Ty's 2024-2025 NBA Preview: The Could Have Been a Contender Division

Welcome to day three of my 24-25 NBA countdown. We are at the play-in/playoff teams now, finally.

At number 20 I have the LA Clippers. This is it for the Clippers. They had their window. It was wide open and ready for a championship. They couldn't get it done. Now they have no more Paul George, and surprise surprise, Kawhi Leonard is most likely out to start the season. I adore Kawhi, he is one of my all time favorite players. But he has not been healthy since he left San Antonio, and even then he was always kind of hurt. His prime is more than over and I don't know that we will ever see prime Kawhi ever again. That's a bummer. James Harden is still there, somehow with a new three year deal, but I'm sure he will ask out or blow it in major games. Harden is one of the greatest scorers the NBA has ever seen, but he is also a no show when it matters most. And he is never happy no matter where he is playing. Ivica Zubac is an okay rebounder but unplayable in the playoffs. Norman Powell is a good bench guy but he starts for the Clippers. Amir Coffey had some moments, but he is a deep bench guy at best. PJ Tucker wants out and Kobe Brown cannot see real minutes. They brought in Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. Both guys are elite role players but they are going to be asked to do too much. Ty Lue is a very good coach, so if anyone can get the most out of this group it is him. But, with the constant uncertainty of Kawhi's health and Harden just waiting to complain, the Clippers are a play-in team at best.

At 19 I have the Houston Rockets. The Rockets seem to be coming together nicely. They had a nice late season push last season and I have a feeling that will carry over to this year. They remind me a little bit of The Bubble Suns. Getting Fred VanVleet was a nice move. They may have overpaid him, but he was worth the money. The Rockets have an adult in the room now. Jalen Green showed everyone what he can do when he gets the ball. He exploded last year, he scored 30 in a bunch of games and looked to be having fun. Alpernen Sengun is a very good big man who can run the offense. He needs to be better defensively though. Jabari Smith Jr is going to announce himself. He has gotten a little better and a little bigger each season. It looks to be coming together for him. Amen Thompson is already an elite level defender. He needs to work on his offense, but he can be a true defensive stopper if the Rockets need him to be. Dillon Brooks is a pest, but he may be the best pest in the league. Getting Steven Adams was a nice move. He is coming off a big injury, but he adds another big defensive minded player. The Rockets are a good team ready to make a leap. That starts this season.

At 18 I have the Golden State Warriors. The Splash Brothers are no more, but they kept the important Splash Brother. Steph Curry is amazing. He proved that and then some in the Olympics. It was a joy to watch, and his shooting will keep him around as long as he wants. Curry is awesome. But, it is a big fall off from there. Draymond Green is still a very good defender, but he is not the offensive playmaker he used to be. His passing isn't as great and he is a total zero as a shooter. Johnathan Kuminga is very, very good, but I think he wants to be a number 1 option. That will not happen as long as he plays with Steph Curry. Moses Moody has never really put it together. I'm not as high on Brandon Podemzski as some others are. Kevon Looney is still pretty good, but the idea of him being an outside shooter is wild. Kyle Anderson was a good signing. I also like the addition of Buddy Hield. Andrew Wiggins has never been the same since their last title. And Gary Payton II is almost always injured. Much like the Clippers, the window has closed for another Warriors title. But, with Steph Curry in this lineup this team will still be an early playoff threat.

At number 17 I have the Memphis Grizzlies. This is my team. I am very hopeful that they will stay healthy all year. They got ravaged by injury and suspension last season, so I'm trying to believe that was enough and they will be back to normal. Ja Morant is back. He needs to stop playing with guns and play basketball with the reckless abandon that I love. He is such a good point guard, and when he is on the floor the Grizzlies are so much better. I still believe in the Marcus Smart trade. I like him teaming up with Morant in the backcourt because of his defense. He can also get ona heater and make a ton of threes. Desmond Bane has gotten better every year and I expect him to continue that trend this season. Jaren Jackson Jr is in somewhat of a no man's land. He got better on offense last year, but that was because he was the only healthy starter all season. He also regressed defensively. He also fouls way too much. I have high hopes for him, but he has got to clean some of this stuff up. I adore the Zach Edey pick. As bummed as I was about the Adams trade, drafting Edey made me feel a bit better. He is a rookie and he will struggle at times, but he is humongous and he has looked good in the preseason. Luke Kennard is not great. I was bummed they re-signed him this offseason. Brandon Clarke is coming off a torn ACL so it will be interesting to see how he looks. GG Jackson showed he could score in the NBA last year, but I want to see how he does with a limited role. The Grizzlies will be better this year, they should make a run at the playoffs/play-in, they just have to stay healthy and stay away from guns.

The final team for the day, coming in at number 16 I have the LA Lakers. The Lakers are stuck in the mud, but they have one of the best duos in the league. At some point time will catch up to LeBron James, but he is still fighting father time off. He was awesome last season, and he takes care of his body better than any player in the NBA ever. He is the second best player ever, and I expect to see him put up consistent numbers. Anthony Davis kind of reminds me of Christian McCaffery. When Davis is on the floor he is one of the best in the game. He can score a lot of different ways, is an excellent rebounder and is one of the best rim protectors in the league. But, last season was like a mirage. He was barely ever hurt. I fear that may have been a one time thing. After those two, the Lakers take a steep dropoff. Austin Reaves is incredibly overrated. He is nothing without LeBron and the whole league will see that soon enough. Rui Hachimura had one good playoff series two years ago, and he is still riding that high. He should start, but the Lakers kind of put him in and out of the lineup. D'Angelo Russell is a damn fine shooter, but he is too preoccupied with celebrating and trash talking. He is also a total zero on defense. Gabe Vincent was out all of last season, and who knows what he will bring this year. Jarred Vanderbilt is a fine defender, but he offers not much else. I'm sick of hearing how good Max Christie looks in practice. I want to see it on the floor. They drafted Bronny, which is great for LeBron, but I have to assume Bronny will spend the majority of the season in the G League. Jaxson Hayes is washed. As is Cam Reddish. The Lakers are good because they have LeBron and AD. That made them good enough to be the 7th seed in the West last year. I expect more of that this season.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next five teams. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Ty Ranks the 2023 - 2024 NBA Teams - Aging Rockstars Playing Some of Their New Music Division

Welcome to day two of my NBA countdown leading up to the new season. The teams still aren't great, but they are getting better and the teams today have some players I am excited to watch this upcoming season.

At number 25 I have the Houston Rockets. I don't think any team this offseason went for it harder than the Rockets did. They are clearly trying to do some things to win games and compete right now. That is good. It is also good that they did not give James Harden a max contract. That was the right move. Who they got instead at point guard was Fred VanVleet. They may have given him too much money and he may be past his prime but he brings a veteran leadership this team hasn't had in years. He is going to be an excellent role model for their young core. They also went out and signed Dillon Brooks. They gave him too much money also, and too many years, but he is a solid defender. He also had a good FIBA showing. If he can stay humbled on the court he will give opposing stars headaches. Then we have the young core. Jalen Green has all the tools in the world to be a big time NBA scorer. He just has to give it 100 percent all the time. I think Jabari Smith Jr is going to be a legit all star. He is big, can defend and rebound and his shot is coming along. Tari Eason is dope. That kid can really play and he brings massive energy. I like the Amen Thompson pick. He was the better twin and he could flourish with a big role. Alperen Sengun is a wizard with the ball, but a total zero on defense. Cam Whitmore fell to them in the draft and he could play the role of the revenge rookie. They also acquired Jeff Green in a trade and he wins almost everywhere he goes. The Rockets will be better this year, but they are not a playoff team yet. Hell, they aren't even a play in team yet. But they are making some interesting moves.

At number 24 I have the Indiana Pacers. I really like what this team is becoming. They have some really good and young talent. They have a solid coach. And they made some excellent moves in the offseason. Tyrese Haliburton is awesome. He is an all star. He was one of the better FIBA players for the US. He can pass with the best of them and his shooting gets better every year. Myles Turner is still here and they gave him an extension. He is still one of the better rim defenders in the league. He can also stretch the floor. Ben Mathurin had a solid rookie year. I expect him to be their sixth man and feast on opposing second team defenses. I love the Bruce Brown signing. The season will tell if he is ready for a bigger role, but that guy has only gotten better every year he has been in the league. I love them acquiring Obi Toppin. He is going to thrive with additional playing time. Drafting Jarace Walker looks like a home run for their defense. TJ McConnell is a solid backup point guard. Andrew Nembhard had some big moments last season and will build on that. Jalen Smith and Aaron Nesmith continue to be decent second team options. And I love that they signed Oscar Tshiebewe as an undrafted rookie. He is going to be a rebounding beast. The Pacers could threaten for a play in spot this year. And next year they should slide into being a solid playoff lock.

At 23 I have the Utah Jazz. Who could have foreseen this team playing as well as they did last season? Not me. And they could be better this year. Lauri Markkanen had a career year last season and looks like the real deal. I was wrong about him. Jordan Clarkson became a better passer last year while keeping up his scoring pace. Walker Kessler had a very good rookie year and looks like a possible lock down center on defense. Collin Sexton got out of Cleveland and looked good in the minutes he got last year. Ochai Agbaji is going to play a bigger role this year and I am curious to see how he does. Keyonte George looks like a very good incoming rookie. They traded for John Collins and he sounds like he wants to wreck the league this year. Kris Dunn is around, and he is as good a perimeter defender as there is in the league. The Jazz are a good team that may fight for a playoff or play in spot. If they were in the East I might pick them to make it. But they are in the West and the West is loaded.

At 22 I have the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets actually did a good job in the Kyrie, KD and James Harden aftermath. They recouped quite well. The prize of that trade was Mikail Bridges, and he is awesome. He blew up last season. He was excellent in FIBA. He seems to like being the first option. Bridges is great. Cam Johnson got a big deal and he seems to enjoy playing in Brooklyn. He has an edge to his game now that I really like as well. I have zero faith in Ben Simmons. I'm over all of the offseason stuff with him. Cam Thomas is a great bench scorer and nothing else. Nic Claxton is a good pick and roll and defense first guy, but he cannot shoot. I like the addition of Lonnie Walker IV. He had a good year last year and could be better with more minutes. Dennis Smith Jr had a great comeback year in Charlotte and the Nets are going to give him another shot. Dorian Finney-Smith can defend, but he hasn't been able to recreate his success from two years ago. The Nets are a weird team with one player, Bridges, that I love. But they will not be as good as they were last season.

The final team for the day, a team I really thought hard about putting into my playoff mix, at 21 I have the Orlando Magic. This team is ready to take a leap and become a true playoff threat. I just think it may take one more season. Paolo Banchero is legit. The kid has all the tools to be the number one option and a perennial all star. He got better as the year went along and he is going to be a star in this league. Franz Wagner is their jack of all trades. He can do a little of everything really well. He was a steal for them in the draft. Markelle Fultz has reignited his career. He is never going to be the star some thought, but he is a solid point guard in the NBA. Anthony Black may be their point guard of the future. He looked excellent in summer league. Cole Antony can also play. He has been a solid starter for the past two years. Jalen Suggs can't shoot, but he can defend. Jett Howard will bring bench scoring. Wendell Carter Jr has been a great big man for them and looks like he could make another leap. Chuma Okeke can play too. The Magic have a good, young team that will win more games than some think. They are going to make a playoff push and may even win a play in game. I love what they are doing over there. They have a decent team.

That is it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next five teams. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Ty's 2022-2023 NBA Season Preview: Rockets, Pacers, Magic

Welcome to day two of my 2022-23 NBA countdown. We are still on some teams that will be in the lottery, but some of them should be a ton of fun to watch this season.

