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5 Free Agents the Boston Celtics Must Avoid

Sloan Piva — Sat, 25 May 2013 03:46:54 -0400

The Boston Celtics clearly have a lot of work to do this offseason, with very little cap space. Injuries and large veteran contracts further complicate an already murky scenario, so every free-agent acquisition counts.

Earlier in the week, I highlighted the five most likely options for the Celtics on the open market, explaining why each of them would be a good fit in the short- and long-term future.

Now it's time to pinpoint which free agents the Celtics must avoid, in order to remain competitive now and down the line.

The following list consists of realistic free-agent targets, based on rumors, salaries and team needs. It also explains why Celtics management should avoid offering any of them contracts to play for the Green.

All statistics are from ESPN.com, NBA.com/stats and Basketball-Reference.com.

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Mock Help Wanted Ad for Philadelphia 76ers' Open Head Coaching Position

Zachary Arthur — Sat, 25 May 2013 03:06:53 -0400

Not going to lie to any of you out there...everyone here at the Philadelphia 76ers organization feels a little disappointed about trying to find a head coach by posting a "help wanted" ad, but we are a bit desperate.

Scratch that, we are definitely desperate.

Going 34-48 and missing the playoffs after getting to the Eastern Conference semifinals the previous year isn't what we were trying to do. Our goal now is to get back into a winning routine and to do it quickly.

As many of you know out there, Doug Collins was the former head coach of this team. We used his services for three years, and he did some positive things for the Sixers. Our defense grew, the younger players began to blossom and he even taught players like Thaddeus Young to play at a new position.

Unfortunately, he did all of this while losing control of what was supposed to be his team.

Please see our qualifications for the head coaching position with the Philadelphia 76ers and let us know if you have what it takes.

Recent Coaching Experience

Sometimes life is about learning from your mistakes, and that is something that we will strive to do. One of our recent mistakes was hiring a man that hadn't been a head coach in seven years. In hindsight, it almost sounds like a ridiculous mistake. Why would we hire someone that hasn't recently coached?

Well, that is a great question.

Our new guy needs to have been an NBA head or assistant coach withing the last year. The NBA is a league full of change and getting somebody that is up to date on how to coach is vital toward Philadelphia's success.

No Second-Guessers Needed

Please do not apply if you can't stick with a decision you have decided to make.

The Sixers went through countless changes to their rotation as the season progressed this past year. Some of them were necessary due to injuries or fatigue, however, a number of them were random and didn't make sense.

Frustration and an inability to progress as a team soon followed.

Philly needs a coach that is willing to come up with a realistic rotation and sticks to his guns. He needs to understand that there will be times when it works out and times when it doesn't. Making small adjustments will be needed, but completely revamping certain parts of the lineup won't be tolerated.

Must Be Able to Work with and Develop Young Players

Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young are three of our best players and all of them are 24 years old or younger. If we choose to bring Andrew Bynum back, then you can add a 25-year-old to that list.

Our new head coach has to show that he has experience with developing young players. Having the ability to teach and help some of our younger players grow is going to be necessary toward our future success.

We truly believe that we have most of our future's core members already on this team. The problem is that we won't get anywhere unless they reach their potential and take us there.

You need to be a leader in that process.

Last but Not Least, Bring a Needed Fire to the Team

It's hard to put a finger on it, but the Sixers have been missing somewhat of a competitive mindset for the past couple of years. It feels like we are okay with being just another team. "There are 29 others so we'll sit this season out."

That has to end now.

The only way to the top is to want to get to the top. We need a coach that is determined to fight through any adversity with the intention of being the best team in the NBA. We don't expect you to get there overnight, but the expectation to eventually get to that point is there.

What is the point in playing if being at the top isn't your ultimate goal?

If you meet the previous criteria and agree with that philosophy, then please apply for the Sixers' head coaching position.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Fallon Fox Laments on Victory over Allanna Jones, Haters and Unique Submission

Michael Stets — Sat, 25 May 2013 02:42:26 -0400

After two months of controversy, and national headlines leading up to Friday’s CFA 11 co-main event at Bank United Center in Coral Gables, Fla., transgender fighter Fallon Fox finally got to fight an opponent as opposed to harsh criticism.

She defeated Allanna Jones via submission by a modified North-South choke, riding her shin across Jones' throat to force the tap at the 1:26 mark of the third round, advancing to the women's 145-pound tournament final.

Fox landed some good leg strikes early and scored some takedowns throughout the three-round contest. Jones showed she was an evenly matched opponent as she avoided any big strikes early, worked some offense from her guard on a couple of armbar attempts and stuffed several of Fox’s takedowns.

The Chicago-based fighter’s takedowns proved to be the difference in the fight. After her final takedown, Fox avoided an armbar attempt, passed Jones' guard and secured an advantageous position before ending Jones' night with the unique submission.

This was the toughest test to date for the polarizing fighter. The cries of Fox having an unfair advantage over her opponents have now moved on to the sentiment that she isn’t that deft of skill (according to Twitter) and needs to greatly improve.

“It’s pretty funny huh? That’s pretty hilarious,” Fox told Bleacher Report, when asked about the criticism after the fight.

Perhaps if the 37-year-old Fox dispatched Jones as quickly as the 36 seconds it took her to defeat Ericka Newsome in her last fight, the critics would be singing a different tune. Haters are going to hate, according to Fox.

"It’s all just from haters,” Fox stated about the backlash on her skill. “The ones who hated me in the beginning are going to say that I had an unfair advantage, and then when I go three rounds with someone and win by submission it’s hey all the sudden…I was pretty sure that was going to happen.”

Allanna Jones fired the first salvo of the night, walking out to Aerosmith’s “Dude looks like a lady.” Fox’s entrance was met with a cascade of boos. Fox would ultimately have the last laugh, as she earned the victory with the crafty submission finish in front of over 2,000 fans in attendance.

Could the submission of the fighter nicknamed “The Queen of Swords” earn a moniker of its own? Maybe it should be called “The Fox”? Not so fast, the 3-0 fighter explained. She learned that submission by studying a veteran women’s fighter with a high-level grappling background.

“I’ll give credit to Shayna Bazler for that one, to be honest,” admitted Fox. “I saw that in one of her matches one time and I was studying it and I’ve been trying to pull it off, and I finally did. It’s pretty awesome that I got to pull it off in this fight.”

Going into the third round for the first time seems to have quieted the discussion of if Fox has any clear unfair physical advantage over women fighters. If anything, it has helped her case going forward.

“Clearly, clearly, if I go can go to the third round, of course,” Fox said convincingly. “I agree with you on that.”

Fox will face Ashley Evans-Smith in the CFA women’s 145-pound tournament final, the winner takes home $20,000. A date has yet to be announced.

Michael Stets is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained first hand unless other wise noted.

Anibal Sanchez's 1-Hit Shutout: Another MLB No-Hitter Effort Goes by the Wayside

Alex Sanderson — Sat, 25 May 2013 01:47:12 -0400

Anibal Sanchez of the Detroit Tigers did not allow a hit throughout the first 25 outs of his outing on Friday against the Minnesota Twins.

It was looking good for the right-hander to record the season's first no-hitter and second of his career; he had already accomplished the feat back in 2006 with the Florida Marlins.

When Sanchez threw that no-no against the Arizona Diamondbacks, it was the first such feat in the major leagues in over 24 months. Times have changed in recent history, however, as there were seven no-hitters in the league just last season alone.

Let's go back to Friday night's ninth inning. After Jamey Carroll struck out looking, Joe Mauer came to the plate and hit a Sanchez breaking ball right back up the middle for a base knock. Of all the players to break up a no-no, it would be Mauer, as he has a career batting average of .324. This was the third no-hitter Mauer has broken up in the ninth inning in his career.

Sanchez battled back to strike out Josh Willingham and Justin Morneau to close out a one-hit shutout in a 6-0 Tigers victory. It sure was a great outing, but he won't be able to have his name featured on a select list of pitchers with multiple no-nos just yet.

This masterpiece by Sanchez was one of several close calls of no-hitters throughout the season, but there has still yet to be one recorded. Maybe the moment on April 2 (just the third day of the season) when Texas ace Yu Darvish came within just one out of a perfect game was a great foreshadowing of what was to come.

Sanchez needed 130 pitches to get the complete game, and did show some signs of fatigue toward the end of the outing. In an era where the pitch counts of most pitchers are very much watched over and limited, they become a big factor in pitchers being able to close the deal on these rare feats.

Of the seven pitchers to throw no-hitters last season, only two have been up to par this year. That would be Felix Hernandez and Homer Bailey, who are actually the last two pitchers to record no-hitters.

Kevin Millwood (who combined with several relievers on a no-no) is retired from baseball, Philip Humber is in the minor leagues, Johan Santana may never pitch again with shoulder trouble, Matt Cain has given up 13 home runs in 10 starts and Jered Weaver has been on the disabled list for most of the season.

Based on what was just described, it proves that the no-hitter can be somewhat of an anomaly. Sure, there are going to be exceptions (Nolan Ryan being the most glaring), but the feat is not always a good barometer of what kind of pitcher the player really is.

The way pitchers have been starting to dominate more lately, there will no doubt at least be one no-hitter thrown in the 2013 season. Still, it has been almost excruciating to see so many pitchers lose out on that distinction in the seventh inning or later thus far, and will be something to watch closely going forward.

George Hill Says God Only Person Scarier Than LeBron James After Game 2 Win

Maxwell Ogden — Sat, 25 May 2013 01:41:41 -0400

Until the end of time, NBA pundits will compare LeBron James to Michael Jordan, thus attempting to determine which player truly is the best of all time. Despite losing to the Indiana Pacers during Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Finals series, LeBron joined MJ in a unique category.

