Eyes On NBA: 5 Disappointing Teams This Season

By @TrueGodImmortal

This season has led to some amazing moments so far, but there have been some teams that haven't lived up to the hype. Today, we talk 5 teams that haven't lived up to the hype this season. Let's get into it.

*Oklahoma City Thunder 

-Now... I know we expected an adjustment for the Thunder after their big trade that sent both Paul George and Carmelo Anthony to OKC, but they've managed to be disappointing this season by far. Russell Westbrook is still good, but not as good as he was last year it seems, and somehow, even with two solid stars on his roster, the team is essentially in the same position that they were last year. Now, to be fair, this experiment together took a while to figure out, and they've been better for the most part for the last two months off and on, but what makes them so disappointing is that they look lost often. Perhaps the basketball IQ of the team is low, but with a Big 3 and the talent they have, they should be a certain 50 win team and a top 3 seed out West and they are not. Losing Andre Roberson is a big loss, but they have enough talent to compete. Whether or not they can come playoff time remains to be seen.

*Washington Wizards 

-While the Wizards are still in the playoff hunt, the fact remains that they haven't been as good as they could be. John Wall is injured, which you would think would lead to more success for other players, and it does, but Bradley Beal seems to waver with the load placed on his back. Still, healthy or not, the Wizards haven't been better than they were last year and seem even worse defensively this year. Perhaps that is a product of Wall missing so much time, or maybe it's the lack of real roster changes, but they currently are in the 5th place in the East, which is pretty much where they were last year, but just a seed lower. The Wizards aren't a threat in the East, and they looked to be one last season, so perhaps, that is the most disappointing part of all of this.

*Charlotte Hornets 

-I didn't expect the Hornets to be a great team. I thought at best, they could take the 7th or 8th seed in the East. However, they are well below those expectations. Kemba Walker is still a damn good player and Dwight Howard has had moments where he turned back the clock, but it didn't make any difference really. Nicolas Batum and their bench have been pretty lackluster and this is the reason why they will miss the playoffs once again. I still think the Hornets are a solid team, but the fact remains, they don't have what it takes despite having some good talent. Finishing with a possible top 10-12 pick seems to be their destiny, yet I expected them to at least compete harder this season.

*Milwaukee Bucks 

-Giannis was once seen as a MVP candidate. How quickly things change. The Bucks have a ton of talent and they are stuck in the 8th seed in the East currently. They just lost to the tanking Orlando Magic. They have Eric Bledsoe. Khris Middleton. Jabari Parker is healthy. Tony Snell is solid for them. So what's wrong? They have slipped into the habits that made Jason Kidd become the scapegoat and fired, and come playoff time, fatigue could set in for Giannis. A team this talented should be at least about to coast to 45 wins and yet that is in jeopardy right now. Will the Bucks close the season strong? One has to hope so, because a first round exit seems clear in their future.

*San Antonio Spurs 

-This is by design.... or is it? The Spurs are struggling to keep a playoff spot and it is a bit strange in essence when you think about it. No Kawhi Leonard makes a difference I guess, but for most of the season, the Spurs were the 3rd seed out West and seemed poised to take the 3rd seed. So what happened? Lamarcus Aldridge didn't miss that much extended time, and a lot of players have been available, but for some reason, Pop doesn't play his guys and he's trying to develop some of the younger guys, but perhaps, aside from Anderson and Murray, their young guys just aren't ready. If the Spurs miss the playoffs for the first time in 20 years, it will be the true end of an era, with one of the most disappointing ends of all. Even if they make the playoffs, this season still feels disappointing. The same could be said for a team like the Detroit Pistons, who made trades and got worse, and slipped from near the top of the East to right outside of the playoff picture. Still, for me, the Spurs are my pick for the most disappointing, whether by design or circumstance.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 11:47 PM  3 comments

Eyes On NBA: 2017-2018 Oklahoma City Thunder Preview

By @TrueGodImmortal

The NBA season is just two weeks away and if you're like me, you're more excited than ever. There are new rosters and new Big 3s and duos that should make for one of the most interesting seasons and postseasons we've seen over the last few years. One of the teams that will garner attention is the new look Oklahoma City Thunder, who recently acquired Carmelo Anthony and Paul George. With these new acquisitions, many have the Thunder winning a lot of games and having a hugely successful year. Is it possible? Well, let's examine.

