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Can the Phoenix Suns advance in the NBA Playoffs

May 22, 2021Posted in UncategorizedTagged Chris Paul, CP3, LA Lakers, Phoenix Suns, VegasTopDogsLeave a comment

The Phoenix Suns are in the top of the Western Conference, they have shown the swagger and toughness of a true contender for a championship. But yet there is very little regard for them, there just seems to be zero buzz about the Suns. Sports guys on the idiot box talk about who the contenders are – they will say the usual’s, Brooklyn, LA Lakers, the Sixers, and the Clippers. It’s as if Phoenix Suns are just forgotten about – despite having a 50-21 record in the West. The Suns not only are winning – but they are winning big, as proven by their point differential – which is sitting at +5.9.
Better than the Nets, Sixers and even the 41 win Blazers – all of whom are talked about far more than Phoenix.

The Suns have put together a team, and it has been a real success what they have put on the floor. Especially when they traded for Chris Paul, grabbed Jae Crowder, with guys who are very quality pieces for depth, guys that could be relied on to score and fill in for 20 minutes if needed. It is incredible to think just how good the Paul trade was for the Suns. He has gotten them 16ppg, 9 dimes, and 49% shooting from the field for them – with experience and great court leadership. His adjustment to playing alongside Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton has barely seemed like an adjustment at all. They have gelled extremely well, since signing the 15 year vet. If Booker or Ayton get caught in some foul trouble – the grizzled veteran PG has been able to right the ship. He has been a huge and very important asset for the Suns.

Deandre Ayton and Devin Booker have completed the Suns as a very real threat, Booker has been a very serious problem for defenses, with 26 /game, and Ayton has been even better than expected with his timing and career best FG%. Granted Booker has been a stud for awhile – but the 22 year old bigman has played a huge role for the Suns.
Ayton has gotten them the boards and the big body down low to contain other bigs. Ayton has been one of the better defenders for Phoenix, and Head Coach Monty Williams has trusted him to guard the paint with ease. He can also stretch a bit, defending jump shots, he has gotten them solidified on defense, and has a defensive rating of 108
Booker has been just outstanding this season, knocking down 48% of his shots from the field, 34% from behind the arc, along with 4 bounds on around 34 minutes /game. He hasn’t been dependent on the pick and roll – he has been even better.

Phoenix are high in offensive efficiency, putting up 115 /game, and are also top 7 in defense, giving up 109 /game.
Phoenix is a ton of fun to watch. The Phoenix Suns success this year has been based on a much better defensive effort and hustle. They allow the 5th worst 3pt percentage in the NBA at 35%, as they close quickly when shooters are searching for a deep bomb, and if they do get it up, they are contested.

The Suns are shooting excellently as a team, at 49% and have been getting some great spacing on the floor. Everybody moves without the ball – which is always great, and that is not even their best asset as a unit.
Head Coach Monty Williams has changed the culture of this team, the Suns have been responding to everything he has been bringing, they have been executing on both defense and offense. Phoenix was able to enjoy former stud coaches, Cotton Fitzsimmons from back in the early 90s, and the 7 seconds or less years of D’Antoni. It appears now with Williams – they may have themselves a great coach again. I fully expect the winning to continue with this Phoenix Suns team.

The Suns have to have the mindset they can beat any team in the NBA, and win the championship.

NBA season recap and what to look out for

April 2, 2020Posted in NBA BasketballTagged Boston celtics, Dallas Mavs, LA Lakers, NBALeave a comment

One of the most exciting leagues each year, one of the most followed and that causes the loudest noise in general, the NBA, came to a forced stop a few weeks ago. Coronavirus, or Covid-19, has caused chaos in the sports world and some of the fans that have felt it the most are the true basketball fans, who were enjoying one of the best, most competitive seasons of the NBA in recent years.

This seemed to be like a good year for LeBron James to win his 4th NBA ring, backed up by the greatness of Anthony Davis and a greatly assembled LA Lakers team. LeBron was even leading the race to NBA MVP when the season stopped. The Milwaukee Bucks are the best team in the league, according to numbers, and were showing off amazing strength and team play, lead by the “Greek Freak”, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Other teams like the Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat or Boston Celtics, in the East, or the LA Clippers, the Denver Nuggets or Houston Rockets, in the West, were giving this season the extra ingredients we were all waiting for, while we got closer and closer to the playoffs.