They've now both been compared to God.

Pacers point guard George Hill was asked about James' extraordinary Game 2 performance, and with good reason. LeBron finished with 36 points on 14-of-20 shooting, also grabbing eight rebounds, dishing out three assists and picking up three steals.

Hill put it in terms that anyone can understand:

George Hill on playing against LeBron: "There's only like one person who's scarier, and that's God."
— Beyond The Buzzer(@BeyondTheBuzzer) May 25, 2013

To paraphrase, LeBron is a bad, bad man.

In 1986, Michael Jordan received similar praise from an opponent. After Jordan scored 63 points against the Boston Celtics, Larry Bird claimed that it wasn't MJ who went out and put on that still legendary performance.

It was God, Bird said via NBA.com:

I didn't think anyone was capable of doing what Michael has done to us. He is the most exciting, awesome player in the game today. I think it's just God disguised as Michael Jordan.

The stuff of legends.

Hill is far from Larry Legend, and 36 points is only a fraction of Jordan's 63, but the comparison is warranted here. Even when LeBron appears to be playing in a rather pedestrian manner, he's pulling out one of the best performances of the season.

As Hill so elegantly put it, there is no man scarier than LeBron when he's on his game.

Fallon Fox Stays Unbeaten, Stops Allanna Jones in Spectacular Fashion at CFA 11

Jordy McElroy — Sat, 25 May 2013 01:31:16 -0400

With the MMA community deadlocked in an endless debate over sexual orientation and ethics, Fallon Fox continued to do what she always does at Cage Fighting Alliance 11 on Friday night: beat people up and get her hand raised.

The openly transgendered female fighter moved onto the finals of the inaugural featherweight tournament after submitting Allanna Jones with a shin choke.

Jones, who put up a valiant effort throughout the bout, writhed in pain before finally giving in at 3:36 of the third round. A chorus of boos echoed throughout the arena after the fight, but the crowd never flustered "The Queen of Swords," who was all smiles after winning her third straight professional bout.

"I noticed she just tried to get away from me so it was hard trying to catch up to her," Fox said in her post-fight interview. "[The submission] was kind of a knee ride choke that chokes them out, pretty awesome."

Fox has been the subject of controversy since the big reveal of her sexual orientation to Sports Illustrated in March.

In an exclusive interview with MMA journalist Loretta Hunt, Fox stated that she had undergone gender reassignment surgery back in 2006, which also included supplemental hormonal therapy.

According to a tweet by Hunt, Fox "wasn't required to provide transgender history" to get sanctioned for the bout with Jones, per the Florida State Boxing Commission.

Jones played defensive the entire fight in an attempt to avoid Fox's devastating knockout power. Her entire game plan appeared to be based on countering and avoiding wild stand-up exchanges, which worked extremely well at certain points in the fight.

Fox would often push forward with punches in an attempt to bait Jones into unnecessary exchanges. As she backpedaled, Jones was able to find openings to counter effectively and keep things interesting on the feet.

Fox, who had blood trickling from her nose early in the first round, showed composure and the ability to adjust on the fly. Instead of being overaggressive, she settled down and really began to dig into Jones' leg with outside leg kicks.

When Jones attempted to fire back with kicks of her own, Fox would change levels and secure a takedown. The takedowns proved pivotal in this fight for Fox, who was completely gassed by the end of the first round.

After snagging a leg for a takedown in the final round, Fox transitioned to the north-south position, slid her shin across Jones' neck and waited for the tap.

With her third win, talks have continued to heat up from Fox's camp about the possibility of joining the women's bantamweight division in the UFC.

When asked about the chances of the UFC signing Fox, UFC President Dana White claimed it was too far into the future to even talk about,during an appearance on The Abe Kanan Show. For now, her primary focus should be on her upcoming finals matchup with Ashlee Evans-Smith, and everything else will eventually fall into place.

If Fox is licensed and continues to win impressively, it could only be a matter of time before the UFC opens its doors.

Pacers Leave Roy Hibbert in Game, LeBron James Loses Ball in Clutch

Zach Buckley — Sat, 25 May 2013 01:14:43 -0400

Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel wasn't lying.

After his questionable decision to pull his hulking 7'2", 280-pound rim protector, Roy Hibbert, on a pair of crunch-time possessions in Game 1, he admitted afterward that he'd probably do things differently the next time around.

It could have been a public relations move. Vogel was widely chastised by fans and analysts abound as soon as LeBron James' buzzer-beating layup tickled the twine to give the Miami Heat a 103-102 overtime win in the first game of the series.

It could have been a proactive attempt to avoid any awkward moments with the aforementioned mountain of a man. Or perhaps simply an off-the-cuff response to the exact question he'd been asking himself during a long walk back to the visitors' locker room inside AmericanAirlines Arena.

Turns out it was none of the above. Rather, it was simply an honest answer, and Vogel's decision to hold true to his word just helped his team swipe home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference finals.

Game 2 wasn't all that different from the series opener.

The superstar battles between James (36 points, eight rebounds) and Paul George (22 points, six assists) were mesmerizing. There were 50 fouls between the two teams, and the high amount of turnovers—13 for Indiana, 14 for Miami—helped keep the contest choppy.

Hibbert (29 points, 10 boards) continued his interior dominance. George Hill (18 points, 6-of-8 from the field) took over the supporting scoring role from David West (13 points, 2-of-9). Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh gave the MVP some assistance (31 points combined), but Miami's support staff struggled once again. (Chris Andersen's seven points were next in line for the Heat.)

Same story for the most part, only a completely different conclusion—one that Vogel allowed Hibbert to see through to the end.

The Pacers scored eight of the game's final 10 points and escaped with a 97-93 win. James had his chances for another heroic late-game performance, but faltered in the face of Indiana's new-look defensive closers.

The driving lanes James had found in Game 1 disappeared when Hibbert was on the floor.

Here's what James saw on the first of his two layups in the final 10 seconds of overtime on Tuesday night.

A Norris Cole screen forced Paul George off the basketball, leaving only the 6'2", 190-pound Hill standing between the 6'8", 250-pound James and the basket. The threat of Cole, Wade and Ray Allen receiving open looks on the weak side held a trio of potential help defenders at bay.

The only possible helper was West, whose defensive ability extends to physical play in post isolations or battling on the glass. Only once in his nine-year career had he averaged at least one swat a game, maxing out at 1.3 per night in 2007-08—0.5 less than Hibbert's career average.

Didn't it sound too good to be true for the best slasher in the business?

James wasn't going to waste any time to find out, and he powered his way right to the tin for a go-ahead layup.

After George helped the Pacers regain the lead hitting all three free throws on the opposite end, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra spoke with James about what they should do on the final possession.

Surely working around Hibbert was part of that game plan. But Vogel kept him off the floor yet again, trading speed for size by thrusting forward Sam Young into the action.

Consider the playbook scrapped at that point.

A series of cuts gave Miami ideal court spacing again, and Indiana's interior looked completely barren.

West, the Pacers' biggest presence on the floor, was glued to the sideline in an effort to harass Shane Battier's inbounds pass. Hill and Hansbrough held tight in the perimeter passing lanes.

An overzealous George closed too hard on James, and the King's quick direction of reversal put his defender on his hip.

He had the basketball at the top of the key, with his momentum pulling him away from the rack with 2.2 seconds to operate. But he was only a power dribble away from the paint, with the 6'6", 225-pound Sam Young as the only defender left to challenge his drive.

It played out as exactly as would be expected.

Now fast-forward 48 hours.

The Heat are in dire need of points after a pair of Hill free throws gave Indiana a 95-93 edge with less than 50 seconds left in regulation.

Miami looked to James to once again work his magic, but he attempted to catch Indiana napping by whipping the ball across the wing to Allen. West sniffed out the move, though, and intercepted the look.

The Heat came up with a swarming defensive effort at the other end, forcing a shot-clock violation to keep their comeback hopes alive. James wouldn't make the same mistake again, so he poked and prodded for any path to the cup.

But what he saw lurking on the inside was nothing like what he'd seen just two nights before.

George didn't budge off Mario Chalmers' screen and kept stride with James. Indiana's weak side defenders moved closer to the paint.

Its strong side defender was none other than Hibbert himself, who dared James to pass the ball by leaving a wide-open Bosh in the corner.

When James picked up his dribble, Hibbert then moved out to deny his closest target. George held his ground as James tried to look for a shot over his right shoulder, and when he stepped again, West was there for the trap.

James saw an open Allen on the wing and thought he could thread the needle.

He guessed wrong.

And it wasn't only on the game's final possession that Hibbert made his presence felt. James was simply a different player throughout the night when the former Georgetown Hoya was on the floor.

Just like in Game 1, the outcome wasn't decided solely on the clutch-time possessions. James will need more out of his teammates, as the Pacers clearly have no intention of letting him create late-game miracles again:

Vogel made the right adjustment on Friday night.

Spoelstra's ability to find a counterstrike won't be known until these two teams square off again on Sunday night in the Circle City (8:30 p.m. ET on TNT).

What's the True Free-Agency Value of Disgruntled Scorer Monta Ellis?

Jordan Rodewald — Sat, 25 May 2013 01:02:09 -0400

One question looming large for the Milwaukee Bucks this summer is whether or not Monta Ellis will be back with the team next season. With an early-termination option on his contract, Ellis could become available on July 1 when the free-agency period begins.

If he does, what is his true value on the market?

One cannot deny the success that Ellis has had as a scorer since arriving in the league. In fact, for his career he's averaging 19.4 points per game. On the surface, that number doesn't appear to be too impressive, but it's good enough to rank 61st all-time and is 14th among active players.

