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Can Deron Williams-Joe Johnson Backcourt Ever Reach Elite Status as Expected?

Andrew Kipp — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:19:29 -0400

The Deron Williams-Joe Johnson backcourt failed to live up to expectations in 2012-13, but there’s reason to believe it can reach elite status next season.

It probably wasn’t fair to assume Williams and Johnson would form an elite backcourt in just their first season together. There is, after all, something to be said for NBA players taking the time to develop chemistry and continuity with each other.

Now that Williams and Johnson have had a full season together, there is reason to believe the Brooklyn Nets’ starting backcourt will have more success next season.

Unfortunate injuries to both players also contributed to their uncharacteristically poor performances.

Johnson was hobbled by plantar fasciitis in his left foot, while Williams was plagued by ankle and wrist injuries throughout the first half of the season. Johnson wasn’t willing to use the injury as an excuse, but it’s hard to imagine a healthy Big Shot Joe shooting 2-for-14 from the field against the Chicago Bulls in Game 7.

Williams, who got healthy as the season progressed, showed what he can do at full strength after the All-Star break. Over the last 32 games of the regular season, he averaged 22.9 points on 48.1 percent shooting.

Williams and Johnson now have the entire summer to rest and should return at 100 percent next season.

After watching D-Will average just 16.7 points on 41.3 percent shooting through the first 50 games of 2012-13, many forgot they were watching the same player that made three straight All-Star teams from 2010 to 2012. He’s also the same player that averaged a double-double for three consecutive seasons with the Utah Jazz from 2007 to 2010.

Johnson, meanwhile, made six-consecutive All-Star appearances with the Atlanta Hawks.

At 31 going on 32, Johnson is no longer at his physical peak, but he’s certainly capable of having a few more highly-productive seasons in Brooklyn, especially with Williams at his side. D-Will, who will be 29 next season, is still in the latter stages of his prime.

To a certain extent, Williams and Johnson also suffered from playing in a lineup that featured Gerald Wallace and Reggie Evans, who brought very little to the table on the offensive end. Wallace shot a dreadful 33.5 percent from the floor after the All-Star break, while Evans averaged just 4.5 points per game.

Wallace and Evans severely hampered the Nets’ ability to space the floor, and allowed opposing defenses to focus their energy on stopping Williams, Johnson and Brook Lopez.

After back-to-back losses to the Bulls in Games 2 and 3, in which the Nets averaged 79 points, former interim head coach P.J. Carlesimo refused to make changes to the starting lineup. A new, more innovative and cerebral coach, that focuses more on floor spacing and ball movement, could help Williams and Johnson become one of the best backcourts in the NBA.

Williams, Johnson and the rest of the Nets disappointed fans with a first-round playoff exit to a tough, yet utterly depleted Bulls squad. But those fans still have reason to be optimistic about their team’s star-studded backcourt next season.

Better continuity, a clean bill of health and new coach with a new offensive philosophy should help the Nets’ backcourt reach its full potential in 2013-14.

For more Brooklyn Nets analysis, follow Andrew on Twitter:

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Oregon Football: Top 10 Highlights of the BCS Era

Jeff Bell — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:11:30 -0400

The BCS has been in place for the past 15 years, and in that time, Oregon Duck fans have had the pleasure of seeing some spectacular football.

There have been wildly entertaining games, gutty individual efforts and moments that simply cause you to smile and shake your head.

Here we're taking a look at the top 10 highlights of the BCS era, and when you pause to consider what kind of accomplishments the Ducks have had on offense, well, let's just say narrowing down the list to just a handful was quite a process.

Of course, that's not to slight the defense, which has come up huge time and time again. You can count on that side of the ball making an appearance or two as well.

Part of the criteria involved taking a look at when the play occurred—was it a pivotal moment in the game or a play that defined the season? But an equal if not slightly larger part of consideration went toward the play itself—how incredible was it regardless of the circumstances surrounding it?

Using that particular framework, let's take a look at the top 10 Oregon football highlights from the BCS era. And yes, there will be video.

Honorable Mention: I could probably list 20 different plays here, but among those that failed to make the cut despite being highlights that everyone remembers: Joey Harrington's 80-yard pass to Samie Parker in the 2001 Fiesta Bowl, Cliff Harris' punt return at Cal, Ed Dickson game-tying TD catch at Arizona, DAT's punt return vs Colorado and many, many others.

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The Downward Spiral of Texas Football, Where Did the Longhorns Go Wrong?

Carl Stine — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:00:00 -0400

Heading into the 2010 BCS National Championship Game, Mack Brown and the Texas Longhorns were on top of the world.

Texas was coming off of a perfect 13-0 season, a season in which they scored 34 or more points in 11 games and won the Big 12 conference.

Nine plays into the game, the Longhorns' fortunes took a turn for the worse.

Quarterback Colt McCoy was tackled by Alabama defensive lineman Marcell Dareus on a designed quarterback run play, which resulted in a pinched nerve in his throwing shoulder and left him ineffective for the rest of the game.

Alabama went on to win, 37-21, as Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert struggled, throwing four interceptions and making pivotal mistakes in a game that was close until the fourth quarter.

It was the first time that Texas lost a game to Alabama, as they fell to a record of 7-1-1 in nine attempts against the Tide.

That was also McCoy's final game, and since the loss, the Longhorns have not been back to a BCS game, after playing in four in their previous five seasons.

The next season was a disaster, as the Longhorns struggled to 5-7 and missed a bowl game for the first time since Mack Brown's arrival 12 years before.

2011 and 2012 were better, as the Longhorns improved to 8-5 and 9-4 respectively, and won both bowl games in which they appeared.

Still, a combined 22-16 record over three seasons is unheard of at Texas over the first decade of this century, and Brown has never had a worse stretch since he arrived in Austin.

While the Longhorns seem primed for another double-digit win season in 2013 with the right breaks, it feels like an eternity since the team has even come close to sniffing a BCS game, after being a staple of the BCS for four out of five seasons.

So what went wrong?

Rather than try and pin the problems on one specific issue, there is a list that has to be taken into consideration, including the myth of the Will Muschamp effect, failure to develop talent, no star quarterback and a lack of flexibility.

Mack Brown and his staff have done an excellent job recruiting, bringing in a top five class from 2009-2012.

While that kind of recruiting success has translated to championships and undefeated seasons in places like Ohio State, Alabama and LSU, the 'Horns have been squandering that talent away.

College football, in spite of what some would argue, has much to do with the level of talent on the field, but truly elite coaching staffs take that talent, polish it, shape it and mold it into a team that produces.

Teams like Oregon, Alabama, Notre Dame and LSU are pulling in excellent recruiting classes, some better than the Longhorns, but the thing that sets them apart is the player development.

The second piece to this fall from grace is a lack of flexibility, especially when implementing a system on offense.

When Ricky Williams was punishing defenders, Brown and his staff relied heavily on a power run game. When Vince Young was dominating Rose Bowls, the offense relied heavily on zone read. Under Colt McCoy's leadership, the spread option led to tremendous success.

In recent seasons, lacking the quarterback to lead a specific offense, the Longhorns have struggled, which brings us to our next issue—Mack Brown's need to have excellent quarterback play to succeed.

While Vince Young was under center for Mack Brown's offense as the sole starter in 2004 and 2005, the Longhorns were an incredible 24-1. Young's ability to run the offense was incredible, and run it he did. He led a revamped Texas offense incredibly well en route to consecutive BCS game victories.

Upon Young's departure, Colt McCoy took the reins of the offense, and tied a then freshman record 29 touchdown passes thrown in his first season.

Three years and 45 wins later, McCoy was an icon of Texas football, a gunslinger who ran and threw the ball better than any college quarterback in the nation, and whose very name seemed to fit like a glove for a Texas quarterback.

Since McCoy's departure, a combination of Case McCoy, David Ash and Garrett Gilbert has not been the answer. It remains to be seen whether Ash can reverse that trend in 2013.

And then there is the curious case of defensive coordinator Will Muschamp.

Muschamp was anointed Coach Brown's successor in November of 2008, with the university making an announcement that he would take over the program upon Brown's departure.

That was shortlived, as Muschamp bolted for Florida following the Longhorns' disastrous 5-7 season.

But please don't look at Muschamp's departure as a major cause for the Longhorns' disastrous free-fall in 2010 and the ensuing mediocre seasons.

Even during the 2010 season, Muschamp's defense was ranked sixth in the nation in total defense, so it's impossible to lay the blame there.

However, in 2011, while Muschamp was in his first season at Florida, the defense finished 11th in the nation in total defense.

Then for some inexplicable reason beyond poor tackling and technique, the Longhorns, with seven starters returning to the defense, found a way to plummet to 68th in the same category last season.

The defense was atrocious last season, but let's not pretend that the loss of Muschamp was responsible for the sudden decline in production and execution.

Even one of these several issues could cause severe problems for an elite program, and four years ago, Texas was that. All of them together have been near crippling.

But the future is bright. Brown and his staff again return loads of talent, the Big 12 is as wide open as it has ever been and the Longhorns are changing up the offense to suit the talent.

In just a few months, we will see if Mack Brown and his staff are still in hot water, or if the new found flexibility coupled with emphasis on the fundamentals can help return the Longhorns to a BCS game for one final rodeo.

Ranking the 5 Greatest Centers in Philadelphia Flyers History

Michael Pizzutillo — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:59:36 -0400

The Philadelphia Flyers had some highly-talented centers on its roster throughout the team's history.

Currently, the team's captain and center, Claude Giroux, is on pace to be an all-time Flyers great, but has much to prove in order to be in the company of his fellow alumni.

These players possessed offensive, defensive, special teams and leadership abilities, while helping the Flyers succeed over the years. Here are the five greatest centers in Philadelphia Flyers history.

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2013 NBA Draft Lottery Winners and Losers

Zach Buckley — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:57:04 -0400

There comes a point during the season that 14 NBA teams turn their attention away from the wins and losses column and start planning for their future.

It's a liquid date, as some clubs fail to perform to expectations while others shatter their preseason projections. But it's an inevitability for nearly half of the teams in this league, the first true step toward reversing one's future for the coming year.

