History in Cleveland this Summer?

In this post I would like to talk about the Cavaliers chances of winning this year’s NBA Finals. An interesting fact you may not have know is that the City of Cleveland has not won a professional sports championship in over 50 years! That’s the longest drought in North American Sports History. Most playoff analysts are really only looking at the Spurs or the Thunder from the West and the Cavs from the East. The Spurs are the heavy favorite to win it all, and then the Cavs with a slight chance. In my opinion the Cavs are still going to win it all just in a different way. The Spurs have shown nothing different in their game from the regular season coming off a sweep of the old and battered Grizzlies who posed no resistance. One of the keys to beating the Spurs is fast paced ball movement and good perimeter defense. And because of the Spurs have such an aged roster, I really think Kyrie, Lebron , and Kevin can tire them out. The Cavs can beat them if they play solid defense and run their fast paced offense consistently. This probable match up should be over in 6 games or less with the Cavs coming out on top.

NBA Playoffs Update

Well it's been a rather eventful couple of weeks since the last update. Some of the major headlines are: "Will the Raptors Choke in the First Round Again?", the Warriors (without Steph Curry) losing one game to the Houston Rockets, Steph Curry injured with an MCL Sprain (out for 2 or more weeks), and the Clippers losing Chris Paul and Blake Griffin for the rest of the season. Lets start with the Raptors who finished 2nd in East in terms of win pct% in the regular season but have been 3-7 in the past two seasons’ playoffs. They’ve never made it past the first round under the Dwane Casey Era, and doesn’t look to make it past this year as the Pacers defense and over sized post offense is proving to become too much for them or maybe it’s just their lack of playoff inexperience. Next we move to the Warriors losing Steph Curry for Game 3 of the Golden State-Houston Series. It took a big game from James Harden (and the game-winner), good team defense, and limiting the effectiveness of Draymond Green for the Rockets to squeeze in their only win of the series. If teams can limit the Warriors 3-pt shooting percentage, disrupt their offensive flow, pressuring Draymond Green, and play aggressive perimeter and transition defense they can beat Golden State any day. And lastly the Clippers losing Chris Paul and Blake Griffin for the season almost guarantees them losing versus the Trail Blazers in this first round series. But reports are speculating Griffin and Paul may be traded this off season as injuries (mostly from Blake Griffin) have disrupted their regular season rotations, and now seriously jeopardizing their title hopes. 

NBA Playoffs Recap: Day 2

So after all 16 teams played one thing was evident: this years playoffs will be very interesting (any maybe not that entertaining) home court advantage is going to be key to the outcome of most series’. This recap will mainly cover Game 1 between the Pistons and Cavs, and maybe some insight on the GSW and Rockets. In the first game the Cavs were exposed to some major problems. When you have physical defenders that are able to minimize Lebron’s effect on the game, most of the ball movement becomes stagnant and productivity stops. Thankfully this didn’t happen later in the game as James finished with 22 points and 11 assists. Things like this happened in Chicago, San Antonio, and a little bit in Golden State and the only way to fix it is to have other starters and role players generate everything. That didn’t really happen in the games vs the aforementioned teams which why the Cavs lost the majority of the games. Teams going against the Cavs usually prepare by thinking about Lebron because he is the only reason the Cavs are successful so if you can stop him it would be hard for the Cavs to rebound. I think that is the biggest thing the Pistons have to figure out. Something the Cavs need to figure out is how to run plays that work for them as a whole. It becomes obvious that most (99%) of their offense is isolation or dribble penetration then kickout by Lebron. It really pisses me off because we have so much talent on that team but don’t know how to use it. If we knew how to harness it we would be a formidable foe to Golden State. As for their series vs Rockets the Warriors are going to sweep them because they already know how to stop James Harden because they are coached very well defensively. Well that recaps the first games of the Playoffs, tune in next week for the next few. 

Are the Cavs ready for the Playoffs?

