Eyes On WWE: Can Wrestlemania 34 Exceed Expectations Or Will It Disappoint?

By @TrueGodImmortal

I am a very negative WWE fan. I won't lie or front like this isn't the case and honestly, I don't mind being that way. I prefer it. Years ago, I realized what WWE really was and my support for it comes in moderation. I don't watch it as much and barely seem invested in present day WWE, but I try to care more and more. However, when I look back at the last few years, it's been tough. The talent in the WWE is the best it has been ever, but the booking and the storylines are horrible. With that being said, Wrestlemania 34 is shaping up to be one of those prime middle of the road events that has potential to be a Wrestlemania 31 surprise, or a Wrestlemania 32 disappointment. In the ring, the event could end up being excellent for some reasons, but the booking and a couple of matches that most people don't want to see is weighing down on many viewers. The names are there. The name value is there. The matches are halfway there. Yet, all we have is a lot of "what ifs" to look at when we see the final card, which is still being set of course. With over 11 matches on the table and many more to come, one has to wonder, is this Mania going to live up to the hype? Or will it exceed it? Or will it disappoint all around?

For one, the biggest news of this run up to Mania has to be the arrival of Ronda Rousey and the clearing of Daniel Bryan to wrestle. However, both could have been handled differently. In many ways, perhaps this Wrestlemania is a set up for Mania 35, which could be the biggest and best in history if done right. The biggest issue for the WWE is that they have so much talent and they don't know what to do with it. For starters, Ronda Rousey is a huge signing to the outside world, but to many in the wrestling world, it's different. A lot of fans are rightly skeptical and the glimpses we've seen of Ronda really don't make you feel too good about her potential as a wrestler. With that being said, what if Rousey fails in her first match and the crowd rejects her? Then what? Also, the tag team match with Rousey and Kurt Angle teaming up against Triple H and Stephanie McMahon  feels forced and flat. No one was clamoring for a return to the ring for Stephanie and despite that, here we are. Most fans aren't exactly dying to see Triple H and Angle in 2018 either, mostly because we saw a much better version of this 18 years ago. With Stephanie in the middle. Still, the mainstream media has been watching and pushing Ronda, but there's just one issue: she has barely been on WWE TV. Video packages are good, but when you need to make your fans more familiar with the transition of Rousey to a wrestler and promote this tag match to give it heat, Rousey not being on WWE TV during Mania season and doing dark match segments with Dana Brooke is not the way to go. However, WWE doesn't need to worry, I'm sure all eyes will be on Rousey at Mania... but will it be any good? So far, it doesn't look promising.

Daniel Bryan and his return however? It actually looks to be promising. After being held back by WWE for the last two years, he was finally cleared by their doctors so he wouldn't leave the company. Bryan is still the most popular wrestler in the company even with being inactive in the ring the last 3 years. His first time taking bumps was excellent and it seemed to set in motion a huge tag team match for Mania as well, with Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan likely teaming up against Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. For me, I could do without Shane, but one has to know that when Bryan is in the ring and gets a hot tag, this might be the greatest Mania moment thus far. Bryan worked his ass off and got cleared and his return of course has to be treated with care, so a tag match is fine, as it'll allow him to not do too much work, but still give the people what they want. This is one of the biggest things heading into Mania and I just hope WWE plays it smart and has Bryan and Shane go over at Mania and then move on from this Bryan vs Shane storyline, because it has made very little sense. So for RAW and Smackdown, there are two big tag matches that have general manager implications and two legends who returned from injury and will wrestle at their first Mania in years. Kurt Angle, wrestling at his first Mania since Wrestlemania 22, will team with Ronda Rousey vs Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. The other McMahon, Shane, will likely team with Daniel Bryan against Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. I would much rather see Bryan vs Owens and Kurt Angle vs Triple H, but of course, Mania is all about fitting everyone on the card instead of the best possible card.

