As the Trade Deadline Dust Settles, Jokić Stands as the Clear MVP

As the NBA season cruises past the trade deadline, one player stands out as the frontrunner for this year’s Most Valuable Player Award, Nikola Jokić. 

The Nuggets big man has stepped up his game this year in just about every conceivable way, raising his own stock to be considered the best big man in the NBA. The Joker is averaging 8.5 assists per game as of April 1st, putting him just behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 8.6 APG in the 1967-68 season as the second-most by a center in NBA history. Even more impressive is the fact that Jokić already owns four of the top seven seasons in APG for centers (including the ongoing season, despite this being only his 6th year in the NBA). 

It is fair to say that Jokić is already the greatest passing center of all time. He currently owns the highest career APG at the center position in NBA history with 5.8 per game, far beyond Chamberlain’s and Russell’s second and third place metrics of 4.4 and 4.3 per game respectively (while you could argue the criteria for awarding an assist was more stringent back then, these are the official NBA statistics that were going off).

Joel Embiid was second in line for the MVP prior to his knee injury, which may eliminate him entirely from the conversation down the stretch of the season. Before the 76ers big man went down, this season’s MVP race was shaping up to be one of the most peculiar ones in decades. For the first time in what has felt like forever, the top two candidates were not guards or even forwards, but the historically most dominant position in basketball, centers. Embiid, of course, has the classic footwork of greats like Olajuwon, with a mid-range and deep shot to boot that bigs of this era have learned to develop. His ability to lead the 76ers offensively and defensively to the top seed in the East for most of the season when healthy put him above the rest for the early part of the year. 

Jokić however, with an equally high-level performance in the paint and an even better jump shot, is in another world for the way he controls the floor from the center position. He has dominated the hardwood from the offensive end this season. Looking at the analytic side of things, Jokić’s contributions stand out even more. He currently leads (and has for most of the season) the league in PER, Box plus/minus, win shares, and value over replacement player. The previous season leaders in PER alone have won the MVP each of the last five seasons and 10 of the last 12 years. Jokić’s 31.66 rating is currently good for the 6th best in a season in NBA history. 

The Joker is far and away No. 1 in win shares at 10.7, with Antetokounmpo in second with 7.4, followed by Gobert with 7.3 and Lillard with 7.2. In offensive win shares alone, Jokić leads with 8.4, trailed by Lillard with 7.0, Williamson with 5.8, and Harden with 5.2. 

In box plus/minus which measures a player's contribution to their team based on traditional data in an NBA box score, Jokić stands alone at 11.9, with Embiid behind him at 8.6, Antetokounmpo at 8.2, and LeBron at 7.8. He is No. 1 in the NBA in offensive rating for those who have taken at least 500 shot attempts on the season, and his value over replacement player is first with a 5.8 rating, with Antetokounmpo in second place at 3.9, Luka Dončić at 3.5, LeBron at 3.4, and Harden at 3.3. 

This is all with Jokić clocking in at second overall in minutes played so far this year with 47 games under his belt, compared to 41 for Harden (with only 33 of those games being with the Nets), 44 for Antetokounmpo, 31 for Embiid, and 45 for Lillard.  

Jokić has simply elevated what he can do on the court, carrying over his performance in the playoff bubble into this season. The Nuggets center is taking more shots than ever before while making them more efficiently than ever. Simultaneously, he is dishing the ball around as well as any guard in the NBA. During the 2019-20 regular season, Jokić attempted 14.7 shots a game, knocking down about 53% of them. 3.5 of these were 3-pointers, which he hit 31% of last year. 

This season, however, Jokić has increased his attempts to 18.6 per game, yet is shooting even better at 57%, and has greatly increased his 3-point percentage to 43% while attempting 3.6 deep balls per game. He is also attempting and making the most free throws per game of his career, clocking in at an 87% conversation rate on the year. All of this combines to give him a gorgeous stat line of 26.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, and 8.5 APG. Currently, this places him seventh in scoring, eighth in rebounding, and tied for 5th in assists with all-time great passing point guard Chris Paul. No other player in the NBA is in the top ten in all 3 categories. 

Really only two other players remain in the MVP conversation other than Jokić. With LeBron and Embiid falling to injury, Curry’s Warriors looking less and less like a playoff team with each passing day, James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the two players on the outside looking in. 

Harden gets the second place nod for being the conductor of the Brooklyn monster that has been assembled in New York. Somebody had to alter their game to make the Net's big 3 work, and Harden has done that while playing the best basketball of his career. Despite my criticisms of his shooting antics in Houston, he is finally playing with equivalent top-level talent for the first time since his Thunder days (CP3 and Westbrook are frankly just not in the same ballpark as Durant and Irving). This union has revealed just how efficient he can be with the basketball in his hands. No knock against the 2018 MVP, but Harden needed to join a team where he wasn’t the clear best player to find team success. With Irving being comparable offensively and KD being the No. 1 or No. 2 player in the world when on the court, he’s found that home. 

Brooklyn has succeeded without Durant present for a month and a half now, with the team going 17-3 during that span, in large part due to how Harden has guided the team. Still, the biggest factor that gives him the nod for MVP, being how he has conducted the newly star-powered Nets, is also the biggest factor against him taking home the award; at least in comparison to Jokić. 

