NBA Bubble Week 1 Recap: This Is Working

Damian Lillard portland

Has the NBA bubble been a success or what? If you love basketball, the bubble has been heaven for fans. Nonstop action for 10 hours each day is music to my ears. It’s clear that the bubble is working.

Where do I even begin with storylines? The Lakers and Bucks are in cruise control, but they have glaring deficiencies. The Blazers could do damage if they make the playoffs. TJ Warren is now Michael Jordan? Here is a recap of Week 1.

Note: This blog was posted at 6:30 PM EDT on August 6.

Top Story: The Bubble Is Working

I was optimistic that the bubble would work. However, no one predicted that the bubble would be a resounding success. The television presentation has been seamless. No fans? No problem. I thought virtual fans would be corny. It surprisingly hasn’t been a distraction at all. Without the bad teams to beat up on (still love you, Knicks), 85% of the games are competitive. With games from 1 PM-1130 PM every day, the bubble is an NBA version of March Madness, Most importantly, COVID is under control. Things can change in the blink of an eye but for now, the bubble is working.

Top Basketball Story: The Lakers And Bucks Are Good, But Should They Be Worried?

Both the Lakers and Bucks will be the top seeds and should be the favorites to represent their respective conferences. However, both have major flaws. Right now, the Lakers are allergic to the offense. The offense hasn’t been bad; it’s been atrocious. After Wednesday night’s loss to the Thunder, the Lakers rank last in offensive rating at 96.6 points per 100 possesions. The Lakers won’t win any games if they shoot 5-for-37 from 3 as they did against the Thunder. LeBron and AD will be fine, but there are a lot of questions surrounding their supporting cast especially at the guard position.

As I write this blog, the Bucks are down 20 points to the Heat. This past Tuesday, the Bucks lost to the Nets as 19 point favorites, which is the biggest favorite to lose in an NBA regular-season game. Just like the Lakers, I also have questions about the Bucks’ secondary players around Giannis and Middleton.

https://twitter.com/LegionHoops/status/1290752726750527488?s=20

Let’s not forget the Lakers and Bucks have the two best records in the NBA. They have the two best players in the game right now in LeBron and Giannis. I’m not writing them off whatsoever. However, I would be worried if their supporting casts are nonexistent in the playoffs.

Suprise Of The Bubble: Blazers

One could argue that the potential play-in game was put into place because of Zion. However, the team that’s benefitting the most from this new format is the Blazers. Despite making the Conference Finals a year ago, the Blazers are a better team now than they were a year ago. One word: health. The Blazers were decimated with injuries to two of their top big men, Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins, which explained their 28-37 record pre-bubble. With Nurkic and Collins, the Blazers are a different team. They can get production down low and guard bigger teams thanks to Nurkic, Collins, and Hasaan Whiteside. Plus, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum are a top-5 duo in the NBA. If they secure the 8-seed, can the Blazers beat the Lakers in a 7-game series? Probably not. Can the Blazers give the Lakers trouble and push the series to six or seven games? Absolutely.

MVP So Far: TJ Warren

His name is now TJ “Michael Jordan” Warren. Who knew Warren could get buckets like MJ? More importantly, the Pacers are 3-0 and could be a tough out in the East.

LVP So Far: Pelicans

As previously mentioned, many including myself believe this play-in series was made for the Pelicans. However, after a 1-2 start, the Pelicans will need to step it up in order to get to the 9-seed. If the NBA wants Zion in the playoffs, New Orleans will need to let the big dog eat.

Storyline For Week 2: Effort

We’ve been blessed with competitive games for the first week. As more teams clinch playoff spots and the seeding falls into place, will teams continue to give max effort before the playoffs? Why play LeBron or Giannis if they’ve already clinched the 1-seed? I’m expecting a lot more lopsided scores in Week 2.

If you’re in the bubble, stay safe. Basketball in August has been a blessing. Let’s keep it that way.

What are your top storylines in the NBA bubble? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Sports Are (Sort Of) Back. Let’s Keep It That Way

Ben Simmons sports

Last night, I experienced something I haven’t felt in what seems like forever. In the span of 30 minutes, I watched Aaron Judge crush a 3-run home run in the 9th inning as well as admired an entertaining Lakers vs. Clippers game that came down to the final shot. I witnessed the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Sports are back… sort of.

2020 has been an unpredictable and unprecedented year. Between a global pandemic, a looming election, and a cesspool of arguments on social media that make me want to bash my head into a wall, sports are far from the most important thing to be discussing. However, I speak for a lot of people when I say sports are a much-needed distraction.

