Tag: NBA
PCI: The Portland Trail Blazers Will Win the NBA Finals
by The Cowl Editor on April 12, 2018
PCI
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
While the NBA’s Western Conference used to be dominated by teams such as the Lakers, Spurs, and Warriors, this season has shown that any of the eight teams from the est have an equal chance to win the NBA Finals. However, this year’s champions of the 2018 NBA Finals should be the Portland Trail Blazers.
Currently sitting third in the western conference with one game left, behind the Rockets and the Warriors, Portland looks to be the underdog in a conference full of All-Stars. While the Rockets have the best record in the NBA, stars Chris Paul and James Harden do not have the track record to finish a series in their favor, and will most likely lose in the Western Conference Finals in six games.
The Warriors will most likely not be able to get far into the playoffs, despite Kevin Durant playing outstanding basketball this season. They have no option in the guard area as Stephen Curry is still battling his MCL injury.
Point guard Damian Lillard and the rest of his team have the mindset to take over this year’s playoffs and prove they are championship team this season. Lillard has shaped himself into one of the best point guards in the NBA, averaging 26.8 points per game, 6.5 assists per game, and 4.5 rebounds, proving himself to be a top candidate for this year’s league MVP.
Lillard, in past experience, has had the ability to take over games in crunch time, and show up to be the closer to any opponent that stands in his way. Alongside Lillard is shooting guard CJ McCollum, who is averaging 21.4 points per game, elavating this duo to one of the best backcourt tandems in the NBA.
McCollum has the strength to throw off his defenders, making him one of the hardest players to guard, and the power to consistently make shots.
On the defensive end, Jusuf Nurkic stands out as one of the top 10 centers of the Western Conference as he averages nine rebounds per game. The bench has also come together to play good overall basketball as they prove to be reliable scoring options and defensive efforts to stop any team.
The Trail Blazers have shown throughout the season their ability to turn heads to prove them as the front runners of the west. The Portland Trail Blazers will go onto win the championship and bring the franchise’s second title in history.
PCI: The Philadelphia 76ers Will Win the NBA Finals
by The Cowl Editor on April 12, 2018
PCI
By Ethan Ticehurst ’18
Sports Staff
This is the year that “the process” is finally going to pay off.
With the third seed in the East nearly locked up, it is easy to see that the 76ers have definitely had a successful regular season. Their season has become all the more impressive when looking at the standings from last season, when Philadelphia finished second to last in the Eastern Conference. Improving from their 28-54 season last year, to winning more than 50 games this year for the first time in nearly 20 years should be enough to convince anyone that the rebuild seems to be complete in Philly.
The path to the NBA Finals for the 76ers is far from daunting. The Raptors and the Celtics, the top two teams in the conference, have had pretty good regular seasons but will not present much of a challenge. The Raptors have had a tough time in the playoffs in recent years, losing some series that they probably should have won. The Celtics, who have had a good season and looked strong for most the year, have been riddled with injuries in the last month of the season and are now without their star player, Kyrie Irving.
The only real challenge that seems to remain in the East is the Cavaliers, who simply continue to remain a threat thanks to LeBron James. However, the 76ers have managed to split the season series with the Cavaliers, showing that they are evenly matched. If they can match up with LeBron well, they can manage to win. This is all assuming that the Cavaliers do not get knocked out in an earlier round.
Once the finals come around, the 76ers would have to face their toughest challenge yet. Whichever team comes out of the West, they will be challenging and fresh off winning what is shaping up to be a dogfight in the earlier rounds. The assumption is that the West’s representative in the finals will most likely be the Houston Rockets, given their strong regular season, the assumed MVP James Harden, and the injury problems that currently face the Golden State Warriors. A matchup between the 76ers and the Rockets would be very entertaining finals, as they split the season series in two very close games. Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, and the Phildelphia 76ers will be hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy in the end.
Editor’s Corner
by The Cowl Editor on February 1, 2018
Professional Sports
Why the Celtics Will Make it to the Finals
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
Despite having multiple players suffer injuries and a tough stretch where they lost five out of six games, the Boston Celtics are where many expected them to be: first place in the Eastern Conference.
Even without star forward Gordon Hayward, Boston has dominated throughout this season which included a 16-game winning streak earlier in the year. This could be the year the Celtics finally climb over the wall that is the Cleveland Cavaliers, and make their first NBA finals appearance since 2010.
The Celtics’ defense has vastly improved from last year, which puts less pressure on them to score at a higher rate. Last year, Boston gave up 105.4 points per game, which was 15th best in the league, while this year they are giving up 98.8 point per game, the second best.
Last year, the gap between the Celtics and the top teams was much wider than this year. Last year Boston went 3-7 against teams with the top four records in the league, while this year they are currently 4-2.
And while the Celtics finished ahead of Cleveland last year in the Eastern conference, the Cavaliers dominated Boston, winning three out of four games during the season and outscoring them by an average of 7.8 points. This year, Boston has gone 1-1 against Cleveland, scoring an average of 100.5 points, while Cleveland has averaged 95 points.
