Ty's 2025-2026 NBA Season Preview: Heat, Celtics, Mavericks

Welcome to day five of my preseason 2025-26 NBA countdown. We are officially in play-in/playoff territory with these teams. We made it through the dregs and we are at the good stuff finally.

At number 18 I have the Miami Heat. The Heat are an odd team to me. They have a great defense, but the offense leaves a ton to the imagination. Tyler Hero is hurt to start the season. I don't know that this is that much of a blow to them honestly. Sure, he is a decent offensive player, but he is a ball stopper and he does not play defense. He is attacked on defense too. I am very curious to see how they play without him. Bam Adebayo is still here and he is still very good. He is one of the better defenders in the league, and for being undersized, he more than holds his own. He has gotten a little better on offense every season, but he needs to stop settling for floaters and attack the rim. He is very good when he attacks the rim. Davion Mitchell finally showed that he belongs in the league. His defense has always been very good, and now it looks like he may have found a shot. If that continues, he could find himself becoming more and more important to the Heat. Andrew Wiggins has found a niche in his game, and he is a solid fit with the Heat. He is not the scorer he had the ability to be when he was the first overall pick, but his defense and rim running has always been solid. They acquired Norm Powell for next to nothing, and I think the absence of Herro will only further show that Powell is more important than him. He is a good player. I don't know what to expect from Nikola Jovic. He has flashes but he has never really put it all together. He has never really played steady minutes either. Terry Rozier is washed. Precious Achiuwa is a beast in the middle, but he cannot stay on the floor. Jaime Jacquez Jr took a big step back last season. And who knows how much or what they'll get out of rookie Kasparas Jakucionis. What I do know about the Heat is that they will play elite level defense and that they have the best coach in the NBA in Erik Spoelstra. He will find a way to get this team, at the very least, to the play-in.

At number 17 I have the Boston Celtics. The turnover in their roster and the injury to Jayson Tatum is going to make for a long season for Celtics fans. Tatum tearing his ACL was a brutal, brutal blow to this team. He is, by far, their best player and the guy that drives this team. People will get the full outline of his importance to this team this season. Let us not forget that Kristaps Porzinigs and Jrue Holiday were both traded too. The Celitcs will be using this season to see how some new guys and older vets play without three very important players. Jaylen Brown has all the skills in the world. He plays very well on both ends of the floor. He is great at getting to the rim and he brings his all every time he is on the floor. But he is oft injured and that can affect his play. Derrick White has more than proven his worth. I believe that he will be the most important player with Tatum out. People will see how valuable he is to this team. Payton Pritchard has proven himself to be a nice bench scorer in the league. I don't really know what they're going to do with Anfernee Simons. Simons is a proven scorer, but he has never been on a team that has been a truly winning team. He may need to add to his game this season. Xavier Tillman and Sam Hauser are no more than bench guys. And I have no idea why Chris Boucher is here. I don't know where he finds minutes, and if he does, what does he bring to this team? The Celtics have an insane head coach, Joe Mazzula, who will find a way to squeeze everything he can out of this roster. And that should be enough to get the Celtics, at the very least, to the play-in.

The final team for the day, at number 16 I have the Dallas Mavericks. This is a strange, strange team. But this team has talent. Anthony Davis has bulked up and I think he is going to dominate in the post this season. He is a top tier defender, and if he stops taking so many useless jumpers, he could be back into consideration for All NBA. I like that Davis will get to play in the front court with Daniel Gafford and Derrick Lively. Lively will most likely start, and if he returns to the play he had in his rookie year, he could be great. He is super bouncy and plays solid defense. Gafford is a great backup 4 or 5. He can shoot a little, play some defense and rebound the ball. Kyrie Irving may miss the season, and that would be a bummer. If he does come back, he and Davis could make for a nice pick and roll duo. Cooper Flagg was the first overall pick and he seems like he is as pro ready as they come. He does need to improve his jump shooting, but he can do pretty much everything else he is asked of. He also looked good in two games in Summer League, and his first preseason game was even better. Dante Exum has found a place that allows him to do what he does best, play defense. Max Christis is a nice scoring option off the bench. D'Angelo Russell should be a less than okay place card until Irving gets back. And Russell will bring scoring, if he does nothing else. And I love the reclamation project of Dennis Smith Jr here. And PJ Washington was such a great trade, and he should get so many more touches and shots now. The Mavericks are funky, and they don't have a ton of spacing options, but they will play very good defense. And, if, and this is a big, big if, they stay healthy, they could make a deeper playoff run than others expect.

That's it for today and this week. Come back on Monday for the next three teams. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Thoughts on Jayson Tatum's Injury

It looks like Jayson Tatum has a pretty serious injury. He got hurt near the end of the Celtics-Knicks game last night, and it did not look good. There have been no real reports or updates as of now, but I would venture to guess he tore his ACL.

This bums me out. By no means am I a Celtics fan. I have always rooted against them. I don't like them, most of their fans and their smug attitude. I always rooted for whoever was playing against them, and I still do. Go Knicks. But, I do like Jayson Tatum. He is from Saint Louis. He has an attitude that I like from a pro athlete. I feel like he is never seriously talked about as a top five player, and that's bogus to me. Tatum is most definitely a top five player, and there's only one, maybe two guys I'd take before him if I were starting a team today. He is an efficient offensive scorer. He can get to the rim and shoot the three. He is also a great free throw shooter. What separates him from other so called superstars, he is also a great defender. He cares about defense and he plays hard on that end of the floor. He goes 100 percent all the time and has not missed much time since he made his way to the NBA. Tatum is an underappreciated star, much like Tim Duncan. So this injury is really going to mess stuff up and I'm going to miss watching him play the game of basketball for what is most likely going to be more than a year. 

His injury bums me out for other reasons too. Tatum is a fun modern player for me to watch. He does play the game how most do now, putting up a ton of threes, but he also does some old school stuff too, and he does it well. He has a wonderful mid range game. He can get to the hoop. He is a solid dunker. He is a good passer who is seemingly always making the right decision. I mentioned his solid defense earlier. Tatum is so good and quiet about how good he is at basketball. He doesn't need to be boastful or on the internet talking about how great he is. He lets his game do the talking, and I really like that about him. He is also a good father. He has his son with him all the time and he is always doing stuff with him. I like how he promotes his kid and wants what is best for him. He seems like a natural fit as a dad, and being a dad myself, that is a relief to see from such a big time player. It is also clear that Tatum loves this game and is always trying to get better. I feel like he is always trying to find something to better his game. He wants to find a way to get an edge. That reminds me of the old school players who did what it took to become the best.

Tatum is not satisfied. He has a ring, but it is clear he wants more. He wants to get accolades too, but he wants to win above all else. That is refreshing to see in a young, modern superstar. Tatum loves the game and it shows. I like that from NBA players. Seeing this injury, and pondering the fallout, this stinks. He is too good a player and a person to be gone from the NBA for over a year. I wish this weren't the case, but here we are. Heal up and get better soon Jayson Tatum, the NBA needs you. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Ty's 2024-2025 NBA Preview: Title Favorites Division

Welcome to day six of my 2024-25 NBA countdown. Today I have the top five teams in my countdown. Tomorrow I will do my postseason predictions, including awards and Wednesday will be my men's NCAA basketball preview. Anyway, let's get to the top five teams.

At 5 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers won the offseason. They got the biggest prize of all. Paul George is now a 76er. I know he has a hyperextended knee right now, but by all accounts, he should be good to go at the start of the season. George is a perfect fit with this team. He will add late game scoring and very good defense. This was a great move. Joel Embiid is going to scale back all the games he has played during the regular season since he became an all NBA player. I think this will help him out. He will be able to go all out all the time and he shouldn't get hurt nearly as much. I love this move and it should help keep him on the floor more often than not. Tyrese Maxey has vaulted into an upper tier caliber NBA player. He is such a good scorer, he fits wonderfully and he has gotten better every season since he has been in the league. Kelly Oubre Jr returned and he has looked very good since he joined Philadelphia. Kyle Lowry will be a very good, very pesky backup guard. They got Caleb Martin at one hell of a deal. He is a wonderful role player and he is gritty as hell. They also signed Reggie Jackson and Eric Gordon. The 76ers have been making solid moves to get great vets to add to their roster. They also signed Guerschon Yabusele, who was awesome in the Olympics. The 76ers made excellent offseason decisions and they could reap the rewards. They need to stay healthy.

At 4 I have the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder are ahead of schedule. They were the number 1 seed in the West last season, and they will probably be there again this year. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is elite. He is going to win an MVP, maybe even this season. He has elevated his play every season, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. Lu Dort is a tank of a defender and he can shoot, well he can shoot sometimes. Getting Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey was a total robbery of the Bulls. Caruso is an upgrade in every possible way for the Thunder. Chet Holmgren shocked me and a bunch of other people when he played all 82 games last season. I don't see a repeat of that, but he is a pretty darn good rim defender. He does still need to bulk up though. Jalen Williams has taken a few steps each season. I now expect him to take a leap. He has all the tools to be a great second or third option on this team. Isaiah Hartenstein is going to add toughness and rebounding. He should be a nice change of pace for this team from Holmgren. Isaiah Joe is a pretty good shooter. Cason Wallace is fast as hell. The Thunder are young, good and ready to make the jump to a finals favorite. They're that good.

At 3 I have the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves are a threat to the Thunder, and all other West teams for that matter. Anthony Edwards is awesome. He is one of the best young players in the league. He has confidence and the ability to crush in the NBA, which he is already kind of doing. AE is one of my favorite players in the league. He is endlessly watchable. Rudy Gobert is a head case, but the dude can play defense. He is big and strong and can move. He is the best rim protector in the NBA. Mike Conley has fit in quite nicely as the head vet in the league. He is constantly mentoring the younger dudes, and they seem to love it. Jaden McDaniels is an elite defender. He is as lockdown as they get in the league. Naz Reid is coming off a Sixth Man of the Year award, and he will get more responsibility now, which he can definitely handle. They got Donte DiVincenzio and Julius Randle in the KAT trade. This is a good deal for all teams. Randle brings scoring and DiVincenzio brings space and shooting. And I really like the Rob Dillingham pick for depth. The Timberwolves are relevant, they have a superstar and they are fun as hell to watch play basketball.

At 2 I have the New York Knicks. When doing this countdown I couldn't believe that I had them ranked this high, but here we are. Jalen Brunson is a superstar. All he needed was the correct amount of minutes and a front office and coaching staff that believed in him. He got both with the Knicks. They got Karl Anthony-Towns in the aforementioned trade. He is going to do pretty well with this team. He is a solid defender, he loves to shoot and he has a past with Tom Thibodeau. They also acquired Mikal Bridges via trade this offseason. He adds a ton of what they need. He is a shooter, a slasher and a very good defender. OG Anunoby, when he is healthy, is a very good Swiss army knife of a player. He is one of the best defenders in the NBA. Josh Hart does it all. And he never leaves the floor. Mitchell Robinson is hurt yet again. But, when he is on the floor, he is a strong rebounder and defender. Precious Achiuwa and Jericho Sims are nice backup bigs. And Miles McBride had a pretty good playoff appearance last season. The Knicks are a very good basketball team. They have a very well constructed roster. They have pretty much everything they need to win big this year.

