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Early 2018 NFL Awards Predictions

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The draft is over. OTAs just started, and the NFL Opening Kickoff is lingering close by. Last year was a surprise. Teams, who weren’t expected to win, outshone all our expectations. A major part of this was key additions or breakout years from their players. This helped the likes of Todd Gurley and Marshon Lattimore win awards. Although it is way too early to really say, let’s make predictions on who can win the awards this year.

Most Valuable Player – Jared Goff, QB

Jared Goff Wild Card Round - Atlanta Falcons v Los Angeles Rams

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Would I love for this to be Brady? Of course. Will Brady win even if he has a better year than last year? Probably not, because that is just how the NFL is. Instead, I go with Jared Goff, a quarterback with all the right tools and the perfect team at his disposal. Carson Wentz could also be picked here, but his injury status could lower the number of games he will play this season.

Offensive Player of the Year – Alvin Kamara, RB

Divisional Round - New Orleans Saints v Minnesota Vikings

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Kamara will get even more touches with Mark Ingram serving a four-game suspension, and his talent is just so great. His numbers will be even better than last year.

Defensive Player of the Year – Casey Hayward, CB

Buffalo Bills v Los Angeles Chargers

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Hayward is one of the most underrated corners in my opinion. I have the feeling that he will ball out this year, leading the league in interceptions and passes defended, and thus winning him the award of DPOY.

Offensive Rookie of the Year – Ronald Jones, RB

Ronald Jones II Goodyear Cotton Bowl - USC v Ohio State

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Barkley will be the obvious choice here, but I also want to take a look at another offensive player who is in the best place to have a great year. Jones can easily win the starting job in Tampa Bay and get a lot of carries. He has the chance to be this year’s Alvin Kamara.

Defensive Rookie of the Year – Tremaine Edmunds, LB

Camping World Independence Bowl - Tulsa v Virginia Tech

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Edmunds will be immediately thrust into a starting role and has the capability to fulfill and outshine what Preston Brown brought to the team.

Coach of the Year – Mike Vrabel, Tennesee Titans

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Mike Vrabel comes into a playoff team that got even better over the offseason. The additions of Dion Lewis, Malcolm Butler, Rashaan Evans, and Harold Landry can help the Titans win their division and go far in the playoffs.

Comeback Player of the Year – Julian Edelman, WR

Julian Edelman New England Patriots v Detroit Lions

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Julian Edelman has been training hard and nonstop to get back on the field. The chemistry between him and Brady is undeniable and will be triumphant enough for him breakout after missing 2017.

Revs Academy Announces Partnership with HUSC/ASC

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The Revolution Academy took a lot of heat early in 2018. After going 0-0-3 in the Premier Division and 0-0-6 in Generation Adidas Qualifying with a -28 goal differential, and losing two games by a seven goal margin, people took notice. Fans took to Twitter to point out all the embarrassment and disuse of the Revolution Academy. This indirectly and directly sparked Team President Brian Bellielo to start the discussion on improving the academy. While we will never be sure if the backlash caused the Revs to make changes, adjustments were made either way.

Revs Making Changes

So far the Revs have taken strides to improve the academy since their devastating results. Part of their work has included a new initiative that’s aimed at preparing the team for the next ten years. The club has also boasted that they spend over a million dollars a year on the academy. However, eight other teams also reported their academy spendings, and to no surprise the Revs were last.

Another new initiative was announced in April between the Revolution Academy and Hampshire United Soccer Club/Amherst Soccer Club. Betsy Hansen, a club representative, said the new partnership will definitely help complement HUSC’s program

“The design is to leverage some of the coaches from the New England Revolution program to complement and accent our current program offering. We have been very excited to add one of their coaches to our system this year. We have added Revs coaching at the U13 level to start, and are pleased with how the Revs coaching is augmenting our other professional coaches at the older ages.” 

Why HUSC and ASC?

A big reason for the creating of the partnership had to do with a similar philosophy as the Revolution Academy. Betsy added, “One of the primary reasons we partnered with the Revolution Academy is because of the likeness in our philosophy. We focus on development first and foremost and want to offer the players a local place to play and build their skill sets to help them develop at the individual level as well as the team level as they age.” As Brad Freidel noted earlier this year, he and the Revs want to focus on younger talent.

As of late, the Academy has surged on most levels, winning a handful of games for each team. While HUSC/ASC doesn’t have any players the Revs are targeting, adding partners that occupy ages 9-19, talent will increase. The Revs providing resources will only help speed up the process and increase the talent coming out of New Hampshire. While HUSC/ASC isn’t a free program, it still maintains approximately 450 current players with a large age spectrum. HUSC and ASC will join New England FC (MA), Bayside FC (RI), and Valeo FC (MA) as a Revolution academy partner for the next three years at the minimum.

Current Revs Academy Players 

Scott Caldwell, Zachary Herivaux, Isaac Angking and Diego Fagundez are the only academy players on the senior team currently. A partnership like this can be very useful for the Revs who have the benefit of scouting talent in six states. This also helps utilize the state of New Hampshire and make sure talent won’t sneak by them. Up until this point, all four of the Revs’ homegrown players have been from Massachusetts and Rhode Island cities. State integration will significantly help expand their scouting pool.