Speaking of fitting everyone on the card, in the overkill department, there are two battle royals happening. The Andre The Giant Battle Royal and the Women's Wrestlemania Battle Royal. You can expect to see a lot of stars you don't care about in both of the battle royals, with Baron Corbin and Tye Dillinger being the two biggest names announced so far. The Women's Battle Royal seems like another Women's Rumble essentially with Sasha Banks, Naomi, Becky Lynch, and others involved. If there are two matches that feel pointless on the card so far, these are definitely the two. However, there is one saving grace that I genuinely hope doesn't get moved to the preshow, and that's Cedric Alexander vs Mustafa Ali. This could be the best match of the night if given enough time. Knowing WWE, this will be on the preshow and get about 13 minutes, but it will be excellent and one of the best matches that night guaranteed. The finals of the Cruiserweight Title Tournament should very well be a highlight and is one of the few matches I'm really excited about. Now, here is the thing. There are matches I'm excited about and moments like the return of Bryan, the Cedric vs Mustafa match, and there are some others I'll get to later. However, it is better to get the matches I am not excited about out of the way. 

Look no further than the Universal Championship Match. A wise man once said it is insane to keep doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result and we all know Vince is an idiot. The entire buildup to Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar has been terrible and it seems to only get worse and worse. These two do not have real chemistry and the whole angle of "Brock not being there" has been overdone by Cena during his Rock promo and Reigns used this same bullshit against Cena recently. So, with that, this story is a sad attempt to get Reigns over and it still isn't working. The Mania crowd will eat them both alive and this match has potential to be worse than expected due to the crowd shitting all over it and Brock playing it too safe before he leaves WWE again. My main hope is that they don't let this unwanted rematch close out the show. No one asked for Reigns vs Brock 2, just like we didn't ask for Cena vs Rock 2 and Reigns vs Triple H, or Reigns vs Taker last year, but WWE is psycho and can't accept that Reigns isn't the guy.

Aside from the horrible Reigns vs  Brock match, there is also another match no one asked for, Nia Jax vs Alexa Bliss. This has been building for a while, but it has felt flat the entire time. Nia isn't the one you would want as the face of the women's division and it just seems like Vince has a fetish for bigger women just like he does for bigger men. This story is sad, with Alexa being a bully/mean girl of sorts to Nia and Nia looking to get her revenge. Seeing Nia Jax cry like a baby on my TV didn't make me sympathize with her, it made me laugh at the fact that they're using this story. Instead of Sasha vs Bayley as the title match, with Bliss and Nia in the battle royal, we get this, which is disappointing. Sasha is the most consistent of them all and Nia gets a one on one match when she hasn't had a great one on one match since she got to RAW. Bliss is limited as an in ring performer, so this will likely be a pointless squash. Yeah, not excited at all for this one.

The same could be said for WWE doing the U.S. Title match with three of the most boring competitors and leaving out their most over guy on Smackdown besides Bryan, AJ, or Nakamura. Rusev should be in the match and he should win it. However, WWE hates when stars get over on their own and is successful and he has no match. Wonderful. Jinder Mahal is trash and he sucks. I know fans have trolled to be fans of him, but you're idiots. He is garbage. He can barely have a decent match and his promos are like watching paint dry. Bobby Roode is solid, but not exciting. Randy Orton hasn't been interesting in years honestly, at least not on a consistent basis. This triple threat match is really not something I want to see. Also, Braun Strowman is the most over guy on RAW and he's stuck in a fucking tag team match? Instead of putting Braun in the main event with Brock and Roman, they decide to put Braun in a fucking tag team match. WWE at their finest...... another stupid idea for this Mania. The final, and most obvious problem is this John Cena story. John Cena having to work for a Wrestlemania match is the worst story and it is far from believable. With that, we are due to get Undertaker vs John Cena...... like a whole 6-7 years too late. Taker is old, washed up, and to make matters worse, it feels as though he won't come back as the Deadman Taker, but this flag waving, MAGA, stand for the anthem Trump supporter American Bad Ass Taker. Yeah.... you can keep all of that. The match itself will not live up to any hype and the fact Taker hasn't shown up yet really has added nothing to building a story. So, for me, Brock vs Reigns, Nia vs Alexa, Braun being in a tag match, Bobby/RKO/Jinder, and the execution of Cena vs Taker are all disappointing on so many levels. Now.... what about the matches that are exciting and could be special? Let's close it out on a positive note.

