THE WAIT IS OVER: 2017-18 NBA PREDICTIONS

The wait is officially over and I couldn't be more excited! This past off-season we saw star players switch teams at an alarming rate. After it was all said and done the Eastern Conference became that much weaker while the Western Conference got that much tougher. With these new changes come new storylines: Can the Warriors repeat as champs? Can OKC's new big three make it to the promise land? How far can Kyrie lead Boston? Will the additions of Rose & Wade be enough to bring another championship to Cleveland? I'm excited to see all of these storylines unfold over the next eight months and it all starts tonight with the Celtics visiting the Cavs followed by the Rockets taking on the Warriors. In the meantime here are my predictions for the upcoming NBA season.


Rookie of the Year
Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers

Defensive Player of the Year
Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors

Coach of the Year
Tom Thibodeau, Minnesota Timberwolves

Sixth Man of the Year
Lou Williams, Los Angeles Clippers

Most Improved Player
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

Executive of the Year
Koby Altman, Cleveland Cavaliers 

Most Valuable Player
James Harden, Houston Rockets

ALL NBA FIRST TEAM
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
James Harden, Houston Rockets
LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors
Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans

ALL NBA SECOND TEAM
Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors
John Wall, Washington Wizards
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves

ALL NBA THIRD TEAM
Kyrie Irving, Boston Celtics
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
DeMarcus Cousins, New Orleans Pelicans

Eastern Conference
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Washington Wizards
3. Boston Celtics
4. Toronto Raptors
5. Milwaukee Bucks
6. Miami Heat
7. Charlotte Hornets
8. Philadelphia 76ers

Eastern Conference Semi-Finals
Cavaliers vs. Bucks
Wizards vs. Celtics

Eastern Conference Finals
Cavaliers vs. Celtics

Western Conference
1. Golden State Warriors
2. Houston Rockets
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
4. Minnesota Timberwolves
5. San Antonio Spurs
6. Portland Trail Blazers
7. Los Angeles Clippers
8. Denver Nuggets

Western Conference Semi-Finals
Warriors vs. Timberwolves
Rockets vs. Thunder

Western Conference Finals
Warriors vs. Thunder

NBA Finals
Cavaliers vs. Warriors - Cavaliers win in 7, LeBron James wins Finals MVP

Last season we saw a historic battle for MVP between Harden and Westbrook. While I don't think we'll see those type of historic individual numbers put up again I do believe that we are in for an entertaining season. I'm excited to see what some of the younger teams like the Bucks, Wolves, and 76ers can do to take their franchises to the next level. I'm also interested in seeing the start of the Lonzo Ball era with the Lakers. They're putting some solid pieces together and the future definitely looks bright.  The greatest sport in the world is set to start tonight and I'll be watching until there's one team hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy in June.

CHOKE CITY: HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM

The Houston Rockets were in a great spot last night to extend their series to seven games. They were playing at home, had one of the top MVP candidates, and Kawhi Leonard would miss the game due to a sprained ankle. There's just no way the Spurs could go into the Toyota Center and end this series without a couple of their key players, right? WRONG! The Spurs absolutely put on a clinic and ran the Rockets out the gym. The final score was 114-75, a 39 point blow out led by LaMarcus Aldridge who had 34 points and 12 rebounds. Even with Aldridge playing a great game the main concern afterwards was the disappearing act performed by James Harden.

I'll be the first person to tell you that I had Harden in the superstar category coming into this season. I have now changed my stance on this after his pathetic display last night. It isn't Harden's first time having a disastrous game while facing elimination, but game 6 was on a different level. As far as I'm concerned Harden didn't even try. There was no reason why Harden should've only had two field goal attempts, five points, and five turnovers at halftime. His final stat line was 10 points on 2-11 shooting, 3 rebounds, 7 assists and 6 turnovers.

In the league today we have all star caliber players, star players, and superstar players (LeBron, Curry, Durant, Westbrook, Leonard). Harden is just a star player, nothing more nothing less. You cannot continue to have these tragic performances when your team needs you the most and be considered a superstar. I can go back to the 2012 NBA finals when Harden gave the Thunder absolutely nothing on the offensive end. Let's flashback to 2015 when Harden set a playoff record with 13 turnovers against Golden State in an elimination game. He was also 2-11 shooting as well. Some people say Westbrook shot the Thunder out of game 6 last round, but at least he went out shooting and putting up a fight! Harden finished with 11 shot attempts for the game when he should've had that amount of attempts in the first quarter.

Harden is starting to be remembered for more bad than good when it comes to the NBA playoffs. His performance last night was the icing on the cake. I thought I was watching Tony from the movie "Blue Chips." For those that don't understand the comparison I definitely recommend watching that film for yourself. It's going to be a long offseason for Harden and the Rockets after what was a successful regular season.

SPURS FALL IN GAME 1

Last night the Houston Rockets shot lights out and defeated the San Antonio Spurs 126-99 in game 1 of the western conference semi-finals. MVP candidate James Harden did a great job of getting others involved finishing the game with 14 assists to go along with 20 points. From top to bottom the Rockets looked a step quicker than the Spurs. We all know Popovich is going to make adjustments for game 2, but I believe the Rockets are just a bad matchup for the Spurs.

These aren't your typical Spurs from years ago, father time has caught up with a few of their core players. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili have not looked like themselves the entire season. Why should we expect them to turn back the hands of time now during the playoffs? If the Spurs are to have a chance at winning this series they are going to need more out of LaMarcus Aldridge.

