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axiomsofice · 3 years

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2021 NHL Draft: Best Classes

Dallas: it’s tough to get a read on the Stars first selection, Wyatt Johnson, as he didn’t play this year. That being said trading back is usually a win in terms of value, perhaps more so this year than ever. Stankoven and Martino are really good picks that should have probably gone a round earlier than where the Stars got them. I have generally positive thoughts on Grushnikov, Roulette, and Bar as well. All in all from volume to value, Dallas covered a lot of ground with their work.

Minnesota: Judd Brackett might be one of the foremost directors of scouting, and GM Guerin smartly stepped aside and let his scouting staff work their magic. Wallstedt was an absolute steal at 20 and should help carry on the tradition of not conceding many goals against. Lambos was good value just a few picks later, whose play overseas took him out of the top tier of defenders, but he definitely has lots of tools.

Anaheim: picking third was really the first decision of the night, and although maybe not third on my own list, McTavish kept rising as the year wore thru. GM Murray noted that he brings a slightly different style (power) than their the fineness displayed by their other top prospects, Zegras and Drysdale. The Ducks managed to get really nice value on day 2 as well, nabbing borderline first rounders Zellweger and Pastujov in the 2nd round. Tschigrel in the 5th was nice as well.

Columbus: Trades for Bean and Boqvist notwithstanding (huge wins btw) the Jackets had lots to work with. Kent Johnson at 5th was perhaps a bit bold, but tantalizing offensive prowess is exactly what this team is missing. Sillinger is a nice stylistic compliment to Johnson as a shot generator. Ceulemans was a fine pick and has the skating and physicality to be an intriguing prospect as he honed his game in level beyond the AJHL. I’m a big fan of Svozil, especially in the third. In all a huge weekend for the future of a franchise that’s suffered a long few years of talent depletion.

Buffalo: It’d be hard not to cone out a “winner” picking first. I’d send Power back to college for a year, but regardless a turning of the page has been needed for this team, and early positives from Coach Granato’s tenure could create an environment for a blueline with two 1st overall picks to start playing as such.

Detroit: I know many wings fans were hoping for Eklund or Wallstedt at 6th, but they shouldn’t be too upset with getting both Edvinsson and Cossa in the first round. User an is determined to have a defence group filled with towering talent. Edvinsson skates really well, especially for his size, which makes him a near lock to make it to the NHL. He might be a bit raw offensively but he is daring (or creative) and shows flashes. Maybe the fanfare surrounding Wallstedt was a bit higher than Cossa, but it’s never a bad thing to end up with your own top ranked goalie. Buium, Savage, and Mazur out of the USHL along with Dower Nielsen are fine. If I had to guess, stocking up on defenders early in a significant way probably makes sense for a huge rebuild, and adding one of the highly anticipated lottery pick forwards in the 22 and/or 23 drafts means we should expect the Wings to start turning things around 2-3 years from now.

Winnipeg: The Jets had an amazing draft, especially considering their middle of the pack slotting. Lucius is a capable goalscorer, adding Chibrikov in the 2nd was high value as well. Kuzmin is a good prospect, but I really like the fit as Winnipeg is without much offensive skill on the back end (for now, I do like Heinola).

Los Angeles: Like the Jets, the Kings didn’t have many picks but made them count. Clarke is a great player, and an even better fit for the league’s most prolific prospect system. The two parties should really get the most out of each other. Pinelli, Helenius, and Kirsanov we’re good values as well, and all four players bring a distinct style from each other.

Nashville: Svechkov and L’Heureux are two really interesting forwards, and heading to a program that has had trouble developing talent at that position makes their significance that much greater. Svechkov was the top ranked Russian on nearly everyone’s list, noted for a strong defensive results and a player who helps get the most out of linemates. L’Heureux is fiery, feisty, and skilled. Grabbing Olsson, a defenceman playing in the SHL, in the 3rd round is great value as well.

Carolina: The hallmarks of this regime were on full display, trading back and taking lots of interesting prospects. Say what you will about what they’re willing to pay whom, the Hurricanes know how to keep the pipeline flowing. Koivunen, Morrow, and Heimosalmi is a great haul for the second round.

Calgary: the Flames were also picking middle of the pack, and managed to grab 4 players I really like in Coronato, Stromgren, Huckins, and Whynot. There’s a certain, for lack of a better word, pluckiness? Assertiveness? About Coronato that reminds me of Zary, even Dube, meaning he seems right up the Flames alley, although at least for now Coronato seems to have a bit more offensive upside than those two.

Seattle: Getting Beniers, who was the only other name that I saw get consideration at first overall, was the right pick. Especially considering how hard it was to find true centres thru the expansion draft (even for Vegas), the Kraken did well to acquire a staple at their weakest position. Winterton was decent value in the 3rd, while Evans and Ottovianen bring different sets of skills to start a brand new system.

Biggest Steals

Eklund: thinking Eklund would be gone by this point, I imagined it’d be hard for the Sharks to pass on Wallstedt. That being said I had Eklund ranked 3rd overall after an amazing season in the SHL, where he arguably outplayed highly rated teammate Holtz. Since the Karlsson trade, the Sharks have done well adding lots of talent up front that should start making an impact in the next year or 2. Obviously the goaltending has been a huge issue recently, but adding an influx of offensive talent should help get the most out of Burns and Karlsson while they still have something to give.

Wallstedt had such good results in the SHL already, it’s hard to imagine he fell so far. It is always nice to see a goalie of his caliber go to a team that appreciates defence.

Lysell is a really good player with the harmless kind of “character issues” (from what I understand) which sounds like he just wanted to get icetime. He was barely used in the SHL, so his numbers aren’t anything to look at. Mostly I’m just having Pastrnak flashbacks, dreading the day when he starts lighting it up for Boston.

Chayka I really thought would go higher, as he’s a good two way defenceman who plays a strong pro style game. In that sense he fits Vegas’ modus operandi, and really cements the continued strength on the Knight’s back end.

Raty was in the conversation for 1st overall at the beginning of the year, and despite a rough season there’s no way he should’ve fallen to the middle of the 2nd round. GM of the year every year Lou earning his 21/22 award between this selection and his recent cap clearing masterclass.

Behrens was getting some late 1st/ early second hype, so for Colorado to get him with their draft’s first selection at the end of the 2nd round is quite good, not that they are desperate for options when is comes to young blueliners.

Robertsson fell to the 3rd round, honestly this might be the first thing I’ve liked from the Blues since their cup win.

Duke is way too good to be falling to Tampa Bay in the 5th round. Maybe he’s not quite as obvious a steal as Point was, but Tampa is showing how it built its dynasty.

#NHL Draft #dallas stars #Minnesota Wild #columbus blue jackets #buffalo sabres #detroit red wings #los angeles kings #winnipeg jets #Nashville Predators #Carolina Hurricanes #calgary flames #seattle kraken

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nancypullen · 4 years

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Where Is Home?

We talk about retirement a lot. A LOT. The mister wants out of the south because he hates the hot, sticky weather. I want out of the south for a variety of different reasons. He tears up when he thinks about leaving this house. I get excited thinking of a house with better storage, maybe even a walk-in closet and a big pantry. He loves the idea of townhouse living and all of the freedom it provides. I love the idea of half a football field between me and a neighbor. I wouldn’t mind being snug against a neighbor if we were in a walkable little town and I could have a white picket fence. As we age into our golden years I want to be on city water and city sewer. I do not want to be ninety when the well runs dry or the septic system has a fit. Nope. No, thank you. We have discussed towns from Maine to Arizona and are constantly trading articles about property taxes and real estate markets. Night after night I search Zillow, Realtor, Trulia (oh, those handy dandy crime maps!) and so on. I’ll send Mickey a house in Maryland to admire and mention that it’s just two hours from the world’s cutest grandgirl. He responds that he loves it. Then I send him a townhouse near Tucson and he says the same thing. I’m getting nowhere with this guy. Side note: Yes, I know Arizona gets very hot, but it is not humid. HUGE difference. Also, Arizona has two enormous positives - we could escape allergies and my hair would behave. If you had my hair you’d know that’s more important than the property taxes. Two major negatives would be that it’s too far from family and I can’t imagine never experiencing another autumn. I’m happily willing to give the townhouse idea serious consideration. I know that Mickey would love to never weed eat and edge another yard. Remember the good old days when no one did that? My main issue with townhouses is that they all tend to be multiple stories - sometimes three floors. Wherever we retire, that’s where we’re going to die. I don’t want to be unable to navigate my own home when I’m old. Same reason I refuse to have a basement laundry, I don’t want to drag baskets of clothes up and down basement stairs when I’m a little old lady. You know damn well a cat would trip me and Mickey wouldn’t miss me until he got hungry. Of all the chores I’d be willing to expire while doing, laundry is not in the top three. We’re not lottery winners so our options are limited. When we sell this house we’ll make a tasty profit that will allow us to find a comfortable home - nothing fancy, but we won’t be in a box under bridge. I can make any home pretty, but the bones have to be good. I’m more concerned with structure and mechanics. Who needs a beautiful house with a bad roof or an hvac system on its last leg? The region definitely determines what you get for your money. For the same price you can have this sort of square footage in the south (complete with inground pool)...

or you can opt for proximity to Portland, Maine and get this.

The second house is new construction, but it’s itty bitty, has well water and septic, and is missing the all-important garage that we’d need up north. This is a struggle, people. We just want a nice little house in a nice little town, hopefully one that will meet our needs as we get older. Other items on our wish list? Small town living with easy access to a larger city and a decent international airport. Part of my hunt includes exploring each town’s library website (a vibrant, busy library says a lot about a place) as well as their Facebook page. Looking past the mouthy keyboard warriors that lurk on every page, you can still get a good idea of the town’s vibe. Let’s see - fair property taxes, decent cost of living, small town feel, good airport, seasons...sounds like we should stay put and just endure long, sticky summers, right? Ugh, no. Our reasons for wanting to relocate are so much more than just the summers. Soooo, months and months of searching keep leading me to one state that ticks all of our boxes and then some. Minnesota. A myriad of cute towns surround Minneapolis and St. Paul, all with easy access to the fabulous airport. I’m crazy about New Ulm (I love a town with lots of festivals) and I wouldn’t be heartbroken to live in Mankato, Owatonna, or a number of others. Real estate is affordable, taxes are fair (and are used wisely!), all four seasons are present and accounted for, and quality of life seems really good - from healthcare to education to crime, they seem to have a handle on it.

and you knew there was a but, right? We could happily move there knowing that we’d be close to at least one of our kids. Matt lives in Minneapolis and the thought of having him nearby warms my heart. But he’s weighing the pros and cons of an opportunity that would take him to the east coast and more likely to far flung parts of the world. It’s quite possible that he’d be gone in a flash and we’d be in Minnesota, once again far from family. Right now we’re a day’s drive from everyone except Matt. Truly, we could do it in a day but it would be a miserable thirteen to fourteen hours. I have scoured Maryland and settled on a little place called Ocean Pines. It’s okay, a bit further than I’d like to be from airports, etc - it’s between two to two and a half hours to Baltimore, D.C. or Philadelphia’s. That also means it’s just two hours from my favorite little girl. That would be HEAVEN. But who retires to one of the most expensive states to live in? Would it make our golden years miserable? Who wants to pinch pennies when you should be enjoying life? HELP!! Where is home? I left Alaska more than twenty years ago, the mister was a Florida boy - we don’t want to live in either place. I love the prairie, he loves the mountains. At one point we were looking at real estate on Prince Edward Island (affordable and gorgeous!) but Canada doesn’t want us. Seriously, we filled out the online immigration form. We wouldn’t be able to live there year round and I can’t imagine having to go squat across the border for a couple of months every year once we’re old and rickety. There are pros and cons to every place we’ve looked. No spot is perfect and we have to decide what we can and can’t live without. If someone could just plop this house down next to my grandbaby I’ll shut up about this forever.

Imagine that house surrounded by hydrangeas in the summer. I don’t think that’s too much to ask - just a little pink house near some people I love. Some snow would be nice now and then. What a lovely dream. This boring blog post has been brought to you courtesy of my latest level of boredom. It was either this or go dust the bedrooms, so you had to pay the price for my laziness. My plan for this evening is to watch the Golden Globes and through that maybe find something interesting to watch. We’re approaching the first anniversary of when we locked down here on the Pullen spread and we’ve run out of shows to binge. Remember how naïve we all were when we thought we’d watch Tiger King and then lockdown would be over? At least we’re headed in the right direction now. That’s something. I’m thrilled that my mother is fully vaccinated and so is Dr. Matt. A handful of my dear friends are also protected now. I’ve lost some friends to this horrible virus, including the husband of a dear Rat Patrol member. Our little group now includes a widow for the first time. There’s been so much heartbreak over the last year. I’m ready for it to stop. Okay - what a crazy, rambling post. I think I’ll go dust. It’s probably more productive. If you’re still here, you deserve a cookie. Treat yourself! If you happen to know of the perfect town (I really just want to live in Stars Hollow) send me a message! I’ll put my dust rag down and check it out! Sending out lots of love on this drippy Saturday. Stay safe, stay well, stay sane. XOXO - Nancy

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quailridgeacton · 3 years

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uncleyarn2-blog · 5 years

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Ask Sam Mailbag: 12.28.18

I appreciated the comments on the defense. I thought the two things that made the game winnable against Orlando and Cleveland were Lauri's shooting and the team defense. It has happened a few times this year that this Bulls team played defense with the tenacity of a Thibs team, or the VanLier/Sloan/Love teams of yesteryear, and this was one of those times. It made the game fun to watch, and Lauri's shooting gave it a happy ending.

Kirk Landers

Sam: It's like buying a car. Sometimes you see a fancy model that looks impressive and then you take it for a test drive and it's not quite what you believed. That's often the way it is with sports in Chicago. It's like when the Bears hired Marc Trestman, the offensive guru. And things looked good for awhile and it made sense with the rules changes to open up the game. But that style doesn't fit everyone, and it doesn't fit Chicago. You know Monsters of the Midway and all that stuff. Our football onomatopoeia, Butkus and Ditka, names that sound like a tackle. And so it was for the Bulls as well. The NBA changed the rules to open up the game, increase scoring, limit interior contact, and the Bulls went along with the trend, reasonably enough since it seemed to be working well for the Golden State Warriors, and the Bulls hired Fred Hoiberg. But you could sense the ambivalence as the team drafted defensive oriented players like Bobby Portis, featured Jimmy Butler, drafted again a defensive player in Chandler Hutchison. Defense is in the team's DNA, in the city's DNA. So the Bulls gave the fancy fast sports car offense a whirl and it just didn't feel right. So they're going back to the pickup truck. It helps occasionally to have a Ferrari in the mix like Jordan or Rose, but the Bulls spear to be going back to the foundation with which they are comfortable to rebuild.

Well, Dunn has started to look like the guy we all thought and hoped he might be, finding his shot at the top of the key, getting good assist numbers and rebounds and low turnovers. Markkanen is a lock for All-Star maybe even next year. LaVine is going to average 20 ppg and Carter will be a nice 12 and 10 guy once he gets these fouls under control. It seems to me we need a SF and hopefully one of the 3 Duke guys to round out the starting rotation for the next few years and there isn't really a close second in need. Maybe risk a Bol Bol pick if he is there at 7 or so if this winning continues and we finish similar to last year.

Jack Donnelly

Sam: I guess just start printing the playoff tickets? I don't much follow the college draft yet other than late at night if I can't sleep I watch college basketball to see the repeat patterns and quickly fall asleep. Like everyone, I have seen the Duke players in their Hall of Fame enshrinement blazers, and they seem like they will not need to start in the G-league. Small forward is the obvious crater for the Bulls. Oh, right Jabari Parker? Never mind. Anyway, the way things are going the Bulls likely will have a high selection in this draft in which the teams with the five poorest records have similar odds for the top picks. The Bulls likely will explore free agency as well and I'm convinced they'll be able to add a good player not named Durant or Leonard. But more rests with Dunn. He is starting to put up impressive lines with a near triple double the last three or four games. He's still got plenty to learn as a point guard in quickly identifying mismatches, making quicker decisions and finding a longer shot. But he's done some terrific things and probably has the most reliable mid range shot on the team. With his long arms and movement, his pace looks a bit languid at times. The test comes now as he finally gets to play with LaVine and Markkanen, and has to make them better while not taking a step back of his own.

Dunn reminded everyone how effective & useful a mid-range game can be. His game has a distinctive 90's feel to it, but it would be masterful in any era. Fun and satisfying to watch. He's a better distributor than LaVine because he's a different player. Archidiacono is the most natural distributor on the roster right now. A locked-in Dunn presents the other side-problems all over the place. I need to see him do this for 40 games before I'm a believer though; fight through slumps and countermeasures. Love Harrison.��Wish he could shoot. He reminds me of a younger, more athletic Keith Bogans.

Pete Zievers

Sam: I was able to make a Keith Bogans reference with Thibs before the Minnesota game when Thibs talked about that fun 2010-11 team. Two Bogans references in a week is always a good week. There is something to be said for that mid range game, and I'm actually glad to see that Dunn isn't forcing threes like so many players do. And shooting a layup when he's open rather than throwing out for a three. Can you believe how often they do that! I always remember the baseball third base coach yelling to the 5-4 second baseman swinging for the home run every time: “Remember who you are!” Dunn has done a good job of that. I would like to see him play with more pace, though that's not the style of the team for now. Again, the test should be coming with athletes like LaVine and Markkanen. The Bulls can get more of those easy scores with them; will they try?

In the short time I've seen LaVine and Dunn together on the court (which is minimal). I don't believe they can co-exist. LaVine is extremely high usage with a ton of questionable decision making and atrocious defense. On the other hand Dunn has high usage, but he's a lock down defender and shows when LaVine is not on the court he can be that go to guy and a great compliment to Markennen. If I had to choose one I would choose Dunn. Its not saying to trade LaVine, but I wouldn't be crying if Paxson decided to make a move to get players that were better fits with Markennen. Markennen seems to struggle more with LaVine as Zach holds the ball so much and either takes a contested shot or someone like Holiday or Markennen gets the ball with minimal time left and needs to rush the shot. I think there's been better ball movement since LaVine's been hurt and Parker has been bench. Should the bulls look towards more of Korver, Reddick type shooter to pair with Dunn long term. I like Hutchinson's potential as a future starting Small Forward. Someone like Cam Reddish would be a great fit opposite Dunn.