Though I was confused by how they did it, Asuka vs Charlotte is a big match and a great match in the making. I expect Asuka to finally win the title and walk away with her streak still in tact and there should be no other outcome. It could be one of the best Women's Matches at Mania and I expect it to be a true highlight of the night. Aside from that, there are two big matches that have titles in them and should be great. While it is clear the WWE has a Smackdown Tag Title Match that will feature Harper and Rowan, The Usos, and New Day, that doesn't feel like a big time match just yet. It'll be good I'm sure, but the two matches that will be great are going to be the Intercontinental Title match with The Miz, Seth Rollins, and Finn Balor, along with the real main event of AJ Styles vs Shinsuke Nakamura. For Miz, he is the most consistent promo in the company, while Seth is the most consistent wrestler on RAW. Finn is right there knocking on the door and he could very well put on a show in this contest. For me, the smart move would be to give Seth the title and let him have a big win over both men, but Finn is overdue for a title win again and Miz vs Finn following Mania seems more likely. Still, this match should be good regardless.

For AJ vs Nakamura, this is the biggest match to me period. Nakamura is overdue for a big match on the biggest scale and AJ has wanted this match from the jump. Both men will come with their A game and the end result will be beautiful. It's obvious that Nakamura is due to win this match, and I hope he does, but if these two can get 20 minutes to tell a story and make a classic, this could be one of the greatest WWE Title matches in Mania history. So, with that, WWE has something to work with if they execute right. On paper, this doesn't look great (the nerve of you idiots saying this looks like the best Mania ever... not even close), but it could be good wrestling wise. There are many questions. Will AJ/Nakamura go on last like it should? Will we see Bobby Lashley cost Brock the title? Will we see Reigns turn heel finally? Will see Daniel Bryan victorious? Will Ronda Rousey be any good? Who will be the tag partner of Braun? Will Cena vs Taker actually be a classic? So many questions will be answered in two weeks. Wrestlemania 34 is almost here and though it's hard to really tell whether it'll be great or disappointing, the cards are in place for it to go either way.... it all depends on WWE and their decision making....... as always.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 12:22 AM  No comment

Eyes On Wrestlemania: Ranking John Cena's Wrestlemania Matches

By @Phranchize19

For the better part of a decade, John Cena has been a headliner at the grandest stage of them all. From championship matches to personal feuds, Cena has clashed with legends, veterans, and rookies at Wrestlemania. Cena has competed in 13 matches at Wrestlemania and I'm going to rank them from worst to best, in my opinion.

13. John Cena and Nikki Bella vs The Miz and Maryse
Wrestlemania 33

-This match wasn’t very good because it was basically used as the gateway for Cena to propose to Nikki at Wrestlemania. The best part of this feud with Miz impersonating Cena with his house rules. Classic stuff there, but this match was subpar.

12. John Cena vs Miz 
WWE Championship 
Wrestlemania 27

-Mainly used as the vehicle for The Rock vs Cena, this match took a backseat to that. Miz and Cena had the tough task of main eventing a bad show, but their match was just lifeless. I don’t blame either man or The Rock for this honestly. I just blame the booking of this and the pacing. It could have been better, but unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. 

11. John Cena vs Edge vs Big Show 
World Heavyweight Championship 
Wrestlemania 25

-This match wasn’t bad. It just had to follow the greatest wrestling match ever. Cena lifting Edge and Big Show was a cool spot, and overall, this was a decent contest.

10. John Cena vs The Rock 
WWE Championship 
Wrestlemania 29

-This match was okay. The thing holding back this match is the fact that the belt was on the line. It felt like the belt had taken a backseat to the feud. You wouldn’t want the marquee match on the marquee show of the year to have your most important title be second fiddle, plus no one was asking for this rematch.

9. John Cena vs Triple H vs Randy Orton 
WWE Championship 
Wrestlemania 24

-Arguably the 3 biggest guys in the industry at the time fighting at Wrestlemania was great. They put on a decent match all things considered. I was surprised they went with Orton for the win honestly, but this was solid.

8. John Cena vs Big Show 
US Championship 
Wrestlemania 20

-This was the perfect way to open the show. Cena winning his first title in a very solid match with the crowd firmly behind him was fun, and of course him picking Big Show is always a moment.

7. John Cena vs Batista 
WWE Championship 
Wrestlemania 26

-I really think the build to this match would’ve been better had they used the build that their Summerslam match had. Instead they had Batista who was the WWE Champ acting jealous of the guy who WASN’T the champ, but his promos were solid. Still, this was a pretty decent contest and a solid WWE Championship match. 

6. John Cena vs JBL 
WWE Championship 
Wrestlemania 21

-I always felt this match was a bit underrated. The storytelling in the match was great as well as the build to the match. Cena wins his first WWE Championship and put an end to the long reign of JBL.