The NBA has announced that they intend to finish the season, hopefully coming back to action in early June, and moving the NBA Finals to August, considering a probable format change. We all certainly hope this will happen, and we will get to watch the ending of a remarkable season, at least so far. In fact, former players and media have already commented that, if the season were to be completed, we might be in for the best playoff run ever, considering that all the superstars and best teams in the league are getting a 2 month rest, allowing them to get in shape, adjust details, work on the floor and get ready to fight for the ring. This hiatus will definitely help players return in top form and allow veterans like LeBron himself, to get to the playoffs 100% healthy.

These are the individual leaders so far in the 2019-2020 NBA season

– Points per game: James Harden, 34.4 – Houston Rockets

– Rebounds per game: Andre Drummond, 15.2 – Cleveland Cavaliers

– Assists per game: LeBron James, 10.6 – LA Lakers

– Blocks per game: Hassan Whiteside, 3.1 – Portland Trail Blazers

– Steals per game: Ben Simmons, 2.1 – Philadelphia 76’ers

– Field Goal percentage: Mitchell Robinson, 74.2 – New York Knicks

– Three Pointers made: James Harden, 271 – Houston Rockets

– Three Point percentage: George Hill, 48.0 – Milwaukee Bucks

These are the team leaders so far in the 2019-2020 NBA season

– Points per game: Milwaukee Bucks, 118.6

– Rebounds per game: Milwaukee Bucks, 51.7

– Assists per game: Phoenix Suns, 27.2

– Blocks per game: LA Lakers, 6.8

– Steals per game: Chicago Bulls, 10.0

– Field Goal percentage: LA Lakers, 48.5

– Three Pointers made: Dallas Mavericks, 1026

– Three Point percentage: Miami Heat, 38.3

– Free Throw percentage: Phoenix Suns, 82.6

If the NBA playoffs started today, just to have an idea of how things are currently in the league, in the East we would have Bucks vs. Magic, Raptors vs. Nets, Celtics vs. 76’ers and Heat vs. Pacers. In fact, Bucks, Raptors and Celtics had already clinched their playoff spot before the season stopped. In the West, we’d enjoy of Lakers vs. Grizzlies, Clippers vs. Mavericks, Nuggets vs. Rockets and Jazz vs. Thunder. Only the Lakers, so far, had clinched a playoff spot, their first since 2013.

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Can LeBron get the LA Lakers to the playoffs

October 25, 2018Posted in NBA BasketballTagged LA Lakers, LeBron James, NBA Hoops, VegasTopDogs1 Comment

LeBron James did what he does – and skipped town…again. Switching up the NBA’s balance of power by heading to California. And – of course – there are huge, and possibly even ridiculous expectations. Which, is not exactly a huge and unexpected surprise. I would think that most felt he was always going to Los Angeles, but it is still a big thing, and a momentous occasion when the most dominant player in the league jumps teams. It is mind blowing how he can still reshape the NBA and change teams outlooks so much with a simple decision.

James represents an unfortunate shift in the NBA where players seem to value personal gains over their true basketball legacy. To a point where NBA rings mean more to the players and their personal resume – than to the franchise, to the city, and really, most importantly, to the fans. And it is very sad.

When Durant jumped onto a 73 win team in Golden State – it really changed the view of players today. Kevin Durant’s championships are an absolute joke. Is anyone outside of the Warriors fan-base really impressed with his rings, since he joined them? I don’t think so. The fact that Golden State team could honestly likely beat an all-star team – it is not really their fault – it is the mindset and the culture of the players today.

Problem is, also the mindset of many fans, and this generation on the whole. Fans are quick to bang on a player that leaves their team to jump to a team that has a chance to win – and then they’ll make smart remarks about a player losing 50 games a year and never making the playoffs. Then, at the same time fans get on those same players who want to try and get themselves into a better position to win a ring and leave. That is why the “how many rings does a player have” debate has gotten so ridiculously out of control. Rings are what are played for, but they aren’t played for the player – championships are played for the city, the fans, the team. That is something that is far all too often forgotten about.