Rocky Rosado

Sam: Well, that was a quick look. Can we give them two starts together? I guess you can call me naive, but I still believe it's good to have more talent. Plus, I'm not sure fit is the priority when you're at the bottom of the conference. It's still, to me, about stacking talent and determining how it does. I don't see why the three of them can't work because they seem to get along and they don't appear to have personal agenda. Yes, LaVine likes to have the ball as a scorer, but you do need players who can make tough shots. He has shown he'll pass the ball. Which actually has been a problem because he often passes it to the other team. He'll get better at that playing with the same players in an actual rotation, which hasn't happened often. Markkanen has shown he can spot up and shoot when needed. He needs to regain some of that summer muscle he lost out two months with his injury. Plus, you don't have to post just a big man. Dunn and LaVine can post. Markkanen can grow into it. But you also need an inverted offense with Carter shooting. Thus far he's been too hesitant, but he's got a good stroke and I'm confident will be a good three-point shooter. They all need to get stronger and tougher, but so do most 22 and 23 year olds.

That 6-shot game may be the best thing that's happened to Lauri. It pissed everybody off (and rightly so) to the point where they forced the ball to him... and he showed them what he can do, twice. His 3-pt. range is murder, but I love those driving dunks. Remember when we realized he was better than we'd thought?Well, now he's better than we thought then. It's between Markkanen & Tatum for best of the 2017 draft, and we may not be sure which one for a few years.

Art Alenik

Sam: So let's take a look at that draft lottery again: Fultz, Ball, Tatum, Jackson, Fox, Isaac, Markkanen, Ntilikina, Smith Jr., Collins, Monk, Kennard, Mitchell, Adebayo. If you redid that draft today, you'd probably have Tatum first and Markkanen maybe second. Last season, the buzz was for Donovan Mitchell. But he's become more a volume shooter with a more limited game. Sure, still a great pick at No. 13, but maybe three or four. I always liked Fox, who is emerging as a top point guard. And that's probably the game's most important position these days. Maybe he could be two. But with Markkanen's height and versatility and growth possibilities, it's certainly reasonable to list him second and no worse than third or fourth. I know it's not a popular sentiment around Chicago these days with the redevelopment of the Bulls, and I'm sure many will suggest this merely is the web site defending its own, but they never ask me to do that, and for that I am appreciative. But this is a Bulls building project mostly through the draft, and it's a management that's done very well with low first round selections like Jimmy Butler and Bobby Portis and five-to-10 selections, which are not your no brainers, of Markkanen and Carter Jr. If you're building mostly in the draft, why would you want to have someone else making those picks?

Do you agree with Charles Barkley that Jokic should be a front runner or in the MVP conversation if Denver ends up #1

Gorav Raheja

Sam: Do you? Really? Charles is very entertaining and as good an ambassador for the NBA as you can have. Perhaps no one I've even known in the NBA is more approachable and personable. If they didn't name teddy bears for Teddy Roosevelt, they might be called Barkleys. But not a whole lot of the TV famous people who talk about the NBA on TNT and ESPN watch that much basketball. They played a lot, certainly. But being good at something doesn't mean you know how it works. I'm a heck of a driver of cars, but don't ask me to find the difference between the spark plug and the tire jack. I know it's popular to put former players on TV as analysts, though the reason most played was because of their fabulous skill. Not their fabulous analytical powers. It's a great talking point because the Nuggets have done well, but I see them more as a nice ensemble team with various contributors and he's one. I don't see Jokic in the top 20 in the league. Put it this way, I probably could name 20 players I'd rather have on my team. Just look at big men: You'd certainly want Embiid and Anthony Davis. I'd prefer Karl-Anthony Towns and most would have taken Cousins before his injury. He should come back. Harden, Westbrook, Curry, Durant, Antetokounmpo, LeBron, Kawki, Kyrie, Paul George. That's about a dozen and I can keep going. I'd probably take Klay Thompson, LaMarcus Aldridge; heck, I'd take rookie Ayton because I think he's going to be much better. Maybe even Jimmy Butler and Bradley Beal. There's no shame being say the 20th best, but, really, a league MVP? Not quite. He's good, but still a but slow for my taste.

You think benching Jabari Parker per game guarantees a victory? Okay, so we beat the Cavs by 20, that doesn't mean we're going to do that to every team, Jabari Parker was listed as available/Chandler becomes the backup Power Forward? So what happens if we play a much harder team than the Cavs/Chandler gets injured? What, we end up playing an even shorter guy? If Boylen isn't going to play Parker, he ought to get him traded. I like Jabari/don't like the fact he's not good at blocking/tends to hog the ball at times too, but this not allowing him to play when he's available is starting to bug me.

Kieron Smith

Sam: It's a conundrum wrapped in an enigma wrapped in.…, oh, forget it. The way the NBA works is the coach makes up the lineup. Management provides the players and the coach decides how to use them. The Bulls just changed coaches, so they have to allow Boylen ride it out like he wants. I understand his point that he's building a defensive-oriented team and needs those players, and those players need to see that if you aren't committed to defense, you're not going to be in the rotation; accountability and all that. I've been no fan of Parker, but he is a professional scorer and a physical player. He is coming off a second ACL injury and did play serious offense. I would like to see him get another chance given the paucity of scoring options, especially with the second unit with LaVine back to starting and Portis still out. But no one but a few readers is seeking my opinion on this.

What a great Christmas story! Everyone thought the Derrick Rose trade was a good one for the Bulls. No one ever imagined he would ever get close to his MVP level of play again. As a Bull, everyone thought he would be playing on Christmas Day for years to come. Now relegated to playing on Boxing Day, he comes out with a vintage prime time performance, carrying his new team and making me think he can still lead a team to a championship someday. Gotta love sports!

Guy Danilowitz

Sam: Yes, sports. That's been a wonderful story. You could probably make a great holiday movie about what life would have been like if he never were…Oh right, they did that. What we all should feel is good for Rose instead of what if. Like you said, no one saw this coming, and every team had a chance to bring him in after he was released by the Knicks and then Jazz (via The Land). It was the right deal for the Bulls at the time, and probably even more so with what Rose went through with injuries and absences in New York and Cleveland. We know Chicago never would have put up with that. So you have it right. It's just a wonderful life.

As a huge Derrick Rose fan, watching his highlights of his 50-point game literally brought tears to my eyes. The fact that he put up one of the biggest games of his career after everything he's been through is nothing short of amazing. The way he's passing, shooting, driving, and finishing without dunking, he looks fresher than he has in years. If he can continue to play at a high level for however many years he can still play do you see him being able to reach the hall of fame?

Trevor Bode

Sam: There was a debate in Chicago after Rose's terrific game against the Bulls this week about whether the Bulls should retire his number. That's debatable, though he certainly had a greater impact on the team and the game than Bob Love. The Bulls are sparing with jersey number retirements, but Rose if he gets through another year or two, or maybe even if he doesn't, should be in the Basketball Hall of Fame. I know it's popular with Rose's injuries and issues to say he'll be the only MVP not to make the Hall of Fame. But you can make the case he already is more accomplished than Bob McAdoo who won titles coming off the bench and, after all, what did Steve Nash ever win, and we know he'll be going in. First to the dismay of NBA enthusiasts, the Hall of Fame is about all basketball. Rose was a multiple state champion as a prep player and went to the final game of the NCAA tournament. So he succeeded at all levels. His career reminds me of that of Hall of Famer Bernard King, who was an elite scorer (never with great teams) who suffered an ACL tear and sat out two years and then came back and eventually made an All-Star team. Rose might the way he is playing, but he also could be in the running for Sixth Man or even Most Improved. Coming back to this level with multiple All-Star games, Rookie of the year and MVP on his resume is the stuff of the Basketball Hall of Fame.

When I get the chance to watch the Bulls on TV, I'm usually impressed with Stacey's knowledge and insight of the game. I was wondering more along the lines of whether Stacey has been considered for a head coaching gig or if he's thought about throwing his hat?

Mark Basa

Sam: Be grateful that you can listen to Stacey on the broadcasts. He's one of the most knowledgeable on TV—especially for a former player—who isn't afraid to voice contrary opinions and have some fun with the broadcast with a wicked sense of humor. But coaching is a lot harder and more time consuming than you might think, involving exceptionally long days off watching film and working practices and schedules and endless annoying media questions. I think Stacey likes his position just fine. Though Chuck Swirsky tells me he could coach rings around Popovich.

Hypothetically you have a draft class of Lew/Kareem, Moses M., Wilt, Bill R.,Hakeem. In today's NBA what would teams do with these all time players who probably would've never been capable of jacking up three pointers? Also, can you foresee a new league formed in which there was no three point shot and big man play was reemphasized?

Chiang Mai

Sam: First of all, the big man is not extinct in the NBA. It's a cycle, but you are seeing some terrific big men come into the NBA who are becoming dominant players, like Embiid, Towns and Ayton, I believe, will be. Plus, I think you need to have one to help fend off those who have them. Which is one reason Dallas is doing well. It's not just Doncic. Getting DeAndre Jordan (and allowing him to practice free throw shooting) has made a difference. You see with the Bulls the issues Wendell Carter Jr. has with some big guys, which eventually will require some offensive changes to take advantage of his shooting ability. But don't discount what those players could do. There wasn't much reason to shoot from 25 feet then since it was also worth two points. Why it's worth three points and not a great drop step move is another issue. But Kareem was a terrific shooter who easily could have moved out to the three-point line. Wilt used to shoot a 15 foot wing bank shot because he was bored scoring so easily inside. He could easily have moved farther out. Hakeem was an excellent shooter who made most of his jumpers barely in front of the short corner three. Russell, nah, but he was the quickest, smartest, most adept big man defender ever and you'd have won a championship without him making any threes. You didn't mention Bill Walton, who once made 21 of 22 shots mostly jumpers in an NCAA title game. There are some great big men still, though none better than any of them.

Source: https://www.nba.com/bulls/news/ask-sam-mailbag-122818

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biofunmy · 5 years

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The N.B.A. Elite Are Now From Everywhere

Want more basketball in your inbox? Sign up for Marc Stein’s weekly N.B.A. newsletter here.

It was at the 2018 All-Star Game in Los Angeles that I asked Steve Nash, one of the foremost imports in N.B.A. history, if the league would ever be ready — really ready — for a Rest of the World vs. United States format for its annual midseason showcase.

“We’re getting there,” Nash said then.

Nash suggested that perhaps 2022 would be “the time to try it,” as a 30th anniversary tribute to the original Dream Team that wowed the world at the Barcelona Olympics.

That forecast is looking smarter every day.

Understandably somewhat lost last week amid the very sad news of the former N.B.A. commissioner David Stern’s death was the bulletin from the league office detailing the first batch of returns from fan balloting for next month’s All-Star Game in Chicago.

The leading vote-getter in the Eastern Conference: Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo from Greece.

The leading vote-getter in the West: Dallas’s Luka Doncic of Slovenia.

Fan voting will always generate outrage for one reason or another. Boston’s little-used Tacko Fall, who placed sixth among East frontcourt candidates, and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Alex Caruso, who landed at No. 8 among West guards, were the primary causes for complaints from the opening round of polling. Yet you scarcely heard a quibble about the fact that LeBron James trailed both Giannis and Luka even though he has joined Anthony Davis in powering the Lakers to a 29-7 start.

Antetokounmpo is the league’s reigning Most Valuable Player Award winner and is playing at an even higher level this season. Doncic has yet to appear in an N.B.A. playoff game, but he has established himself as a consensus top-10 player by averaging a ridiculous 29.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 8.9 assists in his sophomore season — leading the upstart Mavericks to a surprising 23-13 record in the process.

Unlike Nash’s era, when the N.B.A. certainly featured numerous successful international players but only a few who were considered truly elite, there are several at that level besides Giannis and Luka.

The Cameroonian duo of Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid and Toronto’s Pascal Siakam have their own gaudy stat lines that make them All-Star locks.

Denver’s Nikola Jokic (Serbia), despite some slippage in his numbers from last season, remains the unquestioned fulcrum for the team with the second-best record in the West.

Utah’s Rudy Gobert (France) is not assured of making his All-Star breakthrough next month because a defense-first reputation like his historically doesn’t help much in All-Star campaigning. But Gobert has made such an all-around impact for the Jazz that you can find his name on Basketball Reference’s M.V.P. tracker at a solid No. 10.

Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns, who was born in New Jersey but represents the Dominican Republic internationally, played in the past two All-Star Games and would be a cinch for a third appearance if not for a recent knee injury — and the Timberwolves’ slump to a 14-21 record from a 10-8 start.

Throw in top All-Star contenders such as Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons (Australia) and Indiana’s Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania) — as well as All-Stars of recent vintage such as Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic (Montenegro), Philadelphia’s Al Horford (Dominican Republic), Toronto’s Marc Gasol (Spain), Miami’s Goran Dragic (Slovenia) and Dallas’s Kristaps Porzingis (Latvia) — and the point becomes clear.

There may not quite be 12 internationals playing at an indisputable All-Star level as we speak, but it’s increasingly fair to ask, as Nash predicted, if we’re all that far away.

Porzingis, after all, is working his way back to an All-Star standard after a lengthy injury layoff. Two of Nash’s young fellow Canadians — Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver’s Jamal Murray — have also flashed All-Star potential. Recent top-five lottery picks include Phoenix’s Deandre Ayton (Bahamas) and the Knicks’ R.J. Barrett (Canada).

The way things are going, as we dribble into a new decade, it looks as though mathematical fairness is the only deterrent to N.B.A. Commissioner Adam Silver’s trying out a United States/World format.

There were 108 foreign-born players on opening-night rosters this season, meaning there were more than 300 American-born players. It simply wouldn’t be equitable for two groups of such disparate size to battle for 12 All-Star spots each.

But I also don’t believe that the league is married to its two-year-old system in which the two leading vote-getters, as captains, pick their respective squads without regard to conference. For all the anticipation and chatter that the made-for-television selection show generates, momentum from the first game played using this format in L.A. in 2018, after years of waning interest, did not carry over to the 2019 edition in Charlotte.

Don’t forget that Silver, when he initially proposed the introduction of an in-season tournament starting with the 2020-21 season, was looking at the final four of that competition as a potential replacement for the All-Star Game entirely. The league ultimately backed off that proposal when teams and the players’ union voiced resistance to an in-season tournament that would fall any later on the league’s calendar than December, but Silver’s original thinking suggests that the N.B.A. remains concerned about how flat All-Star Games tend to feel.

At the M.I.T. Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston in March, remember, Silver himself said the 2019 All-Star Game “didn’t work” and admitted that the most recent changes were akin to putting “an earring on a pig.”

Maybe the starry imports who have succeeded Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker and all the international stars from the last decade will never get their chance to engage the Americans in an All-Star duel. Maybe restricting that format to the Rising Stars Game featuring first- and second-year players, as the N.B.A. has done for the past five seasons, is the right call.

Yet the mere fact that the debate only gets stronger may be as fitting a tribute as we can muster for Stern — since taking the N.B.A. global before any other North American sport, and to a much greater degree, is such a huge slice of his legacy.

The Scoop @TheSteinLine

This newsletter is OUR newsletter. So please weigh in with what you’d like to see here. To get your hoops-loving friends and family involved, please forward this email to them so they can jump in the conversation. If you’re not a subscriber, you can sign up here.

You ask; I answer. Every week in this space, I’ll field three questions posed via email at [email protected]. (Please include your first and last name, as well as the city you’re writing in from, and make sure “Corner Three” is in the subject line.)

Q: Where would you rank David Stern as a commissioner compared to those in other sports like Pete Rozelle in the N.F.L., Bowie Kuhn or Fay Vincent in baseball, etc.? — Bob Purcell (San Diego)

Stein: I covered a smattering of all the major North American men’s team sports in my youth, but I have been covering the N.B.A. almost exclusively since February 1994. So it’s not really fair for me to answer this one.

I would naturally put Stern ahead of all his competitors because I know so much more about his work. Most of my older peers always say that mythical top spot has to go to either Stern or Rozelle. But as our own Harvey Araton sagely noted when I asked him, Stern’s edge may well be that on his watch the N.B.A. achieved relevance on social, cultural and international fronts that the N.F.L. — for all its advantages in TV prominence and in-stadium attendance — can’t match.

What I can say with greater confidence is that I will always wish Stern, upon ceding his office to Adam Silver in February 2014, would have spent a few years trying to bring order to a sport he loved almost as much as I do: tennis.

Tennis has always suffered greatly from the lack of a commissioner who could exert authority over the sport’s many (too many, really) competing factions. But Stern’s focus, for pretty much his entire adult life, was the N.B.A. and growing/enhancing/protecting his league. So I am forced to concede that it probably would have been hard for him to muster anywhere near the same passion for another sport in a working capacity.

Q: I have to agree with the recent comment here that the Raptors are mostly ignored by the American sports media. Maybe you are an exception, but why aren’t more people writing about the Chris Boucher story alone? — Kent Goodwin (Stowe, Vt.)

Stein: I think we’ve reached the point in this discussion where nothing I say is going to persuade the skeptics. But I think I will be vindicated when Coach of the Year Award voting results are released in June.

The Raptors awoke on Tuesday on a 54-win pace. If they maintain that level for the rest of the regular season, given the ridiculous string of injuries they’ve faced along the way, Nick Nurse will have a real shot at winning the C.O.Y. prize — and thus prove how closely the Raptors are being monitored south of the border in the post-Kawhi Leonard era.

It was suggested to me last week by a trusted insider that the Raptors just might surprise us again before the Feb. 6 trade deadline and emerge as buyers to fortify themselves for another playoff run. The widespread assumption coming into the season held that Toronto would trade the veteran likes of Kyle Lowry, Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka to prepare for a reset in the summer of 2021 built around the free-agency pursuit of Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo. (I predicted as much myself.)

The safe bet remains that Masai Ujiri, Toronto’s president of basketball operations, will avoid any deals that affect the Raptors’ cap space in 2021. But the Raptors will be a huge source of curiosity over the next month — thanks in part to the unexpected contributions from the likes of Boucher, Terence Davis, Matt Thomas, Oshae Brissett and O.G. Anunoby — whether or not they’re generating reams of coverage.

Q: How convenient for you. Now you get to expand your hate for Houston beyond basketball. — @venramamurthy from Twitter

Stein: This tweet came in response to my social media cheering for the Buffalo Bills as a proud former Western New Yorker — which lasted until the Bills unraveled in Saturday’s A.F.C. wild-card loss to the Houston Texans to extend their drought without a playoff win to 1995.

