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Poll: Which Team Will Win Game 5?

June 12th, 2017 at 10:23am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers held off the Warriors on Friday night, thwarting Golden State’s chances of sweeping the entire postseason, and delaying the end of the 2016/17 NBA season by at least one more game. However, the Cavs will have their work cut out for them in Game 5 as they try to steal a game in Oakland and send the series back to Cleveland for Game 6.

As dominant as the Warriors have been overall in the postseason, they’ve been even better at home. Outside of a Game 1 blip against the Spurs, when Golden State had to battle back to win a close 113-111 game, each of the Dubs’ home victories in the playoffs have been by double-digit margins. In their last three home games, the Warriors have defeated the Spurs by 36, and the Cavs by 22 and 19.

The Cavaliers showed in Game 4 that they have the offensive firepower necessary to hang with the Warriors, but Cleveland really came out firing on all cylinders in that contest, setting a new NBA Finals record for most points in a half. If the Cavs need to have a performance like that again to send the series back to Cleveland, they’re probably in trouble.

What do you think? Was Cleveland’s Game 4 win just delaying the inevitable until tonight, or can the Cavs win another game and head back to Cleveland down 3-2?

Place your vote below and jump into the comments section to share your thoughts on tonight’s game.

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Poll: Will Warriors Go 16-0 In Postseason?

June 6th, 2017 at 1:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Two games into last year’s NBA Finals, the Warriors held a 2-0 lead over the Cavaliers and were coming off a dominant Game 2 victory. Even though the series was heading back to Cleveland, the 73-win Warriors were in the driver’s seat to finish off the series and win their second consecutive championship.

Of course, the Cavs had other ideas, and ultimately came back to win the Finals in seven. But last year’s Warriors team, even after setting the league’s all-time record for wins in a season, didn’t look as strong as this year’s version. With Kevin Durant filling Harrison Barnes‘ old role, the 2017 Dubs can beat teams in a variety of different ways, and their talent and versatility has been on full display en route to an incredible 14-0 postseason record.

Last spring’s Finals are a reminder that it’s never safe to count out LeBron James, even when his club is facing a two-game deficit. However, this year’s Warriors look capable of continuing to win as the series heads to Cleveland, and are two games away from becoming the first NBA team to ever go 16-0 in the playoffs. Golden State has already swept Portland, Utah, and San Antonio.

What do you think? Can the Cavs still win a game or two, and perhaps make this series interesting, or will the Warriors cap off another amazing season by making history and posting a 16-0 playoff record?

Place your vote below, and jump into the comments section to share your thoughts!

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Poll: Which Team Will Win NBA Finals?

June 1st, 2017 at 3:17pm CST by Luke Adams

After a week without basketball, the Cavaliers and Warriors will square off tonight in Game 1 of the 2017 NBA Finals. While the lengthy layoff between the end of the Conference Finals and the start of this series provided plenty of opportunity to hype up these Finals, that hype is warranted.

This will be the third straight season that the Warriors and Cavaliers have met in the Finals. The two teams are a combined 24-1 in the postseason so far, and the series features seven 2017 All-Stars and three former MVPs. In spite of the Warriors’ dominance this season and in the playoffs so far, the Cavs appear capable of giving them all they can handle.

So which teams takes home the 2017 championship? Place your vote below!

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Poll: 2013 Draft All-Star Appearances

May 25th, 2017 at 6:22pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The 2013 NBA draft class was initially thought to be one of the worst in league history, though its talent has proven that it doesn’t belong in that conversation. Several players have developed into solid rotation players and some of the prospects have become pillars for their teams to build around.

Many of the players will see new deals kick in next season from extensions that were previously signed and others will agree to new deals in restricted free agency this summer. The collection of talent is deeper than initially anticipated, but the group lacks star power compared to other draft classes.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is the 2013 draft class’ only true superstar. He made his first All-Star appearance this year (the group’s only appearance ever) and he’ll likely participate in the exhibition games for years to come.

Outside of Milwaukee’s star, Rudy Gobert stands the best chance to earn multiple All-Star appearances, though C.J. McCollum could also easily accomplish that feat.

Nerlens Noel could possibly earn an All-Star nod down the road if he expands his game and takes on a bigger role, but is that likely? Maybe Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Dennis Schroder develop into more efficient, productive versions of their respective selfs over the next few seasons. What if Otto Porter signs with a team that gives him a bigger piece of the offensive pie and he’s able to maintain his efficiency? Perhaps Steven Adams is allowed to rebound again now that Russell Westbrook accomplished his triple-double conquest and he morphs back into the player who dominated the Warriors early in the Thunder’s 2016 Western Conference Finals appearance.