With excellent quickness and an array of acrobatic moves around the rim, Ellis certainly can put the ball in the hoop.

But he's never really done so with great efficiency.

He's shooting a decent 45.6 percent from the field for his career, but that number has continued to decline over the course of the past several seasons.

Part of the reason for that decline is Ellis' infatuation with the jump shot—an aspect of his game that is subpar at best.

Ellis shot just 41.6 percent from the field during the 2012-13 season, as depicted in the shot chart from NBA.com/Stats above.

Take a moment to look at the distribution of the 1,436 shots he took over the course of the year.

Does anything stand out?

For someone who's so good at getting to the hoop and making tough shots, Ellis took just 568 shots around the rim. When you do the math, the equates to 39.5 percent of the shots he took.

That number is too low, especially when you consider that he almost negated it by taking 328 three-point field goals—the second-most of his career—and connected on just 28.7 percent of them.

And it's those threes and forced mid-range shots that prevented Ellis from having a great season.

In December, Ellis compared himself to Dwyane Wade but he'll never reach that status unless he elevates his basketball IQ and becomes a smarter player.

But what separates the two players is basketball smarts.

Wade knows he isn't a great three-point shooter, so he doesn't take very many. In fact, he's taken more than 100 threes just three times in his career.

Ellis should take note of his 2007-08 season. That year, he scored the most total points he's ever scored and also shot 53.1 percent from the field.

How many threes did he attempt? A total of 52.

He is, without question, a vastly improved player when he's attacking the basket and not relying on his mid-range or long-range jump shot.

And while his inefficiency doesn't help his cause in free agency, it doesn't mar his image as much as a report following Milwaukee's first-round series against the Miami Heat.

According to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, Ellis and Larry Sanders almost physically fought after the conclusion of Game 3 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center:

After the Bucks lost 104-91 to the Heat in Milwaukee on April 25, Sanders vented in the locker room and said in a fiery speech, “We need to start playing together as a team and stop worrying about next year,” according to one of the people briefed on the confrontation. “We need to stop being selfish and start worrying about right now.”

Ellis “took umbrage,” according to another person with knowledge of the situation. Correctly assuming that Sanders' comments were directed primarily at him and backcourt mate Brandon Jennings, who both are prospective free agents, Ellis approached Sanders and squared off with him, sources said. A teammate got between the two players and separated them before the conflict became physical.

While tensions were surely running high after suffering another loss to the defending champions, it doesn't excuse the behavior of Ellis.

No one has ever accused him of being a terrible teammate, but the high volume of shots he takes and a noticeable tendency to give up on plays if he makes a mistake don't exactly bolster an argument for him being a great one either.

In the end, Ellis and his agent will have to determine what the best option is.

He can exercise his early-termination option and leave $11 million on the table to seek greener pastures outside of Milwaukee. But his inefficient play and the immaturity he displayed in the aforementioned scuffle with Sanders don't exactly help his cause.

It comes down to what he values most between money and winning games.

If he wants play on a winning team, he's almost certainly going to have to take a pay cut. It would be shocking if a contending team paid him more than what he would make with the Bucks if he returned next season.

Ultimately, he may find that his value on the market isn't nearly what he thinks it is, and that could prove to be detrimental to the growth of the Bucks next season.

Predicting 2013-14 All-NBA Teams

Grant Hughes — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:54:14 -0400

The league announced the members of the 2012-13 All-NBA teams on May 23, which means it's already time to start looking ahead to the guys who'll be named to the 2013-14 squads.

Before getting started, it's important to keep a couple of things in mind.

First, these predictions will cover which players the voters (comprised of a pool of 119 sportswriters and broadcasters) are most likely to select to the 15 available spots among the three teams. Admittedly, it was hard to keep out personal feelings about who should earn the honors, but you'll find that, by and large, these selections line up with the thinking these voters have used in the past.

Voters get stuff wrong all the time—witness David Lee's inclusion on this year's Third Team and, looking at this season's awards more broadly, Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol's head-scratching exclusion from the All-Defense First Team.

Hopefully, they'll get these right.

Second, there are bound to be some painful omissions. Father Time is a cruel master, as Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade are about to learn. But hey, the league's up-and-coming stars have to push somebody out of the way on their rise to the top.

Let's get to it.

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MLB Umpire Angel Hernandez: Twitter Reacts to Another Blown Call

Doug Mead — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:51:20 -0400

MLB umpire Angel Hernandez was trending on Twitter on Friday night after yet another blown call. At least this time it didn't cost a team a victory. But it was egregious nonetheless.

I know, you're thinking to yourself, "Wait, didn't MLB suspend him after he blew that home run call a few weeks ago?"

Well, this is Major League Baseball you're talking about. Hernandez wasn't disciplined in any way, although MLB at least acknowledged that Hernandez blew it.

Just to refresh your memory: With the Oakland Athletics down to the Cleveland Indians 4-3 in the top of the ninth inning on May 8, shortstop Adam Rosales hit what appeared to be a game-tying home run. But Hernandez thought otherwise, saying the ball bounced off the wall rather than the railing above the yellow line. Rosales was given a double on the play.

After A's manager Bob Melvin pleaded for a video review, Hernandez and the rest of the umpiring crew relented, stepping off the field to review the play. After several minutes, they returned, and Hernandez was apparently not swayed by the video he reviewed.

Needless to say, Melvin was beside himself. He was ejected from the game, and Rosales was stranded at second base with the A's eventually losing 4-3.

At the time, the A's beat reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, Susan Slusser, said everyone in the press box knew Hernandez completely blew the call:

Slusser was also the pool reporter sent in to interview Hernandez about the call. He refused to have his comments taped:

The following day, MLB vice president of operations Joe Torre admitted that Hernandez blew the call.

Via the New York Daily News:

“By rule, the decision to reverse a call by use of instant replay is at the sole discretion of the crew chief,” Torre said. “In the opinion of Angel Hernandez, who was last night’s crew chief, there was not clear and convincing evidence to overturn the decision on the field. It was a judgment call, and as such, it stands as final.

“Home and away broadcast feeds are available for all uses of instant replay, and they were available to the crew last night. Given what we saw, we recognize that an improper call was made. Perfection is an impossible standard in any endeavor, but our goal is always to get the calls right. Earlier this morning, we began the process of speaking with the crew to thoroughly review all the circumstances surrounding last night’s decision.”

Hernandez saw what everyone else saw, yet still made an "improper" call. And MLB handed out no discipline.

Let's fast-forward two weeks, shall we?

On Friday night during the 10th inning of a game between the Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins, the White Sox loaded the bases with one out. Alex Rios grounded into a double play to end the threat.

But on closer inspection, it appeared that Rios beat the throw to first base. Another blown call by Hernandez.

Fortunately for the White Sox, Jeff Keppinger hit a game-winning single in the bottom of the 11th. The White Sox, unlike the A's 16 days before them, didn't have a win taken away from them.

It was just delayed by an inning.

By another blown call by Hernandez.

We can't show the video here, but we'll let you make the call.

White Sox play-by-play man Ken Harrelson nearly blew a gasket. I expected another F-bomb on TV, but he was able to hold his tongue.

People on Twitter, however, weren't afraid to hold back their feelings.

Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com didn't exactly have a birds-eye view of the play, but he thought Rios was safe:

Bleacher Report's own Zachary Rymer thought it was the right time to mention that Hernandez was prominently featured in his column about people in baseball ruining the sport:

Chris Rongey is one who believes the MLB needs to act immediately in the wake of yet another blown call:

For the record, I completely agree with Rongey, but we'll get to that later.

Britton Robinson believes that Hernandez could be collecting unemployment checks in the very near future:

I'm not quite that convinced.

Another Twitterer thought that the reason Hernandez still has a job might have something to do with blackmail:

Well, I don't think I'd go quite THAT far.

Needless to say, baseball fans are out of their minds with anger, wonderment and incredulity. The fact that Hernandez was in a position to make another bad call in the first place is bad enough. With MLB essentially doing nothing in the wake of the fiasco 16 days ago, Hernandez was given free rein to continue blowing calls.

MLB has no one to blame but themselves. They had a golden opportunity to clean up a situation that cost a team a ballgame. How are the A's going to feel if they lose out on a postseason berth by one game at the end of the season?

This latest egregious and obvious error by Hernandez must be dealt with—and severely. There have been far too many instances this season already in which umpires—rather than baseball games—have been the story.

Susan Slusser had to leave her tape recorder behind when interviewing Hernandez after the blown call in the A's game. Was it because he simply didn't want to leave a digital trail?

Jim Joyce didn't have a problem owning up to his error with his blown call in the near-perfect game thrown by Armando Galarraga. And that cost Galarraga a piece of history.

This won't be a history-altering blown call, but for the A's, it well could decide their fate at the end of the season if they're in the thick of a playoff race.

Joe Torre and MLB need to act on Hernandez's latest outrageously bad call. Torre's got incontrovertible evidence, and he needs to use it.

Enough is enough.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle.

Feel free to talk baseball with Doug anytime on Twitter.

Carolina's Key to Success Rests on the Strength of Its Defense

Charles Edwards — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:51:04 -0400

Defense wins championships. A lot of coaches have been saying it for years. The Carolina Panthers have been identified as being defensive-oriented since their inception. From Dom Capers to Ron Rivera, every head coach to grace the sidelines for the Panthers has been one with a defensive background.

When the right personnel have been on the field or the unit has remained healthy, Carolina has a defense that is among the best in the league.

