MLB's First Month All-Stars

Even though it's completely ridiculous to waste any time voting for all-stars based off of one month, I do it every year just to keep up on who might end up in Cincinnati for the July 14th game.
With all that said, here's my April all-star ballot based off of me overreacting to one month of baseball games.

AL Roster

Catcher: Stephen Vogt (Oakland Athletics) - Vogt for Stephen Vote or something like that. .358 batting averages and 7 homers will lock you into those juicy first-month votes, especially at the weakest offensive position (Catcher). Honorable Mention: Salvador Perez (Kansas City Royals) - The Royals backstop is batting over .300 with solid production in all of the other flashy offensive statistics plus, he's a superior defender to Vogt and coming off of a World Series will always inflate a player's vote total.

First Baseman: Miguel Cabrera (Detroit Tigers) - If someone has an on-base percentage over .400, chances are they are an All-Star. If that same person is playing the best offensive game of any player at his position and has a reputation of doing that for years, like Miguel Cabrera, then he's a lock for the All-Star Game. Honorable Mention: Prince Fielder (Texas Rangers) - The strongest Comeback Player of the Year candidate, Fielder has become the player Texas wished he would be last year before he injured himself and lost 4-5 months. Fielder's .354 average isn't digging Texas out of last place in the AL West but, it certainly is not hurting them.

Second Baseman: Jose Altuve (Houston Astros) - After winning the batting title in 2014 with 225 hits and a .341 batting average, the 5'6'' Altuve is on pace for even better statistics this year. He's becoming an annual lock for the mid-summer classic before our very eyes and is vital to Houston's success this year. Honorable Mention: Devon Travis (Toronto Blue Jays) - Acquired this off-season from Detroit for Anthony Gose, Travis has made his presence known with a position-leading 7 home runs and is the strongest AL Rookie of the Year candidate thus far. Time will tell if he can keep batting .309 but, the power seems very real and he should challenge 25 homers at least.

Third Baseman: Josh Donaldson (Toronto Blue Jays) - It's surprising to see Toronto's consistent stars like Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista struggle to start the season on a good note while Travis and Josh Donaldson take over the reigns as the new stars of Canadian baseball in their first seasons in Toronto. Donaldson, so far, is the only 3rd Baseman to keep a nice batting average along with his power (.303-6) and is not quite an AL MVP candidate yet (as I called this preseason) but, he is still playing better than any Blue Jay and that is impressive. Honorable Mention: Mike Moustakas (Kansas City Royals) - Moose Tacos are in season as Mike Moustakas has pulled off the first nice April of his career. A consistently-bad starter, Moustakas has saved his job for a couple of months by batting above .300 instead of below the Mendoza line. 

Shortstop: Jose Iglesias (Detroit Tigers) - Where did this come from? Known for his defense and not his offense, Iglesias has been flashing his glove AND bat throughout the month of April with an impressive .354 batting average that would call for him to go up in the order in lesser lineups but, this is the land of Miguel Cabrera and Yoenis Cespedes and a small sample size from Iglesias is just an added bonus, not the focus of the entire team's offense. Honorable Mention: Jed Lowrie (Houston Astros) - Another former Red Sox Shortstop, Lowrie is off to a good start with his strongest (4 homers) start to a season yet with his typically good defense still in tact and a .300 average to really nail home his early All-Star case.

(Tommy Gilligan, USA TODAY Sports)
OF Adam Jones, Orioles

Outfielders: Adam Jones (Baltimore Orioles), Mike Trout (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) and Hanley Ramirez (Boston Red Sox)

Amid all the turmoil happening in Baltimore, Adam Jones has been the one thing to come out of that city this year that has been super positive. Jones is playing like he's coming for Mike Trout's throne as the AL MVP. Leading the race for the batting title (.396), Jones has performed exceedingly well in all categories and has not shown any signs of slowing down through the first week of May.

Mike Trout is, once again, still Mike Trout.

Hanley Ramirez's transition to the Outfield has worked unbelievably well as he has only recorded one error and has taken total advantage of the batter-friendly Fenway Park with 10 home runs (2nd in MLB). He did suffer a sprained left shoulder recently however, and it has yet to be seen if he can keep up his gaudiest power numbers yet in his decade-long career.

Honorable Mentions: Josh Reddick (Oakland Athletics), Jake Marisnick (Houston Astros) and Michael Brantley (Cleveland Indians)

Designated Hitter (AL-only): Nelson Cruz (Seattle Mariners) - Duhhh. .326-14-26 is the most impressive stat-line for any American League batter so far this young season and it would take a miracle (or an injury) to knock him out of the All-Star Game already. Honorable Mention: Kendrys Morales (Kansas City Royals) - The former Mariners' DH is playing his best baseball since he stepped on home plate and tore his ACL many years ago.

NL Roster

Catcher: Derek Norris (San Diego Padres) - A slightly controversial choice as A.J. Pierzynski has the better stats but, with less at-bats. I chose Norris because he's played the most time at the Catcher position among all the Catchers in the majors and he's still batting .310 and knocking runs in (16 to be exact). Honorable Mention: A.J. Pierzynski (Atlanta Braves) - After stealing the job from prospect Christian Bethancourt, Pierzynski has played out of his mind with a .344 batting average and keeping Atlanta afloat despite a terrible roster.

First Baseman: Adrian Gonzalez (Los Angeles Dodgers) - One of two players (the other being Bryce Harper) to hit three home runs in a game this season, Gonzalez has displayed his power often this April and is proving to fans that his dip in power numbers since leaving San Diego are nothing to become concerned with. Honorable Mention: Paul Goldschmidt (Arizona Diamondbacks) - Even with all of Arizona's problems, Paul Goldschmidt is still playing like the top-3 First Baseman we have come to expect every year. 

Second Baseman: Dee Gordon (Miami Marlins) - Apparently Gordon's 2014 season was no fluke. The Major League leader in batting average through May 6th (.422) is really coming back to bite fantasy owners who passed him up for the just-as-speedy likes of Billy Hamilton. Gordon does not have any power but 12 stolen bases and 11 RBI's are enough proof that his presence can majorly enhance a lineup's production. Honorable Mention: DJ LeMahieu (Colorado Rockies) - A similar player to Jose Iglesias in the fact that neither showed much potential on offense while both were outstanding defenders, LeMahieu must have an extra long bat or something because his .392 batting average is ridiculous, even by Coors Field standards.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
3B Matt Carpenter, Cardinals

Third Baseman: Matt Carpenter (St. Louis Cardinals) - Matt Carpenter has never been as aggressive of a hitter as he has been so far in 2015. He is on pace for career highs in every major category and, as always, is a run-scoring machine. His defense might not be as flashy as the honorable mention at his position but, he is also an effective third baseman defensively. Watch out for him if his power numbers keep up. Honorable Mention: Nolan Arenado (Colorado Rockies) - Arenado is probably the Platinum Glove winner so far this season (the award handed out to the best defensive player at any position in all of baseball) and his batting is still supremely impressive on it's own. 

