Tag Archives: playoffs

JbSmooth84.com Oklahoma City Thunder 2012-2013 Preview

After reaching the NBA Finals the Thunder knew the summer would bring about the time to make crucial decisions that will affect the team for years to come. The three headed monster of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden posed problems for teams who had slower point guards and a back court that couldn’t match their play making and scoring ability.

However the team not wanting to offer Harden a max contract decided right before the season to trade Harden to the Houston Rockets in return acquiring scorer Kevin Martin and rookie Jeremy Lamb. This trade in the short term will see the Thunder working to develop chemistry with Martin while working him in the system and finding who will provide scoring off the bench. If nothing else they knew they could count on average 15 points minimum from Harden off the bench and rely on him being an additional playmaker alongside Westbrook. With that luxury gone the Thunder do now have a professional scorer, a guy who has averaged 18 ppg his entire career and can shoot with the best of them.

Where the Thunder are going to struggle is the defensive end. Martin isn’t a player known for his defense, and while Kendrick Perkins has slimmed down, he’s not been the force that was expected when he was traded for. Along with their defense struggling in the NBA Finals against the Heat, they got minimal offensive production from their front court of Perkins and Serg Ibaka. If they want to get out of the Western Conference and attain that Larry O’Brien Trophy they’re going to need those two to be some kind of threat so opposing defenses can’t slant their coverage to cutting off driving lanes of Westbrook and Durant. In the San Antonio Spurs series Ibaka had a career scoring outburst, which caused their big men to have to play him honest. As long as teams are playing them honest they can’t cut off driving lanes, or slide double teams easier.

The Thunder will be at the top of the conference when it’s all said and done, but they’re going to need some help from players who have not been high pressure situations. Eric Maynor who’s coming off a reconstructed knee will be looked at to pick up some of the slack the Harden leaves behind. Rookies Perry Jones and Jeremy Lamb who won’t be expected to provide much early on, as the season progresses one of them will need to give them something off the bench. It doesn’t have to be something quantified by stats, but a player that keeps the flow of momentum going. Hasheem Thabeet will give them some front court depth, and will allow Perkins and Ibaka to be more aggressive knowing they have Thabeet to come off the bench to hold down the fort.

It will take some time to see ultimately see if the Harden trade was a success or tragedy, but it’s definitely a move that doesn’t send them to druthers of the league.

Smooth Shots Sports Poll, Make Your Vote Count

On my radio show we decided that america needed a place to let their voice be heard on the hardest issues. So my co-host and I came up with 6 key issues that get the sports fans going.

So cast your vote, let your voice be heard.

 

Washington Nationals Shut Down Stephen Strausburg

The Washington Nationals who are in the middle of a pennant race and leading their division are shutting down their stud pitcher Stephen Strasburg. A decision they had predetermined months ago when they consulted with doctors on how to preserve Strasburgs’ health.

While their cause is noble in thought, in action it’s highly flawed. In baseball there are no guarantees. Not in injury prevention, winning, revenue or on field production. So while they have the right mind set in wanting to protect the player from injury, nothing protects him from a freak accident.

Strasburg who is 2 years removed from having Tommy John surgery was having one of the best seasons of any pitcher this season, and heading up a staff that has propelled the Nationals to be a legit World Series contender.

The Nationals can’t take for granted the opportunity they have. To assume they’ll be in the position to make a run next season is very near sighted. Considering their most recent history there’s nothing that doesn’t imply that this is just an aberration.

The Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves, are just a few teams who had a nice run with a history of building successful teams. What do they have to account for it since 1990. 1 World Series victory (Braves 1995) 7 World Series appearances ( 2 Indians, 5 Braves) and 13 playoff appearances ( 5 Indians, 8 Braves). Since 2000 the Indians have been to the playoffs twice, while the Braves have made 7 playoff appearances. Although from 2002 to 2005 they couldn’t get out of the Divisional round.