While the Cam Newton-led offense may garner much of the attention, the defense will be the backbone of the team’s success and failures in 2013. Last year, the Panthers were in every game but two, and a few of those losses were due to the defense being unable to stop its opponents in the waning minutes of the game.

Enter Dave Gettleman, who brought his “hog molly” philosophy to Carolina and proceeded to beef up the defensive line through both the draft and free agency.

He made Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei his first pick in the draft and followed it up by selecting Purdue’s Kawann Short. What was a liability on defense became an immediate strength in just two rounds.

But will it be enough?

In a perfect world, the tandem of Lotulelei and Short will be a staple of Carolina football for years to come and should anchor a line that can be one of the league’s elite on an annual basis. However, the football world is far from perfect, and the Panthers haven’t tasted playoff glory since 2008.

These two young men will be charged with shoring up a weak interior on the line, stuff the run and free up the linebackers and defensive ends to create all kinds of problems for opposing quarterbacks.

That is asking a lot of two rookies who will be seeing plenty of playing time this upcoming season. The good news is they will have plenty of veterans to help them make the transition into the Carolina defense and practice against an offense that has the potential to be great in 2013.

With the rookies in place, there is still the matter of the veteran starters who will be counted on to either improve last year’s numbers or rebound from a horrible 2012 campaign.

Carolina Needs to Combat the Injury Bug

Veteran and team captain Jon Beason has been very limited the past two seasons because of injuries. He only appeared in five games between the 2011-12 seasons and has seen his stock drop because of it.

Additionally, there has been speculation about his time in Carolina coming to an end, but if he can stay healthy and play the outside with the same kind of skill that he did at middle linebacker, he could stick around longer.

The same can be said of Thomas Davis, another Carolina linebacker who dealt with his own injury issues and came back with a strong season in 2012. That year marked his first full season since 2008; though he did miss one game last season.

Davis and Beason will be closely watched as their health will be paramount to how good the defense will be when the season gets under way.

Fortunately, the Panthers do have Chase Blackburn and rookie A.J. Klein to step in and make an immediate impact if necessary. The ideal situation would be to keep them both in a backup role, but anything is possible on any given week.

If the middle of the defense can stay intact along with the secondary and defensive front, the Panthers will have going for them during the season.

Pass Rush Will be Key

Charles Johnson and Greg Hardy are both coming off great seasons where they each recorded more than 10 sacks. With an improved defensive line, expect the blitz packages to be more frequent and Carolina’s pass rush off the edge to be more lethal. Most quarterbacks are not nearly effective under pressure, and the key to the defense’s success will be to upset their opponent’s tempo.

Lotulelei, Short and Dwan Edwards should be able to take away the double-teams, which will allow Johnson, Hardy or any of the linebackers to penetrate the backfield and cause a plethora of problems.

Teams like Atlanta, New Orleans, New England and the New York Giants all have quarterbacks who are dangerous when they have a lot of time inside the pocket. An effective pass rush will make all of those teams and this year’s opponents one dimensional.

The same can be said about those teams with a mobile quarterback. Fortunately, the Panthers have a great mobile quarterback to practice against. Having that luxury could help the defense prepare for the likes of Seattle, San Francisco, Buffalo and the New York Jets (the latter assuming Geno Smith is named the starter for their matchup).

Ultimately, having an excellent pass rush will nullify the need for a shutdown corner or an elite player in the secondary.

Secondary Is a Weak Link, But It Can Be Solid

There is no doubt that this year’s weak area is the secondary.

Until the season starts in September, let’s assume the starting cornerbacks will be Captain Munnerlyn and Josh Norman. Neither one is very flashy, but both did play well last year in the wake of former Panthers corner Chris Gamble being lost for the season. They combined for three interceptions in 2012 and both have proved durable on the field.

Safety is the wild card among the group, and with the lone exception to Charles Godfrey, the other safety position will be up for grabs heading into training camp. Haruki Nakamura struggled last season, and his spot on the roster is not guaranteed with the likes of Colin Jones and Robert Lester looking to challenge him for the starting job. Mike Mitchell and D.J. Campbell cannot be overlooked either.

The pass defense was middle of the road last season, finishing 14 out of 32 teams in the league. However, Carolina’s total defense rounded out the top 10, and that should be looked at with a sense of optimism moving forward.

There should be no reason why both the pass defense and rush defense won’t improve in 2013 and make the defense a formidable one during the course of the season.

Carolina has an excellent blend of veteran leadership and promising rookies on defense, and the outlook should be favorable not only on the team but among the fanbase. If the Panthers defense can correct the mistakes of last year and help close out the tight ballgames, they could very well see an win increase of three or four games at the end of this season.

The offense may get all the accolades, but defense wins championships.

Can Indiana Pacers Do Unthinkable and Upset Miami Heat?

Grant Hughes — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:47:25 -0400

Now that the Indiana Pacers have evened their Eastern Conference finals series with the Miami Heat by taking a hard-fought 97-93 win in Game 2, it appears that the impossible is actually possible. The Pacers have a legitimate shot to beat the Heat.

Paul George was phenomenal again, piling up 22 points and six assists on 9-of-16 shooting. It's hard to laud his defense against LeBron James, who poured in 36 points on only 20 shots, but it's no coincidence that George's plus-17 rating was the highest of any player on either team. He made James work for his buckets and got plenty of his own on the other end.

In fact, George even matched James in the highlight category, throwing down more than one vicious dunk.

The budding superstar wasn't fighting the Heat alone, though; Roy Hibbert turned in yet another great performance, scoring 29 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. At times, the big man looked like he was out there on the court with nine kids playing "keep away" by himself on the glass. His six offensive boards were absolutely critical to Indiana's surprising win.

The Pacers got production from the other three members of their starting lineup as well.

George Hill had a couple of ball-handling gaffes (as usual), but he scored with terrific efficiency (18 points on only eight field-goal attempts) and actually attacked in pick-and-roll sets for the first time all series. Plus, David West worked his way to the line 10 times and doled out plenty of physical punishment.

Ask Mario Chalmers how his shoulder is feeling after a hard shot from West.

Even Lance Stephenson chipped in with a terrific floor game. Though he was visibly upset with his 4-of-12 shooting night, the gritty 2-guard supplemented his 10 points with eight rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals.

If all five members of the Pacers' starting unit can continue to play well, it'll go a long way toward helping them pull off a previously unthinkable upset.

Looking ahead, though, there are some other signs from Game 2 that certainly favor the Pacers as the series returns to Indiana.

First, Indy seemed to shore up a major weakness that had plagued it during the regular season and playoffs. In the 2012-13 campaign, only the go-go Houston Rockets had a higher turnover ratio than the Pacers. Yet in Game 2, Indiana committed only 13 giveaways.

Frank Vogel clearly made an adjustment that helped relieve the pressure Norris Cole had been applying to Hill in the backcourt by having his players immediately fire the ball up the floor to the first available wing player. The strategy was a simple version of a press break—the kind you'd see in plenty of high school games. But it definitely helped.

And ironically, it was James who committed the most crucial turnovers, as he gave the ball up on bad passes twice in the final minute.

It's definitely unrealistic to expect James to make those mistakes again, and it's probably unlikely that the Pacers will be so careful with the ball during the rest of the series. But Indiana has at least addressed a major problem. That'll help as these games get even more tense going forward.

In addition to smaller tactical changes, the Pacers will now get to enjoy the benefit of two games at home.

During the regular season, Indiana amassed an excellent 30-11 mark in its own gym. A 6-0 home playoff record shows that its home dominance has clearly carried over into the postseason.

And speaking of records, consider the following as it pertains to Indy's chances of pulling off the upset: Coming into Game 2, everyone was fixated on the Heat's 47-3 mark over their past 50 games. Some cited it as proof that there was no way the Pacers could be expected to take four games out of six after losing Game 1.

Objectively, that makes a ton of sense. But remember, these Pacers took two out of three games from the Heat during the regular season. That number should matter more than the gaudy record Miami ran up against the rest of the league over the past few months.

We now know that the Pacers aren't like the rest of the league. They're better.

Plus, Indiana has actually had a taste of what it's like to have an edge on the Heat in the postseason. Perhaps it'll be motivated to savor that taste this time around.

And finally, the biggest thing the Pacers have going for them is sheer confidence. They know they could have taken Game 1 if not for a couple of late miscues and James' heroics. After bouncing back to notch a statement win in Game 2 on Miami's home floor, Indiana should believe it can win this series.

Look, there are plenty of reasons for the Heat to continue to be the favorite to advance. The Pacers still don't have a bench, and there's almost no way James' supporting cast pulls another disappearing act like it did in Game 2.

Plus, the Heat have finally been hit in the mouth in a game that really counts. Sure, they lost a couple of tough regular season games and even dropped a playoff contest to the Chicago Bulls, but perhaps this latest loss will finally remind the Heat that they've got to play with urgency all the time.

They haven't had to do that yet, and if there's another gear the Heat have yet to hit, Indiana's big win might actually force them to find it.

I said the Pacers had "a chance" to win this series earlier, and that's just what it is: a chance.

The Heat still have the best player in the series, a better bench and more playoff experience. If forced to make a pick, I'd still say they are more likely to win this series. At the same time, it definitely won't be a shock if Indiana wins either.

The Heat are a great team. But now we know they're not invincible.

2013 NBA Playoffs: Paul George Is Blossoming into a Star

Thomas Duffy — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:35:42 -0400

Physically, Paul George could almost look like a younger brother of LeBron James. The reigning MVP is stronger, has more ink and has less hair than the leader of the Indiana Pacers, in addition to possessing seven more years of professional experience. But like any younger sibling playing his big brother, George has not backed down from the challenge of taking on the league’s best player in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Although he has three seasons under his belt, this is really George’s first year playing the role of Indiana’s top gun. In the absence of Danny Granger, the 2013 NBA’s Most Improved Player put up All-Star numbers of nearly 18 points and eight rebounds per game. He had already established himself as a tremendous defender, but George increased his offensive production by more than five points per game from last season (via ESPN).

