Chapel Mil: Marshall Added to Bucks' Roster

Milwaukee Bucks have not done much in the offseason. Last year, they were making all sorts of weird splashes by bringing back the likes of Carlos Delfino and Zaza Pachuila plus giving O.J. Mayo a three-year contract to get fat on the bench. This year, they haven't done much besides what happened in the draft. But after adding Jerryd Bayless in free agency, Milwaukee sneakily claimed Kendall Marshall off waivers this weekend adding another guard to the fold. This is a great low risk, high reward situation taking a chance on the former North Carolina point guard.

After one season with Phoenix, the first-round pick got an opportunity with Los Angeles Lakers as they suffered through one of their worst seasons as a franchise. Marshall did not suffer like the team as he flourished under Mike D'Antoni's system averaging eight points and nearly nine assists a game starting 45 of the 54 games he played for Los Angeles last season after spending a little time in the D-League to begin the 2014 season after being traded from Phoenix to Washington then released. Lakers waived Marshall as they have Jeremy Lin, Steve Nash and Jordan Clarkson, their second-round pick, all as point guards. But Los Angeles thought about bringing him back if Marshall cleared waivers, but it didn't happen as the sneaky Bucks claimed his contract.

This is Milwaukee's first true point guard in awhile. Brandon Knight, Nate Wolters and a couple others are combo guards whom can run the floor but are not really point guards. Bucks now have a pass-first point guard with a great group of wings and post players who could really benefit from what Marshall brings to the table. He might have some of the best vision in the NBA finding the open man all the time. Sure, he is not the most athletic player in the world and sometimes cannot score, but if Milwaukee is bringing him off the bench, do they really need him scoring double figures a game? Marshall also brings another element for the Bucks on and off the court.

If you follow Marshall on social media, you know he is a must-follow on Twitter and Instagram, but one of the things you know is Bucks forward John Henson and him are best friends. Some people wonder if it is good to play with your friends as sometimes, it can get you in trouble. But I argue it is a great thing to have friends especially growing up in the league. Henson and Marshall playing together can only pay off dividends. Marshall will already be comfortable with one of the Bucks post players, and Henson can teach other players on the team how Marshall works on the team making the transition easier for the Bucks. I love Henson and Marshall calling it #ChapelMil and need it on a t-shirt immediately.

.@_John_Henson_ #ChapelMil act tuffff
— Kendall Marshall (@KButter5) July 20, 2014

I am not the biggest Chipolte guy, but this is also funny stuff with the hashtag included.

and lastly, I'd like to thank chipotle. I'm lookin forward to seein what the chipotles in MIL have to offer. #FearTheBeardedDeer
— Kendall Marshall (@KButter5) July 20, 2014

While Marshall will be a delight on social media and with how the Bucks allow their players to be themselves on Twitter, it should be real fun. Another thing about Marshall to Milwaukee is having Jason Kidd as a head coach. He is the ripe age of 22. Marshall grew up watching Kidd play basketball, and Kidd had a great deal of pass-first tendencies early on in his career. There is a good chance Kidd could make a huge impact on Marshall's career in the long-term.

Bucks are building something fun. I know for a couple weeks this summer I worried about losing a ton of games this season, but now, it seems like Milwaukee has quite the fun, young team versus the hodgepodge of misfits like last season. Should be a fun season

Charlie.

The Summer of Joel Embiid Continues

Some people believe Cleveland Cavaliers and Milwaukee Bucks will regret not taking Joel Embiid with the first or second pick of the draft. I, as a casual Bucks fan, already am regretting not getting Embiid solely for his personality on Twitter. The guy is absolutely owning the rookie social media corner and finally got me to follow him which I should have done a long time ago.  Embiid started the summer by trying to recruit LeBron James to Philadelphia, telling everybody how well-endowed he is and now he makes a move on Kim Kardashian.

Hey I want you to come slide in my DMs @KimKardashian
— Joel-Hans Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) July 16, 2014

Oh I didn't know you were married sorry @KimKardashian just saw it from the fan's tweet... have a nice day
— Joel-Hans Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) July 16, 2014

Also if you missed his interview with Dan Patrick, A-plus stuff.



Charlie.

Carmelo Anthony: The Unfair Bad Guy of the NBA

Carmelo Anthony is one of the more polarizing athletes in our generation. Anthony doesn't really scream polarizing though, right?  He isn't somebody whom gets into a ton of trouble or do anything which talks about his polarization. But it seems like a majority of the NBA community hates Melo. He seems like a bad guy. It has always been the case since he started with the Denver Nuggets. People were always highly critical of him which never really made any sense whatsoever. Hence everyone went up his ass about taking all sorts of money from New York without any promise of a championship. Anyone ever consider the fact Melo is trying to keep his family happy and believes in the new organization efforts? Or does the NBA community as a whole get blinded by this Melo hate?

The couple of reasons people hate Anthony is he is a me-first scorer and ran his way out of Denver in order to play for New York. These are two of the top things that turn people off from professional athletes. People don't want this from their athletes. They want to all be team players and be happy with whatever situation comes their way. Everyone wants robot athletes where they play the game the right way which is a complete bullshit thing we have spoke on before. Carmelo might be the things he gets criticized for on a frequent basis, but at the same time, he is one of the best players in the league bar none. There is no doubt in my mind Anthony could make all teams in the NBA better despite some of the selfish tendencies. 

There are some obvious problems with the Knicks, but can we at least say, there is a little more promise with this team than there was last season. They cleared out Raymond Felton and Tyson Chandler while adding younger guys like Shane Larkin along with some draft picks. Those draft picks netted Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Cleanthony Early is much better than what they had last season. All the sudden, New York has some young talent with a chance of one or two of them hitting versus trying to make it all happen with a bunch of veterans heading towards the twilight of their career. Sure, they still have Amar'e Stoudemire, but I am confident they will try very hard to move him before the season ends with his large expiring contract.

Carmelo stayed in New York because it paid him the most money plus he trusts Phil Jackson to bring the right players. They are going to have a chance at Kevin Love because Minnesota isn't trading him this summer at this point. It will be through trade, but they will have a chance. If they strike out on Love, Kevin Durant is probably going to be available in 2016 to at least explore the option and who knows if the Cleveland thing goes to shit, LeBron James could be out there as well. Anthony knows this isn't a spirit with the Knicks, it is a marathon with the talent pool out there in the coming years. It is reckless to think New York cannot become a contender during the time of Carmelo's contract.

Besides basketball, he took the deal with New York because his wife and kids love the city. He is married to LaLa Anthony whose been trying to get into the acting world and has a reality show. It is very easy to do all of those things in New York City. Carmelo knows he helps her out by staying here. Moreover, he helps the family out majorly by taking a contract where he will be paid 23.6 million dollars a year. Carmelo will have a great deal of money when he is done with his contract meaning he can chase a ring in five years when his kids are grown up and hopefully his wife is successful as an actress. A couple players have done it in the past and it worked out well for a few of them. 

Gary Payton, Karl Malone and Charles Barkley where all players whom didn't have a ring for most of their career. All three of them went to high profile teams at the time to get a ring. Payton went to Los Angeles and then Miami. The Lakers experiment didn't work out, but Miami netted him a championship ring. Malone and Barkley were less fortunate in their short stints with Los Angeles and Houston. Carmelo can do the exact same thing if New York doesn't work out for him in the next five years. Who knows the best team in the league at that point, but Melo can join with them adding a veteran to their bench.

