score under 9.7 points per game in, on average, 24 minutes of action? I have no idea, but I think LaVine was a reach for a team that simply cannot afford to swing and miss in the lottery.

Bottom Line: LaVine has all the physical tools to be a starting NBA shooting guard, but as we've seen too many times, those blessed with his extraordinary ability are the ones who rest on their laurels and fizzle out within a few years . I hope I'm wrong.