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MLS, Soccer, Tanner Horelick

Will the Atomic Ant Repeat as MLS MVP?

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Coming into the 2016 MLS season, all eyes were on Sebastian Giovinco as he had just dazzled all of the MLS the previous season, winning the Most Valuable Player award in what was just his first season in the league. As expected of the man they call the Atomic Ant, Seba would pick up right where he left on and finish the 2016 season with 17 goals and 15 assists; good for 3rd and 2nd most in the league, respectively. Not only did he finish in the top 3 for both goals and assists, but he did all of this while missing a significant amount of time, playing in only 28 out of a possible 34 games. After yet another spectacular season from the Italian, which includes leading his team to 3rd place in the Eastern Conference, should the MLS just hand him the MVP trophy now?  With the regular season complete and playoffs  commencing, I figured this would be the perfect time to take a look at who were the most productive players this past season and, more specifically, look at who could possibly be giving Gio a run for the Landon Donovan MVP trophy.

Image result for david villa nycfc

David Villa, NYCFC

Probably the best chance anyone has at snatching the MVP trophy away from Giovinco is the star of NYCFC, who recently helped his team to clinch 2nd place in the Eastern Conference, securing a first round bye heading into the playoffs. Statistically, the former Barcelona Striker had an amazing year scoring 23 goals, good for 2nd in the league behind only Bradley Wright-Phillips. It is not only his goal scoring, however, for which I believe he should win MVP. The way in which he has carried this team,  to put them in a position where they are now feared heading into the playoffs, just one year after finishing 8th in the league, shows how much he has carried this team. NYCFC has allowed the 2nd most goals in the league, but thanks to Villa’s offensive carry, they have also scored the most goals in the league. If this doesn’t show how Villa is simply carrying NYCFC to the Cup, then I don’t know what else will.

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Bradley Wright-Phillips

What more can be said of this goal-scoring machine? A year after slightly under performing, in which he only scored 17 goals compared to his record tying 27 goals in 2014, BWP burst right back onto the scene in 2016 by winning the Golden Boot, scoring 24 goals and narrowly beating David Villa (23 goals) for the award. Not only did he beat David Villa, a striker for the rival NYCFC squad, but Wright-Phillips’ New York Red Bulls also bested their epic NY rivals by finishing one spot ahead of NYCFC in the Eastern Conference standings. So then why would I pick Villa over Bradley Wright-Phillips for the MVP, you may ask? Well, lets just say Villa doesn’t have a USMNT member, and the man with the most assists in the MLS starting behind him every game…. (shout-out to Sacha Kljestan).

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Sacha Kljestan

Most arguably the best Midfielder in the MLS right now, Sacha Kljestan just finished the 2016 MLS season with 20 assists, good for the most assists in the league this season and 2nd most all time assists all time in a single season. His stats speak for themselves, but what he does best doesn’t necessarily have a statistical category. The work Kljestan does off the ball to find space and create opportunities for his teammates is something which is often overlooked. Without his constant movement, great vision, and precise passing, the New York Red Bulls may not have finished the season 1st place in the East, and BWP certainly may not have won the Golden Boot Award…

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Wild Card/Future MVP: Nicolas Lodeiro

While his sample size may not be enough to earn him the notorious Landon Donovan MVP Award, it will most definitely get MLS fans excited to watch him play not only in the playoffs, but also through next season and beyond. After coming to the Seattle Sounders from Boca Juniors, Lodeiro was able to score 4 goals and assist on 8 others in just 12 league games. While these stats are not overwhelming as compared to others, the way in which he has transformed this team shows his true value. Before arriving in Seattle, the Sounders were 6-12-2 sitting well outside the playoffs. Since the Uruguayan has joined the team, however, Seattle has been on a tear, shooting all the way up to 4th in West, booking a spot in the playoffs. A large part of Seattle’s late season turnaround has been Lodeiro’s ability to set up others for scores as his chemistry with the rest of the team is only improving. One can only imagine how Lodeiro will fair in his second year in the MLS, and if this season is any indication, the 27 year old’s name may be very much higher up on MVP lists by next years end.

