Star or Superstar?

What exactly is a superstar? Does everyone have their own definition or is there one definition that is set in stone? Google defines the term as a high profile and extremely successful performer or athlete. Okay. That’s just dandy, but what defines someone as being high profile, and what defines someone as being extremely successful? Aren’t the majority of athletes and performers extremely successful? They are in my mind, so this definition has its flaws. This appears to be one of those topics where there isn’t a right/wrong answer, yet people seem to think that there needs to be a majority decision on who is and who isn’t a superstar, specifically in the NBA. This has been a widely discussed topic recently and I don’t know why. At the end of the day, does it really matter how you’re labeled? As long as you give it your all when you step on the hardwood, who cares how you’re labeled? But of course, I feel the need to jump in on the debate so here’s my take on what makes a star "super."

Here’s what I know for sure: LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant are the only four obvious superstars in the NBA as of right now; it’s simply indisputable.

A few players that were once superstars but no longer have the physical capabilities to perform at that same elite level are Dwayne Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan.

The largest category of stars contains the players that are simply stars. They’re just missing a couple things that the superstars have. Some of the players that come to mind are Dwayne Wade, Paul George, Dwight Howard, James Harden, Tony Parker, Russell Westbrook, Rajon Rondo, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Blake Griffin. (NOTE: These are not all of the “stars” in the NBA. There can be more and there can be less. It is simply a rough list.)

Dwayne Wade in his prime was a superstar, there is no question about it; he was an amazing player. He is still a great player, and still has the ability to lead, but a superstar can’t sit out between 20 and 30 games in a season just because he/she needs rest. If you get hurt it’s one thing, such as Kobe and Rose, because you can’t play through most injuries. But for rest? Come on man, how can your team trust you to take over in the fourth, or to play your best in games 6 and 7? They can’t. A superstar needs to be there for their team at all times no matter what. I know I’ll probably face the question, “What’s the difference between Kobe and Wade?” (Or something along those lines). Well, Kobe tried playing through injury and recovering as early as possible in order to help his team make the playoffs. The Lakers are still able to count on Kobe’s effort and leadership. They can still count on him to put in 110% every day, whether he’s hurt or not. Dwayne Wade on the other hand sat out 12 of the final 25 games, and played limited minutes in 3 others. In that same timespan the Heat went 11-14 and missed out on the top spot in the East. The real kicker in this whole scenario is that Wade played limited minutes in the FINAL THREE games of the year and the Heat lost each one, consequently earning the second seed rather than the first. As a huge sports fan that upsets me, and it’s what classifies Wade as a star rather than a superstar.

You’ll notice that I left Chris Paul, Derrick Rose and Kevin Love off of all three lists, and I am expecting to have a lot of people doubting my judgment, specifically about Chris Paul. Well, I don’t like how people throw around the term “superstar” like it’s a common thing, because it’s not. There is a hierarchy of players in the NBA, and obviously the top tier contains the superstars and the tier below that is made up of the “lesser” stars. There is a big step between stars and superstars; one vague example is that superstars make it to the list of 50 greatest players, and stars make it to the Hall of Fame at best, sometimes not even making it that far.  LeBron has made it clear that he is a superstar, along with Kobe. Both players have performed year in and year out in the playoffs, and both have had success when playing on teams with little supporting talent. They have taken over consistently in the fourth quarter, they are leaders on and off the court, and they do everything they can to win, no matter what. They have both won rings and MVP awards, and are surefire going down as some of the best in history. KD may not have won a ring yet, but he’s only been in the league for 7 years, and he’s won 4 scoring titles and an MVP award. He has proven that he isn’t just a scorer; he is a leader, a closer, a rebounder, a passer, and an improved defender, all of which was a factor when I placed him on that top tier.

