Fantasy Football: Mock Draft

It's that time of year again. Football is back in full swing and fantasy owners are in need of some help. No worries, I have made an ultimate mock draft on whom I think will do well this season. Keep in mind this is for the Standard Draft Mode only, auction draft is a completely different story.

Round 1: 

Pick 1- Antonio Brown:
There isn't much debate over this one. Brown was one of the marque players last year and looks to give fantasy owners a huge production this year as well.

Pick 2- Todd Gurley:
This is a high risk, high reward situation. Gurley proved to be a promising running back last year, picking up OROY honors, but his offensive line isn't the greatest in opening up run lanes.

Pick 3- Julio Jones:
Jones is a great pick-up at the receiver position and will consistently produce for fantasy owners.

Pick 4- David Johnson:
Johnson emerged as a fantasy breakout last year. After being a back-up for Andre Ellington, Johnson got this opportunity to shine after an injury brought Ellington down. Watch for him to be even more spectacular this year.

Pick 5- Odell Beckham Jr.
Now known as one of the NFL's superstars, Beckham is a safe pickup for your receiver spot. Injuries haven't affected him in the past, and he looks to finally will the Giants into the playoffs this season.


6-- Adrian Peterson
7-- Ezekiel Elliot
8-- Deandre Hopkins
9-- Rob Gronkowski
10-- Devonta Freeman
11-- A.J. Green
12-- Dez Bryant
13-- Jamaal Charles
14-- Allen Robinson
15-- Lamar Miller
16-- Jordy Nelson
17-- Keenan Allen
18-- Le'veon Bell
19-- Mike Evans
20-- Amari Cooper
21-- Brandon Marshall
22-- Mark Ingram
23-- Lesean McCoy
24-- Brandin Cooks
25--  Doug Martin
26-- Alshon Jeffery
27-- Cam Newton
28-- Demaryius Thomas
29-- Eddie Lacy
30-- Thomas Rawls
31-- C.J. Anderson
32-- Sammy Watkins
33-- Eric Decker
34-- Julian Edelman
35-- T.Y. Hilton
36-- Latavius Murray
37-- Aaron Rodgers
38-- Carlos Hyde
39-- Jarvis Landry
40-- Jordan Reed
41-- Greg Olsen
42-- Golden Tate
43-- Matt Forte
44-- Jonathan Stewart
45-- Randall Cobb
46-- Russell Wilson
47-- Jeremy Maclin
48-- Michael Floyd
49-- DeMarco Murray
50-- Ben Roethlisberger
51-- Jeremy Hill
52-- Andrew Luck
53-- Kelvin Benjamin
54-- Ryan Mathews
55-- Donte Moncrief
56-- Drew Brees
57-- Emmanuel Sanders
58-- Jeremy Langford
59-- Larry Fitzgerald
60-- Carson Palmer
61-- Allen Hurns
62-- Blake Bortles
63-- Travis Kelce
64-- Melvin Gordon
65-- Eli Manning
66-- Jordan Matthews
67-- Arian Foster
68-- Coby Fleener
69-- Delanie Walker
70-- Duke Johnson Jr.
71-- Matt Jones
72-- Gary Barnidge
73-- Giovani Bernard
74-- DeSean Jackson
75-- Doug Baldwin
76-- Marvin Jones Jr.
77-- Danny Woodhead
78-- Derek Carr
79-- Josh Gordon
80-- Sterling Shepard
81-- Zach Ertz
82-- Ameer Abdullah
83-- Tom Brady
84-- John Brown
85-- Frank Gore
86-- Julius Thomas
87-- Stephen Gostkowski
88-- Tyler Eifert
89-- Michael Crabtree
90-- Chris Ivory
91-- Philip Rivers
92-- Markus Wheaton
93-- Kevin White
94-- DeVante Parker
95-- Tyler Lockett
96-- DeAngelo Williams
97-- Michael Thomas
98-- Rashad Jennings
99-- Andy Dalton
100-- Corey Coleman

What Was Wrong with LeBron in Game 4?

The Warriors took a commanding 3-1 series lead against the Clevland Cavaliers at the Quicken Loans Arena. But the main thing many people took from the game was the lack of effort by LeBron James. After putting up a huge game in Game 3 to keep the Cavs in the series, he had a strangely quiet 25 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists.

Even though the numbers are quite attractive, he wasn't his usual self. He went back to the reserved role of passing the ball more often than taking it to the hole. He just looked uninterested and was only looking aggressive after his quarrel with Draymond Green in the 4th quarter when it was too late. The Warriors were pushing all the right buttons in slowing down James, including the unusual addition to James McCadoo in the rotation and involving Andre Iguodala early.

All hope is basically lost now for the Clevland Cavaliers, who looked ready to bounce back after blowing out the Warriors by 30 in Game 3. No team has ever come back from being down 3-1 in the NBA finals, but if the Cavs can get rolling they do have some chance. Kyrie Irving deserves a lot of credit however for his magnificent play. He seemed to play the hardest putting up 34 points and also coming up with 4 steals, however, it still wasn't enough as the Cavs lost their halftime lead with a weak 2nd half of the game.