Shortstop: Adeiny Hechavarria (Miami Marlins) - Pronounced carefully, this Miami Shortstop is one of the most underrated defensive players in the sport. The one negative to his game previously was that he never hit like the potential he showed in his cup of coffee with Toronto in 2012. This year, he is starting to show some of the potential from his Toronto days again, batting .310 with two home runs and 16 RBI. He will almost certainly fall off at some point but, what if he doesn't and becomes a slower Dee Gordon instead? Honorable Mention: Zack Cozart (Cincinnati Reds) - I have to dig pretty deep for an NL Shortstop with good production outside of Starlin Castro and Hechavarria.

Outfielders: Bryce Harper (Washington Nationals), Giancarlo Stanton (Miami Marlins) and Juan Lagares (New York Mets)

It is time. We have all been hearing about how great Bryce Harper is supposed to be since he was sixteen years old and despite flashes, he never quite broke out of his above-average shell. Voted as the most overrated player in baseball by his pears at the beginning of the season, Harper has fed on all of the world's hatred and it has fueled him into becoming a worthy (unlike his previous appearances) All-Star.

After being struck in the face by a Mike Fiers fastball, many fans wondered how Giancarlo Stanton would recover and if he would return to the constant 40-homer threat he had been. On pace for around 35-40 home runs, Stanton is adjusting just fine to his new batting helmet and should be representing the National League come July if he keeps this up.

Juan Lagares does not have much of a fair chance at the All-Star Game with "sexier" votes like Matt Holliday and Matt Kemp being candidates for the same position. Lagares has no power (a disadvantage from a fan-vote perspective) and the main reason I chose him is his superior defense to any of the other National League Outfielders (might not have been the case had Carlos Gomez stayed healthy). The .311 average after 106 at-bats does not hurt his case for my vote either.

Honorable Mentions: Matt Holliday (St. Louis Cardinals), Justin Upton (San Diego Padres) and Charlie Blackmon (Colorado Rockies)

In case you were wondering if I have any biases, here are the players that are on my "Soler System" fantasy team that I try hard not to gush over...

Catchers - Russell Martin, Wilson Ramos, Mike Zunino

1st Basemen - Paul Goldschmidt, Victor Martinez, Lucas Duda, Mike Napoli

2nd Basemen - Daniel Murphy, Jason Kipnis, Scooter Gennett

3rd Basemen - Matt Carpenter, Manny Machado, Miguel Sano

Shortstops - Starlin Castro and Brandon Crawford

Outfielders - Yasiel Puig, Jorge Soler, Kole Calhoun, Starling Marte', Ryan Braun, Marlon Byrd

Starting Pitchers - Clayton Kershaw, Matt Harvey, Michael Pineda, Michael Wacha, Mat Latos, Drew Hutchison, Kendall Graveman

Closer - Craig Kimbrel

and please, DO NOT ask me about the rules of this overly-complicated league or why I still have Kendall Graveman after he was sent down to Triple-A. 

Lastly, I will be attending another Brewers-Twins game at Target Field next month and will have seats behind Home Plate so, I'll make sure to share some of my experiences in some form as we kick off another incredible Summer.

The 2015 NBA Playoffs: Round 2

Yesterday was awesome. You know a sports day is great when the media does not even bother to try shoving Yankees-Red Sox down our throats even though they're playing a series this weekend. Mayweather vs. Pacquiao lived up to my hype and pretty much no one else's so, the viking funeral we held for the sport of boxing last night was apparently appropriate. The NFL draft concluded with it's third day (which was weirdly more interesting than the first round). I picked the right horse in the Kentucky Derby! and most importantly, my championship pick was eliminated thanks to an instantly classic game seven. I was up until 3 AM. I apologize for the delay in this post but, I'm glad we could at least reach an understanding.

Source: ESPN
Mike Conley will need to be fully recovered from his facial fracture in order for Memphis to have any chance.

#1 Golden State Warriors v. #5 Memphis Grizzlies
I'm done looking stupid on the Warriors. They were 67-15 in the regular season and there is almost no stopping them. The Warriors shooting is almost as unbelievable as some of the stunts pulled in The Expendables franchise (Schwarzenegger just tore the door off the car!!!). Memphis is the one team that match Golden State defensively in the western conference but, they are very inconsistent offensively. Jeff Green looked alright in the first round but, Mike Conley suffered a facial injury and will probably still be swollen and he'll play less aggressively in game one. Memphis is really going to need Beno Udrih to add the fire he had against Portland.

Key Match-up To Watch: Tony Allen vs. Draymond Green.

The two best non-big defenders in the league. There's not a whole lot else to say about that.

My Pick: Warriors in 5.

AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo
This could be the breakout series for Terrence Jones, guarding Blake Griffin.

#2 Houston Rockets v. #3 Los Angeles Clippers
Who is going to get more calls? It's a series that will be decided by free throws and the Hack-a-whoever strategy. Don't groan about that either, it's actually more exciting when players have a 50/50 or 30/70 chance of putting the ball in the basket with all the pressure in the world on them. James Harden is playing very well but, I feel we are all not appreciating the talented players Daryl Morey has placed alongside him. Terrence Jones has been inconsistent but, when he's on fire... he's on FIRE. Josh Smith has revitalized his career thanks to his role off the bench and the coaching of Kevin McHale. Even Jason Terry and Clint Capela have gotten big minutes out of these playoffs and (surprise, surprise) they're playing good! The Clippers bench was terrible during the regular season and they did just barely enough to knock out San Antonio in 7 on a last second shot from Chris Paul. This is bound to be another terrific series if everyone can stay healthy and the Clippers bench doesn't play too well.

Key Match-up To Watch: Dwight Howard vs. DeAndre Jordan.