It can feel unfairly lopsided, in some ways – it’s asking one man to bring a fumbling and struggling franchise from 30 wins to 65 wins in a heartbeat. Larry Bird, as a rookie, brought a seriously struggling Celtics team from 29 to 61 wins in one season, Tim Duncan, as a rookie, brought a San Antonio team from 20 wins to 56. And in some ways, James going to the Lakers at his ripe age, and not jumping to an already 65+ win team like Durant did jumping to Golden State – if he brings the Lakers team to 50 wins, it actually will still say a lot for his personal force to change a team and its future.

But since the advent of the Heat, back in 2010 – when James jumped ship to join his buddy, DWade – many saw the writing on the wall, players are no longer even close to being loyal to their team. It is all about “my resume” and “my rings.” Is there anything the league can do about it?

The Cavaliers had some recent success especially with their 2016 championship, they obviously didn’t want the LeBron experience to end.
But, James decided J.R. Smith, Jeff Green, and his #2, Kevin Love weren’t going to help him get another ring. So, LeBron did what LeBron does – as many of this recent immediate gratification generation do – he jumped and joined others in LA to try and get his ring.

And having “King James,” many will expect immediate turnaround, and bring 60+ wins – Lakers fans will demand results, even if he is 34 years old and in his 16th season, with thousands of miles of wear and tear on those abused legs. As he wanted to play with other basketball minds, he got Lonzo Ball, who is a smart kid with shot selection and great passing skills. But, Ball’s shooting is still a serious question mark, at a pitiful 36% – but he’s a really exceptional rebounder with 6.9 / game, and a pretty good defender at his position, as well.

The Lakers are coming off of another less than 40 wins season in which they won just 35 games, good enough for them to finish in 11th spot in the Western Conference. They bumbled through the season, with one of the youngest rosters in the league, led by a 20 yr old kid, in Brandon Ingram and a young PF in Kyle Kuzma, both of whom were under the age of 23. James knows 21 year old Ingram has some very serious All-Star potential, and the team is loaded beyond what some may see on the court. The Lakers are massively improved from last season to this season. With a very good 2nd scoring option, in Brandon Ingram, there is only one way for lngram to go on this team, and that is up.

Kuzma and Ingram have so much untapped potential going into their 2nd and 3rd years, that it gives the Lakers fan-base a lot to be excited about to see them next to James and see what they have. Potentially, Ingram and Kuzma can be looking at a wide open floor and 20+ pt scoring seasons with James leading them. With Ingram and LeBron joining forces in LA – it is going to be hard for other teams in the league who can grab and go on turnovers like they should be able to do. Even at just 21 years old, Ingram can turn a bad pass into a quick bucket, and LeBron has awesome instincts to create turnovers as well, with his quick scoring ability.

And if Ball can become somewhat of a threat from mid-range and start hitting better than 36%, and evolves into an above average shooter from the perimeter, teams will still have to pile on LeBron to force those players to beat them outside the paint. And if Ball does that – it is going to be that much better for LA, making teams that much more concerned with dealing with them.

But, LeBron will be living in the shadow of Kobe, Shaq, Magic and Kareem, and fans will let him know if he isn’t coming close to their expectations, and will he be able to handle the pressure? He has not always had the best history when pressured by fans. As he has now jumped to his 3rd team in his 16 year career, it will always be questioned for his legacy. LeBron is looked at as a hired assassin, over a team building, loyal NBA player that brings hope and happiness to a team and their fan-base.

The expectations for at least one championship will be scrutinized – and will remain until he is done playing. But it is going to be hard. The gap between the Lakers and the Warriors is far too wide, LA can still not play with the Warriors, the Warriors are far and away best team in the NBA, if not the best team to take the floor in NBA history. They have an impossible offensive team, a great rhythm, some amazing ball handlers, and ridiculous shooters.

That big body of James along with all the hard miles on his legs won’t keep performing at the top level much longer. The motor and his vicious drives to the rim will eventually slow down, as “father time is undefeated” will come into pay eventually. Taking all of that into consideration, plus the revamped Rockets and Warriors standing in the Lakers way, the odds are strongly against LeBron and LA of winning a title in the next 3 years. I just don’t see it happening.