I’ve been living in New York City throughout this pandemic. Besides a few weekend trips to my parents’ house this summer, I’ve been in the city 85% of the time. It’s hard to put into words how different NYC was in March and April. When I’m telling you I was afraid to go outside, I truly mean it. For the first few weeks, the only times I went outside of my apartment were for trips to the grocery store once a week. I also left my apartment for my weekly Friday night pizza and each day, I would stand outside for a few minutes for some fresh hair. That’s all I did for about eight weeks. Even though I was in NYC, I’ll be the first to tell you that I had it easier than most. All I had to do was stay inside and watch a lot of television and movies. For a guy who adores pop culture and entertainment, staying inside was easy. I’m not a first responder or healthcare hero that risked their lives to save others. My neighborhood wasn’t hit as hard as certain areas in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. Many families had it far worse. So once again, I’m extremely fortunate and lucky to be in the situation that I was in.

We all need a distraction. When I say, “we,” I speak for all of Americans and even all humans by saying we need a distraction from what’s going on in 2020. That’s where sports come in. Just because I want a distraction doesn’t mean I’m forgetting about the virus. The virus is still here and it’s still a threat to civilization. However, watching a few basketball and baseball games was a feeling that I want to replicate for the rest of the year. It was so refreshing to see Twitter make memes about a picture with LeBron and Kawhi. After seeing 325 Twitter videos of random people with no medical background telling me how to protect myself from a virus they’ve never studied, an NBA joke could not have come at a better time.

Sports are the best. They unite people of different backgrounds, races, genders, and religions. We may not be able to agree on if we should or shouldn’t be wearing a mask (lol), but at least we can all agree that the Clippers missed Montrezl Harrell on the glass last night.

Sports aren’t perfect. They have problems, too. The NBA, MLS, WNBA (Sabrina Ionescu is the Queen of NY), PLL, NHL, and UFC are all competing in bubbles, but that doesn’t guarantee safety. Players can still make questionable decisions involving strip clubs that could potentially put the entire bubble in jeopardy. The MLB has a big COVID problem and it’s called the Miami Marlins. The NFL, who has had the most time to develop a course of action, still does not have a definitive plan for dealing with the virus. College football may have to play in the spring. There is still an ongoing battle for social justice in this country. Plus, the NBA is in hot water after an ESPN investigation revealed abuse complaints and mistreatment of players in NBA training academies in China.

I apologize for beating a dead horse, but sports are not the most important issue at hand. That being said, for a few hours a day, sports provide a much-needed escape from reality. Is that such a bad thing? We can only hope that every league takes the necessary precautions to keep their sport up and running for the remainder of the year. I feel like I’m the overprotective dad telling his daughter to make good decisions before she goes off to her first school dance. But if players, coaches, owners, managers, and commissioners need a reminder, here it is: Be smart and make good decisions. If you need me, I’ll be on my couch all weekend.

Excited for sports to come back? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

PLL: It’s Time To Give Lacrosse A Chance

Premier Lacrosse League

Imagine a game that combined the best aspects of multiple sports to form one, mega-sport. If you combine the back-and-forth action of basketball, the offensive and defensive strategy of hockey, the physicality of football, and the endurance of soccer, you’d have a pretty damn impressive sport. As it turns out, that sport exists and it’s called lacrosse.

This Saturday, the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) kicks off its Championship Series. In lieu of a regular season, the Championship Series will involve all seven teams competing in a 14-game group play format to determine seeding for the elimination round. Essentially, it’s a two week World Cup-style tournament that will take place in one location because of the pandemic. Plus, it’s arguably the most exposure pro lacrosse will ever have as all 20 games will be broadcast on either NBC, NBC Sports, or NBC Sports Gold.

Now that all of the administrative work is complete, let’s talk about lacrosse. Even though I discussed the PLL in the previous paragraph, this isn’t a puff piece for the league. I don’t work for the league nor do they pay me to advertise their series. This piece is about the wonderful game of lacrosse.

As the headline states, it’s time to give lacrosse a chance. As I mentioned, it combines the principles of four sports. Add a stick and you’re ready to go. As someone who grew up in a lacrosse town, I witnessed firsthand how magical the sport can truly be. In a lacrosse game, expect to see fast and powerful shots, laserlike passing, brutal hits, and miraculous saves. It’s a sport where you can control the possession with the faceoff while you’re not required to give the other team an offensive possession. Players can play multiple possessions and are not ruled to the confines of position-specialization, like football. Hell, even a goalie can score if they’re talented enough.

Lacrosse can be a thing of beauty, but unfortunately, it currently has a small, niche audience. A lot of that has to do with stereotypes that have plagued the game for years. The running joke is that lacrosse players are “rich, white, frat-bro douchebags.” As someone who played, yes, there are some lacrosse players who are rich, white, frat-bro douchebags. But you see that small minority of kids in every sport growing up.