Chris Paul is right there; he is about to cross the border, but can’t quite lift his feet to walk over. He is so close, and I want to label him as a superstar but I just can’t do it; not yet… First off let me make it very clear that I am a fan of Chris Paul; he is undoubtedly the best point guard in the NBA, and the most pure. He is one of the top defenders in the game, and a solid closer. With all of his awards and accomplishments taken into account, the man cannot win in the playoffs. Yeah, I get he didn’t have the greatest team in New Orleans, but guess what… They were better than the teams LeBron had, due mostly in part to David West. It took both players three seasons to bring their team to the playoffs, but once they did, LeBron has made the playoffs every year since and Chris Paul missed out one year. In the playoffs, Chris Paul has gone 16-24, never making it out of the second round. Kevin Durant has gone 29-25 and made it to the conference finals and the NBA Finals, and has been in the league for 2 less years than CP3. LeBron in the playoffs (prior to leaving Cleveland) went 42-27, making the NBA Finals once, and the conference finals another year. Durant has been knocked out in the first round once, LeBron has always made it out of the first round, and CP3 has been knocked out in the first round 3 times. The real kicker for me was last year. His Clippers were one of the best teams in the NBA and got bumped first round because Chris Paul didn’t fix what he originally ruined. The Clippers were up 2-0 on the Grizzlies in the first round and in game 3 (in Memphis), CP3 had 8 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 fouls, 5 turnovers, and a -19. After that loss, the Clippers were unable to recover and dropped 4 games in a row.

That right there is all the evidence that I need to know that Chris Paul isn’t a superstar yet. He is an amazing player and one of the best in the game; but he isn’t at the “top tier” yet; and he won’t get there (in my eyes) until he proves something in the playoffs, and proves that he can win big games when he has to.

Originally, I had Melo labeled as a star and not a superstar. I just didn’t think he had that leadership quality that is necessary to be a superstar. But once I thought about it, Melo has everything I look for; he can score, rebound, play defense, close games, hit clutch shots, and lead, and he did make it to the conference finals once with Denver. And despite getting consistently knocked out in the first round, it’s his teammates and coaches that are the reason. Chris Paul and LeBron’s teammates weren’t head cases; they were just average and below average players, they knew their role. Melo’s on the other hand, all want/wanted to be the man. J.R. Smith, the man who thinks he’s Jordan, has played on Melo’s team the last eight seasons. Melo has also had to deal with Amare Stoudamire, Chris Anderson, Kenyon Martin, Raymond Felton, and now Andrea Bargnani. It’s really just unfair, sticking a player of his caliber with players like them. My point in all this is that LeBron and Chris Paul never had teammates that dragged them down; Melo did, and still currently does.

Now I’ll address Kevin Love. This dude can flat-out ball. BUT… (Of course there’s a but) he screws his team over sometimes. I saw too many games this year where Kevin Love just couldn’t put the ball in the basket but kept on shooting anyways, resulting in little to no offensive production. Aside from that, the guy has been in the league for six years now and hasn’t seen the playoffs. Scratch that, he hasn’t even seen a winning record! I refuse to call anybody a superstar who goes six years without accomplishing anything as a team; I just won’t do it. The only games I know Kevin Love will win is when he’s dressed as old man Wes playing alongside Uncle Drew.

All in due time Kevin, all in due time.

Lastly, I’ll briefly run through my thoughts on Derrick Rose. The guy can was on his way to being a superstar, and I think he can still get there, but he’s played a mere 49 games in the last 2 seasons, and he’s only played in 1 playoff game in the same time span. He is an amazing athlete, and a great basketball player. However, no one really knows how good he is right now, or if he’ll ever be the same player again. So I don’t have a label for Rose because it’s simply too unfair to judge at this point in his career.

This is one giant opinionated mess and it’s neither right nor wrong, but since everyone is so hung up on the superstars of the NBA I thought it to be worthwhile to chip in. To sum everything up, a superstar needs to have tasted a deep playoff run and proven that they can lead a team through adversity; in other words, they need to be a player that does more than win games in the regular season and put up pretty numbers.

NHL: First Round Predictions

First Round Playoff Predictions - By Drew Pepin, feature NHL writer

Boston Bruins vs Detroit Red Wings

The Boston Bruins have the toughest draw out of any of the top seeds in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Red Wings have the perfect mixture of gritty veterans and young, speedy, finesse players. Jimmy Howard is the backbone of a mediocre defensive core but Howard has proven that he can steal games for them in the past, and he will have to play his best every game to give Detroit a chance. Even without Zetterberg for the majority of the series, I believe that the Red Wings will give the Bruins fits throughout the first round. However, the depth and physicality of Boston will eventually wear down the Red Wings, and help the President’s Trophy winning Bruins advance to the next round.

Bruins in 6 games.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Columbus Blue Jackets

This matchup at a quick glance looks like a cakewalk for the offensively gifted Pittsburgh Penguins. However, the Columbus Blue Jackets fought their way into the playoffs and I believe they are going to make this a tough series for the Penguins. Columbus is one of the most physical teams in the playoffs, and if they play tough and gritty all series they’ll be able to frustrate Pittsburgh. Not to mention they have reigning Vezina trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky in net, who can steal game for them. While I think the Blue Jackets have a chance to make this series interesting, I think the Penguins, led by Malkin and Crosby, will eventually be too much for the inexperienced Blue Jackets to handle. Assuming Fleury performs better than the past 2 post seasons, I see the Penguins advancing.

