The NBA Bubble has been so much fun to watch. There has been so many good games to watch with teams taking games to overtime, teams fighting for playoff spots, and players trying to make a name for themselves. One of those teams that has been making a names for themselves is the Portland Trailblazers. The Trailblazers came into the bubble trailing the Memphis Grizzlies by 3.5 games with 8 games left. With the Grizzlies struggling and the Trailblazers on a roll, Portland has taken over the 8th seed in the West with one game remaining left on the schedule. But the Blazers are still fighting to hang on to the last seed as three teams trail the Blazers by a 1/2 game. Anything can happen as the Blazers could be a lock in the playoffs or in the lottery.

But here’s the thing if the Blazers happen to sneak in the playoffs by winning the play-in game, YOU DO NOT WANT TO FACE THIS TEAM IN THE PLAYOFFS.

Obviously the Trailblazers season has been a rough one. Last season the Blazers made a run to the Western Conference Finals before getting swept by the stacked Golden State Warriors. With the Blazers having many players like Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins being out with injuries this season, the Blazers have not been playing to their full potential which resulted them falling out of the playoff spot before the NBA shutdown the league. But since this restart has happened, the Blazers are healthy, loaded, and determined to be a threat in the Western Conference. The way this team is playing right now, this team could make the NBA Finals and I am not kidding when I say that.

Look at this team and how loaded they are. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum are showing why they are one of the best backcourts in the NBA. Both are shooters that can get hot, and when they are feeling it, they aren’t missing anything. Carmelo Anthony has resurrected his NBA career as he has been playing exceptionally well in the restart. He is hitting big time shots, providing veteran leadership, and has lots of playoff experience. Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins are healthy again and have been providing that post presence that the Trailblazers have been missing all year long. Hassan Whiteside is a great rim protector for the Blazers, and can be capable of finishing around the rim when he gets going. Gary Trent Jr has been coming off the bench and shooting the lights out, providing a spark plug off the Blazers bench. So many players for the Blazers have been stepping up to save their season, and not only that this team is playing scary right now, this team is starting to scare NBA playoff teams.

If the Blazers happen to get in the 8th spot, they would face the number one seed, the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers have struggled in the bubble, with Lebron James and Anthony Davis having to play lots of minutes to carry the team. The Lakers have been struggling making their shots, and defending the outside perimeter. The Blazers have lots of good shooters which could be a problem to the Lakers. The Lakers may have the advantage with their height, but there is no one to guard McCollum and Lillard that could give the Lakers a lot of problems. If they had a hard time guarding PJ dOZIER AND Monte Morris of the Denver Nuggets, just imagine how bad it will be with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.

If they upset the Lakers in the first round, they could have to face the Houston Rockets who their starting center is PJ Tucker who is around 6’5. Lots of threes could happen, but there could be a lot of mismatches in the post that will give the Rockets problem especially having Nurkic and Whiteside.

Say they get by the Rockets and make it back to the Western Conference Finals again. They could see the Denver Nuggets or LA Clippers. Both of those teams don’t have WCF experience, while the Trailblazers do have the experience from last year…….

This team could be in the NBA Finals and this is no cap. This team is playing its best basketball right now, and they are all loaded and healthy. People expected this team to be a threat in the Western Conference, and this team could make a lot of noise if they make it in the playoffs. This team is one of the scariest 8th seeds probably in NBA history.

Don’t bet surprised if you see some playoff magic, because they are playing in Disney World.

The MLB season just started back up, but could the season already be in jeopardy? At least 13 players from the Miami Marlins organization have tested positive for the corona virus. The Miami Marlins against the Baltimore Orioles was postponed due to the player’s coronavirus outbreak.

The Miami Marlins were coming off a great road trip against the Philadelphia Phillies winning two of three games on the road. After returning from the road trip, many players got tested and there was a lot of results that came back positive. After the news was revealed, they postponed the game and they also postponed the game with the New York Yankees vs the Philadelphia Phillies to avoid the spread.