There is a huge amount of pressure on LeBron, and he brought it on himself. He will be judged, sometimes unfairly and sometimes he will be judged with clear eyes. But, as much as I dislike players jumping ship to better their chances, LeBron did actually go to a record wise worse team than where he was with Cleveland – he also jumped to a tougher and more competitive conference in the West. If he can turn the Lakers franchise around and get them 50 wins, bring excitement and playoffs to LA, then that has to mean something. James isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, whether it is his attitude, self promotion, or personality – he is a great ball player, and will be under a lot of pressure, even at 34 years old. When you are called the best in the game – when you play for a team, they expect to be competitive, and, at least, be going to the playoffs. And the Lakers will be, by seasons end.

Kobe Needs To Leave Now

December 6, 2015Posted in NBA BasketballTagged Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers, NBA ActionLeave a comment

Retire his number, give him gifts and praise him to the heavens, but get Kobe Bryant off the Lakers now.

Bryant is Willie Mays staggering under a fly ball while ending his career with the Mets. Did you see Bryant’s shooting line against the 76ers last night? It was 7-for-26 from the field, including 4-of-17 from 3-point range. He is shooting 18% on the year from behind the arc and hurting the team each night.

The Lakers are 2-15 now. They could be the worst team after losing to the worst team. This is what Byron Scott said of Bryan’t shooting last night: “Yeah, there’s going to be some games like that that you’re just going to live and die with it.”

Scott’s better at jumping on a hand grenade than he is as an NBA head coach. Bryant has shot like that all season, continually hogging the ball and spotlight keeping a young Lakers squad from growing and getting needed shot experience. There is some talent on the Lakers – you just can’t get past Bryant to find it.

Bryant is dead last – 120th – in field goal percentage making just 30.1 percent from the floor. Bryant makes Emmanuel Mudiay look like Wilt Chamberlain in field goal accuracy. It’s getting worse, too. Bryant is 25-for-102 (24.5 percent) shooting from the floor in his last five games.

Bryant already has announced this is his final season. Now, for the good of all involved, the retirement process needs to be sped up immediately.

Written by Stephen Nover from VegasTopDogs.com

2013 NBA Preview and Predictions

October 22, 2013October 28, 2013Posted in NBA BasketballTagged ESPN, Kobe Bryant, LA Clippers, LA Lakers, LeBron James, Miami Heat, NBA, NBA Season, NY KnicksLeave a comment

We are getting all set for a new season of NBA basketball, three point shots, buzzer beaters, rim rocking dunks, and shake your head dimes. Making fans all over, like myself, get excited for the opening nights games, I always look forward to seeing what players step it up, and what ones don’t. So with the season knocking on the doorstep, let’s take a gaze forward and take a look into the 2013 season ahead, and forecast where our teams may perhaps end up this season. Welcome back to the NBA! Eastern Conference Atlantic Y-New York Knicks; Last season, 54-28; this year 56-26

X –Brooklyn Nets; Last season, 49-33; this year 53-29

X -Toronto Raptors; Last season, 34-48; this year 40-42

Boston Celtics; Last season, 41-40; this year 29-53

Philadelphia 76ers; Last season, 34-48; this year 24-58 Central Y- Indiana Pacers; Last season, 49-32; this year 52-30

X –Chicago Bulls; Last season, 45-37; this year 51-31

X -Milwaukee Bucks; Last season, 38-44; this year 39-43

Detroit Pistons; Last season, 29-53; this year 30-52

Cleveland Cavaliers; Last season, 24-58; this year 26-56 Southeast Z -Miami Heat; Last season, 66-16; this year 62-20

X -Atlanta Hawks; Last season, 44-38; this year 48-34

Washington Wizards; Last season, 29-53; this year 35-47

Charlotte Bobcats; Last season, 21-61; this year 26-56

Orlando Magic; Last season, 20-62; this year 25-57 Western Conference Northwest Z- Oklahoma City Thunder; Last season, 60-22; this year 60-22

X – Denver Nuggets; Last season, 57-25; this year 59-23

X – Minnesota Timberwolves; Last season, 31-51; this year 43-39

Portland Trailblazers; Last season, 33-49; this year 36-46

Utah Jazz; Last season, 43-39; this year 33-49 Pacific Y – Los Angeles Clippers; Last season, 56-26; this year 60-22

