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Virginia's Class of 2014 Is Loaded; Can UVa and Virginia Tech Keep It in State?

Bryan Manning — Sun, 19 May 2013 02:49:42 -0400

The 2014 class of football recruits in the state of Virginia is arguably the best ever. Led by the No. 1 overall prospect in the country, Da’Shawn Hand of Woodbridge, the state boasts three of the top 10 players overall, according to 247Sports.

Unfortunately for Virginia Tech and Virginia, many of the nation’s top schools have noticed the unusually high level of talent in the Old Dominion State.

Mike London’s future at Virginia could be dependent on how well he continues to recruit within the state. In a year like 2014, London has an opportunity to stock his talent-deficient roster with several top-rated players. London can offer these players something many of the top schools can’t—the chance to play as true freshmen.

Legendary Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer’s job is not in jeopardy, nor should it be. However, with each passing season he is getting further away from filling that empty trophy case on the school’s campus.

In 2013, the state's top two players, Christian Hackenberg and Jonathan Allen, bolted Virginia for Penn State and Alabama, respectively. In recent years, Michigan, North Carolina and Stanford, in particular, have consistently raided Virginia for top talent. London and Beamer can’t afford to see this happen again.

Derrick Green, the state’s No. 5-ranked player in 2013, signed with Michigan in February and didn’t even have the Hokies or Cavaliers in his final three. The Hokies have long had a tradition of signing the state’s top running backs.

Both schools got an early jump on the Class of 2014. The Cavaliers landed a commitment from 5-star safety Quin Blanding of Virginia Beach, and the Hokies received a commitment from 4-star running back Marshawn Williams of Hampton. The No. 9 player in the state, offensive lineman Steven Moss, also committed to Virginia.

‪Hand, the state’s prized recruit, is a 6’5”, 245-pound defensive end who currently has offers from 39 schools, including the Cavs and Hokies. Hand’s size, athleticism and overall game are reminiscent of 2011’s top high school player, Jadeveon Clowney.

The competition to sign Hand will be fierce. As noted by 247Sports, Hand has said that Michigan, Alabama and a few other schools are "warm," but Hokies’ defensive coordinator Bud Foster is his favorite recruiter.

For whatever it is worth at this point, 247Sports’ Director of Recruiting, J.C. Shurburtt, has the Hokies landing Hand.

While Hand is not seriously considering Virginia, not all is lost for the Cavaliers. The state’s No. 2 ranked player, defensive tackle Andrew Brown of Chesapeake, has the Cavaliers as one of his favorites. 247Sports has Brown as the nation’s No. 4 overall prospect.

If Virginia lands Brown, that would be three of the top 10 players in the state for Cavaliers, giving them arguably their best recruiting class of all time. The 1989 class featuring Terry Kirby and Chris Slade is tough to beat.

With so much premier talent in the state in 2014, do the Hokies and Cavaliers have a legitimate shot at keeping the majority in state?

In the past several years, the state’s top talent often went elsewhere. In 2006, Percy Harvin of Virginia Beach was the top-ranked player in the Commonwealth. Harvin chose to attend the University of Florida. The Hokies or Cavaliers weren’t even in Harvin’s final five.

While the Cavaliers are off to a good start for 2014, will it be enough to save London’s job? In three seasons at Virginia, London has an overall record of 16-21. He has one 8-5 season sandwiched between two 4-8 campaigns.

London needs progress in 2013. He made several coaching changes this offseason, undoubtedly feeling the heat after a miserable 2012. The Cavaliers have struggled to fill Scott Stadium in recent seasons despite some noteworthy opponents. The easiest way to get fans to attend the games is to win. Acquiring the top talent in a talent-rich state is a good place to begin.

The great programs keep the top talent in state. Miami built its program in the 1980s by keeping the top players home. Sure, Alabama doesn’t build its roster with only homegrown talent; however, they rarely let the best players in the state leave.

Texas is perennially one of the top programs in the country. Its spring roster featured just 12 players from the outside the state. Since Mack Brown took over as head coach of the Longhorns in 1998, he made signing the top players in Texas a priority each season. He has competed for national titles and kept Texas in the top 25 for the better part of the last 15 years by prioritizing in-state talent.

So, if London’s job is on the line, what does this mean for Beamer?

Beamer has often resisted change with his offensive coaching staff for years. However, after a mediocre 2012 season in which the Hokies finished 7-6, their worst record in 20 years, Beamer finally made changes to his staff. Was it panic, or did Beamer truly feel it was time for a change? Nonetheless, the timing was interesting.

The Hokies’ current athletic director, Jim Weaver, is set to retire at the end of 2015. Does Beamer feel the pressure to win now before Weaver leaves his post? A new athletic director will likely not feel the same loyalty to Beamer that Weaver does.

Firing Beamer is out of the question—he built the program—but would it be outside the realm of possibility for a new administration to try to force Beamer into an early retirement?

In assessing the last 10 years of recruiting data for Virginia’s top 25 players, Virginia Tech has scored well. The Hokies have averaged signing nine of the top 25 per year. The Cavaliers, on the other hand, have averaged just over five per season.

The “757," aka the Tidewater region of Virginia, is the state’s most fertile recruiting ground, and the Hokies have traditionally fared well there. But since London assumed the reins in Charlottesville, the momentum has shifted a bit.

London and his top recruiter, Chip West, both hail from Hampton and have an excellent reputation with high school coaches in the area.

As the 2013 season gets closer, look for more head coaches, like Nick Saban and Brady Hoke, to make frequent visits to the state. A head coach often stays out of the recruiting process until the end, unless the player possesses elite talent. The state of Virginia has several elite talents in 2014.

Can the Hokies and Cavaliers both sign double-digit numbers of players from within the state in 2014? The Cavaliers look primed to do so. The Hokies, however, are focusing on specific players, such as Hand and defensive end Jalyn Holmes of Virginia Beach.

Over the last several years the Hokies have focused on other states such as North Carolina, Georgia and Florida. With the recent influx of talent on the home front, perhaps they’d be wise to get more involved with the uncommitted players inside their own state in 2014.

2014 could be a make-or-break year for both schools for different reasons. If the Cavaliers can sign a top-10 class, London likely buys himself a few more years at the helm of the Cavaliers. Beamer likely cares chiefly about landing Hand. If he can, it would be the first time in school history the school signed 5-star recruits in successive seasons.

The battle for recruiting supremacy in the state of Virginia will be fun to watch in the next nine months. Sadly for Beamer and London, they will be competing with coaches from across the entire country.

Will the Class of 2014 pay close attention to what was a dreadful 2012 for both schools? If so, Saban will be smiling again next February while London and Beamer ponder what could have been.

2nd-Round Draft Prospects Guaranteed to Interest the Dallas Mavericks

Ross Bentley — Sun, 19 May 2013 02:07:12 -0400

While much of the attention is being focused on what will happen in the NBA lottery, there can be potential value in all 60 picks on draft night.

Just in recent years, Marc Gasol, Gilbert Arenas, Manu Ginobili and Carlos Boozer are among the players picked in the second round of the NBA draft who went on to become All-Stars in their NBA careers.

Last year, the Dallas Mavericks picked up Jae Crowder in the second round, who ended up being a solid rotation player for the club, and Bernard James, who got some playing time at the center position as well.

While this may not be a strong draft class up front, plenty of players who are currently projected not to be first-round picks could end up making a serious impact in the NBA.

The Mavericks need all the help they can get if they want to get back into the playoff mix, and if they play their cards right, they could end up getting a second-round pick who can help their squad.

Here are some potential second-rounders who will be capturing the Mavericks' attention in the next month.

C Jeff Withey

Depending on where you look, Jeff Withey is either projected as a late-first- or early-second-round draft pick, and if he does slip into Round 2, the Mavericks should do whatever they can to bring him in.

The Mavericks are in need of a big man who can make a difference defensively, and that is certainly where Withey could come in.

Withey is a legitimate 7-footer who averaged over eight rebounds and three blocks a game at Kansas last year. He is excellent at protecting the basket and could give the Mavericks a great backup, or even starting, center for years to come if he can develop his offensive game.

PG Myck Kabongo

Myck Kabongo is an under-the-radar point guard prospect who could easily fall into the mid-second round come draft night.

However, Kabongo has shown in his college career that he has the ability when he is on the court to be a serious playmaker.

Kabongo is an excellent passer and is extremely quick in the open floor, and he also operates very well in the pick-and-roll.

Kabongo isn't a good shooter and still needs to get much stronger defensively, which is why he will slip to the second round. However, if the Mavericks can bring him in and slowly build him into the rotation, he could end up being a huge bargain.

SF Adonis Thomas

Adonis Thomas out of Memphis is a player who could be exactly what the Mavericks are looking for late in the draft.

Thomas is a work-in-progress on the offensive end, but the former Memphis standout is an extremely tough and gritty player who can end up being a bruiser defensively.

Thomas can use his athleticism to rebound the ball effectively at the pro level, and he could be a player who develops into a stopper if he can work on his perimeter game.

The Mavericks already have a player similar to Thomas on their roster in Jae Crowder, but if Dallas decides to part ways with Crowder via a trade in the offseason, it would be nice to have Thomas there to take on that role.

PG Nate Wolters

Nate Wolters may end up being limited on the defensive end and needs to bulk up and improve his quickness if he wants to make it in the NBA.

However, one thing is for sure, Wolters can flat-out score the basketball.

