NHL 2021 - Stanley Cup Final Predictions

By: Adamo Marinelli 

June 27, 2020 

     The Stanley Cup Final matchup is set! For the first time in 28 years, a Canadian team has made the Stanley Cup Finals. Just like in 1993, the Montreal Canadiens will be trying to bring the Stanley Cup home to Canada. The team they will be facing is the Tampa Bay Lightning, who have talent all over their roster and are the defending Stanley Cup Champions. 

Canadiens vs Lightning: The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in six games in the WCF to advance to their first Stanley Cup Finals since 1993. They have a shot to win their 25th Stanley Cup. The Tampa Bay Lightning are back in the Stanley Cup Finals for a second consecutive year after beating the New York Islanders in seven games in the ECF. 

     The Canadiens have been underdogs throughout the entire playoffs - they had the worst record among all 16 teams that qualified for the playoffs - but the Canadiens feed off that underdog mentality. They have played extremely well all throughout the entire postseason. The Lightning have a chance to win their third Stanley Cup in franchise history and their second in two years. They can be the first team to do so since the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017. 

      Both teams have had a similar playoff run so far. Both teams won a longer series in round one, both teams won their second-round series with relative ease and both teams had their toughest test of the playoffs in round three against two phenomenal opponents.

      The biggest storyline to keep an eye on in this series is the Canadiens’ penalty kill, which is operating at a 93.5% efficiency - and has killed 31 consecutive penalties - and the Lightning’s power play which has been operating at an incredible 37.7% efficiency. The Habs have the best penalty kill in the playoffs and the Lightning have the best power play in the playoffs. Special teams will be a huge factor in determining the winner of this series. Whoever has the better unit will likely win the series.

     This matchup also contains two of the best goalies in the league with Carey Price and Andrei Vasilevskiy. Carey Price is 12-5 in the playoffs, with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage. He’s allowed 35 goals on 565 shots. He has one shutout. Vasilevsky is 12-6 in the playoffs with a 1.99 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage. He’s allowed 36 goals on 595 shots and has four shutouts. Both goalies are very talented but whichever goalie plays better, their team will likely win the series.

     In the playoffs, the Lightning have been the better team offensively. The Lightning have scored 3.22 goals per game in the playoffs, the Canadiens are only scoring 2.53 goals per game. The Lightning are also spending more time in the offensive zone than the Canadiens and are generating more shots on goal and more scoring chances per game than the Canadiens are. The Lightning also have the more effective power play, clicking at 37.7% compared to the Habs’ power play, which is clicking at 20.9%. 

     The Lightning can get scoring from everyone on their roster, even defensemen, but rely on their stars to produce the majority of their offense. Nikita Kucherov has five goals, 22 assists, and 27 points; Steven Stamkos has seven goals, 10 assists, and 17 points; Brayden Point has 14 goals, six assists, and 20 points and Alex Killorn has eight goals, nine assists, and 17 points. If these guys get going, the Lightning are extremely dangerous and unstoppable. If these guys get shut down, it will be harder for the Lightning to generate offense.

     The Montreal Canadiens are drawing comparisons to the 2012 Los Angeles Kings and the 1993 Montreal Canadiens who had a stellar defense, outstanding goaltending, and didn’t score a lot - but had a balanced scoring attack. They are getting scoring from their young guys, like Cole Caufield, who has four goals, five assists, and nine points; Nick Suzuki, who has five goals, eight assists, and 13 points, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who has five goals, two assists, and seven points; and Tyler Toffoli who has five goals, nine assists, and 14 points. But they are also getting scoring from their veterans like Shea Weber, Corey Perry, Brendan Gallagher, Eric Staal which has helped this team score enough to win important games. The Habs don't just rely on a few guys to score; they get scoring from anyone, which makes them that much more dangerous. The opposing defense has to worry about everyone, not just a few all-star players.

Despite the balanced scoring attack, the Lightning score more, get more shots on goal and scoring chances than the Canadiens, and spend more time in the offensive zone than the Canadiens which makes them a better offense. They were top five in goals, shots, and power play in the regular season.

     However, the Canadiens have been the better defensive team throughout the playoffs, especially on the penalty kill. The Canadiens have a relentless defense that plays physically, throws the body around, communicates well with each other, forces you to the outside, wins puck battles and they cause a lot of turnovers, especially in the neutral zone. They win games with their defense and goaltending. Their ability to disrupt opponents' fast breaks in the neutral zone angers teams. It forces teams to move their players further up the ice, which leads to opportunities in transition for the Canadiens. The Canadiens have a good transition game thanks to their great defense and speed.

     The Lightning also have a top 10 defense in the league in the regular season and even throughout the playoffs, that is able to prevent a lot of shots on goal, forces you to the outside, causes turnovers, and plays physically, but it has not been as good as the Canadiens’ defense. The Lightning penalty kill operated at only 83%, the Habs have the advantage in that department. They have talent on the back end of the ice though and can shut an offense down.

     Also, the Habs have the best penalty kill in the playoffs, killing 93.5% of their penalties. It does not allow opponents to get set up in the attacking zone, it forces teams to the outside which prevents high-quality scoring chances and it causes turnovers to create short-handed chances. The Habs have four short-handed goals in the playoffs, the most in the league, thanks to their stellar counterattack. When their defense does make a mistake or allow a scoring chance, Price is there. Both defenses do play mistake-free hockey and rarely turn the puck over. This helps them win hockey games.

     Finally, the Canadiens are 5-1 in overtime these playoffs, the Lightning are 0-3 in overtime in the playoffs. Most of these games are likely going to be very close, so if the Habs can force games into overtime, they could have a bit of an advantage in that category.  

     Despite the excellent play from the Canadiens toward the end of the regular season, going on a winning streak to ensure they make the playoffs and throughout their entire playoff run, the Tampa Bay Lightning are the more talented and experienced team. They are very good offensively, on the power play, are great defensively, and have one of the best goalies in the league. This team is the defending Stanley Cup Champion for a reason. The Lightning can beat you in a low-scoring defensive game and/or in a high-powered offensive game.

     Both teams are very well-coached too, and they can adapt on the fly, but the Lightning's bench boss John Cooper is the better coach than Dominique Ducharme, behind the bench for the Canadiens.

     If the Lightning can score frequently on the powerplay, shut the Canadiens down defensively, get scoring from their stars and depth players, and if Vasilevskiy plays better than Price, the Lightning will repeat as champions.

     If the Habs can shut down the Lightning defensively, keep their excellent penalty kill working effectively, continue to get scoring from their entire roster, and if Price plays better than Vasilevskiy, the Habs will bring the Stanley Cup to Canada for the first time since 1993.