As an opposition to other academies having one state to scout, some sharing with other teams, the Revs have an advantage. There has also been a recent talk about Justin Rennicks possibly deciding his future soon. Rennicks scored two goals on Saturday for the USMNT U20 team against Honduras. Rennicks, 19, has been the highlight of the Revs Academy the last few years before he left to pursue college. Since then, fans have been eagerly waiting for the Revs to sign him.

The Academy team has produced 47 goals and 53 assists for the Revs senior team from Diego Fagundez and Scott Caldwell in the MLS. With this partnership, the Revs are hoping they’ll be able to add on to those numbers in the near future.

Boston Red Sox vs Baltimore Orioles Recap

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A four game series versus the Orioles will take place Thursday through Sunday. The Orioles are in last place in the AL East, and the Sox are tied for first place with the New York Yankees. This weekend will also mark the showdown of Mookie Betts and Manny Machado, the top two leaders in the home run race for the MLB. Dustin Pedroia, Austin Maddox, and Tyler Thornburg will all play in Rochester this weekend with minor league affiliate Pawtucket Red Sox. The Red Sox look to keep their lead and overrule the Yankees to be sole leader of the AL East. David Price will be up first on the mound Thursday night. Then Pomeranz, Porcello, and Rodriguez will follow.

Price vs. Gausman – a Full Game for Price

David Price had himself quite the night. He pitched nine innings in under 100 pitches, and came out with a win. Price struck out eight batters and let up only five hits. J.D. Martinez hit a two run homer in the first, and Xander Bogaerts hit a three run homer in the fifth, providing Price with plenty of run support. Showalter didn’t hesitate to wait for Bogaerts to finish rounding the bases before speed walking to take Gausman out. The Orioles skipper was so in the moment he did not even realize that Bogaerts hadn’t even made it home. Kevin Gausman pitched a little under five innings, letting up six runs and eight hits, striking out six and walking two. Boston won their second straight game after beating the Oakland Athletics 6-4 on Wednesday to avoid a three game sweep. Baltimore was 5-7 coming in.

“They’re a free-swinging team,” said Price, who threw just 95 pitches. “You can go out there and do that or you can go out there for three innings and give up a bunch of runs.”

”We just got into some sticky situations where we just had to dig ourselves out of a hole and we just couldn’t,” Susac said.

“He was amazing,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “He was outstanding. You saw it. Bad swings, up, down, in and out, change up, cutter, sinkers … that was fun to watch.”

Pomeranz vs. Cobb – Cobb Takes His First Win in an Orioles Jersey

The Orioles beat the Red Sox 7-4, ending Baltimore’s 13-game road losing streak. Cobb held the Red Sox to three runs and ten hits over six innings. It was Alex Cobb’s first game as an Orioles pitcher, he previously spent the past 11 seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays. Drew Pomeranz only lasted four innings, getting pulled after the Orioles scored four in the fourth. Pomeranz let up seven hits and walked three. He struck out a season-low of two. Mookie Betts doubled twice and hit his 14th homer this season. One day after Machado took the AL lead with his 14th homer, Betts tied him with his solo shot in the third and his three-hit night raised his American League leading batting average to .371.

 

“He’s a dangerous combination right now,” Cobb said of Betts. “Betts is just locked in. He’s where every ballplayer strives to get to.”

“I can’t remember the last time we won a game on a road,” said Machado after the Orioles win.

“It’s just pretty frustrating,” Pomeranz said. “You put so much time and effort into it and you want to throw a good game for your team, especially the way our offense is. Just trying to keep us in the game, and I didn’t do that tonight.”

Porcello vs. Bundy – Mookie Betts Is Still the Best in the MLB

Betts hit a two run homer before Andrew Benintendi followed with a homer of his own in the fifth inning, and the Red Sox beat the Orioles 6-3 on Saturday night. The rain was not enough to stop Mookie from having himself a night. Mookie is hitting a major-league best .368 with 15 homers and 32 RBI’s out of the lead off spot for the Sox. Rick Porcello gave up three runs over six innings, with nine strikeouts, and three walks. Alvarez’s two run homer got it to 4-3 in the sixth, but Benintendi’s single made it 6-3 in the seventh. Craig Kimbrel captured his 13th save of the season. Eduardo Rodriguez is set to start against his former team on Sunday.

“It’s incredible. It’s a lot of fun to watch. I don’t know what to say,” pitcher Rick Porcello said. “When he gets his pitch, he’s not missing it. When he doesn’t get his pitch, he’s not missing it.”

“He’s in a groove right now. But, it’s not like he’s hot-hot,” Benintendi said. “It feels like he can get hotter.”