X – Golden State Warriors; Last season, 47-35; this year 53-29

Los Angeles Lakers; Last season, 45-37; this year 41-41

Sacramento Kings; Last season, 28-54; this year 27-55

Phoenix Suns; Last season, 25-57; this year 20-62,

Southwest Y- Houston Rockets; Last season, 45-37; this year 56-26

X – San Antonio Spurs; Last season, 58-24; this year 54-28

X – Memphis Grizzlies; Last season, 56-26; this year 51-31

New Orleans Hornets; Last season, 27-55; this year 33-49

Dallas Mavericks; Last season, 41-41; this year 25-57

Rookie of the Year 2013 Predictions VICTOR OLADIPO (6-5, 220 lbs – Orlando Magic)

– Honorable mention (in the race all year long)

Trey Burke (6-1, 190 lbs – Utah Jazz)

Ben McLemore (6-5, 200 lbs – Sacramento Kings)

C.J. McCollum (6-4, 200 lbs – Portland Trailblazers)

Nerlens Noel (7-0, 225 lbs – Philadelphia 76ers)

Otto Porter (6-9, 200 lbs- Washington Wizards)

Coach of the Year 2013

DOC RIVERS, Los Angeles Clippers

Defensive Player of the Year 2013

DWIGHT HOWARD, Houston Rockets

MVP of the Year 2013

LEBRON JAMES (6-9, 265 lbs – Miami Heat)

– Honorable mention (in the race all year long)

Chris Paul (6-0, 195 lbs – Los Angeles Clippers)

Kevin Durant (6-10, 225 lbs – Oklahoma City Thunder)

James Harden (6-5, 220 lbs – Houston Rockets)

Carmelo Anthony (6-9, 235 lbs, New York Knicks)

Steph Curry (6-3, 185 lbs, Golden State Warriors)

EAST Champs 2013

Miami Heat over the New York Knicks

WEST Champs 2013

Los Angeles Clippers over the Denver Nuggets

NBA CHAMPIONS 2013

MIAMI HEAT over the Los Angeles Clippers

NBA SEASON AWARDS for VegasTopDogs

May 8, 2013Posted in NBA BasketballTagged Basketball, Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers, las vegas, LeBron James, MVP, NBALeave a comment

It’s been another great season. I have been entertained even through the year, with some great feats all season long. Several big-time winning streaks, some big scoring outputs, and watching players develop into true team players. Let’s take a look at how the season has been, with VTDs 2012 NBA season awards.

MVP of the year LeBron James, SF, Miami Heat; 27 ppg, 8 rpg, 7 apg, Shooting 57% from the field, 41% from behind the arc, with yet another phenomenal season under his belt, LeBron has without difficulty shown the world yet again, why he is the best player on the planet. His game has evolved into pure supremacy, and now he has become clutch, the Heat are his team, and everyone knows it. With all that said, it does help that he had All-Stars Dwayne Wade who led the Heat in scoring before James arrived, Chris Bosh who averaged a double-double for the Toronto Raptors, Ray Allen who is a future Hall of Famer and Shane Battier who was one of the best defensive players on the Rockets on your team. Put those guys with Carmello Anthony, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant and it would make things easier and they could win the MVP as well.

Most Improved Player of the year Kemba Walker, PG, Charlotte Bobcats; 18 ppg, 4 rpg, 6 apg, Kemba had brought his game up so well this year, shooting better, scoring better, playing a better game of ball on the court. He now is looking like the guy who was breaking ankles on the court during the NCAA tournament a few years ago.

Defensive Player of the year Serge Ibaka, PF, Oklahoma City Thunder; 3.03 blocks/ game, he is a threat in the paint all game long, also adding 5 defensive reb/game. The 6-10 Ibaka is justly a game changer in the middle of the lane, with quick feet, long arms and physical play, holding it down with a ridiculous 44 games with 3+ blocks in a game, which includes 19 games with 5+.