     Despite the fact that the Lightning are the favourites, I believe the Canadiens will win in seven games thanks to the brilliance of Carey Price. He deserves a ring more than anyone in this league. 

UEFA EURO 2020 - Post Group Stage Recap

Adamo Marinelli

July 26th, 2021

     At the end of the group stage of the EURO 2020 tournament, there have been a lot of fantastic games and a lot of surprises. Some teams that were expected to qualify for the group stage did so easily. Some teams that qualified for the group stage made it a little bit hard on themselves. Also, some teams fell short of the group stage but still had a memorable tournament. Here’s what we have learned so far and who the contenders to win it all are.

      In group A, Italy finished first place with three wins, zero draws, and zero losses totaling nine points. They scored seven goals and conceded none and have won 30 consecutive matches, 11 straight without conceding a goal. Mancini’s squad is filled with talent at every position and they are a threat to win the Euros. They won 3-0 twice in this tournament, a feat they have not done once at any other Euro tournament.

     Wales finished second place with one win, one draw, and one loss, totaling four points. They had a good tournament and gave Italy a run for their money in matchday three. They did not score very much, marking three goals, but played great defense only allowing two. Garreth Bale was exceptional for Wales in all three matches. 

     Switzerland finished in third place with one win, one draw, and one loss, totaling four points. Switzerland had the worst goal differential and lost the tiebreaker. Xherdan Shaqiri was the hero for the Swiss in the third match, scoring two goals to give them a much-needed win to finish third.

      Turkey finished last in the group, with zero wins, zero draws, and three losses. They were a dark horse contender with their strong defensive core but unfortunately couldn’t execute their defensive gameplan in the tournament and conceded seven goals.

      In group B, Belgium finished first place with three wins, zero draws and zero losses, totaling nine points. There was never any doubt that Belgium, one of the favorites to win the Euros would win this group. Romelu Lukaku was the all-star in a fantastic Belgium offense, which scored seven goals and generated plenty of chances. 

     Denmark finished second place with one win, zero draws, and two losses, totaling three points. This is phenomenal considering they played without Christian Eriksen, who suffered cardiac arrest in the first match. They played well in both losses, losing a close 1-0 game to Finland and a close 2-1 game against Belgium. They played very well in their 4-1 win. 

     Finland finished third in their group with one win, zero draws, and two losses, totaling three points. Their goal differential was worse than Denmark’s but better than Russia’s so they claimed third place. Finland won their first game but lost their next two. They were quiet offensively scoring only one goal, but they only conceded three.

     Russia finished last in the group with one win, zero draws and two losses totalling three points, but had the worst goal differential of -5 and thus finished last in the group. Their offense was quiet, only scoring two goals and their defense could not hold up, allowing seven. They were expected to make some noise but ultimately fell short. 

     In group C, the Netherlands finished first in their group by winning all three of their matches - two in convincing fashion - and finished the group stage with nine points. They scored the most goals at the tournament, tallying eight, but surrendered two against Ukraine. They are phenomenal all over their roster and despite not being a favourite at the beginning of the tournament, they cannot be taken lightly.

     Austria - another mid-tier team that did not have many expectations - was another team that surprised many people. They finished with two wins, zero draws, and one loss, totaling six points. In both of their wins, they played well, dominating possession time, shots, and shots on target. Despite controlling possession against the Netherlands they were outshot and out-chanced which led to a 2-0 loss. They will have a tough test against higher-tier opponents.

     Ukraine, thanks to their one win against North Macedonia were able to clinch third place in their group despite losses to Austria and the Netherlands. They played well against the Netherlands tying the game 2-2 before conceding a late goal. They lost a close game to Austria and dominated North Macedonia in their lone win.

     North Macedonia in their first-ever EURO tournament finished last in their group with no wins, no draws, and three losses. With no real expectations, they gave it their all in all three matches but simply got outplayed and outmatched. What a great career from Goran Pandev. 

     In group D, England won the group after recording two wins, one draw, and two losses, totaling seven points. England played very close games, scoring two goals and conceding none - one of only two teams to do so in the tournament. They drew 0-0 against Scotland and won 1-0 against Croatia and the Czech Republic. They relied on their strong defense and transition game to win. 

     Croatia finished second in their group with one win, one draw, and one loss, totaling four points. They ended up qualifying for the round of 16, but after recording a loss and a draw in their first two games, needed a win in their last. Croatia dominated possession time, controlled the pace of the game, and created more scoring chances than Scotland in a 3-1 win after being evenly matched in their first two games - both in shots and possession time. 

     The Czech Republic finished third in their group with one win, one draw, and one loss, totaling four points. Both Croatia and the Czech Republic had a goal differential of one, but Croatia had one more goal for, which was the tiebreaker. The Czech played incredibly well in all three of their matches, even in their loss to England: they played good defense and kept games close. The highlight of their tournament so far is definitely the half-field goal from Patrick Schick. 

     Scotland finished last in the group with zero wins, one draw, and two losses, totaling one point. They had a lot of expectations entering the tournament, but could not execute on either side of the ball. Their best game was a 0-0 draw against England where they played excellent defense, outshot England offensively, and limited England to only one shot on target. In their loss to the Czechs, they controlled possession time, but mistakes hurt them - they were outplayed and out-chanced offensively against Croatia. 

     In group E, Sweden took first place in a dominant performance, recording two wins, one draw, and zero losses for seven points. After a draw against Spain, Sweden dominated both Slovakia and Poland in chances and shots on goal despite losing the possession battle. They defended well and made each of their possessions count. They had four goals for, two against. 

     Spain finished second in the group with one win, two draws, and zero losses, totaling five points. They are a team that was expected to win this group, given their past success. They played excellent defensive football in their first two games, a 0-0 and 1-1 draw. In their last game, they dominated Slovakia 5-0. A strong defensive game, great passing, and a fantastic transition attack helped them cruise to victory. They will be a challenge in the round of 16.

     Slovakia finished third in their group with one win, zero draws, and two losses totaling three points. They played well in their 2-1 win against Poland and despite getting outshot and losing the possession battle, played good defense and limited Poland’s shots on target. They kept the game close against Sweden, despite losing 1-0. Against Spain, they stood no chance, losing 5-0. They scored two goals, conceded seven. Their defense played well - just not against Spain.

     Poland finished fourth in their group, with zero wins, one draw, and two losses, totaling one point. Despite getting outmatched in every game, they played decent football in all three games. They scored four goals and conceded only six in a group with a lot of talent. Their international football future looks pretty good. 