Jokić, though paired with a partner in crime in Jamal Murray, is much more the one-man show in Denver, leading his team to success without the benefit of surefire Hall of Famers. Even with Murray by his side, the fifth-year guard takes a noticeable step back in the regular season compared to his playoff antics the past two postseasons. Nuggets fans will obviously be happy to have their guard play at his best come playoff time, but that doesn’t matter when it comes to the regular season MVP award. Murray’s playoff numbers the past two postseasons are 24 PPG, 5.8 APG, 4.6 RPG while shooting 47% and 41% from 3-point land. His numbers dip in the regular season however, posting a line of 19.7 PPG, 4.9 APG, 4.0 RPG, shooting 47% and 38% from deep during the same span. This is all to say Jokić noticeably carries more of the load for Denver during the bulk of the season. 

Kyrie Irving meanwhile is otherworldly whenever he steps onto the court, no matter the time of the year. Harden is a more complete player than Irving, but offensively, the two guards are as potent as they come. And even if Durant only returns from injury for a dozen games or so before the playoffs, Jokić has no such luxury of having arguably the greatest scorer of all-time show up down the stretch of the season in reserve. 

Earlier in the year, Jokić wasn’t getting the same level of attention due to his team’s record, something they’ve since remedied in the pre and post-All-Star break matchups they’ve played. They now stand at 29-18, good enough for 5th in the Western Conference and only .5 games back of the Lakers for the fourth seed. They are 12-3 over their last 15 games, including wins over the East’s top-seeded 76ers and Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks. Thanks in large part to the MVP play of Jokić, who has put up 12 triple-doubles so far this year, the Nuggets are primed to take the 4th seed and potentially more. If Denver continues to play their best basketball during the final half of the year, they could yet again find themselves in the Western Conference Finals. But this time they would be boasting the league MVP with team expectations to win, not to be a surprise entry into the final four like last season. 

While the Greek Freak is yet again putting up numbers he’s made the norm over the last couple of seasons, his stats are extremely comparable to Jokić’s, with the Bucks having their worst season yet of the last three. Antetokounmpo does have the defensive prowess over Jokić, but not in such a dominant fashion as to take the MVP away from Jokić. Giannis still lacks the shot that the Nuggets superstar has, and despite Antetokounmpo toting a moderate amount of assists per game, (6.2), his are more based on driving kick-outs than the floor general approach Jokić has, which absolutely controls the court. Voter fatigue is always at play when someone wins awards in consecutive seasons, but as someone who supported Antetokounmpo winning the previous two MVP trophies, this year is just not his year. 

I will acknowledge and give credit to Dame Time down in Portland this season as an honorable mention. However, I think Lillard lags behind all the previously mentioned players for MVP this year. That being said, it would be tough to exclude him from the All-NBA First team at guard, even with the performances of Luka and Steph this year, Lillard is right there with them with a better team record. 

Nikola Jokić has clearly taken a huge step forward this season. Watching him play, you can observe how he sees the game, how it slows down for him as he navigates the court looking to make the best decision possible. If this season is any indication of peak Jokić, he’s in the discussion for taking the top player in the league award after LeBron and KD. But if the 25-year-old continues to improve beyond this year's display, it will certainly be even scarier for the rest of the league.

The Heat May Be the East’s Best Team, But the Celtics Blew this Series

Coming into the start of the NBA Playoffs in the Bubble, three teams were expected to claim the NBA Championship: the Lakers, Clippers, and Bucks. It seemed likely it would be the battle of LA in the West, and the Bucks matching up against either the second-seeded Raptors or third-seeded Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. Instead, the Denver Nuggets capitalized off the Clipper’s lack of chemistry and game 7 failures of their star players, and the fifth-seeded Miami Heat blitzed their way through the Milwaukee Bucks in a convincing five-game series, leading to a matchup against Boston. 

For two games of the ECF, the Celtics played Celtics basketball for long enough to get the W, but still, even in those games, they didn’t play for the full 48 minutes that the Heat did every game. 

Throughout the playoffs, the Celtics failed to close out games by not playing team first, smart basketball down the stretch. They stopped moving the ball, they played iso, hero ball, and more aggravating than anything, they chucked up stupid 3 pointers at the most inopportune times. 

The final 5 minutes of Game 6 was accompanied by a hopeless plea for the Celtics to not, quite literally, throw away their season from 25-feet out. Yet, that’s exactly what they did, shoot 3-point shot after 3-point shot while the Heat drove to the basket and ran away with the game. 

With 1:29 left in the third quarter, Boston trailed 86-79. In less than 45 seconds, the Celtics scored seven straight points in the paint (plus an and-one free throw) and tied the game. To start the fourth, Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown put the Celtics up 96-90 with layups and a baseline jumper. Boston knew the formula to get back into the game, to play winning basketball, to force a game 7, and yet, despite this successful 16-4 run, they reverted from it when they needed it most. 

Holding a six-point lead, Boston then overplayed on a defensive possession, double-teaming the driver, as they’ve done all series long, and allowed a wide-open 3 to Tyler Herro. Herro backed this up on the next possession by nailing a midrange jumper, letting the rookie get into a rhythm late in the match after having an off-game up to that point. The slight lead was gone and suddenly, the drive to the basket mentality all but disappeared. Tatum hit a questionable, double-covered 3 with 6 minutes to go in the contest to go up 100-98. He then got inside for a layup to get the Celtics to 102. 