The supposition from Venkat is that rooting against the Texans was a natural for me because I “hate” his Rockets.

We’re still not past this stuff in 2020, friends?

My only issues with Houston, here in the real world, are the traffic, how hard it is to get to Cafe Adel for some wonderful Bosnian food in that traffic when staying downtown and the oppressive weather from June to September (my quarrel with every city in Texas — including the one I live in).

Happy New Year!

Numbers Game

$2,615,000

In 20 years as the team owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban has accrued more than $2.6 million in publicly announced fines from the N.B.A., according to this ledger maintained by the longtime Mavericks historian Patricia Bender. Not all fines issued by the league office are made public.

The N.B.A.’s two Florida teams sport quite the contrast with their records in overtime games so far this season: Miami is 6-0, and Orlando is 0-0.

16-19

The Pacers finished three games under .500 last season after losing Victor Oladipo to a ruptured quadriceps muscle in his right leg and were swept by Boston in a first-round playoff series. After acquiring Malcolm Brogdon in an off-season sign-and-trade with Milwaukee, Indiana is on a 51-win pace this season without Oladipo but still doesn’t know when he will return.

3-2

The potential downside of the Los Angeles Clippers’ well-chronicled “load management” strategy with Kawhi Leonard is that they may have to settle for a playoff seed that forces them to play the Lakers sooner than the conference finals. Thanks to an underwhelming 3-2 mark since their impressive Christmas Day defeat of the Lakers, Kawhi and Co. awoke on Tuesday as the West’s No. 4 team — which has the Clippers on course for a second-round playoff encounter with their Staples Center cotenants.

The Lakers’ 20 blocked shots in a home win on Sunday over Detroit were a rarity. According to Basketball Reference, no N.B.A. team had recorded at least 20 blocked shots in a game since it happened twice in 2001: Toronto with 23 against Atlanta in March 2001 and the Raptors with 20 against Golden State in November 2001.

Hit me up anytime on Twitter (@TheSteinLine) or Facebook (@MarcSteinNBA) or Instagram (@marcsteinnba). Send any other feedback to [email protected].

Sahred From Source link Sports

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woolenjumbo5-blog · 5 years

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Ask Sam Mailbag: 12.28.18

Kirk Landers

Jack Donnelly

Dunn reminded everyone how effective & useful a mid-range game can be. His game has a distinctive 90's feel to it, but it would be masterful in any era. Fun and satisfying to watch. He's a better distributor than LaVine because he's a different player. Archidiacono is the most natural distributor on the roster right now. A locked-in Dunn presents the other side-problems all over the place. I need to see him do this for 40 games before I'm a believer though; fight through slumps and countermeasures. Love Harrison. Wish he could shoot. He reminds me of a younger, more athletic Keith Bogans.

Pete Zievers

Rocky Rosado

Art Alenik

Do you agree with Charles Barkley that Jokic should be a front runner or in the MVP conversation if Denver ends up #1

Gorav Raheja

Kieron Smith

Guy Danilowitz

Trevor Bode

Mark Basa

Chiang Mai

Source: https://www.nba.com/bulls/news/ask-sam-mailbag-122818

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thrashermaxey · 6 years

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Weekend power rankings: Counting down my worst rankings of the season (so far)

We’re getting into that time of year when power rankings start to lock in from week-to-week. A team might still occasionally have an especially good or bad week and move a spot or two, and every now and then a dark horse will make a surprise charge down the homestretch. But generally, once we get past the trade deadline and close in on the 70-game mark, there really isn’t much reason to make big changes to what we have. Spoiler alert: The Lightning are in first place again this week.

Before we can start looking at our Stanley Cup and draft lottery hopefuls, let’s take a look back with a different kind of top five: My five worst rankings from this season.

I’ll pause here so you can all make your “How did you narrow it down?” jokes.

It’s true that in one sense, we’ve got plenty of candidates to choose from. In all, there have been 15 teams that have made at least one appearance in the top five, and 13 that have made an appearance in the bottom (including one team that showed up in both). That’s a lot, more than in any previous season I’ve been doing this. It’s been a volatile season. Or maybe some of the picks have just been bad.

To be honest, I don’t think anything stands out as an embarrassingly awful call; it’s not like there was some week that had Tampa in the bottom five or the Kings as a Cup contender. But that’s a low bar and let’s just say that some of those picks hold up better than others. Today we’re going to take our medicine and own up to five of the worst:

5. Arizona Coyotes ranked No. 1 in the bottom five (Oct. 5) – The Coyotes might end up making the playoffs and at one point I thought they were the odds-on favorite to finish dead last. That’s not a great look, although in this case, it comes with a pretty decent excuse: The season was just a few days old. We even called that week’s rankings the “way-too-early edition.” The Coyotes had started 0-2-0 so they were probably as good a pick as anyone; within a few weeks they’d made their exit from the bottom five to great fanfare, never to return. But for one week at least, I thought they’d be worse than the Senators, Red Wings or Kings. They were not.

4. Colorado Avalanche ranked No. 4 in the top five (Dec. 3) – “I’ve never fully bought into the Avalanche. I still don’t, if I’m being honest.” Good for you, past me, but you still let a hot streak mislead you into ranking them as the fourth-best team in the league. This one only lasted a week, but it doesn’t hold up well and unlike with the Coyotes, I can’t claim the “it was early” excuse.

3. Buffalo Sabres ranked No. 5 in the top five (Nov. 26) – Of all the teams to crack the top five this year, none will finish lower than the Sabres in the final standings. In that sense, no call was more wrong than this one.

If that’s the case, why not rank it higher? For one thing, the Sabres only showed up in the top five once, at the tail end of that ten-game winning streak. That stretch had briefly elevated Buffalo to first place overall, and yet I only had them fifth that week. More importantly, my writeup was packed with caveats, like that their top-five case “is far from iron-clad” and that this is “probably the only chance to slide them into the top five” and “Will it last? Maybe not.” Reading it all these months later, I half-expected to go back and see that the first letter of every line spelled out “I don’t actually believe this ranking.” But I still made it, so I’ll own it. (But do check out the comments that week from furious Sabres fans who insist I’m short-changing them by ranking them below the Lightning.)

2. St. Louis Blues ranked in the bottom five (five weeks total, as late as Dec. 10) – I have to include this one, especially since it lasted over a month. But the funny thing was that at the time, nobody thought I was wrong. If anything, it became a running joke that Blues fans were mad that I was going easy on them (they dipped as low as No. 3 for a few weeks). As I wrote on Dec. 10, “something big has to be coming in St. Louis.” I was right, just not in the way I thought I was.

1. Minnesota Wild in the top five (for three straight weeks beginning on Nov. 12) – The Wild aren’t as bad as the Sabres and might finish ahead of the Avalanche too. But what stands out here is how long I had them listed – three weeks in all, with them drifting as high as third after a big win over the Jets. And I can’t even fall back on hedging my bets when I wrote about them, because I was saying things like “Yeah, it’s probably time to start taking them seriously” and “Honestly, (fifth spot) is probably too low for the Wild.”

They were playing well at the time, going 10-2-0 at one point, but it was a stretch powered largely by red-hot goaltending from Devan Dubnyk. He eventually cooled down and then got hurt to start an extended cold streak. I couldn’t have seen an injury coming, but I was too eager to buy into the Wild as a legitimate Central favorite instead of what they were: a decent team that can sometimes look like more than that when the goalie is hot and they’re getting some breaks.

OK, I feel better. Now onto this week’s ratings, which I assure you are all 100 percent accurate. (Unless they’re not, in which case, uh, it was still too early.)

Road to the Cup

The five teams that look like they’re headed towards a summer of keg stands and fountain pool parties.

One big story to watch in the final month: The Colorado Avalanche are going to have to make their playoff push without Gabriel Landeskog, who’s out four-to-six weeks with an upper-body injury. That timeline means he could be back early in the playoffs and there’s a slight chance he could return before the end of the season. But as Ryan Clark wonders, by that point will it still matter?

5. Washington Capitals (41-21-7, +22 true goals differential*) – Screw it, I’m back on board.

The Capitals showed up in our very first top five, then vanished for two months before reappearing in December. They hung around for five weeks, reaching as high as the two-spot on New Year’s Eve even as I wrote that the ranking “seems a little high.” Now, after two weeks of winning pushed them back into top spot in the Metro, they seem like as good a pick as any out of a crowded top-five field.

Or maybe not. You might prefer the Jets, who have a decent case even though they lost in Washington last night. But the Jets look to have a tougher road out of the Central than what the Caps will have in the Metro and that matters too. For the same reason, I can’t talk myself into Nashville. The post-Stone trade Golden Knights? They’ve looked great at times, but the top of the Pacific is very tough and they’re locked into third. The Islanders are still at least in the mix, but I’d rather know more about the Robin Lehner injury before I get them back near the top five. And the Leafs somehow haven’t shown up here in eight weeks even as they’re tied for second in the league in wins.

It’s a tough call. But this is about who’s going to win the Cup, and when in doubt, deferring to the defending champs doesn’t seem like a bad way to break the tie. For this week, at least.

4. Boston Bruins (42-18-9, +35) – Figuring out where to rank the Bruins is really getting interesting. On the one hand, you could make a very strong case that they’re the second-best team in the NHL. Last night’s loss aside, I’m not even sure you’d get much pushback from anyone. That means they should be ranked second, right?

But this isn’t a “best teams” list. It’s “most likely to win the Cup,” and that means that having the best team in the league in your division is bad news. Without going into the whole playoff format debate again, the Bruins’ path out of the Atlantic is brutal, and unlike the next two teams on the list, there’s no hope of improving it down the stretch.

>> Read the full post at The Athletic

(Want to read this post on The Athletic for free? Sign up for a free seven-day trial.)

from All About Sports http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DownGoesBrown/~3/3pRg6MRLRag/weekend-power-rankings-counting-down-my.html

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junker-town · 4 years

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Western Illinois, Year 21, 2027-2028

The Western Illinois Leathernecks try to defend their latest national championship in our College Hoops 2K8 sim dynasty.

Welcome back to our simulated dynasty with the Western Illinois Leathernecks in College Hoops 2K8. You can find a full explanation of this project + spoiler-free links to previous seasons here. Check out the introduction to this series from early April for full context. As a reminder, we simulate every game in this series and only control the recruiting and coaching strategies.

Before we start Year 21 of Coach Rick’s tenure at Western Illinois, here’s a recap of everything that has happened so far last season:

Western Illinois entered the season seeking redemption after losing to Cal in the first round of the NCAA tournament the previous year. We struggled against a difficult non-conference schedule before sweeping the Summit League and again capturing the conference tournament championship. We entered the NCAA tournament at 24-6 overall.

We earned a No. 12 seed in the NCAA tournament. We defeated No. 5 seed Minnesota, 89-72, in the first round. We beat No. 4 seed Ole Miss, 116-85, in the round of 32 as senior wing Wilky Henry set a program record with 46 points. We defeated No. 1 seed Dayton, 109-82, in the Sweet 16, and then we beat No. 2 seed Indiana in the Elite Eight, 105-69. You can read a full recap of our road to the Final Four here.

We defeated No. 2 seed Pepperdine, 93-70, in the Final Four. We then beat No. 5 seed Villanova, 97-67, to win the national championship. Read a full recap of our Final Four performance + the offseason here.

We recruited for one scholarship and landed five-star JUCO shooting guard Edwin Wolfe after the season.

It’s our third national championship since I arrived at Western Illinois. Hang the damn banner!

Absolutely historic, hilariously dominant run for our ‘Necks, winning by an average of 27.3 points per game during our six-game sweep of the tournament. Did I mention that we were a No. 12 seed? We’re the lowest-seeded team ever to win the national championship — breaking our own record as a No. 10 seed in 2015 — and we did it with easily the largest margin of victory for any national champion ever.

When I took over at Western Illinois as a fresh 25-year-old head coach, I knew the school (read: the game) had a mandatory retirement policy after 40 years. We have now crossed the halfway point of the dynasty. A few numbers to contextualize our accomplishments here so far:

Overall record: 531-126

Summit League regular season championships: 18

Summit League tournament championships: 15

NCAA tournament appearances: 17

Sweet 16 appearances: 8

Final Four appearances: 4

NCAA tournament record: 36-14

And three ‘ships. The goal is turn the worst college basketball program ever into the best college basketball program ever. We’re coming for you, Coach K.

The best news? We return four starters from last season. While our stud small forward Wilky Henry is off to the NBA, everyone else is coming back, including iconic power forward Allan Cunningham. In the previous two times we won a national championship, we lost in the first round the very next year. We can’t let that happen again this season.

We’re running it back.

Here’s a first look at our roster heading into Year 21.

Back-to-back national championships is one thing we yet to accomplish during our time at Western Illinois. We want national title No. 4 and we have the team to do it.

Let’s meet the starters. If you click the link on their name it will reveal their full attributes.

PG Tron Whaley, redshirt senior, 90 overall: Whaley is everything we want out of a point guard. He has great size at 6’4, he’s the team’s best three-point shooter with an 87 rating from behind the arc, and he’s been less turnover prone than some of our lead guards in the past. He also has a sick name. Tron famously scored 21 points in the first half of our Sweet 16 win over No. 1 Dayton last season before leading us to a national title. He already feels like a top-three point guard in program history, but another title could have him going down as the best to ever play the position for the ‘Necks. Former No. 128 overall recruit with C+ potential.

SG Mathew Alloway, redshirt sophomore, 87 overall: Alloway was a rare freshman starter for the Leathernecks last season and provided a steady scoring presence on the perimeter. He’s grown an inch to 6’7 over the offseason and projects as a burgeoning two-way force at shooting guard. Alloway has improved to an 81 rating in three-point shooting with promising defensive playmaking ability. He still needs to work on his awareness at both ends. The former Mr. Basketball out of Minnesota was once the No. 31 overall recruit and has B- potential.

SF Wilbur Ager, redshirt junior, 91 overall: Ager is our only new starter, and he has big shoes to fill at small forward after Wilky Henry’s legendary NCAA tournament run last season. A 6’7 wing, Ager is a bit shaky as a three-point shooter (75 rating), but has a well-rounded skill set and no glaring weaknesses in his game. Former No. 110 overall recruit out of Chicago with C+ potential.

PF Allan Cunningham, redshirt senior, 92 overall: Cunningham has a chance to go down as the greatest player in program history as he enters his senior season. The 6’11, 292-pound power forward is a consistent scorer with a damn near unstoppable skill set. Ham uses his massive size advantages to bully opposing fours down low, but also can step out and rip three-pointers. He has proven time and time again that he is one of the most dependable players we’ve ever had during streams. We can’t wait to see how he closes out his legendary career. Former No. 67 overall recruit and projected top pick in the NBA draft.

C Pat Giddens, redshirt senior, 94 overall: It’s shocking to see Giddens return for his senior season after being projected as a lottery pick last season. Giddens starts the year as the second highest rated player in America. While he struggled to live up to his lofty overall rating for much of his career, Giddens proved his worth anchoring our title run in the middle last year. Giddens’ lack of height (6’9) could still be a problem against the wrong matchup, but he is hilariously large at nearly 300 pounds. Last year’s tournament run should silence any lingering questions about his game.

We’re going to be playing five guys off the bench for a 10-man rotation. Sophomore center Kevin Brazzle will be our sixth man as a 7’2 big man already projected as a first round pick by NBA scouts. He’ll be joined in the front court by fellow sophomore L.F. Neal, a 6’10, 201 pound string bean who flies all over the court whenever he’s in the game. 6’10 wing Jitim Dupre will get minutes at small forward as a freshman, while legendary recruiting bust Vitor Andrisevic gets a handful of minutes at the two in his senior year, and sophomore Jamie Burke runs backup point.

We also welcome one new recruit this year, five-star JUCO shooting guard Edwin Wolfe from Federal Way, Washington. Wolfe comes in as a 70 overall with C+ potential, which is for sure disappointing. He’ll redshirt.

Recruiting

This isn’t just a huge season because we’re trying to repeat as national champions — we also have four scholarships to recruit for to ensure the future of the program is as bright as the present. Power forward is the biggest position of need, because we have four players who will be redshirt sophomores next year with a hole at the four. I considered going after a five-star JUCO power forward, but ultimately think it’s most important to focus on getting good guards.

After surveying the available options, I decide to use my early visits on the following players:

PG Alexis Willingham out of Chicago, No. 68 overall and No. 28 at his position

SG Jeromy Perry out of Atlanta, No 55 overall and No. 16 at his position

I also offer center Dick Copeland, ranked No. 113 overall and No. 2 at his position, and power forward J.J. Bracy, ranked No. 24 overall and No. 2 at his position, on first day we’re allowed to extend scholarships.

We also have a player to create for the winner of last year’s bracket challenge: reader Gavin. His created player requires a little explanation because it’s a reference to one of the most infamous moments in the history of our Twitch stream. A few years back, we lost an assistant coach during the offseason. As I went to hire someone new, the Twitch chat was going wild telling me to hire a man named Rudolpho Butt. I hired a different coach instead, and the chat turned on me quick. It remains a running joke to this day. The created player reader Gavin created is choosing to make? 6’11 power forward Rudolpho Butt Jr. As a reminder, we don’t go after the players we recruit to preserve the integrity of the game, but we’ll follow Butt Jr. throughout his career.

It’s time to begin the regular season. We start the year rated as a 99 overall. Let’s run it back.

First game: @ Dayton

It seems like only yesterday we were creating Matt Boswell as the winner of our first ever bracket contest. Now he’s a senior power forward at Dayton and one of the best players in America. Can’t believe it’s been four years! While many are saying Boswell’s reputation took a hit after he predicted he would be ‘dropping 28’ on Giddens in the Sweet 16 last year only to get completely demolished, we still respect what he’s accomplished during his college career. Now let’s send him out as a loser.

Loss, 89-81. Man, not how we wanted to open the year. We just fell apart in the second half offensively. Giddens had a nice night scoring the ball, but he also gave up 28 points to Dayton’s starting center. Boswell had 11 points as he was limited to 18 minutes because of foul trouble. More troubling: our shooting. It’s going to be tough to win any game when you only hit four three-pointers. Henry was our most prolific shooter last season so we’ll have to prove we can still rain threes without him.