And finally, at number 1 I have the Boston Celtics. I don't think this is a surprise to anyone. They're the best team in the league and they return pretty much everyone. Jayson Tatum is one of the most underappreciated stars in the league. He is a willing and good defender. He is an excellent scorer. His passing has gone up a level. Tatum does it all. He needs the proper credit. Jaylen Brown was amazing in the playoffs and he seems to play with a chip on his shoulder. He has gotten so much better every year. That should terrify opposing teams. Al Horford has fit in nicely as the calm vet on the team. He also has become a pretty damn good 3 point shooter over the past couple seasons. Kristaps Porzingis is hurt, no surprise, but when he is on the floor he helps this team go. I was wrong about his fit. It works. Derrick White is a great shooter and a wonderful defender. He is the ultimate role player. Jrue Holiday is the best perimeter defender in the league, and when his shot is falling, he is lethal. The bench is good enough to keep the team afloat in their limited minutes. The Celtics should be favored to win it all again this season. They have it all and they have it all coming back. They're the best team in the NBA by a wide, wide margin.

That's it, that is my 2024-25 NBA countdown. I hope you all enjoyed it. I cannot wait for the season to tip tomorrow. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Thoughts on the Celtics 18th NBA Title

The Celtics won their 18th championship last night. They did it relatively easily, disposing of the Mavericks in five games. Jaylen Brown was the rightful Finals MVP, Al Horford got his first ring and local guy Jayson Tatum shut his doubters up in the process, delivering a pretty great close out game. Let’s discuss.

I know the media will want to try and place this team in the annals of history today, and find excuses for Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving and start moving on to next season. I want to look back at these finals and give my impression.

Before the series started I picked the Celtics to win in six games, only a game off, and said I would not be watching much of it at all, I logged about two and a half quarters worth of tv time on these finals. I made it no secret that I do not like either of these teams. I have never been a Celtics fan and the mere presence of Luka Doncic's face makes me annoyed and angry. But, the basketball I did watch, I gained some respect for this version of the Celtics. They have two bonafide superstars currently on their roster. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are legit. They are both in the top 20, maybe 15, of the league right now. Brown was an absolute beast this whole series. He was consistent on both ends of the floor. He wanted this ring more than anybody, or that was how I saw it. He put in the necessary work, stayed healthy and became the best overall player on the Celtics when they needed him most. Tatum showed the viewing public another side of his game. He couldn't score as easily as he does, so he decided to become a ferocious driver and made the right pass time after time. Tatum knew what would work against the Mavs defense and he did it over and over and over again. The Mavs had no answer for this version of Tatum and he used that to his team's advantage. Derrick White was a hound on defense and he made big shots seemingly all the time. Al Horford stepped up and played a great role on both ends of the floor. And Jrue Holiday more than proved his worth each and every night. He may be the most underrated player in the entire NBA. The dude just wins. The Celtics bench stepped up when they needed them to. They rebounded well. They made the right play on offense. They survived their mental lapses. And they played suffocating defense. Their defense in this series was a thing of beauty. They were everywhere. They switched everything. They didn't care who had the ball, they were guarding one on one. It was a breath of fresh air for me to watch. They shoot way too many threes for my taste, but their defensive prowess more than made up for their offense to me.

As for the Mavs, they were overmatched from the jump. Doncic moaned and groaned all the way to fouling out during a crucial moment in game three. He spent too much time focusing on the refs. He got exposed on defense. Anyone that called him the "best player" in this series should be eating their words this morning. Sure, he scored, but he was bad in these finals, very bad. Kyrie Irving was worse. He never made an impact on either end. He had one game where he scored okay, but it didn't matter. He did not bring the same energy on defense that he had in the previous series. He couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. He struggled mightily. The bigs the Mavs had couldn't do much of anything. Derrick Lively Jr started slow, but did finish strong. He is also a young rookie, so hiccups were expected. Daniel Gafford was played off the floor. PJ Washington was irrelevant. Maxi Kleber was bad. Tim Hardaway Jr never got consistent minutes. The Mavericks bought into the media hype and they were exposed. And Jason Kidd got wildly outcoached by Joe Mazzula. Mazzula had a plan, it worked and he wavered only when he had to. Kidd's plan was to let Luka Doncic do whatever he wanted to do and hope for the best. Jason Kidd is incredibly knowledgeable on the game of basketball, but I do think he is wildly overrated as an NBA head coach. A 35 year old treated him like he was the young guy trying to figure it out in the finals. Joe Mazzula was masterful.

All in all, this was not a very good finals. But, the better team won. The Celtics are just that too, a team. They don't need the 1 star surrounded by role players. Brown and Tatum are upper echelon talents, but they understand the importance of playing team basketball on offense and defense. The Mavericks are not at that level, and I fear they may not get there with this roster and coaching staff. Congrats to the Celtics. They are in sole possession of the most titles in NBA history, and this could be the start of more to come. Time will tell. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Ty Predicts the NBA FInals

The NBA Finals are set, and it is two teams that I openly loathe. If you read my piece yesterday, you know why I despise this current Mavericks team. As for the Celtics, I've never been a fan. Let’s discuss.

As a kid I loved the Supersonics. The Sonics and Celtics weren't rivals, but I still rooted against the Celtics. It was also easy to hate on the Celtics as a kid because they weren't very good when I was younger. They had Rick Pitino as head coach for a bit, and those teams were horrendous. They would roll out guys like Ron Mercer, old Dominique Wilkins, Xavier McDaniel, Dee Brown and Dino Radja, to name a few. These were bad teams and I rooted against them throughout my childhood. But now they are good. Their best player is from Saint Louis. Jaylen Brown is a ferocious defender and dunker and he can shoot the rock. Derrick White was a perfect trade for them. Al Horford is consistent as hell. Kristaps Porzingis, when healthy, provides what they need from the center position in the modern NBA. The Celtics are legit. The Mavs are good as well, but this feels like found money for them. They are on a real heater. They are getting more free throws than their opponents. They are getting away with fouls constantly. They are setting illegal screens and getting away with it. They are the darlings of the league and it makes me sick to my stomach. But we are now here.

The Mavs and Celtics are playing for a title. One of the brighter young stars, Luka Doncic or Jayson Tatum, will get their first ring. Mark Cuban will go out a champ, or Brad Stevens will prove his move to the front office was the correct choice. And I will hardly watch any of it. I am wildly disinterested in this matchup. I truly do not care who wins. I'd love to see the Celtics lockdown both Doncic and Irving, but I really don't think I'll tune in for more than a half an hour total in this series. I don't like these teams. I think I have made that abundantly clear. I despise the two stars on the Mavs. I only root for Tatum because he is from my hometown, and I don't root for him all that often. But, I know the readers of my sports stuff want me to break it down, so I'll give it a go.

The Mavs have a better backcourt on offense. Doncic and Irving are better than Derrick White and Jrue Holiday on that end. But the Celtics backcourt is far more superior on defense. Holiday is one of the best perimeter defenders currently in the NBA. White is a nuisance. They are going to make it really tough for Doncic and Irving. But those dudes will get theirs on offense. And Holiday has been a non factor on offense. White is fine, but streaky. The Mavs have the backcourt advantage, As for the frontcourt, the Celtics are light years ahead. Tatum is a bonafide star. All these people saying he is "having a rough playoffs" are clearly not paying attention. He is excellent, he just doesn't run his mouth. He is a boring superstar, and I applaud him for that. Jaylen Brown is a force. That dude can play the game of basketball. He is very good, very intense and understands this game maybe better than anyone playing right now. And be it Horford or Porzingis, they can both shoot and rebound the ball. Horford is a better defender, but they are both pretty interchangeable. I'd happily take those three over Daniel Gafford, Derrick Lively and Derrick Jones Jr. Tatum is way, way, way better than Jones Jr. Brown is far, far superior to any 4 or any 5 on the Mavs that may guard him. And while Lively is very good and hyper athletic, he is a rookie and this is, by far, the biggest stage he has ever played on in his life. That is a lot to ask of a rookie. The frontcourt is clearly in favor of the Celtics. Both of these teams' benches are very plain. The Mavs bring PJ Washington or Daniel Gafford off the bench. They also have Tim Hardaway Jr, Dante Exum, Josh Green and Maxi Kleber. No one truly stands out to me. As for the Celtics, they are bringing Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Luke Kornet and Oshae Brisset off their bench. Again, none are world beaters. Then we have the coaches. Jason Kidd has proven his worth. He is getting the most out of this team. He has made the defense better than I ever imagined they could be. Joe Mazzula has the better team, has a better defense and the Celtics were the best team in the NBA all season long. They have hiccups here and there that they need to clean up. For the most part though, this is about as solid a team as the NBA has seen in a long, long time.

If I am looking over everything and trying to pick a winner, I have to go back to defense. The Celtics are a much, much better defense, and I think they will find a way to make guys other than Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving beat them. They will try to make Derrick Jones Jr hit shots. They won't allow the Mavs guards to throw alley oops with ease. They will make life tough, and when it gets tough for Doncic, he decides to whine instead of just playing through it. For defense alone I'm going Celtics in 6. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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R.I.P. Bill Walton

Hello all, and welcome back after my day off. I've got stuff to write about this week, namely my viewing of "Furiosa", but those other pieces will have to be pushed a day or so.

Yesterday, while swimming with family and friends, one of my family members informed me that Bill Walotn had passed away. I was shocked. I didn't truly believe him when he told me. We are both "CBB" listeners, and Bill Walton is a character that comes up on that show a lot, so I thought he was saying that the character of Bill Walton was going away. I was wrong, and he was right. The real Bill Walton, the actual person, has passed away at 71 years old.

Again, I was floored when I found out on my own time. He was only 71 years old. That, in today's world, is still relatively young. He always seemed so full of life and vibrant during games he was calling. There was, to me, no sign of poor health. I figured we were going to get 5-10 more years of his crazy stories he would tell while calling Pac 12 basketball games. Hell, I even loved it when he would go and call NBA games. He was insightful and hilarious. His nonsensical stories cracked me up. He was always quick with a joke. He would go on these wild tangents that were a true delight if you liked his longer stories. I would get excited when I would see him on a game that I had planned to watch. I know not everyone liked his play by play stuff. I did. It was a true joy for me. I think I liked it so much because he never took it too seriously. He understood that it was a game. Sports are not life and death. It is not the end all be all. I need to understand that even more. I need to be more like Bill Walton was when he was still alive.

He also happened to be an excellent basketball player. He was a dominant high school player. He was even better in college. He was on those UCLA teams that were damn near unbeatable. He was on the undefeated team. He was on the team that had a very long win streak. He learned from Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and kept things rolling at UCLA, winning national titles. Then he came into the pros as one of the better big men in the league. He was everything the Trailblazers could have wanted when they drafted him. He took them to places the team had never been before. He was an all NBa player. And while he never won a title with the Trailblazers, he made them a legit contender. He did get his ring with the Celtics, where he became a bench guy. He was ahead of his time as a player. He played free and loose. When he was dealt injuries, he took on a lesser role, doing what was best for the team. When he wasn't making shots, he became a ferocious rebounder. He did things to help the team.