My Thoughts

This is not good for MLB fans.

This is the news you did not want to hear if you are a baseball fan. After all this drama with the MLBPA and the MLB with wanting to get back on the field, now there is an uncertain future of the league possibly continuing.

I am really not sure what is going to happen, and I don’t know how this is going to work. My guess is the MLB will continue the season, but the organization is just going to be playing without the players for awhile. It is really hard the tell, and it leaves many people concerned about this.

They should’ve had the teams just played their games at a location like the NBA and WNBA is doing. Like all the NL teams out at a West location and all the AL teams out at an East location. I think it would’ve worked a lot better that the players can stay at a bubble, get tested every day, and can still play their season. With all the traveling and players going out to places in the cities, you could get the virus from anywhere.

With this player outbreak, it doesn’t look good for fall sports for high school and college athletes. This is going to make people more concerned about wanting to have a season after seeing many players get the virus. I will be curious to see how this pans out, but I am hoping that their will still be a season, and that the spread doesn’t get worse.

The NBA regular season will return in about one week as it will be the Los Angeles Clippers taking on the Los Angeles Lakers on July 30th in Orlando. It’s an exciting time as after four months, we will be able to see some live basketball again and watch the 22 teams that were invited back to compete for an NBA title. One of those teams in particular are the Los Angeles Lakers who are hoping to bring home their 17th NBA championship to tie the Boston Celtics for the most championships in the league.

Lebron James and Anthony Davis have been leading the LA Lakers back to the top of the Western Conference with a 49-14 record. This will be the first time since 2013 that the Los Angeles Lakers will be playing in the NBA Playoffs. That was back when the Lakers formed that “superteam” with Kobe, Dwight Howard, Steve Nash, Pau Gasol, and many others. And we all know that season didn’t end well as Kobe tore his achilles at the end of the season, and they got swept out of the first round.

Anyway, it’s been awhile since we have seen the Lakers be a competitive team. They definitely have a chance to win the title, mostly because the NBA will make sure it will happen. I personally think there is a few teams in the West that are better than the Lakers, but it is not going to matter as the NBA will be wanting the Lakers to reach the NBA Finals. If you don’t believe me, than let me explain why the Lakers WILL be in the NBA Finals.

Reason #1 The NBA is obsessed with Lebron

The NBA, along with many other fans in the world, are obsessed with Lakers forward Lebron James. Lebron and the new upcoming rookie Zion Williamson are two people all the sports fans and shows can’t stop talking about. They are crazy about their talent that you will see a post on ESPN or Bleacher Report on a highlight of the two athletes, EVERY DAY. It is low-key annoying, but it is what the fans want I guess. If you don’t believe me that the NBA is obsessed with Lebron, then should I remind you that Lebron went to 8 Finals in a row, no matter who he had for teammates. He didn’t make the playoffs last year, because Lebron was “hurt” and used that as an excuse on why Lebron didn’t make the playoffs when he only missed a little bit over a week. The NBA makes sure that Lebron is always in the Finals, because people are obsessed with him. It seems rigged at times, and sometimes it’s not really fair for the other teams. Now don’t get me wrong, Lebron is a great player, but there has been some years Lebron has not had a good team, but they somehow end up in the Championship because the NBA makes sure it happens. I may sound like a hater, but it is kinda true if you think about.

Reason #2 “For Kobe”

Now don’t get me wrong, what happened to Kobe Bryant was absolutely terrible. It still doesn’t seem real that he and his daughter died in the helicopter crash. He was one of the greatest basketball players of all time, and he will never be forgotten. But the NBA wants to make sure that the Lakers can be in the Finals, because its the year Kobe passed away and it can be a storyline for the Lakers to win and say it was “For Kobe”.When he passed away before the All-Star game, they dedicated everything to Kobe. They had the uniforms from Kobe and his daughter Gianna’s basketball number, they re-named the All Star game trophy after him, and they had final score to 24 at the end of the All-Star game. I love how they dedicated stuff to him, butt it doesn’t mean that they should re-change everything for him. Like I feel like there is other teams that are better than the Lakers, but the NBA will rig it to make sure the Lakers will be in the Finals. I hate how it is like that, but it is what it is. R.I.P. to one of the best basketball players in the world.