Next we’re in the Hawaii Invitational tournament aka We Couldn’t Get the Rights To Call It The Maui. Win a championship and we take you to Hawaii, those are the rules. Our first game is against Harvard.

Win, 91-65. Ham going ham with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks on 11-of-13 shooting at the foul line. Love to see Tron with nine dimes to one turnover.

Next up, we face Michigan State, who is unranked but enters at 4-0 on the season.

Win, 101-82. GIDDENS, what a game. A cool 25 points, seven rebounds, and four stocks. Big is beautiful. Nice to see Ager consistently force his way to the line and give us some scoring on the wing. Bench brought it, too. Now we’re in the title game of the tournament against No. 21 Alabama.

We streamed the simulated game on Twitch. It should tip off when you press play.

youtube

***

Win, 105-82. Maui Hawaii Invitational champs! This felt very similar to our streams last season, when we turned every game into a blow out shortly after halftime and it never felt like there was any chance we were going to lose. We had six scorers in double-figures, and I was really impressed with Ager and Giddens in particular. Our Stream Team just keeps whooping ass. Let’s keep that energy going.

As we sim to the next week, I see that my shooting guard recruit Perry gets an offer from Troy that he likes better than ours. Bummer, but that means I can start visiting Bracy, who still doesn’t have any other offers and already has significant interest in our Leathernecks. Landing Bracy would be huge because he would get us two coaching points that have alluded us for the first 20 seasons: a) landing a five-star recruit in season, and b) signing an All-American. He’d also be the highest-rated recruit in program history. Here’s hoping. I also offer a scholarship to Skip Clemmons, a 6’6 shooting guard ranked No. 38 overall, to replace Perry.

Next up we have No. 17 LSU. The Tigers have quietly been a consistent winner in this simulation and might have their best team yet this season. This will be a big test.

Loss, 96-60. Woof. LSU just blew the doors off us from the opening tip. What an awful shooting night outside of Ham. That’s why he’s an icon. I’m hoping this is an instance of us being a better stream team than a sim team.

Next we have Louisville. The Cards beat us in a regular season game that we streamed last season and entered the NCAA tournament as a No. 1 seed. It seems like they’ve lost a lot of talent off that team and enter this game at 3-1 on the year.

Loss, 75-73. Man, that’s a tough one. Giddens was excellent, everyone else was just okay, and we coughed up the ball way too much with 10 turnovers. I need more out of my wings Ager and Alloway, who are way too talented to be combining for 11 points

As we sim to the next week, we have some news: J.J. Bracy is a Leatherneck!

YUGE. Bracy is the highest-rated recruit in program history at No. 24 overall, according to reader Evan’s Leathernecks Recruiting Database. He gets us the two coaching points as our first All-American and first five-star to commit in-season. He also plays a position of need and will likely slot into the starting power forward spot as a redshirt sophomore playing with four other seniors. It will be interesting to see how good he is during the stream games because he’s definitely undersized for a power forward at 6’6 and his numbers don’t blow you away. Hopefully he grows. Always great to land the Mr. Basketball in Illinois either way.

More news: Rudolpho Butt Jr. has signed with South Florida!

I feel like he’s going to be the most dominant create-a-player we’ve made yet. Can’t wait to follow his college career.

We’re also in position to land Alexis Willingham, who is at 100 percent with no other offers as we head into the second week of the early signing period.

We play this week Charlotte and then have our two early conference games

Win, 85-67. Wooo. Charlotte is also perennially excellent in this simulation, so it’s pretty great to beat them by 18. Our offense was spread around evenly to like every player the roster; no one with more than 10, everyone on the bench chipping in with a bucket or two. Then we win both of our early conference games big and that pushes us to 6-3 on the year.

As I sim to the next week, Alexis Willingham commits!

Willingham is a great get as the No. 68 overall recruit. He already has good size at 6’2 and will hopefully grow once he gets into school. I love his scoring ability (16.3 points per game) and his accuracy from three-point range (45.8 percent from deep). Turnovers are high, but that’s okay. It’s big-time to get any four-star recruit at the early signing period. It is really rare that we land multiple recruits at the early signing deadline, so I am thrilled by this.

We are also in great position for both of our other targets: center Dick Copeland and shooting guard Skip Clemmons. We lead by far for Copeland, and he doesn’t have any other offers. He’d be our highest-rated center recruit ever (No. 2 at his position) though he’s also short for a five man at 6’8. Clemmons has elite size for a shooting guard 6’6, 226 pounds and is also a 47.2 percent three-point shooter. Would be our best class ever if we can land both in the spring.

We have two games this week: home against Illinois and on the road against Kansas at Phog Allen. Let’s keep the momentum going vs. our forever rival the Illini.

Loss, 68-67. Ugh. Illinois is decent this season but they don’t have anyone close to 90 overall, so this is a big upset. Throw out the record books when these two programs meet, I guess. Our wings really let us down. How are Alloway and Ager only combining for three shot attempts on the night? On the streams it feels like Alloway averages three shot attempts himself every two minutes.

Now Kansas. Jayhawks are in something of a rebuilding year but are still talented af. Please show that Illini loss was an aberration.

Win, 89-69. Hell yeah. Look at our 7’2 backup center Kevin Brazzle go to work: 22 points in 24 minutes. That’s how you get on the NBA’s radar as a redshirt sophomore. We’ve never had anyone leave that early, but it would be kind of awesome to see him do it even if hurts us in the short term. Ham was great as well with 23 points. We only have one regular season game left and it’s against No. 2 Florida.

Florida is totally stacked and has one of the best rosters in the country. This is measuring stick game.

Loss, 82-78. Tough loss, but I like that we competed. Giddens has put together a really solid non-conference season and is taking a big jump up in production as a senior to help fill the scoring void left by Wilky Henry. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Florida again in March.

We enter conference season at 7-5 overall. Can we run the table the rest of the way? Yes we can. We sweep the Summit League once again and enter the conference tournament as the top seed at 23-5 overall. Here’s a look at our end-of-season stats.

Our big men just wrecked everything in their way this year. Giddens took a big scoring leap as a senior (19.2 points per game) to lead the team, Cunningham continued to prove he’s one of the most reliable performers in program history, and Brazzle showed why he’s a projected first round draft pick by becoming our third leading scorer despite being our sixth man. Pretty nice to have a 7’2 backup center with that type of ability.

Here’s a look at the shooting percentages. My first thought: Giddens better than 35 percent from three on respectable volume??? I’ve never seen him hit a three with my own eyes. Also this team needs to be jacking way, way more threes. We have shooters everywhere. That will be nice to have in our back pocket come tournament time.

Now it’s time for the Summit League tournament

2028 Summit League tournament

Time to lock down the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Our first game is against IUPUI.

Win, 91-43. Ham, Giddens, Brazzle, all wonderful. I love my big, beefy boys. How is anyone supposed to matchup with three bigs so huge and so skilled? Next game is against Southern Utah.

Win, 101-59. Throwing Giddens and Brazzle out there against Summit League centers is just unfair. Now we face UL-Calcutta for the conference tournament title and the automatic berth to the NCAA tournament. Let’s go!

Win, 95-57. We’re going dancing!

I am fascinated to see what seed we get this time around. There were a few impressive wins on our resume, but also a couple bad losses in the non-conference slate. I’m thinking we could get anywhere between a No. 8 seed and a No. 12 seed. Avoid that 8-9 matchup might be for the best just so we don’t have to see a top-seed in the second round.

2028 NCAA tournament

Welp. We get a No. 9 seed and a first round matchup with No. 8 Michigan. If we win, top-seeded Xavier will be waiting in the round of 32. The quest to repeat is going to get very interesting in the first weekend.

Here’s a look at our roster heading to the tournament:

There’s a strong case to be made that this is our best roster ever.

All five starters are rated as a 90 or above. We have nearly 600 pounds and 190 overall points in the front court. Knock down shooters in the backcourt. Another 90-rated player off the bench and oh yeah he’s 7’2.

I’m also shocked to say Giddens is our highest-rated center ever. At 96 overall, he’s tied with Ime Terrell, Bert Draughan, Billy Assel, and Vernard Fulton as the highest rated player in program history, per reader Evan’s database. There’s so much depth on this team, too. There’s only one question: who will fill Henry’s void as our go-to perimeter scorer? Ager, Alloway, and Tron are all talented enough to do it, but someone will need to step up if we’re going to repeat.

We’ve never streamed a game against Michigan before, so this is going to be a fun matchup. Here’s a look at how the two teams stack up:

We are a 100 overall in every category but coaching — and the two bonus points we just got for landing Bracy will help with that in the offseason. Here’s a look at Michigan’s roster.

I’m feeling great about our chances at repeating, but the first weekend is going to be a massive test. We’re streaming the first weekend of the 2028 NCAA tournament on Thursday, Sept. 3 at 8:30 p.m. ET on Twitch. More info on that in a second. But first, let’s get to this year’s bracket contest.

Bracket contest

We’ve been running a bracket contest for the last few seasons, and it’s been a ton of fun. We’re opening it up to anyone who wants to enter as long as you turn in your bracket before we stream our first NCAA tournament game on Thursday, Sept. 3 at 8:30 p.m. ET on Twitch.

Here’s a look at the full NCAA tournament bracket.

This is everything you need to know:

How does scoring work?

We use a standard scoring format. You get one point for correctly guessing the winner in a first round game, two points for correctly a winner in a round of 32 game, four points for correctly guessing a winner in a Sweet 16 game, eight points for correctly guessing a winner in an Elite Eight game, 16 points for correctly guessing a winner in the Final Four, and 32 points for correctly guessing the national champion.

Can I see the rosters for the other teams?

Yes. You can find the rosters for every team on the right side of the bracket in the East and West regionals here. You can find the rosters for every team on the left side of the bracket for the South and Midwest regionals here. Just arrow over to scroll through the rosters.

How do I enter?

1. Click this link to open the interactive bracket.

2. After opening, in the top left select File > Make a Copy

3. Make your picks

4. In the top left, select File and either “Share” and share with [email protected] or “Email as attachment” and email as an Excel file (not PDF please!) to [email protected]

Once your picks are entered, you can track scoring with Sean’s Blog Team app that works on desktop and mobile.

What does the winner get?

The winner gets to create themselves or a character as a five-star recruit ahead of next season. We won’t go after the created recruits at Western Illinois to preserve the integrity of the game, but we’ll follow the career of your character throughout our series.

Please enter the bracket contest and join us on Thursday, because it’s going to be really fun. Here’s how you can watch Western Illinois vs. Michigan in the NCAA tournament.

No. 9 seed Western Illinois vs. No. 8 seed Michigan, first round, 2028 NCAA tournament

Game: No. 9 seed Western Illinois vs. No. 8 seed Michigan, first round, 2028 NCAA tournament

How to watch: My Twitch channel. You don’t need to sign up for anything to watch, but you do need to register for an account to comment. Do it, it’s fun.

Date: Thursday, Sept. 3 at 8:30 p.m. ET on Twitch.

Tip-off time: 8:30 p.m. ET

If we win: We’ll face the winner of No. 1 seed Xavier vs. No. 16 seed South Carolina State in the round of 32 immediately following the first round game. I’m also thinking we’ll stream the Sweet 16 game too if we win. Why not?

A few links before I get out of here.

Reader Luke started his own spin-off series in NCAA Football 14 with Akron. He’s doing his first stream on Friday night. Catch up on Coach Luke’s series here and and subscribe for updates.

Reader Thanh wrote an e-book on the first eight years of Coach Rick at Western Illinois. It’s super fun and adds a new layer of depth to our project.

Continue the discussion on our subreddit.

I’ll see you Thursday on Twitch. Go ‘Necks.

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pete-and-pete · 6 years

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Mega Millions Cut Off Time: How Late Do They Stop Selling Tickets Near Me?

The Mega Millions jackpot has grown significantly and is now at $470 million. This means that if one person wins and takes the cash option, they’ll take home $265 million. The higher the jackpot grows, the more people want to participate. So today, you’ll likely be seeing even more people lining up to buy tickets and try to get a chance at the big jackpot. But many people will be waiting until the last minute to get tickets, especially if they have to wait until they get off work or after they eat dinner. If you’re one of these people, then you likely will want to know just how late you can push buying your tickets. What is the cutoff time near you? The Mega Millions drawing takes place at 11 p.m. Eastern (10 p.m. Central) every Tuesday and Friday night. But most places stop selling tickets a little earlier than that.

Many states stop selling Mega Millions ticket about 15 minutes before the drawing, but other states stop sales an hour before. We’ve worked to put together a list of state-by-state cutoff times. However, individual stores may choose their own hours, and sometimes rules can change. So if you’re really pushing it close, you might want to call your nearest gas station or convenience store first, just to make sure you’re not wasting a trip. Scroll down to find the typical cut-off time in your state.

Alabama: Mega Millions is not played here.

Alaska: Mega Millions is not sold here.

Arizona: Cut-off time is 6:59 p.m. local time for all draw games (7:59 p.m. after daylight savings time.) Sales for the next drawing will resume at 7:04 and 8:04 p.m. respectively. Find a retailer here.

Arkansas: Draw sales end at 9:45 p.m. Central Tuesday and Friday.

California: Drawings close at 7:45 p.m. Pacific.

Colorado: No ticket sales Tuesday and Friday between 7:30 and 7:33 p.m., Monday and Wednesday and Thursday between midnight and 4:30 a.m., and Sunday between midnight and 8 a.m.

Connecticut: On draw night, ticket sales close at 10:45 p.m. and reopen at 11:15 p.m.

Delaware: Tickets on sale up to 9:45 p.m. on drawing days.

Florida: Sales end at 10 p.m. on drawing days, to allow adequate time for all 46 member lotteries to transmit their data.

Georgia: Closing time not clear. Contact your retailer for details.

Hawaii: Mega Millions is not sold here.

Idaho: Drawing time is 9 p.m. MT on Tuesdays and Fridays. Exact closing time unclear. Call retailer for details.

Illinois: The Mega Millions cut off time isn’t completely clear. But if Illinois follows the same pattern it does for Powerball, then the cutoff time would be one hour before the drawing in retail stores and three hours online. Call your retailer for details.

Indiana: Sales on drawing dates cut off at 10:44 p.m. Eastern.

Iowa: Cut off time is 8:59 p.m. on draw days.

Kansas: Players have until 8:59 p.m. on draw days to get tickets.

Kentucky: The exact cut-off time isn’t clear. Call you retailer for details.

Louisiana: Purchase your ticket by 9 p.m.

Maine: Cut-off time is 9:50 p.m. Eastern on the day of the drawing.

Maryland: Cut-off time is 15 minutes prior to the drawing.

Massachusetts: Cut-off time is 10:45 p.m.

Michigan: Cut-off time is 10:45 p.m the day of the drawing in retail stores and online.

Minnesota: Cut-off time is 9 p.m. on the day of the drawing.

Mississippi: Mega Millions is not played here.

Missouri: No ticket sales are made Tuesdays and Fridays between 8:59 p.m. and 10 p.m, and daily between 2 and 5 a.m.

Montana: Drawings close at 8 p.m. local time, an hour before the drawing.

Nebraska: The exact cut-off time is unclear. Call your retailer for details.

Nevada: Mega Millions is not played in this state.

New Hampshire: Cut-off time is 9:50 p.m.

New Jersey: Cut-off time is 10:45 p.m. Eastern.

New Mexico: Cut-off is 8:45 p.m. Mountain Time on draw days, and sales resume at 8:55 p.m.

New York: Ticket sales stop at 10:45 p.m. on draw nights, and 3:30 a.m. other days.

North Carolina: Draw times end at 10:45 p.m on the day of the drawing.

North Dakota: You must purchase your ticket before 8:58 p.m. Central on the day of the drawing.

Ohio: Cut-off time is 10:45 p.m. on draw days.

Oklahoma: Purchase tickets until 8:59 p.m. Central on the evening of the drawing.

Oregon: Cut-off time is Tuesdays and Fridays between 7-8:15 p.m. PST.

Pennsylvania: Cut-off time is 9:59 p.m. local time the day of a drawing.

Rhode Island: Cut-off time is 9:50 p.m. on drawing nights.

South Carolina: Ticket sales stop at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays.

South Dakota: Buy tickets until 9 p.m. Central/8 p.m. MT on the nights of the drawings.

Tennessee: Draw breaks begin at 9:45 p.m. Central (10:45 p.m. Eastern.)

Texas: Ticket sales not available during a draw break from 9:45-10:15 p.m. Central, and drawings are broadcast at 10:12 p.m.

Utah: Mega Millions is not played here.

Vermont: Cut-off time is 9:50 p.m.

Virginia: Tickets stop selling at 10:45 p.m. on draw nights.

Washington: Ticket sales cut-off Tuesdays and Fridays at 7:45 p.m. and resume at 8:01 p.m.

Washington D.C.: Buy tickets until 10:45 p.m. Eastern on draw nights.

West Virginia: Exact cut-off time is unclear. Find your retailer here and call for details.

Wisconsin: Cut-off time is 9 p.m. on draw days.

Wyoming: Draw breaks begin at 8 p.m. on the night of the drawing.

Your chance of winning the Mega Millions is slim. The odds of winning Mega Millions are 1 in 302.6 million, which are actually less than the odds of winning the Powerball, which is 1 in 292.2 million. But it only costs $2 to play, so getting one ticket “just in case” isn’t that much of an investment. Here’s what you can win if you play:

In order to win the jackpot, you’ll need to match all five white balls and the yellow Mega ball.

If you match all five white numbers only, you’ll win $1 million (and more if you’re using a Mega plier option.)

If you match 4 white and the yellow, you’ll win $10,000.

If you match 4 white only, you’ll win $500.

If you match 3 white only or if you match 2 white and 1 yellow, you’ll win $10.

If you match a yellow ball and a white ball during tonight’s drawing, then you will walk away with $4. That’s enough to buy yourself two more tickets for $2 each in the next jackpot. But if you only match two white balls and don’t match the yellow ball, you won’t win anything.

If you match one yellow ball (which is the last number drawn), then you’ll win $2. But if you only match one white number, then you also won’t win anything tonight.

Matching just one or two white balls won’t win you anything.

You can buy a ticket at any retailer that sells lottery tickets, typically a gas station/convenience store or a grocery store. It costs $2 to play.

source https://heavy.com/entertainment/2018/10/mega-millions-how-late-sell-near-me-cutoff-time/

0 notes

weholyperfectioncollectorme-blog · 6 years

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I have a permit test in about an hour and I forgot what kinds of insurance are required in the state of Minnesota? There are 2 of them I think it's liability and no fault? Help please?

