I Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer

Another NBA season has come and gone and we have a new champion as the Toronto Raptors won their first, ever, NBA Championship in a 4-2 series win over the two-time defending NBA and five-time Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors. Often, when a dominant champion is dethroned, the door is opened to a changing of the guard. While this season is no different, the manner in which said door was opened for a change of the guard is through changes of address.

RENT A TITLE

When the San Antonio Spurs won their fifth NBA Championship in 2014, it appeared the torch of their long-term dynasty would be passed from Tim Duncan and Tony Parker to then-third year sensation Kawhi Leonard. Leonard began to showcase the possible limitless ceiling of his talent with a breakout performance during the Spurs' series loss in the 2013 NBA Finals to the Miami Heat. Since then, Leonard was consistently discussed as a candidate or awardee of Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, All NBA, First Team, and other superlative recognitions.

Rumors abound, the relationship between Leonard and the Spurs completely deteriorated by the end of the 2018 season, stemming from a dispute over the rehabilitation of an injury. A return of Leonard to the Spurs for the following season was an impossibility. A trade was necessary. The beat writers ascertained Leonard wanted to continue his NBA career in Los Angeles, either with the Los Angeles Lakers, with LeBron James, or the Los Angeles Clippers, coached by championship coach Doc Rivers. The Toronto Raptors, however, upped the ante. Despite Leonard being in the final year of his contract, with absolutely no assurances (or appearances) Leonard would re-sign in Toronto, the Raptors traded their long-time, All-Star shooter DeMar DeRozan and other considerations to San Antonio to receive Leonard.

Realistically, the Raptors, always a bridesmaid but never a bride in the NBA's Eastern Conference, had a narrow, one-year window to win a championship. Against the long odds of getting over the hump in the Eastern Conference and dethroning the Warriors' dynasty, the Raptors passed through that window and hoisted the Larry O'Brien Trophy earlier this month. Leonard's message: enjoy today; I won't be here tomorrow.

Reports have surfaced that the chances of Leonard remaining in Toronto are "fading." Though Raptors President Masai Ujiri expressed confidence in retaining Leonard, his desire to play out west is no secret. Next week, Leonard is meeting with Lakers legend Magic Johnson and Lakers Owner Jeanie Buss. It appears the lure of being a God in North America's fourth-largest on a team with the potential to be a dynasty in the making pales in comparison to the opportunity to join LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the new Showtime Lakers or their arena-roommates, the Clippers, in Leonard's home town of Los Angeles.

The Raptors' championship will affect the balance of power. Toronto's success appears likely to open up opportunity for all in the Eastern Conference and loosening the grip of the Warriors' absolute dominance of the Western Conference.

Don't be sad, Toronto, because it's over, or that it was brief, or that it was expensive. Be glad that it happened. 1

NEXT YEAR CAN WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT YEAR

The Golden State Warriors assembled the most prolific scoring lineup and explosive NBA offense in recent memory with the one-two punch of the Splash Brothers, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, with a "supporting staff" that would occupy spots on All-Star rosters and in NBA Finals MVP memberships, including a probable future Hall of Fame defender and enforcer in Draymond Green. The problem? The best player on the planet, LeBron James was assembling his own championship contender in Cleveland, teaming up with All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. Suddenly, what appeared to be a chance to win not one..."not two...not three...not four"...NBA championships for the Warriors was shaping up into a battle royale in the spirit of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics.

The Warriors and Cavaliers would meet in the NBA Finals in the next four consecutive seasons. At the end of the 2016 Finals, the Cavs and Warriors each earned a title against the other. The Warriors appeared built to run through any team without LeBron. Then came Kevin Durant. The rest is history. The Cavaliers and Warriors would play nine NBA Finals games in the next two seasons. The Warriors would win eight of those games, earning back-to-back NBA Championships.

Due to a calf injury, Kevin Durant was invisible from the Warriors 2019 Western Conference Finals drubbing of the Portland Trailblazers and the first four games of the Finals series against the Raptors. "Bad" would become "worse" as Durant, clearly not recovered from the injury, ruptured his Achilles tendon in the second quarter of Game 5 after scoring 11 points in 12 minutes of play. The Raptors won the series in six games and the Warriors dynasty, as it was, ended.