Walton was incredibly outspoken off the floor. He was not afraid to challenge people. He would call out injustices. He would fight to help people anyway he could. He would say what was on his mind. He didn't care about his persona. And boy oh boy did he love the Grateful Dead and the whole hippy culture. He was one of the first dudes I saw that wore a headband. He had long, flowing blonde hair poking out of said headband. He was all about his tie dye shirts. I have to assume he engaged in smoking pot and other hallucinogens. He was all about, and I was here for it. I say, good for him for always being himself, no matter what the situation may have been.

This is a pretty sad one to lose. Bill Walton was truly one of a kind. He was about as famous as one can get, but it never seemed to really go to his head. The outpouring of condolences yesterday proves how important he was to a lot of people. Rest in Peace Bill Walton. Throw one down wherever you may be at this very moment. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Ty Ranks the 2023 - 2024 NBA Teams - Watching Your Favorite Act Perform in a Stadium with 100,000 of Your Closest Friends Division

Welcome back to my preseason NBA countdown. This is the final day of the countdown. I will be giving you my top five teams heading into the season. I'll do awards and postseason predictions tomorrow to wrap it all up. Now, to the final five teams.

At 5 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. I don't know that a team with this much offseason turmoil is deserving of this high of a ranking, but the team on paper is very, very good. They have really good, star players. Hiring Nick Nurse was a home run as well. This team is stacked, if they stick it out. James Harden is still here, much to his chagrin. He is becoming more and more of a baby, but when he is dedicated and trying hard, he is a 25 ppg guy and a double digit assist guy. Joel Embiid is the reigning MVP. He is the best big in the NBA. He is as smooth as it gets on offense and a total menace near the rim on defense. Embiid is awesome, except for the playoffs. He needs to stay healthy during the playoffs and perform better. Tyrese Maxey is an up and coming star. He is on the path to being an all star. He is also a knockdown shooter and excellent shot creator. Tobias Harris is solid. He may not be worth his contract, but he is steady. I also watched him live twice last year and was super impressed. PJ Tucker is still a very feared defender, but he is an absolute goose egg on offense. De'Anthony Melton proved to be a great offseason addition last year. Danuel House Jr can still shoot a bit too. They also revamped their bench this offseason. I think Patrick Beverly will prove to be a good vet to have in the locker room. Kelly Oubre will bring extra offense. Mo Bamba can give five or six decent minutes a night. Danny Green looks okay. The 76ers have a very good team. Their season will all depend on how they come together, but they have the talent to win, and win big.

At 4 I have the Phoenix Suns. The Suns went for it all last season and ate it hard against the eventual champs. They decided to make some changes this offseason. Devin Booker is still here and still awesome. He is fast becoming one of the top players in the NBA. He is very good. Kevin Durant will have a full season with Booker now and hopefully he doesn't get hurt in warmups again. He is still an upper echelon player on both ends. They moved on from Chris Paul and went out and got Bradley Beal. Beal is a good player. He had big moments in Washington. I am still concerned how he fits here, but either way he brings scoring. Then they decided to make more changers. They got Jusuf Nurkic in a trade. He is not as good as Deandre Ayton, but if he is on the floor he will set hard screens. Eric Gordon brings three point shooting. So does Yutu Wantanabe. He has made a mark for himself in the NBA. Bol Bol will be interesting here if he plays at all. Keita Bates-Diop may start, but he will be a screen setter as well. Grayson Allen is here, but who cares. Damion Lee and Josh Okogie stuck around, which will help with some continuity. The Suns have a weird roster, but they will score in bunches. They need to hope for health since they are so top loaded, and if that happens, they will be lethal.

At 3 I have the Boston Celtics. This team almost fully changed their roster and yet they look even better than they have the past couple years. Jayson Tatum is awesome. He is elite. He is one of the best overall players in the NBA. He may be the future face of the league. Jaylen Brown, while solid, is not as good as Tatum. He is not as dependable either. But he got paid and I wonder if the security of his massive contract will let him play more freely. Derrick White is a very good perimeter defender and 3 point shooter. Al Horford, while old, is still one of the better big man defenders in the NBA. He can slow down almost any other center. The Celtics went out and traded for Kristaps Porzingis. He had a career year last year. If he can stay on the floor he may put up very big numbers. They also got Jrue Holiday who may be the best perimeter defender in the NBA. He can also bring extra scoring. And guys like Oshae Brissett, Lamar Stevens and Wenyen Gabriel are better bench guys than they had last year. The rich changed, got richer and got better. The Celtics are going to win a ton of games this year.

At 2 I have the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks made the deal of the offseason. I fully understand that they traded Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen, two starters from last season's team, but they got Damian Lillard. Lillard brings everything they need on offense. He is a knockdown shooter, can create and can get to the line. He will also give Giannis an open lane. Speaking of Giannis, Antetokounmpo is the best basketball player in the world. He is a do it all machine and he is very good at almost everything on both sides of the floor. Khris Middleton, if healthy, will get crazy wide open looks playing alongside Giannis and Lillard. He will be astonished at how open he will be. He is also a very solid defender. Brook Lopez is one of the best defensive players in the league and he can really shoot the 3. Jae Crowder is back, and I think with a more defined role he will look like his old self. Bobby Portis is one of the best bench and role players in the NBA. Pat Connaughton, if he can get out of his own head, can stroke the three and be a defensive menace. I love that they brought in Cam Payne to backup Lillard. And I am very curious to see MarJon Beauchamp get some run. He crushed in summer league. The Bucks are a very good team who got much better by adding Lillard. I cannot wait to watch them play this season.

My number 1 team going into this season should be no surprise. The number 1 team is the Denver Nuggets. They have it all and are coming off a dominant playoff run that ended in a title. They were barely even pushed. Expect more of that this season. Nikola Jokic is a great basketball player. I'm sick of all the coverage and love and how people like the "curmudgeon" he is, but the dude can play. Jamal Murray is very awesome. I think he will finally get on the all star team this year. I feel like he is really going to announce himself super loud this season. Aaron Gordon fits perfectly here. He is a great pick and roll guy, he is their best defender and he can still jump out of the gym. Michael Porter Jr is almost unguardable from the perimeter and he is a solid shot creator. But he is always hurt and kind of took a step back last season. Christian Braun played a nice bench role as a rookie. I'm sure he will get more minutes. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope continues to produce and win wherever he plays. Reggie Jackson seems to have finally bought into being a backup and it fits for him. Peyton Watson should get more time this year. Zeke Nnaji is an interesting player. And Justin Holiday was a solid pickup. The Nuggets should be overwhelming favorites heading into the season. They have pretty much everyone back and they are ready to go.

That is it for my countdown. As I said earlier, tomorrow I will have my postseason predictions and my awards predictions. The regular season is almost here everyone. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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2022 Top Five - Sports

Today I come to you all with my top sports moments of 2022. This has been a good sports year for me as a fan. I have not had much to complain about, but being a true fanatic, I have found stuff here and there. My list is all football and basketball. Well, there is one baseball thing. But those are the sports I watch. I do not watch hockey, soccer, NASCAR or even boxing anymore. I understand that the World Cup just happened, but I didn't watch a second of it. And RD and Tina do all the tennis talk for the site. I just wanted to give you all a heads up. On to the countdown.

At number 5 I have the final season of Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina. I am not the biggest MLB fan, but being a native St Louisian, and a Cardinals fan, this was a very important sendoff. Pujols came back to play his last year here. Yadi is a lifelong Cardinal, and in my opinion, the greatest catcher of all time. To see them play their final season together where they started was magical. What unfolded was even better. Yadi did his thing. He was consistent. He gunned wannabe base stealers down left and right. He hit his usual .270. He had clutch plays. He was as good as ever. Pujols started off slow but something happened to him after the all star break. He found his power. He started to bomb homeruns. He got to a point where 700 seemed like it was possible. And when he hit that magical number it was euphoric. I was stoked. The kids I coach in baseball were stoked. It was so cool to see the whole city get behind Pujols on his run to 700. The Cardinals won the division and looked like they could make a deep playoff run. The Phillies had other plans though. Even though they choked, seeing Pujols and Yadi finish their careers in St Louis, on a relatively high note, was pretty damn cool. They are two of the best to ever do it and two of the best Cardinals to ever do it. 

At number 4 I have the Cincinnati Bengals going on their incredible playoff run all the way to the Super Bowl. I could not believe what I was seeing while it was going on. Sure, one win seemed like it was possible. But to run through the AFC the way they did, and then beat the Chiefs to make the Super Bowl, it was great. I am not a Bengals fan at all, but my nephew is and my brother has lived in Cincy for a bit now. I was happy for them. I was stoked to see guys like Jamaar Chase and Joe Burrow show up big time in big time games. I like those dudes. And the Bengals did not disappoint in the Super Bowl. They may not have won, but they had a chance. They had an open guy on the final play. They stayed in the whole game. The Rams were bought to win a Super Bowl. The Bengals were built to win one. They are playing great this year. But that run, and all the texts between RD and myself during their run, that was pretty rad. I like the team and I wish them nothing but success in the long run.

At number 3 I have the Warriors-Celtics NBA Finals. It was an incredible series. I was rooting for Golden State because of my disdain for the Celtics. But it was cool to see Jayson Tatum, a STL native, play on the biggest stage. And I was certain that the Celtics were going to win after going up 2-1. It seemed inevitable. But then the Warriors woke up and looked amazing. Klay Thompson was coming off two ACL tears and started to look like himself. Draymond Green got back to playing top notch defense. Kevon Looney became a very poor man's Tim Duncan. Jordan Poole was getting points in limited minutes. Andrew Wiggins was locking up Celtic after Celtic. But it was Steph Curry who willed this team to victory. He did not want to be beat and it showed. He scored at will. He hustled on defense. He proved, without a shadow of a doubt, that he is one of the best to ever play. He earned this title. He was the well deserving MVP. He said this one felt best and it showed. I was in awe of his performance from game four to six. He was on a mission and it was beautiful to watch. This was a great finals and the best team won.

At number 2 I have the Michigan Wolverines football season. The new year started off rough with Georgia crushing Michigan in the CFP. I didn't know what to expect from the team going into this season, but they did not disappoint. They handled their cupcake of a non conference schedule. Then when they got into Big Ten play they opened with a tough win over Maryland. They then went on to crush every opponent until Illinois. They beat Penn State by 28. They put Michigan State into submission. They sacked Indiana QB's eight times. They ran over everyone. Illinois gave them a scare. Michigan did not deserve to win but they found a way. They then went to Columbus and won there for the first time in 22 years. Not only did they win though, they dismantled the university of Ohio State. They ran up and down the field on them. They made CJ Stroud look pedestrian. Blake Corum, the team's heart and soul, was hurt the week before and barely played. It didn't matter. They had the next man up mentality. They used this momentum and throttled Purdue in the Big Ten title game. They have a date with TCU coming up and I am terrified as always. But this team has proven me wrong all year. They have figured out ways to win games. Guys like Mike Morris, Mike Sainristil, Blake Corum, the entirety of the O line, Will Johnson, DJ Turner, Cornelius Johnson, they all deserve this. They have all earned this. I am hopeful as a Michigan fan for the first time in a long time.  I hope it doesn't bite me in the butt, but time will tell. As of now I am a hopeful Wolverines fan.

