![[SPORTS] CURRY TO MISS SHOWDOWN WITH HAWKS’ YOUNG](https://i0.wp.com/sloppyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/img_8525-1-1.jpg?resize=960%2C540&ssl=1)
by sloppyvinyl | Nov 13, 2018 | SPORTS
We’ll Have To Wait A Little Longer For This One
The much anticipated in-game 3-point contest that could’ve been won’t happen on Tuesday night in Oakland.
Stephen Curry will miss his third straight game with a strained groin on Tuesday night when the Golden State Warriors host Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks at Oracle Arena.
You circled this game on the calendar if you were a Hawks fan, and maybe even a Warriors fan as the greatest player this franchise has ever seen and the greatest shooter in NBA history likely would’ve had a 20-year-old sharp shooting rookie going right after him on this night.
We won’t be seeing that matchup, however, as Trae Young will instead look to build off his stellar showing at the Staples Center on Sunday when he went for 20 points and 12 assists in his first career game against LeBron James and the Lakers.
Earlier this season he scored 35 points while handing out 11 assists in a 133-111 Atlanta Hawks victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. The Oklahoma alum lit up Cleveland for six 3-pointers, most coming from well beyond the arc.
Young is averaging 18.5 PPG with 8.2 APG and 3.3 RPG on 42.6 percent shooting from the field through the first 13 games this season.
Stephen Curry, meanwhile, was enjoying an incredible start to the season before his injury in the third quarter last Thursday night in a 134-111 to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Curry is averaging 29.5 PPG with 6.1 APG and 5.1 RPG on 51.5 percent shooting from the field. He is also shooting 49.2 percent from beyond the arc.
The Golden State Warriors are listed as -12.5 favorites for tonight’s game with the Atlanta Hawks.
Does Trae Young have a realistic chance of being the next Stephen Curry? Leave your comments below!
![[SPORTS] WARRIORS’ SPAT BETWEEN DURANT AND GREEN MEANS LITTLE](https://i0.wp.com/sloppyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/img_8524-1-1.jpg?resize=1080%2C675&ssl=1)
by sloppyvinyl | Nov 13, 2018 | SPORTS
Warriors Will Be OK, Understatement Of The Century
I hated sharing the same room with my brother the older I got. The way he left sweaty clothes around on the floor, occasionally let out a dastardly bodily odors and asked me, “Do you have change for this bill?” pissed me off to great lengths.
That’s exactly what the Golden State Warriors are going through right now, who dropped a 121-116 overtime game in Los Angeles vs the Clippers last night.
The highlight from that game wasn’t Golden State’s second loss in three games but rather the sideline confrontation between NBA superstar Kevin Durant and the Warriors heartbeat and defensive anchor in Draymond Green.
Following a miss by the Los Angeles Clippers with less than 10 seconds remaining, Draymond Green carelessly stole a rebound from Kevin Durant with the game tied at 106-106 and decided to dribble the ball up the floor, turning the ball over as Golden State failed to get a shot attempt.
Scoring isn’t Draymond Green’s strength, and neither is dribbling the basketball, two things that are strengths for Kevin Durant, especially the first that was mentioned here.
So when Draymond Green makes a boneheaded decision to steal a rebound and dribble the ball up the floor with regulation winding down, you get the angst of Kevin Durant, who let Green have it on the sidelines before the beginning of overtime.
Not becoming of his character, Green didn’t back down, exchanging words with the man he begged to come to Golden State following the Warriors’ 2016 NBA Finals collapse to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Green walked away from the huddle, having to be calmed down by DeMarcus Cousins, who was in street clothes as he continues to recover from his ACL injury.
Durant continued on talking in the Warriors huddle, angrily, only to see Green come back and interject.
It would continue after the game as the bad blood spilled over into the visitors locker room at the Staples Center.
An expletive-laced shouting match could be heard outside of the locker room with Draymond Green defending himself, only to be pushed back by fellow teammates who confronted him, according to sources close to ESPN Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc J. Spears.
