Diego Vergel de Dios Articles - Page 7

The Miami Heat were the favorite in the 7/8 play-in matchup against the Atlanta Hawks, as some media and fans were expecting a grueling series against the Boston Celtics. The Heat put up a dud against the Hawks, but they beat the Chicago Bulls and then shocked the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1. With Giannis […]

How ironic can the start of this series be for the Memphis Grizzlies? In Game 1, when Ja Morant suited up, they lost by 16 points to the Los Angeles Lakers, but they bounced back in a fantastic Game 2 performance with Morant watching from the sidelines, as they toppled the Lakers by 10, 103-93. […]

When the regular season is down to its final game before the postseason, the fans are usually tuning out because the key rotational pieces of their team are not suited up. That was not the case for the Minnesota Timberwolves, though. They needed to play everyone in Game 82, and two additional Play-In Tournament contests, […]

The Chicago Bulls have wrapped another abysmal 2022-2023 campaign. Letting go of young assets and future draft picks was the formula for the Bulls’, as they acquired veterans like DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic to complement their franchise cornerstone, Zach LaVine. It has been a disaster for the organization, as they have yet to get […]

The Chicago Bulls completed a magnificent play-in victory over the Toronto Raptors to advance to the next game in the play-in tournament but failed to build on their fantastic performance in the next stage, as they faltered against the Miami Heat in the race for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls were […]

The NBA regular season is down to its last day, and there has been a little action in the final games before the postseason. Many teams are resting their main guys for the postseason, which starts on Tuesday with the play-in tournament. Last Friday afternoon, ex-NBA player and ESPN analyst Jalen Rose went on Twitter […]

The Dallas Mavericks acquired superstar Kyrie Irving before the 2022 NBA trade deadline. The trade was official on February 7, and the Mavs were fifth in the Western Conference, tied with the Phoenix Suns. The expectation was for them to retain that position or even raise their spot in the standings, but it went the […]

The Dallas Mavericks advanced to the Western Conference Finals last season. It was an unexpected run that might have been a fluke for some, and they might have been correct with that assertion. Jalen Brunson, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Dorian Finney-Smith are three rotational pieces that have departed from Dallas, and the team has yet to […]

After the fantastic victory of the Milwaukee Bucks over the Chicago Bulls, the Bucks have clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and the best record in the NBA. Milwaukee will have homecourt advantage for every series in the postseason, which was not the case last year. Giannis Antetokounmpo is back with a […]

The Los Angeles Clippers wrapped up a fantastic victory on Wednesday night over their cross-town rival, the Los Angeles Lakers. It has been 11 straight victories for the Clippers over the Lakers, but more importantly, the Clippers control their destiny in the final two games of the regular season. Two more wins over the Portland […]

A week is left before the NBA regular season ends. Even if it is down to its last couple of games, only a few spots have been secured in the race for the NBA Championship. The Minnesota Timberwolves are in the thick of things and clinging to the ninth seed in the grueling Western Conference. […]

The Boston Celtics are coming off an excellent 2022 NBA Finals run, wherein they build on it and reclaim their glory in the Eastern Conference. Their 2023 campaign began on a special note, and they have seemed to stable the ship despite the tough stretches they endured in January and March. One primary reason for […]

The Tampa Bay Rays were on the brink of winning the World Series a couple of years ago, but their team has drastically changed. Blake Snell, Kevin Kiermaier, and Joey Wendle departed from the Rays. Even if the key cogs from the 2020 World Series are gone, the Rays’ front office knows how to formulate […]

The Memphis Grizzlies have endured a plethora of problems in the 2022-2023 NBA season. Comparing it to their surprising ascent last year, the target is now on their backs, and they seem to thrive through adversity. Despite the early-season absence of Jaren Jackson Jr., current injuries to Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke, and most importantly, […]

NBA pundits love the discussion of the biggest surprises and unfortunate disappointments every NBA season. The category of disappointments can have various perspectives. Still, this season, the most surprising storyline in the NBA is the Sacramento Kings ascending to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. They have snapped their playoff drought, as they […]

After acquiring Kevin Durant before the 2023 NBA trade deadline, the Phoenix Suns ascended to heavy favorites to win the Western Conference. Unfortunately, Durant sustained an ankle injury in warmups before his home debut at Footprint Center. He is expected to return by Wednesday if no setbacks occur, so Phoenix will have several games to […]

The Miami Heat made the NBA Finals in 2020 and the Eastern Conference Finals in 2022, so seeing them plummet down the standings this year was surprising. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo continue having stellar campaigns, but it has been a stable of inconsistency for the rest of the roster of Miami. The age of […]

Before the article expounds on a more detailed level, it must be clear to the readers that the problems of the Houston Astros will not be as serious as their opponents. This team is stacked in all positions, and injuries will likely be the only legitimate reason for them not to compete for the 2023 […]

The Dallas Mavericks are in the middle of another year of Luka Doncic dominating the league. Even if he is not in his prime yet, he plays like a top-five or top-seven player in the NBA. Thus, the Mavs front office pulled the trigger and paired him up with one of the most talented players […]

The Cleveland Guardians embarked on a fantastic and inspiring journey in 2023. They advanced to the ALDS after they toppled the Tampa Bay Rays in the Wildcard race before losing to the New York Yankees in five tough contests. There were numerous revelations from their youthful squad, such as guys like Andres Gimenez, Steven Kwan, […]