At number 1 I have a very personal sports moment. My son started playing football this year. Let me rephrase that, he started to play tackle football this year. I was nervous. I told him horror stories. I tried to convince him otherwise. But he was adamant and we relented. It was wonderful. He got better and better everyday as a football player. He was taught the right way to play the game. He seemed happy at practice and at games. He really looked like he was in his element. As the season went on the team continued to get better. They started to win more. They were really beating teams up. And my son lived in the backfield on defense and pancaked would-be tacklers on offense. It was a shock, in a good way, to see him progress the way he did. They won enough to make the fifth grade playoffs and it got even better. They won their first game handily. They had a tough test in the second game, but they ran away with that one as well. The championship was on a very windy and cold day. And they even gave up an early field goal. From there on out they scored 30 unanswered points. They destroyed the team that made it to the finals. They hammered them. And my son was smiling all the way. He loved every second of football. And I loved watching him. I am so glad I didn't coach also. I got to enjoy it from the stands. I am always proud of him and this is another notch in his belt. I was so happy to see them win and to watch him play all year. That is the best a sports dad can ask for.

That is it for sports. Come back tomorrow for my final top five, top five podcasts of the year, tomorrow.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty's 2022 - 2023 NBA Season Preview: Suns, Celtics, 76ers

Welcome to day nine of my 22-23 NBA countdown. These are my top teams. These are the teams that I would bet on to win it all if I were a betting man. Any of these teams could win it all and I wouldn't bat an eye.

At number 6 I have the Phoenix Suns. This team had quite the offseason. They got blown out in the West Semis. Then they waited forever to re-sign Deandre Ayton. Then he said he hadn't talked to his coach. Then Robert Sarver was suspended and eventually said he was selling the team. Then Jae Crowder asked to be traded. And they still came out, erased a 22 point lead and beat the Mavs on opening night. That is why I will not give up on this team yet. Devin Booker is a star. He is such a good scorer and is becoming a decent defender. Chris Paul is still one of the best point guards to ever play the game. He keeps getting older but his game stays relatively the same. Deandre Ayton, for all the offseason drama, is still a 20 and 10 guy, still plays sound defense, is still a solid rim runner and can stretch the defense. Mikail Bridges is awesome. He is going to win defensive player of the year soon, maybe even this season. He is becoming a reliable scorer. He goes up against the opponent's best player every night. Cam Johnson has earned his starting spot. He can shoot and is a solid team defense guy. Damion Lee just hit a game winner and looks like a solid bench guy. Dario Saric is back and he adds a ton to this roster. Cam Payne has proven to be a top tier backup point guard. Bismack Biyombo brings energy and defense. I like the Josh Okogue signing. The Suns have a very good roster, with a very good coach and will win a ton of games this year. They are still a legit threat.

At number 5 I have the Boston Celtics. Here is another team with some offseason drama who won their opener in very convincing fashion. Ime Udoka was doing some wild stuff this offseason, got suspended and who knows what is going to happen. Joe Mazzulla has stepped in, and the Celtics looked very good Wednesday night. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum just keep getting better and better. They are incredible wing defenders, they can get their own shots, they can get to the hoop and they are becoming one of the better duos in the league. I don't like the Celtics, but I like Brown and Tatum. Getting Malcolm Brogdon only makes this team deeper. He can score, pass and defend. He is a perfect fit. Blake Griffin doesn't add much of anything except experience. Robert Williams is hurt, but when he gets back he is a top level rim protector and lob threat. Marcus Smart is the reigning DOP and he looked every bit the part the other night. He can shoot too. Al Horford is still good and still contributes. Derrick White was a great acquisition. Grant Williams has been surprisingly decent in the NBA. The Celtics were in the Finals last season, won a few games and could very easily be back there this season and win it all. As much as I dislike this team, they are very, very good.

The final team for the day, coming in at number 4 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. They have a very good, very enticing roster. This team has fooled me in the past, maybe they will do it again, but I really, really like what they have going on. James Harden is in shape, looked good the other night and looks like he could be an all star again. He just needs to do it when it counts. Joel Embiid is awesome. He is one of my favorite players. He should have won MVP last season and has as good a shot to win it this season. He is just an awesome, awesome player. Tyrese Maxey is exploding on the scene. He is lightning fast and can shoot the lights out. I love the PJ Tucker addition. He is going to make this team tougher and he can hit corner threes at a very high rate. De'Anthony Melton was an underrated offseason addition. He is going to be wonderful off the bench for the 76ers just like he was in Memphis. I'm going to miss him. Tobias Harris still has nights where he can fill it up. Matisse Thybulle is a great defender. Montezl Harrell will bring energy off the bench. Danuel House can shoot and lock down perimeter players. This team is good. They have the potential to be great. They could win the title this year. They could do a lot. They just have to do it now.

That is it for today. Come back tomorrow for my last three teams, the top three. See you tomorrow.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Should I Care Anymore About Blake Griffin the NBA Player

Earlier today, and I will be doing a full NBA preview soon, I saw that Blake Griffin signed a one year deal with the Celtics. The news kind of came and went for me. It had no real pull at all. I thought, good for him, but how does he help Boston? Then I got kind of sad for Blake Griffin. Let’s discuss.

There was once a time when Griffen was a real MVP candidate. He was one of the top 20 players, easily, in the NBA. He was on ESPN every night. The Clippers became relevant when he and Chris Paul were there. He was always on the All Star team, he was a perennial all NBA player, he was winning dunk contests and he was an all time heel for non Clippers fans. I could not stand him. I actively rooted against him. I do not dislike the Clippers, but I disliked the Lob City Clippers. But I also respected his game. He did the things that I liked. He dunked hard. He had amazing hops. He was a rebounder. He started to make his jumper. He reminded me of my all time favorite player, Shawn Kemp. He was the newer, and as much as this hurts to write, better, Shawn Kemp.

Then stuff kind of went haywire. The Clippers gave him a max deal, but then traded him in year two of that deal. And it is not like they traded him to a contender or even a nice city. They offloaded him to Detroit. When he went there I thought it might work, and I thought it was rad that Detroit was getting a star player via trade. None of it worked. He moped around. He never went too hard. He lost a step. He didn't try as hard on both ends of the floor. The Pistons never did much with Griffin. It was at this time when I started to forget about him. He was still in the league, but he was way off of my radar. I'd hear his name come up and kind of shrug. And this is only a few years after getting a max deal and being the force that he was in LA. Griffin was actually becoming more of a comedic voice than a basketball player in my eyes. He was showing up at Improv shows and on podcasts and I kind of forgot that he was this incredible basketball player at one point. Then last season he left Detroit as a free agent and signed with Brooklyn. The move was met with a whimper on my end. I did not even care that he was joining forces with Kyrie and KD. I could have cared less. I figured he would be a bench player, and he was. He lost all his hops. He lost every step. His jumper was erratic at best. He wasn't the heel anymore. No one was afraid of him. He was not the problem. It got bad enough for him that he was played out of playoff series at times. He could not be counted on anymore. And that made me sad. Again, I have never been a fan of his, but I respect his game, especially when he was young.

The news of him going to Boston feels very blah to me. But the more I have thought about it today, maybe he is going to do what Vince Carter did. Carter was a very similar player to Griffin. But Carter bought into being a bench player. He played his role. His jumper became very good. He tried on defense. He became a fan favorite all over again. Carter handled the back half of his career perfectly. Maybe that is what Griffin is going to do. Or maybe I hope that is what Griffin is going to do now in Boston. Hopefully he is ready to be a bench guy. Hopefully he is ready to be a full time role player. He is not the number one guy anymore. Hell, he isn't even a starter anymore. I hope that is the way he goes. I don't know, and I am not very hopeful. But hopefully he does more of a Vince Carter thing. That would be best. We will see.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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R.I.P Bill Russell

Bill Russell passed away at 88 yesterday. I was out for a run, I got home, cleaned myself up and checked my phone. This is what I do every Sunday after my morning run. This is my routine. The first thing I saw when I checked was a whole bunch of people writing "RIP Bill Russell".

I did not want to believe it at first. I understand that he was old, but it seemed like Bill Russell was going to live for a bit longer. I figured he would make it to his mid 90's. He still seemed like he had time. I saw him at the Finals. I saw him on TV a lot during the NBA season. And he looked okay. Again, he had grayed and he moved slower than usual, but he still seemed to have it all together. He wasn't going away mentally at least. So when I read his family's statement on his passing, it hit me a little harder than I thought it would.

It is no secret how much I dislike the Celtics. They may be my least favorite professional sports team. But Bill Russell was the exception for me. He was a player who I never saw play, but knew all about his career. I feel like it is a prerequisite to know about Russell when you decided to get into basketball. He was a trailblazer. He was ahead of his time. He dominated. He did things that were unheard of back when he played. He would have thrived in any era with his style of play. He was a defensive first style player. He was the original rim protector. He was a skinnier, more athletic Shaq on the defensive end. He was impenetrable when protecting the rim. He is the greatest rebounder to ever play the game. Without his rebounding prowess there would have been no Moses Malone, Dennis Rodman, Andre Drummond, Tim Duncan, none of those guys would have had a role model to look up to in the rebounding game. I mean, you go look at his old stats and 40 rebounds pops up regularly. It is nuts. Russell was also a dominant low post scorer, but only did it when it was needed. He would put up points when he wanted to, or was asked. He could go for 30 with ease at any moment. But he was also the consummate team player. He did what was best for the team no matter what. If he was asked to only rebound, he did it better than anyone else. If he was asked to be a defensive force, he did it better than anyone else. If the Celtics needed scoring, Russell was more than capable of putting up massive amounts of points. He was Tim Duncan before Tim Duncan. He was the quiet superstar that did what was needed. He never cared about his own stats, he did what was best for his team. He was the antithesis to Wilt Chamberlain, another great. But, even with my disdain for the Celtics, I like Russell so much more than Chamberlain.

Bill Russell was also a very important civil rights activist. He stood up for that he believed in and spoke his mind. He did all this in an era where it could have been detrimental to his personal and professional life. But he didn't care. He felt that he needed to be a voice. People listened to him. People respected him. His fans followed him. He used his voice for all the right things. And again, to do this in the 50's and 60', that took a serious amount of guts. And Russell continued all of this in his post NBA career. He has an excellent autobiography every basketball fan should read. He was a steady presence at many NBA games, mostly Celtics games. He would give speeches at awards shows and NBA banquets. There is one of the greatest interviews I have ever seen between him and Kevin Garnett. As a fan of both, I get chills just thinking about it today. Bill Russell was a giant in so many ways. He was a great basketball player. He was an excellent person. He was an activist. He was always himself. He never put on airs.