5. John Cena vs Bray Wyatt 
Wrestlemania 30

-This might have been the most underrated match of both men’s careers as well as the most underrated match on the Mania card. We got to see the good Bray Wyatt here and aside from the result, which was wrong (Bray needed the win), this was a really good match IMO. The Wyatt Family added to the match as well as Cena second guessing himself throughout, but if Cena would have lost, it would have made it even better.

4. John Cena vs Rusev 
United States Championship Wrestlemania 31

-This was a GREAT contest. Rusev and Cena have great chemistry and even though the anti-American angle is played out, I thought the match itself was stellar.

3. John Cena vs Triple H 
WWE Championship 
Wrestlemania 22

-This was such a great contest. Triple H was always gonna carry his weight but Cena came to play on this night. Having HHH tap out gave Cena an even bigger boost than he already had. The crowd was hot for this match and split, one of the first real vocal rejections of Cena as the forced face on a big show. 12 years ago.

2. John Cena vs Shawn Michaels 
WWE Championship
Wrestlemania 23

-Originally meant to be a rematch from the year prior, HBK came in and filled in for the injured HHH. This is by far the best WRESTLING match Cena has ever had at Mania (possibly ever). HBK took Cena to wrestling school on this night and Shawn showed he still had it when the lights were at their brightest. I was very tempted to put this number one and it probably should be, but....

1. John Cena vs The Rock 
Wrestlemania 28

-The biggest match in the career of John Cena. Even though we had a year build, it was phenomenally done for the most part. The real life animosity made this match even bigger than it was. While not the greatest match in terms of technical ability (that’s Wrestlemania 23), this was HUGE, on par with Rock vs Hogan, but just a bit more fluid. Wisely, they actually went with The Rock for the win in his hometown nonetheless. This isn't the best Cena match, but with the build and the year long promotion, it is the biggest and greatest match in his Mania career.

-Phranchize

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Eyes on the Ring 10:32 PM  No comment

Eyes On NBA: The Golden State Warriors Playoff Strategy

By @TrueGodImmortal

If you are a bandwagon Golden State fan, a Houston Rockets fan (I'll pray for you), or a scorned Cleveland Cavaliers fan, then this article might not be for you. If you're a casual basketball fan, then this article might not be for you. I said this last year, and I'll say it once again: the Golden State Warriors will be your NBA Champions. For the third time in four years. They will go back to back. With no attempt to discredit the Houston Rockets who are playing amazing basketball, the Warriors are setting up a strategy to provide themselves with a challenge they haven't had in the last four years: being underdogs. While their 4 losses over the last 7 games might look bad in essence, there is a method to that madness that motivates their guys come playoff time. With perhaps the deepest team in the league and the most versatile team at that, it has been evident the Warriors have literally just been waiting for the playoffs to begin.... since the start of the season. Currently at 53-18, the Warriors have conceded the concept of winning 65 games and their streak of winning 60 games might be in jeopardy too.... however, this is probably the smartest strategy possible for a team riddled with complacency and injury to play their best basketball come playoff time. What is the strategy exactly? Let's take a look.

*Resting The Starters
So, Steph Curry has missed 21 games this season. That's the most amount of games he has missed since 2012 when he suffered a season ending ankle injury, and this year has seen Steph struggle at times with ankle injuries, with many fans being overly concerned (and rightfully so to an extent), but if you've followed the Warriors for the last few years, what makes this different is that Steph has had multiple minor injuries over the last few years, and missed some games, but he has played through and with injuries during that time. Steph is not invincible or indestructible, so when we saw Steph injure his ankle at the beginning of December, many felt this was cause for concern. His recovery time was slated to be 3-4 weeks, and he could have returned earlier than he did, but the Warriors took a different approach. They understood that the season is a marathon, not a sprint, so with Steph out for nearly a month, the Warriors beefed up their defense, and played through Kevin Durant, something they hadn't done before. This would work wonders for the Warriors in focus, as defensively they were tougher, grinding out victories, while offensively of course, they were a little different. Still, the Warriors didn't look bad with Durant as the no. 1 option, just different. Steph is the key to their success, even with Durant and Klay as viable scoring options, so him being healthy was top priority.

