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What Should and Will Happen at WWE Extreme Rules 2013

Anthony Rizzuti — Sat, 18 May 2013 05:32:41 -0400

What can we expect to go down at WWE's Extreme Rules come Sunday?

Will the WWE Champion John Cena put an end to Ryback and his rule? Can Triple H tame the beast in Brock Lesnar? And will The Shield be able to walk out of St. Louis, Mo., with some gold?

Well, here are my thoughts on what should and what will happen at the company's most extreme event of the year.

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1st-Quarter Grades for the Cleveland Indians

Dan DiLoreto — Sat, 18 May 2013 03:22:01 -0400

The Cleveland Indians are now roughly one quarter of the way through their 2013 season and are sitting atop the AL Central standings with a 23-17 record.

Even with a nice start, some Indians fans may be hesitant to hop on the bandwagon after similar starts in 2011 and 2012—where the Indians combined for a 49-31 record through the first 40 games in each season.

No one could blame them for being hesitant, because the aforementioned teams finished both seasons without a playoff berth. In fact, last year the Indians compiled the worst month in franchise history when they put together a 5-24 record during the month of August.

But enough about the past, right?

So far in 2013, there isn’t too much to complain about in Cleveland. Breaking down the offense, defense, rotation, bullpen, bench and coaching will give you a better idea of what is working in Cleveland and what might need a little tweak.

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5 Radical Predictions for the Remainder of the Mariners' Season

J.J. Matthews — Sat, 18 May 2013 03:09:50 -0400

With optimism higher for many Mariners fans after a series win against the AL East leading New York Yankees, fans are starting to think about bigger things for the 2013 Seattle Mariners.

From individual performances to team goals, there just seems to be a different vibe surrounding this Mariners team than has been there in years past. The Mariners may still be a shade under .500, but they continue to battle against quality teams and show glimpses of what could be when everything starts to click.

So what exactly could the Mariners do if everything clicks?

Well, there are of course the individual statistics that could come from it, but there are also moves the Mariners could make to truly make a splash in the AL West. With that in mind, here are five radical predictions for the remainder of the Mariners' season.

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2012 NFL Draft Revisited: 5 Players on the Verge of Being Busts

BJ Kissel — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:37:09 -0400

We've had a chance to see the 2012 draft class in action for just one season, but it's never too early to make outrageous, premature judgements on what we've seen so far from these players. Right?

So let's take a look at five players from the 2012 draft class who aren't looking like the players we thought they'd be, at least not after one season. Some of these guys were considered "the answer" for their teams' issues at a specific position, but each of these guys still have questions about them heading into 2013.

The optimistic side of every fan is going to make all the excuses in the world for each of these players. We know it's only been one year and some of these guys were dealing with injuries, but they still left a lot to be desired based on the expectations for them heading into their rookie seasons-—whether it's fair or not.

The bottom line is that if each of these guys play at the level they did last season, we're going to be using the "b-word" about them before too long. No, not that one. The other one.

Bust.

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FIFA 14: Breaking Down Best Changes from Previous Versions of Game

Dan Talintyre — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:36:52 -0400

FIFA 14 might not be out yet, but if the proposed changes are anything to go by, then the latest version of the famous game is shaping as one of the greatest yet.

Some of the proposed changes are more obvious than others, and some will be better received by gamers themselves. That's the case with any game and its updates, and it's especially true for a game like FIFA that has become one of the most iconic sports video games around the world.

Let's take a look at some of the biggest (and best) changes of FIFA 14.

Teammate Intelligence

Here are the proposed changes to teammate intelligence (per FIFA Play.com):

Teammate Intelligence has been improved on both sides of the ball. New decision-making logic delivers tighter, smarter marking and improved run tracking where defenders recognize opportunities to provide support and win back possession, while attacking players have new ways to outsmart their opponents by creating space for themselves, running along the backline and checking their pace.

I can't highlight just how good this will be for the game.

How often have you found yourself striding forward in the middle of the field and slid a perfect through-ball to release a player through on goal, only for the striker to have wandered offside. Anything that can be done to stop that from happening gets a huge tick in my book.

I also really like the defensive changes proposed here, and I think it will definitely help defenders cope against free-flowing attacks much better.

Again, anything that can be done to stop me having to change between six different players just to tackle Lionel Messi is a huge plus. I was seriously starting to get sick of marking him perfectly and calling for assistance—only for that assistance to fail like an offside striker in his tackling attempts.

Protect the Ball

Here are the proposed changes to ball protection (per FIFA Play.com):

Fans will be able to create rewarding build up to opportunities and have the tools to dictate the tempo of a match through four new features.

Protect The Ball will enable players to fend-off and block defenders from the ball while dribbling at any speed, or out-muscle opponents for position before receiving the pass, then turn defenders to carve out opportunities.

Again, another big fan of this one—especially given the fact that you'll now be able to showcase whatever tricks you desire and not lose any momentum doing it.

How often do you pull off a perfect roulette or lane change, only to have the next step push a little long and cost you possession? Or how often do you try to fend off challengers from players, yet end up losing the ball at the slightest hint of contact from another defender?

All of that has been changed in FIFA 14, and for those of us who aren't the strongest dribblers in the game, this proposed feature gets a huge tick of approval.

Pure Shot

Here are the proposed changes regarding shooting (per FIFA Play.com):

Finishing has been transformed with Pure Shot so players have the intelligence to adjust their stride and approach angle to find the best position for hitting the back of the net. Well-hit balls feel more exhilarating and rewarding. New shot types include pure strikes, as well as off-balance and rushed shots.

Plus, Real Ball Physics now determines the trajectories of balls, enabling players to kick the ball with force from distance, drill low rising shots with accuracy, and blast dipping or turbulent shots, just like real footballers.

When I first read this change, I was a little skeptical, but I've since been convinced as to how important this feature will be. Perhaps the best part, in my opinion, is the early shot feature, which will allow you to quickly get the shot away before an incoming defender can get in the way of it.

I also like this move because, as with everything, it's a closer step to realism.

No two power shots or finesse shots are the same, and thus the ability to hit a low-rising shot or a dipping shot is a much-needed change to the way teams attack.

I'm not thrilled for the skills this will now give Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo when I meet them in the Champions League, but I'm comforted to some extent that my Manchester United lineup—where I'll be hoping to keep Wayne Rooney—will have the same attacking skills to play around with.

Now if only I could figure out the whole accuracy thing...

What changes to FIFA 14 are you most excited about?

Comment below or hit me up on Twitter: Follow @dantalintyre

NBA Teams That Should Tank for Andrew Wiggins and 2014 Draft Class

Daniel O'Brien — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:16:59 -0400

When the 2014 NBA draft approaches next summer, several NBA squads will be hoping the lottery balls bounce in their favor.

Who wouldn't want a chance to select Andrew Wiggins, Kansas' incoming 6'8" small forward, who has superstar written all over him?

He's not the only star-quality prospect of that loaded draft class; Duke commit Jabari Parker is an inside-outside force, and incoming Kentucky forward Julius Randle is a physical specimen. Don't forget about Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart and Arizona commit Aaron Gordon.

There's a group of NBA franchises that desperately need the star power these youngsters can provide.

Free agency is also an option for these teams, as the 2014 class is stocked with megastars, scorers and key role players. But for teams that won't attract significant signees, the draft is an exciting avenue to return to glory.

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Creating the Perfect Offseason Plan for the Houston Rockets

Kenny DeJohn — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:11:07 -0400

The Houston Rockets have the payroll flexibility to make big moves this offseason, but there are certain moves that should be made and others that should most definitely be avoided. General manager Daryl Morey has the money to work with—all he has to do is put the best product on the court.

After a surprising season that led to the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, Houston is in a great position. The sky is the limit for a team with a budding superstar in James Harden, a do-it-all player in Chandler Parsons and a hard-working big man in Omer Asik.

Throw in the fact that they have nearly $15 million available this offseason (h/t HoopsHype.com), and the Rockets have the resources to acquire even more talent to play alongside them.

There a currently a ton of rumors out there surrounding this offseason. There are plenty of big-name free agents available, and expect the Rockets to be in the mix for nearly all of them given their cap room. Some are better fits than others, though.

The Rockets are in great position, but they can maximize their chances to win by making these moves this offseason.

The Draft

Houston owns just one pick in the NBA draft (No. 34 overall), so the strategy should be to draft the best player and hope that he pans out. It has worked for the team in the past, as Parsons was selected No. 38 overall in the 2011 draft.

The best pick for Houston would be forward C.J. Leslie, however. Several mock drafts (like the one from DraftExpress.com) predict that they will select a point guard. That would be simply ridiculous. Jeremy Lin, Patrick Beverley and Aaron Brooks are all under contract for at least next season. A point guard would be a waste of a pick.

Leslie provides the team with two things—athleticism and perimeter defense.

Leslie does much of his scoring in the paint, but Draft Express' scouting report reminds us that he's not exactly the most polished player down low. He gets by because of his freakish athleticism and ability to jump out of the gym.

He's also displayed the potential necessary to become a strong perimeter defender. He moves his feet quickly and has the length to wreck havoc on the opposition. This length and athleticism also helps him with his help defense, an area that he has excelled in.

Leslie fits the team's scheme of using athletic players and also addresses a need for defense. While he may not play much right away, Leslie would be a great player to develop in the system. His versatility to play either forward position also helps quite a lot.

Free Agency/Trades

Rumors of Dwight Howard and Chris Paul aside, Morey should focus nearly all of his assets and attention to locking up power forward Josh Smith to a four-year contract.

