“What if?” history loves rearing its head on sports debate forums. With The Last Dance now wrapped up, perhaps the biggest question the docuseries conjured up was “what would one more year have looked like?”
It’s fair to wonder.
Could Jordan’s Bulls become the first team of the three-point era to four-peat?
Let’s say hypothetically that Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Steve Kerr, Luc Longley and Phil Jackson all returned for one last shot at the title. Do they win ring number seven? Or is the team many saw as un-beatable found to be beatable?
In 1997-98, the Bulls finished with an Eastern Conference-best 62 wins (.756%). The following season was lockout-shortened, with teams playing only 50 games. In the East, Miami, Orlando, and Indiana all went 33-17 – the best marks in the conference. Whilst in the West, San Antonio and Utah led the way with 37-13 records.
Jordan had not missed a single game for the past three season, so it seems fair to assume he plays close to 50 games.
Scottie Pippen played all 50 games for Houston in the 1998-99 season. It’s fair to assume he does this for the Bulls also. Pippen’s stats saw some sort of change from 19.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG and 5.8 SPG in ’98 to 14.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG and 5.9 APG. He wasn’t the same scorer, but his defence, playmaking, and rebounding hadn’t skipped a beat.
Dennis Rodman was far from his best after signing with the Lakers, missing a majority of the season before being waived in April. It had become clear that the unpredictable Rodman was struggling find motivation and looked to be a shell of his former self on the court. Keeping Rodman in check for another playoff run would not have been an easy task for Phil Jackson but the Zen Master proved he could reach Rodman in a way that many others couldn’t. Accounting for a level of physical decline, Rodman likely doesn’t contribute in the same way he did during the three-peat.
Toni Kukoč had himself a career year after the departures of Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman, averaging 18.8 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 5.3 APG. At age 30, it’s possible he produces career-best numbers even with Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman alongside him.
Bigman Luc Longley was traded to Phoenix before the season started, leaving the Bulls with a gap in the middle. In this hypothetical scenario, the Bulls don’t trade Longley, instead keeping the guy that started in every regular season he played in the season prior.
The Bulls likely finish atop the East, with a core of Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman keeping pace with the Spurs and Jazz all season. Interestingly, this bumps the New York Knicks out of the eighth seed, who actually went on to reach the NBA Finals. This places the Bulls against the 28-22 Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, led by a 23-year-old Ray Allen and a 26-year-old Glenn Robinson. In reality, the Bucks were swept by the Pacers. This series doesn’t require a whole lot of overthinking. Bulls in 3.
The Conference Semis become interesting. With the improved Bulls re-shuffling the standings, the fifth-seeded Atlanta Hawks take down the fourth-seeded Orlando Magic. The Hawks are led by Steve Smith, Mookie Blaylock, and Dikembe Mutombo but don’t have what it takes to beat Jordan and Pippen. Bulls in 4.
This sets up an Eastern Conference Finals re-match with the Indiana Pacers who took the Bulls to seven games the previous postseason. Led by Reggie Miller, the Pacers have their tails up and are thrilled to have another shot at the Champs. The Bulls are weary and the toll of four consecutive Finals runs is beginning to show. This series really could have gone either way. Jordan himself said that Indiana gave the Bulls the toughest challenge after the demise of the Bad Boy Pistons. This series is a flip of the coin. The Pacers are hungry and the Bulls are tired. The Bulls, however, have homecourt and Michael knows what’s at stake – his legacy. Bulls in 7.
This sets up an NBA Finals for the ages. San Antonio in search of their first ever title. Chicago looking to send their stars out the right way. Led by a stone-faced Duncan and an ageing yet valuable Robinson, the Spurs ran rampant through the Western Conference knocking off the Timberwolves before sweeping the Lakers and Trail Blazers. The Spurs are fresh and excited for the challenge of taking on Jordan’s Bulls, whilst the Bulls are coming off a gruelling seven-game series against a physical Pacers team. Homecourt matters in this series. San Antonio won 37 games, around the same mark I predicted Chicago to win. Let’s say Chicago won 36 games, due to Rodman’s extended absence, giving San Antonio homecourt. The Spurs were the league’s best defensive team throughout the regular season, led by All-Defensive first-teamer Tim Duncan. The Bulls barely had an answer for David Robinson, let alone Duncan. In the real series, Duncan put up 27.4 PPG, 14.0 RPG and 2.0 BPG en route to his first Finals MVP. Luc Longley and a tired Dennis Rodman weren’t going to do a whole lot to stop this. Jordan still does Jordan things but the show belongs to the young kid from Wake Forest. Fatigue matters and the Bulls, who barely made it to the finish line the year before fall short this year. Spurs in 6.
Jordan’s perfect Finals record is thrown out the window, not necessarily at any fault of his own but the squad as a whole were out on their feet. The Spurs displayed one of the finest postseasons on record. Jordan’s still the consensus G.O.A.T. but he loses just a drip of his aura.
Joel covers the NRL and the NBA for nozebleeds., supporting the St. George Illawarra Dragons and Los Angeles Lakers. You can find him on Instagram (@joelbeatton) and Twitter (@joelbeatton).
The NFL’s first ever Super Wild Card Weekend has come and gone setting the stage for the Divisional Round.
The six victorious teams from the Wild Card round (Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns) will join the AFC and NFC leading (Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers) in a more traditional four-game format of playoff football.
The weekend is highlighted by four games, starting off with a battle between two of football’s best.
#6 Los Angeles Rams @ #1 Green Bay Packers
The first game of the Divisional Round matches up the leagues #1 scoring offence v #1 scoring defence on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.
The visiting Rams will need to conquer the elements and subfreezing conditions if they have any chance of hanging with the Packers’ offence.
Obviously being from LA, the Rams haven’t been exposed to these conditions on a regular basis. Since 2016, the Rams have played two games in subfreezing temperatures for one win and one loss. In those games, quarterback Jared Goff threw for zero touchdowns and five interceptions.
In the same period of time, the Packers have gone 10-0 in such conditions, with Rodgers throwing 25 touchdowns to one interception.
While the cold will play a factor, another key aspect to consider will be the health of the Rams’ star players. Both Aaron Donald (torn rib cartilage) and Cooper Kupp (knee bursitis) sustained injuries last week in their win against the Seahawks, while Goff himself is still recovering from a broken thumb sustained in week 16.
While Goff’s play will dictate how the Rams fare, so will the matchup between Jalen Ramsey and Davante Adams. The two first-team all pro’s at their respective positions will go to battle all night, with Ramsey likely to shadow Adams on almost every snap there both on the field for in both man and zone coverage.
If Ramsey can shut down Adams, and an injured Donald can wreak havoc on the Packers running and passing game, then the Rams will certainly be in with a chance of upsetting the heavily favoured Packers. If however, they fail to get pressure on Rodgers early, it could get ugly.
Throughout the year, the Packers have shown their ability to methodically march up and down the field, scoring touchdown after touchdown after touchdown.
An injured Goff will struggle to keep pace with this high octane Packers offence. If he fails to put up points against an improving Packers defense, then it could be over early at Lambeau.
#5 Baltimore Ravens @ #2 Buffalo Bills
Two of the hottest teams in the NFL will meet in a blockbuster clash featuring two first round quarterbacks from the 2018 class. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.
Both teams are coming off impressive Wild Card weekend wins and boast two of the league’s longest current win streaks of six and seven games.
So what has to give?
Buffalo this season have shown a tendency to struggle against the run. The Bills gave up 42 points against the Titans in week five and got torched by Clyde Edwards-Helaire a week later (161 yards) in two of their three losses this year. The other loss came against Kyler Murray and the Cardinals in the ‘Hail Murray’ game. What cannot be forgotten about that game was that the Bills gave up 217 yards in total rushing and two TD’s to Murray himself on the ground.
Kyler Murray is just about the best running quarterback in the NFL. The only better one is, you guessed it, Lamar Jackson. His transcendent speed at the quarterback position causes every defense nightmares.
Adding in JK Dobbins, Gus Edwards and a veteran Mark Ingram only further solidifies the Baltimore Ravens league best rushing attack, led by Offensive coordinator Greg Roman. Throughout the season, he has repeatedly shown his commitment to the run game, which has become the winning formula for the Ravens over their last six games.
The Bills must shut down the Ravens running game if they intend to make it back to the AFC championship game for the first time since Jim Kelly was quarterback 28 years ago.
On the offensive side of the ball, they need to get the ball into Stefon Diggs’ hands early and often for explosive plays while continuing to find slot receiver Cole Beasley over the middle on chain moving throws.
The favoured Bills have the home field advantage too, which may just get them over the line in what will be a tight, back and forth Divisional Round game.
#6 Cleveland Browns @ #1 Kansas City Chiefs
The Cleveland Browns have emerged from NFL laughing stock to serious contenders under the tutelage of head coach Kevin Stefanski. He has instilled confidence and swagger into this Browns unit and in particular Baker Mayfield. They are going to need all that and then some to beat the league best Chiefs.