When you think of superstars in the NBA, who do you think of? LeBron, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony—George really doesn’t come up in that discussion. After this season, however, that is going to change.

George is blossoming into a star, right before our very eyes, here in the playoffs. His Game 1 performance in the conference finals against the Miami Heat was unreal: 27 points on 7-of-16 shooting (3-6 from three-point territory), including a 30-footer to send the game into overtime and then three cold-blooded free throws with 2.2 seconds left to give his Pacers a one-point lead.

On the following play, George overplayed James on the inbound pass and allowed LBJ to surge in for the game-winning layup as time expired, 103-102 Miami. George is 23 years old, though; that’s going to happen. How he would respond to that kind of adversity is what mattered.

And boy, did he respond.

In Game 2 on Friday, George poured in 22 points (9-16 from the field) in 39 minutes while keeping his composure in the biggest game of his career. His smothering defense forced James into two turnovers with less than a minute left en route to a 97-93 victory in Miami.

Now that the away team has won on their opponent's home court, we have a series (as the saying goes). And you know what else we have? A rising star in Paul George, who is going toe-to-toe with one of the greatest players of all time and loving every second of it.

Game 3 will be played on Sunday, May 26 at 8:30 p.m. on TNT.

Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat Game 2: Video Highlights and Recap

Tyler Conway — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:24:20 -0400

Just when we thought the "is LeBron clutch?" conversation had ended, Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals will undoubtedly get the NBA's most oft-debated conversation heated up once again.

James turned the ball over twice in the final minute of Friday night's action, helping the Indiana Pacers defeat the Miami Heat, 97-93, to even the best-of-seven series at 1-1.

The critical turnovers obscure an otherwise brilliant performance from the league MVP. James scored a game-high 36 points and grabbed eight rebounds on a night where Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh both turned in disappointing outings.

Wade scored only 14 points, while Bosh had a customary 17 but grabbed only five rebounds. Both shot 6-of-14 from the floor.

While most will focus on the implications for Miami as the series heads back to Indiana, Game 2's biggest star was Pacers center Roy Hibbert.

The 7'2" big man, who was infamously benched for James' game-winning basket on Wednesday, scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. And on Miami's final meaningful offensive possession—James' second turnover of the final minute—it was Hibbert's length that forced LeBron to stop in his tracks and attempt a difficult pass.

The man who tipped that pass, David West, was involved with both James turnovers—making up for a dreadful offensive evening.

Meanwhile, Paul George's leap to superstardom continued. The 23-year-old All-Star scored shot 9-of-16 en route to scoring 22 points, including a ferocious dunk that will assuredly make highlight shows across the nation.

Indiana now heads back home having done what all underdogs aspire to do—win one of the first road games. The pressure will now be firmly on the Heat, as the series gets back underway Sunday night in Indianapolis.

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Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat: Game 2 Postgame Grades and Analysis

Peter Emerick — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:21:09 -0400

I feel like we've been here before. A playoff series between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers tied up at 1-1 as the series heads back to Indiana?

Thanks to a 97-93 Game-2 win over the Heat, the Pacers are treating fans to another thrilling series, only this time the stakes are higher with a trip to the 2013 NBA Finals on the line.

Paul George and LeBron James went back and forth throughout the night, with George ending with 22 points and six assists and LeBron ending with 36 points on 14-of-20 shooting.

With the game going back and forth, George rose to the occasion and threw down one of the filthiest dunks you'll ever see, shoving Chris Andersen out of his way.

LeBron had a great game throughout the first 47 minutes, but with the game on the line, he turned the ball over twice, which sealed the Heat's fate.

Roy Hibbert owned the interior on both sides of the ball, with 29 points and 10 rebounds. It's clear that the Heat need to find an answer for the Pacers' size and strength in the paint. If they don't, they may be watching the 2013 NBA Finals from the comfort of their own homes.

Game 3 is set for Sunday at 9 p.m. ET. You won't want to miss a single minute of this series, that's for sure.

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Kobe Bryant Gets a New Tattoo, Posts Pic on Instagram

Maxwell Ogden — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:14:31 -0400

Entering the 2012-13 NBA regular season, it appeared as if Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers were on pace to add another championship ring to his collection. After tearing his Achilles tendon and watching his team lose in the first round, however, those dreams failed to come to fruition.

Kobe opted to settle for some new ink.

Bryant posted a photograph of the process on his personal Instagram account. The social media world has instantly responded, providing their take on what Kobe is doing during his offseason.

As one might expect, Bryant is displaying no signs of pain.

The legend of Kobe's pain threshold continues.

Yesterday, Bryant took to Twitter to ask his loyal fanbase what they believed he should get. Before they could offer up a definitive answer, the five-time NBA champion offered up a suggestion of his own.

A rosary.

It didn't take much time for Bryant to get it done.

There's something to be said about a man who garners this much media attention for getting a tattoo. After all, we are in the midst of the 2013 NBA playoffs, where we unexpectedly saw a year without Kobe taking the floor.

When you're as accomplished as Bryant, however, the news is bound to circulate, no matter what you do—this time around, it's about getting a tattoo.

Reasons to Root for Each Team Left in NBA Playoffs

Stephen Fenech — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:02:56 -0400

With only four teams remaining in the NBA playoffs, most fanbases across the country are already looking forward to next season. That being said, the two conference finals being contested currently are producing high-quality basketball games.

Even if your favorite team is already on summer vacation, there are a plethora of reasons to cheer for the remaining squads.

While each team still in contention is different, they all have a few things in common. They are all competent on the defensive end and are composed of mature players who understand how to fit into their team's system.

At this point of the postseason, making mental mistakes can be the difference between a win and a loss. That was the case at the end of overtime between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, when Paul George overplayed LeBron James, allowing the MVP to take an uncontested layup that won the game.

With stars such as James, Tim Duncan, Marc Gasol and George all vying for the championship, the final weeks of the season promise to be exciting.

Each team has a couple of compelling reasons as to why people should jump on their bandwagon as the playoff action gets even more intense and dramatic.

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Reasons Nick Diaz's War MMA Is Destined to Fail

Adam Hill — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:59:27 -0400

Following his recent “retirement,” Nick Diaz, the Stockton-born bad boy, is looking to fill his newfound free time with another attention-grabbing stunt.

Diaz announced that he is putting together his own mixed martial arts promotion, aptly named War MMA.

While an intriguing proposition, Diaz lacks the follow-through to bring such a large venture to fruition. Over the last few years, he has proven himself more blow than go. It is likely that War MMA will be about as prosperous as his failed foray into professional boxing.

Many factors must be taken into account when entering into the complicated business of competitive fight promoting.

And to think that Diaz is going to get all of these factors to fall into place prior to the proposed promotional debut on June 22 is downright laughable.

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5 Free Agents the Chicago Bulls Must Avoid

Andres Montero — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:50:58 -0400

Free agency will start in just over a month and the Chicago Bulls have some needs they must address. However, they also have to make sure they avoid any players that may not be great fits for them.

With most of this season's bench players on one-year deals, the Bulls will have to fill their bench once again with free agents.

Jermaine O'Neal is a potential target for the Bulls' backup center spot, but his age and injury history should raise some flags.

With the Bulls' lack of cap room, they'll have to offer up a couple of minimum contracts to add some extra bodies to the second unit. That being said, they still have to make sure that player will contribute and fit Tom Thibodeau's system.

So which free agents should Chicago avoid?

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UFC 160 Prelims: Complete Undercard and Predictions for Saturday's Event

Alex Ballentine — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:48:50 -0400

Before UFC 160's marquee fights get underway on pay-per-view, the organization will offer seven fights for free that will be available via Facebook or on FX.

While these matchups may not offer the same name recognition of a heavyweight title fight between Cain Velasquez and Antonio Silva, there are plenty of matchups that should affect the landscape in their respective divisions.

Featuring an intriguing welterweight collision between Mike Pyle and Rick Story, there are a slew of fighters who will be trying to climb the ladder with entertaining and decisive wins. Here's a look at the compete schedule along with quick picks for the biggest prelims on the card.

FX Card (Starting at 8 p.m. ET)

Welterweight Mike Pyle vs. Rick Story

Featherweight Dennis Bermudez vs. Max Holloway

Welterweight Colton Smith vs. Robert Whittaker

Lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Abel Trujillo

Facebook Card (Starting at 6:35 p.m. ET)

Welterweight: Nah-Shon Burrell vs. Stephen Thompson

Bantamweight: Brian Bowles vs. George Roop

Featherweight: Estevan Payan vs. Jeremy Stephens

Predictions

Mike Pyle Continues Winning Ways Against Rick Story

Thirty-seven-year-old Mike Pyle is making the most out of the latter parts of his career. The longtime UFC vet is making his way to the main card scene with three straight first-round finishes, and a win here could propel him to the highest heights he has seen in his career.

Story is always a dangerous underdog—his wins over Johny Hendricks and Thiago Alves are nothing to laugh at. But he's been mediocre since those wins, posting a 2-3 record in his last five fights.

Look for Pyle to continue his recent winning streak with another spectacular knockout.

Nurmagomedov Redeems Weigh-In Mishaps With Win Over Abel Trujillo

Khabib Nurmagomedov may have a bright future in the UFC, but his antics at the weight can't help him.

