Championship Game Picks

It's Championship weekend, which means there are only three games this football season. A miracle Hail Mary was the only thing that kept me from being 4-0 last week, and I now sit at an impressive (and unofficial) 6-2 this NFL postseason. I have every intention of finishing 9-2, which starts with going 2-0 in both these appealing championship games. Both games will probably be close, with one key play or mistake deciding them (I got my analysis degree from Magic Johnson University). Let's get to it. For the uninitiated, Football Outsiders and ProFootballFocus are the two best sites for stats and analysis, and I visit them regularly, and you should, too. Picks in all caps.

AFC Championship- NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (-3) at Denver Broncos

My beloved Patriots are in yet another AFC Championship Game, this time in a rematch of their week 12 overtime loss at Denver. The Pats have Edelman, Amendola, Jamie Collins, Dont'a Hightower, and Rob Gronkowski healthy for this game, all five of which missed either parts or the entirety of the first game. Denver gets DeMarcus Ware, T.J. Ward, Sylvester Williams, Louis Vasquez, and, of course, Peyton Manning back. In other words, the first game isn't a great indicator of what will happen this game. One thing we know will continue is that both offenses won't exactly light it up. The 30-24 final belies the struggle both teams had to score for most of the game, particularly the Broncos, who really only got anything going after a muffed punt. The Broncos defense is dominant and will keep them in the game. Still, no matter how many times the advertise they're going to cheap shot the hell out of Gronk, they still can't stop him. That, along with Edelman probably being guarded by a possibly banged-up Chris Harris, are the Pats only advantages on offense. They won't be able to run or throw deep. The Broncos blitz a ton, and, as everyone at Analysts-R-Us will tell you, Brady hates getting hit and isn't as good under pressure (which is somehow different than every other qb in the league). One thing that could go New England's way in that regard is that Von Miller pretty much never shows up in big games. Like, Lebron in the 2011 Finals level bad. He does nothing when it matters, but it's okay because his glasses still take up half his face. He's so cool.

On the other side of the ball, you don't need me to tell you Denver's offense is hot garbage. Or that Peyton stinks. Or that Tom Brady has more passing touchdowns in Denver this season (3) than Peyton (1). Their running game is okay, but not good enough to win the game by itself. And the coaching matchup, I mean... come on. The defense is the only reason the Broncos won more than 8 games this season.

Bottom line, it's gonna take a perfect game from the Broncos defense for them to win. And, honestly, that's a fairly realistic possibility. But just don't see it happening. Pats go back to the Super Bowl.

Score prediction: 21-17 Patriots

NFC Championship Game: ARIZONA CARDINALS at Carolina Panthers (-3)

I expect this game to be much more exciting. Both offenses create big plays at will, and both defenses are stout and create turnovers. These two are really evenly matched. I think if they were to play 100 times, Carolina would probably win 52 times. But, this weekend will not be one of them.

To me, this game will come down to the advantage the Cardinals will have on the outside. The Panthers secondary is depleted to put it lightly. They're going to be starting two corners that weren't on the roster before mid-December. On the flip side, Arizona's receiving trio of Fitzgerald-Brown-Floyd all finished top 10 in receiver DVOA, a stat that says how much value a player adds on any given play adjusted for the strength of schedule. So, yeah, that's a big deal. Josh Norman can cover one of those three, but not all. Last week, the Panthers blitzed like crazy, which is part of the reason the Seahawks were able to get back into it. Some of the blitzes did work, but the majority of the big plays came from Carolina's excellent interior defensive line completely destroying Seattle's offensive line. If I'm the Panthers, I trust that my defensive line can get enough pressure on its own, and give my corners as much extra help over the top as possible. But that's what people would have said going into last week's game as well. Carson Palmer sucked last week, and I expect him to have at least one turnover this game. I also expect him to have at least three touchdowns.

