Who Will Be Playing for the Eastern Conference Finals?

by James Finneral

This year's Eastern Conference is extremely weak compared to the teams in the Western Conference. Despite the drop off from West to East, there are still some very high quality teams in the Eastern Conference who can win it all.

Miami Heat vs. Brooklyn Nets: 

The recent improvement by the Brooklyn Nets has been impressive and has put the league on notice. Unfortunately their team leadership and talent is no match for the Miami Heat. The series currently stands at 2-0 in favor of Miami. This domination should continue because the Nets just simply can not match up with the Heat. LeBron James can have his way against any defender in the league, but with a much slower Paul Pierce guarding him the King will be even more effective on the offensive end. The Nets have solid talent around their lineup, but the Heat have much more athletic players which will make all the difference in the series. Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are already causing havoc down low and in transition. The Heat will be able to out run and over power the Nets and will win the next two games finishing off the series in sweeping fashion. This team is still poised, but the Pacers or Wizzards could give them trouble in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Final Prediction: Heat over Nets (4-0)


Indiana Pacers vs. Washington Wizards: 

The Indiana Pacers are not playing their strongest basketball in the playoffs. Nearly losing to the Hawks in the first round no one really knows what to expect from the Pacers this round. This series will be a turning point and a momentum changer for Indiana. The Wizards are an excellent young team with a lot of promise for the years to come, but their guys need another year to get the right chemistry. The Pacers recently went up 2-1 in the series and plays one more game in Washington before heading back to Indiana. The Wizards have a nice starting five, but Indiana just outmatches them in just about every position as well their bench which is filled with quality players such as Luis Scola and Evan Turner. Despite his recent struggles, Roy Hibbert will be the X factor for the rest of the series. Hibbert should be able to simply over power Nene as well as rise above him for easy buckets. He has been recieving negative media attention which might motivate him to perform. The Pacers are a great team and will definitely give the Miami Heat trouble if the meet in the conference championship.

Final Prediction: Pacers over Wizards (4-2)

The East may not have as many high quality teams as the West, but the Heat and Pacers will challenge any team that come out of the Western Conference.

Are the Portland Trail Blazers a Team to be Feared?

by James Finneral

Over the season the Portland Trail Blazers took the league by storm with their high powered offense lead by young stars Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge. They were able to beat many top level clubs and earned a 54-28 record along with the 5th seed in a tough Western Conference.

What really drew attention to the Blazers was their incredible showing in the first round of the playoffs against a Houston Rockets team with an abundance of great talent.

The way this young team went into the Toyota Center and handed Houston two loses showed that they are not fooling around. LaMarcus Aldridge played like an absolute beast all series long averaging 30 points and 11 rebounds a night. Their other star, Lillard put in his fair share of 25 points and 6 assists a game. It was not just the effort by their studs that pushed Portland through the series, they were given many great showings from Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum, Robin Lopez and even from Mo Williams off the bench. It was game six that really showed just how strong the Trail Blazers are. With time winding down the Rockets had the lead and the Blazers only had .8 seconds to tie the game with two points or win it with three. The play was simple, get the ball in the hands of Damian Lillard and let him go to work. Lillard swung around the arc and Chandler Parsons got caught sleeping as he left Lillard wide open as he sunk a deep three to win the series.

 The Trail Blazers will be an extremely difficult team to beat in Portland. Their fans are extremely passionate and more excited than ever after winning their first playoff series in fourteen years. With the support from these fans it will be hard for teams to fight back when the Blazers go on runs.

Portland has become a serious contender for the title and will give trouble to any team they face. They have an all around strong starting lineup with amazing fire power on offense and they rebound extremely well on both ends of the floor. They are a hard team to match up with and teams will have trouble focussing their energy on both Lillard and Aldridge.