They will both be fouled a lot and the battle for rebounds will be fought mightily. If Dwight can average 13.8 rebounds per game again, Houston will win. If DeAndre can average 15.0 per game as he did in the regular season, the Clippers will win. It'll probably change from game-to-game who dominates in the paint but, everyone needs to pay attention to this match-up.

My Pick: I'm reverting back to my preseason choice, Clippers in 6.

Getty Images
DeMarre Carroll has emerged as a player that could create havoc for Paul Pierce in the second round.

#1 Atlanta Hawks v. #5 Washington Wizards
Originally in this series, I had picked the Wizards in 7 but that would include Randy Wittman out-coaching Mike Budenholzer and that has never happened in any alternate universe or the one that we live in, that's how improbable that is. The Wizards swept the Raptors proving that the USA is better than Canada at basketball and the Hawks had trouble early on but woke up in games 5 and 6 and defeated the Brooklyn Nets in 6. In the first round, it became apparent that neither of these teams were going to be able to play the way they did in the regular season, resulting in DeMarre Carroll and Paul Pierce bursting out of their shells and becoming two of the most efficient players in the playoffs. One problem in Atlanta is that none of their players outside of Carroll seem to be at 100% health and that could be a problem against the constant speed of John Wall, the healthy big men Nene and Gortat and the outside shooting of Beal and Pierce. Atlanta always seems to find a way to win but, even they might need to come up with a new way to win in this series (more Pero Antic'!)

Key Match-up To Watch: John Wall vs. Jeff Teague.

Jeff Teague is not at 100% health (nobody is really) and might have an unusual amount of trouble guarding John Wall. Wall is one of the fastest players in the NBA and if Teague starts to show any sign of limping, coach Budenholzer will need to take him out for Dennis Schroder.

My Pick: Hawks in 7.

Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Without Kevin Love, the Cavs will rely even heavier on Kyrie Irving.

#2 Cleveland Cavaliers v. #3 Chicago Bulls
THIS IS THE SERIES WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR. Of course, the basketball gods would not let every player stay healthy for this series and that's why Kelly Olynyk decided to sacrifice Kevin Love's arm in exchange for a full series of Derrick Rose. Kevin Love will have to replaced with Tristan Thompson and a bunch of washed up three-point shooters like Mike Miller, James Jones and maybe Shawn Marion. The Bulls are clearly better off of a two-day rest as opposed to the one-day rests that "cost" them games 4 & 5 versus the Bucks in round one. The Cavaliers went ahead and swept the Celtics as everybody knew they would (don't try tricking yourself out of it, Celtic fans). Kyrie Irving's first ever transition to playoff basketball went over incredibly well and now he gets to face his first REAL challenge against the D-Rose & Jimmy Butler-led Bulls. The series is unpredictable as a whole and I think we're all anxious for a game seven between these two.

Key Match-up To Watch: Tristan Thompson vs. Pau Gasol.

Thompson dominated the Celtics with his offensive rebounding and really has no other skills but, with his energy and rebounding abilities, he will create real havoc for Pau Gasol. It might be inconsistent at times but, how much Thompson and Timofey Mozgov beat out Pau and Joakim Noah for a rebound or how often they force a bad shot or get a block will decide a few of the games in this series.

My Pick: Bulls in 7. Jimmy Butler is a star and could be better than Rose would have been had he stayed healthy all these years.

MY FINALS PICK AT THE MOMENT: I'm reverting to my preseason call of "This is the Clippers year" and saying Clippers over Bulls in 7. 

I really have no idea anymore.

I hope you enjoy the second round of the playoffs and may all the series' go to game sevens!

Andy Todd Presents: A Mock Draft to Mock (NFL Edition)

After the giant shit-storm that was the 2014 NFL Season, I was really excited to get away from football for a few months. The NFL did not comply and instead, DEMANDED sports headlines on a nightly basis whether it was Manziel rehab updates, Tim Tebow signing with the Eagles or another wacky trade rumor that turned out to be true. I tried to ignore it all, I really did. The way the Goodell-era has changed football forever is that it is now a 12-month sport that will never sit down and shut up for five seconds. This over-saturation of football news is exhausting fans and turning them off from football in favor of basketball, baseball, MMA, soccer and the somehow-less-annoying college football. The NFL is suffocating us and refuses to let go of it's stranglehold on our attention spans.

One topic that's been analyzed to death despite coming earlier than last year is the NFL Draft and I could not be less excited to do a mock draft. I have tried ignoring football so hard that I had no idea what the draft boards looked like coming into this weekend and was stunned at how many potential 1st rounders I had no clue were valued so highly (looking at you, Arik Armstead).

Well... at least I tried. Here's Andy Todd's one and only 2015 NFL Mock Draft!

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - QB Jameis Winston (Florida State)

Hey Crabman!

Current Depth: (QB) Mike Glennon, Sean Lobato 

I have been quoted as saying I would not touch Jameis Winston in the first three rounds of the draft and I am sticking to my guns on that call. He might have a strong commitment to the game and love of the sport but, turnovers are a very real problem for Jameis Squints-a-ton (I'm so original and cold-hearted). Turnovers are not a problem that just goes away (ask Jay Cutler) and speaking of things that refuse to go away, Winston's alleged rape victim is still pursuing any type of way for Winston to get punished for what he is alleged to have done to her. Add all of that up plus the poor judgement shown in his yelling-obscenities-on-the-top-of-a-lunch-table-at-school incident and you have the closest thing to a locked-in draft bust that we might ever see. Tampa Bay is desperate at Quarterback but, it is kind of astonishing to think they might be THIS desperate.

2. Tennessee Titans - QB Marcus Mariota (Oregon)

(Ryan Kang/Emerald)
Mariota will miss facing Pac-12 opponents but, could join Andrew Luck and Blake Bortles in the up-and-coming QB division that is the AFC South.

