In between promoting his new Some Love Lost EP that dropped last week, Joe Budden has kept his eyes glued to the beginning of the 2014-15 NBA season.
While most folks have been keeping tabs on the Cleveland Cavaliers’ recent chemistry concerns, the rapper has been enamored by the play of the New Orleans Pelicans’ Anthony Davis.
“Have you seen his numbers,” Budden told The Source before his concert at SOB’s in Manhattan last week.
For those keeping score at home, Davis is fifth in the NBA in scoring, averaging a smidge over 24 points per game while hauling in 12 rebounds. Davis was one block short of a triple double in his 26 point, 17 rebound and nine block outing against the Orlando Magic on opening night.
Davis added to his already impressive 2014-15 season start on Saturday when he hit the game-winning lay-up with seven seconds left on the clock against the reigning NBA champion, San Antonio Spurs. “If Anthony Davis continues to play the way that he’s been playing it’ll be difficult to keep him off of an All-NBA First Team,” said Budden.
A devout New York Knicks fan, Budden is hopeful to see what the orange and blue can accomplish in their first season under new head coach Derek Fisher. With one-third of the team brand new to the Knicks’ roster, they’ve had the arduous task of effectively executing the triangle offense that features their All Star Carmelo Anthony.
But will the triangle be effective?
“Not right now,” said Budden. “I see them running something that they didn’t run last year. But I don’t see it as the triangle exactly. But it’s early.”
The Los Angeles Lakers won their first game of the season last night with a 107-91 routing of the Charlotte Hornets at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Kobe Bryant led the pack with a 21 point, six rebound and four assist night for the purple and gold—numbers the Lakers All Star has had to post in order to keep the team afloat. Budden, a fan of Bryant wishes the Lakers had more help: “The Lakers need better personnel,” he said.
“That’s really just the bottom line. I don’t think they have the talent to compete in a Western Conference playoff spot. I’m a Kobe Bryant fan. I’m always going to support Kobe and rock with Kobe. He’s an amazing talent.”
Speaking of the NBA Playoffs, it is early, but inquiring minds want to know who the rapper that’s appeared as an expert on ESPN’s First Take with Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith predicts as his NBA Finals favorite. “In the west I like the Spurs or the Clippers,” said Budden.
“The Golden State Warriors are my darkhorse.”
But what about the NBA’s Eastern Conference?
“In the east it’s Chicago or Cleveland,” he said.
You’re betting the house on Derrick Rose, Joe? Explain yourself!
“The health of Derrick Rose depends on him,” said Budden. “But they have a really deep bench and I think they’re extremely talented. But they go as far as Derrick Rose goes.”
While enjoying the emotional roller coaster of an exciting NBA season, make sure to give Joe Budden’s Some Love Lost EP a listen.
The seven track, 40 minute EP is the second installment of the Love Lost series and features personal reflection, disappointment, hurt and other events that have affected Budden since the last time the Slaughterhouse MC penned No Love Lost.
