Are the Pittsburgh Pirates for real

If the playoffs were to start today, the Pittsburgh Pirates would be a wild-card team. It’s not even close, either — they have a full three game lead over Colorado and Arizona. Now, it’s only May, so it is far too early to get excited — especially because Pittsburgh started strong last year before remembering who they are.
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This year is different, though. On May 23 of last year Pittsburgh had already fallen to earth. They were 20-24, and had allowed 34 more runs than they had scored. Exactly a year later they are 29-18, have a +23 run differential, and are one of just four teams in the National League with a winning road record.
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It would be a great story to see a proud and once-successful franchise finally return to the playoffs again. But is it too soon to believe, or is this team finally about to turn the corner? More significantly, can they be trusted by bettors? Let’s take a look:
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Recent form
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This team is playing very well right now. They have won 11 of their last 13, and one of those two losses came in extra innings. That’s impressive at any time of the year — hot streaks like that are crucial for teams with serious playoff aspirations. There is a big asterisk to consider here. Over this hot stretch they have played the Mets, Brewers, Astros and Cubs. That is four really lousy teams. In fact, other than the Marlins, those are the four worst teams in baseball right now. The Pirates get credit for taking advantage of an opportunity, but there is no denying that the schedule makers have delivered a big gift.
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They are about to start another series against Milwaukee, but then things get tough. They play a unique four-game series against the Tigers — the first two in Detroit, then two in Pittsburgh — then they host Cincinnati and travel to Atlanta. That’s a brutal 10-game stretch. If they are still standing and looking good after that point, then they are worth talking about. Until then, though, we just don’t know enough.
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Offensive production
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There are currently 16 teams in baseball with records above .500. Of them, only Washington has scored fewer runs than Pittsburgh, and the Nationals have the worst record of the 16 squads. The numbers just aren’t very good.
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They sit 22nd in runs scored and 23rd in batting average with a pathetic .242 as a team. They are in or near the bottom third in on base and slugging percentages as well.
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This is a team that just doesn’t scare anyone at the plate, and if you take Starling Marte and Andrew McCutchen out of the picture, things are especially bleak. Things have worked because of the competition and the pitching. It’s hard to believe that the offense as it stands can keep up the end of the bargain long term.
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Pitching
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The starting pitching has been very solid. However, like so much with this team, it is too early to judge whether it is sustainable. I don’t find it too hard to believe that Wandy Rodriguez can maintain his form (5-2, 3.40 ERA). I find it harder to have lasting faith in youngster Jeff Locke or veteran A.J. Burnett. Francisco Liriano has looked like his old self in three starts since coming off the DL, but he hasn’t faced anyone of note. We won’t know what to expect from him until he faces better competition (where have I heard that before?). Beyond that are guys like Sanchez, Gomez, and McDonald — wild cards with limited upside.
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This rotation has overachieved, and it’s no easier to have long-term faith in them than the offense.
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Division
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The NL Central is very tough this year — much harder than expected. The Cardinals have the best record in baseball. The Reds are tied with the Pirates. The three teams are a combined 23-7 in their last 10 games. Pittsburgh is 6-2 against these teams so far this year, but with a combined 30 games left against the two squads, and with both of those teams built to last, Pittsburgh’s division certainly doesn’t do them any favors.
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The wild-card hunt
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Finally some good news. There just aren’t that many good teams out there in the NL beyond the elites right now. Philadelphia and Washington should both be much better than the basically .500 squads they have been, but they both have issues that make a second-half charge far from certain. Colorado and Arizona are the nearest pursuants right now, but both are overachieving majorly. It’s not too late for the Dodgers yet, but the clock is certainly ticking.
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Pittsburgh doesn’t likely have to be great the rest of the way to make it into the playoffs thanks to the availability of two wild-card spots now Pretty good is probably good enough.
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Betting performance
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Over the nine seasons prior to this one, betting on Pittsburgh has never been profitable. In fact, if you had bet against them consistently you could probably have a nice second home by a lake somewhere by now.
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Things have certainly changed this year. In fact, they are the most profitable team in baseball right now. They have been profitable however you bet them, too — at home, on the road, on the runline, or on the “over”. So far, so good, though this current winning streak certainly isn’t helping to maintain the value in the lines. The saving grace is, though, that the Pirates have been so bad for so long that it will take a whole lot for people to establish lasting faith in them regardless of how long they sustain this start.