 

NBA, Tanner Horelick

Sunday’s NBA Matchup to Watch (Thunder vs Pelicans)

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Oklahoma City Thunder vs New Orleans Pelicans

(13-14)                                   (13-13)

Start Time: 7:00 PM EST

TV Channel: Local/League Pass

Preview: This is going to be a big test for New Orleans as they will go up against a strong Pelicans squad who recently beat the Rockets on Friday night behind yet another huge game from young star, Anthony Davis. Davis, who was the 1st overall pick just two years ago, has been an absolute beast this year and is averaging 24.1 PPG, 10.1 RPG, and 2.9 BPG (Blocks Per Game). If the Thunder want to have any chance of taming Davis tonight, then they are going to need their NBA All-Defensive First Team member, Serge Ibaka, to do what he does best and block anything that comes his way in the paint. Next, the Thunder are also going to need a big game from Russell Westbrook because without reigning MVP, Kevin Durant, OKC is going to be lacking a major scoring presence if Westbrook is unable to produce.

Prediction: I believe that the New Orleans Pelicans will come away with the victory tonight behind a monster game from the future of the NBA, Anthony Davis. Davis has looked supreme on both sides of the court this year and doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. His wingspan of 7’4” gives him a ridiculous advantage in all aspects of the game and especially helps him to block shots which all has added up to make the Pelicans serious playoff contenders.

Points Per Game Leaders:

OKC – Russell Westbrook (27.2 PPG) NOP – Anthony Davis (24.1 PPG)

Rebounds Per Game Leaders:

OKC – Steven Adams (7.0 RPG) NOP – Omar Asik (10.5 RPG)

Assists Per Game Leaders:

OKC – Russell Westbrook (7.2 APG) NOP – Jrue Holiday (7.0 APG)

NBA, Tanner Horelick

Saturday’s NBA Matchup to Watch (Spurs vs Mavericks)

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Dallas Mavericks vs San Antonio Spurs

(19-8)                            (17-10)

Start Time: 8:30 PM EST

TV Channel: Local/League Pass

Preview: After recently acquiring Rajon Rondo from Boston, the Dallas Mavericks have moved up from a ‘good team’ to now an ‘elite team’. Rondo is as good as they come in terms of Point Guards in the NBA, and will automatically help the Mavericks win. So far this season, Rajon is averaging 8.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG, & 10.8 APG and will join a Dallas line-up which already includes an elite scorer in Monta Ellis, a terrific rebounder in Tyson Chandler, and of course a future Hall of Famer with Dirk Nowitzki. Right now San Antonio hasn’t looked strong and are coming off a game last night which included their second straight game that lasted three overtimes which will obviously play into some fatigue for the defending champs. Also, Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker are once again doubtful for tonight’s game after missing the last few due to various injuries. If the Spurs want to shock the Mavs in Monta’s first game with a Dallas jersey, they are going to need guys like Boris Diaw to step up and produce big numbers in a much needed victory for San Antonio.

Prediction: I believe the Mavericks will pull of the win tonight in front of their home crowd on a night where there should be a very warm welcoming for newly acquired All-Star, Rajon Rondo. The Mavs starting five will be too hard for the Spurs to handle as they are missing some key defenders in Parker and especially Kawhi Leonard who was part of the NBA All-Defensive Second Team last year.

Points Per Game Leaders:

DAL – Monta Ellis (20.6 PPG) SAS – Tony Parker (16.0 PPG)

Rebounds Per Game Leaders:

DAL – Tyson Chandler (11.5 RPG) SAS – Tim Duncan (11.0 RPG)

Assists Per Game Leaders:

DAL – Monta Ellis (4.7 APG) SAS – Tony Parker (5.3 APG)

NBA, Tanner Horelick

Friday’s NBA Matchup to Watch (Spurs vs Trail Blazers)

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San Antonio Spurs vs Portland Trail Blazers

(17-9)                           (20-6)