Penguins in 6 games.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs Montreal Canadiens

I believe this series has the potential to be the most lopsided in the Eastern Conference. While the Lightning did finish with a better record than the Canadiens, they lack an elite goalie like Carey Price, who is manning the cage for Montreal. With Ben Bishop out, Anders Lindback is forced to step in net for Tampa. Lindback as of late is letting in nearly 3 goals a game, and if the Lightning is forced to score 4 goals on Carey Price every night to win, I don’t see this series lasting very long. You can’t forget about Steven Stamkos, arguably the best scorer in the league, but I don’t think he’ll be able to carry the Lightning past a red hot Canadiens team. I see PK Subban and the rest of Montreal advancing.

Canadiens in 5.

New York Rangers vs Philadelphia Flyers

I’m expecting a heavy hitting series between these two physical teams. This series could swing either way, and I think it is the one of the most even matchups in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The New York Rangers will rely heavily on King Henrik (Henrik Lundqvist) to bolster their defense against a Flyers team that has shown the ability to score plenty of goals when needed. Led by Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek, I think this Philadelphia team as the potential to put pucks past Henrik and take control of this series. I think this matchup comes down to the play of Steve Mason in net for Philly, and if he can play well enough, I think the Flyers will be able to handle the Rangers. I have the Flyers advancing.

Flyers in 7.

Anaheim Ducks vs Dallas Stars

This is another series where I don’t give one side much of a chance. While the Stars have good, young players who can put the puck in the net like Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Alex Chiasson, I don’t see them being able to compete with the deep squad out in Anaheim. The Ducks have a lethal one-two punch at forward with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, and players like Andrew Cogliano and Kyle Palmieri to compliment them up front. With solid young defenseman Cam Fowler and Hampus Lindholm anchoring the defensive core, I see the Anaheim Ducks walking through the Dallas Stars. I’ll take Anaheim in this one.

Ducks in 5.

Colorado Avalanche vs Minnesota Wild

What an intriguing matchup we have here. Once again The Minnesota Wild have to play a tough first round matchup, after going up against Chicago in last year’s post season. The Colorado Avalanche had an amazing season that no one saw coming, led by rookie sensation Nathan Mackinnon. Watch out for Dany Heatley to be a huge difference maker in this series! … All joking aside, I think Zach Parise and Ryan Suter give the Wild a good chance to knock off this young Colorado team. A matchup to watch in this series is Semyon Varlamov against the Minnesota offense. Varlamov has shown he can be a top goaltender in this league when playing at his best. Despite the solid goaltending and deep offensive core in Colorado, I have Minnesota pulling off the upset against the Avalanche. I’ll take the Wild moving on!

Wild in 7.

St Louis Blues vs Chicago Blackhawks

The best matchup in the first round will be taking place between these two loaded rosters. With the return of Patrick Kane and Jonathon Toews, Chicago has the potential to make another deep playoff run. The St. Louis Blues, however, have other ideas. With a deep roster led by guys like David Backes, TJ Oshie, and Alex Pietrangelo, and an elite goalie in Ryan Miller, the Blues are a lot of people’s favorites to hoist Lord Stanley at the end of the post season. This matchup will come down to whether or not the Blackhawks high-powered offense can put pucks past Ryan Miller and that tough defensive core in St. Louis.  I don’t see another Cup in Chicago’s future, at least not this season. I got the Blues advancing.

Blues in 6.

San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings

In this matchup we have one team who has been succeeding over the past few post seasons in the LA Kings, and one team that has struggled in the playoffs in the San Jose Sharks. If the Sharks can figure out how to perform in the post season, look out. This team is loaded with offensive weapons, in Logan Couture, Jumbo Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Brent Burns, and rookie Thomas Hertl who’ll be back for the playoffs. Jonathon Quick will have to be huge for LA if they have any chance of slowing down this offensive machine in San Jose. I think this is the year the pieces fall into place for the Sharks, and the Kings will be the first victim to fall to San Jose. Sharks will move on in this one.

Sharks in 6.