The only way for the Carmelo criticism to stop is if he put up numbers like LeBron James where he contributes in assists, rebounds (He kind of did last season but whatever) and a better defensive player. That's a damn shame. People need to realize Anthony is his own man and his own NBA player.

Charlie. 

The Decision II > The Decision

So I wrote this before LeBron James is coming back to Cleveland. I am going to attempt to write a blog post about LeBron heading back to the Cavs before I head out to Eau Claire. We are under the gun here at SnoTap. Either that, or I will write one up for Saturday. This is more about the process to get here.  

I expected to have a LeBron James blog post up this morning talking about if he decided to stay with Miami, or if he came back to the city whom once loved him. But we have nothing. No one knows anything going on right now. There are so many people on the phone trying to figure out what could be the choice by The King. We are in the same spot we were in last night which for some is incredibly frustrating. The decision is likely coming today but who knows it might continue until the weekend is over. All I know is this has been much funner than the first decision.  (As you can see this becomes irrelevant.)

Some people might be tired of seeing all of the ridiculous theories behind why LeBron is either going to Miami or coming back to Cleveland. I love every minute of it. The whole thing is fascinating to watch unfold like one big puzzle. Twitter has become a playground where rumors can fly like crazy. Fake Twitter accounts all over the place trying to spread rumors in hopes to dupe big name reporters from ESPN And Yahoo!. The new thing was linking or retweeting old links about LeBron and both cities. All of it is pretty hilarious. This time around with James it is met with great humor. I really enjoy it this time around, and much of it has to do with the beauty of social media.

In the first round of The Decision, social media hadn't really been running at full throttle. Twitter was just starting to get going as LeBron made up his mind. I believe I had just became 'Chuck's Corner's' on Twitter at this point. Further, I wrote several articles killing James for moving on to Miami. It was a little unnecessary honestly looking back on all of it, and a month after LeBron leaving, Sports News on Tap was born.  Social media made this time around so much more fun because it is a topic we are talking about non-stop. At times it is a little exhausting, but the enjoyment of having the same conversation with a boatload of people is tremendous. July is a boring month for sports. When LeBron chooses his team, and the World Cup is over, sports will be just baseball until August. I love baseball, but it is much more fun to have multiple topics to talk about honestly.

There is not as much criticism of LeBron unless you write the hottest take possible at the Denver Post, but I digress. No one really cares where James goes outside of Miami and Cleveland fans. Mitch Pratt, my podcast co-host, asked me "Where do you want LeBron to go?"  And I said, "Honestly, I don't give a shit." This is fun either way. Because LeBron either becomes a villain again by coming back to Miami reigniting the fire between Cleveland fans and LeBron. Or LeBron comes back to Cleveland with everyone welcoming back to the city he once spurned and it becomes one of the greatest yet weirdest sports story in a American history. As a blogger, you root for Cleveland due to the storylines being endless with LeBron rejoining the Cavaliers.

Waiting on LeBron is a fun thing, and we all know he will pick his next team while I drive up to Eau Claire this afternoon because that's my luck.

Charlie. 

Bucks Linked to Bledsoe, Lin

With Milwaukee Bucks Summer League set to get underway tomorrow evening from Las Vegas, there have been plenty of rumblings around the circuit that the team has interest in acquiring a point guard to run the team going forward.

This past Saturday, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweeted that Bucks have kicked the tires on a possible trade for Rockets' PG Jeremy Lin, are also working on pitching an offer sheet for Suns' coveted restricted free agent point guard Eric Bledsoe and looking at Greivis Vasquez.

In addition to weighing possible trade for Lin, I'm told Bucks are pitching offer sheet to RFA Eric Bledsoe and pursuing PG Greivis Vasquez
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 5, 2014

Vasquez re-signed with Toronto last night on a 2-year/$13 million contract, so naturally, he's out of the question now. It's down to Lin or Bledsoe.

If I'm honest, it's unlikely the Bucks land either of these guys. My explanation:

Jeremy Lin makes $15 million for the upcoming season but due to a weird contract loophole, he will only count $8 million toward the cap. Regardless, the Rockets need that space to be able to sign Chris Bosh to the absurd contract they offered him this week. To put it simply, Lasry & Edens might not think that Lin is worth paying $15 million (and they'd be right).

Also, there is a conspiracy out there that since Rockets' GM Daryl Morey and Sixers' GM Sam Hinkie go way back, they'd be willing to help each other out in a trade. The Rockets want cap space and the Sixers want MOAR assets.

Lin might slightly derail the Sixers' second consecutive blatant tank season but they would probably be willing to take the risk if they get a first-rounder and another prospect (Clint Capela?) for their troubles. Bucks fans have serious doubts at John Hammond's ability to win a trade because we typically get fleeced in all deals we're a part of (see: JJ Redick trade where we could have theoretically obtained Bledsoe in the first place).

Speaking of Bledsoe, the thought around the league is that the Suns are going to match any offer sheet that Bledsoe is offered. Chances are, the Bucks would have to offer a 4/$64 offer sheet for Bledsoe to make the Suns think twice but even then, I've come to terms with the fact that the Suns, who have a ton of cap space themselves, will not hesitate to match.

The only outside chance the Bucks have is that Bledsoe has been in contact with new Bucks' head coach Jason Kidd has gotten through to him that he can be the coach to take him to the next level. Bledsoe would be a good fit with forwards Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo going forward. Bledsoe is a point guard that excels with the ball or without the ball.

One thing to think about with the Suns is whether they like Goran Dragic or Bledsoe more or if they think they can both play together long-term. I see no reason why they can't but if Bledsoe commands $16 million a year, Dragic is going to look to earn pretty close to that much himself. That's a lot of money to be tied up in a backcourt.

Anyway, the Bucks already have one true point guard on the roster and his name is Nate Wolters and he'll be attending Bucks' Summer League along with Parker and Giannis, among others.

Brandon Knight is also a "point guard" on the Bucks current roster but it's pretty apparent he's a combo guard at best and most likely a shooting guard.

It's refreshing to see that Bucks' management isn't forcing Brandon Knight as a point guard.

'Til next time.

-Big Money

Cleveland Clears The Way For LeBron

LeBron James made the month of July about himself again like he did in 2010. James went from being a guy whose going to opt-out to make more money and stay in Miami to he might end up either playing for Miami again or a return to Cleveland. The latter became much more of a possibility on Wednesday morning when Cleveland cleared cap space by trading away Jarrett Jack and Marcus Thornton to Brooklyn and Boston in a three-team deal to pave the way for max money for James. Cleveland is either welcoming their King back or getting hurt again although this time the pain for them shouldn't be the same. 

There is a real chance LeBron comes back to the city where it all began. The city is alive right now with sports due to Johnny Manziel and the up and coming Browns plus Cavaliers have a young nucleus ready to make the playoffs. LeBron joining the fray would put Cleveland in the epicenter of all sports, and all fans of James rejoicing they can wear their 23 Cleveland jerseys again. It is hard to get into the mindset of Cavs fans right now, but you have to think people are writing on walls or computers 'I will not get excited about LeBron James' 'I will not get excited about LeBron James.' I mean there is no way this fan base is going to burned again, right? 

