Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler vs. NBA’s best duos

/1 Comment/in , /by

The NBA is filled with star powered duos. The league has gotten more and more balanced each year, that even the bottom tier teams have an enticing one-two punch.

A prominent duo is not only based off each player’s personal success, but the camaraderie that the two players have together on the court.

This list is based on the current status of the best duos in today’s NBA, and barring no injuries.

 

15. Karl Anthony Towns and D-Angelo Russell: Minnesota Timberwolves

This one will take a little time, after Russell was acquired for Andrew Wiggins at the deadline. Towns and Russell should have pretty good chemistry established since they rose through the AAU circuit together.

 

14. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray: Denver Nuggets

This duo has progressed each year, with Jokic’s unparalleled passing ability and Murray’s shooting, and there’s room to grow. They led Denver team to a three seed in the West this season, and just need to prove it consistently together in the playoffs.

 

13. Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert: Utah Jazz

On the court, this has worked, with Mitchell’s playmaking and scoring and Gobert’s paint-patrolling defense and rebounding. Off the court? Well, that’s been a bit more problematic since Gobert’s actions at the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, though some say they’ve patched things up. We’ll see.

 

12. Pascal Siakam and Kyle Lowry: Toronto Raptors

It might’ve seemed as if Lowry would finally be a first option with DeMar DeRozan and Kawhi Leonard elsewhere , but that’s not the case. Siakam emerged as an All-Star, with 24 points and 8 rebounds. Lowry remained steady, at 20 points and 8 assists, and the Raptors kept rolling to a surprising second seed in the East.

 

11. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo: Miami Heat

After Butler was traded to the Heat, who would’ve thought he would find a running mate that could help him lead this Miami team to a four seed in the East? Certainly no one outside of Miami. Not a bad result considering that some said Jimmy came to Miami to retire. While they’ve paired well offensively, their real strength is their defensive passion and versatility, the latter of which is virtually unmatched around the NBA.

 

10. Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker: Boston Celtics 

Walker slid in for Kyrie Irving, Tatum took a leap, and suddenly the Celtics were the third seed. Tatum averaged 24 points and 7 rebounds, and Walker added 21 points and four assists. Walker never played with anyone as good as Tatum in Charlotte.

 

9. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons: Philadelphia 76ers

On talent alone, this might be the top duo. But their games don’t really complement each other like some of the others. The collective numbers show that each performs better with the other off the floor, since their lack of spacing together tends to clog the lane. The individual numbers (Embiid with 23 points and 12 boards, and Simmons averaging a near triple double) are outstanding. Time will tell if they can figure it out.

 

8. Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis: Dallas Mavericks

Size and offensive skill. Doncic is already elite, and Porzingis was starting to get back to that level after a major knee injury. He’s also shown he’s comfortable being the No. 2 option. But can they defend well enough together to win anything meaningful, coming out of the West?

 

7. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum: Portland Trail Blazers

No backcourt in the NBA can score like this one, outside of a healthy Warriors squad. Defensively? Well, not always ideal. But Portland’s fall this season was due mostly to injuries. Assuming they stick together, they should be contending for a top-4 seed again.

 

6. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kris Middleton: Milwaukee Bucks

One’s the reigning and likely MVP: 30 points, 14 rebounds, and everything in between. Middleton has always been solid in every area, but he elevated this season, with a 21/6/4 statline, same as Paul George. Can Middleton be counted on when Giannis is crowded in the playoffs?

 

5. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson: Golden State Warriors.

They are the best shooting backcourt in NBA history. They just need to get healthy again. Klay Thompson didn’t rely on athleticism, so the ACL injury doesn’t seem insurmountable. Curry should be fine. They’ll be even better if Andrew Wiggins can give them a third threat, and take some pressure off.

 

4. James Harden and Russell Westbrook: Houston Rockets

The most controversial duo? Sure. James Harden is constantly criticized for his ball-pounding style of play and Russell Westbrook has been criticized in the past for only caring about triple-doubles. And they’ve both had down moments in the postseason, especially Harden. The stats, though, can’t be ignored. Harden leads the league in scoring and Westbrook was surging before the shutdown.

 

3. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving: Brooklyn Nets

We haven’t seen it yet, but have a sense of how good it could be. First, Durant needs to get healthy, but it appears that’s already happened. Irving needs to show, again, that he can share the ball and the spotlight. But this dueo has the potential to leap to No. 1 if their games connect as expected. They may be unguardable.

 

2. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George: Los Angeles Clippers

The top two-way duo. Only load management has kept them out of the top spot in the West. They can guard every position, score and distribute. George has something to prove in the postseason, but we’ve all seen what Leonard does there. Both in their prime, too. So this isn’t ending anytime soon.