Wolters can shoot from distance, get into the lane, hit free throws, and he also has the ability to get his teammates involved in the game.

He has a great presence on the court and a high basketball IQ. It would be smart for the Mavericks to at least consider Wolters if he is still on the board when Dallas picks in the second round.

C Dewayne Dedmon

If Dallas still finds itself without a big man in the second round, it may want to look into USC big man Dewayne Dedmon.

Dedmon without a doubt had a disappointing college career. He never made the impact that many believed he would in SoCal and has big strides ahead of him if he wants to make it in the NBA.

Still, Dedmon has serious potential, especially on the defensive end. Considering that he didn't even pick up basketball until age 18, Dedmon has come a long way and should only continue to improve.

Make no mistake, Dedmon is a project, but with his shot-blocking ability to go along with his athleticism, he could be worth taking a flyer on in the second round.

SG Vander Blue

Anyone who watched Marquette's run to the Elite Eight in last year's NCAA tournament can tell you: Vander Blue can straight-up play.

Blue's jump shot may be unconventional, he needs to improve his ball-handling, and his basketball IQ simply must get better.

However, Blue is a playmaker, and even though his jumper is a bit unconventional, it is still highly effective. He can create for himself off the dribble and hit the jumper, or get to the rim. Defensively, Blue's quickness and athleticism should make him a good NBA defender.

The Mavericks took a chance last year in the middle of the second round on a Marquette player who was undervalued, and they may be smart to do the same this year with Vander Blue.

JR Smith Says He Wants to Retire with New York Knicks After Playoff Exit

Grant Hughes — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:51:06 -0400

Well, nobody ever accused J.R. Smith of lacking confidence.

Shot selection? Sure. General judgment skills? Absolutely. But confidence? No, sir.

Fresh off of a truly abysmal performance in the New York Knicks' Eastern Conference semifinal defeat to the Indiana Pacers, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year told reporters that he'd kind of like to stick around the Big Apple for a while:

Well of course he does. New York does have excellent nightlife.

Smith will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, so he'll have a few options. But with the way he finished out his playoff run with the Knicks, it's hard to imagine that his employer is as jazzed about his potential return (and apparent desire to stay put for a long time) as he seems to be.

I mean, he didn't exactly leave the best impression in his final games this year:

The Knicks certainly aren't laughing about Smith's horrendous offensive showing against the Pacers, but that doesn't mean the rest of us have to clam up. After all, making jokes at the expense of others is sort of what Twitter is for, isn't it?

Seriously, though, the Knicks are really going to have to figure out whether Smith's production is worth the headache of his inconsistency. When Smith catches fire, he's capable of taking over games. But as an overall asset, he's basically a one-dimensional scorer who gets his points in an extremely inefficient way. Just try to guess which game this tweet came from:

It's tough, right? Really, it could have been from almost any contest that involved Smith. Horrible shooting performances are that common for him. Worse still, he almost never stops shooting, no matter how cold he gets. Knicks coach Mike Woodson has to sit him down in order for there to be a cease fire.

Maybe Smith will be back with the Knicks. If he is, it'll signal that New York hasn't yet realized that low-percentage, high-volume offensive players were part of the problem with the team this year.

It's cool that Smith is professing his loyalty after a loss, but it's hard to imagine that the Knicks are feeling the same love right now.

Mosley vs. Cano: Sugar Shane Should Call It Quits After Ending Losing Streak

Tyler Brooke — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:43:28 -0400

After being winless for the past four years, Shane Mosley was finally able to end the streak on Saturday night against Cesar Cano.

After such a difficult stretch of fights, Sugar Shane needs to finally retire and end his career on somewhat of a high note.

At 41 years old, his best boxing years are certainly behind him. He has a respectable career record of 47-8-1 with 39 knockouts, but the recent winless streak put a blemish on a successful career. If he continues trying to fight, that record will continue to look worse and worse.

Even in the fight against Cano, who is a relatively average fighter, Mosley had his struggles. Even though he was able to win this fight by unanimous decision, there were times in the fight where Mosley seemed to be staggered.

According to a report by ESPN.com before the fight, Mosley believed he lost before due to injuries, saying:

"The last few fights I lost because of injuries, but I'm well," said the 41-year-old Mosley (46-8-1, 39 KOs) after the weigh-in. "My body tells me I'm well, so we are still going to be doing this for a while. Cano is a tough fighter, but I shouldn't have any problems beating him and being on my way to win a world title."

If Mosley is now having trouble with mediocre competition, how can he expect to continue fighting at a high level like he used to?

Back in the day, Sugar Shane was one of the best fighters in the world. He held titles in three weight divisions, holding the IBF Lightweight, WBC Welterweight, WBA Welterweight and several other Championships. He started his career with 38 consecutive wins before falling to Vernon Forrest in 2002. He has two big wins in his career against the great Oscar De La Hoya.

Now, it’s pretty clear that Sugar Shane can’t keep up with the competition. He's lost unanimous decisions to both Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. since 2010, and it’s pretty obvious that he’s unable to pull off an upset against any solid fighter at this point in his career.

Coming out of retirement for a fight is nice, but now Mosley has the opportunity to end his career officially with a win. Not every fighter can say that, and it would do a lot to keep a positive reputation on one of the better fighters of this generation.

It’s been a great career for Mosley, but now it’s finally time to hang up the gloves for good.

NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race 2013: Winners and Losers in Charlotte

Joe Menzer — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:33:46 -0400

It rained, but it didn't pour on the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The night started with an, uh, interesting National Anthem. It ended with another runaway victory by Jimmie Johnson—the man they call Five Time, who became the first four-time champion in the history of the event. In between, there was a 45-minute rain delay and a reasonable if not overwhelming amount of action.

There were subplots all over the place: boyfriend battling girlfriend; brother fending off brother (Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch each won two of the first four segments before surrendering the fifth that was worth $1 million to Johnson); and a new format that seemed at times to confuse everyone trying to explain it on television.

As with most All-Star Races, there was good to go along with the bad, and vice versa.

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Is It Time for New York Knicks to Start Over?

Daniel O'Brien — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:30:35 -0400

After falling to the Indiana Pacers four games to two in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, it's clear that the New York Knicks lacked the firepower and the wherewithal to make a championship run this spring.

A mountain of pressure was put on Carmelo Anthony to carry the club, especially in this physical second-round series. He gave it his best effort, but it fell short, and he didn't get enough help.

Indiana exposed New York on many levels, chief among them being an overreliance on the jump shot and an inability to handle a paint-oriented opponent that possessed size.

Mike Woodson's veteran guards were overmatched, his energy post players Tyson Chandler and Kenyon Martin were too one-dimensional, and the isolation-based play of 'Melo and J.R. Smith was often detrimental.

Entering this offseason, the Knicks must take a good, hard look in the mirror and ask whether the team as its currently comprised can challenge for a title in the near future.

Changes definitely need to be made, but how much and at what positions?

Chief among the dilemmas is whether to keep J.R. Smith long term, and whether to hang on to many of the veteran role players.

He put together a brilliant regular season to help the Knicks earn the No. 2 seed; however, his incredibly inefficient shooting ruined New York's chances to advance past Indiana.

Signing the veteran reserve to a few more years would likely cost more than they're paying him now, and I don't know if the New York brass is ready to commit to a volume scorer who's quite one-dimensional.

If you're asking me whether keeping him is going to help them win a championship within the next couple seasons, the answer is no.

Smith was an exciting scorer and a handy guy to have around during 'Melo's brief injury absences. However, his style of play is part of the reason New York struggled to topple the underdog Boston Celtics and failed to upend the Pacers.

The decision to let him go is only part of the equation.

There's also the question of what to do about guys like Jason Kidd (signed through 2015), Marcus Camby (signed through 2014) and Pablo Prigioni (restricted free agent in 2013).

Not all of them can stay, and they certainly can't be a major part of the team's future plans. Although Kidd and Prigioni were effective for much of the season, they were exposed in the playoffs and are both miles past their primes.

The main obstacle that makes New York's offseason alterations and potential additions so difficult is the massive percentage of payroll consumed by Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire.

'Melo is obviously going nowhere. Amar'e is the star Knicks fans would love to shed. General manager Glen Grunwald would get rid of Stoudemire in a heartbeat if he could find a good deal for him.

Good luck with that.

Stoudemire is owed more than $45 million over the next two seasons, and since the Knicks already used their amnesty clause on Chauncey Billups in 2011, the only way to unload him is via trade.

That's a tall order, because his bloated salary and injury-plagued past aren't attractive to anyone. Most NBA trades need to match up financially, and it's just not worth it for potential suitors.

Ultimately, New York's front office needs to deliver another offseason of tricky maneuvering in order to make the club better in 2013-14. Can it add an affordable forward like Elton Brand or DeJuan Blair to bolster the roster, or will it come up empty-handed?

Change is necessary, because the current composition of the squad can't lift the Knicks through the East.

Follow Daniel on Twitter for more NBA coverage: @DanielO_BR

Preakness Results: Payout and Belmont Prediction for Oxbow

Tyler Conway — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:25:58 -0400

They always say the biggest upsets come when you least expect it, and that was certainly the case in Saturday's 138th running of the Preakness Stakes.

Oxbow, a 16-1 underdog and widely disregarded horse coming into the Preakness, shocked everyone at Pimlico Race Course by winning the Preakness Saturday. Ridden by the legendary Gary Stevens, the three-year-old colt scampered to a wire-to-wire triumph.

