No Kawhi Leonard For The Rest Of Season?

One Spurs superstar is not expecting to see Kawhi Leonard back on the floor for the rest of the season. That superstar happens to be Manu Ginobili.

Ginobili talked to reporters on Wednesday before their game against the Washington Wizards and told ESPN's Michael C. Wright, "He is not coming back. For me, he's not coming back because it's not helping (to think Leonard is returning). We fell for it a week ago again. I guess you guys made us fall for it. But we have to think that he's not coming back; that we are who we are, and that we got to fight without him. That shouldn't be changing, at least until he is ready for the jungle."

That sounds like sound comments to me, despite recent reports that the Spurs were optimistic that Leonard would return against the Pelicans on March 15. Leonard ended up missing that game. Five games remain this month as well as 11 for the rest of the season, and it's still a toss-up on whether or not Leonard will actually be back on the court. However, based on what he has gone through this season, it seems more than likely than Leonard will probably be out for the rest of the season. If so, the Spurs might end up missing the playoffs.

Ginobili's words do carry some gravity, as the media these days have been overhyped about Leonard's return to the court, and the hype has mostly been exaggerated. I was less than hyped about Leonard's return because I didn't think it would actually happen this season. I can understand his desire to make it back onto the court and be as healthy and as productive as possible. The fact of the matter is, he's not the same player he was when he went out with the injury and head coach Gregg Popovic has made it clear that he does not want him back on the court unless he is fully healthy and free of any pain.

The Spurs are hoping for a healthy Kawhi Leonard right now, especially with the position they are in the Western Conference. They're in a tight race in the Western Conference and currently sit in sixth place. They're just 0.5 games separating them from the seventh-seed Minnesota Timberwolves and they would be playing the Portland Trail Blazers if the season ended today.

Right now, the Spurs are hoping that Kawhi Leonard comes back, but Manu Ginobili is indeed taking the approach that the Spurs may have to go the rest of the way without him. It's understandable. I don't want to see him back on the court unless he is fully healthy and able to carry this team on his back. Right now, he can't do that, and unless that happens, the Spurs will have to keep fighting. They've done a good job at that so far. We'll see what happens.

The Cavs Without Tyronn Lue

The Cleveland Cavaliers will play the next couple of days without their head coach Tyronn Lue.

The Cavs announced today that Lue will be taking a leave of absence to address some personal health issues. These health issues also forced him to leave early from three other games this season.

Lue said this in a statement, "After many conversations with our doctors and [GM] Koby Altman and much thought given to what is best for the team and my health, I need to step back from coaching for the time being and focus on trying to establish a stronger and healthier foundation from which to coach for the rest of the season."

Cavaliers superstar LeBron James came out in support of Lue, but of course LeBron James is the de facto coach and GM of the team and even without Lue, LeBron is the one guy that keeps this team upright. Either way, it was the right thing to say and I hope that Lue takes as much time as he needs to combat this health scare and return to the court ready and willing to go for the playoffs. It's the same thing I said about Steve Kerr last season.

Lue has described several health scares that caused him to leave early from some games this season, including a Saturday game against the Bulls. He described several of them, including chest pains and other symptoms related to it, and a combination of a lack of sleep.

David Alridge of TNT said on his Twitter that Lue will try to return as early as next week, assuming he figures out his health scares and gets fully healthy.

Tyronn Lue will be on a one-week plan to address his health issues, per source. The current plan is to return to the bench next week.

— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) March 19, 2018

That being said and all that, Tyronn Lue should take as much time as he needs to get over these health scares. He shouldn't have to rush this back. It's like Steve Kerr. Don't rush him back. The team will be fine, and in this case, LeBron is going to be the one guy that keeps this team upright, even with the struggles they've been having since the All-Star break, especially against good teams with winning records.

In the meantime, Cavs assistant coach Larry Drew will take over in the interim. He does have some head coaching experience, having coached the Atlanta Hawks from 2010-13, so this team will be in good hands.

Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, they have their own issues to deal with, not including Lue's health scare. This team is currently 9-7 since Altman traded away half the roster, and they've had bad games against teams with winning records since the All-Star break. Most of this is going to be put on LeBron James, as it should, because he's the star and he's the one controlling the guys out there on the floor. They're going to have to figure out how to win against good teams, otherwise, even without Lue, they'll probably have a miserable end to the season, combined with perhaps a dismal playoff run, assuming it goes that way.

I wish Tyronn Lue all the best in his recovery. No need to rush this back. Take as much time as you can and this team will be fine when you get back. As for the Cavaliers, they have their work cut out in front of them, and they have to figure out a way to get through this slump they're currently in.

Virginia Goes Down Hard To UMBC

If you were looking for a 16 seed finally beating a 1 seed, you finally got one, courtesy of UMBC.

Yes, after 34 years of trying and trying, a 16 seed finally took down a 1 seed as UMBC pulled off the greatest upset in college history by knocking off the Virginia Cavaliers 74-54. Yes, that was a 20 point win by a 16 seed over a 1 seed. 20 points! That's an NBA score almost.

You know the name Jairus Lyles? Well, probably not til tonight, as he's now a part of NCAA history as he led the way for UMBC with 28 points and now joins Bryce Drew and Reggie Upshaw as perhaps the unlikeliest of heroes who pulled off spectacular upsets in their times.

Many have said that Virginia probably had the toughest road to the Final Four, and they didn't even play catch-up against UMBC when all was said and done. Coming into this game, they were the ACC regular season and conference title champs. They went through the season 31-2. Now, they'll sit at home and let UMBC handle it the rest of the way.

As for UMBC, they took the night and ran with it, thanks in part to three-pointers all night long. They also got to the rim with almost no problem. They were tied at 21 going into the half. After that, UMBC scored six straight points and for Virginia, it was trouble when the deficit just increased.

Virginia had no business being in this game after the half. They caved to a 16 seed. They didn't play with intensity, with purpose, with nothing except just looking at UMBC rack up the points. They were outplayed at every turn, beaten to the rim every time, and allowed UMBC to hit three after three after three. If you're Virginia, that's inexcusable. Not to mention their 4-of-22 from three-point range was probably their Achilles Heel.

UMBC did everything than Virginia had done leading up to this game. UMBC looked like it was in the ACC and completely took advantage of a Virginia team, especially coming out of halftime. And this wasn't the first time Virginia was on the wrong end. They lost to Chaminade in 1982. At that time, it was considered the greatest upset in college basketball history. Now, this may triumph over it. Plus, that game was in a Hawaii tournament. This was in the NCAA tournament. This will be longer and have a longer lasting impact than many we have seen before.

I've never seen it before. I can't believe it, but it did happen. And Virginia, with perhaps the toughest road in the tournament, didn't play a game. The way they played, they shouldn't have been in the tournament. Now, we'll wait to see what UMBC has up their sleeves for the next game. One thing's for sure: UMBC is our Cinderella this year.

The Case Against Syracuse In the NCAA Tournament

The NCAA Tournament is full of winners and losers. In my last article, I detailed about how USC, despite its conference schedule and all that, should have gotten in. In this one, I will discuss how Syracuse should not have gotten in.

A question many of have had is why Syracuse got picked going into the tournament this year. What got them over the top that gave the Selection Committee the ability to put them into the tournament?

A couple of things really. Some of it was thanks to the Orange's ability this season. Other times, it was because other teams fell off and it allowed Syracuse to rise. One of those abilities to get in was its strength of schedule. They were playing in the ACC, which definitely helps you out with the committee, but like what Oklahoma State learned going through the Big-12, you can't just be in a conference that's very strong and expect that the committee will take pity on you. Its strength of schedule was 15th in the country while Oklahoma State was 69th. They had games against Kansas, Buffalo, Iona, and Maryland, which all had different levels that allowed Syracuse an ability to be successful and battle-tested going into the tournament. The Committee apparently saw that as good enough to be one of the teams.

Another big factor was their ability to win away from home. They were 4-6 away from the Dome, including 4-6 in big road games with two wins over Miami and Louisville. Those were two teams that the Committee saw as Syracuse needing to win in order to get in. To me, Miami was the only elite program that Syracuse won against, but to be fair, Syracuse did better on the road than in previous years. The problem with this is USC had a better road record than Syracuse this season. Even Notre Dame was better than Syracuse away from home.