Start Time: 8:00 PM EST

TV Channel: ESPN

Preview: Both of these teams will be entering tonight’s game without their usual line-ups. For Portland, they will be without Robin Lopez who broke his hand Monday and will be out for several weeks. As for San Antonio, they will be missing two key players, Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker, due to minor injuries. Kawhi will be out tonight because of a torn ligament in his hand, but it has been reported that he will not miss extended time and could be back towards the beginning of next week. Tony Parker will be absent from his 4th straight game due to a nagging hamstring injury which will allow Cory Joseph to start another one for the Spurs. Back on Tuesday, when these two teams met for the first time this season, Joseph provided a decently strong showing in the absence of Parker, scoring 12 points and grabbing 5 boards. There main contributor, however, was Leonard who scored 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists but as already stated, he will not be playing here tonight. In their last matchup, San Antonio fell to Portland 108-95 in a game where Parker, Ginobili, and Duncan all did not play. Tonight, they will have Duncan and Ginobili back to hopefully get some revenge on Portland, but it is going to be rather difficult without arguably their best all-around player, Kawhi Leonard, not playing. One other reason that this is going to be a hard one for the Spurs is that Blazers point guard, Damian Lillard, averages about 26+ points per game against the Spurs in his career which could help factor into Portland getting their 21st win.

Prediction: I believe Portland will pick up their 4th straight victory behind which should be a great game from 3rd year Guard, Damian Lillard. Lillard has looked very strong this year, averaging about 20 PPG and leading this Blazers team to an early 20-6 record.

Points Per Game Leaders:

POR – LaMarcus Aldridge (22.2 PPG) SAS – Tony Parker (16.0 PPG)

Rebounds Per Game Leaders:

POR – LaMarcus Aldridge (10.4 RPG) SAS – Tim Duncan (11.0 RPG)

Assists Per Game Leaders:

POR – Damian Lillard (6.2 APG) SAS – Tony Parker (5.3 APG)

NBA, Tanner Horelick

Thursday’s NBA Matchup to Watch (Warriors vs Thunder)

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Golden State Warriors vs Oklahoma City Thunder

(21-3)                                   (12-13)

Start Time: 10:30 PM EST

TV Channel: TNT

Preview: Coming into this game are two teams with different mindsets; one looking to start a new winning-streak, and the other looking to build on their own. The Warriors, after recently losing a tough one in Memphis against a very talented Grizzlies team, are looking to get their groove back after losing for the first time in over a month. Oklahoma City, however, currently have the longest win-streak in the NBA with 7 straight, and have also won 9 out-of their last 10. The main person to thank for the Thunder’s hot streak is last year’s MVP, Kevin Durant, who is averaging 21.5 PPG in only about 30 minutes per game due to him having to recover from an injury which forced him to miss the start of the season. KD is trying to bring OKC back into playoff contention after they started the season very poorly as a result of his absence. If Oklahoma City wants to win this game, they are going to have to really spread the ball all-around the court as they are one of the worst teams in terms of assists in the league. They currently sit at 27th in the league with only about 20 per game. This is going to be a huge problem as the Warriors have a very talented defense however they will be without Andrew Bogut who is a huge presence in the paint.

Prediction: I think the Warriors will hand the Thunder their 14th loss and not allow them to get back to .500 due to the fact that the Thunder fail to pass the ball and highly rely on Westbrook and Durant to carry the team.

Points Per Game Leaders:

OKC – Russell Westbrook (26.4 PPG) GSW – Stephen Curry (23.5 PPG)

Rebounds Per Game Leaders:

OKC – Steven Adams (7.0 RPG) GSW – Andrew Bogut (9.3 RPG)

Assists Per Game Leaders:

OKC – Russell Westbrook (6.8 APG) GSW – Stephen Curry (7.6 APG)

Tanner Horelick, UEFA, World Soccer

Rise of the Young Barça Superstar

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You might remember him as someone who dazzled us with excitement all throughout the World Cup as he led his Brazilian squad to the semi-finals before losing to the eventual champions, Germany. In five games, he netted 4 goals which earned him the Bronze Boot as the third highest goal scorer of the tournament and he also delivered 16 balls into the penalty area which showed his goal-minded attitude.  This outstanding play that he demonstrated, delivered him much deserved recognition all throughout the soccer world and proved to people that even with a country resting on his shoulders, he was able to thrive when called upon.

He has been called ‘The Next Pelé’ by TIME Magazine. His name is Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, you probably know him as just Neymar. He is the Brazilian superstar who shined for Santos FC until 2013 when he was suddenly transferred to a foreign land to play for Spanish powerhouse, FC Barcelona. He was rewarded with the 10th highest transfer fee and was expected to produce right away. Things, however, did not originally pan out like he (or anyone else) would have liked in his first season at Camp Nou.