I am bummed that Bill Russell has passed away. I will miss him. I told my son the news yesterday and even he was devastated. He is 10. That is how far Russell's reach is in the basketball and real world. Rest In Peace Bill Russell. You lived a very full and very eventful life and you will be dearly missed. Enjoy your peace.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Warriors Won the NBA Title and That Does Not Suck

Just like last season, this season I felt the urge to tune into game six of the NBA Finals last night. It had a feeling of something special. Something big was going to happen either way. The Celtics were going to push this to a winner take all game seven Sunday night, or the Warriors were going to wrap it up and become the newest dynasty.

Well, the Warriors wrapped it up. The game wasn't all that close either. This was not like last season when Giannis put up 51 points and all but willed the Bucks to the title. The Celtics got out to a torrid 14-2 start, but then the Warriors responded with a 21-0 run in the second, led by 15 at the half and the closest the Celtics would get the game in the second half was 8 points. This was a wrap with about ten minutes left in the game. The Warriors were going to get their ring. They had squeezed the will out of the Celtics. They suffocated them defensively and, even though it was not pretty, the Warriors did enough to get a 13 point win.

Steph was great. That needs to be said. He scored 32 on the DPOY Marcus Smart. He made six threes. He had seven boards and seven assists. He shot over 50 percent from the field. He more than earned the series MVP. But he had help. Draymond played a vintage game. He had 12 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals. He was everywhere. He hit jumpers. Klay's shot was off, but the threat more than intimidated the Celtics into throwing a few guys his way. Kevon Looney grabbed boards and did the dirty work. Jordan Poole had 15 crucial points. Andrew Wiggins scored and completely shut down Jayson Tatum. Gary Payton II was a menace and spread the floor on the break. The guys who needed to show up did. They showed out. But make no mistake, this was all Steph. This was LeBron like. This was Jordan like. He knew he had to be great and he was for five of the six games. Hell, he was great in game five, he just missed some shots. Without this Steph, the Warriors would be a lottery team. He was majestic. He shined brightest when he needed to the most.

It also needs to be said that the Celtics had an absolute melt down. I have zero problem eating crow after writing last week that it was inevitable that they were going to win. They could not hold onto the ball. They turned it over far too much. Marcus Smart was exposed. He may be hurt, but he could not stop Steph if he were 100 percent. Al Horford had one good game and then was put on an island trying to guard the Warriors guards one on one. Jayson Tatum disappeared in the second half of games five and six. This should be a good lesson for him, but he did not play well in this series. I give Wiggins a ton of credit for that too. Jaylen Brown was good, but he became a ball stopper late in these games. Derrick White completely fell off. Robert Williams was never fully healthy. As much as it irked me at the time, Draymond was right after game one. He knew the Celtics could not duplicate that game three more times. And they didn't.

I was also so sick and tired of the griping from the Celtics, but the Warriors did the best thing. When the Celtics would complain to the refs, they would run and they usually scored. It was perfect. I have never been happier to see a team I do not root for win. I am not a Warriors fan, but I loathe the Celtics. So to see this Warriors team win in Boston, that was a thing of beauty.

It is amazing that the Warriors did this two years after they won only fifteen games. They did it a year after they were knocked out of the play in. They won three years after KD left for Brooklyn. They rebuilt this team on the fly. And they did it around the greatest shooter to ever step on an NBA court. This team is tailor made for Steph. All the cutting and screening to get open shots has worked to perfection. That is why they went out and got a Juan Toscano Anderson and Beilijica and Otto Porter Jr and drafted Poole late in the first. They got guys that fit the system with Steph and Klay and Draymond. They play beautiful basketball. To me they are the 21st century version of the Spurs. The Spurs were always good, would win titles, would constantly be in the playoffs and would rebound immediately after a bad year or two. That is what this iteration of the Warriors did. They are the 2000's Spurs, the 90's Bulls, the 80's Pistons and Celtics and Lakers. They are a legit dynasty. They have more than earned that. They have four titles in ten years. They have been to six finals in ten years. This is their least talented team and they still won it all. What a team. I may not be a fan, but I respect the hell out of them. I was happy for them. I was stoked to see Steph's emotions after the game. They earned everything they achieved this year.

My hats off to the Warriors. Congrats on a much deserved title.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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The Celtics are Going to Win the Finals and that Sucks

My son and I returned home from his baseball game around 9:45pm last night. During his game I would occasionally check the score of the Finals game that was going on. Boston controlled most of it. But in the third quarter Golden State woke up and made it a game. They’ve owned the third quarter all three games of this series. I checked my phone when we left the field and the Celtics were only up six to start the fourth. I was pumped because I assumed we’d get to watch a good, close fourth quarter. We walked in the door, my son got cleaned up and we turned the game on.

The Celtics were up ten when we resumed watching. I didn’t know what had happened. There was still about six minutes left in the game so I thought the Warriors could come back. That didn’t happen. There were two plays that really hammered it home for me. Both involved Jaylen Brown. First he completely locked Steph up on a one on one. Try as he might, and Steph is a wizard handling the ball, he couldn’t get by Brown. He was all over him. He eventually knocked the ball out of his hands with about four seconds left on the shot clock. The Warriors would miss a three after that and Boston would go down and score. It was the first knockout blow. Then Brown swatted a Klay layup. Klay and Jordan Poole ran a beautiful give and go and when Klay got the ball back it looked like he had an easy finish at the rim. Brown had other ideas. He recovered, chased Klay down and beat the ball into the first row. He then let Klay and the crowd know about it. After that block that was when I told my son it was time for us to go to bed. The game was over. He told me there were still three minutes left, but you could tell the Warriors were waving the flag. Draymond fouled out. After the block they took Steph and Klay out and Boston had pushed their lead to fourteen.

Watching that last six minutes last night has me facing a reality I don’t care for as a basketball fan. The Celtics are going to win the title. They are younger. Their defense is better. Steph is making shots and it doesn’t matter. Draymond is playing terribly. Klay didn’t start to make shots until last night. Marcus Smart put up twenty four. The Celtics are hitting threes. Robert Williams looked as good as he has all playoffs last night. Tatum hasn’t lit the world on fire, and the Celtics are still up. And he’s about to break out. The Warriors look frazzled. They’re passing up open looks. The Celtics appear tougher. They are also deeper. It just feels like they have all the control. The series can always change. The Warriors can explode and make 20-25 threes in a game and win. But the Celtics have made a habit of bouncing back every time. And stealing game one in Oakland was a way bigger deal than I thought at the time. That kind of turned the tide. That’s when the Warriors showed their cracks. They need Andrew Wiggins, but he hasn’t shown up yet. They are barely playing Kevon Looney. He needs more minutes. Jordan Poole is scoring, but he’s also being hunted defensively. And the Celtics just keep coming. I have to think beating the Nets, Bucks and Heat really helped them to be ready for this series. They had to go through KD, Giannis and the modern version of the Bad Boy Pistons. The Warriors cruised by a depleted Nuggets team, held off the Grizz without Ja and dismantled the Mavericks, who shouldn’t have made it that far in the first place. The Celtics had a tougher path and they navigated it fairly well. I am not a fan of either of these teams. But I really dislike the Celtics. In fact I do not like any team from Boston. I never have, even when I was a kid. I like Tatum because he’s a STL kid, but I just loathe the Celtics and their holier than thou fans. But it’s looking like they’re going to be super loud and super annoying.

I’d much rather deal with annoying Warriors fans than Celtics fans. Bill Simmons is going to be insufferable. And he’s almost like their ring leader. This really bums me out. I’d love for the Warriors to prove me wrong, but the Celtics seem destined to win it all this year. What a bummer and a tough time to have to deal with their awful, awful fan base.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Ty's 2022 NBA Finals Preview

The NBA Finals are set. We have our two teams, the Celtics and Warriors. I wrote about a week back how I did not want to see the Celtics in the Finals. I like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but that is about it. I also wrote a thing last week about, even though I am not a fan, how great this iteration of the Warriors is. They are a blast to watch. I will say I am stoked that the Mavs, and the white journalists golden boy Luka Doncic, got their lunch handed to them. I don't want to hear about how "far ahead of their process they are", or "how Luka needs help". They got destroyed by a much, much better team. And Luka was not out there talking his shit like he was in the Phoenix series. He got abused over and over again on the defensive end of the floor. The Warriors attacked the weakest defensive link, and it worked. It was glorious.

Anyway, I want to write my final Finals preview. No more after this. I have been so off on all of my predictions. Take this with a very big grain of salt. I had both of these teams out in the conference semifinals. I was very low on these squads and both teams proved me very wrong. So, breaking this down, and taking in the knowledge of watching these playoffs as closely as I have, this is tough. This is, maybe, the best matchup we could have hoped for. Both teams have weaknesses that the other can exploit. But both teams are defensive dynamos. They can stop pretty much anyone in the league. That is how they both ended up here. If I take off my fan goggles, and just look at it from a pure basketball standpoint, I think I would favor the Celtics. They are slightly deeper. They are younger and more athletic. Their defense is slightly better. They have been the best team in the league since mid January. They beat the Nets, in a sweep, and the Bucks. They also took down the Heat, the one seed in the East, in Miami in game seven. They have the "championship metal" that everyone always talks about. But the Warriors are the god damn Warriors. They have been here before. This is their sixth finals trip in eight years. Steph is, maybe, the greatest point guard of all time. Klay looks like his shot is coming back. Draymond is the best defender in the league, and he has suddenly started scoring again. Jordan Poole has been a tremendous revelation. Kevon Looney is a rebounding machine. Johnathan Kuminga played real minutes in the West Finals. Steve Kerr has proven to be a brilliant coach. This is one of the better, more seasoned teams in the NBA.

I am really finding it hard to find one or two things that separates one team from the other. Tatum is going to be a matchup problem. The Warriors will most likely put Klay on him, but Klay is not the defender he used to be. But the Warriors talk and switch so well. And Tatum has shown a tendency to turn the ball over a good amount. Jaylen Brown will be a problem, but Looney showed he could stay in front of Doncic and Ja, when healthy, so I'm sure he is not scared. Draymond will match up great with any big the Celtics throw out there. But Tatum will be able to guard Klay. Marcus Smart is going to harass the hell out of Steph and Jordan Poole. Al Horford will be the best big Looney has faced. Jaylen Brown should clamp down Wiggins. It is going to be a close series, and that is how the Finals should be. If the Mavs had found a way to beat the Warriors, and they were facing the Celtics, I'd pick the Celtics to sweep. I'd say the same for the Heat if they were facing the Warriors. The Heat may have gotten one win because of Jimmy Butler, but it would have been an easy win for the Warriors. Both these teams earned their spot. Both teams are playing very well. The Warriors are playing better, but they played worse competition. The Celtics ran through a gauntlet, but it is the East, and they are probably tired. Also, Smart and Williams are seemingly game to game time decisions.

This series is going to go the full seven. I have true belief in that. And I think it has the promise of being epic. But I do think, in the long run, that the Warriors will pull it out. The Celtics have won big in other arenas in game seven, but not this time. Oakland is a totally different animal. And with Klay finding his shot, and Jordan Poole blowing up, the Warriors have so many scorers and you cannot guard all of them at once. I also think it would be rad to see this Warriors team, as constructed, with the three original dudes and Steve Kerr, win the title. That would rule. That would make them the modern day Spurs.

