Article by: Zach Henley​ 

Over the last 15 years, many exceptional players have come and gone. One of the best in that group is first baseman, Albert Pujols. Pujols is a two-time World Series champion with the St. Louis Cardinals, and has accumulated eye grabbing stats from his rookie year in 2004. The 39-year-old has tallied 637 homeruns, 1,997 RBI’s, along with a stellar average of .302. These stats alone prove that he deserves to be in the top 10 all time players list. The next couple stats show that “The Machine” is a top 5 all time great, such as having 3,102 hits, with 643 of them being doubles, and has stolen 111 bases, while only being caught 41 times. The stats show that he does not only hit for power, but that he has consistently been reliable to reach the base and be a threat at the same time. To further show that Albert is a major baseball treasure, he is 6th all-time in home runs, third in RBI’s, 22nd in hits, and 9th in doubles in the history of major league baseball. 

These stats show that he is a great player and an obvious first ballot hall of famer. Other than the stats, Albert embodies what a baseball player is and what a player should always be. When he was a rookie, people were not excited, but his rookie campaign changed their minds in the end. In only 2 years, he helped the Cardinals win the 2006 World Series. This showed the immediate impact that he made on the team and caused the rest of the league tremble at what he could accomplish. After winning the title in 2011, he then signed with the Los Angeles Angels, to play along a kid named Mike Trout. Pujols saw this opportunity to help mentor a future star and eventually finish his career. That year, Trout won the rookie of the year award and has become the biggest star in baseball.  Since switching teams and establishing himself as a mentor, Pujols has seen the postseason only once in 2014, but the lackluster Angels have not been able to return since.

Overall, Albert Pujols should be in every conversation as an all time great. Not only because of what his contributions are on the field, but also what he did off the field. His foundation, the Pujols Family Foundation, supports impoverished families in the Dominican Republic, and supports children who are suffering from Down’s Syndrome.  The group, since its creation in 2005, has many different events around the country and has raised a large amount of money. The best players in the sport have been productive for their teams by producing outstanding numbers and providing insight for other teammates, as well as making their organizations an option to play for.

​My personal top five goes; Hank Aaron, Derek Jeter, Albert Pujols, Ricky Henderson, and Lou Gehrig.  

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the article be sure to drop a like! Also feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below.

To get keep getting news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!​​

The first round of the NBA playoffs are, for the most part, what we have expected. All the top seeds in the East took care of business in a relatively smooth fashion, with none of those series going any longer than 5 games. Now, we turn our attention to the West, and it is a much different story for them. I applaud Houston and Portland for coming into the playoffs in stride and playing very confidently. Houston took care of the Jazz without too much of an issue, only losing one game, which was a close-out one against this young Jazz team, who was really looking to defend home-court and come out with a moral victory. Houston even won Game 3, despite leaving the door wide open for Utah via a James Harden 0-15 start from the field. Outside of that, the Rockets were exceptional in their games.

Portland was also equally as impressive in their series against the Thunder. There was a lot of chatter back and forth between the two teams, most of it coming from, you guessed it, Russell Westbrook. The Blazers ultimately won 3 out of 4 by double-digit margins, surprising many fans and analysts. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum were on fire from beyond the arc the entire series. Lillard averaged 33 points (50 in the close-out win) and shot 48% from beyond the arc, which is scary good. The Blazers overcame a 15-point deficit with 7 minutes remaining in Game 5. Then, with the game tied, clock winding down, Lillard hit that cold-blooded 37-foot game-winning three-pointer right in the face of Paul George. George later went on to claim that it was a bad shot, which is absurd because Dame is shooting 39% from beyond 30 feet in these playoffs, which is the same percentage that Paul George shot from three-point range, period.

​So, a major round of applause for the Rockets and Blazers. However, we have two series which are still very much alive. The Nuggets and Spurs go at it in Game 7 tomorrow night at 10:00 ET. The Spurs played a great game in Game 6 last night, defeating the Nuggets 120-103, despite a 43-12-9 performance from Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets will be at home and will be favorites in this game. The Spurs have not really been able to slow down Jokic, but they have given Jamal Murray problems, and the supporting cast has been inconsistent. In a series that has been so back and forth, different guys stepping up in each game, I look at Game 7 as more of a coin toss. Gregg Popovich has been known for his excellent playoff game plans, and DeRozan, Aldridge, and Derrick White have all had an excellent series. The Nuggets on the other hand, are more talented and have shown that by locking up the #2 seed in the West, but their lack of playoff experience has shown. This sets the stage for an exciting Game 7, and an excellent matchup against Portland for whoever wins this game.

​Game 6 of the Warriors versus Clippers series is tonight at 10:00 ET, in a series that almost everyone besides Clippers fans thought would go 4 or 5 games. The Clippers have been sensational. They have been gritty and have not backed down from any of the punches Golden State have thrown at them. In the center of it all is Louis Williams, who has been averaging 24.4 PPG in this series, which includes a whole handful of clutch buckets. The entire team overall has been playing well, which includes Lou, Montrezl Harrell, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Patrick Beverley, Danilo Gallinari, which is essentially the entire team. In the end, Golden State is going to win this series, the talent gap is unfortunately too much for the Clippers to withstand for a 7-game series. The fact that they are still playing deserves endless credit. On the other hand, Golden State has been very disappointing, where their defense has been terrible, there has been very little effort or urgency, and players have even admitted that they are looking forward to Houston. 

​Houston versus Golden State is the matchup that everyone has been looking forward to all year. When the Rockets were healthy, they were one game away from eliminating the Warriors last season. The Rockets are now 37-14 when James Harden, Chris Paul, and Clint Capela all play. They were 42-3 last year. Especially with the Warriors showing so many cracks which all can be credited to sloppy play, turnovers, lack of defense, questions about their future, and even championship fatigue. If they can flip the switch, they will still be the clear-cut favorites in this series.

​The Warriors will always get their points in almost any situation. Between the three-headed offensive monster in KD, Steph, and Klay, and their help of the bench, the Warriors are nearly impossible to stop. What separates Golden State is their ability to lock down on defense. They have the personnel to match up with anybody, whether it is small-ball or a lengthy team, they have the guys to do it. Many of the Warriors game-ending runs come from a barrage of three-pointers combined with suffocating defense resulting in missed shots and turnovers, which then turn into more offense on the other end. They have not consistently shown that ability in these playoffs so far. What makes this so dangerous is that the Rockets have the weapons to match them offensively and will blitz Golden State if they play as lazy as they have against Los Angeles. To sum it up, the Warriors look very vulnerable, and James Harden, Chris Paul, and the rest of the Rockets will be hungry for revenge and ultimately would try for a championship drive.

