NFL
By: Joe Cardoso
The second half of the NBA season starts NOW, fresh off the All-Star break which is a whole other story but the games really count now. Battling for seeding and finding out which teams are serious and who will fade away as a feel-good story. The trade deadline was electricc we now look to see if anyone off the buyout market can have an impact on someone’s season.
Here They Come:
Don’t look now but the Denver Nuggets are starting to find themselves. With a record of 16-4 since January and winning games by double digits. Jamal Murray is playing high-level hoops and the Joker is the Joker. With Russell Wilson coming back to the fold look for them to push toward the top of the west. With the start they had some of us forgot about them and now they are front and center looking for that old championship magic.
Will we finally see the version of the Phoenix Suns we all wanted? The schedule isn’t easy and the thought of being added to the list of most disappointing teams ever is a real one. Kevin Durant wanted to be loyal and stayed with them Devin Booker is the glue, will Bradley Beal trade in street clothes for a uniform? It will be a tough climb to get back into the top 10.
Has any team been hurt by injuries more than the Orlando Magic? The darlings of the media last season and heading into this season are down bad. Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero are back and the schedule isn’t super hard. For the team and fans, this would be a nasty step back to miss the postseason.
Get Comfortable:
Days off give players time to rest and get refreshed mentally and physically. For people like Jimmy Butler and Luka Doncic, you learn a bit more about your new team. For the Lakers my question is can they even be half the team, they were on the defensive side of the ball. I expect it to not take long for Bron and Luka to gel and scoring won’t be an issue for the Lake show.
Draymond Green called a championship for the Warriors on Sunday. A bold claim but you can’t get mad about having confidence in your squad. Jimmy Butler wanted to find his joy and love for the game again, and now in the Bay with Steph Curry, he has found it. We are still in the honeymoon stage Butler will need to lighten the load on Steph and also give the young guys a chance to figure things out. Count on at least 2-3 games where Butler steals a Dubs win.
Besides the playoffs, this for me is the fun part seeing the season’s puzzle pieces fall into place and how it ends up. If you are late for the party don’t worry you have come right on time. Buckle up Hoop fans because the action will be fast. For more NBA content give us a follow on all social media platforms. And I want to send prayers and well wishes to Victor Wembanyama, get well soon big man.
