Poll: Who Will Win The NBA Finals?
We're a little over 24 hours away from Game One of this year's NBA Finals, which means there's only one appropriate question to ask in today's poll: Who will 2013's champion be? The Heat or the Spurs?
The Heat finished the regular season on a 37-2 run for a 66-16 overall record, giving them home-court advantage in the Finals. They're the defending champs and they have the world's best player in LeBron James, but they're coming off a couple grueling series against the Bulls and Pacers, inculding a seven-game Eastern Finals.
The Spurs, meanwhile, only had the second-best record in the West, but blew through the postseason, going 12-2 against the Lakers, Warriors, and Grizzlies, with a pair of sweeps. They've had plenty of time to get ready for the Finals, but there's always a concern that the extra rest will turn into rust by the time the next series begins.
Who do you like? Weigh in with your selection in the poll and feel free to specify a number of games and/or explain your reasoning in the comments section. Having picked the Heat over the Spurs before the season got underway, I'll stick with my pick, and take Miami in seven games.
Who will win the NBA Finals?
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San Antonio Spurs 61% (793)
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Miami Heat 39% (501)
Total votes: 1,294
Poll: Will Paul George Win An MVP?
As we saw earlier today, Paul George is extension-eligible this offseason and sees himself as max contract type of player. After this postseason, George has catapulted himself into the discussion with the game's elite players. If his breakout regular season didn't ensure him of eventually landing a max deal, his playoff performance almost certainly did. At only 23-years-old, George is young enough and good enough on both ends of the floor to carry only a small amount of risk over the course of a big-dollar, long-term pact.
At this point, whether or not George deserves a max deal probably isn't the question. It is what he does once he gets it that will dictate how George compares to the NBA's best players. If his teammates' confidence in him is any indication, the former Fresno State Bulldog might be destined for huge things.
"He's the future. He has a chance to be MVP of this league next year," Roy Hibbert said last night before Game 7. A confident George agreed with him. "The more and more I get comfortable in this league and the more and more I find myself, I think I am capable of achieving that award," he said, eventually adding, "In my career, I wouldn’t be satisfied if I don't win the award."
Those are big words, especially considering that George scored only seven points last night in a game where he was primarily covered by the current MVP of the league, LeBron James. So what do you think… is Paul George good enough to win an MVP? Will he do it over the course of his career?
Poll: Is Grant Hill A Hall Of Famer?
After Grant Hill announced his retirement tonight, many people started wondering whether Hill had done enough over his career to warrant a place in the Springfield, Massachusetts Hall of Fame?
Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida, spoke to Hill a few years ago about the possibility of Hall of Fame enshrinement. Here's what Hill told Tomasson at the time (Sulia link):
"You kind of leave that to the media and the barber shops. It's a matter of opinion."
"I don't know (if he's a Hall of Famer). Certainly my injuries took away maybe a good chance of it happening. You could argue against it and say that I wasn't healthy for a long period of time. But I did have six or seven years of health, with All-Star Games, and the college stuff.
"Certainly, if it would happen, it would be great. If it doesn't happen, I'm certainly more proud of getting back (from injuries) and playing than making the Hall of Fame. I don't mean to say anything negative about the Hall of Fame and minimize its importance, but opportunities are a little different after (a career) is almost taken from you.''
Hill made seven All-Star teams during his 19-year NBA career and shared the 1994/95 Rookie of the Year award with Jason Kidd. He also made four All-NBA 2nd Team's and one All-NBA 1st Team before ankle injuries destroyed his quickness going to the basket.
During the 1996/97 season with Detroit when Hill made his only All-NBA 1st team, he also finished third in MVP voting. It's easy to forget how explosive he was before his ankles started giving out shortly after signing with the Magic in the summer of 2000.
But Hill's on-court accolades pre- and post-injury don't adequately sum up how gracious an athlete he was over the course of his career. David Stern said of Hill, via Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press (Twitter link), that he "embodied the ideals of dedication and perseverance in overcoming injury and adversity." That's something voters will keep in mind when they cast their ballot for the Hall of Fame.
So we put it to you: Should Grant Hill be elected into the Hall of Fame?
Should Grant Hill be elected into the Hall of Fame?
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Yes 56% (728)
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No 44% (563)
Total votes: 1,291
Poll: Who Will Coach The Clippers?
Since the Clippers parted ways with Vinny Del Negro earlier this month, rumors have swirled about who will replace Del Negro on L.A.'s bench next season. At least one report has suggested that, after opting for inexpensive hires in recent years, the team is eyeing big-name candidates. Of those big names, Jeff Van Gundy and Brian Shaw may be at or near the top of the club's wish list, according to the latest report.
Lionel Hollins is also drawing interest from a number of clubs, and the Clippers, who were eliminated by Hollins' Grizzlies in round one, are among them. Alvin Gentry, Nate McMillan, and Byron Scott are other candidates believed to be favored by Chris Paul, which figures to be a significant factor as the point guard's free agency approches.