Tracy McGrady and the Spurs

How much will Tracy McGrady impact the Spurs for the playoffs, if at all? The Spurs picked up the 33 year old Tracy McGrady bringing him to a team that has been punctured with injuries. He will give them depth and experience on the team.

Make no mistake about it; McGrady has had a very good career, with averages of 20 pts, 6 boards and 4 assists in 15 seasons. And he yet individually plays better in the playoffs, at 25 pts, 6 boards, and 6 assists, but his playoff record has never been good, his teams have never done much.

He has gone through a surplus of teams in his career, bouncing around and playing for the Raptors, Magic, Rockets, Knicks, Pistons, and Hawks. Obviously he was mainly successful when he played for Orlando, where he averaged 28 in his career there. Coming off his worst season for Atlanta in 2012, scoring 5/game, he fell off into the Chinese basketball league, where he was averaging 25 pts and 7 rbs. The guys he was playing in China certainly cannot compare to the athletic capacity the NBA owns in its amazing cache.

They obviously picked up T-Mac to help them in their injured areas they are dealing with. How much is he really going to help the Spurs? How much more is left in the tank on this guy? Teams keep trying to pick him up economically and roll the dice, hoping they can get a touch of what he used to be, back 5-6 years ago. But we are still talking about a guy who has averaged only 7 ppg over the last 3 seasons in the NBA. Do they feel he has a game or 2 where he can drop 25 off the bench?

He has had some really first-class playoff games in his career, with 42 pts, 8 rbs, and 10 asts vs the Bucks in 2001, and 37, 8, and 7 vs Dallas in 2005. But that was a long time ago. How far behind are those days of T-Mac? At 33, he is certainly on the back 9 of his career, along with all the injuries that beat him. And he has always been considered a fragile player, always will be under the “what if umbrella.”

As a back up, he is still a guy who could get another 2-3 years, and get a team 8-10 a night. Look at Ray Allen at 37 and what he is doing. Let alone, Paul Pierce at 35, still putting up 19 & 6 for the Celts. When Tracy was playing for the Hawks, he was only playing 16 minutes/game. How much time do the Spurs plan on playing him, I would expect around 15-20 minutes. As long as his soft shot hasn’t left him, he can make a team pay if they leave him open, or him splicing off screens.

The Spurs are losing momentum rapidly, and are spiraling. Tony Parker being not 100% is an enormous blister against them; I just don’t see the Spurs seeing a long run in the playoffs. Any team that plays them now, I think feel they have an advantage over them, no matter how team oriented the Spurs are.

The Spurs who rank 5th shooting the deep ball, they can put McGrady as a spot up deep ball shooter, McGrady, for his career is a sturdy shooter from long range. He could fit in well, in their scheme.

I do think this is going to be a rough ride for the Spurs though. I think the Spurs did the best thing they could do with what they were forced to deal with. With a potential 1st round out, it wouldn’t shock me by any means. They don’t match up well vs some of these younger, faster teams.

It’s easy to forget how good T-Mac was, 10 years ago, when you see him now, only a ghost of his former self, when he was a real big time baller, scoring 28/game. I hope McGrady does well, but I think that the belief may have assembly.