But the Panthers offense is in great shape, as well. The Panthers dominated the red zone this season, and guess where the Cardinals defense struggled? The red zone. The Panthers seem to convert every short yardage run. Of course, it helps when you have Ivan Drago at quarterback. The Cardinals, just like on offense, are super aggressive on d. They blitz almost every play. The only problem is they aren't really that good at it, especially on third down, where they give up a lot more long conversions than you would expect from such a good defense. And, of course, Cam gets better against the blitz (I guess he's the mythical quarterback that likes getting hit and put under pressure. I thought it was Peyton Manning). Ted Ginn will probably get open deep at some point. A Ted Ginn deep pass is entertaining for weird reasons, since he's always super wide open but there's an 80% he drops it. Cardinals are good against the run, but so was Seattle and they got gashed in the first half last week. With all that said, I still think the Cardinals defense, even without Tyrann Mathieu, can make the one big play they need. I really think this comes down to the last drive. I just hope I have better luck than last week. Cardinals go to the Bay Area.

Score prediction: 34-28 Cardinals

Looking like a 2-0 week. It's just so easy! Follow my foolproof picks, and you'll be making money in no time. I guarantee it'll work or your money back! (not really) As long as you don't make your bets with Yu Darvish's brother, that is.

Top five worst people in sports fandom

Last night I was watching the Pacers-Warriors game on ESPN (I wasn't partying because I have no life) and Steph Curry hit this half court shot as part of a triple double. Shortly after, as to be expected, Twitter was aflutter with cries of "Steph is ridiculous" and "Curry on that @nba2k rookie mode!!! *crying face* crying face*." But then I saw a tweet from Dan Le Batard saying Steph had just made his 200th 3 this season, more that Larry Bird's best two seasons combined. This simple declaration of fact lead to a discussion about whether Steph was a better shooter than Bird. As I read some of the responses, my blood started boiling over the complete ignorance of some people. So it got me thinking about other people in the sports world that infuriate me with their stupid opinions, and I decided to make a quick top 5. People who hate soccer didn't make it, since that's a story for another day.

5. The "Football is soft" crowd- While there are plenty of people who miss the Sean Taylor-esque bone crushing hits and are frustrated by the way the game is officiated (myself included), this is more regarding the people say football is soft because everyone passes so much. People who claim today's team aren't tough enough because they'd rather try for a high efficiency, high reward pass play over a 75% chance you don't gain more than 4 yards on the ground. Or that today's quarterbacks can't be compared to the days of old because they pass more so they have better numbers. I'll get into more of this type of thinking later, but it's so stupid. Of course teams pass more now, teams are better at passing now. The receiving talent is off the charts and sorry, Andrew Luck is a better passer than Fran Tarkenton was. Passing all over the field is (to me) more aesthetically pleasing and more exciting, particularly from a gambling perspective. The game is never over for either team. The rules changed to open the game up because the Mel Blount style of defense is archaic and kind of unfair. This doesn't make today's players soft. The chartered flights, personalized training regimens, and (non-guaranteed) multi-million dollar contracts make today's players soft. So wake up, grandpa, passing is good. This crowd is more of a minor annoyance than reason to have an aneurysm.

Anger Rating:

4. Steroid warriors- This is mostly for baseball but applies to anyone who gets super outraged about steroids in any sport. Oh, wait, I forgot, baseball is pretty much the only sport where anyone cares about steroid use. But greenies are fine. Spitballs are just a clever way to get ahead. Whatever they did in the 1800s is cool. Just don't you dare do something that compromises the integrity of the game! Holier-than-thou baseball writers with a God complex just don't get it. You can't ignore an entire era of the game just because steroids made the players angry so they didn't talk to you. The Bonds steroid case was mana from Heaven for vindictive writers who were upset that the greatest baseball talent of all time somehow didn't treat you, you, the most important writer, nay, person to ever walk the face of the Earth, with the type of admiration and respect you so wholly deserve. After all, you write about baseball for a living. If you ask me, it's a toss up between the baseball writer who is bravely making a stand against the vile users of steroids (only the hitters, though. Who cares that every pitcher was juicing, too?) and Mother Teresa in the race to be the brightest paragon of human greatness. Get over yourselves, already. Just put an asterisk next to steroid users' names on their Hall of Fame plaque. Wow, just came up with a solution. But it doesn't make an example of the big bullies who threatened our holy and unimpeachable pastime, so it won't work. (Of course, the other side of this is the NFL, who is so lax on PED use it's borderline offensive. I mean, Peyton had his best season at age 78 after a million neck surgeries? Adrian Peterson misses like a quarter with a shredded knee and he has his best season? Really? And about 99% of the Seahawks roster has been busted for PEDs with literally zero repercussions. But good job, Roger.)

