Chicago Blackhawks: This team has potential to be peskyon January 27, 2021 at 5:00 pm

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 16: Dylan Strome #17 of the Chicago Blackhawks plays against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on November 16, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) — NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – NOVEMBER 16: Dylan Strome #17 of the Chicago Blackhawks plays against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on November 16, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)

It is pretty clear that the Chicago Blackhawks aren’t as good of a team as the Nashville Predators.

Nashville has good players at every position and more depth than Chicago in every way. Patrick Kane is the best player on either side but the rest of Nashville’s lineup is way deeper. They also have a way better defense and better goaltending. With all of that, the Hawks held a lead for a large portion of the game and even managed to grab a standings point.

The Chicago Blackhawks have the potential to be a pesky team this season.

The Blackhawks were up 1-0 and 2-1 at different points in this game. Mikael Granlund tied it late in the third period and then the game went to overtime. Their captain, Roman Jose, scored the game-winning goal in overtime at 1:57. It was a much closer game than many expected but Nashville took the final shot.

Chicago was already shorthanded going into this game. We already know about all of the things that have negatively impacted their roster this year, but they received some bad news on Monday that makes it worse. Alex DeBrincat and Adam Boqvist were both placed on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list. Those are both big losses for a team that isn’t very deep.

This game is proof that the Hawks can make things difficult on some of their opponents. They were not good in their first two games against the Tampa Bay Lightning but they have now earned points in four straight games and won two of them. They aren’t going to be a playoff team or anything like that but they could make the playoff teams in their division sweat for 60 minutes. The depth of talent isn’t there but there is enough to be a thorn in the side of their opponents.

With the players that Nashville has compared to the players that the Hawks have, you would think that Nashville pulls away in this game. Dylan Strome scored a power-play goal early in the game to make it 1-0. The first thought that comes to mind is the fact that Strome is having a good year so far. He is one of this team’s top-six centers this year and has been taking advantage of this opportunity.

The second thought that comes to mind is the fact that the Chicago Blackhawks have an incredible power play right now. It was an area of difficulty in 2019-20 but they are firing on all cylinders this season. They have now scored a power-play goal in seven straight games. That has been the team’s strength. They don’t have a lot of scoring depth so hitting on these power plays is really helping them win some games.

Malcolm Subban had his first start in 13 days. He played well as he only gave up two goals in regulation. In the total game, he gave up three goals on 39 shots. Nashville outshot Chicago badly as the Hawks only managed to put 20 shots on Pekka Rinne. The fact that Subban was able to keep his team in a game that they had no business being in tells a lot about what he can do. He isn’t the goalie of the future but he might be able to help them this year.

If Nashville outshoots the Hawks by a two to one margin again on Thursday, chances are that the Hawks will lose without collecting a point. They need to make sure some things are cleaned up by that time. We know how good Nashville’s defense is and they can push the pace of play which makes things difficult on the Hawks. In order to come out on top next time against this Predators team, they need to be better at limiting their chances. It is going to be tough but this game was a good sign about how the rest of the season could go if some things go their way.

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White Sox: Three offseason moves that make them a contenderon January 27, 2021 at 4:00 pm

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

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We are officially at the point where the Chicago White Sox are clearly the best baseball team in the city of Chicago.

It doesn’t stop there. They are the best team of the five men’s major sports teams that call this city their home. The present is bright and the future is brighter. They have the making of a team that can go on and wins the World Series in 2021. There are some other teams that are very good as well so nothing is a guarantee but the White Sox are in a very good spot.

The Chicago White Sox have such a great roster going into the 2021 season.

2020 was an interesting year for the Chicago White Sox. Once they returned from the COVID-19 pause, they looked like an average team. One day, however, they started to put it all together and rattled off a bunch of wins, and eventually became a playoff team. It was so cool to see all of the young prospects come in and form a core that gives future World Series vibes.

They are known for their awesome starting lineup. It has, as mentioned before, a budding core that can hit as well as anyone. There are studs up and down the lineup that all bring something different to the table. The starting rotation has some studs in it and the bullpen continues to get better as the years go on. If the pitching is able to live up to the hype, this team is dangerous.

This offseason has been pretty good for them so far. They have made some moves that make them even better than they were in 2020 (which is saying something because they were really good). If some of these new additions are good and the core takes yet another step forward, we are talking about a World Series level team. These are the three biggest moves they made this offseason that make them a contender:

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Will the Chicago Bulls Make the Playoffs this Season?on January 27, 2021 at 2:03 pm

As we approach the quarter mark of the NBA season, it’s not too early to start looking towards the playoffs. For our Chicago Bulls, making it to the postseason should be an attainable goal for this year’s squad. However at their current pace, they’ll be on the outside looking in. Through 17 games, the Chicago Bulls are 7-10 and sit at the 11th spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They’ll need to move up to the 8th seed to get in. The current team at that position is the Tom Thibodeau-led New York Knicks. Even the most casual of basketball fans would put this Bulls team ahead of the Knicks. We certainly think they are, and we’re here to break down everything that needs to go right for the Chicago Bulls to make the playoffs this year.