If it were me, I would lie in the weeds, read as little as possible and try to believe that this isn't a reality until we see James holding up a jersey next to Dan Gilbert and Kyrie Irving. There is a chance right now, but in no way should Cleveland fans get excited. What's cool about this whole free agent saga is the Cavs pushed their chips in. They didn't pussyfoot around this thing, and instead cleared out money to attempt to sign LeBron to a big deal. Why the hell not? Let's go for it, that has to fire you up as a fan whether LeBron comes back to Cleveland or not. At least, they aren't resting on their laurels here because they know they cannot. 

The great thing about this whole thing is Cleveland has a ton of money to spend if LeBron decides to stay put in South Beach. Rumors are Trevor Ariza will be the play whom could be a good option for them to add a wing to this team plus a little veteran leadership and a guy whose excelled with a strong point guard. They could also make a slight run at Pau Gasol. They have some young big men inside, but why not at least see what Pau's interest would be in playing with a bunch of young players? It wouldn't hurt. They have money to blow if LeBron becomes unavailable.  The fact of the matter, Cleveland's risk is a good one because having all of that money is not a bad thing. Losing Jack is not the worst thing in the world, he didn't fit in with the Cavs system. This was a solid move by them, and if people are calling it dangerous play or anything like that is completely wrong. 

The other thing about not getting LeBron is this team is still on pace to be a good one with Irving, Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters. The last one might be a stretch, but that's a solid young core for the future especially in the Eastern Conference. It is not like LeBron is the savior in this situation. I do not think this is too much of a reach to say Cleveland could be a deep playoff contender in the next couple of years as Irving heads into his prime including the other two coming near it as well. Cleveland will be a fun time with or without LeBron. 

The biggest question if LeBron comes back, do we have a video of 'Coming Home' or 'Cleveland is My City?' I am available to make either one, just ask.

Charlie. 

NBA Free Agency Frenzy Fun

Everyone thought there was a chance the NBA Free Agency season could be a little wild if things broke the right way. Some believed people were making too big of a deal of free agency, and everyone will be back with their teams from last season. Things are getting extremely hairy right now, and it starts with Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James. Nothing will happen in the Free Agent market until these two players are signed.  There is some thoughts that we will learn where Melo will go today, but LeBron could take one or two weeks to decide his fate. This is a fascinating time in the NBA.

People talk all the time about how the National Football League is a 24/7, no days off sort of season. Granted, some of that is blowing things way out of proportion like Johnny Manziel having a rolled up 20 in a Las Vegas bathroom, and no, I didn't realize I made a cocaine joke there. NBA has become a 24/7 league without question. There is no sleep right now with their league, and honestly, it has been that way since the first time we went through LeBron's free agency yet this is the first time people are coming to this realization.

This isn't a blog post to tell you what will happen with Carmelo or LeBron. I have no idea. I am not Brian Windhorst nor am I a fake Adrian Wojnarowski Twitter account. In fact, Melo might have a team while this blog post goes up this afternoon. This is more a blog to recognize the craziness that is this free agency period with all sorts of moves to be made.  A couple weeks ago, I called people 'suckers' for thinking LeBron would go to somewhere else than Miami, but now it seems like I was the sucker for thinking James returning to Miami was a #DoneDeal. Good for LeBron taking a look around and smelling the flowers elsewhere instead of settling. I respect the hell out of James not listening to anyone about loyalty or anything of that nature.

There are rumors coming through every day. Woj came out with something this morning that LeBron's agent wants him to move back to Cleveland. There will be some new rumor by the time I post this blog, but that's the beauty of this whole thing. Agents and people close to these players leak shit all over the place to get headlines. ESPN had 'sources' lining up their top headlines these days. There is nothing wrong with these sorts of stories. I realize it bothers people when they see 'sources' all over the place, but the fact of the matter, this is how things are in modern journalism. All of these people realize they can be faceless creatures and say whatever the hell they feel about their client. When ESPN, Yahoo! FOX Sports and others have went the route of sources being a legit way to publish a story, there is no coming back from it even if this method pisses people off.

The best thing about all of this in the post-Decision era is people not believing every story that's out there. When the sources thing got going in the first couple years of Twitter's peak, people started assuming that everything out there was concrete, it really hurt this whole thing. It led to massive assumptions about all things about free agency almost diluting the whole thing. Now, it has become a proceed with caution way to do free agency and not make any sorts of assumptions about anything. People now wait and see what happens with NBA Free Agency before rushing to conclusions which makes things much more fun.  

The best part about this whole thing is free agency rumors will be just as strong for the next two seasons if Russell Westbrook doesn't get extended and Kevin Love ends up not getting traded at all making him unrestricted as well. Furthermore if Kevin Durant decides he wants to test the waters in 2016, things become even more interesting with the free agent season. This isn't dying by any means in the next couple of years. NBA becoming a 24/7 sport is a big reason why this is the number two sport in America right now.

-Charlie.

Kyle Lowry Stays North

Kyle Lowry had a breakout season for the Toronto Raptors leading them to the three seed in the Eastern Conference. Raptors nearly advanced to the second round for the first time in over 10 years, but Brooklyn slipped past in Game 7. Much of the question is would this be a one-year flash in the pan because Lowry was an unrestricted free agent this summer. People thought he could be headed to Miami or other big-name destinations. Lowry decided to stay with the team with a four-year deal for 48 million dollars. Toronto might be taking a little risk, but he is vital to the Raptors' success.

Whenever a team signs a free agent or re-signs a player, there is always some danger unless your name is LeBron James. Lowry had a career year for Toronto after taking a slight stepback in his first year with Toronto. But he became the glue for this team. DeMar DeRozan gets the 'star' tag, but in reality, it is Lowry whose been the key cog to this team despite DeRozan scoring more than him. Lowry and DeRozan together is a lethal duo in the league. Arguably, one of the best 1-2 guard punches in basketball. It is hard to think of player in the league whom could replace his value.

Lowry was a top ten player when it comes to Win Shares last season with 11.7 and Win Shares per 48 minutes. There is no way Toronto could replace Lowry with the same type of player. Eleven wins for the Raptors team makes the difference from being a three seed to being an eight seed. Lowry also was a top ten player in assists, assists per game and three-point percentage. Lowry had a career season, no question about it, but there is nothing to think this is a one-time thing. He never got a chance to be 'the man' on a team, and Lowry finally got his opportunity which he seized to a brand-spanking new contract.

One of the reasons why this string of success will continue for Lowry is his increased free throws per game. It is sort of a basic stat, but for his career, he averaged only about 3.8 free throws attempts per game where as in 2014, Lowry shot one more free throw a game. It doesn't really show up in terms of attacking the basket, but he balanced his two's and three's to have the highest two-point percentage of his career since 2010-2011 season.  Further, it helped his three-point shooting was better than year's past as well. I wouldn't call Lowry a three-point shooter and we never know if this is a one year thing for him. That's something to keep an eye on next season.

The other thing that cannot go under the radar is the Raptors are building something big with their team. DeRozan is only 24, coming off a career year.  Terrence Ross is only 23, and he built on his rookie season where he went into double-digits last season. Amir Johnson averaged 10 points for the second consecutive season and is still young at 27. Most importantly, Jonas Valanciunas is on the verge of being a star. I could see a breakout season for him next season. Lowry is the captain and the technical veteran of this young team. Why wouldn't you want to be the lead guy for this group?