Simply put, the Warriors are getting tired of each other. That may mean something for the summer of 2019 when Durant will likely test the market as a free agent, but as for the current 2018-19 season its complete hogwash.
The Golden State Warriors will lose their share of games, specifically when players will likely be in and out of the lineup having had most of this core around for four straight NBA Finals appearances.
Going to a fifth straight in most cases can be viewed as unprecedented in the current day NBA. The most recent player and not team to do so was LeBron James, who saw himself compete in eight straight NBA Finals.
Kevin Durant is a laid back guy, but he’s also a very unique thinker. Key word there: thinker. Draymond Green is a rah-rah kind of guy you love to have on your team but not necessarily in your ear.
He’s going to say things no one wants to hear, but at the end of the day he typically makes plays for the betterment of the team.
Last night just wasn’t one of them.
What are your thoughts on the drama in Golden State? Leave your comments below!
![[SPORTS] BILLS FANS CLASSY AFTER CUT OF NATHAN PETERMAN](https://i0.wp.com/sloppyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/img_8523-1.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1)
by sloppyvinyl | Nov 13, 2018 | SPORTS
Good Guy Peterman Given Well Wishes From Bills Mafia
With the return of rookie quarterback Josh Allen looming, the Buffalo Bills made a decision that brought a sense of grief to most Bills fans.
The Buffalo Bills parted ways with second-year quarterback Nathan Peterman on Tuesday as the team will go forward with Josh Allen, Matt Barkley and Derek Anderson on the depth chart.
Buffalo Bills fans were classy in his release.
https://twitter.com/norman_stoerr/status/1062149584682659843
https://twitter.com/716Jimbo/status/1062165338664648704
Peterman in just eight games in which he started only four, had a propensity of turning the football over. He threw 12 interceptions to just three touchdowns, including a five interception first half against the Los Angeles Chargers last season.
Most of all, those interceptions came in just 130 passing attempts, a sign that the 2017 fifth-round draft pick was not a NFL caliber quarterback, let alone good enough to warrant being on a NFL roster.
Just last week former Bills quarterback E.J. Manuel took to Instagram to mock Buffalo for having Peterman still on the roster with a job.
“I usually never open up about my situation in Buffalo, but the fact that this guy has had multiple games with 4-plus interceptions … and I still don’t have a job in the league? Unreal. Say what you want about me, but never have I ever done that.”
The Buffalo Bills are coming off a 41-10 victory over the New York Jets last Sunday.
They will enjoy a bye week before hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 12.
Too rough on Peterman? Leave your comments below!
![[SPORTS] CHIEFS-RAMS SHOWDOWN COULD BE IN JEOPARDY DUE TO FIELD](https://i0.wp.com/sloppyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/img_8522-1.jpg?resize=1000%2C580&ssl=1)
by sloppyvinyl | Nov 13, 2018 | SPORTS
Field Conditions Worry NFL Officials
A huge Week 11 matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams in Mexico City could be in jeopardy.
Field conditions at the Estadio Azteca — the stadium that both teams are slated to play at next Monday night — are a major concern for NFL officials, who are continuing to discuss whether or not the game will go on, according to sources close to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
There have been talks of the game being moved to another venue, that of which is still a mystery.
In addition to the game being moved, the NFL has also talked about having the two teams share a bye week this week and play in Week 12 instead.
Neither seems like a bad idea since both teams are slated to go on bye weeks next week, but the time is ticking on the NFL’s decision regarding this matchup of 9-1 football teams.
Expected to be a high-scoring thrill ride that pits two of the highest scoring offenses against one another, what may sway the NFL’s decision to keep the game at this venue is the number of fans who already brought plane tickets to Mexico City to go watch the game.
If they do move the game to anywhere outside of Mexico City, it could cost the NFL a substantial amount of money as well as fan backlash.
What are your thoughts on the NFL possibly scraping this week’s Chiefs-Rams showdown? Leave your comments below!
