I know I've written about how the O's need a new catchphrase, but tonight I'll leave that behind.
They've won the AL East and so begins the journey for the AL Pennant and a well-earned spot in the World Series.
Baltimore, owning the best record in the Bigs since the All-Star break, are truly a three-dimensional team.
A 3.48 ERA.
Over a homer a game (1.29); less than half an error per game (0.49).
The only category that the O's are league leaders in is homers. Yet the amount of statistical categories they're ranked in the top 10 is overwhelming.
Check it out here for a closer look.
All I can say is, ever since I was a kid, waking up and reading the sports page to memorize the stats before my dad woke up, I couldn't fathom the Orioles winning the AL East.
The Yankees were perennials. The Red Sox defined the bottom of the top tier. Toronto was a .500 team, leaving Tampa and the O's to battle it out for fourth.
Occasionally, we'd finish 3rd and a small streak of prideful sweat would start to form between my brow. But the playoffs?
An afterthought.
If there was a word that combined "proud", "relieved", and "ecstatic", I'd use it.
Until I solve that mystery, I'll sleep on the fact that my O's have finally joined the Ravens as being a dominant force in their division and league.
Showing posts with label playoffs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label playoffs. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Friday, May 9, 2014
Game 2 Recap; Game 3 Predictions
Well, so much for ex-NBA stars trolling Young Roy Hibbert on social media.
The troubled center scored the first 5 points for the Pacers, setting his own pace for the remainder of the game. I wouldn't describe his play as dominant; he just played smart basketball, putting himself in the right places at the right times to get timely put backs, hook shots, and scoops.
He finished with 28 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, and altered numerous other Wizards attempts.
For the Wiz, Ariza, a long-range threat and defensive specialist, found himself under the weather and scored only 6 points in 39 minutes of play.
John Wall couldn't find a stroke all night, finishing 2-13 with 6 points and 8 assists.
Cumulatively, these poor games by so many Washington starters would lead one to believe they were on the losing end of a blowout. Surprisingly, Washington was down only 3 with just over 2:00 left to play in the game.
John Wall missed 2 threes and Bradley Beal missed another, forfeiting 3 straight possessions and wasting 3 defensive stops.
My question: Washington, what got you here? Yes, outside shooting has been of a higher percentage this year, but that's because they have been taken carefully at timely moments in games all season.
Wall's best game comes from the drive-and-dish, or driving and scoring in the lane with the possibility of a foul.
Admittedly, in his post-game interview, Wall took the loss on his back, acknowledging his mistakes in the final period.
But wait, there's more!!!
It shouldn't have even gotten to that point. The Wizards only attempted 12 free throws all game, a consequence of settling for jumpers and failing to be aggressive in the paint on drives.
Nene missed the first 4 FT attempts of the game, and Washington finished just 5-12, or under 42% to Indiana's 18/21 - 86%.
THAT was where the Wizards almost blew it in Game 1 when George Hill made desperation 3s at the end. THIS is where they blew it in Game 2.
My thoughts...
The troubled center scored the first 5 points for the Pacers, setting his own pace for the remainder of the game. I wouldn't describe his play as dominant; he just played smart basketball, putting himself in the right places at the right times to get timely put backs, hook shots, and scoops.
He finished with 28 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, and altered numerous other Wizards attempts.
For the Wiz, Ariza, a long-range threat and defensive specialist, found himself under the weather and scored only 6 points in 39 minutes of play.
John Wall couldn't find a stroke all night, finishing 2-13 with 6 points and 8 assists.
Cumulatively, these poor games by so many Washington starters would lead one to believe they were on the losing end of a blowout. Surprisingly, Washington was down only 3 with just over 2:00 left to play in the game.
John Wall missed 2 threes and Bradley Beal missed another, forfeiting 3 straight possessions and wasting 3 defensive stops.
My question: Washington, what got you here? Yes, outside shooting has been of a higher percentage this year, but that's because they have been taken carefully at timely moments in games all season.
Wall's best game comes from the drive-and-dish, or driving and scoring in the lane with the possibility of a foul.
Admittedly, in his post-game interview, Wall took the loss on his back, acknowledging his mistakes in the final period.
But wait, there's more!!!