Smith fits the team's style of play and won't require a max contract (he'll likely command around $14 million per season). This would make signing anybody else difficult, but there are already reports that Francisco Garcia's team option will not be picked up.

Should Morey decide to decline the options on both Carlos Delfino and Aaron Brooks as well, that could clear up nearly another $12 million. This would make signing a capable replacement for both Delfino and Garcia much easier.

The perfect candidate for the job would be Dorell Wright. Wright can shoot lights-out from deep (36.7 percent for his career) and can play above-average defense on the perimeter. He doesn't pile up the steals or blocks, but he makes it difficult for his opponents to score. For $4 million per season, I'd say Wright is worth it.

If the revolving door of Greg Smith, Tim Olbrecht and Donatas Motiejunas proved anything last season, it's that Houston needs a defensive-minded player to play behind Asik at center. All three struggle defensively and don't help much on the offensive end either.

Jermaine O'Neal can be had cheap (likely for the veteran's minimum) and on a one-year contract. O'Neal is a great post defender and can even hold his own offensively at age 34.

It's hard to predict what trades Morey will make (if any). Morey has proven himself to be a very unpredictable GM, albeit a very good one. If anything, I see him potentially looking to deal guys to pick up draft picks for later seasons.

Terrence Jones flashed some potential late last season. Pure speculation on my part, but maybe Morey could look to deal Jones to a team in exchange for a low first-round/early second-round draft pick. The acquisition of Thomas Robinson last season makes this trade much more realistic than it would have been in January.

Coaching Strategy

Head coach Kevin McHale received a ton of flack this past season for his handling of Harden and Lin. Many believed Lin should handle the ball more because, well, he is the point guard. Others argued Harden, as the team's star, should control the ball.

In the end, McHale chose Harden. Harden played iso-basketball a vast majority of his touches, and while he certainly scored his points, it can be argued that it hurt the team. Toward the end of the shot clock, Harden often couldn't find a shot and quickly dished the ball to teammates with equally as poor opportunities to score.

This resulted in a ton of bad shots by both Harden and his teammates (though not to the fault of his teammates).

On the flip side, Lin has his downfalls has the main ball-handler. Harden is a far superior ball-handler, even if he doesn't play the role of distributor nearly as much as Lin would. Lin also turns the ball over a whole lot (3.2 per game).

I don't necessarily think Lin should have the ball more than Harden, but I do think Lin needs to assert himself more on offense. The league's best point guards (Tony Parker, Steve Nash, Chris Paul) all are their respective teams' leaders and top orchestrators on offense. With a clear-cut offensive leader, Houston could make strides.

Other than this, I like the way McHale runs the offense. They run very few set plays, which results in natural basketball by the players. As an athletic team, Houston is capable of playing this way.

Conclusion

Like I said, the Rockets have a ton of options given their payroll flexibility. By taking the routes I've suggested, however, the team could improve both offensively and defensively—both now and in the future.

Smith would obviously be the biggest acquisition for Houston heading into next season. A starting five of Lin (or Beverley, perhaps?), Harden, Parsons, Smith and Asik would likely be good enough for at least the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

Throw in a bench that has above-average shooters and a few strong defenders (Leslie, Wright and O'Neal) and you've got yourself a team that could push for the Western Conference Finals.

Houston has tons of potential and is in a great position to continue to get better. Morey just needs to play his cards right this offseason.

How David Lee Fits into Golden State Warriors' Long-Term Plans

Zach Buckley — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:02:42 -0400

The 2013-14 season was a year to remember for the Golden State Warriors, but one that their All-Star big man David Lee would like to soon forget.

While he was a key contributor in leading the Warriors to 47 regular-season wins and just their second trip to the postseason since 1994 (league-best 56 double-doubles, 19.2 player efficiency rating), he wasn't around long enough to help them lengthen their playoff stay.

A torn right hip flexor in Game 1 of Golden State's opening-round series with the Denver Nuggets cut the eight-year veteran's playoff debut drastically short. While initial reports ruled him out for the remainder of the postseason, he miraculously battled his way back onto the floor.

It was an admirable move to say the least, but the damage had clearly already been done. The injury largely restricted him to spot duty, never playing more than 13 minutes or reaching double-digit points.

But the crushing blow to Lee was in no way a death sentence for his Warriors. In fact, they won four of their next five games, eliminating the sixth-seeded Nuggets in six games.

Their playoff run was upended six games later by the San Antonio Spurs, but their season was still seen as an overwhelming success.

The question on everyone's mind was how this team was able to not only survive in Lee's absence, but thrive without its fallen star.

History has produced a number of teams that have drawn an emotional lift from the loss of a premier participant.

But the Warriors' success saw more tangible factors coming to the surface.

The loss of Lee gave coach Mark Jackson some flexibility with his starting five. Against the speedy, athletic Nuggets, he added Jarrett Jack and later Carl Landry to his opening lineup. Once the bigger, more physical Spurs came on the schedule, Jackson shuttled Landry, Festus Ezeli and Draymond Green into the starting 4 spot.

Jack and Harrison Barnes (16.1 points per game in the postseason) added to the team's offensive firepower. Ezeli and Green helped build a formidable defensive front alongside Andrew Bogut. Landry brought a familiar touch, scrapping for offensive rebounds and dropping in mid-range jumpers out of pick-and-pop sets.

Had Jackson discovered an unlikely silver lining in Lee's loss? Were the Warriors even better off without him?

Golden State's front office certainly hopes not. Lee's on the books for the next three seasons, owed more than $44 million over that time, according to Hoops Hype.

The Warriors have enough financial problems to worry about as it is.

Seldom-used reserves Richard Jefferson and Andris Biedrins are set to collect more than $20 million combined next season. Bogut's nagging ankle injury has the potential to make the $14.2 million left on his contract become a tremendous burden.

Could Lee's scoring (18.5) and rebounding (11.2) averages have just been a mirage—empty statistics over impactful substance?

There's a smattering of evidence that seems to suggest yes but a 79-game sample screaming a resounding no.

Lee has his problems. His defensive deficiencies were often glaring, even when Bogut was healthy enough to watch his back. His offensive outbursts had a tendency to fizzle in late-game situations or when he was paired up with a defender capable of meeting (or exceeding) his strength and athleticism.

But his presence on the floor could have meant the difference between watching the Western Conference Finals and actually participating in them.

The Warriors clearly needed another scorer on the floor when the Spurs figured out ways to silence the Splash Brothers (Curry and Thompson shot just 35.5 percent from the field after Game 2). They craved any kind of interior presence to relieve some pressure from the perimeter.

Lee's not a natural post scorer, but he knows how to free himself near the basket and has a soft touch with either hand. Once the defensive attention shifts his way, he's a gifted spotter and spent the season developing a keen eye for his sharpshooters. He's an emotional leader, the kind to instill confidence even when faced with a pair of elimination games.

Is he overpaid? Probably, but the ink has long ago dried on his contract, and those salary figures won't change. Is he valuable to this franchise? Absolutely, he's a veteran leader capable of lightening the offensive load placed on Curry's fragile ankles.

The Warriors' future is bright, and Lee will play a prominent role in helping them maximize their potential.

Big Boys vs. Gunner Guards: Who Rules the NBA in 2013 Playoffs?

Adam Fromal — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:48:39 -0400

If you're building an NBA team designed to succeed in the 2013 playoffs, do you go with the big boys or the gunner guards?

Most teams in the history of the Association haven't had the luxury of employing both fundamentally different sets, which makes determining the superior group an important endeavor. Some squads go to work with a traditional big man wreaking havoc in the paint, while others are content to let fly from outside.

Both strategies can certainly work, especially if you merge the narrower "gunner guards" idea with the broader small-ball ideals.

That said, which has reigned supreme in this specific postseason?

Let's take a conference-by-conference look.

Western Conference

The Memphis Grizzlies are the best example of a team that thrives because of its presence in the paint. Marc Gasol is a true seven-footer, even if he possesses more versatility than physicality down low, and Zach Randolph is a tough-as-nails power forward.

Behind the two behemoths in the middle, the Grizz have advanced to the Western Conference Finals. Of course, they've had help from Mike Conley, Tony Allen and a number of other smaller players, but it's the big guys who make things go.

Each of Memphis' four most-used lineups during the postseason involve both Gasol and Z-Bo. The next three feature Darrell Arthur playing with one of the two aforementioned studs.

In fact, the first lineup that only utilizes one true big man is the one using Mike Conley, Tony Allen, Quincy Pondexter, Tayshaun Prince and Marc Gasol. This group has played only eight total minutes together during the series against the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Small ball simply doesn't exist in Memphis. And it's not used too frequently by the team's opponents in the Western Conference Finals: the San Antonio Spurs.

As Sports Illustrated's Rob Mahoney pointed out, Gregg Popovich was extremely hesitant to play small ball during the regular season because it would have worn out Tim Duncan. But thanks to the growth of Kawhi Leonard, the Spurs are able to occasionally go small and leave the breakout San Diego State product as the second-biggest man out on the court.

In particular, Leonard has rebounded far better than most players his size, showing off good instincts and incredible strength. You can see those skills manifest themselves in these three defensive rebounds, but pay close attention to him out-muscling Festus Ezeli for the final board.

The most-used lineup in which Leonard plays the 4 sees Popovich use Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Danny Green, Leonard and Tim Duncan. It's been used for 38 minutes during the postseason, making it the second-most common lineup.

However, it still seems like a bit of an aberration.

In each of the three other lineups that San Antonio has used for more than 30 minutes—including the No. 1 lineup, which has 83 minutes of action—Leonard lines up at small forward. In fact, that's his position in six of his eight most-used groupings.

The Spurs are occasionally going small, but that's not their primary strategy. Using the big boys is still the most common decision.