Mahomes and the Chiefs are playing at a level unrivaled throughout the NFL. Mahomes went 14-1 as a starter this year while Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill put up first team all-pro numbers all year.
The Chiefs defence led by safety Tyrann Mathieu and defensive tackle Chris Jones have similarly improved from last year’s Super Bowl winning unit, holding Lamar Jackson, Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Deshaun Watson led offences under 30 points. Holding opponents to under this margin almost guarantees a win when Mahomes is the quarterback on the other side.
The key to success for the Browns will be keeping the ball away from Mahomes. Luckily for them, that is one of their strengths. Cleveland has the league’s best one two punch at running back with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Chubb will pound you on the ground, running over defenders and breaking tackles, while the swiss- army knife Hunt will finess his way into the end zone on third downs in both running and passing plays.
This has been the blueprint for Cleveland all season. After the loss of Odell Beckham Jr to a torn ACL in week 7, the Browns have embraced their identity and gone all in on the running game, thus helping Baker Mayfield improve as a quarterback.
Off the run game, the Browns have mixed in a heavy dose of play action, which allows Mayfield to get comfortable in games, make easy reads and find open targets. Since week 12, Mayfield has only thrown one interception. That ranks #1 among the remaining quarterbacks.
If the Browns are to have any chance in this game, they must stick to what they know and continue to play turnover free football, otherwise the Chiefs will pounce. They can put up points in bunches, just ask the Texans in last year’s Divisional Round.
Even at their absolute best, the Browns might just not have enough in them to hang with the reigning Super Bowl champions, but it will be a damn good game.
#5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ #2 New Orleans Saints
Brady v Bress III – the battle of the ageless ones.
This is what Tom Brady was brought to Tampa Bay to do, beat Drew Brees and the Saints.
The Bucs offence has been on fire lately and are far removed from their worst performance of the season – a 38-3 thrashing by the Saints in Week 9.
In that game, the Saints defence dominated the Bucs in every facet. Brady was sacked three times, threw three interceptions and the Bucs failed to find the end zone.
On the other hand, the Saints put in a masterclass. Bress threw 4 TD’s, Kamara added another one, all with Michael Thomas coming off an injured ankle.
He is now healthy and the Saints are fully loaded. They are not in the best of form, coming off a scrappy win over the Chicago Bears in the Wild Card Round. The Bucs themselves are coming off a win against the resilient Washington Football Team.
Last week doesn’t matter when these two teams face each other. They are division rivals. They know each other well.
Like the Bucs signing Brady to beat the Saints, the Saints themselves are constructed to beat the Bucs. They have a strong defensive line who can get after the quarterback, one of the best offensive lines to protect Bress, and a coach who is not afraid to roll the dice and play aggressively.
All this adds up to an instant classic down in the Big Easy. Two Hall of Fame quarterbacks, two dominant defences who can stop the run and get after the quarterback, skill players at every position, fierce rivals on and off the field.
It’s going to be fun.
Written by Dylan Parkes Dylan covers the NFL for nozebleeds. and supports the Green Bay Packers. You can find him on Twitter @dylanparkes4 and Instagram @dyl_parkes
Joel covers the NRL and the NBA for nozebleeds., supporting the St. George Illawarra Dragons and Los Angeles Lakers. You can find him on Instagram (@joelbeatton) and Twitter (@joelbeatton).
Just three years and eight months ago, the Atlanta Falcons were 18 minutes away from Super Bowl glory. They held a 28-3 lead deep into the third quarter and looked set to win the franchise’s first title. What ensued on that February night would go on to define an organisation, and Dan Quinn, in more ways than one.
Before he made his way to Atlanta, Quinn was the hottest assistant coach in the NFL. He was the defensive coordinator of the “Legion of Boom” and was monumental in helping the Seahawks win the Super Bowl in 2013.
He returned for another year and helped them get back to the Super Bowl, where they would lose to the New England Patriots on the now-famous goal line interception from Malcom Butler.
After that game, it was announced that Quinn would be the new head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. He inherited a team that had lost in the NFC Championship Game two years prior under the guidance of Mike Smith, In Smith’s final two years, the Falcons had found themselves out of the playoffs, which eventually led to his firing and owner Arthur Blank choosing Quinn as his replacement.
Quinn’s tenure as Head Coach was full of promise in his first three years. He started off his coaching career 5-0 in 2015, before losing 8 of the next 11 games and finishing 8-8. On the back of that season, the Falcons took it to new heights in 2016. With the league’s best offence, they steamrolled into Super Bowl LI. The Falcons started off hot, exploding to a 25-point lead that looked impossible to choke away. But choke they did.
Up 28-3 with two minutes left in the third quarter, conservative decisions from Quinn and some questionable play calling on both offence and defence led to the Falcons blowing the lead and losing the Super Bowl.
After that Super Bowl it was clear that the Falcons never got over the loss. Their franchise was immediately attached to the worst choke job in sports history and it was a tag the Falcons continued to live up to.
Since the 2016 season, the Atlanta Falcons have blown a total of five double digit leads when leading at halftime. Losses to the Chargers (Week 7, 2016), Patriots (Super Bowl LI), Dolphins (Week 6, 2017), Cowboys (Week 2, 2020) and Bears (Week 3, 2020) highlight a continuing issue that has plagued the Falcons, before and after their Super Bowl loss.
The embarrassment of that loss will plague the Falcons franchise until they lift the Lombardi trophy for the first time. They got close in 2017 a year after their Super Bowl loss, but ultimately lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles 15-10 in the divisional round.
What followed over the next two season’s was a team that was defined by its mediocrity. In 2018, they finished 7-9. After starting the season 3-0, the Falcons dropped nine of their next 13 games and limped to a second place finish in the NFC South. The following year the Falcons did not improve, nor did they regress, again finishing 7-9. This time around the Falcons did not start the year hot.
They started off the season 1-6 before winning six of their last nine games. The finish to the season prompted Blank to give Quinn one last try as head coach.
The writing was on the wall and it only got larger after the Falcons first three games of the season. In week two, the Falcons raced out to a 20-0 lead against the Cowboys in the first quarter. Fast forward into the fourth quarter, up 15, the Falcons began to see the lead slowly slip away, just as it has happened multiple times under Quinn’s leadership.
A spirited performance by Dak Prescott was overshadowed by an onside kick recovery from the Cowboys. The Falcons, clinging onto a two-point lead, needed to fall onto the ball with 1:48 remaining and they would have had the game won by running the clock out.
Their special teams unit, who had recovered their last three onside attempts, failed to dive onto a slowly spinning football and they went on to lose the game on a last second field goal attempt from Greg Zuerlein.
The pain of losing that game, a game they had a 99.9% chance of winning late in the third quarter, was made worse when they did it again a week later against the Chicago Bears. Again, up double digits at halftime, the Falcons went into the fourth quarter holding a 26-10 lead.
What ensued was a historic loss at the hands of backup quarterback Nick Foles. Over the past 20 seasons, no team in the NFL has blown multiple 15-point fourth quarter leads in the same season.
The Falcons did it in back-to back weeks.
These two losses were the final straw with Blank announcing after their Week 5 loss to the Panthers that Quinn would no longer be head coach of the Atlanta Falcons.
His tenure was short-lived and full of ups and downs but will ultimately be remembered for the Super Bowl LI collapse. The effect of that loss trickled down to every level of organisation, but none felt the effects more than Quinn himself.
His coaching, before and after the Super Bowl, was indicative of the Falcons’ fortunes. When he was coaching well, the team was winning and winning often, but when it was going bad, the Falcons looked horrible and often beat themselves.
A stunning 355 days since opening night and the Larry O’Brien Trophy is headed back to its West Coast home.
It has been a long season. An historically long season.
Soured relations with China, the tragic deaths of Kobe and Gianna Bryant, and a 141-day COVID hiatus were a lot for players to handle – even for a squad boasting the likes of former NBA champions LeBron James, Rajon Rondo, and Danny Green.
“We have a PhD in adversity,” Lakers’ head coach Frank Vogel declared postgame.
“I’m so damn proud of this team… Credit to this group right here.”
It’s difficult to pinpoint where this championship journey began.
It may have been the monumental July day in 2018 that LeBron James’ intentions to take his talents to Hollywood became public knowledge.
It may have been that mid-June day almost twelve months later when Rob Pelinka agreed to trade Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and a collection of future draft choices to New Orleans for six-time All-Star Anthony Davis.
Or…
It may have been the day that reigning-Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard orchestrated a deal that would bring he and Paul George to the franchise across the hallway at Staples Center.
Leonard had met with the Lakers, who were the hot favourites to secure his signature. Unbeknownst to many, Leonard had contacted several other NBA stars in hopes of uniting with them at the Clippers. George was the eventual beneficiary.
Leonard’s lengthy scheming and seeming indecisiveness prevented Pelinka from having shots at a number of other high-profile free agents.
Pelinka, a 1989 NCAA champion and long-time agent of Kobe Bryant, was forced to pile together the scraps that were left on the free agent market.
