COURTSIDE VIEW: 2013 NBA DRAFT--Cavs/Knicks Edition

Johnny J

This will be my last NBA story for the 2012-13 campaign. I will continue my writing on stories and my opinions about different NFL topics. You can look forward to more of my opinions and jabs on the NFL. Ask about me at Fourth & Forever (coming soon!).

The 2013 NBA Draft is just days away and if you are excited like I am, you are wondering who your favorite team is going to draft. I will be be dissecting a couple of the high projected prospects and if they're a good fit for the Cleveland Cavaliers. In other words, if you were a General Manager of an NBA team, do you draft for need or do you just grab the best available player, regardless if they fill that void in your line-up? Lottery picks can sometimes be hard to predict. Just because a player was awesome in college, doesn't mean he has what it takes to succeed in the pros. For a team like the New York Knicks (late 1st round pick), they might be better off taking the "best available" player.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have two picks in the first round, including the number one pick overall. They also have the 19th pick as well. They won the NBA Lottery for the second time in three years. In 2011, the Cavaliers gambled on a young point guard named Kyrie Irving, who only played eight games at Duke due to an injury. He came back in the NCAA Tournament and scored 28 points in a Sweet Sixteen loss to Arizona. Two years later, at age 21, he is now an All-Star. So where do the Cavaliers go on building a team around Irving? There's been talk that the Cavs may trade the first pick, but I doubt that will happen. They've also been flirting with the Dallas Mavericks about acquiring forward veteran Shawn Marion to move up six spots to #13th (from 19th) and they would be taking $9.3 million off the books for the Mavs in return. The Mavs are hoping to have as much money as possible, for when July 1st rolls around, they hope of landing Chris Paul and Dwight Howard (Can't have one without the other, apparently--Ed). 

In my opinion, the Cavs only need to fill a few spots, such as both starting forward positions and a shooting guard. They are good at center with Anderson Varejao and North Carolina product Tyler Zeller. I know a lot of mock drafts have the Cavs taking a center since Varejao only has one year left on his contract, but I don't know about taking one early.  They have a center now in Zeller.  I like him; he deserves a chance to start.  He put up great numbers at UNC. Let him be the man in the middle. With the number one pick, the Cavs should draft for need, so I would pass on a center and take shooting guard Victor Oladipo out of Indiana. He would be a great complement to Irving. This guy has a great all-around game and upside. He can shoot, drive, and finish. Plus he has great athletic ability. A young backcourt that will make the Cavs more dangerous sounds tempting to me. Then at pick #19 or (#13 if they make that trade I was talking about earlier), I think the Cavs should draft center Gorgui Dieng from Louisville. He can play the four as well as center as he is equipped with a short-range jumper. He is a rim protector. Imagine him and Varejao on the floor at the same time. That just gets my mouth watery for what they can do with two second round picks. I would prefer to see them trade one of the two second round picks and grab Paul Pierce. They made a pitch to the Celtics for Pierce already. I think that would be a great pick-up. Talk about making the playoffs!  He is someone who can give the Cavs leadership presence. Make a package built around Paul Pierce for a second round pick. Plus he only has one year left. It's worth a try.

The New York Knicks on the other hand, needs to draft for best available player. A lot of the good players who can fill their need at point guard and center will be gone at pick #24. With that said, I like the Knicks to draft center Kelly Olynyk. A center that can score. A Knicks' fans dream. Simply because Tyson Chandler and Marcus Camby can't score on their own. Bleacher Report has him going at #23 to the Indiana Pacers, but if he falls, the Knicks should grab him. Bleacher has the Knicks grabbing another shooter. Another shooter!!! They don't need another shooter, unless Olynyk is gone. He is the only center I would bite on.  He is a need and best available player rolled into a nice gift bag for New York. Olynyk can back-up Chandler and help spread the floor and clear the paint because of his shooting ability. He would be a great addition to New York who got killed on the boards against the Pacers in the playoffs. Draft for need here!