I’ll be first to admit that some of the players’ names are “so lacrosse it hurts.” Tucker Durkin, an elite defenseman, could be the name of a cowboy who sells oil in Texas. Deemer Class, a lefty sharpshooter, could moonlight as the owner of five car dealerships in the midwest. Cade Van Raaphorst, an excellent defensiveman, could also be the name of a fraternity president in the SEC.

Lacrosse is also not as accessible as other sports. All you need is a stick and ball to start playing, but if you want to play organized lacrosse, the helmets, arm pads, and chest protectors are just some of the gear you’ll need. It’s not like basketball or soccer, where you need a ball and the right shoes. Lacrosse is predominantly played on the east coast, although it’s rapidly expanding across the country and traveling across the globe to areas in Africa, Asia, and Australia. Groups like Harlem Lacrosse are successfully diversifying the game by infiltrating inner-cities and giving more kids the opportunity to pick up a stick.

The biggest reason as to why I believe lacrosse has not reached immense popularity revolves around exposure and the lack of a big professional league. For years, the pinnacle of lacrosse was the Final Four in Division I lacrosse, which takes place on Memorial Day weekend annually. When the biggest games of the sport happen on the college level, it hinders the growth of professional lacrosse. Pro lacrosse games are not typically covered on sports television unless it involves a behind-the-back goal on the SportsCenter Top 10. You can find pro lacrosse on your tv, but it might be on CBS Sports or ESPN+ instead of the major networks. The MLL has been a league for two decades, but how people outside of the lacrosse world can name a team? I’d be shocked if the average person could name one professional lacrosse team in the MLL. Plus, when guys have second jobs outside of lacrosse in order to make ends meet as a professional, what’s the point of becoming a pro lacrosse player if you can make more money in another profession?

I bring up all these points because I think we’re at the turning point for lacrosse especially at the professional level. What Paul Rabil, the most popular player and co-founder of the PLL, is trying to build with the Premier Lacrosse League could be the start of something special. Big corporations like Ticketmaster and Gatorade are buying into the league’s mission and putting their money where their mouth is with sponsorships. Having a major network like NBC to showcase all of the games is critical for exposure. Last but certainly not least, the PLL has the best players in the world competing at the highest level. With more guys becoming full-time lacrosse players, the product on the field has significantly increased. All of these aspects together form a perfect storm that’s ready to infiltrate the homes of many Americans.

So throughout these next two weeks, when every major sport begins to return, turn on NBC or NBC Sports and give lacrosse a chance. You might even like what you see.

Go Redwoods.

Will you be watching the PLL? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

2020 NBA Champion’s Asterisk Will Signify Toughest Title Ever Won

Nba disney

In sports, asterisks tend to have a negative connotation. Barry Bonds’ home run record, the Spurs 1999 championship, and the baseball team that plays in Houston have all been victims of the asterisk. (Houston deserves this asterisk in 2017, but we’ll refrain for now.) In the NBA, the asterisk might be placed next to this season’s eventual NBA champion. However, it should represent a badge of honor, not a stain on the sport.

Taylor Rooks of Turner Sports received the following text message from Austin Rivers, who discussed the NBA restart and the possibility of an asterisk.

As Rivers stated, the asterisk should elevate, not diminish, the champion. What’s occurred during the 2019-2020 NBA season is unprecedented. How it will play out is something we’ve never seen before. The regular season stopped abruptly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The last game occurred on March 11, the same night when Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus. Many players haven’t seen or practiced with their teammates for months.

After a four-month hiatus, teams are set to head to the Orlando bubble next week to finish the season. Games will take place in one location and be played with no fans in attendance. At first glance, the bubble at Disney may look like a summer camp for adults. DJ sets, ping pong tables, lounges, pools, and golf courses may seem like a 12-year-old’s dream come true.

However, if the 1992 classic, Groundhog Day, taught us anything, it’s that living the same day in the same environment over and over again could turn into your personal hell. The bubble is not a prison, but it’s also not utopia. Players and their families will be forced to remain on the campus at all times. Once they’re in the bubble, there’s no escape until your team loses. In fact, players could be suspended if they break the rules of the bubble and according to Stephen A Smith, they might break the rules for some “recreational activities.”

Last but not least, there’s a not-so-small threat looming at every corner, the coronavirus. If a player contracts the virus, they will be forced to isolate in their hotel room for at least 14 days before they’re eligible to return to play if they pass the required tests.

Between a pandemic, a shutdown, and a bubble, winning this season’s NBA Championship is going to one of the toughest tasks ever. If that’s the case, why would we think less of the team to win it all? Why should an asterisk go in front of an unmatched championship? There are some like Shaq who believe the season should have been scrapped entirely because the champion will never receive the same amount of respect that they would normally attain in a regular year.

I completely disagree.

For players, the remainder of the season will be physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. Guys are moving into a hotel for weeks, even months, and being told they can’t leave under any circumstance. Think about the joy one gets coming home after a long day of work. That feeling of relief when you walk into the door is something that money can’t buy. In the bubble, that mental reprieve vanishes and ceases to exist.