Current Depth: (QB) Zach Mettenberger, Charlie Whitehurst, Alex Tanney

Zach Mettenberger is not the answer to Tennessee's long-standing Quarterback woes. He threw eight touchdowns, seven interceptions and lost all six of his starts in 2014 and Tennessee needs someone better than Charlie Whitehurst (AKA: Clipboard Jesus) to compete for the starting job. Marcus Mariota has the highest ceiling of any Quarterback in the draft and the Titans would be wise to take him instead of agreeing to a wild 3-team trade that has been rumored for weeks involving them receiving Philip Rivers and Philly getting this pick. At the end of the day, I still think the Eagles find a way to get Marcus Mariota but, I'm not going to base my mock draft on anything other than the order that currently stands even though I'm sure plenty of trading will be done this Thursday.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars - WR Amari Cooper (Alabama)

Jacksonville is still one receiver away from understanding Blake Bortles' full potential

Current Depth: (WR) Allen Robinson, Marqise Lee, Allen Hurns, Ace Sanders, Tandon Doss, Bryan Walters, Arrelious Benn, Tommy Streeter, Damian Copeland, Tony Washington, Justin Blackmon (Suspended Indefinitely)

Most mocks have Oakland taking Cooper with the next pick. I am not most mock drafters. Last year, nobody had any clue who Jacksonville was thinking of taking third overall and they ended up surprising a few people (myself included) when they selected Central Florida QB Blake Bortles over Johnny Manziel, Khalil Mack and a few other notable names. Bortles' rookie season was largely buried in turnovers and he never had a chance to showcase his potential with Robinson, Lee, Hurns, Blackmon and Cecil Shorts all out for separate amounts of time. One player who is clearly a top-five talent in the draft, has no character concerns (unlike Blackmon) and stayed fairly healthy in his time at Alabama is Amari Cooper. Incomplete puzzle? meet another piece that fits perfectly.

4. Oakland Raiders - DE Leonard Williams (USC)

Williams and Justin Tuck can bond over things like their crazy face-masks.

Current Depth: (DE) C.J. Wilson, Justin Tuck, Benson Mayowa, Denico Autry, Shelby Harris

Few players drafted will fit a team more perfectly on day one than Leonard Williams in Oakland. It might be wishful thinking for Jacksonville to pass up on the USC Defensive Lineman but, Oakland has a realistic chance at getting back-to-back defensive superstars after picking Linebacker Khalil Mack fifth last year. Oakland is still a few pieces away from competing (#1 Receiver, Quarterback, O-Line, Corner) but, they could be really good in four years.

5. Washington's NFL Team - OT Brandon Scherff (Iowa)

 (Liz Martin/The Gazette-KCRG)
If the NFL dream doesn't work out, Scherff could always be the bouncer that throws dudes through the bar window.

Current Depth: (OT) Trent Williams, Tom Compton, Morgan Moses, Xavier Nixon, Ty Nsekhe, Edawn Coughman

Washington just picked up Robert Griffin III's fifth-year option and that means they plan on using the man at Quarterback for two more HEALTHY seasons. Granted, RG3 is usually his worst enemy tweaking leg injuries while scrambling but, Washington should try to help out a bit more with who's blocking for Griffin. Brandon Scherff is easily the best Offensive Lineman in this draft and could give Griffin more time to consider actually throwing the ball before taking his last forward step on an NFL field.

6. New York Jets - OLB Dante Fowler Jr. (Florida)

Look at this photo and try telling me you aren't convinced he's a top-ten draft pick.

Current Depth: (OLB) Quinton Coples, Calvin Pace, Jason Babin, Trevor Reilly, Ikemefuna Enemkpali

Gone are the days of Rex Ryan, John Idzik and empty Jet offenses. With that said, the new Jets regime will pull a trick out of the Rex Ryan book and grab the best available player, who just happens to be a defensive player. Outside of Kevin White, there aren't many picks that one could see the Jets making at #6 and their Outside Linebackers are either A) Past their prime or B) Never had a prime to pass. Coples is still a project that new Head Coach Todd Bowles should be able to get the best results out of but, Pace and Babin just don't really fit on this defense anymore.

7. Chicago Bears - DT Danny Shelton (Washington)

(Dean Rutz/The Seattle Times)
Shelton is trying to become the first player to go from running a 5.6 40 time at the combine to having a successful NFL career.

Current Depth: (DT) Jeremiah Ratliff, Ego Ferguson, Will Sutton, Brandon Dunn

In one of my two "reachiest" reaches, I have Chicago filling a production-need rather than a positional need with Danny Shelton. Shelton is a run-stopper and Chicago was the worst run defense in the NFL last year. It does not get any more complicated than that except no NFL player has ever succeeded with a 5.6 40-yard dash coming into the league (I'm sure Vince Wilfork ran much slower in the past few years) and Danny Shelton's speed is a serious concern if he is not stuffing a Running Back at the line of scrimmage. 


8. Atlanta Falcons - RB Todd Gurley (Georgia)

Dale Zanine - USA TODAY Sports
Atlanta stuns the league and takes Gurley despite a not-yet fully healed ACL.

Current Depth: (RB) Devonta Freeman, Antone Smith, Ronnie Wingo Jr., Jerome Smith

Atlanta still has some holes on their Offensive Line, Defensive Line and at the Linebacker position but, no position is more devoid of talent than their Running Back slot after the departure of Steven Jackson. Devonta Freeman was a major disappointment last year (his rookie year) and only averaged 3.8 yards per carry while Antone Smith continued scoring fluky touchdowns in bunches until he suffered another injury and was on IR before he had a chance to prove he could carry the load out of the backfield. Antone Smith is going to be 30 in November and Freeman does not look like anything more than a backup. Atlanta probably won't be back in the playoffs as a result of this pick but, it can't hurt their chances to take a chance on a player with a ridiculously high ceiling like Todd Gurley.

9. Giants - S Landon Collins (Alabama)

 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images North America)
Collins plays football like a crazy person, something the Giants are sorely missing on defense.

Current Depth: (S) Josh Gordy, Nat Berhe, Cooper Taylor, Thomas Gordon

The New York Giants Safety position has to have the weakest positional depth for any one team at any one position in the NFL. They signed former Colt Josh Gordy and are even trying to transition him from Cornerback to Safety just so they have any type of name value at the position. Landon Collins is a player that this team has not had since Jason Sehorn, a dedicated football player who comes through in the clutch.

10. St. Louis Rams - WR Kevin White (West Virginia)

Matt Freed/Post-Gazette
The Rams don't have a Receiver that can make the grabs Kevin White can make.

Current Depth: (WR) Brian Quick, Tavon Austin, Kenny Britt, Chris Givens, Stedman Bailey

He's the perfect fit for a team with two other Wide Receivers from West Virginia already on their football team (Austin & Bailey) but, I could totally see Kevin White being selected before pick #10 and it would surprise no one. Saint Louis has gone with a Wide Receiver early in seemingly every post-Torry Holt draft and still have no answers that have been the glue of their offense. Kevin White is a glue-all-the-pieces-together type of talent and Nick Foles or some other Quarterback will have a very fun decade ahead of them, throwing the ball to him.