The difficulty of that reclamation project just became a bit clearer with Tuesday night's 2013 NBA draft lottery painting a complete picture of the order for the upcoming draft (June 27).

The Orlando Magic, Charlotte Bobcats and Cleveland Cavaliers entered the night with the best three chances to land the top selection from the 2013-14 rookie class. Although no consensus has been made regarding which player from that class has separated himself from his peers, a majority favorite has emerged.

But even that player knows not to get too comfortable with his prominent perch, as team needs vary among the likely lottery winners.

Now that the dust has settled, though, we've been granted a more comprehensive look at which teams' stocks are on the upswing after Tuesday night and which are headed further in the wrong direction.

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Charles Woodson and Oakland Raiders Agree on 1-Year Deal

Matt Fitzgerald — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:50:13 -0400

Seven-time All-Pro defensive back Charles Woodson and the Oakland Raiders have agreed to a one-year contract.

The Raiders made the signing official via Twitter:

NFL insider Jay Glazer originally broke the news:

Following his meeting with the Raiders on Tuesday, Woodson was seen holding up an Oakland jersey outside of the team's facility. A faithful Raiders fan posted the picture on Twitter:

Woodson spent the past seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers after beginning his career with the Raiders. Throughout his nine years with the Raiders, he racked up 17 interceptions and 396 tackles.

Winning the Heisman Trophy historically hasn't guaranteed excellence in the NFL, but Woodson has been among the greatest pros ever to win that accolade.

The Packers moved Woodson to safety in 2012, and defensive coordinator Dom Capers also used him as an occasional nickel cornerback.

Unfortunately for Green Bay, the defense continued to struggle. Due to his salary counting roughly $10 million against the cap, the Packers decided to release Woodson with two years left on his five-year, $55 million contract in an attempt to acquire younger assets.

Woodson dismissed any implications that he might file his retirement papers after being cut loose by general manager Ted Thompson. His agent, Carl Poston, indicated that Woodson longs to play for a Super Bowl contender in 2013.

The most memorable highlights of Woodson's career came in his renaissance with the Pack. He was the 2009 AP Defensive Player of the Year, and the following season, finally snagged that elusive Lombardi Trophy despite a broken collarbone in the first half of Super Bowl XLV.

Another broken collarbone kept Woodson out for nine games this past season, which makes his health a bit of a concern moving forward.

Although Woodson may not be quite the athlete he once was at age 36, he is still a savvy veteran who has a spectacular pedigree and has a knack for not only stepping in front of passes, but also stripping the football at critical times.

The Raiders are fortunate to bring Woodson back to where his NFL career started—assuming he can stay healthy. His versatility will allow Oakland to have more flexibility and also give security in the defensive backfield to guard against big plays.

Fantasy Baseball: Projecting 2nd-Half Breakout Stars You Should Know About Now

Jason Martinez — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:46:02 -0400

While it's way too late to buy low on a player that's already broken out in the first half of the season —Diamondbacks starting pitcher Pat Corbin and Brewers shortstop Jean Segura would be the best examples—plenty more could break out between now and the end of the season.

If you're looking for this season's version of Chris Carter, who had just 17 first-half at-bats in 2012 before hitting 13 homers and knocking in 34 runs after the All-Star break for the Oakland A's, or Kris Medlen, who didn't join the Braves rotation until July 31 and then might've been the best pitcher in baseball the rest of the way (9-0, 0.97 ERA, 83.2 IP, 57 H, 10 BB, 84 K in 12 starts), consider these eight breakout candidates.

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Mikkel Kessler vs. Carl Froch: Preview and Prediction

Briggs Seekins — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:38:54 -0400

On May 25 at the O2 Arena in London, England, Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler will meet in a rematch of their thrilling battle in Herning, Denmark, in April of 2010. Fighting in front of his home crowd, Kessler won that fight by decision.

This time the fight will go down on Froch's turf. The tough Brit has emerged as a major star in his homeland in the past couple of years. On a media call I participated in last week, promoter Kalle Sauerland revealed that this fight sold out in a few hours.

Kessler and Froch are two of the toughest fighters in the game and have elite resumes. There is major international excitement for this fight. It will be broadcast live on HBO at 6 p.m. ET and as a prime-time replay at 10.

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Toronto Blue Jays Promotion of Anthony Gose Puzzling

Matthew Appleby — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:38:24 -0400

When Anthony Gose was called up to the Toronto Blue Jays from their Triple-A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons, it raised more than a few eyebrows.

In fact, it was Gose who raised his eyebrow first.

On the same day that Gose was promoted, a story by Bucky Gleason of the Buffalo News quoted Gose as saying, “I’m probably at the lowest point I’ve ever been in my career." Clearly, this is not an ideal time to pit him against major league pitching.

So when Buffalo manager, Marty Brown, called Gose to tell him he had been promoted it was just as puzzling to him as it would be to fans.

By all accounts, it seems like the Blue Jays had better options in every facet of the game. They could have promoted either Moises Sierra or Jim Negrych in order to keep Gose in the minors to continue his development, but elected to give Gose the call.

Why did the Blue Jays promote Gose? Manager John Gibbons was quick to admit that he was not promoted to be an everyday player, but rather to help out in specific situations. But even if the Blue Jays wanted to use him in certain situations, they may have been better off calling up someone else.

Gose has had a fairly tumultuous season in Triple-A after making his MLB debut last year. Gose was inserted into the Blue Jays lineup to replace an injured Jose Bautista, but failed to make a lasting impression.

At the time of his promotion, he had an average of just .227 and an OBP of .343 in the minors. Obviously, those are hardly the numbers you would like to see from someone being promoted to contribute offensively. But Gose is just 22 years old and still has some developing to do.

However, the problems that have plagued him at the plate throughout his professional career have persisted this season. He is showing very few signs of developing. Staying in Triple-A in order to improve would probably do him some good.

He has had trouble hitting left-handed pitchers, and his .167 average against them this season shows no indication of improvement. He has also been known to have an elevated strikeout count, and questionable plate discipline at times. His 41 strikeouts in 40 games this season have done little to put those rumors to rest.

While Gose may not be excelling at the plate, there are a number of players around him who are. Gose’s teammate, Negrych, has hit .386 in 34 games this season with an OPS of 1.033. Negrych is a second baseman but if the Blue Jays wanted offensive help, surely they could have moved Emilio Bonifacio to the outfield to make room for Negrych in the infield.

Another Buffalo Bisons player turning some heads is the 24-year-old Sierra, who spent some time with the Blue Jays last year as well. He has hit .324 with 18 RBI this season and plays the outfield, just like Gose.

Sierra has bettered Gose in almost every offensive category this season—including average, runs, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, RBI, total bases, OBP, SLG and OPS.

Perhaps Gose was recalled to add some speed on the base paths, but he has even struggled in that regard this season. He has five stolen bases, but has been caught stealing an additional four. Sierra, meanwhile, is a perfect three-for-three in steal attempts.

It appears the Blue Jays made a puzzling move promoting Gose to the major leagues. In every facet of the game there was a similar or better player they could have chosen instead, all while leaving Gose to continue his development in Triple-A.

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Georgia Football: Comparing Aaron Murray to David Greene

Brian Jones — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:38:16 -0400

When Aaron Murray finishes his career in Athens, he will go down as one of the most prolific quarterbacks in SEC history.

Murray has a shot at finishing first in the SEC in all-time pass completions, touchdowns and yards. The most interesting thing about this is if he does become the all-time SEC passing leader in yards (which is likely going to happen because he only about 600 yards shy of the record), he will surpass another UGA great, David Greene.

Both Murray and Greene had great careers at UGA and fans will always be grateful for what they did on the field.

But if Murray does finally win an SEC title and give the Bulldogs a shot at the national championship, is he better than Greene?

Let’s take a look at how Murray is similar and different to the current SEC all-time passing leader.

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NBA Draft Lottery Results 2013: Twitter Reaction, Recap and More

Tim Keeney — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:37:20 -0400

With no consensus top prospect in this year's NBA draft class, we still don't know for sure who will go No. 1. But after Tuesday night's lottery, we at least know who will be making the selection.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, who had just the third-best chance (15.6 percent) for the top pick, proved to have the odds ever in their favor, making a little history in the process:

And if they're lucky, this time around will work out a fraction as well as a certain player they drafted 10 years ago at the same spot:

Their other recent top selection, Kyrie Irving, wasn't too shabby, either.

Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic (25.0 percent) and Charlotte Bobcats (19.9 percent) entered the night with better probabilities, but were saddled with the No. 2 and 4 picks, respectively.

On the contrary, the Washington Wizards made the biggest jump, going from a projected No. 8 to No. 3.

Here's a look at the complete results and first-round outlook.

Official 2013 Lottery Results

Pick		Percent Chance at Top Pick
1	Cleveland Cavaliers	15.6
2	Orlando Magic	25.0
3	Washington Wizards	3.5
4	Charlotte Bobcats	19.9
5	Phoenix Suns	11.9
6	New Orleans Pelicans	8.8
7	Sacramento Kings	6.3
8	Detroit Pistons	3.6
9	Minnesota Timberwolves	1.7
10	Portland Trail Blazers	1.1
11	Philadelphia 76ers	0.8
12	Oklahoma City Thunder (via Toronto Raptors)	0.7
13	Dallas Mavericks	0.6
14	Utah Jazz	0.5

Rest of 2013 NBA Draft Order

15	Milwaukee Bucks
16	Boston Celtics
17	Atlanta Hawks
18	Atlanta Hawks (from Houston Rockets)
19	Cleveland Cavaliers (from Miami Heat, swapped with No. 30)
20	Chicago Bulls
21	Utah Jazz (from Golden State Warriors)
22	Brooklyn Nets
23	Indiana Pacers
24	New York Knicks
25	Los Angeles Clippers
26	Minnesota Timberwolves (from Memphis Grizzlies)
27	Denver Nuggets
28	San Antonio Spurs
29	Oklahoma City Thunder
30	Phoenix Suns (from Los Angeles Lakers, swapped with No. 19)

Pre-Lottery Pageantry and Anticipation

The draft lottery has become something of a flashy event, attracting stars like Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard, fellow rookies Bradley Beal, Andre Drummond and even Kevin Love to hopefully bring good luck to their respective teams.