Out West, there were most assuredly a few teams that employed the guard-first stratagems. Mark Jackson's Splash Brothers come to mind immediately, as does the Denver Nuggets' tendency to play Andre Miller and Ty Lawson together.

The Houston Rockets loved going small and surrounding Omer Asik with a bevy of shooters, and Eric Bledsoe and Chris Paul were quite difficult to stop at the same time when Vinny Del Negro used a two-point-guard lineup.

What do they have in common? They've all been eliminated from contention for the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

It's telling that the two teams competing for a berth in the 2013 NBA Finals are ones that use big guys first and foremost.

Eastern Conference

It's not so simple in the East.

The Miami Heat are clearly the class of the conference, and they've adopted a smaller lineup. It's one that helped win a championship in 2012, but it doesn't exactly feature gunner guards.

Instead, Miami goes small by having LeBron James play power forward rather than his more natural spot at small forward. James is big and physical enough to handle opposing 4s, and his developing postgame allows him to fill the more traditional big-man role on offense as well.

With Chris Bosh and center and James at power forward, the Heat are undoubtedly using a small lineup quite successfully. However, they've still recognized the necessity to match up against big units.

That's where Chris Andersen enters the picture.

Birdman gives Miami the ability to match up against the big boys because he can capably defend opposing centers while letting Bosh and LeBron slide over a spot to their more natural positions in the lineup. Expect to see this quite often if the Heat have to worry about Roy Hibbert in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Hibbert and David West definitely count as big boys for the Indiana Pacers, and Frank Vogel doesn't really like to go small. This would be different if he had a healthy Danny Granger at his disposal, but that's not the case.

Indiana's primary backup bigs are Ian Mahinmi and Tyler Hansbrough. Usually you see either Hibbert or Mahinmi line up at center, and they're typically joined by West or Hansbrough at power forward.

In fact, the most-used five-man squad without two of the four aforementioned frontcourt players features D.J. Augustin, Gerald Green, Paul George, Jeff Pendergraph and Tyler Hansbrough. During the postseason, that group has played a grand total of eight minutes together.

There's no small ball in Indiana, but that's one of the few exceptions in the Eastern Conference. Even the Brooklyn Nets liked to occasionally go small by having Gerald Wallace play power forward.

The New York Knicks use a similar strategy to the one employed by the Miami Heat. They often shift Carmelo Anthony to the 4 and then bring on an extra backcourt member. Iman Shumpert, for example, tends to play minutes at small forward.

Just as is the case with the Western Conference, there is no hard-and-fast rule in the East. The best team happens to play small ball a lot, but even the Heat rely on the big boys at some point.

As for the Association as a whole, although guards like Stephen Curry, Tony Parker, Deron Williams, Chris Paul and Nate Robinson tend to steal the headlines, the bigs are the ones who have been owning this postseason in particular.

Of the five remaining teams, three rely predominantly on their big men: the Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers. The other two—the Miami Heat and New York Knicks—prefer going small but recognize the necessity of matching up with an opponent's size.

We may often complain about the relative dearth of old-school big men who play with their backs to the basket, but it's still the frontcourt members who are helping teams advance.

The guards can gun threes all they want, but it's the teams with size that are moving on in the march toward a championship.

What Took Chicago Bulls' Playoff Hero Nate Robinson so Long to Find an NBA Home?

Jay Wierenga — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:44:29 -0400

The Chicago Bulls finally saw their season come to an end this week.

They had fought the good fight, but in the end, they just didn't have enough to stretch the defending champion Miami Heat past five games.

For many around the league, that seemed like an improbable feat in itself.

The Heat were supposed to destroy the beat-up Bulls. But one man in particular keyed the spark that led the Bulls to shock the Heat in Game 1.

That man is Nate Robinson.

An Odd Path

Robinson spent his first several years in the league with the New York Knicks.

Known as a fiery, but undersized scoring point guard with the Knicks, Robinson's biggest highlights were three Slam Dunk titles and a fight with J.R. Smith.

Since being dealt by the Knicks in the 2009-10 season, Robinson has bounced around the league between the Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors before signing with the Bulls for the league minimum this offseason.

So why did it take him that long to find a home?

The biggest culprit is that he is drastically undersized. Even though he is very solidly built, he is only 5'9".

On most nights, he is between four and seven inches shorter than his opponent. His strength generally could help him and so could his leaping ability, but Robinson has never been overly interested in that end of the court.

His offensive game is, in a word, explosive. He can score from deep and has the quickness to get to the rim. His range is genuinely unlimited, and he can pretty much get his shot off against anyone.

But another knock on him is that he can be overly emotional, which can rub some coaches and general managers the wrong way.

Additionally, he is very inconsistent with his shot selection, often taking ill-advised shots regardless of the shot clock or the situation.

He has a fighter's mentality and likes to take heat-check triples.

In the right situation and with the right team, he can be a great weapon. But if he isn't used properly, he can blow up your team.

Where Is He Headed?

It's tough to say what exactly Robinson's value and role will be next year.

When he went off in Game 1, it appeared that he may have played himself right out of the Bulls' price range.

But he essentially ran out of gas later on and may have hurt his free-agent value.

It is safe to say that he has found a home with Chicago if the Bulls can meet his contract demands. This may prove tough since the Bulls have quite a bit of money already committed to next season.

He also will have some competition as far as undersized scoring point guards in free agency. Will Bynum and Jarrett Jack are each players who will be competing with Robinson for these jobs.

It really depends on what the market dictates. It isn't outside of the realm of possibilities for Robinson to command a three-year deal in the neighborhood of $4 million per season.

It also isn't impossible to imagine the Bulls re-signing Robinson for closer to $3 million per year.

Either way, it looks like Robinson is likely heading for a decent pay raise.

Bryan Caraway Accused of Elbowing Cat Zingano in Head at TUF 17 Finale

Sean Smith — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:05:34 -0400

Bryan Caraway has become the primary target of MMA vitriol since receiving the UFC 159 Submission of the Night bonus that had originally been reserved for Pat Healy. After testing positive for marijuana, Healy had the award stripped from him and his victory over Jim Miller overturned.

In an interview with MMAJunkie.com, after learning he would be getting $65,000 in the mail, Caraway was not about to apologize for accepting the money and took a strong stance against the use of marijuana. Then, on Friday, Caraway had multiple character-damaging accusations hurled at him.

First, Bellator MMA veteran Michelle Ould called Caraway a performance-enhancing drug distributor.

Caraway responded quickly, denying Ould's claims, but it's unlikely this is the last we'll hear about this.

In another serious allegation, women's bantamweight title contender Cat Zingano told Bloody Elbow that Caraway elbowed her in the head at the TUF 17 finale weigh-ins. Zingano went on to knock out Caraway's girlfriend, former Strikeforce champion, Miesha Tate, the following evening.

(Caraway) smiled back in my face then elbowed me in the head at weigh-ins. I was pissed. I considered him in that same respect. I am a fighter all the same, but that was dirty and cheap to do to anyone, let alone a girl.

(Caraway and Tate) were both in on it, which makes it even more disturbing. If my husband or son ever pulled something like that, I would be their biggest problem. I won't be bullied nor condone it.

Caraway has not responded to Zingano's comments, but this is not his first confrontation with a female fighter. In March 2012, the UFC bantamweight called eventual women's 135-pound champion Ronda Rousey an unintelligent bimbo who needed to know her place.

With all of the bad publicity surrounding him right now, Caraway would probably be wise to take his unexpected bonus money and go on a long vacation far away from the reach of the MMA media.

Maradona: What If “El Diego” Had Never Had a Substance Abuse Problem?

Jerrad Peters — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:02:54 -0400

Earlier this week, Diego Maradona arrived in Buenos Aires to meet his son for the first time.

Diego Fernando had been born in February to Veronica Ojeda—Maradona’s ex-girlfriend—and on Tuesday the former Argentina international flew into the capitol from his home in Dubai, accompanied by current girlfriend Rocio Oliva, a 22-year-old River Plate ladies player.

Upon deplaning, all hell broke loose.

Ill-tempered and—according to one report—drunk, Maradona hurled a torrent of insults at the journalists surrounding him before being whisked off into the Buenos Aires night. (The Sun)

But it wasn’t over yet.

On the way to affluent Ezeiza in the southwest part of the city, the football icon and World Cup winner ordered his driver to stop the car, got out and confronted the paparazzi following him.

“Maradona made the car stop, got out with a Havana cigar in his hand, took some stones from the edge of the highway and started throwing them at reporters’ cars,” a paparazzo told radio station La Red. (Reuters)

It was later alleged that he had also started a row with a fellow passenger who had offered him an assortment of dietary supplements.

Contacted by The Sun on Thursday, Maradona’s spokesman had only this fragile explanation to offer: “Diego is experiencing some personal problems at the moment and I hope he will soon be able to resolve them in a favourable way.”

Substance abuse

In Barcelona, my relationship with drugs began. I have to admit that that’s when I got going and in the worst possible way: When you go into it, in fact you’re wanting to say “no” and end up hearing yourself say “yes.” Because you believe you’re going to control it, you’re going to be okay...and then it gets more complicated. –Diego Maradona, in his 2000 autobiography, “El Diego”

Maradona’s history of substance abuse is long, and he has never made a secret of his struggles with cocaine and alcohol.

He began using cocaine during the 1983-84 season—his second at Camp Nou—and his addiction continued through the rest of his playing career and well into retirement. It is thought, although he denies it, that he was sold by Barcelona because of his cocaine problem, and in 1991 his illustrious spell at Napoli came to an abrupt conclusion following a failed drug test.

