Raptors VS Heat (Game 2)

Series Tied 1-1

The Heat were in a great position to win game 2. They had the lead late in the 4th quarter. The Raptors came back to send the game into overtime where the Raptors beat the Heat. How did this happen. How could a team as good as the Heat manage to lose a lead like that?

I blame this loss on Hassan Whiteside. I have made up my mind that this guy is the most overrated player in the NBA, especially as a defender. In this game, Whiteside kept trying to go for blocks towards the end of the game, but he kept forgetting to cover Valanciunas and box him out. As a result, the Raptors had 7 second chance points in the 4th quarter. Whiteside also did a horrible job guarding the pick and roll. Instead of Whiteside hedging or helping on the ball handler, he let guys like Lowry get wide open mid-range shots. He really did a poor job defensively towards the end of the game. He was never in position to make the right play.

I was also upset by the offensive decisions that the Heat made in overtime. The fact that Joe Johnson put up 4 shots and didn't make 1 of them while the rest of the team combined put up 5 in overtime really lead to the Heat's loss. Johnson was forcing up shots. What I thought was weird was the fact that Wade or Dragic didn't go into pick and roll with Whiteside. That is where the Heat excel, but for some reason, they just gave the ball to Joe Johnson to try and make a play. I didn't like that at all.

As for the Raptors, they played great defense. They contested a total of 51 shots and only 28 shots were uncontested. They also forced 21 turnovers on a Heat team that isn't prone to turn it over. This really lead to a tough game for the Heat, who somehow managed to put the game into overtime.

As you can see, the Heat still managed to almost win with the Raptors playing great defense. The Raptors just need their stars to play much more efficiently. The Raptors just need offense. If they don't get it, they are going to have a long hard road ahead against a talented Heat team.

Fantasy Friday: Riskies

This week on Fantasy Friday, we are going to talk about all you people that like to take risks. Because if you like to take risks, these are the guys you need to take. With these players, there will be risk, but the rewards could be high. So let's count 'em down!

10. Karl-Anthony Towns: This guy is a big risk. He will probably be one of the best fantasy players alongside Anthony Davis in the future, but we have no idea how his rookie season will be.We know that he can play great defense, shoot the ball, rebound, and pass. But we don't know how he will be.

9. Otto Porter: Going into his 3rd season in the NBA, Otto Porter is looking for major improvement. After averaging 10 PPG, 8 RPG, 1.8 APG, and 1.2 SPG and shooting 37% from the 3 point line in the playoffs, he could defiantly be a great addition to your team, but he could also just end up averaging 6 PPG.

8. Tristan Thompson: This man could be your guy to get your rebounds, blocks, assists, and hopefully some points. If he plays enough. The Cavs have such a big roster for PF and Centers including Kevin Love, Varejao, and Mozgov, that Thompson might not get much playing time.

7. Wesly Matthews: Coming off an injury is tough, and not to mention, he is on a completely different team. The question is can Matthews do it. I mean this guy could average 20 PPG this year, and he could average 11PPG this year. We don't know so buyer beware.

6. Tim Duncan: Timmy could be a great addition to your team. But let's face it, Ol' Timmy's gettin' old. It might not be long before he gets a severe injury or his numbers drop drastically due to his age. Last year he averaged about 14 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 3 APG, and 2 Blocks per game, so he could average those numbers again, or he could go "it's time to hang 'em up". So take him if you want, but you could end up with a retiree by the end of the season.

5. Joe Johnson: Johnson averaged 14 PPG last season, but now his fellow overpaid player, Deron Williams, is gone. Which could open up the for Johnson to get into the offense. You can't forget just how great Joe Johnson is, but you also can't forget how he looks nothing like his old self. Are you willing to take the chance with Joe?

4. Deron Williams: Deron Williams hasn't averaged this low of point since his rookie year and his assist numbers are way down too. But maybe all Deron Williams needed was a change of scenery right back to his hometown to get him going again. He could be averaging 18 PPG and 10 APG again, or be even lower. So go ahead and get him, just don't say I didn't warn you.

3. Brook Lopez: This could be Brook Lopez's healthy season, or it could be another one where he has another foot injury. Chances are it's the foot injury. But, if he is healthy, you could be getting 20 points and 20 rebounds along with 5 blocks a night. Wouldn't that be nice? Yeah, it would! Brook Lopez is a BIG risk, but the rewards are so valuable.

2. Kevin Martin: This man always seems to average about 20 PPG. Snubbed as an all-star about 3 times, this guy will just score and score and score, that is, if he can stay healthy. He had a broken wrist last season and didn't know. He scored 37 points right after he broke it in a game. He was out for a while. While he did get a broken wrist, most of Martin's injuries have been minor. But another problem facing Martin is that he may need to step it down on the scoring as many other scorers such as Wiggins, LaVine, Shabazz, and Towns step into the mix. This could mean that Martin would have to step down on the scoring, but he could end up averaging 20 PPG again.

1. Paul George: After that freak of nature incident with Team USA, Paul George has came back averaging 8.8 PPG in 6 games, but we all know that if he is back to his old self next season, you need him on your team. Paul George is entering his 6th season. In the 2013-14 season (the year before his injury) George averaged 21.7 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.5 APG, and 1.9 Steals per game while only giving up 2.5 turnovers per game. Paul Goerge would be one of the best players to have on your fantasy roster if he were to average those numbers again. So go ahead and take him, because he is worth the risk.

So if your feeling lucky, go ahead and take some of these guys, but if you aren't just stay away from them. These guys are high risk high reward. So go head and take them, if you dare!