Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Lebron up, Noel down

LeBron on Fire

- Lebron James on Tuesday night did something nobody in the history of the NBA has ever done; he scored at least 30 points while shooting at least 60% from the field in 6 straight games. This streak has coincided with a 6-game winning streak that has put the Heat 3.5 games ahead of the New York Knicks for first place in the Eastern Conference. This included a game last week where James took 13 shots and only missed one.
James’s output is most impressive when taking into account the efficiency he is doing it with. Many of his points have been coming near the basket, where he is shooting over 80% during this stretch. James will have only one more game before this weekend’s All-Star game, where he will be the leader of the Eastern Conference squad.
At Sportico we know when to respect greatness.  Until recently we thought Kevin Durant was probably the front runner for MVP this season but James’ game has hit another level, a level that is unparalleled in recent history. Not since Michael Jordan has one player had this level of dominance over the NBA. It is truly an honor to be able to watch James during this stretch.


Noel injures ACL

- While we won't compare him to the other player listed in today's post, Kentucky's Nerlens Noel is one of the best athletes in college basketball today and is expected to be one of the top (if not the #1 overall) picks in the 2013 NBA Draft. 
- Equally famous for his shot-blocking prowess (two weeks ago he blocked 12 shots in a game against Ole Miss) and high-top fade haircut, Noel is already considered one of the best defensive big men in the NCAA. 
- However, he suffered what looked like a major knee injury on Tuesday night against Florida and after initially reporting that it was a hyperextension, Kentucky has announced today that it is in fact, the dreaded ACL tear, which will end his season and affect his ability to participate in NBA Draft drills and possibly even the preseason of the 2013-2014 NBA season. 
- Odds are it won't affect his draft stock much, but injuries like this can't be understated and it's a horrible ending to what will probably be Noel's only season playing college basketball.
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