In the East, we will see Milwaukee facing Boston and Toronto against Philadelphia. Both series are very hard to predict before seeing a game or two. Milwaukee and Toronto are both the strong favorites. However, Boston has been heating up at the perfect time, and like I have said in previous articles, they have perhaps the same amount, if not more, talent than Milwaukee does. Giannis is going to get his, meaning he is going to put up points, make incredible plays on defense, and his fingerprints will be all over this series. The Bucks supporting cast has been excellent, which is why they got the #1 seed in the East. It really depends on which Boston team shows up because we have all seen how well Brad Stevens can game plan and create smothering defensive schemes for Boston. They have the personnel to be able to try different lineup combinations to deal with the lengthy Bucks. I see this being a 6 or 7 game series, and if Boston can summon up the right chemistry, Milwaukee is then on the upset alert.

​On the other hand, Philly has what is probably the second-best starting lineup in the NBA, which gives them the ability to experiment a little with who they are going to have guard Kawhi Leonard for much of the series. I can see the depth of Toronto being the biggest differentiator against Philly. Where the Sixers will be playing their starters very heavy minutes, probably 40+ minutes per game, the Raptors have tons of depth which includes Marc Gasol, Norman Powell, Fred VanVleet, and Jeremy Lin. Their starting lineup is already stacked when you look at Kawhi, Pascal Siakam, Serge Ibaka, Kyle Lowry, and Danny Green. The Raptors are scary good and very deep. Philly will need Embiid to stay healthy, they will certainly need “Assertive Ben Simmons”, Jimmy Butler will need to play top-tier defense and give 100% effort through the whole game, Tobias Harris to step up and make shots and play good defense, and JJ Redick to get and stay hot from beyond the arc.

​With quality performances out of the starting five, Philly fans will probably be celebrating. When they play good basketball together, the Sixers can beat anyone in the league, which they have demonstrated all year long. If any of the Sixers starters get hurt, I immediately hit the panic button because the Sixers’ depth does not go much further than Mike Scott, Boban Marjanovic, James Ennis, and TJ McConnell. Even some of those guys are scary to put out on the floor in crucial playoff minutes. If the Sixers can stay healthy and the bench can give at least half-decent production, this should be another 6 or 7 game series, which again is wide-open. 

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the article be sure to drop a like! Also feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below.

To get keep getting news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!​​

Welcome to the first Heated Sports NFL mock draft.  In anticipation for the 2019 draft, the Heated Sports team got together, assigned teams, and simulated the first round.  In order to keep our first mock simple and easy to follow, we eliminated the trading of draft picks.  

Obviously, it is impossible to foresee what will happen during the actual draft, but if you have any comments (agree/disagree) feel free to let us know. The draft results will be posted below, however be sure to check out our YouTube channel (Heated Sports), where we posted a video of the simulation.  The video is worth watching, as you will be able to see our in-depth explanations, reactions, and comments on every pick.
 
Picks:

1. Arizona Cardinals (Harrison) – Kyler Murray QB, Oklahoma
2. San Francisco 49ers (Justin) – Nick Bosa EDGE, Ohio State
3. New York Jets (Zach) – Josh Allen EDGE, Kentucky
4. Oakland Raiders (Kevin) – Quinnen Williams IDL, Alabama
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Pete) – D.K. Metcalf WR, Mississippi 
6. New York Giants (Harrison) – Dwayne Haskins QB, Ohio State
7. Jacksonville Jaguars (Justin) – Jawaan Taylor OT, Florida
8. Detroit Lions (Zach) – Noah Fant TE, Iowa
9. Buffalo Bills (Kevin) – Devin White LB, LSU
10. Denver Broncos (Pete) – Andre Dillard OT, Washington State
11. Cincinnati Bengals (Harrison) – Devin Bush Jr. LB, Michigan
12. Green Bay Packers (Justin) – Brian Burns EDGE, Florida State
13. Miami Dolphins (Zach) – Daniel Jones QB, Duke
14. Atlanta Falcons (Kevin) – Greedy Williams CB, LSU
15. Washington Redskins (Pete) – Rashan Gary EDGE, Michigan
16. Carolina Panthers (Harrison) – Andre Dillard OT,Washington State
    1. (Realized after recording that Dillard was already selected at #10, but expect Denver to still target an Offensive Lineman)
17. New York Giants (Justin) – Christian Wilkins IDL, Clemson
18. Minnesota Vikings (Zach) – Jonah Williams OT, Alabama
19. Tennessee Titans (Kevin) – T.J. Hockenson TE, Iowa
20. Pittsburgh Steelers (Pete) – Chauncey Gardener-Johnson S, Florida
21. Seattle Seahawks (Harrison) – Marquise Brown WR, Oklahoma
22. Baltimore Ravens (Justin) – Montez Sweat EDGE, Mississippi State
23. Houston Texans (Zach) – Deandre Baker CB, Georgia
24. Oakland Raiders (Kevin) – Byron Murphy CB, Washington
25. Philadelphia Eagles (Pete) – Cody Ford OT, Oklahoma
26. Indianapolis Colts (Harrison) – Dexter Lawrence IDL, Clemson
27. Oakland Raiders (Justin) – Joshua Jacobs RB, Alabama
28. L.A. Chargers (Zach) – Amani Oruwariye CB, Penn State
29. Kansas City Chiefs (Kevin) – Ed Oliver IDL, Houston
30. Green Bay Packers (Pete) – Lonnie Johnson Jr. CB, Kentucky
31. L.A. Rams (Harrison) – Erik McCoy C, Texas A&M
32. New England Patriots (Justin) – A.J. Brown WR, Mississippi

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the article be sure to drop a like! Also feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below.

To get keep getting news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!​​

After one month into the regular season, the National League already has a race for league MVP. As of right now, it's a clear two-man race between Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger. After 23 games, the stars have 24 home runs with 59 RBIs with a combined .389 batting average. As we can easily see, both players are on historic paces to begin the season. Christian Yelich, the reigning National League MVP, has recorded a .353 batting average along with 13 home runs and 31 RBIs. Since the second half of the 2018 season, Yelich has hit 38 home runs, with 98 RBIs and his average is a ridiculous .360. Last March and April, Yelich hit 2 home runs, with 9 RBI’s and a batting average of .271. Over a years’ time, Yelich has improved his already superstar status and has become even more valuable to the Brewers. 