Heck, even Cleveland-based rapper Machine Gun Kelly was there to take it all in in with extravagant Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert and his son Nick:

I think it's safe to say he'll be invited to a few games after bringing this sort of good fortune.

The best part of it all might have been the major buzz that started early Tuesday morning and had people putting the odds in, well, more hilarious terms.

First, Hickory High's Ian Levy put Dallas' 0.6 percent chance of landing the top pick in terms of Dirk Nowitzki's free-throw shooting:

Amazingly enough, it would only take two Dwight Howard free throws to earn the No. 1 pick for the Magic:

Of course, as we all know by now, that is just far too rare of an event, as the Magic failed to secure the top selection.

Still, not everyone was quite as excited with the process leading up to the draft order announcement:

How the Lottery Affects the Draft

While there are several options for the No. 1 pick, Nerlens Noel has always been viewed as the most likely to hear his name called first.

With the Cavaliers now on the clock, that notion is only enforced (via Draft Express' Jonathan Givony):

Many believe that the uber-athletic and sweet-shooting Ben McLemore could also be an option, but with Dion Waiters already entrenched at the 2, that's unlikely.

Besides, reports suggest he isn't even in Cleveland's top three:

Noel's ACL knee injury is going to scare some off, but as HOOPSWORLD's Alex Kennedy suggests, Cleveland is preparing for the future anyways:

Add in a top pick for the Cavs from the stacked 2014 draft as well? We are still a long ways away from that, and it's merely a hypothetical, but oh my.

Don't feel bad for the Magic, either, who will still likely get the guy they wanted all along:

Still, their biggest position of need is at point guard, so don't immediately dismiss electrifying Michigan point guard Trey Burke at No. 2 overall. ESPN's Chad Ford certainly won't:

If that happens, the Wizards, who drafted Bradley Beal last year, could just as easily pass on McLemore, although it's difficult to imagine someone with his superstar potential dropping out of the top three.

Wait, wasn't the lottery supposed to clear things up?

Michigan Football: Don't Discount Wolverines' 2013 Class, Despite Great '14 Haul

Adam Biggers — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:35:33 -0400

With all the talk, hype and hoopla surrounding the Michigan Wolverines’ 2014 class and 2015 efforts, it’s important not to let the 2013 class be shoved aside.

It’s easy to let Hoke’s second group of recruits get filed away and reopened for discussion come late summer and fall. But don’t forget that it was ranked No. 5 nationally and No. 2 in the Big Ten by 247Sports.com.

When analyzing what went wrong with Michigan in 2012, a simple look at the 2013 class and its potential early stars could answer a few questions pertaining to how issues will be corrected this fall.

Lacking in the Running Game

Fitz Toussaint just wasn’t it for the Wolverines in 2012. Forget about his 1,000-yard sophomore season, because the will-be senior certainly has something to prove this year. Toussaint was in the midst of what probably would have been his best game of the season before he suffered a gruesome ACL injury Nov. 17 against Iowa.

Thirty-one yards on three carries—and then it was all over. He averaged 5.6 yards per tote in 2011, but struggled to string together 4-yard-a-carry efforts during his junior year.

Thomas Rawls and Justice Hayes were adequate relievers in a sense, but Michigan’s running game never reached an apex—and Toussaint was supposed to get the Wolverines there.

Enter Derrick Green, a unanimously tabbed top-caliber running back of the 2013 class. At one time, he was ranked as high as the No. 1 running back, but 247Sports.com has him as the No. 4 guy at this point. Rivals.com has him as the “leader and best” among tailbacks entering college this fall.

A true Michigan-type, Green is 6’1” and 220 pounds of ouch for linebackers to handle. Rawls was often lauded for his hardnosed approach to smothering would-be tacklers, but Green has similar tank-like instincts too.

Green brings an SEC-feel to Ann Arbor—a big, fast and powerful bulldozing prospect, maybe something like former Auburn star Ronnie Brown. Capable of putting a Band-Aid on the 2012 running game blemishes, Green could immediately impact and rejuvenate Michigan’s ground attack within just a few weeks.

DeVeon Smith, a 4-star prepster, is another Rawls-like back. At 6’1” and 210 pounds, Smith could add a hint of Borges’ backfield at Auburn: Brown and Cadillac Williams. Put Rawls in that group, too.

Michigan stands to have an elite backfield in 2013.

Backup QB Still a Question

When and if Denard Robinson went down in 2012, the Wolverines had a game plan for the No. 2 starter role: Devin Gardner, a quarterback who dabbled at wide receiver prior to Robinson’s injury ulnar-nerve injury versus Nebraska.

Gardner didn’t fumble his chance when given the reins of the offense. Russell Bellomy, did, however.

Robinson is gone, and Gardner is the standalone first option under center for offensive coordinator Al Borges’ set.

Shane Morris, a 2013 recruit who once had a 5-star billing, can’t be redshirted, although Michigan would probably love to do so. The former Warren De La Salle High top gun has to get meaningful reps in the event that Gardner is placed on the sideline by the injury bug.

Brian Cleary, a redshirt sophomore-to-be, emerged as the No. 2 starter behind Gardner during spring scrimmages. Had Bellomy not suffered an ACL injury in spring, he’d be the guy—and Michigan would still have an issue.

Morris may not be the cure-all, but he’s certainly a viable option for second-fiddle status. The backup quarterback position is one that can be filled via 2013 recruiting, thus making it important not to look too far ahead at 2014 and 2015 just yet.

Some may choose to wait until Wilton Speight’s arrival to worry about this, though.

Secondary is Primary

Under Rich Rodriguez, Michigan had a comically tragic set of defensive backs working the depths of the field. Not to say that they weren’t talented, but the way Michigan was torched through the air for three years made it incredibly difficult to see any of the athlete’s upsides.

That being said, there was almost immediate turnaround under defensive coordinator Greg Mattison, who took a lowly unit and made it one of the Big Ten’s best; the Wolverines were No. 2 in the league in total defense (320 yards) and pass defense (169.5) in 2012.

With 4-star safety Dymonte Thomas headed to Ann Arbor, the Wolverines have a bonafide, 6’1”, 190-pound bruiser in center field. Receivers may want to think twice about going deep and down the middle with Thomas on call.

Ross Douglas, Jourdan Lewis and Delano Hill are each 4-star rated recruits and signify a changing of the guard in Michigan’s secondary. Add in Channing Stribling, and the Wolverines have yet another option to give Courtney Avery, Blake Countess and Jarrod Wilson a little help if needed.

The 2013 defensive backs, like they’re supposed to do, provide a few extra names on the depth chart—and that’s never a bad thing for a coach.

Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan Wolverines football writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81

NBA Playoffs 2013: Ranking the Most Important Players Remaining in Postseason

Rob Goldberg — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:30:55 -0400

The NBA playoffs often come down to the positive or negative contributions of a single player.

While one person cannot win a championship by himself, a strong performance can put a team over the top in a number of games. Conversely, some poor plays down the stretch can derail a squad's hopes for victory.

In this postseason, we have seen surprising games out of players like Lance Stephenson and Matt Bonner, but their teams do not depend on their performances on a nightly basis. A bad game does not automatically mean a loss.

However, these players must do well in each game, or else their teams could end up entering the offseason earlier than expected.

10. Chris Bosh, Miami Heat

The "other" member of the Big Three has become somewhat forgotten in Miami. However, he displayed strong defense against Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer of the Chicago Bulls and his play was a big reason that the series was over in five games.

Indiana has as good of a frontcourt tandem in David West and Roy Hibbert, so his contributions will be needed once again in this series.

9. Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs

As the most experienced player in the playoffs, Tim Duncan has already won four championships with the Spurs. However, he is there for more than just leadership. He is also a big-time contributor in the frontcourt.

Against Memphis, he will especially be needed on defense against Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. The Spurs are a little undersized inside, so Duncan needs to do anything in his power to slow down that duo throughout the series.

8. Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies

Few players have raised their game as much in the postseason as Mike Conley. After averaging 14.6 points and 6.1 assists in the regular season, he is averaging 17.3 points and 7.7 assists in the playoffs.

He has been a great distributor all along, but he needs to continue to hit outside shots in order to spread the floor against the Spurs.

7. Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies

The Defensive Player of the Year will have to continue to patrol the middle of the court against San Antonio, because the team cannot expect to hit 14 threes in every game.

On the other hand, he will have to adjust if the Spurs continue to play with a smaller lineup.

6. Paul George, Indiana Pacers

After easily winning the league's Most Improved Player award, Paul George continued his strong play in the playoffs. However, his assignment gets much harder in this series on both ends of the court as he opposes LeBron James.

The Pacers play great team defense, but George needs to fuel the offense, otherwise they will simply be outscored in every game.

5. Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat

For Dwyane Wade, health has become the biggest concern. He was obviously at less than full strength against the Bulls, as his knee was bothering him throughout the series.

However, when healthy there are not many guards better in the NBA. While the focus is on James, Wade has the ability to win games on his own. The only question is whether he has the physical ability to accomplish that.

4. Roy Hibbert, Indiana Pacers

While Roy Hibbert is not even close to being the team's leading scorer, he is the most important player against the Heat. With his size and strength, he is one of the few players in the league that can take advantage of an undersized Miami frontcourt.

In addition, Indiana has struggled mightily when its center gets into foul trouble, so that will be something to watch during the series.

3. Zach Randolph, Memphis Grizzlies

We saw what happens when Zach Randolph has a bad game in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. The big man scored only two points on 1-of-8 shooting and had a plus/minus of -28. As a result, the Grizzlies lost by 22 points.

Randolph will have to step up his efforts in a big way for Memphis to get back in this series.

2. Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs

As good as Duncan is, this is now Tony Parker's team. The point guard had one of the best years of his career, averaging 20.3 points and 7.6 assists during the regular season.

He will have a tougher time succeeding against Tony Allen in this series, but the Spurs will be just fine if the veteran keeps playing the way he has all year.