Obviously, that result means a premature end to Kentucky Derby winner Orb's Triple Crown run. Starting at the inside post, Orb struggled to get around the mass of bodies funneling to the inside lane and wound up finishing fourth.

Itsmyluckyday carried a strong ride throughout to come in second while pre-race darling Rosie Napravnik pushed Mylute to a third-place finish down the stretch.

Here is a look at how the rest of the field played out, along with payouts from Saturday's event:

Pos.	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Post	Payout	Purse
1	Oxbow	Gary Stevens	D. Wayne Lukas	6	$32.80, $12.00, $6.80	$620,000
2	Itsmyluckyday	John Velazquez	Eddie Plesa Jr.	9	$7.80, $5.00	$200,000
3	Mylute	Rosie Napravnik	Tom Amoss	5	$5.20	$100,000
4	Orb	Joel Rosario	Shug McGaughey	1		$50,000
5	Goldencents	Kevin Krigger	Doug O'Neill	2		$30,000
6	Departing	Brian Hernandez Jr	Albert M. Stall, Jr	4		$0
7	Will Take Charge	Mike Smith	D. Wayne Lukas	7		$0
8	Govenor Charlie	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert	8		$0
9	Titletown Five	Julien Leparoux	D. Wayne Lukas	3		$0

Results via NBC telecast, payouts via America's Best Racing.

In the grand scheme of things, most of the focus in the coming days will be on Orb. The Derby champion came into Saturday's race as a 5-7 favorite (per Bovada) and many viewed him as the best Triple Crown threat since Big Brown in 2008.

But it was obvious from the opening gate that Orb did not the rocket-fuel-injector second gear he had at Churchill Downs. The horse, jockeyed by Joel Rosario, fought back after being shuffled near the back of the pack, yet that was all he could muster. By the time the stretch run hit, Orb was nowhere to be found as Oxbow held off all comers to stay in front.

Oxbow's ascent was almost unforeseen heading into Saturday's race. His $32.60 payout is one of the greatest in Preakness history, a race that usually bets down the odds due to a relatively small field. And it wasn't a case of luck for Oxbow, either. According to Derby Contenders' Twitter feed, Oxbow was the first wire-to-wire Preakness winner in over three decades:

While all involved will have the next few days to bask in the glow of their win, next month's Belmont Stakes lingers. The Triple Crown capper is often the biggest litmus test in all of horse racing, the type of event that separates great thoroughbreds from the very good.

With the caveat that this is extremely early, here's a quick look at how we think Oxbow will fare at Belmont.

Belmont Prediction

Obviously, we first have to know whether or not Oxbow will be in fine enough form to make the trip up to New York on June 8. Though the three-year-old colt (obviously) showed no signs of wear in Saturday's dominant performance, but the workload for these horses often goes unmentioned. Running three high-profile races in the span of five weeks can take an immeasurable toll on even the most fit of horses.

Many non-Triple Crown-contending owners and trainers will pull their horse out of the Belmont simply as a precautionary measure. These horses make for quite the secondary payday once they're put out to stud, and jeopardizing monetary windfall and health of the thoroughbreds often takes precedent.

That being said, all signs point toward Oxbow being in the field in a few weeks. D. Wayne Lukas spoke to reporters after the race and said Oxbow's owners, Bluegrass Hall LLC, are the type of aggressive folks who would be amenable to allowing their horse to enter the Belmont, per Derby Contenders:

Gary Stevens, the Hall of Fame jockey who came out of retirement recently, seems to share the owners' aggressiveness. As noted by Rick Snider of the Washington Examiner, Stevens was essentially calling all comers to the Belmont Stakes after Saturday's race:

While it's impossible to discount Oxbow, there will definitely be some strategic adjustments needed between the Preakness and Belmont if he wants to have a chance. Oxbow was able to capture the Preakness by starting on a torrid pace ahead of the pack and winning a wire-to-wire thrill ride. There was almost no time in that two-minute run that Oxbow wasn't going all-out.

That won't fly at the Belmont. With a mile-and-a-half track length, the New York-based track is seen as easily the most daunting of the three Triple Crown races. It's a test of the horse's endurance, the jockey's patience and a cavalcade of other factors that go into the sport. Belmont, though rarely carrying high intrigue without a Triple Crown contender, is often the most interesting race for the hardcore fan's perspective.

Can Oxbow navigate those conditions? It seems doubtful. The colt was 16-1 odds coming into the Preakness for a reason. Horse racing by and large is fluke-driven at its core, but to see a mildly regarded thoroughbred take two of the three Triple Crown races is a bit of a stretch.

Plus, Belmont is Orb's home track. Look for the Derby winner to get back on track (pun intended) and Oxbow to take a very respectable show home for his efforts.

Belmont Prediction: Third Place

8 Takeaways from the 2nd Round of the NBA Playoffs

Grant Hughes — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:23:09 -0400

Now that the second round of the 2013 NBA playoffs is in the books, there are four teams left to fight for a ring and twice that many lessons to take away from the semifinal series that just came to a close.

The Indiana Pacers proved that defense counts for an awful lot, especially when there's a dominant big man like Roy Hibbert in the middle. At the same time, Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks learned that it's important to have a backup plan.

Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors announced their arrival but ultimately fell to a better-prepared, more experienced San Antonio Spurs squad. And Scott Brooks is going to have to do some explaining in OKC after the surprisingly fun (you read that right) Memphis Grizzlies mauled the Thunder.

Plus, the Miami Heat showed that even the gutsiest opponent could hardly make them sweat.

There were takeaways aplenty in the second round of the NBA playoffs. You'd better hurry up and absorb them; the conference finals are just around the corner.

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What's Klay Thompson's Ceiling for the Golden State Warriors?

James Pearson — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:00:54 -0400

Klay Thompson has been everything that the Golden State Warriors could have asked for.

He came into the league primarily known as a shooter, but in just two short seasons, he has developed a solid all-around game and turned himself into a complete player.

His stroke is still his trademark, and he can get his shot off as quickly as anyone in the league. Alongside Stephen Curry, in just their first full 82-game season together, they have already earned the name Splash Brothers. They have put their names in the argument as the greatest shooting backcourt of all time.

Thompson's shooting ability led him to joining the All-Rookie first team and earning an invitation to the 2012 USA men's select team. The latter helped because the work he put in over the summer helped as he improved every facet of his game.

His numbers backed up his work. They all went up except for his percentages. This can be expected when anyone averages 11 more minutes attempting four more shots per game.

But it's not just in his numbers.

His defense improved dramatically. So much so that after Brandon Rush went down for the year, Thompson became the Warriors' best perimeter defender.

You can argue that when Andrew Bogut was out due to injuries, Thompson was the best defender on the team.

He was routinely called upon to defend their opponents' best offensive player on a nightly basis. His pick-and-roll defense really stood out. In an article by Chris Palmer of ESPN.com, he points out:

Among all players with at least 200 possessions guarding the pick-and-roll ball handler, Thompson gave up the fewest points per possession, with 0.686. By comparison, All-Defensive team members Tony Allen held pick-and-roll ball handlers to 0.649 points per possession and George to 0.783.

Thompson has put his name among the best defenders in the league. This is the same guy who hit eight of nine three-pointers for 34 points to go with 14 rebounds in Game 1 against the San Antonio Spurs.

Oh yea, he rebounds now too.

After posting 2.4 rebounds a game in his rookie year, he improved that number to 3.7 this year. It helped lead to the Warriors in becoming the third-leading rebounding team in the NBA with 45 per game. Sure, having Bogut and David Lee helped, but Thompson has the ability to develop into a terrific rebounding guard. His 14-rebound game attests to it.

Speaking of getting to the rim, Thompson can do that too.

That is something he should be doing more of. Especially if—and it hurts to think about—Jarrett Jack doesn't re-sign. Even if he does come back, Thompson should be attacking the rim more often. It will open his perimeter game up, and being an 85 percent career free-throw shooter, creating contact is a great way to raise his average.

The problem is he has only gone to the line an average of 1.7 times per game so far in his career, less than one shooting foul per game. Going forward, you would like to see Thompson get more aggressive while avoiding plays like this.

There is good aggressive play, and there is bad aggressive play.

That was a bad aggressive play.

He also tends to disappear at times.

After making 11 of 14 threes in the first two games in the second round of the postseason, Thompson made just two more on six attempts in the remaining four games.

How is that possible?

Thompson has the tools to develop into one of the top shooting guards in the league. He just needs to become more consistent and aggressive.

In Game 5 against the Spurs, Thompson scored the first two points of the game. Good start, but the rest of the final 47 minutes he managed to get just two more points. That is unacceptable.

You can't expect him to make five-plus threes a night, but someone with his talent should not be going 6-of-20 for 14 points in two of the biggest games in Golden State history.

Thompson's ceiling is on an All-Star level. He has the complete package and has no limitations on the basketball court. As he matures as an NBA player and person, he will start taking better shots, attacking more and become the consistent player we all know he can be.

If he continues the growth that he has shown thus far, a long successful career with the Warriors is ahead of him. That is as long as they can afford him. When it is all said and done, his career should include multiple All-Star appearances and three-point titles. It may even include an All-NBA defensive team member and hopefully a championship ring.

Wouldn't that be nice?

Follow @JKPIII

MLS Saturday Wrap

Joe Tansey — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:00:07 -0400

Saturday was quite the exciting day in Major League Soccer with 16 goals scored and six red cards handed out.

