The 2013-2014 NBA Season Predictions Part II

2013-2014 NBA Season Predictions 

- Part II - 

02-13-14

One thing that I really enjoy about the NBA is how unpredictable it really is. Don't agree? Check my picks from a few months ago:

NBA Predictions

So now, with the All-Star break upon us, we make some new predictions.
Here are the standings at this point -

Eastern Conference Standings (as of 02-13-14) -
                  Record                                                
1. IND        40-12
2. MIA       37-14
3. TOR       28-24
4. CHI       27- 25
5. ATL      25-26
6. WAS      25-27
7. BKN      24-27
8. CHA      23-30
On the outside of the playoffs:
9. DET     22-30
10. NY      20-32
11. CLE    20-33
12. BOS    19-35
13. ORL    16-38
14. PHI      15-39
15. MIL      9-43

Let's start with ten things I predicted wrong - Eastern Conference first -
1) I listened to the media too much. They all said that Philadelphia was gonna go for the record... the all-time worst winning percentage. I predicted them to win just 14 games this season, and at this point, they have 15. Missed that one... Oops.
2)  I predicted the Bucks to win 37 games. They've got 9 at this point. If they go 28-2 the rest of the way, I'll be correct!
3) I predicted the Pacers to finish 4th in the East, and they will either finish 1st or 2nd. I guessed 51-31, but they already have 40 with 30 games to play. Wrong on that one.
4) The Chicago Bulls. Enough said.
5) The Brooklyn Nets. Jason Kidd is coaching them. Why did I ever think they would have been good?
6) The Detroit Pistons and everything about them. So much talents, such a big let down.
7)Never saw it coming, but the Atlanta Hawks are in line for the fifth seed. I had them missing the playoffs.
8) Holy Cow, the Toronto Raptors! They are the third seed at this moment! That's just crazy.
9) I thought the Knick's would fall off a bit, but not as much as they have. Really a shame. Honestly though...
10) The whole East just sucks, and I thought they would be... adequate. Why does the West Coast get all the good NBA teams, minus Indie and Miami? Sad.

Western Conference Standings
1. OKC    43-12
2. SAN     38-15
3. HOU   36-17
4. LAC   37-18
5. POR   36-17
6. DAL   32-22
7. PHX    30-21
8. GSW   31-22
On the outside of the playoffs:
9. MEM  29-23
10. MIN   25-28
11. DEN   24-27
12. NOR  23-29
13. UTA   19-33
14. LAL   18-35
15. SAC   18-35

Now we will discuss ten things I predicted wrong about the West -
1) Sacramento being somewhat decent. Truthfully, they have the ability to win versus anyone, but too often they have just sucked.
2) I predicted Kobe to have a stellar game when he returned from his injury, because that would just be Kobe-like. He ended up scoring 9 points and then got injured a few games later. Sad to see a great competitor not playing.
3) I never saw the Trailblazers doing as well as they have, but they have themselves in the 5th seed, and nineteen games over .500. That's pretty good..
4) Phoenix has easily been the biggest surprise of the season. I predicted them to win just nineteen games, and they've already won 30, and have 30 games to go. As you can see, I was really off.
5. I may have over extended myself with my Warriors pick. More on that later.
6. I really thought this was the year for the T-Wolves, but I might have been wrong again. Injuries over the last few weeks haven't helped.
7. Predicting LBJ over KD in the MVP race. There is still time, and we all know who I want, but right now, KD is killing it. This is not to say LBJ is a slacking off, but more just a testament to KD skills.
8. I overshot it with the Grizzlies. They likely wont even make the playoffs. Sorry Memphis.
9. Forgetting the Dirk Nowitski affect, and how good he can make a team when he is healthy.
10. Phoenix is really a playoff team? How did this happen?

Now that I've talked about what I did wrong, we're gonna talk about which teams I think will make the playoffs.
EAST -
1. Pacers - They want the #1 seed, and they've played like a #1 seed.
2. Heat
3. Raptors - Unless one of the other teams steps up, this is the Raptors to lose.
4. Chicago - A fourth seed wouldn't be bad after losing D-Rose early in the season.
5. Wizards - I actually kind of sort of like this Wizards team, and I love the backcourt of Beal and Wall.
6. Hawks
7. Nets - They don't even deserve this. Luckily for them, they match up well versus Miami.
8. Pistons - too much talent to miss out on the playoffs
WEST -
1. Thunder - KD is an animal
2. Rockets - Playing great ball right now
3. Spurs - I'm a bit worried about them of late. Injuries could make them fall lower.
4. Clippers - Blake has been out of his mind of late.
5. Trailblazers
6. Warriors - Still a dangerous team at #6
7. Mavericks
8. Suns - If this happens, I'll be so happy for Phoenix!