11. Minnesota Vikings - DE Shane Ray (Missouri)

(Photo by Ben Walton)
Shane Ray continues the trend of DE's coming out of Missouri with two first names!

Current Depth: (DE) Everson Griffen, Brian Robison, Scott Crichton, Justin Trattou, Caesar Rayford, Leon Mackey

I do not think Shane Ray has the intangibles of a good Defensive End, he's fairly average overall. He could easily fall out of the first round if teams are very concerned with the failed drug tests in college and/or his marijuana bust the week of the draft. Watching Missouri games in 2013, I was under the impression that Michael Sam was the much more pro-ready Defensive Lineman out of Missouri but, Shane Ray doesn't have the imaginary "off-field distractions" or well... at least, he didn't until this week. I'm not sure what to think about Shane Ray or Minnesota's pick and that makes them a perfect fit in my mind. 

12. Cleveland Browns - OT T.J. Clemmings (Pittsburgh)

 Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
The Browns' have a history of making questionable decisions with two first-round picks.

Current Depth: (OT) Joe Thomas, Mitchell Schwartz, Michael Bowie, Andrew McDonald, Ryan Seymour

The Browns are not lacking on offensive line talent but, with Alex Mack in a contract year and Joe Thomas probably getting tired of losing constantly, some hole may open up in the near future. Clemmings was the anchor of Pitt's O-Line and would be a solid replacement for anyone switching positions at the line for Cleveland.

13. New Orleans Saints - OLB Vic Beasley (Clemson)

AP
Vic Beasley could take command of a new Saints defense.

Current Depth: (OLB) Anthony Spencer, Junior Galette, Parys Haralson, Kasim Edebali, Ronald Powell

The Saints are in a complete (minus Drew Brees) rebuilding phase and their defense still has some major holes to be filled. Junior Galette is one of the last players New Orleans has left on their trading block and they've made that public knowledge. Vic Beasley would be an excellent replacement for any of the starting Linebacker positions on Rob Ryan's defense as his play is reminiscent of Terrell Suggs. They have five picks in the top 80 picks and I would be surprised if New Orleans doesn't walk away for a whole new look on defense. 

14. Miami Dolphins - CB Trae Waynes (Michigan State)

It is not very hard to intercept Tommy Armstrong Jr. (Nebraska) and Trae Waynes benefited in this picture.

Current Depth: (CB) Brent Grimes, Zack Bowman, Brice McCain, Jamar Taylor, Will Davis, T.J. Heath, Sammy Seamster, Lowell Rose

Kenosha Bradford's own Trae Waynes is the highest valued Cornerback in the 2015 draft and with questions surrounding players like Clemmings and Ray, Waynes could easily catapult into the top ten. Miami just lost former #3 overall pick Dion Jordan for the season and the team could really use help on that end with a defensive back or two to help fans forget the Cortland Finnegan-era. Waynes would be the second Corner out of Michigan State to be drafted in the first round in two consecutive drafts (Darqueze Dennard to Cincy last season). 

15. San Francisco 49ers - OT Andrus Peat (Stanford)

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
"Ugh, the Niners?! I think I'll just retire instead."

Current Depth: (OT) Joe Staley, Anthony Davis, Erik Pears, Chris Martin (not from Coldplay)

San Francisco would be pretty wise to draft some form of defense with the 15th pick but, when's the last time their front office made a good decision? It certainly wasn't during this off-season when they fired Jim Harbaugh. Excuse my bitterness but, I really bought into this team during the Harbaugh era and they threw it all away after three NFC Championship games and one 8-8 season so, management deserves whatever disaster is headed their way this season. Andrus Peat? Oh yeah, I really think he's a nice compliment to an established offensive line and a position change might be in order if they do go through with this draft pick. 

PS: I don't hate any teams or players, I dislike poor decisions and blatant stupidity. 

16. Houston Texans - CB Jalen Collins (LSU)

Brett Duke, NOLA.com | Times-Picayune
Collins only started ten games in college but, boosted his stock into the late-first to early-second round range.

Current Depth: (CB) Johnathan Joseph, Kareem Jackson, A.J. Bouye, Andre Hal, Jumal Rolle, Darryl Morris, Charles James

Houston's Cornerbacks were the one thing holding back their defense from greatness last season and with fellow defensive back D.J. Swearinger supposedly on the trading block, it's clear that this is a position Bill O'Brien would like to see changed up a tad on his team. There is not a Quarterback worth taking in the first round after Winston or Mariota and I'm sure Houston would consider Brett Hundley in the second round but, they would be crazy to make that reach this soon in the draft. Collins has some experience but, may need time to fully adjust to the NFL which is why the team still has Joseph and Jackson to man down the position temporarily.

17. San Diego Chargers - OLB Randy Gregory (Nebraska)

Randy Gregory is a perfect fit for any scheme as he is the most versatile defensive player available this year.

Current Depth: (OLB) Melvin Ingram, Jeremiah Attaochu, Cordarro Law, Tourek Williams

San Diego's linebacking depth is some of the worst in the NFL and if Randy Gregory is available, he's a lock to get taken by the Chargers here. Gregory is a pass-rusher (something the Chargers need), a Linebacker (something the Chargers need) and possibly also a good Defensive End (something the Chargers sort of need). Randy Gregory could fit on any team he gets picked and he just happens to be a mammoth of a talent with his only red flag being a failed drug test sometime during the pre-draft process. It's sort of concerning to see so many players failing drug tests recently (Dion Jordan, Shane Ray, Jalen Collins) but, this has happened to players and never been a problem again in some cases (okay, I can't think of any)

18. Kansas City Chiefs - CB Kevin Johnson (Wake Forest)

ELI LUCERO/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
AFTER THREE YEARS OF REMAINING FAIRLY ANONYMOUS, jOHNSON WILL MAKE A NAME FOR HIMSELF AS A FIRST-ROUND DRAFT PICK.

Current Depth: (CB) Sean Smith, Marcus Cooper, Phillip Gaines, Jamell Fleming, Aaron Hester, Shaquille Richardson, Deji Olatoye

Kansas City is still looking to replace 2014-exit Brandon Flowers and is probably one defensive back away from making it back into the postseason. Kevin Johnson is a player that I admittedly know very little about (who watches Wake Forest football games religiously?) but, I love what I've seen in clips and the competitiveness he exhibits constantly. Johnson will be an improvement over any Corner not named Sean Smith that Kansas City presently rosters and he shall create turnovers very early on.