In 1993, Michael Jordan went to Atlantic City with his father during the 1993 conference finals in order to clear his head. Even though they lost the following game, the Bulls came back to win the series and went on to win the championship. In the bubble, where are guys going to go to clear their heads? Can LeBron James take a few trips on Space Mountain after a poor night shooting? Will Giannis Antetokounmpo ride the Tower of Terror if the Bucks fall behind 2-1 in the conference finals?

Let’s be honest. Twitter was going to put an asterisk on the championship if the Lakers, Bucks, or Clippers didn’t win it all. Guess what? The same asterisk will be put on the title in the bubble if a team like the Rockets or Jazz win it all.

We need to stop finding ways to invalidate this season and start accepting that it’s a season like no other. Winning the title in one location after four months while battling a pandemic could turn out to be the hardest path to a championship that any team has ever faced.

Erase the asterisk, and embrace the difficulty.

Do you agree or disagree with the idea of an asterisk? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

Return of USA Pro Sports: Common Ground Between Leagues and Fans

LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard

As the return of pro sports in the United States draws closer, leagues are getting set to embark on seasons that they have never had to deal with before, there are specific needs that have needed to be addressed between players, owners, and fans in each respective league.

Return of USA Pro Sports Scheduled To Start With MLB

The MLB has had the most contentious path to resuming their season thus far. Luckily for baseball fans, the season looks like it will start around July 23-24. The highlight of Opening Day looks like it will be the defending champion Washington Nationals hosting the New York Yankees. A possible Gerrit Cole-Max Scherzer pitching duel on Opening Night should be something that MLB fans salivate over. In a 60-game season, there is a chance that Opening Night has a playoff feel to it already.

NBA Players’ Concerns Need To Be Addressed Despite Responsibility to Fans

For the NBA, the season is set to resume on July 30. The Opening Night to the season resumption will be highlighted by a Clippers-Lakers showdown. This game will set the tone for the race to the playoffs for the NBA. If the Clippers win, it will be game on for the number-one seed in the Western Conference. If the Lakers win, then they will be in the driver’s seat for the number-one seed.

However, some players on the 22 teams set to resume play at the end of July have backed out due to their own concerns regarding COVID-19 and social justice issues.

Fans that may be upset at players backing out have their right to be. However, a player should be taking their own well-being into account when deciding if they want to put themselves in a situation where they are putting themselves and others at risks. Brooklyn Nets forward Wilson Chandler cares about the well-being of his family and will be spending time with them instead of playing in Orlando. In a profession that requires so much time away from one’s family, it is understandable why Chandler is making this decision.

These situations are imperfect, but the leagues, players, and fans have to make the best of their unique individual situations.

Return of Pro Sports During a Pandemic Lose-Lose Situation on Surface, but Could Be Big Win For Society

For example, the criticism of the MLB and the players from the fans was definitely warranted. In a middle of a pandemic where the regular person is looking for any form of escapism that they can find, they will become disheartened quickly at negative developments as far as sports returning.

As far as the commissioners are concerned, they have been put in a lose-lose situation. The leagues are already going to lose money because of no fans being present at the games. Sure, it will be interesting to see how much television ratings increase. However, the actual plausibility of certain scenarios will not be known until they are put into practice.

The MLB is going to keep games in teams’ home cities. However, the NBA and NHL have a benefit of a shorter timeframe because they are resuming, not starting, their seasons. They will have one and two hub cities, respectively, where all the teams will be secluded to a “bubble”.

The NFL does not have the luxury of keeping its players in a bubble. There are simply too many players on the rosters. It will be interesting to see if the NFL eventually allows expanded rosters. The issue of pay may also come up during the season also. What will players do if there is a sudden reduction of salary? The one thing that the NFL differs greatly from the MLB is that they already agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement. Thus, it is highly unlikely that the NFL and NFLPA would feud over money.

Sports Leagues Returning Across the World Should Be Encouraging For USA Pro Sports

COVID-19 cases are not rising in Europe like they are in the United States. Therefore, it is an encouraging sign for sports league everywhere that the top European soccer leagues have started to finish their 2019-20 seasons. The German Bundesliga was the first of the four main European soccer leagues that was able to finish their season. Some players on some of these teams, including Barcelona (La Liga), have taken pay cuts.

2020 has had its challenges on society, but having sports back will be a great benefit to the United States. It will both be able to bring important issues to light through sport and offer a source of escapism from the news for fans. Sports coming back will hopefully help the country stay connected through interacting with other fans on social media. Although fans may not be able to celebrate their favorite teams together, they will have the ability to cheer on their teams. It will mean a lot to everyone involved.  

