2014 NBA Mock Draft #4

Our Previous Mocks:

3/28/2014 - 2014 NBA Mock Draft: March Madness
1/21/2014 - 2014 NBA Mock Draft #2
12/23/2013 - 2014 NBA Mock Draft #1

With the 2014 NBA Draft coming up on Thursday June 26th, here is a mock draft one week in advance:

1.  Cleveland Cavaliers - Joel Embiid, C, Kansas

Questions remain about his health, but there is simply no denying that Embiid has out-of-this-world potential. Embiid is one of the most athletic seven-footers that we have yet to see at the college level and if he can stay away from injuries he has the skill to be a franchise-changing big man. With reports that he is scheduled to have surgery on his foot, he may have to sit out a large portion of his rookie season, but the Cavs are probably willing to take a risk considering they were outrageously lucky in winning this pick in the first place.

 2.  Milwaukee Bucks - Andrew Wiggins, G/F, Kansas

Wiggins is the most athletic prospect in this draft and also has the highest ceiling. The Bucks need talent, period, so they would be ecstatic to draft a player like Wiggins who was dubbed the next LeBron coming out of high school. While he never lived up to those expectations in college, he showed enough promise that the Bucks will go with him over Parker and try to run with a young core of Wiggins, Giannis Antetokounmpo, John Henson, and Larry Sanders. A group like that would have potential to grow and eventually become the headliners of a playoff-caliber roster.

3.  Philadelphia 76ers - Jabari Parker, SF, Duke

The Sixers will be dismayed to have missed out on their prize pick, Andrew Wiggins, but Parker is an incredibly talented player too. Though he doesn’t quite have the physical skills that Wiggins possesses, Parker is probably a more refined scorer, especially in a set offense. The Sixers would certainly like a guy who can play a fast paced transition game, but a set-offense scorer is certainly a need too. Parker also makes sense from a positional standpoint, as Philadelphia is in dire need of some talent on the wings. With Parker, Thaddeus Young, Nerlens Noel, MCW, and still the number 10 pick, the Sixers have a fantastic group of young players to build around.

4.  Orlando Magic - Dante Exum, G, Australia

The Magic need a point guard. Exum is a tall, athletic point guard with scoring ability, plus a bit of added mystery and intrigue since he played in Australia. Its perfect for both sides, as Exum will be thrust into a very young and talented lineup that includes Victor Oladipo, Nikola Vucevic, Tobias Harris, and Mo Harkless which is still very raw but full of potential. A backcourt of Oladipo and Exum will cause problems for every defense they play against and should carry the Magic to a much better season next year, and potentially the playoffs in a few if their players progress as planned.

5.  Utah Jazz - Noah Vonleh, PF, Indiana

The Jazz have no true positional needs so they have the luxury of taking the best player on the board. Vonleh has great physical attributes for a power forward and is pretty good technically too. If he works on his shot he could be a truly dominant force, but right away he would provide as an efficient rebounder and a good low-post scorer. Eventually, the Jazz could have a fairly formidable front court unit of Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, and Vonleh.

6.  Boston Celtics - Aaron Gordon, PF, Arizona

In a best-case scenario, the Celtics will trade this pick among others for Kevin Love. However, if they keep it, Danny Ainge seems to be quite impressed with Aaron Gordon. He is a Blake Griffin-type athletic forward who can defend and run the floor, and pretty much everything asked of him except for shooting. While that is obviously a huge part of the game, a better shot comes with time and practice, all which should be much more available to Gordon with a professional schedule focused solely on basketball. He is only 18 years old and would be a piece t
hat the Celtics could build around or down the road flip him with other pieces for a star.

7.  Los Angeles Lakers - Julius Randle, PF, Kentucky

The Lakers and their fanbase will certainly be enticed by the “big-name” commodity that Julius Randle is, regardless of his injury status and pro potential. If the Lakers want a quick, one year rebuild, Randle might be the man, because he has the technical ability to contribute right away unlike some other players in this draft. However, his potential is also much lower than many players in this draft, as his physical skills and build are not quite as impressive as others. The Lakers are certainly pretty high on Randle, but if he slips past them it could be a fairly long fall for him. 

8.  Sacramento Kings - Marcus Smart, PG, Oklahoma State

While the Kings probably do not need another player with off-court issues, there is a clear drop off in talent from Smart to the next best player in McDermott. Smart potentially could have gone as high as pick #4, but slides here due to the baggage that comes with him. However, Smart is incredibly athletic, tall for a point guard, and makes the players around him better. With Isiah Thomas’s future in question, the Kings would be glad to have a young and talented point guard who can get the ball to Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins while still score on his own. 

9.  Charlotte Hornets (from Pistons) - Doug McDermott, SF, Creighton

The Hornets are slowly beginning to build a pretty solid team, with Kemba Walker at the point and Al Jefferson down low. However, they desperately need scoring help on the wings, especially if Michael Kidd-Gilchrist continues to be raw on the offensive end. McDermott can certainly fill up the bucket but there are serious questions about his potential. At best he seems to have the ability to be a solid role player, which is slightly underwhelming for a lottery pick. The thing about McDermott, though, is that he does have the maturity to provide right away, which might make him appealing to the Hornets front office.

10.  Philadelphia 76ers (from Pelicans) - Gary Harris, SG, Michigan State

The Sixers already grabbed Parker with their first pick and now add a two-guard to complement Michael Carter-Williams. Harris can shoot and is tall, giving him a matchup advantage against many shooting guards throughout the league. He consistently made big plays for Michigan State and would add a lot to a young and talented lineup that could seriously make a run at a playoff berth next season. That trade with the Pelicans that set away Jrue Holliday is looking incredible now as the Sixers have effectively created a whole new talented (and young!) starting five in only two years.

11.  Denver Nuggets - Nik Stauskas, SG, Michigan

Stauskas shot up the draft board as a result of his heroic performances in the NCAA tournament. He is a knock down shooter on the perimeter and his knack for producing in big moments will help his draft stock but there are questions about other parts of his game. His defensive ability is suspect and it is unclear whether he will be able to run a pro offense.

12.  Orlando Magic (from Knicks via Nuggets) - Dario Saric, PF, Croatia

Saric is as intriguing as international prospects are, and would add a great scoring dynamic to a team that already has a young and talented lineup and has added a scorer in Exum earlier in the draft. Saric might have even gone higher if it was definite that he would be coming over to the NBA from Croatia, but he has previously said that he would only play for the Lakers or Celtics. However, with their second pick in the round, the Magic might be willing to take a risk on Saric and if he come over, might finally make them forget about Dwight Howard.

13.  Minnesota Timberwolves - James Young, SF, Kentucky

Young was an extremely inconsistant player throughout his college career, but at times we got to see what a special player he can be. When at his best, he is a dynamic three-point shooter with slashing ability and more than enough athleticism. Unfortunately, he is not always at his best, although teams will likely let him off the hook a bit because he is also the youngest player in the entire class. The Timberwolves could really use an explosive scorer for Ricky Rubio to feed, and, even if they shouldn’t expect Young to be that guy right away, he could eventually be that guy.

14.  Phoenix Suns - T.J. Warren, SF, NC State

The Suns seem determined to build their team around athleticism, and what a better way to so than by drafting a guy in T.J. Warren who can defend well, score, and is never shy to run the floor. If they can re-sign Eric Bledsoe, he and Warren will have a field day together against opposing teams’ retreating defenses. As both Bledsoe and Goran Dragic can hit the three, there is no real need for Warren to do so, which will allow him to focus on other portions of his game that he could really excel at. If the Suns draft Warren, they will have no shortage of highlight-reel ally-oops from Bledsoe or Dragic as well as a guy who will never quit, and therefore will love to have him for hopefully a long time.