It shouldn't have even gotten to that point. The Wizards only attempted 12 free throws all game, a consequence of settling for jumpers and failing to be aggressive in the paint on drives.
Nene missed the first 4 FT attempts of the game, and Washington finished just 5-12, or under 42% to Indiana's 18/21 - 86%.
THAT was where the Wizards almost blew it in Game 1 when George Hill made desperation 3s at the end. THIS is where they blew it in Game 2.
My thoughts...
- Hibbert won't have another season-high scoring game this series.
- Wall and Ariza won't combine to shoot 4-21, or 19%, in another game.
- Wittman will rescind his obligatory dunk from his squad's series win over the Bulls if the team doesn't shoot over 70% from the charity stripe in each game from here on out.
- Andre Miller deserves a maximum of 10 minutes a game; maybe even less, but certainly not more.
Tonight's Game 3 in Washington will be showtime for the Wizards. An 8:00pm tip-off in the nation's capital city allows plenty of time for the home crowd to show up on time, loud enough to take on anyone, maybe even Nenê.
Washington will lead for almost the entirety of the game, in another defensive battle holding both teams under the 100-point mark (the Over/Under is 183.5). Beal will go off for 25-5-5 or more, and Nene/Gortat will combine for 40/20+
Indiana will get huge offensive surges from Lance Stephenson and Paul George, as Hibbert returns to maybe a 12-5 line.
Prediction: 93-87, Wizards
REMINDER: IF the Wiz score 100+ and win, use code WIZ50 to get 50% off anything full price from Papa John's in the DC/Metro area.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
NBA Playoff Implications, Quick Movie Review
What a relief it is to have a series wrapped up while everyone else is either trying to close out a 3-2 lead or come back from a 2-3 deficit. Tonight is HUGE for the Wizards, as the Hawks try to close out the series against the first seeded Pacers in Atlanta.
Let's talk about Atlanta.
At the end of March, the Hawks had no business even eying the playoffs. A six-game losing streak was finally snapped by a March 31 victory against the lowly 76ers, a team that tied the NBA record with a 26-game losing streak. Had the Hawks lost this one, the team and fan base's energy would have been all but drained.
Instead, that W sparked a 7-3 record over the last 10 games to lift Atlanta -- despite a 38-44 record -- into the Eastern Conference playoffs as an 8 seed.
Clearly, Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague had other plans for their 2014 season.
Now, one win away from becoming the fifth eight-seed in NBA history to knock off a #1 - the most recent coming in 2011 when the Grizzlies beat the Spurs in the Western Conference.
The difference in this series, in my eyes based off the couple of games that I've watched, has started in the post. Millsap has scored in double-digits in every game. On the flip-side, Hibbert has zero 10+ games scoring through the first five games.
Guards have a significantly higher opportunity to dominate and create space when the inside game is working. Even without Al Horford (torn pectoral), the Hawks have enough presence in the paint to disturb Indiana's Hibbert and David West - although West has been a veteran thus far, putting up a 13-5-5 line of averages in the postseason.
I see the Hawks riding momentum and a home crowd to bust out early and send the reeling Pacers home to their couches until next season.
Prediction: 93-88, Hawks
On an unrelated note, I watched Don Jon last night after my girlfriend enthusiastically informed me that it was finally available for Netflix streaming.
Honestly, I had never heard of the film until she introduced me. Then I saw the cast of JGL (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Scarlett Johansson and all other priorities instantly faded to grey for the evening.
The premise: JGL is a New Jersey guido stud portrayed as a grown frat star, bringing home someone different at his leisure. Then he meets Scarlett and instantly turns into a relationship kind of guy, despite her demanding, high-maintenance style of living.
There's a problem, though...
JGL is a porn addict. He likes porn more than the real deal, and it's not even close. Some days, he watches more than 40 videos -- that's after starting with still pictures as a warm up.
Honestly, JGL did an incredible job in both his acting and directing (but what else would you expect from the guy who can pull off a dying cancer victim in 50-50 and Christian Bale's go-to as Robin in Batman?).
It definitely isn't your average chick flick. There is actual character development.
A short 90 minutes flies by and the ending is a good one. I recommend it to supplement your 10-hour weekend binge sesh of whatever drama you've run into on Netflix recently.
TLDR;
Let's talk about Atlanta.
