Tag: Trae Young

2018 NBA Draft Recap

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

Draft night, in any sport, is a special time….

Everyone becomes an expert for a day. Thursday night’s NBA Draft was no different.

Before these prospects ever step foot on an NBA court, “experts” think they know (definitively) who will be a bust,or a superstar.

They don’t know. I don’t either, but I’m going to give you my best (educated) guess.

To see the entire draft results, click here.

#1

ayton

Deandre Ayton was selected with the #1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns. Considering Ayton was an Arizona Wildcat, this should be a seamless transition. Ayton can be summed up in two words; physical specimen.

At 7’0″, 261 pounds, Ayton should contribute at the NBA level immediately. While I like Ayton’s game, I believe the Sacramento Kings were gifted the best player in the draft.

#2

bagley

Marvin Bagley III. What experts call unpolished, I call raw talent. Bagley’s game fits the NBA perfectly. He is a skilled scorer and rebounder with a high motor. His energy level, and ability to outwork opposing big men, will lead to a long, successful career in the NBA. The Phoenix Suns may regret passing on Bagley.

#3

doncic

The Dallas Mavericks must love them some Luka Doncic. They traded the rights to Trae Young, and their 2019 protected (top-five) 1st round pick, for Doncic. I don’t care who you are, international players are a complete mystery. The track record of players from other countries is less than stellar, and all of the tape in the world can’t paint the whole picture. The NBA and international games differ so greatly, international stars either excel right away, or crash and burn.

There’s no in between. 

By the way, Trae Young will be the biggest BUST in this draft!!

The New York Knickerbockers

kevin knox

Por fin, I am NOT mad about a Knicks’ 1st round pick; Kevin Knox. While I believe Collin Sexton is a star in the making, the Knicks couldn’t pick a player who wasn’t available (Sexton went 8th to the Cleveland Cavaliers). The Knicks’ only other option was to choose Mr. injury-in-waiting, Michael Porter Jr. The Knicks, as well as 12 other teams, felt Porter Jr.’s injury was too risky to gamble on, as he fell to the 14th pick (Denver Nuggets).

The question is: Will Michael Porter Jr. be the next Joel Embiid, or Greg Oden??

You know where the comment section is. USE IT!!!!

You can find me on the Radio as well. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’m on live, every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. Each show is also broadcast on Facebook Live via: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports.

Since you LOVE my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! NOW GO TELL ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!

You’re Only As Good As Your Superstar

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

I’m going to start by doing something I’ve NEVER done before….

 

I WAS WRONG.

 

That was a lot harder than I thought it’d be, but I feel better now. I thought the “new look” Cleveland Cavaliers would lose, on the road, to the Oklahoma City Thunder. While this game remained LeBron James‘ to lose, his new supporting cast provided balanced scoring off the bench (Jordan Clarkson, Rodney Hood, and Larry Nance Jr. all scored in double-digits).

On the other hand, only 6 Thunder scored Tuesday night. Granted, Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, and Steven Adams all scored 20 or more points, but that’s not a recipe for success. Do you know what else isn’t a recipe for success?? Allowing Carmelo Anthony to lead your team in field goal attempts (22). Knicks’ fans know what I’m talkin’ about….

With his renewed exuberance, LeBron’s impressive February rolls on. Over his last 5 games, LeBron is averaging 29 points, 11.4 assists, and 9.6 rebounds.

The good: The Cavaliers have won 4 games in a row.

The (sort of) bad: LeBron has played 40+ minutes in 3 of his last 5 games.

LeBron is actually tied for 2nd for the most minutes played per game (37) this season. The ultimate question is: Will this finally effect the 33-year old version of LeBron James come playoff time?? It never has before, but father-time is undefeated for a reason (despite rumors that Tom Brady is immortal). All of those minutes didn’t slow LeBron down last night, as he dropped 17 points in the 3rd quarter en route to a 120-112 victory over the Thunder.

James_-37-Lead-Cavaliers-Past-Thunder-120-112

Prior to the game, LeBron was asked about collegiate superstar, Trae young. Because, ya know, everything LeBron James says is the most important thing anyone says all day. As a reporter began to ask about Trae Young’s decision to go pro, LeBron interjected, simply saying, “Decision?! What Decision?! He better go pro!!” LeBron also hinted that there may be some acting in his future….

Check out what LeBron had to say here.

trae young 2

Trae Young and LeBron James have something in common. When Trae Young struggles, the Oklahoma Sooners struggle. Over his past 12 games, Young has failed to shoot at least 39% from the field 8 times. Yup, you guessed it, the Sooners have lost 8 of their last 12 games. The Sooners now stand at 16-9 and should fall out of the top-25 after their 88-78 loss to Texas Tech Tuesday night. Young and company will look to get back on track when they take on Texas Saturday afternoon. Despite Young’s most recent struggles, he still leads the nation in scoring, and assists per game (29.1 points, 9.3 assists, and 4 rebounds).

The question is: Can Trae Young’s 6’2″, 180 lb frame succeed in the NBA??

 

Will the “new look” Cavaliers finish as the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference?? Will Trae Young succeed in the NBA?? Post your predictions in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:10 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

 

 

Madness Is In The Air!!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

trae young

It’s almost March.

Okay, maybe I’m getting ahead of myself, but Tuesday night definitely felt like March. With 2 upsets of top 20 teams, the best sports tournament of the year slid toward the front of my mind; March Madness.

Kentucky Wildcats Shrink Down The Stretch

Kentucky could have used some of their head coach’s shooting skills Tuesday night. Click here to see John Calipari drain a half court shot at practice. Kentucky, the 18th ranked team in the nation, led by as many as 14 against the South Carolina Gamecocks. But with 5:29 left in the game, Kentucky went ice cold, scoring just 3 points down the stretch. South Carolina closed the game on an 18-3 run, turning a 7-point deficit into an 8-point victory (76-68).

South Carolina’s comeback was charged by their leading scorer (14.9 points per game), Chris Silva’s, 27-point evening. Silva’s 27 points tied his career high, a mark he set just 10 days earlier against Vanderbilt. Frank Booker, senior guard, gave South Carolina a nice boost off the bench as well, scoring 9 of his 18 points in the final 10 minutes of the game. This upset marks the biggest win of South Carolina’s season, by far. They’ll look to continue their winning ways when they host the 21st ranked, Tennessee Volunteers, Saturday @ 6:00 P.M. EST.

Trae Young’s Dubious Record

Trae Young, superstar, freshman guard, has been playing out of his mind. He’s leading the nation in scoring (29.5 points per game) and assists (9.8 assists per game). The Oklahoma Sooners are the 4th ranked team in the nation and are seeking to make a run at a Final Four appearance (Last Appearance – 2016). With wins against 5 top 25 teams, all arrows were pointing up….until Tuesday.

Trae Young had a night to forget. His 12 turnovers are the most in a single game in the history of the Big 12. His 2-10 performance from beyond the arc didn’t help matters either. Kansas State, on their home floor, was able to capitalize on Trae’s mistakes. They routed Oklahoma, 87-69, behind Barry Brown’s 24 points. Brown, Kansas State’s leading scorer (17 points per game), is hitting his stride, dropping 20 or more points in 5 of his last 7 games. Brown will look to lead his team to victory against another top 25 team when they host the 24th ranked, TCU Horned Dogs, Saturday @ 4:00 P.M. EST.

I feel bad for Oklahoma State, Trae Young’s next opponent….

 

Will Trae Young be National Player of the Year?? Are you excited for March Madness in January?? Tell me what you think in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports .

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!