Toronto could be set for the future with Lowry and the young guns in place for a couple years. The Eastern Conference is not hard to be one of the big boys, and most teams are in doubt of what their roster will really look like in October right now. But T. Dot is all set and ready to contend for an Atlantic Division title again.

Charlie.

Jason Kidd Doesn't Owe You Answers

Milwaukee Bucks introduced Jason Kidd to Milwaukee yesterday morning. They brought in their new coach after Larry Drew was ousted rather quickly, and the press conference did not make them go 1-0 to start the Kidd era. People tagged it as 'awkward' and Kidd avoided all sorts of questions about the situation itself. The criticism of Kidd's press conference happened at a rampant rate with everyone trying to make their own dodging joke. Bucks are in such a weird spot due to everyone on the Internet hating their coach, but everyone embracing their players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker. They aren't the bad boys, but not many people want this team to succeed next season.

It is sort of surprising to see how many media members rushed to criticize Kidd for dodging all sorts of questions. This is PR 101. Kidd didn't want to spend the press conference talking about what just happened. He knows at some point, Kidd will have to face the music and talk about the situation in Brooklyn, that will eventually happen, but this isn't the time for it. But right now, this is not the topic Kidd wants to talk about, he just wants to move forward. This is a problem right now with media and other outlets where they expect answers at the drop of a hat and then get pissed when it doesn't happen.

It makes sense that's how the new generation thinks about things because so many things happen immediately.  In the days before the Internet, you had to read about the press conference the next day and now, there is an immediate reaction with need of opinion. In reality, we need to let it simmer. Sure, Kidd didn't come up guns ablazin' where you want to go 'HELL YEAH COACH, LET'S RUN THROUGH SOME BRICK WALLS!!!'  We would love to have those sort of things from all of the coaches we bring in, but every coach is different. Kidd didn't need to win the press conference. He owes the media nothing and knows they are killing him right now yet the main part of the whole thing is building this young team to make a push to the playoffs. 

If Kidd's first season doesn't work out the way we want and the Bucks struggle again which would delight a ton of media members, that's fine if a couple things happen. For one, Giannis takes another step as a basketball player. Parker gets off to a good start in Milwaukee. Brandon Knight becomes a different point guard under the tutelage of Kidd. And maybe most importantly if he's not traded, Larry Sanders returns to form with a new coach. All of those things are more important winning next year. If the Bucks only win 24 to 26 games, but all of those things happen, the foundation is set for Milwaukee to be a real solid team for the future. That's more important than anything else right now. Winning is secondary despite everyone in the media wanting him to fall directly on his face.   

My stance on Kidd was always I thought it had some backstabbing elements to it, but in the end, he is the coach and if he wins, that's all that matters. What also is weirdly strange about the whole thing is Milwaukee stole the headlines from some of the biggest free agents. This story fascinated everyone in the NBA community. It also means a great deal of things for the Bucks in the national scope. People will look at this team closer. Bucks are going to get at least one or two games on national television whether it is an ESPN, TNT, ABC or FOX Sports 1 game because their matchups with Brooklyn are appointment television.  This paragraph is something we haven't been able to say about Milwaukee years so yes, good press is bad press. 

All is hopefully quiet on the Bucks front for now. It will be about filling the coaching staff and deciding what players they want to keep or bring in. It should be a fun offseason leading up to the October tip-off.  

Charlie. 

Jason Kidd, a Do or Die Decision for Milwaukee's New Owners

Milwaukee Bucks seems to have some momentum building in the last couple of months. They had new ownership. They added a top draft pick with Jabari Parker whom received standing ovations all over the city of Milwaukee over the weekend. Everyone really liked what Milwaukee was doing, but then they went for the remix by trading for Jason Kidd as their head coach. Larry Drew is now out as the head coach something he just found out today which is not the way to do things in coaching circles. Kidd made a power move and it worked, but at the same time, there are a great deal of consequences if this doesn't play out in Milwaukee's favor although there is always a chance this will work out for everyone.

Many people are wondering why people are coming to the defense of Drew, a head coach whom won only 15 games, the answer is simple. Drew got taken out back and drilled in the back of the head instead of being done the right way. It was a ruthless decision. Sure, it happens all the time in the business world, but Milwaukee flexed its muscles like the 5'6 bro tank-wearing guy at an O.A.R. concert wanting to start a fight with a 6'6 mountain of a man. Bucks have zero muscles to flex with their owners, General Manager and everyone else involved. That's why the furor is there from people. It's not what the Bucks did, rather how they handled the situation given the position they are currently in.

Bucks are not one of the best five organizations in the NBA. They are an organization with an arena and attendance problems. Some could argue they belong in the bottom five. If this thing blows up in their faces, Milwaukee could be left in the dust. What coach wants to come to Milwaukee if this is how they treat people? Not many will see the job alluring if you combine the lack of winning, the arena issues and the mob mentality of the organization. Sure, two out of those three could be fixed, but at the same time having people live in a perpetual state of fear isn't always the best business practice. Many people can make the argument Drew deserved to be fired given only winning 15 games out of 82, but at the same time, he is at least owed some respect instead of looking like a complete clown.

 If Milwaukee's owners knew this was going to happen, they should have told Drew to skip everything involved with Parker. The fact the Bucks trotted him out with their owners talking to Kidd without his knowledge makes him look like a puppet in a scheme. Some can say Drew looked like it was coming but there is not a chance in hell he realized his new boss was the Frank Underwood of the NBA. Anything to get what he wanted and attempt to take this team to the top. Marc Lasry was Kidd's financial advisor and now he's Kidd's boss, the head coach will have more protection than the President of the United States. Even though this thing went down in the dirtiest way imaginable, there is a chance it works out for Milwaukee and their ownership.

Kidd is not a bad coach based off one year. That's unfair. People cannot immediately claim he is terrible. Further, a first-year coach dealing with a team full of guys like Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Jason Terry, Deron Williams were all his peers at some point in his career. Kidd is coming to a Bucks organization where most of the guys watched him play throughout his career and may have looked up to him. He could do wonders for a guy like Brandon Knight. And most of these players are going to listen to Kidd and instill his beliefs as a coach even if many people from outside Milwaukee will want to see this Bucks team fail given what happened this weekend. Kidd gets a team full of young guys which I have always argued is easier on new coaches.

If Kidd brings the Bucks a Central Division title in the next three years, all will be forgotten. Even if Kidd leads the Bucks to consistent playoff appearances where they are higher than the seventh seed, I think people will be happy. No one will remember this little incident if the Bucks are winning basketball games. I don't know if Drew would have been better with this crop of talent or would have gotten fired mid-season if Milwaukee struggled again. If the latter would have happen, maybe it's better this way even if it did not happen in the greatest of circumstances.

The last concern for all Milwaukee basketball fans is Jason Kidd does whatever Jason Kidd wants. He has one of the biggest egos in the NBA and really does not give one damn about whom he hurts on the way. Kidd could easily find a better job in two months and tell the Bucks, he is moving forward. The man has consistently burned bridges throughout this entire career, both playing and now coaching. Hopefully, Milwaukee doesn't give him a need for gasoline and matches.

Charlie.