Nurmagomedov showed up to the weigh-ins wearing a goofy wig. Which wouldn't have been a big deal if he hadn't missed weight. And if he hadn't pushed Abel Trujillo at the staredown for no reason. As Bleacher Report's Duane Finley and Jeremy Botter point out, the whole performance just wasn't a good idea:

Fortunately for Nurmagomedov, he has the skills in the Octagon to ensure he doesn't receive the harsh backlash that may come with losing. He's 19-0 for a reason. The man has knockout power on the feet and the ability to win with submissions on the ground.

Nurmagomedov will finish this fight.

Jeremy Stephens Will Make His Last UFC Appearance Against Estevan Payan

It feels like Jeremy Stephens should be 37. He's not, he's 27.

He made his UFC debut in 2007 and has been a fixture in the organization ever since, but it looks like his time in the Octagon might be done. Stephens has never been an elite fighter, but he's now riding a three-fight losing streak and finds himself on the Facebook prelims.

He's making his debut at featherweight, but even dropping weight might not be enough. Estevan Payan may not be a well-known name, but he's coming off of a TKO win in Strikeforce.

Another loss and it's hard to envision Dana White keeping Stephens around.

The X's and O's of an NFL No-Huddle Attack

Alen Dumonjic — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:32:47 -0400

It's not often that the NFL undergoes a schematic transition. In reality, the league is pretty bland when it comes to coaching, but in the past couple of years, things have changed.

There are more and more formations and concepts that are being brought over from the college ranks, as witnessed this past season with the implementation of the pistol and zone read. Another addition (or expansion) has been the no-huddle attack.

Teams are using an up-tempo offense more than just in the final stages of a half. They're using it in the middle of drives and quarters, making it difficult for defenses to keep pace with them. The New England Patriots are best known for this right now, but it's something that goes back many years, dating back to at least the early '90s with the Buffalo Bills' K-Gun offense.

There are three keys to successfully using a no-huddle attack: controlling tempo, cutting down terminology and using simpler concepts to move the ball.

Tempo

Controlling tempo is the biggest advantage in sports right now. I frequently compare the sport of football to basketball because a lot of the concepts and philosophies are similar, and it's no different here.

In basketball, there are teams like the San Antonio Spurs, for example, that do a great job of controlling the game. They know when to push the game and when to sit back. It's a fine line and one that many football play-callers don't understand because they don't have a feel for it.

There have been NFL coaches who have done well with the no-huddle in the past, such as Chan Gailey.

Although Gailey hasn't had much overall success recently, he's one of the brighter minds in the game because of his understanding of offenses. He's familiar with tempo, as he once explained using gears as an analogy, via AFCAStore.com:

By lining up at the LOS [and not huddling], we push the defense into a tempo they are not accustomed to. We relate this idea to gears in a car. First gear is the gear most everyone uses. Both teams huddle then go to the LOS and execute their plays. In second gear, the offense does not huddle; therefore, the defense cannot huddle either. This changes the tempo. Third gear is hurry-hurry offense; with the no-huddle, you can get into this tempo at any time. Now we have the ability to speed up the game or slow it down according to our wants and needs. This keeps the defense off balance.

Keeping the defense off balance is one of the keys to winning games, whether it's done through scheme or tempo. The Denver Broncos and aforementioned Patriots do a good job of this. A big reason why they're so successful at it is because they've cut down their verbiage.

Terminology

Verbiage or terminology, as it's often called, is another big key to mastering a no-huddle attack. Long play calls are not always necessary, and teams have started to figure this out.

One man who has had it long figured out is Chip Kelly of the Philadelphia Eagles and formerly of the University of Oregon. Kelly is a mastermind when it comes to terminology, using poster cutouts as signals and simple one-word play calls.

A word or picture tells the offense the formation, play and blocking scheme, as former Oregon and current Baltimore Ravens tight end Ed Dickson told The Boston Globe's Greg Bedard. It can be mind-bending for offensive players at first, but it becomes easier through practice, as Dickson explained:

It’s kind of easy. It comes with repetition. A lot of guys learn different. Myself, I just needed to be out there repping those plays. The more comfortable you get, the faster you’ll go. He wants to make it easier to where you’re not thinking about anything, you’re just going fast. Make it as simple as guys can learn it so you can go really fast. That’s the key, making it simple for your players so they can play at top speed.

Concepts

A no-huddle attack is different from a huddled one because it uses simpler plays, most of which come from the traditional three-step passing game.

The three-step game consists of screens, slants and other quick-hitting plays that get the ball out of the quarterback's hands quickly and makes the defense run. The quicker the ball moves, the quicker the defense moves, making them more tired than usual.

What Kelly has done over the past few years is build his passing game off of his running game, which he did a great job of explaining to Urban Meyer a couple of years ago on ESPN.

See how Kelly's quarterback fakes the run and then throws the bubble screen in the video? It's simple, yet effective. It all looks the same, consequently putting the defense in a bind and making the players think the wrong thing.

That's what other NFL teams are going to start doing more of. With more college quarterbacks coming out of school unprepared for the pros, coaches will start to adopt more of the offense that their quarterbacks ran in college. We've already seen the Washington Redskins do it with Robert Griffin III, one of the deadliest dual-threat quarterbacks to come to the pros in recent time.

With teams looking to acquire more mobile passers that they can speed up the transition of to the pros, there will be more simple college concepts that feature the signal-caller as a runner or passer. That's difficult to deal with, especially when it's played at a fast tempo.

NHL Reportedly Reaches Agreement to Sell Phoenix Coyotes

Alex Ballentine — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:30:06 -0400

It appears that the NHL has finally found a buyer for the Phoenix Coyotes franchise.

According to a report from Fox Sports Arizona by Chris Morgan, the NHL and the George Gosbee and Anthony LeBlanc-led Renaissance Sports and Entertainment group have come to terms on a deal to purchase the team from the league.

Per the report, the next step in the process will be for NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, deputy commissioner Bill Daly, Gosbee and LeBlanc to meet with city officials and put together the details of the deal. That meeting is currently set to happen on Tuesday. According to another report from Fox Sports Arizona, the team is expected to announce a new contract for Coyotes' general manager Don Maloney.

The team has been owned by the NHL since 2009 when then-owner Jerry Moyes was forced to declare bankruptcy and sold the team to the league for $140 million.

After four years with no real owner, it appears that the Coyotes ownership saga will now come to a close. There are still a few details that will need to be figured out, though.

According to Fox Sports Arizona, the issue of funding for Jobing.com Arena could be a contentious issue for the new ownership group and the Glendale city council. According to The Arizona Republic, the true operating cost for the arena is around $5.1-$5.5 million.

Gosbee and LeBlanc are reported to be asking the city for around $13-$15 million to keep up the maintenance of the arena.

Having a GM and new ownership is important given the timing. After finishing with 51 points on the season and two spots shy of a playoff berth, the Coyotes will be looking to transform the current roster into a playoff contender.

Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat: Game 2 Score, Highlights and Analysis

Maxwell Ogden — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:30:05 -0400

The 2013 NBA playoffs resumed on Friday as the Indiana Pacers defeated the Miami Heat by a score of 97-93 in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Finals series.

With the victory, Indiana ties this series at 1-1.

LeBron James led all scorers with 36 points, while Dwyane Wade added 14 points, six rebounds and five assists. Chris Bosh scored 17 of his own and Chris Andersen continued his efficient offensive play with seven points off of the bench.

For the winners, it was all about the interior.

Roy Hibbert responded to his late-game benching in Game 1 by scoring a playoff career-high 29 points paired with 10 rebounds. Paul George added 22 points, while George Hill dropped 18 and David West tallied 13 points and seven rebounds.

Lance Stephenson was well-rounded again, tallying 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

Both teams started hot, combining for 19 points during the first four minutes of the game. Indiana used a 15-3 run and Hibbert's low-post prowess to jump out to a double-digit lead, but Miami countered to bring the lead down to six points entering the second quarter.

Even still, Indiana had every reason to be confident while holding a 28-22 lead and showing no signs of broken will after a heartbreaking Game 1 loss.

Indiana refused to let up in the second quarter, using 12 made free throws to maintain its lead entering the half. With that being said, Chris Andersen took over offensively and managed to keep the Heat in this one.

Mike Miller drained one heck of a buzzer-beater to end the half and the stage was set for something classic.

These teams didn't disappoint.

The third quarter was all about the Big Three, as Bosh started a furious rally, Wade hit one of his signature circus shots and James was his usual self. The trio accounted for 24 of Miami's 27 third quarter points, outscoring Indiana by themselves.

With Indiana's offense continuing to pound it down low and space the floor with the three-ball, however, the Pacers held on to a 76-74 lead. The key to that lead was one of the most glorious plays of the postseason.

George shot down the Birdman.

Now that's what you call a dunk.

For those upset at what happened on this play, don't be. George took it in cleanly and threw down a dunk of such extraordinary heights that the opposition offered him praise.

Most specifically, the man whom George has been defending—LeBron.

Respect.

During the fourth quarter, the Pacers and Heat battled down to the wire as neither found a way to pull away. It came down to the final minute, when the Pacers used Hill's defense and Hibbert's presence—believe it or not, he was on the floor during crunch time—to secure the lead.

With Hill making four free throws to close out the game and Hibbert's rotation forcing LeBron into a late turnover, Indiana took Game 2 and evened the series—things just got interesting.

Twitter Reaction

This was yet another display of exceptional resiliency by the Indiana Pacers, as they refuse to back down against the heavily favored Miami Heat. Fortunately for those in need of some competition, the Pacers haven't checked the paper rosters.

They're just leaving it all out on the floor.

