Sports: the rANT Roundtable Crew (TRRC)

IT’S NBA PLAYOFF TIME!!! HALELUJAH!!!

If you are somehow unable to tell, I am ECSTATIC right now. The 3rd Christmas, #2 is my birthday: Dec. 19) is HERE! It’s been a semi-great year. It was only semi-great because while the West was great, the East STUNK, especially from late October to mid-January. Instead of writing a boring summary of what went down & what to expect during the playoffs, lets let “the rANT Roundtable Crew” (TRRC) discuss it.

Lets meet the members of the TRRC:

- Ant = always optimistic, never judges before the fact, always tries to give the benefit of the

doubt, leader, very levelheaded, leads the discussions

- Lee = #1 Lakers fan you’ll ever meet. The dude eats, sleeps, breathes, drinks, studies, and

worships the Lakers.

- Taylor = the sarcastic one & master of the stats. Brings up numbers in any situation.

- Hot Wheels (or just Wheels) = the hothead, overreacts to almost everything, gets riled up

VERY easily.

Before we start the discussion, here are the playoff teams / matchups for the 1st

*(head-to-head series result in regular season)

 round:

WEST:

1) Spurs vs. 8) Mavericks --- (Spurs won 4-0)

2) Thunder vs. 7) Grizzlies --- (Thunder won 3-1)

3) Clippers vs. 6) Warriors --- (series tied 2-2)

4) Rockets vs. 5) Blazers --- (Rockets won 3-1)

EAST:

1) Pacers vs. 8) Hawks --- (series tied 2-2)

2) Heat vs. 7) Bobcats --- (Heat won 4-0)

3) Raptors vs. 6) Nets --- (series tied 2-2)

4) Bulls vs. 5) Wizards --- (Wizards won 2-1)

Now on to the discussion…

− Ant: Alright! The playoffs are FINALLY here!

− Wheels: It’s about stinking time! The regular season was eh.

− Taylor: *pulls out a binder filled with stat sheets*

− Lee: GO LAKERS!!!

− Wheels: LEE SHUT UP. THOSE BUMS WERENT EVEN CLOSE TO MAKING IT THIS YEAR.

− Lee: What are you talking about? We won the West, had an 82-0 record.

− Wheels: YOU’RE DELUSIONAL YOU LITTLE PIECE OF-

− Ant: Wheels! LANGUAGE! Go take a roll!

* 20 min pass, Wheels returns *

− Ant: Ok, Wheels is back, lets begin. We can all agree that the Clippers – Warriors series is the

most exciting 1st

− Wheels: MAN THIS MATCHUP HAS EVERYTHING. BAD BLOOD! FAST PACE OFFENSES!

EXCITEMENT ALL AROUND!

− Taylor: Yea these 2 teams are evenly matched. The loss of Andrew Bogut will really hurt

Golden State a lot more than what people will believe. In the West you need size and defense

at the Center position and he provides just that. Jermaine O’Neal will step in & has done a

solid job but the man is also injury prone and much, much older and slower.

− Ant: Lee, you’ve been quiet. Your thoughts?

− Lee: Oh I agree with most of everything that Taylor has said. You need size in the West. I

believe for the Lakers, the “Twin Tower” dynamic duo of Gasol-Kaman will keep Golden State

off of the boards.

− Wheels: WRONG L.A. TEAM YOU IDIOT. Anyway, DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin for

the Clippers has been incredible. Doc Rivers challenged both of them before the season

started. Griffin has responded by posting an MVP-caliber season and Jordan led the league in

 round matchup, right?

rebounds and has looked like a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.

− Taylor: We’ve been talking about the play of the big men from both teams but I think it’ll

ultimately come down to guard play. CP3, Crawford, and the Splash Brothers with Igoudala all

cannot fall asleep at the wheel. Curry (24 ppg – 8.5 apg) and CP3 (19.1 ppg – 10.7 apg) will

probably cancel out each other. Klay (18.4 ppg – 41.7% on 3s) has to maintain being a lethal

threat as the 2nd

before) and has missed 19 games due to an assortment of injuries but he’s gotta be that main

perimeter defensive presence that the Warriors sorely lacked during last year’s playoff run.

6th Man candidate Jamal Crawford (18.6 ppg) will continue to play well and is looking healthy.

There’s also JJ Redick, Harrison Barnes & Matt Barnes (no relation).

− Ant: I was secretly rooting for the Clippers to play the Grizzlies in the 1st

year (would’ve been possible had LAC snagged the #2 seed). Those teams hate each other as

well.

− Wheels: It seems like every team hates the Clippers. They’re always scrapping against

somebody whether it’s OKC, Memphis or Golden State.

− Ant: OKC – Memphis should be fun as well. As you’ll remember, OKC lost in 5 to Memphis in

the divisional round last season.