      In group F, arguably the most competitive group in the tournament, France finished first place with one win, two draws, and zero losses, totaling five points. No team in this group had more than one win, which says a lot about the talent in this group. France showed why they are one of the best teams in football, with their excellent defense and their ability to get scoring and offensive chances from everyone on their roster. They beat Germany 1-0 and tied against Hungary 1-1 and Portugal 2-2. 

     Germany finished second in the group with one win, one loss, and one draw totaling four points. It took them a late goal to force a 2-2 draw against Hungary to clinch their spot in the round of 16. Germany played great football, winning the possession battle in all three games, playing excellent defense, and relying on their transition game to create scoring chances. Germany and Portugal both had a goal difference of one, but Germany’s win over Portugal was 

the tiebreaker. 

     Portugal finished third in the group with one win, one draw, and one loss, totaling four points. Portugal was able to score a lot of goals thanks to their talent on offense, particularly Christiano Ronaldo, who is tied for the most international goals with 109. Some were from the penalty spot, but a goal is a goal. Their fast-paced offense and ability to create scoring chances with their passing and their ability to open up the field with their formation helps them win games.

     Hungary finished last in the group with zero wins, two draws, and one loss, totaling two points. Nobody gave them a chance in this overpowered group but they proved a lot of people wrong. After losing to Portugal 3-0 in their opener, they tightened up their defense, adjusted their schemes and they played very well against France and Germany, tying both games 1-1 and 2-2 respectively. They lost the possession time battle in both games but their defense limited scoring chances.

     Teams like Italy, France, England, Portugal, and Germany met their expectations and easily qualified for the round of 16. 

     Teams like the Netherlands, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, and Spain all exceeded their expectations and qualified for the round of 16 despite not all of them being favoured to make the knockout round.

     Teams like Turkey, Russia, North Macedonia, Poland, and Hungary all failed to execute their game plans and did not qualify for the knockout stage.

     With all of that said, the round of 16 matchups are set. I believe that Denmark will beat Wales, Italy will beat Austria, the Netherlands will beat the Czech Republic, Croatia will beat Spain, Germany will beat England, Portugal will beat Belgium, France will beat Switzerland and Sweden will beat Ukraine. 

     In the quarters, I believe Italy will squeak by Portugal, France will defeat Croatia, Germany will defeat Sweden and the Netherlands will defeat Denmark. 

     In the semi-finals, I believe Italy will win in penalties after a 0-0 draw with France to advance to the Finals against the Netherlands who will upset Germany 2-1.

      In the finals, I believe Italy will defeat the Netherlands 2-0 to win their first European Championship since 1968. Italy extends their win streak to 34 games, 15 without surrendering a goal. Mancini’s side is very talented all over their roster and are one the favourites to win the tournament.  

The knockout stage is going to be very exciting with a lot of talented teams going head-to-head.

NBA 2021 Playoff Predictions - Round 3

By: Adamo Marinelli 

June 21, 2021

     And then there were four. All four of the franchises that remain alive in the NBA playoffs have not won an NBA title since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976. Two clubs have never won a championship altogether. One team will get the chance to host the Larry O’Brien Trophy this summer, but who will it be? There's a lot of talent on all of these teams but only two can advance to the NBA Finals.

Bucks vs Hawks: This is not the matchup most people were expecting in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Brooklyn Nets were the heavy favourites to win the 2021 NBA title with all-stars on their roster like Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Blake Griffin. However, injuries to star players hurt the Nets’ offensive ability and gave the Bucks the option to double Durant at all times. Kyrie Irving was injured in game four, which took him out for the remainder of the series and James Harden, who suffered a hamstring injury in game one, came back in game five but wasn’t himself for the rest of the series. Kevin Durant gave it his all the entire series, averaging 35.4 points per game, 10.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game. He was especially excellent in game 5 where he had a 49 point triple-double while playing every minute and in game 7, where he set the NBA record for most points in a game 7 with 48, however, the injuries to Irving and Harden and the excellent play of both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton on offense and P.J Tucker and Jrue Holiday on defense were the difference. In the other matchup, the Philadelphia 76ers were the heavy favourites to beat the Hawks, but thanks to Clint Capela’s defense and an outstanding offensive output from Trae Young, the Hawks have completed the upset. The fact that Joel Embiid played injured and that Ben Simmons played so poorly for the 76ers, missing shots and even passing up open shots at times also helped the 76ers lose the series. It is clear that the Bucks are the obvious favourites in the ECF and they are the far more talented team - however, that does not mean you should take them lightly. Both the Hawks and the Bucks won exhilarating game sevens on the road against the 76ers and Nets - the top two teams in the Eastern Conference - to earn a spot in the ECF. 

      The Bucks won the season series two games to one. Antetokounmpo played well in both games the Bucks won; he fell just short of a triple-double in the first game where the Bucks dismantled the Hawks who played without Trae Young and Clint Capela and scored 15 points in 25 minutes in the second game. In the game the Hawks won, Lou Williams was clutch, scoring four three-pointers in the final seven minutes to propel the Hawks to victory. Bojan Bogdanovich also had 32 points in Young’s absence. Despite Young’s phenomenal performance in his first career playoff run - he has averaged 29.1 points, 10.4 assists and 1.3 steals on 41.3 percent shooting and 33.0 percent from the 3-point line against the Knicks and the 76ers - the Bucks were one of the best defensive teams in the league in the regular season and have been very sharp in the playoffs. They have a lot of options to use to guard Young. They can put Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, or P.J Tucker on Young and still have enough talent defensively to guard Danilo Gallinari, Lou Williams, and Bojan Bogdanovic. Also, P.J Tucker - who was extremely effective against Kevin Durant in round two - will be able to defend any big man, in this series it will be either Clint Capela and/or John Collins. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez will have to excel at ball switches, getting off screens, and will have to play good defense under the rim and around the perimeter. Young’s shot is a threat but his passing creates open shots for his teammates. So, Antetokounmpo and Lopez will have to be the help being sent to cover shooters. The more pressure the Bucks send to the perimeter and the more they can lock down Young, the more the Hawks’ supporting cast will have to knock down shots. The Bucks are okay with letting someone else try to beat them, just not Young and his very effective floater. 

     Not to mention, the Bucks have a lot of threats on the offensive side of the ball. They move the ball well, don’t turn the ball over a lot, and can drive the rim and shoot well from mid-range and from beyond the arc. Will Clint Capela be able to guard Antetokounmpo or will they have to double Antetokounmpo with Bogdanovich? If they do, that will cause someone else on the Bucks to find himself constantly open on offense. The Bucks have a lot of excellent shooters in Middleton, Tucker, and Holiday. Not to mention, they are a physical group and a threat driving to the rim with Antetokounmpo and Lopez. They draw a lot of fouls too, but making free throws has been a challenge, to say the least, especially for Antetokounmpo, who's shooting only 53.8 percent from the free-throw line in the playoffs. Finally, both teams are well-coached with Nate McMillan in Atlanta and Mike Budenholzer in Milwaukee. Both coaches have made excellent adjustments to get their teams here but whichever team makes the most adjustments will win this series. This will be a close, entertaining series but the Bucks are the more talented team. I think they can shut Young down and be productive enough on offense to win in six games.

