Welcome to The Truda Report everyone. Today I'll be giving my Game 4 prediction for the Eastern Conference Finals, my reaction to Sunday's Game 3, and a quick response to Colin Cowherd's bit on Kevin Durant today. Make sure to follow my Instagram @thetrudareport for updates on when I post.

Update on my picks:
Game: 27-12
Series: 11-2

ECF Game 3 Reaction:
I know that by now LeBron Jame's anemic performance is old news, but I'd like to respond to it quickly. A lot of people like that when LeBron has an off night he passes the ball and fades into irrelevancy on the offensive side of the ball. I completely disagree. It is your job as the face of the NBA to go down swinging, and to me that's what separates players like Kobe and MJ from James. No matter how crappy Kobe shot the ball, you could count on him to keep shooting until it went in. Michael Jordan was willing to go 2-18 from the field because it showed that he wasn't going to give up. That's what I saw from LeBron though, someone who gave up. The Cavs proved to us they can't win without The King playing well, so if he's off, why not keep shooting for the sake of hoping things will turn around. I know the chance of LeBron changing his style of play in moments like that is minuscule, but I feel like if he wants G.O.A.T. consideration he has to do it. 

Boston Celtics @ Cleveland Cavaliers:
Tonight the Celtics try and get right back into this series by tying it up at 2 a piece. I counted them out before last game, saying they could get blown out by 20 again without me being surprised. In my defense, they were down 21 before LeBron James decided to wet the bed. That's besides the point though, because Boston won, and now the question is where they go from here. The answer is, they go home. For good. After the Cavs win tonight's game, they will win Game 5 to end the series in Boston. I hate to break it to you, but Sunday night was a fluke and there is no way that Cleveland is going to let that happen again. I won't say that I expect a blowout tonight because the Celtics showed fight last game, but don't be surprised to see LeBron James come for revenge.

Colin Cowherd on Kevin Durant:
Today on Fox Sports 1's show "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," the host, Colin, defended Kevin Durant's move to come to the Warriors. I hated all of the backlash that KD got for choosing Oakland as his next team, mostly because I think he is a great guy and realized that the Thunder had no chance of winning the Finals. What I had an issue with though, is that Cowherd said that KD watched LeBron James and Kevin Garnett leave their teams and win championships elsewhere, so he thought it was fine for him to do it too. That part is fine, but Cowherd went on to act like KD was the first of those three to receive backlash for his move. If you have paid attention to sports for the last 15 years, you would know that it's not at all true. Both LeBron and KG received hate for leaving their original teams, especially James, who even to this day has bad blood with Dan Gilbert for his comments made about the departure. I like that Cowherd defended Kevin Durant, especially since so much of the media has attacked him, but I feel like he took things too far. The opposing side clearly has a point about chasing rings and super teams, so don't make it sound like KD is completely innocent. 

Welcome to The Truda Report everyone. Today I'll be giving my prediction for today's Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics game. I'll also be talking a little bit about the future of the Eastern Conference, and if you want to hear more about that, let me know. You can do that by following my Instagram @thetrudareport, which will give you updates on when I post new articles.

Update on my picks:
Game: 27-11
Series: 10-2

Boston Celtics @ Cleveland Cavaliers:
After watching LeBron James demolish the Celtics on Friday, I have no faith left in the Eastern Conference. For the next few years, whichever team LeBron James is on will go to the Finals and compete for a championship. I don't know if the dominance will be at this same level (this could be the Cavs second straight season not losing a Playoff game until the Finals), but the end result will be the same. For this reason I'm glad that Boston has officially pulled Isaiah Thomas out for the rest of the Playoffs, because even with him on the court, they had no chance. It's better to keep him safe from a more severe injury, so at least he'll be able to play well again next year.

Anyways, enough with the long term talk. In terms of right now, Cleveland is going to win today, and eventually sweep this series. I said before that in the Celtics didn't win Game 1 they would get swept, and that's exactly what it looks like will happen. I think today could be another 20+ point blowout due to it being in Ohio, but maybe LeBron and Co. will play with less intensity today. Either way, without an injury to LeBron James there is no way the Cavs will lose this game, so don't be surprised to see Boston roll over and give up. I think without their leader (IT4), the Celtics supporting cast won't feel the need to play to their full potential. Make sure to watch the game at 9ET on TNT.

Welcome to The Truda Report everybody. Last night was the NBA Draft Lottery, so I'll be giving you guys the final order for this years draft. If you want to hear my evaluation on what the results mean to each team, I'll try and get that article out soon. I'll also be giving my prediction for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Make sure to follow my Instagram @thetrudareport for updates on when I post, and if you do make sure to let me know if you want the extra NBA Draft article.