Following Saturday night’s loss to the Chicago Bulls, a persistent question keeps coming to mind: are the Cavs ready for the Playoffs? The Cavs have been 6-1 during the Kings' playoff mode activation (excluding games he sat out), but only LeBron himself actually seems serious about making a legitimate title run. The way I see it is they make past the first three rounds with gritty performances by LeBron in will end up bailing them out. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love just cannot hit shots because most of the Cavs offense is isolation which LeBron is the best at. Teams like Golden State and San Antonio are on another level not just because of their ball movement but because of their scoring ability. You can see why the Cavs lose the games they do, and it’s not because LeBron is struggling, it’s because of mainly Kyrie, Love, and the Bench struggling. Most other players on the team do not have their legacies dependent on winning championships simply because they are too young and inexperienced. James is now 2-4 in the Finals and though he continues to put up incredible stats for his age, his team mates just aren’t on the same level of passion as he is. Bottom line is the Cavs look in even worse shape than they did last year despite having a better record, but their chemistry just isn’t flowing so they are losing games they shouldn’t. Yet they will get through the first three rounds because LeBron’s will is too great but when the Finals come we will just have to see if the Cavs have what it takes to push Golden State to a 7 game series.

Goblin Shark

A goblin shark is a very intriguing species of a shark because of that one gif shown on Discovery Channel. It is a deep-sea shark that can grow up to 5 m in length and is found at depths below 100 m with a conservation status of “Least Concern.” Since goblin sharks are deep sea creatures they tend to feed mostly on the organisms dwelling in that area. In the “all of a sudden” gif below a goblin shark appears to bump into an object blindly and suddenly spews forth “another creature” still attached to the carcass of the original goblin shark. Doing some research I was able to find that this “other creature” is actually an extension of the creatures jaw. The fact that the skin around that area on the goblin shark is extremely loose allows the jaw to elongate in such a manner. Another interesting fact about the goblin shark is that its mouth is filled with ampullae of Lorenzini  (highly sensitive receptors in the skin that basically detect temperature and even other organisms by picking up electric fields produced by that organism). Creatures like this are cool to observe, but if you’re a deep sea diver you might want to bring some extra protective gear or just resort to scuba diving.

     

Muay Thai

Today I would like to talk about something I recently learned and am interested in; the art of Muay Thai. Muay Thai is referred to as the art of eight limbs because unlike other combat sports you can use all limbs and you need to have good physical preparation (i.e. ability to maintain breathing, and endurance throughout your body). Just yesterday I went to Muay Thai exhibition in Studio City with my stepfather. Among the participants were amateur fighters from over 20 of the top gyms across Southern California. My stepfather didn’t fight but he worked closely with the fighters from their gym: Muay Thai America Gym which is in North Hollywood. There were over 15 fights that evening and MTAG got two fighters in two of the fights leaving with a record of 1-1. All of the fights were 3 rounds (2 min. each). The first fight was between Carlos Iglesias and some other guy (Guy 1). In about the third exchange or so Carlos got rocked with a vicious cross (punch with non-dominant hand depending on stance), with sent him stumbling but still left him standing effectively losing the first round. But in the second and third Carlos was able to wear out his opponent buy using his long reach to jab (punch with dominant hand depending on stance) his way to victory. Trust me it was a lot more thrilling in person. However, in the second one that was not the case. A theme you can see in most combat sport fights is that there is usually a distinguishable dominant and subservient fighter (with the exception of the first fight). In the case of this fight it was clear that our fighter was scared and on his heels the whole time. He looked “nice” to the other fighter and ultimately it cost him the fight.

Are the Cavs better without Kevin Love?

