Hello Boogie
Day two of a sun-splashed, lake-(and Co-Cola)-soaked mini family retreated finds us in the same place we have been in the last two years.
Can anyone beat the Warriors?
Amid all the hubbub of LeBron James heading to the Lakers, and all the wondering about who else would join him, Golden State again ripped the headlines and the hopes of those of us who want a non-predetermined NBA playoff chase apart.
Golden State has reportedly agreed to terms with DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins, who will miss a good chunk of the season recovering from a torn Achilles. The injury lowered Cousins’ value, making it a brilliant gamble for the Warriors for a couple of reasons.
First, when healthy Cousins is big-time star and maybe the best low-post player in the league. Second, how many folks – including yours truly – thought the best way to attack the Warriors was pounding them with size – the Pelicans had Cousins and the Unibrow – rather than trying to beat them at their own game. Third, as the Lakers were adding affordable pieces around King James, the Warriors dropped the ultimate hammer: Golden State replaced JaVale McGee, who went to L.A. along with Rajon Rondo and Lance Stephenson, with Boogie Bleepin’ Cousins.
Know this: When Boogie gets healthy, the Warriors starting five of Steph, Klay, KD and Draymond will all have appeared in at least one all-star game and will have a combined 25 all-star appearances between them.
Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James celebrates after scoring the game-winning shot in the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, Wednesday, April 25, 2018, in Cleveland. The Cavaliers won 98-95. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)Ripple effects
We have long avoided the “Warriors have ruined the NBA” thought process for a few reasons.
One, dynasties are great for sports. Great.
Alabama gives college football a lightning rod team that casual fan can either lean toward or root like the dickens against. Golf was never more popular than when Tiger Woods was at the height of his powers and winning every other or every third tournament. The high-water days of the NBA in the 1980s and 90s featured the high times of the Lakers and Celtics and some dude named Jordan. How much better is baseball in general when the Yankees are meaningful.
Dynasties are great for sports, and the Warriors have built an absolute juggernaut. Cousins averaged 25 points, 12 rebounds and five assists last year before the injury and started for the West in the all-star game, one of only eight players in NBA history to hit the 25-12-5 plateau in the same season.
The Warriors are now a minus-150 pick to win the NBA title, meaning. Yes, friends, the Warriors are favored against the field.
The Warriors are the first team in 40-plus years to have five all-stars. The Warriors are the first team in NBA history to have three players who averaged at least 25 points per game in the previous season. The Warriors have been 32-6 in the playoffs in back-to-back championship runs and they just added the best center in the NBA.
Dynasties are one thing and they give any sport a connection to fringe fans who want to see all-time greatness or see an all-time upset.
But is this something more? Is this sucking every bit of the drama out of the game and leaving the NBA playoffs little more than Duke playing in the Southern Conference tournament.
It also leaves us in this interesting conundrum in which the complete AAU of the NBA has left us in the “Can’t beat them, join them” era of the NBA. It also raises the question of whether the age of NBA players taking less money to have a super team is good for the game?
(And before the outrage becomes too extreme, the fact that Cousins said no other team made him an offers shows that the Warriors are as savvy as they are dominant.)
Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman, right, congratulates relief pitcher A.J. Minter after he earned the save in Sunday’s 6-5 win against the Cardinals in St. Louis.Braves banging
Welcome back Ronald Acuna, who hit a two-run homer in the 11th for a 5-3 win over the Yankees last night.
With the ‘W” the Braves are 49-34 and are 15 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2013 season.
And, as we hit the final stretch of the first half before the all-star break, the Braves have the best record and the largest lead in the National League.
Exactly like we all predicted, right?
Let’s examine a couple of interesting events that have put this bunch a full year ahead of schedule.
The biggest holes three months ago have been more than filled.
The questions at third base have been capably answered when Johan Camargo has been healthy and playing everyday. Despite missing 22 games, Camargo is on track this year to hit 16 homers and drive in 70, at his current pace, and he has been a plus-defender there from the beginning.
The questions about the production from the corner outfield positions after been more than answered with Acuna and a career-year from Nick Markakis. In what should be his first trip to the all-star game, Markakis is hitting .324 and is on pace for 109 RBIs. If those numbers hold up it would be his bets average and his second-best RBI total in his 13-year career. (Side note: If Markakis plays five more years – he’s 34 – and collects 160 hits per – he’s averaged 166 per season – he would have 3,000 career hits. And 3,000 career hits are a surefire invite to Cooperstown. Are we in a position to think about Nick Markakis, Hall of Famer?)
The questions about the hole atop the rotation have been answered by an all-star caliber effort from Sean Newcomb and strong runs from Julio Teheran and Mike Foltynewicz.
Newcomb is 8-2 with a 2.71 ERA and more impressively, a .210 average against. Forty is 6-4 with a 2.02 ERA and a crazy-good .186 average against. In his last nine starts, Folty has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of them, and has allowed zero earned runs in five of those nine. The run has dropped his ERA from 3.65 to 2.02, which ranks second in the NL. (Side note: Folty’s spot among the best pitchers in the NL may earn him an all-star invite too. He’s sixth in Ks with 107, second in ERA and seventh in WHiP at 1.11.)
Teheran has a 4.21 ERA, which is almost a full run better than his career number, but his .206 average against is strong. It also enforces the theory that Teheran is an excellent No. 3 starter but a supremely below average No. 1. With the young lefty-righty combo of Newcomb and Folytnewicz, Teheran as a 3 is a blessing.
And a big reason why the Braves are on the shortlist of the biggest surprises in baseball.
This and that
– Yes, lots of NBA today. Not much else going on – sorry kickballers – but here’s more: The NBA summer league has started so we got some early looks at some of the first-round picks. Sweet buckets of buckets Jaren Jackson looked great for the Grizzlies. Sweet buckets of busts Trae Young looked terrible. Jackson scored 29 on 8-of-13 shooting after being the No. 4 overall pick. Trae Young was dreadful for the Hawks, going 4-of-20 from the field and 1-of-11 from 3. Oh you lovable Hawks.
– Don’t see this every day, but there was a cheating accusation during the PGA event on Sunday. It took so long, they actually let a group play through.
– Excellent story about Jake Fromm, the UGA QB who had a monster freshman season last fall. As always, TFP SEC ace David Paschall delivers the goods.
Today’s questions
True or false on a Tuesday. What a great idea.
True or false, you’d bet on the Warriors at minus-150 over the rest of the league to win the NBA title.
True or false, it’s time to believe these Braves are a playoff team.
True or false, the Warriors are bad for the NBA.
As for today, July 3, well, 7/3 is a combination of two of the most iconic numbers of all-time.
Rushmore of 3s would have to include Dale Sr., the Babe and maybe Allen Iverson. The 7s are endless.
But numbers are easy. So too is National Redneck Day.
It’s also Tom Cruise’s birthday. Rushmore of Cruise movies. Go, and remember the mailbag during this holiday week.