Maradona insists he would never have even been tested had his Argentina side not knocked Italy out of the 1990 World Cup at Napoli’s San Paolo—that there was a vendetta against him that eventually infected the corridors of FIFA. And while his argument has some substance despite its paranoia, he was always playing with fire.

Wherever football took him, from Barcelona to Napoli to the 1994 World Cup, the ending was always predictable—a cocaine-laced exit followed by acrimony and accusations. And yet, through it all, he played some of the most beautiful football in the history of the sport.

So great were his exploits on the field that they overshadowed, and continue to overshadow, his exploits off it.

And that’s saying something.

Man of the people

I am the voice of the voiceless, the representative of the people. I’m one of them, no different. It’s just that I get microphones shoved in my face, and I get the chance to speak for them. No one’s given those people a chance in their whole f***ing lives. Let’s see if we can get this point across once and for all: I am El Diego. –Diego Maradona, “El Diego”

But what if Maradona had never taken the first sniff, the first puff, the first sip? What if, like many of today’s modern, health-obsessed athletes, he had stayed clear of harmful substances, at least during his playing career?

Would he have been a better footballer?

Probably not.

Although he admits cocaine “discourages” and “dulls” and “is of no use to football” (El Diego), the stuff he delivered on the field of play week after week, and on the grandest stages of the sport, was mesmerizing and unforgettable—enough to put him in a stratosphere that only Pele and Lionel Messi inhabit.

In fact—and this is the tragic truth—addictions were part of the Maradona package. Maybe not as much as that left foot or the Hand of God, but a part of him, nonetheless—a noxious fibre in the composition of a character as fascinating as it was talented.

And part of that fascination has always had something to do with the man’s personal demons.

He’s right when he says he is one of the people. He may have wealth and trophies and girlfriends 30 years his junior, but his struggles are so startlingly everyday that it’s hard not to be captivated by it all.

On February 1, 1994, a mob of reporters showed up at Maradona’s country house in Moreno. Incensed, the then-33-year-old responded to the clamour on his doorstep by firing an air rifle into the crowd. Earlier that day he had ended his playing agreement with Newell’s Old Boys.

Later, in describing the episode, he would write: “It’s not relevant to my football story—none of my private life should be.”

Follow @jerradpeters

Dwyane Wade Accepts Senior's YouTube Invitation to Prom While Heat Await ECF

Grant Hughes — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:44:39 -0400

Dwyane Wade accepted the YouTube prom invitation of a local high school senior during the Miami Heat's break between playoff series, proving once and for all that the Heat are in full-on "coast mode" as they cruise through the 2013 NBA playoffs.

According to WSVN TV in Miami, Nicole Muxo cooked up a video request to the Heat shooting guard after she struck out in her attempt to get Wade to accompany her to a homecoming dance earlier in the year.

Here's the clip, in all its glory:

Sure, it's a little corny, and the jokes (if they're actually jokes) fall flat. But the girl's in high school, not getting her masters in film from USC. What do you expect?

Anyway, her persistence and willingness to embarrass herself paid off in a big way, as D-Wade actually showed up to surprise her at the big dance. He relayed the news via his Instagram account:

Wade earned major "good guy" points for the effort, but he somehow hasn't caught any flack yet for taking time out of his postseason schedule to attend high school dances.

It'd be one thing if Miami was actually engaged in a series at the moment, but since the team is sitting around and waiting, Wade's extracurricular activities are really no big deal.

And who knows, maybe one of the new dances the kids are doing these days actually functions as physical therapy for Wade's bad knee.

What's really impressive about this whole thing is that a simple YouTube request got the job done.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to travel back in time to my high school days, invent YouTube and make a prom request to Britney Spears. Apparently, the odds of success are pretty good.

5 Keys for the Red Wings to Win Game 2

Garrett Kolodziej — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:37:46 -0400

On Wednesday night, the Detroit Red Wings began their Western Conference semifinal series with their longtime rival and Original Six companion Chicago Blackhawks.

Coming into this series, it was likely improbable that the Red Wings would squeak out the series win against the Hawks. Their play against the Ducks in the previous round was encouraging, but Anaheim's top players have a different skill set compared to Chicago's tenacious tandem.

The Chicago Blackhawks were the best team in the League this year. Chicago started their abbreviated season with a 21-0-3 record, setting a new NHL record. It took the Hawks 25 games to lose their first game of the season, and they actually had a small slump thereafter.

All of the regular-season dominance by the Hawks was irrelevant now. Game 1 took place and started out pretty slow.

Damien Brunner tied the game up at one apiece after Marian Hossa buried his fourth goal of the postseason at 9:03 of the first.

From this point on, the Hawks found their game legs and peppered Jimmy Howard all night long. He made incredible saves all night, but the defense made no effort to help him.

The Wings dropped Game 1, 4-1. Game 2 is on Saturday, and the Red Wings are hoping to erase the bad memories from their sluggish series opener.

Here are five things they need to ensure to help tie the series.

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Sidney Crosby: Complete Timeline of the Kid's Amazing 2013 Season

Nicholas Goss — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:29:45 -0400

Sidney Crosby proved why he's the best player in the world with a magnificent hat trick against the Ottawa Senators on Friday in what is the high point of an astonishing season for the Pittsburgh Penguins captain.

Led by a vintage Crosby performance, the Penguins have earned a 2-0 second-round advantage over the Senators as the series shifts north of the border for Sunday's Game 3.

Crosby was able to start the lockout-shortened year fully healthy after missing over 100 games over the last two years because of injuries, and he made up for lost time by having one of the best seasons of his career.

The Kid led the league in scoring for most of the year until a broken jaw ended his regular season with 11 games left to play on the schedule. As he has multiple times in the past, Crosby worked hard to recover from a serious injury and returned to the ice as if he never left.

With its best player back in the lineup and playing at a high level, Pittsburgh is hoping to reach the Stanley Cup final for the first time since the team won its third championship in 2008-09.

Let's look at a complete timeline of Crosby's spectacular 2013 season (as of May 17).

Jan. 25: Crosby Has First Multi-Goal Game in Loss to Winnipeg Jets

Crosby's first multi-goal game of the season came in Winnipeg during a 4-2 loss to the Jets. Pittsburgh was given a 2-0 first-period lead thanks to a spectacular scoring display from its captain, but Winnipeg scored four unanswered goals to earn a confidence-boosting victory in front of the home fans.

March 10: Playmaking Brilliance Lifts Penguins over Islanders

Crosby set a season high with five assists against the New York Islanders on March 10 in a 6-1 victory. It was the fifth five-point game of his career and the second time he recorded five assists in one game.

This performance gave Crosby 75 points in 41 career games versus the Islanders, which is his highest total against any opponent.

Crosby would extend that point total to 84 after Pittsburgh defeated the Islanders in the first round of the playoffs in six games (more on that below).

March 30: Crosby Breaks Jaw, Misses Rest of Regular Season

The low point for Crosby's season was March 30, when a deflected Brooks Orpik shot from the point hit the Penguins center in the face, resulting in a broken jaw and a lot of dental work.

Given his history of head and neck injuries over the last two seasons, there was some concern that Crosby would miss a considerable amount of time.

Eight days after suffering the injury, Crosby spoke to the media about the play. He made his return to the ice on April 15 (per the Penguins).

Crosby's total of regular-season games missed because of upper-body injuries since the start of the 2010-11 season rose to 113 due to his broken jaw.

April 1: Crosby Named NHL's First Star for Month of March

March was a dominant month for the Penguins and Crosby. Pittsburgh went 15-0 to become the first team to go undefeated in a single month (with at least 10 games played), bringing them to within two wins of the NHL record for consecutive victories, which, incidentally, the 1992-93 Penguins own.

Crosby was named the first star of the month with a league-leading 19 assists and 25 points. The Penguins superstar tallied at least one point in 12 of the team's 15 games and was almost impossible to shut down whenever he stepped onto the ice.

May 3-11: Crosby Returns to the Ice, Dominates vs. Islanders in Round 1

After missing 11 regular-season games and Game 1 of the Penguins' first-round series versus the Islanders, Crosby returned to the lineup for Game 2 and scored two goals in a 4-3 loss. To protect his jaw from another injury, No. 87 wore a special helmet (h/t Dana Heinze):

In the crucial Game 5 of the series, Crosby scored one of the best goals of his career to help Pittsburgh earn an important win and a 3-2 series advantage:

The Penguins would go on to win the series in Game 6 with a 4-3 overtime victory at the Nassau Coliseum.

May 9: Crosby Selected as Ted Lindsay Award Finalist

Crosby was named as a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award last week, which is given annually to the most outstanding player in the league. Due to the fact that it's an NHLPA award, the players are responsible for the voting.

The Penguins star should win the award unanimously, since he led the NHL in scoring by a considerable margin with 56 points (15 goals, 41 assists) when he suffered a broken jaw on March 30. When the regular season ended on April 28, Crosby was only four points behind Art Ross Trophy winner Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Crosby was one or two levels above his competition all season, and this was pretty obvious to anyone who watched him play on a daily basis. Even though he only played in 36 regular-season games, Crosby still built one of the most impressive resumes for the Ted Lindsay Award that we have seen in some time:

T-3rd in points with 55
2nd in assists with 41
17 multi-point games
Led Penguins in time on ice (21:06)

May 10: Crosby Selected as Hart Trophy Finalist

Despite missing a quarter of the regular season, Crosby was selected as a finalist for the Hart Trophy, which is awarded annually to the player judged to be the most valuable to his team. The other finalists are New York Islanders star forward John Tavares and Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin.

