Brooklyn Nets: Caris LeVert

D’Angelo Russell gives the Brooklyn Nets a genuine star through which to run everything. It gets a little touch-and-go after him. Brooklyn is deep—not to mention tireless—but wants for higher-end talent.women’s authentic nfl jerseys

Caris LeVert is best suited to begin bridging that talent deficit the Nets will face every game. He emerged as their top gun early in the season before a dislocated right foot halted his progress in November and opened the door for Russell to bust out. The variance in his play is real, but he’s the closest Brooklyn can come to a conventional second option.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson shares this position, per the New York Post’s Brian Lewis: women nfl jerseyhi-res-a5028e775ceddbb776fba8a8ab4c7dc6_crop_exact

“The good thing, we haven’t seen any regression. You’re afraid it’s just a one-game thing or a two-game thing; now he’s stringing three, four, five games together. It changes the conversation. He’s an X factor in these playoffs. If he can continue to play at the level he’s playing—even raise it one more level—that gives us more confidence going into the playoffs.”
china nfl jerseys nike
LeVert went kaboom in the final two weeks of the regular season. He averaged 16.0 points and 4.3 assists over his final eight games while putting down 47.6 percent of his pull-up triples and posting a true shooting percentage of 59.1.

Teensy-tiny end-of-the-year samples are not reliable telltales. But this isn’t about the (nonexistent) merits of momentum. LeVert was scoring at a similar clip, albeit with frostier shooting from distance, before his Nov. 12 injury. His most recent progress is more of a return to normal than temporary transformation. nike nfl jerseys on sale

Second-Biggest X-factor: Jared Dudley-at-the-5 lineups!women nfl jersey

Every NBA Playoff Team’s Biggest X-Factor

Stars drive the outcome of every NBA playoff series. Titles are not won without them. The list of Finals MVPs wouldn’t be dominated by Hall of Famers, both present and future, if they didn’t have the most control over postseason fates.nike nfl jerseys on saled49145a3aeb3a763b55ccba7290fe4b0_crop_exact

Still, playoff basketball isn’t only about the most obvious players. Teams are more than their tippy-top talent. They have sidekicks, role players, unsung heroes and, yes, higher-profile wild cards.

Everyone’s interpretation of X-factors is different. Some will argue that superstars can act as undersold turning points. They’re not wrong. Others see this designation as an opportunity to celebrate a roster’s deepest cuts. They’re not wrong, either.

Our search for this year’s top X-factors exists somewhere in the middle. Marquee talent isn’t off-limits, but we’re not singling out megastars. Their importance is assumed.china nfl jerseys nike

This is an ode to the postseason’s biggest swing pieces—unheralded No. 2s, fourth and fifth wheels and the occasional household name who fills a lesser role.

Jaylen Brown is a tempting selection. Marcus Smart’s absence will impact him more than anyone. Many of the toughest defensive assignments, beginning with Bojan Bogdanovic, will fall to him.

That curveball isn’t enough to overtake Gordon Hayward, though. He has been the Boston Celtics’ ultimate X-factor since the start of the season—their championship swing piece. Boston is a different team if he is even 75 percent of the player it signed in 2017.women nfl jersey

It has taken time. Hayward still doesn’t look like himself after he suffered a dislocated ankle and fractured left tibia on opening night last season. Rival offenses continue to target him in the half court.women’s authentic nfl jerseys

More and more, though, Hayward is getting closer to all the way back. As The Athletic’s Jay King wrote:where can i buy authentic nfl jerseys

“He has escaped from his post-injury funk with the battering, slashing style that made him an All-Star in Utah. Hayward is finishing at the rim with power and balance once again. He’s drawing free throws at approximately double his rate versus earlier in the season. He always seems in control, whether he’s spinning into a fadeaway jumper or firing a cross-court pass into a teammate’s shooting pocket.”buy nfl jerseys from china

Tre’ Williams, Auburn

POSITIVES

—Thumper who loves to hit and made many big tackles at the Senior Bowl.nfl jersey for sale

—Very physical taking on blockers and sniffing out the run in the middle of the field.

—Old-school mentality and relishes opportunities to put pads on ball-carriers.

—Instincts, timing and awareness all scored high.clearance nfl jerseys

NEGATIVES

—Only one year (2017) as a full-time starter.

—Shoulder injury limited him to eight starts.

—Doesn’t have ideal speed or range to project as a starting linebacker prospect.nike nfl jerseys on sale

—Low-impact player on game days. Only had 50 total tackles (24 solo) in 2017. Easy to lose him on film.

OVERALL

Tre’ Williams made a name for himself with big hits at the Senior Bowl, but he lacks the hips and speed to play in space in the NFL. He projects well as a backup middle linebacker whose aggressive, physical style would play well on special teams.
where to buy nfl jersey

GRADE: 5.00 (Priority Free Agent)

PRO PLAYER COMPARISON: Mike Hull, Miami Dolphins cheap nfl jersey store