On this week’s episode of Tar Takes we look back at North Carolina’s 81-79 victory over Clemson, discuss if UNC deserves its No. 3 ranking, other top 5 teams, we preview the Duke-UNC game, and talk about the futures of recently-controversial LeBron James and Antonio Brown.
Tar Takes 3/4
Tar Heels defeat Clemson 81-79. Nassir only scored 5 points. Should UNC fans be worried about Little’s performance moving forward?
North Carolina rolled with 6 men for most of the game against Clemson. Is that the plan moving forward?
UNC now ranked No. 3 in the country. What would be your rankings for the top 5 in college basketball be?
Duke-UNC. Who’s going to win?
Would you trade for Antonio Brown?
Should LeBron play the remainder of the NBA season?
On this week’s episode of Tar Takes, we spend most of our time breaking down the matchups when the North Carolina Tar Heels travel to Cameron Indoor to take on the Duke Blue Devils on Wednesday night.
After we break down everything in the tobacco road rivalry, we discuss if LeBron James and the Lakers will make the NBA playoffs.
Can anything be taken from UNC’s win over Wake Forest after tough loss to UVA? Tar Heels defeated Wake Forest by 38 points on Saturday.
Are you worried about UNC’s health heading into the Duke-UNC game on Wednesday? Cam Johnson and Nassir Little dealing with ankle injuries.
Do the Tar Heels have any chance to win on Wednesday against Duke in Cameron Indoor?
Barack Obama will be in attendance for Wednesday’s UNC-Duke game in Durham. Are we surprised?
Will LeBron and the Los Angeles Lakers make the NBA playoffs?
On this week’s episode we discuss LeBron James and the Lakers, the latest trades in the NFL and the Tar Heel’s outlook for basketball season which is just right around the corner.
Tar Takes with Ryan Lipton and David Matlock is presented by The JR Report and Relevnt!
Lakers are off to a rough start, so you think they can still make the playoffs? If so what seed?
Thoughts on Big NFL trades and rumors: Amari Cooper to Cowboys, Apple to Saints, etc.
After a tough 40-37 loss to Syracuse, what should Tar Heel fans look for going forward as UNC football finishes out the season?
UNC ranked No. 8 in AP Poll Duke #4, Virginia: Are the Tar Heels the third best team in the ACC?
Zion Williamson scored 29 points and 6 rebounds in an exhibition game: Should UNC fans be worried about Zion’s performance?
Photo Credit:
LeBron James – Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James and Lonzo Ball (Photo via Getty Images)
The 2018 NBA Draft has passed, Free Agency is slowing down, and teams are scrambling to build their rosters for the upcoming season. The Lakers landed the big fish in LeBron James, but the Warriors continue to outshine the king with the signing of Boogie Cousins. The Thunder may have had the biggest upset in the NBA the past two seasons in signing for Paul George. Either way, nobody is catching the Warriors anytime soon.
In what was not a surprise to anyone on Tar Takes, former North Carolina Tar Heels guard Joel Berry and forward Theo Pinson went undrafted in the 2018 NBA draft.
Almost immediately after the draft, Theo Pinson signed with the Brooklyn Nets and Joel Berry signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. Both guys, who have spent the past four years in Chapel Hill, will be moving to the bright lights of Brooklyn and Los Angeles.
But the question still remains, considering the fact they both ended up as undrafted rookies, can either one of them stick with their new NBA teams?
UNC G Joel Berry and F Theo Pinson (Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)
Joel Berry
Out of the two, Berry might have the toughest path to being on an NBA roster come opening day for two reasons.
First, Berry is the worst of the two players from an NBA perspective. He has less room to grow athletically and is undersized for the position at just six-feet tall. The odds are against you if you are smaller and not a freak athlete.
Second, Berry is joining the Lakers. No one really knows what the team will exactly look like, but they are in the market for LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. So their roster is going to be a lot better than the Nets’, and Los Angeles has many solid young pieces, assuming they aren’t traded, in Lonzo Ball, Julius Randle, Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram and more.
So it might be hard for Berry to break through on a roster that is looking to sign all-stars and has a young core of talent already in place.
Moreover, the Lakers are the heavy favorites to land LeBron at the moment, per CBS Sports. As we know, LeBron has always wanted control over the roster he joins and has favored veteran players who can shoot the basketball.
Berry is a rookie and shot just 34.4 percent from three-point range last season for the Tar Heels. And that three-point line was more than two-feet closer than it is in the NBA.
We will see what Berry can do for the Lakers in the 2018 NBA Summer League, but his chance to make the team come October does not look good.
Photo via Getty Images
Theo Pinson
Pinson, who was the lesser- valued player in college, might actually have the best chance to break through to an NBA roster.
In terms of Pinson’s basketball ability, it is much easier to envision a role for him unlike Berry. Pinson, who is 6-foot-6, can do it all but shoot. He is extremely athletic (dunk below), can pass (5.1 assists per game in 2017/18), can finish (10.3 points per game), and is an unquestioned leader.
While it is insane to think he will be the next Draymond Green, he has all the qualities to become a poor man’s Green. And I would assume many teams would jump on the possibility of having a player like Draymond.
Now, that doesn’t mean it will happen but it is easier to keep a player on your team if you have a clear vision of what they could become.
Furthermore, Brooklyn is among the worst teams in the league. So it is easier to make the team, and it is in no rush to find talent that can produce immediately. The Nets can take their time to develop Pinson because he could become a solid player if he learns to shoot decently.
Tar Heel fans, if you want to stay updated on Berry and Pinson’s efforts in the NBA, they can be watched during the NBA’s Summer League from July 2-17.
Phoenix Suns Center Deandre Ayton (Photo via the Arizona Republic-USA TODAY NETWORK)
2018 NBA Draft Analysis: Tar Takes’ David Matlock dissects the biggest moves in the NBA draft and the long-term impact on the NBA.
Who wins the Doncic-Young trade, Hawks or Mavericks? Is Colin Sexton the answer to keeping LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers? Is Brett Brown’s decision to move Mikal Bridges the right one? What is the Phoenix Suns’ Future?
Cleveland Cavaliers F LeBron James (Photo via Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers were swept in the 2018 NBA Finals by the Golden State Warriors. Ryan Lipton discusses his takeaway from the Finals including LeBron’s hand injury and effort, KD vs. James and a quick preview of the 2018 NBA Free Agency.
LeBron James + Michael Jordan (Photo via Getty Images and Sporting News)
With LeBron James heading to his 8th straight NBA Finals, some (AKA Nick Wright) have proclaimed LeBron James to be the greatest player of all time. However, we shall see why many of the arguments that are being made on national television are false.
Watch the Tar Takes broadcast with Ryan Lipton and David Matlock below! Tar Takes is presented by The JR Report and the brand new app Relevnt!
We discuss the latest in the sports world with debate segments of the hottest NBA/NFL topics of the week as well as the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Also: Tar Takes Update, What are the summer plans moving forward.