Reason #3 The NBA wants the TV ratings

An NBA Finals that has Lebron James, Kobe’s team playing in the Finals, going up against either league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, or a Celtics team for the Lakers to go against to renew the rivalry, the NBA and fans would want that so bad. I mean the NBA made sure it was the Warriors vs Cavaliers from 2015-2018. In 2015, the Warriors won the title, and in 2016 the Cavaliers won the title. The fans loved the rivalry so the NBA made sure they would face off in the Finals again in 2017 and 2018 thinking fans would tune in more to watch. But when Kevin Durant came to the Warriors, TV views went down, because everyone expected that the Warriors would win. The NBA needs something for views, because each year the views seem to go down more and more. A Lakers vs Celtics rivalry would bring back the memories when Kobe beat the Celtics in 2010, or 2 MVP candidates facing off against each other in the Finals to show who the real MVP is. It gives fans what they want, and it brings in viewers. No one is going tune in for a Jazz-Raptors Finals or a Rockets-Sixers finals

If you guys think I’m a hater then so be it. But this is low-key true that no one wants to admit. Just think about it, the NBA wants this headline for the league.

“ Lebron James and Los Angeles Lakers win their 17th NBA Championship for the late Kobe Bryant”

You can sit there and tell me the NBA organization and fans don’t want to see that. The Clippers have a much better team, but the Lakers have the refs and the NBA on their side that won’t seem to matter.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have their new star for the long run now. Star outfielder Mookie Betts has signed a 12 year/$365 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Dodgers that will end in 2032. Betts was set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2021, but the 2018 American League MVP has found a home for the next 12 years.

Betts was recently acquired by the LA Dodgers this past off season after being traded from the Boston Red Sox along with starting pitcher David Price. With Betts wearing the Blue and White in the bright city of LA for the next decade, this will make the Dodgers a favorite to win the World Series for the next few years.

My Thoughts

As a Boston Red Sox fan, this is painful thing to see.

The Dodgers just picked up one of the best players in the MLB for the next 12 years. They are going to be a contender for the World Series year after year. This was a smart decision by the Los Angeles Dodgers to get Mookie to sign this contract extension before playing a single regular season game incase if he was to change his mind and want to leave the Dodgers in the off season.

Some people might question about this deal because of how big of a contract it is and how long the contract is. Twelve years and 365 million dollars is a long deal and there is definitely some worries with this deal. He could get hurt, he may not be the same player in 5-6 years, and many other worries. But here is the thing about this, you have this guy for the long run. You don’t have to worry about him leaving the Dodgers for another team in his prime, you don’t have to worry about him giving him a raise, and if things don’t work out, there is going to be a team out there who will take a player like him ANY DAY.

Do I think he is worth this contract? WITHOUT A DOUBT. The guy has won a ring, he has won an MVP, a very good batting average and a phenomenal outfielder. The Dodgers stole this guy from the Red Sox and didn’t have to give up a star to do so. They took the guy that killed them in the 2018 World Series! The Dodgers are on cloud nine right now.

This has to make Red Sox organization feel stupid. They probably thought they could trade him to get something in return and get rid of some expensive contracts to sign him in the next offseason. But instead Mookie surprises everyone and signs a contract extension that will keep in LA for the next decade. All the Red Sox had to do was trade some contracts like David Price and Jackie Bradley Jr to get some good players in the bullpen to be competitive again. But instead they traded away their star to avoid going over the luxury tax which is absolutely stupid. This is like the Orlando Magic letting Shaquille O’Neal walked because they didn’t want to give him the money. I am really disgusted by the Red Sox because they go rid of their franchise star for absolutely nothing because we didn’t want to pay the guy.

