Ty's 2024-2025 NBA Preview: A Few Pieces Shy of Being a Champion Division

Welcome to day four of my 24-25 NBA countdown.

At number 15 I have the New Orleans Pelicans. I do this every year and it bites me in the butt every year. But, this team looks really good coming into this season. They seem to have everything you could want from a possible contender. It all depends on health, which is always an issue, but on paper this team is legit. Zion Williamson, when he plays, is unstoppable on offense. He can get to the rim anytime he pleases. He gets position and he just goes. He needs a better shot, and to turn it up on defense. But, when he is on the court he is a joy to watch. CJ McCollum has been the steady veteran this team hoped he would be when they traded for him. It's nice that he can come off the bench and be a reliable scorer too. I love the Dejounte Murray trade for them. The Pelicans haven't had a true point guard for years now, and now they do. Murray should fit in nicely and if he can return to his defensive days while in San Antonio, this trade will be a real win. Herb Jones and Trey Murphy are excellent defenders and solid three point shooters. Jose Alvarado may be the best pest in the NBA. The steals he gets are wild. Brandon Ingram's situation is odd here. He may be traded, he has complained about his role and no one offered him a big contract this offseason. But, he can come play this season with the Pelicans and possibly make some money back off a good season. Jordan Hawkins could be a good bench scorer for this team. And Antonio Reeves was a decent draft pick in my opinion. I'm all in on the Pelicans depending on health, and that is always the issue.

At 14 I have the Sacramento Kings. The Kings are in a bit of a limbo, but being a perennial play-in/playoff threat has to feel way better than what they had for over a decade before. De'Aaron Fox is legit. He is so fast, so smart and so malleable on offense. I also respect him turning down money to come out and try and get an even bigger payday. Domantas Sabonis is a very good offensive big man. He is also a solid rebounder. Getting DeMar DeRozan is a nice addition. DeRozan is going to be loved so much more after he retires. But, for right now he adds a steady 15-18 points per game for this squad. Kevin Huerter had a moment, but that seems to have passed. He needs a good season. Alex Len is a fine backup center. Trey Lyles is a solid role player. Keegan Murray needs to be a full time starter. And Malik Monk is such a good sixth man. The Kings issue is defense. They are not very good on that end and that is what's holding them back. But, they should be much improved from last season.

At 13 I have the Miami Heat. I mean, at some point the Heat "magic" is going to wear off. It seemed like it was happening last season, and they didn't do much to improve their roster. That being said, they have a pretty good roster. Jimmy Butler is one of my favorite players. He is the gritty, tough superstar. He would fit into any generation. Jimmy Butler is legit. Bam Adebayo is one of the better centers in the NBA. He is tough to move, can score around the paint and is one of the best defenders in the league. After these two, this roster is okay, but old too. Terry Rozier is a good offensive player, but he is coming off injury and his best days may be behind him. Kevin Love is ancient and his best days are for sure behind him. Tyler Herro is overrated. Duncan Robinson is a good shooter, but he is a defensive liability. Josh Christopher and Haywood Highsmith intrigue me for some reason. And Nikol Jovic and Jaime Jacquez Jr are solid young guys. Erik Spoelstra is also one of the best coaches in the NBA. The Heat are annoyingly solid. But, if they hit an injury bug or Jimmy Butler gets frustrated, things could go sideways.

At 12 I have the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers are coming off a run to the East Finals and everyone is back and one year better. Tyrese Haliburton is a wonderful point guard and runs their system to perfection. He is no good on defense, and that is a running theme here. Andrew Nembhard is a good shooter and a surprisingly decent NBA player. Myles Turner has become a good overall offensive player, but his defense has regressed. Ben Mathurin blew up in his rookie season, but he took a step back last year. TJ McConnell is this eras Matthew Dellavedova. Aaron Nesmith has made himself a starter and a solid player. And I love Pascal Siakim's game. He is underrated in my opinion. The Pacers are a good team. This year will be the telling sign if last year was a fluke or not.

The final team for the day, at 11 I have the Orlando Magic. For all of the good offensive players and teams in the league, the Magic are the opposite. They're the best defensive team in the league, and some of the younger guys are starting to come into their own on offense. Paolo Banchero is awesome. He is on his way to being a perennial all star and he is going to become a face of the NBA sooner rather than later. Franz Wagner has fit it quite nicely next to Banchero. They are a nice 1-2 punch. He needs to improve his shooting though. Cole Anthony is a great hype guy who happens to bring a ton of energy to the floor. He is also a solid shooter. Wendall Carter Jr has found a home and a nice role with the Magic. Moe Wagner is a humongous pest and annoyance. He also happens to be a nice backup five. Signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was a wonderful move. He fits in so nicely with this team. Johnathan Isaac is a goddamn weirdo who is a great defender, if he is healthy. Jalen Suggs is the perfect point guard for this team. The Magic are going to be around for awhile if they keep up this kind of defensive intensity.

That does 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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Best of 2023 - Sports

Finishing my week of best of lists, today I have my personal top 5 sports moments. Sports are a big deal to me. I love sports. I have played and been involved in sports for as long as I can remember. I love college football, basketball and playing and coaching my son in baseball. I'm all in as a runner now as well. Sports are important to me and I'm happy about that.

At number 5 I have Courtney Duwalter's excellent trail running season in 2023. She did some amazing things in some of the toughest trail races in the world this year. She set records, crushed goals and continues to be an inspiration. This year she won Western States, a 100 mile trail race. Then, to outdo herself, she won Ultra Trail Mont-Blanc. She also won Hardrock 100 earlier in the year. She set records in these races. She was also voted trail runner of the year. She did some of the most amazing things in trail running that I have ever witnessed from afar. And she did it with a smile on her face. Duwalter is the best trail runner in the world and she is only entering her prime. I'm excited to see so much more from her in the future.

At number 4 I have the Miami Heat's improbable run to the 2023 NBA Finals. They entered the playoffs as a play in team. They got beat by the Hawks in the 7-8 matchup. The Bulls, who were bad last year, held a late lead in the final play in matchup, only for the Heat to make a push and secure the 8 seed. They then proceeded to crush the 1 seed Buck, 4-1. They beat the Knicks in six games, but Jimmy Butler missed two of those games. They then went up 3-0 on the Celtics, only for the Celtics to tie the series. The Heat ended up running away with game 7, which was in Boston, to go to the Finals as an 8 seed that barely made the playoffs. The Nuggets beat them handily, but that run they had was very special. Jimmy Butler proved his worth in the playoffs. Bam Adebayo proved how good of a defender and low post player he can be. Duncan Robinson found his form. Caleb Martin played so well that he has forced himself into a starting role. And Erik Spoelstra showed us all why he is one of the greatest coaches to ever do it. I've never been a fan of the Heat, but I've never disliked them either. And this run was a total blast to watch as a fan of the NBA.

At 3 I have the Chiefs-Eagles Super Bowl. This game was pretty amazing. It started on a cool note too, with the Kelce Brothers playing each other, having two black starting QB's and an all black officiating crew. The game more than lived up to the hype too. These were the two best teams in the 2022 season, so it was fitting that they met in the championship game. Mahomes and Hurts went back and forth. Each team would go on efficient and fun scoring drives. The defenses made plays when they needed to. The refs did get involved a bit too much, but I was able to push past that since the on field competition was so elite. I had a blast watching the game and it was made so much better by how competitive and exciting it ended up being.

At 2 I have Michigan football winning the Big 10 for a third straight season. This was the first time in this run that I had high hopes and expectations from this football team. They lived up to them. I was skeptical of the schedule, but when they played the good teams, they beat them pretty handily. The Penn State final score was much closer than the actual game. They were up two scores early on Ohio State, and even when they came back and tied Michigan, I was never really worried. They then easily dispatched Iowa in the Big 10 title game. Add on all the off field "drama", this team showed maturity and an ability to close out the outside noise. The early season suspension of Jim Harbaugh was dumb, but not as dumb as the whole sign stealing thing. That was ridiculous, every team does it and these coaches that act like they don't, they are lying to us all. To see Michigan shut it all out, win games with relative ease all season long and end the regular season number 1, that was pretty dope for me as a fan. I'm excited, and nervous, for the playoff now.

Finishing my top sports moments, at number 1 I have the growth my son has made as a football player, particularly on the offensive line. My son has been playing tackle football for two years now. I was incredibly nervous when he started to play, and although I am still a ball of nerves when he plays, he is very, very into football, and he is getting pretty damn good at it too. He switched from d line to o line this season, and he has become a changed player. He had plays this year where he would maul a d lineman on the opposing team and I didn't believe it was my kid. He is a goofy, fun loving, sweet kid. But when he was on that football field, at certain moments, he was a blocking machine. He would pancake a player and then move on to another defender to block. He would get excited when he, or anyone on the o line, would make a block that would spring a big run. It is cool to see him play a sport he loves and to excel at said sport. He even missed time this year with a bruised collarbone, and his coaches would tell me how much they could use him as soon as he was cleared to play. And when he was cleared to return, he was inserted back into his starting o line spot.

That does it for my best ofs. I really enjoy writing these every year. They're a blast. Thank you for indulging me. 

Ty

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

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Ty Ranks the 2023 - 2024 NBA Teams - Watching a Pretty Good Cover Band Division

Day four of my preseason NBA countdown continues with five teams that I feel have real, legitimate playoff spots. They should avoid the play in and be in the top six in their respective conference.

At 15 I have the Minnesota Timberwolves. I was very high on them last season but they kind of fell on their face. They never really got it together all season, but they did make the play in and they played the Nuggets kind of tough in round one. This team has massive talent, but I want to see how it comes together, if it does at all, this season. Anthony Edwards is awesome. He is one of my new favorite players in the league. He has major confidence, he had a wonderful summer and he has gotten better every year. Karl Anthony Towns is a great shooter, but he is kind of soft everywhere else. He also missed a ton of time last season. I'll be curious to see if he sticks with the team all season, but while they have him he needs to let it fly. Rudy Gobert is not close to the player he was in Utah. He never fully melded with the team last season and he had a tough summer. I think he may struggle even more. I like Naz Reid as a backup five. He needs more playing time, and if he were to get more, he could do some nice things. Mike Conley is a good point guard, and he has camaraderie with Gobert, but he is older. I like that they got Nickiel Alexander Walker on a good contract. I think he can help this team. Shake Milton was a decent addition as well. The Timberwolves should be a very good regular season team that parlays that into a top six spot in the West. We will see.

At 14 I have the Atlanta Hawks. This team is a mystery. They have loads of talent, but they had an even tougher time playing together than the T'Wolves last season. Trae Young is a great scorer and passer. He is also a complainer. He seems to rub teammates the wrong way far too often. Dejounte Murray is lethal, but he seems to be not as good as he was when he was in San Antonio. He is still an awesome defender. Clint Capela is a great pick and roll guy, as long as Young is a willing passer and Capela stays on the floor. De'Andre Hunter is an okay player, but his skills from college haven't translated to the NBA yet. I like that they went out and got Saddiq Bey last year. He is a good, tough addition to this team. Onyeka Okongwu needs to play to show he is a good five in the league. I think Kobe Bufkin was a very good, smart pick for this team. Jalen Johnson has some solid skills, he just doesn't see the floor enough. This team is highly talented, but they have chemistry issues. They should win enough to get in the playoffs, but it may look ugly at times.