Rookie of the year Damian Lillard, PG, Portland Trailblazers; 19 ppg, 3 rpg, 7 apg, he has played excellent, being a foundational player for them to build off of on the team making an instant impact. Knocking down 37% of his deep balls, where he led them with 185 made on the season. He has a great future on the horizon for the young 22 year old star with the Blazers on his back.

Coach of the year George Karl, Denver Nuggets (57-25); I will tell you Karl has brought a team with no extraordinary superstars who drop 25+ a game not only laying it out night in and night out, dominating opponents at home, but into the playoffs looking for a genuine run. Led by a team that lives off of great team play, and hard rebounding. He has a young team built with heart, they were a tough team last season, and have been since he has taken over the team several years ago, he’s making it work in Denver. Karl knows how to get guys to play, and they are a legitimate contender in the West.

VTD All-NBA 1st team PG- Chris Paul 17 ppg, 4 rpg, 10 apg SG- James Harden 26 ppg, 5 rpg, 6 apg C- Brook Lopez 19 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 bpg PF- David Lee 19 ppg, 11 rpg, 4 apg SF- LeBron James 27 ppg, 8 rpg, 7 apg

VTD All-NBA 2nd team PG- Deron Williams 19 ppg, 3 rpg, 8 apg SG- Kobe Bryant 27 ppg, 6 rpg, 6 apg C- Al Jefferson 18 ppg, 9 rpg, 1 bpg PF- LaMarcus Aldridge 21 ppg, 9 rpg, 3 apg SF- Kevin Durant 28 ppg, 8 rpg, 5 apg

Written by Sean Higgs of VegasTopDogs.com

Who are the NBA top contenders for the championship this season

April 28, 2013May 8, 2013Posted in NBA BasketballTagged Basketball, Best players, Brooklyn Nets, Carmello Anthony, ESPN, gambling, Hoops, LA Lakers, las vegas, NBA, NBA Playoffs, Sports bettingLeave a comment

There have been a lot of terrific moments of this season; it has given us a number of teams that have played excellently, some surprise up and comers to watch for, teams that have, with pleasure, outplayed their forecast. There has been some impressive basketball.

The most intriguing storyline to me, of course is the Miami Heat making an attempt to repeat. Let’s see if LeBron can lead his team to an immense significant milestone. Especially with their awesome winning streak, where they looked utterly dominant. Without much competition, their big 3 commanding them along the way like warriors.

This is it, the best time of the year for the NBA. We know for a fact there will be some big explosive eruptions along the way, some will leave us mesmerized and cheering, and some could be from a guy who comes off the bench one night and plays his heart out on the court.

So after looking over numbers and putting a lot of deliberation into the teams, I have thought things over, and I have come up with my top 5 teams in the NBA, who have the maximum odds to win it all this season. The NBA is set up for typically the better teams win their series, and I expect the same again this year.

So let us commence now.

5- San Antonio Spurs (Record 58-24) PPG: 103.0 OPPG: 96.6 FG% 48.1 3PFG% 37.6. Reason why to watch them; The Spurs are the veteran team on the block, who always are underestimated, coming into the season, let alone the playoffs. They are a smart team that takes smart shoots. They also play a high level and are an excellent offensive team. But, with this, also come old legs, and the mounting injuries, which could be a setback.

4- Los Angeles Clippers (Record 56-26) PPG: 101.1 OPPG: 94.6 FG% 47.8 3PFG% 35.8. Reason why to watch them; they are a strong team that holds opponents to bad shots, making very tough defenders. Also an extremely versatile team with lots of scoring options, a stout inside game with a lot of athleticism. But they don’t seem to have that dominant scorer who can take over the game when needed. Blake Griffin is their main man, but still waiting for him to take his game to the next level.

3- New York Knicks (Record 54-28) PPG: 100.0, OPPG: 95.7 FG% 44.8 – 3PFG% 37.6. Reason why to watch them; Much depends on Carmelo Anthony, with this team. He is the heart and the soul to their success. He is absolutely capable of carrying them on his back; he has done it all season long. They have been playing great ball since the end of February on the season, making a commanding statement to anyone who thinks this team can’t make any noise. To me, the biggest concern for me is the lack of numerous good shooters.

