I love my team:)

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In my last post discussing my concern with the Wizards and their progress, I was wondering should I be concerned at all about the way in which their season was going.

They proved me wrong with winning 6 of their last 7 games with their only loss coming to the Pacers on December 19,2016.

Their record now is 13-15 after winning to the bulls and time and time again I see the strategies and advice that Coach Brooks playing out on the court in regards to using John’s speed as an advantage.

I also love the progress of the second unit which includes: Trey Burke who is getting his confidence and making better decisions while on the court, Jason Smith who from the perimeter is a very good shooter, Marcus Thornton who attacks the basket or makes a heads up play for himself.

The team as a whole is doing what they need to do night in and night out and finally seeing the success of their hard work. I am so proud of them and ready for the next game.

This post is short and sweet!

Thanks for reading and as always if you have any suggestions please tweet me @bballmypassion or comment below on this post- Mariah B.

*Pics/Videos courtesy of Google*

My NBA Eastern Conference Preview

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With  the NBA Season just days from tipping off now, I wanted to give my preview on the eastern and western conference and my pick for who will be top team in each conference this season. Let’s get started with the east!

As you know each conference is represented by 15 teams.

  1. Boston Celtics
  2. Atlanta Hawks
  3. New York Knicks
  4. Toronto Raptors
  5. Miami Heat
  6. Milwaukee Bucks
  7. Charlotte Hornets
  8. Indiana Pacers
  9. Detroit Pistons
  10. Washington Wizards
  11. Chicago Bulls
  12. Orlando Magic
  13. Philadelphia 76ers
  14. Cleveland Cavaliers
  15. Brooklyn Nets

The 2016-2017 season will be one to watch just because of players who have left and relocated teams.

For example it will be interesting to see how Miami deals with the absence of Dwyane Wade now that he is in Chicago and trying to get Chris Bosh back in the lineup for Miami.

Trey Burke signed with the Washington Wizards and hopefully if everyone stays healthy they have a opportunity to do well. I have to continue to pull for them since they are my home team. (I live in VA :)) I’m glad to see Wall and Beal back on the floor, that back court is something dangerous when healthy and producing.

The rest of the teams stack up pretty well in the east with the exception of Toronto and Cleveland. Toronto has definitely solidified themselves as a powerhouse team with the dynamic duo of Kyle Lowry and Demar Derozan. They gave Cleveland a run for their money and will be one to watch this season. I’m excited to see how they are going to do.

Lastly, the defending champions Cleveland Cavaliers. It was a real surprise how their series against the Warriors played out but they were able to get it done and finally bring a championship back to Ohio. I was proud for my hometown city and for Lebron for keeping his word. I respect them as a team. The big three of Kyrie, Kevin Love, and Lebron will be able to score but I think for them this season it will be the consistency of the supporting cast around them (Thompson, JR Smith,Shumpert).

All in all, I think once again the top spot at the end of the season before the post season will be yet again Cleveland. The Eastern Conference is a good conference but still needs some strength and depth to beat Cleveland.

I would love to hear you guys feedback! Please feel free to comment below or tweet me your thoughts @bballmypassion :).

Next Post will be on the Western Conference

*Pics/Vids courtesy of Google*

Thanks for reading and stay tuned!

NBA Hall of Fame 2016

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On Monday April 4, 2016 , the NBA announced its incoming hall of fame class for 2016.

The honorees will be Allen Iverson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Yao Ming. I feel like all three of these honorees should have been in the hall of fame before now but patience is key in some regard.

Basketball has always been the cornerstone for my life and I remember growing up watching Allen, Shaq, and Yao dominate the basketball court but also impact the world from their philanthropy and community service.

I am so proud of them for their accomplishments and although the only outside of this group has 4 championships, they all have left a little bit of themselves on the court even after retirement.

Allen Iverson for example changed the way you could express yourself. The way he showed up for games in baggy jeans, chains, jerseys took away from the business like image the NBA was trying to portray. Because of this, the NBA implemented a dress code. Allen also made the future players after him to mimic him and study how he ran the floor.

Shaq and Yao were big men and dominated the floor and changed the way players guarded them. During their prime they were unable to defend at times. I often found it interesting to just watch them play.

Congratulations Allen Iverson, Shaquille O’Neal, Yao Ming!! 🙂

What are some of your favorite moments from these players?

Share your thoughts on these honorees! Tweet me @bballmypassion or drop comments below.

*Pictures and Videos courtesy of Google Images*

 

History in the making: Golden State

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The Golden State Warriors are chasing history .