Rodriguez vs. Hess – the Sox Take the Series Win over Orioles

Eduardo Rodriguez held the Orioles scoreless over almost six innings to earn the win. Rodriguez let up nine hits with no walks and seven strikeouts, improving his record to 4-1 and lowering his ERA to 4.13. J.D. Martinez recorded his eighth career multi-homer game and first with the Red Sox. He led off the second inning with a first-pitch homer to left then added a two-run shot in the fifth to tie Mookie Betts for the Major League lead in home runs with 15. Mitch Moreland doubled before Martinez hit his second homer of the day. His first came in the second inning. Andrew Benintendi hit his fifth home run of the season to bring both himself and another runner in to score. The Sox got the win 5-0 to end the series and this home stand.

Up Next

Second baseman Dustin Pedroia went zero for three in a rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket on Saturday and he will play at some point in the next week.  Alex Cora said he’d like to see Pedroia play consecutive games before coming back to the majors. The Sox are 31-15 and hold first place in the AL East. The Red Sox will travel to Tampa Bay for a three game series versus the Rays, and then return home for a weekend series against the Atlanta Braves.

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Did the Cavs Pull the Trigger Too Early on Isaiah Thomas?

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Despite Saturday night’s 116-86 loss to the Cavaliers, the Boston Celtics are still in good shape. They’re still up 2-1 on the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Boston is two wins away from an improbable NBA Finals birth, despite the injuries to All-Star guards Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. The team dismantled the Cavaliers in the first two match-ups of the series. They blew Cleveland out in Game 1 by 25, 108-83. They then followed that up with a 107-94 game two victory. The biggest problem Cleveland has faced in this series is lack of depth outside of LeBron James and Kevin Love.

Which leads to the question- would the storyline of this series be different if the team hadn’t traded Isaiah Thomas?

Isaiah Thomas in Cleveland

Sure, the Cavs were struggling when the deal was struck. The team lacked any sort of chemistry or cohesiveness. Often they looked like a bunch of individuals all trying to “get theirs”.  Isaiah Thomas was still not fully recovered from the hip injury he sustained the previous season, which noticeably hindered his play during his short tenure with the Cavs.

In 15 games played for Cleveland, Thomas averaged 14.7 points, 4.7 assists, and 2.1 rebounds in 27 minutes per game. These numbers are vastly lower than his incredible 2016-17 campaign with the Celtics, where he averaged over 28 points per game and an All-NBA nod.

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Despite Isaiah’s slow start to the season, it is possible Cleveland pulled the trigger on the experiment too early. Isaiah finished the 2017 season as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, where he started in only one of his 17 games played. In 26 minutes per game as the team’s sixth man, Thomas averaged 15.6 points and 5.6 assists per game. He also started to showed flashes of his old self as the season wound down.

Now a year removed from his hip injury, Isaiah says he is feeling like his old self again.

A Few of Cleveland’s Role Players Still Haven’t Shown Up

Cleveland received Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson in the deal for Isaiah Thomas. The pair of bright young talents came to the Cavs on the expectation that they would bring newfound energy and scoring ability. Through three games against the Celtics, Larry Nance Jr. is averaging 2.6 points. Jordan Clarkson hasn’t fared much better. He has only appeared in games one and three of the series, where he has produced 6.3 points per game. 

Given the poor production of the duo, one must wonder if a now fully healthy Isaiah Thomas would have made a big enough impact to change the dynamic of the series. Sure, Isaiah does come with obvious issues on the defensive side of the ball. That being said, the guy is only a year removed from an All-Star season. A season that saw Thomas carry his Celtics all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Cleveland has struggled to score consistently at times during this series, making LeBron do everything for the team. Given Isaiah’s history as an energy guy who despite his 5’9” frame has always managed to score at will, Cleveland could have had a lethal scorer to look to.

There’s no way of knowing what could have been for the Cavaliers had they not been so quick to pull the plug on Isaiah. But based on the performance of the team through three games, one has to wonder if the team’s front office is thinking the same thing right now

 

The Celtics and Cavaliers play Game 4 of the series Monday evening at 8:30 PM on ESPN. Boston leads the best of seven series 2-1.

Rozier

Time To Sell High On Terry Rozier

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Terry Rozier has gone from a no-name backup to one of the better players for the Celtics this postseason. Scary Terry has proven more than impressive this postseason filling in for the injured Kyrie Irving. On the way to a 2-0 lead over the Lebron James Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals, Rozier has become a fan favorite in Boston. However even though Rozier has been impressive it should not change the Celtics trade stance. Actually it should encourage Danny Ainge to trade him even more.

Smart or Rozier

Peak value would support a Rozier trade.  Ainge could get another team to buy into Rozier as an elite starting point guard. The other major factor — Celtics cannot sign both Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier. One of them will have to go, and Smart just fits this Celtics team better than Rozier.

Rozier posts better offensive numbers than Smart, who can seem like a liability on the offensive end. Smart provides all the intangibles that a contending team needs to get over the hump, from his tenacity on the defensive end to his willingness to stand up for his teammates and do the dirty work. We witnessed this when he had no hesitation confronting Smith after he shoved Al Horford in mid air.