Update on my picks:
Games: 27-10
Series: 10-2

NBA Draft Lottery Results:
1. Boston (From Brooklyn)
2. Los Angeles Lakers
3. Philadelphia (from Sacramento)
4. Phoenix
5. Sacramento (from Philadelphia)
6. Orlando
7. Minnesota
8. New York
9. Dallas
10. Sacramento (From New Orleans)
11. Charlotte
12. Detroit
13. Denver
14. Miami
15. Portland
16. Chicago
17. Milwaukee
18. Indiana
19. Atlanta
20. Portland (From Memphis via Denver and Cleveland)
21. Oklahoma City
22. Brooklyn (From Washington)
23. Toronto (From LA Clippers via Milwaukee)
24. Utah
25. Orlando (From Toronto)
26. Portland (From Cleveland)
27. Brooklyn (From Boston)
28. Los Angeles Lakers (From Houston)
29. San Antonio
30. Utah (From Golden State)

Cleveland Cavaliers @ Boston Celtics:
Tonight the annual LeBron Conference Finals start, but for once the man I named this series after isn't the number 1 seed. Since tonight's game is in Boston, I think this is the Celtics best chance to win a game. They have only had 2 days of rest though, so that either means they look tired and play poorly, or they come in still high on the momentum they gained after beating the Wizards. I truly hope that it is the latter, since my belief is that if they lose tonight they get swept. I'm willing to believe that they can win though, so I'll take IT4's squad in what I see as an upset victory tonight. That's not going to translate to how I feel about the series though. I think this series goes 6 games max, but my official prediction is 5 games. Let's see if Boston can prove me right tonight, but then prove me wrong about the rest of the series.

Welcome to the Truda Report everybody. Today I'll be giving my reaction to last night's Game 7 match up between the Celtics and the Wizards, as well as my prediction for the Spurs Warriors series. Be sure to follow my Instagram @thetrudareport for updates on when I post new articles.

Update on my picks:
Games: 26-10
Series: 10-2

Washington Wizards @ Boston Celtics:
I don't know who kidnapped Kelly Olynyk and replaced him with the ghost of Larry Birds past, but boy do the Celtics owe him one. That performance was incredible. Not only did Olynyk shoot 10-14 from the field (71.4%), 14 of his 26 points came in clutch time, a.k.a. the fourth quarter. He really stepped up for Boston, and he deserves all of the credit in the world for his contribution last night.

Due to Olynyk's outburst, Isaiah Thomas, who I think was the best player on the court last night, isn't getting as much attention as he should. He led the Celtics with 29 points and 12 assists, showing it's not only his shooting that wins games, it's his decision making. If there was such a thing as Playoffs MVP, Isaiah Thomas would win my vote. Last night solidified that for me. He came up clutch with multiple big shots during the last 12 minutes, and he played with the poise of a superstar. I think he deserves way more praise than he has been given today.

On the Wizards side of things, what I said had to happen for them to win clearly didn't occur. I said yesterday that if Bradley Beal was going to be the one to lead the game in scoring, then John Wall would have to have 20+ points and about 15 assists. Beal led everyone in the scoring category with 38 points, but Wall didn't hold up his end of the deal posting only 18 points and 11 assists. John Wall went cold in the fourth quarter too, not scoring a single point. If we are going to peg Chris Paul for his teams failures, and peg James Harden for not showing up in Game 6 against the Spurs, then we have to say something about Wall. This should hurt his stock for a while.

I've heard a lot of people saying it's not John Wall's fault today though, complaining that the team's bench was anemic. I totally agree that the bench is to blame for the teams loss, because when 7 players come of the bench and only one of them scores (Bojan Bogdanovic 5 points), there is clearly an issue with the players surrounding the teams stars. The problem I have though, is that it wasn't just the bench that didn't show up. John Wall didn't play well either, and since he is the best player on the team, he is the one to blame for the loss.

San Antonio Spurs @ Golden State Warriors:
I haven't made my prediction for this series yet, and as a disclaimer, Kawhi Leonard's ankle injury has changed my pick. My pick now is the Warriors in a 4 game sweep, but before that, I had the Dubs in 5. I know one game isn't a huge difference, but in this case, being swept and winning one is enough of a discrepancy for me. I think without Kawhi San Antonio stands no chance, and I feel like it's pretty self explanatory why. The Warriors, one of the best offensive teams ever, is playing a team that just lost a player that just lost its best defender, who is also their best offensive player. Not to mention, the Warriors are consistently a top 7 defensive team in the league as well, so that also helps their case. I chose the Warriors to win in a sweep so obviously, I'm taking them to win Game 2 tonight in Oracle Arena. Lets see if the Spurs can prove me wrong.