To be defending champs, the warriors are number 1 in the west and their record at this point is 60-6. They are on pace to break the 1995-1996 Bulls record of 76-6.

It has been amazing to watch them succeed and each game, Steph has amazed me beyond words.

From the long distance threes to blowing teams out by 30+ points, the Warriors are the team to beat.

Of course they have naysayers and doubters who believe they won’t repeat but they are on pace to do so. Once the playoffs start we will see how they react and play.

I’m eager to see what their final record will be.

What do think their regular season record will be? Will they break the record? I sure think so!.. Stay tuned to the rest of the season 🙂 The Warriors will surprise you.

Thanks for reading!!

*Pictures and Videos courtesy of google*

 

 

Thanks @kobebryant

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As you may know by now Kobe Bryant has announced he will retire at the end of this NBA year.

I knew it was coming but I am still sad that he won’t be playing anymore.

I have many Kobe moments from throughout his career, I shared those in my post called Kobe Bryant.

This post will be more of a thank you to Kobe.

Kobe!

Thank you for choosing the NBA as your career path.

Thank you for your competitive drive.

Thank you for your smile. You often smile when you are really happy or laugh.

Thank you for your heart. You leave everything you have on the court but also are a big help in the community.

Thank you for showing emotion and letting us into your world.

Thank you for the 5 championships. Each one being special.

Thank you for just being you. Without you I would not have fell in love with the purple and gold. Without you I would not have grown to love the assassin that was the black mamba. Without you I would not have been able to appreciate your athleticism.

I hope we get to meet but if not, just know I appreciate you dearly.

I know your family is just as proud of you as I am.

I wish you all the best in the next chapter of your career.

xoxo-Mariah B.

*Thanks for reading*

*Pictures/Videos courtesy of google*

 

 

 

 

 

NBA Player Series: @JohnWall

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So I decided to focus the next month or so on NBA players and their accomplishments on and off the floor.

For the next month, you will see different blogs some short, some long about what players are doing. This is an idea I got waking up and decided to stick with it. If you have a player you would like me to write about please tweet me @bballmypassion 🙂

This week is dedicated to Washington Wizards Guard John Wall aka #WallStar 🙂

John-Wall 2

John is an exceptional player on and off the floor.

Let’s talk about on the court….

John sacrifices his body night in and night out for the betterment of his team. He leaves his heart on the court. He is also a team player. He makes plays that allow his teammates around him to build confidence and get stronger. For instance, one of my favorite plays to watch is the John Wall screen, where he draws all defender to kick it out to an open Bradley Beal which 9/10 goes in. This play not only builds John’s confidence as a leader but also Bradley’s. Their chemistry on the floor is amazing to watch. During the playoffs this past season which I will speak on very briefly because it still stings, John ended up breaking his hand but still finished that game missed the next 2 and played games 5 and 6 of their round 2 match up. It’s nothing like watching your key guy get hurt and wonder what is to come. John knew deep down he wanted and needed to be there for his team. He displayed that he wasn’t giving up on his guys, it showed. Next season will be different, I can feel it :). John is one of the top point guards in the league today outside of Stephen Curry and Jeff Teague, John is right there with him, and I feel like he deserves more recognition than he gets sometimes.

So John this is to you: I am so proud of you!!!! Night after Night you do it all, steals, game winning shots/shots that help secure victories, leaving your body on the court, engaging us fans who live to watch what spectacular move you will do next. Your defense …..is A-1 Amazing. Your PPG and Assists per game do not lie but are a testament to how great of a player you are and still becoming :)…. In your 24 years of life it amazes me to see as a guard what you are doing. Continue to keep it up and the success will flow for you and your team!! Thanks for representing the DMV area so well.

Off the court John:

John off the floor is a pretty special, lowkey guy. From what I see he hangs with his family and his boys and manages to stay in shape while building his brand. John is a special person and loves giving back. As you may know he met a very special friend named Miya who was suffering from cancer and unfortunately losing her battle from the disease( discussed in my Curry vs Wall blog). I don’t want to dwell on that but I do want to speak about his foundation. The John Wall Family Foundation which blesses kids with opportunities among their wildest dreams and allows them to feel good. This pass prom season with the help of Sean John clothing, John was able to help young men get ready for their special prom night. It was really cool to see this nice gesture from John but also not surprising because that is the kind of person he is. I love watching him play but his off the court experiences that he shares are somewhat better. We get to see John live out his dreams of seeing others happy while continuing to fulfill his own.!!

Way to go John !!! 🙂 Keep it up and have a great summer!!!

*Pictures courtesy of google images*