Despite being very likely to miss the entire 2020 season, Durant and the Brooklyn Nets reportedly agreed to a four-year deal worth more than $160 million. The Nets also announced that they will sign All-Stars Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan. With the fall of the Warriors comes the rise of the Nets, not next year, but in the year after next. The Eastern Conference, overnight, can expect a titanic battle for the conference honors between at least three teams: the Nets, the Milwaukee Bucks and 2019 NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Philadelphia 76ers with their host of young superstars.

NBA free agency...! To the victor goes the trophy. To the losers go the spoils.

The Eastern Conference's newest Big Three. 2

1) Image from the Japan Times. 
2) Image from clutchpoints.com.

Pivotal Game 2

The Oklahoma City Thunder stunned the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors by unexpectedly ripping away Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Golden State. Notwithstanding an egregious non-call following an obvious travel by Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (24 PPG, 10 APG, 8 RPG) in the final minute of what was still a single-possession game, the Thunder outplayed, outcoached, out manned, and out physicaled the Warriors in the second half of Game 1.

Many observers expected the Conference Finals to be trip down a short cobblestone road on the way to a like showdown and rematch with the 2015 runner-ups, the Cleveland Cavaliers. The road would not necessarily be smooth, but nonetheless quickly and successfully traveled. The Thunder dispelled the certainty of such a mindset on Monday night.

The cliché about a playoff series not starting until the road team wins (or Game 7 – whichever comes first) became a cliché for a reason. It is more difficult to win away from home in any organized competitive sport at any level; it is not easy to win on the road against any opponent in any professional sport, and it is difficult to win on the road in a professional sport in a playoff series.  This axiom is especially true against a quality opponent and even more so in basketball, a sport in which the crowd is close to the action, loud, and the depth perception of home team, when shooting, need not adjust to an unfamiliar arena.

This series “started” (so-to-speak) after Game 1. Golden State will have to prevail at least once at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City to defend its crown. While the Warriors, with an NBA regular season record-breaking 73 wins in the 2016 season, are as talented and offensively potent as any team in the Association to ever defend a championship in the, the task of taking a Conference Finals game on the road while running the table at home will not be a proverbial slam-dunk. A loss by the Warriors at home tonight in Game 2 will change Golden State’s mission from “not a slam dunk”, to “a steep uphill climb”.

Simply put, the “pivotal” distinction normally reserved for Game 5 of a best-of-seven playoff series applies early, in Game 2, of the 2016 Western Conference NBA Finals. The team that wins tonight is likely going to win the series. Will the Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Warriors make a Splash or be Thunder-struck?

1) Image from mercurynews.com

Tarnished Sterling

TMZ released an audio recording purportedly of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling making racist statements while arguing with his then-girlfriend, V. Stiviano. Some of the sentiments expressed on the recording include Sterling, who is white, allegedly telling Stiviano not to bring any black people to Clippers game, including Basketball Hall of Famer and Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Magic Johnson. He also expressed wishes for Stiviano not to "broadcast" pictures of herself with black people on Instagram.

The nine-and-a-half minute recording can be heard in its entirety in the YouTube upload of this past Saturday's Louisiana All American Sports radio show at the 39:00 mark. Sterling, allegedly, is heard repeatedly asking Stiviano to not associate with minorities. He cites his "culture". He then goes into a disorganized, almost nonsensical sociology monologue about Blacks and Latinos and how "things have always been". Stiviano is half Black and half Mexican.

Maybe Sterling really doesn't see color. Psst! Donny boy. You're girlfriend is (half) black (gasp)! 1

NOT SO SURPRISING

I received a text early Saturday morning from my Internet and radio broadcast partner, Perry Daniels, about the Sterling story. As soon as I saw Sterling's name in the hyperlink to the story, before even reading it, I thought, "What did this known a-hole do this time?" I wasn't quite prepared for the bombshell that followed, but I was not exactly in a state of disbelief, either.