− Wheels: DOESN’T COUNT. OKC didn’t have Westbrook.

− Ant: Injuries are part of the game, Wheels. You can’t just discredit a team for taking advantage

of a broken team. That’s what you’re supposed to do.

− Wheels: I wish it was OKC – Dallas instead and Phoenix instead of Memphis. MEMPHIS

PUTS ME TO SLEEP.

− Taylor: Yea Phoenix had a magical season. Incredible that 48 wins isn’t enough to make the

playoffs. That’s what happened to the Warriors a few years back.

− Ant: Lets talk about Dallas – San Antonio. Dirk Nowitzki – Tim Duncan is pretty much the Tom

Brady – Peyton Manning rivalry of basketball. You have 2 old heads with epic battles in the

past and this will most likely be their last playoff battle. Cuban hates the Spurs and might throw

some verbal jabs through the media.

− Lee: The last 2 teams who have swept the Lakers in the playoffs were Dallas (2011) & San

Antonio (2013).. *starts grumbling*

− Taylor: The problem is that Dallas is too overmatched by this Spurs team. Dallas doesn’t play

any defense, they turn the ball over too much, and they’re undisciplined at times. I think it’ll be

a quick exit. I’ll give this series 5 gms.

− Wheels: This is why I wanted Phoenix. Phoenix and Dallas are both fast paced offenses but

Phoenix has more penetrators and is more athletic. They’ll be more of a problem for this Spurs

team. Dallas likes to sit around the perimeter and wait for Monta Ellis to penetrate & kick out

the ball to them. Yea they won 49 games but that is not winning basketball.

− Ant: Yea I love Monta Ellis but the man still can play erratic at times. He’s much more

disciplined as a player but he’s a major wildcard. If Dirk is off, everyone else will be off. They

feed off of Dirk and #41 returns the favor by spreading the floor. Dirk also is their closer.

− Wheels: I wanted to see KD – Dirk for the 3rd

that bad. It’s much better than Memphis – San Antonio.

− Taylor: Memphis will be a problem for OKC. They know exactly how to play Durant but again,

Westbrook is a major wildcard for them as well. If Westbrook (21.8 ppg) is driving to the rim

almost everytime and not throwing up bad shots, Memphis will be in trouble. Their focus will

then shift to Westbrook on stopping him by clogging the lane. This will leave KD (32 ppg, 50.3

FG%, 39.1 3PT%) wide open and he is the LAST person you’d want to leave open for a shot.

− Lee: *2nd

this season. Dude couldn’t be stopped.

− Ant: What about Houston – Portland? Yet ANOTHER fast paced offensive matchup.

− Wheels: Yea I don’t know what it is about Houston but it seems like they’re allergic to playing

defense. Howard & Beverly are the only ones who at least know how to spell it and I’ve

NEVER seen anyone so disinterested in playing defense more than James Harden.

− Taylor: Yea Harden has all the offensive talent in the world (25.4 ppg, 45.6 FG%, 36.6 3PT%,

86.6 FT%, 9.1 FTA per gm) but the guy just allows opposing players to zoom past him on their

way to the rim. And even when he does attempt to play defense, the guy flops more than a fish

out of water.

 time (2011 & 2012) but Dallas – San Antonio isn’t

 to last... forgot about Kobe Bryant. The Black Mamba shot 100% from everywhere

− Lee: I hope Houston gets swept! (he’s still mad at Dwight)

− Wheels: I cannot wait to see how Lillard throws his coming out party into the playoffs. I have

a feeling the guy is going to off. Aldridge is healthy and ready to go. This is a deep, Deep,

DEEP Blazers team. Their defense has lagged off but they have everything else from low post

scoring to perimeter defense. They can easily take Dwight out of the game by intentionally

fouling him.

− Taylor: Yea even though Howard has shot better from the line this season (54.7% this

year, 49.2% last yr) he still struggles mightily. Portland can easily clog the lane with Lopez

and Aldridge, stick Batum on Harden and Matthews on Parsons. Portland has got to stay

disciplined on defense because Houston plays outside-in. They’ll look for the 3-pt shot 1st

then will pass it into Dwight inside (instead of the other way around).

− Ant: Great talk about the West matchups! Lets delve into the East! Where do y’all want to

start?

− Wheels: As long as Miami doesn’t 3-peat, I’m good.

− Lee: Yea I don’t want Wade to have a chance to tie Kobe in the ring count next season

(assuming he wins ring #4 this year, Kobe has 5 total)

− Taylor: I like the Bulls – Wizards 4-5 matchup. They’re the only series I can see that will go all

7 games. Also Washington is the only lower seed to win its season series vs. it’s higher seed

matchup.