The most excitement came from CenturyLink Field in Seattle as the Sounders put on a second consecutive dominant performance in front of their home fans with a win over FC Dallas.

The biggest surprise of the night came from Houston as the Dynamo lost their second consecutive match at home, this time to New England.

Read on for recaps of each and every one of the six matches played in MLS on Saturday.

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Biggest Takeaways from Saturday's NHL Playoff Action

Steve Silverman — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:41:21 -0400

Home domination for the Presidents' Trophy-winning Chicago Blackhawks?

Not any longer.

The seventh-seeded Detroit Red Wings showed they weren't just happy to be there. Instead, they wanted to make their presence felt and win a game on the Blackhawks' home ice.

Not only did Mike Babcock's team accomplish its goal, but Detroit did it in convincing fashion in a 4-1 win.

In the other Western Conference semifinal, the San Jose Sharks showed the Los Angeles Kings they are not going to go away easily, either. They beat the Kings, 2-1, in overtime at the Shark Tank and got back into the series.

Here are the biggest takeaways from Saturday's games.

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12 NFL Players Set for Bounce-Back Seasons

Matt Miller — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:38:45 -0400

The 2012 season was great for some, and not so great for others. That leaves a long list of NFL players looking to hit the rebound during the 2013 campaign. Who tops the list?

Be it through injury, poor schemes or just bad fits on the depth chart, these 12 players found themselves on the outside looking in on elite 2012 seasons. If you're Larry Fitzgerald, this next season brings a chance for a rebirth thanks to a new quarterback, or if you're Darrelle Revis, this is your chance to show the football world that you're still elite post-injury and in a new scheme.

No matter the reason, and they are many, these 12 players are primed for big seasons in 2013.

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Lucas Matthysse: Forget Danny Garcia, Let's Talk a Money Mayweather Showdown

Lyle Fitzsimmons — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:37:51 -0400

Sure is funny how a Saturday night in Jersey can change things.

When the Showtime Championship Boxing card from Boardwalk Hall began a few minutes after 9 p.m. ET, the talking heads on the premium cable network’s in-house set were framing the imminent events as Devon Alexander’s audition for a role as second banana to the sport’s biggest cash cow.

If he impresses against stand-in Lee Purdy, they opined, Floyd Mayweather Jr. would be waiting.

And bless his heart if the IBF champ from St. Louis didn’t go out and do his job, overcome a damaged left hand and make the English challenger’s corner think better of the combat after seven one-sided rounds—a decision that allowed Alexander to improve to 25-1 in nine years as a quality pro.

Problem is…the rest of the night didn’t go exactly according to the Alexander script.

Rather than simply titillating against 140-pound title claimant Lamont Peterson in what many saw as a slam dunk 2013 fight of the year, Argentine import Lucas Matthysse put on a performance that stretches his career arc light years beyond such short-sighted baubles.

And while the immediate aftermath of the three-knockdown blitzkrieg merely prompted Showtime toward repeated camera shots of prospective next opponent Danny Garcia at ringside, it says here that the South American’s itinerary ought to include pursuit of a much more lucrative quarry this summer.

Yes, Argentina…Lucas Matthysse is ready for his “Money” shot.

Now 34-2 in his own nine-year pro career, Matthysse shook off a strategically daunting first round and ultimately knocked a fleet-footed Peterson silly with a looping left hook late in the second. Only an inconveniently timed bell kept “The Machine” from finishing the job instantly, but he was undeterred come the third, scored two more knockdowns and forced a Steve Smoger stoppage at 2:14.

It was abrupt. It was decisive. It was violent.

And if you’re among those who pine for a challenger to spring from the weeds to push Mayweather beyond a $40 million sparring session, it was not a moment too soon.

In fact, with a speculated Floyd showdown against junior middle hotshot Canelo Alvarez best left to simmer until Cinco de Mayo 2014—and without another visible foe worthy of $70 fan outlay—the second fight in Mayweather’s six-fight contract could have shaped up as a late-summer pay-per-view train wreck.

But thanks to Matthysse, it has the chance to be a true September sizzler.

And with all due respect to the likable Garcia—who outlasted vet Zab Judah in an entertaining scrap just three weeks ago—the look on his face after witnessing Matthysse’s in-ring destruction of Peterson said all that was needed about what would happen should he and Matthysse ever actually meet.

Danny would try hard. His father would talk a lot. Someone would bleed.

And eventually, the preposterously hittable Philadelphian would wind up unconscious.

By skipping that interim step, the suits at Showtime and Golden Boy can spend the next four months properly building up Matthysse—whom Showtime blow-by-blow man Mauro Ranallo accurately said had “served notice that he is one of the biggest forces in boxing”—as a real threat to the Mayweather empire.

As much fun as the Garcia-Matthysse press conferences would be, the blather reaches another stratosphere with the addition of Floyd Sr. and Roger. And as compelling as a brawl for 140-pound dominance might be for as long as it lasted, imagine the Argentine’s irresistible force when contrasted with the shoulder roll that’s dominated the sport since the 1990s.

Call it puncher vs. stylist. Call it bull vs. matador. Call it offense vs. defense.

Regardless of how it’s labeled…coming out of Saturday night, it’s the only match worth making.

UFC on FX 8 Full Fight Video Highlights, Including Belfort's KO of Rockhold

Trent Reinsmith — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:35:37 -0400

In the days leading up to UFC on FX 8, Vitor Belfort said at a press conference (h/t MMA Weekly), “TRT doesn’t win fights.”

We could argue that point for days and I’m sure that in some circles that debate will take place. What you can’t argue is that the type of kick that Vitor Belfort delivered on Saturday night does end fights, and it ends them quickly and effectively.

Belfort is known for his devastating first-round knockouts, most of which have come via his quick and heavy hands. On Saturday night he ended his second consecutive fight with a kick, using a spinning heel kick to put Luke Rockhold down and out at the 2:32 mark of the first round. Sure, some ground strikes followed that kick, but it’s doubtful those strikes were necessary. Rockhold was not getting off the mat after the kick landed.

In his previous bout Belfort dispatched Michael Bisping with a head kick. Both knockout kicks were enough to justify the UFC writing “Knockout of the Night” bonus checks in Belfort’s name.

Following the fight, Belfort said, during in his in-cage interview, “I’m stronger than ever. I appreciate all the love from the fans.” Belfort then went on to thank the team he trains with, The Blackzilians.

As for Rockhold, the dejected former Strikeforce middleweight champion said after the fight, “I take my hat off, he landed a spinning heel kick to my head. I didn’t see that coming. What can I say, he caught me with a spinning heel kick to the head, kudos to him.”

The win will, at the very least, put Belfort in the discussion for the next shot at the UFC middleweight title.

The Good, Bad and Strange from UFC on FX 8

Duane Finley — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:30:46 -0400

Brazilians love their mixed martial arts and vicious knockouts. At UFC on FX 8, they got both.

The country largely recognized as the homeland of the sport has produced a passionate and educated fanbase who always turn out when fisticuffs are on the menu. The raucous crowd helps to create one of the most unique "fighting environments" in all of combat sports as they keep the energy levels high from the opening bout until the lights go out in the arena.

All the Brazilian MMA faithful want to see is beautiful violence, and they were treated to their fare share Saturday night in Jaragua do Sul.

The sport's most successful promotion made its first visit to Jaragua, Brazil, with a card anchored by a high-profile tilt between middleweight contenders Luke Rockhold and Brazilian superstar Vitor Belfort.

While the event was largely overlooked in the MMA community—save for the main event and co-main event between Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza and Chris Camozzi—this didn't stop the fighters on the bill from getting down to serious business inside the cage.

The action came fast and furious at Arena Jaragua. From the lightweight ruckus displayed between Lucas Martins and Jeremy Larsen in the opening bout to a blistering spinning heel-kick knockout scored by Vitor Belfort in the main event, UFC on FX 8 certainly had high points..

That being said, there were certainly a few awkward and unsavory moments to go along with all of the face-punching goodness from Saturday night.

Here is a look at the good, bad and strange from UFC on FX 8:

The Good

Belfort is an absolute wrecking ball. Over the past 16 years, "The Phenom" has proven to be one of the best fighters in mixed martial arts. But in 2013, the 36-year-old has elevated his game to become an a monster in the middleweight division.

The former light heavyweight champion kicked off the year by starching Michael Bisping at UFC on FX 7 in January, then one-upped himself by scoring an early candidate for "Knockout of the Year" by flattening Luke Rockhold with a spinning back kick in the first round of their main event bout at UFC on FX 8.

The biggest question is what comes next for Belfort? With devastating wins over Bisping and Rockhold, another title shot should be in short order for the Brazilian knockout machine. Nevertheless, in his post-fight interview with Jon Anik, Belfort shrugged off the suggestion of him stepping in for another crack at UFC gold, which will leave a limited number of options for his next step.

With Belfort's hesitation to jump into the title picture, a great option for his next challenge could very well be the owner of the event's most impressive showing—Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza.

The Brazilian grappling machine once again proved he's an absolute nightmare when the action hits the canvas as he left surging middleweight Chris Camozzi sleeping on the cavnas. Certainly, there is some slack to be given for the Colorado native—having stepped up to take the fight on short notice—but from the onset of the fight, it was all Souza.

Once the submission ace pulled Camozzi into his world, the clock on the TUF alum's fate began to tick. After a bit of ground-and-pound, Souza locked in a fight-ending arm-triangle choke, and that left Camozzi unconscious.