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Key to a Chicago Bulls Playoff Appearance

Winning. It’s easier said than done. But, in order to make it to the NBA playoffs this summer, it’s what this Chicago Bulls team will have to do more of. Currently, the Eastern Conference standings are:

1. Philadelphia 76ers (12-6)

2. Boston Celtics (10-6)

3. Milwaukee Bucks (10-6)

4. Indiana Pacers (10-7)

5. Brooklyn Nets (11-8)

6. Atlanta Hawks (8-8)

7. Cleveland Cavaliers (8-9)

8. New York Knicks (8-10)

— Cutoff Line —

9. Orlando Magic (8-10)

10. Toronto Raptors (7-10)

11. Chicago Bulls (7-10)

As you can see, it’s a pretty tight race outside of the top five teams who are a near lock for the postseason. This means the Bulls only real competition is the Hawks, Cavaliers, Knicks, Magic, and Raptors. And they’re all competing for the next three spots.

The Chicago Bulls can certainly get the job done with the right mindset. A few weeks ago, coach Billy Donovan gave postgame comments saying, “They want to win. They don’t know how to.” And there might be some truth there with this young team. Donovan’s remarks came after the Bulls lost 127-125 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in OT. In the game, the team blew multiple double digit leads and allowed the Thunder to steal a victory. The key culprit of the loss was the amount of turnovers the Bulls gave up, something that has been a theme to start the season. If they can get it together and stop leading the league in turnovers, they’ll have no problem grabbing one of the last three spots in the Eastern Conference.

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Looking Ahead on the Bulls Schedule

A 7-10 start might not have been what the Chicago Bulls hoped for, but it’s what they’re left with. While it’s important to learn from their mistakes, it’s also important to not let the early struggles linger into the rest of the season. Up next on the teams schedule is a Saturday night game against the Portland Trailblazers. The following four games will be an important stretch for the Bulls. They have two 2-game series against the Knicks and the Magic. And as you can see above, those teams sit at spots 8 and 9 in the standings. By the end of next week, there’s a good chance this team will be well above the cutoff line. And if that happens, we can only hope they keep the momentum going.

At UrbanMatter, U Matter. And we think this matters.

Tell us what you think matters and what we should write about next in the comments below!

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The Definitive List of the Worst Intersections in Chicagoon January 27, 2021 at 3:20 pm

Big city driving can be a doozy, especially for newcomers. Your head basically has to be on a swivel to watch out for buses, bicyclists, crazy drivers, and everything in between. But there are a few of the worst intersections in Chicago that are particularly stressful. Check out this roundup and try to keep your cool next time you’re cruising through one of these locations.

Cicero and I-55

Catching a flight? This intersection sees an influx of travelers heading to and from Midway International Airport. Be sure to follow traffic laws when passing through—this location is home to one of the most profitable red light cameras in the city. Lovely!

Belmont and Kedzie

Ah yes, the dreadful intersection located under the Kennedy underpass. It’s horrible for drivers thanks to limited visibility and has been compared to a blackhole. Vehicles enter and exit the expressway seemingly out of nowhere. Keep your eyes peeled through this one, folks.

Western Avenue at Peterson Avenue

Pop quiz: what do you get when you mix several lanes of traffic on a major road with busy car dealerships? Answer: A really crappy intersection. When passing through town here, watch out for brake lights and careless drivers.

Stony Island and South Chicago

White knuckles, anyone? This intersection is quite dangerous due to the fact that six lanes meet the 79th avenue at a diagonal intersection. There’s also the link to the Chicago Skyway so you’ve got an added layer of dubious out-of-towners. Drive with caution!

Irving Park, Cicero, and Milwaukee

Whether you’re walking, biking, or driving, this 6-point intersection just plain sucks. Maybe it’s the bustling shopping centers or the weird side streets. Whatever it is, just take it nice and easy through this area and try not to panic.

North, Damen and Milwaukee

And Wicker Park’s award for worst intersection goes to…Damen and Milwaukee! Here’s why: lots of (un)cool kids that can’t be bothered to use the crosswalks. The 6-point, “oh shit what do I do here” exchange. PSA: slow down, don’t be a dick, and you’ll be fine.

Lincoln and Clark

Let’s face it: diagonal roads are hard. For everyone. Drivers, bicyclists, rollerbladers, scooterists, you get it. Lincoln and Clark is notorious for having too much traffic and no bike lanes makes it even more dangerous for those on two-wheels.

Worst Intersections Chicago Featured Image Credit: David Mark on Pixabay

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Chicago Bulls: Wendell Carter Jr. injury update, plus ramificationson January 27, 2021 at 3:00 pm

Chicago Bulls (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)

Right now, the Chicago Bulls can’t count on Wendell Carter Jr.