But after that, with a two-point deficit, Boston shot 3 after 3 and erased their chance at a game 7 in minutes. It was 104-102 Heat with 4:55 to go. By the 2:40 mark, the score had ballooned to 116-102 Heat. The Celtics missed 12 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, including 8 in the last 5:14 of the game. Had the Celtics redone their strategy earlier in the game to take the lead, Boston could have put themselves in a great position to force a deciding game in the series (they shot 8-13 from 2-pointers in the quarter). For comparison, Miami shot only 3 deep balls in the final quarter, making all of them. 

For the game, Boston chucked up 46 3-point attempts, making 15, while Miami took 19 fewer attempts, making 13 of their 27. The emphasis on 3-point shooting down the stretch is obvious to see here, the only question is, why? 

The refs were calling ticky-tack fouls all series long and to be frank, all Bubble the refereeing has been questionable (maybe the refs are getting tired of the bubble setting too). So, take advantage of the easy calls and drive the ball and get fouled! If they’re going to call ‘em easy, then drive! Yes, Bam is sitting down there, and yes, the refs quite egregiously failed to call fouls for the Celtics all series long (i.e. Brown getting clipped by Butler in midair in game 6, Theis getting murdered by the Heat and getting the foul called on him almost every game). But this series was not decided on bad refereeing, the Celtics could’ve done something about it, and didn’t. 

To be fair, though Gordon Hayward’s presence helped, he was obviously not at 100%. If he was, that changes the whole complexion of this postseason run. Maybe Boston does close out Toronto earlier, or don’t fail in crunch time as much to the Heat. 

Another thing, Jayson Tatum’s transcendence is still new. He has only been this guy, the guy since February of this year, back when LeBron himself recognized Tatum as “a problem.” This was the first time Tatum was expected to play like a superstar every night, and it has only been for the last 40 games or so of the NBA season. Next year will be the first season where he starts the year as the expected no. 1 guy on the team, expected All-star, and expected top-10-player in this league. Let’s not forget, to start this season, Kemba was the best player for the Celtics. Yet by season’s end, he was the 3rd choice offensively. Things evolved quickly. 

Tatum tried playing like Kobe (one of his longtime idols and someone he trained with over previous offseasons) too much at the end of close games, which was very noticeable against the Raptors in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. Playing the “best player on the team/court go iso and try to win the game” isn’t the go-to option for a couple of reasons. One, he’s just not there yet. That type of “give me the ball and I’ll go win the game” is reserved for the greatest players, the Jordan’s, Kobe’s, LeBron’s, of the world. I think Tatum is going to get there though. He’s a year or two away from being good enough for those bad iso’s being worth it. But more importantly two, it wasn’t necessary nor should it have been the way to go in any of those situations. His teammates weren’t playing bad and needing to be bailed out by his superior offensive skills. In fact, the reason the Celtics were in many of their games was due to team basketball, passing the rock, playing with movement. 

Jaylen Brown’s progression continues to look good, but he needs to shoot more. Of the top four scorers in the series for the Celtics, he is the only one who shot better than 43%; and he finished with an extremely efficient 56% from the field and 50% from 3. Tatum might be the 1 on Boston going forward, but Brown needs to be more of a 1B than a 2 for this team to get better. 

That being said, Smart was the Celtic’s best player in this series and probably the entire playoffs. He is nothing but a winner, a guy who does everything he can for his team while simultaneously being the heart and soul of this squad. His gritty demeanor and 110% effort all the time is going to be needed for Boston to take that step into NBA Championship territory. 

What’s Next?

Going forward, Boston should try to add some shooters to their roster. Despite the 3-point prevalence of the Celtics, they lack something both the Lakers and the Heat have, a 3-point specialist. The Duncan Robinsons and Danny Greens of the world have the ability to give a team 12 points instantly any quarter, or just that clutch three when you need it, something that can win a game or even series. Perhaps more importantly than any potential big man pick ups may be a sharpshooter or two for the C’s. 

Is leadership a question for this Celtics team going forward? Stevens was the unquestioned leader of his teams until Kyrie Irving showed up and he then had to learn how to manage superstar talent and personality for the first time. Now at season’s end, Kemba, Smart, Tatum, and Brown all have a significant leadership role themselves, perhaps complicating things on the court. The lockerroom arguments after game 2 of the ECF might have revealed some of this to the world. From an outsider’s perspective, Smart and Kemba might be the best leaders on the team. It makes sense, two veterans; one, a dog of a player whose goal is to just win, with a defense-first mentality, not necessarily the guy giving you 20+ points a night. And Kemba, an All-Star caliber player who finally has a team around him and just wants to win after playing in the void that was Charlotte for 8 years before coming here. 

But the two best players going forward on Boston, and the two who should be the centerpieces of the franchise for the next decade, are Tatum and Brown. They are both young, so perhaps the responsibility of leading a team will develop soon. Time will tell in that regard. All I know is when your leader is not your best player in basketball, it can cause failures (I look prominently at the Westbrook and Durant Thunder when saying that).