Anger Rating:

                                      

3. Proponents of the "unwritten rules of baseball"- "Hey, guys I've got a good idea. Our sport is kind of struggling to appeal to young people, so let's publicly shame anyone who shows a shred of personality and chastise anyone who dares to possibly offend the ironclad morals of our stubborn, stuffy, out of touch writer's committee. Oh, and don't even think of 'showing a pitcher up,' because as a hitter, it's your job to hit the ball but also not make the pitcher feel inadequate. Always stay 'classy' and 'professional,' and, most importantly, 'boring!'" Yeah, great idea! Glad the rules from when Honus Wagner was dominating are still applicable today. If you hate things like bat flips, trash talk, walking on the wrong part of the field (walking across the mound might be the dumbest, nonsensical "rule" out there. If I was in the MLB I'd walk across every mound I saw then take my base when the crazed, idiotic pitcher threw at my head.), or bunting during a no hitter, then you can go to hell. Bat flips are awesome. Admiring home runs is awesome. Celebrations are awesome. Players with personalities that aren't just Jeterian robots are awesome. These foolish unwritten rules hurt the game. If I was a flashy young stud, why would I play baseball where I'll be punished for being myself? Why do you think Puig sucked this last season? Sure he was injured, but he was also beaten down by people that hated him for the sole reason that he didn't know enough to not show any emotion when something good happened. His spirit was taken away, so don't be surprised when he sucks again this season. The baseball writers and all the crappy pitchers who lean on the unwritten rulebook when they get shelled and shown up won. I wouldn't be surprised if during one of Puig's DL stints he was abducted and taken to the unwritten rules' secret underground church, where he was subjected to dark rituals and brainwashing. "Jeter good. Manny bad." Puig probably hears their creed in his sleep.

Anger Rating:

2. "Analytics are bad, mmkay"- Now I'm getting fired up. The smarmy crowd who relishes in every Houston Rockets loss and jerks off to  Charles Barkley's anti-analytics diatribe really, really annoy me. Most of them don't even understand what analytics are! It's just become the catch-all for any kind of stat. "You say Kobe is shooting 1-38 from the floor? Stop using analytics and watch the game!" Analytics just means you're using data to interpret players and situations in new ways. It really isn't rocket science. Sure, the calculation of some of the stats can seem that way, but if you actually understand what each stat is trying to prove, it's super easy to figure them out. The people who hate analytics are just afraid that they're too stupid to understand it, and at this point, I would probably agree with that. It doesn't take a degree in quantum physics to understand real plus minus. It takes a minuscule amount of effort to learn something new. "Me think player with most RBIs best hitter. Me don't understand simple stat like OPS+. Me don't think Joey Votto good. Man with numbers didn't play game so he no know anything." Hating analytics could look worse in 2016, but people still do it because people are idiots. "Oh, analytics don't work. It's all about punting on 4th down, swinging freely, and never shooting from beyond 10 feet. That's how you win." IF ANALYTICS DON'T WORK WHY ARE THEY STILL AROUND? Know who uses analytics? Literally every team that's won a major championship in the last decade. The Spurs, Mavericks, Red Sox, Blackhawks, and Patriots are all at the forefront of their respective sports in use of analytics. Wait, what's that? They have a combined 16 titles since 1999? Weird. Oh, you say the Astros are the most analytic franchise in the MLB, a league that fully embraces sabermetrics? And they just completed the fastest turnaround of all time? I wonder why that is. Sorry it isn't the 80s anymore when all that mattered was that men were men and nerds stayed in the dungeon. I would say I feel sorry for anyone who dislikes even the most basic stats, I can't really pity anyone who choses to be a braindead neanderthal.

Anger Rating:

1. People who don't think Steph Curry is the greatest shooter of all time- This is it. This is the thing I lost my mind over. This is people putting their fingers in their ears and burying their heads in the sand while yelling about how the 80s and 90s were better and today sucks. This is just pure, utter ignorance of fact. It's so simple. Who do the desperate, nostalgic fools say is still better? Reggie Miller, Ray Allen, and my boy Larry Bird. Reggie's best season in terms of percentage was 42.1%. Ray's was 45.3%. Bird's was 42.7%. Assuming he maintains his current form, this will be Steph's third season of over 45%. Did I mention he's shooting over 10 3s a game this season? "I need to wait and see before I call him the best." Wait for what, exactly? For him to break the single season record for most makes? This season will be the third time he's done that. He's gonna be the all time leader in 3s by the time he's 31. His percentages are unreal considering the number of attempts, the difficulty of the shots (literally none of the other three consistently shot 3s off the dribble or from 30+ feet). "Last season was a fluke let's see him win some more titles before I call him best shooter ever." Oh, you mean like Ray Allen's championships that came past his prime, two of which came after he sold his sold and went ring chasing with Lebron? Oh, you mean all those titles Reggie Miller won? Oh, I forgot, when he played the league was better so it's acceptable to always come up small on the big stage. Bird is the only other one who's won a title as the best player on his team. But Bird is one of the six greatest players of all time. People can't separate best player from best shooter when they rush to try and make you feel stupid for "ignoring the past." We're only talking about shooting here, but even so, stop acting like Steph isn't already a Hall of Famer. Do people realize what kind of things he's doing this season on what's probably a top-2 team ever? "His numbers are only great because he shoots 3s every time. In my day, we were scared of the 3 point line and you were a pussy if you didn't go in the paint and get legally assaulted. I only respect players who got heavily concussed every game." Hmm, I wonder why Steph shoots so many 3s? Oh, I know! BECAUSE HE'S THE GREATEST 3 POINT SHOOTER OF ALL TIME! WHAT'S HE SUPPOSED TO DO? JUST IGNORE THE BEST PART OF HIS GAME? Here's a little math problem for all you people out there who don't think Curry is the best, because I've noticed there's a lot of overlap between the analytics haters and the people who say things like "basketball (or whatever sport) wasn't invented in the 2000s. It was better back then because I say so." What's a bigger number? 3 or 2? I know it's hard, but think. Would you rather have 3 points or 2 points? Man, this is tough. I need to meditate on this for a bit.

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Okay, I'm back. I think I'd rather have 3 points. I don't get why people have difficulty with this. It's not manly. WHO CARES? This year's Warriors would wipe the floor with the rough and tumble non-Bulls 90s team you all masturbate to. It wouldn't really be close. It's okay to think current athletes are great, while also recognizing that past athletes were great. It's freeing, really. It gets a weight off your chest. You don't have to automatically say old is better when basic numbers and the all-important eye test say otherwise. You also don't have to fall victim to the ebbs and flows of Twitter and blindly believe Kristaps Porzingis could take Hakeem Olajuwon in the post. It's okay to see both sides of the coin. It's not okay to be stupid.

Anger Rating:

It's (hopefully) finally time for snow

This weekend is supposed to be the first big snowstorm of the season. The D.C. area is supposed to be hit hardest, and, since they're below New Jersey, there is mass panic as they haven't seen any snow since last winter. People lose their minds over snow.

But me, I love snow. Maybe since I was born and raised in Vermont and went to college in Connecticut, snow is just in my veins. A third of my blood is probably snow, with the other two thirds being some combination of actual blood and maple syrup. Maybe it's because my birthday is in early January, close enough to Christmas to make winter one extended party. Either way, I thrive in snow. Playing in the snow is still awesome. The sound of footsteps in snow is like auditory crack. So many good seasonal foods and drinks. Winter is my favorite season. Nothing better than curling up with a blanket and a ton of pizza while watching playoff football, basketball, Netflix, or, dare I say, a book when there's a blizzard outside.

Everyone always says they hate shoveling. I don't mind shoveling, know why? What's the fastest way to get ripped? Hard, manual labor. While everyone else is sitting inside becoming pale and frail, the one tasked with shoveling the driveway is getting jacked and ready for the beach. All those layers make you sweat more, and, as everyone know, more sweat equals more muscles. It gives you a huge leg up. Sure driving sucks because most people act like they've never touched a steering wheel when there's an inch of snow on the ground, and fighting over parking spots is the true bloodsport, but, for my money, winter is great.

Kobe starting the All-Star Game is so annoying

So last night the All-Star Game starters were announced, and with it came your annual reminder that fan voting is horrible. People who are pro-fan voting always say the All-Star Game is just an exhibition and is for the fans. Then why are All-Star appearances used for Hall of Fame credentials? Why do so many contracts have clauses that reward making the All-Star team? These games matter more than people want to admit. Well, they matter more than the people who are defending the inclusion of the 200th best player or whatever he is this season want to admit. It's just stupid to water down the rosters with players that, you know, are horrible. Why take away a spot from a player that actually deserves it this season? To reward a player that was good in the past but isn't anymore? Fan voting needs to be abolished, because we fans are brainless morons who almost voted Jeremy Lin to start one season.