 

 

1. LeBron James and Anthony Davis: Los Angeles Lakers

Rejuvenated by playing with another top-5 player,. LeBron put up 26 points a game along with 8 rebounds and 11 assists. LeBron has stepped aside in some ways for Davis, who can score at all three levels. Can LeBron continue at this pace? Can Davis hold up physically? And will Davis sign long-term? Those are the only questions. These two guys are the scariest duo for any team they go against.

 

Brady Hawk (@MiamiHawk607) is the youngest member of Five Reasons Sports, and the only one who aspires to be a sports agent. Hear him discuss this piece on Five on the Floor. 

Alejandro Villegas

Miami Heat’s Young Core vs. the NBA

/0 Comments/in , /by

How do you evaluate an NBA team’s young nucleus?

Typically, it comes down to the potential of their rookies and whether any of their recent rookies have elevated closer to star status.

Well, the Miami Heat have both.

And they’ve done it without the high picks of other teams.

The Heat have not even taken the projected player in their past few drafts. Bam Adebayo was not expected to go to Miami at 14, and Tyler Herro was not supposed to be the number 13 pick. This is because the Heat not only pick the player who best fits the team, but also who most fits the culture. Bam and Herro are both proponents of the culture with their work ethic and winning mentality.

The Heat also have a history of cultivating and empowering undrafted prospects. Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson, and Derrick Jones, Jr., did not make it to this point the traditional route. This means that they already had a bit of Miami Heat grit upon entering. Now, they play huge roles on a top 4 seed and are hardly finished products, even though Robinson just turned 25 and Nunn is 24.

Well, here’s where they fit among the rest of the NBA…

The criteria for this list is players under 25 and is ranked based on potential of the young core.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves 

Karl Anthony Towns, D-Angelo Russell, Jarrett Culver, and Josh Okogie

The Minnesota Timberwolves are ranked 5 due to the new addition, D’Angelo Russell, via trade with the Golden State Warriors. There is chemistry between Russell and Towns since they came up together through high school and AAU. Jarrett Culver is an intriguing young prospect who has gotten quality minutes this past year along with Josh Okogie. Josh has made himself known through his toughness on the defensive side of the ball and scrappiness. These four guys elevate this team to number 5 on this list.

4. Boston Celtics

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Romeo Langford, and Carson Edwards

Jayson Tatum has had a breakout season as a No. 1 or No. 2 option, averaging 24 points per game and validating his choice on the All-Star team. This goes the same for Jaylen Brown, a defensive stopper with versatility who was in the All-Star discussion also. Boston has other young pieces, but Carson Edwards, Romeo Langford, and Tacko Fall have not shown much in their rookie years so far. If they do start to show improvement, especially Langford, there’s a chance this core could be on top.

3. Miami Heat

Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, and Derrick Jones Jr

The Miami Heat have made the biggest jump when discussing young cores after drafting Tyler Herro, picking up Kendrick Nunn, and molding Duncan Robinson. Bam Adebayo went from being a guy that had a good amount of potential to being indispensable with limitless upside. Derrick Jones Jr has also been a big time role player for the Heat, especially with his defensive versatility, though it’s questionable whether they will be able to re-sign him, even though he wants to stay.

 

2. Memphis Grizzlies

Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr, Brandon Clarke, and Justise Winslow

Ja Morant looks like the Rookie of the Year, not only averaging 18 points a game and providing highlight dunks, but leading his team to a surprise playoff position with his distribution and late-game playmaking. Brandon Clarke has been historically efficient as a rookie, a polished player who is a perfect complement to Morant. Jaren Jackson Jr has made major improvements in his second year, becoming a 17 points per game scorer with shooting range. And of course, if Winslow can stay healthy, we’ve seen what he can do. The question is how he will fit off the ball with Morant, after seemingly assuming point guard duties in Miami.

 

1. New Orleans Pelicans 

Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Jaxson Hayes

There’s no surprise here with the amount of young talent they’ve gotten in the last year. They were able to trade for Lonzo Ball, who is one of the best passing point guards in the NBA, and Brandon Ingram, who finally flourished and became an All-Star this year, showing some Kevin Durant lite qualities when Zion Williamson was out. Jaxson Hayes also showed signs of improvement as his rookie season progressed. This young core has the most potential over the next couple years.But this, of course, is mostly about Zion, the most intriguing prospect since LeBron James, who started to dominate prior to the shutdown.  Now the Pelicans just need some veterans, other than just Jrue Holiday, to help them consistently compete for a top seed in the West.

