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.