Jabari Parker: A Peek Into Milwaukee's Future

Milwaukee Bucks fans have waited for Thursday night since the start of the new year. It was evident Milwaukee headed for the top of the draft lottery given their struggles in the 2012-2013 season. For months, people debated whether Milwaukee would draft Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker or Joel Embiid. At times, everyone wanted Wiggins. Other times, it seemed like Parker became the choice. Embiid had his moment in the sun as well. But when the dust settled, Parker became the newest member of Milwaukee's professional basketball organization. 

Everything that he is doing is a perfect recipe for Milwaukee. Allegedly, Parker said he wanted to be a part of the Bucks organization due to its proximity to his hometown of Chicago, and he supposedly tanked the workout with Cleveland to ensure they would draft Andrew Wiggins. Whether that's true or not, causal Bucks fans all wanted Parker because it finally seemed like a player wanted to play for Milwaukee. You don't see that often. Todd Day said 'Mil-wauuuuuuk-ee, damn' when the Bucks drafted him in the mid-90's. Milwaukee once drafted a player in Yi Jianlian whom despised the idea of coming to the Cream City. Parker is a breath of fresh air. 

This is exactly what the Bucks want right now as an organization with new owners, trying to build a new arena and trying to start a future. If a small-market team wants to be a contender, they need to build through the draft. Brandon Knight, John Henson, Larry Sanders, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Parker are all top-20 picks (Knight drafted by Detroit). O.J. Mayo once was a top-five pick, but he doesn't count at this point. This is a smart foundation for the future. Milwaukee will be an outside contender for a playoff appearance next season. It could be a true transition year, but the Bucks are inching closer to being a top-tier contender in the Eastern Conference.

The great thing about the Eastern Conference is anything can happen honestly. With the West, it is a complete dogfight and could take years to come back to prominence. In the East, we have a team like Toronto going from a top 10 lottery pick to being the three seed this year in the NBA Playoffs. I am not saying Milwaukee get that fortunate, but anything is possible for Milwaukee next season. And if things go to hell again getting another top notch lottery pick isn't the worst thing in the world even if it sounds like the worst thing ever at this juncture. 

For years and years, we have waited for the Face of the Franchise for Milwaukee Bucks, and it feels like this team now has two of them with Giannis and Jabari. This could be the next great duo in the NBA. Sure, Wiggins and Kyrie Irving could be great, yet at the same time, there is some uncertainty if Irving will be there for very much longer. More so than 2010 when Brandon Jennings made a little push, this is the most exciting time it's been to be a Bucks fans in quite a long time, probably since 2000. This is the start of something special. 

When it gets closer to the season, we will talk about managing expectations for this team and Parker, but right now, let's relish in the fact Milwaukee is in a great spot. 

Charlie.

Just Pick Baby - Milwaukee's Easy Draft Slot

When it comes to the final week of any draft whether it be the NFL, NBA, NHL or MLB, there are all sorts
of smoke screens that happen.  People want to try to throw off the scent of the other team. There were rumors of Duke forward Jabari Parker tanked his workout with Cleveland Cavaliers in order to get picked by the Milwaukee Bucks. Now it has moved to Cleveland being 50/50 on whom to pick between Andrew Wiggins and Parker. Dante Exum is starting to gain some momentum as well. It is officially the time where nobody know anything.

With Joel Embiid's latest injury picking second was the best thing to ever happen to Milwaukee's professional basketball team. Milwaukee doesn't have to decide to between Wiggins or Parker. They just have to pick the one Cleveland decided to pass on. It is that simple, no need to overthink things and do something stupid. Exum could definitely help the team, but international players this early have been costly for teams in the past. Milwaukee isn't going to do something crazy like trade out of the 2 position to help their team right away. All they need to do is pick the best player on the board.

Cleveland looks like they are going to make a pick. My assumption would be the asking price for the number one pick would be astronomically high. If they decide to trade the pick, all bets are off with what happens in this draft. After the first two selections, this draft might be one of the craziest ones we have seen in quite some time. There are so many different things that could happen after Wiggins and Parker are taken. If the Cavs trade the first pick, it will be a complete madhouse. Cleveland wants to make the playoffs therefore trading the pick might make sense, but at the same time adding a player like Wiggins or Parker could easily make this team a playoff contender in the weaken Eastern Conference.

Milwaukee gets to sit back and relax watching the world burn. They might work on trying to get another top 10 pick in the draft possibly from Sacramento or Philadelphia. Sacramento will have several offers to trade out of the top 10 with the latest rumor about Josh Smith getting traded then trying to get his buddy Rajon Rondo to California's capital (If this happens, we need a Hard Knocks of this team immediately). That package will not compare with anything Milwaukee has to offer tomorrow.  But at the top of the draft, Milwaukee only has to pick the guy left. That's pretty damn easy instead of all the different rumors happening with Cleveland in the past couple of weeks.

I know completely nothing, but it seems like Milwaukee would like to get back into the first round. If it is not Sacramento, it will be another team, possibly Phoenix, a team with two picks in the first round. Milwaukee seems like they would like to add to their arsenal by getting another first round pick in case the four second round picks don't pan out. Further, I believe Milwaukee will also take someone overseas that they can store for a couple years like they did with Zaza Pachuila and others since they have a mass quantity of picks in the second round.

This is the single most exciting day in the last couple years for the Bucks. They have been hanging around the eighth seed for the last couple of years and finally bottomed out like every Milwaukee fans hoped for in years past. Now, it's finally here. We will discuss the expectations and what might come with it in the coming days, but right now, it is time for Bucks fans to enjoy this moment.

Charlie.

LeBron's Opt-Out is a Smart, Calculated Decision

A typhoon hit Twitter on Tuesday morning when ESPN had a story saying LeBron James opted out of his contract with the Miami Heat making him an unrestricted free agent. This led to people vomiting overreactions all over Twitter with Photoshop pictures of LeBron playing for different teams as well as wondering how things will all fit. This is the silly season right now about James. He is only becoming a free agent to rework a contract to bring in some high level free agents.  LeBron does have some options outside of Miami, and some team could sweep in with a Godfather offer yet it seems like Miami is still the destination.

 With how the Big Three is structured right now, Miami cannot really afford to get a big-name free agent. They still probably couldn't get a Carmelo Anthony, but if things were structured the right way, they could make a run at a Kyle Lowry which would be a massive upgrade to Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole. The reason LeBron wants to do this in order to have all the options on the table, and he wants control of the roster which is something James deserves at this time of his career. If you call him selfish, remember Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan both did similar things. 

If somebody thinks this is classic LeBron and immediately believes he will leave for another team is a downright sucker. They are the same people whom link out clearly fake stories at least once a month. Sure, it is fun to live in dream world thinking James is coming to your team, but at the same time, it is definitely overreaching to make those sort of assumptions unless a reporter gives you a nugget that might make you think otherwise. Until then, it should be understood LeBron is opting out only to give Miami more choices in the upcoming offseason.  Sorry for being the wet blanket in the situation, but that's how things are going to work until we know for certain LeBron will make a move other than Miami. 

We might never know though which is the problem with all of this drama. James' wife Savannah posted an Instagram photo of the State of Ohio which is going to get blown up even more given it happened only a couple days ago. I can almost guarantee there will be a story coming out whether it be Yahoo! or ESPN will have a story about the dissension between Pat Riley and James which will lead everyone to think LeBron might head out. The only real thing where you could point to LeBron leaving would be if Dwyane Wade decides to bypass his option and play out the final two years of his contract at 41 million dollars, an insane amount of money for the player Wade is right now. 