After a small ankle tweak by Steph following his return, he would come back and claim the Player of the Month award in January, which was well earned and deserved. While February seemed to be up and down for Steph heading into the All Star Break, following the All Star Break, the Warriors seemed focused and ready, with Steph leading the charge. Defensively and offensively, they looked more and more like themselves. However, following a small ankle tweak that caused him to leave a game against the Hawks, Steph would tweak his ankle yet again against the Spurs. It was at that moment that the Warriors, Steve Kerr, and their staff saw a bigger picture, one that a number of teams haven't seemed to catch on to yet. Steph Curry asked and tried to talk his way back into the game against the Spurs, but for Steve Kerr and the organization, perhaps this ankle tweak was a blessing in disguise. The Warriors have relied heavily on their four All Stars, and Klay Thompson has been the most durable of the four, with Durant being right behind him. Draymond Green and Steph Curry, the true heart and soul of the team have been carrying a load for the Warriors and have yet to get extended rest. Draymond has had a lingering shoulder injury that might not fully heal until the off-season, but it hasn't affected his play during the stretch without Curry and since the All Star Break. Regardless, with the Curry ankle tweak, a light bulb seemingly went off in the Warriors' head and as a result, they would soon understand that health and preservation is important to their bottom line more than home court advantage and the no. 1 seed in the West.

It was clear during the Portland and Minnesota games following the Curry injury that the Warriors seemed lost without their leader (and several pieces of their bench), and that's a big reason why they lost. 

However, watching that team fight back and take leads against full fledged playoff teams had to be encouraging for Kerr and the staff, especially with the revitalized play of Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston, two big pieces of the core. So, when it was realized that Klay Thompson had suffered a minor thumb injury and Draymond was having shoulder soreness, Kerr and company decided to rest Draymond one game and shut down Klay for multiple weeks. Now, the truth about the injury to Klay is that he probably could have played through it, or only missed a game or two to rest up and get better. However, the Warriors, seeing a bigger picture, gave Klay two weeks off (at least) to not only physically recharge, but mentally recharge. It was a controversial decision to many, but Klay will be evaluated in the next 24-48 hours and likely cleared to play again in another week, so essentially, this isn't a major injury, but a minor problem that Klay could play through (if this was the playoffs he would be playing), and allows for him to rest for the playoffs, seeing as though the Warriors are clearly confirmed at the no. 2 seed.

For Kevin Durant, as the no. 1B option for the Warriors, he's been forced to carry a heavy load for the Warriors with Steph out. Some fatigue would begin showing in the Blazers and Wolves games despite a heavy scoring load, but it was evident the Warriors relied too much on him and not their other pieces who can score and create offense. After Durant took a shot to the ribs in the Wolves game, he would play without Draymond, David West, and Klay against the Lakers, but the Warriors utilized the Strength In Numbers motto that got them to where they are and pulled out a victory. Following that game, it was noted that KD was questionable and had a rib injury, which would sideline him from two to four weeks. Now, we know that KD is hurt, but according to the man himself, he could probably play through the injury. The Warriors however, would take no chances. For the Warriors fanbase, it might be shocking for the Warriors to shut down their three best starters as the no. 1 seed starts fading, but health is paramount to the playoffs and their future. Risking a bigger injury is honestly not worth it. So with that, the Warriors have created a strategy that may be more genius than we realized. Resting their starters during meaningless games to allow them to get fully healthy and be well rested against teams that are scraping and struggling to obtain a playoff spot, or scraping to hold onto the no. 1 spot in the West (more on that later). Why is this a genius strategy? Let's look at that.

*Getting Into Rhythm
-With Draymond Green leaving the Spurs game while the Warriors were down 10 points to the Spurs, it seemed as if the Warriors were done for. They would be down 15 at one point in the second half, but they would not have the cushion of Steph coming back in for the 2nd, or Klay and KD coming back in, or even Draymond, they had to figure it out themselves. The truth is, this year, the Warriors have one of their most versatile and talented rosters ever, but they haven't produced like it consistently. Their second unit has been great in spurts led by Iguodala, David West, and Livingston, but the over reliance on the Death Lineup and their All Stars has led the Warriors to become complacent in a way. Their own success has come back to bite them in a way, but with the starters out, this move allows the bench and the players who will need to be sharp come playoff time focused. Nick Young has been inconsistent and out of shape at moments this year, but with Klay out, he has to find the rhythm and get into better shape for the playoffs. Javale McGee has been solid since the All Star Break and needs to be starting at the 5, but it is clear the Warriors are saving their most deadly starting lineup for the end of the season and playoffs (the Warriors were much more athletic and better in the first quarter with Javale at the 5), and if Kerr is smart, he will maximize Javale and his minutes leading into the playoffs. Kevon Looney has stepped up big time in the absence of KD and at times Draymond, while Quinn Cook has shown he deserves a regular roster spot for the Warriors offensively and defensively. Jordan Bell is still getting his legs back, Patrick McCaw just returned from injury, and so has David West. With some games coming up against the Jazz, Bucks, and Pacers, the rest of the Warriors will be tested and if so, their Strength In Numbers will be needed more than ever. The deepest team in the league will have to play like it.