If Olynk is gone at 24. Then you grab the best available player. Such as Allen Crabbe, a shooter out of California. I still like this pick, but all the shooters the Knicks have can't be on the floor at the same time. That did no good in the playoffs. Because, realistically, people have bad games (J.R. Smith) and slumps can occur. I'm expecting all of the Knicks free-agent shooters to re-sign. Guys like J.R. Smith, Chris Copeland, and Pablo Prigioni. If they don't, then you have to replace them.  The only way the Knicks will move pass top-notch teams in the Eastern Conference is if they have a low-post scorer. You can't trust Amar'e Stoudemire's grandfather knees. He hits the floor hard, he goes out and stays out for a long period of time. Also he has a restriction on his minutes. He can't play more than 30 minutes a game. Next they will be saying he can't play all 82 games in the season. Olynyk is the answer!

The Cavs and the Knicks are headed in different directions. The Cavs are getting young talent and the Knicks are just getting older. If the Cavs make the right moves to build a team around Irving, they will be an elite team in a couple of years. Yes, an elite team, I didn't stutter and you're hearing it first from me. The Cavaliers will be an Eastern Conference contender. The Knicks are built to win now. Now as in, "re-sign your shooters" and draft the guy who led the Gonzaga Bulldogs to a 33-2 record. Drafting for best available player is the only option and he is projected right around that magic number of 24.

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STILL A RIVALRY: How Melo, KG, and LaLa Renewed An East Coast Rivalry

Johnny J

Madison Square Garden has been known to host big fights, such as Joe Frazier v. Muhammad Ali or Sugar Ray Robinson v. Jake Lamotta. Usually when a fight is over, the loser is usually too tired or too beaten up to try and carry it over in the tunnel or locker room. That wasn't the case for Monday night's match-up between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics.

After the Celtics defeated the Knicks 102-96 in a game that included confrontations and blood being spilled.  Anthony can be angrily seen walking by the Knicks bench toward the Celtics tunnel by-passing any handshakes and brotherly love. Carmelo Anthony waited for Kevin Garnett by the Celtics locker room. When he couldn't reach him there, he waited by the Celtics' bus hoping to finish what was started on the court.

Anthony, who can be identified in the video wearing a red hat, can be seen waiting for Garnett with a handful of MSG security personnel who I believe are trying to talk him out of it. If you look all the way to the left Rajon Rondo can be seen, probably trying to play peacemaker from afar (irony is a cruel beast--Ed). It's as much action as he's seen all night after being suspended for bumping an official.

Apparently Garnett had made some comments about Anthony's wife LaLa and Anthony just wanted to clear the air:

"I wanted to talk to KG, I think it was something that we both needed to get off our chest and see what really was the problem. It wasn't no altercations, it was just some words and a conversation that we needed to have," said Anthony.

Anthony who is the second leading scorer in the NBA averaging 29.0 PPG had an off night against the Celtics swarming defense. Anthony was held to 20 points on 6-26 shooting from the field. Anthony and KG both received technical fouls for the shoving and trash-talking on the floor. Anthony, who is tied with Matt Barnes of the Clippers with a league-leading 9 technical fouls, is very close to a suspension. Once a player reaches 16, they're suspended for one game and can continue for every other tech they receive afterwards.

J.R. Smth received 11 stitches above his right eye after bumping heads with Avery Bradley, who was trying to pick pocket Smith. After a timeout was called to give more time to stop the bleeding, Smith came back out with Vaseline and a headband over his cut (J.R. the prizefighter--Ed). 

While KG was getting into Anthony's head; Paul Pierce took over the game, scoring 23 points and dishing 6 assists. Pierce hit a step back jumper with the shot clock winding down with Tyson Chandler all over him. As he was going back down the floor he starting blowing kisses to the crowd as if saying, "I had a great performance; thanks for coming, but it's over now!"