In their upcoming series with the San Antonio Spurs, the Blazers will really have to show their maturity and unselfishness to beat this team. The Spurs are experienced and have great chemistry amongst their players and coach. Eventually I believe the Trail Blazers will prove that they are the real deal and advance to the Western Conference Finals after defeating San Antonio in a seven game series. Their athleticism will be too much for the Spurs to handle. Damian Lillard will have his hands full with Tony Parker, but he will ultimately win that guard battle. LaMarcus Aldridge will be too much for San Antonio to handle down low and he will be the major difference for the Blazers in this series. The Portland Trail Blazers are a legit team that has the potential to take it all the way.

 

2014 NBA Mock Draft (Picks 21-30)

by James Finneral

21. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Dallas): Adreian Payne, PF, Michigan State: 

This Oklahoma City Thunder team is not in need of any type of player unless it is a superstar center. Adreian Payne offers a very nice fit for the Thunder as he is a big, strong power forward that can also shoot from mid range and outside. Although he will not start over Serge Ibaka, Payne can get some solid playing time for the Thunder and help them out on offense. The versatility from Payne at 6'10" is a scarcity in the NBA. He is not as much as a sharp shooter as Kevin Love, but he has a similar style of play where he can hurt defenses in many different ways. Payne will provide another great player for OKC coming off the bench which is exactly what they need when the starting guys need rest. Payne could make all the difference in the world for the Thunder and he will likely play limited minutes.

22. Memphis Grizzlies: Glenn Robinson III, SF, Michigan:  

Most people do not see Glenn Robinson III to go in the first round, but he is a very nice fit for the Memphis Grizzlies. He does not have eye popping numbers with 14 points and 4 rebounds, but he is a guy who can make the physical transition to the NBA. His shooting percentage is decent, but his toughness at getting to the basket is much more impressive. Although it would be nice to grab one of the top small forwards, Memphis should be happy with gaining a strong small forward that could progress into a nice player. The Grizzlies are already a nice team and if they can find a p;ayer to fill in the spot of former small forward Rudy Gay, then they can become one of the premier teams in the Western Conference.

23. Utah Jazz (via Golden State): Jordan Clarkson, PG/SG, Missouri: 

Jordan Clarkson is a quick, shifty guard with a lot of NBA potential. His quickness with the basketball is able to get him easy buckets near the hoop. This season at Missouri he averaged 17 points and 1 steal per game. Clarkson has the speed to transition to the NBA, but he definitely needs to improve upon his strength and ability to readjust when given contact in mid flight. As for the Jazz they have a young point guard in Trey Burke, but they could move Clarkson onto the wing and have him play behind Gordon Hayward. Hayward is coming off an excellent season at shooting guard for the Jazz and could teach Clarkson how to do the same. With this help and his athleticism Jordan Clarkson could be a surprise star in the NBA some day.

24. Charlotte Bobcats (via Portland): K.J. McDaniels, SF, Clemson:

The Bobcats would probably enjoy a higher pick as would everyone in the league, but they would really benefit from a top twenty pick. K.J. McDaniels is a great athlete who has plenty of potential, but he doesn't offer as much promise as guys like Parker and Wiggins. His driving ability and decent jump shooting will serve in well in the NBA. His height at 6'6" is the real issue. The majority of the small forwards are 6'8" which would put him at a serious disadvantage if he is 2 inches shorter and weaker than his opposition. This is the main option for the Bobcats because they need a small forward if Michael Kidd-Gilchrist does not produce. The Bobcats are soon to have a new look as the Charlotte Hornets, but they should try and make a big move in free agency in the summer as well as draft McDaniels.

25. Houston Rockets: Elfrid Payton, PG, Louisiana Lafayette: 

 The Rockets have built up in the past few years and Elfrid Payton will be another nice guy to add to the mix. He is a blazing quick point guard with very nice handling. He is able to go by defenders with ease and create opportunities for his teammates. Jeremy Lin is a decent NBA point guard, but his stock could very well drop off in the next few years leaving the door open for Payton. With a few years of NBA practice and stints of playing time Payton should be able to fit right in with many of the great NBA point guards. The Houston Rockets have to love the potential of Payton and should not hesitate to draft him if he is around at this pick.