Even though Crosby was fantastic during the regular season and would have easily won the scoring title if he played all 48 games, he wasn't the most valuable player in the league. The Penguins went 8-4 without their captain in the lineup to finish the regular season and still scored 3.67 goals per game.

Crosby won the award in the 2006-07 season when he tallied a career-high 120 points (36 goals, 84 assists). If he wins, he will become the second Penguins player to win the Hart Trophy more than once (Mario Lemieux won three times, 1987-88, 1992-93 and 1995-96).

Even if No. 87 does not win the Hart, he will still have one MVP award on his 2013 resume:

May 14: Crosby Selected as Finalist for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

Earlier this week, Crosby was named as a finalist for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy along with Minnesota Wild goaltender Josh Harding and Boston Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid.

The Masterton Trophy is given annually to the player who shows exceptional perseverance, dedication to the game and sportsmanship.

Crosby has a strong case for this award because after missing 101 regular-season games over the last two years, he came into the shortened 2013 season healthy and completely dominated the league with 56 points in just 36 games. When he broke his jaw on March 30, Crosby recovered in time to join his team for Game 2 of the first round against the Islanders. He finished the series with nine points in five games.

The Penguins captain's perseverance through several injuries to not only make a return to the ice, but also play at a level far above his competition, has been truly impressive.

May 17: Crosby Makes Team History with Hat Trick in Round 2 vs. Senators

Sidney Crosby dominated the Ottawa Senators in Game 2 of his team's second-round series with a hat trick just 21 minutes into the contest. ESPN's John Buccigross provided an interesting stat involving No. 87 and the greatest Penguins player ever:

His first goal of the game helped him reach the century mark for career postseason points, which also moved him into a tie with former Penguins star Ron Francis for fourth place on the team's all-time playoff scoring list.

Crosby finished the night with three points, and now sits four points behind Kevin Stevens for third place on the Penguins all-time postseason scoring list. It took both Francis and Stevens over 95 games to reach 100 playoff points, but Crosby has reached this level in just 75 games (via ESPN Stats and Info), which makes his accomplishment even more special.

Nicholas Goss is an NHL lead writer at Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter. Nick was a credentialed reporter at the 2011 Stanley Cup final and 2012 NHL playoffs, and he is also a credentialed writer at the 2013 NHL playoffs in Boston.

Ranking Most and Least Efficient NBA Playoff Stars

Adam Fromal — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:23:59 -0400

Every NBA playoff star strives to play efficient basketball, but only a few can actually manage to turn that dream into a reality.

It's easy to jack up shots left and right en route to a sparkling total in the points column. Far more difficult is doing so on just a handful of attempts from the field. And, of course, there's more to efficiency than just scoring.

To look at the efficiency of everyone playing in the postseason—both those still balling and those who have been eliminated—I've developed a rather basic metric called relative offensive efficiency (ROE).

This is by no means a perfect stat, but it provides a nice fundamental overview of how players are performing.

Calculating it involves just a few numbers: individual offensive rating, team offensive rating and usage rate. All you do is subtract the team offensive rating from the individual offensive rating, then multiple the difference by the player's usage rate.

By doing so, you're looking at how many more points per 100 possessions a player scores than the team average, then factoring in how often a player uses those possessions.

Again, it's basic, but it gives a nice glance at the overall efficiency landscape.

Note: For more information on offensive rating and usage rate, check out this primer. All stats used in this article, unless otherwise indicated, are current through Friday, May 17 and come from Basketball-Reference.com.

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UFC on FX 8 Results: Questions Heading into UFC 160 Velasquez vs Bigfoot Silva 2

Trent Reinsmith — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:15:00 -0400

UFC on FX 8 is set to take place on Saturday, May 18 from Santa Catarina. The card will be headlined by a middleweight contest between former UFC champion Vitor Belfort and Strikeforce middleweight kingpin Luke Rockhold.

The full results of the fight card will be updated as they take place:

Vitor Belfort vs. Luke Rockhold

Chris Camozzi vs. Ronaldo Souza

Rafael dos Anjos vs. Evan Dunham

Rafael Natal vs. Joao Zeferino

Hacran Dias vs. Nik Lentz

Mike Rio vs. Francisco Trinaldo

John Cholish vs. Gleison Tibau

Michel Prazeres vs. Paulo Thiago

Yuri Alcantara vs. Iliarde Santos

Roger Hollett vs. Fabio Maldonado

Azamat Gashimov vs. John Lineker

Chris Cariaso vs. Jussier Formiga

Jeremy Larsen vs. Lucas Martins

The UFC will waste no time getting back into the action after UFC on FX 8 wraps up, heading back to Las Vegas, Nev. for the Memorial Day weekend show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. That card, which will take place on May 25, will be headlined by a title fight, as heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez puts his crown on the line against Antonio Silva.

As always, there are some questions surrounding the upcoming card. What are those questions, you ask? Well, read on to find out.

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Pittsburgh vs. Ottawa: Has Senators' Magic Finally Run out Against Penguins?

Carol Schram — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:03:55 -0400

The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Ottawa Senators 4-3 on Friday night to take a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference Semifinal series. As beat writer Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette points out, the Pens have now pinned Ottawa firmly against the ropes:

The Sens struggled through a challenging regular season, where injuries took a serious toll. Two personnel losses were especially tough. Jason Spezza played just five games before suffering a back injury that required surgery, while Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Erik Karlsson was in his 14th game when his Achilles tendon was 70 percent severed by the skate of Matt Cooke.

On the strength of great goaltending from Craig Anderson and better-than-expected play from a cast of young guns straight from the Binghamton farm team, the Senators exceeded expectations by battling to a seventh-place finish in the Eastern Conference, then demolished the Montreal Canadiens in their first-round series.

Ottawa is Canada's last remaining playoff representative, and even Prime Minister Stephen Harper is on the bandwagon:

However, after two games in Pittsburgh, it looks like the clock is about to strike midnight for the Sens. Here's how the series is breaking down.

Special Teams

Pittsburgh took control of Game 1 with its power play, going 2-of-4 while keeping Ottawa off the scoresheet in its five opportunities. In Game 2, things evened out with one power-play goal for each team.

Heading home to Ottawa, the Senators will need to do a near-perfect job of staying out of the box and killing the penalties they do take against Pittsburgh's potent power play.

Goaltending

For the first time in the playoffs, Craig Anderson was chased from his net Friday night after giving up three goals on 21 shots—all to Sidney Crosby. Anderson only surrendered four goals twice in the entire regular season, but in this series, he gave up four in Game 1 and three in 21:15 of Game 2.

Robin Lehner was solid in relief, but since Ottawa can't match Pittsburgh's offensive firepower, it'll have to make up the difference between the pipes if it wants to fight its way back into this series.

Return from Injury

Before Friday's Game 2, Bruce Arthur of the National Post wrote about Erik Karlsson's return from his Achilles injury—impressive, to be sure, but he's not the same player as before he was sidelined.

On Friday, Karlsson appeared to struggle. He was a minus-two on the night, unable to contain Crosby on either of his first two goals. Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada also pointed out that his ice time was dramatically lower than the typical 27-minute range that he'd logged in most of the prior games:

Karlsson's drop-off is sudden. If he has aggravated his Achilles or is suffering from another injury, that will be a big blow to Ottawa's prospects heading into Game 3.

On a brighter note, Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports that Jason Spezza might be ready to return on Sunday:

Coach Paul MacLean told reporters Spezza is continuing to skate in Ottawa and a decision on whether he'll play or not will be made after Sunday's morning skate. This is the first time that MacLean hasn't completely dismissed Spezza's a return.

Spezza had 22 points in 20 games and starred for the Senators when they went to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007. His big-game experience could provide a real boost as Ottawa returns to home ice.

The Senators made a game out of it on Friday but still came up short. Now in an 0-2 hole, things need to change in a hurry if they hope to extend their series.

Do you think the Senators can mount a push against the powerful Penguins, or are we seeing the last chapters of Ottawa's storybook 2012-13 season? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Thanks for reading. Follow me on Twitter for lots more hockey talk.

Follow @pool88

Tony Parker Says San Antonio Spurs Have Unfinished Business in WCF

Daniel O'Brien — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:00:08 -0400

After closing out the Golden State Warriors in six games, the San Antonio Spurs now advance to face the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference finals—where they have unfinished business, according to Tony Parker.

The All-Star point guard hasn't forgotten about last year's disappointing ending in the conference finals, where the Spurs squandered a 2-0 series lead, losing four straight to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Just because Parker, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Co. have a handful of NBA titles on their resume doesn't mean they're any less hungry to climb the ladder once again.

The French floor general reminded reporters that it's been awhile since the Spurs lifted the Larry O'Brien Trophy, and they're itching to do it again:

"Everybody on the team, we all want to go one more time. It's been a long time since 2007." - @tonyparker @spurs #GoSpursGo
— Michael Sandoval (@Michael2Bawel) May 17, 2013

When San Antonio blew its commanding 2-0 lead in the 2012 conference finals, it was a sobering summer for Spurs fans, because they didn't know whether this veteran-laden group could make one more deep postseason run.

Well, Spurs Nation got its wish, because Gregg Popovich's crew is back in the final four of the NBA, just four wins away from returning to the biggest stage in the sport.

Directly in San Antonio's path are Lionel Hollins' Grizzlies, who are sure to make it an ugly, physical and intense series.

Memphis held opponents to 89.3 points per game and played at the slowest pace in the NBA. They will bring their gritty style of play to the AT&T Center Sunday when the series kicks off.

Just because the Spurs aren't as slow or contact-oriented doesn't mean they won't be comfortable with the Grizzlies. San Antonio is a terrific half-court club, with the mental strength and physical toughness to hang with a team like Memphis.