At 13 I have the New York Knicks. This is a very solidly built team with very solid NBA players. They don't have any super duper stars, but they have good team players. Jalen Brunson proved his worth tenfold last season. He is a very good point guard with ice in his veins. He's awesome. Julius Randle is a very good regular season player. He can score a ton. Josh Hart does all the little things really well. He is also a fan favorite. RJ Barrett may be the player he will always be already, and that is fine. He is a solid 16 ppg game guy. No more, no less. Immanuel Quickly had an up and down year, but the dude can score. Mitchell Robinson is a very good defender and rebounder. He is a menace too. They have high hopes for Quentin Grimes. And they went out and got Donte DiVincenzo on a good deal. He can really let it fly. The Knicks are built for regular season wins. They can also give a few teams a run for their money in the East.

At 12 I have the Miami Heat. Remember how they made the finals as an 8 seed last season? That was nuts. It shouldn't have been that surprising though. Jimmy Butler is one of the best, and most underrated superstars in the NBA. He is a killer and a winner. Tyler Herro is a good shooter and shot creator. Duncan Robinson is a knock down 3 point shooter. Neither plays a lick of defense. Kyle Lowry is a great veteran leader, but he is older. He was so good in the playoffs last season. Caleb Martin really showed out last season in the playoffs last season. Bam Adebayo is one of the best modern centers in the league. He is a tank as well. Kevin Love is still here and he is still a great outlet passer and rebounder. Josh Richardson might find his form being back with his original team. And the people I listen to are very high on Jaime Jacquez Jr and Nikola Jovic. The Heat are about as solid as they get in the NBA. They aren't going anywhere.

The final team for the day, at 11 I have the Cleveland Cavaliers. Donovan Mitchell is a legit scorer. He can shoot from every level. He is almost impossible to guard. He just needs to do that in the playoffs. Evan Mobley is a great young player. He has shown strides both years in the league and I think being humbled by Mitchell Robinson in the playoffs last season will be highly beneficial for him. Jarrett Allen is a great old fashioned center. He is tough to guard and is willing to take on anyone. Darius Garland is so good. I was so wrong about him and I am happy about that. Garland is one of the better up and coming guards. Caris Levert provides scoring from the perimeter. I like that they went out and signed Georges Niang for bench scoring, Ty Jerome as a solid backup point guard and Max Strus as a three and d guy. I am also a big fan of the Emoni Bates draft pick. He will do some nice things off their deep bench this year. The Cavs are a fun team to watch.

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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Is This the Start of a Nuggets Dynasty

The Denver Nuggets won their first title in the history of the franchise last night. The game was ugly at times, and even with the Heat up double figures after the first quarter, it felt inevitable that the Nuggets were going to bring it home on their home floor. They did enough to pull it out last night and the celebration was on. RD was traveling and he was still able to text me from an airport to let me know he saw the end of the game.

This Nuggets team felt kind of underrated all year if you listen to the way some sports analysts, all the white nerds at ESPN. But if you look at it, really dig deep, this team has been building and were one of the best teams in the league all season long. They had the fourth best overall record in the league. They were the best team in the West by a good margin. They have a two time MVP in Jokic. Jamal Murray was a lottery pick. Michael Porter Jr was a late lottery pick. They picked up Kentavious Caldwell Pope last season. That dude is a champ. They went out and got Bruce Brown who may be the best role player in the NBA. They traded for Aaron Gordon a few years back, and that was a homerun trade. Jeff Green is a tremendous vet. And Christian Braun is coming off an NCAA title.

This is not a team of slouches. This is not some underdog story. This is not the bad news Bears. This isn't some Cinderella. The Nuggets are a real team and they look to be a possible dynasty. This team is here to stay. They are not underrated. They are not a flash in the pan. This team is here to stay. Don't buy into ESPN stories about this team being "underdogs". Just because they are in a small market, the ESPN's of the world are going to try and make this some feel good story. This team is legit and they earned this title. They were the best team in the playoffs. They easily dispatched the Wolves in five. That series went about as expected. The Suns, who were supposed to be the true "contender" after they got KD, looked lost against the Nuggets in games 5 and 6. They smoked them in game 6 in Phoenix to head to the West Finals. They swept the Lakers, who were somehow being considered the top title threat at the time. And they disposed of the Heat in 5 games. This team went 16-4 in the playoffs and not many of the games were all that close. Jokic was spectacular. Murray was up and down, but when he was up he was dominant. Aaron Gordon may be the best on ball defender in the league. Bruce Brown came up clutch time after time. KCP was good enough while playing with a hurt wrist.

Again, this team was, and will be for a while, very dominant. They are the rightful champs. They did it the right way and they more than deserve this. The Heat were the real underdogs here, and they put up a fight until running into the Nuggets buzzsaw. They smoked my title pick, the Bucks, in five very easy games. Jimmy Butler was magnificent in that series. They let the Knicks get two games, but there was never a doubt in my mind they were going to win that series. They were the better team. They beat the Celtics in seven games. I figured the Celtics were going to destroy them, but Miami showed up and the Celtics didn't until it was too late. It was great to see the Heat win that series in game seven in Boston. But the Heat were tired and they were no match for the Nuggets. They tried a bunch of stuff and it never worked. The Nuggets were ready for it all and they responded to everything thrown their way. The Heat may be the greatest 8 seed ever, but the Nuggets were too good of a team for them to beat. It was a great playoff run for Miami, but the better team won. That was evident last night.

My hat is off to the Nuggets. They did it and they did it convincingly. Congratulations. Now it is time to celebrate.

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 2023 NBA Finals Preview

The Miami Heat closed out the Boston Celtics last night to advance to the NBA Finals. They are the second 8 seed and the first play in team to make it this far. They looked a little wobbly in the last three games, but they ran past the Celtics in the first quarter and never looked back. I heard all the excuses, Tatum rolled his ankle, one of their players was sick, they were tired from coming back to tie the series. All of that is nonsense.

The better team won last night. The Heat wanted it more, the Celtics looked scared by the moment and Erik Spoelstra is one of the best coaches the league has ever seen. The Celtics got beat. There is no viable excuse or excuses. They were beat and they were beat soundly. My hat is off to Miami. They were ready to go, the moment never got too big, they weren't frightened when the Celtics started to win and they kept plugging away. Jimmy Butler was the star of the series. He rightfully won the ECF MVP. He was amazing the whole time. He has carried this team thus far. But when he had a few clunkers, and boy he had a few, other guys stepped up. Caleb Martin was awesome. He made so many shots, played good defense and rose to the occasion. Kyle Lowry looked like the old Kyle Lowry. He played with pace and hit shots. Duncan Robinson hit some big threes. Bam Adebayo played some stout defense and laid some bone crushing picks. Gabe Vincent did a bunch of little things. Max Strus set the tone at the start of the game last night for all the role players. The Heat played as a team, and a team that wanted to win this game and keep on playing.

I am stoked for these finals. The two best teams in the playoffs are where they rightfully belong. Each team has had a gauntlet and they met and exceeded expectations. I know these aren't glamour city teams, but who cares. I don't need to see an LA team or a Boston team or a Philly team. I just want good basketball. And that is exactly what we are going to get. The Nuggets have been very good all year. They are consistent and they know who they are. Jokic is a beast and the offense runs through him. Jamal Murray is healthy and looks as good, if not better, than he did in the bubble. Michael Porter Jr is actually playing defense and he is impossible to guard from the outside because he is so big. KCP is a proven winner and does all the little things. Bruce Brown is an excellent cutter and finisher at the rim. The Nuggets do have it all. Their coach is great as well, he isn't at Spoelstra's level, but he is one of the better coaches in the league.

I already went through all the Heat have, and who knows what he will look like if he comes back, but Tyler Herro is going to try and play. At the very least he adds some outside shooting.

This should be a basketball nerds dream series. This series is big time analytics and shooting. I'm just happy we have new teams. Well, the Heat have been here a ton recently, but they don't have the "stars", although Jimmy Butler is highly underrated. The Nuggets, this is their first go round here. I love how they play like a team. I like all the movement and such. This is a big moment for the players and the franchise. I cannot wait to watch.

As for a prediction, I will go Nuggets in six. I will be rooting extra hard for the Heat but I just think they are too tired and too spent. The Nuggets have rested, they are on a mission and I do believe they will win it all. I want Jimmy Butler to get that ring, but this is not his time. Maybe next year, but who knows. Anyway, Thursday cannot come fast enough. I can't wait. 

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.

Jimmy Butler is a Playoff God

As all the NBA fans who read my blog have seen, I picked the Bucks to win the title this season. I thought they were the best team. They have the best player in the league. They had all their guys back pretty much fully healthy. They were the overall number 1 seed. They had home court throughout the playoffs. They were getting a seemingly disinterested Heat team. It all seemed in their favor. They even have the experience.

It didn't work out for Milwaukee. Giannis got hurt in game 1, missed two games and was not the same when he came back. Khris Middleton didn't look like himself. Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez looked tired. The bench didn't help at all. And the Heat saw this and took advantage. They jumped all over the Bucks. They played swarming defense. They made shots. Guy who barely played all year came in and did their job. This "bad news bears" esque squad came out, did what they do best and destroyed the Bucks. It only took them five games. They jumped out and got a stranglehold as soon as they could. It was jarring, but also kind of fun to watch.

Sure, I like the Bucks, Giannis is one of my favorite players, but this Heat team is fun when they are on. Kyle Lowry looked great in this series. He looked like the old Lowry. Kevin Love was tremendous off the bench. He looks like the missing ingredient. Duncan Robinson was one of the guys who barely saw the floor during the regular season, but due to injury, he was thrust in and did his job very well. Gabe Vincent was awesome. Max Struss looked good again. Erik Spoelstra was using every trick he had. And it all worked.

Yet the real killer in this series, the guy who always shows up when the lights are brightest, one of the most underrated players of all time, was Jimmy Butler. His series was amazing. This is some of the best basketball I have ever had the pleasure to watch. Butler was incredible and he did it all for the Heat. In the last two games he had 56 points and 46 points. He had decent assist numbers. He was rebounding the ball at a very high level. He was getting to the free throw line a bunch. He was making threes. He was guarding every star the Bucks have. Hell, he was insisting on it. He was making some of the wildest shots I've ever seen. This was a masterful performance by a guy that never gets mentioned when people talk about the best players in the league at this time. No one ever brings up Jimmy Butler. He is a better player right now than guys like Anthony Davis, Jamal Murray, Ja Morant, Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Jaylen Brown and James Harden. He is also a far, far superior playoff player still playing not named LeBron James. Butler is the heart and soul of this team. And when he is on, they are one of the best teams in the league. To watch what I just watched from him, I'm in awe. He was not going to let this team get beat. As soon as the Heat got a series lead, he smelled blood. And that is when Butler is at his best. I go back to his 56 point game as a point of reference. The Bucks seemed to be in control that whole game. I turned it back on near the end and the Bucks were up 10. They answered every shot. They never let it get too close, until Jimmy Butler decided it was time to take over. He made two big threes. He was getting to his spots. He hit every free throw he shot in the fourth quarter. He made plays in defense. And the Heat kept chipping away until they took the lead and eventually won. That would have been enough to cement him as an all time playoff great. But then he came out in game five, a closeout situation for them, and scored 46, looking every bit as good as he did in the previous game. Again, I was in awe. I couldn't believe my eyes. Jimmy Butler is amazing. He needs more shine.

