The Review-Preview: 2022 NFL Draft and NBA Playoffs 2nd Round
This episode of Triple Zeros kicks off with some NFL Draft discussion. The Chicago Bears made some interesting choices with their Day 2 and 3 picks. Quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Mitchell Trubisky found themselves as clear losers despite both being veterans and former high draft picks themselves. A.J. Brown and Hollywood Brown both find themselves in better situations after being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals, respectively. What does it mean for their old teams? New Minnesota Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah got flamed after his trade with the Detroit Lions netted less than expected.
On the NBA side, wrapping up the first round of the playoffs. What is next for the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks after varying levels of disappointment in their first-round matchups? The Utah Jazz appear headed for a Rudy Gobert–Donovan Mitchell break up while the Minnesota Timberwolves need Karl-Anthony Towns to put up or shut up. Nikola Jokic needs Jamal Murray back from a rehab process the guard has admitted has been mentally challenging. The Toronto Raptors have a brighter future than the Brooklyn Nets. Plus picks for the second round!
This episode of Triple Zeros wonders if the Donovan Mitchell–Rudy Gobert era has run its course for the sixth-seeded Utah Jazz. Then, could Gobert make sense for a Chicago Bulls team that is sliding and has clear weaknesses? Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks have won five straight to take over the eight-seed. No team wants to face them in the NBA Playoffs. Kevin Durant is right about the Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder. They both have to retire his number, you cannot tell the story of either organization without mentioning him. Both Los Angeles teams have dealt with injuries. However, the Lakers are sliding while the Clippers have done better than expected. And Zion Williamson‘s workout videos come off as more of a demo reel than a notice to the New Orleans Pelicans front office.
Switching over to the NFL, the new overtime rules aren’t bad. It is good that they are keeping it to the postseason (for now), though. Indianapolis Colts owner, Jim Irsay lit into Carson Wentz. That is nothing compared to what is being alleged about Washington Commanders owner, Daniel Snyder regarding ticket sales. Bruce Arians may or may not have been made to step away from the sidelines. Still, he leaves an indelible mark that the league is still trying to emulate through rules changes. The Los Angeles Rams have signed Bobby Wagner to a big deal. This begs the question, once again, is the salary cap real? Finally, Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike Tomlin proved once again why he is a certain host’s favorite NFL head coach.
This episode of Triple Zeros starts off with Friday’s exciting NBA Playoff Game 6s between the 76ers and Hawks in the East and the Clippers and Jazz in the West. That leads to talk about properly appreciating Paul George and Donovan Mitchell for their efforts. Things shift to the weekend’s pair of Game 7s (Bucks-Nets on Saturday and Hawks-Sixers on Sunday) before switching over to the NFL.
That’s when things go back to a story about the city of Las Vegas having to go into emergency funds for the second time to make payments on the Raiders stadium. Also, why Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes sharing the Madden 22 cover is weak, Le’Veon Bell vs. Andy Reid, and more!
Be sure to follow on Facebook and Twitter (@JoshGBuck, @3ZerosPod, @ClockerSports) today!
Triple Zeros. This is content to help reach the green light. Tis is content to help reach the green light. Ths is content to help reach the green light. Thi is content to help reach the green light. his is content to help reach the green light. Tis is content to help reach the green light. Ths is content to help reach the green light. Thi is content to help reach the green light. his is content to help reach the green light. Tis is content to help reach the green light. Ths is content to help reach the green light. Thi is content to help reach the green light. Triple Zeros
In this episode of Triple Zeros, Josh talks NBA Playoffs and Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks chances now that they got a game against Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets. He also talks Utah Jazz dynamo Donovan Mitchell‘s dominance over Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers then sets the stage for Friday’s Hawks-76ers and Nuggets-Suns tilts.
Things switch over to the NFL as the preseason schedule was released, Aaron Rodgers remains steadfast in no longer playing for the Green Bay Packers, and Russell Wilson proves a previous talking point right. All that and much more!
Be sure to follow on Twitter and Facebook (@JoshGBuck, @3ZerosPod, and ClockerSports.com) today!
Triple Zeros. This is content to help reach the green light. Tis is content to help reach the green light. Ths is content to help reach the green light. Thi is content to help reach the green light. his is content to help reach the green light. Tis is content to help reach the green light. Ths is content to help reach the green light. Thi is content to help reach the green light. his is content to help reach the green light. Tis is content to help reach the green light. Ths is content to help reach the green light. Thi is content to help reach the green light. Triple Zeros
âEven a stopped clock is right twice a dayâ. That quote from Marie von Ebner sticks out as much of the conversation about returning has centered around Brooklyn Nets mercurial point guard, Kyrie Irving. Some peers have responded, but are they even disagreeing? Thatâs what you would think if you only saw it through the lens of social media.