 

5 Reasons the Heat were Successful this Season

/0 Comments/in , /by

In a recurring Five Reasons series, here’s a quick look at why the Miami Heat went 41-24 before the NBA eason was suspended…

1. Jimmy Butler has done exactly what Pat Riley brought him here to do.

Jimmy Butler came into this season with the Heat with a lot of doubt. Many said he came to Miami to retire. Well that discussion ended quickly when the Heat started the season with an 11-3 record. It was clear right away that Jimmy made everyone better on the court, due to his unselfishness and hunger to win.

2. Bam Adebayo stepped up as “The Guy.”

Bam Adebayo did not have much hype around his name at the start of the season, but once he got the role that he’s wanted since he’s been drafted, he flourished. He’s almost doubled his points per game from last year, while averaging three more assists and three more rebounds than he did last year. Stats don’t show what Bam has done for this Heat team though. He’s a young star that is prospering right in front of our eyes.

3. The young guys grew up quick.

After the Heat drafted Tyler Herro, there was some uncertainty if he was the right pick for this team. Well, he was. He proved in Summer League and pre-season that he had the ability to help this team win. Duncan Robinson also was a guy no one thought would be in the rotation, let alone start. He has been one of the key players for this team and has broken many Miami Heat three point records along the way. Kendrick Nunn is another guy that flourished in the Summer League, but who would’ve thought he would’ve been the starting point guard to begin the season. Well, he did and has been in the discussion of Rookie of the Year.

4. The role players had no problem accepting their roles.

As sometimes these guys don’t get as much credit, they deserve it. Goran Dragic could’ve caused problems by saying he wants to have a bigger role as he’s not getting any younger. Meyers Leonard could’ve said that he wants more of a scoring role instead of just being a spacer, spot up shooter, and floor general. But they didn’t. They want to help this team win as much as possible which is why they’re here. Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala got brought in at the deadline to have experience going into the playoffs, and they both know their roles as well. These guys are major contributors to their success.

5. Chemistry actually matters.

When you walk into the Miami Heat locker room, you can feel the connection. These guys enjoy playing and being around each other, which is actually not common. This is the reason the Heat moved on from certain players that seemed to be a cancer in the locker room. Every player on this team now has the same mentality which is that they will do anything they can to win. You can see this chemistry on the court and hold each other to a high standard, which is exactly what Pat Riley loves to see in his players.

Canes Basketball Freshmen Will Catch Your Eye

/0 Comments/in /by

The Miami Hurricanes got two players in the top 100 to commit towards the end of last year. One being Earl Timberlake who has been turning heads for a while and is ranked number 24 in the class. The other being Matt Cross, who has gone slightly under the radar for how advanced his skillset is.

Matt Cross, a 6’6 225 pound small forward, is a four star athlete and ranked number 77 in the class. He played for Brewster Academy surrounded by tons of talent, including the number 4 player Terrence Clarke.

Matt is a lights out shooter from deep and has major range. Even though he is very good with catch and shoot, he seems even more comfortable off the dribble. This is very impressive for a guy his size. Here’s an example of that…

He is also a major threat in the post due to his size and has great footwork around the rim. His rebounding has shown to be towards the top of his strengths after averaging 9.5 rebounds per game last summer during the EYBL season. He also added 23 PPG during that stretch. Take a look…

Matt Cross will be a great compliment to Earl Timberlake this season. Matt can stretch the floor with his shooting ability which will lead to Earl being able to use his strength of slashing. The same goes for Miami’s PG Chris Lykes. Matt will look to play the role that DJ Vasiljevic and Sam Waardenburg have.

When people ask scouts about Matt Cross they usually start with the word toughness. So did Coach Jim Larranaga when he said “Matt is the definition of hard-nosed. He’s an outstanding 3-point shooter, a great team-oriented player and has an extreme toughness that will allow him to compete against the best players in the ACC.” With that said, Matt will look to bring a special fire to this Canes team this season.

Adam Silver, commissioner of the NBA

Adam Silver gives update on the immediate future of the NBA

/0 Comments/in /by

On Friday, National Basketball Association commissioner Adam Silver held a conference call with media.

Silver discussed various topics, including addressing a potential cutoff date for the season, how many NBA players have tested positive for COVID-19, and whether the NBA has enough information to decide if the season will resume. Our own Ethan Skolnick was on the call, and covered it all.

 

Top HS Prospect Jalen Green Chooses G-League

/0 Comments/in , /by

There has been more and more of the top high school basketball players going overseas as an alternative to college. But the number 1 prospect in the class of 2020, Jalen Green, has changed the landscape with a different option.