Clippers vs Suns: The Los Angeles Clippers have just made NBA history. They are the first team to come back from 2-0 deficits in two consecutive playoff series in the same postseason. They won both series against the Dallas Mavericks and the Utah Jazz - who had the best record in the Western Conference and the entire NBA - 4-2. They had to play the last two games of their series vs the Jazz without Kawhi Leonard, who suffered a knee injury in game four. Players like Paul George, Rajon Rondo, Terrence Mann, Marcus Morris, and Reggie Jackson were all crucial for the Clippers’ success without Leonard. In their franchise’s first-ever Western Conference Finals, the Clippers will face the Phoenix Suns who took out the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in round one and swept the 2021 NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in round two, which is not something a lot of people saw coming. That series looked like it would go the distance before it started. Devin Booker and Chris Paul have been leading the way this postseason for a young, talented Suns roster with a lot of depth in guys like DeAndre Ayton and Mikhail Bridges among others, and a fantastic coach in Monty Williams who deserves a lot of credit for this team's success and chemistry. 

     This series is guaranteed to be exciting and will likely go six or seven games. The biggest storyline in this series will be if the Clippers can keep up their high level of performance without Kawhi Leonard who is out for an undetermined amount of time with an ACL injury and if the Suns can continue to play well without Chris Paul who will be out for two weeks in the COVID-19 health and safety protocol. In Leonard’s absence, a lot of players have played well, particularly Paul George, who faced a lot of criticism for his subpar postseason in 2020. In games five and six, he averaged 32.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 6.0 assists and played 43 minutes per game. The Clippers are a team that can shoot the ball extremely well from anywhere on the floor. They are shooting 58.6 percent from the field in the playoffs, have the best mid-range field goal percentage in the postseason, and are shooting a very effective 40.5 percent from the three. The Clippers have the best offensive rating in the NBA playoffs scoring 124.3 points per 100 possessions and can make you pay with their shooting ability. They are not just an offensive powerhouse though, they play solid defense that can shut down talented offenses. A lot of their success also comes from head coach Tyronn Lue who is a very good coach. Once the Clippers fell behind 2-0, Lue adjusted and played a lot of small ball. He forced Rudy Gobert, the 2021 defensive player of the year, out of his comfort zone and forced him to defend the perimeter and move around to help guard shooters, which is tough for someone of his size, despite all his defensive talent. Having a coach that is able to adapt on the fly to be able to play against various offensive and defensive schemes will be crucial against a Suns team that can beat you in a lot of ways, especially when CP3 returns. Against DeAndre Ayton, it makes sense to match him up with Ivica Zubac, as Ayton is dangerous against a small lineup. But if Ayton capitalizes on the Clippers’ small-ball lineup, Zubac will have to play more minutes and as a result, the Clippers' offense will lose some explosiveness on offense and their spacing will be different with a big man on the floor. However, Zubac is a good passer and can run the offense effectively from the high post. 

     With Chris Paul out for at least game one, Cameron Payne will be his replacement. Chris Paul is an experienced veteran point guard who facilitates the offense and his play helps improve the play of all of his teammates. He scores frequently, sets up teammates, and rarely turns the ball over. His presence on the floor has elevated Devin Booker’s play this season as Booker can focus on getting open without having to worry about being the primary ball-handler each play. However, Booker has proven capable of being the number one option and he has played amazing basketball for the entire postseason, his latest accomplishment was a 40 point triple-double in game one of the WCF, where he was everywhere on the floor, making an impact on offense and defense. With everyone healthy, this Suns team is one of the best offensive teams in the league but can also beat you with their top 10 defense. Obviously, the Suns are better with Paul on the floor, averaging 111.4 points per 100 possessions this postseason. However, they scored 13.1 more points per 100 possessions in the last six games when Paul’s lingering shoulder injury subsided. The Suns have held their own without Paul on the floor, posting positive point differentials, using their creativity and depth to get scoring on offense, and using their elite defense to quiet opposing offenses down, cause turnovers, and use their transition game to generate easy fast-break points. 

     Cameron Payne is a good backup option for Paul and should play pretty well alongside Booker. Monty Williams will have to find creative ways to get him involved in the offense and get him shots though. Defenders will likely focus on Booker now, with Paul out of the lineup, which means other guys - like Payne, Ayton, Bridges, and Jae Crowder will have to step up and hit crucial shots. It is worth noting that in games two and three of round one, Payne replaced Paul who was out with a minor injury and the Suns lost both of those games. They’ll need to adapt constantly to beat the Clippers, especially if they are without Paul for more than one game or two. This series will be the Suns’ toughest test in these playoffs. I love the Suns, and they've had a great run, but I think the Clippers’ magical championship run continues - they win the series in seven games thanks to Paul George, Marcus Morris, Reggie Jackson, and incredible coaching from Tyronn Lue. If Kawhi Leonard comes back, they may even win in six games. 

      These two matchups will make an interesting conference final that many NBA fans will enjoy watching. There will be a lot of fast-paced, high-scoring games that will be sure to get you out of your seat There is a lot of talent on all four of these teams. But which teams will emerge victorious and have a chance to compete for their franchises' first-ever NBA title? Stay tuned to find out.

Toronto Blue Jays’ 2021 Mid-Season Recap

By: Adamo Marinelli

June 18, 2021 

     As of June 18, the Toronto Blue Jays sit 33-34, fourth place in a top-heavy AL East. They sit only 8.5 games back of first place and 8 games back of second place. With only about 40 percent of the season complete, this is still anybody’s division. 

     The Blue Jays have now lost three consecutive games and five of the last seven games after starting the season off very well. They were first place in the AL East for a brief time in May.

     The Blue Jays are better than their record suggests. They have a lot of young talent on offense and their superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. leads the MLB in home runs with 22 and in runs batted in with 56. He has been having an incredible season. 

     The Blue Jays have several young players who can hit the ball, get on base, bring runs in, and impact games like Guerrero Jr, Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien, Randal Grichuk, and Teoscar Hernandez among others.  