And that's what makes a series great.

Per usual, James was sensational, scoring at will and making pinpoint passes to his teammates. While the numbers keep coming, though, the adjectives to describe his play are running thin.

It's time we simply shut our mouths and enjoy greatness.

All who disagree are given permission to pose some new terms to describe LeBron's greatness.

Nevertheless, for everything that LeBron was able to do, he was consistently countered by Indiana breakout star Paul George. George, who won the 2012-13 Most Improved Player award, had some detractors questioning his legitimacy.

No more.

George has been sensational in both games of this series.

If there's one thing for us to follow as we push through this series, it's the positional battle between George and LeBron. Not only is James the best player in the world, but he's also one of the premier defenders.

George hasn't let that prevent him from creating one of the NBA's best rivalries.

Hit the comments section and let us know.

LeBron James and Paul George Turn Heads with Epic Game 2 Highlight-Reel Duel

Grant Hughes — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:27:24 -0400

Game 2 between the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers was supposed to be about adjustments and the interplay between Chris Bosh and Roy Hibbert. Instead, it boiled down to a good old-fashioned battle of jaw-dropping plays between LeBron James and Paul George.

And really, nobody's mad about that.

Paul George kicked off the highlight bonanza late in the third quarter with a vicious slam on Chris Andersen. George drove hard to his left, came to a two-foot plant and soared right over the top of the Birdman, cramming home a wicked righty spike.

He let out a guttural yell upon landing, which, when translated, actually sounded an awful lot like "I am Paul George, and I have arrived."

Everybody enjoyed the play. Well, except for Andersen.

Others were more brief in their analysis of the monstrous dunk.

Mere seconds later, James fired right back, ending the third quarter with a long bomb that conjured up recent memories of George's own 30-footer from Game 1.

It was an incredible exchange, reminiscent of the extremely high level of play in this series. Make no mistake, George and James are in line for plenty more battles in the coming seasons. And that's a pretty exciting proposition.

Best of all, these guys respect one another. It had to have been hard amidst an incredibly testy series, but James and George actually exchanged an appreciative low five after LBJ buried his quarter-closing triple.

Highlight plays and great sportsmanship don't often coexist like this.

Getting back to the action, the eye-popping plays started before the marquee exchange that ended the third quarter. Earlier in the game, James converted a breathtaking reverse dunk.

At the time, it was the game's best highlight. Little did we know there'd be so much more to come.

And shortly after that, George snared a lob from Lance Stephenson and thundered home a powerful dunk.

The final moments of Game 2 weren't quite enthralling as the end of Game 1. In the series opener, James and George also traded highlights down to the wire. This time around, James coughed up the ball on two critical possessions to end the contest.

Still, the enduring images from this game will definitely be the amazing individual plays from James and George in that epic third quarter.

Masai Ujiri Reportedly Negotiating to Become Toronto Raptors' New GM

Tyler Conway — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:26:23 -0400

Masai Ujiri may be the NBA's reigning Executive of the Year, but don't expect the Denver Nuggets to fight to retain his services.

According to Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, the Toronto Raptors are engaged with serious negotiations to make Ujiri their next general manager.

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is said to have made Ujiri an aggressive, multi-million dollar offer to help resuscitate the struggling franchise. The two sides met on Friday to discuss the vacancy, which opened when the team transitioned Bryan Colangelo to the business side of the organization.

What's interesting is that the Nuggets have no intention of making a counteroffer. Toronto's contract is said to be at least twice or even three times what Denver was willing to offer in negotiations with Ujiri, who took over basketball operations in 2010.

A source close to the Nuggets said team owners "seems to be moving on," per Wojnarowski.

While dumping an Executive of the Year has become something of the norm for the Nuggets—Mark Warkentien won the award in 2009 only to be replaced a year later—Ujiri is among the most respected young executives in basketball.

The 42-year-old Ujiri, who spent time under Colangelo in Toronto before coming to Denver, is largely credited for the current iteration of the Nuggets, which went 57-25 during the regular season en route to finishing with the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

It was under Ujiri's stewardship that Denver traded Carmelo Anthony, the franchise's best player of all time, to the New York Knicks in a deal that brought Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Timofey Mozgov to Colorado. He made the Nuggets an instrumental fourth wheel in the Dwight Howard trade last summer, landing the Nuggets Andre Iguodala for next to nothing in the process.

A darling of the analytics committee, the Raptors are hoping the return of Ujiri can bring success that the forward-thinking Colangelo could not. Toronto has not had a winning season since 2006-07 and finished 34-48 this past season.

With a roster that already exceeds the cap for the 2013-14 season, Uriji has a major rebuilding job ahead of him. There are questions about what to do with Andrea Bargnani among others, and the previous regime banked hard on Rudy Gay turning into a franchise-level player.

It gives Ujiri something to think about in the coming days. He reportedly has a good relationship with the Nuggets organization and has built a team bursting with young pieces that could be flipped for a superstar.

However, it seems Toronto is preparing to give him the ultimate form of respect—a Brinks truck full of money.

Uriji will reportedly take a couple of days to think about the Raptors' offer.

Ranking the 10 Best Raw Talents in the 2014 College Basketball Recruiting Class

Doug Brodess — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:19:44 -0400

With Andrew Wiggins making his announcement that he will be going to Kansas, we can close the book on the 2013 recruiting class and begin to focus on the bright, young prospects in the Class of 2014.

As we see the next emerging stars, we want to pay specific attention here to those recruits who have the most impressive skills. The following are among the best players in this year’s senior class, and yet they still have a huge upside to develop in the months and years to come.

Here is a ranking of the 10 best raw talents in the 2014 college basketball recruiting class.

Let’s go!

Basic prospect information comes from ESPN's Recruiting Nation site (subscription required for some info).

Begin Slideshow

Ranking the 10 Greatest Fights in NASCAR History

Joseph Shelton — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:14:57 -0400

Make no mistake, fights in NASCAR are fun to watch.

Let's face it, when we see drivers or crew members roll up their sleeves and engage in a legitimate brawl everything else goes dim. We become glued to that scene and that scene alone. The refreshing aspect of the raw emotion shown takes us back to the sport's basic roots. The fights take us back to those Saturday night's spent at the local bullring.

Or, if you want to be less poetic about it, it's always fun to watch that one pesky driver get a mudhole stomped in their backside and walked dry.

Here is a list of the 10 greatest fights in NASCAR history.

Begin Slideshow

Memorial Cup 2013: Portland vs. London Recap, Updated Bracket and More

Joseph Zucker — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:14:08 -0400

The Portland Winterhawks beat the London Knights, 2-1, to advance to the 2013 Memorial Cup final.

The Winterhawks were quick to proclaim victory on Twitter:

Portland had one fewer shot than London but did a great job of making its chances count. The Knights tried to make a late charge, but the Winterhawks proved too much.

Portland's Ty Rattie continued his strong performance in the Memorial Cup, taking the top spot amongst goal scorers. His go-ahead goal in the third period was his fifth. Put that together with his three assists and his eight points have him tied for the lead with Nathan MacKinnon of the Halifax Mooseheads.

Mac Carruth was just as good on the other end of the ice. He stopped 34 of London's 35 shots. His great save on Olli Maatta late in the third period preserved the win for the Winterhawks and summed up the kind of performance he had.

Here's the Memorial Cup schedule and a recap of Friday night's semifinal matchup.

Round-Robin Standings

Team	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS
Halifax Mooseheads	3	2	1	0	4
Portland Winterhawks	3	2	1	0	4
London Knights	3	1	2	0	2
Saskatoon Blades	3	1	2	0	2

Full Memorial Cup Schedule

Round-Robin Stage

Date	Away		Home
May 17	London	3	Saskatoon	2
May 18	Portland	4	Halifax	7
May 19	Saskatoon	5	Halifax	2
May 20	Portland	6	London	3
May 21	Halifax	9	London	2
May 22	Saskatoon	2	Portland	4

Playoff Schedule

Round	Away		Home		Date	Time
Tiebreaker:	Saskatoon Blades	1	London Knights	6	Thursday, May 23	8 p.m. ET
Semifinals:	London Knights	1	Portland Winterhawks	2	Friday, May 24	8 p.m. ET
Finals	Portland Winterhawks		Halifax Mooseheads		Sunday, May 26	7 p.m. ET

Portland vs. London Recap

Team	1	2	3	Total
London Knights	0	1	0	1
Portland Winterhawks	0	1	1	2

This was not one for the casual fans out there, as a scoreless and uneventful first period set the stage for what would be a much more defensive game.

The Knights controlled much of the game early as they were solid in defense and created more on the offensive end of the ice. London took the lead on the power play off a goal by 12:43 into the second period.

It was the first penalty of the game as Brendan Leipsic was sent to the sin bin after a check from behind. Not one to let an opportunity slip away, London capitalized on the man advantage.

Max Domi scored his first goal of the Memorial Cup. Olli Maatta and Seth Griffin helped out with the assists.

Largely from that point on, the Winterhawks began to assert themselves. They evened the scoring a little over two minutes after the Knights' goal. Tyler Wotherspoon scored 14:51 into the second period, with Petan and Seth Jones registering assists.

As the second period ended, the momentum was squarely with the Winterhawks. The Knights have been strong finishers to help overcome some early game issues, but you wondered how much longer London could rely on making a late run.

Morris Dallacosta of the London Free Press summed it up well:

#MemorialCup The Knights have made a habit all year of surviving games like this. But what do they have left
— Morris Dallacosta(@MoDaCoatLFPress) May 25, 2013

It seemed the gas tank began reaching empty. The players looked tired going into the third period. To make matters worse, Rattie scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal with 8:32 left in the game. Petan and Derrick Pouliot helped with assists.