As a Knicks' fan, I was irritated at what I was seeing.  I know this is a hated, long-time rival, but we're sitting at the top of the division for a reason. There wasn't any ball movement; just isolations for the majority of the game. Melo gets the ball and tries to go to work, but he shot the ball for 23%! If its not working, you have to adjust as a TEAM! You have other stars on the TEAM! They shouldn't be watching one guy every possession. The Celtics are six games behind the Knicks and they can't play down to their level. KG is known for his trash-talking; Back in 2010 Charlie Villanueva accused KG of calling him "A cancer patient." Villanueva suffers from a medical condition called alopecia universalis that results in hair loss (Apparently, KG told Anthony that his wife "tastes like Honey Nut Cheerios". Another incident that is not widely known is the fact that KG, back on Mothers' Day of 1999, went up to Duncan to tell him, "Happy Mothers' Day, mother------!" Duncan's mother died when he was only 14-Ed). 

If Anthony plans on taking his team to the finals this season, he's going to have to put up with people trying to get in his head. He has already shown he's vulnerable and thin-skinned in that aspect.  And now he will pay for his lapse in judgement with a one-game suspension.

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NBA 2012-13 Fantasy Preview: THE BAD AND UGLY

Felipe M

(The following article will now deal with NBA players who are destined to see a dip in their production as we enter the upcoming NBA season. All projections are based on fantasy point, head-to-head leagues.  I apologize, once again, to any roto fans out there).

Unfortunately, what goes up, must come down in the real world, and it's no different in the NBA as some players' stock just has to come down for various reasons (age, new coach, new system, new teammates, new rules, etc).  The following is a list of players who will most certainly see a dip in their stock for this upcoming (and maybe beyond this) season:

• Jameer Nelson--Despite being the de facto best scoring option and playmaker in Orlando, projections show that he will not produce as much as most guards who are in similar situations (i.e. Ramon Sessions).  There's a reason why Dwight Howard did not want to play with him in Orlando. 
• Gerald Wallace--How "experts" can pick the New Jersey Nets as a title contender with Wallace in the starting lineup is perplexing to me. His career will continue to "crash."
• Andrew Bogut--After sustaining a number of injuries (most of them very serious) Bogut gets a fresh start at Golden State, but it's doubtful that he will post up the numbers he used to post up in Milwaukee. 
• Elton Brand--You can make the argument that his decline began a long time ago, but many fantasy owners still believe that a fresh start in Dallas where he will play in a more conventional half-court offense will revitalize his career.  My prognosis is that he cannot be relied on too heavily for this season.
• Anderson Varejao--Despite the fact that his production comes in the hustle categories, Varejao's time in Cleveland might be coming to an end as the Cavs might use him as trade bait for a contending team, which might mean a decrease in minutes/production.
• Chauncey Billups--Age and decline in production and play time play a factor in him making this list.
• Tyreke Evans--What should be the prime of his career, Evans is stuck in basketball limbo as he has refused to develop another dimension to his game. 
• Jose Calderon--Mr. Calderon, here's Kyle Lowry.
• Nene--No longer will benefit from the fast-paced game of the Denver Nuggets and was already unhappy being traded to D.C.
• Ray Felton--This is an obvious submission to this list as his timing is horrendous in returning to New York only to have coach Mike D'Antoni missing.
• Paul Pierce--He's still the best scoring option in Boston, but every year, he's relinquishing more and more control to Rondo.  
• Devin Harris--His days as a starting point guard in the NBA have come to an unexpecting end.
• Gerald Henderson--With the selection of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Henderson's days in Charlotte and as a somewhat fantasy relevent player might be nearing an end soon.
• Dorrell Wright--Was a fantasy darling when he played at Golden State, I don't expect him to do much in Philly despite the similar styles in play by both teams. 
• Caron Butler--Too much talent in Clipper-land and not enough basketballs to go around. Butler is in "Swingman Hell."

Next up, we will take a look at the NBA players who are in the crossroads of their careers coming into this season.