Neues » pick of the 2014 NBA

In this weeks Three-Man Weave, Will Strickland and Duane Watson of TSN 1050s 1 On 1 With Will & Duane are joined by veteran NBA scribe Darren Andrade to discuss Kevin Durants quandary, ponder what the "luckiest" team in The Association should do with the #1 pick in the Draft. John Smoltz Jersey ... again and test the temperature in hiring coaches for coachless teams. With LeBron James and Dwyane Wades 22 point performance in the fourth quarter of Game 2, are they the deadliest two-man tandem in the NBA Playoffs? What does that mean for the Pacers? Strickland: Is this a rhetorical question? Two proven playoff commodities and two champions. Miami at home with The King and Three will offer little to no chance for the Pacers to win this pivotal game. And even with a concussion-less George, a healthy Wade and LeBron will be the ultimate x-factors against Indy and any team they may face next in the NBA Finals. Andrade: By the force of nature that is LeBron James, yes, he and Dwyane Wade are the deadliest.With all due respect to Wade, there are lots of two guards LBJ could team with and instantly become the "deadliest duo in the NBA." Hes that much better than the world. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook? Chris Paul and Blake Griffin? DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry? The numbers are there, but this is about timing and impact...and rings. Critics say LBJ has to do too much for the Heat, but the fact is that the longer he can do that, the longer Wade (and Ray Allen) can fill in the gaps so beautifully. Does that shorten his career while he extends Wades? Maybe, but its all for the cause in Miami. Game 2s comeback win was vintage LBJ/Wade wait-and-kill mode and its about as deadly a thing that Ive seen in the NBA in the last 10 years in this, their fourth straight Eastern Conference Final. Watson: Indeed. LeBron James is always in the discussion when it comes to deadliest players in the league and DWades 2013-14 NBA season, aka "The Rest & Recuperation Tour," did wonders for him. Only playing in 54 of the Heats 82 games, this campaign was all about prepping him for the playoffs. In the Eastern Conference Finals, hes averaging 25 points a game and shooting 64.7 per cent from the field. What does this mean for the Pacers? Even if Paul Georges concussion, knocked him into a Freaky Friday/Thunderstruck-like exchange with a playoff-primed Reggie Miller, it wouldnt be enough. What, if anything, can Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder do to make this Western Conference Finals a series? Strickland: Ummm... Compete? Pray? Ask his Mom, aka "The Real MVP," to suit up and fill the lanes with him? Really, the best Durant can do now, even with the "revelation" that PF Serge Ibaka is now miraculously listed as day-to-day, is to show and prove his MVP status by putting greater pressure on the Spurs by attacking the basket relentlessly. Hell craft more scoring and free throw opportunities for himself. Additionally, KD can create open shots for youngsters Perry Jones III and Jeremy Lamb, as well as the not-so-young Caron Butler and Derek Fisher. Despite his greatness, the jury is still out on Kevin Wayne Durant, fairly or unfairly so. Andrade: More like, what, if anything, will the Spurs forget to do to ALLOW the Thunder back into the series? Without Serge Ibaka, there is less defence against a San Antonio team that can score with the best of them. The Spurs have averaged 117 points per game vs OKC in two games and held them to just 77 in the second. Tim Duncan is averaging 20, Kawhi Leonard keeps emerging and Gregg Popovich has still managed to keep everyones minutes down in a Western Conference Final. The Durant/Westbrook tandem scored a 30 combined points on 13-40 shooting from the field in Game 2. What can the Thunder do? Durants gotta bring out the cape! KDs gotta go 2K, other-worldly. Thats it. Old samurai teaching: "Common sense will not accomplish great things. Simply become insane and desperate." Watson: Focus on cracking the top 50 in NBA Career playoff points, as he currently sits at #53 with 1997 points, Jason Kidd is #50 with 2043. Even if Durant plays twice as good as his MVP campaign, it wont be enough. KD and Westbrook need the support of their teammates. The Spurs have made it abundantly clear that, even IF Serge Ibaka walks through that door, it wont be enough. What will Cleveland do with the #1 pick in the NBA Draft for the second year in a row and third time in four years? Strickland: Draft Andrew Wiggins to create Team Canada South along with fellow Canucks Tristan Thompson & Anthony Bennett... and that may be the wrong move for long term success for a franchise not synonymous with long term success. What they SHOULD do? Despite the red flags of back issues for a 19-year-old 7-footer who may still be growing, draft #TheColonelsSon and Wigginss former teammate at Kansas, C Joel Embiid. The Cavs cant mess this up, too...can they? Andrade: The Cavaliers will draft Andrew Wiggins. How could they not? They certainly cant get cute like they did with Anthony Bennett last year - a good gamble, but not for a first-overall pick. Wiggins, paired with a healthy Kyrie Irving, could make things go electric in a hurry quickly in Ohio and the Cavs have the front court assets to move should they wish to compliment that tag-team further. Theres also Dion Waiters as an on-the-trading-block guy that could help return a much needed veteran. Joel Embiid is tempting, but the upside to Wiggins is just so much higher. Hes the closest thing to replacing LeBron James via draft this franchise has had since The Kings departure. Whatcha think all the picks is for?!? Wig-GINS by the door... no beef no more! Watson: The Cavaliers have the most injury-prone All-Star in the league with Kyrie Irving, who missed fewer than 20 games for the first time in his three-career this season, (he missed 10). They cant afford to have Joel Embiid out, as well, with potential back issues. They will take Andrew Wiggins, who will slide right in at the three-spot as a proven commodity. If youre Masai Ujiri, who do the Toronto Raptors select with the 20th pick of the 2014 NBA Draft? Strickland: Front office wizard Ujiri will find a quality young replacement for the potential loss of free agent point guards Kyle Lowry and/or Greivis Vasquez. With the out-of-the-blue success of the long, rangy, athletic 2014 Rookie Of The Year Michael Carter-Williams, Id look at UCLAs Kyle Anderson, the 68" point guard with a