Welcome to the Truda Report everyone. Tonight the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards play the final game of the semifinal round in the NBA Playoffs. Below is my prediction for the much anticipated match up, but before doing that make sure to follow my Instagram @thetrudareport to get updates on when I post.

Update on my picks:
Games: 26-9
Series: 10-1

Washington Wizards @ Boston Celtics:
I took the Wizards to win this series in 7 games, with my reasoning being that Bradley Beal has become an incredible number 2 option, and John Wall has raised his game to elite point guard status. Overall, the Wizards have a better roster than the Celtics, but the way Avery Bradley has stepped up in the last few games makes me reconsider my pick. I knew that the Wizards would have to win an away Game 7 to move on to the Eastern Conference Finals, but I thought that Isaiah Thomas would be the only real issue. Instead, Boston has exploited the Wizards tendency to double team Isaiah, and Avery Bradley may be the Wizards biggest issue tonight. 

I'm not one to stray away from my original picks, so I'm going to stick to my guns and say the Wizards win tonight, but expect a game similar to that of Game 6. I think it will be close, and in the end it will be one big shot from either side that lifts their team to victory. I'm counting on John Wall to show up if all of this is going to happen though, because if he is going to be labeled an elite point guard (which is what I just called him), you need to play big in the big moments. Wall is either going to have to lead his team in scoring, as well as be the best player on both teams, or he is going to have to drop 20+ and have around 15 assists to help aide a Bradley Beal offensive explosion. 

I know that these scenarios are entirely possible, and to be honest, I find them to be the likely outcome to the game, so the Wizards should win. Tonight, my prediction of about two weeks ago is either confirmed, or I'll be berated by Celtics fans tomorrow. Wish me, and the Wizards, good luck.

Welcome to the Truda Report everybody. Today I'll be giving you my pick for tonight's Game 4 Warriors @ Jazz match up, as well as my reaction to the Celtics and Wizards series. For updates on when I post follow me on Instagram @thetrudareport, and make sure to request new topics.

Update on my picks:
Game: 25-9
Series: 8-1

Golden State Warriors @ Utah Jazz:
I'm taking the Warriors to sweep Utah tonight. Both the Cleveland Cavs and the Warriors have dominated so far in the Playoffs, and each of the teams has the ability to sweep every series they play in. I'm loving how every game someone new steps up for the Warriors, because it means the same person doesn't have to go off every single game. Tonight I think either Curry or Klay will have a monster game, and KD will get a game with less minutes. Even if that doesn't exactly happen, expect a sweep.

Washington Wizards @ Boston Celtics:
This series has been absolutely insane. None of the games have been close, and so far the home team has won every game. Something to note is that Isaiah Thomas has preformed less than satisfactorily in Washington, while John Wall has dominated in every competition. Also, the Wizards have owned a huge lead in every single game this series, and if not for blowing the lead in the first two games, Washington could be on to the next round. I took Washington in 7 games, and I'm going to stick to that prediction. I think that the Wizards have figured out how to slow Isaiah Thomas down, and they also have seemed to learn how to not blow a huge lead. That doesn't mean this series won't go down to the wire though. We'll see what happens in the coming days.

Welcome to the Truda Report everybody. Today I'll be giving my series and game predictions for the NBA Playoff match ups of tonight. Make sure to follow my Instagram @thetrudareport for updates on when I post, and also so you can request new topics.

Update on my picks:
Games: 23-9
Series: 7-1

Boston Celtics @ Washington Wizards:
The Celtics have owned this series, making comebacks in both games so far this series. In my opinion, Isaiah Thomas has elevated his game to superstar status, and has been absolutely spectacular. I took the Wizards in 7 games, and to be honest, that pick isn't looking very good. I'm taking Washington to win tonight's game though, because John Wall has been quietly un-guardable, and with home court, I think they can pull this off. If they lose tonight though, the series is basically over and the Celtics will move on. 

Utah Jazz @ Golden State Warriors:
The Warriors are currently leading this series 1-0, and I have yet to put my official pick in. Obviously I'm taking the Warriors, and I'll say it's going to take 5 games. I want to say 6 based on decent play from the Jazz in Game 1, but I also don't see the Warriors letting this series get that out of hand. Tonight I'm taking the Warriors to take a 2-0 lead, mostly because of the home court advantage. If the Jazz are going to win a game against the Warriors, it's going to be in Utah.

Welcome to the Truda Report everybody. Today is my birthday, so I'm going to indulge myself by writing about my favorite teams - the Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bulls. To request a certain type of article or topic follow my Instagram @thrtrudareport, and then from there you can request it by leaving a comment. 