I don't love the East results, but I'm not all that upset about them. I didn't have Carmelo starting, but he was going to make the team anyway. And while I don't think Dwyane Wade is an All-Star this season (his team plays better without him and it isn't good when I know I'm a better 3 point shooter than someone only because you can't possibly be worse than Wade is), I can at least understand his inclusion. He hasn't been actively horrible and the Heat are having a good season.

But Kobe? Why do people think he's an All-Star? He's pretty much dead last in everything. It just brings me to another thing I can't stand: retirement tours. They're just so nauseating. The Mariano Rivera circle jerk was probably the worst, but Jeter's is a close second. If you're going to retire, just retire. Don't announce it a full season ahead of time (coupled, of course, with a declaration the "I don't want a retirement tour" *wink, wink*). Don't be like those two super classy guys from the Yankees who totally didn't want to be recognized, but were sure to let everyone know they had a full season to give them love and adoration and probably gave each team a wish list of what crappy gift they wanted. What great guys! So selfless, right Yankee fans? Every retirement tour sucks, and I'm preemptively including the David Ortiz (one of my childhood heroes) tour, which somehow feels even more forced than the Kobe one. I can only hope that on the off chance Tom Brady ever retires he doesn't even announce it. I hope he just stops showing up one day, and everyone will know right then that it's over.

My 2016 NBA All-Star Rosters

The time has finally come to reveal my full NBA All-Star teams. Yes, good people, you can finally breathe again, since I know everyone was holding theirs in anticipation. This is who I think should represent each conference, not who I think actually will be at the game. You may notice one noticeable omission here. And while I agree that an All-Star game without the NBA's 41st leading scorer, a player shooting a deadly .345/.250/.784 and currently ranking 372nd in Real Plus Minus, 193rd in Player Efficiency Rating, and 318th in True Shooting Percentage on a last place team can't be called a real All-Star game, somehow Kobe Bryant did not make my West roster. I can assure you he was the toughest cut.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Starters:

G Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors- It's kind of crazy to think about his development. I can still remember him from Villanova's crazy four-guard offense (still waiting for Mike Nardi to get a shot in the league) not even considering his NBA future. Then he was always kind of fat and had a bad attitude (BTW, not many things better than a fat point guard, so I loved him) before everything really clicked for him in Toronto. Now he's making another All-Star Game and is a no-brainer to start.

G Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls- Just about the only consistent bright spot in a weird Bulls season. Another guy who worked his way to NBA stardom. Seemingly never gets tired, no matter how much his coaches run him into the ground. I feel like there should be some kind of rule where if you score 50 in a game you get to be in the All-Star Game. He's been the best shooting guard in the East this season.

F Lebron James, Cleveland Cavaliers- I mean, he's still Lebron. Even if he is quietly having his worst shooting season since 2008.

F Paul George, Indiana Pacers- There's a couple different ways to finish out the East front court, and all of them are reasonable. I'm putting Paul George as one of them because he's carried the Pacers to an impressive record so far. Sure, the cupboard isn't exactly bare, but this isn't the same Pacers team that went to back to back Eastern Conference Finals. He's been surprisingly prolific from 3 this season and is still good on d.

F Paul Millsap, Atlanta Hawks- It's really splitting hairs between him and Chris Bosh, both have been so good and really, really underrated. I'm going with Millsap because I think he adds more defensively than Bosh. He's been racking up blocks and steals this season, and uses his wide array of weird shots to score at a career high rate. He's another self-made All-Star. I remember when he first broke in with Utah he was just thought of as a beast on the glass, which he was, but his offensive game was always overlooked. He just keeps getting better, and will be making his third straight All-Star Game. Pretty good for a second round pick.

Reserves:

G John Wall, Washington Wizards- Just about the only thing keeping the injury riddled, middling Wizards afloat is the East's assist leader.

G DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors- The other half of the East's highest scoring backcourt. He's added a lot to his game this season, and is getting to the line at will.

F Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks- His scoring may be slightly down, but his all-around game has taken a big step forward. He's actually passing willingly this season and he's crashing the glass harder than ever. Another All-Star game certainly helps his brand, which is what he really cares about.

F Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons- I was a sophomore at Uconn during his one season in Storrs, and I saw him around campus a few times, so we're pretty much bffs. He's dominating the glass and the inside, but his free throw shooting is mind-bogglingly terrible. I just don't get how you can be so bad at something you practice heavily every day. It'd be like if I was bad at searching Pornhub.

F Chris Bosh, Miami Heat-He's been by far the Heat's best player, and is pretty much the key to every good offensive and defensive lineup they use. If he never cried after that first finals loss, I think people respect him more.

WC (wild card) Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics- I already made my case for him here. Read it.

WC Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets- It was him, Al Horford, or Reggie Jackson for the last spot. Kemba has three things working for him. First, his shooting is vastly improved and he's been the driving force of the Hornets' surprisingly decent offense. Second, there's the recently established rule that if you score 50, you're in the All-Star Game. Third, well, my freshman year at Uconn just so happened to be his championship season. He was a god, and one time I ate at the same Applebee's as him. So, yeah, I'm biased.

Toughest cuts: Al Horford, Reggie Jackson, Greg Monroe, Brook Lopez, Kristaps Porzingis


WESTERN CONFERENCE

Starters:

G Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors- I know we have a tendency to glorify the past, but if you're one of the few people who doesn't think Steph is the greatest shooter of all time, I really don't know what to tell you.

G Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder- Might be my favorite player in the league. No one goes harder every night. Now he's second in the league in assists to go along with his usual scoring, rebounding, and career high field goal percentage.

F Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder- Just so consistent and efficient. He really is the ultimate modern scorer.

F Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs- He has to be considered the best perimeter defender since prime Pippen. When you can consistently bother and challenge Lebron, that means something. His offense just keeps getting better.

F Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors- I feel like there are now more people who think no one thinks Draymond Green is an All-Star than the actual number of people who don't think he's an All-Star. He's an All-Star. Case closed.




Reserves:

G Chris Paul, LA Clippers- Still going strong and leading the charge for the least likable team in the NBA. I don't know, I can't really figure out why this group of whiners and mental midgets can't seem to get it done when it matters. While everyone is finally starting to wonder if maybe Blake Griffin might actually be a piece of shit no one likes and not a happy-go-lucky offensive force (which he has been this season, just too many injuries), the real question surrounding the Clippers is does everyone secretly just hate Chris?

G James Harden, Houston Rockets- Oh, look another feel good team! Harden has been great again this season, but his shooting from the field is super inconsistent. The Rockets just suck. Everyone complains and mopes around and doesn't try on defense and blames everyone else. But somehow they'll make the playoffs over and exciting Jazz team and an improved Kings team because life is unfair.

F DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings- While it's weird that he's only shooting 44% from the field, he's been a beast this season and lead the Kings to a surprisingly good start. Now, if he could only, you know, try all the time, he'd solidify himself as the best King since Quincy Douby.

F Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans- While it hasn't been the transcendent season some predicted, he's still putting up big numbers. The Pelicans have been so injury plagued this season, and I think that has hurt his productivity. He's only 22, and this will already be his third All-Star game.

F LaMarcus Aldrige, San Antonio Spurs- He's taken a backseat to Kawhi, but that's only hurt his per game averages. He's been great on offense as a secondary weapon, and been really solid on defense. He's got great chemistry with everyone's favorite fat NBA player, Boris Diaw, which is a huge thing to have in your favor.

WC Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks- Dirk is one of my favorite players ever, but if you think this is just a legacy pick, you haven't watched much Mavs basketball this season. While Deron Williams has had a mini-resurgence, Dallas wouldn't be sniffing the playoffs without Dirk. His shot is still just as pretty, and his rebounding rate is back up around where it was when he was MVP.

WC Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors- Really tough last spot to fill. It's a virtual toss-up between Klay, Damian Lillard, Gordan Hayward, and DeAndre Jordan. But, in my mind, Klay's defense puts him ahead of Damian and Hayward, and, if you couldn't tell, I hate the Clippers, so I'm going with the NBA's best third option.



Toughest cuts: Damian Lillard, Gordon Hayward, DeAndre Jordan, J.J. Redick (really!), C.J. McCollum, Kobe Bryant