The trade for Paul George saw the Thunder lose its second best player in Victor Oladipo, and the trade for Carmelo Anthony saw the Thunder lose a vital piece in Enes Kanter. What does this say about the future of this team? It says tep things: one, this team is literally one season away from a full rebuild possibly if things go like I expect them to. Two, Russell Westbrook is and will always be the franchise in Oklahoma City as he signed a 5 year extension for 205 million dollars, which means for the next 6 seasons he will be in OKC. So, now, the transition from the 2nd best player on his team to the franchise star is complete for Westbrook. What does that mean for PG and Melo? That's where things get a bit fuzzy.

There are two options that could happen. Either the Thunder have a successful season and make the playoffs (which is almost guaranteed) and both PG and Melo decide to stay, or they have a slightly successful season and make the playoffs, but both Melo and PG decide to leave. Paul George will be a free agent this off-season and the rumor is that he wants to go play in Los Angeles for the Lakers. While the extension for Russ seemingly could be a factor in PG signing back in OKC, it's in the Honeymoon phase. Every team is in the Honeymoon phase right now from the new look Cavs, the Rockets, the Clippers, the Celtics, and the Thunder aren't excluded from that. Truthfully, the style of players that Melo and PG are could honestly clash with Russ and his style, but on paper it looks to be a successful pairing. So, OKC now has an official Big 3 with three prominent scorers. What could go wrong?

Well, aside from the usual chemistry issues and role defining, I don't think that Billy Donovan is a great coach. His schemes are predictable and his rotations at times have proven to be suspect. So, with that said, what does the future hold for this team? There are a lot of questions. 

Andre Roberson and Steven Adams helped round out a solid defensive starting 5, but Roberson can't score or hit a free throw, and Adams is too inconsistent offensively. However, their starting 5 is probably top 4 or 5 in the NBA, maybe top 3, so when playoff time comes, they could be a threat. The one issue that they will have is the defensive end. Russ has never been a great defender, and Melo was never a great defender, while Paul George has taken a slight drop defensively himself. Can Roberson do the dirty work alongside Adams to hold off the offensive star power of other top tier teams and allow the three Big 3 control the pace if the game offensively? Well, here's where the biggest issue and likely the reason they won't win a title comes into play. Depth. The Thunder and their bench unit seem relatively worse than last season's team, which wasn't great. They added a few pieces and Raymond Felton and Patrick Patterson could help, but only so much. The lack of true depth will be a very big issue for the Thunder when they play against teams like the Cavs, the Rockets, the Spurs, the Wolves, and of course, the Warriors.

So, what is the future for the team? What will their record be? I predict the Thunder will finish around 53-29 or at best, 56-26, and will be a top 3-4 seed in the West. The best case scenario will have them as a no. 2 seed if everything clicks just right. More than likely, they finish as a possible 4 seed, and leave the playoffs in a 2nd round exit. If they end up making the Conference Finals to take on the Warriors, there's very little chance of them winning that series. Does their season end with a championship? Likely not, but the journey to a 2nd round exit could be fun to watch for fans. The 2017-2018 Oklahoma City Thunder will be must see and that's enough to have us looking forward to the season ahead.

-True 

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Eyes on the Ring 3:08 AM  No comment

Eyes On NBA: The Carmelo And Wade Moves

By @TrueGodImmortal 

The NBA will look very different when the season begins. Carmelo Anthony will be on the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dwyane Wade will be on the Cleveland Cavaliers. Perhaps two years ago, this would have been bigger news to me. Four years ago, this would have meant a lot more to me to see Melo, fresh off of his best seasons in New York going to play with a Russell Westbrook and Paul George, and the teaming up of Derrick Rose, Kevin Love, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James would likely equal a OKC vs Cleveland NBA Finals. However, we live in 2017, and the evolution of basketball exists in Oakland. Still, both of the moves aren't bad, and in a way, they both help each team get a little bit better. Now, when I say a little bit better, you might be confused. Wade is a top 5 shooting guard of all time, certainly his presence in Cleveland makes a huge difference right?