NBA Playoff Predictions

NBA Playoff Predictions

Quick review of how things went down in the final stretch of the season. The Heat’s season came to a screeching halt, going 11-14 in their final 25 games, and yet they’re still the second seed in the East. The Bulls pushed through the loss of Derrick Rose for the second straight year. Or the third, or fourth, I can’t remember when I last saw him play a whole season. Either way the Bulls locked up the fourth seed in the East. The Hawks, who lost nearly every game on the back end of All-Star Weekend, somehow managed to cling to the final seed in the East, solely because the Knicks suck. But they actually don’t suck, they’re elite under-performers. Excluding the Knicks, it was business as usual for the bottom feeders of the East, although the Cavs had their best season since LeBron left (keep in mind that I watched them all season long and let me tell you, their season was still a disgrace). The 76ers and Bucks on the other hand pulled off a pair of the most fantastic tank jobs I’ve ever seen, round of applause for them.

In the West, the Spurs took the cake again, topping the Thunder by three games for the 1 seed. The Rockets and Blazers pulled off a pair of quality seasons, matching up as the 4 and 5 seeds respectively. Steph Curry made it a point to secure the 6 seed for the Warriors, and Dirk Nowitzki made it a point to prove that he is still an elite player in this league. Despite having a season that would put them in the third spot in the East, the Suns missed the playoffs, and the Timberwolves, with their dominant big man (Kevin Love) posted yet another sub-.500 season. Literally nothing has changed in the West.

MY PICKS

EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND

Pacers beat the Hawks 4-2.

Yeah, the Pacers have been struggling. Every team in the history of the game goes through slumps; it is inevitable, and it cannot be stopped. So, I don’t care about their slump. Based on the season series (tied 2-2), I think there will be a couple tight games at the start of the series but once game 4 rolls around, Indiana will be back on cruise control and take the series in 6 games.

Heat beat the Bobcats 4-1.

I want to say that the Bobcats can win a couple games against the Heat, since Miami has noticeably declined and the Bobcats are suddenly somewhat decent. Even when Al Jefferson had his monster game against the Heat, LeBron said no. The King went for 61 points, proving to be too much to handle, as the Heat powered out a win against Charlotte. The Bobcats just won’t be able to contain LeBron, no matter how many games D-Wade misses.

Nets beat the Raptors 4-2.

Out of all the scenarios I’ve played out in my mind, I can’t picture a series that the Nets don’t win in. This is a series between the grizzly vets of the league against some rising talents. Combined, KG and Paul Pierce have 267 playoff appearances. The Nets also have experience in Jason Collins, Deron Williams, Andrei Kirilenko, Joe Johnson, and of course their first year coach Jason Kidd. Meanwhile the Raptors don’t have much experience at all, and experience tends to serve as an advantage in the playoffs.

Bulls beat the Wizards 4-3.

John Wall and company will prove to be a tough test for the Bulls, as they finally have a shot to prove to doubters what they’re capable of. These Wizards aren’t the same as the post-Arenas era Wizards. The front office has put together a team around John Wall. Wall and Gortat run a solid pick-n-roll, and players like Bradley Beal and Trevor Ariza provide outlets for Wall. They’re a solid defensive team as well, and have had a great season. BUT, they’re playing the Bulls and I think experience will come in to play again. The main issue for the Wizards will be stopping Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer, two big men who are both more talented and experienced than any big man on Washington. Hinrich will provide perimeter shooting along with the growing Jimmy Butler, who is a potentially dangerous threat on both sides of the ball. I think this will be the most exciting first round series to watch (in the East) since we have two teams with relatively equal talent squaring off. Washington has the better guard play and the Bulls have the better big men. Bulls however, have Tom Thibodeau on the sidelines, so I give the edge to Chicago in 7 games, although this series can really go either way.

WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND

Spurs beat the Mavericks 4-1.

Let’s face the facts; the Mavericks are a very good team, but stand next to no chance of beating the Spurs in a 7-game series. In the regular season, the Spurs won all four head-to-head contests. The Spurs have the best coach in the NBA and the most experienced roster in the league, and arguably the deepest, except for perhaps the Clippers. Aside from Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili, the Spurs possess a lethal shooter in Danny Green, a rising all-star in Kawhi Leonard, and an up-and-coming center in Tiago Splitter. Coming off the bench aside from Ginobili, San Antonio has excellent role players in Boris Diaw, Matt Bonner, Corey Joseph, Patty Mills, (Mills has the potential to be a huge threat) and another shooter in Marco Belinelli. They are loaded with talent and are so well connected with each other on the court. The Mavs have a solid roster, but just can’t compete. Asides from Dirk, they have Monta Ellis, Jose Calderon, and the rapidly aging bodies of Samuel Dalembert, Shawn Marion, and Vince Carter. I would have the Spurs sweeping Dallas but going 8-0 against a single team in a season is slightly absurd, and rest assured, Dirk will not go down easy. No matter what, I don’t expect the Mavericks to win more than a game in these playoffs.