Written by Mike Anthony of VegasTopDogs.com

Horses that can win the Belmont Stakes

There is still some uncertainty about the field for the Belmont Stakes — as you would expect a week before the entries are due. As the prospective field sits now, though, eight probables stand out as horses than can win the Belmont Stakes. (Odds to win are from Sportsbook.ag)

Orb (+350)

It’s still not entirely certain that the Kentucky Derby winner will go in the Belmont, and his status has actually become less certain in recent days. I would still bet we’ll see him, though. Trainer Shug McGaughey is based at Belmont, so he won’t want to miss out on his home track race if his horse is ready. He needs to improve dramatically from his Preakness form, but we know how talented he is, and this track should suit him better than Pimlico did. Despite the disappointment last time out, Orb would still have to be viewed as the horse to beat.

Revolutionary (+350)

He was a strong third in the Derby, and then trainer Todd Pletcher rested him in anticipation of this race. Calvin Borel has been replaced by Javier Castellano in the saddle, which is a real positive because Borel has not fared well on this track in limited experience. The horse still has to overcome the fact that he will be looking to run much the same race as Orb and doesn’t appear to be quite as good. Still, he is a serious contender.

Oxbow (+450)

The Preakness winner is back for another try. The condition of a horse that has run in all three races is always a concern, and in recent years the iron horses haven’t fared that well. Oxbow is bred to run forever, though, and jockey Gary Stevens and trainer D. Wayne Lukas both know how to win this race. The more I have watched the Preakness replay, the more clear it becomes that it was far from a fluke. That was a very good horse that benefited from a perfect ride. It could all happen again.

Golden Soul (+1000)

At almost 35/1 in the Derby, almost no one gave this horse much credit. When the dust settled, though, he was clearly second-best. Like the rest of the Top-5 finishers, he benefitted from the crazy early pace in that race. He looked very good doing it, though, and showed that he was and is a better horse than it seemed. His breeding is very well suited for this race, and he has trained well through his break since the Derby. The price still needs to be right because he’s likely not as good as the top horses on their best day, but if things went his way he could absolutely win.

Overanalyze (+1500)

The 11th-place finish in the Derby was a massive disappointment for the Arkansas Derby winner. He just didn’t show up. The effort exposed the weakness of the Arkansas Derby. The horse is back here, though, and he’ll be rested. His best race was way back in November, but if he can meet and improve on that effort then he could be a factor. At this level sometimes you just have to give a horse a mulligan for a lousy race, and this could be such a situation.

Will Take Charge (+1500)

The other D. Wayne Lukas horse was closing fast in the Derby until he ran into a rapidly-retreating Verrazano and had to check his forward progress. That made him a popular underdog bet in the Preakness, but his effort there was flat. The Belmont should be a better spot, though. The horse is huge, and his long legs and massive strides should be well suited to the long turns and big straights of the Belmont track. He needs to have the best day of his life, but we’ve already learned that you can’t count out a Lukas horse right now. Jon Court was aboard for the strong Derby performance. He lost the mount for the Preakness but is back again. That should be a positive.

Freedom Child (+800)

The Peter Pan Stakes has become a popular prep race for the Belmont Stakes in the eyes of public bettors, even though it has produced far more hype than results. This horse is coming off a win in that race the week after the Derby, so he will get some buzz. The win was indeed more than solid, but there are a couple of reasons for concern. Most significantly, it was only the second win of his six-race career, and it was a far better effort than we had seen in the other five outings. Still, the win was over this same Belmont surface, so we know he likes the track. He’s also a grandson of A.P. Indy, so the distance should suit him. I’m skeptical, but at the right price he would be worth some consideration.

Unlimited Budget (+1500)

Todd Pletcher is generally lousy in Triple Crown races. He has only entered one filly in this race before, though, and Rags To Riches became the first filly to win it since 1905 with her 2007 victory. You have to pay attention when he enters another filly, then. She’d been unbeaten in four races heading into the Kentucky Oaks, but she didn’t fire and wound up just third. Pletcher obviously saw something there and since, though, because it seems like she’s facing the boys in the biggest of tests. The biggest reason for concern is that owner Mike Repole, the founder of Vitaminwater, is so desperate to win this race that he would enter anything with four legs. She knows how to win, though, and could win here on her best day.