Not so much. The issue with the Wade signing is very simple honestly. His time has passed, and he still wants to contribute to a contender and win. That's great that he's excited to play and contribute, but after letting it be known that he wasn't going to ring chase a year ago, he changes his tune one season later. Be that as it may, Wade would be very solid for a young upstart team with potential that needs a veteran leader to help push them over the hump. A team like the Philadelphia 76ers, the Miami Heat, the Denver Nuggets, or even the Milwaukee Bucks. He doesn't seem well suited for a team of veterans and egos, or as the secondary sidekick to LeBron again, but he made his decision of course to try and compete for the title again. Now, why doesn't Wade work for the Cavs at this moment? Let's take a look.

It's very simple. J.R. Smith should be the starting 2 guard for the Cavs, as he provides decent defense and solid shooting throughout the games and is younger than Wade. Wade wants to start and will likely play around 28-31 minutes a game if so, but the issue is that he's not the same player he used to be. Wade is going out of his way to show up people who called him washed up and say that he needs to take a bench role. He does. However, his stats may fool you, as his numbers were decent, but take into consideration that he was on a Bulls team that literally had no other options. Wade was adamant to say that he was the 2nd option to Jimmy Butler, but we saw his ego rub players the wrong way halfway through the season. The Cavs are all smiles now, but it's a long season. Kyrie and LeBron seemed to be the best tandem together at the start of last season as well, and we saw how that turned out. Wade and his ego could show up during the struggle for more playing time by bench players who were used to starter minutes and known franchise problem starters in Derrick Rose and Isaiah Thomas. Wade is a wild card to the Cavs and while he could provide a decent scoring option, he isn't a good shooter and his defense has been on the decline more and more for the last 5 years. Will Wade be an impact player for the Cavs? I doubt it, but only time will tell.

As far as Carmelo, I think he helps the Thunder. Not by much, but he does help offensively. Last season, Russell Westbrook averaged over 10 assists passing to Oladipo, Kanter, and Steven Adams, but this season, he will be passing to Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. That's a very dangerous lineup and a scary thought for most average defenses and teams..... well a scary thought offensively at least. Melo is starting at the 4, a position he did well at previously before, but I'm not so sure how effective this will be in the long run. Melo is a good scorer, and while I think he blends in decent with the offense, defensively Melo doesn't give enough effort and he's never been an elite defender or even a really solid defender minus a few moments in Denver. Still, maybe he's rejuvenated now in OKC, but another big concern has to be his age and health. Melo has been injury prone for small periods of time during the seasons and is in his 15th season. He won't be expected to produce as much as he was in previous seasons, but what does he have left to offer? I think Melo will have a solid season and being in a winning culture will definitely be a revitalizing feeling for Melo I'm sure. Does this move do enough for the Thunder to overtake the Warriors? Not at all, but it is possible they have a closer chance to reach the Conference Finals, which would have to be considered a successful season for them.

In closing, neither move makes their respective teams any closer to a championship, but it does make them better. Wade doesn't have too much left in the tank, but he will be motivated again, and if he stays healthy, he could provide quality minutes in small spurts. Carmelo will have a bigger role and will showcase more of his ability for the Thunder, and him returning to the playoffs is a welcome sight for all fans. The moral of this story however, the Wade and Melo moves will make the NBA season more interesting and fun to watch, but the NBA Championship will likely come back once again to Oakland, as long as they stay healthy of course. Still, Wade and Bron reunited, Melo playing with PG and Russ, and these narratives will make the season even more intriguing.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 2:06 AM  No comment

Eyes On NBA: Carmelo Anthony Needs More Trade Options

By @TrueGodImmortal

I won't take up too much of your time here, but I will definitely say one thing straight to the point: Carmelo Anthony is making things harder for himself and blocking his path out of New York. It's obvious as well. The Houston Rockets lack the assets to trade for him, and the Knicks have made it clear they want to get as much value as possible for him. The Rockets don't have players that are truly wanted by the Knicks to make this trade make sense, so perhaps it's time for Carmelo to see about other options if he wants out of New York. The question is, which options work the best for him? Which options make the most sense? Let's take a look at the best options to consider.