Aldridge didn't play particularly well last series against the Grizzlies and his struggles continued last night. He was just 2-7 from the field finishing the game with 4 points. Houston did a great job of putting Aldridge in pick and rolls last night, but on the offensive end he has to make an impact on the block. Outside of Kawhi Leonard who's going to be that other consistent scorer? 

On the other hand the Rockets are a handful to contain on the offensive end. With Kawhi having to burden much of the offensive load I don't know if his defense will have the same impact. He can't guard everybody on the Rockets. Houston has multiple players that can handle the ball and create their own shots creating mismatches in their favor.

I don't expect the Rockets to shoot this well every game, but I don't feel they need to in order to beat the Spurs. Game 2 will be Wednesday night in San Antonio and I'm looking forward to the adjustments that both teams will make.

NBA PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

The NBA playoffs are set to begin tomorrow and here are my predictions.

Eastern Conference

1st Round

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Chicago Bulls - Celtics in 7

(4) Washington Wizards vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks - Wizards in 5

(3) Toronto Raptors vs. (6) Milwaukee Bucks - Raptors in 6

(2) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (7) Indiana Pacers - Cavaliers in 5

Conference Semi-Finals

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Washington Wizards - Wizards in 6

(2) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (3) Toronto Raptors - Cavaliers in 6

Eastern Conference Finals

(2) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (4) Washington Wizards - Cavaliers in 6

Western Conference

1st Round

(1) Golden State Warriors vs. (8) Portland Trail Blazers - Warriors in 4

(4) Los Angeles Clippers vs. (5) Utah Jazz - Clippers in 7

(3) Houston Rockets vs. (6) Oklahoma City Thunder - Rockets in 6

(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Memphis Grizzlies - Spurs in 7

Conference Semi-Finals

(1) Golden State Warriors vs. (4) Los Angeles Clippers - Warriors in 6

(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (3) Houston Rockets - Rockets in 6

Western Conference Finals

(1) Golden State Warriors vs. (3) Houston Rockets - Warriors in 5

NBA Finals

(1) Golden State Warriors vs. (2) Cleveland Cavaliers - Warriors in 7

REDEMPTION COMPLETE

2017 NCAA Division 1 Champions

One year ago North Carolina was on the losing end of a heartbreaking loss in the National Championship. Last night the Tar Heels completed their redemption tour with a 71-65 victory over Gonzaga. It's their sixth championship which puts them third all-time. It wasn't a pretty game to watch as the Tar Heels only shot 14% from downtown and 35% from the field. While their offense would struggle for the entire game it didn't stop them from competing on the defensive end.

Junior forward Justin Jackson couldn't throw a rock in the ocean last night, but came up with a clutch 3-point play with just under two minutes to go in the game. Senior Kennedy Meeks had been in foul trouble, but came up with a huge block on Nigel Williams-Goss to seal the championship. I don't think I would've been able to deal with another championship game coming to the final shot again. It just wasn't good for my nerves last year.

We were treated to another championship game that came down to the final minutes. As a fan of basketball that's exactly what you want to see. Gonzaga played their hearts out and gave the Tar Heels a run for their money. I'm sure this won't be the last that we hear from the Zags and it definitely won't be the last time we see the Tar Heels in the championship game.

HEAT WAVE

Josh Richardson, Erik Spolestra & James Johnson

One of the biggest turnarounds this season belongs to the Miami Heat. The Heat started off the season 11-30 and since then have gone 25-8. They are now one game ahead of the Bulls for the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. It's been a collective effort from this Heat bunch. It seems at different points during this turnaround there are different players stepping up each night. One of the biggest surprises has been Dion Waiters, who's currently out with a sprained left ankle. He's found some stability within the Heat's rotation and is a big part of what they do on the offensive end.

With eight games left to go in the regular season for Miami there's no room for let up. They still have to face the Cavaliers, Raptors, and Wizards to end the season. If the Heat can find themselves in the playoffs Erik Spolestra deserves consideration for Coach of the Year. The injury bug has been in Miami throughout the entire season causing Goran Dragic, Hassan Whiteside, James Johnson, Josh Richardson, and Tyler Johnson to miss time. Let's not forget that second year player Justise Winslow has been out since the earlier part of the season.

Maybe Spolestra can start getting the credit he deserves as a head coach. During the run with the big three Spolestra wasn't really given the credit he deserved because of the roster he had. If there's anyone still doubting him as a coach, this season should remove any concerns. This is one tough team down in Miami and they won't be an easy out if they're able to make the playoffs. They play well collectively and are solid defensively. This is a team to keep your eye coming down the stretch of the regular season.

REST RUINING THE NBA

This past weekend we had another primetime NBA matchup being televised and we were treated to watching the Cleveland Cavaliers rest their big three. The Los Angeles Clippers were hosting the Cavs on Saturday when news didn't break until late that LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love would be resting. Some players are complaining about the schedule of the NBA and how the league needs to do a better job of scheduling these televised matchups, but I wholeheartedly disagree.

I think the entire idea of healthy players resting is ruining the NBA brand. You have fans that plan to see their favorite player as soon as the schedule is released. It's a slap in the face to the fans that spend their hard earned money to watch these athletes play. The league is as soft as its ever been and players are resting more and more. I just can't grasp the concept of this to save my life. It's not just the playoff bound teams resting their players by the way. The Brooklyn Nets have the worst record in the NBA and they've rested Brook Lopez on a few occasions. Why is the best player on the worst team in the league resting? That doesn't send a good message to the youth watching and aspiring play professional basketball.