On the other side, Cody Bellinger has raised some eyebrows and has made his case to be a future MVP. Bellinger has totaled 11 home runs, with 28 RBIs and a league leading .424 batting average. Last season, the 23-year-old won the rookie of the year and the NLCS MVP award. Before last year’s all-star break, Bellinger hit 17 home runs with 44 RBIs and below an average of .245. Bellinger has already shown what he is capable of and shows that he is the most important player on the Dodgers’ squad right now. 

​So far this season, the Dodgers have kept the wins coming, with a 15-9 record. That record is the best in the National League. The Brewers’ current record is 13-10 and that is good for third the competitive central division. If Yelich continues to dominate, then the Brewers will have no problem improving that record. These two stars show that the league is going in the right direction and that young players are starting to take over.  

​Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the article be sure to drop a like! Also feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below.

To get keep getting news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!​​

​Article by: Harrison Weaver

We are only a week into the NBA Playoffs, but there is already so much to talk about. There are a few of surprising series, some players who have been really stepping up, some who are really letting things slip away, and there has been some drama developing as well. In this week’s article, I am going to divide some key elements of this year’s NBA Playoffs into three categories, which will be known as the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. You may agree or disagree with some of these placements, but these are all about how I personally perceive the game of basketball, as well as what I like, and do not like to see.

The rules: situations that I have seen about these playoffs that demonstrate the positive aspects of what basketball is all about. This would be as some edgy play, or a lower-seed really playing well, or a high-seed truly fulfilling expectations, which is what I will call a “Good.” A “Bad” is basically the opposite. An underperforming team, a player who is not getting the job done, and so on. Lastly, the “Ugly” is all about stuff that either makes a player(s) look bad on or off the court, or it could simply be atrocious basketball. So now that you know the ground rules, let's dive into it. 

​The Clippers are doing an incredible job, given their current circumstances. They have been overachieving all year, and they earned an 8 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs, but on the flip-side, they are unfortunately matched up against the Golden State Warriors. This is a spot where a lot of other 8 seeds would throw in the towel, but not the Clippers, especially not Patrick Beverley. To sum up how he plays and how he has been approaching this series, let me tell you something. The Warriors filed a complaint to the league office about how Patrick Beverley has been playing defense on Kevin Durant. Yes, this is legit information. Patrick Beverley has been up in Kevin Durant’s space, getting his hands in the air, swatting at the ball, doing a little pushing and grabbing. Kevin Durant has referred to him as a “pest”, and he even fouled out of Game 2 in the crucial final minutes, which allowed LA to secure the biggest comeback win in NBA Playoffs history.

​Beverley also fouled out of that game, but he had some huge steals, he was guarding Kevin Durant the whole game, and was such a pivotal piece in their comeback. I absolutely love it. This is playoff basketball, and if you can get away with some pushing, pulling, playing pesky defense, then there is no reason to stop. When you are playing a team as explosive and extremely talented as Golden State, you need to do everything you can to find a way to disrupt their rhythm and get under their skin. Round of applause to Patrick Beverley, keep up the annoying defense.

Assertive Ben Simmons

Sixers fans all have nightmares about last postseason. When it came time to face Boston in the second round, Ben Simmons was nowhere to be found. The Celtics walled him off from the paint, and he was too timid to shoot, and unfortunately allowed himself to become a non-factor. This time around, things already seem a little different. After only scoring 9 points in a Game 1 loss to Brooklyn, he followed up with a Game 2 triple-double and 31 points (his playoff high) in Game 3. He is also been tasked with guarding All-Star point guard D’Angelo Russell, and has for the most part, taken him completely out of the series by playing shut-down defense.

​After being called out by Net’s forward and NBA veteran Jared Dudley, who said that Ben Simmons is an average player in the half-court, Simmons chose to take it to heart and step up his game in response. The Sixers now lead the series 2-1 and will continue to need Ben to step up as they advance further in the playoffs when they will need his aggressive attacks in the paint and shutdown defense if they want to compete in future rounds. 

DeMar DeRozan, Derrick White, and the Spurs

​There is something about Spurs postseason basketball that all NBA fans love to see. Led by one of the most influential faces in NBA history in Coach Popovich. No matter how many injuries they suffer, how much talent they may or may not have, they always find a way to play really sound, fundamental basketball at the right time. This Pop dynasty has been around for as long as many of us have been alive. Every year, you can count on Pop and the Spurs to reach the playoffs and put up a respectable fight. DeMar DeRozan has been an incredible surprise this series. In my playoff preview article from last week, I accused him of being a poor playoff player, and he has proved me wrong so far against Denver. As well as Derrick White, who has really flown under the radar this season. White had 36 and DeRozan had 25 points last night to propel San Antonio to a 2-1 series lead against the 2-seeded Nuggets. If the Spurs can continue to maintain this balanced attack led by DeRozan, Aldridge, and White, they might have a real chance at not just winning this series but being a threat deeper into the postseason.

​Two teams that I really hyped up the most for my playoff preview, OKC and Utah, have both failed to gain any footing in their respective playoff series. Both are trailing 0-2 and have yet to even keep a game within single digits. The Jazz lost Game 1 against Houston by 20, and then lost Game 2 by 32 points. The Jazz are a team that I thought could play tough defense against Harden and Chris Paul, and believed that through Donovan Mitchell, Ricky Rubio, Rudy Gobert, and company, that they would be able to score enough to keep the games close. That just has not been the case whatsoever. Their shooting percentages are terrible, they cannot stop the Rockets defensively. I predicted the series to go 7 games, but it is starting to look like it will only go to 4, maybe 5 if the Jazz can shoot better and keep one of these close.

​The Thunder are in the same boat, Paul George is shooting a poor 27 percent from three, and Westbrook’s shooting has been hideous, as he is shooting 10 percent from three in this series. The only guys averaging double figures have been George, Westbrook, and Steven Adams. They have just shown no ability to be able to keep up with the red-hot Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum duo. Both promising series are looking like they may not go any longer than 4 or 5 games.

​This is all based around a really, really awkward 60 Minutes Interview that the Warriors were a part of what aired last weekend. The interviewer was speaking to five Golden State players: Andre Iguodala, Klay Thompson, Shaun Livingston, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry. As they were fielding questions about how they formed chemistry, how they share the spotlight, get through the season and manage success, both Durant and Klay seemed completely checked out and very uncomfortable. Then came a question about free-agency. This is where it really got ‘cringy’. Seriously, this was super awkward, and as Livingston, Iguodala, and Steph all laughed about how much it would take for them to leave Golden State, KD and Klay both sat there in silence, looking around the room to try to escape the weird tension. It was bad sight to see.