The Red Sox may have took the World Series title away from the Dodger, but the Dodgers stole their star player.

Major League Baseball is getting closer and closer to starting the 2020 baseball season. With the MLB eliminating over 100 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, every game is an important game this season. Any team could go on a run in the regular season, and all of a sudden it could put them at a good position in the playoffs. So with no further ado here are my top five teams that could win the World Series this year.

Houston Astros

I know, the Houston Astros are the most hated team in the MLB and possibly the world. They are going to feel attacked at every single game they play, whether it’s getting hit by a pitch, getting in fights with the players, and more. As they can no longer cheat anymore, it doesn’t mean you can’t count them out. They are going to use this season as fuel to win the World Series. And with star players with Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and Alex Springer returning and solid pitching, the Astros roster still looks really strong. Don’t be surprised if you see this team back in the postseason making a run at the title.

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are considered a favorite in the American League. The Yankees have a strong batting lineup and pitching rotation that could make them for scary to play against. With strong power hitters like Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, and Giancarlo Stanton returning in the lineup, and newly acquired pitcher Gerrit Cole in the pitching rotation, don’t be surprised if you see this team in the World Series. I am not a fan of the Yankees, but if I were to pick a contender in the American League, I’m definitely going with the Yankees.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers made one of the biggest acquisitions in the off season by acquiring 2018 AL MVP Mookie Betts from the Boston Red Sox. With Mookie Betts possibly only playing one season with the Dodgers, it makes the Dodgers one of the scariest threats in the MLB this season. With the Dodgers having a rising stars in Cody Bellinger and Job Pederson, you could see a lot of players having a high batting average this season. As Clayton Kershaw will once again be the star pitcher for the Dodgers, he could be in for an amazing pitching season that can finally take the Dodgers off the hump and win the World Series.

Milwaukee Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers were defeated by the Washington Nationals last season in the NL Wild Card and will be looking for revenge this season. With star player Christian Yelich leading the way, the Milwaukee Brewers could be the dark horse team that could shock a lot of people this season. Don’t forget that two years ago, this team was one game away from reaching the World Series, they could be in this position again this year.

Boston Red Sox

They may have lost players in David Price, Mookie Betts, and Chris Sale this season, but don’t count this team out! The Boston Red Sox have a solid lineup returning, and they are one of those teams that can go on a hot winning streak. With a shorten season, the Red Sox could make a run at the World Series title this season. The Red Sox have won titles in years we were not expecting them too. Like 2013, the season before they were absolutely terrible then the next year after the Red Sox won the title. They have poor pitching this season, but their solid lineup and defensive outfield could make up the slack.

To Wrap it up

If I were to pick a favorite to win the World Series, I would definitely say the Dodgers. They have lots of talent and as long as they stay healthy and don’t choke, I don’t see anyone beating them.

There will be baseball played this week! I can’t wait!

With many Brooklyn Nets players not going to the NBA restart, they have brought in a key guard to replace the players. Three time NBA Sixth Man of the Year, Jamal Crawford, has signed a contract with the Brooklyn Nets for the remainder of the season.

Crawford last played for the Phoenix Suns in 2018-19 where he averaged around near 8 points per game, including scoring 50 points in his last recent game.

The Nets players who have opted out of the NBA restart due to COVID and injury concerns. Key players like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, DeAndre Jordan, Wilson Chandler, and Taurean Prince. As many players will be gone, Crawford will get lots of minutes and provide a lot of scoring to the team.