     They have a decent rotation of starting pitchers as well consisting of Hyun Jin Ryu, Robbie Ray, and Steven Matz who have all started 12 or more games, have pitched over 69 innings, and have all allowed fewer than 73 hits and fewer than 33 earned runs. Matz leads the team in wins with 7 - that is tied for ninth-most in the MLB, Ryu leads the team in ERA with 3.43 and Ray leads the team in strikeouts with 92. Ross Stripling has also played well but has played less than the other three.

     In their last series against the New York Yankees, the Blue Jays were affected negatively by the referees in multiple ways. On June 16, a controversial call in the ninth inning which resulted in Guerrero Jr. being ruled out led to a save by Aroldis Chapman of the Yankees. The Blue Jays also had a chance for a walk-off run called back by the referees against the Yankees the night before. 

     However, the referees have not been the major problem this season. It has been their lack of depth in the bullpen and their lack of closing ability. That has prevented them from winning several games, from having a better record, and from being a higher seed in the AL East.

     The Blue Jays have now lost seven games this season when leading after six innings, are now 5-9 in one-run games and still have yet to figure out a proper rotation of elite closers to help them win close ball games. 

     Granted there have been a lot of injuries to guys in their bullpen, but injuries happen to every team. The Blue Jays need to add some talent and fire-power to their bullpen to consistently win games and prevent blowing leads. They also need a group of guys who can throw strikes consistently late in games to keep games close, giving their offense a chance to build leads and win games.

     Jordan Romano and Rafael Dolis have been okay this season. Dolis leads the team with 3 saves, but that is 38th among all pitchers in the MLB. If the Blue Jays want to contend for a World Series they will need to close out games more consistently and be able to shut elite offenses down.

    Dolis has been questionable as of late, blowing leads late in games and failing to get saves against the RedSox and Yankees. However, with Dolis on the injured list, the depth behind Romano gets even slimmer, which makes manager Charlie Montoyo’s life even harder. Even with Dolis struggling, having him as an option to close out games is necessary.

     David Phelps and Kirby Yates, another free agent signing by the Blue Jays this year are both on the long-term injured list and Trent Thorton, Tim Mayza, Tyler Chatwood, Joel Payamps have all been underwhelming in their appearances this season for the Blue Jays. 

    Anthony Castro has been alright as the third reliever this season and is a viable short-term solution for closing ball games. 

     However, the Blue Jays will likely need to acquire some more talent in the bullpen if they hope to contend for a playoff spot and a World Series title. In the long term, they can look to the draft, in the short term, they will have to look to make a deal with another team or to sign someone in free agency. General Manager Ross Atkins and manager Charlie Montoyo will have their hands full for the rest of this season and in the offseason to address their only major need. 

     Another issue is injuries to their star players. The Blue Jays signed World Series MVP George Springer to a six-year, $150 million deal before this season and due to injury, Springer has only played in four games this season. Springer is a guy that makes an impact on offense and on defense in every game he plays. His health is a major part of this team’s success. He is scheduled to make a return this weekend but whether or not he will be 100 percent is uncertain. 

      While some people blame Atkins and Montoyo for the lack of depth in the bullpen - and they have every right to - I believe it is not the end of the world that their bullpen is underwhelming this season. I believe the Blue Jays simply wanted to figure out where they were offensively this season and to see what they had with their starting rotations. Their offense is young, electric and one of the best groups in the MLB and their starting pitching is good too. Their goal was never to go all out this season in my opinion. Next season, they will get healthy, address their lackluster bullpen and their young, stellar offense will only get better. 

     This season is still young and anything can happen, but next season is when the Blue Jays will truly start contending for a playoff spot and a World Series win.

NHL 2021 Playoff Predictions - Round 3

By: Adamo Marinelli

June 12, 2021

     After an exciting second round of matchups, the final four is set. Which teams will move on and get the chance to compete for a Stanley Cup?

Islanders vs Lightning: One of the NHL’s best defenses meets one of the NHL’s best offenses in a rematch of the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals in what is sure to be a very exciting and competitive series. The Lightning were expected by many people to return to the conference finals. They finished third place in a very tight central division, were only five points behind the Hurricanes - who won the division - and had the eighth-most points in the league. They did this without Nikita Kucherov, who was injured all season, Steven Stamkos, who missed the last month of the season, and Victor Hedman who played hurt down the stretch. In the first round, the Lightning relied on their depth, speed, and excellent offensive capabilities to outmatch the Panthers. The Lightning can beat a team in any way. The Panthers - who knew the Lightning could score in bunches - tried to outmatch the Lightning using a fast pace style of hockey to build a lead and force the Lightning to play catch up. The Lightning used their defense to slow the Panthers down and hold their offense under control. When the Panthers’ offense got slowed down by the Lightning, the Panthers tried to slow the Lightning down by playing solid defense and controlling the pace to win close games. But the Lightning relied on their scoring to put them away. Against the Hurricanes in round two, their big names led the way offensively, their defense played well and Andrei Vasilevsky stood on his head, stopping 94% of the shots he faced, allowing only nine goals in the entire series. Nikita Kucherov has been amazing for the Lightning, leading the NHL with 18 points in the playoffs. The Lightning are very talented all over their roster. They can shut you down defensively, Andrei Vasilevsky is almost unbeatable when he is on his game and they have elite offensive talent all over their roster. They have depth, they are not made of just a pair of superstars. Their postseason offense matches well with their regular-season offense where they averaged 30 shots a game, scored 3.27 goals per game, and had the second-best power play in the NHL converting on 26.07% of their chances. The Islanders are a different team. They have a lot of talent on their roster. However, they are not so much of an offensive powerhouse like the Lightning. They do have some big names like Matthew Barzal, Anders Lee, and Kyle Palmieri who can score - they are top 15 in the NHL scoring 2.93 goals per game, 29.15 shots per game, converting on over 20% of their power plays - but they rely on their defense to shut down their opponents and control time of possession and the pace of the game. In the regular season, the Islanders were the second-best defensive team in the league. They allowed only 2.23 goals per game, 28.39 shots per game and they only allowed 22 powerplay goals against, killing 83.70% of their penalties, second-best in the NHL. They caused turnovers, controlled time of possession, and used their speed, strong forecheck and backcheck to wear opponents down. They play a mix of zone and man coverage to limit opponents’ offensive zone time and scoring chances. They keep everything to the outside, are physical, and win a lot of loose puck battles. Not to mention, they have two very good goalies. The Islanders are the first team in a while to have two goalies win four games in a seven-game series for them in the playoffs. Ilya Sorokin played well in round one, Semyon Varlamov played well in round two. This will be a close series. The Lightning have a strong offense so will the Islanders be able to shut them down? The Lightning have a very good powerplay, will the Islanders’ excellent penalty kill unit shut down the Lightning powerplay. Will the Lightning offense be able to overcome the strong Islanders’ defense - a feat that the Bruins could not accomplish despite having a lot of talent on their roster. Which team’s goalie will be better? These are all keys to victory in this series. If the Islanders can play good defense that limits the Lightning’s scoring chances, if they can control possession time, if they play physical hockey, win puck battles while not turning the puck over a lot, they can upset a very skilled Lightning team and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. If the Lightning can find ways to overpower the Islanders’ defense with different schemes and personnel, if they can get scoring from not only their superstars like Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, but their depth guys like Alex Killorn, Anthony Cirelli, Tyler Johnson, and Patrick Maroon among others and if they can outmatch the Islanders’ strong penalty kill with their stellar powerplay (they convert on over 26 percent of the power plays, second-best in the league) the Lightning will have a chance to win back to back Stanley Cups. Both teams are also well-coached, Bruce Boudreau for the Islanders and John Cooper for the Lightning both have extensive playoff experience, have both won a Stanley Cup, and can both make adaptations to give his team an advantage in a close game. This will be a close and entertaining series, but I believe the Islanders win in seven games, thanks to their excellent defense, depth, and penalty kill.