19. Cleveland Browns - DT Arik Armstead (Oregon)

Jeff Gross/Getty Images North America
Armstead was the quiet leader of last season's runner-up Oregon Ducks' defense.

Current Depth: (DT) Phil Taylor, John Hughes

Cleveland has not had luck drafting offensive players since their football team returned in 1998 and they will try to avoid drafting another Manziel-Weeden-Trent Richardson-Braylon Edwards. The best way to avoid a disaster pick is by trading out of the 12th and 19th spots (something they will likely do) or by going with quieter less-discussed positions in the trenches like on the O-line (T.J. Clemmings going 12th) and the D-line (Armstead). Arik Armstead never struck me as a dominant player but, he also never made any glaring errors along with his zero highlights (minus the one shown in the picture above where Jameis Winston ran backwards about 30 yards).

20. Philadelphia Eagles - WR Dorial Green-Beckham (Missouri)

AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki
Even Dorial is confused about what I'm doing here.

Current Depth: (WR) Jordan Matthews, Riley Cooper, Miles Austin, Josh Huff, Seyi Ajirotutu, Will Murphy, Quron Pratt

There's pretty much a 0% chance Chip Kelly stays with this pick and I'm just putting Dorial Green-Beckham here because he is a great talent with off-field questions and some team will be crazy enough to take a chance on Green-Beckham that has a decent chance of working out. I just don't see it being Philadelphia that takes the chance.

Wait, why did I pick him here? Maybe he'll go twentieth, I don't know. 

21. Cincinnati Bengals - WR Devante Parker (Louisville)

Devante Parker could fill the hole opposite of A.J. Green on the field.

Current Depth: (WR) A.J. Green, Mohamed Sanu, Marvin Jones, Denarius Moore, James Wright, Brandon Tate, Cobi Hamilton

The Bengals probably aren't looking at their draft board and saying "our most pressing need is at wide receiver". However, if Devante Parker falls outside of the top 20, Cincy is a guarantee to take this explosive ex-target of Teddy Bridgewater. One concern with Parker might be health as he missed half of his 2014 season and still managed to put up some crazy impressive numbers for the few games he did play. 

22. Pittsburgh Steelers - DT Malcom Brown (Texas)

(Photo: espn.go.com)
Not to be confused with Texas Running Back Malcolm Brown, another 2015 draft prospect.

Current Depth: (DT) Steve McClendon, Daniel McCullers

Dick LeBeau is no longer the defensive coordinator for the Steelers and the team also lost Brett Kiesel, Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor. 2015 will be a year of Pittsburgh building a new identity as a defense and as a football team. Don't be surprised if they trade down from this pick for more picks in order to create some depth on their roster. Defensive Tackle has quietly been a position of weakness for many years on Mike Tomlin's team and they need a guy that can stuff the Justin Forsetts and Jeremy Hills of the world at the line of scrimmage. Malcom Brown is the perfect Steeler.

23. Detroit Lions - DT Michael Bennett (Ohio State)

Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer
Bennett is the Defensive Tackle with the strongest ability to get to the Quarterback.

Current Depth: (DT) Haloti Ngata, Tyrunn Walker, Caraun Reid, Xavier Proctor, Jermelle Cudjo, Kerry Hyder, Roy Philon

After a 4-game suspension served at the end of the 2014 season, Haloti Ngata really made it seem like he would consider retiring this off-season. Luckily for Detroit, they avoided a complete disaster by replacing Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley with Haloti Ngata. Now, they just need to find a second Defensive Tackle if they want to stick with their current scheme. Michael Bennett is very much a Nick Fairley-type in that his pass rushing skills are the strongest at his position in the draft. One big difference for Detroit, hopefully, is the work ethic executed day-to-day by Bennett where that's the one thing that sent Fairley out of Detroit to St. Louis this off-season.

24. Arizona Cardinals - DT Eddie Goldman (Florida State)

Eddie Goldman wore gold in college so, I suppose he'll have to change his name to Eddie Redman. He could also go with the awesome one name of "Reddieman".

Current Depth: (DT) Alameda Ta'amu

Arizona finally put themselves out of the misery that was owning up to that lame high draft pick of Dan Williams this offseason and let him walk in free agency. Now, the Cardinals have the potential to make things right and draft a guy up the middle to fulfill there defense a whole. The team currently rosters just one unknown D-tackle with very little experience and Goldman would at least give them a name at the position as the run on Defensive Tackles continues.

25. Carolina Panthers - RB Melvin Gordon (Wisconsin)

Morry Gash/Associated Press
Gordon led the nation with 2.587 rushing yards in 2014

Current Depth: (RB) Jonathan Stewart, Jordan Todman, Fozzy Whittaker, Darrin Reaves

Melvin Gordon probably won't fall all the way to the 25th pick but, if he does, Carolina should not even question the choice and consider themselves fortunate enough to select him. There's going to be a dramatic change for Gordon between going from rushing behind Wisconsin's offensive line to rushing behind failed starters like Michael Oher and Jonathan Martin. No matter what, Gordon is clearly the most explosive Running Back on Carolina's roster if they do indeed draft him. An explosive back was the one thing keeping Carolina from being a .500 team last year.

26. Baltimore Ravens - CB Marcus Peters (Washington)

For the second time in four years, the Ravens are still looking for that next great Cornerback prospect.

Current Depth: (CB) Lardarius Webb, Jimmy Smith, Asa Jackson, Anthony Levine, Rashaan Melvin, Tramain Jacobs, Quinton Pointer, Chris Greenwood

Baltimore did not waste any time replacing Ray Lewis with C.J. Mosley last year. At Cornerback, they are still trying to find the next Chris McAllister seven years after they let him go. With the mass of injuries being as large as it was in the Ravens' defensive backfield last season, they discovered that they had no real depth past their starting lineup. Marcus Peters is a coverage corner who will force his way into a starting lineup early and could be another Lardarius Webb at least.

27. Dallas Cowboys - RB Tevin Coleman (Indiana)

 Rich Janzaruk II
Dallas is the team most in desperate need of a Running Back.

Current Depth: (RB) Joseph Randle, Darren McFadden, Lance Dunbar, Ryan Williams

Losing DeMarco Murray leaves some irreparable damage to Jerry Jones's offense. The team is now stuck with the overvalued walking corpse of Darren McFadden, and the untrustworthy cologne/underwear thief Joseph Randle. The Cowboys are a bizarre roster right now and Tevin Coleman would be a bit of a reach but, a safe pick for their needs.