All that is to say, nothing is promised, and assuming you can let your foot off the gas this season in hopes of capitalizing on potential next season is dangerous thinking.

No one wants to see anyone get injured, especially after going through major surgery once before. However, sometimes you have to take chances, high risk high reward. Hopefully this works out for the Nationals and they won’t have to go through an off season of second guessing.

Buy, Sell, or Stay; What the Indians Should do as the Trade Deadline Approaches.

The Cleveland Indians sit one game above the .500 mark at 49-48 and are 3 games behind the division leading Detroit Tigers as well as 3 games out of one of the two wild card positions in the American League.

Coming out of the All Star break the Indians are 5-7 twelve games into the second half. So now discussion has turned into whether the Indians should push their chips to the middle of the table and go all in for a playoff push or back away and re-tool for next season.

First lets address the Indians poor start to the second half of the season. While you can argue the front office needs to make move to give the offense a needed jolt, there has to be some accountability with the players. The games I’ve watched the Tribe play, they look lethargic, as if they lack energy. The one thing they can control is the amount of effort they take to the diamond every night. They have to play better, what good does bringing someone in if they players that are here don’t improve their performance?

While I do support the idea of making a deal for someone, it’s for a different agenda. Considering their lethargy, I recommend they send someone on the 25 man roster away. Send a message that no matter what you think, you are not safe, that you indeed are replaceable. No matter what the job is, we all need a reminder and some kind of action that brings back the focus necessary to a success. I believe making a trade of someone they’ve played with all season would deliver that message accurately. It will also bring you back the most value in a deal. Though I’d prefer to send minor leaguers, to get something you have to be willing to give up something.

Now, should the Indians be buyers or Sellers? Well that’s easy for you or me to say, it’s not our money that’s being invested per se. Whether you go to the stadium, buy merchandise or watch on television, the Indians will be on the hook, and if they turn out to be wrong, with the benefit of hindsight, fans will find a way to crush the move, whether it was right or wrong at the time.

I say that to say, yes they should be buyers. In most areas of life the more aggressive you are the more chances you have at being successful, and I for one wouldn’t blame the Indians if they made a real aggressive move to attempt to seize the opportunity they have right now. There’s no amount of money you place on winning now, or at least giving yourself the best chance to and the Indians as constructed are missing something.

If the Indians were to make a move, an impactful one, it would re-energize the fans excitement as well as dispelling the notion they aren’t interested in adding payroll as well as show your players that when need be you’ll give them the help they need to help get them over the top. There’s no greater feeling as an employee than knowing that management will do whatever they can to help you succeed.

I do believe if the Indians get hot at the plate have enough to snag one of those wild card spots and even make a run at the division title. However, banking on getting hot is a risky bet especially considering how inconsistent they’ve been of late. Add that with the fact that when it comes to the playoffs, pitching out duels hitting most times I’d feel more comfortable with them suring up that line up with another bat. I won’t nit pick, there’s a lot of ways they could go, power, a guy with a high on base percentage, no matter what way they go, just get someone to give them a boost.

With seven days left until the trade deadline arrives, we’ll have plenty of time to discuss who they should get and if they make a move, we’ll have the final two months of the season to debate on if it was the right move.

Wade to Miss Summer Olympics Due to Knee Surgery

Through out the NBA playoffs there were rumblings that Miami Heat guard Dwayne Wade was suffering from a knee injury, however there was never an official announcement. Well today it was announced that Wade will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery and will be sidelined for 6-8 weeks and will have to miss the 2012 summer Olympics.

Have to give Wade some credit for pushing through with such an injury, know it has to be satisfying that it was all worth it having an NBA championship to show for it.

Bright side, at least Wade doesn’t have to answer questions all summer long about Olympians being paid and can sit back and enjoy the summer off with his family.

Related: Wade Says Olympians Should Be Paid

H/T To RealGM.com and Tim Reynolds