Butler may rub some people the wrong way, but that dude shows up best when it matters most. Look at all the teams that let him go because they didn't like his "attitude". They are not as good as they were with him. Even the 76ers. Butler needs his shine and I will gladly drive this bandwagon. I may not be a fan of the Heat, but I am a superfan of Jimmy Butler. What a performance. 

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.

Ty's 2022 - 2023 NBA Season Preview: Heat, Nuggets, Grizzlies

Welcome to day eight of my 22-23 NBA countdown. We are getting to the teams that I think all have the talent to make a deep playoff run. Hell, some of these teams could win it all and it would not surprise me one bit.

At number 9 I have the Miami Heat. They were one shot away from the finals last season and people said they weren't even whole. They get everyone back. Losing PJ Tucker will be a bummer, but pretty much everyone else is back and healthy. Jimmy Butler is awesome. He is old school mixed with new school. He wins everywhere he goes. He carries this team whenever he is asked. He is underrated and one of my favorite players. I love Bam Adebayo as well. He is a lunch pail dude. He does his work and he happens to be wildly athletic. He is also a great defender. Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson are both knock down shooters. They don't play defense, but they can shoot., Kyle Lowry is an amazing vet. He is also a very good point guard. He just has to stay on the floor. Victor Oladipo is in a prove it year, and he came on strong at the end of last season. He could feast on second units. Max Strus found a way into the starting lineup and never looked back. He is a two-way player, and he is solid. Caleb Martin has found a spot that works for him without his brother. Dewayne Dedmond fills in nicely as a backup center. And Udonis Haslem is another coach who happens to be on the team. The Heat have a system and that system works. They find ways to win, and they have for the last decade plus. This team is good. Do not be shocked if they find their way into the East Finals yet again.

At number 8 I have the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets have the two-time MVP in Nikola Jokic. I did not think he deserved it last season, but here we are. Jokic is a very good passer and a solid guy to run the offense through. He is not much of a defender though. And I wish he would show up in shape. Jamal Murray is back, and if he can be 85 percent of who he was before the ACL tear, he should be great. He was becoming a go to scorer and leader for this team. He is an awesome player and I really like his game. Michael Porter Jr needs to shut up about vaccines, but he can shoot. He is tall, can score over anyone and likes to chuck it up there. Bones Hyland is a good microwave scorer. Aaron Gordon fits perfectly with this team and he is as high flying as ever. I like Aaron Gordon a ton. Bruce Brown is there, and he is solid. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has something to play for again and he thrives in that scenario. Zeke Nnaji is big and can shoot the three. Jeff Green is still there and still useful in certain games. I think, if he gets minutes, Christian Braun will contribute something. The Nuggets are a good team with potential to be great. They just need to stay on the floor and avoid long term injuries.

The final team for the day, at 7 I have my favorite team, the Memphis Grizzlies. Some say the Grizzlies overachieved last season, but I expect this to become the norm for this team. They should be expected to win upwards of 50 games every year. Ja Morant is a star. He does a bit of everything. His jumper can be better, but he can get to the rim with ease. He is also a wonderful team leader. Jaren Jackson Jr is hurt, again, but when he is out there, he is such a good defender and rebounder. He can also shoot. He needs to stop with the dumb fouls, but JJJ is one of my other favorite players. Steven Adams is big and imposing and a lunch pail guy. He is the enforcer. Desmond Bane continues to get better and better. He is a knock down shooter, is better at defense and becoming one of the Grizzlies best players. Dillon Brooks has a minor injury, but when he comes back, he is the team's best defender and can also shoot when asked. Brandon Clarke just got an extension, was awesome in the playoffs and does all the little things the Grizzlies want. Tyus Jones is an awesome backup guard. Ziaire Williams is getting better, and this team works. They like each other and have fun playing together. I expect big things this season. Now they have to deliver.

That is 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.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

Ty's 2021-2022 NBA Preview: Heat, Warriors, 76ers, Nuggets

Welcome to day six of my 2021 NBA countdown. We are in the top 10 now. These are the real good teams, the teams that have a real shot at the title if things go their way.

At 10 I have the Miami Heat. I loved their offseason. They got a great fit in Kyle Lowry. He will be added seamlessly to this lineup. He can run the offense, he will be a total menace on defense, he can score and distribute, he is in a great situation. I do not care that he is "old" in NBA terms. This is a great fit. Jimmy Butler is fast becoming one of my favorite players and people. He is a beast, he works his tail off, he is so much better than he has ever been in the NBA and he is hilarious. Jimmy Butler bet on himself in Minnesota and Philadelphia and it totally paid off for him. He was right and he has proven that tenfold. Bam Adebayo is also becoming one of my favorite players. In fact, besides Ja, Adebayo is probably my favorite player. He is so fast and quick and big and strong and plays so well. He is going to be an all star soon. Duncan Robinson has made it and now he got paid. He is a specialist, but what he does, shoot threes, he is one of the best in the league. He is a true sniper. Tyler Herro could have a bounce back season. He apparently put on some muscle, worked on his shot and everything coming out of camp seems to point to him getting better this offseason. Victor Oladipo is coming off another injury but he took a one year deal and he has to go out and prove he is as good as he used to be. He is a good slasher and cutter and plays solid defense. He just has to show that he is still able to do that. Getting PJ Tucker from Milwaukee makes this team even more of a nightmare on defense. Tucker adds zero on offense, but he is still an upper tier defender. Markieff Morris is tough and nasty. And Udonis Haslem is back as a player/coach essentially. Miami has a very good team that is going to be an elite defense. They will make some noise.

At 9 I have the Golden State Warriors. If they had a fully healthy Klay Thompson to start the season I'd probably have them in my top five. He will not be back until January so that is why they are here. Steph is the best shooter in the history of the league. He is pretty much un guardable. He can do it all and he is an all time great. He alone gets this team in the playoffs. Andrew Wiggins got vaxxed, finally, and while he is not as good as some thought when he was the first overall pick, he still brings value to this team. I am glad he got vaxxed, I just wish he wasn't such a baby about it. Draymond Green is still one of the best defenders in the league. He is also a very good facilitator and passer. He is nothing when it comes to scoring, but he is still elite at the things he does really well. Jordan Poole looks like he is going to take a leap. He looked great in the play-in, and he has been awesome in preseason games. Then it gets dicey for this team. Moses Moody and Johnathan Kuminga were both good picks, but I do not know where they are going to find minutes. Otto Porter Jr has not played in a year, looks to be out of shape, but people in Golden State say he looks good. Nemanja Bjelica can shoot, but he couldn't get minutes in Sacramento. Andre Iguodala is a finals MVP, a great player for the Warriors, but he is old. He is my age. James Wiseman can still be very good, but he needs to play through the run moments, and I do not know if Steve Kerr will be patient enough to let him. Juan Toscano Anderson has energy for days, but he is not much of a scorer. Kevon Looney cannot stay healthy. Damion Lee is a good shooter. And I like that they added Avery Bradley and Gary Payton Jr for defense. The Warriors have one of the all time greats, they should get Klay back and Draymond is still elite. They do need a ton of things to break their way, but they are still going to be in it until the end of the season.

At 8 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. Ben Simmons appears to be at camp, could be a full participant and may even play some games. I think he and his agent realized how much money they would lose if he didn't show up, and they want to up his trade value. Simmons is an otherworldly defender, but he has gone off a cliff in pretty much every other area of the game. I'd still keep him and see if they could figure it out, but maybe everyone involved is doing this to make a real trade. Joel Embiid is amazing. He is the best center in the league. He can do it all on both ends. He is elite. He is an MVP candidate. I just want him to play a full season. Matisse Thybulle is one of the best defenders in the league, and if Simmons does get traded, I could see him stepping into his role, with the exception of running the offense. Seth Curry has proven he belongs. He can shoot the hell out of the ball. Tyrese Maxey was so much fun to watch last season, and I could see him getting an expanded role. I like that they went out and got Andre Drummond for almost nothing. He could go out and feast on second units. He had moments in LA last year, and I could see that come back in Philly. Danny Green isn't as good as he used to be, but he can still shoot and guard. Tobias Harris may be overpaid, but the dude can fill it up. He is a solid NBA scorer. Furkan Korkmaz is a good bench player. And Shake Milton looks like he could take that next step to being the second unit's top scorer. Philadelphia is going to be good regardless of what happens to Ben Simmons. Honestly I do not see much of a difference if he is there or not. The 76ers are a 4 or 5 seed at the lowest.

The final team for today, at number 7 I have the Denver Nuggets. Full disclosure, they would have been number 3 if Jamal Murray was playing. He is not, probably won't for the whole season, so they land in the top 10 on my list. Nikola Jokic is the reigning MVP. He is a very good passer, he runs the offense, he can shoot and he is a nightmare to guard. Jokic is good. He is even better when he is in shape. Michael Porter Jr is a total dumbass and I am actively rooting against him. He's an idiot. He does not know what in the hell he is talking about. I do not care how good of a basketball player he is because every time he opens his mouth something idiotic comes out of it. Aaron Gordon got an extension, fit in great with this team last year and he looks like he is happy playing again. He can also still jump out of the gym, and people do not seem to realize how good of a defender he is. Gordon is great. Jeff Green keeps getting moved, but I like him on this team. He looked great in Brooklyn last year, and he will get more of a chance to play in Denver this year. Will Barton can shoot the ball, he just needs more shots. Austin Rivers has settled in as a role player. Monte Morris is another solid scorer. Bol Bol could be something if he got some real playing time. Facundo Campazzo is a hustler. Markus Howard was one of the best scorers in the NCAA for three years. And JaMychal Green is a good stretch big. The Nuggets are in their title window right now. They may have to pause for one season since Murray is out. But these guys are still young and good and can play. The Nuggets are a top five seed in the West for sure though.

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

Ty

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

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The Good and the Bad of NBA Free Agency

Yesterday was all about how curious I am to watch the Lakers this upcoming season. Today I want to talk about some of the free agent signings I am high on and some I'm not so crazy about.

Let's get the "bad" out of the way first.

I am not a fan at all of what the Pelicans are doing. They let Lonzo Ball go in a sign and trade and only got Toma Satoransky and, I think, Thad Young in return. They then went out and got Davante Graham, who I like, but he does nothing to help them defensively which is what they lack the most. These moves all seem very parallel. It all started when they traded the 10th pick, Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams to the Grizzlies for the 17th pick, Jonas Valnciunas and someone else who barely played for the Grizzlies. Steven Adams to Valanciunas is not much of an upgrade. And the pick swap was of no significance. Maybe the Pelicans have something else up their sleeve that no one knows about, but right now these moves would worry me if I were Zion, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart.