It makes absolutely no sense to me. If you're going to rest players I say do it for home games. For example, the Clippers and Cavs only play each other twice each season because they're in two different conferences. Consider the families that have spent their hard earned money to come see LeBron play, but that money is gone to waste because of "rest." The NBA needs to start fining or suspending these teams and players for these type of actions. In my eyes no healthy player deserves to take a night off.

Players use to take pride in playing all 82 games during the regular season. Let's just look at the MVP race we have going on now. I know there are plenty of folks trying to say LeBron is being overlooked with what Westbrook and Harden have been doing. I believe he doesn't deserve to be in the conversation this year because he's missing games due to rest. Then people try to use the logic that when he sits the Cavs usually lose, which should boost his MVP consideration because it shows how valuable he is to his team. Meanwhile, Harden and Westbrook haven't missed one game this season due any sort of rest. These are the only two that need to be discussed when it comes to MVP race this year.

As a fan of the game it's frustrating watching the direction the NBA is heading in. I'm hoping sometime in the near future Adam Silver will address this situation. It's sad that fans have to second guess buying tickets to see their favorite player because of the "rest" factor. The fans of the NBA deserve better by these coaches and players.

IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN

March Madness is back! It's that time of the year again folks. The most unpredictable tournament known to man starts in just a couple of days. This time around I'm just praying my bracket can make it in one piece to the Sweet 16. The number one seeds this year are: Villanova, Gonzaga, North Carolina and Kansas. I do have a few upsets in the earlier rounds, but I'll start my predictions with the teams I believe will reach the Sweet 16.

Sweet 16
East Region

• (1) Villanova defeats (12) UNC Wilmington
• (2) Duke defeats (14) New Mexico State

Midwest Region

• (1) Kansas defeats (4) Purdue
• (2) Louisville defeats (3) Oregon

West Region

• (1) Gonzaga defeats (4) West Virginia
• (2) Arizona defeats (6) Maryland

South Region

• (1) North Carolina defeats (12) Mid Tennessee
• (3) UCLA defeats (2) Kentucky

Elite 8

East Region

• (1) Villanova defeats (2) Duke

Midwest Region

• (2) Louisville defeats (1) Kansas

West Region

• (2) Arizona defeats (1) Gonzaga

South Region

• (1) North Carolina defeats (3) UCLA

Final Four

• (2) Arizona defeats (1) Villanova
• (1) North Carolina defeats (2) Louisville

National Championship

• (1) North Carolina defeats (2) Arizona

The Tar Heels are seeking revenge after losing the National Championship just one year ago on a buzzer beater to Villanova. With that chip on their shoulder I believe they'll play like a team possessed and become the 2017 NCAA champions.

A SIGH OF RELIEF: CUTLER IS RELEASED

Jay Cutler

Eight years ago it seemed as though the Chicago Bears would solve their quarterback issues with the acquisition of Jay Cutler. At age 26 Cutler seemed like the perfect fit for a franchise that hadn't had a great history of quarterbacks. Fast forward to 2017 and Bears fans are happy to see Cutler go. He was released yesterday and I'm pretty he'll find a new team to ruin within the next few weeks.

Let me get this out the way now. Cutler is the best quarterback the Bears franchise has ever had. He holds the franchise records for pass completions, pass attempts, passing touchdowns, quarterback rating, and 300 yard passing games. The peak of his Bears career came in 2010 when the Bears reached the NFC championship. Not only did the Bears lose at home to the Green Bay Packers 21-14, but Cutler was injured and unable to finish the game. The Packers would go to win the Super Bowl just a couple weeks later. This is also the last time the Bears made the playoffs.

Since we're on the subject of the Packers let's talk about how Cutler saved his worst performances against the division rivals. Cutler's 2-11 record against the Packers is an absolute disappointment. I know Packers fans are going to miss Cutler and his 22 interceptions during this rivalry. As former Packers cornerback Charles Woodson put it after a 2012 victory in Chicago, "it's the same-old Jay. We don't need luck; Jay will throw us the ball."

The Bears took a chance on Cutler as the franchise quarterback and they surrounded him with weapons. Matt Forte would lead the backfield attack while the receiving core consisted of Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Martellus Bennett. The talent was there with Cutler, but he just failed to get the job done. His interceptions would come at the worst time during games and his nonchalant attitude rubbed fans the wrong way. 

In 2014 Cutler would sign a seven-year extension for $126 million with Chicago. In this contract Cutler was guaranteed $50 million. I would call this highway robbery considering the fact Cutler's performance didn't live up to half the money from this contract. Cutler would always shows flashes of his potential but he was never consistent and couldn't get the job done when it mattered the most.

It warms many fan's hearts to know Cutler won't be in that Bears uniform anymore. The eight year experiment with Cutler was a failure. The Bears haven't seen the playoffs in seven years and during that span their rival Packers have owned them. Hopefully better days are ahead with the departure of Cutler. His 51-51 record with the Bears showed just how much of a franchise quarter he wasn't during his tenure.

MARSHALL INKS DEAL WITH GIANTS

Brandon Marshall

If you're a New York Giants fan today is a good day. Free agent wide receiver Brandon Marshall has just signed a two-year deal with the Giants worth $12 million. This is a great addition for the Giants who released veteran wide receiver Victor Cruz last month. Marshall is entering his 12th season in the NFL and still looking for his first playoff appearance. This signing should make Eli Manning sweat just a little bit less knowing he has a big target in Marshall.

https://twitter.com/BMarshall

This will also add to the development of the Giants wide receiving core. Marshall should be a great compliment to Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard. Everywhere Marshall has been throughout his career he has produced. He's a six-time Pro Bowler with a few good years still left in the tank. Just a couple years ago he set the Jets franchise record with 109 catches and 1,502 receiving yards.