He brought back the likes of Rajon Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, JaVale McGee and Alex Caruso and brought in reigning-champion Danny Green, former All-Star DeMarcus Cousins, defensive stud Avery Bradley and former-champion Quinn Cook.
Former Pacers and Magic coach Frank Vogel was brought in after the axing of Luke Walton. He wasn’t the first choice, however. Tyronn Lue, who was Cleveland’s coach for their 2016 title run, and Monty Williams both turned down opportunities to coach the franchise.
Vogel’s acceptance of analytics, willingness to spend hours in the film room, defence-first attitude and ability to connect with high-profile personalities would serve him well.
Public opinion on Pelinka was not high; pundits jeered him relentlessly.
The Lakers were dealt another blow when high-profile acquisition DeMarcus Cousins tore his ACL during an August workout.
Joakim Noah and Kenneth Faried were floated as potential replacements, but it was one-time Laker Dwight Howard who won the front office over.
Following Howard’s ugly departure from the team in the summer of 2013, few saw a return of any sorts on the table.
The 34-year-old was desperate the right the wrongs of yesteryear and prove to a wider audience that he could have a positive presence within a locker-room.
Signing Howard would not be the only bold move of Pelinka’s to pay dividends.
The offseason provided plentiful amounts of fuel for Lakers’ players and fans in the form of snarky tweets and a genuine sentiment of doubt among media personalities.
Laker Nation kept those receipts in their back pocket all season long.
After a disappointing opening night loss to a Clippers squad sans Paul George, the Lakers went on a tear. They won 24 of their next 26 games to cruise atop the Western Conference standings.
Critics crowed on about the team’s weak schedule, but those in Lakerland saw the makings of a genuine contender.
They strung together four consecutive losses over a December stretch, culminating in a Christmas Day loss to the Clippers.
The naysayers were growing in numbers.
Kobe and Gianna Bryant’s deaths affected not just the organisation, but the basketball world immensely.
LeBron James had grown close to the Bryant family over the course of their respective careers, Anthony Davis was mentored by Kobe at the 2012 Olympics and stayed in close contact with him, Dwight Howard spent a season with Kobe in L.A. and had repaired what was a fractured relationship.
Rob Pelinka was one of Kobe’s closest friends and Jeanie Buss was like a big sister to him.
Quinn Cook grew up idolising him, Rajon Rondo met him twice in the NBA Finals, and Jared Dudley matched up against him in the 2010 Western Conference Finals.
The city was wounded.
The organisation was grieving.
“God gave me wide shoulders for a reason.”
It was these eight words from LeBron James that reassured the team and re-ignited a level of championship spirit.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Quinn Cook, and LeBron James prior to the first game played at Staples Center following the tragic deaths of Kobe and Gianna Bryant. (Photo by Robert Hanashiro/USA TODAY Sports)
Pelinka was tasked with navigating the league’s February trade deadline, whilst leading an organisation through a time of grief.
He held firm and decided against making any trades.
Other contenders made moves.
The Clippers acquired Marcus Morris, Sr. from the Knicks, the Heat acquired Andre Iguodala and Jae Crowder from the Grizzlies, and the Rockets embraced “micro-ball” by shipping out starting centre Clint Capela and bringing in Robert Covington.
Pelinka did waive injured bigman DeMarcus Cousins to sign Markieff Morris, who was bought out by the Pistons.
The last buyout acquisition to play over 100 postseason minutes on a title team was Peja Stojaković with the 2011 Dallas Mavericks. The acquisition of Morris was understandably glanced over by the national media.
His three-point shooting ability and defensive versatility mixed in with a level of sly doggedness enthused Laker fans.
The Lakers entered the All-Star break with a 41-12 record and Vogel’s staff accompanied Team LeBron at the All-Star Game.
It wasn’t until a weekend in early March, however, that the team properly flexed their muscles and proved that they could hang with championship heavyweights.
It began with a Friday night showdown against the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks.
With soon-to-be two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo at the helm and a steady assortment of two-way role-players, the Bucks had shown an unmatched level of regular season dominance.
It was the LeBron James and Anthony Davis show, however, on full display, with James putting up 37 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists and Davis dropping 30 points, 9 rebounds, and a pair of blocks in a 113-103 Lakers’ win.
Just two nights later, the Lakers found themselves matched up against the Clippers again.
“Battle of L.A.” talk had hovered over both teams during the course of the season.
The Lakers had lost both encounters against Leonard’s Clippers in somewhat worrying fashion.
It was another James and Davis-led masterclass, however, that resulted in a nine-point Lakers’ victory.
The league’s best duo combined for 58 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists, as James’ name began popping up in what was previously seen as a one-horse MVP race.
Just three days later, the NBA shut its season down indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some travelled home, some contracted the virus, some neglected their fitness.
Commissioner Adam Silver worked closely with the Players’ Association to work out a way to continue the season.
Orlando’s Walt Disney World Resort could house players, host games, and most importantly be free of the virus.
After 141 days of no basketball, our stars had returned.
The Lakers went just 3-5 in their seeding games due to a combination of rust and having little to play for, with the one-seed all but secured.
Avery Bradley, who started in 44 games for the Lakers and was regarded as a defensive tone-setter, elected to sit out the restart to instead be with his family, whilst Dion Waiters and J.R. Smith were two new backcourt additions. The Lakers’ backcourt depth was tested further when Rajon Rondo suffered a hand injury that would see him miss the seeding games and the first round of the playoffs.
In the first round they would face a red-hot Portland Trail Blazers outfit, led by an otherworldly Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum, Jusuf Nurkić and a rejuvenated Carmelo Anthony.
These Blazers were far from your regular eight-seed.
The Blazers won by seven in the first game of the series, behind 34 from Lillard and 21 from McCollum.
Questions surrounding the Lakers’ title credentials began soon began floating around.
Danny Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Alex Caruso were not seen as enough to slow down Portland’s dynamic backcourt, whilst the Blazers were able to match L.A.’s big lineups consisting of James, Davis, and McGee or Howard with Anthony, Nurkić, and Hassan Whiteside or Wenyen Gabriel.
Thankfully for L.A., Game 1 was nothing more than a blip on an otherwise dominant radar.
James and Davis took control of the series.
James averaged 28.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, and 8.8 apg on .650/.522/.774 shooting splits over the next four, whilst Davis was putting up 30.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg, and 5.0 apg on .662/.538/.718 shooting splits.
The supporting cast, which had been under the microscope all season long, also showed their worth.
It wasn’t the “third guy” that narrative-pushers had been squawking about all season long.
Caldwell-Pope put up 16 in the second game and 13 in the third, Kyle Kuzma had 18 in the fourth, and Caruso had seven points and four steals in a closeout Game 5 victory.
Each of those three were scrutinised at different stages of the season but stepped up when needed.
Caldwell-Pope was booed at Staples Center early in the season, Kuzma’s name swirled around in trade talks all season long, and Caruso was a “DNP — Coach’s Decision” on opening night.
The ability of role-players to step up when required was what separated the Lakers from other championship hopefuls.
It’s been the same for every Lakers’ title squad in recent memory. In 2009 and 2010, guys like Derek Fisher, Jordan Farmar, and Sasha Vujacić weren’t relied on every night but made plays when they were called upon.
In the Three-Peat years, it was Rick Fox, Robert Horry, and Brian Shaw.
The Lakers have always been a franchise built for superstars but Lakers’ fans always sing the praises of their productive role-players.
That’s Laker Folklore.
The second round presented a different challenge.
The Houston Rockets play-style was virtually unprecedented. The tallest player in their rotation – Robert Covington – was 6’ 8” and their starting centre – P.J. Tucker – was 6’ 5”. They played a five-out offence that aimed to neglect the midrange game. They were led by two former-MVPs in James Harden and Russell Westbrook and a solid compliment of role-players like Covington, Tucker, Eric Gordon and Jeff Green.
They had, however, barely scraped by a plucky, Chris Paul-led Thunder squad in the first round.
The series played out very similarly to the first round.
Game 1 ended in a concerning 15-point loss for the Lakers. “Micro-ball” had proven to trouble the Lakers who elected to change up their starting lineup after Game 3 for the first time on the year, relegating JaVale McGee to the bench in favour of the smaller Markieff Morris.
Despite a frustrating Game 1 defeat, nothing stopped the Lakers from completing another gentleman’s sweep made even sweeter by Westbrook’s misguided trash talk in the fourth quarter of Game 1.
From Games 2 to 5, James averaged 27.3 ppg, 11.0 rpg, and 7.5 apg, whilst Davis put up 25.5 ppg, 12.0 rpg, and 4.8 apg.
It was Rajon Rondo, however, that played his way into Lakers’ fans hearts. Following two lacklustre regular seasons marked by inefficiency and dreadful on-off splits, the former All-Star showed the world that “Playoff Rondo” still exists, averaging 14.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 8.7 apg and 2.3 spg from Games 2 to 4 in the Houston series.