Smart is nowhere near the offensive player as Rozier, and may never be. But the Celtics have more than enough scoring on this team to make up for Smart’s deficiencies on the defensive end. If you look at it closely, Rozier poses a liability at the defensive end at points. Even his offensive advantage is minimized by his lack of size on the defensive side of the ball.

Fools Gold

Yes, everyone loves an underdog story. Rozier went from never starting a game in his first two seasons to scoring a triple double his fast NBA start and followed that up by dropping 32 points in his second start. Ever since then, Rozier’s value has been skyrocketing to the point that a few delusional people are entertaining the thought of trading Kyrie and making Rozier the starting point guard. For some reason, whenever a player has a good stretch, he suddenly becomes untouchable. Look at the Celtics team from a few years ago: Bradley, Crowder, Thomas, Turner.  When opinion held that the Celtics lost the Kyrie Irving trade, only a few months later it turns out Ainge fleeced the Cavs.

Ainge is a fantastic executive and very rarely makes a bad mistake. So I do not have much doubt that he will be able to capitalize on Rozier’s value. Maybe he could spin it to put Rozier at the center of a blockbuster trade. Fans should focus on Ainge getting something of value for Rozier. Do not get to attached and do not take the bait on Terry Rozier.  A good player, yes.  But as your starting point guard, your team won’t win a title.

Boston Red Sox vs Oakland Athletics Series Recap

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The Red Sox will be back home in Boston after their 11 day road trip. Facing the Oakland Athletics are Rick Porcello, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Chris Sale. The Sox have won the last seven out of 13 games, while Oakland won five out the last 12 games. The Red Sox will face pitcher Sean Manaea for the first time since his no hitter game in April. The Sox hope that being on Fenway soil will help them defeat the Athletics. This series will also be the last time that the Red Sox will face the Athletics during the regular season.

Porcello vs. Manaea

 

Sean Manaea pitched a no hitter to the Red Sox last month. J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers each hit a solo home run for the Red Sox. Porcello let up five runs and nine hits over six innings, and struck out five. Trailing in the fourth inning, the Athletics grasped the lead with three runs. Lucroy had a two-run double into the left-field corner before Fowler tripled off the Monster. The Red Sox caught up 4-3 in the fifth, when Hanley Ramirez scored a run with a ground ball. J.D. Martinez hit straight out to the Sox bullpen in the eighth to score. Benintendi and Ramirez got back to back RBI singles. Unfortunately, it was not enough, and Oakland won Monday night’s game 6-5.

“We talked about not expanding down in the zone,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “Overall, we did a good job of it. His stuff is still good.”

“2B Dustin Pedroia (recovering from offseason left knee surgery) started a rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket. He singled and scored a run in three at-bats while playing five innings at second base.”

Rodriguez vs. Mengden

Due to the weather, the 7:10 start time moved to 8:50 on Tuesday night. As a result, Oakland beat the Sox in nine innings. Rodriguez took his first loss of the season after Oakland had six hits through the first three innings, starting with back-to-back singles by Semien and Pinder to start the game. Piscotty hit a monster home run out of Fenway Park in his first at-bat against Rodriguez. Piscotty’s home run was the first he had hit since his mother’s death on May 6th. Andrew Benintendi hit a homer and Mitch Moreland hit two doubles.

“It was pure joy. It’s been an emotional week,” said Piscotty, whose mother, Gretchen, died May 6 after a one-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. She was 55.”

“We haven’t been able to put them away,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “They’re young and it seems like they’re turning a corner. Whatever they’re doing over there is pretty good.”

 

Sale vs. Cahill – A Sale Day Win to Avoid an Athletics Series Sweep

In Rafael Devers’s 100th major league game, the Sox came out with a win. Xander Bogaerts hit a three run homer, and J.D. Martinez hit a two run homer. Chris Sale gave up two runs and two hits in five innings. Sale also struck out nine and walked four. Trevor Cahill gave up three runs out of the first four batters he faced. After Sale’s career high 15 strikouts in his last outing, he struggled, but hung on long enough to keep the Sox up over the Athletics. Craig Kimbrel grasped his 12th save of the season and avoided the Sox meeting their season high losing streak. The Sox beat the Athletics 6-4 after Xander and J.D. had quite the night.

“It’s pretty impressive what he does when you’re behind looking at him,” Bogaerts said. “Normally I’m a guy who gets to the on-deck circle a little bit later. I’ve got to get there early if he swings at the first pitch and gets a hit. He hits some bombs on the first pitch.”

“Four walks, that’s not my game,” Sale said. “That’s not who I am. Obviously, you want to be better than that. Anytime your bullpen throws almost as many innings as you do, that’s not what you’re looking for.”

 

Up Next

The Red Sox will be at home again to face the Orioles for a four game series starting Thursday. David Price will be up first for his Fenway return. Dustin Pedroia will play another game in Pawtucket by the end of the week as Tuesday night’s game was postponed due to the weather. Jackie Bradley Jr. is still spending an immense amount of time on the bench as he has constantly had bad games. Cora is hoping that Bradley Jr. will come out of his slump soon, as he has been working on improving both his defense and his offense.