So that is my pick, Warriors in seven. Now I just have to wait for Thursday night to watch this series start. I can't wait.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Ty's 2021-2022 NBA Preview: Celtics, Suns, Jazz, Lakers

Welcome to day seven of my 2021 NBA countdown. This is it. These are the best of the best. These are the teams that can truly win it all. They are not at the level of my top two teams, which get a full blog tomorrow, but they have the goods to win it all.

At number 6 I have the Boston Celtics. I do not like the Celtics, I never have, and their offseason was weird, but they have a very good team. This team was in the East Finals in the Bubble. Jayson Tatum is on the verge of becoming a super star. He has it all, and he is still very young. He has had COVID, I think he is now vaxxed and that will only help him stay on the floor. He is great. Marcus Smart, who was just suspended for some unknown reason, is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. He is also becoming a better, not reliable, but better three point shooter. Jaylen Brown is coming off an injury, but he was an all star before he got hurt. He is a very, very good basketball player. And watching the playoffs last year, seeing him so nervous and angry that he couldn't play, that made me like him even more as a player. I like the Dennis Schroeder signing. He messed up by not taking the deal with LA early in the season, but now he is on a one year "prove it" deal, and he is a very skilled player. Al Horford is back, and while he is older, he is still a solid defender and can stretch the defense. I loathe Payton Pritchard, I have since he was at Oregon, but the dude is a good role player. Robert Williams has the talent to be a very good center, he just has to stay on the floor. I like the toughness of the bench that Bruno Fernando brings. Enes Kanter is still a top level offensive center. Jabari Parker played well in spurts. Grant Williams took a little step back, but he is still a rock solid defender. And Romeo Langford and Aaron Nesmith bring youth and athleticism to this squad. I actively root against the Celtics, but they have the talent to make a deep run. Last season was definitely an anomaly.

At 5 I have the Phoenix Suns. They were in the Finals last year. They had a 2-0 lead. They looked really good in getting that lead. And they return pretty much the exact same roster. Chris Paul is back, and he just continues to be one of the best point guards the NBA has ever seen. He is so good at running an offense and making a young team grow up real fast. Devin Booker is an elite shooter, he is starting to get super star calls and his offensive game is lethal. The way he cuts and hits that mid range jumper is impressive. He even got a little better on D last season. Deandre Ayton needs to be more assertive, but he is a highly skilled big and is going to be a double double machine. I wish he had a bit more anger to his game, but maybe that will come with time. Mikail Bridges is like Spiderman on defense, and he hit some big shots in the playoffs. Cam Johnson is great off the bench. Jae Crowder is not afraid of any moment or any player. He is a perfect fit next to CP3. Cam Payne looked better than he ever has in the league as a backup. I like the addition of Javale McGee for defense. I like the acquisition of Landry Shamet. He is a good shooter off of the pick and roll. Elfrid Payton doesn't bring much to their offense, but he is a solid perimeter defender. Dario Saric fits in nice there. And Frank Kaminsky flashed a few times in the Finals. The Suns are a very good team, and if this core can stay together, they are going to be a problem in the West for the next decade.

At number 4 I have the Utah Jazz. The Jazz are the NBA's version of the Seattle Mariners with more success. They were the one seed in the West last year. They dominated the regular season. And then they blew a 2-0 to the Kawhi less Clippers. Donovan Mitchell is awesome. He is a budding MVP candidate. He is a scoring machine. He is better than Luka Doncic and Trae Young. He is legit. Rudy Gobert is the best defensive center in the league. He swallows up drivers and makes it next to impossible for centers to score on him. They should use him more in the pick and roll on offense. Joe Ingles is an ass, but the dude can stroke it. He is a very good shooter. Jordan Clarkson is an electric bench scorer. He is amazing on offense. I really like the additions of Eric Paschall and Rudy Gay. Gay adds a veteran with real postseason experience and Paschall is a very skilled post player. Royce O'Neal is their second best defender, and he takes on the perimeter's opposition best player every night. Udoka Azubuike should get a few more minutes, and I think he will add a nice little bench element at center. And their rookie Jared Butler shot lights out at Baylor last season. The Jazz will be a top 3 seed again, they just have to make a real playoff run for me to take them real seriously.

The final team for today, at number 3 I have the LA Lakers. They have LeBron James. He is the second best player to ever play in the NBA. He is an amazing basketball player, an even better person and he seems as locked in as he has been since the Bubble. He is awesome and I will never count a team out that he plays on. They also have Anthony Davis. The dude simply cannot stay healthy, but when he is on the floor he is amazing. At both ends of the floor. AD could be one of the top 5 players in the league if he could not get hurt. Then the roster gets real weird. They have Russell Westbrook. He is as athletic a player as I have ever seen, but he is older. He is coming off injuries. He got COVID. He is a turnover machine and he shoots way too much for a guy that isn't a great shooter. I love Russ, I am a big fan, always have been, but he is on the other side of the cliff in his career. They also have Carmelo Anthony. Melo looked fine in Portland, but he got to play how he wanted. In LA he is going to have to buy in on defense, which he has never done, and he is going to have to come off the bench, which we all know he doesn't like. Dwight Howard and Deandre Jordan are their picks for center. Howard looked pretty bad last season in Philly, but he looked great in the Bubble with the Lakers. Deandre Jordan didn't see the floor in games that mattered in Brooklyn last year, and he doesn't have the lift he used to while with the Clippers. I like that they got Malik Monk and Kendrick Nunn for the mid level exception. Monk has never been as good a shooter in the NBA as he was his one year at Kentucky, and Nunn lost a ton of minutes last season in Miami. Time will tell with those two. Rajon Rondo is back, and unless he returns to playoff Rondo, I do not see him taking real minutes from Russ. Kent Bazemore was a good addition as a shooter, but he is also older and on the back end of his career. Talen Horton Tucker is young and skilled. He'll need minutes, but he also just got injured and will miss some weeks. Trevor Ariza is also older and hurt. Wayne Ellington used to be good, we will see here. The Lakers have the names. They have former MVP's and all stars on this team. They have LeBron and AD. But they are old, not too rich at shooting guard and will have a tougher time on defense. They will still be a very good team. But when the rubber meets the road, when they need a big three or a defensive stop, I'd be reluctant to say that they have the guys to do it. The playoffs will be the true test of this roster construct.

That is it for today. Come back tomorrow for my top two teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Thoughts on The Celtics and Coach K

Two big thinks happened in the world of basketball today, and I’m here with my opinion on both. First we will tackle the whole Boston Celtics.

This is an absolute mess in my opinion. When I read the headlines this morning I had to look at it multiple times before I believed it. For those who may not know, Danny Ainge stepped down and Brad Stevens took his place. Stevens did step down as head coach as well. So what we have is Stevens taking over in player personnel and team decisions, and Ainge waking away before being let go.

That is insane on its own. For years and years all us NBA fans heard was how great of a negotiator and mastermind Ainge was for the Celtics. He acquired picks, he took chances on middling stars, he took the right players in the draft and he was always “one move away from making the Celtics a perennial title contender”. It was becoming too much. Also, he never did much at the trade deadline. He did make good moves and picks. I’ll give him that. He got Kyrie when he wanted out of Cleveland. He drafted Tatum when he could’ve traded up for Markelle Fultz. He took a chance on Isaiah Thomas as a scoring machine. He picked Marcus Smart for his defense. And he gave Jaylen Brown a much deserved Max contract. But he also had his share of crappy decisions. He’s drafted players like Romeo Langford and Robert Williams in the lottery. They’re fine players, but not title contending contributors. He traded for Evan Fournier this season. He should’ve done that three years ago. He gave Tristan Thompson a two year guaranteed deal. He gave Gordon Hayward a super max. He cold blooded traded Thomas after his best season. He has as many mistakes as good decisions. But just biggest whiff was never trading for a legit superstar. Kyrie wanted out in two years. Gordon Hayward is off injured and overrated. He could’ve gotten a player like Victor Oladipo. Anthony Davis was a possibility. When KD left OKC, Boston was up there. But none of those guys wanted to play there, or they couldn’t wait to get out. That Nets trade, the one with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett and all the picks, that was so long ago that no one, except NBA nerds like me, truly remember how big a deal it was. That’s because Ainge essentially wasted it.

Now Ainge is out and Brad Stevens is in. This move is like the two Spidermen pointing at one another. They’re essentially the same person. At least Ainge had experience. Stevens is going in cold with a talented young roster. And I think he’s going to waste that talent. He’s going to go after players he coached at Butler, or players he coached against that fit his idea of a good team. That stinks for guys like Tatum, Smart and Brown. Their prime is being wasted. They’re playing with a scrap heap players. Kemba is old and creaky, Thompson is a dinosaur, Payton Pritchard is a late first round “hustle” guy and Romeo Langford doesn’t seem to have the goods. The only other player worth a damn right now looks to be Aaron Nesmith, and he’s a young rookie. Stevens will also be heavily involved in the new head coach decision. I don’t like that at all. I think he will make an unpopular choice, and probably pass on a better candidate because he’s too close to the situation. He won’t be able to flip the switch as quickly as the Celtics will want, and that will hinder this team. This whole situation is messed up, and I think it will only get worse before he gets better. If I were Tatum and Brown, I’d be making plans to find a new team.

The other big news was Coach K’s decision to retire at the end of the 21-22 NCAA basketball season. I think there is so much more to this than him just being “done”. The dude is a good coach. I cannot stand him. I’ve never, ever liked him. I am a true hater of Duke men’s basketball, and Coach K is the main reason. But his resume is stacked. He has five titles, twelve final four appearances and he’s the winningest men’s college basketball coach. The dude has done it all at the college level. But there’s the news, that gets louder and louder everyday, that maybe Zion and other top rated recruits to come through Duke got some improper benefits. It’s becoming so common that I think it’s pretty much true. In college basketball today you cannot win without some kind of cheating, and I think Coach K and Duke were/are doing just that, and they’re on the precipice of being caught. So with him leaving, I think it will “soften” any restrictions future Duke teams may get. He’s pulling a Pete Carroll when he left USC for the NFL. I also think he was never up to the task of coaching in the NBA. Sure he coached team USA, but that’s a group of twelve super stars with the best assistant coaches in basketball. I don’t think he had the nerve to take over an NBA team with one or no stars. He didn’t want the challenge of building a team. I also think he would’ve been baffled when the best talent wouldn’t come play for him simply because he’s Coach K. That would’ve thrown him off. He had his pick of the litter in college. It’s not like that in the pros, and I don’t think he would’ve liked that. I think he saw what happened to Nick Saban in the NFL, and he didn’t want that. Saban is a great college football coach, but he was a disaster in the NFL. I think Coach K monitored that whole situation and decided he was going to stick in college. It’s kind of sad we never saw him coach basketball at the highest level. So I do not think he is retiring because he’s older and tired or whatever was said in his release to the media. I think that’s part of it, but I also think there’s other factors to his decision.

Long story short, this has been a wild day for basketball. That’s for sure.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Ty's 2021 NBA Play in Games Preview

The NBA regular season is over. It feels weird typing that. Usually, in the before times, we would be knee deep in the playoffs right now. But due to the pandemic, then the bubble, this most recent season had a very fast turnaround. These are strange days indeed.