So as talented as the Warriors are, this year’s team has a problem it has never faced before. They have key players who appear to be very ready to leave the Bay Area come free-agency this summer. Say Golden State gets in an edgy series against a Houston, or Portland, or Denver/San Antonio. Suddenly, they need to be clicking and playing at the top of their game, but instead, they are fighting and worrying about who may be leaving. This is just a hypothetical situation at this point, as they just beat LA by 27 last night.

​The cracks have certainly shown this season, they have looked vulnerable at times, but are still on a different level than anyone else in terms of talent. I am going to highlight what looks like a second-round matchup between Golden State and Houston as an upset alert. Houston has been nearly invincible when Harden, CP3, and Clint Capela are all healthy at the same time. We will just have to see if the Warriors can hold themselves together long enough to win their third straight title.

An attack on Ben Simmons... by Jared Dudley

I have already mentioned about this from Ben Simmons’ side of it. I could not resist a short section that focuses more on Dudley. Dudley called Simmons an average player in the half-court. Laying out a situational defensive game plan on how to stop Simmons on offense. What happened after that? Simmons drops 31 points on Brooklyn in a 16-point Nets loss, while Dudley had zero points and launched an airball on one of his two three-point attempts. When your team is a 6 seed underdog, please do not fuel one of the opponent’s star players. Especially when you are a declining role player. This may have been what Ben needed to elevate his game this postseason.

​Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the article be sure to drop a like! Also feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below.

To get keep getting news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!​​

​After more than a decade since his last major victory, Tiger Woods has stepped back into the limelight in one of the greatest sports comebacks in history by winning his fifth green jacket.  Many sports analysts, as well as golf fans around the world, thought the American icon was past his prime and should exit the game before he continues to hurt his image even further. 

Tiger Woods began his deep decline in November of 2009, where he was caught having an extramarital affair.  Endorsements and sponsors started backing out one by one, as well as Woods losing his confidence to play a very mental game.  Unfortunately for him, this was just the start of an uncontrollable nightmare. Back in May of 2017, Woods was pulled over and then arrested for driving under the influence.  An infamous mugshot was then released to the public, showing a man that had seriously hit rock bottom.  It was certainly a sad sight to see for many, as this man at one point in his career had revamped the sport of golf completely.

During his dark times, Woods also went through a few back operations, thinking that they would enhance his ability and bring him back.  For a while, this did little to nothing, as with each operation an injury would occur while he played, and back he went with another procedure.  At this point prior to his final surgery, the man had not played a major tournament in about 18 months.  Looking for one last miracle, Tiger went through an anterior lumbar inter-body fusion, a surgery that was not only painful, but extremely difficult to perform as a doctor.  Knowing the risk of what this could do to him, Woods came out and said that if the procedure did not work, he would retire from golf. After the procedure, and as the pain in his back ceased, he slowly began to train more and more, now starting to score well-above where he had been.

Going into the 2019 Master’s, many people believed that younger golfers, such as Italian Francesco Molinari, who previously won the 2018 Open Championship, would dominate the competition.  This proved otherwise as Woods started making excellent shots, sinking extremely difficult putts, and drawing more attention to his ascension.  The excitement reached its peak as Woods went head to head with Molinari, who was in first place throughout much of the tournament.  Tiger would then push ahead and win the tournament, solidifying his comeback and his domination as a player. 

At this point, who knows how Tiger's career will end, keep in mind this is just one major. But at the end of the day, he definitely seems to be back to his old self, and he'll have the entire world of gold behind him for the rest of the way. He seems to have won back the hearts of America, and his comeback will go down as one of the best in history.

​Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the article be sure to drop a like! Also feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below.

To get keep getting news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!​​

The 2019 NFL draft class is one filled with talent at all positions, with wide receivers being no exception. The position will likely be one of the most drafted positions, and these players will certainly make an immediate impact on whatever team they join. There are plenty of prospects to be excited about, such as athletic freak D.K. Metcalf, future hall-of-famer Antonio Brown’s cousin Marquise Brown, deep threat N’Keal Harry, and speedster Parris Campbell. However, one of the top receivers that is being overshadowed may have the potential to become the best receiver out of this entire draft class.

Iowa State receiver Hakeem Butler is coming off of an impressive final season of his college career, where he caught 60 receptions for 1,318 yards and 9 touchdown. Numbers aside, Butler has the combination of physical build as well as the raw skill that could make him a future star in the NFL. 

Hakeem Butler stands at 6’5 and ⅜, 227 pounds with a giant catch radius. Players such as Calvin Johnson and Mike Evans have showcased the advantages a frame of this size can provide, and Butler could be next. Butler’s big body did not stop him from being a problem after the catch as we saw during his tenure at Iowa State. Butler proved his ability to be a multi-dimensional receiver, as he also excelled with high-point and contested catches. Another way Butler separates himself from the other top receivers is his experience playing both outside as well as in the slot. 

One of the reasons Butler has been slept on, and the biggest concern regarding the receiver is inconsistencies catching the ball. Hakeem struggled holding onto the ball throughout his college career, which many fear will continue after he is drafted. However, with proper coaching and development Butler’s weaknesses can be addressed, and he can truly become one of the most talented receivers. As previously mentioned, Butler’s experience lining up in various roles will work to his advantage, as he will have opportunities to be on the field in almost any offense. He will have plenty of chances to work out any kinks in his mechanics and develop into a star. 

While overshadowed, Hakeem Butler possesses almost everything a team could look for in a receiver. His instant ability to start, the few areas in need of improvement can be addressed, giving Butler a deceptively high floor. Some of the draft’s top receivers may look intriguing, but have bust written all over them (see John Ross two years ago). Hakeem Butler is the receiver that deserves to be talked about, and he has a great chance to develop into a true star at the next level. 

​Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the article be sure to drop a like! Also feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below.

To get keep getting news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!​​

Coming into the playoffs, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning were some of the heavy favorites to win the Stanley Cup. However, after the first three games of the postseason, these teams do not look the same.