At 27 I have the Houston Rockets. The Rockets were bad last year. They are going to be bad this year. But they are going to be a blast to watch. I love Jalen Green. I have been a fan of his since he joined the G League over going to college. That was a baller ass move. He is also a wildly talented offensive player. He was putting up big numbers last season, so imagine what he will do in season two. Green has star quality, now it's time to show that ability. Kevin Porter Jr seems to have found a place that works for him. He gets to start, he gets to handle the ball and he runs the offense. He is young and has all the talent in the world. He just needs to stay on the floor. I thought Jabari Smith Jr was going to go first overall, but the Rockets snatched him up with the second pick. I love this pick for the Rockets. Jabari Smith Jr reminds me of a young KD. If he can be 50 percent of Durant he is going to be a star. Alperen Sengun is very raw but very good. He is a great passer, a decent low post scorer and can rebound. Tari Eason is a solid pick. Eric Gordon can still light it up from three. Tyty Washington needs time, but in the future, he can be a decent guard in the league. Usman Garuba is extremely raw, but I like watching him play. Willie Cauley Stein is the "veteran" presence, and he can still throw it down. This team is very talented on offense, but they will get scorched on defense. That will be their undoing. But I will enjoy watching them play this year.

At 26 I have the Indiana Pacers. They need to bite the bullet and go into full rebuild. I feel like they are still trying to act like a playoff contender, but they are not on that level. They did trade Malcolm Brogdon, and that was a good start. Now they need to offload Buddy Hield and Myles Turner. I like both those guys a lot. Hield is a great shooter, but he needs to be on a team that has a real shot at the playoffs. Turner is a great modern big, a very good rim protector and a solid three point shooter. But he is being wasted in Indy. He needs to be on a team with a real chance at the playoffs as well. What they need to do is lean fully into letting Tyrese Haliburton run the show. He is great. He is young but plays maturely. He has the look of a true number one on a high playoff seed, they just need to build a little more. I think Benedict Mathurin can be a very poor man's Kawhi Leonard. He can shoot a bit, and with some work, can be a lockdown defender. Chris Duarte can shoot, but that may be it. We will get a very good look at Jalen Smith this year. He could be Robert Williams or Anthony Bennett. This season should let us know. Aaron Nesmith had moments in Boston. In Indiana he will get a shot to make all those moments a nightly thing. Andrew Nembhard was good in college, but he may be a bit too much like Doug McDermott. Time will tell. James Johnson will provide toughness, but who knows how long he will stick around. When the Pacers finally relent and go full rebuild we will get to see Haliburton come on the scene, and this team will be bad for a season or two before they are back to being a .500 team.

The final team for the day, at number 25 I have the Orlando Magic. The Magic will be very bad, but they may be the most entertaining team to watch. I love this core. They are young and raw, but man oh man are they athletic. Paolo Banchero is looking very much the part of a number one overall pick. He has been everywhere this summer and preseason and he is already stirring it up. He is also a walking bucket. Franz Wagner can shoot, defend and seems like a blast to play basketball with. He was great at Michigan and I am glad it seems to be translating to the NBA. Mo Bamba is a very good rim protector and rebounder. He is also very skinny and very green on offense. The word out of camp is that Bol Bol is healthy and ready to contribute. I cannot wait to see him on the court. Jalen Suggs did not shoot it well last season, and he is coming off an injury, but he is a very good defender already. Markelle Fultz is finally free to just play basketball. Cole Anthony is cool as hell and I love watching him play. Chuma Okeke is one of the better players nobody knows about. Gary Harris Jr can still play. Mo Wagner is sticking around. Wendell Carter Jr looks legit. Again, this team is going to be bad this year, but they are building something that could be special in three or four years. They won't win just yet, but it should come soon if they stick together.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next three teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Ty's 2021-2022 NBA Preview: Thunder, Pistons, Rockets, Magic

The NBA season is about two weeks away. I know it seems like it just ended, and it did, but the league is getting back on their regular calendar. The pandemic has made everything crazy, and the pro sports leagues are just trying to get back on track. With that, I'm going to start my NBA countdown for the 21-22 season today. I'll do this just like I do my other leagues, going from who I consider the worst to the best. I'll do four teams a day and end it with a full prediction blog. These are some of my favorite blogs to write because I love the NBA so much. Okay let's get to it.

At number 30 I have the Oklahoma City Thunder. This is all exactly what they have wanted. When they traded Harden, couldn't re-sign KD and mercifully traded Russell Westbrook, they had a full rebuild in mind. The good news for the Thunder is they have a billion draft picks and Shai Gilgeous Alexander to build around. SGA is awesome. He is a future all star. He has all the tools to build a team around. This kid is legit. Lu Dort is a hounding defender. If he can start to shoot some he could be a solid starter. Darius Bazley showed flashes last season. Derrick Favors is a fine vet to have on a young team. Outside those guys it is kind of rough. Josh Giddey can shoot, but he is a rookie. Alex Pokuusevski is super raw. Mamadi Diakite can block shots, but doesn't do much else. Ty Jerome isn't that good. Isaiah Roby and DJ Wilson do not see the floor. The Thunder are not good now, but if they keep SGA, get Lu Dort to expand his game and cash in on some of their picks, they will be a threat in about 3-4 years.

At number 29 I have the Detroit Pistons. They have Cade Cunningham. He looks like he should be the real deal. He was a great scorer his one year in college and looked good in summer league. They also have Saddiq Bey. He is proving to be a solid all around player. If he can hone his shot he could be very good. Jerami Grant is a really good player and betting on himself totally paid off. He is doing loads of good things for this team. But that seems to be where the "good" of this team stops. Josh Jackson is a bust. Hammidou Diallo is an awesome athlete, but he is way too out of control. Luka Garza is trash. Killian Hayes is completely unproven. Corey Joseph is old. Trey Lyles has never been able to stick anywhere. Isaiah Livers is coming off an injury in college. The Pistons are in a tough spot. They need time to rebuild. Cunningham, Grant and Bey are a solid core, but they need tons and tons of help.

At number 28 I have the Houston Rockets. I think they knew they were going to be in a tough situation when they traded Harden last season, but they did get a slew of picks and they have a ton of future leverage just like the Thunder do. Jalen Green looks every bit the part of a future star. He got great experience while playing for G League Ignite last year. He went toe to toe with Cunningham in summer league. He was on fire until he got a tweak in his leg and sat out the rest of the games. Kevin Porter Jr looked so much better after spending some time in the G League last season. He has bounced around a bit, but the talent has always been there. He should continue to grow. Alpernon Sengun has been on everyone's mind since summer league, where he shined, and I'm excited to see how he plays in real games. After these 3 the team falls off a cliff. John Wall will not play for them this season. Eric Gordon will also most likely be traded before the season starts, or very soon after. Avery Bradley has already left the team. Usman Garuba was a popular pick, but he is so raw. I'm not as high on Christina Wood as other people are. He seems like a good stats on a bad team guy. He is empty calories. Jae'Sean Tate showed flashes, but I need to see more. David Nwaba is incredibly raw. I think the Rockets will be fun to watch because of Jalen Green, but this team will not win more than 25 games all season.

The final team for the day, at number 27 I have the Orlando Magic. I was a fan of them finally blowing it up last season to rebuild. But the rebuild is going to take some time. Cole Anthony has the goods, but he needs time to develop into a true NBA point guard. Mo Bamba simply cannot stay healthy. Ignas Brazdekis is a G League guy. Wendell Carter Jr has the skill, but it has not translated well to the NBA yet. We all know about the Markelle Fultz saga, and while he has looked better in Orlando, he still can't shoot. Johnathan Issac is more focused on not getting vaxxed than playing basketball. RJ Hampton hasn't lived up to the hype and Gary Harris has crashed back to Earth after one good season. Robin Lopex and Terrence Ross are well past their prime. As is E'Twaun Moore, What the Magic need to do is keep Anthony as their point guard, let Jalen Suggs play the 2 and work Franz Wagner in to be their star defender and 3 point shooter. Build off those three and hope that some other players hit or that they get good draft picks. The time had come to rebuild, but Magic fans are going to have to be very patient again. That may be worrisome, but that is where this franchise is right now.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next four teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing. 

Is James Harden Worth Everything the Nets Gave Up?

I wrote about the best fit for James Harden yesterday, and like it was supposed to happen that way, he was traded right as I was finishing up my piece. I swear. Brooklyn was the best fit, I still believe that, and I did not write that after the trade. Since the trade is official now, the Nets announced it today, I do want to break it down, and why I personally do not think it will end in a title, or even a Finals appearance for Brooklyn.

This trade was involved. It was a three team deal, and the Nets gave up a ton of depth, and pretty much their future. I get that Harden is worth a lot, and he is a perennial MVP candidate, and he is one of the greatest scorers of all time, but the Nets gave up way, way too much. They offloaded Taurean Prince, Jarrett Allen, and the biggest piece in my opinion, Caris Levert. They also gave up, I believe, seven picks and pick swaps. They gave up a whole, whole lot to get a third star. Levert was later traded to the Pacers for Victor Oladipo, and Jarrett Allen ended up on the Cavs. I think, if I look at the trade as a whole, the Pacers probably got the best of the deal, getting a younger Oladipo. And the Cavs, I mean, they maybe have every center in the league on their roster, but getting Jarrett Allen is a big deal. He brings great rim protection, and he is young. The Cavs could be a threat in two to three years if they keep this young core together. The Rockets came out fine. I mean, they got Oladipo but he is on the last year of his deal. He has been awesome this season, and if he can keep it up, and John Wall stays relatively healthy, they could find themselves in the play in. They also have a treasure trove of picks. I feel like the Thunder, Pelicans and now the Rockets own the draft until 2026. This move may not have gotten the Rockets the "star" they coveted, but they got Oladipo, and all those picks I mentioned. They veered from the star chasing into more of a make this trade for the future of the franchise. They have endless options for trades, or just drafting some of the top prospects now.

Now to the big fish move, the name that everyone was talking about, the Nets added James Harden. I already mentioned who they gave up, but they still have a decent roster. You have Harden at the 2 now, Kyrie Irving at the 1, if he ever decides to come back, Joe Harris at the 3, KD, who is as good as ever, at the 4 and Deandre Jordan at the 5. This is a solid lineup. I do not know about the depth, but I am sure they have three guys that are real NBA players on that bench.

Here is where it gets tricky for me. This offense is going to be dynamic, especially when/if Kyrie comes back. They could put up 150 a night with ease. I'm serious. You have three guys capable of going for 40 any night. But, they do not have a very good defense. Deandre Jordan has been bad this year, full stop. He got flat out benched the other night. It was a DNP- Coach's Decision. He is not the same guy he was in LA or with the Knicks. He just doesn't have it anymore. We all know about Harden on defense. He chooses to forget that end of the floor. He puts in no effort at all. He is a zero on defense. His offense makes up for it, but man is he bad on defense. He is also very out of shape at the moment, and has looked disinterested in basketball. Maybe a change of scenery changes that, but it doesn’t get him in NBA shape. That is on him. KD is very good defensively, but he is going to be asked to do so much more, and he is going to be stretched very, very thin. Steve Nash and crew are going to need him to do everything. It may be a bit much. Joe Harris is fine, but I would much rather have Levert. Harris is a better 3 point shooter, but Levert is a better creator, and he is a longer defender. He can also guard multiple positions. And Kyrie, it all depends on where his head is at. Even when he plays, he isn't great on D, unless he is committed. Right now, he seems committed to every except basketball. And that is fine. I'm all for him doing whatever makes him happy. But this team just took a major hit on D. I said they could average 150 a night, and they may need too. Teams are going to score at will. Big men in the East, like Embiid, Giannis and Bam Adebayo are going to feast on Deandre Jordan. Opposing backcourts are going to pretty much get where they want on the floor. KD is the only guy I see on that roster that would give me a pause when game planning offensively against the Nets. I'm also concerned about the ball movement. Is the ball really going to fly around? How many touches will Harris and Jordan get? Are they going to become forgotten teammates? I think it's possible. I'm also concerned with how Harden has played the game since he has been in Houston. I do not know that he can just adjust to not being "the guy" in an offense when that has been his identity for almost a decade now. He is not the best player on this team. Not even close. That is KD. And KD I do not worry about. He is so adjustable and smooth and can do everything. He is a master of the game, and I think he will be fine. And finally we have Kyrie. How will he work with Harden? We barely know how he does with KD because they have barely played together. Harden is another dominant personality, and he is a better offensive player than Kyrie. I also think Kyrie is going to be frustrated playing with these other two because he is the third option now. The whole reason he wanted out of Cleveland and Boston was so he could be the guy. Well, he is definitely not the guy right, or second guy, right now with the Nets. I'll be very curious how he meshes with KD and Harden, if he does come back and play this season.