Five Questions About The Upcoming 2020 MLB Season

rob manfred mlb

After months of fighting, the MLB and MLBPA finally agreed on safety and testing protocol this past Tuesday, which led to Commissioner Rob Manfred implementing a 60-game schedule. In other words, baseball is coming back in late July.

I’m glad that the MLB will have a season, but I have so many unanswered questions. Unfortunately, some of them will not be answered when the season begins. Some things will have to play themselves out in order to find answers. For now, here are five questions I have for the upcoming season.

How Will COVID-19 Impact The Season?

This question has been brought to you by “Captain Obvious,” but it’s important to address. The coronavirus is still here and wreaking havoc. The mortality rate is not as high as initially predicted, but positive cases are still on the rise in some areas of the country. Some states like Texas, who opened its economy earlier than others, are now scaling back its opening phases. Once the season starts, there are going to be players who test positive. It’s inevitable. They should recover and the data supports that notion. The league will not stop for one player testing positive, but hypothetically, what if half a team tests positive? It’s likely they all recover, but will teams want to continue playing? Will this franchise even have enough players to field a team? The only thing we know is that we don’t know anything. All we can do is hope.

*For the rest of this article, let’s assume COVID-19 is contained and the entire season runs from start to finish.*

Will The Playoffs Expand To 16 Teams?

Baseball may be coming back for a 60-game regular season, but not every detail has been finalized, particularly, the postseason. As of now, the postseason will remain at 10 teams. However, in an interview with AP, MLBPA executive director Tony Clark said that he would be “available to discuss it” if there’s interest in postseason expansion. In an unprecedented season, I’m not opposed to adding three additional wild card spots in each league. It gives teams more hopes to keep fighting throughout the season if they stumble out of the gates.

Will The Universal DH Stay In The National League Forever?

One rule that’s been implemented for 2020 is the universal DH, meaning pitchers will not hit this year in the NL. Two words: Thank God. If you’re a baseball purist, turn away. It’s time to implement the universal DH. I don’t want to see pitchers come up to the plate to either strike out on three others or attempt a sacrifice bunt. It’s unnecessary and needs to change. Pitchers in high school and college don’t hit anymore and most pitchers never swing a bat in the minor leagues. With all due respect to Madison Bumgarner, pitchers should never pick up a bat again in the MLB.

Will The Runner On Second Cost Any Teams A Shot At The Playoffs?

In order to shorten extra-inning games and preserve player health, a runner will go to second base at the start of each inning. Call me “Middle Man Dan” because I’m both for and against this rule. In a 60 game season, teams don’t need to be playing 13-inning games in the first month. However, for game 59 with a spot at the playoffs on the line, I might break every window insight if my team missed out on the wild card because they lost a game in extra innings with a runner started on second in extra innings. My compromise would be to implement this new rule up until game 45, and then it goes back to normal from there on out.

Which Teams Are The Favorite To Win The World
Series?

When the dust has settled, who will be holding the “piece of metal” at the end of the season? In a shortened season, conventional logic will point to the teams with elite starting pitching or bullpen depth. Right off the bat, the Dodgers should be the favorite going into the season, which had the lowest combined ERA in 2019. It also doesn’t hurt to add Mookie Betts and Anthony Rendon to the lineup. Behind the Dodgers are the Yankees and Asterisks… I mean Astros. After those three times, the next tier includes the Twins, Nationals, A’s, and Braves. In theory, it’s anyone’s year, but if one of those seven teams don’t win it all, I’d be shocked.

What is your biggest question in regards to the upcoming MLB season? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

New York Knicks Coaching Search: Take The Layup And Hire Kenny Atkinson

Kenny Atkinson

For years, basketball historians have said that the free throw is the easiest shot in basketball. Obviously, these historians never watched Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal, and Dwight Howard on the free-throw line. Because of its close proximity to the basket, the layup should be considered the easiest shot. It’s almost automatic especially if uncontested. When it comes to coaching searches, the New York Knicks have their version of a layup in Kenny Atkinson.

When Atkinson took the Brooklyn Nets job in 2016, it was nothing short of an uphill battle. With inexperienced players and little draft capital, walking on water seemed easier than rebuilding the Nets. However, not only did Atkinson achieve some success, he overachieved. In three full seasons with Atkinson, the Nets won 20, 28, and 42 games, with the latter resulting in a playoff appearance. More importantly, Atkinson turned D’Angelo Russell into an all-star and developed Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, Joe Harris, and Jarrett Allen into integral players.

I have a love/hate relationship with the word,” culture.” What does it even mean to establish a successful and winning culture? Winning teams can have a bunch of assholes and degenerates like the 1986 New York Mets or star players at odds with its owner like the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers. Does that mean they have the best culture? Regardless of your feelings, Atkinson successfully created a culture with the Nets, where young players flourished and grew as professionals.