The lack of a high-quality big man was noticeable in this series for Boston, especially as Bam Adebayo destroyed the Celtics in game 6. But we knew that all year, and since basically the departure of Kevin Garnett. Though Al Horford being on this team this season might’ve made the difference, a top-level big seems more attractive than ever for Boston. They are rare though, with AD, Embiid, KAT, Bam, Jokic, (and Giannis if you consider him a big) being the only elite bigs in the league. Should the Celtics take a swing at them? Embiid and KAT and likely the only gainable players, but would a trade even be worth it? Tatum and Brown are untouchables, something I can confidently say Celtics GM Danny Ainge already knows, so I’m not sure if the resources are on the table to even try a deal. 

Even with no significant changes to the Celtics before next season, this squad should be right back in the mix of things, competing for a chance to make it to the NBA Finals. The continued growth of Tatum and Brown, mixed with the deep playoff experience and injury recovery time for Walker and Hayward should have Boston back in the Eastern Conference Finals again next year.

Miami Dolphins Poised for A Turnaround

The Miami Dolphins wasted no time getting started in free agency signing over ten new faces in the first week of the 2020 season. 

The biggest name the Phins locked up is Byron Jones, who signed for 5 years, $82.5 million, making him the highest paid cornerback in the NFL. Jones will join pro bowler Xavien Howard in Miami’s secondary, looking to become one of the best backfields in the league next season. 

If Miami had only kept Minkah Fitzpatrick this team might already get that top tier designation. Trading Fitzpatrick remains one of the few poor decisions Brian Flores and Chris Grier have made thus far in their reign. 

Miami also added quality players in linebacker Kyle Van Noy, defensive end Shaq Lawson, offensive guard Ereck Flowers, and running back Jordan Howard. Though with the Howard signing, I wonder if the Phins missed out on Melvin Gordon. Maybe they simply dodged getting an injury prone, underachieving player, but he didn’t receive a crazy deal either at 2 years, $16 million. No matter, the Dolphins signed the 25-year-old Howard to a 2-year deal that gives the team something to work with at the position after being pretty bare last season. 

Overall, Miami improved their defense by a significant margin, shoring up that side of the field with lineback Kamu Grugier-Hill and defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah also getting picked up. 

Ted Karras, New England’s center from last year signed with the Dolphins and will likely be the starter replacing Daniel Kilgore. 

Brian Flores has evidently been the one attracting free agents to Miami ($94 million in cap space also helps). Newly signed Van Noy said as much to reporters via a Zoom video call, saying of the Dolphins head coach, “he’s ready to go all the time, and he brings that same energy each and every day, and that's what you want-- and as a player that’s who I want to play for.” Karras, another former Patriot, reportedly declined a more lucrative deal from New England to join the former Patriots defensive coach. 

The sentiment has been echoed by Ogbah and superstar cornerback Bryon Jones, with Jones saying Flores intense coaching style is something he wanted to be a part of. 

The Dolphins head coach was also able to guide the team to a five wins last season, five more than anyone expected after their tumultuous start to the year. The Phins winning those games despite being hailed as one of the worst teams ever in the early part of the year was a false narrative anyway. Many players were cut or traded right before the regular season started, along with a first-year head coach getting his first reps under his belt in that role and the opponents being teams (Baltimore and New England) who went combined 26-6 during the regular season. 

Putting that start behind them, Miami had a competitive season that concluded on the highest note possible, as Flores took down his former New England boss and forced them into a Wildcard Playoff game they would ultimately lose. 

While Flores has helped achieve a successful offseason of signings, the biggest of the free agency splash has concluded, and all eyes turn toward the NFL Draft. The Dolphins hold the most picks with 14, including three first round picks, with the fifth overall being their hottest commodity. Rumors have centered around Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa being Maimi’s first selection, but it's truly unknown the path the team will follow. A miracle trade for Joe Burrow is a possibility, but the Dolphins would likely need to give up their three first round picks and then some to pull that off. 

Even without going after the LSU quarterback, Miami may still have to trade up to get Tagovailoa, with the Lions and Redskins in front of them, and the Chargers and Panthers right behind them looking for quarterbacks themselves. The Dolphins may also go after the third projected QB off the board in Justin Herbert, who could fall into the fifth spot without any movement from Miami. 

However, the Phins may utilize all the picks they have and build up the team on both sides of the ball. With 14 selections at their disposal, Miami ought to hit on at least a few future X-factors. Going this route might be the safest bet, especially with a defensive-minded head coach who seems focused on adding the right pieces around a QB before going out and getting one. Miami may shift their focus to draft a signal caller in the 2021 NFL Draft with Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence in mind. 

Depending on who the Dolphins plug in at QB this year will determine the goal of this season. If Miami passes on a QB this year and puts Fitzmagic back out there, then the team is evidently angling for a QB in next year’s draft. But even if they draft one this year, the young gun may start the year as the backup as Flores looks to gradually put a winning team on the field. 

No matter the QB situation, the division may be a low-win threshold to capture and make the playoffs. I don’t think anyone is projecting a contender out of the AFC East this season, with the Bills being the closest thing to a favorite there is. The Bills made the postseason last year so it appears as though it will be their division to lose. Josh Allen looked both promising and troubled at times throughout the season, making any sure-thing prediction for the team questionable at best. Their defense will likely remain stout, so time will tell how they’ll operate in a Tom Brady-less division. 

The Patriots are unknown at this point, especially with their QB situation unclear. Will they draft a guy? Will they pick up someone like Andy Dalton or Cam Newton in free agency? Or will they go with 2019 fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham? New England still retains DPOY Stephon Gilmore and head coach Bill Belichick, so a steep drop for the team is probably more wishful thinking than reality for the rest of the division. Still, this will be the first time in 20 years without Tom Brady under center. 