So far, though the loss have been frequent since losing their starters, there have been flashes of brilliance for the Warriors. After the crushing loss to the Kings at home, they put up 124 points against the Suns, before fighting without their 4 stars to nearly beat the Spurs in San Antonio (with a mostly full Spurs squad in tact, minus Kawhi of course). Here is what has to be encouraging for the Warriors in this instance. While the Warriors lost 89-75, in previous games, the Warriors gave up 92, 105, and 107 points to the Spurs, with their rosters mostly in tact. With their roster depleted, the Warriors played some of their best defense against the Spurs, holding the Spurs to only 19 points in the second quarter and 14 in the third and even took a lead into the 4th quarter. While their late game execution needs to improve, the Warriors have been doing exactly what they wanted to do when the All Star Break ended and that is build better habits. Now, the bench and second unit is battle tested and should be ready to be called upon when need be in the playoffs. The question remains, can they start focused and in rhythm as the stars return? Here is the tricky yet ingenious part of it all.

*Bringing The Stars Back
-So, as the Warriors sit at 53-18, they have the benefit of three days of rest and a Friday game against the tanking Atlanta Hawks. Draymond Green should be likely to play, and surprise, surprise, Omri Casspi should also be back by then as well for the bench (he'll miss a week for an ankle sprain and might be held for precautions until their game against the Jazz). Still, the biggest story here is that Steph Curry is likely to return Friday from his injury. Steph has been practicing and in shootarounds with the team, and his return will be welcome. Steph will find himself in a familiar position that will be perfect for getting into rhythm again and what better way to return than against a team who need to lose for better draft position? Steph is ready to play again, and a starting lineup with Steph, Nick Young (or Quinn Cook), Draymond, Iguodala, and Javale or Zaza should be solid against the Hawks and maybe even against the Jazz. Utah however is a tough team to beat, but the Warriors could very well pull out that victory with a focused Steph and Draymond in the lineup. Letting Steph run the first unit with some good spacing and Andre and Draymond or David West and Andre running the second unit can be important for rotation purposes come playoff time. Steph will be back in form over these next few games and it'll be interesting to see how the Warriors fare with Steph back in the lineup as the leader and likely with 25 shots per game.

As for Klay Thompson, by the time Steph is back Friday, Klay will have been out for well over a week, and approaching the end of his second week out. It is plausible for Klay to be back for the game against the Bucks or the Pacers, and I expect him to return for one of those and since the Warriors are done with strenuous back to backs (their last two back to backs this season feature the Kings and the Suns in at least one or both of the games), this allows them to get into a rhythm for the playoffs and rest as well in between games. So, by the end of the month, barring any setbacks, Steph and Klay should both be back playing and prepping for the playoffs. 

What about KD? This is where it gets a little tricky. KD is likely to heal from his rib injury sooner than the expected time, and I suspect he will be back for sure before the playoffs begin for rhythm purposes. If one is looking for a game that KD could make his return, look no further than April 3rd against the Oklahoma City Thunder in OKC. After the Warriors got whooped pretty badly in both Oracle and OKC, they responded by destroying the Thunder in Oracle and likely will want to carry any momentum into OKC. If KD is cleared in two weeks when he is evaluated, then I feel as though he could either return in the April 1st game against the Suns just to get back into a groove, but logically, the OKC game seems likely. So, barring any setbacks, the Warriors can be fully healthy and ready for the playoffs by the beginning of April. Coincidence? Not exactly. The Warriors were always going to have to fight off these issues this season and they knew it. Considering the circumstances, they are much better off than they could have been, and in a short time, they will be fully healthy and deadly once again. This is a long term plan and strategy that could work wonders in the playoffs. Which leads me to the final piece of this discussion.