The Nets’ improvement is why Atkinson’s firing, or forced resignation, this past March was surprising. Some of the players reportedly wanted Atkinson gone. Once the Nets signed Kevin Durant, it became clear that whatever Durant and Irving wanted, they would get including their coach of choice. Although both Durant and Irving had kind words to say about Atkinson, let’s call a spade a spade. If Kyrie and KD backed Atkinson, he would still be the coach.

The Nets’ loss could be another team’s gain as Atkinson will certainly be a top target for teams without a head coach including the Knicks. Atkinson is exactly what the Knicks need right now. The Knicks must hire a coach who can develop young stars like RJ Barrett, Kevin Knox, and Mitchell Robinson and revitalize the careers of underappreciated talents such as Julius Randle. Atkinson is familiar with MSG thanks to his tenure as a Knicks assistant coach from 2008-2012. Plus, Atkinson’s emphasis on quality threes & layups, guard dominance, and team defense is a system that works in today’s NBA. For a franchise with seven straight losing seasons, adapting to today’s playing style might be the way to go, just saying.

With the NBA season set to restart its season on July 31, the Knicks coaching search has officially begun since they were not one of the 22 teams invited to Orlando. Although Atkinson is a target, he’s not at the top of the list for the Knicks. According to Shams Charania, Tom Thibodeau is the leader in the clubhouse for the head coaching position. Thibs has ties to the Knicks, having served as an assistant coach from 1996-2004. In his eight seasons as a head coach for the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves, Thibs accumulated over 350 wins and only missed the playoffs twice.

Thibs is a smart coach with an elite defensive strategy who can win basketball games. There’s no denying that. That being said, his coaching style only works for a specific set of players. It has worked with players like Jimmy Butler. Specifically, Thibs has a tendency to overwork players in brutal practices followed by top guys logging a high amount of minutes. Thibs probably vomits in his mouth every time he hears the term, “load management.” That worked for players like Jimmy Butler. It didn’t work for young stars like Karl-Anthony Towns.

The Knicks need tough love. This is a franchise that’s won only one playoff series since 2000. Maybe Thibodeau is exactly what the Knicks need. Priority number one as the Knicks head coach will be to develop young talent. No star will ever come to New York if the coach can’t build winning players. Instead of taking a risk on a coach who mishandled a roster and hasn’t adapted to how the game’s played in 2020, choose the coach that grew a culture from the ground up and created the blueprint for how to attract stars to an organization. Take the layup and hire Kenny Atkinson.

Who would you hire as the next head coach of the Knicks? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

NBA Regular Season And Playoffs: Readjust, Not Reinvent, The Wheel

LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard

The 2019-2020 NBA season will restart at some point in the next two months. There will most likely be no fans and all the games will be played in one location. Commissioner Adam Silver wants it to happen. The NBA teams and players want it to happen. Fans are begging for basketball, and every sport for that matter, to restart in order to establish a sense of normalcy. The question is not if the NBA 2019-2020 will start, but how will it begin again.

Last week, the NBA sent a survey to all 30 general managers concerning the various proposals as to how to restart and finish the season. Competition formats, game locations, and roster issues were at the top of the list. Yesterday, Adam Silver held a conference call with NBA GMs to discuss the results of the survey. Shams Charania of The Athletic broke down the results.

It’s apparent that the biggest issues revolve around the continuation of the NBA’s regular season and the playoff format. It boils down to two questions: Should the regular season continue, and what format should be used for the playoffs?

Let’s start with the first issue, the regular season. This is where ownership and the players seem to be divided the most. Players want to have at least a few regular-season games to get back into “basketball shape” instead of jumping right into the playoffs. Plus, teams a few games out want to have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs. The majority of GMs want to end the regular season and keep the current playoff format.

If the regular season ended today, how would it affect teams on the outside looking in? In the East, it shouldn’t matter at all. The 8 playoff teams are not going to change without a miracle. Washington is 5.5 games behind the current 8 seed, Magic. If the Wizards couldn’t make up that difference during the season, what makes you believe they’ll make up the ground now? Giving the 24-win Wizards the chance to make the playoffs should not be a high priority. In the West, there’s more of an argument. Memphis holds the 8th seed with a record of 32-33. Portland, New Orleans, Sacramento all are 3.5 games back, while San Antonio is 4 games behind. It’s not inconceivable that one of these teams could make a final push for the final spot, which is where a play-in tournament could be beneficial.

The other issue involves the playoff format. Several ideas are floating around as to how the NBA should proceed with their playoffs. They could leave it as is with 8 teams in the East and 8 teams in the West. A proposed World Cup group stage received some positive responses from the GMs. The group stages would replace the regular season and first round. It would be a round-robin type of event where 5 teams (amount of teams is yet to be determined) are placed into 4 groups. Teams play every team in their group twice and the teams with the best two records advance to the second round of the playoffs, where the current format would apply. Problems could arise if the teams are drawn at random like they are in soccer, so a “group of death” could form if the groups are not seeded beforehand.