Will filing a claim for broken car window raise my insurance payments?

I woke up to a broken driver side window this morning and the first thing i do is call my insurance to ask if its covered. My insurance said it would cost 350 bucks to fix it and i have a 500 deductable so i gta pay out of pocket anyway. He scheduled an appointment for me to get it fixed at a local shop. Is this claim going to affect my rates?

Where can i get car insurance for under 2000 for my 17 year old son?

just passed his test

Do I need to be on the car insurance if I don't live in the house?

I get my license tomorow and my dad was planning on letting me use his car Friday. His insurance covers the driver of the car, but then other insurance policys are saying that I need to be under the insurance, if I am in the home. I don't live with him. So does he still need to add me to the insurance, since I don't live in the home?""

Help with health insurance terminology?

In layman's terms, what is: 1) a deductible and 2) an insurance premium? And how do they work in health insurance? An example would be appreciated.""

How can a full time college student over age 26 get health insurance?

What are our options?

Does a Seat Belt Ticket in California increase insurance?

If I have to report a seat belt ticket to insurance, because i am using traffic school for a stop sign ticket, How much will my insurance go up by. I am 17 and I have ameriprise insurance for my car. PLease help also if i will not have a car or drive in college should i just lose my insurance or keep it for 4 years with a perfect record.""

What good car insurance?

I'm looking for a car insurance . I try to look fo a company that doesn't try to kill me with in payment. I live in new york city. Does anybody out there know a car insurance ...show more

HOW CAN I CLAIM THE car INSURANCE to REMPLACE MY CAR?

I had a car accident and my car insurance covering third party only and them found me that was my fault I need to know how can I claim if there is any dealing, thank you""

Motorbike Insurance 600cc ~ 1000cc?

Iam 24 years old ( will do the bike test later this year ) I would just like a rough figure on what would it cost the insurance for these bikes. CB 600 hornet HONDA CBR 1000 KAWASAKI Z1000 KAWASAKI ER 650 YAMAHA R1 YAMAHA R6 Iam asking because iam abroad and i cant do the quotes else i would not loose time asking If someone could be kind enough to help out just with a near figure iwould gladly apreciate the help.

What is health Insurance?

I know it is insurance but what does it cover if so and so happens.

How should i select PIP in car insurance...?

Hi.. I am going to take a car insurance and i am not very much clear about PIP. what is the best option to take as there are 4 PIP options given to me I have a health insurance that covers me till 80 % of the expenses. So if i take PIP option in my car insurance will it cover me the rest of the 20 %? will both the insurances work together? Please let me know. Thanks

How can i get my car insurance down ?

I am 18, male, and just past my driving test, yeah the odds are against me already for insurance. I have Pass Plus, no convictions etc. I can't go under anyone's name because none of my parents drive. I work as a supervisor in retail. I live in Edinburgh and will be parking on a private driveway. No matter what car i choose, wheather it be a 1.6 Honda CRX Del DOL, the car I wanted (more chance of winning the lottery than getting insurance for it) or a crap 80's Fiat Panda 1.0 each quote is between 2,000 - 7,000, so should i just snap my Licence or is there something to bring it down ?""

Does my son need car insurance?

I have a son and he just got his license, hes 16 yrs old. and we only have one car at the moment. Its just me and him and I have insurance already under my name, I have AAA in California. My question is since he got his license does he need to be put under my insurance also or is the car already insured since its already in my name?""

Whats the cheapest auto insurance plan?

I hate insurance. I have no reason so far to need it. I'm a safe driver and i do not want my money to be drained into some company, which in time, will get more money from me than they spend to fix whatever may happen to my car. I don't want a flashy car. I only need a cheap one. So i could care less about dents and stuff. What is literally the cheapest auto insurance plan i can get in California? cheapest dollar for dollar.""

I want to finance a car. Can the registration and insurance be under my brothers' name?

Will a car dealership allow me to register the car under my brother? I want to put the car in my brothers name because the insurance will be cheaper. His credit is in better than mine.

Cheap car insurance quotes??

My fiance got hit in my car is it an insurance problem?

I bought a car about 5 months ago and got full coverage insurance through State Farm with myself listed as the driver of the car and only my name on the insurance. My fiances car recently broke down so we sold it to salvage and canceled her insurance for it. I have two cars so I let her borrow the newest one today because its an automatic. Pulling out to turn a woman struck her passenger side with a minivan. I haven't seen it yet but the damage she says is very light a scratch and the front corner of the headlight broken. The other woman agreed it was totally her fault and provided all her insurance info but they didn't call the police to make a report :( So will this cause a problem when I call the womens insurance company or if I have to call mine if her insurance won't pay and who should I contact first just her insurance or mine and hers? I don't want to tell my company if I don't have to I turn 25 in a week and my rate is suppossed to drop big time and I don't want to screw that up.

How long do I have to get insurance on a car I just bought in Pa?

My boyfriend bought a car in private sale over the weekend. Because his parents don't have his name on the insurance cards I had to put the title and registration in my name. Now how does he insure the car with it in my name? And how long do we have to get the car insured?

What is the estimated cost of repairing a knocked down motorcycle? (assume only aesthetic damage)?

Girlfriend knocked down a motorcycle while parking...trying to determine if we should go insurance or out of pocket.

""Honda Sport 1.6 Insurance for an 18 years old, second driver...?""

I am looking to get 2004 Honda 1.6 Sport and I am only 18. My dad is planning to be the first driver and me as a second when it comes to the car's insurance. Guys, how much do you think the insurance would cost us?""

My grandma says TEENAGERS arent covered on her car insurance. Is this possible?

i want to drive her car cause im 16 and just got my temps a couple weeks ago and all she keeps saying is that her insurance only covers people 21 and older. i totally think shes lying! cant anyone drive the car? the insurance is already one the CAR, not the person, so shouldnt the insurance cover the car regaurdless on who's driving??""

What types of insurance would a spin cycling instructor require?

exmaple public liability, and why would they need these types of insurance""

How do i know what my car insurance covers?

I recently got into a car accident, just yesterday. There was 3passeners in the car. I, one of the 3. My sister who is 21 was driving the '99 Ford focus. It was not her fault. we were at a four way intersection and had a green light to go. Everyone was stopped besides our light going south &the other going north. An elderly woman on the right hand side who was going to turn, crashed into my side. (The passenger front, as well as the back door.) It is all crashed inward. We then hit a palm tree on the side of the road and landed on top of it. Some yellow/green fluid leaked out. Us 3 passengers in the Ford taurus all went to get checked at the hospital. We are all fine. But now we have no idea what to do with this wrecked car, that has now been towed. The Ford Taurus we were in, only has liability insurance. how will the car be fixed or can it even get fixed? This car accident all took place in Avon park, FL. The car we were in has Insurance from Michigan. Since that is where my father and his girlfriend purchased the car last year. The insurance &everything is under his girlfriends name. So Shes the one who said it only has liability insurance.""

Lexus IS300 insurance rate?

Im thinking of getting an IS300 but im only 16 years old. How much do u think the insurance rate is goin to be?

Would a Peugeot 406 1.9 Diesel 75BHp cost alot on insurance 4 a 17 year old lad? plz?

i want a pug 406, badly!!""

Car insurance in Canada?

What is the typical car insurance cost in Ontario?

Health and Auto Insurance?

I'm 25 and have no health insurance, and am still on my parents auto insurance. I would like just the basic for both - I can't really afford anything but the minimum. Any suggestions besides 1-800-safeauto? Affordability is the only thing I care about.""

Is there a life insurance that can be purchased for a 90 year old lady?

Car insurance advice?

I am 20 years old just got my license in February my car insurance is currently 217 with abc I can't afford it so where can I get a cheaper insurance I know because my age cheap isn't a option but 200 is insane.. or would it be cheaper for somebody to put me on their insurance with my car!! HEEEELLLLPPP btw I have a 06 mazda 6

Insurance company won't let me upgrade to Fully Comp. Why not?

Hey Guys, I'm a new driver (23 yo) who has a 3rd party fire & theft policy under Kwik Fit Insurance. I went for this policy pretty much because it was the cheapest because I'd spent all my money on the car, haha! After a couple of months I've finally managed to sort my finances out and I'm ready to upgrade to fully comp. I drive around 30 miles a day to work and back and would just like that little extra knowledge that incase anything does happen. So I email KwikFit (who take 2 weeks to get back!!) to ask them what the deal is. How do I do this? To my dismay, I got the following email back: In response to your email, I can confirm that your policy can only be upgraded if you are making another permanent change to your policy eg a change of vehicle/address/driver, alternatively your policy would need to be replaced to another insurer. Are they within their rights to do this? Surely upgrading to fully comp means an extra wad of money from me monthly? Thanks :-)""

Can i have the Title of the car in my name with another person's insurance?

Can i have the Title of the car in my name with another person's insurance? Example: Could i have title of the car in my name but use my Parents insurance??

Reputable term life insurance?

Is there any term life Companies with decent prices that you don't have to take physicals for?

Car Insurance for 16 Year old Boy in CA?

I am looking to buy a car, I had a list of all these cars... but then when I had a quote put on them... I was shocked. I was looking at BMW 325i, Jeep Cherokee, and Mitshubishi Montero... each costing around 2500 for full coverage. What car brand or type would have a relatively low insurance cost for my age and gender group?""

Insurance question UK?

hi i have just passed the uk driving test . what car should i get that would cost me the lowest insurance but don't say Nissan Micra plz :).. and what else can i do to make it lower . the quote i got is 3,000 is that alright for a fresh new driver on a golf 1,4?""

Where can I get affordable insurance for my girlfriend?

There could be a chance she might be pregnant in the future. Where can I get affordable maternity insurance?

What is insurance quote?

Does Everybody Have Car INsurance?

Not having it is against the law #1 and #2 very dangerous. I had a friend who didn't have insurance and got in an accident and had to pay $20K in hospital bills.

Will a cracked windshield raise my auto insurance rates?

well i am going to get my windshield repaired. it has a crack the size of a dime. it happend about a month ago and i worried that it will get bigger with the hot weather. anyway, i called my insurance company. they are sending someone out to repair it. i am 18 years old but i am on my parents plan. i also have a gpa over a 3.0. my family and i have no record of any accidents whatsoever. my parents just bought me the car on the end of march :( do u think my rates will go up? almost forgot! my insurance company is geico and i live in california""

How much does it cost to see a gynecologist without health insurance?

I live around the Chicago suburbs, and I don't have health insurance at the moment. I just want to get the regular check-up and pap smear. Anyidea how much it would cost?""

Car Insurance - help me please people :(?

Ok so I have my driving test tomorrow and if i pass, i wont be able to get insurance for my car because i dont have enough money for it yearly, and I heard that if you pay insurance monthly, you have to pay a large amount of money before hand? I asked my nan to borrow some money but the money wouldn't have cleared on time so I was wondering is there an alternative for me being able to pay it the next month or something? because i know for MOT you can have up to a month to pay for it so i was wondering if it can be the same for paying car insurance? thanks for ur help in advance""

""I am 21, and have been driving since I was 16. How much will my insurance be?

My parents always paid for my insurance (dont hate) and now I want to use the car for a courier service. How much do you think my insurance will cost me?

Cheap car insurance quotes??

Can I get car insurance if I'm not on the car loan?

My boyfriend has good credit so we are buying a car but putting it in his name only. I have a good driving record and he doesn't. Can I get the car insurance in my name only without me being on the car loan?

What car is cheap for insurance?

I'm 17 year old im looking for a car I have got to the point of I want anything thats ok but insurance is killing me so I came up with a few cars let me know if it's good on insurance . 89 Silvia s13k ,98 gto twin turbo ,98 pointac grand prix and if you have any cars that you suggest or insurance plains that I should look into let me know.""

Can I get insurance and buy a car using Irish drivers license living in New York?

I will eventually sit the test and get a NY drivers license, but in the meantime can I buy a car and get insurance based on my wholly clean Irish driving licence?""

Honda cbr250 insurance vs Kawasaki Ninja 250r?

If anyone could tell me the insurance rates for both bikes for a 16 year old male rider. I live in Ontario but any canadian rates, or american rates would be appreciated. Rates per year or per month is what I am looking for. If you can give the rates for both bikes or just one bike it would be appreciated. Thanks.""

Job doesnt offer health insurance. What to do?

Does anyone know where I purchase affordable health insurance? I work, but job doesnt offer it. Im not in a position where I can change jobs.""

Cars that have cheap insurance?

im 18 and just passed my driving test, but unsure of what car(s) are cheap on insurance and road tax, is there a site i could go on to find the information i require?""

Why is Auto Insurance in Quebec cheaper? And how do I go abouts changing my insurance to Quebec?

I've been told insurance in Quebec is much cheaper. I know a few friends that live there can I change my license address to Quebec then seek insurance over there? Im getting sick of paying 400+ in Ottawa.

Can my Storage Company force me to buy their Insurance?

I have had the same storage place for over 10 years now, and recently they have been charging me an extra 9 bucks a month to have their insurance. I do not want to have their insurance ( or any insurance for that matter) and wanted to know if I legally have to pay this or if they are doing something illegal? They also charged me for a month that earlier than what they said I initially had to start paying.""

What manufacturer is the cheapest scooter/moped/50cc to insure?

I am 16 and loking for a cheap insurance site for a scooter/moped/50cc Enduro bike, Does anybody know the cheapest manufacturer and insurance site? Thanks Anton""

When do you qualify for health insurance?

Is it normal for an employee to require a year of service as a fulltime employee to get health insurance?

Vehicle with no insurance MINNESOTA?

My girlfriend got pulled over tonight after having a brand new car for two days after selling her first car she drove for two and a half years, her mother apparently told her that she had 7 days to get insurance so sure enough we got cited for no insurance. I guess I was curious to know if liability covers her driving a vehicle without insurance? It probably doesn't but I know there is a form of insurance that does. If this is going to slide downhill I would also like to know some advice you have to word it nicely to a judge to help avoid a 30 day license suspension. I heard earlier tonight that in mn it's mandatory but I'm hoping not. Thanks for your help and time!""

How much would car insurance cost? ?

I'm 18 and live I'm Maryland. I want to get a car but want an idea of how much car insurance will cost

What is the best way to get into insurance sales?

I'm quite interested in the insurance business, and i've heard various methods, one is to get hired into a captive insurance company as customer service and then express an interest in the business, then you have to study for and pass a state exam, and get licensed. but i'm curious what is the possibilities i'd find a company to hire me right away as a salesperson, my background is wireless sales. The thing i'd like to know is, what can I expect my first year in the business, is it entirely full commission or is there a mix of salary and commission? and lastly, what are the odds of a new agent making it for say three to five years? I'm looking for a career for the next 25+ years.""

""Would a classic (1990s) range rover, have cheaper insurance than a classic (1990s) mini cooper?""

im 17 and I KNOW THE PRICE OF INSURANCE WILL BE HIGH BECAUSE IM 17!!! but im jus wondering because of the range rover being bigger and with more safety features, it will cost less in insurance?""

Smart roadster uk insurance.?

Slight problem, was looking up TPFT insurance quotes for a smart roadster: 500 excess. 7000 yearly premium. 7500 annuall mileage. The car's only worth 8500 it has a 0.7L engine. How do they justify this price gouging?""

Health Insurance company for a graduate student? What one is best as far as price and coverage??

Anyone have any suggestions for a good health insurance company for a graduate student? The coverage from the school is one thousand a semester and thats way to much.

Where can i get cheap car insurance as a 17 year old?

everytime i keep searching for a quote, i get silly prices cheapest i can get is 5,500! only problem is, is that ive got a 1.4 litre citroen saxo""

How long do you have to go to school for an insurance company?

Or any insurance place? For car, hostiapl, boats ect.....""

Insurance rate for 77 year old with 20 year old car? ?

How much do you think insurance would cost monthly for a 77 year old lady and her 20 year old car. At the cheapest to the highest. In Florida. Thank you, for my grandma.""

16 year old car insurance?

Im turning sixteen and i promised my parents i would pay insuance if i got a truck. I HAVE to have a truck because I maintain the family ranch and team rope a lot. I'll need to be able to pull trailers and ill need the 4 wheel drive. Not to mention deer hunting. So im getting my dads truck. How much is insurance on a 2001 2500HD Chevrolet Silverado 4x4 6.0l gas engine?

Can anyone tell me how good this insurance is?

I recently got Reliance Standard insurance..can anyone help me figure out the copay? I went to the website and can't figure it out..

Should I get business insurance?

I am an LLC for my small online business (I sell handmade jewelry). Should I also have business insurance? I make under $50k a year.

Who has the best insurance price that you know of and has decent people to deal with if you get in an accident

I'm to lazy to deal with hundreds of quoets and companies sending me spam.I had Allstate but they were terrible when I got rear ended and pretty much did nothing to help and I was paying them $230.00 a month!

Define insurance?

what is comprehensive insurance

What 125cc motorbike is cheap to insure but will do over 70mph?

Preferably a four-stroke in insurance group 2

Cheap car insurance quotes??

Is it illegal for insurance companies to not insurance a Electric Car?

I was gonna Reserve a Nissan Leaf but wanted to know the insurance cost before. I called my insurance agent who's i'm good friends with and asked How much would insurance be on a Nissan Leaf cost? he said We nor any other insurance will insure it. i asked why and he said Oil Companies are paying them because if you cant get insurance on it, you'll have to go back to gas. Is it illegal for them to do this? I really want a green car.""

What about insurance for 1st offense DUI's?

Geico quoted me with $2,000 for 6 months.....hiyaaahhh... I've heard about Freeway Insurance and then there are the strip-mall insurance companies. Are they legite ? thanks""

Which cars have the cheapest insurance rates?

Is there such a thing as life insurance class?

Like a class you have to take when first getting life insurance

How much can I expect to get back from a written off car?

I wrote my peugeot 206 off last week the insurance are sending out a settlement figure as soon as they have valued it etc I was just wondering what sort of pay back you get im not expecting much but am hoping to get a new car with some of the insurance money the value of the car is about 2,500 before the crash.""

I just moved out of my parents house. i need car insurance?

i need a good company to get car insurance from. Any Suggestions??

Insurance company messing me around!?