*Playoff Push And Goal
-I'll keep it brief. The Warriors have a plan to go 16-0 in the playoffs and they are building to that clearly. The weeks of rest for their stars, the focus and detail they are giving their bench players, the amount of ball movement and trying to keep every piece involved, it is clear. With the bench not producing as well as they should have, they have found a star in Quinn Cook and a reliable scoring option and decent defender for their second and third unit. So, heading into the playoffs, the Warriors could have a fresh and rested Steph, Klay, and Durant running the first unit with Draymond and Javale, or even Jordan Bell or Looney at the 5 for youth and length. They could run with Nick Young, Quinn Cook, Livingston, Iguodala, and David West for the second unit, or even look to Zaza if they need to. Their options are unlimited and if they can balance their defense with their shooting in these rotations, 16-0 is possible. Is it likely? No, but neither were 73-9, or 16-1 and we saw how that turned out. Their biggest challenge is the Houston Rockets and unfortunately for Rockets fans, the 1st seed might give you home court advantage, but it also might present the toughest road to the Western Conference Finals. Imagine a fully healthy Spurs as the 8th seed facing the Rockets, or a fully healthy Timberwolves squad facing the Rockets. The type of defense the Spurs play in the playoffs will be trouble for the Rockets, and the Wolves healthy could be a slight issue for the Rockets. Then, if they are able to get through those teams, then comes the second round. Right now, if the playoffs started today, the Thunder or the Spurs would be their second round opponent. For the Warriors, they know they have the HCA over every other team in the West except Houston, and despite the Rockets being 2-1 this season over the Warriors, come playoff time, a fully healthy Warriors would be the favorites in a series. The Rockets have a very good roster and a very good offense, but the advanced stats are a bit misleading for all the Nick Wrights and ESPN announcers of the world.

The Rockets defense has improved this year, but they still struggle in transition, and their reliance on ticky tack foul calls and the three point shot will be a problem in the playoffs.... for opponents and themselves. In terms of efficiency, the Warriors have a more deadly attack, plus they share the ball better, which is a result of the Rockets utilizing a lot of ISO from James Harden and even late game ISO from Chris Paul. Against a team that plays the best team defense and defends ISO very well in the playoffs, the Rockets will find trouble. The adjustments that the Warriors make in the middle of a game are what make them so deadly, and come playoff time, this is what makes them the favorite. A number of high IQ players and the ability to defend well. So, what is the true goal of the Warriors for the playoffs? They want to be healthy and well rested to avoid ailments affecting their consistency. If they can get out of the first round within 4 games, and even the second round within 4 or 5 games, this allows their players to rest up and recharge in between each series. 

While it may seem impossible to give the Warriors a chance to sweep the Rockets even without HCA, keep in mind that up until recently, the Warriors were the best road team in the league and played better on the road than at home for a majority of that time. All of that was by design. The Warriors knew the challenge that would be ahead and they've been an excellent road team while knowing they can still depend on Oracle to be live for them. If the Warriors don't face the Rockets in the WCF, their strategy will have paid off and they'll likely still have HCA through the playoffs anyways. For GS, they used the end of the season to get fully healthy and gifted the Rockets the no. 1 seed in favor of getting fully healthy and to be well rested heading into the long term grind of the playoffs. Talent wise, there is no team better than the Warriors in the league. IQ wise, there is no team better than the Warriors in the league. Offensively, there is still no team better than the Warriors in the league. Defensively, they are top 5 in the league, even with their struggles of being complacent. They lead the league in assists and blocks, are top 10 in rebounds, top 6 in steals, and they are battle tested. After three straight Finals trips, this team knows what it takes to avoid mental and physical burnout and how to win. Their strategy is simple: show up and play hardest when it counts. You can count on the Warriors to head into the playoffs with their eyes on one thing: perfection. Watching them work towards that goal will either be a beautiful thing for us, or an ugly occurrence for the rest of the world. Still, if you are a Warriors fan, hater, or just a NBA fan, the truth is clear: a fully healthy and well rested Warriors team is a disaster for the NBA playoffs and any opponent they face. Can the Warriors get their third title in four years? It's almost time to buckle up for the ride.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 1:42 AM  No comment

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