So what do you think? Will one of those aforementioned candidates end up on the Clippers' bench next season, or could it end up being a name that hasn't been a major part of the discussion so far? Weigh in below with your vote and your thoughts on who will become the next Clippers' head coach.
Who will the Clippers hire as head coach?
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Byron Scott 28% (153)
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Brian Shaw 21% (116)
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Jeff Van Gundy 20% (111)
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Nate McMillan 11% (60)
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Someone else 8% (43)
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Lionel Hollins 7% (38)
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Alvin Gentry 5% (28)
Total votes: 549
Poll: Which Team Will Lionel Hollins Coach?
With Phil Jackson and Stan Van Gundy seemingly uninterested in head coaching positions, perhaps the most coveted name on the market is Lionel Hollins, who is coming off leading the Grizzlies to the Western Finals.
As we heard this morning, Hollins is expected to receive interest from the Clippers, Nets, and Bucks, with the Grizzlies hoping to bring him back as well. Hollins has said he'd like to return to Memphis, but with so many potential suitors in play, the Grizzlies may not be able to compete with the deep-pocketed Nets or other teams in a bidding war.
So do you expect to see Hollins back on the Grizzlies' bench next season, or do you think he'll be coaching elsewhere? Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments after making your vote below.
Which team will Lionel Hollins coach next season?
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Memphis Grizzlies 50% (376)
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Brooklyn Nets 22% (168)
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Los Angeles Clippers 17% (125)
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Milwaukee Bucks 7% (49)
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Another team / He won't be coaching 5% (35)
Total votes: 753
Poll: Which Underdog Is More Likely To Advance?
Coming into the Conference Finals, the Grizzlies were viewed by many pundits and observers as a decent bet to knock off the Spurs. Memphis had won eight of its last nine games against two top-five teams in the Western Conference – the Clippers and Thunder – and the Grizzlies' 2011 upset of the Spurs was still fresh in most fans' minds.
On the other hand, not many of us gave the Pacers much chance against the defending champion Heat. The presence of LeBron James and Indiana's lack of depth had most prognosticators taking Miami in five or six games.
So far, neither the Grizzlies or Pacers have managed to win a game in their respective Conference Finals, but there's reason to believe there's still hope for a comeback on each team's part. The Grizzlies are heading back home coming off a tight overtime loss, while the Pacers were a buzzer-beating LeBron layup away from stealing Game One in Miami.
With the Grizzlies down 2-0 and the Pacers down 1-0, there's a good chance neither team will complete a comeback. But if you had to bet on one of the two, which underdog do you feel has the better chance to pull off the upset?
Which team is more likely to advance to the Finals?
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Indiana Pacers 63% (439)
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Memphis Grizzlies 37% (257)
Total votes: 696
Poll: Who Will Be The Number One Pick?
The Cavaliers won last night’s lottery, their second time doing so in three years. Who will they take with the first pick?
Who Will Be The Number One Pick?
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Nerlens Noel 69% (788)
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Ben McLemore 13% (145)
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Otto Porter 12% (137)
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Trey Burke 4% (48)
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Other 2% (25)
Total votes: 1,143
Poll: Who Should Coach USA Basketball?
Mike Krzyzewski isn't ruling out returning as the coach of USA Basketball through the 2016 Olympics, Pete Thamel at SI.com reports. "There's a chance," Krzyzewski says, "That's correct." USA Men's Basketball chairman, Jerry Colangelo, said "Give it another week and we should be resolved."
The Men's Basketball national team will be meeting for a mini-camp this summer from July 22-25, but they're still not decided on a coach, unless Krzyzewski comes back to coach again after winning the gold medal at this past summer's Summer Olympics. So, do you want Coach K back, or would you prefer one of these other candidates?
Who should coach USA Basketball?
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Mike Krzyzewski 33% (234)
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Gregg Popovich 28% (197)
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Phil Jackson 23% (159)
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Mark Jackson 8% (54)
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Erik Spoelstra 3% (20)
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Jeff Van Gundy 2% (14)
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Stan Van Gundy 2% (13)
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Jim Boeheim 2% (13)
Total votes: 704
Poll: Will The Kings Ever Move To Seattle?
Earlier today the NBA’s Board of Governors voted against moving the Kings to Seattle. But this process is far from over, even if the Kings play their games in Sacramento next season. Do you think the team will ever move to the Seattle?
Will The Kings Ever Move To Seattle?
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No 77% (636)
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Yes 23% (190)
Total votes: 826
Poll: Unrestricted Free Agent Shooting Guards
This year's free agent market is fairly underwhelming, especially if you believe that top unrestricted free agent Chris Paul will re-sign with the Clippers. However, it's a pretty solid crop at the two-guard position. Tyreke Evans is undoubtedly the premier restricted free agent in the group, unless you don't consider him to be an actual two-guard. Meanwhile, Monta Ellis, O.J. Mayo, and J.R. Smith all hold player options and could receive massive paydays if they opt out. Beyond those players, you have names such as Kevin Martin of the Thunder and J.J. Redick of the Bucks available as unrestricted free agents. We want to know how you rank the top UFAs at the two-guard position this summer…
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Once you've voted, you can check out the results right here.