*Cleveland Cavaliers
-This was one of his preferred spots to end up at, yet somehow he's changed his tune. If the thought process is that Melo wants to compete for a championship, then Cleveland is his best bet and his sure shot. Playing next to one of his best friends LeBron James has to be lucrative and Kevin Love, Derrick Rose, J.R. Smith, and Tristan Thompson all will be solid teammates for Melo. The Cavs are the favorite in the East again and if you can make the trade for Kyrie to bring him to New York in exchange for Melo, in some way, everybody wins. This is the option that makes the most sense.

*Boston Celtics
-A one year rental of Melo for a draft pick and maybe Jae Crowder or Terry Rozier (don't let Danny Ainge hear that). Melo would fit very well into this system next to Isaiah Thomas and the newly acquired Gordon Hayward alongside the developing Jaylen Brown and the rookie Jayson Tatum would be a huge contender to compete against any team in the East. It would also keep Melo in the Eastern Conference, which has easier competition.

*Los Angeles Lakers
-In reality, this would be the best option for him in the West right now. The Lakers don't have a solidified option at the 3, and they don't have a consistent scorer. Perhaps there is an asset that the Lakers could give up alongside Jordan Clarkson to pull off a Knicks trade? It's not likely, but Melo as a leader working with KCP, Lonzo Ball, Julius Randle, and Brandon Ingram would be the most ideal situation for a 15 year vet who isn't the most defensively sound. Maybe next year in free agency.

*Portland Trailblazers
-This is highly unlikely. However, I could see Melo working well next to Dame and CJ. Still, the trade wouldn't make much sense unless we saw a Nurkic and one other player traded for a one year rental of Melo. Still, a big 3 of Melo, Dame, and CJ is offensively dangerous. Imagine having to guard all three of these guys on the same team.

*Oklahoma City Thunder
-An unlikely trade but one that could be interesting if it meant Russ, Paul George and Melo played together. Would they mesh well? Maybe. Maybe not. Regardless, this is a great destination for him and an actual chance for him to be on a contender again. It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out, but I would enjoy seeing Melo play in a Big 3 for the Thunder.

Where does Melo end up? Only time will tell. If he's smart, he will waive the clause for the Cavs trade and get ready for his first ever trip to the NBA Finals. Otherwise, he's going to be disappointed with the outcome. I guess we have to wait and see where Melo ends up. Maybe he stays in New York. Time will tell.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 5:10 AM  No comment

EOTR Case For NBA MVP Vol. 1: Russell Westbrook

By @TrueGodImmortal 

Introduction
I know. I know. A lot of you will read this and say "triple doubles don't make you MVP", and you know what, that's absolutely correct. A bunch of triple doubles does not make you the MVP by far. A lot of you who have posters of LeBron on your wall will say "LeBron deserves the MVP every year, every season" and you're incorrect. LeBron is always a top tier MVP candidate. Sometimes he deserves it, and sometimes he doesn't. Get over it. The last two seasons for LeBron have been very good, but there's usually someone in the regular season doing more extraordinary or just as extraordinary things without nearly as much help as LeBron has. This season, individually, no one is having a better season than Russell Westbrook.