With Marshall now in the mix it's pretty safe to say that Eli Manning isn't going anywhere for a few more years. The Giants front office has surrounded Manning with arguably the best receiving core in their division. I'm interested to see the impact Marshall will have in the locker room. I think he'll provide some much needed veteran leadership and have a positive impact on the growth of Beckham Jr.

After having a disappointing performance last season with the Jets, Marshall looks to have a bounce back season. The future not only looks good for Marshall but for the team as well. The Giants have applied the franchise tag to defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul which keeps their defense intact going into the upcoming season. With the addition of Marshall the Giants offense shouldn't struggle to put points on the scoreboard. If they can do this and take pressure off their defense there's no reason why Marshall shouldn't see his first playoff appearance with the Giants.

WHO DESERVES NBA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR?

Joel Embiid

Should Philadelphia 76ers center Joel "The Process" Embiid win Rookie of the Year having only played 31 games this season? From a stats standpoint there's absolutely no question. Embiid is averaging 20.2ppg, 7.8rpg, and 2.4bpg. He's been on a minutes restriction all season which makes these numbers even more impressive. Due to knee complications the Sixers decided to shut Embiid down for the rest of the season. It's the smart thing to do at this point and hopefully he can comeback next year without any limitations.

Although Embiid had an outstanding season I don't believe he should win Rookie of the Year. Durability has to matter at some point in a season and Embiid couldn't even play half of the games. The lowest of amount of games played for a Rookie of the Year award winner belongs to Patrick Ewing. In the 1985-86 season Ewing only played 50 games, but at least he was able to play more than half the season. There are a few other candidates I feel should win the ROY over Embiid even though their numbers don't quite compare to his.

Dario Saric

Sixers forward Dario Saric and Milwaukee Bucks guard Malcom Brogdon are the next two candidates beside Embiid. Saric averages 11.6ppg and 6.2rpg which aren't eye popping numbers but in the month of February he boosted his scoring to 17ppg and rebounding to 7.9ppg. If he continues to finish the year strong he'd have strong consideration for ROY.

Brogdon deserves consideration as well although he wasn't asked to do as much for his team early on in the season. He's averaging 9.9ppg and 4.1apg and has stepped up his game since Jabari Parker (knee) will miss the remainder of the season. He's been asked to do more offensively since the injury and his numbers continue to rise. Over his last 10 games Brogdon is averaging 13.9ppg and 3.7apg. 

Malcom Brogdon

I know there are some people out there that just think Embiid deserves the award regardless of how many games he's missed this season. While his numbers do speak for themselves I can't ignore the fact he's been unable to play for more than half the season. I understand the numbers between Saric and Brogdon don't stand out to people, but being healthy and playing games matters too. Brogdon is looking to help the Bucks push for the 8th spot in the East while Saric is showing why the Sixers will have a solid foundation of youth for years to come. With about 20 games remaining this season be on the lookout for these two candidates who have improved tremendously throughout the year.

CAN THE WARRIORS HOLD ON WITHOUT DURANT

Steph Curry and Klay Thompson

Last night there were two streaks on the line. The Golden State Warriors had not lost a back-to-back regular season game since April 2015, and the Chicago Bulls had won 17 straight home games while being televised on TNT. This would be the first game for the Warriors without Kevin Durant, who suffered a knee injury Tuesday. He'll be re-evaluated in one month and the Warriors are optimistic he'll be available for the playoffs.

The Warriors would struggle from the field not making their first 3-pointer until almost the end of the first quarter. The shooting slump would continue for splash brothers Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Combined they would shoot 3-of-22 from deep.  Golden State's streak of not losing back-to-backs would end as they lost 94-87 to Chicago. Over the last three games the splash brothers have combined to shoot 11-of-64 from downtown. One thing about these two is that they will keep shooting. That's the only way to get out of this kind of slump.

As of now Golden State are three games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs for first place in the Western Conference. With Durant out it'll be interesting to see if the Warriors can hold on to the top spot. In order to hold on to that top seed I think Curry needs to play at that MVP level from last season. If he can do that I like Golden State's chances of maintaining the number one seed.

Without Durant on the court their offense will have to adapt. The one player who can have the biggest impact is Draymond Green. He does some of everything for this team. He's currently leading the team in assists per game and with Durant out he'll have to take on more of a scoring role. There really isn't anything that Green doesn't do for this team on both ends of the court which is why he's the frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year at the moment.

The road ahead for the defending Western Conference champions is going to be a rough one without Durant. We will see what this team is made of over the next couple weeks. I don't expect Curry and Thompson to continue struggling from the field as they have over the last three games. With the Warriors eager to prove they can win without Durant combined with the Spurs resting players, I fully expect the Warriors to still be first place in the west by end of the regular season.

PETERSON TO BECOME FREE AGENT

Adrian Peterson

The Minnesota Vikings decided that they will not pick up the 2017 option on running back Adrian Peterson. This will make Peterson an unrestricted free agent on March 9. This will be the first time in Peterson's career that he'll be able to test the free agent market. While the Vikings haven't completely ruled out working out a deal for Peterson I can't imagine him returning when he can go elsewhere and play for a contender. Peterson's glory days might be behind him, but that doesn't mean he can't help impact a team.