Lakers’ fans knew that if they got this version of Rondo all postseason long, little would prevent them from claiming championship #17.
Meanwhile on the other side of the bracket, the preseason title favourites were knocked out in the second round.
Leonard and George’s Clippers found themselves up three games to one on a young Denver squad who looked to be down and out after a gruelling seven-game series against Utah, in which they also trailed 3-1.
Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray went on to dominate the Clippers in three straight games to become the first team in league history to come back from multiple 3-1 deficits in the same postseason.
After a year-long conversation surrounding the “Battle of L.A.”, the Clippers failed to hold up their end of the bargain, much to the delight of Lakers’ fans.
Instead, the Lakers were to face a scorching Nuggets team – dubbed “The Comeback Kids” – who had nothing to lose and a level of unbridled swagger.
The Lakers took the series opener on the back of a 37-point, 10-rebound effort from Davis.
Howard had his best scoring outing of the postseason, with 13 points to go along with a pair of blocks and a pair of steals, whilst Caldwell-Pope added 18 points of his own.
Game 2 of the series would be as memorable as any other.
Scores tied with 2.1 seconds on the game clock and a Rondo inbounds pass found its way to Anthony Davis.
The rest was history.
Anthony Davis sinks a three-point bomb with no time left on the clock to give the Lakers a 2-0 series lead Western Conference Finals. (Photo by Mark J. Terrill/AP)
Davis hit a three over the outstretched arm of Jokić to win it for the Lakers, joining Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Robert Horry, Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest as the only Lakers to hit a playoff game-winner at the buzzer.
Howard was substituted into the starting lineup after a Game 3 loss for McGee in an attempt to rough up Jokić and make him work a little harder for buckets, again demonstrating Vogel’s willingness to make adjustments on the fly, which does not come naturally to all coaches.
The Lakers went on to complete another gentleman’s sweep and advance to the Western Conference Finals.
In the series, James averaged 27.0 ppg, 10.4 rpg, and 9.0 apg, whilst Davis averaged 31.2 ppg and 6.2 rpg, and Caldwell-Pope and Morris shot a combined 16-of-34 from three.
James and Davis’ squad became the first Lakers to reach the NBA Finals since Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol’s 2010 outfit.
History was being made.
Their next series would be their toughest yet.
The fifth-seeded Miami Heat found a way to become the lowest-seeded team to reach the NBA Finals since the 1999 New York Knicks.
Led by head coach Erik Spoelstra, who won back-to-back titles with James in 2012 and 2013, All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, and a band of expectation-shattering role-players in the form of Goran Dragić, Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson and Jae Crowder, the Heat had troubled teams all season long.
After making light work of an injured Indiana Pacers squad in the first round, the Heat dismantled the league’s MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the one-seed Milwaukee Bucks in five games, before taking care of a talented Boston Celtics team in six.
Game 1 could not have gone any worse for the Heat.
Dragić failed to finish the game after tearing his plantar fascia and Adebayo also left the contest early with a neck strain.
After a sloppy start, the Lakers went on to engineer a stunning 77-34 run to sink the Heat and take a 1-0 series lead.
Davis had 34 points and 9 rebounds with 3 blocks, whilst James had 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists, and Caruso added 10 points and 4 rebounds off the bench.
Game 2 was another dominant display from L.A.’s dynamic duo that led to a purple-and-gold victory.
James and Davis combined for 65 points and 23 rebounds, whilst Rondo added to his playoff aura with a 16-point, 10-assist effort off the bench.
Miami clawed their way back into the series with a 115-104 Game 3 win, behind an astonishing 40 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists from Butler.
Underestimating the resolve within Miami’s camp had the potential to prove costly for the Lakers.
Vogel’s men, however, kept resorting to a Kobe Bryant presser answer from after Game 2 of the 2009 NBA Finals whenever their minds began to shift from their day-to-day goals.
“Job’s not finished.”
They responded with a six-point Game 4 victory in which James and Davis combined for 50 points, 21 rebounds, and 12 assists. It was Davis’ defensive prowess – headlined by a quartet of blocks – that epitomised what the Lakers were about and made them so tough to beat.
Up 3-1, the Lakers had the perfect chance to close out the series and end the city’s decade-long championship drought.
Additionally, the league office had approved the team’s plan to wear their snake-skinned “Black Mamba” jerseys, which they had not lost in.
Butler and the Heat had other plans though.
The 31-year-old crafted an all-time great Finals performance, finishing the game with 35 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and 5 steals.
Robinson connected on seven three-point attempts to finish with 26 points, whilst undrafted rookie Kendrick Nunn poured in 14 points off the bench.
It felt like the Lakers wasted a LeBron James masterpiece, with the King dropping 40 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists on 15-of-21 from the field and 6-of-9 from three in the loss.
Confidence was still high in Lakerland heading into Game 6.
The squad had not dropped back-to-back games at any point of the postseason.
Vogel adjusted his rotation yet again by inserting Caruso into the starting lineup for Howard.
It was clear early on that the Lakers, cloaked in their Sunday Whites, would not let another closeout game go to waste, with their Davis-anchored defence putting on a clinic.
Miami scored just 36 points in the first half and the Lakers took a 28-point lead into the intermission – the second-widest margin in NBA Finals history.
Spoelstra’s men may have found some solace in the second half but it was mostly for show.
The Larry O’Brien Trophy was headed back to its West Coast home.
The Los Angeles Lakers secure the franchise’s 17th NBA title, tied for the most all-time. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty)
James finished with 28 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. Davis had 19 points and 15 rebounds. Rondo poured in 19 points off the bench. Caldwell-Pope had 17. The game’s best plus-minus fittingly belonged to the one-time G-Leaguer Alex Caruso.
An emotional Davis sat off to the side as his ecstatic teammates scrummed across the hardwood.
“I know he’s looking down on us proud,” Davis said when questioned about Bryant’s influence on the group.
“I know Vanessa’s proud of us, the organisation’s proud of us… It means a lot to us.”
It’s hard to remember a championship with so many caveats and points of remembrance.
James secured his fourth title and fourth Finals MVP, joining Michael Jordan as the only players to do so. He also joins Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant as players to win a Finals MVP with the Lakers.
Davis capped off his dream season with a ring, becoming the latest all-time great bigman to don the purple and gold.
Rondo became the only player since Clyde Lovellette in 1954 and 1962 to win titles with the Celtics and Lakers.
Howard kept his promise of righting the wrongs of his departure from the Lakers in the summer of 2013 and added a championship to his first-ballot Hall of Fame résumé.
Green secured his third NBA title, after winning in San Antonio in 2014 and Toronto in 2019.
McGee secured his third NBA title, after winning titles in 2017 and 2018 with Golden State.
Caldwell-Pope, the longest-tenured player on the team, secured his first ring.
Kuzma and Caruso backed up their 2017 Summer League Championship with an NBA Championship.
Rookie Talen Horton-Tucker became the first player born in the 2000s to win an NBA championship.
Vogel became the sixth head coach in Lakers’ history to win a title, joining John Kundla, Bill Sharman, Paul Westhead, Pat Riley and Phil Jackson.
Jeanie Buss became the first female owner in NBA history to win a championship.
She certainly knew what it meant for the city.
“You’ve done Los Angeles proud with your hard work,” she said postgame.
“You have written your own inspiring chapter in the great Laker history… I will bring back the trophy to Los Angeles, where it belongs.”
Most importantly for Lakers’ fans, this title saw them tie the Boston Celtics for the most all-time championships, with 17.
Considering Boston held a 16-to-9 advantage at the conclusion of the 1986 NBA Finals, Los Angeles have completed quite the chase-down job.
Few franchises in world sport boast a history quite like the Lakers.
George Mikan won titles with the Minneapolis Lakers in the ‘40s and ‘50s.
Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain tasted championship success in 1972.
Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and the Showtime Lakers ran the league in the ‘80s.
Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal led the Lakers to a three-peat at the turn of the century.
Bryant went back-to-back again in ’09 and ’10.
Now, LeBron James and Anthony Davis have written their own chapter in Laker folklore.
Welcome to the Roarin’ ‘20s.
In his postgame presser, James did have one request.
“We just want our respect. Rob wants his respect. Coach Vogel wanted his respect. Our organisation want their respect. Laker Nation want their respect,” the four-time MVP said.
“And I want my damn respect too.”
Respect or not…
They are the champs.
A contemplative LeBron James enjoys a victory cigar. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty)
Joel covers the NRL and the NBA for nozebleeds., supporting the St. George Illawarra Dragons and Los Angeles Lakers. You can find him on Instagram (@joelbeatton) and Twitter (@joelbeatton).
With a quarter of the NFL season in the books, we here at nozebleeds. curated a list ranking the best and worst teams from the start of the 2020 season.
1. Kansas City Chiefs (4-0)
Last year’s Super Bowl champions have shown no signs of slowing down. The addition of Clyde Edwards-Helaire has only made the offence better, whilst defensively they rank in the top three in points conceded.