The victory was certainly an impressive Octagon debut for the former Strikeforce champion, and his performance put the rest of the middleweight division on notice. In his post-fight interview with Anik during the FX broadcast, Souza asked for the winner of Belfort versus Rockhold, and that is a solid possibility.

In the featherweight division, Nik Lentz keeps on rolling. The scrappy, former NCAA Division I wrestler picked up his third consecutive victory since dropping down into the featherweight division. While "The Carny's" fighting style is never anything to come out of your chair for, there is no way to argue his effectiveness inside the cage.

At UFC on FX 8, the American Top Team fighter kept constant pressure on Hacran Dias and picked up the unanimous-decision victory. The win will definitely ensure Lentz's next outing will come against one of the featherweight division's best. And with the title race in the 145-pound weight class hotter than it's ever been, a possible matchup with Clay Guida or Chad Mendes would make sense.

Rounding out the category is Yuri Alcantara's performance. The 32-year-old Brazilian made short work of Iliarde Santos on the preliminary portion of the card and made his presence known in the bantamweight division. With the current lack of depth in the 135-pound weight class, it wouldn't come as a shock to see Alcantara's next outing come against a top-10 opponent.

The Bad

The only major entry into this category for UFC on FX 8 was the judging on the bout between Evan Dunham and Rafael Dos Anjos. This was a back-and-forth, "Fight of the Night" worthy scrap between two lightweights on the rise, but when the action came to an end and went to the judges' cards, a decision which should have belonged to Dunham went to Dos Anjos.

The Brazilian had his moments throughout the affair, but the Xtreme Couture product landed the cleaner shots and kept the pressure applied. While "RDA" was getting the better of the exchanges in the early goings, over the final two rounds, it was Dunham whose punches were getting there first.

UFC President Dana White took to Twitter to share his disapproval of the judge's decision.

With the loss, the 31-year-old Oregon native will lose substantial ground in the highly competitive lightweight division. Where Dunham was once on the verge of trading in his prospect card for a contender's badge, dropping two of his past three showings will put a top-10 ranking out of his immediate view.

Two other entries into this category are Roger Hollett's brutal low-blow against Fabio Maldonado and referee Mario Yamasaki's wavering authority in the bout between Hacran Dias and Nik Lentz.

"The Hulk's" effort to throw a spinning back kick came up remarkably short against the Brazilian which resulted in Hollett landing a mule-kick smash to Maldonado's delicate region. Whether it was an issue with flexibility or taking his eye of the target, missing a kick that poorly should keep Hollett from throwing anything that requires spinning for some time.

It wouldn't be a true mixed martial arts event if there were nothing to gripe about on the officiating side. While the rest of the card went off without a hitch, Yamaski telling Dias he was going to take a point if the Nova Uniao fighter grabbed the fence again—then proceeded to look on as Dias grabbed the fence several more times—was a solid example of an official waffling during a fight.

The referee is supposed to keep the action clean and make sure the fight takes place within the boundaries of the rules. Yamasaki had no problem taking control of the initial situation and has to stand up and take the point if the fighter he warned commits another infraction. It was simply a bad look for Yamasaki.

The Strange

While the UFC's last event at UFC 159 provided enough strangeness to put this category on overload, UFC on FX 8 was relatively light on "the weird."

There was no demon voice to be heard.

There were no majority-draw inducing eye pokes.

In fact, for the most part, the action went down in smooth fashion in Brazil with the majority of fights running their course without incident. That being said, there were still a few things that happened outside the realm of normal, with the most notable being Gleison Tibau finishing his opponent.

The muscle-heavy American Top Team fighter has been a staple in the lightweight division for the past five years. But while he has proven knockout ability and a power submission game, the stocky Brazilian has a reputation for going the distance inside the Octagon.

That trend was bucked for the time being when Tibau submitted John Cholish via guillotine choke in the second round of their tilt at UFC on FX 8. The submission victory snaps a four-fight decision skid for the 29-year-old and puts Tibau back into the win column after coming out on the losing end of a split decision to Evan Dunham at UFC 156.

It is a well-known fact that the fight game is an unpredictable beast. And while there is little that be counted on time in and time out, putting on the master of the microphone Bruce Buffer is about as consistent as they come. Nevertheless, "The Buff" has been misfiring as of late, and the trend continued at UFC on FX 8.

In both the pre-fight and post-fight announcements, Buffer incorrectly called light heavyweight slugger Fabio Maldonado "Fabiano". The Twitterverse quickly pointed out Buffer's mistake, but in the longtime announcer's defense, "Fabio" is a shortened version of Fabiano.

Nevertheless, if the man wants to go by Fabio, then you have to call him Fabio, and it is possible the rigors of his book tour for "It's Time is taking its toll.

The incident comes in the aftermath of his botched call in the Jim Miller vs. Pat Healy fight at UFC 159. Following the Strikeforce veteran's impressive third-round submission victory, Buffer incorrectly announced Miller as the winner of the fight.

While the moment was certainly embarrassing and a rare "off" moment for Buffer, perhaps, it was his clairvoyance showing through as the victory would ultimately be taken away from Healy three weeks later following a failed drug test.

Whether Buffer's backslide will continue remains to be seen. But with his work ethic and mastery of the craft, it is a safe bet that the inventor of the Buffer 360 will be back to form in no time.

Vitor Belfort's Win over Luke Rockhold May Cause More Problems Than It Solves

Damon Martin — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:29:29 -0400

For the second straight fight in a row, Vitor Belfort finished an opponent with a devastating head kick, this time around putting away former Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold.

With just over two minutes gone in the fight, Belfort launched a quick, spinning heel kick that landed flush on Rockhold's jaw sending him crashing to the mat.

The spinning kick was similar to the ones landed by UFC lightweight Edson Barboza (finishing Terry Etim) and former Ultimate Fighter finalist Uriah Hall (putting away Adam Cella). Rockhold deserves some credit because he's the only one of the three who had the kick land and didn't get completely knocked out from the impact, but Belfort didn't need much more besides a few punches to put Rockhold's lights out and pick up another win at 185 pounds.

Belfort is actually undefeated at middleweight outside of one loss, and that's where his win creates a big problem in the UFC's 185-pound division

The Brazilian has now knocked off two top-five contenders in a row with Rockhold, and Michael Bisping in his previous fight. For any other fighter it, would almost seem a lock for him to receive a title shot in his next bout, but for Belfort that assumption can't happen just yet for a number of reasons.

The first obstacle is UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

Belfort and Silva met already at UFC 126 in 2011 and ended in one of the most stunning knockouts in mixed martial arts history. Silva threw a front kick that landed straight into Belfort's mouth, knocking him to the ground in dramatic fashion.

Add to that the knockout happened in the first round in a one-sided fight that Silva controlled and no matter what streak he's on currently, it's hard to put Belfort back in against the champion a second time. Silva has never been keen on rematches although he did grant one to both Chael Sonnen and former UFC champion Rich Franklin since he's been middleweight champion.

Silva next faces Chris Weidman at UFC 162. With a win, he would seem poised to focus on fights that would define his legacy like bouts against welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre or light heavyweight king Jon Jones. It's unknown if Silva would have any interest at all in taking on Belfort a second time.

The other major obstacle for Belfort right now is his use of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).

While the treatment is 100 percent legal by all standards in mixed martial arts, fighters are required to receive a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) by any state commission to be able to use TRT leading up to a fight. Belfort has now openly been using TRT for his last two fights, but he's only fought in Brazil while being on the controversial treatment.

In the past with cards in Brazil, the UFC acted as a governing body to test athletes who competed on the fight cards. Recently, a commission was formed in Brazil and it also allowed Belfort to continue using TRT before his fights.

If Belfort fights in the United States or other areas with recognized commissions, he would have to be approved to use TRT in those areas before a fight could happen.

Unfortunately for Belfort, he tested positive for steroids after competing in a Pride Fighting Championships bout in 2006 in Las Vegas. While there's no proof why Belfort has low testosterone, which is why he's on TRT in the first place, steroid abuse is a known cause of the problem in men.

Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer spoke to Bleacher Report in March and stated that because of Belfort's past conviction for steroid use, it's unlikely they would grand him an exemption to use TRT in that state.

"I don't see Vitor Belfort getting a TRT exemption from us," Kizer told Bleacher Report. "I really don't and I feel kind of bad for him in some ways because if he has learned from his mistakes and now he's trying to do it the right way and his levels are low with the treatment good for him and I hope he is doing that. The rules are the rules and you have to draw the line somewhere."

The line in the sand for TRT usage seems to be a past suspension for steroids, and that could prevent Belfort from using the treatment in a fight that takes place in Las Vegas or some major areas of the United States if other commissions follow suit.

It would mean that Belfort's fights would have to continue to take place in Brazil or England or other areas where the UFC acts as the governing body and would allow him to stay on TRT leading up to the show.

If that's the case, it's going to make a title fight with Belfort involved a hard sell especially with the lion's share of major UFC championship fights taking place in the United States or Canada.

The only other scenario would be Belfort discontinuing his use of TRT all together.

At the post-fight press conference in Brazil, according to Tatame reporter Guilherme Cruz, who was at the event, Belfort didn't seem too interested in talking about TRT or a potential matchup with Silva down the road anyway.

Belfort's best hope for a title shot might be to begin rooting for Chris Weidman when he takes on Silva at UFC 162, and then ask for the fight to take place in Brazil. Otherwise, Belfort may have to settle for big fights taking place in his native country with no title implications on the line.

