The Case for Brandon Ingram

Am I campaigning for this guy to go number one? I suppose you could say that. Dug has made the case for Ben Simmons to go to the Sixers and I sort of want him to. Why do you say that as you make the case for Ingram, you may ask? Simply put, because I'm not a big fan of Ben and think it would be funny for him to go into basketball exile in Philly. However, he's not my subject, so Ben can kick rocks.

Ingram isn't going to blow your mind with his collegiate stats, but they're nothing to scoff at. He averaged an impressive 17.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 2.0 APG. I know what you're thinking and no, these aren't as impressive as Ben's line of 19.2/11.8/4.8, but that doesn't really matter.


My case for Ingram is that he is the guy that is going to make your team more likely to win. Yes, Ben's stats are better, but he isn't a winner. In a weak SEC, he found a way to take a preseason top-20 team that fell to the NIT and didn't even go to it, largely due to Ben. Ingram took a team with high expectations and made them go farther than they should have, considering Marshall Plumlee was their only healthy post player that could perform basic basketball moves. Ingram is a winner and he is only going to get more skilled as he ages.

He's a long 6'9" and can shoot the ball well, defend, and has a strong mentality, unlike that Aussie who is also vying for number one. I'm going to assume Philly has done their due diligence and know what they are getting into with their selection (putting faith in Philly is idiotic. Oh well.) If they want to continue tanking like they have for the previous two seasons, then by all means draft Ben. I see Ben as a Carmello type player. Yea, he gets his numbers, but winning the title is NEVER going to happen with him. So the choice is yours Philly. You can actually try to field a competitive team or you can keep playing the lottery.

All my love,
@corbeech

Looking Past the NBA Lottery

Last night, the NBA Draft Lottery took place will Philadelphia gaining control of the first overall pick. Now, we turn our eyes towards the NBA Draft. Underclassman now have one week to return to school should they not wish to enter the Draft. Be on the lookout for a few of these players to come back, but there shouldn't be any surprises when it comes to that. 

Having the number one pick is good for Philly, but now they have a big decision to make. There are really only two players who are seriously being considered for the pick: LSU's Ben Simmons and Duke's Brandon Ingram. Whichever way the organization goes, they are going to have a solid player. 

Ben Simmons

Freshman

Louisiana State University

6'10"  240 lbs

19 years old

Ben Simmons was undoubtedly the best college player this past season. He is long and very athletic. At 6'10", Simmons is a versitile post player who can square up nicely from mid-range. He also handles the ball like a top-notch point guard. The few times that I saw him on TV, and in person, he would dazzle you with his ball handling ability. Multiple scouts are comparing him, often, to both Magic Johnson and LeBron James. Anytime your name is thrown in with those two, you are very highly thought of. 

The only real issue with Simmons could be his attitude. He decided to skip the NBA Combine, which isn't common for players who will be highly selected. But one thing that stands out was in his lone year at LSU. Simmons apparently did not wish to play in the post season if the Tigers did not make the NCAA Tournament. This was a decision that drew a lot of backlash from the media. While the Tigers did not make the tournament, they were invited to the NIT. They declined. Just imagine if Ben Simmons had any other coach besides Johnny Jones!

Simmons has a lot of potential. He's an oversized point guard who can post you up, or posterized you. The attitude issues are flaws that can be easily fixed. Don't expect teams to overlook him based on that alone. If he isn't picked first, he would be a great fit in LA.

-Dug

@chansm1th

Wednesday Morning Wakeup

Good Morning! It has been a few days, but I am able to converse with you today. There has been a lot going on in the past few days of sports, but I am confident that the other Smiths have kept you posted on all that is happening. Let's take a look at what went on while you was asleep last night.

Cavs Shake Rust, Dominate Raptors

Cleveland continues to win in the playoffs. They're undefeated actually (9-0). It's hard to imagine that because of the fact that they haven't been playing near as much as the other teams. It was the second quarter that told the tale. If you watched that period, the other three were irrelevant. Cleveland outscored Toronto 33-16 in the second. They had runs of 20-2 and 12-4. At the half, the Cavs were in front 66-44. Cleveland just out muscled Toronto. The Cavs were winning from the three-point line through the first two rounds. Last night, the game was won in the paint. Cleveland out scored Toronto 56-36 in the paint, and won the battle of the boards 54-35. If Toronto hopes to stay in this series with a chance, they're going to have to toughen up, and quick.

Philadelphia Wins the Lottery

The Philadelphia 76ers won the Draft Lottery. They had the best odds to do it, but it doesn't always work out like that. The Lakers will pick second, followed by the Celtics. Talking to Corbeech last night, what kind of world are we living in that the Lakers and Celtics are picking top 3 in the draft? Granted, Boston's pick wasn't their own, but traded to them. Reflecting on the lottery, I do believe that this is the "Street Justice" for Ben Simmons. Simmons will be a great fit for Philadelphia: They both suck. The real winner is Brandon Ingram. He will be set up nicely in LA when the Sixers take Simmons at one. However, given recent drafts, don't be surprised when Philly takes Jakob Poeltl to get with their other half dozen centers on their roster.

Tonight

Coming up tonight, we have two playoff matchups. The first is in the NHL. Pittsburgh travels to Tampa Bay with the series tied at one each. The Penguins are coming off a 3-2 overtime win in Game 2, and now hope to turn the home-ice advantage back into their favor. Puck drops at 8:00 tonight.

The next thing we want to watch is Game 2 of the NBA Western Conference Finals. Oklahoma City shocked Golden State on Monday when they took a 1-0 lead after a 108-102 victory. Read elsewhere and you'll see sports writers jumping on the OKC train. I highly expect that the Warriors will come out with something to prove tonight, but then again, I wouldn't be surprised if the stellar perimeter defense doesn't continue and Golden State heads to the Midwest with a 2-0 deficit and a head scratching predicament.

Let's hope that we talk soon. Watch out for breaking news or any updates on our part. Thanks, as always.

-Dug
@chansm1th

Let's Play the Lottery!

Chicago Bulls fans when thinking about picking #1

It was lottery night! There's just something fun about these grown men, millionaires and billionaires both, who are sitting around and praying for ping pong balls to be good to them. The chaos makes my heart happy. These utter control freaks are powerless and the game of chance decides their fate. 

Maybe they're the lucky ones. Unless you're a gambling man, you cannot understand the adrenaline rush that accompanies watching your bet play out in front of you. Granted they don't have control over this situation and can't pick their odds, but I'm saying it's similar, so it is. 

The results of the lottery were:

1. Philadelphia

2. LA Lakers

3. Boston (from Brooklyn)

4. Phoenix

5. Minnesota

6. New Orleans

7. Denver

8. Sacramento

9. Toronto (from NY)

10. Milwaukee

11. Orlando

12. Utah

13. Phoenix (from Washington)

14. Chicago

This is another one of those cases where it's probably better to not go number one overall. For that reason, I say let Ben Simmons go to Philly. He quits on his team and they quit on the season. A match made in heaven? I think so too. If I'm Brandon Ingram, I start screwing up interviews and doing whatever it takes to avoid going number one overall.

The lottery is supposed to be fun, but this one literally went chalk for what their odds of having #1 were set at prior to drawing. That takes away from the fun. I want chaos. I want madness. I wanted Chicago picking first.

Cripes!

All my love,

@corbeech