26. Miami Heat: Shabazz Napier, PG, Uconn:  

After his amazing 2013-2014 campaign ending with a national championship, Shabazz Napier's draft value rose immensely. This guy not only a great player with many dimensions to his game, but he is a leader as well. His leadership qualities will be useful in Miami, but they are so stacked with talent that it will be hard for Napier to take control. Mario Chalmers will be a good guy for Napier to learn from as they are around the same size and have moderately similar styles of play. Although Chalmers is a but of an outcast on the Heat, he is still a quality point guard that can mentor Napier to be ready to take on a starting role. Napier's size at 6'1" could be an issue up against 6'5" point guards like Michael Carter-Williams, but Napier can make up for it with his quickness and intelligence on the basketball court. The Heat are already a great team, but Shabazz Napier will make the club even more successful whether he plays or not.

27. Phoenix Suns (via Indiana): Markel Brown, SG, Oklahoma State:  

Markel Brown is a dynamic athlete that can very well succeed in the NBA. He is naturally a shooting guard, but he only stands at 6'3". This should not be an issue for Brown as he is blazing quick and very explosive. Brown translates into a smaller version of Lance Stephenson from the Indiana Pacers. He can go by defenders off the dribble and finish at the rim. His shooting is solid as well, but he needs to make the transition to NBA range jump shots. If the Suns already draft two forwards in Dario Saric and Jerami Grant they might as well draft a guard to work under Dragic and Bledsoe. The Suns will be a team to be reckoned with in the coming years with a lot of great young talent coming in as well as the quality team they already have. Brown is undervalued by many mock drafts and has a chance to make a nice career in the pros.

28. Los Angeles Clippers: Clint Capela, PF, Switzerland:     

 Clint Capela is another international player in the draft. Coming from Switzerland Capela has not played against NCAA competition. This does not mean that he is entirely capable to producing at the next level. This 6'11" monster has incredible potential. Capela is athletic and plays very well in the post. His size will definitely be an asset in the NBA, but he still needs to become stronger to be able to handle the forceful power forwards in the association. Obviously this is not a pick for immediate results by the Clippers because they already have Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan down low. DeAndre Jordan will be a great guy for Capela to learn from as they are the same size, but Jordan is much stronger. Jordan has made a great career by his physical style of play and Capela could develop that same style. This pick will give the Clipper depth and Capela will most likely blossom into a nice player.

29. Oklahoma City Thunder: Jordan Adams, SG, UCLA:    

Jordan Adams is a true NBA talent. He has all the necessary tools to be a quality shooting guard in the NBA. Standing at 6'5", 220 pounds he can physically stick with many of the shooting guards at the pros. He is a great shooter who could easily adjust to the NBA arc, but he is also a facilitator. Adams can create opportunities for his teammates off the dribble penetration. This is a great pick for the Thunder as one of their only positions that could use some help is shooting guard. Thabo Sefolosha is a great defender, but over the years he has not been able to get it done on the offensive end. This could partially be because of how much talent the Thunder already have on their team. The Thunder need another player similar to James Harden and Adams could fit that role. He can come off the bench and give OKC life from the perimeter and it would not be surprising to see him eventually work his way into the starting lineup.




30. San Antonio Spurs: C.J. Fair, SF, Syracuse:  

If Capela goes before their pick, the Spurs will be put in a rough spot as they are looking for a power forward or center, but the best players remaining are point guards and small forwards. C.J. Fair would not hurt the Spurs if they were to draft him. Fair is a seasoned player who is physically strong and can get to the basket. His outside jumper could use a little improvement, but he can make a living off his mid range game. Fair has a similar build to the current Spurs small forward, Kawhi Leonard. Leonard has improved immensely over his years in the league and San Antonio will hope to do the same with Fair. There is not much depth otherwise at small forward for San Antonio so this pick could really help them out. Fair has the potential to be a reliable bench guy or even a solid starter very similar to Leonard.