15.  Atlanta Hawks - Zach LaVine, PG, UCLA

Of all the players in the draft, Zach LaVine may just be the most athletic, and that’s saying something in a draft class that includes players like Andrew Wiggins and Dante Exum. His technical skills aren’t bad either, as he is a better-than-average three point shooter, a great dribbler, and an impressive passer. All of the questions about LaVine will be about his brain. However, the reality is, you can teach a player some things but many of LaVine’s qualities are unteachable, which is why he is so valuable. For the Hawks, LaVine has added value in that he can play both at point guard and shooting guard, both positions where the Hawks could use some help.

16.  Chicago Bulls (from Hornets) - Elfrid Payton, PG, Louisiana Lafayette

Payton has shot up draft boards from nowhere to become the 4th point guard taken, a position which has been an enigma for the Bulls of late. For the past two years they have been expecting Rose to come back from a serious injury and have a big year, but so many failed attempts have to make Chicago worried about their future at the position. Payton is an incredibly fast, penetrating point guard who could very well hold down Rose’s role until he returns. If everything works out as planned, then the Bulls will end up with a very effective bench scorer in Payton, but if Rose faces more setbacks, then they could have a potential replacement. Either way they get much needed scorer in Payton.

17.  Boston Celtics (from Nets) - Rodney Hood, SG/SF, Duke

Hood is an extremely unique player, but he won’t necessarily benefit from this uniqueness in the NBA. He has the height of a small forward but the shooting ability and body build of a shooting guard. On offense, this creates a nice matchup situation, but on defense, he will likely struggle to guard either position at the NBA level. The Celtics are already a very strong defensive team, so they can probably afford to take on Hood as an offensive specialist and a dynamic role player, but the probability of him becoming a regular starting is low.

18.  Phoenix Suns (from Wizards) - Jusuf Nurkic, C, Bosnia

Nurkic finds himself as the second ranked center in the draft behind the best prospect in the draft, so there is no one else to really compare him to this year. However, he has the height and size (6’11”, 280 lbs) to be considered by any team high in the draft who needs a center. His stock does take a hit though, as he plays in Bosnia and it is unclear how his game will relate to the NBA. But the potential benefits will outweigh the potential risks in this case because, even though Phoenix loves athleticism and Nurkic is not the most athletic, they could surely benefit from a huge force in the middle of the paint whom Bledsoe and Dragic could throw the ball inside to or who could hold down the fort defensively.

19.  Chicago Bulls - Adreian Payne, PF, Michigan State

The Bulls are looking for players that are NBA-ready so that they can retool for a playoff run as quickly as possible. Payne is about as NBA-ready as they come, having dominated as a veteran player for Michigan State this past season. He would provide them with some immediate front court depth behind Noah, Boozer, and Gibson. Payne doesn’t have huge amounts of potential but he could come in right away and help both on the boards and on offense.

20. Toronto Raptors - Tyler Ennis, PG, Syracuse

Ennis is probably the most NBA-ready point guard in the draft, as he is a smart player who can distribute the ball while shoot when necessary, and doesn’t make too many mistakes. That is exactly what the Raptors are looking for with Kyle Lowry most likely gone in free agency after finishing 3rd in the Eastern Conference last year. If Toronto is looking to stay near the top of the standings this year, they will need to replace Lowry with a younger version who will hopefully mesh well with their core of DeMar Derozan, Greivis Vasquez, Jonas Valanciunas, and Terrence Ross. Hopefully Ennis can pull it off and if he does, the Raptors will have quite a steal at #20 in the first round.

21.  Oklahoma City Thunder (from Mavericks via Rockets & Lakers) - P.J. Hairston, SG, Texas Legends (D League)

Before leaving North Carolina, Hairston was on course to being a definite lottery pick. A year later, now in the NBA D League, Hairston’s stock has dropped a bit. However, his stock has not dropped because he has played poorly, in fact, he has absolutely dominated the D League. The reason his stock has dropped is because he is because he is playing in the D League itself. There is no denying Hairston’s talent, though, and he might be able to bring to the Thunder what Jeremy Lamb has never truly been able to provide - an offense sixth man who can knock down outside shots.

22.  Memphis Grizzlies - Clint Capela, PF, Switzerland

Capela has seen his stock fall recently as he has shown in workouts to be a little raw. He is tall and lanky for his position (6’11”, 222 lbs) and a supreme rim-protector and overall defender as well as a rebounder. His size and athleticism are intriguing to many teams, and he is in a similar situation to Giannis Antetokounmpo last year: an overseas prospect who is athletic but hard to project. As the Bucks took a chance last year, the Grizzlies will this year and hope to land a long-term replacement for the most-likely-departed Zach Randolph quite late in the first round. 

23.  Utah Jazz (from Warriors) - Kyle Anderson, SF/PF, UCLA

Anderson was one of the players that I was most impressed with during March Madness this past year. Despite not leading UCLA too deep into the tournament, Anderson’s incredible skills were on display for every single minute. He played every position except for center for UCLA and honestly has the physical and technical tools to play the same amount of positions in the NBA. At 6’9” he certainly is sizable enough to play at SF and PF but he proved all season that he also has immaculate dribbling and passing skills that allow him to play PG or SG too. The Jazz don’t have any dire needs so taking a chance on a unique talent like Anderson makes a lot of sense here.

24.  Charlotte Hornets (from Trail Blazers) - K.J. McDaniels, SF, Clemson

After already taking a SF in Doug McDermott at #9 in this draft, some might wonder why the Hornets would go after another in McDaniels. With questions surrounding McDermott’s potential, taking a chance on a an athletic scorer who can also rebound could alleviate some of the risk that comes with McDermott. Charlotte will most likely thrust McDermott into the fire right away while McDaniels could take some time to develop his overall game and shooting ability. He has a lot of potential, and if he refines his skills he could become something close to the player Michael Kidd-Gilchrist never could.

25.  Houston Rockets - Jordan Clarkson, PG, Missouri

The Rockets already have Jeremy Lin and James Harden in the backcourt so there is no desperate need for upgrade at the starting spot, but they could use some quality backups behind those two. Clarkson could use a little work on his shooting, but he is a great passer, leader, and ball handler, who could step in right away and give the Rockets quality minutes. This pick certainly isn’t an attempt to hit a home run but there’s no doubting that Clarkson would make an immediate impact on the Rockets backcourt depth.

26.  Miami Heat - Shabazz Napier, PG, Connecticut

After dreadful play from their point guards in the NBA Finals and Mario Chalmers entering free agency, this would be the perfect opportunity for the Heat to take a big name player late in the draft who could dish the ball to Miami’s stars while score a little when needed. Taking Napier would keep Norris Cole on the bench, a role in which he thrived last year, and would also prevent LeBron James or Dwayne Wade from having to play point guard while they should be getting open to score. Napier would be a perfect pick this late in the draft and would add much needed defense, ball handling, and a scoring punch from the point guard position. He has made a career of defying his disbelievers, and on a team like Miami the sky would be the limit for Napier.

27.  Phoenix Suns (from Pacers) - Jerami Grant, SF, Syracuse

Grant has all the athleticism and physical attributes that you want to see in a small forward, but because his technical ability is lacking a bit, he may project as more of a long-term selection. Early in the draft we have the Suns taking T.J. Warren, who could step in and play right away at the small forward position, so Grant would have time to develop his skills. Additionally, Grant can play at both the small forward and power forward positions, and the Suns are in dire need of some depth at those two positions.