Now is not the time to belittle creativity. In fact, the NBA should be praised for addressing concerns and creating new formats to serve as solutions. There really are no bad ideas. However, there is a word going around that should scare the NBA and that’s the word, “asterisk.” The NBA is in unprecedented territory, which means all hell could potentially break loose in terms of who wins the championship. Shaq mentioned the NBA should cancel its season because the champion would be labeled with an asterisk. Shaq’s not entirely wrong. If any team other than the Lakers, Clippers, or Bucks win a title because of a new format like a World Cup group stage, no matter how many times Silver says it’s legitimate, it will be difficult for many fans to accept the champion without using an asterisk.

However, if every team plays under the same set of circumstances, there’s no reason to put an asterisk on the season. In fact, one could argue it will be even harder to win this year’s title because of the stoppage and the removal of home-court advantage. Whatever the case may be, the NBA does not need to reinvent the wheel. The best way to ensure the legitimacy of the champion is to keep the playoff format as close to normal as possible. The best teams should advance in the playoffs no matter what. That being said, some minor adjustments could be made in order to give more teams a chance if the regular season is shortened or canceled completely.

If I was the commissioner, this would be my plan.

  • 24 teams restart the season. The teams: top 8 seeds in the East, the top 8 seeds in the West, and the next four teams with the best record in each conference.
  • Teams seeded 9-12 have a play in-game. 9 vs. 12 and 10 vs. 11. So if that happens, here are the matchups – West: 9. Blazers vs. 12. Spurs / 10. Pelicans vs. 11. Kings. East: 9. Wizards vs. 12. Knicks / 10. Hornets vs. 11. Bulls. Winners advance and losers leave town (literally).
  • The two winners then play the 7 and 8 seed in their conference to determine the final two spots in the playoffs. The higher seeded team from the play-in games will play the 8 seed. Potential matchups – West: 7. Mavs vs. lower-seeded team / 8. Grizzlies vs. higher-seeded team. East: 7. Nets vs. lower-seeded team / 8. Magic vs. higher-seeded team. Winners move to the playoffs.
  • While those play-in games occur, every team that’s in the top 8 will play two games that will count towards their record. To keep it random, the games would be against playoff teams from the other conference. To reward the higher seeds, it will be playoff-style seeding. For example, the top-seeded Lakers would play the 8 seed in the East, which is the Magic. The 2 seed, Clippers, would play the 7 seed, Nets, and so on so forth. For game number two, the same rules apply except there are fewer teams. The top-seeded Lakers would then play the 6 seed, 76ers, since teams 7 and 8 will be in the play-in game. 2 seed would play 5 seed and so on and so forth. These games serve as a way for players to get back into basketball shape before the playoff grind begins and in some cases, teams could improve their playoff seeding with wins.
  • Once the dust has settled, start the playoffs under the normal formula with 8 teams in the East and 8 teams in the West. If you need to cut games, make the first round best-of-five. Other than that, the best-of-7 format remains intact throughout.

The plan is not perfect, but no plan will be. Let’s just get the players back on the court and go from there.

How would you continue the NBA season? Leave your thoughts in the comments or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

The Last Dance: Michael Jordan’s Views On Winning And Leadership Will Be The Biggest Takeaways

Michael Jordan

On behalf of America, I want to personally thank The Last Dance for airing during the quarantine. Seriously, The Last Dance has been a small beacon of hope these past few weeks. Michael Jordan went six for six in the NBA and now he’s one for one in airing great documentaries during global pandemics. Take THAT, LeBron!

Note: I like and appreciate LeBron James. I can’t wait to watch your documentary in 20 years.

Tonight marks the final two episodes of The Last Dance. However, no matter what airs tonight, my biggest takeaway from The Last Dance happened last week. The clip I’m referencing focuses on MJ and the perception that he’s not a nice guy. These two minutes gave us insight into one of the greatest winners of all time.

“Winning has a price, leadership has a price.”

Was an MJ an asshole? I think it’s safe to say that at times, Michael Jordan was an asshole. MJ punched Steve Kerr in the face, insulted Scott Burrell 24/7, ran teammates out of town, and pushed guys farther than anyone had ever pushed them in their lives. There are different types of leaders. Some leaders get in your face while other leaders tend to back off. There’s no right answer to this question. The only way to measure the greatness of a leader, in this case, is through success. Did Michael’s methods lead to victories?