Tweets get crafted to maximize the impact (see: likes and retweets) all the time. But in this instance, leaving out an entire part of Irvingâs comments has led to a backlash that seems fueled more by his reputation than the actual content.
Kyrie Irving, a Broken Clock in the NBA
First, what exactly did Kyrie say?
“I don’t support going into Orlando,” Irving told the players. “I’m not with the systematic racism and the bullshit. ⌠Something smells a little fishy. Whether we want to admit it or not, we are targeted as black men every day we wake up.” – per Shams Charania
His reported words prompted responses from several other players including Los Angeles Clippers guard Patrick Beverley, who said âHoopers say what yâall want. If @King James said he hooping. We all hooping. Not personal only BUSINESS.â His reference to LeBron James is fair because he regularly practices his activism while playing. But Irvingâs comments werenât really speaking to the ability to do both.
Former players-turned-analysts Jay Williams and Kendrick Perkins also spoke against Irving, with the latter going so far to say âHeâs not a powerful voice; heâs a popular voiceâ and that âAll heâs doing is ruffling the feathers for no reason. The NBA is going to continue.â Thatâs tough coming from a retired player and still misses Irvingâs message.
All of this is in addition to some prominent commentators like Stephen A. Smith. But it has been Houston Rockets guard (and coachâs son) Austin Riversâ reply via a lengthy Instagram post that has gotten the most publicity. The well-stated rebuttal spoke of being able to both play and affect social change. It also said that for the majority of the players in the league, sitting out isnât feasible as â99% of the NBA hasnât made the moneyâ Kyrie has.
Austin Rivers responds to Kyrie Irving being opposed to resuming the NBA season in Orlando. pic.twitter.com/D7A7jbpUE2
But there is a problem: Irving AGREES with him. And any other player that wants to return, for that matter. Itâs just that his reputation has preceded him.
The former Cleveland Cavalier and Boston Celtic earlier opined about the freedoms players would have when in the NBAâs âbubbleâ. Those concerns included spa treatments and were roundly met with virtual side-eyes.
This time was different, though. Yes, Irving said that he would rather focus on social justice reform. But he also said something else that has gone underreported.
“If it’s worth the risk, then let’s go and do it,” Irving said on the call, sources said. “But if you’re not with it, it’s OK, too. We’ve got options for both ways. Let’s just come to a middle ground as a family.” – per Chris Haynes
In Regards to the Money
Irving said, âThereâs only 20 guys actually getting paid, and Iâm part of that. Letâs not pretend thereâs not a tiered system purposely to divide all of us.â Some say Irving has is backward and that the max contract system keeps the disparity in check, but again they are missing the point. Players who have yet to land that contract would logically be less inclined to rock the boat.
See, an important bit of information to remember is that Irving was voted as vice president of the NBPA. That means raising the concerns of the many, no matter how trivial, to the attention of the few most powerful is quite literally his job. So while you may think some of the points were silly, that doesnât mean they werenât brought up in private.
Thatâs the other part that seems be getting swept away. With all the talk of what the stars want (we already know the likes of LeBron, Kawhi Leonard, Chris Paul, and Anthony Davis want to return), the dissenting voices have already been drowned out.
Lakers big Dwight Howard, well-traveled and mercurial in his own right, has voiced support for Irving. He went even further suggesting the NBA neednât return until âwe get things resolved.” Lakers guard Avery Bradley also spoke up on the call in which Irving aired his grievances.
Donovan Mitchell spoke about the dangers of returning after a layoff and is pushing for insurance for players. CJ McCollum voted ‘no’ to returning but also warned players of potentially contentious negotiations when the CBA expires should players sit out. Kyle Kuzma is also seeking insurance but flat out said, âSome of us want to hoop and compete donât get that twisted.â He too seems to have only heard part of Irvingâs argument.
Thatâs what is so telling about the backlash Kyrie has received. It is disproportionate to what he said.
He rightfully expressed issues that, as we see, arenât necessarily his own. This is especially true with the increase in the number of cases in the host-state of Florida. But even more than that, he left the door wide open to continue the season if that is what the majority want.
But because of his history of being me-first and that whole flat-earth thing, people readily dismissed what he said. The best part is that they are all agreeing with Rivers even though he said the exact reason why Irving was speaking out against returning amid all the civil unrest in the country.
âNot saying that basketball is a cure for that but basketball can maybe provide a distraction.â
Bingo
The distraction is the part Irving (and Howard) are trying to avoid. And itâs already happening as we see the push to return ramp up even amid continuing concern over COVID-19 and protests. But all the other stuff is true too and thatâs the issue. We are so busy trying to pick a side, that we forgot we are all on the same side. No person has embodied that more than Kyrie, the NBAâs broken clock
The calendar has turned to March and the madness is about to begin. Yes, that might have been a reference to college basketball but that still doesn’t change for the NBA. Last week I covered the Eastern Conference.