Sterling has been sued and settled out of court for a record payoff, just short of $3 million, in a housing discrimination suit. Basketball Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor,  a former Clippers executive under Sterling, sued Sterling for withheld pay and also alleged racial biases in the Clippers' workplace tied to Sterling. In short, this isn't the first time with Sterling.

Sterling is possibly one of the least liked owners in the NBA by all accounts. His team was a laughing stock for decades before acquiring current Head Coach Doc Rivers and All-Stars Blake Griffin and Chris Paul. His reputation for penny pinching to the detriment of his NBA organization preceded him. Since this story broke, a story was reported on sports radio that the other NBA owners tied to rid themselves of Sterling in the past by "encouraging" him to sell.

This type of black eye on the league via Donald Sterling was a long time coming.

Adam Silver didn't start it, but, taking him at his word, he's going to finish it. 2

NOW WHAT?

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver vowed to respond swiftly and aggressively to this image crisis. Clippers players have already made symbolic statements like wearing black socks and wristbands and wearing their warm-up tee shirts inside-out before Sunday's Game 4 of their first round matchup with the Golden State Warriors. Doc Rivers has acknowledged the distraction that this is become but also said, "We have a job to do." Rivers, a former NBA player, by all accounts is very respected by his players and the Clippers players appear to be following Coach Rivers' lead.

Given the highly competitive nature of Western Conference basketball and the razor-thin gaps in talent from top-to-bottom between teams, this distraction could be enough to tip the scales on the court and preclude the Clippers from winning an NBA Championship (possibly preclude them from advancing past the Warriors in the first round). The possibility of the players union filing a grievance and asking for players to have the power to opt out of their contracts should Sterling retain ownership is not far fetched. The Clippers have, overnight, become the least attractive free agency destination in the NBA. This would make offseason player personnel improvements very difficult, particularly in a league in which roughly 80% of its players are Black.

Doc Rivers is not a miracle worker, but he'll have to come close to it to salvage his team's playoff run. 3

LONG TERM

Should the TMZ recording be authenticated, which I suspect it will, in the absence of a really good explanation, Sterling has to go, immediately. The NBA probably cannot force Sterling to sell his team (I am not familiar with the NBA's bylaws) but they can compel him to do so by creating an environment in which continued ownership of the Clippers is not desirable to Sterling.

There is no room in pro sports, especially in a league like the NBA that has an image of earning an A+ in diversity over the years. The more swift, decisive, and appropriate a resolution is reaching in this incident, the faster the crisis will be behind the league and its players, coaches, and owners. It is my hope that Adam Silver backs up his bold and unequivocal proclamation over the weekend to respond to these events with action.

Ironic? The league wants to get rid of Donald Sterling, independent of this scandal. Another  Los Angeles franchise turned its public image around overnight with a change in ownership. That same ownership group has D..E..E..P pockets and is rumored to want to get his foot into the door of the NBA. Cue Alanis Morissette. Just sayin'.... 4

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To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.

1) Image from www.hollywoodreporter.com
2) Image from www.startribune.com
3) Image from http://sports.yahoo.com
4) Image from www.fansided.com

Must See Sports – Fourth Weekend of April 2014

Last week's advantage/disadvantage record, excluding series: 3-4
2014 Advantage/Disadvantage Record, excluding series: 31-29
2014 Advantage/Disadvantage Record (series only): 0-1

It’s playoff time in the NBA. Get your dose of what to watch from The Daily Hat Trick.

Thursday, April 24

NBA Playoffs – First Round

Oklahoma City Thunder at Memphis Grizzlies, Game 3 (series tied at 1-1)

Memphis is a matchup problem of OKC; they always have been. I’m not convinced that Russell Westbrook is 100% healthy, either, in spite of an impressive Game 2 stat line. The Thunder have had trouble in the postseason in Memphis before and the Grizzlies have momentum returning to the FedEx Forum.

Advantages: Game – Grizzlies, Series – Thunder

Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors, Game 3 (series tied at 1-1)

This series is tough to predict. The Clippers responded to a close Game 1 loss by absolutely hammering the Warriors in Game 2. The series shifts to Northern California, but I don’t know if the Warriors confidence isn’t a bit shaken after the 40 massacre in Game 2.