The NFL is now a pass heavy league and majority of teams use the shotgun formation. This is huge because throughout Peterson's career most of his carries have come with the quarterback under center. In addition, Peterson has never been known for his hands which causes concern for him in passing situations. At some point father time catches up with everyone and there's no guarantee that Peterson will still have the same explosiveness in his surgically repaired knee.

Here are some possible destinations for Peterson:

New England Patriots
If winning a Super Bowl is high on Peterson's list then he needs to look no further. The Patriots have been known to get the most out of their running backs. Their running style would also fit what Peterson has been use to his entire career. With Tom Brady alongside in the backfield Peterson won't be relied on to produce a heavy load. Last year LeGarrette Blount ran for 18 touchdowns, who's to say Peterson wouldn't be able to do the same and more?

New York Giants
With the release of Rashad Jennings the Giants are definitely in the market for a running back. Bringing Peterson along would definitely make life easier for Eli Manning. The Giants finished 26th in points per game last year. With a star wide receiver like Odell Beckham Jr, a reliable ground game would do nothing but open more opportunities down the field.

Oakland Raiders
The Raiders had a phenomenal season, but all Super Bowl hopes were cut short with Derek Carr's season ending injury. Running back Latavius Murray will be testing the free agent market so that does put Oakland in the Peterson sweepstakes. Raiders may not have as much money to give Peterson as other teams, but he could definitely help them improve tremendously.

Dallas Cowboys
I would say it's unlikely for Peterson to end up in Dallas, but Peterson has expressed before how he would like to play in his home state. With Ezekiel Elliott proven to be the running back of the future, Peterson would have to take a lesser role. There's no doubt in my mind that Jerry Jones will try and land Peterson alongside Elliott. As much of a workhorse as Peterson is I just don't see him wanting to share a workload.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers may be in the market for an every down back very soon. It's looking like the Bucs may part ways with running back Doug Martin who was suspended the last four games of the season for violating league's policy on performance enhancement drugs. The suspension would allow the Bucs to void the remainder of Martin's contract, allowing them cap space to make Peterson an offer.

Minnesota Vikings
Last but not least, after all is said and done there's still a chance Peterson could re-sign with the Vikings. Peterson has said the "door is still open" for him to return to Minnesota. The Vikings had one of the top defenses last year, but the offensive line needs some re-tooling. If they can sure up that offensive line Peterson may take a closer look to staying with the Vikings.

LIFE WITHOUT LOWRY

Kyle Lowry

All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry is set to have surgery to remove loose bodies from his right wrist. This surgery will keep Lowry out for the remainder of the regular season. The Raptors are optimistic that Lowry will be able to return in time for the playoffs. He's having a career year averaging 22.8ppg, 6.9apg while shooting 46% from the field and 41% from deep. Toronto is currently third in the Eastern Conference standings and many expect them to slip with Lowry being out for an extended period of time.

I do believe the Raptors will struggle to a degree without Lowry, but there's another All-Star on that team having a career year himself. DeMar Derozan showed last night why the Raptors might be just fine until Lowry's return. Derozan scored a game high 37 points against the Knicks while making the game winning jumper with 1.9 seconds left. It's going to take a collective effort from the entire team for the Raptors to maintain their position in the standings. Backup point guard Cory Joseph's role expands with this injury as he replaces Lowry in the starting lineup. Additions such as Serge Ibaka and PJ Tucker will help the Raptors in multiple ways. Ibaka will bring much needed rebounding and scoring while giving them a rim protector. Tucker is one of those guys who brings defense, energy and toughness to the table.

There's a similar situation happening in Cleveland with Kevin Love missing the rest of the regular season as well. These two teams met last year in the Eastern Conference Finals with the Cavs winning in six games. If Lowry can return to full health for the playoffs the Raptors are capable of making another deep run. The Celtics are sitting second in the East as of now but have lost three of their last four games. One of those losses coming to Toronto without Lowry.

I wouldn't press the panic button on these Raptors. Sometimes an injury like this can bring a team closer together and impact their play on the court in a positive way. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Toronto was still a top three seed at the end of the regular season. They will be depending heavily on Derozan who can put himself into the MVP conversation if he continues to play at a high level.

FINAL PIECES TO THE PUZZLE?

Deron Williams

Has LeBron James playmaker wish finally come true? Last week Deron Williams was waived by the Dallas Mavericks. After clearing waivers Williams is expected to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers. With this signing the Cavs will have filled a void in the backup point guard position. Last year the team was three deep at the position with Kyrie Irving, Mo Williams and Matthew Dellavedova. This year it's been Irving and rookie Kay Felder who isn't quite ready for that backup role just yet.

It appears that the Cavs aren't done trying to make moves to their roster just yet. Andrew Bogut is expected to sign with the Cavs after being waived by the Sixers. Bogut has told the Sixers that he wishes to compete for a championship since he's been plagued by injuries throughout this season. This would be another piece to the puzzle for the Cavs because they have yet to address the backup center position since Timothy Mosgov signed with the Lakers as a free agent. The Cavs have made some great additions in preparing themselves to defend their title. Kyle Korver and Derrick Williams are just a few key additions. If Williams and Bogut do sign, they help improve the Cavs bench production instantly.

Andrew Bogut

The Bogut signing would be a huge one for the simple fact that his injury was one of the turning points in the 2016 NBA Finals. Bogut served as a great rim protector for the Warriors. While the Draymond Green suspension played a part in game five, not having Bogut for the remainder of the series hurt the Warriors defensively. If Bogut can remain healthy for the remainder of this season he'll be a great asset to the Cavs on the defensive end. These additions to the roster would put the Cavs in great position to repeat come June.