All in all, Harden got what he wanted, but I do not think it spells a title for them. They will still have to go through the Bucks, 76ers, Heat and Celtics in the East. And if they are able to do that, they will have either the Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets or some other West powerhouse team. The Nets got a star, they got better offensively, but they sacrificed far too much, and they got exponentially worse on defense. I'm excited to see them play, but I do not think they are a serious threat to win the title this year, or even next year.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Nets are James Harden's Only Good Option

Editor’s note: Minutes after Ty submitted his article, James Harden was traded to the Brooklyn Nets. Ty will have thoughts on the trade tomorrow.

James Harden did pretty much everything he could last night to get what he wants.

Harden wants out of Houston, he wants to go to the 76ers or the Nets and he made that abundantly clear in his post game press conference. He even ended it by saying he did everything he could for the team, and then he just left. This press conference was pretty loaded. Let’s discuss.

First off, "everything he could" for that team? He led them to the West Finals once (although Chris Paul was much more integral to that team), and he blew it. He played horribly against the Spurs when they were without Kawhi in a game 6 that ended Houston's season. He had great regular seasons and terrible postseasons. I mean, if that was "everything he could" do, Houston should have no problem, or no qualms, trading him. He did not get to the Finals, he won one MVP, he consistently demanded trades for stars, who he then immediately clashed with, and he does not know how to play true basketball anymore. Don't get me wrong, Harden is an all time great scorer. I won't say player, but as far as scoring goes, he revolutionized the game. But he is no fun to watch, and I would hate playing with him, as did Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook and now John Wall and Boogie Cousins.

Harden also seems selfish. He always wants the ball, wants things his way and if he doesn't like what is going on, he will just refuse, or do things that make it nearly impossible to keep him. I thought Houston would do a lot to keep him, and he even started out playing okay basketball. But this past week he has fallen way off, and he looks disinterested. Quite frankly, even if I were a contending team that needed a scorer, I would not actively pursue Harden. The asking price is far too much, he doesn't play defense, he has had the past six years plus playing the exact way he wants to, and I would not expect him to re-sign with my team in the next two years. Whatever team trades for him, and it may happen today, is going to pay a steep price, and I think they will regret it sooner rather than later.

The four teams that have been kicked around are the Raptors, Celtics, 76ers and Nets. Lets just wipe the Celtics and Raptors off that list. Their GM's are too smart, they won't give up young up and coming stars and they will not trade a massive amount of picks for him. I would also not want to pair Harden with either Jayson Tatum or Pascal Siakim. That would just diminish all their personal gains as top options. The 76ers is an interesting exercise, but I would not want them to do that to Joel Embiid. Embiid is playing some of the best basketball of his life right now. Simmons is doing what he does best, Danny Green and Seth Curry, along with Tyrese Maxey are providing the shooting they need and Doc Rivers has this team looking solid. I don't think I'd want to mess with that right now. The 76ers, maybe, just maybe, have found out what type of team they want to be, and they seem to be maximizing that. I also would not trade Simmons, who is, I believe, eight years younger than Harden. He has way more potential, and I would not want anything to happen to my man Joel Embiid. The 76ers should stand pat in my opinion.

This leaves us with the Nets. The Nets have two stars, Kyrie and KD, but who in the world knows what is going on with Kyrie right now. Hell, I don't think Stephen A Smith was out of bounds in saying he should retire. Kyrie has other interests, and he is clearly politically active, maybe he should go do that for a while. He may find he loves that. He doesn't need basketball in his life anymore, at least that is how it seems to me. But KD is back, and he has looked pretty good. He is looking more and more like himself. He is as dangerous as ever on offense, and his defense is getting back up to speed. I watched a little of the Nets-Nuggets game last night because I have not seen KD play yet this year, and he did look good. I also like the other guys the Nets have. Joe Harris is a solid 3 and D player. Both Jarrett Allen and Deandre Jordan have been solid pick and roll guys, and Allen is a dominant rim protector. Caris Levert has been feasting on second units, and he is a third shot creator, which is great for this team. Taurean Prince seems to be doing a little better. So, if I were the Nets, would I risk my future, hell they may have to mortgage it, just to have Harden for two years?

This is where I balk a little. Harden has played with KD, but that was a lifetime ago. They are two totally different players now. What if Kyrie wants to come back? Who runs point then? Would this relegate a guy like Levert or Prince to miniscule minutes? Would Harden be willing to change his style of play? There are a ton of questions, but Harden is an all time great scorer. You don't just hang up the phone if the Rockets come calling, But I think there are just far, far too many questions. Also, do the Nets want to do almost the exact same thing they did when they traded for KG and Paul Pierce? Are they willing to be really good for 2-3 years, then have to rebuild all over again?

I just don't know. I do not know that I would trade that much just to get a disgruntled James Harden. I guess time will tell. Maybe we will have an answer soon.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty's 2020-2021 NBA Preview: The One or Two Round Playoff Teams

Now we are getting to the good teams, the playoff teams. I would personally write these teams down in pen. Now, injuries, COVID positives and other random stuff can come up, and possibly will. But with the way these teams rosters are constructed now, it would have to be a major blow to move them out of the playoffs. They would have to lose star players for ample amounts of time. I don't think that will happen with these teams, and that is why I have them as "locks" for the playoffs.

At number 15 I have the Atlanta Hawks. Too high you say. Not enough defense you say. Won't mesh you say. I disagree with all of that. I also think Lloyd Pierce is going to prove how good of a head coach he is this year, and the Hawks will be back in the mix. Trae Young is great. No he is not Luka Doncic, and he can't shoot like Steph, but he has range for days, and he will find any way to score a bucket. His defense is lacking, and if he put some effort in it, a la Steph Curry, it would make a difference. But he is liable to go off for 30 plus any given night. I will take any day. I love John Collins. I do not want Atlanta to trade him either. I think he and Young are a good duo, and after admitting he didn't put in enough effort on D last year, he turned it around near the end of their season. He is also a bruiser in the paint. If Clint Capela can stay healthy, I don't see why he isn't the exact same player he was in Houston. Trae is a more willing passer than Harden, and Capela is going to get all the lob dunks he could ever want. He is also an okay enough rim protector. They ended up signing Bogdan Bogdanovic after the Milwaukee trade fell through. He adds even more space, and he is a solid shot creator. If DeAndre Hunter can play a little better defense, he is their version of Draymond or Kawhi. Kevin Huerter may lose minutes to Bogdanovic, but he is going to be instant offense off the bench, and I feel like he will light up second units. I could say the same for Cam Reddish. He lost some luster at Duke, but now he is being given the time and effort to do his own thing, and he is a very solid player, with room to grow. Rajon Rondo adds super intelligence and Danilo Gallinari is a very solid player when healthy. Kris Dunn is a bull dog on defense, and if that kid from USC they drafted is brought along slowly, he could be a solid bench guy. The Hawks went all in this offseason, and I applaud them for it. They will be in the playoffs this year.

At number 14 I have the Phoenix Suns. Here is another team that went all in, and it only took one guy to put them there. Getting Chris Paul was a humongous deal. After seeing what he did in OKC last year, while I may not like him as a player, I respect the hell out of his game. He is also going to be playing next to a younger, less ball hoggy version of James Harden, with Devin Booker. Booker is on the cusp of stardom. The kid can flat our score, he has improved his handles and he at least tries on defense. Booker wanted the Suns to make a push, and they certainly did when they traded for Paul. Deandre Ayton got better as the year went on, and was very good in the bubble. If he continues on this trajectory, he is going to fit in just fine with Booker and Paul. He is also a threat from outside, which is super useful for a 7 footer. Mikal Bridges had a very good rookie year, he can shoot and his arms are as long as any person's I have ever seen. He is going to be a very good NBA starter. Jalen Smith was a solid draft pick. He was a good big at Maryland, he is built and he hustles his ass off. Picking up Jae Crowder was quietly a great move. He adds shooting and defense, and an edge this team has lacked. Dario Saric seemingly refound his game in the bubble. And Elie Okobo might be ready to be a good bench contributor. The Suns had one of the better off seasons I can remember, and the sheer addition of Paul is enough for me to make them a playoff team, even with playing in the West.

At number 13 I have the Houston Rockets. Now, all of this depends on if they keep Harden, or what they get in trade. Houston is a mess, but Harden is the definition of a walking bucket, he is a perennial MVP candidate, and if he plays, Houston will find a way to make the playoffs. But if he is gone, they go way, way down on my list. Adding John Wall was puzzling, I wrote about that last week. He hasn't played in two years, seems like he is in okay shape, but I do not have any clue how he is going to look, and how he will coexist with Harden. PJ Tucker is awesome, I love watching him play, and he goes hard every night. But it seems like he wants out too, and losing him would really hurt this team. Eric Gordon is a very good three point shooter, and when he locks in on D he is good. But it seems like he may want out also. Singing Christian Wood was a good move. He was, lowkey, a very solid scorer in the post, and he can stretch defenders to the three. He fits in nice here. Tyson Chandler is on this team, but he rarely sees the floor. They signed Boogie Cousins, and while I love the reunion of him and Wall, Cousins is slow, and coming off two very brutal injuries himself. Gerald Green and Ben McLemore are fine bench guys, but they don't move the needle. And I like the addition of Thabo Sefolosha, but he isn't the lockdown defender he was in OKC. Houston's playoff hopes ride on Harden's shoulders. If he stays, and they don't have to trade him, they are in. But, if he leaves, if he gets traded, this will be a whole different conversation.

At number 12 I have the Portland Trailblazers. The Trailblazers are like the Magic, but they do have playoff success, just not as much as they would like. Damian Lillard is otherworldly. For me, he has surpassed Steph as the best pure scorer. He is Allen Iverson with a jumper. He is also a killer, which I love. Lillard is a star, and I will not hear otherwise. CJ McCollum is a perfect sidekick to Lillard. He is a great shooter, he can create, and he is a super smart player. He doesn't make any mistakes. Neither of them are great defenders, but they are so good offensively that it makes up for that. Jusuf Nurkic is back healthy, and he was a force in the bubble. I didn;t respect his game as much as I should, and that is on me. That dude is tenacious and solid and just a good NBA player. Carmelo re signed, and for as much flak as I might give him, he seemed to buy into being a bench guy and playing like "Olympic Carmelo". He can still put it up with the best of them. Getting Robert Covington helps with their defense, which is what this team lacks most. He can also space the floor, and will not allow teams to double Lillard or McCollum. I like Derrick Jone Jr too. He is probably the most athletic player in the league that you have never heard of, and he will do some highlight reel things for Portland. Zach Collins is coming off an injury, but if he is 75 percent of what he was prior to his injury, that is great for their second unit. Rodney Hood is also back after missing a year with injury. He is a good scorer and shot creator and should lead the second unit. Anfernee Simons is young, and coveted by other teams. I would keep him, but it is nice to have that in your back pocket. And adding Enes Kanter and Harry Giles makes them bigger and will give them a bit more flexibility. The Trailblazers will not be fighting for a playoff spot this year, they will firmly be in that 4, 5 or 6 range.

And at number 11 I have the Dallas Mavericks. Look, I am not a fan of this team. I think they whine and complain too much, and I do not like how major media outlets are so quick to point out their white savior in Luka Doncic. That being said, Doncic is awesome. He is a good shooter, a better passer and an excellent shot creator. He is as smart as advertised and the dude is legit. Kristaps Porzingis hasn't live up to the hype. But being the second or third guy seems to suit him just fine. He isn't a bruiser for how big he is, but he can sure shoot the ball. Tim Hardaway Jr has carved out a nice niche in the NBA for himself. He is a lockdown shooter, and I don't think he gets enough credit for his defense. Josh Richardson is another outside shooter for this team, and I think a change of scenery will certainly help. James Johnson is one of the baddest dudes in the league. He makes Jae Crowder look meek, and I think the Mavericks will like having him on their team. Boban is Boban. He is goofy, runs weird and was in "John Wick 3". But, you cannot teach height, and he is something like 7'6. Trey Burke seems to have found a home as a second unit scorer, and he fits in nicely. Willie Cauley Stein is a good pick and roll guy. And, if healthy, Dwight Powell adds depth. The Mavericks are a playoff lock now because of Doncic. He isn't as great as everyone says yet, but he is good enough to lead this team to the playoffs yearly.