I had my car vandalised and have rang my insurance company. They said my car is written off although the paint and the back screen was only damaged. I was told my car value is only 800 and the excess is 600. Which i did not agree to, last week we came to an agreement of 1,100 for the car and 300 excess I rang yesterday to confirm that my cheque is on the way and they said 650. That they made a mistake about my excess is there anything I can do??? Im completely stuck. Ive been fully comp for the last 3 years and never claimed or never had an accident. But due to two ball less boys im stuck without a car and being pushed around like a doll. Please help!!!""

What is the average cost of car insurance?

What is the average insurance cost for a 19 year old male with a early 90s sedan?

Car insurance and speeding points?

Hey, when I was 18 I got 3 points for speeding. It is coming up to 5 years since I got them and when doing insurance quotes it always says 'any speeding convictions within 5 years' I was just wondering, dees that mean once it has been 5 years, that I won't have to declare them anymore? and will they completely disappear from my driving record/license? Also, please no replies saying 'grow up, dont speed etc. I know, which is why I grew up and haven't for 5 years. Thanks.""

How much does it cost to insure a 17 yr old on an audi a3?

on a used 1.6 audi a3, how much does it cost (in the region of) to insure a 17 yr old if you don t have them as the named owner but a user?""

Why is Geico auto insurance so cheap?

I just got my Allstate bill in the mail and my insurance went up to $100/month. So, i called them, told them to screw off and called Geico. They told me because of my perfect credit, perfect driving record, etc...that it would only be $48/month. I obviously switched and asked them how they could be so cheap. She said it was mostly b/c they don't have agents. Is this just too good to be true?""

What is The Cheapest Auto Insurance for A Beginner?

....

Quoted insurance price?

I purchased insurance on the online weekend for my car. I paid the first monthly installment. Only to have a phone call telling me this price was wrong it was a computer error and the policy will cost a lot more. Do I have any rights here? Or must I simply front the rest of the cash to keep my car insured?

Do you have health insurance?

if so, How much is it per month? how old are you? what kind of deductable do you have? Feel free to answer also if you do not have insurance.""

What would be the cheapest car insurance company to go to for someone who gets insurance for the first time?

I have insurance for a car I had for 6 days. The insurance co. says it's a total loss. They gave me a value?

Audatex is not kelly blue book they look at craigslist & not the dealer. Craigslist sometimes has cars where a mechanic might not catch it but is damaged. The price I paid is higher due to getting sick & credit went down so I had to go to a local dealer with higher interest. They want the insurance check plus $1700.00 & interest. So I will pay for this thing for over 1 1/2 years. I had it 6 days when some crazy driver almost hit me I turned & hit a wall. The insurance company says I loose my good driver discount. Since I will have to wait to pay off this car I can cancel my insurance once the dealer gets the check. Is there any California law that would say if this happens I would be able to pay off the car. It's worth more as a loss then to try to fix it. Please help. Thank You.

What modifications can increase car insurance?

Hi, Can just cosmetically changing the car increase car insurance for instance- alloy wheels and a minor body kit? I understand that performance modifications can for example- exhaust, sports air filters etc. Can anyone help me here? Query.""

Why refused car insurance because of one criminal offence?

Can someone explain why this is happening, and since when? How does this affect your driving? I have one assault offence and have been refused car insurance, what nonsense is this country coming to?""

How can I find out the legality of an auto insurance advertised online?

I''m shopping around for my car insurance online and I don't know how to find out which one is good legally. Please help.

Older cars and Insurance..?

Im young..I don't know too much about cars yet. I was wondering, do older cars typically cost less to insure??? I know it sounds dumb but I really dont know. I had a 99 explorer, 91 sentra, 86 accord, and now I am probably getting a 74 Dart. I know insurance changes depending on your age and violations on your record..but it seems like older cars cost less than 'newer' cars. Will my Dart cost more since it is a classic? It is not restored yet, or sportin classic plates either. Does that change anything??? Is there a difference because of color, or model (ss, suv, convertible, truck, etc?) Let me know..""

What is cheap car insurance for a new driver?

I am a new driver and I need insurance for a Jeep Grand Cherokee 2000. I am a student and I need cheap insurance

Will insurance cover a new transmission or total my car?

My dad's 2001 Toyota 4Runner recently broke down and the mechanic said it was b/c water got into the transmission and that we would need a new one. We talked to Geico and they said they would cover the transmission cost plus the cost of some converter thing (both got damaged b/c of weather). But now Geico is saying that if the price goes over $1000 they're just going to total the car. The mechanic said it'll be around $5000 and the adjuster hasn't seen the car yet (he'll try today or on Monday), so do you guys think that Geico will definitely total the car? When we first talked to them they said they would cover everything and I'm guessing they know the cost of a new transmission, so I don't understand why they won't cover it anymore.""

Insurance cost for 2.3l fox body mustang 16 year old?

I am 16 and considering purchasing a 2.3l four cylinder mustang. These were made from the mid 80's to early 90's. They have like no power but get good mpg. I am worried that insurance companies would see the word mustang and give me a high rate. BTW my sister is 17 and pays only 50 a month on a family plan for a 1995 suzuki sidekick.

Will insurance premiums rise?

Will insurance premiums rise if you get caught breaking the law and loose demerits while the insurance is expired?

Do insurance companies go by residence address or by mailing adress?

I live in the city, but I have an upstate house to which I want to register my car to so I can get cheaper insurance. What should be changed?""

Cheap car insurance quotes??

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-purpose-car-insurance-johnny-lawson"

0 notes

flauntpage · 6 years

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Your Monday Morning Roundup

After six days, the Sixers have returned to our lives.

They’re back in action tonight as they take on the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Tip off is at 8 PM on TNT, but that might be the best part regarding the schedule of the series. Game 2 is Thursday, while Games 3 and 4 in Philadelphia are at 5 PM and 6 PM respectively. It sucks.

But the play on the hardwood certainly won’t. This is a series that has a ton of history with many of the players and coaches excited to be a part of it.

The Celtics will be a challenge, even without Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving. Terry Rozier has been outstanding as the team’s top point guard since Irving went down earlier this month. They also have Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown as huge contributors.

But defense might be key in this series once again. And it’ll be the Sixers’ d that will be the focal point, especially with Joel Embiid. And similar to the Heat series, there might be some dirty play from guys like Marcus Morris.

I’m excited for this series, and the atmosphere in Boston should be awesome, unlike Miami. A win could place the Sixers officially as an elite team in the league with the young talent they have, granted it’s without two of Boston’s best players. If they lose, it would still be considered a successful season.

Let’s hope for more fun playoff videos, beginning tonight. Boston might not have another player, as Jaylen Brown is doubtful with a hamstring injury.

Before we continue, a word from our sponsors:

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The Roundup

Start your day off with some podcasts! The latest episode of Crossing Broadcast is up, with a familiar voice.

We also have a new episode of Crossing Broad FC for the soccer fans.

And if you’re a radio guy, there’s a new edition of RADIO WARS. What are the real ratings numbers?

The Eagles had a good weekend. Despite having their first pick at 52 at the start of business Friday, Howie Roseman moved up to 49, in front of Dallas, to take a tight end named Dallas Goedert. Even better, the Cowboys just had Jason Witten plan for retirement earlier in the day, and Goedert was named after the Dallas Cowboys. AND David Akers had a field day in Jerry World. Imagine him and Zach Ertz in that offense.

In Day 3, the Eagles took CB Avonte Maddox, DE Josh Sweat, OL Matt Pryor, and OL Jordan Mailata (aka the rugby dude). Pretty much a good haul for such a small selection. They drafted a ton of athletic players in this year’s class.

The team also signed plenty of undrafted free agents including former Notre Dame RB and Warrington native Josh Adams. Oh, and Darren Sproles is officially back.

The Carson Wentz trade became complete with the Browns making picks that probably won’t win them a Super Bowl in the near future.

The team has reportedly lost an important member of their college scouting team:

Only a matter of time. #Eagles losing assistant director of college scouting Michael Bradway to position w/Kansas City, per two league sources.

Bradway, who’s been with Eagles for seven years, teams back up with w/Chiefs GM Brett Veach, who came up thru Eagles scouting chain.

— Geoff Mosher (@GeoffMosherNFL) April 29, 2018

The weekend started with promise for the Phillies. They beat the Braves 7-3 Friday night thanks to another solid outing by Aaron Nola and some offense.

But that was really it. The Braves took Saturday’s game 4-1 and crushed Vince Velasquez on Sunday with a 10-1 beatdown. Jesse Biddle – yes the same Jesse Biddle that was picked by the Phillies in 2010 – came in and pitched two shutout innings and also recorded a hit.

After a good start to the season, the cracks may have begun to show for this team. And things will get a little worse with J.P. Crawford on the 10-day disabled list. Jesmuel Valentin was called up from Lehigh Valley. Expect Scott Kingery to get some more playing time at shortstop.

Meanwhile, Jerad Eickhoff is making progress in his rehab, and putting some pop in his fastball:

Turns out that, in addition to rehabbing his injury, Eickhoff has been working on a small mechanical adjustment in his delivery. Basically, he has worked on speeding up the break of his hands, just being a little more aggressive with that action. That, he believes, could translate into a little more arm speed and an extra tick on his fastball.

“It’s just a slight adjustment,” the pitcher said.

But so far, it agrees with him.

“I’ve thrown five or six bullpens and gotten up and down (in simulated innings) and it feels great,” Eickhoff said. “It seems like there’s a lot of life on the ball, more late life.”

The Phils hope to get things back together beginning tonight in Miami. Jake Arrieta takes the mound for the series opener against the Marlins. First pitch is at 7:10 PM on NBC Sports Philadelphia.

The Flyers will pick at 14 and 19 in this year’s NHL Draft after the St. Louis Blues failed to win the draft lottery. Buffalo will have the top pick.

The Hart Trophy finalists were announced. Claude Giroux was not one of them.

This offseason might be the most important for goalie Michal Neuvirth. His hips will be key:

With that, Neuvirth outlined his offseason game plan. He will have arthroscopic surgery on both hips. He’s staying in Philadelphia and then heading to Kelowna, British Columbia, for 10 weeks for training.

Then comes the most significant change, which, considering the player, might not be that big after all. Neuvirth will be switching trainers for the third straight year.

“It’s just not working out for me,” he said. “I know I can play in this league. I know I can be the difference maker. I just got to find a way to stay healthy.”

Neuvirth now turns to sports performance trainer Adam Francilia, who has worked with Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck and Minnesota’s Devan Dubnyk, as perhaps his last resort.

The Union defeated DC United 3-2 for an important three points this weekend. Borek Dočkal scored his first career MLS goal and the eventual game-winner in the 72nd minute. They’re at Toronto FC Friday night.

In other sports news, here’s updated looks at the NBA and NHL playoffs:

The Cowboys traded for Tavon Austin from the Rams. They plan on using him as a running back, similar to Lance Dunbar. They traded away Ryan Switzer to the Raiders.

Shaquem Griffin will reunite with his brother in Seattle.

In the news, a $12 million Lincoln Drive restoration project begins today.

Michelle Wolf had a controversial speech at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner. I had no idea who she was until I Googled what she did when writing this.

Sprint and T-Mobile are merging.

Your Monday Morning Roundup published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

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itesfashion · 6 years

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The Quintessential Manual to Medical Marijuana Card near Me

The Quintessential Manual to Medical Marijuana Card marijuana and ptsd near Me

You should make sure that that you don’t blow off everything go. If you believe you’re an applicant for a schedule on a nation the only system to know for sure would be by simply seeing a physician and being appraised you find it possible to acquire your physician marijuana recommendation. To some folks, it should stay such a manner there certainly are a few who insist that bud needs to become legalized. Even now, there certainly are a range of those who genuinely believe that bud needs to be researched before creating any activities.

Medical Marijuana Card near Me – Overview

Medical marijuana usage requires only a little bit of trial and error. Since you are going to notice in our information would be getting a medical care supplier. Medical weed might be utilized in an variety of indicates.

You aren’t being watched by the government. The issue will be depended on Thursday 13th July, once we’ll see that the outcome of the first weeks of leisure marijuana legalization and whether the present harvest of booze distributors can stay knowledgeable of the requirement that is huge. Others want an clinic if a few countries permit it to be easy. Many other businesses and companies are catching and leisure marijuana is earning a good deal of profits from the cannabis business and many wish to receive a little the dish.

Since they make it possible for consumers to concentrate in place of just how to pay it, about exactly what to buy smartphone programs and re-loadable cards are amongst the most handy customer payment methods. The worth of fantastic packaging ca be redeemed since it can certainly impact the encounter for an individual. Social networking is a excellentand, that the onlyoption for cannabis organizations who need to advertise their goods or services in several instances. What’s more, the technology has really managed to get calibrate and a bit easier smoke.

Accepted by the society as a different procedure for many people, who suffer from a broad array of diseases and healthcare states, medical has turned. Several patients realize the means is always to cultivate their crops of vegetation or less. In the event that you’ll find freedom from your signs of the disorder the evaluation will be to confirm you’re suffering. You ought to determine when you may use the therapy for your ailment to start with.

Incorporating cannabis on your nutritional regimen might help you recover from bodily injury and also enhance a mindset whilst training or competing. Figure out approaches to get the herb. The truth is that the herb is useful for all states, for example physical and mental issues.

If you’re contemplating just how exactly to purchase bud in Vegas, our marijuana is found and hassle-free to ensure it is all through. Recreational earnings aren’t however permitted while bud is legal at the time. Medical marijuana is one of many growing businesses inside the U.S.. Recreational dispensaries aren’t called to start in Massachusetts, even though marijuana is currently authorized.

The debate concerning the advantages and disadvantages of legalization however persists. There is a line which is not that difficult to cross, when you are discussing the lawfulness of drugs. If you are looking for information then in addition you have to find out the requirements you’d like to meet as a way to grow marijuana and also advice on. There are several legislation placed out by states which were made with marijuana .

Top Choices of Medical Marijuana Card near Me

Cannabis helpful Accommodations There are a few Airbnb listings that appear to be more favorable in certain particular cities throughout the world. Obtaining a Medical Cannabis Card isn’t merely valid for a year after it is issued, and then it needs to become revived. Additionally look out for frauds! Discover cannabidiol’s all-natural benefits.

The Hidden Treasure of Medical Marijuana Card near Me

The common to get a ounce of marijuana in the region is merely over $318. Cannabis as medicine’s use hasn’t been meticulously tested because of generation restrictions and other rules. If you should be a medical marijuana patient quantities of cannabis might be more favorable than higher dosages at a multitude of research studies. Medical marijuana is utilized as a illegal chemical or even a recreational medication to put it differently.

Marijuana prices are in lower quantities. Early marijuana usage is related to the susceptibility to schizophrenia. Modernday marijuana consumers need a efficacious and handy process to cover cannabis. You purchase marijuana attachments to relish your own smoking.

Who Else Wants to Learn About Medical Marijuana Card near Me?

Truly, Nevada’s dispensaries feature one of the list of the dispensaries in the U S A and are all highly-regarded. There are plenty of tools for choosing and researching a doctor across Colorado ensure that you get the studying that is appropriate to have yourself a trustworthy resource. We recommend that you simply check the guidelines from your region in the event you prefer to be aware of the precise fees. You can wish to put up together with the executive fees i thought about this.

1 difficulty which plenty of health marijuana people aren’t thinking of is currently driving in Arizona. It’s not unheard of for cannabis lovers to begin the afternoon away with a good bake and wake. In any case, you’re definitely going to desire bud. Additionally, marijuana may well not be brought to some public place like a mall.

If you would really like to try a whole lot of one-of-a-kind dispensaries and services and products we suggest trying to find dispensaries presenting bargains on specific quantities and breeds. Medical choice or every other business venture wouldn’t be set by means of a lottery. You must not reunite to get your cash back. You necessitate a wellness club in the event that you would like to smoke or eat.

Once you currently have your card, now you can lawfully buy drugs. The dominoes are beginning to collapse, he explained. Once you already have the card you may now lawfully buy medications. You have to wait patiently to your card.

Entries are performed by using a system that comes with an qualitative rating that arrives from also a score which stems from laboratory succeeding and also judges. Then you should hunt for an avowed physician in the event that you would like to procure an ID card issued by your nation. Their country is focusing on putting up this program over the upcoming months that are a few. In addition it’s feasible that the state of Minnesota could be the aid in case it’s catchy to secure an unique maker.

How to have a Card is a step you’ve got to follow along here. You are checked in and discover the occasion to peruse our menu at the lobby that is main when, you’re getting to acquire invited straight in to our appointment room. That means you would like to deposit $270 a desk, and if you would like to play 5 tables, you prefer to bring Â£ 1350 to play with. Usually do not pay a visit to the table with an men that are previous.

The post The Quintessential Manual to Medical Marijuana Card near Me appeared first on Guest Blogging Platform for Jewelry & Fashion.

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shervonfakhimi · 7 years

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The Tanking Solution

I am an unabashed Lakers fan. I read this column by LA Times columnist Bill Plaschke and I just shook my head. Not that it was bad or anything, but it encapsulated the dilemma of every Lakers fan. It is the same dilemma I’ve been fighting for a couple years now as a fan: the concept of tanking. I recognize the team is lousy as of now. The Kobe farewell tour(s) were a fantastic way to sneak-tank while still harboring the goodwill of fans, me included, watching perhaps the greatest player in franchise history chuck away inefficiently. But there is no Kobe now. The Lakers roster, as is the same with many other struggling franchises around the NBA, is flush with young rookies learning the ins-and-outs of a league far beyond their perception. But, there is the dark cloud of the top 3 protected pick soaring over the Lakers franchise from the dreaded 2012 Steve Nash trade. The Lakers have been able to hold on that pick, despite its shallow protection the last 2 seasons, drafting D’Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram 2nd overall. Of course, the ramifications are huge regarding this season. If the Lakers are outside of the Top 3 after results of the lottery are in, then not only do the Lakers lose their 2017 1st round pick in a great draft, but they also lose their 2019 pick because of the failed Dwight Howard trade. The Lakers are currently sitting with the 3rd worst odds, after the Phoenix Suns zoomed past them, losing 13 straight games before taking down Russell Westbrook and the OKC Thunder in his quest for triple double number 42. The Lakers have won 3 games in a row, dropping their odds. This has been met with skepticism and criticism, primarily from fans. Wasn’t the point of this season to let the youngins play and see what they can do to win games? Remember when the Lakers were 10-10 and suddenly had playoff aspirations? Everyone gravitated toward the baby Lakers then, but now, suddenly, the mood has shifted toward mocking the Lakers for winning games? That’s a problem. It is a problem when fans are forced to root for their teams to lose and develop bad habits as opposed to be happy their team is growing as a collective unit, develop winning habits and win games.