2- Oklahoma City Thunder (Record 60-22) PPG: 105.7 OPPG: 96.5 FG% 48.1 3PFG% 37.7. Reason why to watch them; This is an explosive team that wins big, capable of blowouts in a hurry. They are a brilliant defensive team, defending inside the paint and outside. They have tremendous rebounding skill, behind Durant and Ibaka in particular. Biggest concern is Russell Westbrook needs to play PG, consent to Kevin Durant be their 1st scoring option. When Westbrook shoots more than 25 times, the Thunder are very beatable team, contradictory, they are 12-4 when he has 10+ assists in a game. Durant needs to keep control of his team.

1- Miami Heat (Record 66-16) PPG: 102.9 OPPG: 95.0 FG% 49.6 3PFG% 39.6. Reason why to watch them; simply put, they have the big 3. They are filled with out-and-out talent; it’s very hard to bet against them. They are loaded with more skill than anyone else; their 2nd unit team could possibly win 40 games. They are a great shooting team, able to knock it down from all over the court. Their biggest problem is their poor rebounding, which could be a problem vs big rebounding threats, which is why their shooting skill must remain tops.

So there you have it, my top 5 best rational teams to win it all in this year’s NBA playoffs. So take it in, agree or disagree, one of these teams will be the NBA champs.

Make your selection count.

Written by TonyK of VegasTopDogs.com

The Lakers need a serious attitude adjustment

January 18, 2013January 28, 2013Posted in NBA BasketballTagged Basketball, Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers, NBALeave a comment

The LA Lakers have been the big shots from the Western conference for several seasons. But things have rapidly taken a downward swing into a wasteland in 2012 early into the NBA season.

And with the up and coming Clippers playing very good ball, sitting atop the Pacific division at this point, and playing much better than the big daddy’s from the other LA court. Question arises who is the paramount team in California?

And of course, Oklahoma City has their dynamic team, have made big changes losing their knock down shooting guard, James Harden, who is playing sound in Houston, putting up 24/gm. Looking at everything, the Thunder are the kings in the Western conference, and the Lakers don’t matchup well with them. Durant lights them up when playing them and Westbrook additionally.

One would think these alterations would make things a bit easier for the Lakers in their conference, with the young and talented Thunder having to deal with some drastic changes as well. Yet they continue to struggle.

After signing an aging 38 year old Steve Nash and picking up the glorified C Dwight Howard to be their big man in the middle, the Western conference was supposed to be set up to be theirs to rule.

A fraction of the issues has been the Lakers have struggled awfully on the road, at present with a 2-6 record. Losing to careworn teams like Portland and Sacramento. Struggling to play defense, allowing 103/game. With Dwight in the middle, they still allow 11 offensive rebounds/game to opponents, which after Howards signing should have been fewer.

Getting a bunch of stars together is a development and could take some time. It’s never going to be an overnight success. And now the lack of winning is getting the team to be ill-tempered at one another as well. Kobe Bryant, who has constantly been vocal to teammates when they played inadequate to his expectations, is getting jawed at by new teammate Dwight Howard. And Kobe didn’t like it. This could be a very troublesome situation the Lakers have gotten themselves into.

Losing Pau Gasol and him not giving his 18/game doesn’t help matters any, with his tendinitis in his knees. So awaiting his return is suspicious. And who knows what kind of shape he will be in, or how long it could take for him to become productive again? He is a key element to the team, scoring and getting his 10 boards a night in his 6 yr career in LA, no matter how many want to jump on him for being soft.

The Lakers were built up this off season as the “be all-end all” team that had put together the final piece of what was going to be a historic run across the NBA. Instead they are dealing with team chemistry issues, and poor play. Players on the team need to play diverse roles and work together as a unit, as the much detested Miami Heat had done.

A team has to be genuinely unselfish to put together a group of superstars who are accustomed to being the scoring option 1 on their teams, to becoming another scoring alternative for a team. Many people bashed the Heat for what they did, and there really is no right or wrong answer to how a team ought to be built to win titles. Some favor a team to draft and built a team ground up, some others who have the cash and pick up players and their massive contracts and move them to their teams. Kobe needs to become less selfish, and become more of a veteran team player, give up the 22 shots a night and 27+ ppg, grow to be a leader, not just that scoring threat.

Written by Tony Karpinski for VegasTopDogs.com

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