Advantages: Game – Clippers, Series – Clippers

Zach Randolph bringing it to the Durantula. The Thunder are going to have to do more than clap to get out of the first round. 1

Friday, April 25

NBA Playoffs – First Round

Toronto Raptors at Brooklyn Nets, Game 3 (series tied at 1-1)

The Atlantic Division champion Raptors, by far, have the greatest talent-to-name-recognition ratio in the NBA. This is a young, physical, deep team with a shooter in DeMar DeRozan at the 2 spot who will become a household name among basketball fans before this series is over. Still, Brooklyn has demonstrated that they have gelled and have saved their fuel for the stretch run in the playoffs. With this series returning south of the Canadian border, I like the Nets in this game.

Advantages: Game – Nets, Series – Nets

If you don't know Kyle Lowry, left, and DeMar DeRozan, right, you'd better recognize! 3

Saturday, April 26

NBA Playoffs – First Round

San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks, Game 3 (series tied at 1-1)

The Mavs demonstrated that they are a smart, deep group of veterans who can beat anyone when they play well together and get hot. Mavs Head Coach Rick Carlisle showed that he will go as far as it takes, like the entire length of his bench, to outsmart Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. Still, outcoaching Popovich doesn’t happen often and the Spurs have Tony Parker while the Mavs have no answer for him. Look for the Spurs to adjust and win in Game 3.

Advantages: Game – Spurs, Series – Spurs

Oklahoma City Thunder at Memphis Grizzlies, Game 4

The Thunder are not returning to OKC down 3-1; period.

Advantage: Thunder

In a German accent: "Whaaat do they mean we're old?" 4

Sunday, April 27

NBA Playoffs – First Round

Toronto Raptors at Brooklyn Nets, Game 4

The young Raptors may be awe struck at what perennial All-Stars and future Hall of Famers can do in the postseason, age notwithstanding.

Advantage: Nets

Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors, Game 4

I don’t expect the high-scoring Warriors to be swept in their homestand.

Advantage: Warriors

Not everything is cold in Canada. 2

Monday, April 28

NBA Playoffs – First Round

San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks, Game 4

The Spurs crush the peasant revolt here.

Advantage: Spurs

Tuesday, April 28

NBA Playoffs – First Round

Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers, Game 5

I personally expect this series to go the distance and I expect L.A. to return to the Staples Center to deliver a win to their fans.

Advantage: Clippers

Memphis Grizzlies at Oklahoma City Thunder, Game 5

This game is almost a coin toss, considering how I expect the momentum of the series to be by then. But I will defer to the home court advantage.

Advantage: Thunder

Andre Iguodala, left, is stepping his game up for Blake Griffin, getting dunked on, right, and Lob City. 5

Wednesday, April 30

NBA Playoffs – First Round

Brooklyn Nets at Toronto Raptors, Game 5

Returning the series north of the border, I think the Raptors stave off the inevitable in Game 5.

Don't forget to vote in the fan polls! 

To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.

1) Image from www.knoxnews.com
2, 3) Images from www.raptors.com
4) Image from USA Today from www.dimemag.com
5) Image from www.sfgate.com

Must See Sports - Third Weekend of January 2014

Last week's advantage/disadvantage record, excluding series: 3-3
2014 Advantage/Disadvantage Record, excluding series: 3-3
2014 Advantage/Disadvantage Record (series only): 0-0

I finished 2013 hot. Starting 2014? Not so much.... There is a whole lotta basketball on the horizon!

Friday, January 17

NBA

Golden State Warriors at Oklahoma City Thunder

The Warriors and Thunder are in second place, nipping on the heels of the division leading Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trailblazers in the Pacific and Northwest divisions, respectively. The Warriors are on fire right now. And while the Thunder are nearly invincible at home this year (like the last two years), they are not as bulletproof without point guard Russell Westbrook (21 PPG, 7 APG, 6 RPG, 2 StlPG), out for the next couple of weeks with a knee injury.

