No Kyrie? No Problem

     To all the Warrior fans about to read this article, I'm sorry. I am also sad about this particular topic as well.

     In two games so far in the 2015 NBA Finals, LeBron James has averaged 41.5 points per game. Yes, it is a miniature sample size, but it's dominant, especially without the "big three" fully healthy. When the Cleveland Cavaliers are truly broken down, it is LeBron with a band of role players. For god sakes they won game two with Matthew Dellavedova and Timofey Mozgov starting. LeBron has always had the ability to completely take over a game, and with no offensive weapons with egos bigger than his, there is no one to stop LeBron from taking complete control of the rest of the series. His triple-double in game two, without Kyrie Irving shows his drive and his determination to win this title. 

    However, Lebron isn't winning this title 100% alone. With Dellavedova finally showing a sign of relevance, and defensive ability to shut down Steph Curry, who in my mind is the biggest offensive weapon in the league. When Dellavedova was on Curry, he managed to score 0 points, as well shooting 0-8 against Dellavedova. Mozgov has also filled in well for the injured Kevin Love, and is a defensive presence in the paint, which helps contest the drives posed by the Golden State Warriors.

   In my personal opinion, I do believe the Cavs will win the series. As of now, there has been no solution to stopping LeBron, and Klay Thompson and Steph Curry are incapable of guarding him to the extent they need. This can become a shoot-out type of series, so long as the Warriors have both the Splash Brothers on point. When only Thompson or Curry is on fire, the Warrriors struggle. A combination of increased defensive effort, the escape of Curry from his slump and a decrease in LeBron's production are the only things that can help the Warriors win. But as I see it now, there's no stopping the freight train that is LeBron from obtaining his third ring

3 Things to look forward to in 2015-2016

    Today marks the 100th day until the 2015-2016 NFL season officially kicks off. With those 100 days winding down, OTA's will begin and commense, training camps will open and close, and fantasy drafts will come and go. As for the regular season, here are the three biggest things I'm looking forward to this come NFL season.



1. Adrian Peterson back on the field
After playing only one game for the Minnesota Vikings before his suspension, Adrian Peterson says he's ready to go, and is back into the swing of things for football. But the success of his season can go either way, which is what I'm looking forward to. AP can either have a successful season, like seasons prior where he rushes for over 1,000 yards; or he could have a failure of a year, leaving Minnesota with the option to trade him after he is suspended and had his first bad year. I personally believe that this season will truly be a successful season for Peterson, given that when he's healthy is a machine. Peterson has never shied away from a challenge, and the 2015-2016 season will be his biggest. The vikings should be able to experience larger success than last season. After going 7-9 with a rookie QB in Bridgewater, no Adrian Peterson, and a sub-par wide recieving corp, they should have a turn around season after adding Mike Wallace to the outside, and gaining AP back. Expect big things from the Vikings, and they should be fun to watch this season.

2. The NFL Debut of Jimmy Garoppolo
Although I personally have my reservations about Tom Brady being suspended, I am very excited, as most NFL fans are, to see what Jimmy Garoppolo is capable of doing on the NFL level. In college, Garoppolo topped 5,000 yards in his senior year, and paired it with 53 TD's, and only nine interceptions. Numbers like those are what are keeping Pats fans afloat in this dark and dismal time. With Brady suspended for at least the first two games, with the possibility of a two game reduction due to appeal, Garoppolo will get two starts at least in the NFL. This un-proven "rookie" has big shoes to fill, and will be pressured to get the defending Super Bowl Champs off on the right foot in their first game against the Steelers, which is expected to be a shootout of a game. Personally, after seeing some of Garoppolo during OTA's so far, I think Patriots fans should not worry, because this man is extremely talented, and one day, could become the face of this franchise.

3. The revamped Buffalo Bills
This offseason was an omen to the Buffalo Bills, a franchise who was stuck in the rebuilding phase for years. With the addition of players like Percy Harvin, Matt Cassell, and LeSean McCoy, the Bills are hoping to make a splash in the AFC East this season. Granted, Harvin and Cassell may not be as respectively talented as McCoy is, but it's a vast improvement from where they were before. On top of that, new head coach Rex Ryan comes in with a defensive geared mentality, which can work well with the talented defense Buffalo has, led by Mario Williams. This team will surely improve on their 9-7 season last year. The addition of McCoy adds a much needed running weapon into their arsenal, something that was lacking in effectiveness with C.J Spiller in the backfield. Spiller should find his role to be more of a pass-catching back, which is something that fits better with his speed. The dynamic WR duo of Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods will be great weapons for Matt Cassell to target, and these wide-outs should find more success with an experience QB at the helm this year, rather than an untested rookie in E.J. Manuel. I expect the Bills to make a legit case for the AFC wild card spots.