2. Seattle Seahawks (4-0)
Russell Wilson has dominated opposing defences through the first four weeks of the season and is currently among the MVP favourites. Seattle will face tougher tests in their divisional matchups later in their schedule but certainly look like an early season contender in the NFC.
3. Green Bay Packers (4-0)
Aaron Rodgers has re-found his MVP form while Matt LaFleur is quietly emerging as a top head coach in the NFL. The Packers offence is number-one in the NFL in points scored, whilst Za’Darius Smith is tied for the league-lead with five sacks.
4. Buffalo Bills (4-0)
If it wasn’t for quarterbacks above him Josh Allen would be the NFL’s MVP through four weeks. The Bills’ offence has taken a giant leap forward from last year with the off-season addition of Stefon Diggs. The AFC East is theirs to lose this year with Tom Brady now in Tampa Bay.
Besides a slipup against Kansas City, Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens have dominated their opponents. Like the Seahawks, Baltimore will face tougher teams within their division, which will determine if they can match last year’s success.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0)
The Steelers have jumped out to a 3-0 start off the back of Big Ben’s return and a defence that ranks 2nd in the NFL. The Steelers will be a serious threat to the Ravens in the AFC North this season.
7. Tennessee Titans (3-0)
Like the Steelers, the Tennessee Titans have only played three games due to a COVID-19 outbreak in their team’s bubble. The Titans are among six teams that are still unbeaten through four weeks of play.
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
Tampa Bay looks the real deal in the NFC South and have emerged as the early season favourites to win the division despite early losses to both New Orleans and Chicago. Their offence ranks in the top 10 in points per game, while their defence ranks in the top five in yards allowed.
9. Indianapolis Colts (3-1)
The Indianapolis Colts defence has been nothing short of superb through the first four games. The Colts have only conceded three touchdowns in the last three games after a shock week one performance against Jacksonville.
10. Chicago Bears (4-1)
Inconsistent quarterback play has again plagued the Bears despite jumping out to a 4-1 start. The defence has shown the ability to dominate this season and will be a major contributor to any success the Bears have this season.
11. Cleveland Browns (3-1)
The Dawg Pound is barking after three straight wins for the Browns. The offence has scored 30+ points in the three wins, while Myles Garrett is tied for the NFL lead with five sacks.
12. Los Angeles Rams (3-1)
The Rams’ three wins have all come against NFC East teams, which is arguably the worst division in football. Aaron Donald remains the best defensive player in the NFL, whilst their offense ranks 7th in total yards through four weeks.
13. New England Patriots (2-2)
The Patriots only two losses have come against the Chiefs and Seahawks. Cam Newton has been a revelation at QB and their success will be determined by how he plays when he eventually returns after contracting COVID-19.
Patriots returned to their facility Saturday after three days away, but QB Cam Newton and DB Stephon Gilmore, who are both on the reserve/COVID-19 list, did not practice.https://t.co/RQcdRF7Svf
A surprise win over the New Orleans Saints was the highlight of the opening four weeks for Jon Gruden’s Raiders. Josh Jacobs and Darren Waller have emerged as legitimate stars in the NFL, whilst Derek Carr has had a quietly impressive start to 2020.
15. New Orleans Saints (2-2)
The biggest surprise in the NFL has been the Saints’ slow start to the season. Drew Brees is not the same without All-Pro wide receiver Michael Thomas and the defence has been inconsistent through the opening four weeks.
16. San Francisco 49ers (2-2)
San Francisco has had a horrid run of injuries through the opening four weeks but still sits at .500. Their defence has remained one of the league’s best groups and if they can get healthy their season will definitely turn around.
17. Carolina Panthers (2-2)
The Carolina Panthers have won back-to-back games because of steady quarterback play from Teddy Bridgewater after starting 0-2. If he can continue to manage games and look after the football, the Panthers will have an outside chance of making the playoffs in the NFC.
18. Arizona Cardinals (2-2)
DeAndre Hopkins has been a huge addition for a young Cardinals team finding their feet in the tough NFC West. Kyler Murray has shown flashes of greatness in the midst of some frustrating growing pains, which has contributed to their 2-2 start.
19. Philadelphia Eagles (1-2-1)
Carson Wentz’s horrible start to the season will surely have Eagles fans worried. Contrary to the Cardinals, the Eagles are fortunate to be playing in what looks like the worst division in football.
20. Cincinnati Bengals (1-2-1)
Joe Burrow has looked like the real deal in the opening four weeks despite being the second-most sacked quarterback in the NFL. The Bengals could easily be sitting at 2-2 right now if it wasn’t for the week three tie against Philadelphia.
21. Los Angeles Chargers (1-3)
A somewhat disappointing start to the season for a team many thought to be playoff-bound. One bright spot has been the play of rookie quarterback Justin Herbert, after week one starter Tyrod Taylor had his lung punctured by team doctors.
22. Detroit Lions (1-3)
Detroit could easily be 2-2 right now if it wasn’t for a miraculous fourth-quarter comeback by the Chicago Bears in week one. Their other two losses have come against Green Bay and New Orleans – teams who will definitely be in playoff contention come January.
23. Dallas Cowboys (1-3)
“How ‘bout them Cowboys”… Dallas’ defence has given up the most points in the NFL this year, while their offence has gained the most yards. Dallas will need to fix up the issues all over their defence if they have any aspirations of making the playoffs in 2020.
24. Minnesota Vikings (1-3)
Another early shock this season has been the sub-par play of the Minnesota Vikings. The defence has looked shaky at best, whilst Kirk Cousins has thrown the second most interceptions in the entire NFL.
25. Miami Dolphins (1-3)
New year, same old Miami Dolphins. Head Coach Brian Flores has the Dolphins going in the right direction, however, that vision is still many years from coming into fruition.
26. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-3)
After a surprise week win against the Colts, the Jaguars went back to their losing ways and that doesn’t look like changing. Jacksonville will be right in the hunt for the rights to select projected number-one pick Trevor Lawrence in next year’s draft.
27. Washington Football Team (1-3)
Four weeks in and QB Dwayne Haskins has already been benched for backup Kyle Allen. Like the Miami Dolphins, Head Coach Ron Rivera has the football team going in the right direction, but just not in season 2020.
28. Denver Broncos (1-3)
Denver’s only win has come against the awful New York Jets. Denver’s offence has been shocking to start the season, ranking in the bottom five in both yards per game and points per game.
29. Houston Texans (0-4)
After losing to Kansas City in the divisional round and trading DeAndre Hopkins in the offseason, the Houston Texans franchise has turned into a disaster. This came to a head with the firing of head coach/general manager Bill O’Brien.
30. Atlanta Falcons (0-4)
If it wasn’t for the two teams from New York, the Falcons would be the worst team in football right now. Losses to the Seahawks and Packers can be forgiven, but the way they infamously gave away fourth quarter leads against Dallas and Chicago cannot.
31. New York Giants (0-4)
The second worst team in New York is something to be proud about Giants’ fans. The Giants certainly don’t look giant after four weeks and it doesn’t look like it will get any better in season 2020.
32. New York Jets (0-4)
Another year, same old New York Jets. The Jets have been an embarrassment for the last 10 years and this year certainly isn’t any different.
Written by Dylan Parkes
Dylan covers the NFL for nozebleeds., supporting the Green Bay Packers. You can find him on Instagram at (@dyl_parkes) and Twitter (@dylanparkes4).
With the NRL’s regular season wrapping up, it’s time for fans to look back at the season that was and reminisce about the stars who will be remembered. Each year, the league hands out positional awards, among many others. Positional awards have been met with scrutiny in past years, with a number of surprising and arguably undeserved players being crowned as the best their position has to offer.
Rugby league is never one to shy away from improvements. We’ve taken the corner post out of play, The Bunker has been instituted, and we’ve introduced the six-again rule.
The concept of an “All-NRL Team” is derived from the NBA’s All-NBA Teams, or the NFL’s All-Pro Teams.
A selection of players are chosen based on position to create three 13-man lineups, aiming to provide a snapshot of who dominated any given season.
For this exercise, Dally M votes will be tossed out the window. It will instead come down to opinion.
You may be questioning the point of these teams. It aims to reward a larger pool of players. Certain players may never find themselves winning a positional award but may have finished second or third in voting on several occasions. They deserve some type of recognition.
It also feels unjust that only a singular player from each position is rewarded with an accolade. Look at the front-rowers, for examples. This year, Josh Papalii, Payne Haas, David Klemmer, James Fisher-Harris, Sio Siua Taukeiaho and Junior Paulo have all had tremendous seasons for their respective clubs but, under the current awards system, only one will receive recognition for their outstanding seasons. That doesn’t sit right with me.
Also, it stirs up debate – the cornerstone of all sporting discourse. Was Roger Tuivasa-Sheck better than James Tedesco this year?
Maybe.
To qualify, players must have played at least 15 games.