LeBron will probably not do this but what if he wanted Wade off his roster which would then allow Miami to make a realistic push at Melo?  I mean it would be like Shawn Michaels superkicking Marty Jannetty through a glass window because it would be the ultimate heel move by James. More so than what he did at The Decision. Wade is the stalwart of the Miami roster, and if James would run him out of town,  I am not certain how people would react to something like it. Let's be honest, Wade is not a second banana anymore on a playoff roster. He could be a star on some teams in the lottery, but right now, Wade is half the player of what he was when LeBron first made the decision to be a member of the Heat.

This is only the beginning with James and the Miami saga. It will get ridiculous and there will be rumors, but 2010 was a fun summer with this nonsense, why not run it back for another time? 

Charlie.   

LeBron & Shaq: A Closer Comparison Than Anyone Thinks

Miami Heat's superstar LeBron James has a major decision to make this offseason. He could opt out of his contract and try to get a restructured deal with his current team or move on to another team. Many people believe if James leaves Miami, he will get absolutely crushed by the media, and people will criticize LeBron of being a front-runner, not wanting to face a challenge. Personally, LeBron wants to win as many championships as possible.  Shaquille O'Neal was the first modern day player to do this begging the question, "Why aren't more people comparing LeBron's career arc to Shaquille O'Neal? If LeBron decides to leave, their arcs become eerily similar.

Obviously, people do not compare LeBron and Shaq because they are two very different players. LeBron doesn't play in the post like O'Neal, and Shaq is the interior player of this generation where James will be known as the wing player of the generation. It is so easy to compare James to Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant because they play the same position. Although if we go through what happened in their careers, James is much more comparable to what O'Neal through his career. Shaq was never considered a front-runner, why should James?

Maybe it is the hatred and disdain of James which causes it, but Shaq should have gotten the same sort of criticism. If anything, O'Neal's antics were far worse than anything James did so far in his career. Shaq forced his way out of Orlando and Los Angeles because he fractured relationship with guards, Anfernee Hardaway and Kobe Bryant. James might decide to leave when his contract is up, isn't that his given right as a professional athlete?  It is not like LeBron is napalming the entire franchise before he leaves the franchise. LeBron is moving on to see what's next for him.

What's weird about comparing the early arcs of Shaq and LeBron is with O'Neal, he left Orlando after four years while James left Cleveland after seven. O'Neal moved coasts from Los Angeles to Miami after seven years and if James decides to leave, it will be four years. Therefore by their eleventh year, both players were on their third franchise if James heads out of South Beach. There are a lot of different options for LeBron including a return visit to Cleveland, Los Angeles Clippers or Houston Rockets are probably all on the table for The King. It would add to the eeriness if LeBron chose Los Angeles making the arcs of him and O'Neal even more similar.

Personally, I think it is a 50/50 thing whether James leaves or not. People will obviously hammer LeBron for his choice if it is not with Miami. There will probably be a jersey burning like what happened in Cleveland. But at the end of the day, what people have to realize is this has happened before with the best player in the league. No one was better than O'Neal after Jordan left the league, and he bounced all over the league. We really shouldn't make a big deal about James leaving but it will inevitably happen given all of the different media outlets ready to pounce on James.

Charlie.

Spurs Make It Five Championships in Dominating Form

San Antonio Spurs are one of the best franchises in sports. They had won four championships in 14 years as well as a duration of great seasons as well. San Antonio captured their fifth championship beating Miami Heat in five games in a blowout fashion for the last three of them. San Antonio won with a pure team effort with beautiful passing and always finding the open man. The way the Spurs put Miami to sleep was extremely impressive.

Kawhi Leonard is one of the youngest players to win NBA Finals MVP. Leonard, the soft-spoken assassin, dominated the series with his enhanced scoring and defense of LeBron James. He was a worthy candidate to take home the MVP award due to the series changing when Leonard started taking over on the offensive end. In the last three games, Leonard averaged 23.6 points a game with 9.3 rebounds shooting a stunning 68 percent from the field. Kawhi took total control of his series looking like the star people thought he could in the future. He had three big games vaulting him into another echelon of players whether the quiet Leonard likes it or not.  Although it might not be fair to him.

People might have forgotten Leonard averaged 12 points with six rebounds a game for the season. Leonard did not have an All-Star season by any means. He looked like an All-Star in the last three games but will this immediately correlate into him being a consistent All-Star?  The jury is still out. Leonard is still a young player with a developing offense game. The expectations for Kawhi will be sky high, but in reality, we need to take a step back in thinking about him as a premier player in the league. He is a good one, and Leonard has the skill set to be a great yet at this point of his career, we need to take it day by day instead of making rash overreactions about him.

Many people including yours truly believe Duncan has reached the end of the road. Not many athletes can retire on top like Duncan will be able to if he decides to retire. This would almost be a mic drop for Duncan's career letting people know he is one of the best to ever play the game. The question is what if Duncan and the Spurs decide to run it back for another year? San Antonio could be contenders for the title again next season if most of the team comes back. Patty Mills will likely be elsewhere, same could be the case for Matt Bonner. Sure, they will have battle in the West with Oklahoma City, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State and Houston, but San Antonio is still on the iron throne. If one of these teams want to take control, they need to beat San Antonio first.

This is the dream scenario for the LeBron haters.  People will point to LeBron James being 2-3 in NBA Finals, but there is a definite flaw with that record. First of all, like quarterback wins, it is completely stupid to judge a player's NBA Finals as an indication of what he is as a basketball player.  LeBron lost his first Finals appearance playing with a gang of nobodies against San Antonio's team in their prime. The lost to Dallas is really the only surprise out of those five honestly. For perspective, Magic Johnson went 5-4 in his NBA Finals career and lost the last two of his career. LeBron will get back to the Finals at least one more time whether it is with Miami or not. The only time the Finals things becomes a discussion is if he doesn't win one ever again.

NBA season is over in a quick instant, but what a season. I keep saying there is no hotter sport than the game of basketball. Sure, NFL might be king, but the Internet is dominated by the NBA. It will only continue as they are many things to watch in the upcoming offseason.

Charlie.

NBA Finals Recap: Kawhi's Masterpiece in Miami

San Antonio and Miami have played two evenly matched games therefore the expectation at South Beach
was another close battle between the two teams. It didn't happen as the Spurs got off to a blazing hot start with 41 points in the first quarter and 71 points in the first half.  It was something legends were made of, and no matter what happens for the rest of the series, San Antonio will be remembered for their blazing first half performance. Kawhi Leonard had a career-defining performance along with Boris Diaw's incredible non-box score telling run and Miami's need to make a change with Mario Chalmers.

San Antonio's hot start highlighted by Leonard having 18 points in the first half which was his total for the first two games of the NBA Finals. He had a great deal of confidence in his shot especially from beyond the arc. Leonard developed an average 3-point shot after being an abysmal distance shooter in college. He shot around 37 percent for the first three years of his career and is currently shooting around 40 percent for the 2014 playoffs. Leonard hit three big 3-pointers being a major factor in the Spurs having 41 points in the first quarter, the same total as the Chicago Bulls at halftime in their Game 5 loss against Washington. Leonard being an offensive factor for San Antonio makes this team truly dangerous.