− Ant: I remember the battles they use to have against each other during the mid-00s. Back

when the Wizards had Agent Zero, Caron Butler, Jamison and the Bulls had Deng, a younger

Hinrich, Ben Gordon & Eddy Curry (before he ate himself out of the league).

− Wheels: Yea Wall has looked great this season & Beal has turned out to be the perfect

compliment to him. They’re healthy, has size and veteran leadership.

− Taylor: Wall has picked up right where he left off from last season where he missed most of

it due to injury. He’s also shot MUCH better from the 3-pt line (35.1% this year, 26.7% last

year). Beal helps provide spacing by shooting 40.2% from 3 and can score in his own right

(17.1 ppg). They will be the keys to this series because Gortat and Nene will struggle against

Gibson, Noah and Boozer.

− Lee: Lakers guard Nick Young used to play for the Wizards.

− Wheels: What in the world does he have to do with THIS TEAM???????

− Ant: Noah has played incredible this season, averaging 12-11-5 from the CENTER position.

− Taylor: Yea I have him 4th

− Lee: Noah’s 19th

LeBron at 17, Griffin at 18)

− Wheels: I’m really glad Chicago got the 4th

bums from Indiana. What a disgrace, especially that big lummox who wears #55 (Roy Hibbert).

− Ant: How are they bums? They achieved their goal of getting the #1 seed. Every Game 7 will

be held at Conseco Fieldhouse.

− Wheels: They’re bums because they don’t care about anyone else but Miami. They’ll overlook

anyone they will play because they’ll be too focused on Miami. On top of that, Roy Hibbert is

an absolute DISGRACE. I mean, the man is WORSE THAN GARBAGE. How are you SEVEN

FOOT 2 INCHES AND ONLY AVERAGING, how many rebounds per game, Taylor?

− Taylor: 6.6

− Wheels: SIX POINT FREAKING SIX!!! HE’S FOURTH ON HIS OWN TEAM IN REBOUNDS!!!

− Taylor: Yea I gotta agree with Wheels on this one. Hibbert has been lazy all season. Here is

how he matched up against other Centers in the NBA..

 in the MVP conversation behind KD, LeBron & Griffin.

 on my MVP race (Kobe at #1, the rest of the Lakers at #2-#15, KD at 16,

 seed because in the 2nd

 round, the can beat those

− Taylor (cont.): He’s not the lowest in every category, but he’s either close to the bottom or

somewhere in the middle. He’s the tallest guy in the league, the guy should be doing MUCH

better than just averaging 6.6 rebounds per game. He’s finished games with 5 points and 2

rebounds too many times this season.

− Lee: Kobe Bryant averaged 6.9 rebounds per game during the 2002-03 season.

− Wheels: I’ve seen Air Bud collect more rebounds in a 90-minute movie than Roy Hibbert

has all season. And to think he was voted as an All-Star over the likes of Al Jefferson & Kyle

Lowry… WHAT A COMPLETE JOKE.

− Ant: I think Indiana beats Atlanta in 5 or 6. Pero Antic from the Hawks will draw Hibbert away

from the rim with his outside shot and Teague can be too quick for George Hill at times. Atlanta

is smaller and quicker while Indiana is slower, heavier and at times gets lost offensively.

− Wheels: Give me Toronto and Miami in the ECF.

− Taylor: They’ll meet in the round before that, somebody has to lose.

− Wheels: Oops, well give me Chicago – Miami for the 3rd

 straight year (2nd

 ECF matchup, 2011)

− Ant: Toronto – Brooklyn should be fun but I don’t think the Raptors will advance. Brooklyn is

older and slower but it’s a veteran-laden team with A TON of playoff experience. They are built

for the postseason. I think that series will last at least 6 games.

− Wheels: Toronto’s too fast for Brooklyn and they’re a lot more athletic.

− Lee: Kobe scored 81 on the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006.

− Ant: I guess nobody’s giving Charlotte any kind of chance against Miami?

− Wheels: Nah. Wade should be healthy & LeBron will be… well, LeBron.

− Taylor: LeBron dropped 61 on the Bobcats earlier this season and Miami swept them in the

regular season. I think the Bobcats will win their 1st

elimination but that’ll be it.

− Lee: Maybe if Kobe was never traded to the Lakers on draft night, the Bobcats would sweep

the Heat.

− Wheels: THAT Hornets team is now the Pelicans you dolt. Ant, can we leave this idiot (Lee)

at home next time? All he talks about is Lakers, Lakers, Lakers… IM SICK OF IT!!! Somebody

call in Ramp to take Lee’s place at the next meeting. Ramp is cool.

− Ant: Wheels, be nice… Well as always, this was a solid discussion.

 ever playoff win in Game 4 to stave off.