My Thoughts

The Brooklyn Nets roster looks like a joke right now. With all of these players opting out of the NBA restart. The Nets will be bringing in a bunch of scrubs for their “playoff” run. The only good players they are bringing are Jarrett Allen, Jamal Crawford, and Caris Levert. Besides those three, the Nets look terrible. I honestly would not be surprised if they try and tank two possible get in the NBA Draft lottery. But I think that the Nets are way too far ahead of the Wizards to get a draft pick in the lottery.

I am glad to see Jamal Crawford on an NBA roster again. He is a great role player to have off your bench and can provide scoring when you let him do his thing. I could see him taking lots of shots in Brooklyn with lack of help, and to hopefully play well to get NBA teams to sign him in the offseason.

The Boston Celtics NEED to play the Brooklyn Nets in the playoffs. This would be a great first round matchup that could help them to a Championship run.

Patrick Mahomes will be the guy in Kansas City for the next ten years. The reigning Super Bowl MVP, Patrick Mahomes has signed a 10 year contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs that will end in 2031. Mahomes is expected to make over $400 million dollars by the time this contract ends making him one of the highest paid players in the NFL.

Mahomes was the 2018 MVP and two time Pro Bowl selection, while leading the Chiefs to their second Super Bowl championship. All of this happening in just three years of being an NFL quarterback.

My Thoughts

Not surprised with the contract extension, but WOW…..ten years!?

I am surprised he was signed for that long, I believe he is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and has such a bright future in the NFL, but ten years!?

I think he has the capability of winning another the Super Bowl or two, but I think once he gets to about his seventh or eighth season in the league, he is going to start to struggle. Plus you may never know what can happen that long, the could struggle, he could get hurt, and the team may not win as many games in the future. You never know what could happen.

Chiefs definitely have an amazing guy at the quarterback, but they are also taking a big risk signing him to this long of a contract. So I will definitely be interested to see what happens in the future.

Four years ago today, the Boston Celtics had their free agency meeting with Kevin Durant. For Celtics fans, including myself, we were confident with the feeling of Kevin Durant coming to Boston to play for the Celtics. Even though he stupidly made the decision to sign with the Golden State Warriors, can we just think for a few minutes on what it would’ve felt like to have Kevin Durant on the Celtics?

Lets go back in time to the summer of the 2016 NBA off-season

The Cleveland Cavaliers overcame a 3-1 series lead to the Golden State Warriors in the Finals, Tim Duncan announced his retirement, and Ben Simmons was the first overall pick in the 2016 in the NBA Draft.

For Kevin Durant, he was entering the offseason as an unrestricted free agent. His team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, were coming off a terrible end of their season after blowing a 3-1 series lead against the Golden State Warriors. For the Boston Celtics, they finished as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. Despite making the playoffs for a second year in a row, they fell to a veteran experience Atlanta Hawks team in six games. As a disappointing end to the season, the Celtics had the third pick in the NBA Draft and selected the forward from California, Jaylen Brown.

The Celtics were in need for another star to take the team over the top, and Durant was possibly looking to get out of Oklahoma City in a quest for an NBA Championship. This just seemed like a perfect match for the two. The Celtics had the cap space to sign Durant, and this was a chance for Kevin Durant to take the NBA by storm leading a new team.

Not only did the Celtics have the salary cap, but they had the salary cap to offer TWO max contracts. So if Kevin Durant was interested in coming to Boston, maybe he could call someone to team up with him and All-Star Isaiah Thomas.

The Celtics brought in some interesting players to the free agency meeting. Guys like Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Kelly Olynyk, Marcus Smart, and the New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Their pitch intrigued Durant a lot, and Durant recently said he was “ready” to come play in Boston. Especially since the Celtics were close to bringing in Al Horford who signed with the Boston Celtics the next day on July 3rd.

Unfortunately Kevin Durant made the WEAKEST move in the NBA by signing with the Golden State Warriors. THE TEAM THAT WON 73 GAMES IN THE REGULAR SEASON. As Celtics fans spent their 4th of July thinking about what could’ve been, what would’ve happened in Kevin Durant joined the Celtics?