It's not an ideal spot for any fighter to be in, but at 36 years of age, Belfort could certainly earn a nice living being a part of major cards in Brazil time and again, but another shot at UFC gold may never happen in his career.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report.

UFC on FX 8 Results: Power Ranking the Top 10 Middleweights in the UFC

Nathan McCarter — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:11:14 -0400

UFC on FX 8 featured three top 10 middleweights, and after their performances on Saturday night, there was a mild shake-up in the division.

No. 5 Luke Rockhold stepped inside the Octagon for the first time to battle No. 2 Vitor Belfort. The fight didn't make it past the first round because Belfort pulled off an incredible KO. A spinning back kick leveled Rockhold, and The Phenom finished him off with heavy punches on the mat.

No. 8 Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza took on Chris Camozzi and made quick work of the young prospect. Once he took the fight to the ground, it was academic. Jacare locked in an arm-triangle and picked up an impressive debut victory.

The division has certainly heated up over the past year, and the inclusion of the Strikeforce middleweights has only deepened the talent pool. These are exciting times in the 185-pound division.

Here are the middleweight power rankings after UFC on FX 8.

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NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race 2013 Results: Reaction, Leaders and Analysis

Rob Goldberg — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:00:54 -0400

In a race featuring the best in the sport, Jimmie Johnson came away with the win at the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. This exhibition win gives him a nice payday of $1 million.

Johnson becomes the first person ever to win the all-star race four times in his career.

This year's event featured some interesting rules for the 90-lap race. The race began with four different 20-lap segments, with the winners of each getting a head start for the final 10-lap sprint. The best average finish sets up the order for the final sprint.

While there was plenty of competition from Joey Logano late and Kyle and Kurt Busch among others throughout the event, no one was able to catch Johnson by the end of the race.

Here is a look at the final standings from Saturday's event:

Place	Driver	Car
1	Jimmie Johnson	48
2	Joey Logano	22
3	Kyle Busch	18
4	Kasey Kahne	5
5	Kurt Busch	78
6	Denny Hamlin	11
7	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	88
8	Jamie McMurray	1
9	Matt Kenseth	20
10	Carl Edwards	99
Other Notable Results
11	Kevin Harvick	29
12	Jeff Gordon	24
14	Tony Stewart	14
18	Clint Bowyer	15
20	Danica Patrick	10

With this short of a race, it is not surprising that there was drama right from the start in the opening segment.

Three laps in, Brad Keselowski had to go into the garage with a bad transmission. While he was not happy about it, the driver seemed to understand the situation, according to NASCAR on SPEED:

However, things started to get worse for the entire field as rain started to come down during Lap 13, causing a long delay in the action.

At least Hendrick Motorsports knows how to entertain themselves in the poor weather:

After about a 45-minute delay, the skies cleared and the action once again picked up on Charlotte Motor Speedway:

When the race continued, Kurt Busch took control of the race as he had from the start. He led for each of the first 20 laps and finished on top at the end of the first segment.

In the second segment, this became a family affair as Kyle Busch decided to take over as the leader. The brother got off to a nice advantage and ended as the winner after 40 laps, guaranteeing him a spot near the front of the final sprint.

This was not a great moment for all of the drivers, unfortunately. During Lap 25, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. lost control and bounced off the wall directly into Mark Martin (via NASCAR):

The veteran eventually got back onto the track, but this was not what he was expecting in the first half of the race.

Once the next segment started, Kyle Busch went right back after the lead. He continued to fight hard, and the No. 18 car also was able to get yet another win in segment three. By this point, he had lead an impressive 29 of the 60 laps of the race.

It was obvious who was showing up to this exhibition to win, and these brothers fought hard to beat each other throughout the event. NASCAR's Twitter account pointed out the success of the family:

The action continued to pick up in the fourth segment, as Kasey Kahne got out to a strong start. However, he was once again passed by another Busch as Kurt ended as the leader.

This caused the 81st lap to begin with Kurt Busch, then Kyle Busch followed by Kahne in third and Clint Bowyer. However, the championship was completely up for grabs once the cars went in for a final pit stop.

As noted by Hendrick Motorsports, Kahne was the first one off of pit road going into the final restart:

After that, however, it was a complete shootout. Jimmie Johnson quickly took the lead and never gave it up. This was the second win in a row at the all-star race, and he proved once again that he is truly one of the best ever to compete in this sport.

Here is a look at the driver celebrating in victory lane (via Team Lowe's Racing):

Kurt Busch only managed a fifth-place finish after doing so well throughout the race.

Carl Edwards had a bit of a disappointing run after starting in pole position. The 2011 winner was never really in contention and finished in 10th place.

The fan-vote winner Danica Patrick finished in 20th place, although she does have the honor of being the first female in the all-star race's history.

Despite all of the action, this event was for the fans. It featured the best drivers in the sport and the most popular ones as well.

You could see from the introductions that this was not a normal race, with each competitor and the pit crews coming out in dramatic fashion, as captured by Sunoco Racing:

Johnson took away the big paycheck, but there were a lot of winners during this exhibition event.

Carmelo Anthony Shouldn't Be Scapegoat for Knicks' Playoff Elimination

Tyler Conway — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:00:02 -0400

Suffice it to say, things could have gone better for Carmelo Anthony in the fourth quarter of Saturday night's Game 6 loss to the Indiana Pacers.

The embattled forward finished with 39 points and seven rebounds in the Knicks' 106-99 defeat, but was continually unable to come up down the stretch. Facing a Pacers defense that increasingly shaded their help in his direction, Anthony shot 2-of-7 from the field and turned the ball over three times as Indiana broke open a game that was deadlocked through three quarters.

The final 12 minutes were an amalgam of everything fans deride about Anthony. He consistently tried making plays where they weren't, attempting difficult passes out of pick-and-rolls and taking impossible shots with defenders—mostly Paul George—draped all over him. New York imploded as a result, the final few seconds draining down as disgusted faces adorned the Bankers Life Fieldhouse floor.

The loss sends the second-seeded Knicks packing and the third-seeded Pacers on to take on the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.

For a different team, a different city, this loss might be a time to reflect. To look back on how this team won 54 games in the regular season—its most since 1996-97—and how this 'Melo-led bunch gave the Knicks their first postseason series victory since 2000.

The Knicks aren't most NBA franchises, and New York City isn't one to reflect positively on a second-round playoff exit. Instead, the focus will immediately shift to what went wrong—and that conversation will likely start with some jumping to denunciate this team's controversial star. ESPN personality and notable contrarian Skip Bayless was one of the first—but certainly not the last—to say 'Melo's legacy will be hurt by this loss:

All it takes is a quick Twitter search of Anthony's name to find plenty more where that came from. Even after nearly hitting the 40 mark and being sensational for the game's first 36 minutes, folks are jumping at the opportunity to throw Anthony under the subway.

Why? Because blaming 'Melo is easy. Blaming 'Melo sells newspapers, gets clicks on a website and garners television ratings.

Blaming 'Melo is also ridiculously lazy—especially considering how many people involved with this team underperformed versus Indiana.

Let's start with Knicks coach Mike Woodson, who was pretty much played like a speed bag by Frank Vogel this entire series.

Throughout the series, Woodson failed time and again to find a set rotation—a playoff coaching 101. There was the miserable decision to start a Kenyon Martin-Tyson Chandler front line to counteract David West and Roy Hibbert in Game 4, a move that went against everything these Knicks did well this year. The lineup cratered as expected and was quickly abandoned.

Game 4 was also known as the game that Pablo Prigioni played just four minutes. As anyone who watched this series and the entire postseason knows, the Knicks became a completely different team with Prigs playing extensive minutes. They scored a full 16 points per 100 possessions more with the Argentine guard on the floor than they were with him on the bench heading into Saturday night, per NBA.com.

And keep in mind that while he played just 11 minutes in Games 5 and 6, Jason Kidd had to nearly decompose in front of Woodson for the loyal coach to sit him. The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer went scoreless for New York's final 10 postseason games, all while averaging about 20 minutes a night.

Remember those glowing per-100 possessions stats we used to discuss Prigioni? The opposite is true for Kidd. The Knicks scored 89.1 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor this season, a rate that would have been far and away an NBA worst during the regular season, per NBA.com.

That's all without mentioning Woodson's inane refusal to play Chris Copeland until it was panic time. Copeland is a defensive minus, but his ability to play both forward positions stretches out defenses and gave a Knicks team desperately searching for points a spot-up option from beyond the arc.

Don't get me wrong, Woodson did make some nice adjustments from Round 1 to Round 2. The iso-ball vortex that everyone complained about versus Boston was gone, replaced with some very nice ball movement before pick-and-roll sets.

But this series was a bad look for Woodson, who was very good during the regular season.

Speaking of those who performed well in the 82-game slog before falling off a cliff during the postseason, let's discuss J.R. Smith. And let's do so quickly because that's all his performance merits.

If 'Melo was bad in this series, Smith was an abomination. The NBA's Sixth Man of the Year shot a laughably bad 28.9 percent from the field in this series while taking 15 shots per game. Smith's struggles date back to his one-game suspension for elbowing Jason Terry in the face against the Celtics, and you could literally feel the life being choked out of the Knicks offense when he was on the floor.