I also am not crazy about what the Spurs are doing. I really like the young guys they have on the team and I want them to run it with those guys. They decided to go out and sign Doug McDermott, Brynn Fobes and Zach Collins. McDermott is no more than a three point shooter and so is Forbes except not as consistent. Zach Collins simply cannot stay healthy. He is so injury prone that I am kind of surprised he is still in the league. I did like their draft, but these free agent signings are odd. But they are the Spurs, and they know way more than I do.

Finally, I kind of loathe what the 76ers are doing with Simmons. I know he isn't a free agent, but the asking price in a trade has kind of handcuffed them as far as who they could have tried to get. They also missed out on Kyle Lowry and he would have been a perfect fit for them. The lack of anything, and the asking price for Simmons would have me worried if I were a 76ers fan.

Now for the good stuff.

Speaking of Kyle Lowry, I absolutely love what the Heat have done this offseason. They added Lowry and PJ Tucker and retained Duncan Robinson. Sure they had to trade Goran Dragic to get Lowry, but I'd do that trade ten times out of ten. The Heat are going to be grueling to play against. Their defense, with Butler, Adebayo and now Lowry and Tucker is going to get under opponents skin. They will grind the hell out of other teams. And on offense they have added a great floor general, kept their best three point shooter and re-signed Butler, who can create baskets out of absolutely nothing. While not on Brooklyn or Milwaukee's level, I think the Heat have pushed their way into the third spot in the East.

I also like what Atlanta has done. They have only brought in Delon Wright, but they also kept this team who went to the East Finals together after they gave Trae and John Collins big contracts. The Hawks are going to be a perennial playoff team, they have this young core intact which will keep them good for the next four or five years and they may become more attractive to future free agents if they keep winning like I expect them to. Sometimes less is more in the NBA.

Finally on the good side, my favorite offseason moves come from the Chicago Bulls. They are all in on making a push to, at the very least, the play in next season. They got Lonzo, they brought in Alex Caruso and they have now surrounded Zach Lavine with the playmakers that will further push him into the upper tier of an all star. This team is young, exciting, explosive, better defensively and should be so much fun to watch. Ball has gotten better and better every year and I think he will thrive playing next to Lavine. Caruso, for all the unnecessary love he gets, is a solid role player and will fit in just fine. Nikola Vucevic is a very skilled offensive player and he now knows the system. Coby White is so much fun to watch and he had a very good second season. Patrick Williams looks like the real deal. And Lavine is coming off an all star season and he has looked decent in the Olympics. The Bulls need to start winning and the moves they made this offseason should help them make a playoff push. I have been super impressed with their offseason.

I love NBA free agency and this year has been especially fun. I cannot wait to watch all these guys on their new teams. The new season cannot start soon enough.

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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Thoughts on Who Should Trade for Blake Griffin

Where we sit today, the NBA trade deadline is about three weeks away. There have already been massive moves, Harden to the Nets, and I think there will be a flurry of moves coming very soon. I could see upwards of a dozen or so guys being on a new team before the month is out.

If you are looking for an indicator why, look at all the players being sat right now so teams can try and find a trade partner. Guys like JJ Redick and Austin Rivers and Lonzo Ball and Kevin Love and Andre Drummond have all seen their playing time diminish to almost nothing. Now, this doesn't necessarily mean all these guys will be traded, but I suspect most of them will by March 7th.

One person who I was kind of shocked to be on the block was Blake Griffin. He has really kind of nose dived since the Clippers traded him to the Pistons. At the time it happened, I got it for both sides. The Clippers didn't want to pay him, they were going to go after Kawhi, they were offloading everyone they could and they wanted to make a push. For the Pistons, they wanted to get in the playoffs, they wanted a player that could sell tickets, Griffin could run the show there and he was going to be teamed up with Drummond, who was a Piston at the time, to form a solid front court. Well, it has worked okay for the Clippers, they got Kawhi and Paul George, and they are one of the top teams in the West. As for the Pistons and Griffin, well that is a different story. They were swept out of the playoffs in the first round his first season there. Then he got hurt again. Then the Pistons traded Drummond. And they waived Reggie Jackson, then they recently traded Derrick Rose and they are not very good. They are competitive, but I think only second to the Timberwolves, they have one of the worst records in the league. Jerami Grant has been exceptional, and rookie Saadiq Bey definitely has potential, but they are rebuilding.

Maybe I shouldn't be that shocked to see them sit Griffin, and try to find a trade partner for him. He is older, 31 now. He has been more injured in his pro career than not. He doesn't have the bounce he used to. He has never been a great rebounder or defender. He can shoot and handle okay, but he isn't the threat he once was. I never bought into the hype surrounding Griffin, but he does have some value to a team chasing the playoffs, or perhaps the title.

I have sat and thought about who I think would be the best fit for him, where he could go and do what he has become good at, and help a team get far in the playoffs. That means all the also rans, the Cavs and T'Wolves and Wizards are off the table. But there are some teams, in both conferences, that can use a point forward who can knock down a few threes per game, and force opponents to guard him because he is still somewhat of a scoring threat. Right away I take out the Lakers, Clippers, Nets, Jazz, Trailblazers and Nuggets. These teams already have players like him, or they don't have enough equity to get him. But that does leave some teams, teams near the top, that could use a guy like Blake Griffin to make a push. The 76ers could use him, but they will not give up enough to get him, and they shouldn't. What they are doing right now is working. The Bucks may like the idea of pairing him with Giannis, and while he is much better than Bobby Portis, I do not think Milwaukee has enough to make a trade for him, unless they are willing to part with a starter or two. I think he would work out well with the Spurs, but I don't think Pop wants to bring on a former "star" player. I think he likes what his youth is giving him right now. I'd be kind of interested to see him paired with Luka in Dallas, but they seem set with Porzingis, and that is a bummer. He is so soft, and does not play like a 7 footer. He is also as injury prone, if not more so, than Griffin. I don't think the Celtics will be willing to part with any of their youth, and the Knicks want a young big name, not a player in his waning years.

That leaves me with two teams that, while I do not think they will win the title, they will be in the playoffs and make a serious push. Those teams are the Pacers and Heat. Both are very middling right now. The Pacers are .500, and the Heat are below .500. That doesn't mean things won't change, and I think if either one adds Griffin, they could make their way to the upper half of the East. The Pacers would need to part ways with Myles Turner, which would be a bummer because he has been a defensive force this season. But, his name has been in trade talks the past two years. I think they could put Turner in the deal, add a younger guard and a pick, and they could add Griffin. That would pair him up with Sabonis. Sabonis does all the dirty work, he is a good defender and he is becoming a legit first option. Griffin could play off that pretty well. Then he would have shooters around him. Brogdon can knock down shots. TJ Warren is liable to go for 40 on any given night. Jeremy Lamb has moments. And when Caris Levert gets cleared to play, he is an offensive dynamo. Griffin would be surrounded by young guys that play hard on both ends and he could come in and be someone that can contribute offensively right away. It would be such a bummer to have to trade Turner, but as I said, it is not like they haven't shopped him yet.

As for the Heat, they are struggling right now. They're 11-16, which is 10th currently in the East, but a few wins here and there, and they are back in it. They are also almost at full health. They were ravaged by injury, they had COVID issues, and finally they are getting everyone back. The Heat also would not have to give up any of the young scorers that have been mentioned for bigger names. They could keep Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson. Bam is off the table obviously. Jimmy Butler isn't going anywhere. Dragic is there to stay. Hell, they could even hold onto Andre Igodala if they want. They would have to give up someone, or multiple someones, guys like Kendrick Nunn or Kelly Olnyk or Meyers Leonard or maybe, even though they don't want to, Precious Achiuwa. But I think they would, knowing they could keep the main core guys, and add Griffin to the team. I also think Griffin would love playing for the Heat, and he would definitely prefer Miami to Indiana due to outside interests. I also think he fits even better with the Heat. Bam is better than Damontas Sabonis. He is stronger, a better offensive player and just seems to have that "it" factor some star players show. Jimmy Butler could be Griffin's newer version of Chris Paul, keeping him in check. He has better, younger versions of JJ Reddick in Robinson and Herro. And He and Dragic could run a dangerous pick and roll against second units. The Heat, for a myriad of reasons, makes almost too much sense to me. I would be kind of stunned when/if he gets traded if it isn't to the Heat. I think both teams would benefit the most. And above all, I think Griffin would take this news with a tremendous smile and acclimate very nicely, and quickly, to Miami.

Miami. That is where Blake Griffin should end up. It is as near a perfect fit as there is in the NBA.

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

Ty's 2020-2021 NBA Preview: Can Win It All

Today is the final day of my NBA countdown. We are eight days away from the start of the regular season. I will do predictions tomorrow, but as far as my rankings, this is it. These are the best of the best. These are the teams that have the players, coaches, staff and fortitude to win it all. The only thing stopping these teams are COVID or injury. I hope neither happens to any of them.

At number 5 I have the Boston Celtics. The Celtics are loaded with great young talent, they have one of the better head coaches and they have, for such a young team, lots of playoff experience. They also got rid of an albatross contract. The only thing that worries me with this team is depth. But man is their starting five loaded. Jayson Tatum is a straight up star. He can score from anywhere, he is lethal, he has the killer mentality, he plays defense and he just gets better and better. I am a true believer that he is a future face of the league. Jaylen Brown is an elite defender, and he is hyper athletic. His jumper is improving and he is asserting himself as the firm number 2 on this team. He may waffle from time to time, but he always makes up for it. Marcus Smart is the new age Tony Allen. He is a menace on defense. He can guard pretty much all 5 positions and he can draw fouls and mess with opponents heads. He isn't great offensively, but he is good enough. When Kemba Walker is healthy he is one of the better scoring guards in the NBA. He is also a solid perimeter defender. He is a better fit on this team too. He is so much better fitting in than being the star. He is injured, and will miss a month or two, but when he is back, the Celtics have three guys in the starting five that can go for 20 every night. Robert Williams may float in and out of games, miss some meetings and over sleep. But when he is engaged, this kid is good. There is a reason he slipped to the Celtics in his draft, but there is also a reason he was considered a lottery pick. He is starting to show flashes, and if he can reach some of his potential, he will only help this team. Daniel Thies is a solid defender. He does the dirty things for this team. Jeff Teague is a fine player, and that is all he has to be here. Grant Williams got decent, important minutes in the playoffs, and that is big for him. After these guys is where it gets murky. They gave Tristan Thompson too good of a contract for him. Tacko Fall is more of a spectacle than a player. Carsen Edwards and Romeo Langford haven't done much in their two years. Semi Ojeyle seems to be getting passed over. This is the worry for me with this team. But that starting five, and first two off the bench are more than enough for me to like them as a contender out of the East.