Breaking it down by team becomes interesting. There were undoubtedly some tough omissions. Jarome Luai and Cameron Munster had superb seasons and came close to edging out Cody Walker for the final five-eighth spot, who may not have found himself there had the competition ended two weeks earlier. Cameron McInnes would not have looked out of place in the third team but Cameron Murray was given the nod in the final lock spot. Kyle Feldt and Sione Katoa both had great seasons on the flank but were ultimately edged out by Alex Johnston’s fast finish.
Some of the team breakdowns feel slightly off. Some Storm players may be unlucky to miss out, whilst Knights fans may feel hard done by having less representation than the Tigers. Also, the Titans, who are the only team other than the Bulldogs to have zero players selected, are very unlucky. The likes of Jamal Fogarty, Brian Kelly, Moeaki Fotuaika and Jai Arrow all came into consideration but fell just short. It’s a testament to Justin Holbrook’s coaching job, as well as the ticker of those who have put on the jersey this season.
Some players who failed to play in 15 games had outstanding seasons. The likes of Latrell Mitchell, Kotoni Staggs, Angus Crichton, Daniel Saifiti, Brian To’o, Daniel Tupou, Bradman Best, Alexander Brimson and David Fifita would have all been in consideration had they appeared in more games. The bar could be lowered to potentially include some of these player but 75% felt like a fair cut-off point.
The system is far from perfect but in my opinion does a better job than the current system of awarding those who have stood out this season. More players are recognised for their on-field contributions and it gives fans more fuel for debate and more potential accolades for players on their résumés.
Joel covers the NRL and the NBA for nozebleeds., supporting the St. George Illawarra Dragons and Los Angeles Lakers. You can find him on Instagram (@joelbeatton) and Twitter (@joelbeatton).
A few weeks ago, we determined which ball-runners get the most bang for their buck when carrying the football by analysing Metres per Run (MPR).
Now, we delve into which yardage men mean the most to their teams by analysing players’ Percentage of Team Run Metres (%TMR).
The purpose of this statistic is to illustrate which players are relied on the heaviest by their respective clubs for yardage; the players who “carry” their teams.
As with all statistics, view these numbers in context.
Rk
Name
MIN
Tm
RM
TRM
%TRM
1
Jason TAUMALOLO
801
NQL
2,472
18,652
13.25
2
Payne HAAS
941
BRI
2,150
16,513
13.02
3
David NOFOALUMA
1,040
WST
2,235
18,390
12.15
4
Roger TUIVASA-SHECK
960
NZW
2,250
18,675
12.05
5
James TEDESCO
865
SYD
2,284
20,430
11.18
6
Ryan PAPENHUYZEN
957
MEL
2,079
19,359
10.74
7
Charnze NICOLL-KLOKSTAD
889
CAN
1,991
18,673
10.66
8
Adam DOUEIHI
1,002
WST
1,934
18,390
10.52
9
James FISHER-HARRIS
793
PEN
2,147
20,976
10.24
10
Tohu HARRIS
1,006
NZW
1,893
18,675
10.14
11
Reagan CAMPBELL-GILLARD
759
PAR
2,209
21,846
10.11
12
Josh PAPALII
740
CAN
1,877
18,673
10.05
13
Addin FONUA-BLAKE
571
MAN
1,830
18,322
9.99
14
Dallin WATENE-ZELEZNIAK
1,030
CBY
1,775
17,838
9.95
15
David KLEMMER
722
NEW
2,065
20,802
9.93
16
Josh MANSOUR
970
PEN
2,042
20,976
9.73
17
Sio Siua TAUKEIAHO
709
SYD
1,987
20,430
9.73
18
Moeaki FOTUAIKA
667
GCT
1,585
16,350
9.69
19
Clinton GUTHERSON
1,048
PAR
2,115
21,846
9.68
20
Thomas BURGESS
619
SOU
1,833
19,030
9.63
21
Patrick CARRIGAN
759
BRI
1,540
16,513
9.33
22
Kyle FELDT
1,028
NQL
1,730
18,652
9.28
23
Paul VAUGHAN
635
STI
1,815
19,664
9.23
24
Junior PAULO
715
PAR
1,973
21,846
9.03
25
Dane GAGAI
1,010
SOU
1,705
19,030
8.96
26
Toby RUDOLF
590
CRO
1,601
18,111
8.84
27
Aaron WOODS
692
CRO
1,601
18,111
8.84
28
Josh ALOIAI
652
WST
1,618
18,390
8.80
29
Josh McGUIRE
733
NQL
1,616
18,652
8.66
30
Sione KATOA
1,026
CRO
1,557
18,111
8.60
31
Jai ARROW
755
GCT
1,393
16,350
8.52
32
Blake FERGUSON
968
PAR
1,834
21,846
8.40
33
Kalyn PONGA
938
NEW
1,745
20,802
8.39
34
James TAMOU
559
PEN
1,752
20,976
8.35
35
Hymel HUNT
1,050
NEW
1,725
20,802
8.29
36
Tino FAASUAMALEAUI
573
MEL
1,580
19,359
8.16
37
Mikaele RAVALAWA
888
STI
1,557
19,664
7.92
38
Isaah YEO
957
PEN
1,647
20,976
7.85
39
Dylan NAPA
706
CBY
1,395
17,838
7.82
40
Jesse RAMIEN
905
CRO
1,412
18,111
7.80
41
Euan AITKEN
771
STI
1,532
19,664
7.79
42
Campbell GRAHAM
948
SOU
1,477
19,030
7.76
43
Francis MOLO
516
NQL
1,435
18,652
7.69
44
Alex JOHNSTON
862
SOU
1,464
19,030
7.69
45
Brian KELLY
808
GCT
1,254
16,350
7.67
46
Aiden TOLMAN
662
CBY
1,368
17,838
7.67
47
Martin TAUPAU
524
MAN
1,384
18,322
7.55
48
Raymond FAITALA-MARINER
881
CBY
1,339
17,838
7.51
49
Phillip SAMI
850
GCT
1,220
16,350
7.46
50
Matthew DUFTY
880
STI
1,461
19,664
7.43
51
Tyson FRIZELL
1,033
STI
1,450
19,664
7.37
52
Ken MAUMALO
640
NZW
1,368
18,675
7.33
53
Josh ADDO-CARR
961
MEL
1,405
19,359
7.26
54
Blake LAWRIE
564
STI
1,409
19,664
7.17
55
Tevita TATOLA
624
SOU
1,353
19,030
7.11
56
Jordan PEREIRA
720
STI
1,395
19,664
7.09
57
Daniel TUPOU
643
SYD
1,449
20,430
7.09
58
Nick COTRIC
1,048
CAN
1,322
18,673
7.08
59
Maika SIVO
1,047
PAR
1,535
21,846
7.03
60
Jacob SAIFITI
582
NEW
1,458
20,802
7.01
61
Jake TRBOJEVIC
1,015
MAN
1,275
18,322
6.96
62
Nick MEANEY
872
CBY
1,234
17,838
6.92
63
Lindsay COLLINS
476
SYD
1,400
20,430
6.85
64
Moses SULI
859
MAN
1,255
18,322
6.85
65
Anthony DON
960
GCT
1,119
16,350
6.84
66
Reuben GARRICK
1,026
MAN
1,243
18,322
6.78
67
Braden HAMLIN-UELE
528
CRO
1,227
18,111
6.77
68
Luciano LEILUA
1,007
WST
1,232
18,390
6.70
69
Shaun LANE
995
PAR
1,463
21,846
6.70
70
Nelso ASOFA-SOLOMONA
392
MEL
1,295
19,359
6.69
71
Tevita PANGAI, JR.
624
BRI
1,098
16,513
6.65
72
Daniel SAIFITI
462
NEW
1,375
20,802
6.61
73
Marata NIUKORE
570
PAR
1,438
21,846
6.58
74
Moses LEOTA
415
PEN
1,375
20,976
6.56
75
Jaiman JOLLIFFE
436
GCT
1,067
16,350
6.53
76
Michael JENNINGS
1,010
PAR
1,421
21,846
6.50
77
Jared WAEREA-HARGREAVES
508
SYD
1,323
20,430
6.48
78
Dale FINUCANE
681
MEL
1,253
19,359
6.47
79
Justin OLAM
952
MEL
1,253
19,359
6.47
80
Zac LOMAX
1,040
STI
1,254
19,664
6.38
81
Esan MARSTERS
799
NQL
1,175
18,652
6.30
82
Jorge TAUFUA
870
MAN
1,151
18,322
6.28
83
Tyrone PEACHEY
795
GCT
1,021
16,350
6.24
84
Herbie FARNWORTH
813
BRI
1,031
16,513
6.24
85
Jordan RAPANA
640
CAN
1,165
18,673
6.24
86
Stephen CRICHTON
932
PEN
1,296
20,976
6.18
87
Jamayne TAUNOA-BROWN
502
NZW
1,149
18,675
6.15
88
Xavier COATES
720
BRI
1,012
16,513
6.13
89
Brian TO’O
634
PEN
1,282
20,976
6.11
90
Bradman BEST
730
NEW
1,271
20,802
6.11
91
Herman ESE’ESE
521
NEW
1,268
20,802
6.10
92
Patrick HERBERT
839
NZW
1,126
18,675
6.03
93
Joseph TAPINE
709
CAN
1,121
18,673
6.00
94
Suliasi VUNIVALU
885
MEL
1,161
19,359
6.00
95
Jesse BROMWICH
503
MEL
1,153
19,359
5.96
96
Taniela PASEKA
372
MAN
1,090
18,322
5.95
97
Thomas FLEGLER
519
BRI
976
16,513
5.91
98
Cameron MURRAY
865
SOU
1,101
19,030
5.79
99
Peta HIKU
826
NZW
1,069
18,675
5.72
100
Joseph MANU
1,045
SYD
1,159
20,430
5.67
The 100 most valuable ball-runners of 2020.