2013 Preakness Betting Tips

As we get ready to bet the second jewel of this year’s Triple Crown, we need to be focused on finding the winner. These four Preakness betting tips will help you make a winning bet on May 18:

Don’t just default to the Derby winner

I want to see a Triple Crown winner more than I want to see anything else in sports. That can blind me to all horses other than the one who was just wearing roses. For many years I had a strict policy. I made just one Preakness bet no matter what — the Derby winner to win. At times that has been a profitable approach — even over longer periods — but it isn’t generally a strong approach. For every time you get to bet on a horse like Big Brown or I’ll Have Another, you also end up with a real dud like Giacomo or Monarchos.

Winning the Derby is a very tough challenge. Horses have to overcome a massive, incredibly loud crowd that can easily spook them and cause them to bolt — as it did this year for Vyjack. They have to deal with many more horses than they are used to, and those horses can act more like walls than anything else at times. This year, Will Take Charge was making a nice move down the stretch, but he ran into a rapidly-reversing Verrazano, and all momentum was lost. They have to run further than they have ever run before and further than most are really bred to handle. They also may have to deal with a strange pace scenario, like this year and the suicidal early speed of Palace Malice. Sometimes the horse that can overcome all that and win is the best horse in the field. Sometimes, though, it’s just the horse that was in the best situation to benefit from the circumstances on the day (I’m talking to you, Mine That Bird).

Before you automatically and blindly pick Orb this year, you need to evaluate just how good he really is and whether he really deserves your attention and support. His win was very impressive, and he was favored going into the race, so you can’t argue that his win was a fluke. He did benefit from some things in this race, though — that crazy early pace set the race up perfectly for a closer like Orb, the sloppy track didn’t suit a lot of horses as well as it did Orb, and Joel Rosario was able to find a perfect path through the crowd. There is absolutely nothing wrong with deciding to bet Orb n the Preakness — just make sure that you are doing it because he is the best horse, not just because he won his last race.

A bad Derby can be overcome

Sometimes a horse with high hopes can have a truly disastrous Derby. Goldencents is a perfect example this year. He needs to be on the lead early on, so when Palace Malice ran away early on, Goldencents chased him. No horse could have held on under that strain, and Goldencents faded to 17th. That doesn’t necessarily mean that he was a horrible, overrated horse. The pace scenario doomed him. On a better day with a more honest pace, Goldencents could again be competitive. History provides plenty of examples of horses that bounce back from a bad Derby to make history in the Preakness. Point Given was horrible in Kentucky in 2001 then dominated the Preakness and the Belmont. Afleet Alex didn’t fire on Derby day in 2005 then won the last two legs. Hansel was the heavy favorite in the 1991 Derby, but he struggled badly and was 10th. He also won the last two legs. There are more, but you get the point.

I’m not saying that Goldencents or Itsmyluckyday or Will Take Charge will win their next two races. I’m just saying you can’t safely assume that they won’t.

Don’t fall in love with fresh horses

The Preakness is typically made up of a group of horses from the Derby joined by horses that are joining the Triple Crown trail at the second stop. Sometimes those new faces are exceptional runners that are clearly worthy of your attention — like Rachel Alexandra and Bernardini. This year, though, there are no great horses among the newcomers. Govenor Charlie, Departing or Titletown Five are all interesting enough to warrant some consideration. The fact is, though, that if they were good enough to contend with the top horses from the Derby then they would have been entered in the Derby. The Kentucky Derby is the biggest race on the planet, so if you have a shot to win it you usually take it. Fresh horses don’t always — or usually — mean good bets.

Forget about post position

The post positions in the Derby are a ridiculously overplayed angle. By now we have hopefully realized that there are many, many factors that are more significant in a race that long and that crazy than where they start. In the Preakness, the post positions matter even less from a handicapping perspective. You might think that the opposite would be true because of the narrower track and shorter distance, but that just hasn’t proven to be the case.