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Boston Celtics Eastern Conference Finals Preview

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Creating the Villain

The atmosphere in the Garden during the 2010 Eastern Conference Semifinals was electric. Kevin Garnett registered a big time triple double, and the Boston Celtics capped off a series-clinching Game 6 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron James walked toward the locker room as the cameras panned his way just in time to catch him removing his number 23 jersey. Many wondered if that would be the last time we would ever see LeBron don the Cavs’ wine and gold.

The rest is history. LeBron took his talents to South Beach and won two rings for the Miami Heat. Then, he returned to Cleveland and brought the organization their first championship in franchise history. Along the way, James got revenge and defeated the Boston Celtics four times in seven years, dismantling the team relentlessly. He did all he can to ensure he would never relive that bitter taste in his mouth as he walked off the parquet floor in 2010.

Modern Day

We have yet another Eastern Conference Finals showdown against King James and his Cleveland Cavaliers, a rematch of last year’s match-up and the seventh installment in the LeBron era. James has made a career of killing the Celtics, averaging 29.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 6.8 APG, 2.2 SPG, and 1.2 BPG in last year’s matchup. He has tallied more points against the Celtics than any other individual player in NBA history.

Things have changed drastically since last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. With a total of nine returning players from both teams, there isn’t much to analyze from that series. The new look Boston Celtics dismantling and disposing of the Philadelphia 76ers in five games has the team riding high. The Cavs struggled in their first round series against the Indiana Pacers, seeking out a Game 7 victory only to turn around and make mincemeat of the Toronto Raptors in a four game sweep.

The Guys in Green

No, we won’t get to see the much sought after Kyrie vs LeBron match-up that seemed all but destined since game one of the season. There will not be an Isaiah Thomas revenge series against his former Celtics either. Nonetheless, this match-up definitely has a lot of tasty content headed our way. The Celtics boast a roster led by the savvy veteran Al Horford, who has been an absolutely dominant force this postseason. He outplayed Giannis Antetokounmpo in the Bucks series and Joel Embiid in the 76ers match-up. With a line of 17 PPG, 8,7 RPG, 3.3 APG, while shooting 58% from the floor, he has taken his game to a whole new level. Al has rallied this young and hungry team around him.

Jayson Tatum has looked like a fifth year vet, making big shot after big shot without hesitation or even the smallest hint of fear. No moment has been too big for Jaylen Brown, who is averaging 16.9 PPG while sinking 41.5% of his threes. Scary Terry Rozier is playing like a mad man. He has exploded onto the spotlight and is making a big name for himself across the nation with his play.

Cleveland Cavaliers v Boston Celtics

The Other Guys

As for the Cavaliers, it has been a roller coaster ride of a season. After the big offseason trade that saw Kyrie Irving go, many feared that Isaiah Thomas would not fit well in the system the Cavs had in place. These fears soon became reality as the team struggled mightily out of the gate, going 31-22 before Isaiah was shipped to the Lakers for Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr.

This seemed to be the saving grace for the Cavs, as they have gone 27-13 since the flurry of trades on the deadline that changed the complexion of the team. Oh, and they have the greatest basketball player on the face of the earth on their side. Since entering the playoffs the core of the team surrounding LeBron has slipped up a bit. LeBron has responded with playoff averages of 34.4 PPG, 9.4 RPG, and 9 APG. He has absolutely carried the team through the first two rounds.

So the question is- can this young Celtics team find a way to end LeBron’s chokehold on the rest of the East? With home court advantage on their side, meaning a potential Game 7 would be played in the comforts of TD Garden anything is possible. There are four keys to a Celtics victory in this match-up to illustrate:

Contain LeBron

Make LeBron a score first, pass second player. James is a do it all guy that can destroy a team from all areas of the court. But his teammates are a lackluster group that have major consistency issues. LeBron is no stranger to a poor supporting cast, but it remains Cleveland’s biggest flaw and the area the Celtics need to focus most of their attention. The team needs to do everything they can to limit everyone around LeBron. Do not send help, as he will just pass out of it and find a wide open Korver for a three or a cutting Love for a slam. If the Celtics can make LeBron feel the need to score everything, they may be able to pull the rest of his team out of rhythm.

When the fourth quarter comes around and LeBron tires of relentlessly attacking the teeth of the Celtics’ number one ranked defense, he may miss some big shots. And with his teammates taken out of the game the Celtics should have some opportunities to come away with a victory. If they can hold everyone surrounding LeBron to 60-65 points per game in the series, they may have a fighting chance.

Brad Stevens

I can’t say it enough- the man is the best coach in the NBA. He has out-coached his opposition in the first two rounds, making brilliant both in game and between game adjustments that placed the team in the best possible position to win. In Game 3 against the 76ers, he called up two plays that resulted in layups at the end of the game. He will need to be at his best in the toughest and most important match-up of his young career.