The Celtics become the most dominant team in the Eastern Conference

The season after Kevin Durant joined the Warriors, the Celtics were the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. They got blasted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals losing 4-1, but could you imagine if the Celtics had Kevin Durant? I don’t see how the Cavaliers could beat such a good team. The Celtics with a dominant scorer along with Isaiah Thomas, Al Horford a double double machine, Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder key scorers and defenders, Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown young bright talent, with a top draft pick the year after, who is stopping that dominant team?

The Celtics would’ve won an NBA Championship if they stayed healthy. Kevin Durant’s rings would’ve been “legit” and they could’ve been the talked about team for years to come. Him and Isaiah Thomas could’ve been a deadly duo if he never got injured. They were both in their prime, and all they really needed was each other, especially Isaiah Thomas. The fit with Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant never really worked, because they both wanted the ball and sometimes had team chemistry problems. Thomas would’ve put aside his ball dominance play, and would’ve been a lot less selfish when he handled the point guard.

As we look back at this day, I forever wish that Kevin Durant chose the Boston Celtics. I just could imagine what it would’ve been like winning multiple championships with the duo of Isaiah Thomas and Kevin Durant. As much as we didn’t like his decision, IT IS WHAT IT IS.

But I guess we will have to win multiple championships with the new trio of Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker, and Jaylen Brown.

There will now be two games in the NFL preseason game this season. Week One and Week Four of the preseason schedule has been cancelled due to the corona virus pandemic and no reason to have those two preseason games.

With trimming off two games to the preseason schedule, this will give NFL teams more time to practice before the NFL season and not have to worry about the preseason matchup against the team they face every week.

It is unsure if the NFL will still have their preseason due to COVID-19, but the NFL is still in hope for the league to start on time and not have to cancel any games.

My Thoughts

Cutting two preseason games is pretty reasonable. I mean four weeks of just playing preseason games feels like forever. I’m just glad that teams can prepare for the season in a better way and not have to have any big players possibly injured in the preseason.

It makes me a little bit curious if they will still have the preseason this year. We don’t know that the season will start on time due to the fact of COVID-19. There has been concerns about another possible wave of COVID that could force us to limit certain things.

I really hope the NFL season does start on time, because we honestly need sports in the world right now. Just something positive to look forward to, there has been way too many things stripped away from us this year that we just need something to look forward to.

Fingers crossed that the season starts on time!

The Los Angeles Lakers are close to bringing a new guard for their quest for an NBA Championship. JR Smith is planning to sign a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers for the rest of the season. With Avery Bradley opting out of playing in the NBA restart due to coronavirus worries, the Lakers are looking to bring in JR Smith to fill in the missing starting spot.

Smith last played for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018-19 averaging 6.7 points per game. Smith spent 5 seasons with the Cavaliers winning an NBA Title with the organization in 2016. Smith was waived from the team after requesting a trade and the Cavaliers were not successful in finding a destination for the shooting guard.

My Thoughts

Not surprised by this pick up at all. This is a former teammate of Lebron and if JR Smith was going to anywhere, the Lakers were going to pick him up when the time was right. Smith is a good outside shooter and can knock down the shot when he is open.

But the thing is I really don’t know how much he will fit in on the Lakers though. He has two compete for a starting spot against Danny Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Rajon Rondo, Dion Waiters, and others. I am not sure how he is going to like the thought of him coming off the bench and possibly playing very limited minutes. He didn’t like coming off the bench when Dwyane Wade was in Cleveland, so we will have to wait and see what happens.

Smith has plenty of Finals appearances when he was in Cleveland, so he will not be timid or scared of the playoff lights. But we all know he can make a lot of stupid mistakes in the big lights. Who could forget when he dribbled out the clock in Game One of the NBA Finals when the game was tied?

Smith might not be as good as a defensive player like Avery Bradley, but he is an excellent outside shooter that when left open he can get hot.