Golden Knights vs Canadiens: Down go the President’s Trophy winners. The Vegas Golden Knights used their stellar speed, depth, and offensive talent to overpower and upset an excellent Colorado Avalanche team in six games. The Golden Knights are built for the playoffs, it seems, making their third conference finals in four seasons. They have a lot of talent on their roster and were expected to contend for the Stanley Cup at the beginning of the season. They are halfway there. On the other side of this matchup, the Montreal Canadiens proved all the doubters wrong and swept the Winnipeg Jets who were coming off a sweep of the Edmonton Oilers in round one. Carey Price was excellent for the Canadiens and the Canadiens played solid defense, limiting the Jets’ offensive chances, only surrendering six goals in the entire series. Meanwhile, the Canadiens were great on offense, getting scoring from all four lines, registering 14 goals in the series. There is no doubt that the Golden Knights are the heavy favourites in this series and will have home-ice advantage in the series, however, the Canadiens were the underdogs against the Jets as well and we all know how that series went. Both of these teams have played phenomenal hockey in the playoffs, winning a seven-game series in the first round and easily defeating their opponents in the second round. The Canadiens and Golden Knights both have great goaltending. Carey Price has been phenomenal for the Canadiens with an 8-3 record, a 1.97 GAA and a very impressive .935 save percentage, and one shutout. Marc Andrei Fleury has been excellent for Vegas too, with an 8-4 record, a 1.91 GAA, an excellent .923 save percentage, and one shutout. Both teams have a phenomenal defense too. In the regular season, the Golden Knights were the best defensive team in the league, allowing only 2.18 goals per game, 27.27 shots per game, and only allowed 19 power-play goals to opponents on 144 chances, killing a whopping 86.61% of their penalties, best in the NHL. They play a smart, physical style of defense that controls the pace of the game and time of possession. They move the puck well and tire out the opposing offense with their speed and passing skills. They are physical, are not afraid to win puck battles, they can cause a lot of turnovers and their transition game generates a lot of scoring chances. The Habs were a middle-of-the-pack team defensively in the regular season but have turned it on in the playoffs. They are the best remaining team defensively in the final four. They are allowing only 2.18 goals per game, 30.82 shots per game, and have killed 28 of their 31 penalties, a whopping 90.32 percent effectiveness on the penalty kill, which is the best in the league. Sure, the Habs do give up a lot of shots, but most of them are not really high percentage scoring chances because of their excellent defense that forces turnovers, wins puck battles, forces opposing players to the outside, and is smart with the puck. Also, the Canadiens are very good at controlling the pace, especially on the penalty kill which is why their penalty kill unit is so good. They block passing lanes, shots, and force turnovers on the penalty kill which leads to opportunities in transition which explains their four shorthanded goals in the playoffs, the most in the league. On offense, despite all the big-name talent that the Golden Knights have like Max Pacioretty, Mark Stone, Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson, and Alex Tuch among others they have a well-balanced team that can get scoring from all four of their lines. They have 16 players with at least one goal and 20 with at least one point. The Habs have 12 players with at least one goal and 19 with at least one point. Both teams can get production from everyone which is essential in a long playoff series to avoid overworking your top line. Not to mention, both teams’ power plays are amazing - but the Habs have the much better penalty kill, which can be an advantage in a close series. Last year, the Dallas Stars defeated the Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals with great goaltending, a great penalty kill unit, and by keeping everything to the outside to limit Vegas’ offensive scoring chances. The Habs are capable of doing that with their excellent goaltending, penalty kill, and physical defense. The Golden Knights are the slightly better offensive team and will get their opportunities. However, if the Habs get scoring from everyone, play great defense, limit the Golden Knights’ chances, keep everything to the outside, play physical and win puck battles, they can frustrate the Golden Knights. If the Golden Knights can keep up their success on the powerplay, get a ton of scoring chances, get scoring from all four lines, play mistake-free hockey and solve Carey Price - which isn’t easy - they can build leads and control the game and time of possession with their solid defensive core. This will be a close series as both rosters are talented and both teams are very well-coached with Peter DeBoer in Vegas and Dominic Ducharme in Montreal. However, I am going with the upset pick. I have the Canadiens in seven games and Price will be the difference.

     The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Vegas Golden Knights are both favoured to win their conference finals series and play each other in the Stanley Cup Finals. Despite this, however, I believe anything can happen in the playoffs, which is why I picked the Montreal Canadiens and New York Islanders to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. This would be an amazing series between two talented teams - both underdogs - and it would be a very fun Stanley Cup Finals to watch. 

     The Lightning-Islanders series will start on June 13 and the Canadiens-Golden Knights series will start on June 14. Both of these series will be exciting, must-watch TV. I’m looking forward to all the action. 

NBA Playoff Predictions - 2021 Round 2

By: Adamo Marinelli 

June 6, 2021

     With an exciting first round of the NBA playoffs coming to an end, only eight teams remain alive in the battle for the Larry O'Brien trophy. Who will make it to the conference finals? In this article, I will analyze each matchup and make my predictions. 