Iona and Texas Southern were considered bubble teams that Syracuse had to go up against. It wasn't just them, though. They were 6-9 against the field, including wins that actually helped them like the two I just mentioned. Both of those teams ended up with a conference title, and the Orange were given a boost because of that.

Those were the three main factors that allowed Syracuse to get over the top. Unfortunately, they should still not be in, and it's not because I don't agree with why the Committee picked them, but it's because their road record was not as great as other teams who ended up staying out. They didn't have the big wins they needed in order for the Committee to say they're an automatic in, but many of USC's losses on the road were against power teams that were going to get in no matter what, like Arizona. The two big wins the Committee saw in Miami and Louisville, is not what I would consider as strong for the NCAA Tournament. Especially not Louisville, because Louisville had struggled all season and ended up at the NIT. Syracuse, in my mind, needed to have a better road record in order to get into the tournament, but the Committee took pity on them and put them in anyway.

I don't know if this was because they were kicked out last year, but it's clear to look that way. Either way, I think the Committee did a terrible job of allowing Syracuse to get in. Yes, their schedule looks tough and yes, they've had some good wins, but I feel like other teams, like USC and Notre Dame, should've been the frontrunners ahead of Syracuse.

USC Should Be In The Tournament

When the NCAA Selection Committee made its selections, there were a lot of picks they got from. But just like every year we've had, they've always made one mistake. In this particular case, it was a terrible mistake and it was not picking USC to be in it.

Let's face it: USC and their alums and fans definitely have some beef now with the NCAA Tournament now that they've become one of the big programs not to make it to the dance this year. That's with good reason as well.

USC this season had an RPI of 34, which makes them the highest major conference team not to make it into the field of 68. It's completely depressing and inexcusable for this committee.

So why? Why exactly did the committee not send USC into the big dance? Well, for one, the Trojans lacked a difficult out-of-conference schedule and they weren't able to beat tournament teams within their own conference, like UCLA and Arizona. Don't forget the game against Stanford where Daejon Davis destroyed them on the last shot. Yes, Stanford's not in either, but they still did enough to kick USC's butts that game. Either way, the committee looked at both of those things and decided they couldn't afford to give USC a pass and get into the tournament. It still makes it wrong, though, especially since weaker teams and much easier schedules got in over them.

Let's take a closer look at the teams they beat and didn't beat out of conference. USC beat New Mexico State and Cal State Fullerton. They lost to Texas A&M and Oklahoma out of conference. Those teams got into the dance. In-conference, they lost to Arizona twice, rival UCLA twice, and Arizona State. It was very harsh, but the committee felt not beating any of those teams was warrant enough to keep them out of the tournament. Still, though, they way they finished and how they went through the Pac-12 tournament, should've allowed them to get in. Arizona didn't need to win the Pac-12 tournament to get in anyway. They were in, no matter what.

I definitely feel the frustration and anger of USC fans. In fact, I was just texting one over Twitter on Sunday night, saying that USC should be in, because despite the schedule, the way they played throughout most of the season and the teams they needed to beat to get there, should've gotten them in. However, I'm not the committee. I know they had a hard job, but I think with the lack of Pac-12 teams I've seen in this tournament, USC should've been given a chance to prove themselves in the big dance.

It's definitely understandable what the committee did. Yes, I agree that USC did not have a hard out-of-conference schedule and wins against teams that weren't all that great, but in the end, USC should have at least been given a chance. Now, they'll have to prove themselves in the NIT and you can bet they'll be playing that tournament with anger, since they know they should've been in.

Are The Blues Fading?

The St. Louis Blues are seeming to fade from being a contender for the playoffs, and last night's loss against the Sharks just proved that point. You could very well say last season was the statement for this team. That's only unless they go on a roll.

Right now, though, this team is going through tough times as they lost 2-0 against the Sharks on Thursday night at SAP Center. Going into this game, the Blues' playoffs chances were growing dimmer and last night's game just showed the reason why they could miss out on the playoffs entirely.