The Philadelphia Phillies surprised the MLB world by advancing to the World Series in the 2022 season. They only earned 87 victories in the regular season and were heading into an early exit in the NL Wildcard. The Phillies upset both the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves in the postseason, and the fans were […]

The New York Yankees are back in contention for the 2023 season. Over ten years since the Yankees last won a World Series crown, which is uncharacteristic for their organization. The front office continued to bolster their roster as they added superstar pitcher Carlos Rodon. They re-signed Aaron Judge to a massive contract and Anthony […]

The San Francisco Giants had a rather tumultuous offseason that featured them missing out on Aaron Judge and then losing Carlos Correa after his physical went awry. The Giants must now move past that and focus on the 2023 season. Even if they are far from their 107-win season in 2021, this club must emulate […]

The Tampa Bay Rays continue to be a force to be reckoned with despite their low payroll and young core. The Rays are unlikely to start acquiring starts by giving them the gigantic bag, so their formula to success will continue to rely on their farm system. They have found gems from their minor league […]

The Cleveland Guardians are one of the youngest teams in baseball, but that is not any excuse for them to not be competing with the top teams in the American League. Many folks figured the Minnesota Twins or Chicago White Sox would win the AL Central before the start of the 2022 season, but Cleveland […]

The St Louis Cardinals were lagging behind the Milwaukee Brewers for a lengthy time in 2022, but they eclipsed the Brewers and won the NL Central crown. However, they were upset by the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL Wildcard last season via a 2-0 sweep. The mix of veterans and youth is an admirable facet […]

The San Diego Padres completed one of the biggest trades in MLB history by acquiring generational talent Juan Soto. He is on a short-term deal only, so the Padres’ front office knows they need to move quickly and add the supplementary pieces that would propel them to World Series consideration. Xander Bogaerts, Nelson Cruz, and […]

The Philadelphia Phillies surprised the MLB world last season by reaching the 2022 World Series after winning 87 games in the regular season. Beating the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Wildcard was impressive, but their run was encapsulated by the four-game victory over the defending-champion Atlanta Braves in the NLDS. Bryce Harper, Rhys Hoskins […]

The Seattle Mariners are coming off an impressive and inspiring 2022 season wherein they finally snapped their 21-year postseason drought. The main reason is the impeccable showing of Rookie of the Year, MVP candidate Julio Rodriguez, and the trade deadline acquisition of ace pitcher Luis Castillo. Youngsters like Cal Raleigh and Logan Gilbert will take […]

Are there any position battles for the best team in baseball? Most of the reigning World Series champion Houston Astros are already locked as starters, such as Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, and Alex Bregman. Losing impeccable ace Justin Verlander to the New York Mets will be tough for Houston, but their roster is still one […]

The New York Yankees are coming off a terrible end to their 2022 campaign as they were swept by the 2022 World Series Champions Houston Astros. They could not find a rhythm for the whole series, and Houston had an answer for everything manager Aaron Boone threw at them. It was their third ALCS loss […]

The Tampa Bay Rays didn’t finish their 2022 campaign the way they wanted to, as they were swept out of the playoffs in the Wild Card round by the Cleveland Guardians. Both squads had a similar formula, focusing on defense and pitching because their lineups weren’t very strong, but Cleveland was ultimately able to get […]

The Milwaukee Brewers were one of the legitimate contenders for a playoff berth until the latter part of the season. They held the NL Central lead for a long juncture of the season before the St. Louis Cardinals went on a fantastic run and grabbed the NL Central title from them. The pitching led by […]

The San Francisco Giants had one of the most intriguing offseasons in the MLB this year. Players like Carlos Rodon, Brandon Belt, and Evan Longoria have departed from San Francisco, so it opened up cap space for them to sign big-name free agents. Thus, they chased Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa but failed to capitalize […]

The Seattle Mariners had the longest playoff drought among all the organizations in the four major American sports. Twenty years of missing the postseason were tough to swallow for their rabid fanbase, so they were ecstatic when they clinched a spot in 2022. Unfortunately, they faced the 2022 World Series champion Houston Astros in the […]

The Cleveland Guardians are the epitome of a gritty and underrated bunch that made some noise in the 2022 MLB season. Who would have thought the Guardians may have won the blockbuster trade involving Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco? MLB pundits believed it was a rebuilding move for the Guardians, but the impeccable play of […]

The Houston Astros continued their dominance in the MLB as they claimed their second World Series crown with this current iteration of the Astros. Superstar rookie Jeremy Peña led the charge in the postseason, capturing both the ALCS and World Series MVP in his inaugural season. Despite the struggles of Jose Altuve, it did not […]

The Cincinnati Reds have struggled immensely over the past several years. Gone are fixtures like Luis Castillo, Sonny Gray, Eugenio Suarez, and Brandon Drury, who were all crucial parts of past Reds squads. Joey Votto, who will likely retire as Cincinnati’s first baseman, is the lone veteran remaining on this young roster. The Reds have […]

After winning the 2019 World Series, the Washington Nationals have decided to go on a total revamp with their roster. Guys like Max Scherzer and Trea Turner were moved a couple of seasons back. Still, the rebuild was evident after they shipped generational talent Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres for a haul of […]