The Tampa Bay Lightning led the league in almost every category during the regular season. Now that they are playing in the playoffs, they look like an entirely different team. Over the first three games of the series, the Lightning have been outscored by first round matchup Columbus Blue Jackets, 12 to 5. Tampa Bay is not used to this type of situation, considering they only lost 20 times in the regular season. If the team loses and is eliminated in the first round, the record setting season will be for nothing. On the flip side, the Blue Jackets are feeling amazing with their 3-0 lead over the regular season champs. The team barely got into the playoffs, as they won the second wild card team and on paper, seeming to be outmatched by the Lightning. After a costly suspension to league leading Nikita Kucherov, the Blue Jackets took advantage and have caused the Lightning to be in serious trouble. With game four looming, one looks to keep their dreams alive, while the other looks to complete the sweep in front of their home crowd.

The other big disappointment also happens to be in the East, and that team is the Pittsburgh Penguins. When you win two of the last three Stanley Cups, you are expected to play well and go far into the playoffs. This year is not the case for the 5-time Stanley Cup winners, as they trail the New York Islanders 3-0. The Islanders have only won one playoff series in the last 25 years and on the verge of winning their second. The Penguins are being outscored 11 to 5 and are not playing like themselves. The fourth game will be played in Pittsburgh as they try to salvage a win and keep their championship hopes alive. Both teams played relatively the same and had the same record in the regular season, so this series looked to be a fun and interesting one going forward.

The Stanley Cup playoffs are well underway, and it has been interesting and full of surprises. In the upcoming days, teams look to extend their leads, and some look to even punch their ticket to the next round.     

​Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the article be sure to drop a like! Also feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below.

To get keep getting news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!​​

Milwaukee comes into the playoffs with a league-best record of 60-22. Detroit on the other hand, dropped from being as high as a 6 seed to needing to win their final game just to secure a playoff spot. This will be a short-lived series, as Detroit simply does not match up well with the Bucks.  Blake Griffin suffered a minor injury in their final regular season game against the Knicks, and they really need him to be 100%. Milwaukee has too many weapons for Detroit to handle; Giannis, Eric Bledsoe, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, Malcolm Brogdon, and the list goes on from there.

​The Pistons will need monster games from Andre Drummond, Griffin, and Reggie Jackson just to try to steal one game in this series. The Bucks will very likely be the favorite in any Eastern Conference Playoff series they advance to. I really think the Bucks are going to sweep this series. The Greek Freak and Co. are too much for the struggling Pistons to handle, even for one game. The next round, however, could get a little more interesting as they may face more difficulties in their opponents.
 
My pick: Milwaukee, 4-0

​Toronto has been playing incredible basketball all season long and have improved leaps and bounds from last year’s team. Normally around this time of the year, the #WeTheNorth fanbase starts to get a little nervous. After spending years of being LeBron James and the Cavaliers’ little brother, this Raptors team is on a whole new level. Their roster includes superstar Kawhi Leonard along with Kyle Lowry, Serge Ibaka, Marc Gasol, Danny Green, and the likely Most Improved Player winner Pascal Siakam. Boasting a top-10 offense and defense, this team can match-up against any style of play that any opponent have thrown at them this post-season and are a dangerous NBA Finals threat.

​On the other hand, Orlando is certainly no slouch, not by any stretch of the imagination. This is a much improved team from last season, even from the beginning of this season. Finishing the season on an 11-2 run to secure their spot in the playoffs, this team is coming in young, confident, and hungry. The Magic could have the energy and motivation to be a nuisance for the Raptors. They will not be a fun matchup, but they simply do not have the experience to win a 7-game series against a team as talented and seasoned as Toronto. Orlando is quite possibly a team of the future, but their lack of experience will be a huge disadvantage and will lead to mistakes and frustrations against the Raptors.
 
My pick: Toronto, 4-1

​This series has a little bit of intrigue to it, and there are some interesting story-lines. For Philadelphia, there have been question-marks all season about how well this team can gel. With Jimmy Butler being acquired early in the season, and Tobias Harris at the trade deadline, this team has been slapped together and is now expected to have the chemistry to get them through the playoffs. On top of that, Joel Embiid is questionable for game one, which makes Philly fans a little nervous.

Switching gears to Brooklyn, this has been a dream season for them. As a team that many expected to be in the NBA Draft Lottery hunt, they have put together a fantastic season, clinching the 6 seed led by terrific comeback story D’Angelo Russell, whom many analysts wrote off as a bust. Also featuring 6th Man of the Year candidate, Spencer Dinwiddie, the Nets have a handful of young talent which can, similarly to Orlando, be very pesky and occasionally frustrating for Philly.

​However, I give the nod to the Sixers and their incredibly talented starting five. The Sixers will find a way to tame the young Nets, Joel Embiid will be a tour-de-force, along with Ben Simmons. If Jimmy Butler plays hard, Tobias Harris makes the plays he is supposed to make, and JJ Redick hits his perimeter shots, this will be a short series. On the other hand, if those scenarios do not fall into place, the Sixers could be in for an upset alert. My faith though, is in that superstar starting five for Philly.
 
My pick: Philadelphia, 4-1

​Now here is a series that could get a little dicey. Let me explain why I firmly believe in this output. Boston, on paper, has a very legitimate case at being the most talented team in the Eastern Conference. They can match up with anyone, and they have high caliber talent at every position. There is a reason though that they are sitting at the 4 seed. Kyrie Irving has been disinterested all year, feuding with players and coaches, and in many people’s opinions, already has one foot out the door in terms of leaving in free agency this summer. Gordon Hayward has had bright moments but has not been 100 percent all season due to his severe ankle injury from early last season. Even the young core of Boston has had chemistry issues, the same core that was one game away from the NBA Finals last season. The playoffs are all about chemistry and being able to play as a unit is where the Pacers hold a massive advantage.

​This Pacers team took a huge hit when Victor Oladipo went down with a broken leg. Their record indicates that they have not been as good since the injury, but this is still a very dangerous team that can shoot, play defense, and always puts in the necessary work to win. Indiana has enough talent to be able to expose the cracks in Boston’s chemistry, but the Celtic’s talent will still be enough to win this series. Kyrie is elite at closing out games, they have guys who can switch all over the floor on defense, and because of this they will get the job done. Even without key player Marcus Smart for maybe the whole series, the talent gap is just too big.
 
My pick: Boston, 4-2

​Everybody has been asking the same question: will it be Golden State, or the field? I am not going to get into that, although I do have a definite answer which I will explain after this round. On the other hand, saying that reveals my opinion on this series. The Warriors are going to win the first round against the Clippers. However, let us not let this take away from the excellent season the Clippers have had.