That is it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next five teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Why Are the Houston Rockets Wasting Everyone's Time?

This whole thing going on in Houston with the Rockets and filing a grievance for a game they got beat in for a missed call on a dunk is one of the wilder things I have ever seen in my NBA watching life.

For those that may not know, James Harden went up for a fast break dunk with about 8 minutes left in the fourth quarter in a game they were currently leading by 13 points, he dunked it pretty hard and the ball flipped out of the top of the hoop. I have never seen anything like this before, and I was blown away that the refs said it was no basket. The ball went through the net, meaning it should have counted, and it whipped through the net up and out. Still, it went through, it should have been a basket. But, this is no different to me than when the refs miss a travel, or a foul or any nominal type call. It happens. Refs are human, and they make mistakes. But, the Rockets went on to blow that lead, and the Spurs won in double overtime. And somehow, well after the game, the Rockets decided that this one miss was the sole reason they got beat.

I mean, come the hell on with that nonsense. Sure, the game was close. I believe the Spurs won by a very slim margin, and one basket may have sent the game to a third overtime, but still, what is this nonsense all about? Why all the whining? Why all the bitching and moaning and filing a grievance? Is this one game, in the first quarter of the season, really going to screw up Houston's shot at a 3 or 4 seed. The facts are simple, the refs missed a call, but the Rockets blew the game. That call was not the deciding factor.

I feel like a lot of this stems from James Harden and Mike D'Antoni. They always have this air about them where they feel like they've been disrespected or screwed by some outside factor. The Rockets are an elite offensive team and a mediocre defensive team. That is D'antoni's MO, and that is how Harden plays. Defense is a nuisance that gets in the way of Harden pounding the ball for 20 seconds and shooting a three or drawing a foul. In this particular game, the defense let them down. I say again, they had a 13 point lead in the middle of the fourth quarter against a team that isn't very good right now. So, for the team, and the higher ups in that organization to think that filing this grievance, and either being gifted a win, or replaying the final 8 minutes, was a good idea, it is not. This is a waste of everyone not involved with the Rockets organization. The people who work for the NBA, the refs, the Spurs, all the fans that were there, will have to comb through pointless footage and have unnecessary meetings and be called out of the blue just because a ref blew a call and cost James Harden 2 points. I mean, that is absurd.

The Rockets, as they currently sit, are starting to remind me every single day of the "Lob City" Clippers. They are an entitled bunch of assholes that haven't won anything of importance. They are chokers. They are highlight chasers. They are ball hogs. They don't play defense. They aren't properly coached come playoff time. They are overrated as hell. I used to like James Harden, now I cannot stand to watch him play. He slows the game down to a grind. The dude is an incredible scorer, and does things I didn't even know were possible, but he is a drag to watch. Russell Westbrook is not near the lightening rod he was in OKC. He is being as misused as Chris Paul was, and he isn't half the defender Paul still is. PJ Tucker is about the only guy that tries on defense, but he uses all of his energy on that end because no one else does. Capela has completely fallen off. He was ascending big time 2 years ago, and now, he is no more than a screener and rebounder. Eric Gordon is hurt. Ben McLemore is playing big minutes. And Mike D'Antoni is a very, very, VERY poor man's version of Phil Jackson when it comes to hounding refs. The Rockets are the new "Lob City" Clippers, minus the high flying dunks, and I don't mean that as a compliment. And this latest stupidity just adds more fuel to people like me who think that they are an absolutely ridiculous franchise.

A team that would complain about a meaningless game in December clearly doesn't have the fortitude to care about the games in June, you know, the ones that matter. This is so pointless and dumb and whiny and will resolve nothing. It is an absolute waste of everyone's time.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's NBA 2019 - 2020 NBA Preview: Jazz, Nuggets, Rockets, Bucks

Moving on to day 7 of my NBA countdown, we are getting to the cream of the crop. I like all these teams, and they all have certain qualities that put them this high on the list.

At number 6 I have the Utah Jazz. I have stated how gross their fans are, but their roster is good enough to push this team to the West, and dare I say, NBA finals. Donovan Mitchell is a star. He is an electric scorer, plays hard and is getting better on defense. He continues to work on his game every year, and that will only benefit him. I love watching Mitchell play basketball. Rudy Gobert is the best big man defender in the league. He is the epitome of a rim protector, and he is a great rebounder. His game has also rounded out on the low post, and he dominated the US in FIBA this summer. Joe Ingles is one of those guys you hate to play, but love when he is on your team, and he can shoot the ball. Getting Mike Conley was a humongous upgrade over Ricky Rubio. Conley has proven himself one hell of a team leader, can create his own shot, finds the open guy and is awesome on defense. He is also at the stage in his career where he just wants to win. Bojan Bogdanovic is the quintessential scorching shooter off the bench. He is the type of player that could score 18 points in 10 minutes. Tony Bradley is a great defender. Ed Davis was a solid pickup. When healthy, Dante Exum is an excellent backup point guard. And Emmanuel Mudiay, while not the player I thought he could be, should fit in nice here. Utah has always played great defense, but now, they have a true point guard, and they have shooters. The Jazz, with this roster construct, should be good for awhile. They are true Western Conference threats.

At number 5 I have the Denver Nuggets. Nikola Jokic is a true MVP candidate. He is also an anomaly. He looks out of shape, can barely jump and eats awfully, but the dude is amazing with a basketball in his hands. He is the best passing big, and one of the best overall passers in the NBA. He also has those old man moves under the basket, and he makes them work better than anyone else. The dude is legit. Jamal Murray got his big time extension this offseason, and if he can become a consistent scorer, he will be one of the better offensive players in the league. He is hot and cold, but hot more often. Paul Milsap is the perfect veteran for this squad. His play has slightly declined, but his leadership is crucial. Malik Beasley has proven that he deserves good bench minutes because of his scoring ability. Garry Harris is a solid creator and passer and a good defender. Will Barton and Monte Morris can provide instant offense. Hopefully we will finally get to see Michael Porter Jr play, because if he is half as good as advertised, he could play a huge part on this already good team. I also love that they took Bol Bol when he fell to them in the second round. If he hits, that would be a cherry on top for this team. The Nuggets are not a fluke, and Jokic is the real deal. I like this team a lot.

At number 4 I have the Houston Rockets. Boy oh boy did their GM make a mistake. But, looking at this team from strictly a roster construct standpoint, they could be very, very prolific offensively. James Harden, as boring and frustrating as he is to watch play, is a great, great scorer. He has crazy moves that no one can guard, he shoots a million free throws and, when he passes, he is always on the mark. They traded Chris Paul for a younger, more athletic and harder playing version in Russell Westbrook. I do not know how this will work, a Harden and Westbrook backcourt, but if it hits, it will be deadly. Those 2 were awesome in OKC, and now they are older and have each won a MVP. Clint Capela took a slight step back, but he is the best pick and roll center in the NBA. The way he moves to the rim, it is beautiful. He is also a good defender. PJ Tucker brings the toughness this team craves, and the defense. It also helps that he is a great corner three shooter. Tucker is underrated. Eric Gordon is as well. He finally got paid, and without him last year, they would have lost much earlier in the playoffs. Nene and Tyson Chandler are both pretty old, but they know how to play, they play hard and know how to win. Austin Rivers, much to my surprise, hasn't been a total disaster since he signed with the Rockets. He actually plays good D, and with guys like Harden getting him open looks, he can knock down the three. Danuel House is a G League legend, and in limited minutes last year, he was the perfect Rocket. Only efficient shots and threes. The Rockets, if Westbrook lets Harden run the team, can score 120 to 125 points a game. No bullshit. They won't be as good defensively, but they will outscore a ton of teams. They just better hope that the new backcourt meshes.

My final team for the day, at number 3, I have the Milwaukee Bucks. With KD out and LeBron being older and Anthony Davis getting hurt all the time, Giannis Antentokoumpo is the best player in the NBA, even better than Kawhi Leonard. Giannis is unstoppable on offense. He is like a nimble Shaq. And the fact that he is working on a three point shot, that should scare the rest of the NBA. He is also so long, that alone makes him a good rebounder and defender. Khris Middleton had a real solid year, and earned his new contract. He is a great sidekick next to Giannis. He is also a really solid defender. Eric Bledsoe kind of lost it in the playoffs last year, but I still think he is a good point guard for this team. He also just so happens to be one of the best defensive point guards in the NBA. Brook Lopez totally morphed his game, and is now a lethal three point shooter. He really stretches a defense. And they now have his brother Robin on the team, and he will bring toughness and an inside presence that this team can use. Kyle Korver is still around, and he can still shoot the three. He will find lots of open looks playing with Giannis. Wes Matthews has never been the same since his ACL injury, but he cans till provide solid spot minutes here and there. DJ Wilson, in a very limited role, showed he can shoot and play a little D. He was also a clutch rebounder. The Bucks are a very good team that fell a bit short last year. That only made Giannis hungrier, and that could push the Bucks to the Finals. I know they lost Malcolm Brogdon, and that is a bummer, but this team has the goods, and Giannis, to still be one of the top teams, by a wide margin, in the East.

That does it for today. Come back tomorrow for my top 2 teams. We are nearing the end of the countdown.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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Russell Westbrook Should Have Waited for a Better Team

Yesterday I wrote a whole thing about why I thought Russell Westbrook deserves to play where he wants next season, and I even gave a list of teams that I thought fit his style of play. Well, he got traded, but it was to none of the teams I picked, or to any team that most thought was even a contender. I was at my rec league basketball game when I got the news that Russ was headed to the Houston Rockets for Chris Paul, 2 first round picks and 2 pick swaps.

This is insane. I thought it was a joke. I did not think it was true. I could not believe that the Thunder added 2 more first round picks, and by all accounts, they are going to offload Chris Paul as soon as they can, probably for more picks, or tradable assets. The Thunder, once again, got a great deal for a super star. And yes, Russ is a bona fide super star.

Before I get into the nuts and bolts of what I dislike about this trade, I want to touch on CP3. Man has he fallen off a cliff this past season, and offseason. He was once a darling of the league. He was the diminutive point guard that could run an offense, shoot and play great defense. He was the building block for the "Lob City" Clippers. He was the man while in New Orleans. He was even considered a great get when he signed with the Rockets 2 years ago. Now he is an added on trade, who is soon to be offloaded for picks. Age always wins, and we are currently seeing a Hall of Fame player age, and age badly, right before our eyes. He may end up on a solid team, but at what capacity? Is he a starter anymore? Is he a legit defender anymore? Will he really help a contender in the modern NBA? I'd say no, no and no. He would be best fitted playing in Miami alongside Jimmy Butler, or just retiring and get into coaching. How the mighty have fallen.

Now, why I dislike this trade so very much for everyone involved. I understand that Russ and Harden both wanted this. I know they are still good friends. I know that Westbrook is a younger and much more explosive version of Chris Paul. But, this back court is going to be rough to watch. Westbrook has been the guy in OKC ever since KD left. Even when they acquired Paul George, he deferred to Russ. In Houston, that is James Harden's team. That much was made wildly clear after they offloaded CP3 last night. Also, both guys need the ball in their hands to be most effective, and Harden, as he has done since he has been in Houston, likes to pound the ball for 20 seconds and shoot a three or try to draw a foul. How will that work with Russ? It won't. Russ, as much as I adore him, is not a good outside shooter, and with Harden pounding out the clock, he won't have time to get t the rim like he can if he is running the offense. Also, he and Harden are going to make guys like PJ Tucker and Eric Gordon just sit there and wait to try and get a rebound, or shoot a three. That is definitely not Tucker's game, and while Gordon is a solid three point shooter, just asking him to sit and wait would bother any player. Clint Capela should have fun with these guys, but now he is simply a pick and roll player on offense. Nothing more, nothing less. All they will want him to do is come up and screen for either Russ or Harden, and roll if he has it, or get ready to crash the glass. That may be what he is best at doing, but this will totally stunt his growth as a player.

Then there is Mike D'Antoni's offense, of which he has tailored to a player of Harden's skill. Now he is going to have to find a way to get Westbrook into the flow of the game. That will be asking a lot of a guy that has averaged a triple double the last three seasons. Also, they will have to get him to take a step back if they want to be as good as they can be.