The answer is a resounding yes. If Jordan didn’t win six championships and six finals’ MVPs, then we’d look at his leadership methods a lot differently. Frankly, there would be no documentary about him either if he wasn’t one of the greatest basketball players of all time. I can’t shake this quote. “The one thing about Michael Jordan was he never asked me to do something that he didn’t fucking do.” It’s not like MJ was barking out orders and sitting comfortably on the sidelines. If you took 100 shots at practice, MJ was going to take 200 shots. If you’re lifting weights for one hour, MJ would do it for three hours. He talked the talk and walked the walk. Jordan was no hypocrite.

It’s difficult for me to comment on Jordan’s impact in the 1990s because I was 6 years old when he won his sixth championship. Through no fault of my own, I’ll never fully appreciate his greatness, both on the court and off because I couldn’t witness it firsthand. However, one thing I can value is his drive to greatness. Watching Jordan discuss the price of winning and leadership makes me want to run through a wall for him. I’ve been waiting for the moment where I won’t like Michael Jordan, and yet, after every episode, I find myself liking him more and more.

MJ may not have been perceived as a nice guy, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. The results speak for themselves.

Am I Crazy Or Did The Patriots Blow The Rob Gronkowski Trade?

Do you remember the “Derelicte Fashion Show” towards the end of Zoolander? In the climactic scene, Mugatu accuses Derek of using the same face for his three signature looks. Out of frustration, Mugatu screams, “I feel like I’m taking crazy pills!” Right now, I’m Mugatu and I’m taking crazy pills because I’m in the minority when I say the Patriots blew the Rob Gronkowski trade.

Yesterday, the beast they call “Gronk” became a Buccaneer when the Patriots traded him and a 7th rounder in exchange for a 4th rounder.

Gronkowski will join his friend and fellow Patriot castaway, Tom Brady, in “Tompa Bay.” I’d venture to say TB12 is pretty happy that he can throw to one of the best tight ends to ever play the game.

After the trade happened, I can’t help but think that the Patriots blew this trade. Gronk and a 7th round pick for a 4th round pick? That’s it? That’s all they could get for a 30-year-old tight end who essentially “redshirted” last season? This is Rob Gronkowski we’re talking about. This is the same player who has the most career postseason receiving yards by a tight end and became the only tight end to ever lead the league in receiving touchdowns with 17 in 2011. Has Gronk struggled these past few seasons? Absolutely, but I point to his health as the reason for his decline. Gronk is not going to score 17 TDs, but it’s not our of the question he could catch 7 or 8. With that being said, all the Pats could get in return was a fourth-round pick? I’m dumbfounded.

The major argument for those who support the trade revolves around the Pats’ “lack of leverage.” It’s clear the Gronkowski only wanted to play with Brady. If Gronk came back to the Pats, they would be on the books for $12M cap hit for a team that has little space, to begin with. Instead, the Pats traded him directly off of the reserve/retired list so it has no impact on their cap. Essentially, the Pats turned nothing into something by receiving a fourth-round pick in exchange for a previously retired player.

Plus, Drew Rosenhasus threw this trade in the spin zone by saying Gronk did the Pats favor. Huh?

Am I taking crazy pills? This is a bad trade. Why am I in the minority on this trade? Bill Belichick and the Patriots owned the rights to Rob Gronkowski. They have total control over where Gronk could end up. Once Gronk said he only wanted to play in Tampa, the same team that signed your franchise’s best player, the Pats had all the leverage in the world.

Think about it. If Tampa is the only option, why not force their hand if you’re the Patriots? If you want Gronk, you’re going to have to overpay for him. Why should the Pats give in to Gronk’s demands when he retired with a year left on his contract? The Bucs, who will do everything in their power to keep Brady happy, are not going to pull out of trade discussions for Gronk because the Pats wanted a little more in return. I’m not saying Mike Evans needed to come back in the trade. However, the Pats couldn’t get a 3rd rounder instead of a 4th?

What about adding in another 4th round pick in a later draft in addition to this year’s 4th round pick? Hell, the Pats couldn’t get OJ Howard and a 6th rounder in exchange for Gronk? I find it hard to believe that if the Pats asked for a little more compensation, the Bucs would say no. I get the “wanting to do right by a player,” but this is the same organization that cut a player 24 hours before they played in the Super Bowl. Since when does Bill B care about your feelings? He could have just held onto Gronk’s rights and wait for a better offer.

Maybe hardball doesn’t work with Gronk and he’s adamant on playing. If Gronk files for reinstatement, which puts the Pats on the books for over $10m, that’s even better. Screw the cap, the Pats have a great tight end again! In order for Gronk to earn his full payday, he has to play so the Pats offense would welcome the WWE 24/7 Champion with open arms. back with open arms.

Gronk may have lost a step, but he’s worth a lot more than a 4th round pick. If you think that’s his value, then I’ll continue to take my crazy pills.

Do you agree or disagree with the Gronk trade from the Patriots’ perspective? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet me, @danny_giro.