![[SPORTS] NFL WEEK 11 POWER RANKINGS: EVERY TEAM’S BACKFIELD LEADER](https://i0.wp.com/sloppyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/img_8521-1.jpg?resize=750%2C422&ssl=1)
by sloppyvinyl | Nov 13, 2018 | SPORTS
Saints Remain No. 1, Steelers Crack Top 5
I had a friend recently ask me about my thoughts on the continued Le’Veon Bell-Steelers saga and the first thought that came into my mind was that neither side comes out of this as losers.
Le’Veon Bell led the NFL in carries with 321 in 2017, a hefty load for a running back that has dealt with injuries in the past. Probably even more astonishing is that he did that in just 15 games played last season, he also caught the ball 85 times, an additional pounding on his body.
Add that number up, Bell seemed to be getting punished last season more than being looked at as a workhorse back with 406 touches. At only 26-years-old, Bell is looking out for his own well-being and with his family in mind.
On the Steelers side, you look at paying a guy a $14.5 million for a year as a fully negotiable and realistic deal, specifically for a position that doesn’t age well in the NFL anymore.
There are movers in this week’s NFL power rankings, with Tennessee making the biggest leap following a 34-10 thrashing of the New England Patriots, who also fell behind in the rankings.
We will be looking at all 32 teams and their backfield leaders this season. Running backs who have carried the load for their football teams this season, whether as a pass catcher, rusher, or both.
Much like last week, you’ll notice the good teams are the teams with a strong presence at running back and the bad teams are the teams who don’t.
Let’s get started!
1. New Orleans Saints (8-1)
Alvin Kamara is leading the charge for the Saints with 546 rushing yards, but it’s his dynamic ability as a pass catcher that makes him special. Kamara has 55 receptions and 473 receiving yards, both ranking third and second in the NFL respectively among running backs this season.
2. Los Angeles Rams (9-1)
Leading the NFL in rushing yards (988) and touchdowns (13), Todd Gurley is having an even better 2018 to this point than he did last year when he finished with 1,305 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (9-1)
Hunt is fourth in the NFL in rushing, but maybe even more so impressive is that he’s got an NFL-best six receiving touchdowns at running back. He could realistically finish the season with 10 touchdown runs and receptions this season.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2-1)
James Conner has filled in quite well for Le’Veon Bell. I mean, all he’s done is run for 771 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns this season.
5. Los Angeles Chargers (7-2)
What’s impressive about Melvin Gordon this season. When looking at his body of work, it’s hard not to drool over his 5.4 yards per carry, which ranks tied for second among running backs, minimum 110 carries.
6. New England Patriots (7-3)
Sony Michel has two 100-yard games this season, but “pass catching” back James White has been New England’s most important back. White leads all running backs in receptions (66) and receiving yards (562) while scoring 10 touchdowns, already a career-high.
7. Chicago Bears (6-3)
Jordan Howard is the lumber and Tarik Cohen is the man that makes the Bears pass offense dynamic. The second-year running back has 37 receptions for 435 receiving yards this season.
8. Carolina Panthers (6-3)
A prototypical do-it-all back, Christian McCaffrey has 1,018 total yards from scrimmage this season to go along with eight total touchdowns.
9. Houston Texans (6-3)
Lamar Miller does what the Texans need him to do and he’s consistent, averaging well over four yards per carry this season.
10. Minnesota Vikings (5-3-1)
The Vikings rushing attack has struggled for much of the season, but Latavius Murray has picked things up for Minnesota in recent weeks. He has five touchdowns this season.
11.Tennessee Titans (5-4)
Dion Lewis is Tennessee’s leading rusher, but he is only averaging 3.5 yards per carry, a huge fall from last season’s 5.0 yards per carry output.
12. Washington Redskins (6-3)
It’s been a rewind the clock kind of season for Adrian Peterson, who ranks fifth in rushing yards with 672 this season.