28. Denver Broncos - OT Ereck Flowers (Miami [FL])

Not to be confused with former Buffalo Bill draft bust DE Eric Flowers, THIS is Ereck Flowers.

Current Depth: (OT) Ryan Clady, Chris Clark, Michael Schofield

Hmm... a 39-year old Quarterback without a full offensive line? Let's ask Brett Favre how that works out. If the Broncos want any shot at winning the Super Bowl, they'll take one of the available Offensive Lineman here (Cameron Erving, D.J. Humphries, La'El Collins, Flowers). I have them taking Flowers pretty much on a coin-flip versus Humphries from Florida. Flowers' stock is supposedly rising and he seems to be the most dedicated to succeed among the Offensive Tackles available.

29. Indianapolis Colts - OT La'el Collins (LSU)

Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports
Collins was an absolute stud in the SEC, blocking for many future NFL players.

Current Depth: (OT) Anthony Castonzo, Gosder Cherilus, Ulrick John, Tyler Hoover, Matt Hall

There are no first-round caliber Defensive Tackles left on the board and the Colts sorely need some run blocking so, as long as La'el Collins is only being questioned about a murder and is not in any way suspected to have been the cause, he could become the steal of the first round for Indianapolis and what gets them to their first Andrew Luck-era Super Bowl. Collins was part of an LSU Tiger offense stacked with future NFL talents including Jeremy Hill, Alfred Blue, Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry and Zach Mettenberger. Now, we'll get to see if the talent was more with those around him or if he was the main reason for some of their successes. 

30. Green Bay Packers - MLB Benardrick McKinney (Mississippi State)

AP
McKinney is seen here tackling a teammate of the previous pick, La'el Collins.

Current Depth: (MLB) Sam Barrington, Carl Bradford, Josh Francis, Joe Thomas

That is LITERALLY Green Bay's Middle Linebacker corps right now. That is right up there with Giants' safeties in terms of positional weakness. Barrington is a work-in-progress and definitely should not be starting this season. I suppose it wouldn't be astonishing to see the Packers take a corner here after losing Tramon Williams (Browns) and Davon House (Jaguars) in free agency but, Linebacker is such a blatantly obvious need that they may need to trade up just to avoid not getting one of Bernadrick McKinney/Eric Kendricks. McKinney was an outstanding run-stopper for the Bulldogs of Mississippi State and was a huge reason Dak Prescott got the amount of love he did last season when the team went on their hot streak.

31. New Orleans Saints - CB Ronald Darby (Florida State)

David J. Phillip/Associated Press
Look out, he's running right out of the computer towards you!

Current Depth: (CB) Keenan Lewis, Brandon Browner, Kyle Wilson, Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Brian Dixon, Terrence Frederick, Delvin Breaux

Corner might not be the biggest position of need on New Orleans' defense but, it's certainly one of the needs. Darby is an undersized corner who never really faced any major challenges of NFL proportions in college. Ronald Darby was still a standout Cornerback who Quarterbacks avoided, especially during Florida State's Championship run of 2013-14. He would be learning behind two of the more underrated at his position in the league in Keenan Lewis and Brandon Browner and this is the perfect team for him without a ton of responsibility his rookie season.

32. New England Patriots - MLB Paul Dawson (TCU)

Jason Getz - USA TODAY Sports
I just had to remind Bo Wallace of how terrible this game was for Ole Miss.

Current Depth: (MLB) Jerod Mayo, Chris White, James Morris, Deontae Skinner

After tearing a pectoral muscle and a patellar tendon in back-to-back seasons, New England will obviously be on the lookout for another big man to plug in next to or behind Jerod Mayo. Bill Belichick once coached a defense with Mike Vrabel, Ted Johnson and Roman Phifer at Middle Linebacker, he'll certainly be able to handle a Mayo/Dawson combination. Why not Eric Kendricks? I watched an unusual amount of TCU football games last year and Paul Dawson was above average at covering receivers and would bring athleticism in that aspect that Jerod Mayo is no longer able to. Kendricks is terrific and will be a huge steal early in the second, don't get me wrong.

Good luck to your team and may you all enjoy the draft while booing Roger Goodell in Chicago, at home, at the bar, or into your car radio! just make sure to not throw any full cans of anything at your television screen!

The 2015 NBA Playoffs: Round 1

Remember when Mark Jackson and Mike Brown coached the Warriors and Cavaliers? It seems like so long ago and yet, we are only one year removed from those both being the case. Alas, here we are in the year 2015 and the two favorites to win the championship are the now Steve Kerr-coached Golden State Warriors and the now David Blatt-coached Cleveland Cavaliers. That might seem ridiculous but, considering the weakness of Cleveland's conference and the fact that Kerr helped Golden State to a franchise-best 67-15 record, first year coaches seem stronger than ever. Maybe next year we shouldn't take for granted how quickly the NBA's teams can turn around with one or two simple transactions.

USA TODAY
It will be much harder for Tyreke Evans to approach triple-doubles against Golden State.

#1 Golden State Warriors v. #8 New Orleans Pelicans
I'm not sure anybody has Anthony "The Brow" Davis getting swept in the first round because he is one of the freakiest freak specimens to ever play basketball and is coming off an all-time great regular season. Also, Omer Asik is pretty comparable to Andrew Bogut defensively from a skill standpoint and Tyreke Evans has become an afterthought even though he consistently got close to triple-doubles once Davis got injured and even continued after Davis returned. Can Tyreke continue his hot streak? Can the Pelicans ride their adrenaline after beating the Spurs on the final night of the season to clinch a playoff spot? YES. This series is going to be surprisingly close the way last year's 1-8 match-up in the West was super close (Spurs beat Mavs in 7).

Key Match-up To Watch: The Unibrow vs. Andrew Bogut & David Lee.

All eyes are on Anthony Davis every time he steps foot on a basketball court and even though Stephen Curry is one of the three best shooters in NBA history, Davis will command more attention from the opposing defense.

My Pick: Warriors in 7.