In a season where LeBron and the Lakers have stolen a lot of the spotlight in LA, the Clippers have spent this season playing great basketball. Lacking a superstar, losing Tobias Harris via trade, this team has played as a unit all year. Montrezl Harrell has been an absolute animal coming off the bench, Lou Williams became the all-time leader in points coming off the bench, and ex-Sixer Landry Shamet has been a sniper from behind the three-point line. They have over-achieved, and I like their chances to steal a game in this series. The Warriors are just simply too talented. I do not need to spell it out for anyone reading this. KD, Steph, Klay, Boogie Cousins, Draymond, and Iggy, this team is stacked. It's as simple as that, they are stacked and just as dangerous as they have been in the past. Golden State, we will see you in the second round, and we will reevaluate when that time comes.

My pick: Golden State, 4-1

​This is a series that is very intriguing, and to me, there is one real reason why. Denver against San Antonio is all about the young, exciting chemistry. The Nuggets possess the skill of being able to make excellent passes and reads, against arguably the best NBA coach of all time, Greg Popovich. Nikola Jokic, or as many people call him, “The Joker”, leads the Nuggets in scoring and is a magician with how he can pass the ball from the center of the floor. No look-give and go’s, kick-outs to the three-point line from the paint, it is a lot of fun to watch. Paired with Paul Milsap, and perimeter weapons like Jamal Murray and Gary Harris, with an arsenal of young guys off the bench, this team can make some noise in the playoffs if they keep their composure and play like they have all season.

On the flip side, it will be fun to see how Coach Pop can squeeze everything he can out of this Spurs squad. LaMarcus Aldridge has been great all year, and since earning a spot in the All-Star game, he has shown that he can excel in the post, as well as bang home threes whenever he gets open on the perimeter. They also have DeMar DeRozan, who is an absolute stud of a person on the court. The thing that I do not like is that his game has never translated well into playoff basketball. He is a below-average three-point shooter, he relies a lot on his midrange game and slashing to the rim.

In the playoffs, defenses will play more physical and those buckets do not come as easy, which really makes things difficult for DeRozan. After Aldridge and DeRozan, there is a visible talent gap with San Antonio, and I just do not think Pop has enough talent to get over the hump against Denver. The Nuggets have a very real chance to make a deep postseason run.
​
My pick: Denver, 4-2

​If you want to watch a wild west shootout, tune into this series. Let me make this loud and clear; this series is going to have the attack-mode switch on the entire time. Oklahoma City will be a whole lot of Russell Westbrook and Paul George, and Portland will be bringing the heat with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Look forward to Paul George continuing his MVP caliber play, draining shots and playing excellent defense. I fully expect to see angry Westbrook on display in this series, which is synonymous with some jaw-dropping assists, lightning fast attacks on the rim, and some nice perimeter shots. This is unfortunately mixed in with some horrible shot selection, over-ambitious dribble moves, and bad passes that will leave you scratching your head or if you are a Thunder fan.

On the other side of the matchup, Portland has really had a great year. Earning the 3 seed in a loaded Western Conference is an incredible achievement, and they certainly deserve it. Damian Lillard is perhaps the most underrated player in the NBA, and the combination of him and CJ McCollum is lethal. After all, they are the sixth-ranked scoring offense in the NBA, and one of the most deadly from three. In my opinion, the loss of Jusuf Nurkic could be deadly for Portland. Nurkic was really an anchor down low before tearing his ACL late in the season against Boston. Unfortunately for them, they are matched up against a real bully in OKC’s Steven Adams, who is also a big presence in the paint.

​OKC will have a definite advantage near the rim in a series that could ultimately come down to who can rebound better and get the most second-chance opportunities on offense. Either way, this is going to be a long, thrilling series which could feature a buzzer-beater or two.
 
My pick: Oklahoma City, 4-2

If it is not Portland versus OKC, then this is the series I am most looking forward to in the first round. It does not take a rocket scientist (no pun intended) to sum this one up. It is going to be James Harden’s inhuman offense against the tough, chiseled defense and balanced attack of Utah. Harden averaged a record-setting 36.1 PPG this season, which is almost three points higher than the previous NBA record of 33.5 set by guess who? None other than the GOAT himself, Michael Jordan. There is literally no weaknesses to Harden’s offensive game. He can drive, he can hit from mid-range, he can spot-up from three, and he has developed the most unstoppable shot in the league, his signature step-back three-pointer.

Shifting over to Utah, they know how to get in your face and come at you from a bunch of different angles. They have Donovan Mitchell, perhaps the NBA’s fastest rising star, who can create for himself by hitting threes, and slash. Rudy Gobert will use his huge frame to make space in the paint and score from inside. Ricky Rubio has really improved his shooting and is excellent in dishing out to their spot-up shooters like Joe Ingles and Kyle Korver. Their defense is also superior to that of Houston, especially thanks to their 2018 Defensive Player of the year Rudy Gobert.

​The concern for Houston is the drop-off after James Harden in terms of scoring. After Harden at 36.1 PPG, their next highest scorer is Clint Capela at 16.6 PPG, which mostly comes from interior assists. Yes, they have Eric Gordon and Chris Paul who can both light it up from anywhere on the floor, since we cannot take either of them lightly. On the other hand, if Chris Paul suffers another injury problem in these playoffs as he has in the past few years, and Harden’s shot goes a little cold, this Rockets team could be in big trouble. Luckily Houston has home-court, which could play a key role in this neck and neck series and should be enough to keep Harden and the Rockets hot enough to slide by.
 
My pick: Houston, 4-3

​Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the article be sure to drop a like! Also feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below.

To get keep getting news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!​​

Antonio Brown may no longer be in Pittsburgh, however the drama surrounding himself and the Steelers organization remains.  It seems that a feud between Brown and former teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster developed last Sunday via Twitter.

JuJu Smith-Schuster is coming off a breakout second year, where the USC product totaled 111 catches (top 6 in the NFL) for `1,426 yards (top 5 in the NFL) and 7 touchdowns. Following the productive season, Steeler’s players honored JuJu’s efforts with the team MVP recognition.  It came as a bit of a surprise to some that Smith-Schuster was given the award instead of one of the greatest receivers of all time, Antonio Brown.  Brown did lead NFL receivers with 15 touchdowns, but JuJu had a more consistent season and topped Brown in both yards and receptions.  On Sunday, a fan revisited the fact that JuJu won team MVP over Brown last Sunday on Twitter, which provoked Brown’s response. 