All of those scenarios are unlikely and I’d peg the over-under for total All-Star appearances in this particular sub-group at an uninspiring 1.0.

So here’s tonight’s poll question: Which side will end up having more All-Star appearances: Antetokounmpo or the remainder of the 2013 draft class? Don’t limit yourself to a click of a button. Do you believe someone in the draft class isn’t properly represented? Are we underrating someone’s potential? Let us know in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!

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Poll: Should Celtics Keep Or Trade No. 1 Pick?

May 19th, 2017 at 11:21am CST by Luke Adams

Few teams in NBA history have found themselves in the Celtics’ current position. Boston is not only one of the four teams still alive in the playoffs, but also has landed the No. 1 overall pick in what’s considered a very strong 2017 draft.

The Celtics’ showing this season, which included earning the first overall seed in the East, is proof that the team isn’t too far away from being a serious title contender. However, if Game 1 in the Eastern Conference Finals was any indication, the team may not just be one player away from seriously threatening LeBron James‘ Cavs.

That creates an interesting dilemma for the Celtics, who have stashed away three extra first-round picks beyond 2017, including the Nets’ unprotected 2018 selection. Boston has enough young players and future assets to continue taking its time in building a contender, perhaps waiting out LeBron’s peak. However, that stash of extra picks and assets, along with an already-talented roster, provides a unique opportunity — the C’s could move the No. 1 pick this year for a star, improve their roster immediately, and still be well-positioned to keep their window of contention open for years.

There’s no obvious answer for the Celtics, with some NBA observers arguing in favor of trading the pick and some insisting they need to keep it. The probable No. 1 pick, point guard Markelle Fultz, plays the same position as the team’s current MVP, Isaiah Thomas. What would it mean for Thomas’ long-term future if Fultz joins the mix in Boston?

Conversely, if the C’s were to trade the pick, what kind of player could they land? Jimmy Butler and Paul George have been frequently mentioned as targets, but are the Bulls ready to trade Butler? Would George, on track for 2018 free agency, be willing to commit to an extension with the Celtics? Is there another player – perhaps someone like Kristaps Porzingis – who might be available for the No. 1 pick, and who would appeal to Boston?

What do you think the Celtics should do with the first overall pick? Place your vote below, and then jump into the comments section to share your thoughts!

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Poll: Who Will Win Celtics/Wizards Series?

May 9th, 2017 at 10:12am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers made quick work of the Raptors in their second round series, but they’ll have to be patient as they wait to see which team they’ll play in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics/Wizards matchup on the other side of the bracket doesn’t resume until Wednesday, and it will feature at least two more games — it’s currently tied at two games apiece.

The Celtics are the No. 1 seed in the East and hold home-court advantage, which could be important — so far in the series, the home team has yet to lose a game. In fact, that streak extends even earlier, as the home team also won all four games in the regular-season series.

Still, it’s not as if Boston is a significantly better team than Washington. The two clubs were separated by just four games in the standings during the regular season, and the Wizards came much closer to stealing one of the two games in Boston than the Celtics did in Washington. And if you believe in momentum, the Wizards have it all right now, coming off a pair of dominant victories that evened the series.

What do you think? Which team will win this series? Vote below, and then jump into the comments section to share your thoughts on this series — and on which team would give LeBron James and the Cavs more of a challenge.

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Poll: Who Will Win Spurs/Rockets Series?

May 8th, 2017 at 8:57am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets were firing on all cylinders in Sunday night’s win over the Spurs, making 52.6% of their field goal attempts, including 44.2% of their threes, en route to a comfortable 125-104 victory. Their Game 4 win evened up the series at two games apiece, and the two teams will head back to San Antonio for Tuesday’s Game 5.

While the Spurs maintain the home-court advantage, both teams have shown they’re capable of winning a game in their opponent’s arena so far, having split the first two games in San Antonio and the next two in Houston.

Injuries have also played a part in the series so far, but the Spurs managed to pull out a Game 3 victory after receiving word that Tony Parker would be sidelined for the rest of the postseason due to a ruptured left quadriceps tendon. As for the Rockets, their impressive showing on Sunday came – for the most part – without key reserve Nene, who played less than two minutes before leaving with a left groin injury. He’ll undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury, as Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com details.

The Rockets and Spurs still have their MVP candidates – James Harden and Kawhi Leonard – on the court, and both teams have the firepower necessary to advance to the Western Conference Finals for a probable date with the Warriors. So which team do you think will make it through?