While the Celtics themselves have improved this season, a big part of why they have a good chance to make it to the finals is that Cleveland has gotten worse. The Cavs have been surrounded with turmoil this year and have regressed from last season as they sit in third place; five and a half games behind Boston.
In a discussion with Sam Coella ’19, he said that last year when Boston played Cleveland in the playoffs, the Cavaliers had the best player on the court in Lebron James and the second best in Kyrie Irving. This year, Boston has the second best in Irving and potentially the third best in all-star Al Horford, as former Celtic Isaiah Thomas has not been the same as last year.
While Cleveland may end up being the favorite to reach the finals at the end of the year, the gap between them and Boston is no longer as wide as it has been. With the way Boston has been playing, they are more than capable of winning a seven-game series against Cleveland and making their first NBA Finals appearance since the Big Three era.
Basketball Legend Jo Jo White Remembered
by The Cowl Editor on January 25, 2018
Professional Sports
by Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
The basketball community mourned last week as former Boston Celtic and basketball hall-of-famer Jo Jo White passed away after a battle with brain cancer. White, 71, had been battling the cancer for a while as he had a brain tumor removed back in 2010. The announcement came just before the Celtics tipped off against the New Orleans Pelicans.
White starred as the point guard for the Celtics during the 1970s, playing in Boston for 10 seasons before finishing his career with the Golden State Warriors and the Kansas City Kings. He, along with forwards Dave Cowens and John Havlicek, led Boston to NBA titles in 1974 and 1976. White was a seven-time all-star for the Celtics averaging 17.2 points per game and 4.9 assists per game in his career.
Drafted ninth overall in the 1969 draft out of Kansas, White quickly became a fan favorite in Boston. He set a franchise record by playing in 488 consecutive games over the span of seven seasons. He made the game look easy, and bought into the idea of Celtic pride, giving all he had every game.
One of White’s biggest games of his career probably came on the biggest stage. In Game 5 of the 1976 NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns, White led the Celtics to a 128-126 triple-overtime victory, where he led the team with 33 points and nine assists while playing 60 out of 63 minutes, and was eventually named the Finals MVP.
After he retired in 1981, the Celtics retired White’s #10 jersey in 1982 during a ceremony where they raised it to the rafters. Eventually, White was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015 along with his former coach Tommy Heinsohn.
Outside of his career on the court, White was one of the most respected players around the league. Unlike many players today, White was a quiet leader for the Celtics and was known for his kind-hearted nature.
Even after his playing days, White stayed involved with the Celtics, as he mentored many players over the years and was hired as Director of Special Projects. Former Celtic, Brian Scalabrine, took time out of the Celtics broadcast to talk about White. “In 2010, before every game,” Scalabrine said, “he would stand at half court, give me a hug and tell me–every game–‘you’re doing great; just continue to be who you are, and do what you do.’ That meant a lot to me.”
During last Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston honored White by putting his jersey over the seat he usually sat in over the years to cheer on the Celtics. The team also played a tribute video for him during a timeout.
While he will surely be missed, White left an impact in Boston that spread across multiple generations that will remember his contributions on and off the court for years to come.
PCI: Best Sports Moment of 2017
by The Cowl Editor on January 18, 2018
Professional Sports
Kyrie Irving to Celtics
By Max Anderson ’18
Sports Staff
I am going to take a different route than most would and say that the best sports moment of 2017 was when Danny Ainge crafted a trade that shipped star point guard Kyrie Irving up to Boston.
The trade was originally agreed upon on Aug. 22 of last year.The original details of the trade stated that the Celtics would send Boston icon Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and the unprotected 2018 first round pick of the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Irving.
However, after Thomas failed a physical upon arrival in Cleveland, the Cavaliers demanded more compensation, even though the Celtics stated they had been upfront with the Cavs about the severity of Thomas’s injury. Eight days later, on Aug. 30, the Celtics agreed to add a second-round pack in the 2020 draft, and the trade was finalized.
This was the best sports moment of 2017, not only because it sent shockwaves throughout the entire sports world-nobody thought the Cavs would have traded Irving, especially not to a rival like the Celtics- but also because it improved the competition of the NBA.
Before this trade, fans and executives alike were already penciling in a fourth straight Warriors-Cavs Finals matchup. However, shortly after this trade, people soon began to wonder if maybe, just maybe, the new-look Celtics could potentially upend the reigning Eastern Conference Champion Cavaliers.
Flash forward to the beginning of 2018 and not only are the Celtics atop in the Eastern Conference with a 34-11 record, but they are 7.5 games ahead of the Cavaliers, who currently sit in fourth place.
This trade has not only benefitted the Boston Celtics but the entire Eastern Conference alike and will give all teams a fair shot at the Eastern Conference crown, potentially sparing sports fans from watching the same finals matchup witnessed the past three years.
Friars in the Pros
by The Cowl Editor on November 30, 2017
Professional Sports
As Providence College athletics are Divison I, the Friars have seen many of their athletes go on to play professionally in their respective sports. Three writers gave updates on Friars who play on professional soccer, hockey, and basketball teams.