The NBA G-League has given many young players an opportunity in the NBA over the years. Now that Jalen Green chose this route, it’ll change the landscape over the next decade for high school players. The NBA is creating a team in Southern California around Jalen Green, which will become most viable option for top prospects.

If a player knows he’s going to go to the NBA, why would you not pick the G-League, where you can focus on basketball 100% of the time, over college. Seems simple. Also, they’ll get paid, which will entice a lot of young players who are eager to get paid and help out their families. Jalen Green will earn $500,000 plus.

This is the same as playing overseas for a year. After somebody chose that route a couple of years ago, there has been more and more players doing it every year. Five players will be drafted in the top 20 in this years draft who played overseas. Could this mean College Basketball will end up third on top player’s choices behind G-League and overseas? Seems so.

Why The Miami Hurricanes Basketball Team Got A Gem

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Hurricanes basketball team got the number 24 player in the class, Earl Timberlake, to commit in early November. He’s a 6’6, 215 pound left-handed wing that plays the game with something that a lot of young guys don’t, heart.

He has a very polished and all around game with his abilities to pass and rebound at such a high level. When he has the ball in his hands, he always looks to play-make to find the best possible shot on the court.

He is a very athletic and explosive player who has the ability to throw it down on you. He has said and shown that he’s not afraid to take it up on anyone he’s up against. Here’s an example…

Earl is never afraid to take the big shot as well. He’s been in many positions where they need a big shot down the stretch of a game, and they all look to him. Like this…

His ability to rebound up at the rim at only 6’6 also is something that is not talked about enough. He’s a very scrappy player who knows how to use his body. His shooting is also lethal at times off the dribble, but will look to improve that this year with Coach Larranaga. He will he watched closely by many NBA teams this year at Miami, and might have a chance to enter the 2021 NBA Draft if he produces.

 

Miami Heat: Kendrick Nunn, Ja Morant disagree on ROY

/0 Comments/in /by

Who will win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year Award? That is the big question, and there are certainly several worthy candidates. Miami Heat point guard Kendrick Nunn believes he should bring home the honors to South Beach. Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant disagrees.

Nunn averaged 15.6 points per contest this season. Morant averaged 17.6 points per game on the year. Although points per contest is not the only metric in which to measure things by, it does illustrate how explosive these two were offensively.

Nunn also was experiencing a swing post All-Star Break. He was averaging 17.1 points per contest in 11 games.

.Morant absolutely exploded onto the scene for Memphis. He started off his career strong, averaging 17.5 points in the month of October. His best month was in November when he averaged 19 points in 13 games played. He too was on a bit of an uptick following the All-Star Break. He was averaging 17.7 points over the course of 11 games.

Nunn was a sparkplug for Miami Heat

There is little doubt that Nunn brought electricity as soon as he took the floor. One of his best games of the season came on February 9 against Washington. He scored a season-high 27 points on nine-of-17 shooting. Totaling 35 minutes of work, he recorded 10 rebounds and 10 assists. It was his first triple-double of his career.

I tend to agree with Nunn here. He has had major contributions on a playoff team. Morant and the Grizzlies will get there, just not right now.

Either way, this debate lends credence to the fact that there were so many talented rookies in the NBA this year. The fact that Miami had two of them is a credit to Pat Riley and Erik Spolstra. Kudos to Riley for taking chances on both of them and a tip of the cap to Spolstera for putting the rookies in positions to succeed.

The 2021 NBA Draft Class Will Become One Of The Best Ever

/0 Comments/in , /by

While many people may not know a lot about the 2021 NBA Draft class, they will soon enough. This draft class has as much talent across the board as any I’ve ever seen. Here’s a look at some of the talent…

 

1. Cade Cunningham

(PG, 6’7, Committed to Oklahoma State)

Cade Cunningham has been getting looks since he was a freshman at a small high school in Texas. Before his Junior year, he transferred to play for Monteverde and get coached by arguably the best high school coach ever. He is an all around player who lingers around a triple double every time he hits the floor.

Comparison: Ben Simmons (With a jump shot)

 

2. Jalen Green

(SG, 6’5, Not Committed)

Jalen Green is the most talented player in his class due to his athleticism and superb scoring abilities. Even though he is ranked 3 in most of the rankings, I believe he will be the best prospect in this class by far and will shoot up to number 1 by draft time. He has handles, can shoot the three, and can take any defender 1on1 off the dribble.

Comparison: Kobe Bryant (Ish)

 

3. Evan Mobley

(C, 7’0, USC)

Evan Mobley is a talented young center who has shown great potential over his high school years. He has even better intangibles than a lot of NBA star centers at his age. He runs the floor as good as a guard and his body is starting to fill out. By the time he finished his season at USC, he will be as solid as anybody in the draft.