28.  Los Angeles Clippers - Jarnell Stokes, PF, Tennessee

Stokes is a very capable defender and rebounder, which is pretty much what team’s are going to get this late in the draft. He can play in the low post and if the Clippers are looking to shed guys like DeAndre Jordan in order to attain more cap space, Stokes could potentially play side by side with Blake Griffin and focus on defense while allowing Blake to focus more on the offensive side, where he has greatly improved in recent seasons. Although Stokes is a little small for a power forward (6’9”), he has extremely long arms (7’1”) and those could well make up for it. For a team like the Clippers who are looking to be contenders for a long time, adding a guy like Stokes to fill in the holes and help out in the non-flashy aspects of the game will really benefit their team.

29.  Oklahoma City Thunder - Cleanthony Early, SF, Wichita State

Cleanthony Early has the talent alone to be a lottery pick in this draft, however, at the age of 23, the general consensus is that he may not have as much potential as other players in the class. The good news for Early is that the Thunder are in win-now mode, and a rookie that can come in and immediately add something to the team is extremely valuable. The Thunder are packed at the small forward position, but that shouldn’t be a problem for Early either, as he has the ability to play power forward too, and would be a nice offensive big-man to contrast Serge Ibaka’s defensive tendencies.

30.  San Antonio Spurs - Artem Klimenko, C, Russia

As previously noted, this year’s center crop is extremely weak as only three are projected to be taken in the first round, but they are all full of potential. The second of two international center prospects is Klimenko, who is a HUGE (pun intended) unknown because of the league in which he played in Russia. However, at 7’1” he is the tallest player in the draft and is a very good defender, two qualities which are very important in centers. He is small for his size (228 lbs) and therefore may not be strong enough to guard some of the bigger centers in the league, but all of his upside is exactly the reason why the Spurs would take a chance on him. Gregg Popovich has made a name for more international players than one can count, and this could be his next great accomplishment. The defending champions have such a deep roster that they can afford to take a developmental player with the last pick in the first round, and perhaps he will learn from Duncan and Popovich and realize his insane potential.

Johnathan Franklin's Neck Injury Proves Career Ending

After Johnathan Franklin had his rookie season cut short due to a neck injury, many assumed that Franklin, a fourth round draft pick out of UCLA, would be able to return within the next few years. Yet with today's announcement by Packers head coach Mike McCarthy saying Green Bay has officially released Franklin, the UCLA running back followed up by announcing his retirement from football. An All-American in college, Franklin and Lacy were supposed to help take some pressure off of Aaron Rodger's arm for the next few years, but obviously, that task will now fall solely upon Eddie Lacy. We wish Franklin the very best in his life after football.

World Cup Group G Update

Group G provided two extremely enjoyable games, with Germany pounding 10-men Portugal by a score of 4-0 and the United States beating Ghana 2-1 on a very late goal. The outlook of this group looks much better for the US and Germany, while Ghana and Portugal will be devastated by their results.

What We Learned About Germany - Germany put in an absolutely dominant performance against Portugal, which pretty much assures them the top spot in Group G. The 4-0 win was never in doubt, as Germany looked extremely dangerous from the starting whistle and managed to bag three goals before halftime. A big question mark coming into the World Cup for Germany was the striker position, as Miroslav Klose is the only true striker on the roster and he is 36 years old. Against Portugal, Thomas Muller was stuck up in the striker position and preformed remarkably, scoring a hat trick. Another problem position for Germany coming into the tournament was at the fullback slots. Traditionally, Lahm has played right back for Germany, but he was moved to the midfield, while Erik Durm is the only left back on the roster but is extremely inexperienced. Germany ended up playing Howedes at left back and Boateng at right back, two players who are natural center backs, and it worked surprisingly well. If Boateng and Howedes were able to keep up with Ronaldo and Nani than they should theoretically be able to keep up with anybody in the world but we will have to wait and see.
Germany's Best Player - Thomas Muller, Striker - First hat trick of the World Cup and an all-around fantastic performance.
Germany's Worst Player - Philipp Lahm, Center Midfielder - Didn't play that badly but did look a step off the pace - maybe this is just his adjustment period to playing in the midfield.

What We Learned About Portugal - Everybody knows that Portugal is a fairly talented team, and to be completely honest, their talent was on display for much of the game against Germany. Before being reduced to 10 men, Portugal looked potent with the ball and actually controlled much of the possession, however, it is the mental mistakes that eventually tore Portugal apart. Bad passes in the final third, an incredible amount of selfishness from Ronaldo, and a remarkably stupid red card for Pepe were all psychologic mistakes from Portugal on the day. You hate to see such a talented team unwind like Portugal did against Germany but if they don't make quick changes to their mentality we could have a fiasco reminiscent of France's in South Africa on our hands.
Portugal's Best Player - Cristiano Ronaldo, Winger - Hate to give this to him because he was outrageously selfish throughout the game but he did look the most likely to score for Portugal.
Portugal's Worst Player - Hugo Almeida, Striker, and Pepe, Center Back - Impossible for me to choose between Almeida and Pepe for worst player against Germany. Almeida honestly looked like he didn't want to be at the game and was completely disinterested in preforming while Pepe was beaten for the second Germany goal on Mats Hummels' header and was awarded a red card for a stupid decision.

What We Learned About The United States - Overall, the United States did not play well against Ghana so they will be very pleased that they managed to escape with a win. While the defense was extremely stout, the midfield really struggled to string together passes, and that was in a large part due to the weak performance of Michael Bradley. Bradley is usually the key piece in the US midfield, but against Ghana, Jermaine Jones and Kyle Beckerman easily outplayed him. Up front, Dempsey had an incredible game until a kick to the face broke his nose and slowed him down a bit. Meanwhile, Jozy Altidore's injured hamstring seems even more problematic as Aaron Johansson really struggled to get into the game at the striker position. If the US could get a win while playing as poorly as we did, people should be optimistic about what sort of results we can get when we play to our full potential. In the end, though, it all comes back to Michael Bradley; Jones and Beckerman can hold the ball in the defensive midfield but we desperately need Bradley to link the defensive midfield to the attackers, and he simply couldn't do that against Ghana.
The United States' Best Player - Jermaine Jones, Center Midfielder - While this could have gone to Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey, or even John Brooks, none of them had as constant an effect on the game as Jones did. While he doesn't provide as much going forward as a player like Graham Zusi, Jones was absolutely superb when tracking back and providing cover for DaMarcus Beasley and Matt Besler.
The United States' Worst Player - Michael Bradley, Attacking Midfielder - I think you all saw this coming. Bradley really struggled to connect passes in the midfield, but the US is going to need him to return to form if they want to get anything from Portugal and Germany.

What We Learned About Ghana - To be fair, Ghana didn't play poorly in the least and will be extremely disappointed with the final result. After allowing Clint Dempsey to score just 34 seconds into the game, Ghana maintained nearly all of the possession, but were just lacking that final ball. When they finally got it in the 82nd minute, it seemed as if they certainly wouldn't loose the game and might even go on to win it from that point. However, the rest of the game saw very few chances fall their way while the US managed to leap back in front by means of a brilliant set piece. Because of the result, it would seem nearly impossible for them to make it out of the group, but they proved against the US that they might just have the quality to hang in with Portugal and Germany.
Ghana's Best Player - Asamoah Gyan, Striker - Struggled a bit to put away chances himself but honestly looked the most likely to score for Ghana. Even though he never did score, his beautiful back-heel pass was what set up Ayew for Ghana's lone goal.
Ghana's Worst Player - John Boye, Center Back - Distributed the ball fairly well out of the back but was pretty much responsible for letting both Dempsey and Brooks score.

Top 10 Players Of The World Cup So Far

1. Arjen Robben, Striker, Netherlands - Nobody expected the performance that Robben put on against Spain. Sure, we all knew that he was a good player, but Robben looked like a man possessed, as evidenced by his final tally of two goals on the night. Even when he wasn't directly putting the ball in the back of then net he looked outstanding; with the time wearing on late in the game, Robben recieved a bouncing ball about 5 yards outside the box. I'm not sure there is a single soccer player who could have put the hit on this ball the way Robben did, as he smashed the ball with venom towards the upper left corner. Granted, Iker Casillas made a great on the shot, but at that point it became clear that Arjen Robben is currently in top form.

2. Robin Van Persie, Striker, Netherlands - With cries of "World Cup under-performer" ringing in his ears, Robin Van Persie went out and put on an absolute masterclass performance against one of the more highly regarded defenses in the world. He scored to goals altogether, but it was the first that was truly special and may be the goal that this World Cup is remembered by. Netherlands' left wing back Daley Blind played a perfect ball over the top to Van Persie, who dove with incredible grace to head the ball over the keeper. It will certainly be exciting to see if him and Robben can maintain their form for the rest of the World Cup.

3. Thomas Muller, Striker, Germany - There go Germany's striker problems... With no true striker in the roster outside of 36 year old Miroslav Klose, Germany stuck Muller up top in a false-9 formation that is reminiscent of Spain's formation with Cesc Fabregas up front during the 2010 World Cup. Muller came through, registering a hat trick that included a penalty kick goal and two goals from open play. Though none of his goals were particularly incredible, there is something to be said for him being in the right place at the right time. If Germany have aspirations of winning the cup, they are going to need Muller to remain in form at the striker position.

4. Oscar, Brazil, Attacking Midfielder - While Brazil as a whole played poorly against Croatia, Oscar enjoyed an outstanding game. He had the pass which led to Fred's "penalty," had the assist on Neymar's goal, and managed to score a beautiful goal late in the game. Being a fan of the EPL and watching him at Chelsea, it was incredible to see the difference between his play for Chelsea and for Brazil. For Chelsea, Jose Mourinho employs him behind the striker in his preferred role, but allows him no freedom and insists that he track back on defense. For Brazil, Oscar was allowed to roam wherever he pleased, as evidenced by his 7 completed dribbles (his highest total for Chelsea is 4). Oscar was a big question mark coming into the tournament, so Brazilian fans will be pleased to see that he seems to be on top form.

5. Joel Campbell, Costa Rica, Striker - Arsenal have a real star in Joel Campbell if they ever choose to use him. Campbell's incredible dribbling skills and pace were showcased all night as he tore up the Uruguayan defense, but what was most impressive was his monstrous left foot. Campbell let several very long distance efforts fly on the night and all of them were absolute rockets that missed the net by just inches. On his only goal, Campbell fired the ball back across the goal giving the keeper no chance at a save. With the game winding down, Campbell completed his brilliant night with a beautiful pass in behind the defense that resulted in Costa Rica's final goal. If Campbell continues to play this way, Group D may be even more of a "group of death" than we originally thought.

6. Mats Hummels, Germany, Center Back - Hummels didn't have a ton of defending to do against a 10-men Portugal team, but what little he did have to do was done expertly. The real reason he ends up on this list was his fantastic headed goal. Hummels went up against two mammoths for center backs in Pepe and Bruno Alves, managing to out-jump the two of them and fire the ball into the back of the net. Hummels will have harder tests to come, but the way he played against Porugal certainly makes him deserving of a spot on this list.

7. Karim Benzema, France, Striker - Like Germany, France didn't have too stiff competition, as they were going up against a 10-men Honduras side. However, as soon as Honduras went down to ten men, they immediately packed it in on defense, so it is a testament to Benzema's ability that he still managed to find enough open space and bag two goals. Both goals were clinically finished, the second being a very impressive effort from a tough angle that he simply powered over the goalkeeper's hands. It is also worthwhile to mention that Benzema brings much less baggage than French strikers of the past, which will be a relief to French fans after the fiasco at the South African World Cup.

8. Daley Blind, Netherlands, Left Wing Back - Being a wing back, Blind had a lot of responsibilities to manage, as he needed to provide width in the attack and track back to support the wide areas on defense. He preformed both of these jobs solidly, but what set him apart was his passing. Who knew Daley Blind was going to be the next Andrea Pirlo... His two long balls to Robin Van Persie and Arjen Robben both resulted in goals and were both so incredibly directed that I'm not sure they would have ended up in goals if he had even been a foot off in any direction. Many left backs struggle to make any noticeable impact in attack but that was not the case for Daley Blind against Spain - he fueled the Netherlands' attack.

9. Alexis Sanchez, Chile, Striker - For the first twenty minutes of Chile's match against Australia it looked as if the final scoreline was going to be outrageous in Chile's favor. That is a testament to how easily Alexis Sanchez sliced open the Australian defense at the start of the game. Sure, the game settled down a bit and Sanchez found considerably less space to penetrate, but those first few minutes gave us a glimpse of how good Alex Sanchez can be. In the end, he registered a goal and an assist, both in the first twenty minutes, and will be the key player for Chile if they manage to make it out of the group.

10. Guillermo Ochoa, Mexico, Goalkeeper - I'm kind of cheating by adding Ochoa here because his incredible game against Brazil technically wasn't in the first round of games, but his performance was simply too good to ignore. Even in his first game against Cameroon he was brilliant, but against Brazil he was on another level of brilliant. By my count, he made four incredible saves from point blank range and 6 saves in total, both outrageous tallies. His save on a Neymar header early in the game was the best save we had seen yet in the tournament, but he may have trumped it with another save later in the game on a wide open Thiago Silva header. Most importantly, though, he helped gain a huge point for Mexico that will be crucial to their group stage endevours.

2014 NFL Power Rankings: Post-Draft (10-1)

1. Seattle Seahawks: The defending Super Bowl champions had a relatively quiet offseason, but then again, they have enough talent on their roster to repeat as champions. Russell Wilson is developing into on of the league's most reliable quarterbacks, and luckily for him, the Seahawks have running back Marshawn Lynch to assist their young passer. Also, Percy Harvin will hopefully be able to play in more games next season, seeing how the Seahawks were 4-0 in games where Harvin played. Yet the most dominant feature of the Seattle Seahawks is their defense, nicknamed the Legion of Boom. Last season, Seattle ranked first overall in total defense, pass defense, and points allowed per game. Seattle will be a favorite to win the Super Bowl once again.

2. Denver Broncos: After an embarrassing loss to a clearly superior Seattle Seahawks team in Super Bowl XLVIII, the Broncos acquired many big names during the offseason, hoping to win a Super Bowl before star quarterback Peyton Manning retires. Denver's defense will now have Pro-Bowlers like DE DeMarcus Ware, CB TJ Ward, CB Aqib Talib, and talented rookie CB Bradley Roby. The receiving corp will now have Emmanuel Sander to replace Eric Decker. Denver has one or two more years to try for a championship with Manning as quarterback, and 2014 will be a chance for revenge by Manning's Broncos.

3. New England Patriots: Many believe that Tom Brady's game has been degrading as of late, causing his status as an elite quarterback to come into question. New England's receiving corp is on the smaller side, with guys like Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman both under six feet. Yet Brady will be more experienced with these younger targets, and more importantly, tight end Rob Gronkowski will hopefully be healthy for the majority of the season. The Patriots also signed cornerback Darrelle Revis, one of the biggest names in all of football, and it seems that Bill Belicheck has managed to keep the star in check. As for the draft, Dominique Easley at defensive tackle is risky, seeing how he is extremely talented but has a history of injuries.

4. San Francisco 49ers: With Pro-Bowl defenders such as Patrick Willis, Aldon Smith, Ahmad Brooks, and Justin Smith, the San Francisco 49ers have one of the most talented defenses in football. San Francisco's offense is dominated by its run game, where the depth chart of running backs consist of Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter, and Carlos Hyde, while quarterback Colin Kaepernick is incredible at running the ball as well. Kaepernick's passer rating dipped slightly in 2013, but with receivers Anquan Boldin, Michael Crabtree, and Stevie Johnson, the 49ers will have one of the more reliable passing games in the NFL.

5. Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers, possibly the best quarterback in football when healthy, missed seven games last season, but in his Week 17 return against the Chicago Bears, Rodgers threw a game winning pass in the waning seconds of the game to clinch a playoff spot. In the 9 games that Rodgers played in, he had a passer rating of 104.9, a positive sign for next season. Running back Eddie Lacy managed to win Offensive Rookie of the Year last season, whereas cornerback Ha-Ha Clinton Dix will be a contender for Defensive Rookie of the Year next season. The Packers added defensive end Julius Peppers in order to have a defense capable of competing against some of the NFC's strongest offenses.

6. New Orleans Saints: Seeing how the NFC South has many talented quarterbacks, the Saints signed free safety Jairus Byrd and cornerback Champ Bailey to improve the pass defense. The New Orleans Saints have one of the league's best passing games, with quarterback Drew Brees leading the way. Brees' receivers are extremely talented, with stars like Robert Meachem, Marques Colston, Kenny Stills, and tight end Jimmy Graham. There is a lot of pressure on Brees to succeed every single game due to the lack of running game in New Orleans, which is the main reason why the Saints are not ranked higher.

7. Indianapolis Colts: Believe it or not, the Indianapolis Colts' passing game will become even more lethal thanks to Hakeem Knicks being a new member of Indy's receiving corp. Andrew Luck has two years under his belt, and even though Luck did not have more passing yards or touchdowns in comparison to his rookie season, Luck almost cut his interception total in half, therefore improving his passer rating. The defense has a few big names, including D'Qwell Jackson, LaRon Landry, and Robert Mathis, but Indy's defense is still not considered to be one of the league's best.

8. Cincinnati Bengals: Since drafting both receiver AJ Green and quarterback Andy Dalton in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, Cincinnati's record has improved gradually with each passing year. Yet even though the Bengals have improved during the regular season, Cincinnati has been getting the same result in each playoff game: a loss in the first round. AJ Green has formed a solid connection with Dalton, and has quickly become one of the best receivers in football. Cincinnati's defense has star defensive tackle Geno Tackle returning from his torn ACL, which will make them even better in 2014. Head coach Marvin Lewis has a 51.4 win percentage during the regular season, but remains 0-5 during the postseason. If the Bengals are unable to win a playoff game in 2014, I could see Lewis being fired on the spot.

9. Arizona Cardinals: The Arizona Cardinals has a sneakily-talented passing game, with experienced, yet undervalued quarterback Carson Palmer at quarterback, and Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, and Ted Ginn for receivers. Andre Ellington is now the number one running back on the depth chart, where during his rookie season, Ellington averaged 5.5 yards per carry. Arizona's defense has several Pro-Bowlers on the roster, including Darnell Dockett, John Abraham, and a possible Pro Bowler for future seasons in rookie safety Deone Bucannon. The Cardinals barely missed out of the playoffs last year, and gained a lot of press by snapping Seattle's home win streak.

10. Carolina Panthers: With veteran wide receiver Steve Smith leaving Carolina, young quarterback Cam Newton has very few talented receivers left on the roster. The Panthers managed to sign Jason Avant from Philly and Jerricho Cotchery from Pittsburgh in order to help out Newton following Smith's departure. Carolina had an incredible turnaround on defense, headlined by star middle linebacker Luke Kuechly winning defensive Player of the Year. Kuechly has become the best defender in football, while simultaneously, the Panthers defense have become one of the best in the NFL.

World Cup Group F Update

Group F, consisting of Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, and Nigeria, was not incredibly exciting in its first two contests. Argentina beat Bosnia 2-1 and Iran and Nigeria labored to a dull 0-0 draw. Still, we learned lots about all teams involved that may indicate how this group will eventually turn out.

What We Learned About Argentina - They weren't particularly impressive, but Argentina will certainly not be worried about advancing out of the group. Bosnia and Herzegovina are the most talented team in the group outside of Argentina, so, having already won against them, the rest of the group should be a walk in the park for them. With all of the attacking firepower up front, they should have looked much more potent in attack. The reason that many of their attacking stars, including Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, and Angel Di Maria, seemed absent may have been because the midfield of Argentina really struggled to provide service. Seeing as Javier Mascherano was the only true midfielder in the team, Argentina may want to make a tactical change and add another midfielder to the side (perhaps moving away from a five-at-the-back formation).
Argentina's Best Player - Lionel Messi, Striker - Until his goal, Messi was actually pretty poor, giving up possession in good positions a couple times. However, the masterclass goal totally redeemed him.
Argentina's Worst Player - Maxi Rodriguez, Attacking Midfielder - Was supposed to drop back into the midfield with Mascherano but instead pushed up and barely touched the ball all game, leaving Mascherano isolated in the midfield.

What We Learned About Bosnia and Herzegovina - Bosnia looked fairly forward-thinking in their first World Cup match ever, which is encouraging. Rather than it back and defend against a talented Argentina team, Bosnia dominated much of the match in the midfield with Miralem Pjanic and even looked pretty decent moving down the flanks. After Messi's goal that put Argentina up by two goals, the team looked a bit deflated, but still, they probably deserved at least a point from the match and will be encouraged that they can succeed against weaker teams like Iran and Nigeria.
Bosnia and Herzegovina's Best Player - Miralem Pjanic, Center Midfielder - Was the clear dominant force in the midfield, holding the ball in an Argentinian midfield that looked very empty.
Bosnia and Herzegovina's Worst Player - Edin Dzeko, Striker - Has historically played very well for Bosnia but struggled to get too many touches on the ball and missed the only small chance that he had.

What We Learned About Iran - While they provide little going forward, Iran looked incredibly stout in the back, albeit going against a Nigeria team that couldn't finish anything. To Iran's credit, striker Reza Goochannejhad looked pretty decent in holding up play but the rest of the team wasn't willing to commit men forward. While the strategy might not be able to hold up against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Argentina, you can certainly expect Iran to try it again.
Iran's Best Player - Mohammad Hosseini, Center Back - Was the best of an Iranian defense that played very well as a whole
Iran's Worst Player - Hagi Safi, Attacking Midfielder - Should have pushed up to help Reza in attack but was mainly concerned with his defensive duties.

What We Learned About Nigeria - Nigeria were incredibly poor on the day and will be extremely disappointed that they couldn't manage anything more than a dull draw on the day. They had nearly all of the possession but had very little creativity in the attacking midfield and were constantly frustrated up front. By the end of the game they were reduced to a bickering group of individuals with very little confidence. To move on they would have loved to have gotten a victory against the weakest team in the group, Iran. With two upcoming games against quality opponents, Nigeria's chances of advancing look rather bleak.
Nigeria's Best Player - Vincent Enyeama, Goalkeeper - Was brilliant against Iran, even with the little amount of work that he had to do. Came up with a huge save on a corner kick that was perfectly executed by the Iranians.
Nigeria's Worst Player - Victor Moses, Winger - Nigeria rely on him to provide attacking creativity, but he did not come through and was on the ball for hardly any time.

World Cup Group E Update

Though Group E is generally considered to be one of the less talented groups, the first two games were fairly entertaining, as Switzerland emerged victorious over Ecuador 2-1 with a late goal and France beat Honduras by a score of 3-0 after an early red card caused Honduras to play the remainder of the game with ten men.

What We Learned About Switzerland - The Swiss did not play well enough against Ecuador, that is, if they wish to live up to their lofty world ranking. Despite having possession for much of the game, they looked very uncreative in attack and fashioned very few clear cut chances. Despite their offensive shortcomings, they were solid in defense (Ricardo Rodriguez had 2 assists as left back and Johan Djourou was a wall) and the midfield held the ball extremely well (Inler and Behrami were fantastic). Switzerland will need their offensive stars like Josip Drmic and Xherdan Shaqiri to start performing if they wish to go anywhere after the group stages, but us neutral fans cannot complain with the exciting finish we got to see from the Swiss against Ecuador.
Switzerland's Best Player - Johan Djourou, Center Back - Was the best player on the pitch all game long, making clutch tackle after clutch tackle.
Switzerland's Worst Player - Stephan Lichtsteiner, Right Back - Was decent defensively but struggled immensely with the final product. Didn't produce a single quality cross - understandably, each of Switzerland's goals came from the opposite (left) side of the pitch, where Ricardo Rodriguez had a fantastic game in contrast to Lichtsteiner.

What We Learned About Ecuador - The big hit on Ecuador coming into this game is that they are very one-dimensional, playing almost exclusively through Manchester United's Antonio Valencia. However, against Switzerland they proved that they are much more than just that, regardless of the final result. Jefferson Montero was explosive and inventive down the left wing and Enner Valencia provided a target up front for a team that usually sees its offense transpire down the right side of the field. Not only did they look decent on offense, but the defense also absorbed pressure very well and goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez was a true bright spot. Their chances of getting past Switzerland and France are still slim, but that's not to say that they can't make it tight.
Ecuador's Best Player - Enner Valencia, Striker - Was a powerful force up front and popped up all over the place. Also detached from his man on a set piece to score Ecuador's only goal.
Ecuador's Worst Player - Cristhian Noboa, Center Midfielder - One of Ecuador's few European players, but failed to do anything positive for Ecuador against Switzerland. Sloppy in possession and fairly invisible.

What We Learned About France - As far as their performance on the field, they looked pretty impressive, which isn't saying too much seeing as they were up against a 10-men honduras side. However, French fans will be even more enjoyed to see that the off the field problems of the previous world cup don't seem to be present this year. Many of the players from that 2010 fiasco have been replaced, but even those that have remained, like left back Patrice Evra, seemed extremely invested in the team as a whole. France took care of business against Honduras and now have to be considered clear favorites in a fairly weak group.
France's Best Player - Karim Benzema, Striker - Great finishing and extremely useful up top. Also provided good passes to his wingers on either side.
France's Worst Player - Mamadou Sakho, Center Back - Had a couple nervy moments although you never truly expected France to be beaten.

What We Learned About Honduras - Considering the relative success of CONCACAF teams so far in the World Cup, people were expecting that Honduras might make some noise against France. Instead, Honduras put together an incredibly poor effort where they spent more time making rash challenges than actually trying for a goal. They were punished for their poor tactics when they earned an early red card that really took them out of the game. Costa Rica showed how a smaller team can overcome a world power in their game against Uruguay, but Honduras failed to follow in their steps and should, frankly, be embarrassed.
Honduras' Best Player - Roger Espinoza, Attacking Midfielder - Easily Honduras' best player going forward, which may not be saying too much.
Honduras' Worst Player - Wilson Palacios, Center Midfielder - Stupid, stupid, stupid play early in the game that caused him to be sent off and put Honduras in a huge hole.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS WIN THE 2014 NBA FINALS

          The San Antonio Spurs have won their 5th NBA Championship in team history (all since 1999), with an incredible 104-87 Game 5 win to take the series 4-1 against the Miami Heat.  LeBron James played well, with 31 points, but he wasn't able to play up to his best-player-in-the-world status and take over the game.  Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard seemed to match LeBron blow for blow, as he had a stat line of 34 minutes, 22 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, and made 3 for 4 3-point attempts.  Australian point guard Patty Mills had an insane performance off the bench with 17 points while going 5 for 8 from 3-point range.  Manu Ginobili seemed to turn back the clock with an other-wordly performance, draining threes with hands in his face and making plays consistently by driving to the lane, including an incredible one-handed dunk.  Tony Parker didn't even have a point until late in the third quarter, but at that point the Spurs were already put by 20 points.

          A total group effort by the Spurs, once again, won this game for them, and coach Gregg Popovich deserves all the credit in the world.  With Ray Allen starting for the Heat in place of a struggling Mario Chalmers, Miami got off to a blazing start and was leading 22-6 at one point in the first quarter, as the Spurs missed 11 of their first 12 shots.  However, Popovich got his team to come storming back behind a bench that outscored Miami's 47 to 24.  The Heat just had no one to turn to since they started Allen, and the starters themselves couldn't even do any damage after the initial rush.  LeBron James is now 2 for 5 in the NBA Finals, a mark which will most definitely affect his legacy, and his hopes at a three-peat are officially over.

          These Finals have proven that one player does not win a series, but a team does, as well as the fact that age is nothing but a number (Tim Duncan is 38, Manu Ginobili is 36, and Tony Parker is 32).  Truly every player on the Spurs deserves all the credit in the world for this win, especially the one-and-only Tim Duncan, who may have played his final game in front of the San Antonio faithful (he is a free agent after this season and is 38 years old).  Tim Duncan has exemplified toughness, loyalty, and hard work throughout his 17 years in the NBA, and will leave as one of the best players to have every played the game.  He now has 5 championship rings, and a possibly final stat line of 33 minutes, 14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and made 5 for 10 field goal attempts.  As each starter for the Spurs checked out of the game at the end of the fourth quarter one-by-one, each received a standing ovation, but none was louder than cheers for Tim Duncan.  And deservedly so.

World Cup Group D Update

One of the toughest groups this year, with three teams that have won the World Cup in the past, yielded two extraordinary results, as Costa Rica upset Uruguay 3-1 and Italy defeated England 2-1. The landscape of Group D certainly looks much different than it did just a week ago.

What We Learned About Costa Rica - Many people will account Costa Rica's remarkable win to Uruguay playing poorly or Luis Suarez having to sit out, but they really should be applauding a Costa Rica team that played a near perfect match. Uruguay went up early, but never looked like creating any chances after that, which is a testament to Costa Rica's sturdy defense. Costa Rica's efforts didn't just end with their defense, though, as the offense looked lethal on the counterattack, especially Arsenal on-loan striker Joel Campbell. They may never replicate this sort of performance again, but if they do, Costa Rica could have legitimate aspirations of making it out of the group.
Costa Rica's Best Player - Joel Campbell, Striker - Clear now why Arsenal bought him. He has an absolute rocket of a left foot to go along with a lot of pace, strength, and technical ability.
Costa Rica's Worst Player - Yeltsin Tejada, Central Midfielder - Ended up putting in a decent performance but had several poor tackles throughout the game and I was honestly surprised that he wasn't shown a red at some point.

What We Learned About Uruguay - Well, that was disappointing. Considering their fantastic display in the South African World Cup just four years ago, expectations were high for this Uruguay team, but they just didn't look very talented. The defense looked slow and vulnerable on set pieces, while the midfield seemed invisible and lacked any creativity. Edinson Cavani made a couple decent runs up top but was largely isolated and would have greatly benefited from playing alongside Luis Suarez. Certainly some of their problems will be solved by the return of Suarez, but there were problems all over the pitch for Uruguay that he may not be able to help with.
Uruguay's Best Player - Edinson Cavani, Striker - Really like picking the best of the worst here. Didn't play as well as he is capable is but also didn't look miserable.
Uruguay's Worst Player - Diego Forlan, Striker - For a guy that has a reputation of showing up big time in the world cup, Forlan left us all disappointed. His finishing was abysmal and he really didn't provide much of anything else.

What We Learned About Italy - At times Italy's 2-1 defeat of England was dull and defensive, but there is no denying that Italy's tactics worked and when they broke into offense they were crisp and effective. As always, their defense looked very solid, with Barzagli and Chiellini anchoring the unit, and the midfield, lead by Andrea Pirlo, was both organized and creative. Up top, Mario Balotelli was clinical when it counted, heading in the winning goal off of Antonio Candreva's cross. Italy absolutely look the favorite to exit Group D in first place after this complete performance.
Italy's Best Player - Andrea Pirlo, Central Midfielder - Tough to pick a single player as the win was such a team effort, but Pirlo's passing percentage was too immaculate to ignore, plus, his free kick near the end of the game was truly incredible, despite not going in.
Italy's Worst Player - Nobody - Every single player excelled in their specialized roles. Not a single player that didn't do what was expected out of him.

What We Learned About England - The entire performance, with the exception of the result itself, was pretty inspiring from England. For years their fans have admonished the defensive approach of English national teams, but this team came out with an attacking approach and an incredible amount of fluidity. The defense looked sturdy with the exception of one or two misplays by Gary Cahill and Leighton Banes, and the midfield and attackers morphed into a single cohesive, fairly creative unit (for god's sake even Danny Wellbeck looked good). If they can come with this sort of mentality against Uruguay and Costa Rica, they might just find their way out of Group D.
England's Best Player - Raheem Sterling, Attacking Midfielder - Flowed all over England's attack and generally provided a pacey outlet. Also provided the beautiful pass to Wayne Rooney that led to Sturridge's goal.
England's Worst Player - Wayne Rooney, Attacking Midfielder - Needs to step up and start performing for the national team if he wants to be considered a world class player. Squandered one great chance to equalize and also had a woefully embarrassing corner kick. 

Johnny Manziel College Highlight Video (2012-2014)

Check out our latest highlight video of star college quarterback Johnny Manziel, or "Johnny Football", as he leaves Texas A&M to play for the Cleveland Browns in 2014. Manziel managed to win the 2012 Heisman Trophy for his spectacular play during the regular season, becoming the first freshman in college football history to do so. For more highlight videos of some of football's biggest stars, be sure to check out our channel, The NFL Report.

World Cup Group C Update

Little was seen that we didn't already know about the teams in Group C, as both of the games yielded expected results. Colombia defeated Greece 3-0 and Ivory Coast were victors over Japan by a score of 2-1.

What We Learned About Colombia - As far as I saw, Colombia weren't even that impressive in their 3-0 win versus Greece, which is to say that we can probably expect even more from Colombia through the rest of this tournament. Colombia dominated the game early, but then sagged off of Greece for a large portion of the game and gave the ball away carelessly on the counterattack. James Rodriguez and Juan Cuadrado looked fantastic at times but then disappeared for much of the game. While Colombia's offense was on-and-off, the defense certainly was on point the entire game, which will be relieving to Colombian fans.
Colombia's Best Player - James Rodriguez, Attacking Midfielder - When J-Rod was feeling it, there was no doubt that he was the best player on the pitch, but he needs to maintain that level of play for the entire game.
Colombia's Worst Player - Carlos Sanchez, Center Midfielder - Colombia looked poor in the defensive midfield. They will need Sanchez to step up if they hope to have a better link between the defense and the attacking midfielders.

What We Learned About Greece - Greece have a reputation as a very defensively solid team that doesn't like to go forward, but after they let in a goal in the fifth minute, their entire mentality broke. Rather than continue to sit back and defend, Greece panicked and went on the attack, allowing for Colombia to counterattack as they wished. In a group with as much attacking power and creativity as this group, Greece may find that their defensive tactic will not work, but the most important thing is that they choose a tactic and not abandon it five minutes into the game.
Greece's Best Player - Panagiotis Kone, Attacking Midfielder - Was the most creative player in Greece's attack. Had in stunning shot that was nicely saved by Colombia's Ospina.
Greece's Worst Player - Theofanis Gekas, Striker - Was pretty much invisible except for when he headed a wide open header against the crossbar.

What We Learned About Ivory Coast - The most important thing that Ivory Coast will have learned from their game against Japan is that Didier Drogba needs to start. As soon as he was subbed on, he mad a few brilliant touches and within minutes the ball was in the back of Japan's net (twice). Ivory Coast actually played well for most of the game, but despite fashioning solid chances, their finishing was brutal. They should have scored at least one or two more goals but will be pleased with the result against a solid Japanese team.
Ivory Coast's Best Player - Serge Aurier, Right Back - Though he struggled a bit in the first half, that is understandable seeing as he is just 21 years old. In the second half he provided several brilliant crosses, two of which ended up in the back of the net.
Ivory Coast's Worst Player - Salomon Kalou, Winger - Started in front of Didier Drogba, but struggled to finish off several clear cut chances.

What We Learned About Japan - Japan started off the game looking very creative and were rewarded with a Kaisuke Honda goal, but after that they failed to muster any real chances. They were simply overmatched in terms of skill, physicality, and creativity for the entire rest of the game. Honda looked fantastic, but he will need other player, especially Shinji Kagawa, to step up if Japan want to exit the group. It is true that other teams are not nearly as physical as the Ivory coast, but Japan certainly need to manage teams with strength and pace much better.
Japan's Best Player - Kaisuke Honda, Attacking Midfielder - For much of the game was the best player on the pitch. Had a beautiful goal that gave Japan an early lead.
Japan's Worst Player - Shinji Okazaki, Striker - Was supposed to Japan's big scorer but was nowhere to be seen against Ivory Coast.

World Cup Group B Update

The first two games in Group B were absolutely enthralling, with the Netherlands beating Spain 5-1 and Chile winning out over Australia 3-1. These games told us tons about the four teams and maybe gave us a new outlook on the group as a whole.

What We Learned About The Netherlands - What a stunning effort from the Netherlands... After going down 1-0 to reigning world champions Spain, they came back to score five straight goals in a performance that caught pretty much everyone by surprise. The consensus before the game was that the Netherlands had a good attack but were very poor at the back. However, the back five was fantastic after settling in and left back Daley Blind could even make a shout for man of the match. Outside of the fact that the back five is pretty solid, we learned that when Arjen Robben and Robin Van Persie are at the races, there might not be a better striker combination in the entire world cup.
Netherlands' Best Player - Arjen Robben, Striker - Could have been so many people here, but Robben put in an absolutely masterclass performance, with two goals and in general a dominant effort. Once he got in his groove late, there was absolutely nothing Spain could do to stop him.
Netherlands' Worst Player - Nobody - I've been thinking for a while but there literally was nobody that put in a bad effort for the Netherlands.

What We Learned About Spain - Everybody knew Spain was aging but nobody expected it would be this bad. The team looked fairly decent until Robin Van Persie's diving header, and it was all downhill from there. Even when the game was tied at just 1-1, Spain looked tired, sloppy, and like they didn't really want to be there. Diego Costa was supposed to be Spain's newest injection of talent but he was wasteful and struggled to connect with his teammates. Meanwhile, Spain's back line was absolutely abysmal, especially the two center backs, Pique and Ramos, as well as keeper Iker Casillas.
Spain's Best Player - Andres Iniesta, Attacking Midfielder - Spain's midfield was not the most of their troubles and that was largely due to Iniesta's efforts.
Spain's Worst Player - Iker Casillas, Goalkeeper - This honestly could have gone to anybody on Spain's back line, but Casillas was probably the worst, compounding mistake after mistake to make for a performance that he will want to forget.

What We Learned About Chile - Chile started off their game against Australia at a blistering pace, but they slowed down quickly and really allowed Australia to creep back into the game. Early goals by Sanchez and Valdivia seemed effortless for Chile, and it seemed as if the onslaught was on. However, Chile's midfield backed off a bit, which made for a stressful ending before Beausejour's game-sealing goal. Overall, we saw how easily Chile's attacking trio of Sanchez, Vargas, and Valdivia can open up a defense when on form, but they will need a much more complete effort to beat Spain and the Netherlands.
Chile's Best Player - Alexis Sanchez, Winger - Has been on great form for Barcelona which seemingly continued for Chile. Easily the best player on the pitchh
Chile's Worst Player - Arturo Vidal, Central Midfielder - Didn't have a horrible game but we must expect more from a guy considered to be one of the best central mids in the world. Looked lively early but as the game went on it became clear that his fitness is still not quite where it needs to be.

What We Learned About Australia - Australia were the lowest rated team entering the world cup, but they certainly didn't look it against Chile. After going two goals down, they were resilient and managed to get one back through a Tim Cahill header. The final scoreline was 3-1 but that doesn't truly reflect the performance Australia put on. The reality is, Chile should have had no trouble closing them out, but Australia created a very nervy ending for Alexis Sanchez and company. They may not win against Spain or the Netherlands, but don't expect them to be blown out of the water any time soon.
Australia's Best Player - Tim Cahill, Striker - Was an animal up top. None of the Chilean defenders could deal with him in the air and he got his reward with a headed goal in the 35th minute.
Australia's Worst Player - Tommy Oar, Central Midfielder - Got the ball in good positions several times but failed to make anything out of it. Also took several ill-advised long shots.

World Cup Group A Update

In Group A, each of Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, and Cameroon has played just one game, with Brazil beating Croatia 3-1 and Mexico beating Cameroon 1-0. It may only be a small sample size but these two games have told us a lot about each of the teams:

What We Noticed With Brazil - Brazil looked lethargic and not nearly creative enough in their first game against Croatia. With the exception of Oscar, nobody, not even Neymar, seemed at the races. Sure, Neymar scored two goals, but one was a scuffed effort that the keeper should have saved and the other was on a penalty that was awarded after an egregious dive by Fred. This sort of play should be enough to get Brazil to get through the group stages but it may not be enough in the next round against stiffer competition.

Brazil's Best Player - Oscar, Attacking Midfielder - Was energetic and creative throughout the game. Ended the game with an assist and a beautiful toe-poke goal.

Brazil's Worst Player - Dani Alves, Right Back - Pushed way too far up the right side leaving tons of space for Croatia to explore. Was responsible for the space on Croatia's first goal as well as numerous other chances for Croatia.

What We Noticed With Croatia - Honestly, I was a bit underwhelmed by Croatia in their game against Brazil. The reality is, they probably deserved at least a tie if not for the abysmal refereeing, but that was not because they played so well but because Brazil played so bad. Modric and Rakticic played decently in the midfield, but I expected a bit more, and Olic was fantastic in the space behind Dani Alves, but it was clear that they were missing Mario Mandzukic up front. They will look for a much better result when Mandzukic returns against Cameroon.

Croatia's Best Player - Ivica Olic, Striker - Sent in the ball that ended in an own goal and generally enjoyed himself down the left flank.

Croatia's Worst Player - Stipe Pletikosa, Goalkeeper - Had a horrible afternoon that he will want to forget. Should have probably saved each of the three goals, even the penalty, which he got both hands on before pushing it into his own net.

What We Noticed With Mexico - Mexico were the most impressive team in group A through the first set of games. Though they aren't nearly physical enough, they have more than enough creativity to make up for that lack of physicality, and their creativity was on display against Cameroon. The scoreline should have read more than 1-0, as two Giovani Dos Santos goals were wrongly called offsides and Mexico hardly ever found themselves defending. Their entire team looked very strong and they could definitely challenge Croatia for that second advancing spot in Group A.

Mexico's Best Player - Giovani Dos Santos, Winger - Should have had two goals, both of which were wrongly called back for offsides. Also had the original shot which Oribe Peralta cleaned up.

Mexico's Worst Player - Andres Guardado, Outside Midfielder - One of the few Mexican players with European experience but was fairly unimpressive today, giving the ball away several times in the midfield.

What We Noticed With Cameroon - I was very disappointed with Cameroon's performance versus Mexico. Cameroon arguably have more talented players than Mexico, who have very few players that play in Europe, while Cameroon have more than a few, including Stephan M'Bia, Alex Song, and Samuel Eto'o. However, they failed to have hardly any possession in the final third and their defense didn't impress either. In the f

inal ten or twenty minutes the game opened up a bit and Cameroon finally started to make a few chances, but it was far too little far too late.

Cameroon's Best Player - Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Left Back - Was the best performer of the Cameroon back line and also pushed forward well, which nobody else on Cameroon seemed to do.

Cameroon's Worst Player - Enoh, Central Midfielder - One of Cameroon's several European players, but looked pretty invisible against Mexico except when conceding fouls, which he did a lot.

Miami Heat Down Against Spurs and History

          Coming off a dramatic Game 4 win by the San Antonio Spurs over the Miami Heat 107-86, the Heat find themselves down 3-1 in the series.  In the history of the NBA, no team has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Finals, so the Heat obviously face a nearly impossible task.  However, there is a first time for everything, and when you have the best player in the world on your team, as the Heat do in LeBron James, anything is possible.

Player	Points	Assists	Rebounds	Turnovers	FG%	3-pt%
Leonard	16.8	2.0	5.5	1.5	57.1%	54.1%
James	27.5	3.8	7.3	4.5	59.9%	66.7%

       
          Before the series started, I noted how Kawhi Leonard would have to play his absolute best in order to match LeBron James in what would be a key matchup in the series.  He has done just that and, while playing great defense against the best player in the world, has held his own in the offensive categories.  In order for the Heat to come back and win this series, LeBron will need to play up to his superstar capabilities and separate himself from Leonard, not just in the points category.  As you can see, James has turned over the ball way too many times, while Leonard has been clean with the ball in his hands although still getting his touches and shooting the ball at a high rate.  LeBron has failed to do anything spectacular and take over this series, while Leonard did this:


     
          After the Game 4 loss, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said, "They played great, and I can honestly say I don't think any of us were expecting this type of performance."  That is exactly the problem: the Heat were expecting to win.  After winning the NBA Championship two years in a row it is understandable that Miami might assume a three-peat would be handed to them.  However, they underestimated the resolve of the deepest and most driven team in the NBA, the San Antonio Spurs.  Gregg Popovich has done a fantastic job with this team and it should go down as one of the greatest teams in the last ten years.  That is not to say that Miami cannot come back and win, but it will be tough.  And "tough" is one heck of an understatement.  Adding to the fact that no team has ever come back from three games down to win the Finals, the Spurs are 10-2 at home in these playoffs.  They will have Game 5 at home to close out the series, as well as Game 7 if it comes down to that.  LeBron doesn't seem to have given up yet though, as he said, "We put ourselves in a position where it is about making history."  True, records are meant to be broken, but judging by how the Spurs played in Game 4, it sure won't be easy.