In this race don’t let the post positions turn you off of a horse or push you towards another one.

Written by Doc Sports from VegasTopDogs.com

The NBA Playoffs

The NBA playoffs are in full
swing, which means overall the better teams are battling each other. This is
different from the regular season when many nights great teams are playing bad
teams and bad teams are playing worse one. Astute sports bettors should pay very
careful attention to blowouts.

For instance, after losing Game 1 at the
Lakers a year ago, 103-88, the Nuggets covered in a close one in Game 2,
104-100, by changing strategy and going uptempo in the second half. They got
beat on the glass in the first game, but showcased more low post hustle in Game
2 where they outrebounded the taller Lakers.

That’s nothing new. Two
years ago the Lakers blew out the Hornets in Game 3, 100-86, then the a
different New Orleans club showed up the next game, winning straight up as a +5
dog. Three years ago after losing Game 1, the Celtics stunned the Cavaliers in
Game 2, 104-86, at Cleveland as an underdog. At one point they led 91-66. A big
part of the story was Rasheed Wallace, who had been called out by Coach Doc
Rivers after a lousy opener, but added 17 points off the bench.

Incensed, the Cavaliers had a few days to stew about the embarrassing
home defeat, then went to Boston for Game 3 and blew out the Celtics, 124-95. It
was Boston’s worst home playoff defeat in history and the Cavs shot 59%. The
fans booed when Boston left the court at halftime down 65-43. Series over? No.
Boston then won the next three games, including a blowout of their own, 120-88
with Cleveland fans booing their team!

Overall, blowouts are less
expected this time of the year. Oddsmakers are anticipating that the majority of
teams want to be here and will play all out for 48 minutes keeping things
relatively close.

This year’s Hawks/Pacers series is a good example.
Indiana destroyed Atlanta in the first two games, 107-90 and 113-98, only to get
blown out in Game 3, a 90-69 Hawks rout. What happened in Game 2 meant nothing
in predicting Game 3. It wasn’t just home court that turned the trick but some
subtle changes. The Hawks changed up their lineup — inserting 7-footer Johan
Petro at center and bringing 3-point specialist Kyle Korver off the bench –
after getting manhandled on the road. With more favorable matchups and a lot
more energy, Atlanta looked like a different team.

Playoff teams have
some talent or star players, which also makes closer, more competitive games
likely, especially as the playoffs move along. Still, one-sided games can happen
for a variety of reasons. Seven years ago the Spurs positively trashed the Kings
in Game 1, 122-88. The stats on the game were frightening, with San Antonio
shooting 57% and holding the Kings to 39%, while winning the battle of the
boards 51-32.

However, a funny thing happened in Game 2: the Kings
showed up. They showed up with a vengeance, too, taking the Spurs to overtime
before a wild 128-119 loss, though the angry dog still covered. Public
perception can be such that many were thinking the Spurs were going to destroy
the Kings even worse in Game 2. However, the veteran Kings were embarrassed and
angry. A very different team showed up for Game 2, one that was motivated by the
blowout.

The point is, don’t easily dismiss teams that get routed. If
they have talent, are well coached, or have strong leadership, they can bounce
back and look like a very different team the next game. Another factor to
consider is defense. Many teams that make the postseason know how to play
defense and in a blowout loss, perhaps a team simply had a bad defensive game.
Or, the opponent was doing something that they couldn’t adjust to. Though after
watching game films, adjustments are made, which is why they can look very
different.

Adjustments and motivation can spur a team in a bounce-back
role, as well as the fact that they simply had a bad game. Even handicappers
have to learn not to overanalyze certain situations. The important point is not
too read too much into a single, one-sided game. The playoffs only increase
competitive fire and passion with teams facing each other over and over again,
making adjustments and revenge spots even more acute. You may recall the NBA
Finals seven years ago, when two blowouts were followed by close nail-biters,
with the dog covering. Dallas won Game 2, 99-85, but the next game Miami won by
a basket. In Game 4, the Heat rolled by 24 points, only to see Game 5 go into
overtime and decided by one point.