And that’s a problem.

Carter Jr. can’t control the speed at which Denzel Valentine runs into his quad. He can’t control his previous core injury. This isn’t his fault.

But the Bulls are quickly running out of time on him.

The Bulls announced today that Carter Jr. would be reevaluated in four weeks, for a deep quad contusion that was caused by a freak accident during practice. This isn’t the first time that Carter Jr. will miss a long stretch of games.

This is 3rd straight season Carter will miss significant time. He played 44/82 and 43/65 his first two seasons. https://t.co/N9bU91eYXr

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 26, 2021

Of course, this is a huge concern for the Bulls in the present tense. Carter Jr. was averaging 12.8 points, 2.4 assists, and 8.0 rebounds a contest before his injury (via Basketball-Reference). His play had picked up steam in the last few games, and he looked more and more like an offensive hub and the defensive stalwart that he was billed to be coming out of Duke. The Bulls will obviously have a huge dip, caused by the hole at center.

However, those short term losses are foreshadowing what could be a sticky situation down the road, one that Bulls fans are all too familiar with.

You see, when an NBA rookie is drafted in the first round, they have a special contract. It’s a 2+2 contract, meaning that the first two years are guaranteed, and then the next two years have individual team options (which means the team has the ability to say “yes” or “no” to bringing the player back, in layman’s terms). The 2021 season for Wendell Carter Jr. was the first of those team option years.

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There’s no doubt the Bulls will exercise that second team option. That’s not what I’m worried about. What I’m worried about is what comes after that — the extension window.

Think of what’s going on right now with Lauri Markkanen. He’s going to be a restricted free agent after this season, because his agency team and the Chicago Bulls couldn’t decide on a number that accurately reflected his value on the court. The most likely scenario is that Markkanen will sign an offer sheet with another team, forcing the Bulls to match that offer, like they did with Zach LaVine. If Markkanen doesn’t re-sign, then he plays one more year with Chicago on the qualifying offer, and then is an unrestricted free agent.

Wendell Carter Jr. is one year behind Markkanen.

The worst spot the Bulls can be in with Carter Jr. is not knowing what his value is on the court. We get to that scenario by continuing down the same road that we’ve already been on — a road filled with Jim Boylen; and frequent injuries.

It’s no secret that Boylen misused Carter Jr. But that misuse functionally “reset” the timer on figuring out what Carter Jr. is as a basketball player. Which means Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley have a shortened time frame to figure out what a fair contract price is for Carter Jr.

The solution to that problem? Wendell Carter Jr. needs to have consistent playing time after coming back from the injury. The Bulls front office needs to see him have extended minutes for a majority of this season, and next. Otherwise, if the worst case scenario comes true, the Bulls might not have a frontcourt in 2023.

Chicago Bulls: Wendell Carter Jr. injury update, plus ramificationson January 27, 2021 at 3:00 pm Read More »

Chicago Cubs are eyeing a free agent target from division rivalon January 27, 2021 at 3:30 pm

Chicago Cubs (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

The Chicago Cubs seem to be in a weird spot as an organization. All moves this offseason seem to suggest they are about to enter a full rebuild, but the team has been very reluctant to call it that.

However, with no fans in the stand in 2020 to bring in revenue, ownership is still going to want to try to put a somewhat competent product o the field. Even being away from the ballpark for a year might not be enough to drive fans to Wrigley if the team is an abomination.

To that end, according to a recent report from baseball insider Jon Morosi, the Cubs are one of the teams that are very interested in pursuing free agent seond-baseman Kolten Wong.

The former St. Louis Cardinals defensive stud, who has won back to back Gold Gloves at second base, would be crossing enemy lines to come to the North Side.

The Chicago Cubs eyeing free agent Kolten Wong.

At the moment, the Cubs are likely projected to start Nico Hoerner at second base, so their interest in Wong could be interpreted as a signal that the team isn’t ready to turn the keys over to Hoerner full time just yet. After all, Hoerner has only 186 career at-bats. Last year, in 108 at-bats in a shortened season, he batted .222 with 24 hits, and 13 runs batted in while striking out 24 times and walking only 12.

Wong is a career .265 hitter, with a .333 OBP, .384 SLG, .717 OPS and a 94 OPS+. Defensively, Wong is fantastic, and would be a steady addition to the roster. He would be a great bridge/platoon guy at second base while allowing Hoerner to grow into that role.

In many ways he’s exactly the kind of free agent the Cubs are likely to target. He’s a solid player who won’t cost a ton, but will bring solid fundamentals and a good presence to the team.

Next: 3 mistakes that led to Cubs rebuild

There are other teams interested in Wong, as the report suggests, including the aforementioned Cardinals, the Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia Phillies. The Cubs will have some competition for his services, but overall it would be a decent addition for a team looking to field a competitive team in 2021.

Chicago Cubs are eyeing a free agent target from division rivalon January 27, 2021 at 3:30 pm Read More »