Spurs fans can expect Duncan, Parker and the rest of the squad to deliver as much effort as they've ever given. The dispiriting ending to the 2012 playoffs still leaves a sour taste in their mouths.

For Duncan, a title would mean a fifth ring and a place as one of the all-time greatest post players.

For Parker, a championship would cement his status as the most successful point guard of this era.

For Ginobili, a ring would further his legacy as one of the best bench players in league history.

Lastly, a championship for Popovich would give him the third-most coaching titles of all time.

I'd say there's plenty to play for.

Follow Daniel on Twitter for more NBA playoff coverage: @DanielO_BR

8 NBA Teams with More Long-Term Questions Than Answers

Roy Burton — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Most of the teams that advanced to the second round of the postseason have a pretty decent short-term outlook. Not all are in great shape physically and/or financially, but a good number of them are poised to make another run at a championship next season.

The story is markedly different for the other 22 teams in the NBA, however. Relief is simply not on the horizon for a number of struggling franchises. Just as Rome wasn't built in a day, many teams can't be built (or rebuilt) in a single season.

For some, it will take a little bit of fortune and a healthy amount of patience before the turnaround happens. And even then, much like now, there will still be plenty more questions than there are answers.

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Are Memphis Grizzlies Prepared for the Next Generation of San Antonio Spurs?

Grant Hughes — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:54:58 -0400

The San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies clashed four times during the 2012-13 regular season and faced off in a memorable playoff series in 2011. But what's strange about the upcoming Western Conference Finals is that Marc Gasol and Co. still haven't had a chance to prepare for this version of the Spurs.

And that could prove to be a problem for the Grizzlies.

Memphis—along with every other team in the league—is perfectly acquainted with the Spurs' signature trio of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.

The Grizzlies have run up against them plenty of times, and even knocked them out of the postseason two years ago, but a quick look back at the recent matchups between these teams shows that the past won't be particularly helpful in predicting the future.

That 2011 series between the Spurs and Grizzlies happened at a time when Danny Green was practically the last guy off the bench and Kawhi Leonard hadn't yet entered the NBA at all. And on the other side, Memphis was giving heavy minutes to O.J. Mayo, Sam Young and Shane Battier.

Those were two different teams.

Using more recent history as a guide doesn't help much, either. Three of the four meetings between the Spurs and Grizzlies this year took place before Memphis traded Rudy Gay. And in the lone meeting after that deal, the Spurs played without Leonard, who sat with a bum knee.

That meant San Antonio lacked plays like this:

So, with the fact that these teams are oddly unfamiliar with one another, it's worth looking at the potential challenges the Grizzlies will face against the latest incarnation of the Spurs.

The Problem With Green and Leonard

Here's the thing: You don't really game-plan to stop Green or Leonard. Both players do the vast majority of the offensive damage in transition, on spot-up opportunities or in scattered, offensive-rebound-type situations. Leonard, in particular, has made a habit of finding points with his athleticism and hustle alone.

In other words, San Antonio doesn't exactly run many plays for either of its athletic young wings.

This poses an interesting question for the Grizzlies, whose strengths include a pair of wing defenders in Tony Allen and Tayshaun Prince who excel at making life difficult for scoring swing men.

With Leonard and Green likely to serve as floor-spacers and little else, is it really worth using Allen or Prince's considerable defensive talents on a couple of players who really aren't ever going to attack in one-on-one situations?

Probably not.

In fact, it seems most likely that Allen will square off with Parker, largely in an effort to keep Mike Conley out of foul trouble. But the point is that what Green and Leonard do on offense effectively nullifies one of Memphis' greatest assets: its staunch one-on-one perimeter defense.

What's more, both of the Spurs' young guns bring their own terrific defense to the party.

Green spent the bulk of San Antonio's semifinal series against the Golden State Warriors hounding Stephen Curry all over the floor. Fans everywhere took notice of how phenomenal Green was at defending the hottest shooter on the planet.

And recently, folks also seem to be coming around to Leonard's fantastic defensive versatility. As Sports Illustrated's Rob Mahoney noted, Leonard's ability to cover huge swaths of the court and defend anyone from point guards to power forwards has given the Spurs a frightening new small-ball option.

For evidence of that, we need only to look at the final minutes of San Antonio's series-clinching win against the Warriors, in which Gregg Popovich actually benched Duncan and slid Leonard to the 4.

Sorry, Memphis. This year's Spurs have a pair of defenders in Green and Leonard that are every bit as good as Allen and Prince. But San Antonio's duo also poses a much bigger threat on the offensive end. Remember, Green shot nearly 43 percent from long range in the regular season, while Leonard hit a solid 37 percent of his triples.

The Grizzlies would kill for that kind of perimeter shooting from its starting wings.

If any team is capable of making adjustments on the fly—especially on defense—it's the Grizzlies. They've still got the best defensive player in the league in Gasol and a regular-season resume that features the NBA's second-best defensive rating.

As we head into what's sure to be a very competitive series, it's critical to remember that these aren't the same old Spurs. Duncan, Parker and Ginobili are still the focal points of the team, but now there are a pair of dynamic young additions whom the Grizzlies can't afford to overlook.

*Stats via NBA.com and ESPN.com unless otherwise indicated.

Roger Federer: 2013 French Open Win Could Be Crowning Achievement in Career

Van Sias — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:54:27 -0400

It's hard to choose a standout accomplishment in the legendary playing career of Swiss superstar Roger Federer—whether it's capturing the most Grand Slam singles titles, sitting atop the rankings for more than 300 weeks or the multiple double-digit winning streaks.

But if he were to channel the good form he's shown at this week's Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome—an ATP Masters Series 1000 event—into a title-winning run at the upcoming French Open, that would have to be a contender for his most impressive feat.

Over the past three seasons, Federer's younger rivals have been building on their own Hall of Fame credentials: In 2010, Rafael Nadal won three of the four Majors, and a year later, Novak Djokovic accomplished the same task with a Federer-like season.

2012 saw more parity return to the game, at least for the "Big Four" of the ATP, and Federer managed to win his seventh Wimbledon title—his record-extending 17th overall Grand Slam crown. He also made a return to No. 1, when it appeared Djokovic would never let go, proving he can never be counted out.

Entering this season, Federer decided to play a reduced schedule to save himself for the biggest tournaments, a move that could be argued hasn't gone exactly to plan. It's nearly the halfway point of the tennis year and Federer has yet to reach a singles final, with somewhat shocking losses to Kei Nishikori and Julien Benneteau already suffered.

Routine wins against dangerous players in Rome this week such as Gilles Simon and Jerzy Janowicz bode well for where his game is at right now, though. And there are other factors at work that could contribute to a title-winning effort in Paris, the only Major where he has one title (2009).

For one, Djokovic isn't looking as dominant with losses in his past two tournaments. And world No. 2 Andy Murray—a former French Open semifinalist—is speculating that he might not even make it to Paris.

Of course, there is a near-insurmountable obstacle in the form of Nadal, who has looked as good as ever in his return from injury.

But if Federer—the second-best clay court player of his generation—were to somehow accomplish the impossible-to-defeat Nadal and any other comers on his way to that 18th Slam title, in an event where he's not the clear favorite, it would just add to his amazing feats.

And perhaps it would be the biggest one of them all.

Charlotte Bobcats Reportedly Begin Process of Changing Nickname Back to Hornets

Alex Ballentine — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:53:05 -0400

Charlotte Bobcats fans can rejoice—it appears that the Hornets moniker is on its way back to North Carolina.

According to a report from CBS, the Bobcats have started the process to have the team name changed back to the Charlotte Hornets. Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer reported on Tuesday that NBA commissioner-to-be Adam Silver informed the team that the name change would take at least 18 months to implement if the request was made.

Now, it appears that the process will indeed be put in motion.

The original NBA franchise in Charlotte was known as the Hornets from 1988 until 2002, when the team was moved to New Orleans. Those Hornets officially changed their team name to the Pelicans this season, making the old Hornets name available once again.

Team owner Michael Jordan announced via NBA.com that the team had surveyed the locals in regard to the return of the original mascot and described the fan reaction as "mixed." Several groups of fans from around the city have been publicly campaigning for the name change.

As Silver pointed out to The Charlotte Observer, the move isn't just about fan opinion—although that definitely factors into it. The team must make sure that it is the right move financially, as it would have to invest millions in rebranding uniforms, logos and signage.

The Bobcats finished the 2012-13 season with the second-worst record in the NBA at just 21-61. At least a switch back to the team's former name could get fans excited about turning the franchise around.

Triple Crown Winners: Power Ranking Horse Racing's Elite

Steve Silverman — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:52:39 -0400

Horse racing may no longer have the command over the sporting world that it did in previous generations, but the allure of the Triple Crown keeps sports fans coming back to the sport.

There is a magic that goes with the sport's three jewels. Even casual racing fans want nothing more than to see a horse that can command victories in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes.

The Triple Crown has been won just 11 times in horse racing history, and no horse has pulled off the feat since Affirmed did it in 1978.

Training and riding methods have improved with each generation, and the tendency to rank the modern horses higher than the older ones is logical. However, we don't ignore the great horses of the past.

Here's our ranking of the 11 Triple Crown winners.

Additional historical perspective is provided by Washington Post horse racing columnist Andrew Beyer.

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6 Players MLB Teams Regret Not Re-Signing This Offseason

Jason Martinez — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:47:14 -0400

It’s not too early for a team to have buyer’s remorse after spending good money on a free agent who has yet to produce. I’m looking at you, Josh Hamilton, Melky Cabrera, B.J. Upton and Jeff Keppinger.