At the moment, he's sitting at a record setting 41 triple doubles, tied for the most ever in NBA history in a season. Now, for many, this means a lot, as it's been 55 years since the last time we've seen someone put up this many triple doubles or anything even close to it. Russ is a different kind of athlete. He's like a tank, a machine that's played in all 78 games this year and shows no signs of fatigue or slowing down. It's amazing. Where a few other MVP candidates have missed a game or two, played through a tough injury and lost, or just rested a few games because they "earned it", Russ has no intention of doing so even as the season is basically over. That takes nothing away from what anyone else this season . Russ should be resting for the playoffs shouldn't he? Nope. He doesn't need to. This is what makes his incredible feats even more exciting and special. There is the argument against Russ of course that his team doesn't have enough wins, but it's not necessarily as big of a factor as it usually would be. There are exceptions to the rule in NBA history, but rarely. Rarely. Rare. Like averaging a triple double. Like being the no. 1 for your team and still facilitating and running the entire offense to put up 41 triple doubles. That's going to be the talking point of any Russ for MVP conversation and it's not a bad talking point like some want to say. The fact remains, Russ is making history and you have to award history. He's leading a team that without him would be lost. We are here today to kick off our three part series of the "EOTR Case For MVP", and we have to start with the proverbial front runner in Russell Westbrook. Let's get into it.

*Why Russ Should Be MVP 
(w/ @Peagle05 and @TrueBlueLowry21)
James Harden fans and apologists not withstanding, I think his team is better than Russ and the Thunder. Let me explain. Harden has naturally better players around him, sixth man of the year candidates, and some very solid shooters (which is vital to surviving in this game). Because of this, he would naturally have the better record or that would be expected. I know, some of us didn't expect Houston to be a third seed, but to be honest, that was more of me hoping they didn't than my actual expectations. The Thunder went 55-27 last season with a fully healthy KD and Westbrook to earn the third seed. This year, with all their ups and downs, they're 45-33 and could finish the season somewhere between 47-35 and 49-33 depending on these last few games. The odds have been stacked against them it seemed however though. A down year for Steven Adams, a Victor Oladipo who is inconsistent and was unhealthy during a stretch, as well as a two month period without Enes Kanter were really tough moments for the team and they managed to persevere during that tough stretch. After a few trades, which could have messed up the flow of the team, they picked things back up. I think we expected Russ to ball out this year, but he is having one of the greatest individual seasons I've ever witnessed ever. Not just because he's averaging a triple double, but it's because of what he adds and the role he has for his team. He's the most valuable player this year period. Don't believe me? I'll let Matt and Peagle tell you why.

Peagle- Russell Westbrook is the MVP. Hands down, stop arguing, SHUT. THE HELL. UP. People whine about how the MVP became about who had the best season and not who's most valuable to their team? Cool. Russ is having the best statistical season (Check), and look at the Thunder roster. That's a 20 win team without him. (Check).

I'm not gonna dump on anyone else to prop Russ up, because Harden is showing the hell out, but there are things about that Rockets team I cannot ignore (Sixth Man of the Year winners/candidates). The man is AVERAGING a triple double. Something that I'd wager that everyone reading this has never seen, only heard about. Give props, pay homage and most important of all, give that man that trophy.

TrueBlueLowry21- Westbrook is my choice for MVP for a few good reasons.If we're going off the standard meaning of the award then Westbrook is without a doubt it. Yes, we can state that he has over 40 triple doubles, but there's something that others don't seem to grasp. If we took Westbrook off that OKC team then the Thunder without a doubt would be nowhere near a playoff spot. They're currently 6th in the playoffs, and you can say without Westbrook, the Thunder are likely the worst in the Western Conference.... maybe 3rd worst at best. Russ is valuable to his team because, let's face it, that's basically their only chance to do anything offensively. Westbrook is the MVP based off of how valuable he is to his team.

5 Of His Best Games This Season
It's hard to really pinpoint his 5 best games this year and this season, when his team is 32-9 when he records a triple double, and his career high in points came in a loss to Portland. He's had some great games in losing efforts as well and some amazing victories this year. Here's the 5 games that I feel are his best this season to help his case for MVP.

*50 Point Triple Double # 1

-Statiscially speaking and percentage wise, this wasn't his best game by far, but it was something that I hadn't witnessed personally before and to do so in just the 2nd game of the season, it let you know the type of season Russ would have. The Suns are a tough team when they want to be and for Russ to put the team on his back and lead them to victory here was something very important for the direction of the Thunder. Russ was still getting the rust off from missing months in the offseason,  but he looked like a machine on a mission in this game. We should have known that was just the beginning in a 51 point, 13 rebound, and 10 assist night.

