Summer Sports Preview
Ben Epstein & Andrew Slap The Santa Clara May 26, 2017Golden State Warriors
All the hype swirling around the Warriors-Cavs trilogy is getting out of hand. There’s simply no reason to believe this series will be close. Sure, LeBron James got the better of Golden State last year, but this year the Dubs are a completely different team. The addition of Kevin Durant is the most obvious change, but there are other factors in play suggesting that Golden State should sweep.Health may be the Warrior’s biggest improvement. A year ago, when they were entering the Finals after a grueling seven game series against OKC, Steph Curry was battling injuries all postseason and Andre Iguodala was exhausted by the end. Compare that to this year’s Golden State squad that has yet to drop a playoff game.The vengeance of Golden State cannot be overlooked. After blowing a 31-point lead, the Warriors learned that they have to deliver the knockout blow when they have a team on the ropes rather than let them fight back.Expect this series to almost mirror the 2014 NBA Finals when the Spurs suffered a similar collapse to LeBron when he was in Miami. But they came back stronger than before. San Antonio’s ball movement was crisp and on point, and LeBron and Co. were helpless against a real team basketball.The Warriors play a similar style, leading the league in assists every year in the Kerr era. The only way to beat team-style basketball is with ridiculous talent, but Golden State has more talent than Cleveland. All the hype around Cleveland should have vanished when they lost to a Boston Celtics team without Isaiah Thomas.The Cavs will likely win the series in five games, but that loss reveals a lack of discipline crucial to taking down Golden State. The Cavs have almost no margin for error to beat the Warriors just once. Forget about four out of seven.Major League BaseballNot much consideration should be given to the current MLB standings. With approximately 120 games left, there is just way too much baseball to predict any conclusions. Still, neither the Giants or A’s deserve much space in this section. The A’s, as expected, are aspiring to mediocrity and the Giants are arguably the most disappointing team in baseball.Some early season favorites have started slowly out of the gate but will surely be in the picture come October. The Cubs, Cardinals, Red Sox, Indians and Rangers are all hovering around .500 but have the talent to make up ground quickly and cement themselves in the playoff race. Some surprising clubs are currently in the mix, including The 49ers and the Raiders are on two different trajectories. The 49ers are on renovation mode, while the Raiders are coming off a trip to the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. Raider Nation is rallying around their team lead by franchise quarterback, Derek Carr. If he can return to his Pro Bowl form after suffering a broken fibula and the Marshawn Lynch surprise -signing works out, the Raiders have the chance to further improve after a fantastic year. With the help of Carr and the newly added strength of Lynch, Oakland is absolutely in the competition for the NFC title. Khalil Mack leads a strong defense and Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree are dangerous weapons for Carr. Expectations are high for Oakland. the Rockies, Diamondbacks, Brewers and Twins.Out of the four, the Diamondbacks and the Rockies have the most talent to hang around and possibly challenge for a wild card spot in the National League.In the American League, the Yankees are one of the more intriguing teams in all of baseball. The Yankees dominant bullpen and wealth of young talent (currently in the MLB and waiting in the minors) will surely deliver playoff baseball to the Bronx. The NL title race will come down to the hottest team in October out of the Nationals, Dodgers and Cubs. In the AL the same goes for the Red Sox, Yankees, Indians and Astros.San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers had a terrific NFL draft, receiving praise from experts regarding John Lynch’s impressive debut as general manager. San Francisco landed two defensive weapons for the future with the third and 31st picks: Solomon Thomas and Reuben Foster. Foster slid all the way down to the end of the first round—despite his talent— due to a failed drug test. But, if the former Alabama star overcomes those issues, he could be a star for years to come. The 49ers have talent on both sides of the ball, highlighted by Carlos Hyde and NaVorro Bowman. However, they don’t have a franchise quarterback on the roster or weapons at wide receiver. The 49ers will struggle again in the upcoming season, but their future will be bright if they can find a franchise quarterback.Oakland Raiders
The 49ers and the Raiders are on two different trajectories. The 49ers are on renovation mode, while the Raiders are coming off a trip to the playoffs for the first time in over a decade.Raider Nation is rallying around their team lead by franchise quarterback, Derek Carr. If he can return to his Pro Bowl form after suffering a broken fibula and the Marshawn Lynch surprise -signing works out, the Raiders have the chance to further improve after a fantastic year. With the help of Carr and the newly added strength of Lynch, Oakland is absolutely in the competition for the NFC title. Khalil Mack leads a strong defense and Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree are dangerous weapons for Carr. Expectations are high for Oakland.