But how about those players who signed elsewhere and are having big years? Their new team is certainly happy. The team that let them walk as a free agent or was just outbid? Not so much.

Here are six free-agent signees from the past offseason that are making their past employers regret not bringing them back.

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Sidney Crosby's Game 2 Hat Trick Elevates Him to Conn Smythe Contention

Tyler Conway — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:33:31 -0400

Just when Sidney Crosby makes us think he's reached his peak as a player, the Pittsburgh Penguins center has yet another performance to raise our expectations up to unforeseen levels.

Pittsburgh's captain recorded his second career playoff hat trick, leading his team to a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series. The victory gives the Penguins a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, which will resume Sunday back in Ottawa.

From the opening drop of the puck, the folks at CONSOL Energy Center could tell that this was going to be a special night. Crosby's first goal came a mere 3:16 into Friday night's action. Taking a pass at the defensive blue line, Crosby dashed up the left side of the ice, deked Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson so bad he might have to go into Witness Protection and finished with a beautiful wrister to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead.

It was his second you-gotta-see this goal of the playoffs, following his well-covered split of the Islanders defense in Game 5 of that series.

Of course, Crosby wasn't done pounding the Senators defense into submission. He was back on the board a little less than 13 minutes later to answer a Kyle Turris goal, getting a semi-lucky bounce off Ottawa goaltender Craig Anderson to give Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission.

Crosby didn't waste anytime finishing off his hat trick, either. He rocketed a slap shot past Anderson and into the Ottawa goal less than two minutes into the second period, painting the home crowd with a coat of unrepentant glee. The Penguins' Instagram sent out a picture of the Pittsburgh crowd celebrating their star's big night.

Though the remainder of evening was uneventful—relatively speaking—Crosby made history in the first 22 minutes of Friday's contest. As pointed out by John Buccigross of ESPN, Crosby became just the second Penguins player in history to record multiple hat tricks in the postseason and he's just one behind Mario Lemieux club record of three:

The National Post's Bruce Arthur notes how easy Crosby made the quick-strike goal barrage look:

This is a good time to remind you Sidney Crosby is just 25 years old. And that he'll be playing in an innumerable amount of postseason games going forward, barring some catastrophic injury or unforeseen misfortune to the prospering Penguins franchise.

In other words, that record is coming down—probably before Crosby turns 30.

It's almost strange that Crosby has accomplished so much at such a young age. It's almost as if he's run out ways to prove he's the world's best player. The Pittsburgh captain is already become the youngest player in NHL history to captain a Stanley Cup team, won a Hart Trophy and captured a Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy—all of which he did in different seasons.

However, Friday night's ascendant performance could singlehandedly put him in consideration to do one of the select few things he never has—win a Conn Smythe Trophy. Pete Paguaga of The Register Citizen noted that Crosby's recent play has put him in consideration for the trophy already:

Through eight games played—he missed Game 1 of the Islanders series—Crosby has put up 12 points, matching his six goals with as many assists. That currently puts him behind Boston's David Krejci and teammate Evgeni Malkin on the points list for the playoffs, but it stands to reason Crosby will only be getting better as the postseason goes along. He's still recovering from the broken jaw that caused him to miss the final month of the season and still has him wearing a bulky mask on his face.

As Crosby continues to work himself into shape—which he's been doing quite well—the consistency of his outings should only improve.

Of course, we're ridiculously early in this process. Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford has been so good in these playoffs (5-1, 1.27 GAA, .950 SV%) that it's almost blasphemy to mention anyone alongside him at this point. Crawford has seemingly sprouted tentacles during the postseason, swatting away opposing shots like Dikembe Mutombo in a GEICO commercial.

And as we've seen over these past few playoffs, the Penguins aren't a guarantee to go rampaging to the Stanley Cup Finals. Pittsburgh is up on Ottawa 2-0 on the teams' semifinals series and has looked like the far superior team, but both of those contests have been played at the friendly confines of CONSOL Energy Center. And even if the Penguins make slight work of the Senators, there are still, you know, two more series left on the docket before individual awards are even considered.

It's always important for context in these discussions. There's too much time, too many mitigating circumstances to be ascribing sweeping declarations about a playoff run in its infancy.

That being said, Crosby was on a historic pace before going down during the regular season. He had 56 points in only 36 games and was on pace to obliterate everyone in the scoring race—and to likely win the Hart Trophy.

With Friday night's hat trick, Crosby placed himself in the discussion for a bigger, more important trophy—at least for now.

Follow @tylerconway22

Memphis Grizzlies vs. San Antonio Spurs: Western Conference Finals Preview

Zach Buckley — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:54:22 -0400

After 82 games of playoff posturing and a pair of grueling rounds of best-of-seven series, the mighty Western Conference has been whittled down to just two teams.

In one corner stands the proud, proven San Antonio Spurs. An opening-round sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers and a six-game series defeat of the Golden State Warriors has Gregg Popovich's team in the conference's biggest dance for the second straight season and eighth time in the last 15 years.

On the opposite side of the ring (and perhaps the basketball spectrum) lies the Memphis Grizzlies. Their 56 victories during the regular season made them the winningest team in franchise history. And Lionel Hollins' grit-and-grind group carried over that pioneering success into the postseason, as their six-game ouster of the Los Angeles Clippers and five-game dismissal of the Oklahoma City Thunder have pushed this club further into the playoffs than it had ever been before.

It's a small-market battle for the chance to compete for NBA gold, and one that promises to provide elite-level play over the course of the series.

Season Series: Tied 2-2

Playoff Seed: Grizzlies No. 5, Spurs No. 2

Playoff Records: Grizzlies 8-3; Spurs 8-2

Playoff Schedule: Game 1 Sunday, May 19, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC); Game 2 Tuesday, May 21, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN); Game 3 Saturday May 25, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN); Game 4 Monday, May 27, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN); Games 5-7 TBD if necessary

What Everybody's Talking About

Even without direct championship implications in the series, this Spurs-Grizzlies' clash has prize fight written all over it.

"It's not going to be pretty," Tim Duncan said, via Art Garcia of Fox Sports Southwest. "Sorry, it's just not gonna be. It's going to be two teams (that) are going to try to impose their wills on each other."

The Spurs (96.2) and Grizzlies (99.9) are the only two Western Conference with a top-six defensive rating in the postseason, via NBA.com/stats. Considering the powerhouse offenses each team has defeated to get this far (the Clippers, Warriors and Thunder each had a top-six playoff offensive rating), their commitment to the defensive end of the floor has truly been a sight to behold.

That's why Popovich has braced his team for the offensive challenges that now lie ahead.

"I do know (Memphis) had a heck of a year, along with Indiana and Miami, you can argue who is the best defensive team," he said, via Garcia. "They're gritty, talented. (It will) be a heck of a challenge, I know that."

Their four regular-season matchups yielded a total of two 100-plus-point outings, one for each team. And that's with two of the four needing an extra session to determine the outcomes.

What Nobody's Talking About

If you caught that collective groan at the end of the Spurs' series-clinching victory on Thursday night, then you heard all you need to know about the thoughts of broadcasting executives when it comes to this series.

Both the Grizzlies and Spurs have established their position among the league's elites throughout the season. Both teams enjoy rabid fanbases that anxiously await the opening of the AT&T Center and FedEx Forum on game nights.

But that hasn't translated to national appeal for either franchise. The Spurs' team-first approach underrates the star treatment afforded to lesser players on opposing clubs, while the Grizzlies' best could fill an instructional DVD without producing a single highlight.

Neither team saw a single entry in the league's top-15 jersey sales, while the Spurs were the only team in this series to crack the top-10 in merchandise sales sneaking in at the ninth slot, via NBA.com.

At some point, the casual fans will come around and kick themselves for grossly underappreciating San Antonio's dominant era (four titles since 1999). The Spurs have participated in three of the six lowest-rated NBA Finals in league history and produced the least-watched championship battle in 2007 despite LeBron James' finals debut, according to ESPN.com.

Key Matchup: Mike Conley vs. Tony Parker

A microcosm of the series as a whole, the wars soon to be waged at the point guard position will pit the established, decorated veteran against a blossoming, yet unheralded star.

Tony Parker has the decisive edge in hardware (five All-Star selections, three championship rings and an NBA Finals MVP Award, 2007). And the 31-year-old has powered the Spurs through these playoffs, setting postseason team highs in scoring (22.4 points per game) and assists (6.3).

But for the second straight series, Parker will be trying to fend off an up-and-coming floor general.

Despite some trouble finding his shooting form (38.5 percent shooting from the field in the second season), Mike Conley has found his way to 17.6 points while tossing out 7.6 assists a night (against 1.9 turnovers) and swiping 1.6 steals. He's mastered the pick-and-roll sets with Marc Gasol, and kept the rest of his teammates satisfied with their touches.

Truth be told, though, this is just one of many enchanting matchups (Tim Duncan vs. Gasol and Zach Randolph, Manu Ginobili vs. Tony Allen and Kawhi Leonard vs. Tayshaun Prince) that will be well worth your attention.

Don't Forget...

This marks the second postseason meeting between these teams in the last three seasons.

In 2011, Memphis etched its name in the history books with a shocking upset of the San Antonio Spurs. That season, the Grizzlies became just the second No. 8 seed to eliminate a top seed since the league expanded its first-round series to seven games in 2003, according to Sean Highkin of USA Today.

Granted some of the faces have changed since that time.

Just a sophomore, Leonard was still suiting up at San Diego State when that series took place. Tiago Splitter was then just a rookie, largely reduced to mop-up duties. Those two players have produced two of San Antonio's top four win shares ratings (6.2 and 8.2, respectively) during the postseason, via Basketball-Reference.com.