Jason Taumalolo’s place atop the table would shock few. The 27-year-old has cemented himself as one of the greatest yardage forwards in rugby league history and churns out machine-like numbers on a yearly basis.
Similarly, Payne Haas’ insane numbers are a testament to his motor, as well as an indication of Brisbane’s dismal 2020. At just 20, Haas has consistently taken it to opponents, whilst his teammates have sat idly by and watched.
Fullbacks have long been amongst rugby league’s most well-rounded ball-runners. Five fullbacks – Tuivasa-Sheck, Tedesco, Papenhuyzen, Nicoll-Klokstad and Doueihi – find themselves in the top 10.
Sea Eagles front-rower Addin Fonua-Blake also deserves a mention. Despite playing just 571 minutes thus far in 2020, he ranks 13th in percentage of team run metres. For reference, no player in the top 40 has played less minutes than him.
Despite Taumalolo’s supreme numbers, the Cowboys find themselves sitting at 14th on the ladder, tied in the wins column with the Broncos. It may be time for the Cowboys’ higher-ups to re-consider the way they utilise their million-dollar superstar.
Glossary – Rk = rank, MIN = minutes played, Tm = team, RM = run metres, TRM = team run metres, %TRM = percentage of team run metres.
All stats provided are courtesy of FoxSports’ NRL Lab.
Joel covers the NRL and the NBA for nozebleeds., supporting the St. George Illawarra Dragons and Los Angeles Lakers. You can find him on Instagram (@joelbeatton) and Twitter (@joelbeatton).
Most Raiders fans were thinking the same thing when Josh Hodgson went down clutching his knee in round nine.
“We are now out of the premiership race.”
Now, three rounds later and Raiders are still pushing for the top four and seem to be as relevant as ever.
Hodgson’s injury was the culmination of several weeks of injury problems. John Bateman’s season was halted by shoulder surgery complications and a contract saga ending in his planned departure from the club; many predicted he would not play again for Canberra. Corey Horsburgh, Emre Guler, and Iosia Soliola all picked up long term injuries and left the Raiders forward pack looking extremely threadbare. Now, with their star hooker gone for the season, things were looking bleak for the Green Machine. Some fans were even questioning if the top eight was possible.
Three rounds later, with over half the season gone and the top teams breaking away from the pack, Canberra are somehow managing to stay in contention.
They haven’t lost since Hodgson’s injury and they have also beaten the Roosters – a feat they were unable to achieve in three attempts in 2019.
So, what is it that is keeping the Raiders so relevant without their on-field leader in Hodgson and several of their premier forwards?
There are many reasons. Josh Papalii is one of the best forwards in the competition – his 207 runs in 12 games is the sixth best in the competition for any forward. Given his size and the minutes he plays, this is outstanding. They have two extremely good halves. Jack Wighton is certainly the strongest runner of the ball at five-eight in the NRL, averaging over 11 metres per run. George Williams, similarly, is one of the top running halfback. Also, 22-year-old Tom Starling has filled in for Hodgson at hooker excellently and will surely be one of the competition’s breakout stars.
However, there is something else. Something that often goes unnoticed in the age of stats and performance metrics that the Raiders may do better than anyone else. They improvise.
Every team has two or three players, usually in their spine, whose job is to play heads-up football and make decisions based on the defensive line they see before them. Canberra have seven of those players.
Hodgson’s injury has ruled him out of the rest of the season, so we won’t focus on him, but clearly a big part of Raider’s success last year was his ball stripping. A completely situational skill that is all about being more aware than your opponent.
It also goes without saying that two of their greatest improvisors are Wighton and Williams. Any half worth their salt should be able to identify when there is an opportunity to attack and create off the cuff. These two do it as well as anyone.
Beyond these three, there are four more players that stand out in their ability to extemporise.
The most obvious exponent of improvisation is John Bateman. His soccer dribbling skills against the Bulldogs last year are imprinted in everybody’s memory. Even last week returning from injury, he was up to his old tricks. When the set-play had seemingly broken down on the right and no overlap had been created, he was able to break the rushing centre’s tackle and force a basketball pass to his teammate over the opposition winger’s head. Truly impressive for his first game back and shows how instinctual improvisation is to him.
Fellow English, second-rower Elliot Whitehead is often overlooked. Not blessed with Bateman’s footwork or fend, he is no less crafty when faced with a broken defensive line. Shockingly, he has the same number of tries as Kalyn Ponga and James Tedesco this year which is a testament to his quality in attack. The most recent example of his improvisational ability was against the Eels. In the final minutes when chasing the game, he was able to throw the dummy and break Parramatta’s line which took the game to golden point. This was not a set play, normally the play would be to create the overlap on the wing, but Whitehead saw the opportunity and took it.
Then there is 2019 breakout fullback, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, who has not been as consistent in defence as he was last year but runs the ball as much as any other fullback. He may not be as flashy or prolific as Ponga or Tedesco but he is extremely capable of making improvised plays. His ability to think on his feet was evident against the Roosters in Round 10. After a set play broke down on the right side, he was able to bring the play back to the left then deftly kick behind with his weaker left foot for Jarrod Croker to score – an improvised play any half would be proud of.
Finally, Jordan Rapana. Cooper Cronk’s assessment of Rapana last week as “the best on ground” was laughed off by Rapana himself – he suggested that Cronk was watching another game. However, maybe Cronk was referring to this ability to be one step ahead of the opposition (he surely wasn’t referring to Rapana’s defensive work). His most notable play came when the Raiders had an advantage from a Cowboys’ knock-on. He kicked forward for himself in his own twenty catching the opposition completely off-guard, showing how quickly he thinks in heads-up situations. It has been extremely fortunate the Raiders were able to bring Rapana back from Japanese Rugby Union given how inconsistent their wingers have been this season and the injuries to Nicoll-Klokstad at fullback.
So why do they have so many players with this ability?
It’s hard to put it down to one single factor. Usually, when you get a special group of players in one team it is partly by design and partly just dumb luck. However, it does strike me that these players possess a creative spark like that of their coach and former halfback Ricky Stuart. Therefore, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if Stuart was extremely good at identifying and encouraging that instinctual creative ability in his players.
It also stands out that four of these great improvisers are English and cut their teeth in the Super League. This competition is renowned for having more broken defensive lines and disorganisation, so players who can take advantage of that through quick thinking, with improvisation rewarded greatly. This is sometimes detrimental to a Super League player’s NRL career. We saw with Sam Tomkins, whose ability to run at broken defences is beyond any Englishman’s in the modern era, struggled in the NRL – probably because defences were more organised and he had to rely more on the set-play. However, Canberra’s Super League graduates have used it to their advantage fully.
The answer is surely a mixture of the two. Stuart has identified what his English cohort are good at and with their help has built a team culture that encourages experimentation and improvisation.
Written by Jacob Lees
Jacob is a UK-based sportswriter who covers a number of sports.
As the 2020 NFL season approaches, our writers at nozebleeds. have curated a list of the NFL’s 100 best players from season 2019. The rankings are based on last season’s performances, taking into account both regular season and playoffs.