At the end of March, the Hawks had no business even eying the playoffs. A six-game losing streak was finally snapped by a March 31 victory against the lowly 76ers, a team that tied the NBA record with a 26-game losing streak. Had the Hawks lost this one, the team and fan base's energy would have been all but drained.
Instead, that W sparked a 7-3 record over the last 10 games to lift Atlanta -- despite a 38-44 record -- into the Eastern Conference playoffs as an 8 seed.
Clearly, Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague had other plans for their 2014 season.
Now, one win away from becoming the fifth eight-seed in NBA history to knock off a #1 - the most recent coming in 2011 when the Grizzlies beat the Spurs in the Western Conference.
The difference in this series, in my eyes based off the couple of games that I've watched, has started in the post. Millsap has scored in double-digits in every game. On the flip-side, Hibbert has zero 10+ games scoring through the first five games.
Guards have a significantly higher opportunity to dominate and create space when the inside game is working. Even without Al Horford (torn pectoral), the Hawks have enough presence in the paint to disturb Indiana's Hibbert and David West - although West has been a veteran thus far, putting up a 13-5-5 line of averages in the postseason.
I see the Hawks riding momentum and a home crowd to bust out early and send the reeling Pacers home to their couches until next season.
Prediction: 93-88, Hawks
On an unrelated note, I watched Don Jon last night after my girlfriend enthusiastically informed me that it was finally available for Netflix streaming.
Honestly, I had never heard of the film until she introduced me. Then I saw the cast of JGL (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Scarlett Johansson and all other priorities instantly faded to grey for the evening.
The premise: JGL is a New Jersey guido stud portrayed as a grown frat star, bringing home someone different at his leisure. Then he meets Scarlett and instantly turns into a relationship kind of guy, despite her demanding, high-maintenance style of living.
There's a problem, though...
JGL is a porn addict. He likes porn more than the real deal, and it's not even close. Some days, he watches more than 40 videos -- that's after starting with still pictures as a warm up.
Honestly, JGL did an incredible job in both his acting and directing (but what else would you expect from the guy who can pull off a dying cancer victim in 50-50 and Christian Bale's go-to as Robin in Batman?).
It definitely isn't your average chick flick. There is actual character development.
A short 90 minutes flies by and the ending is a good one. I recommend it to supplement your 10-hour weekend binge sesh of whatever drama you've run into on Netflix recently.
TLDR;
- Hawks will pull off the win tonight
- Wizards get home-court and a shot at an Eastern Conference Finals matchup
- Don Jon is worth the 90 minute investment
- It finally stopped monsooning on the East coast.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
All the Elements of a Sweep
If you've been following the NBA Playoffs - whether this year or in years past - it's no secret that the Heat dominate the early rounds. In each game, LeBron and Co. put the team in unquestionable positions to win.
Here's a summary of Round 1 Heat results from recent years:
2011: 4-1, 76ers
2012: 4-1, Knicks
2013: 4-0, Bucks
2014: 4-0, Hawks
On to the Wizards. The first two games were comeback victories in the 4th quarter and OT, usually traits of a veteran team. Surely, Gortat and Nene are veteran leaders of the front court. But what the Wizards excelled in - as has been the case late in the season - was stifling defense and a dynamic, explosive offense.
That was the difference in this series, and it doesn't take an analyst to come to this conclusion if you were watching the games.
The Bulls relied on Hinrich, Dunleavy, Augustin, and Butler for the 3-ball. None of them caught fire in the same game, posing a catastrophic problem for the squad from Game 1. Their only win came in Game 3 in DC, where Dunleavy shot out of his mind and Jimmy Butler made a couple clutch threes near the end after having a cold hand all game.
This kind of performance against a Bulls team that had high aspirations entering the playoffs shares many similarities with the Heat's recent successes. Late in the series, the Wiz got off to double digit leads and never looked back.
Game 5: John Wall struggled with his mid-range game, but he hit timely threes and drove at will, often times against two and three idle Bulls defenders on fast breaks derived from long outlet passes. Bradley Beal kept the defense spread with his silky stop-and-pop release.