Thunder beat the Grizzlies 4-2.

Obviously the Thunder have their weapons in KD and Westbrook, along with the greatly improved Serge Ibaka. Thabo Sefolosha represents a defensive presence on the perimeter, and OKC also has the young Reggie Jackson and experience in Caron Butler. Oh, and we can’t forget about Mr. Big Shot himself, D-Fish! The Grizzlies would have much higher odds to win this series if they could shoot the ball. They struggle trying to put up points, and despite their stellar defense their lack of offense is disturbing, Memphis doesn’t bode well against teams of the Thunder’s caliber (high scoring and fast-paced.) That’s why I have Scotty Brooks leading his team past the Grizzlies in six games.

Warriors beat the Clippers 4-2.

DeAndre Jordan is going to have a field day on the glass all throughout this series, Chris Paul will play well as always, and Blake Griffin will put up solid double-double numbers. But I have the Warriors winning in six games, despite the injury to Andrew Bogut. Bogut is a HUGE loss for Golden State, and he is the most underrated impact player that I can think of. But Golden State has been in something of a shooting slump down the final stretch of the year, and recently the “Splash Brothers” have been getting their opponents wet again. Curry has been nothing short of amazing in April, and Klay Thompson is finally scoring the ball at a decent percentage again. David Lee is a consistent double-double player who brings experience to the table. The Warriors have an underrated bench as well, with Steve Blake, Harrison Barnes and Jermaine O’Neal fronting the second unit. O’Neal is going to have to step up big this postseason if the Warriors want to stay in the race, and I think he has a few clutch performances left in him. I’m picking the Warriors because they have a hot hand and consistent bigs. Mainly, though, I don’t trust the Clippers. They choked last year in the first round, and I fear that they’ll do the same.

Rockets beat the Blazers 4-3.

I originally had the Blazers winning this series when I first saw the matchup. Then I remembered that the Rockets are definitively better. Houston won three of their four regular season meetings, and both teams scored triple digits in every game. This series will be a high-scoring affair since both teams allow over 100 points a game, and I would even expect multiple players on both sides to average upwards of 20 points a game. Both teams are near equal in talent, with great starting matchups. (Lillard-Beverley, Batum-Harden, Matthews-Parsons, Aldridge-Jones, and Lopez-Howard)

The starting lineups are dead even, but it’s the bench that makes me believe that Houston has the advantage. Houston has Asik coming off the bench, along with Lin, Garcia, and Casspi. The only notable player that can make an impact on Portland’s bench is Mo Williams. Advantage Rockets in a game 7 shoot-out.

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

Pacers beat the Bulls 4-2.

The Pacers at this point will be back to their normal selves, playing with the typical high-energy style that we’re used to seeing. I think Roy Hibbert will resume his stellar postseason performances and Paul George will have regained control of his team. The Bulls will be able to compete with the Pacers enough to win a couple games, but not nearly enough to win four out of seven. I expect Lance Stephenson, this year’s leader in triple-doubles, to be the X-factor in this series. I think he’ll eat the Bulls alive on defense, offense, and especially in transition. The Bulls don’t have the pieces to guard both George and Stephenson at once, and when push comes to shove, Thibodeau will put Jimmy Butler on George, leaving Mike Dunleavy and Tony Snell to guard Stephenson. I got the Pacers advancing in six games.

Heat beat the Nets 4-3.

Both teams are made up of veterans and all-stars, with some young talent sprinkled in. However, the Heat’s all-stars are current, and the Nets all-stars are no longer elite players. I think the Nets have enough talent to force the Heat to seven games, simply because of Dwayne Wade’s knees. He won’t be able to defend Pierce and Johnson for seven games in a row; Wade will have to sit out at least once in each series if he wants to be able to play at a high level. LeBron will be able to pick up the slack and eventually overcome the Nets in seven games. The Nets just don’t have enough quality defenders to stop LeBron and company in a seven game series.

WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

Spurs beat the Rockets 4-2.