1. LeBron James, Miami Heat

LeBron James is the league's Most Valuable Player for a reason, as his contributions make the Heat the best team in the NBA. If Indiana can find a way to at least slow him down, Miami will seriously struggle.

Unfortunately, no team has found a way to do that this season. Still, every player on the court will be aware of where he is at all times, which proves that he is the most important player remaining in the playoffs.

Follow @TheRobGoldberg

Kentucky Basketball: Setting Expectations for Each Projected Starter

Bobby Reagan — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:30:08 -0400

Death and taxes are no longer the only two definites in life anymore. You can throw in Kentucky basketball and John Calipari bringing in a highly-regarded recruiting class to that list as well.

With six McDonald's All-Americans joining two returning starters in Willie Cauley-Stein and Alex Poythress, the question of who will be the starting five come October is still up in the air. I'm going to give the edge to the two veterans and joining them will be Andrew Harrison, Aaron Harrison and Julius Randle.

Let's take a look at how the projected starting lineup will fare and what to expect each player to be.

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Gegard Mousasi: Top 3 Fighters Like Belfort and Okami Lead Middleweight Wishlist

Damon Martin — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:29:43 -0400

Gegard Mousasi may not be able to fight again until the end of the year following knee surgery, but he's already eyeing potential matchups including the top fighters in the middleweight division.

It's been almost five years since Mousasi last fought at middleweight, and at the time he conquered the best of the best while competing in DREAM, including his grand prix tournament final against current top-10 ranked UFC fighter Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza.

Following that fight, however, Mousasi said the weight cut to middleweight was getting pretty tough, so he was going to try his hand at light heavyweight and heavyweight instead. Mousasi went on to win nine out of his next 11 fights while picking up victories over notable names like Mark Hunt and Renato "Babalu" Sobral.

Now just one fight into his UFC career, Mousasi is re-assessing things and believes that a move back down to middleweight could bring him very close to a title shot with just a single fight in the division.

"I really feel there is a big chance I will go to middleweight," Mousasi told Bleacher Report on Tuesday. "Of course we have to talk to the UFC, but I think it's all about matchups. It depends on who I get. Say I get a top guy in the middleweight top three, maybe No. 2 or 3 it would be the best thing to fight at middleweight. If I get maybe get a guy in the top three at light heavyweight, that could be a fight that would intrigue me. I don't have any problem fighting at 205, but I believe at 185 I will have more success.

"It's all about matchups. I want the big matchups so I can go for the title."

Mousasi admits that he's fighting with a bit of a chip on his shoulder since moving to the UFC, because, despite plenty of history and wins over some of the best competitors in the sport, since those fights weren't in the Octagon, he's not being shown the same level of respect as some other fighters. He holds wins over many top-rated fighters, but since it didn't take place in the UFC, he feels he's being overlooked somehow.

Beating a top-three middleweight would certainly erase any doubts.

"People always underestimate me. Other fighters, they always get credit, but somehow they always judge me like I'm overrated or I'm not good enough," Mousasi stated. "I believe I should get more credit like other fighters. Other fighters lose and they still say oh he's great, but I lost once and people still give me s—t about that. That's why I want to fight the big names."

When looking at the top of the middleweight rankings currently, according to the UFC, the three names listed as the upper echelon include Chris Weidman, Vitor Belfort and Yushin Okami. Mousasi says sign any of them up, and he'll happily knock them down.

"As long as it's a top-three guy," Mousasi said about his middleweight wishlist. "I think I can matchup very well against any middleweight. Wanderlei Silva, Vitor Belfort, (Yushin) Okami, I want to fight guys I haven't fought. I've fought a lot of guys outside the UFC and people don't get me the credit. Somehow you have to prove yourself in the UFC, I believe against well-known UFC fighters. Anyone would be just fine."

The end goal for Mousasi by next year is to get into a position where he can battle for the UFC middleweight title. There is something special about that belt because, since 2006, Anderson Silva has been the one clutching the gold and defending it with ruthless aggression.

Like a lot of fighters, Mousasi knows being the person to finally take the crown from Silva's head would be special, but he's just about getting the title no matter who holds it at the time.

"Everyone wants to fight Anderson Silva. I think that's the problem. For me it's all about the title shot. If I can beat him, I get the title," Mousasi commented. "That's my goal, winning the title. To get that opportunity that's what I want. I want the big fights."

Before he can get those big fights, Mousasi first needs to finish rehabbing his injured knee, and then once he's cleared to return to training, he and his management will discuss their options for his next fight. No matter who it is, Mousasi is ready to face the best, and the top fighters better be ready because he's coming for them.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.

5 Reasons Why Manchester City Will Win the Premier League Next Year

Phil Keidel — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:26:46 -0400

Manchester City Football Club is in disarray.

It has been a few short days since the Sky Blues (save for brace man Jack Rodwell) sleepwalked through a home loss to Norwich City to end their season, thus spray-painting a mustache onto an already ugly painting.

One can only imagine the excitement and zest for spirited competition this side must feel now. Instead of some needed rest, the Citizens are making like the Muppets and taking Manhattan.

Right, the upcoming friendly against Chelsea is actually in the Bronx. Just go with it.

City still do not have a manager and the transfer rumours are everywhere and nowhere all at once.

Despite all that, there are plenty of reasons to be bullish on City's prospects to repossess their Premier League trophy from Manchester United next season.

Here are five.

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NBA Lottery Results 2013: Full Selection Order, Analysis and More

Tyler Conway — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:20:05 -0400

When the Cleveland Cavaliers won the No. 1 overall pick before drafting Kyrie Irving in 2011, Nick Gilbert, son of owner Dan Gilbert, was on the hot seat as the lottery draw was announced.

On Tuesday, the Nick Gilbert struck again. Announced in an ESPN special prior to Tuesday night's matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies, the Cavs landed their second No. 1 overall pick in three years. Cleveland came into the lottery with the third-best chance at coming away with the top pick at 15.6 percent.

The Cavaliers' official Twitter feed sent out a Vine video of fans celebrating at a local bar when the pick was announced:

Here is a look at how the entire lottery played out:

Selection	Team
1	Cleveland Cavaliers
2	Orlando Magic
3	Washington Wizards
4	Charlotte Bobcats
5	Phoenix Suns
6	New Orleans Pelicans
7	Sacramento Kings
8	Detroit Pistons
9	Minnesota Timberwolves
10	Portland Trail Blazers
11	Philadelphia 76ers
12	Oklahoma City Thunder (via Toronto Raptors)
13	Dallas Mavericks
14	Utah Jazz

As it quickly becomes clear, the Washington Wizards were a big-time secondary winner in this year's lottery. They came into the drawing having the eighth-most ping-pong balls and just below a five-percent chance of landing at the No. 3 pick.

That ascent came at the expense of the Charlotte Bobcats, who went from having the second-best odds of winning to get the fourth selection. The remainder of the selections mostly fell into place, with teams falling back one spot due to the Wizards moving up in the selection process.

Nevertheless, Tuesday's result was all about the Cavs having lottery luck once again. This is the third time in the past decade that the Cavs have won the NBA's lottery, and this is the 10th anniversary of the club winning the LeBron James sweepstakes.

In fact, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel is already speculating about what this could mean for bringing in a certain NBA MVP back to his former stomping grounds:

While it's unclear whether James has interest in coming back to the Cavaliers, draft lottery luck has certainly been on the franchise's side since he took his talents to South Beach. Cleveland landed one of the game's most electrifying young guards in Kyrie Irving in 2011 and seems also to have landed some building block pieces in Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters.

Who's next in Cleveland? Let's answer that and a bunch of other lingering questions about the 2013 NBA draft lottery.

Top Lottery Storylines

Will Nerlens Noel Go No. 1?

The 2013 NBA draft in some ways compares to the 2000 draft, especially since an injured big man was the best player in both drafts.

In 2000, it was Cincinnati's Kenyon Martin who was the draft's top prize. The bruising power forward, who has gone on to a very solid NBA career, had broken his right leg in that season's Conference USA tournament. The incident sent the national title contending Bearcats into a spiral and sent Martin, considered the 2000 draft's best player, wading into uncertain waters.

Vexed with the decision between Stomile Swift and Darius Miles, the then-New Jersey Nets smartly took the risk on Martin at No. 1. While he went on to play in only 68 games as a rookie, Martin went on to an excellent career in New Jersey.

Cleveland now faces a similar conundrum with Noel. Finding a consensus in a draft so sparse of future All-Star talent has been difficult, but there are few scouts who don't believe Noel has the highest potential of anyone in this draft.

The top-ranked high school player in the country a year ago, Noel was well on his way to becoming the 2013 draft's top pick in his only season at Kentucky. An uber-athletic center who measured at just a shade under 7'0" at the draft combine, Noel averaged 10.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.4 blocks per game before going down with an ACL tear versus Florida on Feb. 12.

Like Martin, Noel's injury sent his team into a tailspin and left many questioning the his merits as the No. 1 pick. Noel has targeted Christmas for a tentative return date and told reporters at last week's draft combine that he's "ahead of schedule" in recovery.

However, after weighing in at just 206 pounds at the combine—the equivalent to a bantamweight for a center—many are wondering whether the risk is worth the reward. Noel has the potential to be a dominant shot-blocking force and showed in his short stay at Kentucky an increasingly effective game underneath the basket.

With names like Ben McLemore, Trey Burke and Victor Oladipo lingering and looking like safer options, expect the Cavs to have some long pow wows in the coming days and weeks.

Which Top Guard Will Emerge Before June's Draft?

Noel discussions aside, the other most intriguing story heading out of the combine was how little consensus there was about the draft's top guards. The trio of McLemore, Burke and Oladipo are all considered potential top No. 1 overall selections, though each brings a little something different to the table.

Burke, as the draft's top point guard, is a bit of an outlier in this discussion. He'll get plenty of discussion from the Orlando Magic at No. 2 and would have been a strong consideration had they won the lottery.

The New Orleans Pelicans could also think about taking a point guard, as Greivis Vasquez will be in line for a hefty extension in the next 12 months. New Orleans could decide it wants a more traditional guard running the point and then look to shop Vasquez next summer before he hits free agency in 2015.