And even when the mid-range jumpers weren't falling, Gortat and Nene dominated the offensive boards with tip-out after tip-out. Nene went for 20 and 7, adding 4 beautiful assists to his post-suspension debut. If you look at his performance throughout the whole series, he dominated Joakim Noah, NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
I am avidly against everything Noah does - he has an uglier game than Ben Wallace did in the Pistons' 2000s stretch of success. But it can't be argued that he's a workhorse who uses his 6'11", 232-pound frame to the best of his advantage.
Ultimately, Washington's success originated from:
A. Nene and Gortat being able to best Noah and Gibson on the boards for the majority of the series and...
B. Augustin and Hinrich being faced with tenacious, shut-down defense limiting open looks, especially beyond the arc.
When it looked as though the Bulls were coming back with 4:00 left in the 4th after a Bulls 3, John Wall casually knocked down a trey of his own. Down 3 with just under 3:00, the Bulls failed to score, giving the 'Zards the ball with 2:38 left.
Gortat got FOUR STRAIGHT OFFENSIVE BOARDS to milk the clock down to 0:58. Despite the Wizards' failure to score on the possession, this was the possession of the game.
The Bulls opted for 2-pointers but continued to miss layups as they had been doing all night. Jimmy Butler missed the last of these opportunities with just over 20 seconds left, and John Wall finally put it away with free throws at the other end.
A quick note: Andre Miller should not be on the court in the 4th quarter. He should get a maximum of 10 minutes to give Wall a breather, but that's it. I understand he's a veteran, but he just doesn't add any defensive value, and his offense is limited to dishing it out. I loved him for years with Philly, but his time in this league has run dry.
TLDR; Washington led by double-digits for the majority of the game just as it did for most of the series. Its sights are set for home court advantage contingent upon the 8th-seeded Hawks knocking off the 1st-seeded Pacers. With Hibbert's playoff implosion, though, the Pacers almost seem like the favorable matchup considering how Gortat and Nene have been playing.
Either way, last night marked the first time since defeating the Bulls in 2005's Round 1 that the Wizards have advanced in the playoffs.
There isn't a Big 3 of Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, and Antawn Jamison anymore. Instead, there's a team culture -- strong veterans and gutsy young-20-something future stars -- that has developed after struggling through the first 15 games of the season, something that only Wizards fans have been aware of.
Watch out Miami.
Here's a summary of Round 1 Heat results from recent years:
2011: 4-1, 76ers
2012: 4-1, Knicks
2013: 4-0, Bucks
2014: 4-0, Hawks
On to the Wizards. The first two games were comeback victories in the 4th quarter and OT, usually traits of a veteran team. Surely, Gortat and Nene are veteran leaders of the front court. But what the Wizards excelled in - as has been the case late in the season - was stifling defense and a dynamic, explosive offense.
That was the difference in this series, and it doesn't take an analyst to come to this conclusion if you were watching the games.
The Bulls relied on Hinrich, Dunleavy, Augustin, and Butler for the 3-ball. None of them caught fire in the same game, posing a catastrophic problem for the squad from Game 1. Their only win came in Game 3 in DC, where Dunleavy shot out of his mind and Jimmy Butler made a couple clutch threes near the end after having a cold hand all game.
This kind of performance against a Bulls team that had high aspirations entering the playoffs shares many similarities with the Heat's recent successes. Late in the series, the Wiz got off to double digit leads and never looked back.
Game 5: John Wall struggled with his mid-range game, but he hit timely threes and drove at will, often times against two and three idle Bulls defenders on fast breaks derived from long outlet passes. Bradley Beal kept the defense spread with his silky stop-and-pop release.
And even when the mid-range jumpers weren't falling, Gortat and Nene dominated the offensive boards with tip-out after tip-out. Nene went for 20 and 7, adding 4 beautiful assists to his post-suspension debut. If you look at his performance throughout the whole series, he dominated Joakim Noah, NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
I am avidly against everything Noah does - he has an uglier game than Ben Wallace did in the Pistons' 2000s stretch of success. But it can't be argued that he's a workhorse who uses his 6'11", 232-pound frame to the best of his advantage.
Ultimately, Washington's success originated from:
A. Nene and Gortat being able to best Noah and Gibson on the boards for the majority of the series and...
B. Augustin and Hinrich being faced with tenacious, shut-down defense limiting open looks, especially beyond the arc.
When it looked as though the Bulls were coming back with 4:00 left in the 4th after a Bulls 3, John Wall casually knocked down a trey of his own. Down 3 with just under 3:00, the Bulls failed to score, giving the 'Zards the ball with 2:38 left.