100. Corey Littleton (ILB — Los Angeles Rams)
99. Josh Jacobs (RB — Las Vegas Raiders)
98. Marshon Lattimore (CB — New Orleans Saints)
97. Budda Baker (S — Arizona Cardinals)
96. Darius Slay (CB — Philadelphia Eagles)
95. Tyron Smith (OT — Dallas Cowboys)
94. Larry Fitzgerald (WR — Arizona Cardinals)
93. Kyler Murray (QB — Arizona Cardinals)
92. Jaire Alexander (CB — Green Bay Packers)
91. Mark Andrews (TE — Baltimore Ravens)
90. Earl Thomas (FS — Baltimore Ravens)
89. Jimmy Garoppolo (QB — San Francisco 49ers)
88. Cooper Kupp (WR — Los Angeles Rams)
87. Kenny Clark (DT — Green Bay Packers)
86. Tyler Lockett (WR — Seattle Seahawks)
85. Jurrell Casey (DE — Denver Broncos)
84. Terron Armstead (OT — New Orleans Saints)
83. Lavonte David (OLB — Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
82. Matt Ryan (QB — Atlanta Falcons)
81. Fletcher Cox (DT — Philadelphia Eagles)
80. Jarvis Landry (WR — Cleveland Browns)
79. Harrison Smith (S — Minnesota Vikings)
78. Casey Hayward (CB — Los Angeles Chargers)
77. Todd Gurley II (RB — Atlanta Falcons)
76. Stefon Diggs (WR — Buffalo Bills)
75. Brandon Brooks (OG — Philadelphia Eagles)
74. Myles Garrett (DE — Cleveland Browns)
73. Kirk Cousins (QB — Minnesota Vikings)
72. Zack Martin (OG — Dallas Cowboys)
71. Preston Smith (OLB — Green Bay Packers)
70. Marlon Humphrey (CB — Baltimore Ravens)
69. Zach Ertz (TE — Philadelphia Eagles)
68. Jason Kelce (C — Philadelphia Eagles)
67. Odell Beckham, Jr. (WR — Cleveland Browns)
66. Jadeveon Clowney (OLB — Seattle Seahawks)
65. Marshall Yanda (OG — Baltimore Ravens)
64. Calais Campbell (DT — Baltimore Ravens)
63. Amari Cooper (WR — Dallas Cowboys)
62. Justin Simmons (S — Denver Broncos)
61. Fred Warner (ILB — San Francisco 49ers)
60. Mitchell Schwartz (OT — Kansas City Chiefs)
59. Mark Ingram (RB — Baltimore Ravens)
58. J.J. Watt (DE — Houston Texans)
57. Chris Jones (DE — Kansas City Chiefs)
56. Keenan Allen (WR — Los Angeles Chargers)
55. Nick Chubb (RB — Cleveland Browns)
54. Eric Kendricks (ILB — Minnesota Vikings)
53. Alvin Kamara (RB — New Orleans Saints)
52. Marcus Peters (CB — Baltimore Ravens)
51. Grady Jarrett (DT — Atlanta Falcons)
50. Dak Prescott (QB — Dallas Cowboys)
49. Aaron Jones (RB — Green Bay Packers)
48. Ronnie Stanley (OT — Baltimore Ravens)
47. Mike Evans (WR — Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
46. David Bakhtiari (OT — Green Bay Packers)
45. Danielle Hunter (DE — Minnesota Vikings)
44. Nick Bosa (DE — San Francisco 49ers)
43. Jalen Ramsey (CB — Los Angeles Rams)
42. Saquon Barkley (RB — New York Giants)
41. DeForest Buckner (DT — Indianapolis Colts)
40. Joey Bosa (DE — Los Angeles Chargers)
39. Darius Leonard (ILB — Indianapolis Colts)
38. Richard Sherman (CB — San Francisco 49ers)
37. Ryan Ramczyk (OT — New Orleans Saints)
36. Chris Godwin (WR — Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
35. Ezekiel Elliott (RB — Dallas Cowboys)
34. Cameron Jordan (DE — New Orleans Saints)
33. Quenton Nelson (OG — Indianapolis Colts)
32. Shaquil Barrett (OLB — Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
31. Davante Adams (WR — Green Bay Packers)
30. Cameron Heyward (DT — Pittsburgh Steelers)
29. Dalvin Cook (RB — Minnesota Vikings)
28. Deshaun Watson (QB — Houston Texans)
27. Tyrann Mathieu (S — Kansas City Chiefs)
26. Tre’Davious White (CB — Buffalo Bills)
25. Demario Davis (ILB — New Orleans Saints)
24. Minkah Fitzpatrick (S — Pittsburgh Steelers)
23. Von Miller (OLB — Denver Broncos)
22. Khalil Mack (DE — Chicago Bears)
21. Tyreek Hill (WR — Kansas City Chiefs)
20. Za’Darius Smith (OLB — Green Bay Packers)
19. Jamal Adams (S — Seattle Seahawks)
18. Bobby Wagner (ILB — Seattle Seahawks)
17. T.J. Watt (OLB — Pittsburgh Steelers)
16. Tom Brady (QB — Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
15. Travis Kelce (TE — Kansas City Chiefs)
14. Drew Brees (QB — New Orleans Saints)
13. Chandler Jones (OLB — Arizona Cardinals)
12. Derrick Henry (RB — Tennessee Titans)
11. DeAndre Hopkins (WR — Arizona Cardinals)
#10 Julio Jones (WR — Atlanta Falcons) Rounding out the top ten is Atlanta Falcons All-Pro receiver Julio Jones. Jones remained one of the NFL’s best receivers in 2019, recording 1,394 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Jones was the highlight of a disappointing campaign for the Falcons, who will be looking to bounce back in season 2020.
#9 Aaron Rodgers (QB — Green Bay Packers) Aaron Rodgers’ 2019 campaign could be considered below-par for his lofty standards. Rodgers took some time to adjust to a new scheme and system after new head coach Matt LaFleur took over, resulting in up-and-down performances over the course of the season. Despite the changes, Rodgers led the Packers to a 13-3 record – an equal-best mark in the NFC – whilst throwing for 4,002 yards, 26 touchdowns and only four interceptions.
#8 George Kittle (TE — San Francisco 49ers) In 2019, San Francisco’s George Kittle put up one of the best tight end campaigns the league has seen since prime Rob Gronkowski. Pro Football Focus’ player-grading system ranked the 26-year-old as the league’s most-productive player last season, thanks not only to his receiving abilities but his work as a lead blocker in the 49ers’ potent run-game, which spearheaded their offence.
#7 Michael Thomas (WR — New Orleans Saints) Just behind Stephon Gilmore on the Top 100 List is Saints wideout Michael Thomas. Thomas was Drew Brees’ go-to target in 2019 and was an integral part of the high-flying Saints offence. Thomas caught just about everything in 2019 – his 149 receptions for 1,725 yards broke Marvin Harrison’s reception record, set in 2003.
#6 Stephon Gilmore (CB — New England Patriots) New England Patriots CB Stephon Gilmore comes in at number six. The 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year locked down oppositions’ top receivers on a weekly basis, whilst recording an impressive six interceptions and two defensive touchdowns. Gilmore’s defensive skills were the best in the NFL last season, allowing a passer rating of just 32.8 on throws into his coverage.
#5 Christian McCaffrey (RB — Carolina Panthers)
Rounding out the top five is one of the NFL’s most-skilled offensive players, Christian McCaffrey. In 2019, McCaffrey racked up 1,000 yards in both receiving and rushing, becoming the first player to accomplish this feat since Marshall Faulk in 1999. McCaffrey became the focal point of the Carolina Panthers offence, who will be relying heavily on him in the upcoming season.
#4 Russell Wilson (QB — Seattle Seahawks)
The next spot on the Top 100 List is reserved for Seahawks superstar Russell Wilson. Last season, Wilson reminded everyone just how good he is, leading the Seahawks to an 11-5 record and NFC divisional round appearance. During the season, he threw for an impressive 4,110 yards, along with 31 touchdowns against just five interceptions, finishing the season second in MVP voting behind Lamar Jackson.
#3 Lamar Jackson (QB — Baltimore Ravens)
The reigning-MVP couldn’t be left off this list any longer. In 2019, Lamar Jackson absolutely blew opposing defences off the field, whilst leading his squad to a 14-2 record. After a rocky 2-2 start, Jackson single-handedly guided the Ravens to a 12-game win-streak and was close to impossible to defend. During the season, Jackson rushed for an insane 1,206 yards, whilst also throwing for 3,127 yards, with 36 touchdowns against only six interceptions. Jackson managed to cement his spot in the record books, with his 1,206 rushing yards surpassing Micheal Vick’s single-season quarterback record of 1,039 yards, set in 2006.
Not bad for a running back.
#2 Aaron Donald (DT — Los Angeles Rams)
At number two on the list lies the NFL’s most dominant defensive player, Aaron Donald. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year remains one of the most efficient defensive lineman in the NFL, despite receiving so much attention from opposing offensive lines. Pro Football Focus player-grading system ranked Donald as the NFL’s most productive defensive player for each of the past five seasons.
#1 Patrick Mahomes (QB — Kansas City Chiefs)
Number one on the list is none other than Patrick Mahomes. After winning the NFL’s MVP award in 2018, Mahomes went one step further in 2019, leading his Kansas City Chiefs to Super Bowl glory and taking home a Super Bowl MVP Trophy. Mahomes was hindered by a dislocated knee suffered in Denver in Week 5 but managed to bounce back from the injury and some early season troubles to lead the Chiefs to six wins in their last six games and a playoff berth. Mahomes was the catalyst of their two come-from-behind playoff wins, before leading a miraculous fourth quarter comeback in Super Bowl LIV against San Francisco.
Written by Dylan Parkes(@dylanparkes4)
Dylan covers the NFL for nozebleeds. and is an avid Green Bay Packers fan. You can find him on Instagram @dyl_parkes and on twitter @dylanparkes4.
nozebleeds. 