The real battle is between Oladipo and McLemore, who are both trying to emerge as the draft's top 2-guard. Shooting guards have become an endangered species throughout the league and both have the skills to be potential All-Stars.

McLemore is every bit a traditional 2-guard. He's an athletic marvel—his 42-inch vertical was among the best at the combine—who has such a beautiful shot that he's been compared to Ray Allen on multiple occasions. Comparing a player to Jesus Shuttlesworth himself is a bit over the top, but McLemore was the best player on a Kansas team that was a Burke 30-footer away from possibly making the Final Four.

For now, though, Oladipo is the one with the momentum. As pointed out by ESPN's Chad Ford, Oladipo's draft stock is going through the roof after the combine. Already an elite athlete with brilliant on-ball defensive skills and top-shelf lateral quickness, Oladipo is an All-Defensive selection waiting to happen. There are questions about his ability to make jumpers—he took them very sparingly at Indiana—but scouts have openly drooled about his two-way potential.

It will be interesting to see whether McLemore more-polished game or Oladipo's potential wins out on draft night.

Will an International Player Go Top-14?

We're (thankfully) long past the days where Yi Jianlian can work out against a piece of lawn furniture and become a lottery pick. As most draft pundits remember, Euromania engulfed the NBA draft process during the early-to-mid-2000s, with names like Fran Vázquez, Yaroslav Korolev and (most infamously) Darko Milicic becoming dud lottery picks.

It took a bit longer than it should have, but general managers finally wised up. While teams still have robust scouting departments all over the world, they have become much better at picking and choosing their spots with these players.

All of that is to say we might be seeing the most international-heavy first round in some time. The league is abuzz about internationals like Dario Saric, Dennis Schroeder, Rudy Gobert and Giannis Antetokounmpo getting first-round consideration. And that's all without mentioning a player like Steven Adams, who played one year of American ball at Pittsburgh after coming over from New Zealand.

Among those without experience in the States, Saric and Schroeder seem to be the hottest names at the moment. ESPN's Chad Ford has Saric as the No. 11 player on his big board and Schroeder at No. 20 following the combine. While Gobert was the only one of those players actually participating in drills at the combine, his athletic performance was a disappointment in Chicago.

Saric is the name most point to as a lottery lock. Though he's a defensive question mark and struggles mightily at the line, Saric's feel for the game is unmatched for someone his age. He's a 6'10" point-forward with excellent open-court vision and enormous potential.

Look for him to start getting consideration starting at midway through the lottery and to not fall past the Dallas Mavericks at No. 13.

Projected Lottery Draft Results

Selection	Team	Player
1	Cleveland Cavaliers	Nerlens Noel (C, Kentucky)
2	Orlando Magic	Ben McLemore (G, Kansas)
3	Washington Wizards	Otto Porter (F, Georgetown)
4	Charlotte Bobcats	Alex Len (C, Maryland)
5	Phoenix Suns	Victor Oladipo (G, Indiana)
6	New Orleans Pelicans	Trey Burke (G, Michigan)
7	Sacramento Kings	Anthony Bennett (F, UNLV)
8	Detroit Pistons	Shabazz Muhammad (G, UCLA)
9	Minnesota Timberwolves	Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (G, Georgia)
10	Portland Trail Blazers	Cody Zeller (F-C, Indiana)
11	Philadelphia 76ers	C.J. McCollum (G, Lehigh)
12	Oklahoma City Thunder (via Toronto Raptors)	Steven Adams (C, Pittsburgh)
13	Dallas Mavericks	Dario Saric (F, Croatia)
14	Utah Jazz	Michael Carter-Williams (G, Syracuse)

2013 NBA Draft Order: Post-Lottery List with Projected Picks

Maxwell Ogden — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:18:34 -0400

The 2013 NBA draft lottery has come and passed, with the Cleveland Cavaliers winning the rights to the first overall draft choice.

The Cavaliers entered the draft with 15.6 odds to win the rights to the No. 1 selection. After 13 teams found their location, however, only one number was important.

No. 1.

Who's ready for the NBA draft?

Pick No.	Team	Odds	Selection
1.	Cleveland Cavaliers	15.6%	Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky
2.	Orlando Magic	25.0%	Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas
3.	Washington Wizards	2.8%	Otto Porter, SF, Georgetown
4.	Charlotte Bobcats	19.9%	Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana
5.	Phoenix Suns	11.9%	Anthony Bennett, PF, UNLV
6.	New Orleans Pelicans	8.8%	Trey Burke, PG, Michigan
7.	Sacramento Kings	6.3%	Michael Carter-Williams, PG, Syracuse
8.	Detroit Pistons	4.3%	Shabazz Muhammad, SF, UCLA
9.	Minnesota Timberwolves	1.7%	Alex Len, C, Maryland
10.	Portland Trail Blazers	1.1%	C.J. McCollum, G, Lehigh
11.	Philadelphia 76ers	0.8%	Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG, Georgia
12.	Oklahoma City Thunder (via Raptors)	0.7%	Cody Zeller, C, Indiana
13.	Dallas Mavericks	0.6%	Gorgui Dieng, C, Louisville
14.	Utah Jazz	0.5%	Dario Saric, SF, Croatia
15.	Milwaukee Bucks	N/A	Jamaal Franklin, SG, San Diego State
16.	Boston Celtics	N/A	Mason Plumlee, C, Duke
17.	Atlanta Hawks	N/A	Steven Adams, C, Pittsburgh
18.	Atlanta Hawks (via Rockets)	N/A	Glen Rice, SG, NBA D-League
19.	Cleveland Cavaliers (via Suns, from Heat)	N/A	Allen Crabbe, SG, California
20.	Chicago Bulls	N/A	Kelly Olynyk, C, Gonzaga
21.	Utah Jazz (via Warriors)	N/A	Dennis Schroeder, PG, Germany
22.	Brooklyn Nets	N/A	Rudy Gobert, PF, France
23.	Indiana Pacers	N/A	Sergey Karasev, SG, Russia
24.	New York Knicks	N/A	Jeff Withey, C, Kansas Jayhawks
25.	Los Angeles Clippers	N/A	Archie Goodwin, SG, Kentucky
26.	Minnesota Timberwolves (via Grizzlies)	N/A	Giannis Antetokounmpo, SF, Greece
27.	Denver Nuggets	N/A	Shane Larkin, PG, Miami
28.	San Antonio Spurs	N/A	Alex Abrines, SG, Spain
29.	Oklahoma City Thunder	N/A	Reggie Bullock, SF, North Carolina
30.	Phoenix Suns (via Cavs, from Lakers)	N/A	Tony Snell, SF, New Mexico

Orlando Misses Out

Entering the 2013 NBA draft lottery, the Orlando Magic had the highest odds of any team at 25.0 percent. Once the process had transpired, the odds proved to be irrelevant, as it was the Cleveland Cavaliers earning the right to select first.

The Magic will now pick No. 2 overall.

For Orlando, the options are varied, as it could land any player that doesn't go first overall. That could be Ben McLemore, the shooting guard out of Kansas, or Trey Burke, the point guard out of Michigan.

All we know is this—losing the No. 1 pick in this weak draft may be a blessing in disguise.

Top Pick Contenders

The 2013 NBA draft is unlike any in recent memory, as no individual has emerged as the prize of the process. In other words, the No. 1 pick has not yet been determined, as countless players are in the running for that honor.

The question is, who might go No. 1 overall?

Nerlens Noel of the Kentucky Wildcats is the most common name being thrown around, as his upside is perceived as higher than the rest of this class. His physical gifts are a major reason why, as he stands at just under 7'0" tall with a 7'4 wingspan.

It doesn't hurt that he's an elite defensive prospect with dominant shot-blocking skills and the athleticism to pick up the ball-handler off of the pick-and-roll.

Another option at No. 1 appears to be Kansas Jayhawks shooting guard Ben McLemore. McLemore, who stands at just under 6'5" with a 6'8" wingspan, is viewed as one of the premier shooters of this draft class with deep three-point range.

The question is, would Cleveland take McLemore after landing Dion Waiters in 2012? The odds are stacked against that transpiring.

Then again, the odds were against the Cavaliers to win the top pick.

With enticing athleticism and strong ball-handling abilities, one scout has referred to him as a "better version" of Ray Allen—a stretch, but the praise is noteworthy.

If not McLemore or Noel, the options appear to be limitless. Trey Burke of the Michigan Wolverines is the draft's top point guard, Victor Oladipo of the Indiana Hoosiers may have the highest upside and Otto Porter of the Georgetown Hoyas is as well-rounded as any.

Until the pick is made, there's a strong probability that no one knows who goes first but the team picking.

Breaking Down How Ben McLemore Would Fit in with Cleveland Cavaliers

Patrick Clarke — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:17:43 -0400

Most NBA draft experts consider Ben McLemore to be the top shooting guard entering the league with the Class of 2013.

Will the Cleveland Cavaliers use the No. 1 pick in the 2013 NBA draft on him?

The former Kansas Jayhawk was highly touted coming out of high school (Christian Life Centre Academy in Houston), and certainly lived up to the hype last season as a freshman in Lawrence, leading Bill Self's Jayhawks with 15.9 points per game on 49.5 percent shooting from the field and 42 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

In addition to shooting 87 percent from the foul line, McLemore averaged 5.2 rebounds and two assists per game.

Only 20 years old, the St. Louis native has a bright future ahead of him.

McLemore's brilliant shooting and explosiveness on the offensive end has even drawn comparisons to NBA great Ray Allen. Both players have an extremely quick release on their jump shot, and like Allen, the game comes easy to McLemore, who rarely looks like he's forcing the issue out on the court.

More recently, McLemore has been compared to NBA rookie Bradley Beal (via NBA.com's Adam Zagoria), who averaged 13.9 points per game for the Washington Wizards last season after being drafted No. 3 overall in the 2012 NBA draft:

Like Beal, McLemore is a tremendously athletic wing player with elite shooting touch and seemingly endless range.

But unlike McLemore, Beal struggled to find the mark at times in college. He shot just 44.5 percent from the field and 34 percent from beyond the three-point arch during his one season at Florida.

The big question with McLemore potentially heading to Cleveland is this: Do the Cavs want to commit themselves to small ball?