So, how is a team like the Lakers (or the Suns, Magic, Timberwolves, etc.) supposed to get better? Star free agents have shown they are unwilling to join a rebuilding project, like the Lakers, even in the glorious wonderland that is Hollywood, when they can join a contender (LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Durant, Al Horford, etc), and teams with grumpy superstars in fold are unwilling to trade them (Paul George, Jimmy Butler to name a couple) with how long an arduous, tedious task a full-blown NBA rebuild is, especially when you have no idea the prospect/pick you are trading for can BECOME the superstar you just traded away, let alone eclipse them. So, what is the only other realistic option for these teams to get better? Lose. Lose to get a better shot at the draft. Does anyone else see the problem with that?

This has long been an issue with the NBA. Adam Silver, as noted in this article by Eric Freeman of Yahoo!, has at least inquired about lottery reform. Why? Because the current lottery system incentivizes teams to lose games over drastic periods of time in hopes of finally landing themselves a franchise cornerstone. Many teams don’t have one, but have hopes of being rewarded for their incompetency with this star-studded 2017 NBA Draft. The Lakers have had years of ownership tension, which have finally come to a hault after Jeanie Buss axed Jim Buss from basketball operations, and from the team entirely. The Kings have long been turning ineptitude into high draft picks, repeating the cycle over and over again because of the ineptitude of that franchise, only to continue to get rewarded over and over again because of it. The Suns turned a near playoff team that won over 45 games to… a team that has lost 13 straight games, resting veteran players such as Eric Bledsoe and Tyson Chandler to do so. Where is the outcry there in regard to sitting players when teams flagrantly sit players to LOSE? The NBA needs a lottery reform to allow EVERY team to incentivize winning over everything else. Not just the championship contenders or playoff hopefuls with a legitimate shot at getting into the playoffs who end up a game short. Everyone should try to win. Such a concept, I know. There should be a way for teams to go after wins at all costs while not implicating their draft status. I might have an idea…. A lottery playoff.

Biting an idea from The Ringer’s founder and writer Bill Simmons , the NBA removes the 8th seed as an automatic entry into the playoffs. Instead, the 16 non playoff teams square off in an NCAA Tournament-esque single elimination tournament, with the winner choosing which side they want to go into in the playoffs, the East or Western conference. What does this have to do with the lottery? Glad you asked. The farther a team advances in the lottery playoff, the greater their odds are towards the number 1 pick. For example, the teams in the championship of the lottery playoff would have the top 2 odds of getting the number 1 pick, with the winner getting the best odds. The losers in the semifinals would get the 3rd/4th best odds, so on and so forth. To not completely eradicate bad teams from getting bad odds, teams with the worst records that lose in a same, certain round would gain the tiebreaker, so to speak, and get the better of those odds. For example, say the Lakers (23-55) and the Knicks (30-49) lose in the same round. Since the Lakers have a worse record, they would get better odds than the Knicks, but teams that have advanced into the next round would automatically have top 8 odds for the number 1 pick. The seeding/format would essentially be the same as the NCAA Tournament, with the best non-playoff team playing the worst, etc. The seeding of the first round, as of April 7, 2017, would look something like this:

1) Indiana Pacers vs 16) Brooklyn Nets

8) Dallas Mavericks vs 9) Sacramento Kings

5) Charlotte Hornets vs 12) Orlando Magic

4) Denver Nuggets vs 13) Philadelphia 76ers

6) Detroit Pistons vs 11) New York Knicks

3) Miami Heat vs 14) Los Angeles Lakers

7) New Orleans Pelicans vs 10) Minnesota Timberwolves

2) Portland Trail Blazers vs 15) Phoenix Suns

The teams with the best record in the matchup also get home court advantage. Why would the NBA do this? First of all, it allows every NBA team to incentivize winning over everything. Every team has something to play for. Teams with young players always want their young players to develop good, winning habits and get playoff experience to gain a grasp of how different the pace and tenacity of a game is in the playoffs. This would allow rebuilding teams to prioritize developing these habits over trodding out 5 young players who have no idea what they are doing compared to the seasoned vets they go up against. Secondly, it helps add importance to the regular season. The 1 seed for each conference instantly becomes more important for title contenders, getting extra time off for rest & a tired team in the first round. It also makes the race for 7th more interesting. Do teams go after that 7th seed, automatically clinching a spot in the playoffs, or risk it to try and get a playoff spot AND the best lottery odds, knowing one off night knocks them off into vacation plans and perhaps the worst lottery odds possible. Lastly, it gives teams extra home games for their community. I’m not sure players would sign off for more games when teams are already receiving backlash for sitting healthy players (not from me), but it adds more revenue for teams in the form of ticket sales and more TV revenue, assuming these games are televised (though I see no reason why they wouldn’t be). More money, a new wrinkle that could add a new intrigue to the NBA season, and, most importantly, less tanking? What more could the NBA want?

Look, I love the NBA and the NBA draft. With all due respect to ESPN insider Amin Elhassan and SB Nation writer Tom Ziller, while I recognize there are faults with the NBA & the way the draft can reward incompetence, I love the draft itself, watching young prospects in college & all the drama the draft entails. I want it to stay. Heck, the lottery has become its own spectacle. But they are right: there are flaws that incentivize losing and incompetence. That should not be the case. Something needs to be done to eradicate tanking and the derailing of seasons from teams. It is unfair to the fans and the players of the tanking teams, who are essentially being used as pawns to maximize a team a certain number of ping pong balls with no regard for winning. This puts an onus on every organization to be connected and on the same page on how to properly develop young players and to not continue to get giftwrapped potential superstars over and over again by repeating a cycle of losing. Even if these bad teams don’t win a game in the lottery playoff, there is still talent to be found everywhere in the draft, from Klay Thompson (10th Overall Pick, 2011) to Kawhi Leonard (15th Overall Pick, 2011) to Giannis Antetokounmpo (15th Overall Pick, 2013) to Rudy Gobert (27th Overall Pick, 2013) to Jimmy Butler (30th Overall Pick, 2011), on and on. These players have grown into the players they are today because the organization, from ownership on down to the coaching staff, has put these players in the best position for them to succeed, giving them time to grow and mature into the players they are today, and they took advantage of it. It can be done, no matter where you pick in the draft. This solution may not be perfect, but it eradicates tanking and disincentivizes incompetence and allows teams to solely focus on their direction as a basketball team and the development of young players.

#NBA #NBA Draft #Tanking #ESPN #SB Nation #Adam Silver

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jodyedgarus · 7 years

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How The Last-Place Bulls Became The Hottest Team In The East

CHICAGO — After the Bulls sparked controversy in June by trading their franchise star to launch a rebuild, the team’s floor — already below sea level — just kept dropping.

In October, only days before the team’s season-opener, forwards Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotic clashed during practice, with Mirotic suffering a concussion and fractured bones in his face. In November, the Warriors thrashed Chicago by 49 points — without All-Stars Kevin Durant and Draymond Green. Then earlier this month, things seemed to hit a new low. The Bulls, owners of a league-worst 3-20 mark, dropped a 10th-straight game, blowing a 16-point fourth-period lead to the Pacers.

Fast forward two weeks, and that same ragtag collection of players who couldn’t buy a win in November is suddenly and mysteriously unbeatable. The Bulls, after blowing out Orlando on Wednesday, are winners of seven straight and own the East’s longest win streak. Only Golden State — 10 in a row — has more. If that seems bizarre … you’re right: Before this, no team in NBA history had ever lost 10 consecutive games (or more) and then rebounded with an immediate win streak of five games or more. Before this Bulls streak, FiveThirtyEight’s NBA projection system1 would have given Chicago just a 0.03 percent chance — 3 in 10,000 — of sweeping the seven games it’s won.

The turnaround raises two questions for this young club: What, exactly, has changed in such a short amount of time? And are the Bulls at risk of jeopardizing their rebuild and a chance at a good lottery pick by winning too much?

Mirotic’s return is the easiest thing to connect to the Bulls’ streak, considering that it began with his first game back. He’s playing unsustainably well — it’s almost impossible to imagine his continuing to be the NBA’s most efficient high-volume post player while shooting 49 percent from the 3-point line. And he’s averaging 35.8 points and 14.1 rebounds per 100 possessions, which puts him among a handful of superstars in the league posting at least 35 and 10.

Part of this is opportunity. Mirotic comes off the bench2 but is clearly the No. 1 option when he’s on the floor. That’s a change from the past, when he had to defer to Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade or Derrick Rose. But to his credit, Mirotic has made one key change in his game: The 6-foot-10 forward has been more decisive with the ball than in years past. In particular, he has largely shelved a pump fake that often seemed to do the opposite of its intended purpose.

According to an analysis published in 2015 by from Vantage Sports, Mirotic fired off a shot attempt after using a pump fake more than anyone in the league during the 2014-15 season, yet logged the worst field-goal percentage on those shots among the league’s most frequent pump fakers.3 (Unlike Stephen Curry or JJ Redick, who pump-fake their way into cleaner looks by using a side dribble, Mirotic often stood fully stationary and faked his way into a worse shot, which gave defenders extra time to close out on him even further. You can see the difference in the clips below — the first shows a failed pump fake from 2014 and the second, from Wednesday’s game, shows Mirotic shoot in rhythm without any hesitation.)

https://espnfivethirtyeight.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/miroticpumpfake.mp4

https://espnfivethirtyeight.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/miroticquick.mp4

Pointing solely at Mirotic’s impact would be oversimplifying the genesis of the streak, though. Kris Dunn — acquired in the Butler trade after posting the league’s worst true-shooting percentage among regulars4 last season — has settled in nicely as the starting point guard after an initial rough patch. He has been getting to the basket regularly — ranking fourth in the NBA during the Bulls’ win streak, with almost 18 drives per game — and finishing more consistently once he gets there.

Quietly, backup shooting guard David Nwaba — who also recently returned after being injured — might be having the strongest influence on the team’s winning. He aggressively pushes the ball in transition, arguably one of the bigger shifts in Chicago’s identity. The Bulls have ranked second in pace during this streak, up from 23rd before it. The 24-year-old generates nearly 32 percent of his offense from transition opportunities, the highest rate in the NBA5 and has scored on an impressive 65 percent of those chances. That and his energy on defense explain Nwaba’s presence in eight of the Bulls’ nine most efficient two-man lineups6 up to this point.

“It’s a lot easier for our team to score in transition instead of having to break down a set defense that’s already set up, so I like to run when I can,” said Nwaba, who is on pace to become the first 6-foot-4 or shorter player7 in 30 years to shoot 55 percent or better from the field. That mindset is particularly valuable to a points-starved Bulls team that, even after reeling off seven victories in a row, is essentially tied for last in the league in offensive efficiency.

These two plays — in which Nwaba catches opposing players off guard by taking an extra dribble or two into the teeth of the transition defense — are typical of how he generates scores for Chicago.

https://espnfivethirtyeight.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/nwaba.mp4

https://espnfivethirtyeight.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/extradribble.mp4

The defensive improvement has been noteworthy as of late, too, especially since the Bulls have begun playing lineups with four defenders who can all switch their assignments and having their rim protector play pick-and-rolls less aggressively.

But no one — well, except maybe Bulls forward Denzel Valentine — expects Chicago to continue playing at this level. (Tonight, the 10-20 Bulls take on LeBron James and the Cavs, who dominated them in a game just before this streak began.) It’s highly unlikely that the Bulls will maintain their Warriors- or Rockets-like shooting from midrange or that opposing teams will continue bricking wide-open threes against them in late-game scenarios.

A quick look at the replies under this tweet (highlighting the Bulls’ streak) shows that Chicago fans are worrying about how this stretch of good basketball could hurt the team’s odds of landing a top lottery pick, a concern that still seems a bit premature considering everything that could take place between now and the end of the season.

As good as Mirotic has looked, he has had to split playing time with Lauri Markkanen, the team’s promising first-round draft pick.8 If Mirotic keeps playing anywhere near this level, the Chicago front office would have a nice asset once his contract becomes tradable9 — a move that would free up more opportunity for Markkanen, who’s far younger and more athletic than Mirotic and has a similar skill set.

Beyond that, Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg told me and other reporters Wednesday that Zach LaVine is only two or three weeks away from seeing game action after tearing his ACL last season. His presence in the lineup will alter things considerably, for better or worse, as he knocks off the rust.

All of this is simply another way of saying: Yes, the Bulls have been on a historic run the past couple of weeks, but they still have a fair number of flaws to work through. And for those worried about what the win streak means for tanking purposes, the educated guess here is that they’ll still lose plenty of games along the way to stay firmly in the lottery conversation.

Check out our latest NBA predictions.

from News About Sports https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-the-last-place-bulls-became-the-hottest-team-in-the-east/

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junker-town · 4 years

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NBA mock draft 2020: Instant picks after lottery order set

LaMelo Ball, Deni Avdija, Anthony Edwards, and James Wiseman are four of the top prospects in the 2020 NBA Draft.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are officially on the clock.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are officially on the clock with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

The NBA locked in the draft order during the lottery on Thursday night. Minnesota started the lottery tied for the best odds to land No. 1 with a 14 percent chance with the top pick.

Unlike a year ago with Zion Williamson as the obvious prize waiting for the lottery winner, there is no clear-cut No. 1 pick this year. The pandemic will only further complicate the draft process with the cancellation of March Madness and the likelihood of the draft combine being held virtually.

This is considered a ‘weak’ draft because it lacks a consensus top pick, but every draft is still loaded with players who will have successful careers. This one is no different.

The 2020 NBA Draft is currently set for Friday, Oct. 16. Here’s how we see it shaking out.

1. Minnesota Timberwolves - Anthony Edwards, SG, Georgia

Ant can be a lot when he wants to be pic.twitter.com/vQKP3EYo8b

— Max Carlin (@maxacarlin) February 27, 2020

At his best, Anthony Edwards looks like he has the total package to one day be day a primary scoring option. The Georgia freshman has elite quick-twitch athleticism, crazy explosiveness near the basket, and impressive shot-making ability off the dribble when he’s hot. The problem with Edwards is that he too often settles for his jumper rather than consistently putting pressure on the rim. He also needs to improve reading defenses and knowing where the rotation comes from so he can consistently find the open man as a passer. Despite his fantastic physical tools, Edwards also leaves a lot to be desired defensively.

No one is questioning Edwards’ talent level. It’s just hard to put him at No. 1 when he shot under 40 percent from the field and under 30 percent from three. It feels like Edwards would be wise to focus on defense early in his career and let his natural ability takeover on offense.

2. Golden State Warriors - LaMelo Ball, PG, Illawarra Hawks

Today’s NBA is dominated by oversized offensive initiators who can breakdown the defense off the dribble and find open teammates as a passer. LaMelo Ball is the No. 1 player on our draft board because he has the best chance to fit that archetype of anyone in this year’s class. At 6’7, Ball is a natural point guard blessed with rare vision and creativity. He finds angles that don’t exist and throws passes few other players alive would even consider. He also has the best ball handling ability in this year’s class, able to shake defenders and create separation with tight crossovers and pace manipulation. Turning 19 years old in late August, he’s also one of the youngest players in this draft.

Ball will have to prove can score efficiently in the halfcourt to give his passing extra juice, and that remains a work in progress. He finished the year at just 48 percent true shooting in 13 games in Australia. Outside shooting is his biggest swing skill after hitting 28 percent of his threes. Ball’s shot selection is often highly questionable, but all of those repetitions shooting with range off the dribble could one day pay dividends. Defense will be his biggest immediate concern. He often looked disinterested on the defensive end in Australia, but it’s possible his instincts could make him an adequate defender as he adds strength later in his career.

3. Charlotte Hornets - Onyeka Okongwu, C, USC

Here's the best prospect in the class, Onyeka Okongwu, dominating: pic.twitter.com/JqG9wg6uQZ

— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) January 25, 2020

Okongwu became the top center in this draft class by quite simply being the most impactful freshman in college basketball. While a bit undersized for an NBA five at 6’9, 245 pounds, Okongwu is strong physically and always seems to know where to be to wall off the paint defensively. His 9.8 percent block rate is one of the best among projected first round prospects and hit the glass hard as a rebounder on both ends.

Offensively, Okongwu knows how to finish out of the short roll and in the dunker spot, posting a brilliant 64.5 true shooting percentage this year. Comparisons to Bam Adebayo feel a little optimistic given Adebayo’s All-Star breakout for the Miami Heat, but his success lays out a blueprint of how a young center can blossom in the NBA without being 7-feet tall.

4. Chicago Bulls - Killian Hayes, G, Ulm

How to impact a defense off ball featuring Killian Hayes: pic.twitter.com/dsz9Eu9hU6

— Spencer (@SKPearlman) July 21, 2020

After LaMelo Ball, Hayes feels like the next best bet in the draft to eventually turn into a high-level offensive initiator. While not the most explosive natural athlete, Hayes is a big 6’5 lefty guard who already understands the reads and rhythm of playing in the pick-and-roll. He answered questions about his outside shooting ability during his first season in the German league, showing an improved three-point stroke while hitting 87 percent of his free throws. As Ball and Edwards each struggled to score efficiently, Hayes finished his season with an impressive 59 percent true shooting. He should also be able to hold his own defensively after showing a knack for making plays off the ball.

Despite just turning 19 years old, Hayes also feels like one of the most physically mature prospects in this draft class. He should have the strength to compete defensively early in his career, and has showed off impressive awareness and an ability to play the passing lanes. He’s already shown flashes of pull-up shooting off the dribble, and it feels like that’s the skill that could push him to become one of the best players in this class if he can consistently hit it with range. Questions about his raw athleticism might push him down the board further than this, but few prospects in this year class offer as many translatable skills as Hayes.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers - Obi Toppin, C/F, Dayton

Obi Toppin's synergy profile. He ranks in the 99th percentile of points per possession this season. pic.twitter.com/uD6OQ8Ihj9

— Ricky O'Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) March 11, 2020

How great can Toppin be offensively? How poor will be defensively? Those two questions will be debated fervently in the run-up to the draft. Toppin was the best player in college basketball this year at Dayton, finishing in the 99th percentile of scoring efficiency throughout the country. The athletic 6’9 big man isn’t just a monster finisher at the rim, he also showed off an improved three-point stroke. The hangup here is Toppin’s struggles defensively. He often looked disinterested in protecting the rim, and it’s likely teams will hunt him in the pick-and-roll early in his career.