Neymar’s first season in Spain was a wild one for the Brazilian as injuries allowed him to play in only 26 of a possible 38 games in La Liga matches. He acted as if a different person and didn’t seem to have the goal scoring mentality that he once expressed. In those 26 games, he found the back of the net just 9 times. To put this number into perspective, he scored 8 goals in just 16 matches for Brazil in International matches that same year. Obviously he was not himself that season and FCB was hoping that their 107 million dollar investment wasn’t going to let them down.

As the 2014/2015 La Liga season begun, Barcelona had high hopes after recently acquiring Uruguayan star, Luis Suarez, from Liverpool who was once the Premier League’s top goal scorer. This was also a hopeful year for Neymar, who, at just 22 years of age, was looking to put his injury and work effort woes behind him as a new season was upon them. In the first three matches of the season, Neymar looked to be back to his superb scoring ways and already had 3 goals. He didn’t just stop there either and in the next three games, he added another 4 goals to his great year. Neymar has played in 13 of a possible 15 games, so far in this La Liga season, and has scored 11 goals which already tops his total from his first year in Spain in less than 13 matches.

So far this season, Neymar has looked back to his dominating goal scoring ways. He has been attacking the penalty box, firing at will, and does not seem to be afraid about being a future centerpiece for Barça. He is currently 3rd on the rankings for most La Liga goals so far this new season, only behind Ronaldo and team-mate Messi. And trust me, being behind Christiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi is not something to droop your head over for. If this season is any indication of what may be in store during the upcoming years for Neymar, then I wouldn’t be too upset if I were FCB because he looks to be a superstar for a very, very long time.

NBA, Tanner Horelick

Wednesday’s NBA Matchup to Watch (Spurs vs Grizzlies)

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San Antonio Spurs vs Memphis Grizzlies

(17-8)                           (20-4)

Start Time: 8:30 PM EST

TV Channel: Local/League Pass

Preview: In their second matchup of the season, the Memphis Grizzlies will look for revenge after being handed a loss from the Spurs in their first matchup back on December 5th. This is going to be a relatively difficult game for the Grizz as they have lost 10 straight games to the Spurs and are also coming into this one after just playing a hard-fought game versus Golden State last night. One perk for Memphis, however, is that Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard will be out tonight due to various injuries. It should also be noted that Manu Ginobili sat out on Monday due to a lower back injury which could force the Spurs to rest him again tonight. Tim Duncan, on the upside, looks ready to go tonight as he got a scheduled rest-day on Monday, which the 38 year old does receive regularly. This will be a very interesting one to watch because big players such as Mike Conley and Marc Gasol have been playing extraordinary so far this year but both did play 32+ hard-fought minutes just last night, which could factor into their stamina.

Prediction: I believe with the absence of Hall of Famer, Tony Paker, and reigning Finals MVP, Kawhi Leonard, the Spurs could be in for tough loss as Memphis has looked very strong so far this year. The Grizzlies shouldn’t have a problem pounding the Spurs perimeter defense which, without Kawhi, will be very easy for Memphis sharp-shooters to take advantage of.

Points Per Game Leaders:

MEM – Marc Gasol (19.6 PPG) SAS – Tony Parker (16.0 PPG)

Rebounds Per Game Leaders:

MEM – Zach Randolph (11.0 RPG) SAS – Tim Duncan (10.8 RPG)

Assists Per Game Leaders:

MEM – Mike Conley (6.2 APG) SAS – Tony Parker (5.3 APG)

NBA, Tanner Horelick

Tuesday’s NBA Matchup to Watch (Warriors vs Grizzlies)

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Memphis Grizzlies vs Golden State Warriors

(19-4)                               (21-2)

Start Time: 8:00 PM EST

TV Channel: ESPN

Preview: In what might as well be the greatest matchup so far this season, the 1st place Golden State Warriors will take on the 2nd place Memphis Grizzlies. Both of these teams have looked basically unstoppable and are combining for 40 wins in just 46 games so far this year. Golden State will be looking to improve their franchise best, 16 straight wins, as they take on a Memphis team who is just two games behind them for 1st place in the West (and in the NBA). One problem for the Warriors this season has been injuries as they have consistently been losing some high caliber players such as All-Star David Lee to a nagging hamstring injury and Andrew Bogut to a knee problem. The Warriors still have, however, been able to keep up this insane start to the season with help from former Michigan State standout, Draymond Green, who has been able to contribute 13.4 PPG and 8.0 RPG in what has been his first season with a consistent spot in the starting line-up due to the absence of David Lee. This is going to be a tough battle for the Warriors, though, because Memphis is very strong at home with their only loss coming by a defeat from the Defending Champs, San Antonio.