The season was awesome, in my opinion. I loved watching the games, I found them competitive and I was interested in how all the teams dealt with COVID in many different ways. But I am ready for playoff basketball. Playoff basketball is my absolute favorite sport to watch. It is the best drama on TV. The players step up their game and it is very exciting. I am going to do a full playoff preview, but that will not come until after the play in games are all done. You all will have to wait for that until Thursday. But today I am going to do a play in preview.

First off, I love love love the play in. I like the addition of two more teams, I find it has made the end of the last two seasons a bit more meaningful and competitive and anytime I can get extra playoff basketball, that is a treat. I also like the eight teams we have in the play in. They all have very different skill sets. Some are older veteran laden teams and some, like my Memphis Grizzlies, are very young and on the come up. I also really enjoy the single elimination feel we get from this, and that every team in the play in will have to bring it in order to make the playoffs. This is an absolute home run idea.

I will start with the East, or the JV as I call it. The 7-8 matchup could have been incredible if not for Jaylen Brown being out and Bradley Beal not at 100 percent. But, both Russell Westbrook and Jayson Tatum are playing really good basketball right now. Russ is getting triple doubles on the regular and Tatum just had 60 in a game, and followed it up with a bunch of 30 point outings. He is on fire. As for who I think will win, this is a total toss up to me. The Celtics are deeper and younger, but not having Jaylen Brown is brutal. The Wizards might be the hottest team in the NBA right now, Russ is doing all the little things and they are getting other guys to contribute. But they are five games below .500. They just started playing well now. For that reason only, I am picking the Wizards. They will continue on their current streak, and the Celtics will have to win two games just to get the 8th seed. Their season has been a total disappointment.

The 9-10 matchup is a tale of two very different teams. The Hornets are young and exciting and LaMelo Ball has been awesome, but they are not a true playoff team yet. The Pacers have vets, they have playoff experience, but they have not been very good all year, and their coach may get fired after his lone season. I really want to pick Charlotte here because I think it would be awesome to see Ball go up against Boston for the 8th seed, but I am going with the experience and picking Indiana.

I also have Indiana beating the Celtics simply because Brown is out, and Boston never really got their footing all year. They are a mess. So that means I have the Wizards as the 7 and the Pacers as the 8.

Now for the Varsity, the West. The 7-8 matchup is going to rule. The NBA and the TV people could not have asked for a better play in game. We get the Lakers and the Warriors. Steph and LeBron. AD versus a platoon of big men waiting to hurt him. Draymond playing defense on multiple guys. The Lakers throwing the kitchen sink to stop Steph. This is going to be fun. In the long run though, I think the Lakers will win. I'm sure both AD and LeBron were hurt, but they also know they can turn this into a "redemption" story. They both missed a ton of games, the Lakers fell to this spot, they need AD and LeBron, and here they come to save the day. This is almost too perfect of a script, and the NBA, AD, LeBron and the Lakers all know this.

Then we have the 9-10, with Memphis facing San Antonio. This is eerily similar to the East's 9-10 matchup with style of play, but both these teams are much better. Memphis is young and hyper athletic. When the shooters are on, they are on. But they have had tons of injuries. I think Jaren Jackson Jr has only played something like 10 games. Ja missed a ton of time earlier this season from an ankle injury. Dillon Brooks has been in and out of the lineup. They also have had trouble finishing games lately. The Spurs got really fat on an easy early schedule, but they had a murderers row to close the season. They won some of the games, but that schedule pushed them where they are now. The Spurs are a typical Gregg Poppovich team, they pass well, play great defense and don't take dumb shots, but this is a rebuild for them. They are so young and so inexperienced outside of DeMar DeRozan. I am picking Memphis, and I will watch every single second of this game. Memphis is better and deeper, but can they finish? That is the big question for me.

So with the Lakers at 7, we would have Memphis and Golden State playing for 8, and we just witnessed this game yesterday. Memphis just couldn't get out of their own way, and they let Steph go off. I feel like the same thing is going to happen. It will be close and tough, but Steph will do what he does, and the Grizzlies will be knocked out of the playoffs yet again. That means I have the Lakers at 7 and Warriors at 8. The NBA will be thrilled at the first play in game, and then having both those teams make the playoffs still. I cannot wait for these games to start tomorrow night.

This is going to be a blast. I love playoff basketball.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Ty's 2020-2021 NBA Preview: Can Win It All

Today is the final day of my NBA countdown. We are eight days away from the start of the regular season. I will do predictions tomorrow, but as far as my rankings, this is it. These are the best of the best. These are the teams that have the players, coaches, staff and fortitude to win it all. The only thing stopping these teams are COVID or injury. I hope neither happens to any of them.

At number 5 I have the Boston Celtics. The Celtics are loaded with great young talent, they have one of the better head coaches and they have, for such a young team, lots of playoff experience. They also got rid of an albatross contract. The only thing that worries me with this team is depth. But man is their starting five loaded. Jayson Tatum is a straight up star. He can score from anywhere, he is lethal, he has the killer mentality, he plays defense and he just gets better and better. I am a true believer that he is a future face of the league. Jaylen Brown is an elite defender, and he is hyper athletic. His jumper is improving and he is asserting himself as the firm number 2 on this team. He may waffle from time to time, but he always makes up for it. Marcus Smart is the new age Tony Allen. He is a menace on defense. He can guard pretty much all 5 positions and he can draw fouls and mess with opponents heads. He isn't great offensively, but he is good enough. When Kemba Walker is healthy he is one of the better scoring guards in the NBA. He is also a solid perimeter defender. He is a better fit on this team too. He is so much better fitting in than being the star. He is injured, and will miss a month or two, but when he is back, the Celtics have three guys in the starting five that can go for 20 every night. Robert Williams may float in and out of games, miss some meetings and over sleep. But when he is engaged, this kid is good. There is a reason he slipped to the Celtics in his draft, but there is also a reason he was considered a lottery pick. He is starting to show flashes, and if he can reach some of his potential, he will only help this team. Daniel Thies is a solid defender. He does the dirty things for this team. Jeff Teague is a fine player, and that is all he has to be here. Grant Williams got decent, important minutes in the playoffs, and that is big for him. After these guys is where it gets murky. They gave Tristan Thompson too good of a contract for him. Tacko Fall is more of a spectacle than a player. Carsen Edwards and Romeo Langford haven't done much in their two years. Semi Ojeyle seems to be getting passed over. This is the worry for me with this team. But that starting five, and first two off the bench are more than enough for me to like them as a contender out of the East.

At number 4 I have the Miami Heat. Some said it was the bubble, others said it was Jimmy Butler, but I just think the Heat are a very good team, and they deserved to be in the Finals last season. Jimmy Butler proved yet again how important and viable he is on a top team. He willed them to the Finals. He had them as prepared as one player could. Bam Adebayo just keeps ascending. He is one of my absolute favorite players to watch. He goes hard, he rebounds and plays defense and he is becoming a great low post player. Adebayo is awesome. Tyler Herro has done more at 20 than I could ever imagine. He averaged double figures in the Finals. He averaged double figures as a teenager in the early playoffs. This kid is a straight up scorer. Now he has to play defense. Duncan Robinson is one of the most lethal shooters in the game, and the kid has earned every minute he now gets. He has made a name for himself, and all he has to do is shoot. He too needs to improve defensively. Goran Dragic re-signed there, and he is a perfect sixth man on this team. He runs their second unit so well. Kendrick Nunn had some ups and downs, and didn't play as much in the Finals. But, he can heat up at any moment. Andre Iguodala and Udonis Haslem are old, and their primes are way past them, but I would love to have two guys like that on my team. They are additional coaches when on the floor. Getting Avery Bradley will help their already good defense. Meyers Leonard provides front court depth. This team is good, and a return trip to the Finals wouldn't surprise me at all. Jimmy Butler is that dude.

At number 3 I have the LA Clippers. I was so very high on this team last year, and they totally blew it. They ran out of steam, they let the bubble get to them, and they lost a 3-1 lead to the Nuggets. They led to Doc Rivers leaving, and them letting a few other players walk. But this team is still loaded, they have to have revenge on their minds and I love hiring Ty Lue to take over as the head coach. Kawhi Leonard is not going to break down like he did in the bubble again. He will be back and he will be back with a vengeance. I wouldn't be shocked to see him return to his Spurs and Raptors self. He is a robot, but a robot that will be out for revenge. Paul George just signed a max deal, he is engaged to be married and it looks like he is having fun again. I know he said some stuff about the coaches last year, but who cares. This guy is an elite scorer and an even better defender. He just needs to stay focused. They also have Patrick Beverly and Lou Williams and Reggie Jackson back. Beverly is still an upper tier defender and his shot is better, Lou Will is a great, great bench scorer and Jackson plays all out every night. He may shoot too much, but he goes hard. Marcus Morris is a good dude to have on your side, and his shot is solid. Ivica Zubac is an underrated, solid big man. I like replacing Montrezl Harrell with Serge Ibaka. He may be older, but he is taller, he is a better shooter and still a bit better around the rim on defense. Luke Kennard adds long range shooting. And Nic Batum can still do some little things. The Clippers should bounce back. I would not be surprised to see them really challenge the top of the West. Some guys will need to step up, and play better than they did in the bubble, which I think they will. The Clippers will be just fine.

At number 2 I have the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks have the two time reigning MVP. Giannis is one of the best players in the league, and listening to him in interviews only furthers my belief that he is still getting better. Once he starts to hit his outside shot a bit more consistently, he will be as unstoppable as Shaq. He is also the best defender in the league. I love the addition of Jrue Holiday. He is a major upgrade over Eric Bledsoe, and he and Giannis will be a very formidable duo. Khris Middleton is another lockdown defender, and he can really shoot the ball. He needs to play better this year, but he will have ample shot opportunities playing next to Giannis and Holiday. He just needs to knock them down. Brook Lopez adds size and shooting. Donte DiVincenzo is inconsistent, but he can light it up. I wonder if his name being in trade talks will affect his play. Same thing for DJ Wilson, except he was barely seeing the floor anyway. Giannis brother Thanasis is there, and while it is cool that they are on the same team, I don't know how much he will truly see the floor. Bobby Portis is okay, but he shoots a bit too much, and people still only really know him from punching out another teammate in Chicago. And adding DJ Augustin adds a nice veteran, but also age. This team will be all about Giannis and Jrue Holiday. If they coalesce as I expect them to, they will be on top of the East.