Basketball
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
With their recent success in the Big East, Providence has seen multiple Friars appear in the National Basketball Association and other professional basketball leagues.
Marshon Brooks ’11 played four seasons at PC from 2007-2011, averaging 24.6 points per game (ppg) his senior year. He was the 25th pick in the 2011 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics but was immediately traded to the Brooklyn Nets. After a promising rookie year where he averaged 12.6 ppg and was named to the NBA all-rookie second team, Brooks saw his playing time decreased dramatically and struggled to find a consistent role in the NBA. After the 2013-2014 season he signed with Emporio Armani Milano, an Italian basketball team.
Ben Bentil ’18 played only two seasons for the Friars. Bentil broke out his sophomore year in 2015-2016, averaging 21.1 ppg and 7.7 rebounds per game. He was drafted in the second round of the 2016 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics.
After playing in three preseason games, Boston waived Bentil and he spent most of the year in the NBA D-league, the NBA’s minor league. Bentil managed to make his NBA debut for the Dallas Mavericks on Mar. 1 and became the first person born in Ghana to play in the NBA. Bentil currently plays for the Champagne Chalons-Reims Basket in the Ligue de Nationale de Basket in France where he is averaging 12.4 ppg.
Kris Dunn ’16 is one of the best players to come out from Providence College in a long time. Dunn played four seasons for PC (2012-2016), averaging 12.8 ppg and 5.8 assists per game, and was named the Big East Player of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016. Dunn was the fifth overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. After playing limited minutes during his rookie year, Dunn was traded to the Chicago Bulls, where he has broken out, averaging 10.6 ppg and has become the team’s starting point guard through 18 games.
Hockey
By Jeremy Perrigo ’18
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s Hockey Team has produced many professional athletes over the last several years. The Friars won the National Championship in 2015, and that roster contained four players that have already seen National Hockey League ice time.
Forwards Noel Acciari ’16, Mark Jankowski ’16, Brandon Tanev ’16 and goaltender Jon Gillies ’16 were part of the high-caliber roster.
Acciari had 32 points in 41 games during the Friar’s championship run, and on June 8, 2015, the undrafted forward signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Boston Bruins. Acciari, a Johnston, Rhode Island native, has seven points in 57 games with Boston as of Nov. 26.
Jankowski played his senior year at PC, scoring 40 points in 38 games, an improvement from 27 in 37 during the championship season. Jankowski was drafted 21st overall by the Calgary Flames in 2012 and has three goals and an assist in 16 games.
Tanev was signed by the Winnipeg Jets in March 2016 and has eight points in 76 games with the team as of this past Sunday.
Gillies was drafted 75th overall by Calgary in 2012. He had a goals against average of 2.01 and save percentage of .930 in the Friars’ championship year.
Other notable alumni are current Providence Bruins head coach Jay Leach ’01 and long time NHLer Hal Gill ’97. Both were defensemen; Leach played 70 career NHL games while Gill amassed an impressive 1,108.
Perhaps one of the best-known Friars is long time Men’s Hockey head coach and athletic director Lou Lamoriello ‘63. A native of Johnston, Rhode Island, Lamoriello had a lengthy career in Friar athletics before winning three Stanley Cups as the general manager of the New Jersey Devils from 1987-2015. He is currently general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Soccer
By Joe Myko ’19
Sports Staff
The most recent Providence College alumnus to break into the world of professional soccer is Atlanta United’s Julian Gressel ’16 who was named Major League Soccer’s AT&T Rookie of the Year in November, after scoring an impressive five goals with nine assists in his debut season. The German-born midfielder is ranked third in the college’s all-time list of goal scorers, having netted 30 times for the Friars, and comes in at second for career assists with 26.
Ryan Maduro ’09 is another former Friar who has followed up his time at college with a successful career in soccer. The attacking midfielder scored 14 and assisted 22 goals during his time at Providence, before going on to sign with various clubs, including Iceland’s first division side Flykir and MLS’s New York Red Bulls, who he made his professional debut for in 2012.
Once former Friar Chaka Daley ’96 hung up his cleats in 1999, after having played for various professional sides including the MLS’s New England Revolution, he decided to return to PC to take up a coaching role enjoying a successful 11 years as manager from 2000-2011.
Midfielder Andrew Sousa ’10 was drafted by MLS’s side New England Revolution in 2011, before going on to enjoy an extensive career thus far, most notably at the likes of Portugal’s Operário (third division), Iceland’s Fylkir (first division), and Canada’s Ottawa Fury (who operate in the second division of the North American soccer leagues).
Chris Konopka ’06 has enjoyed a successful and wide-spread career since leaving Providence, having signed with various professional outfits including MLS’s Sporting Kansas City, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia Union, Toronto FC and Portland Timbers as well as the Scottish Premiership’s Ross County. Konopka played 21 times for Toronto FC between 2013-15, becoming an integral part of the club’s first playoff appearance in club history in 2015. The New Jersey native also holds records with Toronto FC for the most regular season game wins with 11, as well as the best single-season win percentage for any goalkeeper in the club’s history with 59.5 percent.