Gortat got FOUR STRAIGHT OFFENSIVE BOARDS to milk the clock down to 0:58. Despite the Wizards' failure to score on the possession, this was the possession of the game.
The Bulls opted for 2-pointers but continued to miss layups as they had been doing all night. Jimmy Butler missed the last of these opportunities with just over 20 seconds left, and John Wall finally put it away with free throws at the other end.
A quick note: Andre Miller should not be on the court in the 4th quarter. He should get a maximum of 10 minutes to give Wall a breather, but that's it. I understand he's a veteran, but he just doesn't add any defensive value, and his offense is limited to dishing it out. I loved him for years with Philly, but his time in this league has run dry.
TLDR; Washington led by double-digits for the majority of the game just as it did for most of the series. Its sights are set for home court advantage contingent upon the 8th-seeded Hawks knocking off the 1st-seeded Pacers. With Hibbert's playoff implosion, though, the Pacers almost seem like the favorable matchup considering how Gortat and Nene have been playing.
Either way, last night marked the first time since defeating the Bulls in 2005's Round 1 that the Wizards have advanced in the playoffs.
There isn't a Big 3 of Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, and Antawn Jamison anymore. Instead, there's a team culture -- strong veterans and gutsy young-20-something future stars -- that has developed after struggling through the first 15 games of the season, something that only Wizards fans have been aware of.
Watch out Miami.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Wizards tonight
I feel as though being a 'Zards fan through the Gilbert Arenas era created a hatred for LeBron. But in reality, it should've shone light to the league on how terribly inconsistent referees are.
In today's game, it's worse than ever.
Vine videos are everywhere should DWade, Jeremy Lin, LeBron, and any center worth talking about taking 3, 4, 5, 6 steps. This is where I have a problem, as I'm aware millions of others do as well.
Fouls are completely subjective to interpretation, generally speaking.
The number of steps someone takes is not. It's a quantitative measurement. They're counted. 1, 2, 2.5... anything more?
Travel.
So imagine my state of mind upon waking up with a 3-1 series lead playing the star-less Bulls in Chicago. Oh, and the Hawks are up 3-2 on the Pacers?!
Putting aside not having won a playoff series since Xerox was still relevant, the Wiz are historically 5-0 when leading a series 3-1. With Nene back, Taj Gibson shouldn't be too much of a factor, so it'll be up to Augustin, Dunleavy, Hinrich, and Jimmy Butler to shoot the lights out as a few of them did in Game 3.
I can't see Boozer doing much in Game 5 - he's an old headcase that can barely dunk with the slightest contest of his shot. A detriment on defense, "leadership" and his ugly jumper are all that keep him on the court for comparable durations to Gibson. Gortat and Nene will play their normal pesky, incessant defense to stifle the Bulls' paint game.
Prediction: Wizards win 103-95; close until the end.
In today's game, it's worse than ever.
Vine videos are everywhere should DWade, Jeremy Lin, LeBron, and any center worth talking about taking 3, 4, 5, 6 steps. This is where I have a problem, as I'm aware millions of others do as well.
Fouls are completely subjective to interpretation, generally speaking.
The number of steps someone takes is not. It's a quantitative measurement. They're counted. 1, 2, 2.5... anything more?
Travel.
So imagine my state of mind upon waking up with a 3-1 series lead playing the star-less Bulls in Chicago. Oh, and the Hawks are up 3-2 on the Pacers?!
Putting aside not having won a playoff series since Xerox was still relevant, the Wiz are historically 5-0 when leading a series 3-1. With Nene back, Taj Gibson shouldn't be too much of a factor, so it'll be up to Augustin, Dunleavy, Hinrich, and Jimmy Butler to shoot the lights out as a few of them did in Game 3.
I can't see Boozer doing much in Game 5 - he's an old headcase that can barely dunk with the slightest contest of his shot. A detriment on defense, "leadership" and his ugly jumper are all that keep him on the court for comparable durations to Gibson. Gortat and Nene will play their normal pesky, incessant defense to stifle the Bulls' paint game.
Prediction: Wizards win 103-95; close until the end.
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