Back in January LeBron James went on record to say, "We need a f---ing playmaker." Many people took this statement and insisted that James was talking about bringing in another star player. That wasn't the case at all. James knew there were holes in the roster that needed to be filled dealing with the second unit. These holes will have been filled if Williams and Bogut join the team this week. Deron Williams is more than capable or running the show with the second unit while Bogut would add a defensive presence. Will these acquisitions be enough for the Cavs to repeat come June?

NIGHTMARE ON MADISON

John Paxson and Gar Forman

If there was ever any front office that needed to start from scratch it's the Chicago Bulls. Yesterday was the trade deadline and the Bulls traded away a 2018 second-round pick, Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Cameron Payne, Anthony Morrow, and Joffrey Lauvergne. Gibson was drafted by the Bulls in 2009 and was the only player remaining from the 2010-11 Bulls roster. That season we saw Derrick Rose become the NBA's youngest MVP and watched the Bulls make it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls would win 62 games, the most since Jordan era and finish with the best record in the NBA.

Following that season things began to go downhill. Head Coach Tom Thibodeau really never saw eye to eye with Paxson and Forman. While Thibodeau was able to get the most out of his players throughout all the injury plagued seasons he was let go in 2015. If you get rid of a coach like Thibodeau you would think the front office would bring in a veteran coach, or at least someone with some type of NBA coaching experience? WRONG! The Bulls went into another direction by hiring Fred "The Mayor" Hoiberg. He did have coaching experience coming from Iowa State, but none at the NBA level.

One would think the emergence of Jimmy Butler, him and Rose would become one of the best duos in the league. That didn't pan out and the organization decided Rose was no longer the future of the franchise and traded him to the Knicks for Robin Lopez, Jerian Grant and Jose Calderon. To paraphrase Forman after drafting Denzel Valentine last summer the Bulls must 'get younger, more athletic.'

How do you get younger by bringing in a 34 year-old Dwyane Wade and a 30 year-old Rajon Rondo? I'm still trying to figure out the answers to this. Not only do you bring them in, but outside of McDermott there aren't any shooters on the roster. Then during the season you trade Tony Snell for Michael Carter-Williams. Fast forward to the trade of Gibson and McDermott and now this Bulls roster has five point guards. It makes absolutely no sense in my eyes.

It's clear that the front office doesn't know what direction they want to go in. It seems like everyone but Paxson and Forman realize that the Bulls need to tank and start over. I don't understand why the trade deadline went by and Jimmy Butler is still in a Bulls uniform. While the Bulls are 7th in the Eastern Conference standings they need to look to the future. Making the playoffs does nothing but give the city false hope.

I'm hoping the "GarPax" run will come to an end soon in Chicago, but it simply doesn't look like that will be the case. They have flat out lied to the fans on the future of the team and have a coach in place that doesn't have respect or control in the locker room. The Bulls will be bad for a long time coming if a change isn't made in the front office.

IS LAVAR BALL OUT OF BOUNDS?

LaVar Ball

Lonzo Ball is a star freshman at UCLA. He's a shoe in as a lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. While he has a promising career ahead of him the talk has been more about his father. LaVar Ball, at a recent game told ESPN, “I have the utmost confidence in what my boy is doing. He’s better than Steph Curry to me. Put Steph Curry on UCLA’s team right now and put my boy on Golden State and watch what happens.” I'm glad LaVar has confidence in his son's talent, but he's got to be out of his mind to think if his son were to be on the Warriors at this point that they would be a better team.

Lonzo Ball

Lonzo has enough media attention as it is and I'm pretty sure he doesn't need his father adding to it. LaVar Ball is doing nothing but putting a target on his son's back and you better believe that these NBA players are taking notice. While I do believe Lonzo has the potential to have a great NBA career, I think his play on the court should speak for him and not his father. Following in Lonzo's footsteps are his brothers LaMelo and LiAngelo, who have also committed to UCLA. Both are still playing at Chino Hills High School looking to bring home another state championship.

There's no question that LaVar Ball has confidence in his Lonzo's ability. With that being said some things you just keep to yourself. These type of statements can become more of a distraction as Lonzo continues on the next level. Lonzo has been compared to the likes of Jason Kidd with his great playmaking ability. With the NCAA Tournament approaching soon it'll be interesting to see how far UCLA can go. I mean if we're going to take the LaVar Ball route and compare him to Curry at this point we have to remember Curry took mid-major Davidson to the Elite Eight 2008. It's to be determined if UCLA will be cutting down the nets at the end of the season, but I can almost guarantee that LaVar Ball will find his way into the headlines again.

NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND REVIEW

Coming into NBA All-Star Weekend we had great storylines. Headlining these storylines was Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Everyone wanted to see how the interaction between these two would play out since Durant as joined the Warriors. Let's not even get into that just yet though, I want to start off with Saturday night.

Kristaps Porzingis

The Taco Bell Skills Challenge didn't disappoint. I picked Isaiah Thomas to win the event, but it was Kristaps Porzingis who took home 1st place. This is the second year in a row that a big man has won the competition. Karl-Anthony Towns was winner last year in Toronto.