The Jets went 7-9 last year with QB Sam Darnold missing multiple games due to illness. This is the make or break year for Darnold to take a step forward in his progression. The second year of Le'veon Bell will prove interesting for New York. If he resembles Bell of old, then the division is in trouble of the Jets stepping up and taking the crown for the first time since 2002. But if it's more of the same with Bell the Jets are vulnerable to repeat another mediocre year. 

Miami's schedule doesn’t look too forgiving for the squad, which may impact their drafting decisions of what to prioritize now compared to a season down the road. The Dolphins will face the likes of defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs, the Los Angeles Rams, and Seattle Seahawks throughout their season. Add on their six division matchups which will likely be hotly contested battles, and Miami will likely be on the cusp of a .500 season.

But whether this season or next, the pieces, coaching atmosphere, draft stock and salary capital that Miami has attained put themselves in prime position to become a regular playoff team in the near future. The turnaround Dolphins fans have waited the last two decades for appears right around the corner.

Fight for the NBA Crown

LeBron James has long reigned as the best basketball player in the world. James took the crown from Kobe in 2010-11, his first season with the Heat. Since then, his Kingship has been largely undisputed, even in his defeats. 

But in the last few seasons, events have occurred that have blurred who actually is King of Basketball. The biggest of which was LeBron’s absence from last year’s playoffs, his typical time to shine where he shows the world no matter what happened in the regular season, he’s still the best on the court. We didn’t get that showing last year, and now, with a crown laying unworn but claimed and contested by many to be theirs, we await the conclusion of the 2020 playoffs to coronate, or recornate a King. 

These are the claimants: 

Kawhi Leonard

The reigning NBA Finals MVP, and now reigning All Star MVP might have the best claim as it stands right now. After all, last season’s playoffs were Leonard’s playground. Across the 2019 postseason, Leonard averaged 30.5 ppg, 9.1 rpg, and 3.9 apg on 49% shooting and 38% from 3. He was the best player on the court throughout the Raptors run and topped it off with his second career championship. Leonard also notably took down MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in the Eastern Conference Finals, stopping short Antetokounmpo’s rise to the top of basketball.

So far through the 2019-20 campaign, Leonard is averaging career highs in points, rebounds and assists, with 27.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg, and 5.3 apg respectively. 

In areas of his play that Kawhi could have been criticized for even a couple years ago, he has since shored up those, and every other aspect of his game. He is now a quality play-maker and ball handler, and can score with the very best of them. He’s able to score getting to the basket, shooting 3s, mid-range, at the free throw line and might be the only defender in the NBA that can effectively limit the Greek Freak. Leonard has also been the best two-way player in the NBA for a few years now (not including his injury plagued 2017-18 campaign). 

He won’t be taking home the regular season MVP this year, with his load management routine limiting his playing time. But Kawhi is sitting in cruise control this regular season while playing better than ever. Leonard sits calmly composed in the driver seat in the quest for the crown, barring any unfortunate injuries, LeBron and Lakers will likely be the only squad standing in Kawhi’s way toward another Finals appearance. 

Lebron James

LeBron’s roughly decade long reign atop the world as the best basketball player has only really been called into question due to injury from last season. We didn’t get to see Playoff LeBron for the first time in a long time, and with no James Finals for the first time since 2010, the script for the crown is waiting to be written come April, May and June. 

After eight straight seasons of being the only constant in the final series of the NBA season, James’s off-season began in April last year. The extra rest has led to LeBron playing rejuvenated this season, leading the NBA in assists from the outset, while boasting typical LeBron numbers of 25.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 10.6 apg on 49% shooting and 35% from 3. 

James has been leading the Lakers atop the West most of the season, currently sitting with a six-game lead over the Nuggets and Clippers. LeBron looks to secure the top spot in the conference for the first time since his 2015-16 Championship campaign. 

Just so we all remember what James does come playoff time, his stats from his last two appearances in the Finals where he faced arguably the greatest roster in NBA history: 

2016-17: 33.6 ppg, 12 rpg, 10 apg 56% FG, 38% 3pt FG

2017-18: 34 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 10 apg 52% FG, 33% 3pt FG

LeBron’s previously unquestioned status may afford him de facto King status to some this season, especially as he continues to put up MVP numbers in his 17th NBA season. Despite his age and the minutes under his belt, King James was less dethroned than merely tripped last season. Time will tell whether he picks back up the crown enroute to his fourth NBA title. 

Kevin Durant

Though KD is not on the court this year, negating any real consideration of him being considered the top guy right now, he arguably had taken the crown from LeBron after back-to-back Finals MVPs against the King himself. 

Durant balled out during his two Finals victories, posting stats of: 

2016-17: 35.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 5.4 apg 56% FG, 47% 3pt FG

2017-18: 28.8 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 7.5 apg 53% FG, 41% 3pt FG

There is also something to be said that if KD had been healthy for last year's NBA Finals, the Warriors get their 3-peat. Durant may not have won his 3rd consecutive Finals MVP even if Golden State got the win, but being the best player on a dynasty says enough in its own right. Injuries are a part of the game, but if Durant was healthy, the Warriors are probably the reigning champions right now.