On defense, the Rockets backcourt is going to be one of the worst in the NBA. We all know Harden's problems on defense. It has been well documented. Well, Russ isn't much better. Sure, he will grab a steal here or there, and get a few chase down blocks a season. But, more times than not, he takes plays off and relies on the help. Teams with a good to great back court could match them evenly. For all that is wrong with his game now, at least CP3 was a threat on defense. Russ, who is a much, much, much better player than CP3, has never played defense like him.

Finally, we have Daryl Morey. The star chaser. The guy that wants big names no matter how mismatched they are with his current roster. He tried this with Carmelo last year. That was a disaster. He tried this with CP3, and while they had a shot to beat Golden State, they didn't, twice, and haven't sniffed the Finals under his direction. And now he is bringing in Russ.

I dislike this pairing so very much. This is the cliché of "there is only one basketball" come to life. No matter how much these 2 like each other off the court, they are going to have to learn to share the ball if they want to be a contender. Neither has shown they can do that since they took over their respective teams. The Rockets will still be a good playoff team. But, I am not as on board as some other people are with Russ and Harden teaming up. I think it is going to be a super clash, and it will not end well for someone, or possibly both guys and the coaching staff. We will see. At least this has made this offseason even more crazy. I'm down for that anytime. But, I am not a fan of this trade. Not one bit.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Jimmy Butler to the Rockets is a Terrible Idea

With NBA free agency on the cusp, it starts on Sunday, I have heard a ton of rumors about a ton of players. I don't know what is real, what is a smoke screen, and where these guys are going, but I'm excited to see all the player movement that is going to happen this summer. RD and I just did a pod about this, and I feel like you can hear my excitement.

One story that I read last night left me shaking my head. I wanted to believe that it wasn't real because it is so asinine that I couldn't believe it. Then a bunch of other reputable reporters came out and confirmed the news too. That news you ask, the Houston Rockets are going to actively pursue Jimmy Butler in a sign and trade as soon as free agency starts.

The whole sign and trade is now a big part of the free agency period, and some big moves have come this way. But, I am at a loss as to why a team like the Rockets, what with all the offseason turmoil, be that true or false, would want to pursue another ball dominant, head strong player. Butler also plays a totally different style of basketball than Mike D'Antoni coaches, and the Rockets have built a roster around.

As I read the story even further, I looked at some of the players that have been named as to who the 76ers would want for Butler, if this were to happen. Names like Eric Gordon, PJ Tucker, and most shockingly to me, Clint Capela, have come up as the names that the 76ers want, and who the Rockets would be willing to give up to get him. I know that earlier this summer Daryl Morey, who is a blowhard and wildly, wildly overrated in my opinion, said that every player on the team is on the trading block. But, to give up on guys like Gordon, Tucker and Capela is nuts. These three guys fit perfectly with what the Rockets do, but they are willing to offload them for a guy, while being a really, really, really good basketball player, may think a little to high of himself. Sure, he torched the Timberwolves other starters while he was there, but come on. Butler is good, but he is not worth completely changing your style, and giving up players that fit with James Harden so well. I mean, Eric Gordon is an elite knock down three point shooter. Without him, the Rockets would have lost the Warriors series in a sweep. He seemed to hit the big shots that they needed to keep leads, or build leads, in the 2 games they won. PJ Tucker is the best defensive player they have, and he is a better three point shooter than Jimmy Butler right now. Yes, Butler is a better defender, but he can't guard big guys like Tucker can. And Tucker, like I just said, can hit the corner three with great precision. I don't think he missed during the series against the Warriors. And Capela, while free throw shooting is a problem, and he was kind of played off the floor in the most recent playoffs, he is still so young and so talented. He is one of the better rim runners in the league, and he can be, if he is locked in, a defensive force against modern centers. Also, he still has time to develop a three point shot. I am a big, big fan of Capela's.

So, to give up on 1, 2 or all 3 of these guys for Butler makes no sense, as far as the Rockets are concerned, to me. Adding Butler to a roster that has James Harden and Chris Paul is only going to cause more problems. If you believe the reports, Paul and Harden despise one another. Paul doesn't think Harden has the drive of a champion, and Harden thinks Paul is old and not as good anymore. Both are right, but they need each other to win, or even compete, for a title. Add Butler to this mix. and I just don't know, or think, that this works out at all. Butler for one is not a three point shooter. He attacks the rim, but he is a mid range guy. The Rockets don't want anyone shooting mid range shots. They want threes, layups and free throws. That is not Butler's game. He would also be the only guy willing and capable to play defense on this roster after the trade, where it to occur. I also think he would get fed up with standing in the corner and watching Harden pound the ball for 20 seconds and shoot a three, or try to draw a foul. That is miserable to watch, and I feel like it would be even worse to be a player relegated to watching one guy run the offense. I also think he and Paul would gang up on Harden by the midway point of the year, and that would be awful. Harden is younger, and much more talented on the offensive end, than both of them combined. But I feel like they would try and ice him out. That is the worst case scenario for the Rockets.

This move makes zero sense to me. I don't like the Rockets, and I think it would be hilarious to see them self implode. But, they have a real shot with the current roster construct to win the title this upcoming season because of the Warriors injuries. I'd love the move for Philadelphia, but I think the Rockets should look in the mirror, I'm talking mainly to you Daryl Morey, and realize they don't need to add another toxic, alpha male to a roster that already has 2 of them. That would be a mistake.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

This Kevin Durant Injury Sucks

Game 6 of Warriors-Rockets is on at 8pm my time tonight (we call it central, not Ty time). I have been watching this series most intently during the NBA playoffs. It’s been intense, well played, physical and fun to watch. I don’t like either team, but I despise the Rockets, so I have found myself oddly rooting for the Warriors.

I’m also a big KD fan. I loved him when he was with the Thunder. He was my favorite player on my favorite team. I was then upset when he joined the Death Star Warriors. They didn’t need him, but they got him, and they then became the enemy. Everyone outside of California rooted against them. They became the Yankees. They were the Patriots. They were the front runners. But, as I stated earlier, I’ve found myself wanting them to beat the Rockets. And KD was doing everything in his power to make that happen. He has been, by a wide margin, come at me James Harden fans, the best player in this series. He carried the Warriors to wins in games 1 and 2. He led the bear comebacks in games 3 and 4. And when they squandered their 20 point lead the other night, KD was the guy to make the big shot.

That’s why Durant’s calf strain is such a bummer. When I watch the playoffs I want to see the best battle the best. We were getting that from Harden and KD. They were going at it offensively. KD was abusing Harden when he would get switched on him. I thought it was a great move by Steve Kerr, or maybe it was Mike Brown, to put KD on Harden on defense. His length has clearly bugged him. KD was proving how great of a playoff player he is. Then this stupid non contact injury occurred. He was running up the court and grabbed at his leg like someone slapped him. I thought he tore his ACL. So did the guys calling the game.

This totally changes everything in this series. KD was doing it all for the Warriors at the highest of levels. Steph has been off all series. Klay has come and gone and his defense has been rough. Boogie is out. The only other guy who’s even close to matching KD is Draymond. But Draymond can’t score like KD can. The Warriors need him if they want to beat the Rockets. And I know Rockets fans will say that they didn’t have CP3 last year, and if he was healthy they would have won. I agree. I wish he didn’t get hurt either, but he gets hurt all the time.

This is the first crushing injury of KD’s career. I know he missed a good chunk of a season while in OKC, but that didn’t happen in a great playoff series. This is such a bummer. Without KD, I don’t think the Warriors can beat the Rockets. This is their best, and possibly only chance to win a title. This is their window. This is their opportunity. And it all comes from a non contact injury. That stinks. This dampens What is going to be the best series of the entire 2019 NBA playoffs. I wish both teams could get through an entire series without a star getting hurt.

This is cruel to NBA fans. I’m bummed by this, and I say again, I don’t like either of these teams. But, I love good basketball, and with KD out, and how the other Warriors have looked, I think we will be robbed of 2 more good to great games. What a bummer.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Love for James Harden and the Hate for Russell Westbrook Makes No Damn Sense

Two years ago I felt like I was one of the people driving the Russell Westbrook for MVP debate.

What he did that season, with the roster that was put around him, was astounding. The fact that, a season after losing KD mind you, he averaged a triple double, with his best teammate being Steven Adams, was one of the most MVP worthy things I have ever seen. He was must watch TV that year. I watched more Thunder games than usual that year just to see what Westbrook would do. I have said, to people that will listen to me, I would not enjoy playing with him, but I LOVE watching him play. He is a whirling dervish of athleticism. It's like the most insane ballet that you could ever watch. And while he's not the greatest shooter, he is really bad in fact, the way he created shots for himself and others was awesome. To see a 6 foot guard rebound like that, again, amazing.

So when major journalists, some I like, some I dislike, were saying that he wasn't deserving of the MVP I was floored. I couldn't believe it. I didn't know what else he had to do to prove that he was the MVP. A lot of these journalists actually pushed for James Harden that year. LeBron was mentioned a ton as well, but he always is. When I listened to them, or read why they felt this way, it made me even angrier. They called Westbrook a "stat hunter". They said he was bad. They called him selfish. They said he wasn't deserving because he only led the Thunder to a 6 seed and something like 45 wins that year. They said the first round series proved that he wasn't the MVP.

Well, one Mr. James Harden is currently putting up absolutely ridiculous numbers, with his 2 best teammates out injured right now, and these same journalists are praising him. They are talking abut him "carrying" his team. They are saying what he is doing is something they haven't seen since Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan. They are calling him the MVP. And while I don't refute that, I do think he has surpassed Giannis as the MVP, why does he get so much love doing almost exactly what Westbrook did 2 years ago, when they were all shaming him?

Here are the facts. James Harden is one of the most boring NBA players to watch. If Westbrook is a "stat hunter", Harden is a "foul hunter". That guy gets so many calls in his favor, calls that are absolutely and utterly insane, that is drives me up the wall. The other night he shot 27 free throws. Not the Rockets, Harden himself took 27 free throws. How is that more fun, or any better than what Westbrook was doing?

Also, lets compare the rosters were they currently are right now with the Rockets to the Thunder from 2 years ago. As I said, Westbrook's best teammate was Adams. He then had guys like Victor Oladipo, before he was a star, Domantas Sabonis, when he was a rookie, Kyle Singler, Nick Collison, Dion Waiters and Terrance Ferguson, among others. Meanwhile, Harden has players like PJ Tucker, Austin Rivers, Eric Gordon and Gerald Green. Oh, and Chris Paul will be back soon, and Clint Capela will miss a couple more weeks before he is back. I'd take that Rockets roster any day.

While Harden is putting up okay assist numbers, he is as selfish a player as there is in the NBA. I saw a stat the other day that said on his last 150 points, he has been assisted on 0 of them. You may read that and say, well no one is passing him the ball, false, he is dribbling the clock down and jacking up threes that somehow are going in. He is a ball stopper and he is a ball hog. The records also, at this same time 2 years ago when Westbrook was the MVP, are almost exactly the same. But where Harden gets credit, Westbrook got blasted. That is so unfair.

The biggest shit talkers are every single basketball writer and podcaster at The Ringer, especially their owner, Bill Simmons. Look, I get it, you guys very much dislike Westbrook. But you have got to stop making excuses for Harden because you like him. These guys and girls have trashed Westbrook since he won the MVP, but when Harden plays the exact same way, they love it. It is clear this company hates the Thunder. I mean, Simmons won't shut up about the Harden trade, which seems like a million years ago. He has KD on his podcast so much, that was one of the reasons I stopped listening to it. Simmons is a star chaser, except when it comes to Westbrook. Other writers at The Ringer always bring up how great Harden has been this past month, then I think they feel like they need to trash Westbrook just because they can.

The biggest indictment of this whole Harden Westbrook debate is something that Simmons and his buddy Joe House kept saying 2 years ago. They said anyone that voted for Westbrook as MVP was "basketball pervert". Well, if you guys thought we who rode the bus for Westbrook are "basketball perverts". what does that make you guys this year with Harden? I think that makes you, in your own words, "basketball perverts". Oh, and I cannot forget that Simmons said on "The Lowe Post" that he is more impressed by guys that average 27 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds. I believe he called it "The LeBron". Well dip shit, Westbrook, and for that matter, your boy Harden, are averaging more in all three categories. How dumb are you? How out of touch do you have to be? What happened to you as a credible writer? I'd much rather have the guys that average a triple double, or 40 points per game.