Finally, let's just credit the Pacers. Indiana was the league's best defense throughout the regular season—arguably one of the best ever—and did more of the same against the Knicks. Paul George was suction-cupped to Anthony this entire series, fighting through a constant barrage of pick-and-rolls and off-ball screens. If George hadn't already made an All-Star team, I'd be pounding on the desk for that to happen already. He's a borderline superstar.

And while Roy Hibbert is already known as one of the league's best interior defenders, he again proved so in this series. His block on 'Melo Saturday night was arguably the turning point in the entire contest.

These Pacers are for real and may give the defending champs real trouble next round.

In essence, this series was a perfect storm. The Pacers, with athletes all over the perimeter and two strong big men inside, were the elixir to New York's regular-season potion.

Did Anthony have the best series of his career? Of course not. He took bad, contested shots over great defenders. But that's 'Melo. That's who he's been his entire career, and the Knicks have hitched their wagon to him going forward. You can't cherry-pick bad performances as being selfish and then laud him when the shots go in.

It's fair to say Anthony could have taken fewer shots and looked to get his teammates into the action more. But blaming him for the entire elimination is lazy, shortsighted and frankly wrong.

Let's be better than that in the coming days as Knicks fever hits its apex.

Follow @tylerconway22

What Have Indiana Pacers Learned Since Last Series vs. Miami Heat?

Grant Hughes — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:58:01 -0400

The Indiana Pacers eliminated the New York Knicks in Game 6 on May 18, giving themselves a chance to prove they've grown enough over the past year to do more than make a decent showing against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.

LeBron James and Co. knocked the Pacers out of the postseason in six games last year, but the team that fell in the Eastern Conference Semifinals hardly resembles the one that'll be taking the floor this time. Changes in personnel and philosophy, not to mention the general maturation of the club, have created a Pacers team that is far better equipped to handle the imposing Heat.

For starters, the player who made headlines for all the wrong reasons during last year's postseason run is making them for the right ones this time around.

Lance Stephenson got plenty of attention for making a "choking" gesture toward James in Game 3 of last year's series. At the time, Indiana's shooting guard was little more than an end-of-the-bench reserve. In fact, he logged a grand total of seven minutes in the six-game series between the Pacers and Heat last year.

Now, though, Stephenson is a starter and an integral part of what Indiana does on both ends of the floor.

His hustle sets the tone for Indiana's scrambling defense, and even though he's not the most skilled offensive player, he has proved himself capable of doing serious damage as a cutter and in transition.

If the Heat have any doubt about how much Stephenson has grown, they'll only have to look at his Game 6 performance against New York, in which he piled up 25 points, 10 rebounds and three assists on 9-of-13 shooting.

Plus, he's gone nearly a full year without giving a "choke" sign to any opposing superstars. Clearly, he's learned to let his play (and not his sophomoric gestures) do the talking.

Stephenson's not the only Pacer to have experienced major growth since last year's postseason clash with the Heat.

Paul George was officially recognized as the NBA's most improved player this year, an honor he earned by taking on the leadership role vacated by an injured Danny Granger. George developed into one of the NBA's premier perimeter defenders during the 2012-13 campaign, and his value as a defensive option against James can't be overstated.

In last year's series, George was only the Pacers' fifth-leading scorer, accumulating nearly as many personal fouls (18) as made baskets (19).

In his most recent postseason action, though, George has proved that he's become nothing less than a dominant two-way star. In the just-completed series against the Knicks, George averaged 19.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game while hounding Carmelo Anthony into a number of ugly shooting performances.

And during the 2012-13 season, George did a better job than anyone in his efforts to slow James down. Nobody can handle LBJ alone, but George now comes closer than most.

Speaking of defense, one of the biggest things the Pacers have learned over the past year is that they'll go as far as their scheme and defensive discipline can take them.

Two years ago, Indiana allowed 100.4 points per 100 possessions, which ranked 10th in the NBA. But this past season, Frank Vogel somehow got his team to buy into his defensive plans hook, line and sinker.

The result has been a team that almost never permits open threes from the corner or easy looks at the rim. George Hill, Stephenson and George are now experts at running shooters off of the line and forcing them into Roy Hibbert's space, where the big man gobbles up penetrators like a 7'2" "Hungry, Hungry Hippo."

Put those things together and it's easy to see why Indiana made an improvement of nearly four points per 100 possessions and easily led the NBA in defensive efficiency in 2012-13.

Objectively, Indiana is not yet on Miami's level. The Pacers' bench is still woefully thin, and if the Heat push the tempo at all, Hibbert loses a great deal of his effectiveness. All that notwithstanding, the Pacers did take two out of three from the Heat this year, including an impressive 87-77 win on Jan. 8 in which George outscored and out-rebounded James.

Ultimately, the Pacers have learned a few things since they fell to the Heat in last year's playoffs. But more importantly, they've seen their young players blossom, their defense morph into an elite weapon and their confidence explode.

All season long, it has seemed like the Pacers were the team that could give Miami the best run for its money in the East. Now, a year older and still nursing the pain of last year's bitter defeat, the Pacers will get their chance to do just that.

*All stats via NBA.com and ESPN.com unless otherwise indicated.

UFC on FX 8: 5 Fights for Jacare Souza to Take Next

Nathan McCarter — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:56:46 -0400

Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza took care of business against Chris Camozzi on Saturday night.

Jacare was originally slated to fight Costa Philippou, but he had to drop out due to a cut.

Camozzi is a quality middleweight, but he found out what the elite of the division are like against Souza. Once Jacare took the fight to the ground, it was over. He worked diligently and controlled the action. Once Camozzi opened up the small hole, Souza snatched the arm triangle and finished. Impressive stuff.

The win will earn him a bigger fight in his next outing.

Here are five fights that Jacare should be prepared for when he is set to take on another fight.

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NCAA Men's Tennis Championship 2013: Final Four Bracket, Teams, Schedule, More

Dan Talintyre — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:54:35 -0400

The 2013 NCAA Men's Tennis Championship is certainly starting to heat up now with the prospect of being crowned champion this year down to just four programs.

UCLA, Ohio State, Georgia and Virginia will battle it out in the Final Four for a spot in the National Championship.

And given the caliber of tennis that we've seen from some of the top college players in the country thus far, it's shaping as a very intriguing final week.

Read on for a full preview of the 2013 NCAA Tennis Championship Final Four, including all the key information as well as a tournament bracket and more!

2013 NCAA Men's Tennis Championship: Final Four Bracket

Note: A full tournament bracket can be seen via the official NCAA website.

Semifinals	Semifinals
[1] UCLA vs. [5] Ohio State	[3] Georgia vs. [2] Virginia
Monday, May 20 at 2 p.m. ET	Monday, May 20, at 2 p.m. ET

The Road to the Final Four

UCLA comes into the tournament as the No. 1 seed and has proven it thus far with four consecutive 4-0 wins over UMKC, Drake, Vanderbilt and Duke, respectively.

They'll take on Ohio State, which hadn't dropped a matchup until its quarterfinal against USC, where the Buckeyes were able to knock off the No. 4 seed with a 4-3 win.

Virginia too hasn't dropped a game all tournament and looked very impressive in its quarterfinal win over Tennessee. Georgia, on the other hand, needed five matches to get past No. 14 seed Oklahoma in the round of 16 and six matches to get past No. 11 seed Pepperdine in its quarterfinal.

Breaking Down the Final Four Matchups

[1] UCLA vs. [5] Ohio State

UCLA is the top seed in the tournament this year and has been simply phenomenal this season, dropping just one match all season in its impressive 24-1 record.

The Bruins dominated the Pac-12 this year, but face an interesting matchup in Ohio State. There's little doubting that Ohio State is very good at home—having not lost there in over a decade—but these final-round fixtures aren't being played at home. They're over six hours away in Illinois.

UCLA should be too strong in the singles matchups here, and I see them moving through to the National Championship with a 4-1 series victory.

[3] Georgia vs. [2] Virginia

Georgia has been very consistent in men's tennis for the past decade or so—winning its 36th SEC title and achieving its 10th straight season of 20-plus wins.

It finished with a 22-4 record for the year, and despite having a slight hiccup or two in the qualifying stages, has made it to this far in the tournament and into a Final Four matchup against Virginia.

Virginia dominated the ACC this year, winning its seventh consecutive title and its ninth in the past 10 years. The Cavaliers are perfect through the tournament so far.

The Cavaliers only just lost their No. 1 ranking to UCLA earlier this year and have been one of the form teams of the competition thus far. If they can find the form that they showed earlier in the year, they should prove too good for the Bulldogs in this one and could well chalk up another 4-0 victory.

2013 NCAA Men's Tennis Championship Final

Matchup	Date	Start time	Prediction
[1] UCLA vs. [2] Virginia	Tuesday, May 21, 2013	2 p.m. ET	Virginia wins 4-2

Hit me up on Twitter for more sports goodness: Follow @dantalintyre

English Premier League Final Day Live Score, Highlights, Recap for All Games

Michael Cummings — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:50:04 -0400

The final day of the 2012-13 English Premier League season is here, and we're covering all the action for you live in one place.

All 20 clubs kick off simultaneously Sunday at grounds across England (and one in Wales). Here in the United States, game time is set for 11 a.m. ET, with television coverage on both Fox and ESPN.

The title race is long finished and all the relegation spots are settled, but Arsenal and Tottenham are still competing for a place in the top four and Champions League qualification.

Who will win the race? Join us here from 10 a.m. for live commentary continuing through all 10 matches.