It's not the Blues that have problems, though. The Sharks needed this game just as badly and were holding off the LA Kings and Calgary Flames in the Pacific Division. However, both teams realized this game could make or break their season, assuming it trends the way it did last night.

In this case, both teams had great energy and great play from the get-go, but the Sharks were the ones that went after the puck early and often. Thanks in part to reliable goalie Jake Allen, he kept the puck out of the net for the first two periods, filling in for an injured Carter Hutton. To many fans of the Blues, it's surprising for Allen to be this consistent, especially in this game, and keep it 0-0 going into the third period.

Unfortunately for the Blues, the offense couldn't get anything going. They more likely wanted to keep the game even instead of trying to attack Martin Jones. They only got 16 shots on him. Yes, they did have some energy but it seemed to die out after the Sharks scored the first goal in the third period. After that, they were deflated, with no energy and no way to get to Martin Jones. It was basically terrible from that point forward.

I'll give the Blues credit for one thing: They had effort. Their season was most likely on the line in this game and they had to go out and prove they can still be in it. Jake Allen proved he's still reliable when called on and allowed the Blues to keep it even through two periods, before the big fallout.

Right now, the Blues sit four points out of a Wild Card spot to get in, but with the way the teams in front of them have been playing, it's going to be hard to see the Blues actually squeezing in there. So the game may have just sealed their fate, or at least give the teams in front of them a bit of an advantage. So right now, every game is crucial for the Blues and they can't afford to have a lot of losses between now and April. If so, they miss. If they win, they may be in. However, with the way things looked like last night, giving up the goal in the third deflated this team, and if that's the attitude they have for the rest of the way, it's going to be a non-playoff-season for St. Louis.

Torrey Smith On The Move

Torrey Smith now has two Super Bowl rings, this latest one thanks to the Philadelphia Eagles. Now, he'll look to find that same Super Bowl success in a new place.

On Friday, ESPN's Adam Scheffer reported that the Eagles have traded their veteran wide receiver Torrey Smith to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for cornerback Daryl Worley.

This trade comes on the heels of them acquiring defensive back Michael Bennett from the Seattle Seahawks.

This season, Smith played a big part in the Eagles success, catching 36 passes for 430 yards and two touchdowns for this season. In the postseason, he had 13 catches for 157 yards and a touchdown. That means the Carolina Panthers just got a player who can still be a threat even as he gets older.

The reasons for the trade make sense, because Philadelphia is currently $14 million over the salary cap and they need to shed some payroll. That is especially true with Michael Bennett, who might be looking to get more money at one point. This season, Smith is set to make a base salary of $5 million, which is what the Eagles can't afford. The player the Eagles got back, Daryl Worley, is still on a four-year rookie deal that is worth $650,000. The Eagles can afford that and not what Smith wants.

While Daryl Worley did have a fantastic start to the season for the Carolina Panthers, the second half saw him in and out of the lineup and his play wasn't quite the same as James Bradberry, who played opposite him. When healthy, he started 14 of 15 games, but only played one snap in the Week 6 game against the Eagles before being pulled out. He was being subbed in and out, due to his play not at the level the Panthers expected it to.

With Smith, the Panthers get a veteran wide receiver that head coach Ron Rivera had been asking for. Smith is a speedy receiver who can beat defenders and has big playmaking ability, that example being in the playoffs. He only had three drops all season, which means he is somebody that can catch a football and hold onto it, even through traffic.

I feel like Torrey Smith has been under appreciated for most of his career, despite his two Super Bowl rings, one in Baltimore and one in Philadelphia. I felt like his tenure in San Francisco may have been the one area that left many skeptical about his career, and perhaps his asking for money from the Ravens for the Super Bowl might've been the reason he left for San Francisco. Torrey Smith is an amazing player, he's an agile wide receiver who doesn't let down his team, and he's a leader and a veteran one that young players are looking for. I think what Smith brings to the Carolina Panthers is something that not only does this team need, but I think their quarterback Cam Newton needs. I only say that because of his recent behavior, especially towards the media and all that. If Smith can come in and provide the sort of leadership and determination that we saw in both Baltimore and Philadelphia, I think Carolina has a big shot to be in the playoffs again and be a deep threat when there.

