henry

Leave McCoy at Kansas City. The guy has to go.

Lets go Ducks. They sure are due to actually show up for a game 7. And for Perry in this series,

Practice lines today

Offense:
57-15-29
88-67-10
7-17-33
16-44-62
37-22-25
Defense:
4-2
47-42
24-45
53-5

Looks good. The team is more dangerous with Perry and Getzlaf on different lines.

Crazy season. I was kinda rooting to play against the Sharks in the first round, but it is great seeing the Ducks battling back from a flat start of the season to win the Pacific Division.

As for the playoffs, I heard last night that everyone is healthy(ish) and would be available to start the playoffs. I think that would be the first time all season when the whole D core was available. So who sits? I hope it would start with Bieska sitting, but I wont hold my breath on that. Either way, a lot of good options to pick.

Even though the Lakers are likely to have the second worst record in the league I am still nervous about them keeping their 1st round pick. The Lakers pick is only top 3 protected, and there is still around a 44% change of them losing their pick to Philly.

I think it would be interesting for the Lakers to try to hedge their pick by making a pre-lottery trade. My idea...

To Philly: the right to swap their 1st round pick for the Lakers 1st round pick (almost doubling their chances to getting the number 1 pick overall).

To LA:  having their 1st round pick protected from top 3, to top 4 (adding a 32% chance for the Lakers keeping their pick, or Philly's).

I don't know if Philly would do that, but I would make that trade.

My biggest problems with the team so far is,

1. Getzlaf has been pedestrian (at best) so far this year, and

2. The team is simply not hitting.

For the first problem, I don't know if #15 is 100% healthy or not, but right now he is not looking like a 1C. For that I think it would be worth re-looking at a Sekac-Rakell-Pery line again. Perry and Rakell looked somewhat promising in the pre-season and not so much when they were separated. Both Rakell and Perry have done very little in the last few games so it could be worth a shot.

And two, the Ducks is a forechecking team that, as of now, is not hitting. I mean nobody is really hitting, and that lack of hitting is just as baffling to me as the lack of scoring.  

Also, I really like Cogs but I really hope coach BB put him on the 4th line. He has pretty much no offensive capability whatsoever. He has never gelled with Kesler or Rakell, never helped to create a scoring chance. Cogs is not as skilled as Kesler and Silfverberg and Rakell has looked more potent with Sekac.

/rant over.

Is urgency on one of the pages we keep turning?

Wiz to CAR. So basically the Ducks traded a 2nd and Wild Bill for a backup goalie. Interesting strategy.

Elliotte Friedman

‏@FriedgeHNIC Bob Murray says the Ducks will not be able to re-sign Matt Beleskey before July 1. Said latest offer was rejected

lisa dillman ‎@reallisa

It is believed the Ducks final offer to Beleskey was 16 million - four yrs at four mil per

Also understood to have been front loaded

I pity the team that pays Beleskey more than that. Heck I am glad Beleskey rejected that deal.

Point being that I was not seeing anything in Okafor's offensive game that cried out once in a decade interior offense potential, as the scouts are saying.

And he may well be closer to 6-10.

He will nightly be facing taller centers.

Okafor didn't score in college because of size and brute force. He became the ACC player of the year because of his overall skill set. When I watched his highlights on youtube I saw a guy using his footwork to put himself in the position to make a routine 5 ft hook shot or even an easy layup on a daily basis. Maybe a boring skill, but a skill that is very rare in the NBA. I mean right now could anyone name 5 current NBA centers that has a better footwork than Okafor?

If the Lakers pick Okafor at the #2 pick (sounds probable) I would be excited about the Lakers future. I was and still am worried about his defense, but I think I undersold his potential on the offensive side. He has an elite footwork, pretty good size, huge hands, soft touch. Even some of the videos I have seen suggests he could develop a decent jumper which would really open up his game, a game quite similar to Duncan on the offensive side.

Now if he just learns how to defend a pick and roll.....I mean crazier things have happened, right?

I guess this thread would be a good place to ask...

...I have never seen Apocalypse Now and I plan to check it out on Netflix. Should I watch Apocalypse Now or Apocalypse Now Redux?

The NHL refs has been awful for the last two games, plain and simple. A phantom call for a PP after the Ducks take the lead, another one in OT, yet they could somehow miss Crawford basically attacking a player? I wish I could only say it has been a great series so far, but the one-sided calls for the last two games has been hard to ignore for me.

I was at the game last night and I thought the Beauchemin-Lindholm line was BY FAR the worst defensive line. So many horrific passes by them, unforced turnovers, awful on the power play. They have been rock solid all year, but Beauchemin has been awful for the past two games and Lindholm was not too far behind him last night.

I don't get all the Stoner hate, he has been playing solid defense and a physical force.

Okafor is considered by some to be one of the best true C prospects to come along in years.  He's still pretty raw and like Towns he'll only be 19 when the season starts.  He does get knocked for his defense and FT shooting but again he's a teenager who is still developing and isn't done growing.  After getting criticized for being slow on defense he's lost weight since the end of the college season which is great to see out of any prospect because some guys go the opposite direction and show up heavy.  You can't say either of these guys is a for sure thing but like you right now I'd prefer to see the Lakers get Towns.  That said if Towns goes #1 overall unless there's any leg/back concerns with Okafor you have to take the other big man who is considered to have franchise changing potential.

There is no question Okafor has his strengths. He has big and soft hands and seems to have an impressive back to the basket repertoire. But overall he just reminds me of a taller Al Jefferson. An asset for offense, a liability on defense. I guess he could progress in the future defensively, but how much can he improve his lateral foot speed?

The #2 overall pick in the recent drafts has not been totally great (Evan Turner, Derrick Williams, Beasley, Thabeet). Those guys were sure things. I agree Okafor could be a perennial all-star center, but his defense scares me more than anyone or anything else at the top of the draft.

I hope Towns is available at #2 for the Lakers. Towns is not an elite athlete, but he is fluid, smart, and just good at everything as a center. Kinda plays like Marc Gasol.

If Towns is taken at #1, I hope the Lakers explore drafting Mudiay or Russell. Okafor scares me. Bad FT%, no jump shot right now, and more importantly his defense looks awful from some of the highlights I've seen.

Andersen and the Ducks depth won the game. The 3rd and 4th lines are so much better from the past couple of years. Great win!

I have always been a fan of 23, but I swear he has had some of the most moronic turnovers in the playoffs. I just have no idea what he is even thinking with some of his decisions.

WAYYYYYYYY too many turnovers in the first period. I know CHI gives a lot of pressure, but some of the turnovers were just unforced. Hope they clean that up.

Eric Stephens

‏@icemancometh Sekac was with Rakell and Etem on Ducks fourth line today. Speed option that BB acknowledged is under consideration.

I would love to see that fourth line play for game 1. They played together near the end of the season and looked good.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD BENCH JACKMAN AGAINST CHICAGO. He has done nothing so far in the playoffs. The Hawks are too deep and talented, and the Ducks need to put in the better and more talented players on the 3rd and 4th line. Bench Jackman, put it Etem or Sekac.

Rant over.

That kid in the audience giving Maroon the middle fingers (double barrel) after the goal was awesome. Kinda an ugly win, some ugly lines IMO, but the team kept their composure after two early goals. Now just finish the series on Sunday.

That 4th line looks awful. Palms has done little so far in the playoffs, and Jackman as been even worse.

Free Sekac!!!

cnbc