London tried to throw everything it had forward late in order to try to stage a late comeback, but every one of its offensive movements proved ineffective.

Portland will face off against Halifax in the Memorial Cup Championship at 7 p.m. ET Sunday night. If their rematch is anything like these two teams' first matchup, then fans will be in for an exciting championship. The Mooseheads downed the Knights, 7-4.

Anibal Sanchez Further Cements Ace Status with 1-Hitter vs. Twins

Zachary D. Rymer — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:05:10 -0400

Anibal Sanchez came this close.

The Detroit Tigers right-hander was staring his second career no-hitter right in the face at Comerica Park on Friday night, making it through 8.1 innings without allowing a hit. Alas, then came Joe Mauer with a squeaky-clean single up the middle.

A one-hitter would have to do. Sanchez polished off his outing with back-to-back strikeouts of Josh Willingham and Justin Morneau. His final line included 12 punchouts, giving him two double-digit strikeout games so far in 2013.

The first one saw Sanchez punch out 17 Atlanta Braves back on April 26. I didn't want to say what I'm about to say now because of the whole small sample size thing, but it's more safe to say it now that the guy has 10 starts under his belt.

Holy heck, is Sanchez having himself a season. And if you haven't already been buying this guy as an ace, now's the time, bucko.

Sanchez now has a 2.38 ERA and 80 strikeouts next to 17 walks in only 64.1 innings. At this moment, he sits atop the FanGraphs WAR charts for pitchers ahead of notables like Adam Wainwright, Clayton Kershaw, Felix Hernandez, Justin Verlander and Matt Harvey.

And this is no joke, folks. Sanchez has been nasty ever since he first got settled in the American League last August.

His first four starts in a Tigers uniform after coming over in a July trade from the Miami Marlins didn't go so well. He gave up 18 earned runs in 20.1 innings, good for a 7.97 ERA.

But since then:

2.15 ERA in eight starts down the stretch.
1.77 ERA in three postseason starts.
2.38 ERA in 10 starts this year.

Add all the starts and all the earned runs together, and here's what you get: Sanchez has a 2.20 ERA in his last 21 starts in a Tigers uniform.

That's not a huge sample size, but it's not a small one either. It's certainly too big to ignore, and the same goes for the sexiness of the numbers.

It's also hard to ignore how Sanchez has evolved into the pitcher he's become.

By all rights, Sanchez probably shouldn't even be pitching anymore. He had Tommy John surgery in 2003, three years before he even broke into the big leagues. He made a name for himself as a rookie in 2006 with a 2.83 ERA in 18 outings with the Marlins, a stretch that included a September no-hitter against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but he had to go in for major shoulder surgery in 2007.

His recovery kept him out for most of 2008. Then in 2009, he had to hit the disabled list twice due to more shoulder trouble. His arm might as well have had a sign hanging on it: "Damaged goods."

Apparently not, and the thing is that you'd never know about Sanchez's injury problems if you were to look only at his velocity numbers. Pitchers tend to lose velocity as they age, and injuries certainly don't help matters. But Sanchez is different.

Here's his average fastball velocity by year, according to Baseball Info Solutions by way of FanGraphs:

2006: 90.8
2007: 90.0
2008: 90.5
2009: 90.9
2010: 91.3
2011: 91.7
2012: 91.8
2013: 92.1

Sanchez is throwing more than a mile per hour harder now at the age of 29 than he was in 2006 at the age of 22. It's not going to work for everyone, but that's one way to become a late-blooming ace.

It also helps to hone one's repertoire, and he has done that too.

He's throwing his changeup more often than ever before this season, and it's been his best swing-and-miss pitch. BrooksBaseball.net has the whiff percentage on Sanchez's changeup at 20.37 percent, by far the highest of any of his pitches. To boot, both left-handed and right-handed batters have been fooled by it.

It's no wonder Sanchez's changeup ranks among the best in baseball this season. In terms of Linear Weights, the only pitchers who have saved more runs with their changeups this season are King Felix, Doug Fister, Chris Sale and Cole Hamels—see FanGraphs.

You can go far with good fastball velocity and a wicked changeup, but while we're kissing Sanchez's butt, we might as well give him props for his above-average slider and command too. His tool chest contains most of the things you want an ace pitcher to carry, and Sanchez has been using all he's got like a master craftsman in 2013.

And that $80 million contract? I'll admit that I had it pegged as an overpay based on Sanchez's brilliant showing in the postseason, but it's panned out to be the best big-money investment of the offseason.

Maybe the Tigers knew they were buying an ace. Or maybe they just didn't want to lose Sanchez and are just getting lucky.

Either way, they should sit back and enjoy themselves when Sanchez is on the mound. He's a good one.

Note: Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

If you want to talk baseball, hit me up on Twitter.

Pittsburgh vs. Ottawa: Are the Penguins an Unstoppable Machine?

Nicholas Goss — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:01:20 -0400

The Pittsburgh Penguins eliminated the Ottawa Senators from the NHL playoffs on Friday night with an offensive performance that should be included in future youth hockey instructional videos.

Following their 7-3 win on Wednesday in Ottawa, the Penguins returned home for Game 5 and the team's offense was once again firing on all cylinders with a convincing 6-2 victory. These high-scoring games have become a common theme throughout the team's playoff run (stat via Chris Johnston of Sportsnet).

This victory has given Pittsburgh a spot in the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since its Stanley Cup-winning season in 2008-09. It's also the first time this team has clinched a playoff series at home since 2008.

The question that remains ahead of the conference finals is if this Penguins team is an unstoppable machine that will maintain its torrid offensive pace all the way to the Cup final.

Going back to the third period of Game 4 in Ottawa, the Penguins outscored the Senators, 10-3, in the final four periods of the series and consistently controlled the flow of play in all three zones.

Pittsburgh's offense started to hit its stride in the second round, and by the end of Game 5 it became a dominating force. Here are some notable offensive stats from the team's playoff run thus far:

Stat	Penguins	NHL Rank
Goals Scored	47	1st
Goals/Game	4.27	1st
5v5 Goals	27	1st
1st Period Goals	16	1st
2nd Period Goals	19	1st

Aside from the obvious amount of incredible skill they have at forward, the real strength of this Penguins offense is its depth, which was bolstered further by the trade-deadline acquisitions of Jarome Iginla, Brenden Morrow and Jussi Jokinen.

These players have made a smooth transition into the lineup, and credit head coach Dan Bylsma for preventing team-chemistry issues by finding the best line combinations to put the newly acquired forwards in a position to best utilize their skills.

When you look at the team's top-six forward group, there are almost no areas of weakness for opposing head coaches to game-plan around.

The top line of Sidney Crosby, Pascal Dupuis and Chris Kunitz was arguably the most effective line in hockey during the regular season. Crosby is the world's best player with a skill set that includes everything you want in a No. 1 center. Dupuis and Kunitz are both hard-working wingers who take advantage of their scoring opportunities and play responsible defense.

The second line boasts a trio of Evgeni Malkin, Iginla and James Neal, which is arguably the most talented line in all of hockey. Malkin is the reigning Hart Trophy winner, Iginla is a proven playoff performer and Neal has raised his game at the perfect time.

In his first eight games of the playoffs, Neal tallied just point, but in the final two matchups of the second round, he scored five goals with two assists to break out of his slump, including a hat trick in Game 5.

It doesn't matter if one, two or even three of the Penguins' top forwards are having a tough time finding the back of the net because the team has enough depth to win games without its stars playing at a high level. Matt Cooke, Brent Sutter, Jokinen and Morrow are among Pittsburgh's bottom-six forwards who excel at both ends of the ice and provide important secondary scoring when the stars struggle.

Shutting the down the Penguins forwards is a tough challenge in itself, but when the team gets scoring from the blue line, it becomes almost impossible to prevent this offense from scoring three or four goals.

The Penguins rank second in the NHL in goals scored (eight) by defensemen during the playoffs. Norris Trophy finalist Kris Letang has steadily improved as the postseason has progressed and tallied seven points in the final two games of the Senators series.

But the Penguins' biggest threat offensively is their amazing power play, which is so tough to defend because of its quick puck movement, good spacing and the creativity of Malkin and Crosby. Pittsburgh leads all playoff teams with 13 power-play goals and a league-best success rate of 28.3 percent. This power play is also super effective on home ice (stat via Sean Gentille of The Sporting News):

Another positive for the Penguins heading into the conference finals is the benefit of home-ice advantage. They are 5-1 at the Consol Energy Center in the playoffs and lead all teams with 26 goals scored at home. Pittsburgh will also have a few days of rest before opening up the East finals at home, which will help it tremendously after two physical series.

The Penguins are a well-oiled machine right now with more skill and depth than any team remaining in the 2013 playoffs. If their offense maintains its current level of execution, Pittsburgh will be able to win games even if starting goaltender Tomas Vokoun has a sub-par performance in the next round.

We rarely see teams overcome inconsistent defense and goaltending in the playoffs, but this Penguins team has the depth and talent to win a championship playing a lot of high-scoring games. They do have flaws that can be exploited, as does every other team in the playoffs. But like most veteran teams, when a few players struggle, others step up.

If there were any questions about them being the favorites to win the Stanley Cup following a hard-fought six-game first-round series victory over the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh answered them emphatically in Round 2.

The Penguins are beginning to rediscover the form they had during the team's 15-game winning streak in March, which is bad news for their next opponent, whether it's the Boston Bruins or New York Rangers.

Follow @NicholasGoss35

Nicholas Goss is an NHL Lead Writer at Bleacher Report. 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.