Eric Gordon

Next, we had the JBL Three-Point Contest. My pick to win it was 2013 winner Kyrie Irving. Defending champion Klay Thompson surprised a lot of people by not making it out of the first round. The final round came down to Irving, Eric Gordon, and Kemba Walker. Irving and Gordon tied with 20 points forcing a shootout in which Gordon won with a final score of 21. So far this All-Star Saturday night is off to a pretty good start.

$500,000 raised for Sager Strong Foundation

Soon after there was a tribute to Craig Sager, which in my eyes was the highlight of the Saturday night festivities. NBA players came onto the court along with other celebrities to help raise $500,000 for the Sager Strong Foundation. It ended with one of Sager's younger sons making a layup with the help from Shaq to push the total to half a million.

Glen Robinson III

Now it's the moment that everyone looks forward to. The Verizon Slam Dunk Contest. I think majority of people at home like me chose Aaron Gordon to win it and put on a show similar to last year. It started promising with Gordon using a drone to help assist on his first dunk attempt. Gordon missed on his first couple attempts and that took all of the excitement out the building. On his last try he completed the dunk, and that's the last dunk he would make. His next dunk he missed on each attempt and failed to reach the next round. The final round would be between Glen Robinson III and Derrick Jones Jr. This was about as boring as it could get. Robinson would practically win due to default because Jones was unable to make a dunk on his first attempt. Three of Robinson's dunks were just about the same. It wasn't that they weren't good dunks, but I wasn't impressed. But then again, I haven't dunked since my days on the Jordan Jammer so...

Anthony Davis

Usually when Saturday night doesn't seem as exciting there's at least redemption in the game on Sunday. I picked the Western Conference to be victorious with Westbrook taking home MVP honors. The West would get the victory 192-182. Anthony Davis would take home MVP scoring an All-Star game record 52 points. One highlight I enjoyed was seeing Durant connect with Westbrook on an alley-oop. That was about all the interaction we saw between the two. I'm all for putting on a show for the fans with the highlight dunks, crafty ball-handling, and crazy assists but for the love of competitiveness can we get some defense??? We could've been treated to a great ending with the game being close halfway through the fourth quarter. West coach Steve Kerr puts back in the starters while East coach Brad Stevens leaves most of his starters on the bench. I don't know who's to blame but if the game is close majority of starters need to be back on the floor to finish the game. Until some type of defense is played these games will continue to get worse each and every year.

All-Star Weekend was a let down this year. The most exciting part of the weekend happened after the game when DeMarcus Cousins was traded to the Pelicans. The dunk contest needs to be revamped. Either get more high profiled NBA players to participate or let these YouTube sensations compete and put on a show for the world to see. I miss the days when athletes loved to compete in the All-Star game. At the rate this game is headed I wouldn't be surprised next year if a team puts up 200 points. Get it together NBA!

BAYOU BOOGIE

Cousins & Davis

Just a few hours after the 66th NBA All-Star game ended Sacramento Kings star player, DeMarcus Cousins was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans for Tyreke Evans, Buddy Hield, Langston Galloway, one 2017 first-round and second-round draft picks. While Cousins definitely has some maturing to do on the court no one can deny the talent that he brings to the game. Also, the Kings never did a good job building around their former franchise player. It seemed every year Cousins was playing for a new coaching staff, and the Kings front office did a poor job of surrounding Cousins with talent. The Kings are obviously in rebuild mode now with the departure of Cousins. I wouldn't be surprised if more moves are made by the Kings before the trade deadline.

On the New Orleans side of town does this trade make the Pelicans a contender in the Western Conference? I still believe the Pelicans need to address a few positions on their roster to become contenders. Jrue Holiday becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. He's only 26 years old, but I don't believe he's the answer at the point guard position. One of the first point guards that came to my mind was Chris Paul. He'll be a free agent by the end of the 2018 season. Paul started his career in New Orleans and so far his career with the Clippers still hasn't landed him in the conference finals. Paul would also bring veteran leadership to a young team and that is something that Davis and Cousins would benefit from directly. Another point guard worth mentioning is Derrick Rose who's set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer as well. The Knicks have been an embarrassment to the NBA this season and it wouldn't surprise me one bit if Rose parted ways.

Chris Paul

One thing is for sure and that's the future of the Pelicans is very bright. When is the last time that we've seen a roster with the best two big men on the same team together? They have the foundation to become something special sooner than later. We can now see how Cousins will react in an entirely new environment. Many people felt a fresh start in another city would be good for Cousins. Only time will tell, but if he can mature on the court becoming an asset instead of a distraction then the sky is the limit for this team.

NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND PREDICTIONS

NBA All-Star Weekend is set to begin tonight in New Orleans, Louisiana. There are so many events I'm look forward to, but personally I can't wait to see the interaction between Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Head Coach Steve Kerr has already hinted at the possibility of playing his four Warriors players alongside Westbrook. Guess I'll have to wait until Sunday to see how that goes, but until then are my predictions for the upcoming events:

BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge Friday, Feb. 17, 9:00pm ET

• U.S. Team Roster def. World Team Roster, Karl-Anthony Towns MVP

Taco Bell Skills Challenge (First Event) Saturday, Feb. 18, 8:00pm ET

1. Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks
2. DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings
3. Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
4. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets (replacing Joel Embiid)
5. Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics - Winner
6. Gordon Hayward, Utah Jazz
7. John Wall, Washington Wizards
8. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

JBL Three-Point Contest (Second Event)

1. Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
2. Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
3. Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets
4. Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers - Winner
5. C.J. McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers
6. Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets
7. Wesley Matthews, Dallas Mavericks
8. Nick Young, Los Angeles Lakers

Verizon Slam Dunk Contest (Third Event)

1. Derrick Jones Jr., Phoenix Suns
2. Aaron Gordon, Orlando Magic - Winner
3. Glen Robinson III, Indiana Pacers
4. DeAndre Jordan, Los Angeles Clippers

66th NBA All-Star Game Sunday, Feb. 19, 8:00pm ET

• Western Conference def. Eastern Conference, Russell Westbrook MVP

I do believe that Russell Westbrook will win his third straight All-Star game MVP and will do so in triple-double fashion. Besides the game on Sunday I'm really looking forward to Verizon Slam Dunk Contest. I'm eager to see what Aaron Gordon has in store this year after the epic battle him and Zach Lavine had last year. I hope everyone enjoys the excitement of NBA All-Star Weekend because I know I will.