The Spurs, as I previously mentioned, are loaded. The Rockets have a full lineup too, with a solid bench, but we all know that the Spurs are better, and that they don’t lose in a seven game series to teams who aren’t as good. Obviously anything can happen, as we saw in last year’s NBA Finals. But the Rockets? I’m not sold. I see Tony Parker getting whatever he wants with Patrick Beverley and Duncan will drop a double-double every game. The Spurs will do what they do best; play their game. It’s just not the time for Houston, but if Dwight Howard sticks around they’ll have their chance at a title very soon.

Warriors beat the Thunder 4-3.

Losing Bogut is huge for Golden State, but only on the defensive end. On the offensive end, the floor opens up, allowing Curry and Thompson to get their open shots. Curry also has the pick-n-roll with David Lee, and the drive-and-kick will be open throughout the entire playoffs. The open space on the offensive end will be what allows the Warriors to beat the Clippers, and it will be what allows them to knock off the Thunder as well. YES, I said that. I am picking Golden State because I think that they give OKC a bad matchup. Iguodala won’t be able to stop KD, but he will make it difficult. It will free up Westbrook a little bit, but he won’t be able to beat the Warriors by himself. David Lee and Jermaine O’Neal will limit Ibaka’s offensive production, ultimately putting pressure on other players to step up. Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes are two extremely underrated assets for Golden State; Harrison Barnes specifically started all season and averaged 16 points and 6 boards in the playoffs lasts season. The Warriors are a good mixture of young and old, but the difference between this year and last year is that they now believe in themselves, and they know what they’re capable of. One year makes a big difference and I think they’ll top the Thunder in seven games to advance to the Western Conference Finals.

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Pacers beat the Heat 4-3.

Yes, I think we all are thinking of this ECF rematch. Pacers vs. Heat, LeBron vs. Paul George. I’ve been saying since the all-star break that the Heat don’t have what it takes to beat the Pacers. For the second straight series, Lance Stephenson will be the deciding factor in the series. If you think that Dwayne Wade will be able to keep Stephenson in check for seven games then you have another thing coming. Wade won’t be able to keep up with the explosive speed of Stephenson; he will get eaten alive on both ends of the court. Hibbert/West will outmatch Chris Bosh and that leaves LeBron to save the day. We all know what happens when LeBron has to win playoff games by himself; he doesn’t. This little Miami fantasy team was cute while it lasted but their time is done; Indiana is the clear-cut best team in the East, and they’ll take this series in seven games, sending the Heat packing.

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Spurs beat the Warriors 4-3.

The best teams generally advance to the NBA Finals, and the Spurs are still the best in the West. There’s not a whole lot to see about this series, except that San Antonio scores more points than Golden State does, and they also allow less. The Warriors aren’t as deep as the Spurs, and they aren’t nearly as defensively sound. Without Bogut, Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter will have their ways in the paint. Duncan score and grabs rebounds no matter who guards him, and if he gets double-teamed he’ll drop it off to Splitter on the opposite block. The Warriors will pose a threat to the Spurs offensively, but Pop always has a defensive scheme for every team. Pop is the best coach in the NBA, and he’s coaching the best team in the NBA. I have the Spurs over the Warriors in seven games, although there is a good chance of the series ending earlier than that.

NBA FINALS

Spurs beat the Pacers 4-3.

I think the Spurs will be back in the Finals, and the Pacers will meet them there. It will be a tight-knit battle for seven games, but I have the Spurs coming out on top. The Pacers just can’t matchup with Pop’s team yet. Parker will outplay Hill, Duncan/Splitter will outplay Hibbert/West, Danny Green and Marco Belinelli will outshoot the entire Pacers team from deep, and most importantly Kawhi Leonard will contain Paul George and Lance Stephenson. The Spurs own the deciding factors on and off the court; Pop on the sidelines and three-point shooting. Danny Green has proven what he can do to teams in the playoffs, and it’s not good for the opposing competition. During this season, the Spurs and Pacers were 12^th and 22^nd respectively in three-pointers made, and 1^st and 17^th respectively in three-point percentage. The Spurs won 62 games in the extremely competitive West, while the Pacers won 56 games in the lowly East. It’s a six-game difference by record, but a much bigger difference in strength of schedule. The biggest problem for Indiana is that the Spurs will suppress Stephenson’s high energy, which will ultimately put more pressure on George to step up. There are too many factors that place the Pacers a few steps behind the Spurs, but they have enough talent, composure, and experience to compete, which is why I have the Pacers pushing the series to seven games but ultimately falling short of a championship.