If you follow Cavs’ basketball you should know that a big topic from last years’ finals was if Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving were healthy, could the Cavs beat the Warriors? Love is 6’10 and weighs in 243 lbs. I think there are only a few versatile other power forwards (like, Draymond Green, Anthony Davis, Chris Bosh) who can knock down outside shots and space the floor really well. The problems start with defense; Love isn’t a good rim protector or P&R defender the Cavs need. Teams can win games by exploiting his effort and ability to recover off switches.  Tristan Thompson has really stepped up for Love, as he excels at being a rim protector and post defense. His impact on offense doesn’t include regular scoring but he among the best in the league in offensive rebounds Thomson can score but it usually comes from putbacks and back downs in the post which aren’t very reliable. When comparing the two players there is a win lose no matter who you pick. I honestly think the Cavs should go with Love because they need to work their offense on the perimeter. To make up for the defensive struggles I think this is a fair starting lineup: Kyrie Irving, Iman Shumpert, LeBron James, Kevin Love, Timofey Mozgov.

2016 NFL Combine Pt.2

As stated in the previous post the NFL Combine boasted some potentially great superstars in terms of athleticism and versatility. Some of the players the Cardinals should be interested in are Myles Jack (LB), Joshua Perry (LB), Sheldon Day (DT), and Everett Goldson (QB). The two Linebackers are crucial because if we blitz we need to get to the quarterback or at least pressure him. Not to say our linebackers are terrible but they are a work in progress. Myles Jack may not be the biggest linebacker in the draft but he sure can stop any RB in the NFL. He reminds me of a linebacker version of Todd Gurley because both are slick, fast, and very reliable. Joshua Perry is another workhorse Linebacker who led his team (Ohio State) in tackles. He may be overlooked because of all the superstars that on that high-profile team. He is predicted be a second round pick and seems like he could play lots of snaps in his NFL career. On the defensive line we don’t exactly have top of the line players either, but they aren’t that bad either. The majority of our sacks came from Safety and LB blitzes. Sheldon Day is a powerful DT who posed solid numbers at the combine. He too has quite the motor so he can get to the QB whenever he overpowers an offensive lineman. And at the quarterback position Carson Palmer is getting old and retirement is bound within 5 years. Everett Golson is a quarterback who kind of reminds me of Cam Newton. Although he isn’t very expressive but he gets work done. He is a “Dual-Threat QB” because he has quite the arm and can scramble out of the pocket for yardage if necessary.

2016 NFL Combine Pt. 1

This years NFL Combine showcased lots of potential stars on both sides of the ball. Some of the positions with the best players were: Quarterback, Linebacker, and Defensive Tackle. Lots of players with a high draft stock are very versatile in different positions which is what makes this draft class so athletic. The fastest 40-yard dash time was 4.32 by Will Fuller, a WR from Notre Dame and the record is 4.24. Oddly enough Combine Scouters have said that this year’s draft class in terms of WR’s was “one of the slowest.”The Arizona Cardinals (my favorite team) should really try to get more draft picks because lots of the best players will go in the first 2 rounds. We have a team filled with veterans so young talent is needed. Some players we are looking at are Myles Jack (LB), Joshua Perry (LB), Sheldon Day (DT), and Everett Golson (QB). In the next blog I will break down what makes them unique and interesting prospects.

All-Star Weekend and Super Bowl 50 Recap

Super Bowl 50 was a real let down for Panther fans; a terrible game all around. Cam Newton could not find anyone open and was making horrific throws as the Broncos superior defense was in his face all day long. Now lets move to something positive; All-Star Weekend. This All-Star Weekend put an emphasis on Kobe's final All-Star game but I think the Verizon Slam Dunk Contest stole the spotlight. After watching all of the dunks in this year’s contest, you could make an argument that it was the best one yet. Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine used their freakish athleticism to produce the most unimaginable dunks ever seen. It was a very close battle but Zach LaVine edged out Aaron Gordon to take home the title. The All-Star Game itself was as played as nonchalantly as it always is with a final score of 196-173 with Team West winning again in the highest scoring All-Star game. Don’t think anyone noticed but Lebron broke Kobe’s All-Star scoring total in 6 fewer games. This concludes this week’s recap of All-Star Weekend, ‘til next time.