One season the Celtics danced all
over the Pacers in a 102-82 Game 1 rout. Boston players made foolish comments
after the game about how they were already thinking about advancing to the next
round! In Game 2, a very different Indiana team showed up in an 82-79 win as a
road underdog. They eventually won the series, too. Every dog can have his day
in the NBA playoffs, so be careful: one-sided blowouts can be very different the
next encounter.

Written by Jim Feist of VegasTopDogs.com

Baseball Hot and Cold Starts

More than any other sport, baseball is a game of patience. It’s not how you start, but where you finish, and with a 162-game regular season, there is a LOT of baseball left. Did your team get off to a bad start? Well don’t panic. There is plenty of time to make adjustments and turn things around. Did your team get off to a hot start? Don’t start making World Series reservations just yet.

The Giants have won two of the last three World Series but have been roughly a .500 thus far, trailing the Diamondbacks and Rockies in their own division. No matter. A year ago they were also just a .500 team, trailing the Dodgers the first week of May in 2012.

Two years ago this week Texas was a .500 team sitting in third place in
AL West, but wound up as AL Champs in October. Three years ago the Giants were a mediocre 18-15 and went on to win the World Series. Four years ago this week the eventual champion NY Yankees were 15-17. Yes, that’s right, they had a terrible
start, before going on a 16-4 run on the way to another pennant.

Five years ago the AL eventual champion Tampa Bay Rays were 10-11, second to last in the AL East, looking up at three teams (Boston, NY, Baltimore) they would soon overtake. The eventual 2007 World Series champion Phillies were 11-11, looking up at the Marlins and Mets in the NL East.

Look at it another way: So
who were the division leaders at this time one year ago? Four of the teams were
the Indians, Cardinals, Dodgers and Rays. None ended up winning the division
with only St. Louis sneaking into the postseason as a Wild Card. The Dodgers
finished 8 games behind the eventual champion Giants despite the big late season
trade to acquire more talent, while the Indians finished in fourth place at
68-94…so much for that first-place start!

So don’t panic if your team
is stumbling and don’t start thinking about printing playoff tickets if your
team started 18-7, like the 2013 Red Sox. The biggest flops have been the Blue
Jays, Angels, Phillies and Dodgers. But remember that six years ago the Phillies
started 1-7 and ended up as NL East champs, while the eventual NL Champion
Rockies were 10-16, last place in the NL West at the end of April, and 45-46 at
the All Star break.

Eight years ago the Houston Astros started 8-13 and
eventually stood at 15-30! They ended up winning the 2005 NL pennant. In 2003,
the Florida Marlins started 19-29 and ended up winning the World Series. In
2002, the Angels started 6-14 and wound up winning their first World Series.

Oakland GM Billy Beane once said you spend the first third of the season
seeing what you have and evaluating your team. The middle third trying to
acquire pieces to fill weak spots, and the final third sitting back and watching
the team make a run at the postseason — or not. We are in the first third of
the season and there’s a long way to go. General Managers are in the process of
evaluating what they have.

In the same way GMs need patience when
analyzing baseball, so do handicappers. The Pirates, Rockies, Royals and Red Sox
have been the big surprises this season, with improved offenses and pitching.
However, consistency over the long haul is the key.

Surprises will
emerge over a long season and offer smart bettors good value for their wagering
dollar, even with individual players. Pitchers are more susceptible to injuries
than any other professional athletes and remember that betting numbers are made
based on current and past performance. It can take a while before oddsmakers
catch on to a struggling or injured pitcher.