They already have an All-Star point guard in Kyrie Irving that has become the face of the franchise. Last year, they selected the 6’4’’ combo guard Dion Waiters with the fourth overall pick. Does Cleveland roll the dice with McLemore, arguably the player with the highest ceiling in the draft? They would be lethal in the open court and could provide plenty of mismatches.

The problem with Cleveland is that almost all of its core players are still unproven aside from veteran Anderson Varejao in the frontcourt. Is Tristan Thompson capable of being a star? What is Tyler Zeller’s ceiling? How about Marreese Speights?

Odds are the Cavs will be looking toward drafting a big man like Nerlens Noel, who can defend the rim and bolster the numbers for a team that ranked 22nd in the league in rebounding a season ago.

But you can't deny the appeal of landing the best pure scorer in the draft.

While McLemore has struggled with consistency himself from time to time, there were only six games last season (out of 37 total) in which he failed to score in double figures. Still, some will blame those type of efforts on a lacking motor, something that several NBA scouts and general managers feel is potentially holding him back.

Here's one NBA scout's take on McLemore's drive (via ESPN Insider):

You want a player who's going to be great with teammates off-the-court and a role model in the community. But on the court, I want an [expletive]. Ben has zero [expletive] in him. I'm not sure how he'll fare as a rookie if he isn't going to demand the ball and try to prove to his peers he can play with them. But the upside is really there if he gets that he's an elite player.

It's definitely fair to say that the only question mark regarding McLemore is his motor at this point.

He boasts all the physical traits required of a lethal NBA shooting guard and we know he's capable of dominating on both ends of the floor.

The only question now is, will his drive match up to his talent?

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.

Game Predictions for Miami Heat vs Indiana Pacers in Eastern Conference Finals

John Friel — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:14:53 -0400

Hey! Wake up! Don't you realize that the Eastern Conference finals are finally here?

It feels like we saw Halley's Comet the last time we saw the Miami Heat play, but the time is nearly upon us, as the Heat finally face off with the third-seeded Indiana Pacers in the ECF.

The Heat haven't played since May 15, when they defeated the Chicago Bulls 94-91 to complete a 4-1 series victory. The last time they had as long of a layoff came after they were forced to wait for the Bulls and Brooklyn Nets series to conclude after already defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in a sweep.

Miami dropped Game 1 at home against Chicago but won the next four to finish off the Bulls.

Indiana faced a stronger opponent in the New York Knicks and needed six games to dispel of the Carmelo Anthony-centric roster. The Pacers used their strong interior presences to command respect on both sides of the court, resulting in high-percentage shots on offense and contested shots on defense.

New York was able to score over 100 only once. They broke triple digits less often than they scored under 90 points, which occurred in a three-game stretch between Games 3 and 5 that resulted in Indiana taking a 3-2 series lead and eventually winning 106-99 in the clincher.

These two teams are no strangers to each other and have been a part of a number of intense matchups, mostly coming in last year's conference semifinals. Miami won the series 4-2, but not before seeing Chris Bosh get hurt early in Game 1, the Heat implode on the sidelines in a Game 3 loss and incredible instances of teamwork between Wade and James to put the series on ice.

The series featured a number of altercations, including several involving Danny Granger for some reason, and Lance Stephenson and Juwan Howard jawing at each other pregame after Stephenson's gesture the previous game, as well as a later flagrant foul resulting from Lance's mistake.

And how can we forget the pleasantries exchanged by Tyler Hansbrough and Udonis Haslem? For a team that's accused of flopping and being soft, the Heat have been at the center of some of the more intense altercations in recent NBA postseason history.

Miami now features Ray Allen and Chris "Birdman" Andersen, who replaces the role of Ronny Turiaf, as well as Bosh, who missed all but one half of their six-game series with Indiana last year. Meanwhile, the Pacers are without Danny Granger due to injury and have since replaced Darren Collison, Lou Amundson and Leandro Barbosa with D.J. Augustin, Ian Mahinmi and Gerald Green.

The Pacers have also seen excellent development from Paul George and Lance Stephenson.

Indiana won the regular-season series 2-1, but that means nothing at this point. The playoffs, especially this deep, are a completely different game that features teams at their best and capable of making adjustments on the fly.

The Heat have yet to fully exert themselves, because why do they need to, and the Pacers may finally be the team to break them out of this sleepwalking spell and focus on playing for a complete 48 minutes.

A significant challenge will always bring the best out of Miami, and this Indiana team is going to bring it not just with an extremely disciplined defense, but also with the sting from last year's postseason loss to Miami still looming.

Indiana is still convinced they were the better team that series. They might have missed their only chance to take advantage and defeat the Heat, because seeing them beat out this Heat team four times out of seven (the Heat have won 45 of their past 49 games) is something that would deserve to become a movie by Disney.

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NFL Rumors: Latest on Ed Reed and More Buzz from Around the League

Richard Langford — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:13:50 -0400

There is no offseason for NFL rumors. In this constantly changing league, there is always some news bubbling behind the scenes.

Even in this time of year when the majority of free agents are signed and teams are just beginning offseason work.

Here is a look at three of the more interesting rumors floating around.

Did the Ravens Know More About Ed Reed's Hip Than the Texans?

Ed Reed is preparing to start his 12th NFL season, and for the first time in his legendary career, he will do so for a team that is not the Baltimore Ravens.

The Houston Texans signed Reed in free agency as the Ravens were content to watch him walk away. It appears now that they may have had some information that helped them with this process.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio heard that the Ravens "knew that Reed’s hip was bothering him. The Texans apparently didn’t."

As the Associated Press (via USA Today) reports, Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said Reed's recovery from hip surgery is going "really well." However, it is also added that he "will miss all of the Texans' organized team activities."

I don't know if this information would have changed the Texans' desire to sign Reed, but it seems likely that it helped facilitate the Ravens' decision to let him leave.

Reshad Jones Contract and Offseason Workouts

Entering his fourth year in the league, safety Reshad Jones is unhappy with his contract.

This was going to be the impetus for Jones skipping OTAs. However, as the Miami Herald's Armando Salguero reports, Jones has had a change of heart.

He has decided to not miss any more of the offseason work. The change, as Salguero states, based on information from a "source close to the safety," occurred after Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland "gave [Joel] Segal [Jones' agent] some assurance that the Dolphins would open discussions with Jones on a contract extension 'eventually' if the player showed up."

As Salguero also notes, Jones is in the last year of his rookie deal and is signed to make $1.3 million this season.

Now, the Dolphins benefit by getting a safety who had 94 combined tackles and four interceptions last year in their offseason program, but the franchise has to be sure to honor its word.

It will cost them dearly down the road if it gets out that the front office is making promises to players it has no intention of keeping.

Will Delanie Walker Be a Fantasy Star in Tennessee?

Last year, Titans tight end Jared Cook was a popular sleeper pick in fantasy drafts. He never really justified this status as he caught just 44 passes for 523 yards and four touchdowns.

Cook has since moved onto the Rams, and the Titans signed former 49ers tight end Delanie Walker. So, it is time to cue up the Walker sleeper talk. And it may be more justified this year.

Dan Pompei of the National Football Post explains.

The Titans think they can get more out of Delanie Walker than they did Jared Cook. In fact, their coaches are planning on playing Walker for more snaps than they played Cook. Why? They think Walker is a more versatile tight end. They see him as a player who can do the things Cook did in terms of splitting out and creating mismatches, and they also see him as a player who can be an in-line tight end who is a factor in the run game and run the more traditional tight end pass routes.

Walker had just 344 receiving yards last year, but he was also behind Vernon Davis on the depth chart. Walker isn't a transcendent talent at tight end, but he has more athleticism than people give him credit for.

He doesn't have the greatest hands, so he isn't going to put up elite numbers. But he should get plenty of targets and plenty of opportunities in the red zone.

Breaking Down How Nerlens Noel Would Fit in with Cleveland Cavaliers

Alex Kay — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:12:25 -0400

The Cleveland Cavaliers have won the 2013 NBA lottery, giving them the rights to the No. 1 pick in June’s draft. That selection very well may become Nerlens Noel out of the University of Kentucky, as the big man fits in perfectly with what this young and upcoming franchise is trying to do.

At 6’10” with nearly a 7’4” wingspan, Noel possesses adequate height and plenty of reach. When healthy, he’s a tremendous shot-blocker that uses his athleticism and long arms to send back anything that goes up in his vicinity.

Approximately two weeks prior to tearing his ACL in mid-February, the freshman set a UK record with 12 blocks in a game. His ability to consistently alter and swat away shot attempts is easily his best asset.

However, Noel isn’t a slouch in other areas, as he has big, quick hands that allow him to swipe steals easily. He’s also a great rebounder who can bounce up and clean the glass with ease.

Those are all areas in which Cleveland needs to improve. As a team, the Cavs were +0.28 in steals per game last year. That was only good enough for 20th in the NBA, according to NBA.com.

Rebounding wise, Thompson and Anderson Varejao can each hold their own on the glass, but Noel's lanky, athletic presence will give teams another factor to worry about on both ends of the floor.

While he may be able to soak minutes right away as a defensive specialist, the flat-topped star will require a good bit of polish on his offensive game.

The raw talents are certainly there, but Noel has to put the time in before they show. He already can throw down oops without effort and catch lob passes in the paint for easy finishes, but he has to work on contributing to a set offense and honing a back-to-the-basket game.

Due to his non-stop motor and high ceiling, it’s hard to see him failing to develop into some semblance of an offensive force for the Cavaliers. With Tristan Thompson's budding game drawing attention in the post, it shouldn’t be long before Noel is piling in buckets on a regular basis.

The other main concern that Cleveland must address is Noel’s weight.

This prospect’s stock took a blow (membership required) at the scouting combine last week, when it was revealed that he tipped the scales at a mere 206 pounds—the lightest player listed at center in the past decade.

Some of that skinniness can be attributed to his injury and inability to work out regularly, but he’s going to need to add some serious bulk between now and his Christmas time target for a return.

Regardless, Noel is the closest thing to a consensus top pick this class has to offer. Although he isn’t laden with superstar potential and may not be the piece Cleveland needs to push to the next level, he could be a starting-caliber big man that plays big minutes on a nightly basis for years to come.