Super Bowl 50

Super Bowl 50; it’s almost here. Arguably the greatest sporting event of the year is only tomorrow, and I’m sad to say that the Arizona Cardinals are not in it. The Cardinals got absolutely wrecked by the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Championship Game. I will not talk about that loss as it is a very disappointing loss. The two contestants are the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos. The Panthers are led by their dual-threat QB, Cam Newton and their top ranking defense. The Broncos are also lead by their QB Peyton Manning and his impressive receiving core, and their top ranking run stopping defense. I honestly think that Carolina (not just because they are NFC) is going to destroy the Broncos because 1) the Panthers defense might just overwhelm Peyton Manning and 2) Cam Newton is a dual threat QB, so even if the Broncos have good pass protection Cam can still run out of the pocket and scramble for good yardage. This concludes my relative short analysis of Super Bowl 50, until next time folks.

NBA 2k16 Pt.1

NBA 2k16 is a video game based off of the NBA in the 2016 season.  This review is for the Xbox One Edition. The game goes so in-depth to reality (just like the Madden series) with accurate commentary, extremely realistic graphics, and an awesome soundtrack.  I am a big fan of games with multiple modes; and this game has quite a few. Let’s start with MyCareer. MyCareer is basically a journey through your career from High School to the NBA. Of course there aren’t 82 games per season (until you get to the NBA), but the majority of the features are customizable; your character, their outfit, and the high school and college you want to go too (you have to chose from specific ones). From there you play through to the NBA and earn VC (the in-game currency) and buy items for your character. The next mode is called MyTeam. MyTeam is a mode where you take low ranking cards, win games and earn VC, then upgrade by buying packs of cards. This is very similar to Madden Ultimate Team, except this is basketball of course. You can even customize the logos, color schemes, the coach, jersey styles and even the arena. I think I will end this here and continue another week as there are more modes (still as fun)to cover.

Cleveland Cavaliers Update

The Cleveland Cavaliers are sitting pretty atop the Eastern Conference with a record of 30-11, and a team that seems to finally be figuring things out. Coming off of a 13 point win against the L.A. Clippers, the Cavs made a shocking move by firing 2nd year head coach David Blatt. He led the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals and to a 53-29 record last year. Assistant coach Tyronn Lue has signed a 4 year deal reportedly worth $9.5 million.  Despite being 3.5 games ahead of the No.2 seed (Toronto Raptors) the Cavs still have problems with their Big Three’s efficiency. The core root of their problem starts with Kevin Love’s post and interior defense.  He just lacks the speed of today’s small forwards and power forwards. This was evident in the 34 point blowout loss to GSW. Most reports and articles out there say that Cleveland should just trade him. He has a great jump shot making him a duel-threat player on offense, his defense is the Cavaliers’ primary concern. This year (so far) we have seen a less giving Lebron James trying to fill in for the slowly returning Kyrie Irving. Next game is against the Chicago Bulls. This one is sure to be a physical matchup in a battle of the Eastern Conference’s Elite.

Arizona Cardinals Update

For this week's blog I would like to give an update on the Arizona Cardinals (a.k.a the best team in the NFC West). Yet another stellar season so far by Cardinals, but it's not over yet because they are in the playoffs. Let's start with Carson Palmer, the 36 year old quarterback who experts say is having best season of his career. Carson has some deep threats with real speed running on the outside. But then there are the slower but more reliable receivers running everywhere else but with the same explosiveness, one which is Larry Fitzgerald, the 32 year old receiver who can make big plays if you put the ball in his hands. This season he set a Cardinals record by getting 1000 yards for 7 seasons. I think the real key to the Cardinals 13-3 record is their defense. The Cardinals defense is ranked 5th in league for just about every category. Some of their stars are: Tyrann Mathieu, and Patrick Peterson. This season Tyrann was voted to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career, and a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year. When it is a safety blitz, Tyrann is almost guarenteed to get a sack. And then there is Patrick Peterson the lockdown cornerback who is also being considered for Defensive Player of the Year. Peterson has held almost every receiver he has went agains to under 40 yards. Considering he lines up with best receiver everytime that's pretty impressive. Next week the Cardinals take on the Green Bay Packers in their first playoff test.