At number 4 I have the Miami Heat. Some said it was the bubble, others said it was Jimmy Butler, but I just think the Heat are a very good team, and they deserved to be in the Finals last season. Jimmy Butler proved yet again how important and viable he is on a top team. He willed them to the Finals. He had them as prepared as one player could. Bam Adebayo just keeps ascending. He is one of my absolute favorite players to watch. He goes hard, he rebounds and plays defense and he is becoming a great low post player. Adebayo is awesome. Tyler Herro has done more at 20 than I could ever imagine. He averaged double figures in the Finals. He averaged double figures as a teenager in the early playoffs. This kid is a straight up scorer. Now he has to play defense. Duncan Robinson is one of the most lethal shooters in the game, and the kid has earned every minute he now gets. He has made a name for himself, and all he has to do is shoot. He too needs to improve defensively. Goran Dragic re-signed there, and he is a perfect sixth man on this team. He runs their second unit so well. Kendrick Nunn had some ups and downs, and didn't play as much in the Finals. But, he can heat up at any moment. Andre Iguodala and Udonis Haslem are old, and their primes are way past them, but I would love to have two guys like that on my team. They are additional coaches when on the floor. Getting Avery Bradley will help their already good defense. Meyers Leonard provides front court depth. This team is good, and a return trip to the Finals wouldn't surprise me at all. Jimmy Butler is that dude.

At number 3 I have the LA Clippers. I was so very high on this team last year, and they totally blew it. They ran out of steam, they let the bubble get to them, and they lost a 3-1 lead to the Nuggets. They led to Doc Rivers leaving, and them letting a few other players walk. But this team is still loaded, they have to have revenge on their minds and I love hiring Ty Lue to take over as the head coach. Kawhi Leonard is not going to break down like he did in the bubble again. He will be back and he will be back with a vengeance. I wouldn't be shocked to see him return to his Spurs and Raptors self. He is a robot, but a robot that will be out for revenge. Paul George just signed a max deal, he is engaged to be married and it looks like he is having fun again. I know he said some stuff about the coaches last year, but who cares. This guy is an elite scorer and an even better defender. He just needs to stay focused. They also have Patrick Beverly and Lou Williams and Reggie Jackson back. Beverly is still an upper tier defender and his shot is better, Lou Will is a great, great bench scorer and Jackson plays all out every night. He may shoot too much, but he goes hard. Marcus Morris is a good dude to have on your side, and his shot is solid. Ivica Zubac is an underrated, solid big man. I like replacing Montrezl Harrell with Serge Ibaka. He may be older, but he is taller, he is a better shooter and still a bit better around the rim on defense. Luke Kennard adds long range shooting. And Nic Batum can still do some little things. The Clippers should bounce back. I would not be surprised to see them really challenge the top of the West. Some guys will need to step up, and play better than they did in the bubble, which I think they will. The Clippers will be just fine.

At number 2 I have the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks have the two time reigning MVP. Giannis is one of the best players in the league, and listening to him in interviews only furthers my belief that he is still getting better. Once he starts to hit his outside shot a bit more consistently, he will be as unstoppable as Shaq. He is also the best defender in the league. I love the addition of Jrue Holiday. He is a major upgrade over Eric Bledsoe, and he and Giannis will be a very formidable duo. Khris Middleton is another lockdown defender, and he can really shoot the ball. He needs to play better this year, but he will have ample shot opportunities playing next to Giannis and Holiday. He just needs to knock them down. Brook Lopez adds size and shooting. Donte DiVincenzo is inconsistent, but he can light it up. I wonder if his name being in trade talks will affect his play. Same thing for DJ Wilson, except he was barely seeing the floor anyway. Giannis brother Thanasis is there, and while it is cool that they are on the same team, I don't know how much he will truly see the floor. Bobby Portis is okay, but he shoots a bit too much, and people still only really know him from punching out another teammate in Chicago. And adding DJ Augustin adds a nice veteran, but also age. This team will be all about Giannis and Jrue Holiday. If they coalesce as I expect them to, they will be on top of the East.

The final team, the best team going into the season is the defending champs, the LA Lakers. They are here, they deserve it and they are, at least on paper, a much better team than the one that just won the title. They have LeBron back, and that is humongous no matter what. He was amazing in the bubble, and especially in the Finals. I still like Jordan as the GOAT, but LeBron is definitely the second greatest player ever. And no disrespect to Dywane Wade and Chris Bosh and Kyrie Irving, but he will be playing with his best teammate ever again this year, Anthony Davis. The two of them were a devastating pair. And Davis actually played a little better without LeBron on the floor. Davis is one of the best defenders in the league, he is probably the best big on offense and he showed some strength and ability to not get injured last season. He is also just now entering his prime. If they just had these two guys, and three of my friends I hoop with starting, they'd be a playoff team. Lucky for them though they have real NBA players, and they are solid. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope took a major step last year, and I fully buy him as a solid third or fourth option. He was awesome in the Finals. They replaced guys they let go of, Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard, with Marc Gasol, Montezl Harrell and Dennis Schroeder. Gasol is a better defender and passer than both McGee and Howard. Harrell is a bull dog and a force on offense. Schroeder is a younger, and better offensive scoring version of Rondo. They upgraded all three of those positions. Alex Caruso is a solid player. I don't like the hype surrounding him, but that isn't him, that's the ESPN's of the world. He works well with LeBron's game. Talen Horton Tucker looks like a steal in the preseason. And Kyle Kuzma and Wes Matthews will be solid bench guys, if they keep them both. The Lakers only got better, and they should be the hands down favorites heading into this season.

There you have it, my teams ranked from 30-1. This feels right. I will be back tomorrow to wrap up my preseason NBA preview with predictions and award winners. Also, I want to wish my wife a very happy birthday. She is cooler than any other wife out there. That is just facts. Happy birthday, I love you.

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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Congrats to the Lakers and the NBA

The NBA proved they could finish the season during a global pandemic, and they did it perfectly.

The Lakers wrapped up their 17th title, although some of those came when they were in Minneapolis, but whatever, with a dominant game six win last night. From the second quarter on, the Lakers left no doubt that they were the best team in the NBA this year. I will fully eat crow and admit I was completely wrong about them. When I did my preseason ratings, which seems like decades ago, I had them as the number seven seed in the West. Then during the restart, I picked them to make the West Finals, but I had the Clippers winning. I wasn't high on their bench, I thought that Anthony Davis wouldn't stay healthy all season, I thought Frank Vogel was a lame duck hire and I thought, very stupidly, that LeBron had lost a step. Now, he is still not, nor will he ever be as great as Michael Jordan, but he is firmly the second greatest player of all time. I have Jordan ahead of him because he never left or formed any "super team". The guys he played with were better because of Jordan, and grew with Jordan. Dennis Rodman isn't Anthony Davis or even Kevin Love. Scottie Pippen isn't as great as Davis, and Dwyane Wade was a better offensive player. Jordan did it himself. He wanted to beat the best, not play with the best. But I was very wrong on LeBron being a step slow this season. He came out on fire, played committed defense most of the year and really handled the duties of a point guard perfectly. He orchestrated their offense great. And AD, he is a truly athletic unicorn. He is as smooth as KD, blocks shots like Hakeem and cuts to the rim like Barkley. AD is awesome. He is James best teammate ever, full stop. He was great in this series too. Some people were griping about his lack of scoring, but he more than made up for it on defense. He got into the Heat's heads, and he made these guys take extremely hard shots. He was amazing. The bench, mainly Rajon Rondo, showed up when they needed to. Rondo was outstanding everywhere. He did all the things in the playoffs that make him a great player, dare I say a hall of fame player. Alex Caruso was doing the little things. He plays solid defense and he cuts when he needs to. Danny Green may have missed a big shot in game five, and wasn't shooting good at all during the playoffs, played good defense and made solid plays when he passed the ball. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope played D and hit threes. Even Dwight Howard did all the little things asked of him to help this team win. And while I know that Erik Spoelstra is a far better coach, Frank Vogel did a solid job of letting his stars do their thing. He stayed out of the way, and that is exactly what he needed to do. He was a figurehead, and that is it. The Lakers won, and they deserved to win. They were the best team this year, they proved it time and time again, and they are the rightful champs.

As for the NBA, and the "bubble", this literally couldn't have gone any better. They had 22 teams show up right in the midst of a global pandemic in a hotspot in Florida. They had some teams there for a month, others for two and the final four teams spent four months there. They provided entertainment, they provided food, they had dedicated staff, doctors, trainers and hotel employees, they had COVID testers, they had a solid set of rules, and it all worked. There were zero positive COVID tests the whole time the teams and players and staff were there. That is truly amazing. Look at what the MLB, and now college football and NFL are going through. They can't go a week without a positive test. The NBA lasted over three months without one. It worked and it paid off. The basketball didn't suffer at all. The games were competitive, they were fast paced, the scores were high, it was way better than I thought. If you didn't know, you would have no idea that these guys were in limbo for almost three months, not knowing if they were going to play again or not.

Then we had the police brutality issue, where a white police officer shot another unarmed black man who was doing nothing wrong. I will say it forever, defund the police. The shooting of Jacob Blake almost stopped all of the playoffs. There was a league wide strike. Some teams, including the Lakers, were ready to go home that night. But Adam Silver listened to the players, met their demands and made a plan, and they were able to continue. They were able to finish. I loved in the bubble that the players were able to speak their minds, and talk about social and political things. I adore that players used their platforms to talk about such things, and not focus on solely basketball. That was so awesome and so great and prolific. That was, outside of the games, my favorite thing about the bubble. I love that players spoke their minds, urged people to vote, told people in their team's hometown to make changes. Hopefully this continues the movement in our country that I feel is happening now. We are fed up, and the NBA players in the bubble echoed that sentiment. I have always loved the NBA, and I always will. But what they did in Orlando, how they pulled it off and how they used the platform, it has made me even more of a fan. I am so happy to call myself an NBA fan. I am so happy they achieved their goal. I am happy that they let their voices be heard. I'm happy no one got COVID. And I am happy that the best team, in the end, won the title.

Congrats to the Lakers, to LeBron, to AD, to Adam Silver and to the NBA. This was a historic finish to a very odd and long 2019-20 NBA season. You guys did it, and you did it the best. I am more proud to be an NBA fan than I am to be an American., The NBA is a much better place than our country, and the bubble proved that. Congrats to all involved. You guys did it. 

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

Ty's NBA Finals Preview

It wasn't the NBA Finals I expected.

I also don't think a good amount of other people had this match up. I am sure a good amount of people picked the Lakers, although the Clippers were the heavy favorite when the season started, and then restarted, but they had yet another epic collapse. But I do not think many people had the Heat in the Finals. I know I didn't. I know big time websites and companies like ESPN, Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Report didn't. In fact, the only person/people who I have heard on a recording say the Heat would be in the title are the ladies that host the podcast "Dunktown", which is a great pod by the way. Most everyone else had Milwaukee or Boston or even Toronto. But the Heat have dominated almost, almost as much as the Lakers have on their way to the Finals. Let’s talk about this match-up.