Sometimes kid pitchers can
come up from the minors and dazzle, such as we saw the last few years with
Edinson Volquez (Reds), Stephen Strasburg (Nationals) and Tim Lincecum (Giants).
Things can change quickly, as Volquez is with San Diego this season and
Strasburg is back after missing time rehabbing. Even Lincecum is dealing with
decreased velocity while not throwing his slider as there are concerns about his
health. Sustaining a surprise start requires talent, depth, line-up balance and
good health.

Remember in 2003 the Royals started 17-4, the Mariners
started 40-18 and the Diamondbacks were 52-42 at the All Star break. None made
the playoffs. Those examples give hope to those teams that are off to struggling
starts and should provide caution to teams that are in first place. After all,
it’s only May!
Written by Jim Fiest for VegasTopDogs.com

NBA SEASON AWARDS for VegasTopDogs

It’s been another great season. I have been entertained even through the year, with some great feats all season long. Several big-time winning streaks, some big scoring outputs, and watching players develop into true team players. Let’s take a look at how the season has been, with VTDs 2012 NBA season awards.

MVP of the year LeBron James, SF, Miami Heat; 27 ppg, 8 rpg, 7 apg, Shooting 57% from the field, 41% from behind the arc, with yet another phenomenal season under his belt, LeBron has without difficulty shown the world yet again, why he is the best player on the planet. His game has evolved into pure supremacy, and now he has become clutch, the Heat are his team, and everyone knows it. With all that said,  it does help that he had All-Stars Dwayne Wade who led the Heat in scoring before James arrived, Chris Bosh who averaged a double-double for the Toronto Raptors, Ray Allen who is a future Hall of Famer and Shane Battier who was one of the best defensive players on the Rockets on your team.  Put those guys with Carmello Anthony, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant and it would make things easier and they could win the MVP as well.

Most Improved Player of the year Kemba Walker, PG, Charlotte Bobcats; 18 ppg, 4 rpg, 6 apg, Kemba had brought his game up so well this year, shooting better, scoring better, playing a better game of ball on the court. He now is looking like the guy who was breaking ankles on the court during the NCAA tournament a few years ago.

Defensive Player of the year Serge Ibaka, PF, Oklahoma City Thunder; 3.03 blocks/ game, he is a threat in the paint all game long, also adding 5 defensive reb/game. The 6-10 Ibaka is justly a game changer in the middle of the lane, with quick feet, long arms and physical play, holding it down with a ridiculous 44 games with 3+ blocks in a game, which includes 19 games with 5+.

Rookie of the year Damian Lillard, PG, Portland Trailblazers; 19 ppg, 3 rpg, 7 apg, he has played excellent, being a foundational player for them to build off of on the team making an instant impact. Knocking down 37% of his deep balls, where he led them with 185 made on the season. He has a great future on the horizon for the young 22 year old star with the Blazers on his back.

Coach of the year George Karl, Denver Nuggets (57-25); I will tell you Karl has brought a team with no extraordinary superstars who drop 25+ a game not only laying it out night in and night out, dominating opponents at home, but into the playoffs looking for a genuine run. Led by a team that lives off of great team play, and hard rebounding. He has a young team built with heart, they were a tough team last season, and have been since he has taken over the team several years ago, he’s making it work in Denver. Karl knows how to get guys to play, and they are a legitimate contender in the West.

VTD All-NBA 1st team PG- Chris Paul 17 ppg, 4 rpg, 10 apg SG- James Harden 26 ppg, 5 rpg, 6 apg C- Brook Lopez 19 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 bpg PF- David Lee 19 ppg, 11 rpg, 4 apg SF- LeBron James 27 ppg, 8 rpg, 7 apg

VTD All-NBA 2nd team PG- Deron Williams 19 ppg, 3 rpg, 8 apg SG- Kobe Bryant 27 ppg, 6 rpg, 6 apg C- Al Jefferson 18 ppg, 9 rpg, 1 bpg PF- LaMarcus Aldridge 21 ppg, 9 rpg, 3 apg SF- Kevin Durant 28 ppg, 8 rpg, 5 apg

Written by Sean Higgs of VegasTopDogs.com