Follow @MikeCummings37

Newcastle United vs. Arsenal: Premier League Live Score, Highlights and Recap

Charlie Melman — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:45:53 -0400

Arsenal will travel north to play Newcastle in a game that has one team with everything to play for and one simply cruising into the summer.

It might not actually be that simple, however. Alan Pardew, in his infinitely misplaced grandiosity, declared to the UK's Chronicle that the Magpies would need to put on a show for their fans in the final game of the season.

But it will be difficult to do that against an Arsenal side that will certainly not lack motivation. The math is simple for the Gunners: Win and they're into the Champions League next season, barring a catastrophe in a qualifier match.

There is an outside chance that they will have to play a playoff game against Chelsea, depending on how the final day's results turn out, but simply winning, in any manner, will be at the fore of Arsenal's mind.

Like every game on the final day of the Premier League season, kickoff is at 11:00 a.m. ET. But make your way here at 10:30 and I'll bring you live team news, analysis and the best of Twitter.

Follow @charliemelman

New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers: Game 6 Postgame Grades and Analysis

Daniel O'Brien — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:45:15 -0400

Monster games by Lance Stephenson and Roy Hibbert overcame a 39-point performance by Carmelo Anthony, as the Indiana Pacers topped the New York Knicks, 106-99, to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

A 52-20 advantage in the paint helped Frank Vogel's club overcome a 16-point third-quarter barrage by Iman Shumpert, as Indiana outlasted the Knickerbockers in an intense battle.

The Pacers' size, physicality and aggressiveness earned them 46 trips to the free-throw line, a major factor down the stretch.

Although George Hill's return was a psychological boost, Stephenson's career night was the game-changer, as his 25 points and 10 rebounds supercharged the blue and gold.

How did everyone else fare, and what were the positional keys that led to Indiana's triumph? Find out as we hand out grades for this series-clincher.

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J.R. Smith's Playoff Disappearance Hurts His Market Value

Brian Mazique — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:43:31 -0400

Things were going so well for J.R. Smith—at least until the second-round series with the Indiana Pacers began. It seemed he was in line to shake some of the negative on-court labels he'd been given in his career.

Moreover, Smith seemed destined to get paid once he exercised his player option during the offseason.

He'll still get a raise from his 2012-13 salary of $2,932,742, per Spotrac, but he likely lost a few million with his performance against the Pacers.

After a regular season that saw him earn the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award, he was less-than-award-worthy when his team needed him.

The New York Knicks were dispatched in six games, and Smith's numbers were down from the regular season in nearly every category.

	PPG	RPG	FG%	3PFG%	FT%	APG
Regular Season	18.1	5.3	.422	.356	.762	2.7
Conference Semifinals	13.5	5	.288	.230	.740	1.3

In the deciding game of the series, Smith was an abysmal 4-of-15 from the field and 2-of-9 from beyond the arc.

He had just 15 points.

New York desperately needed a consistent second scorer to take pressure off Carmelo Anthony, but Smith was anything but consistent.

Melo struggled with his shot most of the series. A big reason for that was the defense of the abundantly underrated Paul George. Smith was the man who needed to pick up the slack.

The Pacers didn't have another elite perimeter defender to throw at Smith. He had good looks throughout most of the series; he simply couldn't knock down his shots.

This may have seemed like a breakout season for Smith, but what he did in the Pacers series was more in line with what he has done in the playoffs throughout his career.

	PPG	RPG	FG%	3PFG%	FT%	APG
Playoff Numbers Prior to 2012-13 Season	12.6	3.6	.407	.318	.729	2

Teams who are eyeing deep postseason runs want players who raise their game in the second season. Smith didn't do that. In fact, his comments before Game 6 sounded like a man prematurely resigned to his fate.

To his credit, he did play hard on Saturday night; that was evidenced by his 10 rebounds. However, the Knicks would have gladly traded a couple of those boards for two three-pointers.

It may be possible to accept Smith's unpredictable behavior and potentially problematic off-the-court antics. That said, teams would like to at least benefit from stellar play.

While Smith delivered that through the first 82 games, his play in the second round has to make potential suitors wonder if he's worth the trouble.

Follow me, because I'll be tweeting pictures of me singing Phillip Phillps' Gone to the Knicks all weekend.

New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers Game 6: Video Highlights and Recap

Maxwell Ogden — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:37:12 -0400

The 2013 NBA playoffs continued on Saturday, May 18, as the Indiana Pacers hosted the New York Knicks in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series.

The Pacers entered this game with a 3-2 series lead, winning both of their previous home games. The Knicks, however, took Game 5 in rather convincing fashion, utilizing George Hill's absence as impetus to pull out the win.

In Game 6, Hill was back in the starting lineup.

Even as Hill struggled from the field, he tallied 12 points, five rebounds and four assists in 41 minutes. The true star, however, was Lance Stephenson, as he tallied 25 points and 10 rebounds on 9-of-13 shooting.

Paul George added 23 points, while Roy Hibbert dominated the paint with 21 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks.

On the opposite end, Carmelo Anthony erupted for 39 points and seven rebounds on 15-of-29 shooting from the field. Iman Shumpert added 19 points, while J.R. Smith picked up 15 points and 10 rebounds.

The question is, were the Knicks able to upset the Pacers in Indiana to extend the series? Or was Hill's return enough to motivate the Pacers into closing out the series at home?

Check the video provided above to find out.

UFC on FX 8 Results: What We Learned from Vitor Belfort vs. Luke Rockhold

Michael Stets — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:31:24 -0400

Vitor Belfort finished Luke Rockhold by knockout at UFC on FX 8, making that his 11th first-round finish in his UFC career. After connecting with a vicious spinning heel kick, Belfort then immediately followed that up with five unanswered punches before referee Leon Roberts halted the action at two minutes, 32 seconds of the opening round.

What we’ll remember about this fight

Belfort shocked everyone—not by winning in the first round—but by the fashion in which he did so. It was the second spinning heel kick he threw in the round, something you would’ve expected from Rockhold not Belfort.

What we learned about Vitor Belfort

When he fights in Brazil, he wins. This was Belfort’s fourth career fight in his native country, dating back to 1998 when he finished Wanderlei Silva at UFC Brazil. Belfort continues to defy his age and is still diversifying his striking.

“I have a great team, the Blackzilians,” Belfort told Jon Anik in the post-fight interview, after being asked about the win.

What we learned about Luke Rockhold

It isn’t that Rockhold wasn’t ready for the bright lights of the UFC or that he had the infamous Octagon jitters. He simply just ran into a wall Saturday night in the form of Vitor Belfort's left foot. We will see what the former Strikeforce middleweight champion is made of in his next fight.

What’s next for Vitor Belfort

“I don’t pick fights, I accept fights,” Belfort told Jon Anik, upon being asked about facing the winner of Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman.

After finishing the No. 4- and No. 5-ranked middleweights back-to-back, there is no way for Dana White to justify not giving him a title shot.

What’s next for Luke Rockhold

The surfer from Santa Cruz may have to hit some waves and clear his head after this fight. He still has to prove he deserves his ranking. Michael Bisping is coming off a win, but the rest of the division is tied up with fights at the moment. It makes sense and would be an interesting matchup.

Michael Stets is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.

Watch Roy Hibbert's Crunch-Time Stuff on Carmelo Anthony Spark Pacers Run

Stephen Babb — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:28:34 -0400

With just over five minutes remaining and facing a two-point deficit in their pivotal Game 6, the Indiana Pacers had precious little time to put the New York Knicks away and even less momentum with which to do it.

That's where Roy Hibbert came in. The All-Star center delivered his fifth and finest block of the evening, this time against Carmelo Anthony—who wound up with 39 points in his club's 106-99 loss to the Pacers. To say nothing of what the block seemed to inspire among Hibbert's teammates, it was an impressive physical display in its own right.

Anthony had the ball all but dunked, attempting to muscle it through even after Hibbert's big mitt got in the way.

Roy Hibbert's 5th block of the night on Carmelo Anthony may just end up in the #SCtop10.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 19, 2013

After the game, coach Frank Vogel described Hibbert to reporters as, "the best rim protector in the game," an arguable point that's a lot harder to argue after Saturday's clutch rejection.

More importantly, though, the defensive stand fueled a club that had grown sluggish and allowed the Knicks back into the game after controlling it throughout the first half. Indiana outscored New York 16-7 over the course of those final five minutes, a veritable offensive explosion by this series' standards.

Roy Hibbert's block changed the entire outcome of the game.. Extraordinary timing against a star closer around the rim..
— Kevin Negandhi (@KNegandhiESPN) May 19, 2013

Even Anthony knew this was no ordinary block.

Melo: "It was a helluva block, big play by Hibbert...That block I think spearheaded that momentum run that they made."
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) May 19, 2013

Just as it's done throughout the season, Indiana prevailed because of its defense. It may not look that way after dropping 106, but getting to that 106 might not have happened without Hibbert changing the tone in this one.

Fact vs. Fiction from Miami Heat's NBA Playoff Performance so Far

Sam Richmond — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:25:11 -0400

The Miami Heat have won eight of nine games to start the 2013 NBA playoffs. That's not a surprise. But some of the reasons they've had such success might be a little unexpected.

Miami is rebounding the ball well, but now turning the ball over. Shane Battier, Mario Chalmers and Ray Allen have struggled from beyond the arc, but Norris Cole can't miss.

So, let's play a little game of fact or fiction with these mentioned seemingly surprising elements of Miami's postseason, and others, and determine if these trends will continue.

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