*Record 8-8* And just like that, pressure is on. For me, of course, not for the Raptors or Cavs. I have yet to dip below .500 the whole playoffs and here I am with my back against the wall. So, let’s see how I fair tonight as we have the Cleveland Cavaliers out for vengeance after losing a physical Game 3 to a hungry Toronto Raptors’ team Cleveland Cavaliers @ Toronto Raptors The…
This article was originally published in the latest edition of The Morning Mando. Does Oklahoma City Have Everyone’s Respect Now? I didn’t believe the Thunder had much of a chance to win the West before these playoffs began. I expected Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to certainly test the San Antonio Spurs in the semifinals. But I didn’t even think they could get to Golden State. I doubted the Thunder’s…
You’re reading The Morning Mando, a column released on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings about four of the most intriguing stories in sports. But in today’s edition, I’m narrowing it down to three topics because one topic deserves extra attention. After the Thunder’s blow-out win in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, I’ll recap what went down in Game 3, explain why there’s no need for Golden State to…
*Record 8-7* I’ve been real streaky with my predictions thus far. I go on a little win streak, then I go on a little losing streak. But hey, that’s life. So, in an effort to stay above .500, here is what I think will happen tonight as the Golden State Warriors travel to Oklahoma City, with the series tied up at one a piece. Golden State Warriors @ Oklahoma City…
I’ll admit it, I was wrong. If you’ve been reading my NBA Playoff Prediction articles, you’ll know that I was part of the majority who was already assuming the Cavs were going to walk into the NBA Finals. The majority that said the Raptors simply lack the talent to compete with Cavs. And let me make this clear, Toronto still has a lot more work to do if they want…
*Record 8-6* I’m going to try and make this one short and sweet, because I think it’s evident that the Raptors just do not have enough firepower to compete with the Cavs. Lowry and DeRozan are all-stars, but LeBron James and Kyrie Irving are superstars. The Cavaliers are a level up on the Raptors on just about every facet of the game and its shown thus far. Toronto is a young and…
With a long lay-off between Game’s 2 and 3 in the Western Finals and without a heck of a lot to discuss in the Eastern Finals, I figured I’d write about something else NBA-related today. Now that the Draft Lottery has passed, I’ve come across many discussions about the futures of teams at the top of this year’s draft like the 76ers, Lakers, etc. How long will it take Philadelphia…
You’re reading The Morning Mando, a column released on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings about four of the most intriguing stories in sports. In today’s edition, I take a break from analyzing the NBA’s Conference Finals and look ahead to who the best teams in the league will be three years from now. I’ll also take a stab at predicting the Preakness, play some MLB fact-or-fiction, and explain why the…
*Record 8-5* After being embarrassed in Game 1 and losing by the biggest deficit in playoff history, I’d like to think the Raptors will come out guns blazing and determined to win in tonight’s game. I mean, at least I hope so. I’m just unsure if Toronto even has enough talent and poise to compete with the Cavaliers on this type of stage… Toronto Raptors @ Cleveland Cavaliers The Cavs…
This is nothing against Jeff Hornacek, I think very highly of him. Although his 101-112 record as a head coach in Phoenix doesn’t say much, Hornacek proved that he has the ability to be a successful coach in the league. In his first season, he took a Suns team that was one of the worst in the NBA to a team that missed the playoffs in a very competitive Western…