Although JuJu has had an exceptional season, and contributed to many of the Steeler’s victories, Brown decided to call out the 22-year old on his lost fumble during the second-to-last game of the year.  Brown took an unprecedented shot and claimed that he “fumbled the whole postseason” away.  JuJu’s costly fumble near the end of the game against the New Orleans Saints effectively sealed their defeat, which immensely hurt their playoff chances, but the season cannot fall on the shoulders of their young receiver.  The Steelers had a mediocre season, where they lost many close games (some due to mistakes by other players) and were lucky to even be in the playoff hunt so late in the season.

JuJu Smith-Schuster responded on Twitter, with a more civilized and respectable manor.  He brought up how much he admired the future Hall of Fame receiver, and only wanted the best for his teammate.

The situation overall has been an incredibly bad look for Antonio Brown. His uncalled-for criticism of a young and talented former teammate has altered many fan’s opinions on him.  At this point, Brown is tarnishing his own legacy of what has been one of the greatest primes an NFL receiver has ever had.  It has also shown why the Oakland Raiders were able to acquire this generational talent for just a third and a fifth round pick.  Brown has been presented with a great opportunity to start fresh with a new organization, but he just cannot seem to get over the past.  This drama also gives reason for the Raiders organization to worry about how Brown may get along with his new teammates.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the article be sure to drop a like! Also feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below.

To get keep getting news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!​​

This season has been a wild ride full of ups and downs, and after 82 games, the playoffs are here. From new records to droughts ending, several teams have made a strong push for the Stanley Cup this season, and here are five things to look for heading into the first round.

​The Tampa Bay Lightning had one of the best seasons in recent history on their way to the one seed in the Eastern Conference. The team compiled 62 wins to go with 16 outright losses and four overtime losses. With their 62 wins, they tied the 1995 Detroit Red Wings for the most wins a single season. The Lightning had +103 goal differential, being the highest total since the 1995 Red Wings as well. Star center Steve Stamkos leads the team with 45 goals, along with 98 points and led the team to back-to-back top seeds. Tampa Bay looks to go far like last season and make the Stanley Cup final as they are favorites to win the championship.

​In this year’s postseason affair, several new teams have made the journey to becoming champions. In the Western Conference, The Blues, Stars, and Flames all made the postseason after failing to do so last year. In the Eastern Conference, the Islanders and Hurricanes both made the postseason as well. Perhaps one of the biggest changes are the Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina made the postseason for the first time in nearly ten years. Some of the biggest teams to make their way back to the playoffs are the Lightning, Capitals, Penguins, Knights, and Predators. 

​Over the past four seasons, the Eastern Conference has won the Stanley Cup, with Pittsburgh winning three and Washington winning last year. Since 2015, the West has not been the same in the playoffs. The games are not as intriguing, and the West just isn't a powerhouse anymore. In the East, the rivalries have gotten more bitter, the teams have improved, and the games are exciting and there is just a totally different atmosphere overall. The most exciting team in the West right now are the Las Vegas Golden Knights and this is because they're new and a fresh team with nothing to prove as of now. Will this be the year the West takes over the league again? Only time will tell. 

​Perhaps the biggest rivalry and most interesting game in the playoffs come from the Eastern Conference. The Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs square off just as they did last year. Both still the same seeds, one team is looking for the same result, as the other is looking for redemption. In last year’s affair, the Bruins came away victorious and led the Leafs determined for revenge. In game 1 of the series last year, a forward received a three-game suspension for the Leafs, and that ultimately cost the team the series. This series will surely have all NHL fans on the edge of their seats. 

​After winning their first Stanley cup, the Capitals are back in the playoffs looking to repeat as champions. The Ovechkin led team won the Metropolitan division and is going against the new faced Carolina Hurricanes. With the same roster as last season, the Caps go into the first round full of confidence and focus as they could potentially face two of the three same teams as last year. Their biggest challenge will come from the Lightning, who are the hottest team in the league. With the same roster and a load of experience, will the Capitals shock the world and repeat as champions? 

​​Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the article be sure to drop a like! Also feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below.

To get keep getting news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!​​

​Let me just take a minute to sum up this March and go over some of our favorite moments. All the one and two-seeds survived to see the Sweet 16. Which is a little shocking, given that the last time that every one-seed made the Final Four was back in 2008. The opening days got a little crazy, with both UNC and Virginia trailing their 16th-seed opponents at halftime. LSU struggled with Yale, and Tennessee almost stumbled to Colgate. 13th-seed UC Irvine was the lowest seed to advance to the second round. We had the short-lived Ja Morant blow-up, when he scorched Marquette with a triple-double. However, he could not save them from a second round beat down from Florida State. Duke survived some of the most thrilling finishes we have ever seen.

​First, in the highly-anticipated Zion versus Tacko Fall matchup, Duke ended up surviving by mere inches. Then against ACC rival Virginia Tech, in which the Hokies missed a point-blank tip-in to tie the game. 12th-seeded Oregon got red hot right at the perfect time, as they made their improbable Sweet 16 run, and almost downing Virginia in the process. Purdue came extremely close to a Final Four run, where sparked by a wild finish against Tennessee, which featured Boilermaker guard Ryan Cline, shooting an insane 7-10 from three, including a late shot to help get the game into overtime, in which Purdue then put the game away.

Following that game, Purdue took on Virginia in perhaps the craziest game in the tournament, with both sides trading three’s back and forth. Purdue looked to have it put away, when the Cavaliers somehow recovered a long rebound off a missed free throw, threw it ahead, and flipped up a miraculous game-tying shot, which resulted in stealing the game in overtime. Michigan State took down college basketball's Goliath in the final minute, who some considered to be the best college basketball team of all time. Dark-horse Texas Tech is busy showing the world that they are certainly in it to win it, as they will face the Spartans to punch a ticket to the National Championship, and inspiring Auburn will take on Virginia. I believe that covers all the action so far, so on to the games on slate for Saturday.

Michigan State versus Texas Tech features two red hot teams. You may ask, “Is not every team in the Final Four red hot?” The answer to that is yes, since it requires a team to win 4 straight games against tough opponents just to get here. However, Michigan State and Texas Tech are two teams in the Final Four that many did not expect to be there, and that was obviously a big mistake. Let us start on Michigan State, who have been winning big games all year. They went 3-0 against Michigan this year, they won both games they played against Iowa, they beat Purdue, Maryland, Wisconsin twice, and they won the Big 10 tournament. Let us also not forget the barn-burner of a game they just had against Duke as they upset the tournament-favorite Blue Devils. The same thing goes for their counterpart, Texas Tech, as they beat Oklahoma twice, split the season series against Kansas, and beat Baylor and Kansas State, both of whom were tournament teams. In the tournament, all they did was beat the #1 and #2 seeds in their region, Gonzaga and Michigan, to reach the Final Four, no big deal right?