While I think Harden, where we stand right now, is the MVP, I also think these journalists need to lay the hell off of Westbrook. It was 2 years ago. Harden won his MVP. And what Westbrook did hadn't been done since Oscar Robertson was in the league. Journalists are supposed to be unbiased, and a lot of you are being exposed now. Get over it. Westbrook deserved his MVP, and if Harden keeps this up, he will deserve it too. I just want you shills to admit that he is a pain to watch, that he is selfish and that he is a better scoring, but worse passing and rebounding version of Russell Westbrook.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Sad End of Carmelo Anthony's NBA Days

This really looks like the end of Carmelo Anthony. Rumors are swirling that he is going to be cut from the Rockets any day now. He has not been good this year, last year, or really, the past 5 or 6 years. He is too slow on defense. He is not a good three point shooter. He isn't really that good of a mid range shooter. He can't get to the rim. He doesn't like to pass the ball. He needs space to create his shot, and right now, he cannot get that space.

I used to love Carmelo Anthony. I was a big time fan of his when he was in Denver. His game was so fluid and fun. He still wasn't a great three point shooter, or a defender, he's never been a good defender, not even in college, but his offense offset all that. He was lethal from mid range. He could get to the rim, thus get to the free throw line. He still wasn't much of a passer, but when he did, it was nearly pin point. Even when Carmelo pushed his way out of Denver, he was still a very legitimate threat his first couple of years as a Knick. Hell, the last time the Knicks were good was one of his first couple seasons there. They won 50 plus games and made, I believe, the second round of the playoffs.

But then he did an interview with ESPN The Magazine, and it was all about his brand and how much more money he has made since he left Denver for New York. I read this cover story, and what stood out most to me was how little he cared about winning. He talked mostly about himself, or his brand. He talked about how much he was going to get paid very soon. He talked about how he has big plans after basketball. No mention of winning a title, or making deep playoff runs. No mention of being an MVP and surrounding himself with talented players that could have helped him. No mention of the kind of coach he wanted to play for that could put the Knicks, his team, over the top. The story was I, I, I and money, money, money.

That is when it all flipped for me, and I think it flipped for him too. He became a lesser player. He started to get more vocal with teammates. He hated Tim Hardaway Jr after the Knicks drafted him. He basically insisted they trade him, and they did. He didn't like many other teammates he had in New York.

This caused the start of the mess that the Knicks are in now. The Knicks then went out and hired Phil Jackson as the GM, and we all watched that disaster unfold. The start of that disaster, giving Carmelo a max deal. They could not get any other players of clout because they gave all their money to Carmelo. The Knicks started to tumble. They drafted Kristaps Porzingis, and the 2 people who disliked that move most, Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony. Jackson called him soft, Carmelo was worried he was losing the team, even though he already lost it a few seasons prior.

The Knicks eventually fired Jackson and got rid of Carmelo. He went to the Thunder last summer, after they stunningly got Paul George, and we all thought this was going to be great. I was fully on board with this at the time. The best Carmelo has been Olympic Carmelo, and I thought that was what the Thunder would get. But, when asked in the offseason if he would be willing to take a bench role, he scoffed and demanded he start. That was the crack for me. I instantly lost all good will I had. He was washed about 5 years ago in my opinion, but he still viewed himself as a star, a first option. Russell Westbrook and Paul George are so much better than he is at basketball, but he didn't see it that way. He struggled mightily last year too. He wasn't that lock down three point shooter. He wasn't hitting mid range shots. He complained that he wasn't getting the ball enough. He was even worse on defense. It was a mess. But, due to George and Westbrook, the Thunder still made the playoffs. Then they crapped the bed. All three of their stars played bad, but Carmelo was the worst. He might as well have not even showed up, that was how unimportant he was in that first round series last year.

The buyout eventually came, as we all expected, and he signed with the Rockets, as we all expected. What made me laugh most was hearing the Rockets fans talk about how they were going to get the best out of him. That was the same thing the Thunder fans said. I was skeptical of this move from the start. They were replacing defensive guys like Trevor Ariza with Carmelo Anthony. Those 2 guys are the same player. In fact, I think, where we stand right now, Trevor Ariza is much, much better, especially on defense. Carmelo has been downright dreadful this year. He is not the player he was expected to be. He is not the shooter that can help the Rockets compete with the Warriors, or Bucks or Raptors or Celtics or even the Trailblazers. He had one good game, against the Nets early in the season, and it shocked me. That is how far he has fallen. What was once expected is now a shock. And after that Nets game, he somehow got worse from the field. Then the stories started to come out that the Rockets were going to "reevaluate" his spot on the team. Then some Rockets players said they were going to start preparing for him to be cut. The GM came out and said they hadn't made a decision yet, but that is a kiss of death. He also didn't play the other night with an "illness".

Carmelo is cashed out. I agree with Tracy McGrady, that he should retire. He is of no use to a contender anymore. Those teams are all set. Also, if he still thinks he is a starter, when or if he gets cut by the Rockets, he is going to have to go to a bottom dweller. He can go to Atlanta or Cleveland or, hell, I don't know any other bottom feeder that would want him. I have heard that the 76ers and Lakers have expressed interest of he is cut. I hope the 76ers don't do that, especially after trading for Jimmy Butler. They don't need those 2 head cases in their locker room. And the Lakers, that would just be hilarious. Yeah, sign Carmelo so guys like Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart and Kyle Kuzma lose valuable playing time so LeBron's buddy can put up pointless shots that he will most likely miss.

I once loved Carmelo's game, but now, it is sad to watch him play basketball. He is not the same guy. The game has passed him by. He is a shell of his former self. I feel bad for him. Let it go.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2018-2019 NBA Preview: 76ers, Rockets, Warriors

With the NBA season starting tonight, I have my final 3 teams for my countdown today. These are the best of the best in my opinion. These are the teams to beat. And I'm only going to do my three teams today. I will do a whole post season prediction and award winner predictions tomorrow. So today, we have our final 3. Lets get into it.

At number 3 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. I love this team. There was a point in time, on this very same website, when I chastised what this was doing. I hated what they put on the court. They were a tire fire. Now, all of that has changed. Brett Brown is a very good, very patient coach. Ben Simmons is a monster. That dude is a 6'10 point guard. I literally do not care that he can't shoot from the outside, everything else he does is wonderful. He is an elite passer. He is a great attacker of the rim. He is a solid defender. He is a terror for opposing players trying to guard him. Joel Embiid is a modern Hakeem. I know that is high praise, but dammit, he deserves it. He has some incredible low post moves. He can shoot fro the outside. He can pass so well out of the post. He plays great defense. He is an awesome rebounder. And he is just an overall fun guy. If he can stay healthy, much like he did last year, he and Simmons are going to be vaulted as the future faces of the league. Robert Covington is underrated and can shoot the rock. He also plays very solid D. He knows his role on this team, and he plays it perfectly. Dario Saric is much of the same. He is the perfect third or fourth option for this team. He is also a good rebounder and he, at least, tries on defense. TJ McConnell is a better, scratch that, a much, much better version of Matthew Dellavedova. He is a better shooter, a better playmaker and isn't annoying. I'm not giving up on Markelle Fultz yet. He sat most of last year, but doesn't every 76ers pick do that? Why was he so maligned for it? I saw the videos of his shot, and when he came back, he looked timid, but he is still only 20. He has looked better in preseason. He won't be asked to be the savior. I feel like he is going to be a solid player for this team. JJ Redick, while I think he is a wildly overrated defender, can still shoot the hell out of the ball. He is the floor spacer that Embiid and Simmons need. They also added Wilson Chandler, who is another instant offense off the bench for this team. Mike Muscala can shoot as well. Losing Zhaire Smith for the year will be a bummer, but they have another solid rookie to fall back on, Landry Shamet. The 76ers are back to being a top notch NBA franchise. I am fully buying in to this team being good to great again. I like watching this team, and I think they are going to be the best in the East.

At number 2 I have the Houston Rockets. I know, they lost some key guys. Losing Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah AMoute might sting, but, and correct me if I'm wrong, doesn't this team still have the reigning MVP James Harden, Chris Paul and Clint Capela? Don't they also have PJ Tucker still? Didn't they finally shed the horrible Ryan Anderson? Isn't former 6th man of the year winner Eric Gordon still there? Don't they still have Nene? The Rockets are still stacked, and people are freaking out about them losing 2 guys. Harden is amazing. I do not like watching him play, he is a total ball stopper, he draws to many fouls and shoots too many free throws, and is horrendous on defense, but the dude can shoot and slash. He is one of the best at getting to the rim and is one of the best at shooting the three. Harden is amazing. Chris Paul is super dirty and old, but he is still producing and has more freedom to shoot. He does get hurt far to much, especially at crucial moments. But, Paul is still one of the better pure point guards playing. Clint Capela might be the best rim runner in the league. He did the right thing in re signing there, because he gets so many open looks at the rim. He is also a great defender and rebounder. PJ Tucker is one of the toughest guys in the league, and he can shoot the three. Nene is another one of the toughest guys in the league, and even though he isn't what he used to be, he will fight a dude if need be. These 2 add the toughness this team has always lacked. Eric Gordon is a great, great bench player. He is the perfect instant offense guy. He, much like Harden, isn't a good defender at all, but he can fill up the stat sheet. Gerald Green is a high flyer and shoots a lot of threes, which means he fits in perfect for this team. They got Brandon Knight and Marquiss Chriss in the Anderson trade. While I don't think either of those guys will contribute much of anything, the best thing they did was help the Rockets get off Ryan Anderson. And they added Carmelo Anthony. This is about 5 years too late, but if he plays like Olympic Carmelo, and I know I said this exact same thing last year, he will fit in just fine. The Rockets don't play much defense, and they won't win 60 plus games again, but they are still great. They score and score and score. The Rockets are still the second best team in the league.

And at number 1 I have, of course, the Golden State Warriors. I mean, who else would it be? When Boogie Cousins comes back, they will be starting 5 all stars. KD is the best all around player in the league. He can score from anywhere on the floor, he has become a much better rebounder and passer, and when he plays defense, he is ferocious. I'm not down with his passive aggressive, wannabe bad guy mentality, he's not a bad guy, but the dude can play. Steph is the best pure shooter I have ever watched. He can shoot fro anywhere, and I mean ANYWHERE on the court. He is also a wizard with the ball. He isn't much of a defender, but he doesn't need to be. Klay Thompson is the second best pure shooter I have ever seen. He has the best shooting motion and he is such a threat to just go off at anytime. He has the ability to score 30 in a quarter. He has done it. Multiple times. He is also a lock down defender. He should always be on first team all defense. Draymond Green is the engine that runs this team. His headaches that he causes are totally worth it because the dude gives maximum effort. He is the best pound for pound defender in the NBA. He is also the only guy I have seen competently guard all 5 positions and do it well. He is also a decent offensive player. And when he gets back from injury, even if he is just 70 percent of who he was before, Boogie is an amazing modern center. He can shoot from three. He is a beast in the interior. He is nearly unstoppable down low. He is a great rebounder. And if he chooses to play defense, he is good. Also, I know there are worries about his presence in this locker room, but I don't buy it. This team is too well put together to let one guy screw it up. And I also love that people are saying the same nonsense that they don't have any depth. Well, they said that last year and they still won the title. They also still have Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston. I know they are older and have played a ton of basketball, but they are both perfect for this team. These 2 know exactly when to turn it on and off, and they will be crucial come playoff time. Jordan Bell also played a ton of minutes last year and was a great rebounder, defender and scored when he needed to. He fits too good with this team. Kevon Looney got key playing time last year, and he is back. The Warriors are going to continue to dominate this league as long as they keep guys like Steph, who is under contract, Klay, who has said he wants to stay, KD, who always flirts with leaving, and then signs on again and Draymond, who should never leave this team because it is far too perfect for him. What this lacked was a true center, and they got Boogie on a one year deal. Until further notice, I will always put the Warriors at number 1, and I will continue to pick them to win the title. The Warriors are the Patriots of the NBA, except they don't lose titles, they dominate and win them all.