Scott Halleran/Getty Images North America
Chandler Parsons gets to play against the team he played for in his first three NBA seasons

#2 Houston Rockets v. #7 Dallas Mavericks
It's Playoff Rondo time! and if you cannot sense the sarcasm in that sentence, you need to watch more Mavericks games with Rajon Rondo on the court. Houston is not as deep in talent as they were even a month ago as Point Guard Pat Beverley and Power Forward Donatas Motiejunas are both going to miss the entirety of the postseason due to injuries. Dallas has a nice starting five and a barren bench so this is a fairly even match-up.

Key Match-up To Watch: Dwight Howard vs. Tyson Chandler.

Dwight has not had a good test yet from an opposing Center after returning from injury. Tyson Chandler is still a stalwart defensive player and will make Howard's life a living hell this series.

My Pick: Rockets in 6.

(Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
Tony Parker parts his way through the Clipper Sea. 

#3 Los Angeles Clippers v. #6 San Antonio Spurs
The Clippers landed into the same seeding they had last year but, this time they are underdogs. I suppose facing the defending champs that were the #2 team headed into the final game of the season would make LA underdogs in this one but, it still looks strange on paper. Get ready for a wild series that will hopefully end with one team blowing apart their entire nucleus (Duncan, Manu retirements? Blake, DeAndre and/or CP3 on the way out?).

Key Match-up To Watch: Ultra-physical DeAndre Jordan vs. Brilliant silent assassin Tim Duncan.

Father Time is currently sporting a 1 trillion and one win-loss record with the one loss going to Duncan as he is still playing at an All-NBA level in his late thirties. How often will Gregg Popovich go to Hack-a-DeAndre strategy? Probably quite often as most games will be very close in the series. There is not a more exciting Center to watch on defense than DeAndre Jordan and there is not a more-trusted big man in these playoffs than Duncan. I have no idea who will be stopping whom.

My Pick: At the start of the year, I picked the Clippers to win the Finals but, plenty has changed and I am now taking the Spurs in 6.

Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports 
Former Trailblazer Zach Randolph will face former teammate LaMarcus Aldridge in the paint.

#4 Portland Trailblazers v. #5 Memphis Grizzlies
Both 4 v. 5 match-ups are pretty unpredictable as they should always be. There's not a seriously uneven match-up anywhere on the floor except for the good Robin Lopez versus elite Marc Gasol Center match-up. Memphis finished with the better win-loss record and Portland received the fourth seed thanks to a terrible rule where winning their division locked them into a top-four seeding. The most interesting person on the court will ultimately be Jeff Green (Memphis's Small Forward) and his here-one-day, gone-the-next offense. Green's consistency will decide this series.

Key Match-up To Watch: Damian Lillard vs. Mike Conley Jr.

Lillard has no defensive ability whatsoever and can really be spotty on offense. He could go 1/17 shooting and it wouldn't shock me, he could score 50 and it wouldn't surprise me. Conley is consistently good at everything and great at nothing. Conley is also coming off an injury that hampered his performance the last few weeks of the regular season. It will be very interesting to see these two battle and cross each other over.

My Pick: Grizzlies in 7.

Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Kyle Korver can work on his passing game in a series with very little competition.

 #1 Atlanta Hawks v. #8 Brooklyn Nets
It's a joke that the 7 & 8 seeds in the East are even in the playoffs. Brooklyn has some quality players but Atlanta has a great cohesive unit of a team. I hope every game besides one (the clincher) is aired on NBA TV so I can properly ignore it.

Key Match-up To Watch: Jeff Teague v. Deron Williams

But seriously, I can't give you many reasons to watch this series.

My Pick: Hawks pull out the brooms and sweep the Nets.

The Celtics sneaked their way into the playoffs thanks to surprises like Jae Crowder.

#2 Cleveland Cavaliers v. #7 Boston Celtics
It should be entertaining to watch Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love make their postseason debuts and it is also Brad Stevens' first attempt at a playoff mega-upset. It won't be that close of a series but, that doesn't mean it should be a complete snooze-fest.

Key Match-up To Watch: Avery Bradley vs. Kyrie Irving.

Kyrie is one of the league's best shooting Point Guards (though clearly not THE best) and he is one of the best ball-handlers as well. Avery Bradley is widely regarded as a major factor on defense and I would be surprised to see Irving breaking his ankles in this series.

My Pick: Cavaliers sweep the Celtics in 4.

Caylor Arnold - USA TODAY Sports
Derrick Rose being active creates a mismatch for the Bucks' otherwise thriving defense.

#3 Chicago Bulls v. #6 Milwaukee Bucks

The battle of the Wisconsin-Illinois border. The most important player in this series is Joakim Noah and do not underestimate his ability to take over without a dominant big anywhere to be found in Milwaukee. Derrick Rose still has not changed his giving-it-110% playing style and Jimmy Butler went from All-Star to most overrated player during the last couple of months. Pau Gasol should also have a field day as he has put up forty points in a meeting with Milwaukee earlier in the season. This will be the first playoff series for many Buck players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Michael Carter-Williams and it will be a nice learning experience win or lose.

Key Match-up To Watch: Jason Kidd vs. Tom Thibodeau.

Both head coaches either have the perfect defensive schemes or they have the perfect defensive mindsets on staff. Kidd is going to do some weird stuff with his lineups, Giannis at Center? MCW as a Forward? Anything is possible for the team going against 4 current or former All-Stars.

My Pick: Bulls in 5.

(Dave Sandford/NBAE via Getty Images)
Jonas Valanciunas has to prove himself as a higher-tier Center this postseason.

#4 Toronto Raptors v. #5 Washington Wizards
In yet another unpredictable 4 vs. 5 series, Toronto started the year as an Eastern Conference favorite with a realistic shot at the title. That all went up in flames when Kyle Lowry started to get exhausted much easier and DeMar DeRozan stopped playing very good consistently. Washington was viewed in a similar light for much of the season until Head Coach Randy Wittman showed his true coaching colors and left the court early in a loss amid a second-half collapse that never ended.

Key Match-up To Watch: Kyle Lowry v. John Wall.

In a Point Guard-heavy league, Lowry and Wall are two of the more under-appreciated ones to command an offense. Wall is one of the fastest players in the NBA and Lowry will have a real challenge keeping up with the former Kentucky one-and-doner.

My Pick: Raptors in 6? Don't quite have a read on this one.

MY FINALS PICK AT THE MOMENT: Spurs over Cavs in 7.

This will obviously change every round unless my thoughts on the first round turn out to be true. I'm not betting against the Spurs because it would be just plain stupid to not pick them when they have proven me wrong so many times before.

I hope you enjoy the first round and all series' go to game sevens!