Miami Dolphins:
Now that the NFL Draft is over, football is officially dead for the next couple of months. That means I have time to evaluate the teams roster and give a thorough prediction of their record before the season starts. Before I do that, here are my first impressions:

The Fins are that they are a much better team than they were last year. They didn't make any big splashes in free agency, and they didn't draft any definite starters, but that's not what they needed. Only 6 starters played the whole season last year, with everyone else missing significant time due to injury. Their depth was atrocious, so it was incredible that they made the playoffs. This off-season though, they inked Lawrence Timmons (immediate starter and versatile player who can fill in at multiple positions), T.J. McDonald (suspended 8 games but is only 26 and has been great when on the field, also can play both safety positions), traded for William Hayes (great rotational player and run defender), and Julius Thomas (immediate impact as a red zone threat). Through the draft they spent all of their first three picks on defensive players, each with the talent to fight for a starting job, or be a good rotational player. The theme of their off-season is obviously defense, but also depth and versatility. Every player acquired may not be an immediate starter, but when injuries hit, the backups will be able to fill in and provide great production.

Also, a little bit more on the draft, the Dolphins first two picks have been way underrated. Charles Harris (DE Missouri) was widely projected to be a top 15 pick, possible top 10, and the 
Dolphins got him at 22. He has the athletic ability to be the next Cameron Wake, and getting to learn from the man himself for 2 years will definitely help him develop into that mold. People keep saying that the Fins didn't need another defensive end, but Wake is 34 years old and won't be playing much longer. I think it was a smart pick.

Raekwon McMillan (LB Ohio State), the Fins second round pick, is in my opinion, either the best or second best run stopping linebackers in this draft. While playing for the Buckeyes he was their defensive leader and play caller, showing great knowledge for the game. His entire career their he locked down the middle of the field. A criticism of him is that he doesn't fit in the Dolphins system, because they already have Lawrence Timmons at middle linebacker. I think that they should test both players at middle and strong side linebacker, and whichever is better in the middle gets the job. He would be a great fit in either spot in my opinion.

Chicago Bulls:
Just today a report came out that the Bulls plan on keeping Fred Hoiberg as their head coach, and are likely to pick up Rajon Rondo's option. If they keep Rondo and Hoiberg, I think it would be better if Dwayne Wade left. I love the man and everything he has done but his cap hit is over $20 million. The Bulls need to go get some shooters and give Hoiberg the pieces he needs to run a pace and space offense. If Jimmy Butler stays the centerpiece and we have Rondo running the point, I think getting a good 3 point shooting shooting guard would make the team infinitely better. Then, getting a stretch 4 would be huge for the team as well. I'll write more about this as the draft approaches, but for now, that's my quick opinion on the Bulls.

Welcome to the Truda Report everybody. Today I'll be giving my picks for some of the NBA Playoffs Semifinals match ups. Also, sorry for not posting lately. I am an avid football fan so I spent all weekend tracking the draft, as well as researching the Miami Dolphins selections (I'm a Dolphins fan). I'll be sure to get back on track this week though. Make sure to follow me on Instagram @thetrudareport for updates on when I post, and also so you can request new topics.

Update on my picks:
Game: 22-8
Series: 7-1

Washington Wizards @ Boston Celtics:
The series started yesterday, with the Celtics overcoming an early deficit of 17 points to go on and win 123-111. This win doesn't affect my prediction though. I'm taking the Wizards in this series. I've liked them all year long and I think that they are the second best team in the East (Cavs are number one). The series is definitely going seven games, and I think ultimately a home loss in Game 7 will be the end of the Celtics. They showed that they are vulnerable at home during their series against the Bulls, and I expect that to carry over into their games versus the Wizards.

Toronto Raptors @ Cleveland Cavaliers:
Last year the Raptors were swept by the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals, but I don't see that happening again this series. Cleveland had trouble with a team as poor as the Pacers, and all season their defense has been atrocious (107.2 points allowed per game, which is 20th in the NBA). I'm still taking the Cavaliers to win, but not in a sweep. I think the series goes 6 games, with the Cavs winning tonight to take a 1-0 lead. LeBron James will not be denied another trip to The Finals, so do not expect an upset this series.

Houston Rockets @ San Antonio Spurs:
This, in my opinion, is going to be a very interesting series. I'm taking the Spurs in 7, but the Rockets have the talent to win against the Spurs. On any night Houston can shoot you out of the building, but I think that the Spurs defense will be able to limit that enough to win. Popovich's squad allowed only 98.1 ppg, making them the 2nd best defense in the league. Tonight I'm taking the Spurs to win, mostly due to the home court advantage. I like how both teams play at home, so I'm not expecting many, if any, road wins. We'll see how it all plays out starting tonight.