The Lakers got to the Finals with relative ease, and with a few exceptions, they have steam rolled in every game. LeBron has been keyed in defensively, and it looks like he has now found his offensive groove, which is frightening. He also has the refs in his pocket after griping about lack of foul shooting. In the past two games, he alone has twenty-two free throw attempts. The Nuggets had forty-nine total in those games, as a team. LeBron had almost half that himself. It was a smart move from him to get in the refs head. Guys like him can do that, and he knows it, and he is using it. While it bogs the game down, makes it slow and there is nothing but glaring and complaining at officials, it has worked. LeBron and the Lakers own the refs.

The Heat have also done almost exactly the same thing, and they haven't needed to get in the refs heads. They cruised in the first round over Indiana, locking down Victor Oladipo and TJ Warren. Then they completely obliterated the Bucks. Even in the one win Milwaukee had, it wasn't because of anything they did spectacularly, Miami just had an off game. The fact that they made Giannis a non factor is testament enough to how well they communicate and play team defense. And while the Celtics series was closer, Miami won when it mattered. They closed them out in resounding fashion, and while I am sure most people wanted the "sexy" LA-Boston classic match up, Miami could have cared less about that. Boston is coming, but Miami is just a better team right now.

In all honesty, I think, of the four teams that made it to the conference finals, these are the two best, and these are the two most deserving teams, and I think they will give us the best series, at least I hope. I feel like they match up evenly almost everywhere, and this could be a very good, very close series. LeBron is currently the best player in the league. He isn't MJ, but he is close. Real quick, this is also his tenth finals appearance. That is monumental. He has been to the finals more than twenty-seven other franchises in their team history have. That is crazy. Also, on the Heat side, Andre Iguodala has now been to six straight NBA Finals. I know it has to do with the teams he has been on, but hey, six straight Finals appearances is nothing to sniff at. He may not be LeBron, but Iguodala is going to the Finals at a clip close to him. I just wanted to throw that out there for everyone. Anyway, LeBron is great, and seems to be finding his groove. Anthony Davis has been really, really good in the playoffs too. He does look like he may be wearing down a bit, he is playing a TON of minutes, but he is still one of the best, most versatile bigs in the league. And the rest of the Lakers are doing their jobs. Rondo is being playoff Rondo, and that is the best Rondo. Danny Green finally knocked down some jumpers and is playing passable defense. Dwight Howard has totally changed his game, and he has been a beast on the boards and a jump off the bench. The whole Alex Caruso cult isn't as loud, but that guy has LeBron's trust because he is closing out games. And Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is hitting threes and hustling on defense.

Yet Miami has guys capable of matching up, doing what the Lakers are doing, and they are much, much younger. I have many differing opinions on Jimmy Butler, but when the guy is locked in, he is one of my favorite players to watch. He is a star, but he doesn't have to be the scoring star or the defense guy or the locker room guy. Butler is a do it all type star. If he isn't scoring, he makes up for it on defense. If he is tired on defense, he is making shots or getting to the line. When he likes his teammates, and feels like he can trust them, which he totally has this season, he is the best dude to have on your team. And I feel like he can guard LeBron, or at least harass him enough to make him shoot jumpers. He will make LeBron work. Bam Adebayo has had a total breakout year. He is a star. He is one of the best all around bigs. He shut down Giannis. He is a beast in the low post. He had one of the best blocks I have ever seen when he stopped Jayson Tatum's dunk in game one of the conference finals to seal the win. And he is a big that is a dependable shooter. Then we have Iguodala. He isn't the guy he was a few years back, but he brings veteran leadership and a willingness to sacrifice numbers to play defense, and play it well. Goran Dragic may not be the best defender, but he has been the one player on the Heat, besides Adebayo, that has been consistent on offense in these playoffs. And Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro are nearly automatic from deep. The Heat can match up. I am so stoked to watch Butler play LeBron and Adebayo to play Davis. I feel like Butler-LeBron will be a wash, those guys will cancel one another out. But Adebayo-Davis can make or break this series. Adebayo will try his best to bully Davis, and that has proven to be the best way to slow him down. He doesn't want to bang bodies that much. He'd much rather play finesse. But, if Davis can hit jumpers, make some threes, he could become lethal. He might not have to worry about being bullied in the post because he could drag Adebayo out of the lane. This is the player match up I am most excited to watch. It will be the deciding factor. As I said, LeBron and Butler will play equal, and the rest is a mishmash. I'm sure Herro and Robinson will have a solid game, but so will Danny Green and Rondo and Kyle Kuzma. The determining factor, what will decide this series, at least for me, is who wins out in the Adebayo-Davis match up.

I will be rooting for the Heat because of Adebayo, and because I like this version of Jimmy Butler, just full disclosure. But, I do think the Lakers will win in seven games. This will be a good, hard fought series. Sometimes it will look like a slog, the games will be slow, and there will be plenty of free throws. But I just think LeBron knows this is probably his last best chance, especially with Davis, to win another, possibly final, NBA title. The NBA will be so much more competitive and different next season, and LeBron has put in the work to get this team where they are now. I want the Heat to win, but I am pretty sure the Lakers will find a way. Let's get to it. 

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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The NBA Restart Has Given US Two Must Watch Games Tonight

Tonight we have two pretty big NBA games. Let’s talk about them.

The Heat and Celtics will kick off the Eastern Conference Finals. I did not expect this, I believe I picked Milwaukee and Toronto, but I am not surprised Miami made it. I am surprised at how easily they have made it, but not surprised they are here. They are a good team. They play team basketball. They have good to great defenders. Jimmy Butler is proving that he is totally worth the headache when he is happy. They have a great young, and modern big, in Bam Adebayo. And they have shooting all over the floor. They are really good, and have looked really good getting here. Will they be rusty or tired? Maybe. But, I expect Butler, and Erik Spoelstra, to erase that quick and get back to playing like they were a week ago.

The Celtics had a tough, well played and well fought series win over Toronto. Toronto gave them all they could handle. They played them hard, played them dirty, played them like you expect a champion to play, even after losing their best guy, but the Celtics still won. I thought they were a year away. I thought they were still too young. But the young dudes stepped up, and Kemba Walker looks like himself. The knee injury and whatever else was bothering him seems to be gone. But I want to talk about their young guys. Jayson Tatum is a star. I have been lukewarm on him since college, but that dude is a player. He was absolutely great in the Toronto series. He was a scoring machine. He was making open jumpers and getting to the basket. He is becoming what many others saw coming out of Duke. He is a legit guy who could be the face of the league in a few years. Jaylen Brown might be the new Kawhi, except I think he is more athletic, and a better shooter at a younger age. Kawhi is great, more on him in a few, but so is Jaylen Brown. Brown is hyper athletic. He is a dunking machine. He is making open shots. And he is one of the premiere defenders in the league. He is becoming one of those lock down guys, a Kawhi Leonard type. And he leaves it all on the floor. I do not like the Celtics, not at all, but I love watching Jaylen Brown play basketball. He is one of my favorite young players. They also gave a rookie from Tennessee, I cannot for the life of me remember his name, who was playing super important, late minutes in a crucial game seven, and he was great. He played very solid defense.

The Celtics and Heat series is going to be good. I think that the Heat will finally have a series go a bit longer, but I do think the they will win. I think they will win in six, but seven wouldn't shock me either.

The other game tonight is one that I did not see coming at all. The Nuggets have made it to another game seven, for seemingly the tenth time in a row. And they are doing this making humongous comebacks against the Clippers, my and almost everyone else's preseason and restart pick for Finals winner. The Clippers are supposed to be this dominant defensive force with guys that can score more than enough points to win most games. They have held big leads, close to 20 point leads, in the second half of the last two games, close out games, and they have been beaten in both of them. Does this mean the "Clippers Curse" is real? Is Paul George not a marquee guy? Does Kawhi have enough in the tank? Are Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams overrated? I don't think any of this is true. The "Clippers Curse" is bogus. They are a moribund franchise and they, just this season, I will never be a buyer of the "Lob City" Clippers as a real contender, got two real good guys. George is looking a little iffy, but he is still very good. And Kawhi may be the second best overall player in the league, behind only Giannis. I think Paul George is good, and he has rebounded just fine from his rough series against the Mavs. I think Harrell is still getting in "quality" shape, he didn't play in any seeding games, and he barely played in the Mavs series. He is also only 6'7, which is small for his position. And Lou Williams has been everything the Clippers have asked him to be. What is happening, at least to me is, the Nuggets are playing with house money, and they have guys hitting shots in crucial moments. Michael Porter Jr, while he says dumb things, has been solid on offense. Gary Harris has been out forever, but he is looking better. Morris is a great bench scorer. Nikola Jokic is having fun and getting every Clipper that guards him in foul trouble. And Jamal Murray is finding that rhythm he had in the Utah series. He is looking like that scoring machine that made me want to watch him play. This series has turned fun, and I don't think I have been this excited to watch a game seven that doesn't involve teams that I am a fan of. I could care less about these two teams, but I am definitely tuning in to watch tonight. I do think the Clippers will win, and I think they will win convincingly. But, the Nuggets have made it fun, they have made it a series, and if they pull off another 3-1 comeback, they may be one of those teams that is just destined to make a run this year.

I am pumped to watch some basketball tonight.

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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Ty's 2019 - 2020 NBA Preview: Heat, Nets, Celtics, Lakers

The weekend is over, and that means we are back to my 2019-20 NBA countdown. Today we enter the top 10. I think each of these teams have a legit shot to make it to the Finals, but they could also have a sloppy year, and neither outcome would shock me.

Starting with number 10 we have the Miami Heat. The Heat were in this weird kind of middle that they seemingly would never get out of. Then they went out and signed Jimmy Butler this offseason. I don't think Butler is a super star, but the dude is one of the better 2 way players in the league. What he does lack is a true deep shot. He can shoot the mid range, attack the rim, draw fouls and he plays some of the best defense in the league. He is also a throwback style player who doesn't really need to be friends with anyone in the league. He would rather beat you then befriend you. I dig that about him. But, he is old, coming off a few injuries and has shown an ability to wear out his welcome real quick. But, he was a big time get for the Heat. Outside Butler, they have solid guys. I still believe in Justise Winslow. I think his defense has been much better than I thought it would be, and if he could be any kind of threat on offense, that would really open things up. Goran Dragic is a solid point guard, and if he sticks around, I think he and Butler will get along tremendously. Dion Waiters is still liable to go off at any moment. He is so inconsistent, but when he is cooking, he can light it up. I am a big fan of Bam Adebayo's. He made it easy for them to part ways with Hassan Whiteside, and the way he played this summer should have fans hyped. James Johnson is a bad dude, and he just so happens to be able to score. He is another throwback player I dig. I don't know what to think of Meyers Leonard. He has moments, but more often than not, he doesn't really show up. And the rookie from Kentucky, Tyler Herro, could be the instant offense they need on the bench. Miami is a solid playoff team, and if things bust right, and Butler plays better than ever, this team could be dangerous.