Vote below in our poll and jump into the comments section below to share your thoughts.

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Poll: Who Should Be Drafted First Overall?

May 6th, 2017 at 9:02am CST by Joshua Fischman

With the NBA draft nearly a month and a half away, potential lottery teams like the Celtics, Suns, and Lakers, and basketball fans alike debate: who should be taken first overall? A pair of freshman point guards from Pac-12 schools, Lonzo Ball of UCLA and Markelle Fultz from the University of Washington, dominate the discussion.

In 25 games, Fultz averaged 23.2 PPG, 5.9 APG, and 5.7 RPG, while shooting 47.6% from the floor. Although Fultz’s Huskies finished 9-22 and did not qualify for the postseason, the 6’4″ prospect was named First Team All Pac-12 for his performance.

Ball, too, was named to the First Team, after averaging 14.6 PPG and 6.0 RPG on 55.1% shooting, while leading the nation with 7.6 APG. Ball’s Bruins finished 31-5 and were eliminated by Kentucky in the Sweet 16.

In an Insider-only piece at ESPN, Chad Ford and Kevin Pelton discuss potential sleepers to be selected first, but ultimately decide that it comes down to Fultz and Ball. After making the case for both players as the potential No. 1 pick, the duo diverges, with Ford leaning toward Fultz and Pelton preferring Ball.

What do you think? Should Ball or Fultz be drafted first? Or should someone else entirely go No. 1?

Vote below on which player you believe merits the honor of being the first name called on draft night. After placing your vote, share your thoughts in the comments section!

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Poll: Which 2-2 Series Will End In Upset?

April 25th, 2017 at 1:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Last year’s NBA Finals combatants, the Cavaliers and Warriors, made quick work of their first round playoff opponents, dispatching the Pacers and Trail Blazers respectively in four games apiece. However, many of the other first round series around the NBA remain very much up in the air.

Currently, four series are tied at 2-2, with two of those Game Fives scheduled for tonight, and two more on tap for Wednesday. The Clippers and Jazz have each split their home games, resulting in a 2-2 tie, while the No. 7 seeded Grizzlies won two home games over the Spurs following David Fizdale‘s post-Game 2 “take that for data” rant, pulling even in that series. Those four teams will be in action tonight.

Over in the Eastern Conference, the No. 1 seeded Celtics find themselves tied with the No. 8 Bulls in an unusual series in which road teams are 4-0 so far. Meanwhile, the Hawks ripped through the Wizards‘ defense in two games in Atlanta, evening that series at 2-2. Both of those series will resume on Wednesday.

In each of those four series, the higher seed maintains the advantage, with two of the final three games on their home court. But most of those higher seeds don’t look as formidable as they did entering the postseason.

What do you think? Will any of these series result in upsets? If the Jazz are able to knock off the Clippers, should that series even be viewed as a legit upset, given the absence of Blake Griffin and the teams’ identical regular season records?

Vote below on which lower seeds will make it through the first round — you can pick as many as you want. After placing your vote, share your thoughts in the comments section!

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Poll: 2017 All-NBA Third Team

April 20th, 2017 at 11:00pm CST by Luke Adams

In an NBA season packed with incredible performances and remarkable statistical achievements, we’re letting you decide which 15 players are most deserving of All-NBA recognition.

On Tuesday, we opened voting for the All-NBA First Team, and 24 hours later, we had clear answers for which five players you believe deserve spots on that team. On Wednesday, we published polls for the Second Team, and we have now have our five players for that squad too. In this case, the vote was a little closer, particularly at center, where Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert went down to the wire in the race for a spot on the Second Team.

Here are the voting results so far:

All-NBA First Team

All-NBA Second Team

While your First Team choices consisted mostly of this year’s top MVP candidates, your Second Team picks were heavy on the best players from this year’s best teams — the NBA-leading Warriors got two spots on the Second Team, while Thomas, the top scorer from the East’s No. 1 team, earned one of the guard spots.

We’re moving on today to the All-NBA Third Team, so cast your votes below for the two guards, two forwards, and one center that you believe are most deserving of being named to that squad. You’ll have until about 12:00pm CT on Friday before we close this round of voting and round up the final results. You’ll also have the opportunity to select two players apiece in the guard and forward polls, so be sure to take advantage of that.

Who should be on the All-NBA Third Team?

Guards:

Note: This poll was reset after a top candidate was initially omitted. If you voted in our original poll, please feel free to re-submit your vote.

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote on the All-NBA Third Team guards.

Forwards:

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote on the All-NBA Third Team forwards.

Center:

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote on the All-NBA Third Team center.

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