Memphis has added to its own arsenal as well. The Grizzlies added an accomplished veteran to their starting five weeks before the 2013 trade deadline in Prince, then found a pair of steady offensive hands for its second unit in Jerryd Bayless (8.9 points per game in the playoffs) and Quincy Pondexter (6.5).

Prediction: Spurs in 6 Games

Memphis has a way of keeping its opponents far from its comfort zone. It's a grueling exercise, but one made capable by a first-team All-Defensive performer on the perimeter (Allen) and the reigning Defensive Player of the Year manning the middle (Gasol).

The challenge for the Grizzlies, though, lies in identifying the Spurs' top option.

Stopping Parker's penetrations is key, but it can't come at the detriment of exposing the defense to their horde of perimeter threats. Ginobili and Leonard can both create off the dribble, and straying too far away from the paint leaves Duncan and Splitter free to attack in the paint.

Slow the tempo, and the Spurs can ratchet up their defense. Force the issue, and the younger-than-advertised gazelles are more than willing to enter a track meet.

Save for a complete Memphis transformation in style, points will come at a premium in the series. San Antonio's scoring depth will ultimately prove to be the deciding factor.

Atlanta Braves: Grand Slam by Justin Upton Powers Victory over Dodgers

Joe Tansey — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:49:57 -0400

After a brutal 10-game road trip that saw the Atlanta Braves go 4-6 against the Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks, they returned home to Turner Field and finally got back on track with an 8-5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The main talking point going into Friday night was the return of Jason Heyward, but by the time Craig Kimbrel closed the game out in the top of the ninth inning with his 12th save of the season, all everyone wanted to talk about was the grand slam delivered by Justin Upton in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Upton's 14th home run of the season came at a crucial point in the game, as the Braves were down by two runs and starting pitcher Paul Maholm was reaching the end of his start after throwing 95 pitches.

After Upton's shot to left field scored Jordan Schafer, Andrelton Simmons and Heyward, the Braves bullpen got down to business.

The trio of Luis Avilan, Eric O'Flaherty and Kimbrel conceded just two hits, one of which was a home run by Scott Van Slyke in the eighth off of O'Flaherty, as they preserved Maholm's fifth win of the season.

The performance of Avilan was the most important to Braves fans, especially after the news of Jonny Venters' second Tommy John surgery (via Atlanta Journal-Constitution) was delivered yesterday. Avilan will be one of the many Braves relievers who will be asked to fill in for Venters and bridge the gap to O'Flaherty and Kimbrel for the rest of the season.

As for how the returning Heyward performed in first game back, the right fielder went 2-for-4 at the plate, and he delivered an important insurance run in the seventh inning as he brought home Simmons on a RBI single.

With Heyward's activation from the disabled list on Friday, manager Fredi Gonzalez was forced to make a roster move, and he did so by placing right-hander Jordan Walden on the disabled list (via ESPN.com).

By placing Walden on the DL, Gonzalez has given himself more time to demote or release a position player, which should come before the Braves hit the road in a week's time to play the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays.

On Saturday, Mike Minor will take the mound for the Braves against Matt Magill of the Dodgers in the second game of a three-game set in Atlanta.

Follow me on Twitter, @JTansey90.

What We Learned About the Miami Heat from Their Second-Round Playoff Series

Sean Grimm — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:37:56 -0400

The Miami Heat were expected to easily handle what was left of the Chicago Bulls. And for the most part, they did just that, downing the Bulls in a five-game span.

However, that’s not to say drama was nowhere to be found.

The Bulls, despite being undoubtedly the most depleted team in the postseason, managed to grind out a Game 1 victory in Miami, swiping home court away from the defending champions.

And while Miami ended up winning the next four, Chicago’s grit and physical play left many wondering if the Heat, who have now won 45 of their last 48 games, still look as unbeatable as they once did.

Flash Fading?

The biggest storyline that emerged from Miami’s camp over the course of the series was that of Dwyane Wade and his health.

The Heat’s franchise guard is again battling knee issues, this time his right. Last offseason, Wade had surgery on his left knee.

In a series of events eerily similar to last year’s conference semifinals against the Indiana Pacers, Wade’s limitations on the court led many to question if the Heat could win with a damaged Wade.

Miami was cornered, backs against the wall. Indiana held a surprising 2-1 series lead and were looking to go up 3-1 on their home floor.

But Wade had no intentions of giving into his critics, and he instead came out and dropped 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists, leading Miami to a series-evening win over the Pacers.

Neither Miami nor Wade looked back, as the Heat then cruised to win the series in six games.

And just like that, the doubts surrounding the guard once nicknamed “Flash” were out the window.

Getting back to Miami’s past series with Chicago, things on Wade’s front were again looking bleak after he re-aggravated his bruised knee. The Heat's starting shooting guard might as well have been invisible for Games 3 and 4.

After he shot just 3-of-10 en route to an overwhelmingly quiet six points in Game 4, the same doubts heard a year ago were once again discussed in basketball circles everywhere.

However, much like last year, Wade came out and gave everyone reason to believe there was still at least a little bit of Flash left in the tank.

After scoring just 16 total points in Games 3 and 4 combined, Wade chipped in 18 points in the Heat’s series-clinching win over the Bulls, including six pivotal points in the fourth quarter.

One of those buckets carried with it a heavy dose of nostalgia for Heat fans, as Wade burst along the baseline and rose up to slam home a put-back opportunity.

The rest is history, as the Heat would go on to hold off the Bulls in the final seconds and advance to the franchise’s third straight appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The question is, however, can Wade recover for the long haul of this postseason as he did a year ago? The concerns are certainly reasonable, and the question is fair, as the Heat’s 32-year-old guard is dealing with a significant knee issue for the second straight postseason.

And although he’s shown resilience and toughness countless times throughout his career, there will come a point when Father Time will ultimately prevent Wade from bouncing pack and performing at an elite level.

It might not end up being this postseason, but these past two weeks have undoubtedly served as a reminder of where Wade stands in his career.

Role Players Must Be Better

To put it simply, Miami needs more out of its role players, specifically Ray Allen and Shane Battier, if the Heat want to have any shot at repeating as NBA champions.

A lot more.

As a team that has formulated much of its success over the past two years by creating open opportunities from beyond the arc and role players effectively taking advantage of those opportunities, Miami will need their sharp shooters to be more efficient moving forward.

Against the defensive-minded Bulls, Ray Allen shot just 29 percent from three. Shane Battier wasn’t any better, connecting on just eight of his 28 attempts from downtown.

The Heat may have been able to take care of a Bulls team that was without Derrick Rose, Loul Deng and Kirk Hinrich in five games, but there’s little doubt that Miami will need more out of their role players on the offensive end as the conference finals approach, especially with the health of Wade remaining in question.

Both the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks are much better scoring teams than the offensively challenged Bulls.

If Allen and Battier can knock down the open jumpers created for them, the pressure on the rest of the Heat, specifically LeBron James and the ailing Dwyane Wade, decreases significantly.

And if the Bulls looked like a tough defensive team, keep in mind that many consider the Pacers, who are now favored to advance over the Knicks, to be the best defensive team in the league.

Indiana has the perfect mix to at the very least scare the Heat, a perfect combination of size and skill to give the defending champions a run for their money.

The Pacers' Roy Hibbert and David West have given Miami fits in the past, and Paul George, George Hill and D.J. Augustin have the potential to test the Heat's own elite defense.

Norris Cole is the Future

In the midst of an inconsistent and frustrating postseason for Miami’s Mario Chalmers, second-year point guard Norris Cole has proven the Heat have someone to count on at the one position for years to come.

Cole has shown promise since he landed in Miami two summers ago, but we’re now seeing the 6’2’’ point guard mature right before our eyes this postseason.

There’s arguably no one on Miami’s roster, aside from LeBron James, who has played bigger than Cole throughout the first two rounds.

He’s hit big shot after big shot (including eight consecutive three-pointers to start the series against Chicago), and unlike earlier moments in his young career, Cole has shown control and the ability to slow his game down when needed.

And don’t disregard what he can do on the defensive end.

Cole’s maturation is great news for Miami, especially given the current situation surrounding Dwyane Wade.

It’s been stated before, but it can’t be stated enough. If Wade isn’t going to perform at an elite level on a nightly basis for Miami, the Heat will be heavily leaning on their cast of role players to step up and fill in whatever void in offense there may be as a result of Wade’s struggles.

As long as Cole continues to play as he has throughout the first two rounds, and as long as Ray Allen and Shane Battier pick up the pace from beyond the arc, Miami will ultimately be fine.

Follow Sean on Twitter @Sean_Grimm

5 Traits Every Great Golfer Must Possess

James McMahon — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:33:00 -0400

Professional golfers are not, and rarely ever have been, elite athletes in the traditional sense. Early in his career, Jack Nicklaus smoked cigarettes on the golf course for crying out loud.

Seriously, the next time you see Steve Stricker run a 40-yard-dash in 4.5 seconds please let us know. Ditto that on Rory McIlroy dunking a basketball from the free-throw line…or just at all for that matter. Instead, it takes a truly special mixture of physical and mental talents to produce a professional golfer and then a commitment to improve those natural abilities to realize a great one.

Certainly the mechanics of the swing have to be there, but there are multiple variations of the science that have succeeded over the years. Rather, the division of good to great, professional golfer to proven champion happens more above the shoulders than below them. The absolute self belief, ability to focus and commitment to winning are just several of the traits required by today’s most successful champion golfers.

Here then, are the top-five attributes we would seek when building the next world-class professional golfer.

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