*36 Points, 17 Assists, 11 Rebounds Against The Nuggets

-I chose this game because it showcased that Russ was growing in his game. Despite a slightly underwhelming shooting night from the field, Russ was 15 for 17 from the free throw line and 3 for 4 from three. He managed to pace the floor and lead the offense, and any game where you can dish out 17 assists and lead your team to a victory is a big game. This remains one of the games where Russ didn't necessarily have shot falling, but he found a way to get to the line, score, and dish out assists to the guys who were hot from the field that night. This is an all around complete game for Russ and while some may criticize it, I really enjoyed it.

*45 Points, 11 Assists, and 11 Rebounds In A Win Over Boston

-The Celtics are a top team in the East. For Russ to go in and have the kind of night that he did, it showcased exactly the level of athlete that Russ is. 45 points on 53% from the field and 71% from three with 88% shooting from the free throw line. Russ was truly on a roll here and he led his team the best that he could against a possible contender in the East. This is what makes me put this one on the list over some of his games against the Raptors, Knicks, Houston, Cleveland (which was a great win) and more, because this was a true showing of Russ and his leadership in crunch time when he was needed.

*57 Points In A Triple Double And Win 

-Simple as this. 57 points. 11 aasists. 13 rebounds. In a comeback victory over the Magic. Many have called this the "MVP statement" triple double and in a way, it really was. However, I prefer the Memphis game he had a few games later not because it was a better shooting night, but because he did it against one of the toughest defenses in the league and an actual playoff team on the road. Here he was on the road against a weaker Orlando team and it seemed like the Thunder were all but done until Russ took over and helped bring them back in the game and finish with the highest amount of points ever in a triple double, the second 50 point triple double for him this season, and the 3rd 50 point game on the season for him. Russ is really something amazing to watch and this is one of those games you have to see to believe.

*45 Points, 9 Rebounds, 10 Assists, And 5 Steals Against Memphis

-I just watched this game once more to make sure it was as amazing as I thought it was. It's the last game he played so far as of this writing and it's one of the most interesting games and probably the best game for Russ of the season overall (next to his win at Boston). With 45 points on 56% shooting and 61% from three, along with 9 rebounds, 10 assists, and 5 steals, Russ had one of the most efficient nights in his career. He hit a dagger three pointer to close the game out with about 17 seconds left to go. If there's a game you look to when deciding the MVP, this is the Westbrook game you should show them. That speaks volumes because it is NOT ONE of his 41 triple doubles and this might be his best night. Amazing honestly.

Final Thought
Russ is putting on a show for all of us this season and though some think he isn't deserving of the award, he is. We could go into more detailed stats, but we leave that for NBA Twitter and those who dissect numbers just to prove their point. What matters just as much as the numbers, is how you lead your team and to me, there is no better leader this season than Russell Westbrook. He doesn't have two sixth man of the year candidates on his team and a Mike D'Antoni structured offense. He doesn't have two All Stars with a very solid bench. He doesn't have a 20 year system that hasn't failed on his side either. He lost the 2nd best player in the NBA and a former MVP and instead of adjusting and falling off tremendously, the Thunder are only about 6 or 7 games overall below what their record was last year (they could finish at 49-33, just 6 games below of what they did last year). The fact remains, Russ has done more with less and for that reason, in addition to those 41 triple doubles and averaging 31.8 points, (leading the league), 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists a game, which is something we never thought we would witness. Simply put, there is no player more valuable to their team this season than Russ, and there is no one that is having a better individual season either. I love how the narrative now is to downplay how vital those triple doubles have been because it is Russ who is doing them. I wonder if it was someone like KD, LeBron, or even Harden with 41 of them and averaging one how the narrative would be different. Regardless, if I had to make a pick for MVP, with all due respect to the amazing season that James Harden is having, my top choice is Russell Westbrook. However, don't fret Harden fans, part two of this Case for MVP series will look at his season and his case for the award. We here at EOTR and DAR Sports believe in being objective about sports and fair. Something that a majority of ESPN personalities don't. However, I'll say it again: Russ for MVP.

-EOTR

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Eyes on the Ring 12:41 AM  No comment