Comparison: Kevin Garnett 

 

4. Ziaire Williams 

(SF, 6’7, Not Committed)

Ziaire Williams played for Sierra Canyon this past year on one of the most watched high school teams ever. He was out for the first half of the year with injury, then came back where he left off. He hit a game winning jumper to win the State finals. He never gets rattled and plays the game at his speed at all times. His game translates to the NBA very well.

Comparison: Paul George

 

5. Terrence Clarke

(SG, 6’7, Committed to Kentucky)

Terrence Clarke is another insanely athletic guard who can not only jump out of the gym and shoot the ball, but prides himself on the defensive side of the ball as well. He is a player with a very high IQ when he has the ball in his hands, due to his high end passing abilities, especially when he is driving to the rim.

Comparison: Donovan Mitchell

6. Jalen Suggs

(PG, 6’5, Committed to Gonzaga)

Jalen Suggs is one of the most explosive point guards I’ve seen in a while. While a lot of the guards in this draft are good passers, he is on a different level. This might be because he was a five star quarterback and safety as well, which means he is able to read a defenders eyes and manipulate them just as he does in football. He has a very high ceiling and will shoot up the draft boards even more by the end of his year at Gonzaga.

Comparison: Russel Westbrook

7. Scottie Barnes

(SF, 6’8, Committed to Florida State)

Scottie Barnes has the athletic ability to blow by any defender teams throw at him from a point guard to a center. He is great at attacking the rim and crashes the boards at all times. His best attribute though is his defensive versatilities, which he’s proven he’s the best defender in the class. What sets himself apart from other players is his energy. No matter if it’s the championship game or a pickup game, he puts it all out there on the floor, which makes him very appealing to NBA scouts.

Comparison: Pascal Siakam (But vocal)

8. BJ Boston

(SG, 6’6, Committed to Kentucky)

BJ Boston is a pure scorer and has proven he can score at all three levels this year at Sierra Canyon. When their top player, Ziaire Williams, started the year with an injury, BJ Boston took the team over as the leader and number one option, which proved he deserved to be a top player in his class. He can shoot the three as good as anybody and will look to improve his all around game this year with Coach Calipari.

Comparison: Devin Booker

9. Joshua Christopher

(SG, 6’5, Committed to Michigan)

Joshua Christopher is another high flying guard, which seems to be a trend in this class. He has proven he can handle the ball as good as any point guard and is not afraid to take the ball up on anybody. He also has a good shoot from deep and looks to continue to polish his game under Juwan Howard at Michigan this year.

Comparison: Jaylon Brown 

10. Greg Brown

(PF, 6’9, Not Committed)

Greg Brown is one of the most polished 6’9 prospects that I’ve seen. He is very under control with the ball in his hands which is usually the problem with players with his size. He is a walking mismatch since opposing teams just can’t defend him. If they put a big on him, he blows by them and if they put a guard on him, he bodies them down low. He will be one of the most exciting players to watch in college this upcoming year.

Comparison: John Collins 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 Reasons Giannis Should Come To Miami

/0 Comments/in , /by

With the NBA season suspended, we will look at some Heat-related topics, the Five Reasons way….

 

1. Giannis fits the culture perfectly

Giannis has that work ethic that all Miami Heat players must have. He works hard and more importantly plays hard every night, just like his soon to be teammates, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, do every night.

2. Giannis can take Jimmy’s scoring role

It seems as if Jimmy doesn’t want to be the primary scorer at times, so Giannis can take that role over and dominate when he needs to. Jimmy can play facilitator with Giannis on the floor which is where he thrives.

3. Adding Giannis makes Heat best defensive front-court in the league

Bam and Jimmy have already proven their defensive versatilities together, and adding a player that is in the discussion of defensive player of the year, would cause major disruption in offenses, especially come playoff time.

4. Giannis won’t have to carry the whole load as he does in Milwaukee

While the Bucks do have some key role players around Giannis like Middleton and Bledsoe,  they never seem to show up in the big games when Antetokounmpo needs them to. This won’t be the case when having Jimmy, Bam, and the young guys to bail him out of tough situations.

5. It’s South Beach

How can someone say no to the Miami bright lights, nice weather, and pristine beaches? Even though this type of lifestyle isn’t exactly what Giannis enjoys, it’s hard to turn down. It’s definitely hard to turn down when you have The Godfather, Pat Riley, closing the deal. Also from a financial standpoint, no state income tax is enticing itself. Miami’s offer will be a hard pitch to turn down come 2021 free agency. In Riley We Trust.