Does this game make us think differently about what Kawhi could be in the future?  Many people believe Leonard will be a star in this league given time and more work on his offensive game. It really did felt like we saw Leonard's career make a shift. There are the random nights whether it be in the NBA Finals or a random Wednesday night where a player gets 25 points or more, and we think nothing of it although this time, it seemed like Leonard made a turn. It might not be as large as others think this morning, but Leonard knows with confidence he can get shots up in a variety of ways on the basketball court. A confidence player on the court is a scary thing, and if Leonard makes a baby leap in these Finals, everyone is in big trouble.

One of the MVP's of the Spurs team thus far through three games is Boris Diaw. The numbers do not show up on the stat sheet as Diaw has 18 total points, but big Boris has a combined PER of +101 in the first three games. If you look up 'glue guy' in the NBA dictionary, Diaw is probably pictured somewhere. He is the quintessential glue guy for this Spurs team right now. He is playing a high level of basketball doing all sorts of little things on the court plus adding double-digits rebounds in two of the first three games of the NBA Finals thus far. The fact Diaw can challenge LeBron James on the defensive end is always incredible to watch. Diaw is a major benefactor as to why San Antonio is up 2-1 in this series.

As for Miami, their defense was a concern before the Finals even started, but now, people are hitting the panic button after the Heat giving up 71 points in the first half and 111 for the game. It is not ideal for the Heat, but when a team shoots 60 percent, it is not as much an indication on the opposing team's defense rather a hot shooting team. San Antonio couldn't miss shooting nearly 90 percent in the first 15 minutes of the game plus add they made nine threes, it was just one of those nights. There shouldn't be an assumption that Miami's defensive is suddenly weak. Miami's defensive effort will be much better on Thursday evening.

Their bigger concern should be Mario Chalmers. He is not a good player right now. The fact he is a starting point guard in the NBA Finals is offensive. He was a much better player last season, and clearly, he is mired in some sort of slump. Chalmers had an opportunity to knock down a big three from the corner to blow the roof of the American Airlines Center, and he clanked it in tremendous fashion. Chalmers has a combined 10 points for the first three games of the NBA Finals. That's putrid. He doesn't need to score eleven points per game, but he really needs to be more a factor on the offensive end. Norris Cole seems like a better option at this point for Miami. It will be interesting to see if Chalmers' time goes down in the coming games.

If you think about this, this series could be 3-0. San Antonio had control of Game 2 until they clanked four straight free throws in the fourth quarter along with other misfortunes. Additionally, Miami doesn't want to get blown out on their home court therefore the expectation is a spirited response from the defending champs.

Charlie.

NBA Finals Recap: LeBron & Bosh Shush San Antonio and Take Game 2

Miami Heat did not want to head back to South Beach trailing 2-0 in the series. That's not the Miami way in recent years. Miami hasn't lost back-to-back playoff games since the Eastern Conference Finals in 2012 when Boston took three straight games. The Heat got a primetime performance from LeBron James, Chris Bosh proving why he is one of the best second banana and how San Antonio squandered this game away in multiple ways.

Everyone took shots at The King after Thursday's night game where James left the game early with cramps brought on by AT&T Center's air conditioning going out mid-game. People loved to laugh at James because he is an easy target, and people love to pick on him. James heard all of shots and took full control of this game in the second half. He ended with 35 points and 10 rebounds. LeBron put on a complete clinic for anyone whom dared to give him a hard time about his cramping issues. He looked on another level than everyone else in that gym. When you get that LeBron, the only one whom can stop him is James himself.

James' night is more impressive considering he began the game missing three of his first four shots with only two points in the first. James would only miss five shots the rest of the game. He did in all different ways as well. Sometimes, we see LeBron take it to the lane and earn most of his points from the free throw. Not Sunday night as he made three 3-pointers in the second half along with other mid-range jumpers. James had the whole arsenal working on Sunday. If LeBron could be like Stone Cold Steve Austin and hold up middle fingers to the crowd, he would have easily have done it after this game. Solid way to bounce back from Game 1.  

Chris Bosh gets hated on so much by the NBA community. It is due to his antics and demeanor, but for a long time, people didn't take him seriously as a basketball player. Rather a player just coming along for the ride. This season, Bosh has been much more of the second option when LeBron has needed him. Even though James had a Hall of Fame-like performance, Bosh came up with the two biggest plays in the fourth quarter. Bosh drilled a big three in the corner like he has done all season with Miami. The Big Shot Bosh nickname rang true on Sunday night. Additionally, Bosh took Tim Duncan on the dribble causing Duncan to stumble with Miami's final possession leading to an easy dagger lay-up by Dwyane Wade ensuring Miami's victory. 

San Antonio has to be kicking themselves today though. They could have easily be up 2-0. Spurs put Miami on the ropes multiple times throughout the game but couldn't deliver the knockout punch at any point of the game. There were a couple times in the first half where San Antonio could have really push the lead out, but they would have a turnover or a couple missed shots like Miami stay in the game. Probably their biggest undoing was in the middle of the fourth quarter, San Antonio was up 87-85. Mario Chalmers would get called for a flagrant foul giving Tony Parker two free throws which he both missed and the following possession, Duncan missed two free throws as well. Naturally, LeBron hits a three on the following Duncan's two clanked throws.  If the Spurs make all four, they are up six with not much time left and take advantage of the quarter.  If Miami wins the series, we could point to the Spurs inability to close the door on Sunday. 

The series head to Miami where the Heat haven't lost all playoffs. James handled responding to the haters about the cramps and the target on Sunday. Now, he will have a chance to take control of this series. Something tells me he will not miss out on the opportunity. 

Charlie. 

NBA Finals Recap: LeBron Overheats as Spurs' Offense Shreds Miami

Usually when people are rushing to question Miami Heat's superstar LeBron James, they usually wait until after Game 3 or Game 4 when James has a bad game leading to Miami losing a game in the series. People come out with their pitchforks, and those whom have hated James in his Cleveland days can come back to roost for a day in the sun. These people arose like zombies in The Walking Dead after Thursday's Game 1 when LeBron couldn't play the fourth quarter as he battled through cramps brought on by AT&T Center losing air conditioning. Toughness has been put into question as the Spurs took Game 1 winning 110-95, but hopefully, people realized how bad of a game the Heat played sans the issues with James. 

The national media will ignore San Antonio winning because James cramping up is the bigger story. People forget this is a problem that's plagued LeBron for his entire career. For whatever reason, the training regime James has before the game leads to him cramping up more so than other NBA athletes. It is like the kryptonite for James' Superman abilities. Cramps are the one thing where it reminds LeBron that he is actually human and not superhuman. Most of the people questioning James' toughness are the same people whom rode the bench throughout high school watching their friends dominate games. Cramps aren't something to pass over. If he couldn't play through another injury, maybe we are having a different conversation. 

There are others having the opinion or the hot take if you will of 'I understand cramps are serious business, but I hate LeBron's theatrics.'  Fine, you want to made LeBron needed some help getting to the bench, or he looked like an assassination attempt happened after James scored a basket in his only possession in the fourth quarter. That's a weird thing to be generally mad about honestly. Let's be clear, most NBA players are overdramatic about nearly everything. Look at Tim Duncan, one of the most beloved players in the league, he is one of the biggest whiners in the NBA, but doesn't get called out for it anymore because it is uncool to make fun of a legend like Duncan. Dwyane Wade is a historical flopper. Also if LeBron acted casual about his injury, would people criticize him even more and say 'He's not really that hurt.'  It is a no-win situation for the best in the NBA. 