Playoffs -
Pacers over the Pistons in 5
Heat over the Nets in 6
Hawks over the Raptors in 6
Wizards over the Bulls in 6

Thunder over the Suns in 4
Rockets over the Mavs in 6
Warriors over the Spurs in 6
Clippers over the T-Blazers in 7

Pacers over the Wizards in 5
Heat over the Hawks in 5

Thunder over Clips in 7
Warriors over Rockets in 6

Heat over the Pacers in 7
Thunder over the Warriors in 7

Heat over the Thunder in 6

Yes, I picked the Heat. As long as LBJ is running the show, I will not pick against him.

What Type of Drink Best Describes You - Austria Version

What Drink Are You? Austria Version

12-17-13 and 12-19-13

When studying abroad this semester, a question kept being asked, which was, "What drink best describes you?" A funny question, I decided I would make a blog on it. I had planned on doing it months ago, aka, during the semester, but that never happened. I guess this Christmas break will have to do! 

So without further ado - 

This is how it works – I choose a beverage I think someone is and then I explain it... If I want to.

Welp, here it goes:

Christiana Martinelli

Italian White Wine – I don't think an explanation is really necessary. But... I will anyway. Have you met Tina? She basically is just a little drop of Italy. It also helps that her lovely boyfriend, Joseph, is also a delightful Italian.

Mary Neihaus

Peach Wine – Mary and Tina are best friends, and so it only makes sense that they  would be similar drinks.   

Daniel Fay

 Corona with Lime – Racist? You decide. 

Michael Anderson
30 Rack of Keystone – Maybe a bit trashy, but lets be real, Anderson is always a good time! 

Michael Weber
Tequila – If you know Weber, and if you know what happens when you drink Tequila, this makes perfect sense.

Dennis Hoyer
Blue Moon – Dennis likes to live his life to the fullest, never taking a moment off. Blue Moon is a beer that is all about living life to the fullest. What an experience!

Tim Penney
Moon Shine – Tim was a tricky one but the way I see it is, does anyone really know what is in Moonshine? Does anyone fully understand Tim?

James Sweeney
Captain Morgan – Naturally Sweeney had to be a Pirate related drink and just like the Captain, James rocks a beard. Also, just as the Captain has his own boat that carries around his crew, James has his "Taxi Service" which is done with his white car.

Becca Radzinski
2L of Budget Wine – Becca enjoys her drinks, responsibility. She also enjoys her drinks, cheaply.

Chuy Lopez
Dos XX – This may or may not have to do with the fact Chuy is Mexican...

CJ Irvin
Sex on the Beach in a Micky Mouse Cup – Now this one might need a little bit of an explanation... But I can't really explain. Sorry! CJ understands why!

Patrick Manion
Blue Dolphin on the Rocks – As we all know, Patrick drinks one drink and one drink only – The Dolphin! He never seems to put it down, but with this drink, that is a good thing.

Olivia Cundiff
Champagne – Olivia is always willing to hangout and celebrate. Celebrate what? Life, if that is all that is going on! She is a very hospitable person and just like Champagne, she'll pop out and you know its celebration time! 

J-Rad
Raddler – Part Lemonade, Part Beer. J-rad – Part genius, part crazy.

Dominique Peters
Mike's Light – Dominique is not a big drinker, so that is why we use the Mike's light. She is also like a Mike's, very sweet and nice, with a little kick. Also, you can never have enough Mike's, and you can never have enough Domi!  She also dated a guy named Mike while in Austria ;)

Thomas Sabol
PBR – The cheap, college beer, PBR is sometimes referred to as “The Underrated Cheap Beer.” Thomas is not cheap, but he is definitely underrated, and worth getting to know.