It was all business in Philadelphia after this season. They had a great season they resulted in a Super Bowl and now they have to shed money. I don't blame them for doing this, but what they're giving up is a guy who is a veteran, a playmaker, and a wide receiver you can count on. There's not many of those in the NFL, but the Panthers just managed to land one, and that could have deep impact on that NFC South.

Richard Sherman Released By The Seahawks

Richard Sherman's time with the Seattle Seahawks appears to be coming to an end.

According to multiple reports, including ESPN's Adam Scheffer, the Seahawks are likely to release Richard Sherman on Friday. If indeed this news is true, it brings to an end perhaps one of the best defensive players in Seahawks history and probably one of the more iconic player in Seattle history.

Things were relatively quiet on Thursday, as no transaction involving Sherman happened that day and he was in Las Vegas attending NFLPA meetings.

Before even the news broke that he has going to be released, the Seahawks had been looking for trade partners for Sherman and nothing happened, most likely because teams expect that the Seahawks would release him. That way, they wouldn't have to give up picks and players to Seattle for a guy still dealing with an ACL injury.

The reasons for the release make sense, as he's making $11 million in salary and is still recovering from a season-ending injury that he suffered in November. Now that he's being released, Sherman is now willing to pick his new team, most likely a team that will offer him a lot of money, perhaps even more than what he got with the Seahawks.

With the release, the Seahawks will now add another $11 million in salary-cap space that they can use to go out and either find new players via free agency or even through the draft. However, I will not question the release or the tactics behind that. If I know one thing about GM John Schneider, he can find ways to cut great players and then go out and get players and make them great. That's why they've been so successful in Seattle for those many years.

There are several reports that all of the moves they are making in getting rid of either injured or high talent players might be to resign Sheldon Richardson, who has played well since coming over from the New York Jets last season. The team declined to put a franchise tag on him and it's expected that releasing all these players would allow to keep Richardson around long-term. Not only that, but it could also add some flexibility to sign Earl Thomas to a long-term deal as well.

It's clear that Schneider believes he knows what he's doing. He's not wrong. Both Richard Sherman and Michael Bennett, who they traded, were not the same players they were during their two-year Super Bowl run and maybe it was time to part with him. However, they have done so much to Seattle and given that fan base a Super Bowl, and I think Seahawks fans, like myself, are appreciative and are thankful that they did that.

Richard Sherman will get picked up by another team and will get more money than what the Seahawks gave him. It was time to move on, anyway. One of the biggest figures in Seattle history will not be forgotten, and we thank Richard Sherman on his devotion and effort to this team, and for bringing a championship to the Emerald City. Now, we'll see where his next act takes him.

Should The Cavs Apologize to Kevin Love?

We're finally getting the news as to why Kevin Love was not on the bench for the Cleveland Cavaliers the day they were blown out by the Oklahoma City Thunder. The reason: Panic attack.

Love published a piece on the Players' Tribune on Monday morning and detailed his experiences with panic attacks, including one that he said he suffered during a game against the Atlanta Hawks back in November.

The game wasn't the only one that he had suffered a panic attack. Back in the game against the Thunder, just three minutes into the game, Love left the floor for what we thought at the time was either an injury or something else. Now we know that he suffered another one there, and that led to a team meeting where some current Cavalier players called him out for leaving the bench and the subsequent practice. He later admitted to them that he had been suffering panic attacks.

A few of those players included then-Cavaliers Isaiah Thomas and Dwyane Wade. When asked about it later, Thomas said he didn't call him out but asked why he didn't stay and support his teammates.

Thomas eventually ended up in LA while Wade was sent back to Miami, and you can be sure they'll probably send out apologies and words of support for Love after this published letter. I'm sure many other Cavaliers will do the same, either current or former. LeBron James has already come out in support of LeBron, which essentially is an apology.