Durant’s Nets career will pick up next season where he and Kyrie Irving look to join the elite teams of the Eastern Conference. The Nets will likely run into the likes of the Bucks, Celtics, Raptors and 76ers on their pursuit of a championship, but if Durant returns from injury somewhere close to 100%, he may find himself hoisting another Finals MVP in a year’s time. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo

The youngest of the group at 25 years old, Antetokounmpo is the reigning MVP and is very much on par to win the award in back to back years. Through 53 games this season, Giannis has the highest single season PER in NBA history, currently beating out the best MVP seasons of Wilt’s, LeBron’s, Jordan’s and Curry’s career. 

Antetokounmpo is averaging 29.7 ppg, 13.7 rpg, 5.8 apg on 55% shooting and 32% from 3, in only 30.8 minutes a night. That is the most astounding aspect of Antetokounmpo’s play, the amount he does on the court in such a short time, and in such an efficient fashion. If his numbers are increased to per 36 minutes (i.e. the amount Harden plays a game), his numbers jump to 34.7 ppg, 16 rpg, 6.8 apg. Though James Harden typically wins the scoring debate when it comes to these two players, if they’re playing the same number of minutes, the stats are neck and neck. 

The biggest criticism of Giannis from last year, his shooting, has vastly improved this year. His 3-point shooting increased from 25% to 32% while attempting 1.9 more 3s per game. On shots from 10-16 feet away, Antetokounmpo is shooting 43% this season, while shots from 16 feet-3pt line, he’s converting at a 45% clip. 

Giannis had me convinced last year through the first 2 games of the Eastern Conference Finals that he was now top dog. But in a matter of 4 games, Kawhi showed what having been there before really meant, going a tear that will be remembered for the rest of basketball history. 

Giannis was set to get it done last year, but fell short in his first season with serious expectations. With a historic team now dominating their way through the league, can Giannis get it done this season and crown himself the new king for the NBA’s next decade? 

Honorable Mentions: 

James Harden

One of the most prolific scorers the game has ever seen, Harden is just efficient enough to warrant amazement for what he does instead of bewilderment; but just barely. Averaging 35.2 ppg on 44% shooting is impressive. But if that percentage even drops to 42%, it quickly becomes a case of too many bad shots. Besides Curry though (the best shooter of all time), this is the last guy you want shooting the ball if he’s going up against you. The only thing left for Harden to do to truly have a shot at the crown is a championship. While not impossible within the next few seasons, he may end up just another great player in an era where there are simply greater ones in his way. 

Luka Doncic

The young superstar may be a season away from blossoming into his true potential, which is scary to think about when the 21-year-old is averaging 28.6 ppg, 9.4 rpg and 8.8 apg on 46% shooting. Though I expect Luka and the Mavericks to fall short on firepower against the likes of the Lakers or Clippers, he may be Giannis’s number one competition for supremacy through the next decade. 

Anthony Davis

Now paired with another superstar, Davis is finally getting wins under his belt and true MVP consideration along with it. While undoubtedly the best big man in the league today, I’d say he’s not the best player on his team and is nowhere near the ball handler or passer that all these other players are. Slightly unfair as that's not his job, AD will just have to settle for the top spot in the West, and a great chance to win his first NBA title. 

Ben Simmons

The potential to be the next LeBron is there for Simmons. Averaging 16.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg, and 8 apg through two seasons is nothing to bat an eye at, but the comparisons that come with those numbers are to players like LeBron and Magic. With those comparisons, the expectations of MVPs, championships and dominance are attached. That next step we’re all waiting for with Simmons has still not arrived, but when and if it does, the throne may be wiped clean to make way for another era of a dominant point forward running the league. 

Mookie Betts Looks to Become First Red Sox Player to Win MVP and World Series in the Same Year

In all of the Red Sox storied history, no player has ever won the Most Valuable Player award and the World Series championship in the same season. Of the 10 times the franchise has had a player win the individual accolade, there have been four instances where the team lost in game seven of the World Series that particular year. Ted Williams in 1946, Carl Yastrzemski in 1967, Fred Lynn in 1975, and Roger Clemens in 1986 all fell one win short of achieving this goal. Luckily for Betts, the championship has already been captured, with just the MVP still up for grabs.

Mookie Betts is arguably the best player in the MLB, headlining the recently announced short list for the 2018 AL MVP Award, along with Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez and the Angel’s Mike Trout. Betts helped guide the Boston Red Sox to a franchise record and league leading 108 wins this season, enroute to a World Series Championship. Whereas in most cases, missing over 20 games during the season would be detrimental to a player’s chance at winning the MVP, the missed games actually help to justify the Red Sox’s outfielder’s claim to the award.

Despite missing 26 regular season matches, Betts managed Boston’s second only 30-30 season (homers and steals). He led the AL with 84 extra base hits and in runs scored with 129 (tied with Francisco Lindor), with Lindor playing 22 more games than Betts.

The Wins Above Replacement (WAR) statistic, which determines a player’s value to his team, displayed Betts’s true worth with a 10.9 rating to lead all Major League Baseball. His WAR rating is also tied for the 21st highest in a season in MLB history, being the highest since Barry Bonds (11.8) in 2002. In 136 games, Betts won the batting title, posting a .346 batting average, belted 32 home runs, and batted in 80 RBI’s. He also sported an MLB leading .640 slugging percentage, along with a .438 OBP, and 1.078 OPS, both good for second in baseball.