Don’t be shocked if we see some lineup adjustments frequently throughout this series. Stevens inserted Semi Ojeleye into the starting lineup in the last three games of the Milwaukee series to guard Giannis. Expect a bigger role in this series for Semi, as he will be asked to guard LeBron during stretches. Brad will continue to get Brown and Tatum the best looks possible, and make Horford a focal point of the offense.

Young Core

With the exception of Al Horford, this Celtics team has built a successful postseason run on the backs of three young talents. Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Terry Rozier have been instrumental in the success of the team. Tatum has been out of his mind, averaging 18.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 3.2 APG, while consistently shining his brightest in the biggest moments of each game. Jaylen Brown has shown tremendous progress from last season’s playoff run, highlighted by his 10-13 shooting night in Game 5 of the 76ers series, going off for 24 points in the victory. Boston still faces a mammoth of a task in playing against Lebron James. If the core can continue to prosper as the series goes on, it would prove invaluable to the ultimate success of the team .

Role Players

Boston boasts a much deeper and more talented bench than the Cavs, and will look to use it to their advantage throughout this series. Marcus Morris, Semi Ojeleye, and Aaron Baynes are expected to step up for the team and play some valuable minutes. The Celtics will need a lot more out of Marcus Morris than what they got throughout the 76ers series. If this team has any chance at pulling the upset off, they need him to play like he did in March. Morris needs to continue taking over games and keeping the team afloat by making shots when the rest of the team can’t buy a bucket.

Marcus Smart will need to continue being a bulldog and provide the team with a shot of adrenaline when the offense disappears and Cleveland starts making runs. Hopefully the team will have Shane Larkin back soon to give a spark of energy off the bench. If the role players can build off of the success in the past two match-ups, and find ways to limit Cleveland’s bench, the Celtics will be in a good spot to win this series.

Prediction

I’m picking the Celtics in a tough fought seven game series. The Celtics boast arguably five of the seven best players in this series, and hold advantages in every position in the starting lineup with the one exception of LeBron James. Cleveland’s roster is so poor this season that Marcus Smart, with a playoff scoring average of just 10.8 PPG, would be the third highest scorer on the Cavs. Boston’s core will be able to at least sustain the success they have had during the first two rounds, and it should be just enough to sneak away with a Game 7 victory in the TD Garden behind the greatest fans in the world. The Celtics will finally get their long-awaited payback on LeBron and make it back to the NBA finals for the first time since 2010.

Regardless of what the outcome may be- what a heck of a season for these Celtics. To go through the adversity they have and considering in the position they are in, it is a truly remarkable and noteworthy accomplishment. The future is bright in Boston.

Boston Red Sox vs Toronto Blue Jays Recap

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In the final leg of the road trip, the Red Sox head north to face the Blue Jays for a three game series before heading back to Fenway. Cora made the announcement that Dustin Pedroia and Tyler Thornburg will be playing on Monday and Tuesday for rehab assignment in Pawtucket. David Price is also back with the team after missing a game to get x-rays on his hand in Boston. Chris Sale, Davis Price, and Drew Pomeranz will be the starting pitchers in this series.

Sale vs Sanchez – Toronto Takes the Win

Chris Sale pitches his best game of the season. Fifteen strikeouts in nine innings. Xander Bogaerts hit a homer towards center field to bring the score 2-1 Sox leading in the second. The Sox ultimately fell to the Blue Jays 5-3 in 12 innings. Sandy Leon struck out swinging, but the ball bounced back, allowing Brock Holt to score coming from first base. Chris Sale struck out 15 of the Blue Jays and let up zero walks. He joins Pedro Martinez and Roger Clemens as only the third pitcher in Sox history to do so. Jackie Bradley Jr. sat out for his third straight game to hopefully get him out of his slump. He is expected to be in the lineup the next day.

“That was impressive,” Alex Cora said. “That slider was the best of the season. He was outstanding. ”

“You’ve got to tip your cap, he had himself a heck of a night. “

Price vs Estrada – A Comeback win after Injury

David Price made his first appearance since the x-rays we’re taken on his hand to discover that he had Carpal Tunnel. The Sox took the lead 5-2 for the game win. In 93 pitches, Price let up: five hits and three walks. He struck out six Blue Jays. Hanley Ramirez hit a two run homer, after Andrew Benintendi hit a double to bring in Rafael Devers and Mookie Betts. Ramirez had himself quite a game, racking up three home runs and seven RBIs in the last four games. The Sox scored at least five runs for the 24th time this season, which is the most in the MLB. Both Hector Velazquez and Joe Kelly pitched scoreless innings before Kimbrel entered the game. Craig Kimbrel came out to get his 11th save of the season.

“I saw something different in the way he pitched today. Everything. There was a difference in speeds. Mixing up the breaking ball is very important. He induced some weak contact. They hit a few balls hard too. But I think he pitched great ” – Cora on Price’s performance

“It was good to get back out there,” Price said. “The more I threw, the better I felt. To me, that’s always a good sign.”