D'Amico
Fermented Hawk Urine – Turns out that in the Mountains of Northern China, the most sacred and sought after drink is Fermented Hawk Urine, which they call “The Dive Bomb.” It is often misunderstood, and hard to get a hold of. This describes Mike, who is sometimes misunderstood and hard to figure out. At the same time, when one tries this drink, they are never disappointed. When you get to know Mike, you're never disappointed.

Mark Rainwater
Virgin Rum and Coke – Mark is always ready to just do something fun and crazy, and if you didn't know him, you might think he is on a sugar high. He isn't; he is just that fun! Don't drink too much Mark!

Rachel Roggensack
A little bit of this, and a little bit of that – Rachel is just so much fun, and I just decided one type of drink can't describe her. She really is friends with everyone, and with good reason. She is just so nice and easy to get along with.

Liz Cunningham

Coffee with Bailey's - We all know Elizabeth is a genius, and is headed to get her doctorate after school, so she will need some caffeine to keep her going. I assume she will find this source in a good cup or good couple of cups of coffee. Just remember when you become a doctor, to not forget about us little people!

Maggie Walker
Malibu and Coke – Margaret is not really a drinker, but if she does drink, she prefers Malibu. Just like Malibu, Maggie is super sweet.

Hannah Allman
Spiked Hot Chocolate – Hannah is one of the nicest girls I know, and she always knows how to make your day a little better, just by giving you that warm smile. She also gets cold easily, so Hot Choco makes sense. Both Hannah and Hot Choco know how to warm up someone's day.

Nicole Smith

SPAR Peach Wine – Lets face it, the girl loves her peach wine. So much that she bought it off of me earlier in the semester. If you ever want to do that again Nicole, just let me know!

Anne Marie Lata 

Long Island Ice Tea - This drink really is too perfect for Anne Marie. She is in love with tea, and can literally drink excessive amounts of it, but she is also from the state of New York. Also, just as a Long Island is a mix of a lot of stuff, Anne Marie is a bit of everything also.   

Annemarie Pankus

Jameson - Annemarie is one of those people who just loves having fun, and it is contagious. You find yourself wanting to have fun like she is. Jameson Whiskey is a fine drink and you can enjoy it for its taste but also can help with having a good time, if drank responsibly. All things in Moderation.

Amy Silvaroli

Amaretto straight - Amy enjoyed her Amaretto while in Austria, and she often just drank it straight. How is she like Amaretto? Well Amaretto has a lot of different things it mixes with, and Amy has a lot of different friends, from multiple friend groups. She gets along with pretty much everyone, just like Amaretto.

 

Dan Hass
Natural Light - Nothing more completely describes Dan Hass like Natural Light. Dan is classy, smart and interesting. Natural Light is classy, a smart drink, and filled with intrigue. You wouldn't find Dan at some trashy party or some ragger, just like you would never find Natural Light at either of those places. Dan is a man of the finer things, and Natural Light is one of those finer things. Michigan Fans drink Natural Light, while OSU fans drink Cobra's.

Colleen MurphyChurch Wine (Before it is Consecrated) - Colleen is easily one of the nicest and holiest girls I know, and so making her Church wine seemed like a no brainier.

Maura Kennedy
A dusty bottle of Glenfiddich Thirty Year Old Malt Whiskey, located on a bookshelf in a private library - This is Maura Kennedy we are talking about. She is one of the most interesting people I've ever met, and you know this fits her perfectly. She has adventurous written all over her, and though this bottle is found in a library, only the most adventurous people have a thirty year old bottle of Whiskey. Cheers to you Miss Kennedy.

Keri Landeche


Sazerac - Nothing says New Orleans like the famous cocktail, the Sazerac. It has actually been named the official cocktail of New Orleans, and we all know Keri loves her New Orleans. After you have a few Sazerac's, you'll find yourself laughing, and when your with Keri, someone is always laughing, even if it is normally just her.

Sarah Bueche
Fire Shots - The BuecherBasket is crazy, in the best way possible. Fire Shots are crazy, in the best way possible. Perfect match. The Bar literally lights shots on fire! ON FIRE!

Kolbe SpencerLiquor Cabinet - Maybe my favorite one of them all, Kolbe can't be described by one drink alone. He is always himself, but that doesn't mean you know what to expect from him. Pending on his mood, he might want to hangout with everyone, and just be the hoot of the party, and at other times, he might just want to hangout by himself and watch movies. It really just depends. He is a Liquor cabinet for sure, in how he acts and with what he drinks.