That does it for my countdown for the 2018-19 season. Come back tomorrow for my post season and awards predictions. And also, get pumped. The season starts tonight. NBA basketball is back.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

By Signing Carmelo Anthony, the Rockets Have Given Up on the 2019 NBA Title

Carmelo Anthony has verbally agreed to sign with the Houston Rockets. I know that I have been hard on Anthony lately, and today will be no different. But, all the hate will not be thrown his way, the Rockets are going to take the brunt of it today.

Lets get the Carmelo hate out of the way first. As I stated about a week or so ago, Carmelo is washed. He is no good to any  team anymore. He is a horrendous defender. He is not nearly the lethal scorer. He is still not willing to come off the bench. He still thinks he is a top 15-20 NBA player. All of this is crazy. As I have stated many times, I used to love Carmelo. When he was in Denver, he was must watch TV. But, for about the last 4 or 5 years, he has become a shell of the player he once was. He is a joke. Sure, there a tons and tons of videos of him hitting jump shots in rec league games and pickup games and playing one on one against other pros, but so what. Any player worth their salt can do the exact same thing, and do it better. In one of the videos I saw, where he played with Chris Paul and James Harden, his new teammates, he did nothing that impressed me. In fact, what I noticed most was his unwillingness to pass the ball. The video was about 90 seconds long, and every single time he touched the ball, he shot it. I mean, even Harden was dishing it here and there. Also, Carmelo was trying much, much harder than any of those other guys on the court. Then this morning I saw him playing one on one against Brandon Jennings, and then Stanley Johnson. Those are not big name guys, and while he was scoring at will, so were Jennings and Johnson. Johnson was beating him up, and Jennings was hitting step back after step back on him. Jennings is about 5 inches shorter than Carmelo.

Had this latest Carmelo move happened a few years back, when the Big Three in Miami broke up, I would have been stoked. The fact that he is joining the Rockets now, I just see it messing up what they did so well last season. Which leads me to my Rockets hate portion today.

Last year the Houston Rockets had one of the best offseason, and trade deadline moves. They picked up Paul in the offseason. He was the big name on the free agent market last year. They got him to come in and play alongside Harden, and it worked so well. They also picked up PJ Tucker, and he added the exact toughness that the team needed. He can also hit the corner three, so that was just an added bonus. They also integrated Clint Capela perfectly. He became the perfect big man for their pick and roll that they love to run. They also started to phase out Ryan Anderson because he is now a defensive, and quite frankly, an offensive liability. They crushed it last year.

This offseason and summer has been the exact opposite for the Rockets. They let Trevor Ariza leave. I know they weren't going to be able to give him all the money they wanted, but they could have tried to work with him. They decided not to, and now he is gone. Then after he left, they gave Chris Paul a 4 year 140 million dollar deal. I know, again, they had to do this, but this deal is going to look absolutely awful next season. They gave him a max deal that is really only viable for one season. Paul is continually hurt, especially in the playoffs, and he is a very tough teammate by all accounts. He will also be in his mid to late thirties when the deal is in the final year, and they will have to pay him the 30 million plus. That is a disaster. They then made Capela wait and wait and wait for a deal. This apparently upset him, which is never good for the future, and by all accounts, they were only a minuscule amount of money apart, but this was where they decided to not budge. They dumped money on Chris Paul's lap, who is almost my age, but they waited to give their center, who is one of the better modern centers in the game, and who happens to also be very young, his contract. If I were Capela, I would still be pissed off.

But, the cherry on top of their crap offseason and summer is the Carmelo news. Why do they want him? Do they really think this is a new Big Three? Why do they need him? What does he add? Did they even watch him play at all last year, or the year before that, or the year before that? He is washed. He is not going to be Olympic Carmelo. That was what everyone thought he would be for the Thunder last year, but after refusing a bench role, he had a disaster of a season. So I just don't get why the Rockets want to do this. As I said awhile back, they were phasing out Ryan Anderson. Now, they basically have a Ryan Anderson clone, who isn't as good a three point shooter. Carmelo is also refusing to come off the bench once again, so for those saying the Rockets will get Olympic Carmelo, that dream is out the window. Carmelo also proved last season that he is not a viable Big Three guy. I know it is hard to play with Russell Westbrook, but he couldn't even coexist with Paul George. George is a decent passer and great defender, and all Carmelo did was bitch about him. Putting him next to Paul and Harden will fare much worse in my opinion. The Rockets proved me wrong last year, when I said that Harden and Paul would fight to be primary ball handlers. But, I have zero doubt that Carmelo will be happy only taking 6-7 shots a game. He will want double figure attempts at least. The Rockets also do not need him. They needed to keep Ariza. Ariza was their best three and D guy. And I know his defense has taken a bit of a step back. But, wait until you get a load of how little Carmelo plays, and cares to play, defense. Rocket fans will be opining big time for Ariza.

Finally, we have already seen a team coached by Mike D'Antoni that featured Carmelo Anthony, and it was a nightmare. They hated each other. They openly expressed their dislike for one another to the media. The system D'Antoni runs does not fit what Carmelo wants to do. I saw a Bleacher Report article that said, "This time it will be different" in reference to Carmelo playing for D'Antoni. I didn't even read the article because that headline was dumb enough. It won't be different. Carmelo Anthony is who he is, and he hast changed since entering the league.

The Rockets had an awful offseason, they will regress this year, and it will be because of Carmelo Anthony. What a stupid decision by the one team that may have actually been able to challenge the Warriors.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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Why Would Any Team Sign Carmelo Anthony?

With pretty much all of the big time free agents signed, and the Kawhi Leonard story getting more and more bizarre and strange everyday, there is still one player available, or soon to be for that matter, that is currently getting some buzz, and I want to give my 2 cents on him as well.

The player I speak of is Carmelo Anthony. While he isn't technically a free agent yet, the reports from everywhere say that the Thunder will let him leave. They will save a ton on the luxury tax and shed a player that just didn't fit right with the team last year. Carmelo Anthony, bless him, still thinks that he is a big time player. He still thinks that he is a number one, or at the very worst, number 2 option on a team. He still thinks his mid range game is formidable. He still thinks that he should be the last guy taking the shot at the end of the game. That is all very cute, but that is all very wrong.

Carmelo Anthony's best days are far, far behind him. He is beginning to look a lot like a has been. While he was never as dominant as Shaq was, the end of his career is beginning to resemble it. Shaq thought he was basically a hired hand going from town to town to bring them a title. After leaving Miami, he went to Phoenix to team up with Steve Nash. That was a disaster. He then went to the Celtics, maybe trying to help them regain some glory. That was worse than Phoenix. He even teamed up with LeBron in his first go round in Cleveland, and that was just plain sad. Shaq may be the greatest center to ever play the game, but the end of his career was horrible. Carmelo Anthony isn't 1/10 the player Shaq was, but, as I said earlier, the similarities are shocking.

Carmelo was a great offensive player while in Denver. He was electric and fun to watch, and he led that team further in the playoffs than they had been in a long, long time. He then forced his way out and demanded a trade to the Knicks, when he could have just signed there as a free agent. But, to his credit, the Knicks were a playoff team in his first couple years, and won 50 games a couple times. He made Madison Square Garden games a must watch for awhile. The Knicks attracted big name players and teams for primetime games on ESPN and TNT his first couple years in New York. Stars always play out when they come to the Garden, but when the Knicks are a good team, they play even better. At first, Carmelo to the Knicks was okay. Then it all fell apart. The sign and trade crippled the Knicks ability to really sign anyone of significance, and they started to truly become an awful basketball team. Carmelo just started to hoist shot after shot after shot after shot. They had no real solid rookies because they never had any real draft picks due to the trade. Oh, and when they did have a "high" pick, late teens, early 20's, they wasted it. Then Phil Jackson came aboard and just destroyed the team he played for in the NBA. He signed Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose to ludicrous contracts. He hired Jeff Hornacek, a coach that likes to play space and pace, and forced him to coach a team with one ball dominant guy. The only decent thing Jackson did was a mistake, he admitted as much, and that was drafting Kristaps Porzingis.

Last offseason, when Carmelo desperately needed a change of scenery, the Thunder traded for him. They figured they would get Olympics Carmelo to be the floor spacer for Paul George and Russell Westbrook. At the time, I loved this move. I figured Carmelo would love it too. But then he scoffed at coming off the bench during a preseason interview. He said he wasn't going to play any different. He was basically saying that he wasn't going to change, it was going to have to be George and Westbrook that would have to change. Well, as we all saw last season, it was a disaster. He was bad. The Thunder were, maybe, the most disappointing in all of the NBA last year. Carmelo looked sluggish. His shooting was awful. He disappeared at times, especially when he felt he wasn't getting enough touches. Oh, and his defense was truly awful, even for him. It just never worked out.

So, I was kind of surprised when he opted in, until I saw that he was opting in for 20 plus million dollars this upcoming season. Then it all made sense. Carmelo is not in the game to win titles, he wants to get paid. And that is fine, and that is his right. But now that he is about to be let go, and free to play anywhere next year, I have had to laugh at his preferred teams to go to. The 2 main teams are the Lakers and Rockets. I would absolutely love to see him sign with either one of these teams because I am not a fan of either one of these teams.

If he were to go to the Rockets, and Chris Paul is angling super hard for him to come there, and his contract is outrageous too by the way, how does he fit in with that team? Yes, he used to be able to shoot, but just look at last season. Also, would he be Ariza's replacement? Ariza actually plays solid defense, and at this point in their careers, Ariza is a better player. Also, would he be happy being the fourth, possibly fifth option in Houston? He wasn't happy being third in OKC. In Houston he would be behind Harden, Paul, Capela, Eric Gordon and maybe even Luc Mbah A Moute. How would that sit with him? How would he act in the locker room and with the media? Oh, and didn't we already see the disaster that was Carmelo playing on a Mike D'Antoni team a few years ago? We did, and it was terrible. This would be a poor signing.

Then we have the Lakers. As far as needing shooters, it makes sense. The Lakers have no shooters whatsoever. They gave LeBron a ton of money, and he deserves every penny. But, he is not a great outside shooter. He doesn't have to be. But, they have signed guys like Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson and Javale McGee. None of those guys can shoot the ball. They currently have Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram on their roster. Ingram is the best "shooter" of the bunch, and he hit just above 35 percent from three. So, adding Carmelo would make sense. But, I say again, look at how poor he was last year as a shooter. Also, how would he feel being a fifth or sixth option on this Lakers team? How would he feel having to defer to guys that are a decade younger than he is? I feel like he would hate it. The moment that Luke Walton puts in Kyle Kuzma over Carmelo, we all know he'd lose his god damn mind. I'm sure he wants to team up with LeBron, but would this version of Carmelo be any better than what we saw last year with LeBron and Jeff Green? Hell, I feel like Jeff Green, right now, is a better basketball player than Carmelo. If he were to go to the Lakers, I feel like he would look like an older version of what we saw with Jae Crowder while he was in Cleveland last year. But, the Lakers are the team I want him to go to because I think it would be absolutely hilarious. It would be a total wreck, and I would love every single second of it.

Carmelo Anthony is washed up, and I feel like everyone knows it, except for him. I'm very curious to see where he ends up, but I already know that he will be a non factor wherever he is. Get that money while you still can Carmelo. Hopefully he gets it from a team with no title aspirations though.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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How the Rockets are Beating the Warriors

Last night the Rockets took a 3-2 series lead on the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals.

I have to admit I was wrong first of all. After game one I wrote that the Warriors were locked in, and that should run away with the series now that they were actually trying. Well, the Rockets have muddied up the game, James Harden and Chris Paul, and the Rockets bench, are playing much better, and they have total control of the series. They can close it out on Saturday night, and it would not surprise me. I know that Chris Paul is officially out of game 6 with a hamstring pull, but I do not think it will matter much. I also realize that the game is in Oracle, but again, I don't think it will matter much.