Betts tied for second in the AL with 47 doubles and was 3rd in the league with 333 total bases. His 180 hits on the season were only 12 behind the MLB’s leader Whit Merrifield who played 22 more games than Betts.

As usual, Betts’ plate discipline contributed to the right fielder having only 91 strikeouts opposed to 81 walks this season.

Beyond his bat, Betts lead the MLB in defensive runs saved, according to FanGraphs. Betts was also announced on November 4th as the Gold Glove winner for his play in right field. This is his third year in a row claiming the defensive honor.

Though Mookie Betts wasn't quite in the same dominant form during the postseason, his Gold Glove play in the field, as well as his homer in the World Series clinching game five helped the Boston Red Sox win their fourth championship in 15 seasons.

To see if Betts will make history, tune in to MLB Network on Thursday, November 15th at 6 p.m. ET to see the MVP announcements for both leagues.

Predicting How the East Will Play Out

With the dust settled for big name Free agents this off-season, it's time to look at how the standings in the Eastern Conference will play out.

Most prominently, there is no LeBron James around anymore. After eight straight years representing the East in the finals, the baton will be passed to another this upcoming season.

My prediction (and the East favorite), is the Boston Celtics. With a healthy Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward returning to the Boston cast that fell one game short of a trip to the Finals, the Celtics are primed to get back to their first championship appearance since 2010.

The heart and grit of the squad, Marcus Smart was recently brought back on a four year deal. His presence is invaluable to the Celtics as they make their title run, making winning plays time after time for the C’s.

With what Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown could (and seemingly will) blossom into, along with the proven talent and leadership of Al Horford and Marcus Morris; this Celtics team is loaded. Terry Rozier will be off the bench yet again, after proving this past postseason he's a huge threat on the court with starter potential. With Rozier, Smart, Baynes and Morris being the anchors of the second unit, Boston looks to have one of the deepest benches in the Eastern Conference.

Add one of the best coaches in the league in Brad Stevens running the show, and the Celtics could easily cruise to 60-plus wins and into the NBA Finals.

Tier 2 Teams

Though the Raptors added Kawhi Leonard to an already deep roster, I still wouldn't bet on them over the 76ers for second place in the East. Embiid and Simmons next season will be quite the dynamic duo in year two of their iteration. Both young stars are going to get better, which is scary to think about about considering Simmon’s 15.8/8.1/8.2 rookie stat line and Embiid’s first All-NBA (second team) nod.

Covington, Redick, and Šarić bring additional scoring to the team, along with defensive prowess that had the 76ers ranked 3rd overall in defensive rating last season (Celtics were 1st).

The battle for third place in the east is up for grabs from a few teams, namely the Raptors, Bucks, and Pacers. Kawhi Leonard's presence boasts Toronto to be my favorite to round out the top three, though that is bearing any holdout or extended injury time from Leonard.

The 59-win Raptors bowed out of last season's playoffs with a sweep by LeBron’s Cavaliers. With James now out of the Eastern Conference, Toronto has a chance to overcome their postseason misgivings.

However, the same Cavaliers team that steamrolled the Raptors were brought to a game seven by the Pacers in the first round of the postseason. Victor Oladipo’s emergence as an all-star pushed Indiana to a surprise fifth-seed last year, showing potential for growth with the team. With players like Bagdanovic, Collison, Turner, and Sabonis being key contributors returning to the team, the Pacers could very well be knocking at the door of being a top three team in the East.

Bottom-Half Playoff Squads

Giannis Antetokounmpo might be the best player in the conference now. With averages of 26.9 points, 10 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.5 steals & 1.4 blocks per game during the 2017-2018 campaign, the Greek Freak will likely be an MVP contender yet again as he tries to carry the Bucks as far as they can go. Taking Boston to a game seven in the opening round was an accomplishment in itself for Milwaukee. Depending on their first round matchup, they could advance past the first round next season for the first time since 2000-01.

The Heat and Wizards are probably going to lead the back half of the pack for playoff spots. Both teams however are likely to be first round exits to higher seeded opponents. John Wall did miss half the season in 2017-18, perhaps skewing the perception of how good Washington is coming into this upcoming season. But until the Wizards add another significant piece to their arsenal, I think the Wall and Beal tandem won’t be enough to get things done in D.C. Similar to the Wizards, the Heat are simply just lacking enough high level talent to truly do much in the conference. The Pistons with Blake Griffin in his first full season could make a run for top four positioning, but that's only if head coach Dwane Casey succeeds immediately with his new squad. I’d expect them to end up just squeezing into the postseason as an seventh or eighth seed.  

Undoubtedly, there will be many twists and turns through the 2018-19 seasons, with surprise breakout players and teams to go along with big name injuries and disappointments. Overall however, the top dogs in the Eastern Conference fighting for a trip to the Finals are basically set, with my final predictions being:

Final Picks

1. Celtics

2. 76ers

3. Raptors

4. Pacers

5. Bucks

6. Wizards

7. Heat

8. Pistons

History of Halo Esports, Part 1

With the start of a new competitive Halo season beginning this weekend, I decided to write a brief history of the esport’s tournament placings.

The early history of competitive Halo goes hand in hand with the careers of some of the scene’s most decorated players, Ogre 1, Ogre 2, and Walshy.