As for LeBron, he has to be the LeBron we have all come to know and adore. Pounding the ball down low and going up strong. He can't stay reserved again and has to show up with the same intensity he brought in Game 3. Game 5, which could be a possible series clincher for the Golden State Warriors, will take place at the Oracle at 9 P.M Eastern time on ABC.

Mock Draft 2016: Top 10

This draft class boasts a lot of talent that hopeful lottery teams look to grab. As draft day approaches, many fans are left thinking wondering who will be the next franchise player for their favorite teams. In this article, I'm going to list my top 15 picks in this year's draft and give a short description why. The picks are decided upon team needs, player ranking, and other factors.

#1: Philadelphia 76ers - Ben Simmons

The Sixers are in need of a big time talent to bring their organization afloat. After a short stint in the NCAA, Ben Simmons hasn't shown much in terms of a winning pedigree but has scouts raving of his potential and talent. He is listed as an SF/PF which may not bode well with all the bigs the Sixers already have.

#2: Los Angeles Lakers - Brandon Ingram

The Lakers have an easier pick this draft, basically between Ingram and Ben Simmons, but I think Ingram would have a bigger impact on the Lakers. He has a Kevin Durant type game in which he can shoot the ball well and play big defensively. He can gel well with D'Angelo and Randle to build for the future.

#3: Boston Celtics - Dragan Bender

The Celtics are already on the rise, and this draft pick is an additional bonus to a great team already. Dragan Bender is the big that the Celtics need. He has been compared to Kristaps Porzingis and Dirk Nowitzki and could provide a huge offensive boost to the Celtics.

#4: Pheonix Suns - Jaylen Brown

The Suns already struck gold in last year's draft by getting All-Rookie first team Devin Booker. And this year the Suns get an opportunity to do more of the same by taking Jaylen Brown. Brown in his one year at Cal showed his upside and basketball talents. Him and Booker would make for a great duo to build a franchise around.

#5: Minnesota Timberwolves - Jamaal Murray

The T-Wolves are an up-and-coming team in the NBA, already boasting back to back Rookie of the Years in Andrew Wiggins and Karl Anthony-Towns. They have tremendous potential, just as Jamaal Murray. Murray is a scoring machine who can play both guard positions. With his addition, the Wolves will not only score a lot more but have some better defensive presence.

#6: New Orleans Pelicans - Buddy Hield

The Pelicans have been a mysterious team. Last year they made the playoffs behind Anthony Davis and his troops as the 8th seed and seemed to be on the rise. Hield, a guard from Oklahoma, is a great shooter and has a lot of offensive firepower which can compliment Davis well.

#7: Denver Nuggets - Jacob Poetl

The Nuggets last year took Emanuel Mudiay and had a fairly decent season. This year, the Utah big man Jacob Poetl looks to hear his name called after a strong season in the NCAA. The 7-foot center gets many pro comparisons, such as the younger Andrew Bogut. The big presence of Poetl will surge the Nuggets further next season.

#8: Sacramento Kings - Kris Dunn

The Kings had a roller coaster season last year, from getting playoff talk earlier to being one of the worst teams in the league. While they do have Rajon Rondo, who led the league in assists, Dunn brings scoring and passing into the Kings offense. Widley regarded as the best point guard in the draft, Kris stayed until his Junior year at Providence to develop as a player and is NBA ready.

#9: Toronto Raptors - Domantas Sabonis

The Raptors made a deep playoff run this season, challenging the Cleveland Cavaliers to six games in the Eastern Conference. Sabonis is a great finisher around the rim and can be ready to go in the NBA. His size and athleticism is a huge advantage and he can compliment Jonas well.

#10: Milwaukee Bucks - Demetrius Jackson

This year the Bucks had an odd season. After struggling until the All-Star break, head coach Jason Kidd moved forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to the point-guard position where they found relative success. Jackson is a great offensive weapon to add for the Bucks, and adds another scoring option for the team.

What Cleveland Needs to do In Order to Win the Finals

The Warriors took game 1 at home by the heroics of Shaun Livingston while the Splash Brothers struggled to get anything going. Clevland kept the game close until late in the third quarter when the Warriors erupted to a big lead. In this article, I'm going to outline what the Cavs need to do in order to come back in this series and also what they have been doing right.

1.)  Finishing Easy Opportunites

The Cavs had so many good plays where they had a good shot close to the basket, however, they weren't able to finish. LeBron got off to a hot start but finished 9-21 shooting and it seemed like the defense of the Warriors was in prime form. Tristian Thompson also started off well, but whenever he received an offensive rebound, he'd tend to miss the putback. The Cavs need to do a better job of finishing down low and securing the ball.