He doesn't make the Cavaliers a finished product in the Eastern Conference, but he certainly pushes them further in the right direction. If he can expand on his limited offensive repertoire, he could exceed early expectations and make Cleveland fans very happy in the process.

Spurs vs Grizzlies: Big Baby's Position-by-Position Breakdown

NBA365 Productions — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:02:29 -0400

The San Antonio Spurs easily took Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals away from the Memphis Grizzlies. Yet, even after watching that disaster, one cannot rule Memphis out, especially since they went down in their previous two series and still managed to advance.

There is plenty of talent between the two teams and Glen "Big Baby" Davis joins Bleacher Report to break down the series, position-by-position.

Who has the ultimate advantage between the two teams? Watch now to find out which team "Big Baby" thinks has superior talent.

Think he got it right? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Picking New Nicknames for College Football's 8 Top Stars

Amy Daughters — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:57:08 -0400

One of the great sidebars in sports is nicknames, and when you start talking college football and monikers, something magical is bound to happen.

Yes, while it’s one thing to give tennis players or golfers the perfect nickname, it’s another thing entirely to rename a guy who lines up as a menacing defensive end, elusive receiver or fearless quarterback.

And with inspiration from the college game’s rich history which includes such gems as RGIII, the Tyler Rose, Honey Badger, the Kansas Comet, the Grey Ghost, the Boz, Rocket, the Comet, the Elmira Express, Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside and Prime Time, it’s difficult to not want to give it a whirl.

The following slideshow does just that and assigns new nicknames for eight of college football’s top stars coming into 2013.

Even though these bold attempts to label this season’s stars might seem to fall short on the surface, who knows, maybe fate will intervene and declare that one of these humble tags is the stuff that legends is made of.

And, then again, maybe not so much.

Begin Slideshow

Complete Timeline of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs So Far

Nicholas Goss — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:44:48 -0400

The 2013 NHL playoffs have provided hockey fans with some truly memorable moments, and we are only halfway through the second round.

As of May 21, 20 games have gone into overtime, and there were an NHL-record 17 games that needed bonus hockey in the first round.

The majority of the series played have been competitive, which is great for everyone. Five of the eight first-round matchups went six or seven games, and five of the eight teams that made the conference semifinals upset a higher-seeded opponent in Round 1.

Let's look at a complete timeline of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs thus far.

April 30: OT Heroics and a Goalie Gaffe Highlight Opening Day of 2013 Playoffs

The Minnesota Wild were forced to make a goaltending switch before Game 1 of their first-round series with the Chicago Blackhawks when Niklas Backstrom picked up an injury in warm-ups. Backup netminder Josh Harding started in net and gave the team one of its best goaltending performances of the season.

Unfortunately for Harding and the Wild, they lost in overtime when Bryan Bickell scored to give Chicago a 1-0 series lead.

Goaltending was also the main story in Game 1 of the Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues' first-round series. After playing magnificently in regulation, Kings netminder Jonathan Quick cost his team the game when he tried to play the puck behind his net in overtime and turned it over to Blues forward Alexander Steen, who scored on an open net. It was a frustrating start to the Kings' Stanley Cup defense.

May 2: Huge Hit Sparks Suspension Debate, Red Wings Almost Blow Huge Lead

The Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens were the last teams to start their first-round series, and it didn't take long for controversy to erupt. In the second period, Senators defenseman Eric Gryba was given a major penalty for interference and an ejection for a scary hit on Canadiens center Lars Eller, who had to be stretchered off the ice and taken to a hospital.

A fierce debate on whether the hit from Gryba was clean dominated NHL discussions after that game, and the league ended up suspending the Ottawa blueliner for two games.

Out West, the Detroit Red Wings appeared to have Game 2 of their series with the Anaheim Ducks wrapped up with a 4-1 lead in the third period. But the Ducks fought back to force overtime, where the Red Wings would earn a much-needed split in Anaheim thanks to the first playoff goal of rookie forward Damien Brunner's career.

May 3: Sidney Crosby Returns to Penguins in Losing Effort

Sidney Crosby's return to the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup after missing 13 games with a broken jaw was a success from an individual standpoint as the world's best player scored two goals in the first period. To protect his jaw from further injury, No. 87 wore a special helmet with a protective shield.

However, it was the New York Islanders who would steal the show with a 4-3 comeback victory to shock Penguins fans at Consol Energy Center and even the series.

May 5: Senators and Canadiens Line Brawl Ends One-Sided Affair

The Montreal Canadiens embarrassed themselves with some of their antics in the third period of Game 3 in Ottawa by firing pucks at opposing players from behind, slashing players for no reason and intentionally elbowing guys in the head.

The result of these classless actions was a full-scale line brawl at the end of the game in which the Senators won each individual fight. To make matters even more comical, Ottawa head coach Paul MacLean called a timeout with 17 seconds left with his team up 6-1, which Montreal bench boss Michel Therrien was not too happy about, via Dave Stubbs of The Montreal Gazette:

May 7: Sharks Complete Sweep of Canucks, Islanders Put Scare into Penguins

The San Jose Sharks became the only team to reach the second round with a sweep when they beat the Vancouver Canucks in overtime of Game 4 at HP Pavilion. The Sharks were led by their top forwards against the Canucks with Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski combining for 27 points.

The Islanders evened their series versus the Penguins at two games apiece with a 6-4 victory at Nassau Coliseum. Pittsburgh's starting goaltender, Marc-Andre Fleury, let in a few soft goals and sparked a goalie controversy with his third poor performance in four games against New York.

May 8: Overtime Thrillers Provide Hockey Fans with Great Excitement

Three of the four games on the schedule for May 8 went into overtime, including a thriller in Toronto between the Leafs and the Boston Bruins. After falling behind 2-0 in the first period, the Bruins battled back to tie the game. The two teams went to overtime after regulation ended with a 3-3 score, where Boston forward David Krejci completed a hat trick to win the game and give the Bruins a commanding 3-1 series lead.

The Kings took a 3-2 series lead with a goal from defenseman Slava Voynov in overtime to beat the Blues on the road in Game 5, while the Ducks also earned a 3-2 advantage with an overtime victory over the Red Wings thanks to a goal from a Nick Bonino.

May 9: Penguins Bench Star Goalie, Two Teams Clinch Second-Round Berths

Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma was forced to start veteran backup Tomas Vokoun in net for Game 5 of his team's series with the Islanders after Fleury gave up 14 goals in three games after a shutout in Game 1. Vokoun responded with a shutout (the first of his playoff career) to help the Penguins take a 3-2 series lead.

The Senators and Blackhawks also secured a berth into the second round with victories in their Game 5s. Ottawa's series win was the team's first since it reached the 2007 Stanley Cup Final, and Chicago's victory ended its streak of two consecutive first-round exits.

May 10: Kings' Stanley Cup Defense Continues, Red Wings Force a Game 7 in OT

The Kings eliminated the Blues from the playoffs with their fourth straight win of the series to become the first defending Stanley Cup champion to reach the second round since the 2009 Detroit Red Wings. Speaking of the Red Wings, they forced a Game 7 in their series against the Ducks when captain Henrik Zetterberg sent Joe Louis Arena into a frenzy with an overtime-winning goal.

May 12: Two Teams Force Game 7, Red Wings Complete Upset

The Leafs and Rangers forced Game 7s with brilliant performances from their goaltenders. Toronto's James Reimer allowed just one goal with 29 saves to beat the Bruins in Game 6, while Henrik Lundqvist carried New York to a 1-0 victory at Madison Square Garden.

The Red Wings became the second team seeded seventh or lower to reach the second round when they defeated the Ducks 3-2 in Game 7 on the road.

May 13: A Comeback for the Ages Highlights Great Night of Game 7s

The Bruins made history in their Game 7 against the Leafs by overcoming a 4-1 third-period deficit, including two goals in the final two minutes.

In overtime, Boston forward Patrice Bergeron, who also scored the tying goal in regulation, scored on a rebound to send the Bruins to the second round for the fourth time in the last five years. ESPN Stats & Info provided some great stats on Boston's legendary comeback:

The other game on the night was a Game 7 between the Rangers and Capitals, which New York won 5-0 with a dominating performance. Lundqvist became the first goaltender in over a decade to pitch back-to-back shutouts in a Game 6 and Game 7, via ESPN Stats & Info:

Here is a great graphic of some notable first-round stats, via TSN:

May 16: More OT Magic in Boston, Kings Complete Remarkable Comeback

The Bruins improved their overtime record in this year's playoffs to 3-0 with a 3-2 victory over the Rangers to take the series opener. Brad Marchand scored the game-winner for Boston in the extra frame, which was his first goal of the postseason and just his second in the last 15 playoff games.

The story of the game was the impressive performances of the Bruins' three rookie defensemen (Torey Krug, Dougie Hamilton and Matt Bartkowski). Krug's first career NHL goal tied the game at 2-2 in the third period.

The other game on the schedule featured the Kings and Sharks in Game 2 of their second-round series. Facing a 3-2 deficit with less than three minutes left in the third period, Los Angeles scored two goals (one from Dustin Brown and Trevor Lewis) to shock San Jose and take a 2-0 series lead.

May 18: Red Wings Even Series With Blackhawks, Sharks Avoid 0-3 Deficit

The Red Wings dominated the Blackhawks in Game 2 with a 4-1 win to become the first team to beat Chicago at the United Center in this year's playoffs.

In the late game, the Sharks defeated the Kings in overtime with a goal from superstar center Logan Couture. San Jose improved to 20-2-5 at home this year (including the postseason) with a Game 3 victory.

May 19: Bruins Dominate Rangers, Ottawa and Pittsburgh Play First 2OT Game

A third-period surge from the Bruins resulted in a 5-2 win over the Rangers in Sunday's Game 2 at TD Garden. It was one of the worst playoff performances of Lundqvist's career. Stats via Arthur Staple of Newsday and Dan Rosen of NHL.com:

The second matchup of the day was Game 3 of the Penguins and Senators' second-round series. This was the first game of the 2013 playoffs to reach double overtime, where Colin Greening scored for Ottawa. Stat via Ian Mendes of Sportsnet:

May 20: Detroit Rattles Chicago with Impressive Victory

The only game on Monday's schedule was Game 3 of the Red Wings and Blackhawks' second-round series. Detroit earned an impressive 3-1 victory over Chicago, which is now trailing in a series for the first time in this year's playoffs.