Bucks vs Nets: This is arguably going to be the best series in the entire NBA playoffs as two star-studded rosters collide in what is sure to be an entertaining, back and forth semifinal series. The Milwaukee Bucks cruised past and swept the Miami Heat in their first-round matchup and the Brooklyn Nets defeated the Celtics in five games in their first-round series. Both teams will be well-rested going into this playoff series. The Bucks did win the season series against the Nets 2-1, however, the Nets did not have their big three together for any of those games, so it won’t play much of a role in this series. The Bucks have never faced the Nets’ big three, so one of the biggest storylines is how the Bucks will defend the Nets’ big three, who had multiple big games in the first round. In game five, the Nets’ big three combined for a whopping 83 points in their 123-109 series-clinching win. The data suggests Jrue Holiday will be the primary ball and wing defender, defending either Kyrie Irving or James Harden. Holiday defended Irving well in the two games he’s been the primary defender, allowing only 21 points and seven assists on 8-11 field goals made and 4-6 three-point field goals made. In Holiday’s one game against Harden, he allowed Harden to score only three points and record two assists, on 1-5 field goals made, all of those shots came from beyond the arc. That says a lot about his defensive capabilities considering Harden finished that game with 34 points and 12 assists. So if Holiday defends Harden, which would be the Bucks’ best bet: that means forward Khris Middleton should guard Kyrie. The only problem is Middleton served as the primary defender against Durant more than any other player over the three regular-season matchups, even more than Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, Antetokounmpo has also defended KD well in the regular season, allowing only four points and one assist on 1-6 field goals through three games. If I am Mike Budenholzer, I am putting Holiday on Harden, Middleton on Irving, and Antetokounmpo on Durant. The Nets are very good both shooting from three and when driving the rim and scoring from close range. To prevent the Nets from scoring willingly from close range, I expect the Bucks zone coverage with Lopez and Antetokounmpo in the paint and Middleton, Holiday, and P.J Tucker playing outside. However, they will have to play a lot of man coverage as well, to avoid giving up many threes. The Bucks are strong offensively too, their biggest threat is Antetokounmpo who can drive the rim and score from mid-range, rebound, and pass the ball very well. Durant and Blake Griffin will have to defend him tirelessly. The Bucks lost Donte DiVincenzo to an injury but still have guys who can spread the floor with ball movement and shoot the three, like Middleton, Tucker, and Holiday. Irving, Harden, and Joe Harris will need to be active on pick and rolls and be prepared to come off screens to send help to shooters as the Bucks move the ball well. The Nets are the best offensive team in the league but are the 21st best defensive team. The Bucks are the sixth-best offensive team in the league but are the 22nd best defensive team. Both defenses aren’t the best which will lead to a lot of high-scoring games, but the Nets’ superior offense gives them a huge edge despite the skill of Antetokounmpo. Finally, both teams are well-coached. Steve Nash was an excellent NBA player but has less experience behind the bench for the Nets than Mike Budenholzer does behind the bench for the Bucks. Budenholzer does have the advantage as he is the more experienced coach, but Steve Nash, despite having a lot of talent on his roster, has shown time and time again he can change his offensive and defensive schemes, adapt his strategy and lineup depending on the lineup or defensive scheme of their opponents and use his depth to make up for time his stars missed with injury. However, this series will come down to who’s coach makes more adjustments and which team’s bench produces more to help out their starters. Both these teams are very talented and well-rounded, but I have the Nets winning in 7 games. 

Hawks vs 76ers: The 76ers and the Hawks each won their first-round series in 5 games, beating the Wizards and Knicks respectively. The Hawks, after missing the playoffs for the last three years, are in the second round of the playoffs. Trae Young will have to continue his electrifying playoff performance he put on in round one, and the Hawks will have to play solid defensively, especially in the paint if they want a chance to upset the number one seed in the East. This series will be a matchup between one of the best offenses in the league and one of the best defenses in the league. The 76ers beat the Hawks 2-1 in the season series, but their one loss came in a game where they were missing eight players due to health and safety protocols. In the two games the 76ers won, they beat the Hawks by a combined 66 points. The biggest storyline is Joel Embiid’s injury status. Embiid suffered a partially torn meniscus in his right knee. Luckily for the 76ers, it is not a complete tear - his injury is ruled as day-to-day. He will likely be back before the end of the series. With Embiid out, at least for the next few days, the difference between playing the Hawks or playing the Nets or Bucks is a big one. Embiid is an MVP candidate who’s had a phenomenal season, he is arguably the best player on the 76ers and is crucial for a deep 76ers playoff run. If Embiid does return, he may still not be at full health and while most teams struggle with guarding Embiid, the Hawks have several talented bigs like Clint Capela and even Bogdan Bogdanovich to guard Embiid. Capela has the size and length to defend Embiid well and make life hard on him in the paint. In eight games against Capela in his career, Embiid has averaged 20.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, according to NBA.com. Those are good numbers, so the 76ers will have to be creative to get Capela off Embiid. The 76ers have a lot of small, quick, and athletic guards. Also, Doc Rivers is a brilliant coach and will likely use his small-ball lineup and a lot of ball screens and pick and rolls to bring Capela to the perimeter to create and exploit mismatches. Those are good numbers, but Embiid can average a lot more on other defenders. If Embiid misses some time, the 76ers will have to rely on their excellent ball movement and incredible three-point shooting and play fast-paced offense while playing physical defense which causes turnovers, blocks shots (they are 2nd in the league in both of those categories), and allow the fourth-lowest field goal percentage to opponents. The 76ers also have the second-best defensive rating in the league and allow the sixth-fewest points in the league. The Hawks are a middle-of-the-pack team defensively, but allow the ninth fewest three-pointers to opponents and the 14th fewest field goals to opponents. Against a 76ers team that can move the ball well, hit three-pointers, and drive the rim, especially with Embiid healthy, the Hawks’ defense will have a lot to handle to shut down this incredible 76ers offense. However, the Hawks are really good on the defensive glass and do not give up a lot of offensive rebounds. They also have allowed the third-fewest three-point percentage to all opponents this season. Lastly, the Hawks showed in the first round that they have an explosive offense, especially with Trae Young at the helm. Young averaged 29.2 points per game against the Knicks in the five games in the first round. Not only can Young score, but he can distribute the ball around with his great passing, has excellent court vision, and causes defenders to move towards him, which causes open shots for his teammates. The Hawks are top 10 in offensive rating and can shoot well, rebound well and move the ball well thanks to skilled guys on their roster like Young, Danilo Gallinari, Clint Capela, Lou Williams, and John Collins, etc. The Hawks have a lot of skill and are well-coached, but I think the 76ers are too much to handle. The 76ers will win in 6 games thanks to a strong return from Embiid and their strong shooting and playmaking ability.