Advantage: Warriors

Without Russell Westbrook, the Thunder will have a tough time matching Stephen Curry. 1

Saturday, January 18

NBA

Los Angeles Clippers at Indiana Pacers

The Clippers may have the best record in the Pacific Division, but the Pacers have the best record in the NBA, with good reason. The Clippers’ weaknesses: rebounding, defense, and post play – all play right into the strengths of the Pacers, who are home. Toss in the fact that the Clippers are without Chris Paul (20 PPG, 11 APG, 5 RPG, 2 StlPG) due to a shoulder injury, and I think the crowd in Indianapolis will go home happy. 

Advantage: Pacers

Tough break for CP3 and the Clippers. 2

NCAA Men’s Basketball

#22 Pittsburgh Panthers at #2 Syracuse Orange

Familiarity breeds contempt. These former Big East rivals are now duking it out in the ACC. Pittsburgh is off to a 16-1 start, but none of the wins are against ranked competition. Pittsburgh senior forward Lamar Patterson (18 PPG, 5 RPG, 5 APG) has played like a man among boys on both ends of the floor during the Panthers’ run. However, this game is at undefeated Syracuse and Orange forward C.J. Fair (17 PPG, 6 RPG) is at the top of his game. I can’t pick Syracuse to lose in the Carrier Dome until I see it.

Advantage: Syracuse

There's always a reason to cheer in upstate New York this time of year. 3

#9 Oklahoma State Cowboys at #15 Kansas Jayhawks

This is the game of the week between a traditional Big 12 power in Kansas and an up-and-coming Oklahoma State team. The day Cowboys point guard Marcus Smart (18 PPG, 6 RPG, 4 APG) announced he would return for his sophomore season was the day that Okie State became a front-runner in the Big 12 for 2014. 

The Jayhawks had been up-and-down against tougher competition until last week, with wins over #25 Kansas State and at #8 Iowa State. Jayhawks freshman sensation Andrew Wiggins (16 PPG, 6 RPG) cannot have a repeat of Monday’s six turnover performance against ISU. Two of the Jayhawks four losses came when Wiggins coughed the ball up four or more times in a game.  Still, Wiggins and the Jayhawks are at home and on the upswing.

Advantage: Kansas

Which Andrew Wiggins will face the Cowboys on Saturday?. The outcome of the game may depend on it. 4

#25 Oklahoma Sooners at #12 Baylor Bears

An upset win over Iowa State last weekend was enough to push the Sooners into the top 25. Their midweek loss to Kansas State and their upcoming matchup at physically imposing Baylor will probably bump them right back out. Their best player, senior Cameron Clark (17 PPG, 6 RPG), was invisible against K-State. That cannot happen again against the Bears.

Oklahoma jacks up too many three point shots to compete with a physical Baylor team, anchored by senior forward Cory Jefferson (13 PPG, 8 RPG, 2 BlkPG). Baylor beats its opponents by dominating in the paint, rebounding, and taking high percentage shots. The game is being played in Waco. I’d be surprised if the Sooners pulled off a second consecutive Saturday upset.

Advantage: Baylor

You can try to get past Cory Jefferson (left). I could try to get a date with Hayden Panettiere. 5

Sunday, January 19

NFL

2013 NFC Championship Game

San Francisco 49ers (14-4) at Seattle Seahawks (14-3)

More detailed discussion to come in a special Saturday edition of the Hat Trick!

Advantage: 49ers

2013 AFC Championship Game

New England Patriots (13-4) at Denver Broncos (14-3)

More to come in tomorrow’s Daily Hat Trick!

Advantage: Patriots

Don't forget to vote in the fan polls! 

To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info. 

The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/. 

1) Image from www.thesource.com

2) Image from www.xnsports.com

3) Image from www.ctpost.com

4) Image from www.kansas.com

5) Image from http://espn.go.com

Must See Sports – Fourth Weekend of March 2013

Last two week's advantage/disadvantage record: 5-4
2013 Advantage/Disadvantage Record: 12-9 

The NCAA Tournament is underway. The Hat Trick weighed in on the Big Dance yesterday and will discuss the regional semifinals and finals in next week’s “Must See”. With college hoops off the menu, this week’s edition is limited to the pros.