At number 9 I have the Brooklyn Nets. They would be number one if KD wasn't hurt. But, that is the reality of the situation. And, they did trade away All Star D'Angelo Russell. But, this team was a playoff team last year. and without Russell, and KD, this team is better. They will be much better next year, but still, they are a good team. They signed Kyrie Irving, and now that he got to pick where he wanted to play, I think he will be fine. I still think he will say dumb shit and be a curmudgeon, but this is the first time in his pro career where he made the choice. He picked this team, and I think he will play well. Caris Levert is becoming a reliable scorer and defender. He is rock solid. Jarret Allen is a young and ferocious defender. He is also a solid rebounder, and is getting better around the rim. I think it is a bummer that he will lose minutes to Deandre Jordan, but that comes with the territory. And, I think Irving and Jordan can be a solid pick and roll duo. Spencer Dinwiddie is the new Jamal Crawford, except he plays defense. Joe Harris can shoot threes. I love the trade for Taurean Prince. He is a solid defender, and he can get you 12 to 14 points a night. And Wilson Chandler is finally gone from Denver, and he can fill it up as well. The Nets are a solid team, that plays great defense. When they get KD next year, I will have them as my finals favorites, but for now, they will have to settle for a 4 or 5 seed.

At number 8 I have the Boston Celtics. I feel like this is way too high if I am being honest. They replaced Kyrie Irving with Kemba Walker. Look, I love Kemba Walker, but how is that an upgrade. People will point out Kyrie's weird outbursts last year, but Walker is not as good as Irving. That is facts. They then replaced Al Horford with Enes Kanter. Kanter is a better scorer than Horford, but that is it. Kanter is a liability on defense, and cannot pass like Horford does. Gordon Hayward is a shell of himself, and I lost faith in him when he played in the playoffs his last year in Utah. Jayson Tatum regressed last year, and I hope that isn't a sign of things to come. He has the ability to be a top tier scorer, but last year was worrisome. Jaylen Brown is an awesome defender and slasher to the rim, but I don't know if he will get enough minutes, and he is in a contract year. Marcus Smart is really, really good on defense, but that is it. Carsen Edwards was a great scorer in college, but he will be going up against guys 5 and 6 inches taller than him, and he will find it hard to get shots off. I don't get why they drafted Romeo Langford. I feel like he will be in the G League by all star break. They're going to have to find minutes for Grant Williams, but that means other guys like Robert Williams and Semi Ojeleye will barely see the floor. I think, including myself, we have overrated the Celtics for the past 4 years. The one thing they have in their favor, they play in the East. They will be in the playoffs, but if they are a 6 or 7 seed, that wouldn't shock me.

My final team for the day, at number 7, I have the LA Lakers. Look, the Lakers may have the best duo in the NBA in LeBron James and Anthony Davis. That pick and roll will be lethal, they can both handle the ball, Davis is a great defender and rebounder and this is the best teammate LeBron has ever played with. But, LeBron just got his worst injury of his career, and Anthony Davis hasn't played a full season yet. And the rest of this roster is just flat out weird. I was checking it out while doing research, and man, it is an odd collection of players. Danny Green was okay last year, and can kind of shoot the three, but he isn't the same guy that he was in San Antonio. Avery Bradley is well, well past his prime. I am stunned that people think this is a good signing. Alex Caruso is the new Matthew Dellavedova, except he won't get the minutes to be of any notice. Dwight Howard is back, and that is laughable to me. He is so far past his prime. Rajon Rondo is still there, but the fact that LeBron has been named the point guard should tell you all you need to know about his playing status. Quinn Cook was a "big" get for them after missing out on Kawhi Leonard. Yeesh. They still have Kentavious Caldwell Pope, and that makes me yawn. And I am over all the Kyle Kuzma talk. The Lakers should be good, but I do not see them as the best team in the West. Like I said, outside of Davis and James, I do not get this roster. Oh, and if things go mildly bad to start the year, Frank Vogel will get canned. In fact, I would bet that, before the season ends, Jason Kidd will be the head coach of the Lakers because that is what LeBron wants. The Lakers should be a playoff team, but I don't see them getting any higher than the 5 seed, especially in the West.

That's it for today, come back tomorrow for the nest 4 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. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Now We are Waiting on Russell Westbrook's New Team

On Monday I talked about Kawhi's decision, and my opinion of the current state of the NBA. I talked a bit about the Clippers not only getting Kawhi, but also getting Paul George. I mentioned that I had heard rumors that the Thunder were now exploring trades for Russell Westbrook. Today I want to talk about my feelings on that, and which team, or teams, I think would be a good fit for him.

First off, my thoughts on the idea of trading Russ away from OKC. I think the time has come for both parties to move on. Russ has done all he can do for that team and that city. He ran the show when it was him, KD and Harden. When Harden left, he changed his game to play with KD. Some people don't agree with this, they are wrong. KD is an iso guy, and the fact that Russ was so important to watch while on defense, he made it easier for KD to get his. Then KD left, and all Russ did was lead a terrible cast of players, with a new coach, to the playoffs, won the MVP and averaged a triple double. Again, idiots will say he was a stat hunter and only cared about himself. I say, he absolutely had to do this in order for that particular Thunder team to win.

Then they acquired Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. That did not work out, but they still made the playoffs, and Russ and PG seemed to like one another. They liked one another so much, Russ convinced PG to sign a deal with OKC that offseason. Last season, one of Russ' worst, as far as stats go, the Thunder made the playoffs again, Russ averaged a triple double for the third straight year, and helped PG become an MVP candidate, before he got hurt. But, they lost in the first round again, and it was all blamed on Westbrook.

Then the Kawhi stuff happened. I mean, what else, sans winning a title, can Russ do for the Thunder? He has really given them his all, has played through injury, willed this team back to the playoffs constantly, kept them afloat when KD left and is a blast to watch play. So, I think, if he wants one final chance to be on a competitive team, he has earned that right.

This leads me to which teams I think would be good fits for him. One, I would love, LOVE, to see him go to Phoenix. Sure, they aren't a title contender, but to replace Ricky Rubio with Russ, and put him next to Devin Booker, and an athletic big like Deandre Ayton, that would push them to a possible playoff team, even in the West. He would sell tickets there as well. Also, Phoenix could take on the last 2 years of his contract because they have so much young talent that is clogging spots for other players. They could make this deal happen, and I wish they would.

I like the fit with Chicago. He could go there, be a stop gap for Coby White, who I think is going to be really good, and help a team with Zach Lavine, Lauri Markenan and Wendell Carter definitely get into the playoffs in the East. The Bulls also have guys with easy contracts to trade, and they have picks.

Detroit was odd for me at first, but I think sending him there for Reggie Jackson and Luke Kennard, plus picks, would make the Pistons fun. Russ and Blake Griffin, along with Andre Drummond could be a devastating pick and roll combo. And put him next to Derrick Rose, while not a great shooting back court, it would be explosive. I also think he would love to play for Dwayne Casey.

Then, my final team, the Miami Heat. I know the Thunder already have some of their picks, and trading Russ there would possibly take the picks out of the lottery, but they could get a good return of players, that they can turn into picks, and teaming Russ with Jimmy Butler could be a match made in heaven. Those 2 are cut from the same cloth, they will rip your will out of you, they would look cool as hell in those Miami vice jerseys, and Erik Spolestra has already shown he can coach mega stars to titles. Jimmy Butler and Russ may not be the duo you need to win a title, but in the East, who knows. I would love to see them playing against the Celtics or 76ers or Bucks. They would throw the hell down. This is what I hope, and want, to happen for Russ. I think it is almost too perfect.

Anyway, whatever what happens to Russ, I hope he gets a chance to compete, and that people stop blaming him for everything that has happened in OKC. It is not his fault. He has stayed tried and true to that team, and he can now do what he wants. He has earned that. I am fully team Russ.

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.

Dirk Nowitzki and Dwaye Wade Helped Shape the Modern NBA

Last night two great NBA careers ended. Both Dirk Nowitzki and Dwayne Wade played their last NBA games last night. And they both played pretty well. I think they are both doing the right thing walking away now, but both look like they could still contribute, albeit in a small way, to most NBA teams. But I wanted to take a minute today to congratulate both of them on their hall of fame careers.

That's right, both are surefire first ballot hall of famers. Dirk was the first Euro league player I saw that was that big and could shoot that well. He was 7 feet tall, but he played an outside game. He had a nasty pull up jumper. He could also elevate over smaller defenders, which was the majority of NBA players, and hit jumpers with ease. He was the first big guy that made jumpers fun. To see him do the things he did, at his height, amazed me. He was a less athletic KD. He was a stronger Manute Bol. He was a taller Karl Malone. And when he first was in the league, he did a go to the basket move. He, Steve Nash and Michael Finley were a ton of fun to watch when they were all on the Mavs. They ran a great fast break, with Dirk finding the open spot on or near the elbow, and Finley filling the lane. He also came back from some hardships on the floor. He won the MVP awhile back, and that team lost in the first round of the playoffs to the "We Believe" Warriors. But, Dirk came back next year and helped lead the Mavs to the title. The team they beat in that Finals, it was the first year Big Three Heat. The Mavs totally shut down LeBron, and Bosh was neutralized. This helped Dirk play top notch offense, and he led that team to its only title. He totally redeemed himself. And like I said before, he paved the way for big guys like KD and KAT and AD to want to shoot, and make, three pointers. He made the pull up jumper en vogue. If I heard Steph call him an innovator and an influence, I would totally buy it. Dirk was also a great teammate. You never heard anyone complain about him. He took on free agents and rookies like family. He seemed like a genuinely fun guy to be around. He was always good in interviews and on TV. He was the consummate pro. What I loved most about this final season though, he waited until the very end to let everyone know he was retiring. It seemed like a foregone conclusion, but he didn't want the hubbub or fanfare. He left the game like Tim Duncan, on his own terms.

As far as Dwayne Wade goes, he more than deserved his sendoff. I adored that he made this season a farewell tour. Prior to all that though, Wade was a killer and a winner. From his draft day slip to now, he has always played like he has something to prove. People seem to forget that he was the MVP in a Finals before LeBron joined up with him. Wade, and a much older and slower Shaq, beat the Mavs in 6 games to win a title, and Wade was the man in that series. Sure, there is some question to the officiating, but Wade did what he had to do, and dominated those Finals. It was his big time coming out party. It was when he ascended to superstardom. After that, he was always an all star, a perennial all NBA player, in talks as an MVP. He was one of the best shooting guards in the game, and one of the best shooting guards ever. Even when LeBron showed up, I still thought that Wade was the engine that made that team run. He did the veteran move and stepped aside, but without him, the Heat don't win those titles. He always had big time playoff games and would constantly remind the nation that he was a monster on the court. And even when he left Miami and joined LeBron back in Cleveland, he was still important. His one year with the Bulls he almost helped them upset the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. He then went back to Miami and helped them back to the playoffs with a team filled with no big named people. And while this final season didn't end in a playoff appearance, Wade played really well and seemed to enjoy every moment. I also love that Paul Pierce tried to claim he was as good as Wade, and he was not having it. Wade has better averages across the board, more titles and is much more important to the game than Pierce could've ever dreamed of being. And I think Pierce was a great NBA player, he just isn't Dwayne Wade great. Wade, like Nowitzki, was also a great teammate and a consummate pro. He was just more fun to watch, at least for me. I think it is awesome that he went out with a triple double too.