Nuggets vs Suns: The defending champion Los Angeles Lakers have been defeated in six games at the hands of Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and the Phoenix Suns. This is the first time in LeBron James’ career that his team has lost in the first round of the playoffs - he is still an impressive 14-1 in first-round series. The Denver Nuggets, even without Jamal Murray who is out for the rest of the playoffs with an ACL tear defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in six games thanks to huge performances from Nikola Jokic, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, and Austin Rivers. These two teams both have a lot of talent, have very young cores and both have the potential to win the western conference. The Suns have made their first western semi-finals since the Steve Nash days in 2010, and the Nuggets are in the western semifinals for the three consecutive years. The Nuggets did win the season series 2-1 against the Suns, however, all 3 games were decided by a combined total of 15 points - that is an extremely competitive series. The big story will be how the Suns have a huge advantage in their backcourt, with Chris Paul and Devin Booker and how the Nuggets have a huge advantage in their front court with Nikola Jokic, Michael Porter Junior, Aaron Gordon, and Bol Bol off the bench. With the help of role players and their bench moving the ball around and creating shots, Jokic was able to dominate the Nuggets despite missing key rotation players like Jamal Murray. He averaged 33 points per game, 10.5 rebounds per game, 4.5 assists per game, and shot 53 percent from the field, 43 percent from three, and 92 percent from the line. Deandre Ayton played well against the Lakers in the first round, but he will not be enough to stop Jokic from tearing up the floor. Jokic does everything for the Nuggets - he makes threes, drives the basket, rebounds well, is an incredible playmaker and he gets to the free-throw line. His dominance in the paint causes extra defenders to move towards him which creates open shots for his teammates. And the Nuggets are very good shooting the ball, finishing fourth-best in field goal percentage and eighth-best in three-point percentage. They also finished with the eighth-most points in the regular season, they are a very good rebounding team and can move the ball well, finishing with the eighth-most rebounds and sixth-most assists in the NBA. However, the Suns have the 6th best defense in the NBA which is far better than the Trail Blazers’ 29th best defense in the NBA. The Suns allowed the seventh-fewest points, the ninth fewest rebounds, the sixth-fewest offensive rebounds, and they defend the perimeter and pick-and-roll offenses well allowing the fourth-fewest assists in the regular season and locked down the Lakers, caused turnovers, and held them in check. The Lakers never shot over 45 percent from the field. So, the Nuggets will have a harder time scoring against the Suns than they did against the Trail Blazers. So, this series will come down to the Nuggets’ high-powered offense led by Nikola Jokic, an MVP candidate and the Suns' incredible defense. The Suns will have to play both zone and man and run multiple schemes to avoid letting Jokic get whatever he wants on the floor. Not to mention, the Nuggets are a top 10 defensive team in the NBA, allowing the fewest rebounds, second-fewest defensive rebounds, 4th fewest offensive rebounds, and the seventh-fewest opponents’ field goals, however, they give up a lot of threes, which Monty Williams’ team can do very well. The Suns have the second-best offense in the league, ranking seventh in total points scored, third in assists, second in field goals made and field goal percentage, and seventh in three-point field goal percentage. Both teams are well-coached, with Michael Malone for the Nuggets and Monty Williams for the Suns and both teams are good on both sides of the ball with a lot of talent. This will be a close series, especially with the offensive firepower on both teams, but I have the Suns winning in 7 games, after an incredible 50 point game by Devin Booker. Chris Paul gets one step closer to that elusive first ring.

Clippers vs Jazz: When the Mavericks took a 2-0 series lead, behind two incredible performances from Luka Doncic, the sports world thought the Clippers would suffer another early playoff exit when they should be competing for championships. Instead, the Clippers would go on to win four of the next five games to close out the Mavericks despite excellent performances from Luka Doncic. The reason why this happened is depth and secondary production. The Clippers had guys like Rajon Rondo, Marcus Morris Senior, Reggie Jackson, Nicolas Batum, and Ivica Zubac who all had big games to help out their superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. The Mavericks’ bench did not provide enough help to Luka Doncic. Tim Hardaway Junior and Dorian Finney Smith had a good game one and two but were underwhelming for the rest of the series. Kristaps Porzingis also had a very lackluster series. As a result, the Clippers outlast their inner-city rival in the playoffs and will play the first seed Jazz in the western conference semifinals. The Clippers and Jazz are pretty evenly matched teams that have a lot of talent all over their roster and that focus a lot on defense. The Jazz had the third-best defense in the regular season and dominated the Grizzlies defensively in round one. They allowed the third-fewest points and had the fourth-best defensive rating, They allowed the fewest assists, the fewest three-point field goals and they had the second lowest opponents’ field goal percentage and second-lowest three point field goal percentage. The Clippers allowed the fourth-fewest points, the seventh-best defensive rating, allowed the fewest defensive rebounds, the second-fewest rebounds, and allowed the fifth-fewest offensive rebounds in the NBA. They have allowed the third-fewest assists, and are top 10 in field goals allowed, three-point field goals allowed and opposing three-point field goal percentage. Both teams play a physical style of defense that limits opponents’ shots and causes turnovers. The Clippers are a very good rebounding team and control the pace of the game; the Jazz are an athletic team defensively that does not allow opponents to move the ball around and are very quick on rotations and sending help to shooters to defend pick and rolls. Both teams are also top five in the league on offense. The Jazz scored the fourth-most points, led the league in offensive rebounds, were top five in offensive rebounds, attempted and made the most three-point field goals in the NBA, are fifth-best in three-point field goal percentage, and are 17th best in field goal percentage. They are a team that controls the pace by moving the ball around and getting high percentage looks, especially from three. They are efficient from the field and from three and can build leads quickly with the three. They also are able to continue possessions with their excellent offensive rebounding. They do turn the ball over a lot though. The Clippers scored the 10th most points, recorded the 17th most total rebounds and assists, and had the seventh-fewest turnovers in the league. They have the fifth-best field goal percentage and the best three-point field goal percentage in the NBA. They get to the free-throw line a lot and are the best free-throw shooting team. They are a team that moves the ball around, gets very good shots, frequently makes those shots, and does not turn the ball over. These two teams are also both well-coached and they match up well. Donovan Mitchell and Rajon Rondo will likely guard each other, Ivica Zubac and Rudy Gobert will likely guard each other, Bojan Bogdanovich and Paul George will likely guard each other and Mike Conley and Kawhi Leonard will likely guard each other. This will be a close series. It will come down to who’s bench helps their team’s stars the most. The Jazz are a good team, but I believe playoff Kawhi Leonard will be the difference, the Clippers win in 7 games and upset the first seed Jazz. Also, as of right now George and Kawhi are better than Bogdanovich and Conley, which will also make a difference.

The second round of the NBA playoffs has four very interesting matchups that could go either way. After all, anything can happen in the playoffs, this is just how I see it playing out. I can't wait to watch all the action.