The pieces around Toppin will go a long way towards determining how effective he is at the NBA level. He needs to be paired with an electric playmaker offensively and with someone who can protect the paint defensively. While his age and defensive limitations are scary, Toppin is big, agile, and explosive while posting absolutely unassailable efficiency numbers for the Flyers. It won’t be easy to put him in the perfect team building context long-term, but if it happens his unique strengths should make him a thrilling NBA scorer.

6. Atlanta Hawks - Deni Avdija, F, Maccabi Tel Aviv

Love the burst Deni Avdija shows here off the bounce. Subtle in-and-out dribble with his eyes going off to the left to give thought he was passing it off, then gets low and attacks for the drive and dropoff pic.twitter.com/sv2dHE8J5c

— Spencer (@SKPearlman) January 26, 2020

Avdija is a 6’8 combo forward who offers a dribble-pass-shoot skill set that should transition nicely into the NBA. He solidified his case as a top-10 prospect during his run to MVP honors in the Israeli league with Maccabi Tel Aviv. Avdija is effective in transition with grab-and-go rebound ability, impressive passing vision, and the aggression to finish at the basket when he needs to. His fit into halfcourt NBA offenses will remain a bigger question. Avdija will have value as a passer and cutter, but he’ll need to continue to prove himself as a shooter even after showing a better outside stroke after the league returned from its pandemic hiatus.

7. Detroit Pistons - James Wiseman, C, Memphis

Wiseman was the No. 1 overall recruit in the country before playing just three games at Memphis amid an NCAA eligibility scandal. His limited college tape is just one reason why he feels like the most polarizing prospect in this year’s class. Believers in Wiseman see a long-and-strong 7’1 center who can protect rim and slam home lobs from day one while refining his offensive skill set. Critics question the quickness of his lateral mobility and second jump, and wonder how impactful a center can be in today’s game without plus shooting and passing ability.

What gives me pause with Wiseman is he couldn’t even make one of the All-EYBL teams as a high school player despite being the No. 1 recruit in America. Wiseman’s physical tools give him a relatively high floor, but it’s hard to see him with a high enough ceiling to warrant a top-three pick even in a weak draft. He should be a solid center, but star projections feel too optimistic.

8. New York Knicks - Devin Vassell, F, Florida State

Just sick stuff from Devin Vassell pic.twitter.com/V07OxMxMFS

— Jake Rosen (@JakeInThePaint) January 23, 2020

Vassell saw his draft projection go from sleeper to top-10 pick during a breakout sophomore year at Florida State. Few players in this draft are safer bets to offer more two-way potential. The 6’6 wing is an excellent team defender as the bedrock of a unit that finished No. 15 unit in the country, showing an ability to get into the passing lanes (2.8 percent steal rate) and wall up near the rim (4.1 percent block rate) despite not having the biggest frame. While Vassell isn’t much of a creator on offense with the ball in his hands, he does have a quality shooting projection. He made 41.5 percent of his three-pointers this season and showed an ability to hit them on the move and from a variety of angles. If you want a 3-and-D wing in this draft, it’s hard to do better than Vassell.

9. Washington Wizards - Tyrese Haliburton, PG, Iowa State

NBA scouts wanted to find out if Haliburton could maintain his excellent efficiency while going from reserve to featured star as a sophomore at Iowa State. For the most part, he did exactly that. A skinny 6’6 point guard, Haliburton has proved to be an excellent spot-up three-point shooter (42 percent) and an advanced passer (35.3 percent assist rate). Just don’t ask him to single-handedly create offense in the half-court. Haliburton is not the type of guard who breaks down the defense off the dribble and puts consistent pressure on the rim, meaning he’ll likely be at his best as a secondary ball handler. Add in his terrific defensive instincts — his 3.8 steal rate ranked top-40 in America — and Haliburton looks like a nice complementary piece if not exactly a future star.

10. Phoenix Suns - Tyrese Maxey, G, Kentucky

Tyrese Maxey throws the ball way ahead for the split, steps through the Okoro contest for the and-1 with his off hand. Unreal sequence pic.twitter.com/apfxNLamUZ

— Max Carlin (@maxacarlin) February 2, 2020

Maxey doesn’t run offense like a traditional point guard and lacks the size to consistently defend shooting guards, but it isn’t hard to see how his skill set could be effectively deployed next to a bigger offensive initiator in the NBA. The 6’2 freshman is at his best attacking the basket, where he showcases impressive body control and soft touch around the rim. He’s an active and attentive defender who plays bigger than his size with quick hits and good length with a 6’6 wingspan. Maxey only shot 29 percent from three-point range, but he hit better than 83 percent of his free throws and should be a threat both off the dribble and on catch-and-shoots. Maxey has some limitations for now, but he has enough skills to be an impactful player in the league in the right team context down the line.

11. San Antonio Spurs - Patrick Williams, F, Florida State

Flashes like this at his size make Patrick Williams the lotto tier prospect he is. So active making interior rotations, contests then pushes in transition and makes a great pass: pic.twitter.com/BWj5YKtqdb

— Ben Pfeifer (@Ben_Pfeifer_) February 25, 2020

Williams showed flashes of the type of player he could one day become during his freshman season at Florida State. The youngest NCAA prospect in this year’s draft, Williams is a long-and-strong 6’8 combo forward who offers defensive versatility with the hope of spot-up shooting and supplemental playmaking. Defensively, he’s big and strong enough to provide secondary rim protection in the front court after posting a 5.6 percent block rate with the ‘Noles. His offense is fairly rudimentary at this point, but there’s reason to believe he can be a better shooter than his 32 percent mark on relatively low volume suggests. He did hit 84 percent of his free throws. NBA teams always need big wings. Williams has the potential to be an impact player if continues to flush out his skill set.

12. Sacramento Kings - Isaac Okoro, F, Auburn

Isaac Okoro pull-up 3, comes down the other end, tag, steal, and dunk pic.twitter.com/MeU0ar19dQ

— Max Carlin (@maxacarlin) January 16, 2020

A powerfully built 6’6 wing, Isaac Okoro was a shutdown defender from the moment he entered Auburn. He displayed rare defensive versatility in his freshman season, preventing penetration when guarding the ball, making crisp rotations off the ball, and even flashing some signs of rim protection when he’d wall up in the paint. Okoro’s offense remains a mixed bag at best, with encouraging playmaking flashes being overshadowed by his struggles to shoot from three-point range. A team would do best to be creative offensively with Okoro early in his career rather than letting him sit out on the perimeter where opposing teams will likely ignore him. If his outside shot eventually comes around, he would be the type of two-way wing every team covets.

13. New Orleans Pelicans - Aleksej Pokuševski, F, Olympiacos

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It feels like every draft has a boom-or-bust prospect that will make one GM either look brilliant or foolish depending on his development. This year, it’s Pokuševski. The 7-footer has a mesmerizing array of skills for someone his size, showing off knockdown shooting ability and creative passing flashes with the ball. He’s also impossibly skinny and will likely be hunted defensively whenever he’s on the floor. Poku also didn’t face the highest level of competition playing in Greece’s second division, but it’s worth noting some guy named Giannis did pretty well coming over from the same league.

14. Boston Celtics - Cole Anthony, G, North Carolina

What a great set to get Cole Anthony attacking downhill off the catch, and an impressive and-one finish, too. Secondary DHO with Cole curling off of the Garrison Brooks pindown. Exactly the type of action that Cole needs to see in the NBA to maximize him off-ball. pic.twitter.com/MUDzS7uyxw

— Trevor William Marks (@twmarks_) August 12, 2020

Anthony was getting hyped as a potential top-three pick coming out of high school before a disappointing freshman season at North Carolina that was weighed down by a torn meniscus. At his best, Anthony can still be an electric shot-maker off the dribble with deep range. He’s impressive in the pick-and-roll, but his ideal fit at the next level should be playing off the ball next to a dynamic offensive initiator. His size will lead to questions defensively, but Anthony has always been a quality rebounder and disruptive in the passing lanes. His high school pedigree will be at odds with his underwhelming freshman season and the fact that he’s a year older than a typical freshman. If Anthony pulls off a successful transition to the NBA, it will more evidence to take evaluations throughout multiple years and not just a single one-and-done season.

15. Orlando Magic - Kira Lewis Jr, PG, Alabama

Lewis might be the fastest player in the draft with the ball in his hands. The 6’3 point guard is a blur in transition, where he graded out in the 79th percentile of points per possession in the country. Lewis is also a capable shooter who hit 36.4 percent of his threes and graded out in the 86th percentile of spot-up opportunities. He’s a solid if unspectacular passer at this point in his career and will badly need to add strength to his skinny frame. The biggest point in Lewis’ favor might be his age: he was the youngest sophomore in the country this season after playing his freshman year as a 17-year-old.

16. Portland Trail Blazers - Josh Green, SG, Arizona

Green is a monster athlete with a catch-and-shoot potential who can still be impactful despite a rudimentary offensive skill set. Offensively, Green can find success with straight lines or cuts to the basket but his value will ultimately be determined by how good of a shooter he becomes. He hit 36.1 percent of 83 attempts at a freshman at Arizona. Defensively is where Green is more intriguing. He’s a super fluid athlete with quick hips who can force turnovers with a 6’10 wingspan. It’s fair to question his upside given his lack of offensive refinement, but he should be able to stick in the league for a while as a 3-and-D wing.

17. Minnesota Timberwolves - R.J. Hampton, G, NZ Breakers

Hampton sets up the screen with a double cross, gets downhill with legit speed and slams. He's a good athlete: pic.twitter.com/gga2arkORm

— Ben Pfeifer (@Ben_Pfeifer_) March 22, 2020

The Dallas native graduated high school early to join LaMelo Ball in the NBL and play for the New Zealand Breakers. Hampton’s year abroad was interrupted by a hip injury, but he showed flashes of what makes once made a top recruit across 17 games as a pro. A 6’6 combo guard, Hampton is aggressive attacking the basket and has the strength to absorb contact and finish inside. Those same attributes make him a competent defender, too. He’ll need to improve his outside shooting (29 percent from three) and his ability to read defenses to become a starter, but for now Hampton looks like he’s worth a shot as a developmental guard prospect.

18. Dallas Mavericks - Aaron Nesmith, SG, Vanderbilt

Nesmith looked like the best three-point shooter in college basketball before a season-ending foot injury. The 6’6 sophomore guard hit 52.2 percent of his three-pointers and showed an ability to hit shots from tough angles while on the move. While not an elite defender, Nesmith showed an ability to understand his role on defense and should be able to hold his own on that end. If you need a catch-and-shoot threat in this draft, Nesmith is one of the best options available.

19. Brooklyn Nets - Saddiq Bey, F, Villanova

Part 1 (PnR Scoring) - While Saddiq Bey isn't thought of as a PnR player & he most likely won't be asked to do too much of it in the NBA, he showed some promising flashes this year. He does a good job at using his body & size to create space or drive through players & finish pic.twitter.com/8nidlEyvwn

— Zach Milner (@ZachMilner13) April 19, 2020

Bey is one of the best pure shooters in the draft. The 6’8 wing shot 45.1 percent from three-point range during his breakout sophomore season at Villanova. His combination of size and shooting makes him a viable option in the first round, but it’s fair asking what else he’ll bring to the table. Bey doesn’t jump off the page athletically which hurts him defensively and as a creator. As long as his college shooting numbers translate to the league, he should have a long career.

20. Miami Heat - Desmond Bane, SG, TCU

Bane flew under the radar as a senior at TCU, but he was quietly one of the better two-way wings in the country. A dynamic shooter off the catch, Bane hit 44 percent of almost 200 attempts from deep this past year. He’s also a more skilled finisher than the other top shooters in this class, able to absorb contact in the paint and lay the ball in with either hand. Defensively, Bane should be more advanced early in his career than many of his peers with a combination of high-IQ, strength, and discipline. Bane’s draft hype hasn’t matched his production to this point, but some smart team should scoop him up in the first round. Read Jackson Frank on Bane here.

21. Philadelphia 76ers - Tyrell Terry, G, Stanford

Tyrell Terry is the 2nd best catch and shoot player in the entire draft based on “score %” or the % of possessions the player scored more than 1 point Terry (50%) is only behind Vanderbilt’s Aaron Nesmith (52.4%) pic.twitter.com/A5rdhentta

— Daniel Segal (@dsegal01) August 20, 2020

Terry has become one of the popular sleepers in this draft class for his shooting versatility. The 6’2 guard hit 41 percent of his three-pointers on the year, and showed the ability to make deep shots both off the dribble and while spotting up (he finished in the 99th percentile on catch-and-shoot attempts). His ceiling will be determined by how truly great his jumper becomes. If he falls short of being special as a shooter, does he bring enough to the table in other areas to offset his more obvious weaknesses? Teams will have justified size and defensive concerns here, but Terry is worth the risk at this point in the first round for a team like Philly that badly needs as much shooting as it can get.

22. Denver Nuggets - Paul Reed, C/F, DePaul

Quick Paul Reed finishing flashes video. The shot is a work in progress (though he had some really nice relocation and movement Js) and his shot IQ needs work, but if you can get defenses to close on him, he had some elite finishes this year downhill for a big w/footwork & touch pic.twitter.com/4h0yoWNR1J

— Spencer (@SKPearlman) August 15, 2020

Reed was an overlooked three-star recruit entering one of the worst power-five programs in America when he committed to DePaul. Three years later and one major growth spurt later, he has a shot at being taken in the first round as a big man who can cause havoc defensively and maybe stretch the floor as a shooter down the line. Few players in the country packed the box score as reliably as Reed. He posted huge block (9.4 percent), steal (3.4 percent), and rebound rates, and also showed improved finishing and shooting ability. It’s fair to wonder about his offensive projection if he’s caught between the four and the five, but Reed makes enough plays defensively for someone to take a shot on him late in the first.

23. Utah Jazz - Malachi Flynn, PG, San Diego State

Flynn burst onto the national college basketball scene during his first season with San Diego State as a transfer from Washington State. He was nothing less than one of the very best players in college basketball this year as the engine of an Aztecs team that finished the season at 30-2. Flynn has unremarkable size and athleticism for an NBA point guard, but it’s hard to discount the fact that he’s simply very, very good. A tough and crafty point guard, Flynn hit 37 percent of his three-pointers, showed elite feel in the pick-and-roll, and played aggressive defense despite in his size limitations. He’s a first-rounder in my book.

24. Milwaukee Bucks - Theo Maledon, G, ASVEL

Maledon had a standout career on France’s youth teams alongside Killian Hayes before going to ASVEL and becoming something like Tony Parker’s understudy. He has great size for a guard at 6’5, but lacks the burst to break down the defense off the dribble. Instead, Maledon plays a safe and steady pick-and-roll game and spots up along the three-point line. His ceiling feels like it will ultimately be determined by how dependable he becomes in catch-and-shoot situations.

25. Oklahoma City Thunder - Leandro Bolmaro, G, Barcelona

Bolmaro is intriguing as a 6’7 ball handler who played de facto point guard for Barcelona this season while splitting time between their senior team and lower divisions. He does a good job playing with pace with the ball in hands and has the vision and size to find shooters on the perimeter. He was a sub-30 percent three-point shooter, which will have to a point of emphasis for his development moving forward. Here’s an extremely in-depth piece on Bolmaro from Graham Chapple our Hawks community Peachtree Hoops.

26. Boston Celtics - Xavier Tillman, C, Michigan State

Simply put, Tillman was one of the best players in college basketball each of the last two years. He broke out as a sophomore at Michigan State when Nick Ward got injured, turning into a plus-minus marvel upon entering the starting lineup. Tillman had a similarly massively impact as a full-time starter during his junior year, proving himself to be a super high-IQ big man with strength and finishing ability. He’ll be short for an NBA center at 6’8, but his length and raw power should help make up for it. Tillman isn’t a flashy pick, but he qualifies as an analytics darling in this year’s draft and has been remarkably dependable whenever he’s on the floor.

27. New York Knicks - Precious Achiuwa, C/F, Memphis

Achiuwa passes the eye test in that he just looks like an NBA player the first time you see him walk onto the court. A massive hybrid forward at 6’9 with a 7’2 wingspan, Achiuwa is extremely strong and plays with energy. He just doesn’t always know what he’s doing on the floor. The Memphis freshman hit 32.5 percent of his threes on low volume this year, but he also made under 60 percent of his free throws. His decision making is a bigger concern after finishing with 87 turnovers to 30 assists. Still, Achiuwa is athletic, strong, and active. If his feel for the game improves, there will be a spot in the rotation for him.

28. Los Angeles Lakers - Grant Riller, G, Charleston

Riller doesn’t have the hype of a one-and-done freshman as a player who will turn 24 years old as a rookie, but the tape shows that the 6’3 guard is one of the most explosive one-on-one scorers in this year’s class. Riller has an elite scoring package that includes deadly step-back jumpers, outstanding finishing ability, and the ball handling required to create separation off the dribble. He will have to be protected defensively, but his offensive upside is impressive enough to warrant a first round pick despite his age.

29. Toronto Raptors - Devon Dotson, PG, Kansas

Dotson was the engine of the best team in college basketball all season. While he lacks ideal size at 6’2, Dotson makes up for it with speed, strength, and projectable shooting. He was remarkably consistent all season in terms of his scoring efficiency on different play types. While Dotson only hit 30 percent of his threes, he finished as an 82 percent free throw shooter and has a compact shooting stroke that should be effective from deep in the NBA before long. He’s also a competitive defender who posted a huge 3.6 percent steal rate and doesn’t back down from bigger ball handlers. There is plenty of evidence that being an excellent college basketball player is a great indicator of future NBA success, and Dotson certainly fits that bill.

30. Boston Celtics - Tre Jones, PG, Duke

Jones shocked the college basketball world by returning for his sophomore season to lead a Duke team without Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett. Scouts wanted to see him improve his outside shooting and be more assertive on offense, and for the most part he was able to do it. Jones increased his three-point percentage to 36 percent, up 10 points from last year. He’s also a heady playmaker who makes quick decisions with the ball and has more size to compete defensively than his older brother Tyus Jones on the Memphis Grizzlies. This is not an exciting pick, but Jones already carries himself like a pro and should be a low maintenance and dependable bench option for a long time.

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