After Blackhawks star winger Patrick Kane scored on a breakaway in the third period to make the score 2-1 Detroit, the Red Wings extended their lead shortly after with a beautiful shot from Pavel Datsyuk. Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard stopped a late third-period surge from Chicago to pick up his sixth win of the playoffs with a 39-save performance.

The Blackhawks have now lost six of their last seven playoff games to the Red Wings.

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.

Mock Help Wanted for Atlanta Hawks Head Coaching Position

Joe Wirth — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:43:23 -0400

Although Larry Drew has made the playoffs in each of his three years as coach of the Atlanta Hawks, there are rumors (via Sports Illustrated) that Atlanta management may be pursuing candidates to replace Drew in an effort to vault the team into the elite of the NBA.

Seeing the writing on the wall, Drew and his coaching staff have been interviewing for other positions in the NBA because most feel there is a slim chance of them returning to the Hawks bench next year.

The Hawks franchise has a great history of hiring elite coaches. Lenny Wilkens, Hubie Brown and Red Auerbach are just some of the names that have been at the helm of this franchise.

Although Atlanta is a franchise with tradition and one that has experienced regular season success over the past few years, it is not an easy place to win and this offseason will be crucial in determining the direction of the franchise.

With his probable dismissal of Drew, general manager Danny Ferry is making a statement that regular season success is not good enough. Ferry wants playoff success, and he does not think Drew is capable of bringing that to Atlanta.

Positives of the Job

The Hawks cap situation is attractive to any prospective coaching candidate. With the expiration of many high-paying contracts, the Atlanta Hawks will have plenty of cap space to pursue a solid free-agent market in the 2013 offseason.

The most notable contract that is set to expire is that of Josh Smith. Smith is currently making $13.2 million per year and is looking for more in his next contract.

Do not expect the Hawks to re-sign Smith. He has been a good player for the franchise throughout his nine-year career, but he is not worth superstar money.

Other Hawks players whose contracts will be coming off the books include Devin Harris, Zaza Pachulia, Kyle Korver, Johan Petro and Dahntay Jones.

With the expiration of these contracts, Atlanta will be saving $25.5 million. Considering Korver is the only player from that group who averages more than 10 points per game, the franchise will be in a position to get better value for its money.

It is likely that the Hawks will re-sign some of these players, but it also gives them the ability to have more freedom with their money and play a more active role in the 2013 free-agency scene.

This type of salary cap freedom would allow a new coach to put his own stamp on the team and allow him to sign the right players to fit his system.

The Hawks job is also attractive because there is talent. Yes, they will likely lose Josh Smith, but this is a team that has made the playoffs in each of the last six seasons. They have another frontcourt star, Al Horford, who is about to hit his prime.

Over the past two years, Horford has become one of the best big men in the game and with a number of teams transitioning to a more perimeter, outside-shooting approach, a skilled big man is a tremendous asset. Combined with Horford, a skilled backcourt and the potential to add significant talent in the offseason, the Atlanta head coaching position will be a highly sought after one.

There are far worse jobs in the NBA, and if Ferry can find the right man for the job, the Hawks could develop into a serious threat in the Eastern Conference.

Challenges of the Job

The two main challenges for the incoming coach will be winning over the fanbase as well as improving Atlanta’s defense.

Atlanta has always been a fickle sports town. Even during the Braves heyday in the mid-1990s, they suffered from low attendance.

Although things have improved in recent years for the Hawks, a new coach still has to come in a drum up support from the community.

During the 2012-13 season, the Hawks averaged 15,125 people per game which was good for No. 26 in NBA attendance. The Hawks have been a winning franchise for each the last six years, but last season’s attendance numbers finished behind the likes of such floundering franchises as the Bobcats and Wizards.

Winning does not necessarily mean people will come. If a coach is to succeed in Atlanta, he must develop a report with the fanbase.

The biggest challenge the new coach must resolve is fixing the Hawks’ porous defense. The Hawks have offensive firepower, but it became apparent in their defeat to the Indiana Pacers in the first round that they will have a tough time advancing in the playoffs if they do not develop a defensive identity.

In Games 1 and 2, the Pacers shredded Atlanta's defense as the barely competitive Hawks gave up an average of 110 points per game.

After returning home, the Hawks evened the series. But back in Indianapolis for Game 5, Atlanta returned to its porous defensive ways, giving up 106 points and allowing the Pacers to shoot 51 percent from the field.

Although the Hawks defense played well in a sloppy Game 6, it was not enough to stave off elimination.

The breakdown of this series is very simple. When the Hawks were able to play well defensively, they won. But when their defense struggled, they had no chance against Indiana.

Defense wins championships and, as constructed now, the Hawks defense is too suspect for them to go on a deep playoff run.

MLB Prospects Update: Hottest, Coldest Pitchers at Every Minor League Level

Mike Rosenbaum — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:38:07 -0400

After undergoing Tommy John surgery in late 2011 and logging only 28.1 innings last season in the minor leagues last year, Twins right-hander Kyle Gibson is on pace to make his major league debut before the All-Star break.

The 22nd overall draft pick in 2009, Gibson has pitched extremely well recently for Triple-A Rochester in the International League and has now thrown a complete game shutout in two of his last three starts.

There was some speculation that the 25-year-old right-hander might be recalled to start Friday’s game against the Tigers, as manager Ron Gardenhire stated that Gibson was one of three options being considered—P.J. Walters and Sam Deduno the others.

Although the organization ultimately decided to go with Deduno, via Dustin Morse, Twins director of baseball communications, there’s no question that Gibson’s recent success at Triple-A has him on the verge of a big league promotion.

Here’s a look at the rest of the hottest and coldest pitchers at every minor league level.

Begin Slideshow

WWE Main Event Superstars in the Making

Justin LaBar — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:35:32 -0400

WWE has a lot of talented guys on its roster but have few stars.

So many established main event stars have left, retired or moved to a part-time schedule in the past few years. This all happened at the same time WWE really structured their developmental system with NXT.

The result is a lot of young guys whom WWE has to build new guys to be top stars.

In this video, I tell you what key thing I look for in stars who are destined for the main event and who they are.

Follow @JustinLaBar on Twitter

Burning Unanswered Questions Boston Celtics Are Facing During 2013 Offseason

Matthew Schmidt — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:34:56 -0400

There are probably a million questions bouncing around in Danny Ainge's mind right now, questions that he must eventually answer to determine the fate of the most storied franchise in professional basketball.

The Boston Celtics are facing what could conclusively be called a cold summer, one that could feature the official ending of a spectacular run of greatness that will be remembered and celebrated for years to come.

But what if Ainge decides to reload instead of rebuild?

What if he does see some ways he can improve the roster without having to part ways with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett?

The fact is, no one really knows what is going to happen. All we can do at this point is speculate.

There is one thing we do know for sure: When the NBA Finals come to a close, Ainge will really begin to sweat...as will everyone who declares themselves a part of Celtic culture.

Begin Slideshow

San Francisco Giants: Why It's Too Soon to Panic for the Giants

Kyle Brown — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:33:25 -0400

After the most recent road trip, when the San Francisco Giants went 1-5 against the Toronto Blue Jays and Colorado Rockies, fans are starting to run around like Chicken Little, proclaiming that the sky is falling. And while it was undoubtedly a disastrous week in terms of pitching and defense, there is reason to be optimistic about how the rest of the season will unfold for the Giants.

The first issue with the Giants as of late has been their atrocious defense. During the six-game road trip, the Giants committed 13 errors, some of which came on more-than-routine plays, like Marco Scutaro's drop of an easy pop up that he would've normally caught blindfolded. It was uncharacteristic for the Giants, who are generally a very sound defensive team.

On the season, the Giants have accumulated 35 errors, which is tied for the second most in the majors. That is certainly an alarming amount, but there is no reason to believe this trend will continue with the individual fielders the Giants have on the roster.

Brandon Crawford, Brandon Belt and Buster Posey all have potential to win Gold Glove awards in the future, and Pablo Sandoval, Marco Scutaro and Gregor Blanco are all plus fielders as well. And while Angel Pagan and Hunter Pence aren't going to find themselves making web gems on a regular basis, they are by no means liabilities in the field. A team does not devolve into a bad defensive team overnight.

The starting pitching, however, is a bit more problematic at the moment, and there is some cause for concern. On this road trip alone, the Giants' starting pitching had an ERA of 9.82. As a result, the rotation's ERA on the season is now 4.78, which is eighth highest in the major leagues.

It has been quite some time since the Giants' starting pitching has struggled this much. In fact, you'd have to look all the way back to 1999 to find when the rotation had a higher ERA than it has now, which was 4.96. It's even a tougher pill to swallow now since the Giants have had a top-five rotation in baseball for the past four seasons.

While it's too soon to say that those days are nothing more than a distant memory, the inconsistencies of Tim Lincecum over the past two years and the recent injury to Ryan Vogelsong makes one wonder if it's time to shake up the rotation for the first time since the beginning of 2012.

While it is impossible to predict how the Giants rotation will fare for the rest of the season, the law of averages tends to balance itself out over the course of the season. If you were to tell me that Matt Cain, Lincecum and Vogelsong would finish with ERAs of 5.43, 4.70 and 7.19, respectively, I would probably bet against that.

And even with the struggling pitching staff, the Giants have been evolving as a team over the past year anyways. Believe it or not, the Giants have scored 210 runs this year, which is the third most in the NL. They also have a .274 batting average, which is the highest in the NL.

The Giants are no longer an offensively challenged team like they were in 2010. They can put runs on the board with the best of them and have multiple come-from-behind victories this season.

And when it's all said and done, the Giants are still five games over .500 and only one game behind the first-place Diamondbacks.

The rotation may not regain its dominance, but it's only a matter or time before it gets better. And once that happens, there won't be a scarier team in the NL.