The playoffs bracket in the West is closer in terms of playoff positioning, but the Los Angeles Lakers sit at the top led by all-time great LeBron James. Can we consider LeBron a legend even though he is still active? We can get to that next week when I’ll be diving into some of the more debatable topics this league provides its fans.
Home-court advantage is going to be critical. If Denver gets home court over the Thunder (which would happen if the playoffs started today). Both teams are significantly better at home than on the road. Think about if Oklahoma City stole home-court advantage and was able to win their first-round series. That could change the outlook on the franchise.
The current seventh-seeded Mavericks actually boast a 21-11 road record, so they could play spoiler in a series. Luka Doncic is built for the playoffs. They might lose their first-round series, but there will be fireworks because of the Mavericks averaging 116 PPG, which ranks third in the NBA.
Last, Not Least
The battle for the eighth spot in the west might be the most interesting. The Memphis Grizzlies are sitting with a 3 game lead over the Sacramento Kings.
Other potential suitors for that eighth and coveted spot are the Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, and New Orleans Pelicans. All of these teams sit no more than four games back. The most compelling story is the upstart Pelicans who are led by rookie sensation Zion Williamson. But we have to respect what Memphis has done here. Their schedule after the all-star break was second in difficulty, and with a little over a month to go, they have a solid three-game lead. The Grizzlies are led by another rookie sensation in Ja Morant.
Look at the top-seeded Lakers. They have two of the top-five players in the league. Some are here to argue that Giannis Antetokounmpo is the best in the league and I have no qualms about it. I would be remiss to say that LeBron is still the number one player in the world given his incredible IQ, distribution, and understanding of the game and what needs to be done to win a title.
Still Up There
At this point, we are tired of LeBron and it skews our view on him in terms of greatness. In any best-of-seven series, the Lakers will have an all-time great as the best player on the floor. But will his supporting cast be able to do enough to get him to the finals?
The number-one threat to the Lakers returning the NBA Finals is the Clippers. After an intense six-game series where the upstart Clippers pushed the Warriors to the brink with inspiring play, free-agency ended with them having acquired the defending Finals MVP in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, a two-way superstar who could help the Clipper reach the promised land. The Clippers have the star power and defensive prowess to wear the Lakers down and are 2-0 against their cross-town foe.
But this reporter has seen this before. Who remembers when the 2011 Chicago Bulls went against the Lebron James led heat? Yes I know, we have different levels of stars. And Leonard and George are lengthy defenders who can combat LeBron. But when it comes down to it in a best-of-seven, give me LeBron.
Keep an Eye On
The Nuggets and Rockets are third and fourth in the Western Conference. The Nuggets main question still remains. Do they have the star power to get to the finals? Simple answer. No.
Denver is a good team, don’t me wrong. But right now they would face the Thunder in the first round; no easy out. In the second round, they would face the Clippers. They don’t have the bodies to guard the likes of Leonard and George. The athleticism of the Clippers would be too much.
The Rockets are a gimmicky team trying to beat you by spreading the floor and being unconscious from the three-point line. They have the superstar power to get to the Western Conference Finals but those stars haven’t punched their ticket to finals since 2012. That was when James Harden and Russell Westbrook were with the Thunder.
How It Plays Out
Throughout a seven-game series, the Rockets will be worn down. If they come out of the first round, they’ll be minced meat for either the Lakers or Clippers. The bottom-four teams in the playoffs have young (to a degree), up-and-coming teams that will have their title window soon. Just not quite yet. The Thunder are the surprise of the season.
After trading Westbrook and George, everyone thought the team would tank to hopefully draft their next superstar. That is not the case. Chris Paul and company are having a fantastic season and look to ruffle some feathers in the first round. Utah is a defensive dynamo led by Rudy Gobert. Unfortunately, they do not have enough pop to get to the finals. Hopefully, they’ll see Donovan Mitchell pop in the playoffs again. The Jazz are just hoping to advance to the second round.
As for the Mavericks and the Grizzlies, the only thing I want to see is the blossoming of Doncic and Morant. These two young players are on another level, and I hope to see them raise their game in the playoffs. Doncic has been in big moments for nearly a decade and you can tell in his early career he has the makings of being something special. He is currently averaging 28.5 points per game, 8.8 assists, and 9.3 rebounds.
One for the Road
Ja Morant is the Rookie of the Year in my opinion. Trust me I love Zion just as much as the next guy. But Ja has been nothing short of special for this upstart Memphis bunch and a playoff appearance in his rookie season is nothing but a sign of great things to come.
It is March and that can only mean one thing. The basketball world will come into the focus with the NCAA tournament and the NBA playoffs to follow shortly after. These are all the things I am looking for in this yearâs playoffs. If you read last weekâs article I chose the Boston Celtics, and for this week. I believe the Lakers will meet them in the NBA Finals, and the winner will be in next weekâs article.
If you have anything you want to discuss you can hit me up on twitter @illiniRyan7