2.)  The Shooters need to Come Back

A huge part of what led the Cavs to the Finals was the barrage of 3 pointers. They were the number 1 team in the playoffs in 3 pointers made, but in Game 1 that trait disappeared. J.R Smith went 1-3 shooting only netting 3 points (However he did slow down Klay Thompson), Irving was 1-4 from deep, Kevin Love hit 2-5, and the entire bench (except for Iman Shumpert) didn't even hit a 3. The Cavs excel when they are hitting the 3 point shot and they need to go back to it to gain an edge over the Warriors.

3.) Can't Rely on LeBron

This has arguably been the best supporting cast LeBron has had in his career, definitely in Clevland at least. He has shooters, rebounders, defenders, you name it. But they still can't seem to play without King James. When he's on the bench the Cavs struggle mightily, often resorting to iso ball with Kyrie. In order for the Cavs to have a shot at this series, they have to be independent from LeBron so that he can get rested and not play the whole game.

All in all, the Cavs still have a good chance to take this series away from the defending champs. They have all the tools necessary and even did a decent job; stopping the Splash Brothers, leading the game at one point, but they still have holes in their game. Game 1 was won by the Golden State bench, who will come out to play in game 2 on Sunday?

End of the Season Report Cards: Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are known to be one of the most storied franchises in all of sports. However, these last couple seasons have been dreadful to L.A fans. After a franchise low wins last season, they only got worse this year winning only 17 games. But they were the center attention for most of the season because of the departure of superstar Kobe Bryant to retirement. But they did have some notable performances this season, such as defeating the 73-9 Golden State Warriors and Kobe scoring 60 points in his final game as a Laker.

OFFENSE: F
Ranked: 30th PPG/ 30th APG

Russell, Randle, and Clarkson look to lead the Lakers in the near future

It was hard to rank the Lakers an F on offense due to their offensive minded players, but the stats back up the grade. Being ranked dead last in the league scoring isn't something to be proud of. However, the offense next season should be much, much better. With the building blocks around D'Angleo Russell, Julius Randle, and Jordan Clarkson, L.A has a bright future. They also look to make a splash in free agency and have the number 2 pick in the draft this year.

DEFENSE: D
Ranked: 27th OPPG/ 21st RPG

The defensive side of things wasn't much better for the Lakers. Ranked 3rd to last in opponents points per game and 21st in rebounds per game just won't cut it. They have many decent defenders, but individual defense isn't as important as team defense which results in wins. They have good size with Randle and Hibbert down low, but still managed to end up in the bottom 10 in the league in terms of rebounding.

Overall: D

The Lakers have been a joke of late, but make no mistake, this team is built for the future. They have a lot of cap space to sign big-name free agents, have up and coming youngsters, and the number 2 pick in the draft this year. The big market in L.A is also very attractive to free agents and others. Another positive heading into next season is the addition of Luke Walton as the head coach. Walton was a former Lakers player and was the interm in the beggining of the season for Steve Kerr where he led the team to a 39-4 record.

NBA Finals: Preview and Predictions

Starting today, June 2nd, an epic battle between two of the best teams in basketball this year will commence. Best of the West meets best from the East. In this article, I'm going to give a little preview of the series, as well as give insight on my predictions of who comes out on top.

For the Cavs, life has been a little too easy heading to the NBA finals. After sweeping their first 2 opponents in the playoffs, they faced a bit of a road bump in the Eastern Conference Finals facing the Toronto Raptors. Nonetheless, the Cavs have been dominant this postseason and the whole team has seemed to gel well at the right time. They are getting contributions from everyone, and even becoming known as a three-point shooting team. (They lead the NBA in postseason 3's made thus far)

Kyrie Irving has been huge to the Cavaliers in thier Championship Run

And for the Warriors, this is the chance they have been yearning for. After winning the championship last year to a hobbled Cavs team, people were quick to write off the Warriors. However, this rematch with the fully loaded Cavs squad should be quite the test. Thier path to the finals wasn't as easy as their counterpart's. They beat Houston and the Blazers in the first round and second round in 5. However in the Western Conference Finals, they faced a lethal OKC team and took it to 7 games. They were even down 3-1 in the series and came back as only the 10th team in NBA history to come back from that deficit.

This series will probably go to 6 or 7 games due to both team's firepower. However, for this series I am supporting Believeland. Fans from the city of Cleveland haven't seen a championship trophy since the Browns did it back in 1964. It has been 146 sport seasons since Cleveland boasted a championship and I believe this year LeBron and Co. will end that drought.

(Via Business Insider)

The Cavs have been the best this postseason since 2 years ago when LeBron joined Clevland again. And with all the players healthy and well rested, I am predicting that the Cavlaiers will take this NBA finals series in 7 games.

End of the Year Report Cards

After a spectacular season of NBA basketball, many memories were made. On this page, I will link my evaluation of each team from the REGULAR SEASON. I will give them a grade from an F, being the worst, and an A+ being the best overall. I will also grade other characteristics, such as defense, offense, and potential. How'd your favorite team do?

Philadelphia 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers