THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2015
PAGE 7
THE DAILY DEBATE
Which under-the-radar playoff team has the best chance at making a run?
Sean Collins @Seanzie 3
PORTLAND
TRAIL BLAZERS
what makes a playoff team a title contender in the NBA is consistent play and converting plays in late-game situations. As a team that is fluid offensively and shoots well from beyond the arc, the Portland Trail Blazers have the firepower to take down the top teams of the NBA.
Last year the Blazers won their first playoff series for the franchise against the Houston Rockets, proving they aren't a one-year fluke for the playoffs and that they are also dangerous. A team with experience and a taste of victory can be especially dangerous with a stacked roster like Portland.
What gives Portland a great chance to defeat the Grizzlies and other teams in later rounds is its star players and leadership. LaMarcus Aldridge has proved to be a star player and an elite one at his position.
Against the Rockets in 2013-14, Aldridge averaged
29. 8 points and 11.2 rebounds per game including two 40-point games to start the series, according to basketball reference.com. During the regular season in 2013-14, Aldridge averaged 23.1 and went up to 26.2 in the playoffs, according to basketball reference.com. Aldridge has the ability to take control of a game as well as anyone in the league and he proved that last year.
Three-pointers will give the Blazers a huge boost, especially if the team can catch fire. Shooting specialist Aaron Affloal, along with the rest of the Blazers' outside shooters, will be a hassle for the Grizzlies to defend in the first round. In addition to Afflalo, the Blazers have eight rotation players who shoot over 34 percent from the three.
The loss of shooting guard Wesley Matthews during the regular season was a massive blow to the Blazers on the defensive end as Matthews was the team's best on-ball defender. However, big minutes from their backup guard C.J. McCollum have been crucial with McCollum shooting nearly 40 percent from the three.
weapon in the playoffs will be Daman Lillard if he can perform efficiently in late-game situations. Lillard has struggled this year in late-game shooting percentage, but his numbers per game are still strong. The third-year point guard averaged 21 points and six assists per game and earned his second All-Star appearance, according to basketball-reference.com.
Perhaps the Blazers biggest
"A TEAM WITH EXPERIENCE AND A TASTE OF VICTORY CAN BE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WITH A STACKED ROSTER LIKE PORTLAND."
Lillard finding his shot late in games could be the ultimate demise for the Grizzlies in the first round. The elite scorer that Lillard is combined with Aldridge and the knock-down three-point shooting make up an offense that will be hard to contain.
And if all the pieces come together, watch out Grizzlies.
Kylan Whitmer
@KRWhitmer
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
The NBA Playoffs are underway, and while the safe bet would be to pick Golden State or Houston to take home the trophy, it is never safe to sleep on the lower seeds, as a dark horse could emerge.
Edited by Samantha Darling
In 2015, the team to watch out for is the Washington Wizards in the East.
Much like seventh-seeded Michigan State in the East region during the NCAA basketball tournament, the Wizards benefit from weaker competition on their side of the bracket compared to the teams in the Western Conference.
"WHAT MAKES THE WIZARDS DANGEROUS IS THEIR MIX OF YOUNG TALENT AND VETERAN LEADERSHIP."
The Wizards' road to the finals, barring any upsets, would be Toronto, Atlanta
and then Cleveland. While defeating these teams in a seven-game series is no easy task, it is certainly easier than having to go against the top teams in the West.
What makes the Wizards dangerous is their mix of young talent and veteran leadership.
The addition of Paul Pierce before the season could prove to be a key factor in a playoff run. Pierce has 78 playoff wins in his career. The Wizards franchise has 77 throughout its history dating back to 1964.
That kind of experience can do wonders for a team in the postseason, and although Pierce is aging,'he showed in Game One against Toronto that he can still produce on the court in the same way that earned him the 2008 NBA Finals MVP. The veteran put up 20 points for his team in an overtime victory on the road.
In addition to Pierce, the Wizards have one of the most talented starting backcours in the playoffs. John Wall is an absolute machine as a floor general, averaging 17.6 points and 10 assists per game this season.
He is joined by another young guard at the two position, Bradley Beal. The sharp-shooting guard has the
ability to drive as well as shoot and has stepped up his game as of late. If Wall and Beal can remain healthy throughout the series, it could be bad news for their opponents.
Where they are young and skilled at the guard position, they are experienced and smart in the forward position.
The Wizards start Marcin Gortat and Nene at center and power forward, respectively, who give them size and power in the paint. In the team's Game One victory, Nene had a quiet double-double in just 21 minutes of play, which helped the Wizards out-rebound the Raptors by 13.
The solid starting lineup is aided by a bench with a similar mix of veterans and young talent. Drew Gooden and Ramon Sessions provide experience off the bench while younger players like Kevin Seraphin and Otto Porter Jr. have the ability to spark a run while the starters rest.
When it comes to picking a dark-horse team to unexpectedly emerge as champions, the Wizards have the pieces and the schedule to make some noise all the way to June.
Edited by Lane Cofas
MISSY MINFAR/KANSAN
Junior shortstop Chaley Brickey throws the ball to first base at Arrocha Field.
Kansas softball unable to get past Tulsa
The Jayhawks (33-8) continued to struggle to push runs across the plate Sunday against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (29-15), losing their eighth game of the year, 3-2. Two home runs from the Hurricane pushed all three of Tulsa's runs across to secure the victory.
The Jayhawks attempted to
mount a comeback several times throughout the game, but the Tulsa defense managed to clamp down every time Kansas tried to start a rally. Kansas left six runners on base while the Golden Hurricane outhit the Jayhawks 8-6. This was the ninth time the Jayhawks have been outhit by their opposition this season.
Senior infielder Chanin Naudin led the Jayhawks with two hits and one run scored.
Junior infielder Chaley Brickey added one hit. Senior utility Maddie Stein added one hit and scored one run. Freshman catcher Jessie Roane also added a hit for the Jayhawks.
Senior pitcher Alicia Pille got the start for the Jayhawks but was quickly pulled after allowing two runs in the first inning. Freshman pitcher Bryn Houlton came in to replace Pille in the second inning, allowing one run. Neither pitcher was able to record a single strikeout.
Tula pitcher Bailey Erwin improved her record to 14-3 with the victory. She struck out four in three and a third innings of relief work for the Golden Hricane.
The layhawks were able to make some spectacular plays on defense. In the third inning, Naudin grabbed a ground ball out of the dirt and threw the ball across the diamond for the first out of the frame. Junior
WASHBURN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW
WASHBURN LAW THE RIGHT CHOICE
— Derek Skillett
IN-STATE TUITION FOR RESIDENTS OF:
Colorado - save $19,200*
Missouri - save $12,600*
Oklahoma - save $10,600*
Texas - save $13,700*
Nebraska - save $10,600**
*compared to the current state's average law school tuition per year
**compared to current out-of-state tuition per year
the Jayhawks will face this season. The Jayhawks fell to the No. 1-ranked Florida Gators by a score of 1-7 on February 21. The Gators delivered the Jayhawks their first loss of the year.
The Sooners will be the second-highest ranked team
800. 927.4529 washburnlaw.edu/admissions
outfielder Briana Evans made a diving catch in centerfield to end the inning.
SIU-Edwardsville at Arrocha Ballpark on Wednesday at 1 p.m. in a midweek matchup before Kansas begins its biggest weekend of the season against the No. 5 Oklahoma Sooners on April 24-26.
The Jayhawks were originally slated to play against Tulsa on Saturday, but poor weather in Oklahoma caused the game to be canceled.
Up next, the Jayhawks will face
The University of Kansas
ROBERT J. DOLE INSTITUTE OF POLITICS
Coming up @ The Dole Institute
The National Debt and You: Student Voices on the Future a moderated panel discussion 7:30 p.m.Tue., April21
Do citizens and lawmakers take enough time listening to the youth of America before making choices that will affect them for decades to come? This panel discussion incorporates youth perspectives on their future, as they consider the economic outlook of our country.
Political Communications from Dole to Obama with Robert Waite 3:00 p.m. Wed., April 22
Former Dole press secretary, Robert Waite, is an expert in the field of communications from DC politics to companies like IBM and Ford. He will discuss the transformations and modernizations of political communication that have occurred since he covered the Democratic and Republican presidential primaries and general election of 1976.
2015 Dole Lecture with Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins 4:00 p.m. Sun., April 26
U. S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins, fifth-ranking member of the House Majority, will be interviewed on her national leadership position in Congress, what's happening in Washington, D.C today, and women's leadership.
2015 Innovations Series
Cyber Security vs. Privacy for Nation, Corporation & Citizen with Chris Isaacson, Jonathan Peters & Bill Staples 7:30 p.m.Wed., April 29
What's the balance between civil liberties and national security? From personal banking to global trade, from "big brother" to Wikileaks and terrorist threats, find out how this affects our everyday lives and what the next tech security challenges will be? In partnership with the KU School of Engineering's SELF Fellowship Program
All programs are free, open to the public & located at the Dole Institute
Dole Institute, University of Kansas, 2350 Petefish Drive., Lawrence, KS www.DoleInstitute.org 785.864.4900 Facebook/Twitter
1