Beteil
Captain Morgan Tattoo - Beteil is one of those people who will not just drink anything. She needs the finer things, and that is where Captain Morgan Tattoo comes in. It is a fine drink and really describes her. Beteil is a pirate in how she is always looking for adventure, and she loves wearing the color black, as she should, because it looks so nice on her. Are there other connections? None that I can think of, but maybe you can!

Moira Delaney
A few Guinness's- Moira Delaney is as Irish as it gets, including the fact that she has been drinking since she was in diapers. Just kidding... Maybe? She is totally a Guinness, a true taste of Ireland!

Regina Monsour
A Manhattan - A Manhattan is a drink I've never had, but I hear it is good. I do know that the glass used for a Manhattan is a cocktail glass, which are tall and skinny, and Regina is definitely tall and skinny. Manhattan's pack a little punch, and Regina will surprise you. She is also a hard worker, and this is a drink for the working world.

Bernardo Gonzalez
A Margarita - Bernardo and Margarita's have multiple things in common but one very distinct thing - Girl's can't get enough of them. Margarita's are always being drank by girls, and Bernardo is always surrounded by girls. He can't help it - When you run a 10.66 in the 4x1, you are bound to have girls surrounding you. I'm just messing, Bernardo is not a tool, but girls do love his company, and go figure, Margarita's are a Hispanic drink, and Bernardo is Hispanic also!

Claire Fitzgerald 
Black Russian - A White Russian is a very girly drink, but a Black Russian is the opposite, being ranked as one of the most manly drinks out there. Well, Claire is a Big, Bad, Boy so it made perfect sense. When you get done punching people, chopping down trees, growing your beard out and drinking milk from the carton, take a second to appreciate how big and bad you really are!

Tori Mahon
Stella Artois - This is the most popular alcohol beverage in Britain, and it has the word Stella in it! This was a no-brainer for Torth.

Randi Yeager
Arizona Iced Tea with a shot of Jager - I couldn't get away from Randi's roots, with the whole Arizona thing, and Jager is great cause it is her last name. Randi will be out on a hike and all of a sudden, she will grab her flask and start mixing her alcohol with her Iced Tea. Perfect!

Madeline Eichman 
Mini Keg - Madeline is honestly one of my favorite people, and the biggest reason is because she is CRAZY! Just a real ball of energy, Madeline is just your average Mini Keg! Enjoy!

Sarah Clark
Multivitamin Juice - Sarah Clark is one of the nicest people ever and just a real sweetheart, so I couldn't even kid with her and make her some alcoholic beverage. She enjoys her juice and just as juice is innocent, so is Sarah.

Katie Danaher
Palinka aka Romanian Moonshine - You may or may not know this, but Katie went to Romania for 10 day break. While there, we were introduced to this drink called Palinka and Katie went to town... Want to party? Just invite Katie.

Jayne Gillam
Strawberry Daiquiri - A fun and tasty drink, Jayne is one of those girls who is really adventurous but is also just a sweetheart. I don't think I've ever heard a bad thing come out of her mouth or someone say something bad about her, and I don't think anyone has ever said anything bad about Strawberry Daiquiris.

Tim McNamera
 Sangria - T-Mac is Spanish. So are Sangria's. Enough said.

Regina Anderson
Screwdriver - Regina is literally a little ball of joy and always knows how to put a smile on someones face, which makes me think of the sun, the color orange, and screwdrivers!

Joey Pontarelli 
Red Wine - No need to say why, because we all know why.  Oh Tina!

Doug Crawford 
 Cotton Candy Smirnoff - I thought I would describe Doug with his favorite drink. Doug is just a nice little German guy.

Stephen Wilson
Bulmers Cider - "Yeah guys, I've only had four." "Who wants to drink mildew?" 

Luke Palguta 
Alcohol of any kind - Luke with his alcohol is like some people with there food, "I'll eat whatever you have," or in his case, "I'll drink whatever is available." God Bless Luke and his love of all things. What a man.

Well that is about it. If I forgot you, I apologize and if you want, I can add you to the list!
Hope you had a few laughs throughout.
God Bless!

"He died for me, so I will live for Him."