Pomeranz vs Biagini – Sox Return Home with a win in Toronto

All players in the MLB wore pink in honor of Mother’s Day on Sunday. Hanley Ramirez, although he wasn’t in the lineup, had on catchers gear and was ready to play. A loose Hanley leads to a fun and much looser Red Sox lineup. Drew Pomeranz let up three runs and four hits, while only making it under six innings. Toronto was up 5-3 in the fifth as Hector Velazquez came in to replace Drew Pomeranz. J. D. Martinez homered and had three RBI’s, while Mookie Betts made the unbelievable “deal catch” to prove that he really is a Gold Glove player. Joe Kelly racked up his second save of the season Sunday afternoon.

“He’s becoming a force, not only the field but in the clubhouse, in the dugout,” manager Alex Cora said. “He’s becoming a leader. It’s fun to watch. On a daily basis you’re expecting something great and he’ll do it.”

“To come out of a road trip like that is definitely something to be proud of,” said reliever Joe Kelly.

Up Next

The Red Sox will be back home at Fenway to face the Oakland Athletics Monday through Wednesday. Then the Orioles will come to town for a four game series. Dustin Pedroia will start his rehab assignment on Monday in Pawtucket with Tyler Thornburg. Pedroia hopes to return during the end of May.

Sources

Red Sox Twitter

MLB

ESPN

Statcast

NESN

What If the Celtics Landed Kevin Durant?

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Disclaimer: This is 100% speculation. It’s impossible to tell what would actually happen, but I decided to take a really unrealistic jab at it.

After the conclusion of the 2015-2016 NBA season, six-time All-Star and former MVP Kevin Durant became one of the most coveted players to appear in free agency in a long time. A player with such natural superstar talent hadn’t been available like this since Dwight Howard became a free agent in 2013. Teams swarmed Durant and his agent at the beginning of the summer in pursuit to acquire one of the best players in the NBA. The early front-runners were the super team Golden State Warriors, the superstar-starved Boston Celtics, and Durant’s former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

On July 4th, 2016, Kevin Durant announced in The Players’ Tribune that he intended to sign with the Warriors. His decision came down between Boston and Golden State, and he chose to join the team that already possessed championship talent. But what if Durant chose the latter and went to Boston?

Durant Becomes a Celtic

In an alternate universe, Durant chose to don Celtic green rather than staying in the Western Conference. Boston gives Durant his promised max contract deal worth around $26 million, but he only accepts a one year deal with a player option, similar to the one he took with GSW. He joins newly signed Al Horford, who accepted a four-year deal worth $113 million two days earlier, as the highest cap hits on the team. Boston does not exercise Amir Johnson’s contract option to reallocate $12 million in cap for Durant.

2016-2017 Season

The Celtics still had the third pick in the 2016 NBA Draft earlier in the summer and still selected Jaylen Brown, Guerschon Yabusele, Ante Zizic, Demetruis Jackson, and Ben Bentil. All of those draft picks except Brown still play elsewhere for the 2016-2017 season. When it’s all said and done, Boston’s starting five is as follows: Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, Kevin Durant, and Al Horford.

Boston easily locks up the first seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs with an offense led by IT and Durant. Isaiah Thomas has his Renaissance season, but not to the same degree. Instead of averaging 28.9 points a night, he only drops closer to 20. It’s Durant’s world and the rest of the Celtics are just living in it. Him and Horford become the leaders that Brad Stevens and the Celtics craved for since Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were traded. Durant becomes the offensive workhorse of the Celtics, dropping close to 30 a game like his younger days in OKC.

The Celtics slide by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. Durant exploits his match-up with Otto Porter in the second round against the Wizards instead of Porter lighting up Boston’s defense. Without his production early into the series, the Wizards fall to the Celtics in six games instead of seven.

The Celtics do not get eliminated in five games against the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Because Isaiah Thomas does not exert himself as much in this alternate universe, he does not suffer a season-ending hip injury. Avery Bradley does not become the workhorse of the C’s offense, and 20 year old Jaylen Brown isn’t assigned to guard LeBron. Durant against LeBron becomes one of the best match-ups in the playoffs. The red-hot Cavs are taken to seven games and crack under pressure. The Celtics advance to take on the Warriors in the 2017 NBA Finals.

The Warriors did not land Durant in the off-season, so they kept a similar lineup compared to their 2015-2016 run. They don’t sweep the first three rounds, but they still found themselves easily making the Finals. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green are no match for Boston. The Celtics ultimately fall in six to the Warriors. Durant wins regular season MVP but does not earn a ring.

Summer of 2017

Though Durant doesn’t earn a ring, luckily enough for Boston he is willing to stay. He picks up his player option to play another season with the promise of a ring. Free agent Gordon Hayward never teams up with his former coach, Brad Stevens, and stays in Utah. However, the Celtics still have the assets to make the trade for Kyrie Irving still happen. Boston sends off IT, Crowder, Zizic, and picks for Irving. Kelly Olynyk and Jonas Jerebko walk still, but Gerald Green returns on a one year deal. They also still bring in Aron Baynes on a one year deal.