The problem, after game one, the Warriors returned to how they have played this entire season. They have only really showed up when they need to, and they have played bored and careless almost all season. It is all coming back to haunt them now. After game one, they have only played one other game, game 3, where they have looked like the team that they are supposed to look like. In games 2, 4 and 5, the Warriors have looked helpless and lost. They are playing way too much isolation basketball. They are playing right into the Rockets hands. They are doing everything that the Rockets want them to do. The Warriors are letting the Rockets shoot threes. They are letting Harden get to the hoop unimpeaded. They are letting Clint Capela constantly burn them on pick and rolls. Their bench, or lack there of, is hurting them. Their old school centers are pretty much unplayable. And the Rockets are taking total advantage of all this, and more. Props to Mike D'Antoni for letting his team play like they have all year, and letting Harden run the show. Props to Harden for getting the playoff choking moniker off his back. Even if the Warriors wake up and win the series, Harden has been very solid. Props to Chris Paul for going out there, playing his game and not letting the moment get to him. I'm actually a little bummed that he is out of the next game because I want both of these teams at full strength. This series has gone the exact opposite of how I thought.

Maybe I should have seen this coming. As I said, the Warriors have lacked the killer attitude all year long. They do not seem to care, no matter how big the moment. Steph is playing better, but he is still getting exposed on defense. Every night there is a highlight of him getting shook by Harden or Paul. Klay Thompson is hurt, and has gone ice cold from the field. He cannot hit the ocean, and he is getting torched on defense. KD has been scoring a ton, but that is really it. He has a very small amount of assists. Besides game one, his defense has been mediocre at best. And he is playing far too much iso ball. Dare I say, he has become the Warriors version of Russell Westbrook. Draymond Green has been horrendous in this series. He cannot score, he is getting dunked on every night, and he keeps talking shit as if he is doing something. Even his own mom called him out on Twitter for his poor play.

The most egregious performance, at least to me, is Steve Kerr's coaching. He is being wildly outcoached by D'Antoni. His willingness to let his players play through big runs is shocking. His decision to not call timeouts has been Andy Reid bad. Then his attitude, for example his, "I feel like we are in a great situation" quote after last night's game, has shocked me. This team is on the brink, and he is acting as if it is game 30 of the regular season. And I say again, that has been the problem all year. They just do not seem to care. They look like they will be just fine going on vacation after tomorrow night's game, if they do not win. They just seem disinterested. And the Rockets are taking full advantage of it all.

Hopefully the Warriors find their mojo again, because I'd love this series to go 7. But, the way the Warriors have come out the last 2 games, I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Rockets end it tomorrow night. We will just have to wait and see.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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The Golden State Warriors are Pretty Damn Good

Last night was the matchup we’ve been waiting for in the NBA. The Rockets and Warriors started the West Finals. The game was good for a half. Both teams traded threes. Harden and KD were both trying to one up each other. The lineups on both sides were kind of funky. Chris Paul did his usual cheap shot nonsense. Draymond Green got a tech one minute into the game. It had the makings of what we all wanted to see.

Then the second half started and Golden State did what they do. They pushed the gas pedal and didn’t let up. Any time Houston would try and make a run, the Warriors did something to slow them down. Harden had a good offensive game, but if he plays defense like last night all series long, he’s going to get exposed. Chris Paul played fine enough. He tried his dirty tactics and made some floaters, but it wasn’t enough. Clint Capela started very fast, but looked super gassed midway through the third quarter. The Rockets bench was okay, Eric Gordon and Gerald Green hit some threes, but they could have been better. Hell, even Mike D’Antoni coached an okay game. But, the Rockets still lost by double digits, at home. That is frightening.

Golden State is almost too good. Steph Curry didn’t even have to do much of anything because of how well KD and Klay played last night. They didn’t need Draymond to score, so all he had to do was focus on defense. Guys like Javale McGee and Zaza Pachhulia barely saw the floor. Kevon Looney got more time than them, and held his own playing one on one defense against Harden and Paul. It does need to be said, KD was amazing last night. He got anything he wanted at any time he wanted. He made those pull up jumpers look easy. It was basically practice for him. He also played solid defense. Klay did what he does, and knocked down open three after open three, and played lock down defense.

I know, it’s only one game. I know things can change come game 2. The Rockets have the best record in basketball this year. They have the MVP. They have 2 sure fire future Hall of Fame players. But, if I were a Rockets fan, game one would have me terrified. The Warriors only needed 2 guys, granted it was 2 of their best, and they won with ease in Houston. That’s another thing too, Houston didn’t play all that bad, and they still got smoked. Just wait until Steph starts unloading threes, and Draymond decides he needs to score a bit, and Iguodala locks down Harden and hits open threes. It’s going to be a massacre if that happens.

I still have hope that this can be a good, hard fought, fun series. I still think it can go 6 or even 7 games. The Rockets are too good to just roll over like the Raptors. But, last night should have been a big wake up call to the rest of the NBA that the Warriors are here, they've decided it’s time to give maximum effort and they have won 2 of the last three titles. Man were they dominate and scary last night. When this team is engaged, my god are they nearly unbeatable.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The SeedSing 2018 NBA Playoff Preview

The NBA playoffs are set, and the games kick off on Saturday. I'm am here today for my annual playoff preview. I'll go through the East and the West, pick a winner for each series all the way down to the finals. I will give my finals matchup, the winner and the MVP of the series. Tomorrow I will do all my awards, but today is strictly for just the playoffs. Alright, here we go.

In the East the seeding is as follows, Toronto is 1, Celtics 2, 76ers 3, Cavs 4, Pacers 5, Heat 6, Bucks 7 and Wizards 8. So, that gives us first round series of Toronto-Washington, Boston-Milwaukee, Philadelphia-Miami and Cleveland-Indiana. Truth be told, these are some good series. In the Toronto-Washington matchup, I am going with Toronto, but it will be tough. I know Washington is dysfunctional, everyone on that team seems to dislike John Wall, they have limped to the playoffs, they don't play great defense, but they will make it tough on Toronto. They have always struggled with this team because Wall and Beal give Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan all they can handle on both ends. But, I think the mixture of Toronto's bench and the mess that is the Wizards right now will give the Raptors the series in 6 games. They will be 6 tough games though.

In the Boston-Milwaukee series, it would be so much easier to pick if Kyrie Irving was still healthy. I'm still going with Boston, but Milwaukee, mostly Giannis Antentekoumpo, will make it hard. Giannis is a beast. He is an upper echelon star now. And, with Irving out, he is, far and away, the best player in this series. He can single handily win 3 games. The fourth one will be the problem. Also, Boston has Brad Stevens as head coach, Al Horford is still out there, Jaylen Brown is playing good basketball and Jayson Tatum seems to have gotten past the rookie wall. Boston will win, but it will take 7 games.

I love the 3-6 matchup of Philly and Miami. Miami can matchup with Philadelphia everywhere. Miami can play any style of basketball needed to win. Miami has more playoff experience. Miami has the much, much better coach. And, Joel Embiid may not play in the first round. But, Ben Simmons is on a whole other level right now. He doesn't seem like he is going to be taken down by the moment. He might be forced to shoot jumpers, but the dude can get out of that by driving and kicking. And, the shooters around him are hitting shots at the right time. Again, this will be a long, hard fought series, but I have fully bought into the 76ers hype, and I have them in 7 games, 6 if Embiid plays at all in the series.

Finally in the East's first round we have Cleveland-Indiana. This series could go a number of different ways. Cleveland can steam roll them. Indiana can muddy it up and make it a slog. Cleveland could decide to not play defense. Cleveland is almost as dysfunctional as Washington. Indiana was not even supposed to be here. They are young. They have surprised everyone this year. Now, I like the Cavs simply because of playoff LeBron. He will not allow his team to lose in the first round. If they do, he is gone. But, he will not let that happen, and I have the Cavs in 5. LeBron is just too good and he is great in the playoffs.

The second round will pit Toronto against Cleveland and Boston against Philly. Toronto is stuck with another team that they struggle with. Cleveland owns Toronto, and I don't see that changing now. Again, LeBron will impose his will, and the Cavs will outscore Toronto on their way to a fourth straight Eastern Conference finals appearance.

In Philly-Boston, I have to say, I love the 76ers. Irving is out, as previously mentioned. Embiid will be back 100 percent. No one on Boston can guard Ben Simmons. Philadelphia's shooters will be open. The Celtics just don't have the guys to compete this year. I have Philly in 6 in this series.

So that would pit the 76ers against the Cavs in the East Finals. The 76ers are way ahead of schedule, but this is where all the hype ends. Cleveland has LeBron, and LeBron will not allow his team to get beat by such a young team. These 2 teams played a great regular season game a couple weeks ago, but it was regular season. The game didn't really matter. LeBron will once again be in the Finals. That would make it 8 straight.

Now, the West. The seeding in the West is as follows, Houston 1, Golden State 2, Portland 3, OKC 4, Utah 5, New Orleans 6, San Antonio 7 and Minnesota 8. The matchups are Houston-Minnesota, Golden State-San Antonio, Portland-New Orleans and OKC-Utah. Houston will beat Minnesota, but it will be tougher than expected. I guarantee they wanted Denver because of their lack of defense. While Minnesota isn't much better, they do at least try on that end. Also, Towns is much better than Clint Capela. Jimmy Butler can give James Harden fits. But, Chris Paul will be there to help out Harden, Eric Gordon and Trevor Ariza will hit threes and the discrepancy in talent on the rosters is widely in Houston's favor. They are also having a "magical" year. The Rockets will win in 6 games, but it will be a bloodbath.

Golden State is going to blow the doors off the Spurs, and I love the Spurs. But, no Kawhi is going to kill them against he Warriors. And I know that Steph isn't playing in the first round, but KD, Klay and Draymond are all there. I also think the Warriors are playing possum right now, and I think they are going to come into the playoffs with their heads on fire. I have the Warriors in a sweep.

Portland-New Orleans is going to be a good series, with very high scoring games. The Pelicans have no one that can stop Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, but who do the Trailblazers have that can stop Anthony Davis? No one. He is going to EXPLODE in the playoffs. I'm so excited to watch him play. I'm excited to see Lillard and McCollum too. This is going to be the best first round series in my opinion, and I think the Pelicans will win in 7 simply because Anthony Davis is playing on a whole other level right now.

OKC-Utah is the second best series. These 2 teams couldn't be more different, and it will make for a fun matchup. Russell Westbrook is playing pretty great right now. But, he will find it hard to get open looks at the rim with Rudy Gobert down low. Donovan Mitchell has had an amazing season, but he will have to beat Paul George on defense. Steven Adams can stop Gobert down low, but Gobert can do the same to him. Carmelo has been dreadful this year, but maybe he turns it on for the playoffs. He hasn't been in awhile too. This is going to be a fun series, and I have OKC grinding out a 7 game series victory. Westbrook is too good, and Paul George is one of the better defenders in the league. I love Mitchell and Gobert, but they aren't ready just yet.

That gives us a second round of Houston-OKC and Golden State-New Orleans. Houston-OKC will be fun. OKC gets up for the better teams in the league, and they just beat Houston in a game, but Houston trounced them in the playoffs last year, and the Rockets didn't have Chris Paul last year. Also, Adams is way too slow to keep up with Capela, and Carmelo will be torched on defense. Chris Paul will finally make his first trip to a conference final in his career, as the Rockets will win in 6.

Golden State is again, much like their first round matchup, going to squash the Pelicans. Sure, AD will go off, but who is going to stop KD, Klay and Steph, who will be back? Oh, and Draymond too. This series will be a wash. Golden State in a sweep once again.

These outcomes will give us the much anticipated Houston-Golden State West Finals. And we all know how poorly Harden, Paul and Mike D'Antoni play and coach in the most important series. The Rockets will choke. Everyone wants to pick them. Everyone says they are finally ready to take the throne from the Warriors. Everyone seems to think that D'Antoni is doing a better job than Kerr. Well, D'Antoni's recent remarks, the whole "winning a title does not define how good this season was" said all I needed to hear. He is already bracing himself for when his team gets beat. Golden State will take their first 2 playoff losses, but I have them winning the series in 6.

This gives us a fourth straight Cleveland-Golden State finals. And, much like last year, Golden State is going to smoke them. I think they will sweep them out this year, and it won't even be that close. Golden State is so much better, they play defense, they will care and they will crush the Cavs to win their third title in 4 years. As far as the Finals MVP, I will go with Steph. It is his turn.

There you have it, my 2018 NBA playoff preview. I love this time of year.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.