Last night saw 2 great careers end, but not in a sad way. They both went out on their terms, in their own personal ways, and I loved every second of their illustrious NBA career's. Enjoy retirement you 2, you both more than deserve it.

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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Ty's 2018-2019 NBA Preview: Clippers, Timberwolves, Heat

As we move into day 5 of my NBA countdown, we finally get our first playoff team, and it isn't even a West team. The West is going to be heavily featured from here on out, but my first playoff team is from the East.

Coming in at number 18 I have the Los Angeles Clippers. Congratulations on, definitely now, being back to being the second, or maybe even third team, that anyone even talks about in LA or California. The Clippers are a shell of what was once the incredibly overrated "Lob City". None of those guys remain. They are all on new teams. They also got rid of Austin Rivers, which I think was one of their better moves in a long, long time. But, what is left over, I am not sold on. I do really like Shai Gilgeous Alexander. That kid became the face of the Kentucky team by the middle of the season, and he ran with it all the way to being a lottery pick. He has also looked good in preseason, and crushed summer league. He should be the point guard on opening night. But, they will roll out Patrick Beverly instead. I know that Beverly is a great and annoying defender, can run a team and doesn't need to shoot all the time. But, he is coming off some big time injuries, doesn't need to shoot because he can't really shoot and is old in NBA terms. If the over under until Danilo Gallinari gets hurt is 20 games, I'd take the under. That dude always gets hurt. Tobias Harris is a fine player, and has shown flashes of being a capable third or fourth option on a playoff team, but the Clippers are hoping he is their "guy". They replaced Deandre Jordan with Marcin Gortat, but what can he really do anymore than set a screen. He may not have liked John Wall personally, but he is going to miss him dearly when he is out there with Beverly or Milos Teodosic. As with Teodosic, he is old and will get hurt very quick too. Boban Marjanovic is their other option at center, but he is more known for his size than his game. He is the modern Gheorge Muresean. Lou Williams can score in bunches, but it won't matter for this team because they will not be playing for anything important after All Star break. I bet he gets traded. They resigned Avery Bradley, and while he was once a very good three and D guy, I think that was a one season deal. He has never played that well, and he is now coming off multiple injuries. Montrez Harrell is another option at the 5, but he is too plodding to face up against the top centers in the league. They also signed Luc Mbah AMoute, but he will not do for them what he did in Houston last season. The Clippers are back to being also rans. Maybe they will be able to lure Kawhi or Jimmy Butler, but that will not happen until next offseason. For now, they are a 38-40 win team at best.

At number 17 I have the Minnesota Timberwolves. Now, a lot of this depends on the whole Jimmy Butler thing. If he were to stay, as I think he should, they would be higher in my rankings. But, he has openly demanded a trade on way more than one occasion. That is why they are just outside of the playoffs for me. He will most likely get traded, I have heard that talks have been heating up, but if he doesn't, I still think, especially in the West, there are 8 better teams. And, who's to say that, if he stays, Butler would be fully engaged? He may tank just to get traded. As far as the rest of the roster, I love KAT. I think he is a great modern center. He can score from inside and out. He is a solid rebounder. He can score against the best of the best. But, he struggles defensively. Some of that is him, some of that is the coaching staff. He gets put in bad situations far too much due to their defensive scheme. Andrew Wiggins is one of the most bashed upon players in the league. I think he is okay, but others just seem to really dislike him. I think he is a very good slasher. I like his jump shot. I think he plays hard. But, just like KAT, he has not been able to play defense at any kind of level in the NBA. He is far too often on highlight reels for the wrong reason. I like both rookies they took, Keita Bates-Diop has looked great so far, and Josh Okogie is the point guard of the future. But, this staff will not play them enough. Thibs would rather play guys like Derrick Rose, he's washed, Luol Deng, I forgot he was in the league, Taj Gibson, who is okay, but real old and slow and Jeff Teague, who seems to hate playing in Minnesota and playing for Thibs. Thibs runs these guys into the ground for no reason. He is also taking on his former players about 5 years too late. Tyus Jones is okay, but he is much more suited for a back up role on a contender. And then there is the albatross that is the Gorgui Dieng contract. While this guy can play a little D and is an okay rebounder, he is making way too much money for a guy that cannot stay on the floor for more than 10 minutes a night. There is a reason they are trying to add him in the Butler trade talks. The Timberwolves are a mess right now. They finally broke their playoff drought last year, but now, they have so many problems, I just do not see them making a return, even if Butler sticks around for one more year.

My final team for the day, my first playoff team, coming in at number 16 I have the Miami Heat. Again, Jimmy Butler has a lot to do with this team, but I am going to judge them on my countdown as if he is not on this team because he isn't at the moment. I like the roster here, but they just don't have the guys to be any higher than this on my list. They have players, but they are mid level at their positions. I like Goran Dragic. I think he is a solid point guard. He is just fine running this offense. But, he is probably around the 10th best point guard in the league. Dwayne Wade is on his retirement tour all year. He will get a ton of the attention, and it is well deserved, he is a sure fire first ballot hall of famer. But, he is not the guy he was the first time around in Miami. Hasan Whiteside should be a top 5 enter in the league, but the dude has some issues. First off, he cannot shoot free throws and his jumper in nonexistent. What he does great is rebound and defend. But, he is too prone to getting into scuffles on and off the court, and he just isn't totally reliable. I like Whiteside's game, I just wish he didn't let the little things bother him. Justise Winslow can defend and can get to the hoop. But, he gets hurt far too much, and his jump shot has not looked good since he was drafted. He also may be traded at some point. Josh Richardson is a fine outside shooter. He's not too flashy, but the dude can fill it up if he needs to. Dion Waiters is coming off an ACL injury, and at his age, that may be the end. He won't admit it, he probably still thinks he is the best 2 guard in the league, but he is not, and I like Dion Waiters. I'm sure the Heat are regretting giving Tyler Johnson the contract the gave him 2 years ago. While he is a fine player, they over paid for him, and he has just not lived up to the money. I really like the high flying Derrick Jones Jr. All he needs is some playing time, and I think the Heat will give it to him. Watch out for this kid. He has been biding his time, and I feel like he is going to explode soon. James Johnson is a bad dude. He is big and mean and tough and I adore watching him play. He isn't anywhere near the best at his position, but I bet every star that has to go up against him dreads it. I think, especially with the uncertainty that Whiteside brings, that Bam Adebayo can be their center of the future, if he doesn't get traded. He has good feet, a nice touch around the rim and can rebound and defend his spot. Outside of those guys the rest of the roster is pretty blah. But, what makes the Heat a playoff team to me is Erik Spoelstra. He has a group of guys that know what they can and can't do, and he squeezes the most out of them that he can get. Spoelstra may be the most underrated coach in the league right now. The Heat will make the playoffs because of guys like James Johnson, Bam, Goran Dragic and Derrick Jones Jr. But, they will mainly make it because of the coaching job that Erik Spolestra does every year.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next three. It is all playoff teams from here on out.

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 Does Not Fit with the Miami Heat

Last week Jimmy Butler said he wants to be traded. I wrote a piece basically saying I wanted him to stick it out one more season in Minnesota. That seems like a real no go. He’s already talked to Tom Thibodeau twice, and he still wants out. He has given a list of teams he’s willing to go to. He has already said he will sit out training camp if he isn’t dealt. I’m pretty sure he’s not at any of the media stuff going on right now. Even the Timberwolves GM has said they are taking calls, and he is very available. I’m still perplexed why, maybe it’s because he’s an old school player playing with young kids that don’t take it as seriously as he does, but his new preferred team really makes no sense to me.

As I said last week, Butler named 3 teams he would go to. Those teams, the Knicks, Nets and Clippers. I wrote why I think the Timberwolves are a better fit than all 3. But, the other day, Butler and his agent, David Falk, have now said his preferred team, the team he really, really wants to play for now, the Miami Heat.

Hear me out as to why I think this is an odd fit for Butler.

The Heat are already a playoff team. They play in the East, they have a solid core and I like their current core. To get Butler, they are going to have to break that all up. I know a third team has to get involved, and the Kings seem like the popular choice right now. Why I don’t like this, the Heat will have to give up key players to an already playoff ready roster. Adding Butler will instantly push the Heat into the top 4 in the East. But, with what they’ll have to unload, they would be far behind the Celtics, 76ers and Raptors for sure. Each of those teams have much better units than a Miami Heat roster with Jimmy Butler.

Now, let’s get to what the Heat will have to give up. From what I’ve heard, Justice Winslow is the coveted young guy, Goran Dragic is the vet and then some random salary dump player. I don’t like this for the Heat at all. I know Winslow’s shooting hasn’t really translated to the pros, but he can defend, and he’s still super young. He also closed out the year much better than I expected. He looks like he may be a late bloomer. Dragic finally looks like he is on the right team for his skill set. He’s a great penetrating and kick point guard. The Heat don’t have great shooters around him, but they do have guys that can score. Dragic is also real good finishing around the rim. As far as the salary dump players from the Heat, I feel like it would be either Hassan Whiteside or Tyler Johnson. Both guys haven’t lived up to the hype after their one good season, but both are integral to the Heat’s success last year. So they’d have to lose 2-3 key players to get Butler.

Now, I do think Butler is one of the 20 best current NBA players, but he’s not worth that much. Butler would replace Winslow’s defense, Butler is one of the best defenders in the NBA, but he’s much older, and we know what type of player he is. Butler will not replace Dragic due to position. Butler is not a point guard. He’s a 2 or a 3. The Heat would need a real point guard. Then, if they lose Whiteside, who I know was unplayable in the playoffs last year, they have only Bam Adebayo, who has potential, but isn’t the defender Whiteside is. Losing Tyler Johnson wouldn’t be so bad at least. Jimmy Butler is a much, much, much better player, and they pretty much play the same position.

But say this happens. Say the Heat give up Winslow, Dragic and Whiteside to get Butler. When looking at the rest of the Heat roster, it doesn’t seem more hardcore than the Timberwolves. Look, I love Dion Waiters. I still draft him in fantasy leagues. But, I would much rather play with Andrew Wiggins. Dwayne Wade is a champ and Hall of Famer, but this is his last year, and what does he give you that a guy like Jeff Teague or Wiggins or Tyus Jones can’t? And, all those guys are way younger than Wade. And while I love Adebayo’s old school game, and his potential, KAT has proven that he’s one of the best young players in the league. When he figures it out on defense, he’s going to be a top 5 player.

So I say a week later, I don’t like this fit for Butler. I really want him to stick it out, for just one more season, in Minnesota. That team was real, real good before Butler got hurt. I think they could do it again if he were to stay. He will likely be dealt, but I just don’t see any other fit that is better than what is currently happening with the Timberwolves. I just want him to stay.

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 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.