#DarwinChavez

NBA Playoffs 2018: Can the Spurs Slow Down the Warriors and Extend This Series?

Darwin Chavez

Apr 24, 2018
3 min

NBA Playoffs 2018: Can the Spurs Slow Down the Warriors and Extend This Series?

The Golden State Warriors have a commanding 3-1 lead in their first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors sputtered towards the end of the regular season but have flipped the switch and have dominated the Spurs so far in this series. This has been largely due to the outstanding play of Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson who have been nothing short of spectacular. Durant is averaging 29 ppg, 9.3 rpg, and 5.3 apg on 49% shooting from the field in the postseason.

The Sacramento Kings: No Playoffs Without the Right Culture

Darwin Chavez

Apr 17, 2018
4 min

The Sacramento Kings: No Playoffs Without the Right Culture

The Kings are bad. They spent 2018 racing alongside the NBA’s worst to reach the bottom of the standings in order to get the best odds possible of landing the top pick in the 2018 draft. This is a familiar story for the Kings. They have now missed the playoffs for the 12th straight year, giving them the longest playoff drought in the league. Every team goes through a rebuilding process at some point in their franchise, but the Kings have not been close to making the playoffs

2018 NBA Playoff Preview: Golden State Warriors

Darwin Chavez

Apr 15, 2018
3 min

2018 NBA Playoff Preview: Golden State Warriors

Season Recap - The Golden State Warriors will enter the postseason as the 2nd seed in the Western Conference but will be without their starting point guard and two time MVP, Stephen Curry. They ended the season on somewhat of a sour note, going 4-6 in their last 10 games with a few embarrassing blowouts but the playoffs are an entirely different animal. The regular season was mildly disappointing due to chronic injuries to their 4 All-Stars which gave the Houston Rockets the

The Death of Grit and Grind: Why the Grizzlies Need to Rebuild

Darwin Chavez

Jan 2, 2018
3 min

The Death of Grit and Grind: Why the Grizzlies Need to Rebuild

The Grit and Grind Era in Memphis was a fun NBA storyline. From 2010 to 2017 the Grizzlies transformed from a team perpetually in the lottery to a fun playoff team with potential. They snuck into the playoffs as the 8th seed and shocked the world when they upset the Spurs in the first round of 2011 playoffs. At the height of their success, they even managed to make it to the Western Conference Finals in 2013. The Grizzlies never got farther than that, but the sustained succes

Julius Randle: Dark Horse for 6th Man of the Year

Darwin Chavez

Dec 14, 2017
3 min

Julius Randle: Dark Horse for 6th Man of the Year

Things did not look good for Lakers forward Julius Randle on opening night: L.A.’s plan to chase two max free agents likely meant letting Randle go in the offseason, his starting spot was usurped by Larry Nance Jr., and rookie Kyle Kuzma’s emergence chipped into his playing time. Shortly into their first game with the Los Angeles Clippers Randle checked in, but was quickly yanked and scolded by coach Luke Walton for his lacking defensive effort. All these factors pointed to a

Darwin Chavez

Nov 18, 2017
4 min

Is Jahlil Okafor a Bust?

On October 31, 2017, the Philadelphia 76ers announced that they would not pick up Jahlil Okafor's 4th year team option making him a free agent in 2018. Shortly afterward, Okafor released a statement saying he would welcome a trade or buyout from the 76ers. It is rare for an organization to give up on a player drafted as high as Okafor. With Okafor now out of the 76ers’ rotation and searching for a path to a new team, it is fair to ask if he has proven to be a bust. To answer

The Balance of Eastern Conference Power Without Gordon Hayward

Darwin Chavez

Nov 1, 2017
3 min

The Balance of Eastern Conference Power Without Gordon Hayward

After fracturing his tibia and dislocating his ankle on opening night, Boston Celtics wing Gordon Hayward was ruled out for the rest of the 2017-18 season. Hayward's injury has, and will continue to, send ripple effects throughout the entire Eastern Conference — but is it enough to shake up the structure of power at the very top? Coming into the season, a revamped Boston with Kyrie Irving and Hayward was perceived to be the heir to LeBron James’s Eastern throne. And then one

How “One and Done” Fosters the NCAA’s Unjust Student-Athlete System

Darwin Chavez

Oct 19, 2017
4 min

How “One and Done” Fosters the NCAA’s Unjust Student-Athlete System

The NBA recently passed draft reform that is supposed to discourage tanking by giving the worst three teams in the league the same odds of landing the number one overall pick. It remains to be seen if this reform will cause any meaningful difference in regards to tanking but there is a much deeper problem with the draft that goes beyond teams being bad on purpose. This particular problem doesn’t affect the team’s odds at getting a high pick, but concerns the players that team

Should the Denver Nuggets Offer an Extension to Gary Harris?

Darwin Chavez

Sep 26, 2017
3 min

Should the Denver Nuggets Offer an Extension to Gary Harris?

Gary Harris, starting shooting guard of the Denver Nuggets, is one the most interesting prospects in the league. Entering his 4th year in the league, he just averaged 14.9 points, 2.9 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game with a 50% field goal and 42% three-point percentage. Harris was rumored to be involved in a 3-team trade that would have sent Paul George to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kevin Love to the Denver Nuggets, and himself to the Indiana Pacers. So the Nuggets are only w

What to Expect From D'Angelo Russell in 2017

Darwin Chavez

Sep 11, 2017
3 min

What to Expect From D'Angelo Russell in 2017

D’Angelo Russell is one of the most polarizing young prospects in the NBA. On June 21st, the Los Angeles Lakers traded the former number two overall pick along with Timofey Mozgov to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for the Brook Lopez and the 27th pick in the 2017 draft. The Lakers motivation for this trade was partly inspired by their desire to clear cap space to pursue premier free agents like Paul George, LeBron James, and Russell Westbrook in the summer of 2018 but it was a

Darwin Chavez

Aug 26, 2017
3 min

The Declining Market for Centers

On July 1, 2016, the Los Angeles Lakers kicked off free agency and essentially set the center market by signing Timofey Mozgov to a 4 year, $64 million contract. After the market was set, more center signings followed. Ian Mahinmi signed for 4 years and $64 million with the Washington Wizards. Bismack Biyombo signed for 4 years and $72 million with the Orlando Magic. Joakim Noah signed with the New York Knicks for $72 million. Even Miles Plumlee managed to get a huge 4-year

Are the Warriors the Cause of This Chaotic Offseason?

Darwin Chavez

Jul 29, 2017
3 min

Are the Warriors the Cause of This Chaotic Offseason?

The NBA offseason has been unusually hectic in the summer of 2017. NBA stars like Jimmy Butler, Paul George, and Chris Paul were traded, premier free agents like Gordon Hayward and Paul Millsap switched teams, and the biggest bombshell may still be Kyrie Irving requesting a trade. With so much upheaval, it’s easy to point to the Golden State Warriors as the reason for this chaotic offseason. After adding Kevin Durant in the summer of 2016, the Warriors went on to have the bes

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