So now that the article is out there and we know why Kevin Love left a couple of times during the season, the question now is: Should the Cavaliers apologize for what happened? Absolutely, at least for the ones who called him out in that meeting. We haven't heard yet from a lot of players who were in that meeting, and we know we already heard one from LeBron. But it's absolute they need to apologize, because 1) You can't call out teammates like that and 2) Players have reasons for leaving the game, whether it be sickness or an emergency or anything like that. In this case, Kevin Love had an emergency and it was a panic attack. It's an issue he had to address and he had to do with what was in his best interest. I wouldn't fault him for that. However, I hope that anybody who was in that meeting and who went after Kevin Love either apologized then or is apologizing now.

Look, mental health is no easy thing to deal with. I deal with it all the time, and mental health has forced me to choose between work and getting better. Obviously, I chose getting better, and that's exactly what Kevin Love was trying to do, and I would encourage people out there who is dealing with mental health to take time off from work or wherever to get it taken care of and to feel better. That way, you can come back raring to go again and making an impact on your place of work.

Kevin Love took the smart approach and I should applaud him for that. As for his teammates, if they haven't apologized yet, they should. You can't do this, not in any circumstance. I understand that teammates should be there for each other, but if you have health issues that you must address, it's best to leave the team and get them figured out rather than staying and making it worse. That way, both the team and the player end off better in the long run.

Mental health is not easy. It's taken people many long hours, weeks, and months to feel better and come back ready to go again. Kevin Love can take all the time he needs to get better and hopefully when he gets back, he's ready to help the Cavaliers. They need him, and in order to get him at 100% health, he needs all the time he needs. Hopefully, that works out well.

MLS Preview: What To Watch

MLS soccer is finally back!

The 2018 MLS season kicks off tonight, March 3, with a flurry of games and intriguing matchups and storylines. You have Toronto FC coming off a great season that resulted in a championship, you have the worry about the Sounders FC after losing Jordan Morris for the whole season, and you have the new team in LAFC that's hoping to make a dent in LA's tight sports city, especially with the more established LA Galaxy to the south. So what should we expect out of the MLS season and what are a couple of storylines to follow? Let's take a look at a couple of them.

LAFC
The biggest storyline of the season may be the new team in the league: LAFC. This team is essentially a redo of the Chivas USA team that went defunct years ago. It's got new players, its got a new mission, and it's going to play closer to downtown than the LA Galaxy, who continue to play too far to the south. It will be led by former US head coach Bob Bradley, who knows something about leading expansion teams, having led the Chicago Fire expansion team to a Cup in 1998. They have more celebrity ownerships, starting with Magic Johnson, and by April, it will have $350 million stadium to play in. While the LAFC may still be building, it's clearly getting more hype in this LA market. Not sure why, since the Galaxy are still the premier team there, but maybe not for long. How about the Galaxy get a stadium in downtown?

Sounders Without Morris
You can tell me a bunch of players on the Seattle Sounders FC, and I would only know three: Stefan Frei, Jordan Morris, and Clint Dempsey. Well, one of those players is now out for the season, as Jordan Morris will undergo surgery, and now the Sounders are wondering what the hell they are going to do to replace his speediness and his quick ability to score goals.

 Unfortunately, that's easier said than done. It's not just Morris that's out. You also have to worry about Dempsey leaving, as he's most likely done after this year, and there's a couple of names still on that team that's likely to leave after the season.

It's a little concerning going into this season, as Morris was the best player and you don't know how everybody else is going to adapt. However, the Sounders FC are still a big team in the MLS and they went to the MLS Cup Finals two years in a row. Whether or not they can make it three in a row will depend on how this team does without Morris.

Atlanta Taking The Next Step?
Atlanta United FC may have been the biggest surprise of last season, especially late in the season. Not only did they play well on the field, but they broke attendance records in its inaugural season and they signed a big-time player Ezequiel Barco from Argentina for $15 million.

Barco is now added to a lineup that includes Miguel Almiron, Josef Martinez, and Hector Villalba. You can expect a lot of goals to be scored for this team.

It's possible that if this works out, Atlanta could become a new beast in the East. Then again, Toronto did win last year and you can count they're taking notice.

It should be a fun season and I'm looking forward to it. I'm actually going to an MLS game tonight, as the Earthquakes are having their home opener at Avaya Stadium against Minnesota United FC. Can't wait for tonight and can't wait to see what the season has in store.