But enough with LeBron, people are ignoring the fact San Antonio completely outworked Miami throughout the game especially in the fourth quarter. San Antonio shot  90 percent from the field and played completely out of their mind in the final period. Danny Green caught fire late having 13 points in the fourth quarter including three 3-pointers which helped the Spurs pull away from the Heat.  Green is a microwave-type player. If he heats up, the opposing team is in trouble. There is a chance we might have a straight repeat of what happened in 2013 with Green. Duncan also had a Throwback Thursday-like game with 21 points, 10 rebounds and shooting 90 percent from the field. 

We saw the redemption of Manu Ginobili shine bright as he sparked the Spurs earlier with an impressive 16 points, eleven assists and five rebounds.  If Ginobili is playing at this high of a level, the Spurs become very hard to beat especially when Tony Parker is delivering 19 points as well. If you want to point to an ideal game for San Antonio, this would be it minus the turnovers. They had all of their major players get involved with the scoring and found a way to put Miami in a stranglehold by the fourth quarter.  The fact they won by double-digits and turned the ball over 23 times should terrify Heat fans. No matter what happened with LeBron, the Spurs offense looks unbeatable last night. 

After Game 5 against Indiana, everyone expected LeBron to come up with an iconic game. It didn't happen even though it was an ass-kicking victory. This might be the time where you see LeBron come out with 45 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists. He knows what everyone is saying about him and knows this will be a time for him to prove everyone else wrong. But that kind of game from James will become useless if the Heat defense cannot stop the Spurs. 

Charlie.

Lakers & Knicks' Desire for Derek Fisher

Every professional sports organization can be copycats at some point. There are teams always wanting to replicate what the successful teams are doing in order to make themselves successful. Sometimes it works out for them, and other times, it turns into a dumpster fire because there are bigger problems with the team. The latest trend in the NBA is hiring players fresh off their playing stint to be NBA head coaches without any experience. NBA believes coaches can be fine coming right off the roster. The latest candidate has been Oklahoma City Thunder's point guard Derek Fisher as he is wanted by New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers. 

It seems like Fisher would be an ideal fit to be an NBA head coach. Fisher is a guy who has the respect of almost any locker room. He always seems to have the ear of the players. He is trusted, but Fisher needs to pick the place where he can mold minds versus trying to get his virtual peers behind him. My point when Jason Kidd got hired by Brooklyn was it concerned me with all the veterans, and how Kidd would be seen as just a former player, not a coach. Fisher will get the chance to influence some of the younger players although he could have some trouble with the old stalwarts of the team. 

Kidd ended up being okay, but it was a rocky start to the season with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and other veterans. Would the same thing happen to Fisher?  The odds of it happening in New York is way higher. The Knicks only have three players under the age of 25.  They also have J.R. Smith. I know people are worried about Carmelo Anthony, but if I am Fisher, do I really want to coach J.R.?  He is a hell of a player at times, but he can be one of the most frustrating players in the league. Fisher would also have to deal with Amar'e Stoudmire's playing time. Finally, the whole Anthony leaving the Knicks should be a concern as well with taking the New York job. 

It is hard to tell whether having Kobe Bryant as your top player in Los Angeles would pay off as it would be like having an extra assistant coach, or if Kobe would dictate all that happened on the court essentially becoming too involved with Fisher. The two have a good relationship, but it could become a scenario where Kobe sticks his hands into way too many things. Lakers might be going through a transition, but Fisher will get a youthful team compared to New York which is nice. Look at how many players rallied behind Mark Jackson due to being younger players. The one drawback with the Los Angeles is the pressure to win in the Western Conference plus the additional pressure to be the kings of L.A. with the success of the Clippers of the past couple years.

Is there a chance Fisher says 'Guys, I am going to keep playing for another year or two?'  I think there is a microscopic chance of that happening given the positions open. If say, Milwaukee and Orlando were the jobs open versus New York and Los Angeles, Fisher would definitely think more about staying on another year with Oklahoma City. But these are two premier jobs with a great way to start building your coaching legacy, there is no way Fisher says no to both of these teams if offered the job to play another year. Even Brett Favre thinks that's a bad idea. 

There are good and bad things about taking the New York or Los Angeles job. Fisher will probably burn a bridge at some point, but it wouldn't surprise me if he is a head coach next season. 

Charlie.  

Two Antetokounmpos Better Than One?

It is hard to find someone in Milwaukee whom does not like Giannis Antetokounmpo. He is the golden child of Milwaukee right now, and it would not surprise me to see him more in advertisements as well as around the city more often. Many Bucks fans and non-Bucks fans yet Giannis fans wants to live the dream and have another Antetokounmpo on the roster. Thanasis Antetokounmpo will be a second round pick, and the Bucks gave him a look on Monday as they do have three picks in the second round. While it would be cool to have two Antetokounmpos on the team, Bucks need to do what's best for them as a team, not from a marketing angle.

Currently, Thanasis sits around the 40th spot in mock drafts currently. This would be sandwiched between the Bucks second and third pick in the second round. If Thanasis is the best player left on Milwaukee's big board when Bucks are picking at 36 or 48, then he should be the selection without question. Yet Milwaukee needs to look at what the best fit for this team. Personally, I could see him going higher in the draft because of the success of his brother, and other teams will hope to replicate what Milwaukee received with Giannis last season.

Looking at his highlight tape, there is no denying talent is there for the older Antetokounmpo. He can dunk with the best of them. He is extremely athletic and could definitely provide some scoring from the Bucks off the wing. Additionally, he has a bulkier frame than Giannis therefore Milwaukee wouldn't get the same player. In my non-NBA Draft expert opinion, Thanasis seems like a great energy player off the bench once he got the feel for the NBA. Further, I think he is a much safer international pick due to his time spent in the D-League. He is not under contract with anyone overseas plus has some experience against near NBA talent. There are definitely some intriguing things about the older brother Antetokounmpo.   

But there is no guarantee he will be the exact same player as his younger brother Giannis. There is a chance we are looking at a Vinny Chase and Johnny Drama situation with the two Antetokounmpo brothers. It would make their young Bucks star happy, and people would go crazy for it here and also on the Internet because people love their family.  But there has been a long history of brothers not matching what their more famous did... a quick list - Dom DiMaggio, Billy Ripken, Tim Hassleback, Seth Curry, Drew Berry and Frank Stallone. All of these people have a more famous brother playing the same sport, it happens all the time.  

From a selfish standpoint as a Marquette fan, I think you want the Bucks to take Thanasis because it might guarantee Kostos Antetokounmpo, a 16-year-old highly recruited junior, will stay in Milwaukee with his two brothers and go play for the Golden Eagles. Nothing is a guarantee but given their dedication to family, it would like be the first place he looks when thinking about where he wants to play in college. Regardless of Milwaukee drafting Thanasis or not, Marquette should have the early edge over Wisconsin and others for Kostos, but we are still a year away from having this discussion. 

Besides all that's happening with the second overall pick in the draft, this will be an interesting storyline to follow in the coming month. I doubt Giannis will campaign for his brother to be in Milwaukee, but we all know damn well he would love it if the Antetokounmpo brothers rode in the Cream City. 

Charlie.