Sunday, March 24

PGA Tour

Arnold Palmer Invitational – Final Round

Tiger Woods needs to win a major tournament to shake the post-Elin monkey off of his back for good. But there has been a clear improvement in his game going back to last year. Woods is the defending champion at Bay Hill in Orlando, Florida. He got off to a solid start this afternoon, shooting a 69. He is four strokes back of Englishman Justin Rose, who shot a 65. Rose has been cracking the top ten with more regularity since 2012, but only has two tournament wins since 2011. His lead can be overcome.

Out with the old and in with the new, Lindsey Vonn. 1

Monday, March 25

NBA

Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors

The Lakers rescued themselves from early season doldrums to put themselves back into the Western Conference playoff picture, currently in 8^th place in the West. On paper, the Lakers are among the hottest teams in the West, with a 19-8 record since February. In practice, this team is on track to be swept out of the first round of the playoffs.

They don't play defense well and point guard Steve Nash (13 PPG, 7 APG), between injuries and discomfort with Head Coach Mike D’Antoni’s scheme, has yet to “go Steve Nash” for any sustained period. In my opinion, he is the Lakers’ “X-factor”.  Their “hot streak” has also been more of a “warm streak”. Sure, they have won 70% of their games since February, but against teams currently among the top eight in the Western Conference? They're 0-3.

Golden State is a young team on the rise under Head Coach Mark Jackson. They are currently in a dogfight to hang on to sixth place in the West with the Lakers, Houston Rockets, and Utah Jazz on their tales. They have almost no shot of reaching fifth place. They have climbed back on the horse after being rattled by a six game losing streak in February. Recent losses, in March, to the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers have probably stifled fan confidence in this team, but with a scoring machine like point guard Stephen Curry (22 PPG, 7 APG, 4 RPG), they're capable of competing with any team.

Golden State is at home and the Lakers’ road record against quality Western Conference teams is not good.

Advantage: Warriors

The Lakers need Nash to be MVP-like down the stretch. 2

Tuesday, March 26

NBA

New York Knicks at Boston Celtics

I could label this game “Fool’s Gold at Old Gold”. The Knicks are the worst post All-Star break division leading team I've seen in quite some time. This is a team with three frontcourt players with 8-figure salaries in small forward Carmelo Anthony (27 PPG, 6 RPG), power forward Amare Stouremire (14 PPG, 5 RPG), and center Tyson Chandler (11 PPG, 11 RPG). Yet they cannot seem to play well together. When Anthony or Stoudemire have been out due to injury, the Knicks appear to win more games more convincingly…completely dysfunctional.

The Knicks were on a five game road trip and had their teeth kicked in, going 1-4. They rebounded at home against possible lottery winner Orlando at The Garden last night. The Celtics are aging, but, if anything, they are consistent and play very well at home. The circus that is the Knicks stinks on the road.

Advantage: Celtics

Wednesday, March 27

Miami Heat at Chicago Bulls

Winners of 24 consecutive games, the Heat are must see sports against any opponent. Against the second place team in the Central Division, it becomes more engaging. Considering that former MVP Derrick Rose could possibly play…keep a supply of popcorn on hand.

Rose, who has not played since the 2012 playoffs (knee), has been cleared by doctors to play basketball. Rose recently said that only God knows when he is returning, but the language on Rose’s absence has begun to soften. The Bulls said that he is “likely” out for tonight's game against the Portland Trailblazers. That is a far cry from “no way, no how”. A nationally televised game against the defending champs possibly on the verge of an NBA record winning streak would be an exciting stage for Rose’s return.

There are no guarantees in professional sports, but with the Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Bobcats, and Orlando Magic on the Heat’s schedule before next Wednesday with two of those games in Miami, I would be shocked if the Heat’s streak is not 27 games by the time the Heatles travel to Chicago. While the Heat’s Achilles heel is play in the paint and that happens to be the Bulls’ strength, without the scoring threat of Rose I cannot see the Bulls pulling off the upset. On the other hand, you heard it here first, if Rose does return and plays 30 minutes or more, I think the streak stops in Chicago.

Advantage: Heat (if Rose plays < 30 minutes), Bulls (if Rose plays > 30 minutes)  

WHEN??

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To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.

The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/.

1) Image from www.nydailynews.com
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