The final team, the best team going into the season is the defending champs, the LA Lakers. They are here, they deserve it and they are, at least on paper, a much better team than the one that just won the title. They have LeBron back, and that is humongous no matter what. He was amazing in the bubble, and especially in the Finals. I still like Jordan as the GOAT, but LeBron is definitely the second greatest player ever. And no disrespect to Dywane Wade and Chris Bosh and Kyrie Irving, but he will be playing with his best teammate ever again this year, Anthony Davis. The two of them were a devastating pair. And Davis actually played a little better without LeBron on the floor. Davis is one of the best defenders in the league, he is probably the best big on offense and he showed some strength and ability to not get injured last season. He is also just now entering his prime. If they just had these two guys, and three of my friends I hoop with starting, they'd be a playoff team. Lucky for them though they have real NBA players, and they are solid. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope took a major step last year, and I fully buy him as a solid third or fourth option. He was awesome in the Finals. They replaced guys they let go of, Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard, with Marc Gasol, Montezl Harrell and Dennis Schroeder. Gasol is a better defender and passer than both McGee and Howard. Harrell is a bull dog and a force on offense. Schroeder is a younger, and better offensive scoring version of Rondo. They upgraded all three of those positions. Alex Caruso is a solid player. I don't like the hype surrounding him, but that isn't him, that's the ESPN's of the world. He works well with LeBron's game. Talen Horton Tucker looks like a steal in the preseason. And Kyle Kuzma and Wes Matthews will be solid bench guys, if they keep them both. The Lakers only got better, and they should be the hands down favorites heading into this season.

There you have it, my teams ranked from 30-1. This feels right. I will be back tomorrow to wrap up my preseason NBA preview with predictions and award winners. Also, I want to wish my wife a very happy birthday. She is cooler than any other wife out there. That is just facts. Happy birthday, I love you.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Ty's NBA Finals Preview

It wasn't the NBA Finals I expected.

I also don't think a good amount of other people had this match up. I am sure a good amount of people picked the Lakers, although the Clippers were the heavy favorite when the season started, and then restarted, but they had yet another epic collapse. But I do not think many people had the Heat in the Finals. I know I didn't. I know big time websites and companies like ESPN, Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Report didn't. In fact, the only person/people who I have heard on a recording say the Heat would be in the title are the ladies that host the podcast "Dunktown", which is a great pod by the way. Most everyone else had Milwaukee or Boston or even Toronto. But the Heat have dominated almost, almost as much as the Lakers have on their way to the Finals. Let’s talk about this match-up.

The Lakers got to the Finals with relative ease, and with a few exceptions, they have steam rolled in every game. LeBron has been keyed in defensively, and it looks like he has now found his offensive groove, which is frightening. He also has the refs in his pocket after griping about lack of foul shooting. In the past two games, he alone has twenty-two free throw attempts. The Nuggets had forty-nine total in those games, as a team. LeBron had almost half that himself. It was a smart move from him to get in the refs head. Guys like him can do that, and he knows it, and he is using it. While it bogs the game down, makes it slow and there is nothing but glaring and complaining at officials, it has worked. LeBron and the Lakers own the refs.

The Heat have also done almost exactly the same thing, and they haven't needed to get in the refs heads. They cruised in the first round over Indiana, locking down Victor Oladipo and TJ Warren. Then they completely obliterated the Bucks. Even in the one win Milwaukee had, it wasn't because of anything they did spectacularly, Miami just had an off game. The fact that they made Giannis a non factor is testament enough to how well they communicate and play team defense. And while the Celtics series was closer, Miami won when it mattered. They closed them out in resounding fashion, and while I am sure most people wanted the "sexy" LA-Boston classic match up, Miami could have cared less about that. Boston is coming, but Miami is just a better team right now.

In all honesty, I think, of the four teams that made it to the conference finals, these are the two best, and these are the two most deserving teams, and I think they will give us the best series, at least I hope. I feel like they match up evenly almost everywhere, and this could be a very good, very close series. LeBron is currently the best player in the league. He isn't MJ, but he is close. Real quick, this is also his tenth finals appearance. That is monumental. He has been to the finals more than twenty-seven other franchises in their team history have. That is crazy. Also, on the Heat side, Andre Iguodala has now been to six straight NBA Finals. I know it has to do with the teams he has been on, but hey, six straight Finals appearances is nothing to sniff at. He may not be LeBron, but Iguodala is going to the Finals at a clip close to him. I just wanted to throw that out there for everyone. Anyway, LeBron is great, and seems to be finding his groove. Anthony Davis has been really, really good in the playoffs too. He does look like he may be wearing down a bit, he is playing a TON of minutes, but he is still one of the best, most versatile bigs in the league. And the rest of the Lakers are doing their jobs. Rondo is being playoff Rondo, and that is the best Rondo. Danny Green finally knocked down some jumpers and is playing passable defense. Dwight Howard has totally changed his game, and he has been a beast on the boards and a jump off the bench. The whole Alex Caruso cult isn't as loud, but that guy has LeBron's trust because he is closing out games. And Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is hitting threes and hustling on defense.

Yet Miami has guys capable of matching up, doing what the Lakers are doing, and they are much, much younger. I have many differing opinions on Jimmy Butler, but when the guy is locked in, he is one of my favorite players to watch. He is a star, but he doesn't have to be the scoring star or the defense guy or the locker room guy. Butler is a do it all type star. If he isn't scoring, he makes up for it on defense. If he is tired on defense, he is making shots or getting to the line. When he likes his teammates, and feels like he can trust them, which he totally has this season, he is the best dude to have on your team. And I feel like he can guard LeBron, or at least harass him enough to make him shoot jumpers. He will make LeBron work. Bam Adebayo has had a total breakout year. He is a star. He is one of the best all around bigs. He shut down Giannis. He is a beast in the low post. He had one of the best blocks I have ever seen when he stopped Jayson Tatum's dunk in game one of the conference finals to seal the win. And he is a big that is a dependable shooter. Then we have Iguodala. He isn't the guy he was a few years back, but he brings veteran leadership and a willingness to sacrifice numbers to play defense, and play it well. Goran Dragic may not be the best defender, but he has been the one player on the Heat, besides Adebayo, that has been consistent on offense in these playoffs. And Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro are nearly automatic from deep. The Heat can match up. I am so stoked to watch Butler play LeBron and Adebayo to play Davis. I feel like Butler-LeBron will be a wash, those guys will cancel one another out. But Adebayo-Davis can make or break this series. Adebayo will try his best to bully Davis, and that has proven to be the best way to slow him down. He doesn't want to bang bodies that much. He'd much rather play finesse. But, if Davis can hit jumpers, make some threes, he could become lethal. He might not have to worry about being bullied in the post because he could drag Adebayo out of the lane. This is the player match up I am most excited to watch. It will be the deciding factor. As I said, LeBron and Butler will play equal, and the rest is a mishmash. I'm sure Herro and Robinson will have a solid game, but so will Danny Green and Rondo and Kyle Kuzma. The determining factor, what will decide this series, at least for me, is who wins out in the Adebayo-Davis match up.

I will be rooting for the Heat because of Adebayo, and because I like this version of Jimmy Butler, just full disclosure. But, I do think the Lakers will win in seven games. This will be a good, hard fought series. Sometimes it will look like a slog, the games will be slow, and there will be plenty of free throws. But I just think LeBron knows this is probably his last best chance, especially with Davis, to win another, possibly final, NBA title. The NBA will be so much more competitive and different next season, and LeBron has put in the work to get this team where they are now. I want the Heat to win, but I am pretty sure the Lakers will find a way. Let's get to it. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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The NBA Restart Has Given US Two Must Watch Games Tonight

Tonight we have two pretty big NBA games. Let’s talk about them.

The Heat and Celtics will kick off the Eastern Conference Finals. I did not expect this, I believe I picked Milwaukee and Toronto, but I am not surprised Miami made it. I am surprised at how easily they have made it, but not surprised they are here. They are a good team. They play team basketball. They have good to great defenders. Jimmy Butler is proving that he is totally worth the headache when he is happy. They have a great young, and modern big, in Bam Adebayo. And they have shooting all over the floor. They are really good, and have looked really good getting here. Will they be rusty or tired? Maybe. But, I expect Butler, and Erik Spoelstra, to erase that quick and get back to playing like they were a week ago.

The Celtics had a tough, well played and well fought series win over Toronto. Toronto gave them all they could handle. They played them hard, played them dirty, played them like you expect a champion to play, even after losing their best guy, but the Celtics still won. I thought they were a year away. I thought they were still too young. But the young dudes stepped up, and Kemba Walker looks like himself. The knee injury and whatever else was bothering him seems to be gone. But I want to talk about their young guys. Jayson Tatum is a star. I have been lukewarm on him since college, but that dude is a player. He was absolutely great in the Toronto series. He was a scoring machine. He was making open jumpers and getting to the basket. He is becoming what many others saw coming out of Duke. He is a legit guy who could be the face of the league in a few years. Jaylen Brown might be the new Kawhi, except I think he is more athletic, and a better shooter at a younger age. Kawhi is great, more on him in a few, but so is Jaylen Brown. Brown is hyper athletic. He is a dunking machine. He is making open shots. And he is one of the premiere defenders in the league. He is becoming one of those lock down guys, a Kawhi Leonard type. And he leaves it all on the floor. I do not like the Celtics, not at all, but I love watching Jaylen Brown play basketball. He is one of my favorite young players. They also gave a rookie from Tennessee, I cannot for the life of me remember his name, who was playing super important, late minutes in a crucial game seven, and he was great. He played very solid defense.

The Celtics and Heat series is going to be good. I think that the Heat will finally have a series go a bit longer, but I do think the they will win. I think they will win in six, but seven wouldn't shock me either.

The other game tonight is one that I did not see coming at all. The Nuggets have made it to another game seven, for seemingly the tenth time in a row. And they are doing this making humongous comebacks against the Clippers, my and almost everyone else's preseason and restart pick for Finals winner. The Clippers are supposed to be this dominant defensive force with guys that can score more than enough points to win most games. They have held big leads, close to 20 point leads, in the second half of the last two games, close out games, and they have been beaten in both of them. Does this mean the "Clippers Curse" is real? Is Paul George not a marquee guy? Does Kawhi have enough in the tank? Are Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams overrated? I don't think any of this is true. The "Clippers Curse" is bogus. They are a moribund franchise and they, just this season, I will never be a buyer of the "Lob City" Clippers as a real contender, got two real good guys. George is looking a little iffy, but he is still very good. And Kawhi may be the second best overall player in the league, behind only Giannis. I think Paul George is good, and he has rebounded just fine from his rough series against the Mavs. I think Harrell is still getting in "quality" shape, he didn't play in any seeding games, and he barely played in the Mavs series. He is also only 6'7, which is small for his position. And Lou Williams has been everything the Clippers have asked him to be. What is happening, at least to me is, the Nuggets are playing with house money, and they have guys hitting shots in crucial moments. Michael Porter Jr, while he says dumb things, has been solid on offense. Gary Harris has been out forever, but he is looking better. Morris is a great bench scorer. Nikola Jokic is having fun and getting every Clipper that guards him in foul trouble. And Jamal Murray is finding that rhythm he had in the Utah series. He is looking like that scoring machine that made me want to watch him play. This series has turned fun, and I don't think I have been this excited to watch a game seven that doesn't involve teams that I am a fan of. I could care less about these two teams, but I am definitely tuning in to watch tonight. I do think the Clippers will win, and I think they will win convincingly. But, the Nuggets have made it fun, they have made it a series, and if they pull off another 3-1 comeback, they may be one of those teams that is just destined to make a run this year.

I am pumped to watch some basketball tonight.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.