Ten Things I Think
1. I think that Nikola Mirotić is a better fit alongside Anthony Davis than DeMarcus Cousins is. This is not to say that Mirotić is a superior talent to Cousins because that just isn’t true. But alongside Davis, Mirotić is able to stretch the floor at the power forward position giving ample room for The Brow to operate. Often times with Boogie in the fold, it is nebulous as to who is occupying the center position. As a result, Cousins and Davis rotate between posting up and spacing the floor and their effectiveness suffers.
2. I think Quinn Cook will play a pivotal role in the Warriors postseason run. The 25-year old rookie has gotten his first opportunity this season with the injury to Steph Curry and he has made the most of it. In more than thirty games, the Duke product has averaged nearly 10 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists while shooting 45% from three. For all of the attention the Warriors receive as a three-point shooting juggernaut, outside of Thompson, Durant, and Curry their three-point weaponry is limited. I expect Cook, who has gained the trust of Steve Kerr, to hit a barrage of vital threes on the Warriors quest for a third title in four years.
3. I think since Joel Embiid’s facial fracture that Ben Simmons has really separated himself in the Rookie of the Year race. Donovan Mitchell was hot on his heels as of two weeks ago, but Simmons has elevated his play to another tier. The Sixers are in the midst of a thirteen-game winning streak and Simmons is averaging better than a triple-double over that stretch. Mitchell has been great, and will have a tremendous career, but if LeBron’s the King, Ben Simmons is the Prince. He’s been that good.
4. I think the San Francisco Giants lineup is the most underrated in all of baseball. In fact, it might be the best lineup in all of baseball. Period. Austin Jackson, Joe Panik, Andrew McCutchen, Buster Posey, Evan Longoria, Hunter Pence, Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford. That is what I would call a lineup with a sprinkle of just about everything: Speed, Contact, Power, Experience, you name it. The Giants were slept on in spring training and are still being overlooked right now. Don’t be surprised if they find themselves playing deep into October.
5. I think that Johnny Manziel will get another opportunity to play in the NFL. In fact, I am certain. Now, I am not certain that he will fare favorably when his name is called, but it will be called, I assure you of that. Manziel is just 25-years old and showed so much potential while in college. Yes, he made a fool of himself during his first go-around in Cleveland, but if he can stay on the straight and narrow and demonstrate that he has learned and that he has improved as a football player, which I believe he will, Johnny Manziel will find himself in an NFL locker room in the near future.
6. I think that Jim Mora’s comments on Josh Rosen were strategic and nothing more. Nobody in their right mind would denigrate a player like that whom they had coached for three years. In my eyes, Mora was attempting to dissuade the Browns from taking Rosen with the first pick so that the heralded signal-caller could fall to a more favorable and well run franchise such as the Giants, Jets, or Broncos. In a sense, he did his player a bit of a favor. As an aside though, what is wrong with “knowing why” and “having a lot of interests in life”? The outcry from Mora’s comments show that football teams want their players to be mechanical robots, not candid, open-minded individuals. While it keeps them out of the headlines, I am not sure that is a good approach for the league long-term.
7. I think Brad Stevens deserves to win NBA Coach of the Year. The Celtics have been peppered with injuries. Gordon Hayward played a grand total of five minutes this season, Kyrie Irving will have missed over 20 games and is out for the season, and Marcus Morris, Marcus Smart, and Jaylen Brown all missed double-digit contests. Despite all of that, the Celtics won more games this year than they did all of last season when they claimed the Eastern Conference’s top seed. Along the way, Stevens has transformed Terry Rozier into a solid point guard, helped Jayson Tatum transition from college to the pros, and has developed the likes of Jaylen Brown and Daniel Theis. Brad Stevens is a tactician and man, he makes it look easy.
8. I think the Pacers are the most mysterious team with the playoffs approaching. What are they? Can Victor Oladipo lead a team on the sport’s biggest stage? Is Nate McMillan’s style of play conducive for success in the postseason? Slotted as the fifth seed in the wide-open Eastern Conference, nobody seems to be giving Indiana much of a chance. They play a slow, punishing style of ball, while relying heavily on contributions from across the board. In a league where every team seems to be playing up-tempo and launching countless threes, the Pacers have taken an alternative approach. It will be fascinating to see how they fare in the postseason.
9. I think Jay Wright is destined for the NBA. Whether that is this year or next year, I am not sure, but he will roam an NBA sideline in the near future. Wright has the charisma, the personality, and the demeanor of an NBA coach. He has also accomplished all that there is to accomplish at the collegiate level. Two National Championships in three years puts him in rarified air. The next step for the 56-year old is to coach basketball at the game’s highest level.
10. I think Tiger Woods will win a major sometime in the next two years. I really don’t feel like I am stepping out on a limb here. Tiger, although he finished 1-over at The Masters, hit the ball well and had he putted more efficiently as he typically does, he easily could’ve finished six or seven shots below par. At this point in his career, catching Jack’s mark of 18 majors seems far-fetched, but winning a couple more majors certainly seems plausible. I think that before 2019 is through, Tiger Woods will stake claim to his 13th major victory.