Prediction: I think the Warriors will continue their franchise-best win streak and pick up number 17 in-a-row tonight as they will edge out Memphis in a game which could see multiple overtimes. Both of these teams have Top-10 defenses and this one, I believe, is going to come down to which team has the better offense and the Warriors are the second highest scoring team in the NBA right now while the Grizz are 10th. Advantage: Warriors.

Points Per Game Leaders:

MEM – Marc Gasol (19.4 PPG) GSW – Stephen Curry (23.7 PPG)

Rebounds Per Game Leaders:

MEM – Zach Randolph (11.0 RPG) GSW – Andrew Bogut (9.3 RPG)

Assists Per Game Leaders:

MEM – Mike Conley (6.3 APG) GSW – Stephen Curry (7.7 APG)

NBA, Tanner Horelick

Monday’s NBA Matchup to Watch (Spurs vs Trail Blazers)

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San Antonio Spurs vs Portland Trail Blazers

(17-7)                             (18-6)

Start Time: 10:00 PM EST

TV Channel: Local/League Pass

Preview: In just their first matchup since the Blazers were defeated by the Spurs in the 2nd Round of last year’s playoffs, Portland will look to prove that they have the upper-hand now a quarter of the way into the new season. With Pop choosing to rest all of the “Big Three” (Duncan, Ginobili, Parker), the Trail Blazers will look to pound the ball down low to All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge, who will try to take advantage of Duncan not being present. A win tonight would inch Portland closer to the top-seeded Golden State Warriors who are currently 3.5 games above the Blazers and 4.5 games ahead of San Antonio. The Spurs do have Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, though, and will hope to have him control the tempo of the game and pull out a stunning win.

Prediction: The absence of Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker will be too much for the Spurs to overcome and will lose this game in a disappointing fashion. Aldridge will have a huge night of scoring as the Portland Trail Blazers will earn a huge win in front of their own crowd in a rematch from last years playoffs.

Points Per Game Leaders:

POR – LaMarcus Aldridge (22.2 PPG) SAS – Tony Parker (16.0 PPG)

Rebounds Per Game Leaders:

POR – LaMarcus Aldridge (10.0 RPG) SAS – Tim Duncan (10.8 RPG)

Assists Per Game Leaders:

POR – Damian Lillard (6.1 APG) SAS – Tony Parker (5.3 APG)

NBA, Tanner Horelick

Sunday’s NBA Matchup to Watch (Lakers vs T-Wolves)

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Minnesota Timberwolves vs Los Angeles Lakers

(5-17)                                             (7-16)

Preview: Obviously this does not, at first glance, seem like a “must-watch game,” but bear with me. Kobe Bryant, who is one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA, is about to pass yet another milestone tonight as he is just 9 points away from leaping ahead of Michael Jordan for the 3rd most points in NBA history. Right now, Jordan, who is considered the “Greatest of All-Time”, sits at 3rd place with 32,292 points which puts him just behind Karl Malone (36,928) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387). Once the Black Mamba passes Jordan, this will add to his vast array of achievements he has collected in his 19 years in the league which include 16 All-Star Games, 11-time All-NBA First Team, and 5 NBA Championships. At 36 years old, Kobe looks to be on the decline as other young Lakers, such as Nick “Swaggy-P” Young, look too take the reins from the Legend. Do not count Kobe out just yet, though, as I guarantee he will pass many more records before his career is done.

Prediction: I believe Kobe will steal the show tonight as I am positive that he would like to make a debate as to who really is the “Greatest of All-Time.” While Nick Young wowed the crowd Friday night when he scored 28 points including a game-winning three, tonight will be Kobe Bryants moment as he will become the third highest scorer in the history of the NBA.

Points Per Game Leaders:

MIN – Kevin Martin (20.4 PPG) LAL – Kobe Bryant (25.4 PPG)

Rebounds Per Game Leaders:

MIN – Nikola Pekovic (8.1 RPG) LAL – Jordan Hill (9.0 RPG)

Assists Per Game Leaders:

MIN – Ricky Rubio (10.0 APG) LAL – Kobe Bryant (5.0 APG)