13. Green Bay Packers (4-4-1)
Aaron Jones is averaging a league-best 6.8 yards per carry this season, albeit that number has come on just 73 rushing attempts.
14. Philadelphia Eagles (4-5)
The Eagles rushing attack is among the worst in the NFL, but that’s mostly because they’re a pass heavy team. Wendell Smallwood, the team’s leading rusher, has 261 rushing yards on just 62 attempts.
15. Indianapolis Colts (4-5)
Marlon Mack is the running back the Colts have needed for years. He’s rush for 125+ yards in consecutive games this season and is averaging 5.3 yards per carry.
16. Dallas Cowboys (4-5)
Ezekiel Elliot is fourth in the NFL in rushing this season with 680 rushing yards and has provided a spark in the pass game with 35 receptions for 262 receiving yards.
17. Atlanta Falcons (4-5)
Tevin Coleman has filled in nicely for the injured Devonta Freeman, averaging 4.2 yards per carry while scoring six total touchdowns, four of them being of the receiving variety.
18. Seattle Seahawks (4-5)
Seattle has a three-headed monster at running back with Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny and Mike Davis, all of whom have helped lead Seattle to the second ranked rushing offense in the NFL.
19. Cincinnati Bengals (5-4)
Joe Mixon is plenty explosive, as illustrated by his 4.9 yards per carry. His 81.4 rushing yards per game is sixth in the NFL.
20. Baltimore Ravens (4-5)
The Ravens can’t run the football, a big reason they’ve lost three straight. Alex Collins is averaging only 3.7 yards per carry while fumbling the ball three times.
21. Miami Dolphins (5-5)
Frank Gore leads the Dolphins in rushing with 528 rushing yards on 4.5 yards per carry, but one odd nugget is that he has not scored a rushing touchdown this season.
22. Cleveland Browns (3-6-1)
Nick Chubb would be running away with offensive Rookie of the Year if not for some guy in New York and Calvin Ridley. Chubb is averaging 6.2 yards per carry and just set a Browns franchise record with a 92-yard touchdown run last Sunday.
23. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6)
T.J. Yeldon has filled in for an injured Leonard Fournette for much of the season, rushing for 346 rushing yards on 4.1 yards per carry.
24. Detroit Lions (3-6)
Kerryon Johnson has 554 rushing yards on 5.4 yards per carry, something that’s a pleasant sight in Detroit.
25. Denver Broncos (3-6)
Speaking of Offensive Rookie of the Year, Phillip Lindsay has thrown his hat in there as well. Lindsay leads all rookies with 591 rushing yards this season. He’s also averaging 5.4 yards per carry.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6)
Peyton Barber is averaging only 3.7 yards per carry this season, but he’s still commanded most of Tampa Bay’s workload out of the backfield this season.
27. Buffalo Bills (3-7)
LeSean McCoy is mired in the worst season of his NFL career with an average of 3.4 yards per carry. The running back has been held under 30 yards rushing five times this season.
28. San Francisco 49ers (2-8)
Matt Breida is sneaky good for the San Francisco 49ers, averaging 5.6 yards per carry while ripping off eight runs of 20+ yards, tied for first in the NFL.
29. New York Jets (3-7)
Isaiah Crowell leads the Jets with 552 rushing yards, but he’s been mostly unable to find room over his past five games as he has rushed for less than 30 yards in three of those games.
30. New York Giants (2-7)
Saquon Barkley leads all rookies in yards from scrimmage with 1,116. In addition to that, he is also second in the NFL in receptions (62) for all running backs.
31. Arizona Cardinals (2-7)
David Johnson is not having the kind of season anyone who drafted him in fantasy football would have imagined, but the reality is Johnson’s 3.4 yards per carry is a product of one of the NFL’s worst offensive lines this season.
32. Oakland Raiders (1-8)
Marshawn Lynch has not played a game since October 14th, but he’s still Oakland’s leading rusher with 376 rushing yards as a groin injury will keep him out for the season.
What are your thoughts on this week’s NFL power rankings? Leave your comments below!