In the early days of 2002 and 2003, some initial Halo: Combat Evolved tournaments rose up,attracting the attention of many halo players. Often referred to as the first official competitive tournament prior to MLG taking over the scene, Halo50k was won by The Dream Team lead by Zyos. Zyos would go on to win seven total Halo: CE events in his career and was later a member of Team FFA and Str8 Rippin.

Though Halo 50k resulted in a third place finish for the Ogre twins, the following tourney (Halo50k2) saw them win under the Shoot to Kill (STK) banner, beginning their first reign over competitive Halo by winning 4 tourneys in a row.

This success prompted the formation of Team FFA, a collection of individually skilled players who came together solely to dethrone STK. Team FFA was headlined by Walshy and included Zyos, KillerN and Gintron.

Team FFA succeeded in their goal, winning back to back tournaments over STK. Following MLG Atlanta 2004, Walshy and KillerN left Team FFA to team with Ogre 1 and 2 forming Team Domination for the rest of competitive Halo: CE. Team Domination closed out the season winning the final four tourneys, culminating in the 2004 New York Championships. This was to be the first of multiple national championships for the core three of Walshy and the Ogres.

The 2005 season started off with a roster change for the squad, with Saiyan getting picked up over KillerN. The team also went back to referring to themselves as Shoot to Kill.

2005 was the inaugural season of competitive Halo 2, marking the start of the golden age of professional Halo.

This roster would win the first eight events of Halo 2 (switching their name to Team 3D in the middle of their run) before finally dropping in the grand finals to Str8 Rippin at MLG Philadelphia 2005. Though Team 3D quickly regained their footing, this win for Str8 gave famed Halo pro Tsquared his first event victory (that Ogre 1, Ogre 2 and Walshy also attended). Tsquared would remain a top player throughout most his Halo 1, 2 and 3 career, being the only competitive Halo player to have double digit first, second, and third place finishes*.

Team 3D followed this loss by winning the final six events of the season, including the championships at MLG New York. The core three of Walshy and the Ogres had won back to back Halo National championships and 18 of the previous 19 events they attended.

The 2006 season started off as if the dominance of this roster would continue. Walshy, Ogre 1, Ogre 2 and Saiyan, now playing under the famous Final Boss moniker, would win the first four tournaments of the year.

For the first time in a long time however, the Final Boss roster finally met their match. At MLG Orlando, team Carbon consisting of Karma, GH057ayame, Ghandi and Shockwav3. Carbon had consistently been the second and third place team during Final Boss’s unprecedented run, losing to them in the previous five events.

This event win was not a fluke for Carbon however. The next tournament, MLG New York Playoffs 2006, Carbon backed up their performance with another win for the season. This marked the first time a team other than those consisting of the core three of Walshy and the Ogres had won back to back tournaments in Halo esports since Walshy did so against the Ogres back on Team FFA in Halo CE.

The next tournament was the 2006 Championships in Las Vegas. The event hosted the largest prize pool to that point in Halo esports history with $180,000 up for grabs on the 4v4 side of things.

Carbon and Final Boss breezed their way to the Winners Finals to face each other. Carbon yet again got the best of FB, winning the series 3-1. In the Grand Final, Carbon held off Final Boss in a grueling 10 game series that saw Carbon win 6-4 and walk away with $100,000. (*disclaimer: Grand finals back then used to be a continuation series, best of 11. So the grand finals started 3-1 Carbon up, with both squads each winning 3 games in the finale).

In the off-season, Final Boss dropped Saiyan from their team in place of Strongside. Strongside had previously been a member of Carbon, getting dropped right before Carbon went on their 3-peat of tournament wins. Carbon on the other hand kept the same roster heading into next season.

2007 Final Boss is often hailed as one of, if not the best competitive Halo team ever. Though the team did not have the same level dominance that the Ogre twins and Walshy enjoyed during the 2004 and 2005 seasons, finishing second 2nd at two events, the squad absolutely dismantled the competition when it mattered most.

To begin the 2007 season, FB put their 3-peat of second place finishes behind them, winning back to back tournaments at MLG Charlotte and MLG Meadowlands. Carbon would not sit down however, defeating Final Boss in the finals at MLG Dallas. FB returned to form immediately, winning MLG Chicago over Str8 Rippin in the grand finals while Carbon dropped to fourth. Str8 would flip the result in MLG Orlando though, beating Final Boss in the last event before Nationals (Carbon had yet another fourth place finish).

MLG Las Vegas Championships 2007 is where Final Boss cemented their legacy as the best Halo 2 team, and possibly the greatest Halo team ever. While Str8 Rippin and Carbon battled one another in a tough 10 game loser’s bracket final, FB cruised their way to the grand finals. When Carbon emerged as Final Boss’s challenger yet again, the famous roster completed the sweep, winning the 2007 Championships without dropping a single game during the entire tournament. Watching that squad at that event was insane. Ogre 1, Ogre 2, Walshy and Strongside played practically perfect Halo and blew even their top competition out of the venue.

Halo 2 would feature one more bonus event following Las Vegas Championships, where Final Boss would yet again prevail, this time over the Str8 Rippin squad.

With the first Halo 3 event months away, Final Boss looked to be the clear favorites to continue their dominance of the esport.

*Counting events where some top players did not attend as well as including 3rd/4th place finishes