This game will be headlined by a premier guard matchup featuring MSU’s Cassius Winston and Texas Tech’s Jarrett Culver. Both averaging 18.9 PPG this season and leading their teams in assists, they have been absolutely lights-out the entire year. Despite missing fellow star guard Joshua Langford since the end of January, Cassius Winston has been incredible in picking up the slack, and is line for NCAA Most Outstanding Player. Jarrett Culver could be in the same position with a Texas Tech win, which will make for a very fun matchup. Where Michigan State has an advantage is their big men, in which they have forwards Nick Ward, Xavier Tillman, and Kenny Goins. Goins hit the game-winning three-pointer against Duke and has the big body and strength to crash the glass, and Tillman is a tremendous rim protector which matches up well against Texas Tech’s lack of depth down low. Texas Tech coach Chris Beard has even admitted that if they beat Michigan State, it would not be from out-playing them physically.

Where Texas Tech may have an advantage is from the perimeter. They have four players shooting at least 38% from three-point range. This is where Tech could use their guards Jarrett Culver, Davide Moretti, and Matt Mooney to spread the floor and neutralize Michigan State’s physical advantage with perimeter shooting. This is a game that could go many ways, but whoever wins is more than deserving of that spot in the National Championship game.

My pick: Michigan State

This game is the basketball equivalent of the tortoise and the hare. Virginia is in the Final Four thanks to their suffocating defense, and a very slow-paced, but efficient half-court offense. On the other hand, Auburn can credit their Final Four run to a scorching hot offense led by Bryce Brown, Jared Harper, and Chuma Okeke (until his ACL injury against North Carolina). Averaging an unbelievable 85.3 PPG during the tournament, the Tigers ran both Kansas and North Carolina right out of the gym. As surprised as most are to see Auburn here in the Final Four, it should not come as such a shock. This is a team who went 2-0 against Tennessee and Florida, they beat Washington, Murray State, and began the post-season with an impressive run to win the SEC tournament, in which they obliterated Tennessee in the championship game.

​Despite lots of adversary this post-season, Virginia also finds themselves here in the Final Four. A lot of people are looking at this as a revenge tour, after being knocked out of last year’s tournament by 16 seed UMBC. This time around, they battled back from a double-digit deficit against 16 seed Gardner-Webb to win that game by a comfortable margin. They also fought their way through to win very tough games against a dangerous Oregon team, and a Purdue team who had been lights out from three-point range. In fact, Virginia barely survived that game, in which they got a miraculous offensive rebound at half court, passed it ahead for a last second game-tying two pointer, and then survived a shootout in OT to defeat the Boilermakers. Yet, here they are, vying for a spot in the National Championship.

As I noted before, this matchup will come down to who can control the pace and flow of the game. This is especially important for Auburn, who will be missing their best player on the team Chuma Okeke. The key for them will be to get out ahead early, get a good rhythm from behind the arc, and get Kyle Guy, De’Andre Hunter, Ty Jerome, and the Cavaliers frustrated and playing outside of their game plan. This would be a very similar tactic to what UMBC did to them in the first-round last season, when they beat Virginia by 20. For the Cavaliers, the key will obviously be the exact opposite. They will want to get ahead early so they can use their shut-down defense to take the air out of the Tigers’ tires, and get that offense frustrated and taking some contested shots. Once Virginia gets ahead, they become a very difficult team to beat, especially with all their players healthy and firing at the perfect time. They have the number one ranked scoring defense, allowing 56.7 PPG, and they also have the most efficient offense, scoring 1.14 points per possession. That is a dangerous combo for a team that likes to get ahead, and then clamp down on their opponents. This will be a very fun game against two polar-opposite teams, and I anticipate it coming down to the final couple of minutes for an absolute thriller. After all, this is March.

​My pick: Auburn
​
​Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the article be sure to drop a like! Also feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below.

To get keep getting news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!​​

After a long off-season and exciting spring training, baseball is finally back. On Thursday, all 30 teams were in action and it was electrifying. Teams who were buyers in the off-season have the chance to show off their new acquisitions, and it's a brand-new start for teams who are in a “win now” state of mind.

The action-packed day started with reigning NL Cy Young award winner Jacob deGrom and his Mets as they took on the Cy Young runner up Max Scherzer and the Nationals. The Nationals are starting a new era without MVP Bryce Harper, who signed with Philadelphia before spring training. deGrom went lights out, striking out 10 in 6 innings pitched, and allowing no runs. Scherzer also played well, striking out 12 in 7 innings pitched, but allowed two runs. Robinson Cano hit the first home run of the new season in the first inning and drove in both runs for the Mets in their 2-0 win. 

In the National League Central, the Brewers and Cardinals squared off. Christian Yelich started the season the way he left it last season. The MVP winner hit a homerun and drove in three of the five runs for the Brew Crew. Pitcher Jhoulys Chacin also hit a homerun to help seal the deal for Milwaukee. In his first game with the Cardinals, Paul Goldschmidt went hitless and drawled one walk. In the ninth inning, Jose Martinez of the Cardinals almost tied the game, but center fielder Lorenzo Cain robbed him of the homer and won the game for the Brewers.

Perhaps one of the most anticipated games of the day was happening in the city of brotherly love. Bryce Harper was making his exciting debut, as the Phillies took on current NL East champions Atlanta Braves. Aaron Nola took the mound along with the new look Phillies and they started showing their positive changes fast. Andrew McCutchen, Maikel Franco, and Rhys Hoskins all homered and the biggest coming in the seventh. After walking Harper, who went hitless in his debut, the bases were loaded for Rhys Hoskins. The slugger found a pitch he liked and hit a grand slam to increase the run total to 10.

Overall, opening day showed that baseball back and it is still relevant. From dominant pitching to exploding offenses, baseball is more exciting than it has been in 5 years. New teams showed that they deserve to be talked about and could be potential playoff teams. The season is still relatively fresh, but predictions can be made just based on one day. 

​Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the article be sure to drop a like! Also feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below.

To get keep getting news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!