MVP RACE: IS A TRIPLE DOUBLE ENOUGH?

The All Star break is upon us and there's a two man race for Most Valuable Player. Russell Westbrook and James Harden have elevated their level of play in historic fashion this season. With the departure of Kevin Durant in the offseason, Westbrook has put the Oklahoma City Thunder on his back and taken flight. He's the first person since Oscar Robertson to be averaging a triple-double at this point in the season.

Westbrook is doing everything possible to keep the Thunder in the playoff picture. He's currently averaging 31.1ppg, 10.5rpg, and 10.1apg. Even with Durant leaving for the Warriors I couldn't imagine Westbrook would be chasing history the way he is. Injuries earlier in the season to Victor Oladipo and now Enes Kanter have left Westbrook playing with a bunch of C grade role players, and he's making the most of it. The Thunder are seventh in the Western Conference and will more than likely make the playoffs come April. Is averaging a triple double enough to win Westbrook the MVP race?

I don't think so. James Harden isn't averaging a triple-double, but he has not only elevated his play but the team success is following. Before the year started there weren't many people talking about the Rockets as a contender in the Western Conference. Mike D'Antoni became the new Head Coach and told the world that Harden would make the switch from shooting guard to point guard. At best, I imagined that the Rockets would be a fun team to watch on offense while fighting at the bottom of the West to make the playoffs. Right now the Rockets are third in the West and Harden is averaging 29.2ppg, 8.3rpg, and 11.3apg. He's the first player in NBA history to have multiple 50 point triple doubles in the same season. Also, he's joined Oscar Robertson as the only players to have five 40 point triple double games in the same season.

Both Harden and Westbrook are deserving of the MVP, but if I had to choose one it would definitely be Harden due to his team success along with his individual numbers. While I do believe that Westbrook does have enough in the tank to finish the season averaging a triple-double it won't be enough to get him the MVP award. It will be a tight race all the way until the end of the regular season, and as a basketball fan you can't help but to enjoy the history these two players are making.

DC RISING

There's no secret that the Cleveland Cavaliers are the heavy favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference this June. My next question is who will be their biggest challenge come April and May? While the Boston Celtics are only two games behind the Cavs, there's a team in DC that has been on fire since the start of the new year. The Washington Wizards have the NBA's best record since the start of 2017 going 17-5. Just recently the Wizards had their 17 game home winning streak snapped by the Cavs in what I like to call an Eastern Conference Finals preview.

John Wall is having another All-Star season, and his counterpart Bradley Beal is having an All-Star worthy season himself. If it was up to me Beal would be replacing the injured Kevin Love come this weekend in New Orleans. The dynamic duo are finally starting to get healthy and playing extremely well together. Role players such as Otto Porter Jr, Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat have also been consistent contributors leading to the team success.

The Eastern Conference playoff picture is shaping up to be an interesting one. Just yesterday, the Raptors traded Terrence Ross and a 2017 first round pick to the Magic for Serge Ibaka. This is a great move for the Raptors who have struggled to fill that PF position all year. The Celtics have a star in Isaiah "Fourth Quarter" Thomas and with Kevin Love to miss the rest of the regular season for the Cavs things start to become much more intriguing in the East.

Once it's all said and done I do believe that the Eastern Conference Finals matchup will be between the Cavs and Wizards. Wall has is having a career year and is establishing himself as a leader on his team. As long as they can stay healthy not only do I believe they can get to the Eastern Conference Finals, but I believe they can make it a competitive series as well against the Cavs.

FAN VOTING GONE WILD

All-Star fan vote returns

The greatest pickup game on the planet will take place February 19, 2017 in New Orleans. The NBA All-Star game is filled with the league's greatest players showcasing their talents for the world to see. As a fan of the game I always want to be left with something to remember from these games. For example, last year was Kobe's final All-Star appearance and that's something you just don't forget. I couldn't believe what my eyes saw with the first round of fan vote returns. Zaza Pachulia has 439,675 fan votes. That's right behind Kevin Durant, who is leading the Western Conference frontcourt in votes. Pachulia is averaging an outstanding 5.2ppg & 5.8rpg. If he's actually voted in as a starter he will be taking the place of players that actually are deserving of this honor.

The fan voting has to be changed immediately! There's no way that Pachulia should even be considered in the player pool of NBA players eligible to play come February. To put things into perspective Pachuila has received more votes than the following: Anthony Davis, Demarcus Cousins, and Kawhi Leonard just to name a few. I've always been a believer that fans should be allowed to vote, but I'm starting to question that now. I'm going to keep faith in the fans for now, there's no way that Zaza Pachulia will actually start come February, right? I hope not. One thing is for certain though, and that's the fact that changes need to be made to the voting process.