In the 2017 NBA Draft, the Celtics trade down not to third, but to the eighth pick via trade with the Knicks. The Celtics swap the first overall pick and Avery Bradley for Kristaps Porzingis. They then select Dennis Smith Jr. out of NC State instead of the Dallas Mavericks. The Celtics have become a super team almost overnight, just to impress Durant.

The new starting five consists of Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown, Kevin Durant, Kristaps Prozingis, and Al Horford.

Conclusion

If Durant signed with Boston (and decided to stay), Danny Ainge had an interesting situation in front of him. He could either stay with his “build for the future” route or he could also press the “win now” button. If he wants to win now, Boston would have to lease talent to win a few championships quickly. I went the latter route here, but I also made the assumption that everything worked out perfectly in Boston’s favor.

If I were a NBA GM I’d avoid doing something this drastic. Three years down the road Boston could only afford probably one of those players they acquired. In real life, the Celtics’ current situation is a perfect storm. They acquired All-Star talent in Kyrie and Hayward, and without them this team has shown that they already have the talent to contend in the playoffs. Durant or no Durant, don’t mess with the C’s.

 

Cover image courtesy of SB Nation.

Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees Series Recap

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The long-awaited face off has arrived since the early April bench clearing brawl. The Red Sox and Yankees rivalry was in full blast as Joe Kelly and Tyler Austin went at it after Austin was hit by a pitch. The meeting of the two teams was highly anticipated by all.

Pomeranz vs. Severino

Tuesday night, the Sox fell to the Yankees 3-2, allowing the two teams to tie for first place. Betts and Benintendi made it on base to lead to the Sox first run of the game. In the second inning, Drew Pomeranz broke a nail, causing some concern to bring the trainers out. Giancarlo Stanton hit two solo home runs. Luis Severino struck out 11 players against Drew Pomeranz’s six strikeouts. Mookie Betts hit an RBI triple in the seventh to tie the game. Joe Kelly came in to a sea of boos and chants from all of Yankee Stadium. Kelly came out as the Yankees loaded the bases with only one out to prevent more runs. The Yankees are now on a 16-1 win streak, and are showing true competition for first place as Porcello will face Masahiro Tanaka.

“They’re good hitters. They were fighting off a lot of pitches. They have a great team. I was trying my best, but I was battling.” -Severino on the Sox at bat

“We’re playing good baseball, doing it a lot of different ways. Tonight was tough. Boston is really good. They battle, battle, battle; kind of hung around. ” -Manager Aaron Boone on the win against the Yankees biggest rivalry

The 24 Hour Yankees AL East Lead Porcello vs. Tanaka

Rick Porcello pitches a game earlier than normal, as David Price was sent to Boston for x-rays. In the past few games, he had experienced problems in his hand, causing the x-rays to be needed. Later we found out that Price was okay and would be pitching in the upcoming series. Hanley Ramirez, Andrew Benintendi, and Mitch Moreland all hit homers on Wednesday night. But it was nothing compared to the electric eighth inning that the Yankees had. Brett Gardener hit a triple allowing two to score, and Aaron Judge’s 117 MPH homer allowed the Yankees to go up 9-6. Rick Porcello only struck out three players, ending Wednesday with a 2.79 ERA. The Yankees have taken the lead over the Sox to be in the AL East first place. Tomorrow Eduardo Rodriguez will face CC Sabathia in the series finale.

“It got my attention. I looked around a little bit that inning. It’s May and it’s bedlam.” -Aaron Boone on the win to bring the Yankees into first place.

The Sox and Yankees are Tied Again Rodriguez vs. Sabathia

The rain never stopped the Red Sox as they were 4-0 at the delay in the fifth inning. The Red Sox escaped a Yankees sweep with a 5-4 win on Thursday night. The Yankees scored four runs in the seventh to tie the game, but Martinez wanted the win and hit a homer in the eighth to take the win. Joe Kelly came in again to clean up the mess of players on base and got Giancarlo Stanton out on a grounder to retire the side. Craig Kimbrel has his 110th save. Ramirez hit a homer to the visiting bullpen to allow the Sox to reach the rain delay with a lead.

“Definitely. You saw it today. They don’t give up. I’m very confident in what we’ve got. This is our team right here and we’re concentrating on what we can do and see what we can do better to keep winning.” -Hanley Ramirez when asked if the Sox and Yankees rivalry is the best in baseball

“I hit it, and I was like blowing, praying, doing everything I can to push it over. I knew it had a chance.” -J. D. Martinez on his homer that won the game

Up Next for the Sox

The Red Sox will travel to Toronto to face the Blue Jays before heading back home to play the Oakland Athletics. Up first in the series against Toronto will be Chris Sale and Aaron Sanchez. David Price will return to pitch this series after x-rays in Boston. Alex Cora also reported that Jackie Bradley Jr. will be back in the Saturday line up while Brock Holt will return on Friday.

Sources

Red Sox Twitter

MLB.com

ESPN

Statcast